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The Unforgivable Othello, 2005.
A brief discussion about whether it is easier to feel sorry for or to forgive Othello in Shakespeare's play.
1,113 words (approx. 4.5 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 38.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses that, while it is one thing to feel sympathy for Othello, the protagonist in Shakespeare's play, "Othello", it is another thing to forgive him for his anger and other bad behavior. It shows how Othello proves himself to be a man that acts spontaneously in addition to acting irrationally when it comes to matters of the heart.
From the Paper
"This question tells Iago that Othello respects his opinion. In addition, Othello allows himself to be influenced by Iago when Iago warns him, "O, beware, my lord of jealousy!/It is the green-eyed monster, which doth mock/The meat it feeds on" (III.iii.166-9). Iago knows that there is no reason for Othello to be jealous and Othello should know better but he does not. It is unforgivable that Othello allows Iago to have so much influence when it comes to matters of his intimate life with Desdemona."
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Revenge in ?Hamlet?.
This paper discusses the concept of revenge in William Shakespeare's "Hamlet".
1,745 words (approx. 7.0 pages), 10 sources, MLA, $ 56.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that, through the 20th and 21st centuries' psychological and individualistic lens, "Hamlet" often is thought of as a drama primarily about one man's relationship with a dead father and a living and murderous stepfather, but it also can be seen as a play almost completely about the circular economy of revenge, which, during the Elizabethan and Jacobean era, was one of the ways individuals remained connected to the past and the world of the dead. The author believes that the most chilling display of the ideology of revenge is the scene in the graveyard, where Ophelia's corpse is wrestled between her brother and Hamlet. The paper relates that, in Act 4, when Hamlet returns from England, the site of Protestantism, he no longer sees revenge as a positive thing; the Elizabethan audience would have approved of this attitude, which despised revenge and purgatory as anti-humanist, but still acknowledged the need to survive in a bloody, politically uncomfortable, and divided society.
From the Paper
""Hamlet" begins with a Denmark under siege in Scene 2, with the Norwegian Fortinbras demanding revenge for his dead father in the form of restitution of Norwegian lands. Upon meeting the ghost of his dead father, Hamlet vows revenge upon his uncle. He says he will forget all of his studies, even his identity, until this is accomplished. Hamlet does not kill his uncle at prayer, because the revenge will not be full and fitting if Claudius does not suffer in purgatory, calling this hire and salary, rather than true revenge. Laertes vows revenge upon Hamlet, the man who killed his father. Ophelia bedecks herself in flowers and uses the flowers to communicate, through the riddles of her broken mind, to say what she could not say while sane."
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"Othello" vs. "The Tempest", 2004.
A comparative essay of Shakespeare's plays, "Othello" and "The Tempest".
1,566 words (approx. 6.3 pages), 6 sources, MLA, $ 51.95
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Abstract
This paper claims that, at first glance, Shakespeare's "Othello" and "The Tempest" could not be more unlike. "Othello" is a tale rooted very firmly in the here-and-now, the actual city of Venice, an important and central location for the Renaissance man. "The Tempest" is a fantasy taking place on a "marvelous" island. However, the paper explains, a closer look reveals that Venice, too, is marvelous and is, moreover, the perfect link between the civilized and the savage. It is no wonder then that the story of the 'noble savage' in the character of "Othello" was placed there. Nor is it any wonder that the less noble savage, Caliban, is found on an island that, while not straddling the literal old and new world orders, nonetheless bears representatives of each. The paper contends that both "Othello" and "The Tempest" are indeed exemplary of the statement, "Europeans contact with people of other cultures during the Renaissance period had a disorienting effect, as it raised the question of who was truly 'civilized,' and who was truly 'savage'." Shakespeare seems to answer that question in both plays, often in ways that may, at first, like the true meaning of Venice, be hidden.
From the Paper
"The Renaissance was about discovery, artistic, scientific and geographic. The geographic discoveries led to European's 'finding' new lands-although the lands had clearly been there long before any Europeans sailed to them-and thus to European culture bumping into cultures far different. The Europeans, since they had 'discovered' those other people, found it easy to set themselves up as superior to the discovered populations; that being the case, they then began to colonize the natives of those places, to civilize them (or, as one might say in a more politically sensitive age, Europeanize them, although that sounds even more paternalistic than colonizing). Cefalu argues that hierarchy was central to the European concept of civilization; any culture that lacked masters and subordinates was, therefore, uncivilized. Such as the culture found in "The Tempest"; it paralleled, Cefalu argues, the lack of stratification in the American colonies at the outset (Cefalu 2000)."
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"The Tempest", 2004.
An analysis of the characters in William Shakespeare's play, "The Tempest".
1,238 words (approx. 5.0 pages), 2 sources, MLA, $ 42.95
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Abstract
This paper reviews Shakespeare's "The Tempest," depicting a world that seems to confirm the idea that there are 'no small parts', namely, that it is not the size or even the plot significance of a character that matters in terms of that character's impact upon the audience. The paper contends that what really matters is how significant that minor character is in terms of underlining the themes of the play and what that character represents in the world of the play. The paper explains that, by making all of his minor characters three-dimensional and multifaceted in their complex psychologies, Shakespeare creates an island world that is fully populated with beings who have a sense of psychological verisimilitude, even if they are airy sprites and earthly devils.
From the Paper
"At first, "The Tempest" depicts a world that is entirely dominated by the figure of Prospero. All of the other characters are dwarfed to his prominence as a figure of manipulation. He causes the tempest that propels the plot of the action on stage. But the emotional effect of the resolution of the play, that of Prospero's reinstatement to his former place in society that takes place after Act 5, is less intense that might be expected, given that Prospero only meets his usurper in front of the audience face-to-face at the end of the play, after his daughter Miranda has become betrothed. "The Tempest's" onstage conflicts are really more compelling in the way that minor characters are actively paired against one another as dual forces, more strikingly than the main plot of the play."
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Hamlet and the Memento of Death, 2005.
A look at how the theme of 'memento mori' can be seen throughout Shakespeare's "Hamlet".
2,452 words (approx. 9.8 pages), 5 sources, MLA, $ 74.95
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Abstract
This paper explains how the language and plot of Hamlet easily lends to the ideology of the 'memento mori,' which means 'remember your death,' and how the entire plot may be seen as embodying the concept of memento mori.
From the Paper
"When the Renaissance brought about a rebirth of many of the philosophies and customs of antiquity, it resurrected the ancient stoical idea that by mediation upon death one might be able to come to terms with it and pass beyond grieving into a more rational relationship with the dead. Of course, even prior to the Renaissance, the culture of the middle ages had certainly been preoccupied with death. "More than any other period in history, the late middle ages were preoccupied with the thought of death," writes Henry Jacob in his book on Memento Mori and Shakespeare. He goes on to explain that during the middle ages, individuals lived with the constant reminder of mortality; they faced plagues and wars, famines and frequent problems with child birthing and high infant mortality - not to mention the constant slaughter and harvest implicit in farming life. Death was ubiquitous."
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Was Hamlet Mad?.
Character analysis of Hamlet and a look at whether he was or was not really mad.
1,162 words (approx. 4.6 pages), 1 source, $ 40.95
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Abstract
This paper argues that Hamlet feigns madness because it will give him the leverage he needs to avenge his father's death. The paper asserts that Hamlet realizes that, by feigning madness, he will have more freedom to act in a manner that will allow him to get revenge on the murderer of his father.
From the Paper
"In both these scenes, Hamlet is talking with people he has always viewed as close friends and confidantes. After determining who he can and cannot trust, he tells those he trusts, and who can help him achieve his goal, that he is not mad. He tells those he cannot trust, Rosencranz and Guildenstern, that he is mad. Each person is convinced of exactly what Hamlet needs them to believe. This is not madness. It is, in fact, the height of rationality. Hamlet is like a play master, scripting what he wants the four characters to do and say."
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Hamlet's Downfall, 2005.
Examines how Shakespeare's character, Hamlet, suffers from mental instability, which is the cause of his downfall.
1,619 words (approx. 6.5 pages), 0 sources, $ 52.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that Hamlet is a complex character with many nuances and subtleties. So complex is his emotional makeup that he is pulled by conflicting thoughts and emotions to the point of mental instability. It shows how Hamlet displays his grief openly, inviting suspicion on himself, which is an unwise move for someone plotting against the king. The writer concludes that Hamlet's negative perspective leads him on a downward spiral to despair and ruin.
From the Paper
"Hamlet is plagued by self-doubt. His inconsistent behavior is a manifestation of his lack of trust in himself. Not trusting his own senses, Hamlet wonders if he really saw the ghost of his father, which causes him to wonder if the story of the murder is actually true. In order to get verification or evidence against the king, Hamlet contrives to have the actors play out a similar scene in front of the king in order to observe his reaction. Still not quite trusting himself, Hamlet calls upon his friend Horatio to also watch the king and serve as a judge of his reaction to the play. While one cannot really blame Hamlet for questioning his own sanity after seeing a ghost, this scheme is necessary in order to validate Hamlet's lust for revenge. Hamlet seeks confirmation in the king's reaction that he is not insane, that he has a rational hold on things. Without it, Hamlet would always doubt his actions, whether or not he was in the right. After killing Polonius, Hamlet sees the ghost of his father again, this time in the company of his mother. Hamlet is taken aback when he realizes that his mother cannot see the apparition. This feeds his doubts and causes him to question his sanity even further. The timing of the ghost's arrival is telling, however. Shortly after Hamlet spared the life of the usurper, then subsequently killed an innocent man, the ghost appears before him as if to serve as a reminder of his own guilt. The ghost accuses him of waning purpose, which is what Hamlet, most fears in himself- that he will not have the strength to avenge his father."
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"Hamlet", 2004.
An analysis of William Shakespeare's "Hamlet," with a focus on Hamlet's oedipal complex.
2,200 words (approx. 8.8 pages), 5 sources, MLA, $ 68.95
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Abstract
This paper reviews the play, "Hamlet," by William Shakespeare. The paper contends that "Hamlet" is a complex play and can support a wide variety of interpretations. The paper describes one aspect of the psychology of the main character that harks back to the ancient world and the story of Oedipus, who was ordained to kill his father and marry his mother, which he unwittingly did. This story would later serve as a source for Sigmund Freud as he developed his oedipal theory, and the paper explores a similar idea that is played out by Hamlet in terms of his mother and father. The paper explains that Hamlet does not kill his own father, but he does have to kill his step-father at the behest of the ghost of his father and plays out the idea of sexual jealousy because his mother has remarried.
From the Paper
"In Hamlet as in other Elizabethan drama, the fate of kings is tied to the order of the universe, and dissension and tension in one is reflected in the other. Yet, the issue is complex, and while the usurper has no right to rule, it is not always clear who has the right to prevent him from ruling. The hesitation of Hamlet, much commented on by critics, may derive from the fact that while he knows Claudio to be a regicide, to kill Claudio would make him a regicide as well. The usurpation of the throne leads to a more dangerous and uncertain environment in the land, and nature concurs by expressing through storms and other travails visited upon the people that a great political wrong is also a great moral and religious wrong. The effects of a regicide are seen in storms and the like because such actions offend the gods, or God."
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The Elizabethan and Jacobean Theater.
This paper is an extensive discusses of the history of Elizabethan theater, which existed during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, and the Jacobean theater, which followed Elizabethan theater in the reign of James I.
6,960 words (approx. 27.8 pages), 18 sources, MLA, $ 156.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that the most expressive period in the history of the English theatre was the period of Queen Elizabeth I, the second half of the 16th century in which William Shakespeare was the most significant dramatist of the period. The author points out that Philip Henslowe, a well-known theater manager of the time, left a diary, which recorded the organization of theater companies, the props, the plays, the dramatists, and even the building of the theater itself. The paper relates that, in the Jacobean theater, which is considered to be a continuation of the Elizabethan period, the plays of Shakespeare and his contemporaries were written more to cater to the tastes of the affluent society; the closest modern corollary to these plays is popular cinema, with its films of adventure, violence, horror, or sentimental romance.
From the Paper
"Thus by the period that Shakespeare was writing his plays, there were more playhouses in London than in any other European city. The plays were enacted in the courtyard of inns, or sometimes in the houses of noblemen, before this period. But a noble had to be watchful as to which play should be permitted to perform in his house. Anything that was contentious or political was prone to get him in problem with the crown. Not much is known about the Elizabethan indoor theatres as they were smaller in size and were roofed. Companies did their shows in winter when it was too cold to be outside, signifying that the performance was almost certainly alike. Actors had attained an adequate level of monetary and social strength, by the time of Shakespeare."
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"Hamlet", 2004.
A review of William Shakespeare's "Hamlet".
1,845 words (approx. 7.4 pages), 4 sources, MLA, $ 59.95
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Abstract
This paper presents William Shakespeare as a political critic in his play, "Hamlet". The paper contends that "Hamlet," as a literary work, is clearly an assassination of the fragile nature of a monarchical government controlled by one fragile man and his selfish desires. The paper explains how Shakespeare challenges the status quo not with what is within the work, but with what is left out: any mention of the population of lives altered by the treachery, intrigue, ambition and lust inherent in humankind. The paper claims that Shakespeare's subtlety allows viewers to overlook the political assassination in the work as it boldly pronounces the very personal and local results of the real assassination of a king.
From the Paper
"Treachery, intrigue, ambition and lust all emotions and situations the modern world is intimately aware of, yet universal in their historical control over humankind. Unresolved grief for many is the cornerstone of madness, the death, or subversion of reason as the monitor of emotion the biggest fear within Shakespeare's Hamlet, within the play itself and within the character of Hamlet. (Levy 83) Stricken by the universal outgrowth of treachery, intrigue, ambition and lust Hamlet struggles to regain control over his emotions. Hamlet wavers between the rational and the emotional, with only marginal ability to control either and within his struggle lays the fate of a nation."
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