Posts Tagged ‘William Shakespeare’

“Othello” Research Paper

// September 12th, 2012 // No Comments » // Free essays

“Othello” is one of the prominent works created by William Shakespeare. This literary work has an extremely complicated plot and tragic ending that fully reveals the drama of the main characters, raising the theme of vanity, hypocrisy, plainness, love and treachery. At the same time, the antagonism and conflict of blind love and cynic treachery apparently form the thematic core of the entire play. In this respect, it is important to underline the controversy of love, which plays determinant role in the life of main characters of the play. On the one hand, love proves to be a great power, but, on the other hand, love makes people blind and unable to reason logically. Eventually, loves turns to be so powerful that it represses the reason and all other feelings and even primal instincts forcing Othello, who is unable to cope with his jealousy, to kill his wife. At the same time, the power of love opens the way for treason.
On analyzing the play, it is important to underline that from the beginning of the play the author attempts to show the overwhelming power of love. In this respect, it is possible to refer to the marriage of Othello and Desdemona. Today, their marriage could hardly evoke any social opposition or miscomprehension, but, in the context of 15th century England, the marriage of a Moor and Desdemona could hardly be perceived by the society as equal. In this respect, it is possible to speak about substantial racial issues which could become unsurpassable barriers on the way of Othello and Desdemona. In the 15th century English society would skeptically perceive such a marriage and the attitude of the public would be extremely biased. Consequently, the marriage of Othello and Desdemona, if it took place in the real life, would face a strong public opposition.
William Shakespeare was apparently conscious of this fact and, in all probability, he intentionally admits the marriage of Othello and Desdemona. In such a way, he did not really want to ruin or criticize existing racial biased and prejudices. Instead, he rather intended to show the power of love of Othello and Desdemona. In fact, their love is so strong that they easily overcome social prejudices and, what is more important, they lead a happy life as long as scheming and plots do not interfere into their family life. It proves beyond a doubt that Othello loves Desdemona above all and he cannot even admit the possibility of his wife being unfaithful. Desdemona, in her turns, also loves Othello and she cannot have extramarital relations with other men. (more…)

Buy an essay on The Taming of the Shrew

// August 20th, 2012 // No Comments » // Free essays

“The Taming of the Shrew” by William Shakespeare is one of the most popular works created by the writer. It should be said that the audience, both ordinary readers and specialists, highly appreciate the stylistic diversity of the play and its artistic richness. At the same time, it should be said that one of the most successfully used stylistic devices is disguise. In fact, the author amply uses this device throughout the play reaching a specific effect, making the entire play more adventurers and unpredictable. On the other hand, the use of disguise is not occasional and it has not only significant stylistic and aesthetic value but also bears a substantial philosophical message.
On reading “The Taming of the Shrew”, it is hardly possible to fail to notice that the entire play is build on practically permanent disguises, which are eventually revealed at the end of the comedy. From the beginning of the play the author starts with the first disguise, when Christopher Sly, a sleeping drunk, miraculously turns out to be a nobleman, a lord, who has lost his memory. It is important to underline that this firs disguise in the play is unconscious since Christopher Sly does not really want to pretend to be a lord. In contrast, he is sure that he has nothing in common with the nobility, but, nevertheless, the Lord, being in a witty mood, decides to play tricks on him and convinces him Christopher that he is a lord. In such a way, the author shows that the environment of an individual often imposes certain obligations on him. (more…)

Buy an essay on William Shakespeare’s play A Midsummer Night’s Dream

// August 12th, 2012 // No Comments » // Free essays

William Shakespeare’s play A Midsummer Night’s Dream presents a great example of his literary talent. There are such main characters in the play: Theseus, Hermia, Lysander, Demetrius, Helena, Botton, Puck, Oberon and others. It goes without saying that there are minor characters in the play, such as Hippolyta, Egeus, Snout, etc which do not play a major role in the play, however, contributes to the plot development. Theseus is the Duke of Athens. It is he who plans to marry Hippolyta and insists on his daughter’s Hermia, wedding with his Egeus. She cannot accept the fact that his daughter rejects his proposition: “With cunning hast thou filched my daughter’s heart,/ Turned her obedience, which is due to me,/ to stubborn harshness” (Act 1, Scene 1, lines 36-38).He is a self-defined and single-minded person who is sure in his actions and wishes.
Hermia is another leading character in the play. She is in love with Lysander and goes against her father’s will. She rejects Demetrius: “The more [Hermia] hate, the more [Demetrius] follows me” (Act 1, Scene 1, line 198). She wants to escape together with her beloved Lysander. We can make a conclusion that she is very brave, especially taking into account her position and norms of the society of that time. She is fair and strong and believes in chastity and loyalty.
Lysander is depicted as a light-minded and even partly plain character. He is in love with Hermia and wants to be with her all the time even being aware of her chastity. Demetrius, Lysander’s main opponent and competitor, is ready to fight for Hermia’s heart and he has a strong belief that he would marry her. It can be said that they are two oppositions with Lysander because Demetrius is always very serious in both his actions and his intentions. However, the destiny has prepared him a surprise against his will. (more…)

Buy an essay on Analysis of Gender Criticism in “Midsummer Night’s Dream” by William Shakespeare

// July 10th, 2012 // No Comments » // Free essays

“Midsummer Night’s Dream” by William Shakespeare is one of the prominent works created by Shakespeare which mirror gender relationships that existed in English society in the time of Shakespeare. In this respect, it should be said that the author reveals gender-related biases which prove the existence of prejudiced attitude to women and superior position of men, which is revealed through the relationship of the main characters Hermia, Helena, Demetrius, and Lysander.
The play reveals the complicated relationships of the main characters. In this respect, the relationship between Hermia and Helena are particularly important because they reveal the quintessence of views on women in English society in the time of William Shakespeare. At first glance, they are close friends, they share all their secrets and all the hardships they face in their life. However, as soon as Helena falls in love with Demetrius she betrays her closest friend. In fact, she told Demetrius about Hermia’s plan to escape with Lysander, while Demetrius wanted to marry her. In such a way, the author reveals the treacherous nature of women which is contrasted to nobleness of man. (more…)

King Lear by William Shakespeare custom essays

// June 3rd, 2012 // No Comments » // Free essays

“King Lear” by William Shakespeare is one of the most famous works written by this author. This work evokes a variety of important and eternal theme but the evolution of King Lear’s views on his life seems to be particularly noteworthy since his views have changed dramatically by the end of the play. At the same time, the author perfectly demonstrates the real value of power and its impact on human nature.
At the beginning of the play, the author skillfully depicts the main character which personifies the monarchy itself. Shakespeare perfectly shows the extent to which the foundations of monarchy are inhuman, demoralizing, and monstrous. In the first scenes of the play, the main character, King Lear is depicted as an old king, drunk with the sense of his almighty power. This sense prompts him to put his power to a final proof by renouncing his royal authority and dividing his kingdom between his three daughters, he refuses from his royal power and gives to others:
I do invest you jointly with my power,
Pre-eminence, and all the large effects
That troop with majesty
Act 1 Scene 1
The reason for this action lies in Lear’s conviction of his personal greatness, which, as he thinks, does not depend upon his kingship but will be with him in any circumstances. He is sure that the kingdom will remain a kingdom without a king, and that he will remain a king without his kingdom. He calls this intention ‘our darker purpose’. In fact, it is obvious that at the beginning of the play Lear is the king that fully enjoys his unlimited power and he simply cannot understand that it is not him but his position that makes him so powerful.
This is probably why, on coming through numerous challenges, sufferings and humiliation, he eventually arrives to a paradoxical conclusion, as it seems to him, that his plans to live a happy life, being honored and respected by his people and daughters, were absolutely erroneous and unrealizable. (more…)

The position of women represented in works of William Shakespeare customized essays

// June 2nd, 2012 // No Comments » // Free essays

In fact, William Shakespeare raised a large range of themes in his works and he drew the attention of the audience to various problems of English society of his epoch. In this respect, it should be said that the position of women is one of the most arguable points in the history of English society could not remain unnoticed by the author. At the same time, William Shakespeare perfectly depicts the existing views and biases in relation to women in English society.
For instance, in his work “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, the author creates a number of noteworthy female characters which perfectly reflects the existing stereotypes and biases concerning females. To put it more precisely, female characters of the play such as Helena and Hermia are shown by the author as close friends. However, their friendship is easily destructed because of the love to man. In fact, Helena betrays her friend, Hermia, uncovering her plan of escape with her beloved, just to prove Demetrius her love. In such a way, she sacrifices her friendship for the sake of love of a man (Orgel, 153). This episode is very important because it shows that women were viewed as treacherous and inconstant and, in general, the attitude to women was quite unjust because they were viewed as weak beings that cannot be compared to men in their nobility, intelligence and power. (more…)

William Shakespeare and New Historicism online essays

// June 2nd, 2012 // No Comments » // Free essays

Basically, the fact that William Shakespeare was one of the first writers who managed to depict vividly his epoch in his literary works is practically undeniable. It should be said that the writer created a variety of works which are distanced in time and dedicated to different problems, but in many of his works it is possible to trace the major trends of his epoch in practically all spheres of life (Greenblatt a, 126). In fact, this impact is quite natural because William Shakespeare could not work in a complete isolation from the rest of the society, but what differs him from many other writers of the world is the fact that he naturally incorporated his epoch, its morals, norms and traditions into his literary work, while many others failed to do it, to the extent that their works could be viewed either as historical works or documentary works depicting their epochs that have little in common with the artistic work of William Shakespeare (Felluga, 302).
Ethnic and religious issues in works of William Shakespeare
Speaking about the presence of some elements of New Historicism in work of William Shakespeare, it is necessary to focus on some of his works and find out the extent to which they reflect his epoch, morals, surrounding reality and circumstances in which these works were created. On analyzing his works, it is possible to estimate that the writer raises a variety of issues related to different spheres of life of England in the epoch when William Shakespeare lived and worked (Dixon, 227). In this respect, it possible to refer to ethnic or racial issues which may be easily traced in some works of William Shakespeare and, which, by the way, are still relevant at the present days, though they may be not so influenced by ethnic or racial intolerance as they used to be in the epoch of William Shakespeare.
In fact, it is possible to single out William Shakespeare’s “Othello” as a literary work in which ethnic issues are particularly strong. Basically, the author attempts to create the play which reveals the tragedy of relationships between loving people and the impact of scheming and betrayal on the life of people. At the same time, the main character of the play, Othello, is depicted by the author apparently under the impact of the existing prejudices and biases. At any rate, William Shakespeare conveys successfully traditional views on representatives of black race (Greenblatt, 221). (more…)

The essence of New Historicism customized essays

// June 2nd, 2012 // No Comments » // Free essays

In order to better understand the contribution of William Shakespeare into the development of New Historicism and to prove that he was really one of the earliest representatives of this approach, it is necessary to briefly dwell upon the essence of New Historicism as an approach to literary criticism and literary theory. In fact, New Historicism is very important because it is actually one of the major approaches in literary criticism in theory that remains to be very popular and has a lot of supporters. Actually, it is only with the emergence of Postmodernism, this approach is criticized and its reliability is argued (Felluga, 148).
First of all, it should be said that New Historicism is traditionally defined as an approach to literary criticism and literary theory based on the idea that a literary work should be considered as a product of time, place and circumstances of its composition rather than as an isolated creation (Greenblatt, 56). It is worthy of mention that it is considered to be a relatively new approach which dates back to 1980s and is traditionally linked to the name of the critic Stephen Greenblatt, whose works actually contributed to the clear definition and better understanding of New Historicism as a new approach to literary criticism and literary theory (Dixon, 137). (more…)

New Historicism in Works of William Shakespeare online essays

// June 2nd, 2012 // No Comments » // Free essays

William Shakespeare is recognized by the world audience as one of the greatest writers of the world. His works are spread worldwide and popular in many countries of the world. It is obvious that such a popularity of William Shakespeare’s works is, to a significant extent, determined by its themes and ideas which still disturb the consciousness of people. In fact, it is true that the works of William Shakespeare are timeless in regard to the themes the author raised in his works, including such eternal themes as love, betrayal, hypocrisy, nobility, foolishness and wisdom. The focus of the author on human vices and important social problems that persist till present days guaranteed immortality to his works and made him so popular in the entire world.
Nevertheless, in such almost blind admiration with works of William Shakespeare, readers often forget that the outstanding English writer skillfully depicted the reality surrounding him. To put it more precisely, in his works he vividly depicts the real life of England of his epoch. Even though he does not always show that his works targets at the revealing of some aspects of the surrounding reality of his epoch, it is possible to reveal the fact that his characters, even in his historical works, resemble some of his contemporaries, while problems and various issues affecting the life of his characters are often the reflection of burning problems of his own epoch. In such a way, William Shakespeare became one of the earliest representatives of New Historicism as he made his literary work a tool with the help of which he could convey the history, views, beliefs and norms of his epoch. In fact, it is even possible to estimate that William Shakespeare’s work may be viewed as a documented history of morals, socio-cultural and political reality of his time (Greenblatt a, 122). (more…)