The Merchant of Venice, though ostensibly a comedy, is one of the more serious plays in the comedic genre. The Taming of the Shrew is far more humorous and light hearted, but it is not without its lessons. The specific lessons vary greatly dependin Continue Reading...
The jokes range form the raunchy to the almost unbearably corny, but the actors all acquit themselves in a remarkably deadpan and unaware attitude when required, which is often, waiting out the audience's laughter with extreme -- and extremely repe Continue Reading...
One of the main differences between the two texts is that language has changed to reflect shifts in gender norms. Notably, the newer version omits the word "obey" for the woman's marriage vows. Likewise the phrase "Who geveth this woman to be marie Continue Reading...
This is best reflected by the main character: Oedipa finds herself in the middle of a plot where the ambiguity of the actions and of the characters (and this is also one of the reasons the writer uses the funny character names, to induce the idea th Continue Reading...
Studying the Iliad shows the reader that war, even in the long past, was not always viewed as glorious. The Greeks viewed it as an evil necessity. That is why when Thresities suggests that the Greeks leave and go home, he is condemned by Odysseus. Continue Reading...
He questions whether he should try to clear the court of corruption or just give up and end his life now. It is this emotional doubt that drives Hamlet to act deranged at times, but he overcomes it, and almost manages to answer the difficult questio Continue Reading...
(II.ii.627-32) Here we see that Hamlet recognizes his weaknesses and his depression and blames them o the ghost. It is also significant to realize that Hamlet is practically resigning himself to a damned life with this assumption. He goes on to con Continue Reading...
1). Oberon and Titania are thus not above the common desires and petty passions that motivate all mortals -- but they know the harms that their jealousies can do, even on a cosmological level, accept that infidelity is a part of life -- and when mov Continue Reading...
The imagery of conflict between good and evil is carried further in the speech. For instance, in line 43 we have reference to the image of "mutinous winds" and to the image of " dread rattling thunder." All of these images contribute to the vision Continue Reading...
This skilled use of ironic prose is also observable in "A Jury of her Peers" by Susan Glaspell, as when the woman who has just committed murder tells the investigators: "after a minute...'I sleep sound.'" the tale depicts how a group of women gradua Continue Reading...
It also widened her female audience much further than the small group of upper-class women with whom she was acquainted (ibid). Overall, this work represented Lanyer as a complex writer who possessed significant artistic ambition and "who like othe Continue Reading...
In the challenge, Laertes will put poison on the end of his weapon so that when he slashes Hamlet it will kill him. To guarantee Hamlet's death, Claudius poisons the wine that is set out for Hamlet to drink during the competition. Unfortunately, Ger Continue Reading...
This is, in a way, a type of situational irony, however it occurs on a scale that implies fate is involved; the ironic incident is caused by an "act of god" not by something the character set into motion. The author of a piece of literature may dist Continue Reading...
Julius Caesar 'This was the noblest Roman of them all," (V.v. 2nd to last para.). Antony's eulogy of his former friend and compatriot shows that in spite of Brutus' tragic flaws and failings, the man was well-respected and loved. In fact, Brutus eme Continue Reading...
Irony in "Soldier's Home" -- Irony is a device used by writers to let the audience know something that the characters in the story do not know. There is usually a descrepancyt between how things appear and the reality of the situation. Often the char Continue Reading...
During one of her mental breakdowns, Margery said she was visited by Jesus who said, "My daughter, why have you left me, when I never for one moment went away from you?" Unlike the religious writings of Julian, Margery wrote of everyday activities a Continue Reading...
The Spenserian sonnet combines elements of both Italian and the Shakespearean forms. It has three quatrains and a couplet but differ in that it has linking rhymes between the quatrains. In the 17th Century the sonnet was adapted and used by John Do Continue Reading...
Tempest After Prospero gives his blessing to the marriage between Ferdinand and Miranda, he summons Ariel and instructs him to call the spirits to perform a masque. The spirits appear in the shapes of Iris, Juno and Ceres. The masque is a performan Continue Reading...
Othello The audience is aware of Iago's nefarious nature from the opening scene of Othello. During his conversation with Roderigo, Iago confesses his hatred of both Cassio and of Othello, his commanding officer of whom he says, "I follow him to serv Continue Reading...
Romeo and Juliet: Act II Close Reading of one of Juliet's speeches from "The Balcony Scene," Act II, Scene II -- the theme of 'star crossed' (i.e. doomed) love JULIET Well, do not swear: although I joy in thee, I have no joy of this contract to ni Continue Reading...
Animal Imagery in King Lear One of the most apparent motifs in Shakespeare's King Lear is the use of animals. This paper attempts to understand the choice of animal motifs and the role it is intended to play in conveying the playwright's message. T Continue Reading...
Confessions of Augustine, The Life of Saint Teresa of Avila by Herself, "On the Oration and Dignity of Man," Petrarch's poetry, and Shakespeare's drama "King Lear" are both products of societies in which the dominant religious ethos was Christian ra Continue Reading...
OEDIPUS VS. OTHELLO Oedipus and Othello Oedipus and Othello are both productions where the namesake of the story or play experiences a downfall before the end of the play. Oedipus and Othello each experience a downfall Oedipus was a victim of the Continue Reading...
disagreement that "The downfall of Oedipus is the work of the gods; the downfall of Othello is self-inflicted." Othello and Oedipus were both considered to be heroic and honorable men that turned out to be the victims of two tragic downfalls Both Continue Reading...
Blood by Suzan-Lori Sparks expands on the main theme of society's unfair disregard for its people of low condition in general, for women, and for adulterers. Hester La Negrita, the protagonist, is an African-American woman who struggles to survive i Continue Reading...
Medea vs. King Lear: Domestic royal tragedies The tragedy of Medea by Euripides and the Tragedy of King Lear by Shakespeare are tales of great kingdoms gone awry yet they are also domestic tragedies. The undoing of Jason's and King Lear's kingdoms a Continue Reading...
Hamlet as Hero and Joker Choose three examples of Hamlet's wordplay: puns, riddles, double entendres, insults, jokes and other verbal wit and virtuosity. Please explain what each of your examples means (a paragraph or so) and why each is appropriate Continue Reading...
King Lear Siro: I am your servant, and servants ought never to ask their masters about anything, nor to look into any of their affairs, but when they are told about them by them themselves, they ought to serve them faithfully, so I have done and so Continue Reading...
"The reason being that the colonized intellectual has thrown himself headlong into Western culture. Like adopted children who only stop investigation their new family environment once their psyche has formed a minimum core of reassurance, the coloni Continue Reading...
" (Act II, Scene I, Lines 339-340). He tells them: "Tis deeds must win the prize; and he of both That can assure my daughter greatest dower Shall have my Bianca's love." (Act II, Scene I, Lines 356-358) Gremmie and Tranio (Lucentio) proclaim thei Continue Reading...
The surprise of the play, however, lies in the fact that it is not Benedick and Beatrice who have the greatest difficulties finding true love and communicating with one another. Although Claudio takes the posture of a traditional lover, because his Continue Reading...
Because of the existence of so many common homophones in the English language, Bullokar wanted to retain some way of distinguishing between these words in print, and if two different symbols signified the production of the same sound, this could be Continue Reading...
For that reason, going mad is the perfect punishment. He led his mind into falsehoods through anger, and his mind essentially rebelled. In this light, it is somewhat ironic when Cordelia -- whose banishment was the source for Lear's madness, in this Continue Reading...
The symbolism of the story is very suggestive. The title "Emergency" hints at the main event in the story: Georgie, an orderly at the Seattle hospital saves in a mysterious a man who had come at the E.R. room with a knife thrust deep into his eye. I Continue Reading...
Inequality in Marriage in English Literature Although existing from the dawn of history itself, marriage as an institution has greatly changed its scope and purpose in time. Thus, before the modern period, marriage was an arrangement between two pa Continue Reading...
Julius Caesar is an honorable man because he is a brave man, a good warrior, and a great leader. People are against him because he has become stronger and more powerful, but he repeatedly turns down the crown, which could make him a dictator. He do Continue Reading...
monsters in Beowulf represent the abstract idea of evil, while Beowulf himself symbolizes good. In his quest, Beowulf faces three monsters: Grendel, Grendel's mother, and the fire dragon. Each of these monsters represents darkness, or an evil that e Continue Reading...
Biologist He was born a normal, healthy boy and he grew as little boys do, with G.I. Joe dolls and plastic guns. He seemed so normal through and through. When he chose books over monkey bars they thought him a little bit queer. He didn't pay spo Continue Reading...
Romeo and Juliet The protagonist of Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet is Romeo Montague. Most of the play's action centers on him and his passionate affection for Juliet. At first Romeo experiences unrequited love with Rosaline but when he sets Continue Reading...
incongruous to try to compare the artists William Shakespeare and Bob Marley. These two men, separated by centuries and embodying two very different forms of art, both make up part of the history of popular culture. One man is considered the premier Continue Reading...
