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Revenge in Drama, 2008.
Compares the theme of revenge in Henrik Ibsen's "The Wild Duck", William Shakespeare's "Hamlet" and Aeschylus' "The Oresteia".
1,325 words (approx. 5.3 pages), 3 sources, MLA, $ 44.95
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Abstract
This paper states that revenge makes for some of the best stories ever written and suggests that "The Wild Duck" by Henrik Ibsen is one of the best revenge tales ever told. The paper maintains that the theme of revenge in "The Wild Duck" is far stronger than that in "Hamlet", which is more similar to "The Oresteia". The paper relates the plots of each of these stories and argues that, in "Hamlet" and "The Oresteia", the characters are motivated by the death of someone they love. Thus, their revenge is more justified than Gregers' motivation in "The Wild Duck" because they are avenging the death of a loved one.
From the Paper
"Gregers' first plan of action is confronting his father about his past. He argues with him about his mother and tells his father that it was the "suffering and humiliation she had to undergo, till at last it broke her down and drove her to such a miserable end." It is clear from their conversation that nothing is going to be resolved. What we do learn from this conversation is Gregers inability to forgive or forget his father. That is not to say that Werle asked for forgiveness or deserved it even but the fact that Werle is not remorseful at all does not make things between the two men any better."
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Shakespeare's Sonnets 30 and 62, 2008.
An analysis of the theme of self-knowledge in William Shakespeare's Sonnets 30 and 62.
760 words (approx. 3.0 pages), 2 sources, MLA, $ 27.95
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Abstract
This paper examines William Shakespeare's Sonnets 30 and 62. The paper maintains that, in each of these sonnets, the poet must look outside himself to find virtue, truth, and love. This act of realization brings self-knowledge to the poet. The paper argues that, by the end of each sonnet, the poet is aware of what is important as opposed to what he once believed to be important. It concludes that each sonnet shows us how we can find virtue, truth, and love if we choose to be open to what the universe brings to us.
From the Paper
"In both sonnets, the poet is reflective. Sonnet 30 begins with a somber mood as the poet looks back over his life and friends. It is important to note that the poem ends on a more positive note as the poet looks to what he has in the present. This sonnet expresses a sense of self-reflection as the poet weighs what is important with what is not important. In addition, we see how the poet brings virtue to things in the present, namely friendship, and does not allow himself to stay lost in the memories of the past for too long. We see the significance of friendship in this poem as the mere thought of a friend can erase all of the woe associated with a dim past. The poet sees virtue in the things that are important now as opposed to what was then. In Sonnet 62, we see reflection that begins with the poet's own attributes. The poet is very aware of his vanity, noting that it is a "sin of self-love" (Sonnet 62 1) that possesses "all mine eye,/And all my soul, and all my every part" (1-2). While this seems arrogant, there is a level of self-knowledge in this poem because the poet realizes it is a sin "grounded inward in my heart"". (4)
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Shakespeare's Sonnets, 2008.
An analysis of Shakespeare's sonnets 30 and 62.
1,002 words (approx. 4.0 pages), 2 sources, APA, $ 35.95
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Abstract
The paper asserts that Shakespeare is just as unrivaled in his sonnets rhyme, rhythm, melody and sound as he is with plays. The paper examines Shakespeare's sonnets 30 and 62 and highlights the theme of individuals looking back on their lives to see how they have succeeded or failed. The paper maintains that people continue to struggle with the same questions and self-doubts and it is Shakespeare's uncanny knack of placing that humanness in words that everyone can appreciate.
From the Paper
"Although William Shakespeare is well known for his plays, his sonnets have also been greatly appreciated and enjoyed for hundreds of years. Traditional sonnets are fourteen-line lyric poems, written in iambic pentameter or lines ten syllables long, with accents falling on every second syllable. They originated in Italy and were first introduced into England during the Tudor period by Sir Thomas Wyatt and Henry Howard. The collection of Shakespeare's Sonnets consists of 154 short poems. These were published, together with a poem called "A Lover's Complaint," in 1609."
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"Hamlet" and "Orestes", 2008.
A comparison of the plots and characters in William Shakespeare's "Hamlet" and the Greek tragedy, "Orestes."
1,337 words (approx. 5.3 pages), 4 sources, MLA, $ 44.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses the connection between William Shakespeare's play, "Hamlet" and the Greek tragedy, "Orestes." It describes the parallels between the two plays and the similarities between the plots and the main characters. The paper suggests that the main thing that makes the two plays collude is the attitude of the main hero who hesitates and suffers in front of his ponderous duty.
From the Paper
"In Hamlet however, the psychological complexity of the situation surpasses even that in Oresteia. Modern thought sublimates the tragedy and the decision that has to be made by Hamlet is even more unsettling than that which has to be made by Orestes. Confronted with a state of moral rottenness that reigns over Denmark, Hamlet is, as Showerman stresses, "caught between irreconcilable imperatives": "The Oresteia of 458 BC and Shakespeare's Hamlet both explore the interaction between gods and ghosts and the tragedy of human beings caught between irreconcilable imperatives."(Showerman, 67) Hamlet goes through various states of mind throughout the play, ranging from sheer indignation at the immoral state in which the royal family and implicitly his country is, and reaching almost a state of indifference. Thus, Hamlet's first reaction upon hearing the truth of the murder from the ghost of his father is to state that he is anxious to take his revenge to the end as fast as possible: "Haste me to know't, that I, with wings as swift/ As meditation or the thoughts of love,/ May sweep to my revenge."("Hamlet", 1.5. 33-35) Gradually however he begins to doubt everything, and loses all assuredness. He begings to see the difficultness that lies in his moral duty: "O cursed spite,/ That ever I was born to set it right!"("Hamlet", 1.5. 207-208) As in Orestes' case, Hamlet sees his father in a aura of distinction, as a sacred representative of monarchy and righteousness: "See what grace was seated on his brow--/ Hyperion's curls, the front of Jove himself,/ An eye like Mars, to threaten or command,/ A station like the herald Mercury/ New-lighted on a heaven-kissing hill." ("Hamlet", 3.4.55-58) The injustice of the crimes grows continuously in Hamlet's mind, baffling his initial decision to take immediate revenge on the murders."
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William Shakespeare's "Othello", 2008.
Looks at the perils of cultural differences and the clash of identity in William Shakespeare's "Othello".
1,275 words (approx. 5.1 pages), 0 sources, MLA, $ 43.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that "Othello", a Shakespearean tragedy, is as much about a clash of cultures as it is about a failed romance or jealousy. The author relates the story about the main character, the commander Othello, a dark-skinned Moor living in a largely white, Christian society. The paper suggests that, created by Iago's scheming, issues of Othello's culture and race are suspect as the causes that drove him to murder Desdemona. The author concludes that, while a person might sympathize with the ostracized Othello in a racist society, it is uncertain if Shakespeare might have written the play originally to validate some of his own culture's racist stereotypes.
From the Paper
"The charge of witchcraft is especially relevant, because it underlines how Othello is perceived as a stranger; capable of strange arts because of his religion and appearance, even by the side he fights for, the people of Venice. And it might be added, that because Desdemona falls in love with Othello because of his power to tell stories about his strange life, which includes being sold into slavery but also cannibals and men whose heads grow beneath their shoulder, his strangeness and 'otherness' becomes a source of attraction."
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Richard III vs. Much Ado About Nothing, 2008.
This paper compares and contrasts two of William Shakespeare's plays, "Richard III" and "Much Ado About Nothing".
2,300 words (approx. 9.2 pages), 2 sources, APA, $ 70.95
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Abstract
This paper basis it's premise on the fact that at the center of Shakespeare's plays there exists a current of darkness, a cynicism about government, people and love, and a willingness to poke the eye, if only gently, of the establishment. Using this premise, the author discusses "Much Ado About Nothing", which highlights the foibles of the human heart, and "Richard III", which showcases the nature of corruption and power in the hands of the evil. The author asserts that while on the surface, these two plays could not be compared or even contrasted, at the thematic level, there exists a level of anxiety about female sexuality, of the supremacy of man over God in terms of destiny, of moral examples of how power wielded badly can result in truly horrific consequences, and a fear that if we simply accept the rule of others, then we too would be corrupted with power. Furthermore the author states that in both of these works, Shakespeare sends the message that women are of equal significance and power to men; that people control their own destinies, can either be a power for good or for evil and that loyalty to friends and family supercedes all other fealties.
From the Paper
"Elizabeth is absolutely power-hungry. She is as corrupt and fickle as Richard's assessment of women. She is his equal in this manner. She is just as capable of manipulating her as he is of taking the dominant position - though he has usurped his brother's title, he proves his weakness is ultimately his desire to be truly loved for himself and not the power he wields. Where Shakespeare took this theme up to a positive resolution in Much Ado About Nothing, in giving both Benedick and Beatrice a satisfactory joining upon their mutual realization of respect and love, he showed the opposite side in Richard III. The power of the feminine sexuality proved to be Richard's undoing, his eventual collapse came because he could not absolutely dominate Elizabeth and Anne, to use young Elizabeth, and to manage the nation that is now his. The failure, of Richard, is in his absolutely corrupt nature. He is incapable of love and because of this, he approaches women in an awkward and rather juvenile way. He cannot actually succeed in love because he can never come to the kind of realization of mutual respect that Benedick and Beatrice did. So, in his brand of fear of feminine power, Richard is unable to escape from his own foibles. But, both Benedick and Richard express their fear of the power of women in the relatively same way - they attempt to dominate women with whatever their natural or coarsely gained power may be."
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Branagh and 'Much Ado About Nothing', 2008.
This paper discusses Kenneth Branagh's film production of 'Much Ado About Nothing'.
1,200 words (approx. 4.8 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 41.95
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Abstract
In this article, the writer notes that when looking at the effectiveness of a film-interpretation of any Shakespeare play one has to determine whether or not the staging, blocking, sets, props and scenery interfere with or enhance the dialogue. The writer maintains that overall, Kenneth Branagh's production of 'Much Ado About Nothing', succeeds in this - the setting and staging rarely step on the dialogue. The writer notes that unlike the opening of the play, Branagh's version begins with, essentially, a musical number. The success of this complete reinterpretation of the original is in true keeping with the spirit of fun and frivolity of the play itself. The writer discusses that while this departs significantly from anything Shakespeare wrote, Branagh's opening stands as a significant success and does nothing but enhance and, when compared side-by-side with other scenes, proves to be one of the most effective scenes in the film.
From the Paper
"Traditionally, the play opens with the messenger arriving to tell of the arrival of Don Pedro. In this, we are given the setting and, just as effectively, an understanding of the comedy to ensue. But, in Branagh's version, going from the printed words, fading out, and then the fade in to the pastoral scene in which all of the characters living in Messina are frolicking carefree on the Italian hillside seemingly celebrating nothing but life itself. We see, viscerally, that these are children, adults living a life of ease and free from worry. There is laughter, play, teasing, and an absolute sense of ease between the characters that either sets the tone for the entire movie or, in another context, would be the setup for great tragedy later on - which, of course, there is a lot of the former and a little of the latter throughout. This feeling is exactly what Shakespeare sought to convey in the play."
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Antipholus' Speech in Shakespeare's "The Comedy of Errors", 2008.
A review of Antipholus' Speech in Shakespeare's "The Comedy of Errors."
936 words (approx. 3.7 pages), 2 sources, MLA, $ 33.95
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Abstract
The paper comments that the play, "The Comedy of Errors" is much more than a simple comedy or farce as it is usually seen; it is rather a profound meditation on human life, and the way in which errors blind men and keep them from the truth. The paper concludes that Shakespeare's play is a profound meditation on the human condition as a progression from error, illusion and confusion, towards ultimate truth and enlightenment.
From the Paper
"The passage thus contains a few key elements for the interpretation of the play: first of all, the words "transformation", "error", "deceit" and the phrase "earthy-gross conceit" all hint at the main theme of the play: the plane of the human life is seen as a farcical game, in which the mortals are generally erring and confusing the truth with illusion. The play is thus much more than a simple comedy or farce as it is usually seen; it is rather a profound meditation on human life, and the way in which errors blind men and keep them from the truth. Men are generally "smothered in errors", "feeble" and "weak", in the hands of the divine will."
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Women in Shakespeare's Tragedies, 2008.
A proposal for a project to study the representation of women in Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" and "Othello".
940 words (approx. 3.8 pages), 34 sources, MLA, $ 33.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that the project will be a detailed analysis of two works by William Shakespeare, "Othello" and "Romeo and Juliet", focusing primarily on the feminist and philosophical elements of the two plays, as well as the significance of the historical context in which they were written. The author points out that feminists, who are preoccupied with the commentary being made in Shakespeare's plays concerning women, question whether his representations of women truly reflect reality. The paper includes an outline of the method by which the project will be completed.
Table of Contents:
Project Overview
Subject to be Studied
Intended Outcomes
Learning Objectives
Detailed Work Plan
Project Outline
Method
Literary Resources
On-Line Resources
Faculty Supervisor's Role
Proposed Timetable
From the Paper
"The project proposes to examine the genius of Shakespeare as a dramatist who possessed a deep psychological understanding of women and who usually was able to anticipate a feminist perspective on women's issues and roles. Being a male author during the Elizabethan period, Shakespeare exhibited profound insights into the psyche of his female characters. Desdemona is unafraid to confront her father and is fascinated by the violent aspect of life yet she is also incapable of taking any real action to resolve her situation."
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The Nature of Evil, 2008.
An analysis of the concept of evil in John Milton's "Paradise Lost" and Shakespeare's "Othello".
2,220 words (approx. 8.9 pages), 1 source, APA, $ 68.95
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Abstract
The paper examines pathological narcissism and how it manifests itself in Milton's "Paradise Lost" and Shakespeare's "Othello". The paper looks at the characteristics of jealousy, revenge, war and self-glorification and describes the devious, ingenious means by which both Satan and Iago wreak their havoc. The paper shows how these two characters portray how the nature of evil is to destroy and cause harm at any cost.
From the Paper
"Paradise Lost, a poem by John Milton, is one of his most highly acclaimed poems. This particular poem is about the birth of Adam and Eve and how they lost their place in the Garden of Eden, or Paradise, caused by Satan. In this poem Milton deals with many issues regarding concept of evil. The concept of evil is prevalent in the character, Satan, just as it is prevalent in the character of Iago. Predictably, they also harbor some of the psychological features of those inclined to evil-doing: incorrigible jealousy, narcissism (from which springs jealousy), an inability to look at oneself honestly, a taste for violence, and an irrepressible commitment to self-glorification. Going further, there are other similarities between Satan and Iago. Chiefly, the similarities revolve around their actual activities in the stories; to wit, each individual is far more interested in securing revenge."
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