Study Like a Boss
Anna Quindlen, Bill Bryson, Edgar Allan Poe, Ernest Hemingway, Harper Lee, John Steinbeck, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Tertullian, Thomas Paine, 1984, A Raisin in The Sun, Animal Farm, Beowulf, Fahrenheit 451, Frankenstein, George Orwell, Hamlet, Into The Wild, Lord of The Flies, A Modest Proposal, All Quiet on The Western Front, Allegory, Antigone, Between The World and Me.
William Shakespeare was an Englishman who wrote poems and plays. According to many he was labeled as one of the greatest dramatists the world has ever known and the finest poets who wrote in the English language. No other writers plays have been produced so many times or read so widely in so many countries … Read more
Hamlet is a play written by William Shakespeare that very closely follows the dramatic conventions of revenge in Elizabethan theater. All revenge tragedies originally stemmed from the Greeks, who wrote and performed the first plays. After the Greeks came Seneca who was very influential to all Elizabethan tragedy writers. Seneca who was Roman, basically set … Read more
Around 1568, a group of actors visited Stratford and put on a play before the entire town, with permission from John Shakespeare, the mayor of the town. The people loved the play, especially the small children. All of them looked up to the actors, as they returned each year to perform different plays. They had … Read more
“I am not what I am. ” What is Iago? — as distinct from what he pretends to be — and what are his motives? In Shakespeare’s, Othello, the reader is presented the classic battle between the deceitful forces of evil and the innocence of good. It are these forces of evil that ultimately lead … Read more
Ask anyone who Shakespeare was, and he or she will immediately rattle off at least three different plays that were required readings in English, not to mention a few blockbuster movies bearing his name. Many revere the works of Shakespeare as paramount in the world of literature, dedicating entire books, classes and festivals to the … Read more
The Three witches in the tragedy Macbeth are introduced right at the beginning of the play. They tell Macbeth three prophesies, he will be Thane of Cawdor, Thane of Glams and King. These prophesies introduce him to ideas of greatness. Macbeth will eventually follow through on killing king Duncan. This brings into the play, idea … Read more
William Shakespeare’s Othello is a tragic play consisting of five acts. Although each act is not of equal importance, each serves a distinct role that affects the quality of the play in its entirety. Removing any act would therefore greatly diminish the final product of this play; consequently, reducing the play’s appeal to the audience. … Read more
England’s greatest poet and playwright was born at Stratford-upon-Avon, the son of a tradesman and Alderman of Stratford, John Shakespeare in 1564. William, the eldest son, and third child (of eight) was baptised on 26th April 1564 and probably educated at Stratford Grammar School, but little is known of his life up to his eighteenth … Read more
In Shakespeare’s tragedy, Macbeth, the characters and the roles they play are critical to its plot and theme, and therefore many of Shakespeare’s characters are well developed and complex. Two of these characters are the protagonist, Macbeth, and his wife, Lady Macbeth. They play interesting roles in the tragedy, and over the course of the … Read more
Arguably, the best piece of writing ever done by William Shakespeare, Hamlet is the classic example of a tragedy. In all tragedies the hero suffers, and usually dies at the end. Othello stabs himself, Romeo and Juliet commit suicide, Brutis falls on his sword, and like them Hamlet dies by getting cut with a poison … Read more
In William Shakespeare’s sonnet number one hundred and forty-nine there is a very clear case of unrequited love. In a somber tone he outlines the ways in which he selflessly served his beloved only to be cruelly rejected. His confusion about the relationship is apparent as he reflects upon his behavior and feelings towards her. … Read more
Prior to deciding whether or not conflict is central to the dramatic development of MACBETH, one must consider all the dramatic factors that contribute to the Shakespearean play. The gradual decline of the protagonist , the role portrayed by characters and the order in which the events occur, greatly influence the direction in which the … Read more
True love is like ghosts,”claims Franois, Duc de La Rochefoucauld, “Which everyone talks about but few have seen”. What is true love? Is it idealistic love or physical love, mature love or paternal love. Well kiddies, it is all that are listed here for each has its own place in the Shakespearean play Romeo and … Read more
In the play “Much Ado About Nothing”, William Shakespeare describes how a person can do a lot of things out of nothing. There are four main characters in this play that find a lot to do about stupid things and it can make things very difficult. The main characters are: Benedick, Claudio, Beatrice, and Hero. … Read more
Born on April 23, 1564 in Stratford-Upon-Avon, England. His father John Shakespeare and his mother Mary Arden. W.S. was able to attend grammer school and learned Greek and Latin classics (this is comparable to college education today). At age 14 his father lost the family fortune and remained poor until his death At 18 he … Read more
William Shakespeare lived in a time of great change and excitement in England- a time of geographical discovery, international trade, learning, and creativity. It was also a time of international tension and internal uprisings that came close to civil war. Under Elizabeth I (reigned 1558-1603) and James I (reigned 1603-1625), London was a center of … Read more
In Act 3, scene 4, Shakespeare utilizes the ominous storm pounding down upon the suffering Lear in order to elucidate the storm which actually affects Lear the greatest–the internal storm caused by the ingratitude shown by his daughters Regan and Goneril. Prior to Lear’s speech, Kent urges the King to enter a nearby hovel for … Read more
The Taming of the Shrew is one of the earliest comedies written by sixteenth and seventeenth century English bard, William Shakespeare. Some scholars believe it may have been his first work written for the stage as well as his first comedy (Shakespearean 310). The earliest record of it being performed on stage is in 1593 … Read more
Two Gentlemen of Verona, directed by Mr. Wolfe, depicted an excellent plot through strong acting and characterization. In addition it possessed humor that perfectly affixed into the era of the sixties. The play was transformed from it’s original time era and placed in the sixties. The main plot outline surrounds two gentleman from Verona who … Read more
Antonio is the namesake of Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, but in addition to contributing to the title, his constant search for emotional martyrdom adds an air of depth and drama to an otherwise lighthearted and laughable play. Like many of Shakespeare’s best characters, Antonio could easily be overlooked as a mere plot-device. However, upon … Read more
In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, specific scenes focus the readers’ attention to the suspense and involvement of the supernatural. The use of witches, apparitions and ghosts provide important elements in making the play interesting. Examining certain scenes of the play, it can be determined that as supernatural occurrences develop, Macbeth reflects a darker self-image. Macbeth experiences his … Read more
William Shakespeare is the world’s most admired playwright and poet. He was born in April, 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, about 100 miles northwest of London. According to the records of Stratford’s Holy Trinity Church, he was baptized on April 26. As with most sixteenth century births, the actual day is not recorded but people are guessing … Read more
William Shakespeare was a great English playwright, dramatist and poet who lived during the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. Shakespeare is considered to be the greatest playwright of all time. No other writer’s plays have been produced so many times or read so widely in so many countries as his. Shakespeare was born to … Read more
The following is an essay on how the character of Macbeth serves as an example of a tragic hero in Shakespeares Macbeth. His tragic decision stems from the influence of a tragic flaw. Once he has made the decision, it is irreversible, and produces his downfall. In an attempt to save himself, the tragic hero … Read more
William Shakespeare’s satirical comedy, The Merchant of Venice, believed to have been written in 1596 was an examination of hatred and greed. The premise deals with the antagonistic relationship between Shylock, a Jewish money-lender and Antonio, the Christian merchant, who is as generous as Shylock is greedy, particularly with his friend, Bassanio. The two have … Read more
Hamlet in act III scene II is left alone and starts to philosophize about the concept of suicide. He presents a logical argument both for and against ending his own life and seems to be governed by reason rather than frenzied emotion as in the previous two major soliloquys . To be, or not to … Read more
Shakespeare worked with the simplest of principals, writing at the mind’s own speed, using everything he read, but reworking it first, and depending upon characters for the defining trait or flaw. One theme which constantly emerges throughout Hamlet is the theme of love and loss, revealed by the characters of Hamlet, Laertes, and Ophelia. Hamlet, … Read more
1. In the opening scene of the play, the audience gets their first impression of Othello in third person. Three characters have been given the role of projecting Othellos character to the audience, these are: Brabantio, Roderigo and Iago. These characters play the important role to contrast Othellos moral fibre. In comparison to Iago and … Read more
It has been said that, “Rivers and mountains may change; human nature, never. “(worldofquotes. com) This is a quote that can be deconstructed when examining William Shakespeare’s King Lear and Margaret Laurence’s The Stone Angel. When reviewing the two books the main characters, King Lear and Hagar, are easily comparable. The first similarity becomes apparent … Read more
In the play “The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark,” William Shakespeare has used the theme of deception, and how its use by one or more characters leads to their downfall. Polonius explicitly stated this theme when he said to Laertes in I, ii, “By indirections find directions out. ” Each major character in Hamlet, … Read more
It is curious to note the role of women in Shakespearean literature. Many critics have lambasted the female characters in his plays as two-dimensional and unrealistic portrayals of subservient women. Others have asserted that the roles of women in his plays were prominent for the time and culture that he lived in. That such contrasting … Read more
In the play Macbeth, Shakespeare portrays Macbeth as the normal man at first. Through his skills as a warrior, his friendship with Banquo and his loyalty to Duncan, Macbeth attempts to be the everyday man. As the play develops, however, Macbeth becomes over ambitious and power hungry. Like the book A Simple Plan, where people … Read more
The function of imagery in the mid-sixteenth century play Othello by William Shakespeare is to assist characterises and defines meaning in the play. The enemy Iago is defined through many different images, Some being the use of poison and soporifics, sleeping agents, to show his true evil and sadistic nature. Othellos character is also shaped … Read more
In Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare the two main characters are Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet. Both teenagers matured and changed during the play, but Juliet’s changes stood out the most. Juliet transformed in less then a week, which says she did not change much, but there is a definite difference in her personality … Read more
Arguably the best piece of writing ever done by William Shakespeare, Hamlet the is the classic example of a tragedy. In all tragedies the hero suffers, and usually dies at the end. Othello stabs himself, Romeo and Juliet commit suicide, Brutis falls on his sword, and like them Hamlet dies by getting cut with a … Read more
Shakespeare’s sonnet 18 (“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? “) and Keats’ “Ode on a Grecian Urn” were written with a common purpose in mind; to immortalize the subjects of their poems by writing them down in verses for people to read for generations to come. By doing so, both of the poets … Read more
Shakespeares Othello is commonly regarded as a work depicting mans ability to use his reason towards evil intentions. A lowly ancient in a generals army is able to destroy him through manipulation and deceit. But although Iagos deceit of Othello is undoubtedly a central theme in the play, another theme regarding the nature of the … Read more
In the play Othello, the most powerful emotion is anger. This emotion helps to establish the plot, as it plays a vital role. Three characters that it affects in the play are Othello, Iago and Roderigo. All the characters vent their anger through violence and confrontations. Othello vents most of his anger by smothering Desdemona … Read more
William Shakespeare was one of the greatest poets of all time. What made him that poet? Why hasnt he been forgotten? One answer was the fact that he wrote about ideas and concerns that remain close at heart with people of all cultures and backgrounds. His plays were not confined to local politics, and the … Read more
The Tempest consists of a series of rebellion, treacheries, mutinies and conspiracies against authority but the overall view of the dramatic action is much more complex. Many other aspects and themes such as illusion and the supernatural (magic) also play a very important part in shaping the plot. Power struggle is evident from the beginning, … Read more
The play Othello by William Shakespeare is based on an Italian story in Giraldi Cinthio’s Hecatommithi (Grolier). In Othello we encounter Iago, one of Shakespeare’s most evil characters. Iago is an officer in Othello’s army and is jealous of Cassio’s promotion to Lieutenant. Through deception and appearance, we see unfolded many lies and clever schemes. … Read more
In Shakespeares Antony and Cleopatra the two eponymous heroes, and lovers frequently contend with each other in a battle of words and wills. It is from these conflicts, that the reader learns most about each characters true nature. From the start of the play Antony is portrayed as a ruler who has lost his desire … Read more
In the poems “Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day? ” and “My Mistress’ Eyes Are Nothing Like the Sun”, William Shakespeare compares his loved ones to nature. He uses natural elements in order to show that nature is superior to human beings. However, the poet comes to the conclusion that despite the fact … Read more
In consideration of the plays we discussed in class, the dramatic contents of each play reflect and develop a category of it’s own. Some that deal with comedies, morality, and other’s with, tragedies, whichever the case maybe each play has its unique style and theme. A Midsummer Night’s Dream I believe is unusual among Shakespeare’s … Read more
William Shakespeare was a great English playwright, dramatist and poet who lived during the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. Shakespeare is considered to be the greatest playwright of all time. No other writer’s plays have been produced so many times or read so widely in so many countries as his. Shakespeare was born to … Read more
When I thought about the role that the word “night” would play in the tragic play “Macbeth,” I found that there were a variety of possibilities. Immediately, I thought of the nighttime as a period of rest and revitalization. I expected that this would allow characters to recover from the day’s many demands. Secondly, I … Read more
In the tragic play Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, a particular deterrent in Hamlet’s quest to be rid of his regal uncle is his procrastination. This act of murder intended to set the future right is Hamlet’s sole responsibility, ordered by his deceased father. Hamlet’s main target throughout the play is for Claudius to commit suicide. … Read more
Melancholy, grief, and madness have pervaded the works of a great many playwrights, and Shakespeare is not an exception. The mechanical regularities of such emotional maladies as they are presented within Hamlet, not only allow his audience to sympathize with the tragic prince Hamlet, but to provide the very complexities necessary in understanding the tragedy … Read more
In Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew, one topic that has been debated, interpreted, discussed, reinterpreted and adapted has been the character of Katharine, the shrew, and whether she was tamed, liberated, or just a good enough actress to make everyone think she was in fact, tamed. There are many arguments for and against each of … Read more
Arguably the best piece of writing ever done by William Shakespeare, Hamlet the is the classic example of a tragedy. In all tragedies the hero suffers, and usually dies at the end. Othello stabs himself, Romeo and Juliet commit suicide, Brutis falls on his sword, and like them Hamlet dies by getting cut with a … Read more
