Abstract
This paper presents a comparison of female victimization in two of Shakespeare's most renowned plays, "Hamlet" and "The Winter's Tale". By presenting a detailed description of Ophelia and Hermione's dying scenes, a thorough analysis of their characters is obtained, and the role of women in general in Shakespeare's plays is given extensive thought.

From the Paper
"The main difference between Hermione's death scene and Ophelia's is the sheer publicity of Hermione's situation, as opposed to the total seclusion and privacy with which Ophelia's death occurred. If in the first scene we find Ophelia alone, singing, reveling in the silence (also portrayed by the still water) and slowly fading out of life, Hermione's scene communicates the exact opposite. A queen unrightfully reduced to a prisoner, Hermione finds herself amidst officers, guards and lords, all of whom will be exposed to a private issue between her and her husband."

Tags:leontes, tragicomedy, manipulation, Desdemona, Polonius

Abstract
"The Tempest" is one of William Shakespeare's later plays probably written between 1610 and 1611. The early 1600s were marked by the beginning of the emigration from England and Spain to North America and the paper sets out to examine how the theme of colonization was expressed in the play. This paper contends that Shakespeare's play, "The Tempest," raises issues about the relationship of Europeans with native peoples but does not aim at describing the experience of one particular nation, be it English or Spanish. The paper's main argument is that Shakespeare utilizes the pattern of colonialism seen as a general phenomenon, and the colonialist endeavors of one European nation in particular.

From the Paper
"The literary critics who argue against the theme of colonization in "The Tempest" claim that rationalization (attempting to justify Prospero's cruelty towards Caliban by making the former seem good, and the latter inherently bad), is a technique which works against colonialism in Shakespeare's play because this way, Caliban is given the chance to exhibit a series of qualities which were not associated with savage men such as Caliban. Caliban represents anarchy, uprising and the unwillingness to surrender. These, however, were general traits shared by most of the natives who were faced with colonialism. In this sense, he is a generalized reflection of "the other" in the English imperialists' drive for hegemony overseas (Marshall: 387). Both Skura and Marshall challenge the idea that Prospero and Caliban are actors in the typical European-Native American colonial narrative. The Indian as the bogeyman which fits the Caliban mould does not exist until after 1622 whereas Shakespeare's play was written around 1610 (Marshall: 389). Skura also points at a very interesting detail which has been largely disregarded by critics. Sycorax, Caliban's mother, came from the Old World hence Caliban can only be considered half-native because although he was born on the island, his mother was not (Skura: 50)."

Tags:colonizing england spain Elizabethan, New World, Prospero Caliban European theatrical patron native authority civilization slave Plymouth

Abstract
This paper explains that William Shakespeare's "Sonnet 130" is his joke, which becomes a true token of love when read between the lines. The author points out that Shakespeare depicts his lover's attributes with very non-traditional and realistic references that come across as very insulting, which undermines the Petrarchan form of love poetry that generally viewed love in an idealized way and often idolized the lover. The paper relates that the joke becomes a rather serious issue with its last couplet when, by recognizing his lover's ordinary characteristics and loving her this much anyway, he reinforces the depth of his love.

From the Paper
"With "Sonnet 130," Shakespeare uses this type of comparison but in a very unique and memorable way. Coral lips, rosy cheeks, and eyes the are bright as the sun are mentioned in this poem, but they are a joke that forces us to see real beauty in real life. Love is often blind but it does not need to be and Shakespeare show us how love can be honest and beautiful in its own way. In the end, Shakespeare is suggesting that love and lovers do not need to be as beautiful as these love sonnets make them to be true love."

Tags:sarcasm, petrarchan, ordinary, love, real-life

Abstract
Using the ideas and motifs of the contextual text "Il Pecorone", William Shakespeare constructs a play - "The Merchant of Venice" - with a focus on sexuality and gender, creating equal grounds to contrast the characters Antonio and Portia. This paper shows that, adding a depth to the play that was not present in the original document, Shakespeare presents a world of romantic rivalry in which the woman assumes characteristics generally associated with the masculine - such as power, authority and self-control, while the man is shown as a weak character victimized by his own emotional instability.

From the Paper
"Inspiration for the character of Portia is the Lady of Belmonte in the original text, a woman who uses her sexuality and power to lure gullible men into her trap. Highlighting the benefits of their visit, she counts on men's sexual greed and vulnerability to get them to accept the challenge and loose their ships - in a way she is the equivalent of hazardous storms that sailors face. The fact that the Lady's name is not specified strengthens her association with the supernatural, and establishes her as a strong character unaffected by human flaws. Her life experiences and maturity allow her to preserve the authority over her possessions and to make decisions about her future. As a widow, the lady defies the stereotype of a virginal maiden."

Tags:Giannetto, Belmonte, Bassanio

Abstract
The following paper explores how Shakespeare was generally thought to have been no more than a rough and untutored genius in the 18th century, while now his works are held up as the height of sophistication and the core of any "great works" selection in English literature.

From the Paper
"For many years theories were advanced that his plays had actually been written by someone "more educated, more sophisticated and of an altogether better class than Shakespeare" perhaps statesman and philosopher Sir Francis Bacon or the Earl of Southampton, who was Shakespeare's patron (Sobran 29). However, it should be noted that Shakespeare was celebrated in his own time by English writer Ben Jonson and others who saw in him a brilliance that would endure and since the 19th century, Shakespeare's achievements have consistently praised. He is now in general regarded throughout the Western world as the greatest dramatist ever (Sobran 37)."

Tags:authorship, plays, attributed, baptized, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire

Abstract
The paper relates that Shakespeare's "Troilus and Cressida" is considered by the general consensus of scholars to be one of the great author's most problematic plays, on a number of levels. The paper explains that written approximately in 1602, it appeared in the same general time frame as the great tragedies but, despite its tragic tone and outcome, it possesses certain ambiguities and darkly comic elements that led 19th-century scholars to label it as a "problem play", along with several similar works of Shakespeare written around the same time. The paper relates that "Troilus and Cressida" is far less well known than most of the Bard's works, and much less represented in acting company repertoires, and while the play possesses a fair amount of action, romance, satire and tragedy, its dense and often highly philosophical language seems to have put off many readers and players from exploiting it to its best advantage.

From the Paper
"Shakespeare's Troilus and Cressida is considered by general consensus of scholars to be one of the great author's most problematic plays, on a number of levels. Written approximately in 1602, it appeared in the same general time frame as the great tragedies but, despite its tragic tone and outcome, it possesses certain ambiguities and darkly comic elements that led 19th-century scholars to label it as a "problem play" along with several similar works of Shakespeare written around the same time. It is important to emphasize, though, that this term did not exist in Shakespeare's time and should not be excessively relied upon as an..."

Tags:shakespeare, troilus and cressida, analysis

Abstract
The paper discusses how William Shakespeare's play of "Othello" is about a Moor general who becomes blinded by jealousy. The paper relates that Othello's jealous rage drives him to kill his wife and himself, and thus, the premise of the play is that jealousy destroys the jealous one and the object of its love. The paper discusses how Othello had many options to choose from that would have prevented him from descending into a jealous rage; he could have internalized the pain, he could have plotted against the people who hurt him, he could have investigated to confirm his suspicions, etc.

From the Paper
"The tragedy of Othello focuses on jealousy - how the seed of jealousy is planted and nourished. Othello, a Moor general becomes the target of Iago, a subordinate who was passed up for the position of Lieutenant. Iago, determined to get revenge, plants the seeds of jealousy in Othello's mind by questioning the honesty of Othello's wife Desdemona and her friend Cassio. Othello becomes jealous the moment he decides to entertain the notion that Desdemona is less than faithful. As time passes, Othello starts to view each interaction between Desdemona and Cassio with an eye on proving that she and Cassio are enthralled in a tryst. Othello finds Desdemona's handkerchief in Cassio's living quarters, which Othello..."

Tags:jealousy, rage, shakespeare

Abstract
The paper explores why the play culminates in the ring exchange, and why the rings are such a significant part of "The Merchant of Venice". The paper addresses the symbolism, plot and general characterization and themes of this play.

From the Paper
'Throughout the ages, Shakespearean works of theatre are known to use symbols to better illustrate the human condition. As John P. Sisk says in his article "Bondage and Release in The Merchant of Venice", "The merchant has pleased many for a long time because of it is one of the best comic `just representations' of our literature of...the fullness of life through the power of love (Sisk, 221)." The comedic masterpiece "The Merchant of Venice" is no exception, and uses physical symbols (especially symbols of wealth) to expound upon the plot, the theme of mercy and further entangle..."

Tags:shakespeare, merchant of venice, ring

Abstract
This paper explores the domination of women by men. In Shakespeare's "Othello", Ibsen's "A Doll's House" and F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby", we see examples of this phenomena quite clearly, with our modern eyes. The paper examines the different ways in which ideas of domination have changed shape from Elizabethan times to that of the turn of the century.

From the Paper
"Shakespeare's "Othello" is a play written by an Englishman, set in Venice. From the beginning, we see women warned by both men and women to beware of the scheming of men. "an old black ram/is tupping your white ewe," shouts Iago to Desdemona's father when he is warning him of The Moor's abduction of her. (1.1.89 Norton Anthology 2102) When Othello defends his marriage to Desdemona, he is accused of practicing witchcraft upon her. (1.2.64-64) Yet when he explains, we are assured both by the beauty of his words, by Desdemona, and by the reaction of the men listening to him that it was only the beauty of his stories that charmed her, not any sinister power he might have."

Tags:mysterious, exception, Iago, greatest, objection, characters, Othello, blackness, Emilia, general, evils, men

Abstract
This paper provides a general overview of the common superstition that performing "Macbeth" leads to disaster. Opposing theories are provided and disbelievers are quoted. Several true accounts of the curse are described along with quotes from the actors who witnessed the curse firsthand. Facts are provided about the supposed curse, including the fact that Abraham Lincoln was reciting lines from "Macbeth" the night before his death.

From the Paper
"In 1961, the Stratford Shakespeare Company was plagued with bad luck. In the final month of their "Macbeth" tour, an actor's daughter fell and died. During that same month, another actor was stabbed to death in a nearby park. Additionally, the manager of the Stratford Shakespeare Company was found dead in his apartment after being beaten, strangled, and stabbed multiple times with a carving knife.
In another incident, the Old Vic company encountered its first disastrous production of Macbeth. By the end of the tour, there had been, among the actors, an attempted suicide, two abortions, an electrocution, a gouged eye, and accidental stabbing resulting in death."

Tags:curse, performance, shakespeare, superstition, literature