Harold Bloom also argues that this is apparent from the way “She can toy with, wound, manipulate Benedick to her ends; and she is principled in her defence of her cousin, Hero, and in defending the family honour.” An example of this is how Beatrice turns to a man to carry out her wish for her; this does not express a sign of weakness but indicates how her patriarchal society restricts her: “O God, that I were a man! If I were a man, I would eat his heart in the market place.” The aggressive language “eat his heart” almost dehumanises herself, atypical of women of the Elizabethan era. The repetition of the phrase “I were a man” in this scene emphasises her frustration that her gender limits her from defending her cousin’s honour. Linking to …show more content…
“Scratching could not make it worse an ‘twere such a face as yours were.” Language not typically used by young, conventional women, presents Beatrice as characteristically more masculine than feminine. From this, there is an understanding that both characters display autonomy in light of the fact they have accomplished a gender role reversal, where the male characters are determined to serve the female protagonists.
Throughout The Book Thief, Liesel attempts to control a blossoming crush on Rudy and her feelings towards him remain ambiguous throughout the entire novel. It is not until the end, where Liesel shows the extent of her strong feelings towards him. From the beginning, Zusak presents Liesel with death and she is constantly battling against her fear of being alone, but this does not limit her independence, rather it boosts it. An element of torment is portrayed by Liesel, as she is shown to outwit Rudy in a way which displays a lack of trust towards men: “She thought about it whilst examining the weedy legs of her opposition…there was no way he could beat me, she thought”. In light of this, the reader can acknowledge the playful behaviour Rudy has and the approach that Liesel takes to reject it. It could be
In the novel the book thief by Markus Zusak, Liesel states, “as long as both she and Rudy lived she would never kiss that miserable, filthy Saukerl (Zusak, 55). Liesel Memiger, the protagonist in the novel, is the foster daughter of Hans and Rosa Huberman. When Liesel first arrives at Himmel Street, a boy with hair the color of lemons walks her to school for her first day, she does not like him at first, but little does she know he will become her best friend (Zusak, 25-34). This is ironic because Liesel never does kiss Rudy until after he is dead. Rudy Steiner is Liesel’s best friend he has hair the color of lemons `and is adventurous and courageous. He wants Liesel to kiss him throughout the whole book but she never does until he is dead. In the novel The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, Death gives clear examples from Liesel and Rudy’s different points of view on their relationship and we can see how it changes throughout the story.
In The Book Thief, author Markus Zusak tells the tragic story of Liesel Meminger and her experiences in 1939 Nazi Germany. Zuzak incorporates compelling literary devices such as toe curling foreshadowing, personification, and vivid imagery in the form of simile and metaphors to grasp the readers’ interest. Zusak’s use of various literary devices helps to deepen the text and morals of the story, and makes the dramatic historical novel nearly impossible to put down.
Through Liesel’s and Ilsa’s friendship comes an understanding of what Ilsa Hermann has experienced in her son dying. “I used to read here with my son.” (Zusak 451) Before Ilsa makes a connecting to Liesel it seems as if Ilsa was floating through life like a zombie awaiting death to cause the pain of living with out her son to stop. It was not until she comes to care for Liesel, almost as if she thinks she is her own does she have a revival of the spirit. After revealing to Liesel that she knows that Liesel is taking books from her library Ilsa gives Liesel a blank book and tells her to write her own story in it. Every night Liesel would go down into her basement because it was her favorite place to be and write down there for hours. One night there was a bombing on Molching with no warning while Liesel was down writing. She ended up surviving because of the long chain of events starting all the way back to her stealing The Grave Digger’s Handbook in the graveyard her brother lays in. (Word Count
It is clear that Liesel is a character for which her stubbornness and reluctance to discontinue bad actions places her and others in dangerous situations. Her habit of stealing books, her misinterpreted kindness towards Max, and her attitude towards seniors and officials are all examples of Liesel’s defiance to do whatever she pleases regardless of the consequences or dangers. Had Liesel been less stubborn and listened to her elders more, she would have been in much less danger and people around her would be safe as well. Therefore, thinking before acting upon impulse is extremely important – it ensures what you do does not endanger yourself or others.
Beatrice and Benedick show their apparent distaste for each other right from the first scene. Beatrice mocks Benedick to the Governor of Messina, claiming that she always beats him in a battle of wits and the last time they crossed paths Benedict’s “five wits went halting off, and now is the whole man governed by one” (1,1,50). Clearly relishing resuming their ‘merry war’, Beatrice cuts Benedick down at the first opportunity, telling him “I wonder that you still will be talking, Signor Benedick, nobody marks you” (1,1,105). Incredulously, Benedick retorts, “what my dear lady distain! Are you yet living?” (1,1,95). So, the dynamic of the two is set and it goes on from there in the same vein. Yet, the reader, even at this early stage may ponder if the lady doth protest too much.
She seems to be unprovoked, but very rigid in her opinion of him. In Leonato's house, the discussion of Beatrice and marriage leads her uncle to conclude that, "Thou will never get thee a husband if thou be so shrewd of thy tongue.... ... middle of paper ... ...
...e down by weeping. Shakespeare shows us that Beatrice is the only character despite some of these positive attributes of Beatrice’s character, she is very rude about men. She says ‘but manhood is melted into curtsies’ showing Benedick her lack of respect towards men. However it is possibly her refreshing honesty that leads her to be a positive role model.
Benedick’s attitude towards love is that he does not love anyone and that it is a stupid idea to fall in love with someone. Then he further explains himself in, “Then is courtesy a turncoat. But it is certain I am loved of all ladies, only you excepted; and I would I could find in my heart that I had not a hard heart, for truly I love none” (Act 1, scene 1, lines 122-125). In this quote Benedick says that the woman’s courtesy is a traitor and that all ladies love him, except for Beatrice. He also states that it is too bad that he is so hard-hearted, because he really doesn’t love anyone. Beatrice’s attitude towards love is that she does not want to be married to a man that swears to love her, because she finds that very stupid. She then further explains herself by stating in, “A dear happiness to women. They would else have been troubled with a pernicious suitor. I thank god and my cold blood I am of your humor for that. I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me” (Act 1, scene 1, lines 126-130). In this quote Beatrice is saying that Benedick would make a nasty suitor for women and that they both feel the same way about love. She also states that she would rather hear her dog bark at a crow than hear a man say that he loves her. And I find their courtship more appealing
Shakespeare makes sure that Beatrice comes off as a woman who is not afraid to speak her mind to anyone. This is portrayed in the beginning of act one, when the mail messenger comes to announce that the soldiers are on their way to Messina. They start a conversation about Benedick and he tells Beatrice that Benedick is a "lord to a lord, a ...
Liesel experiences abandonment throughout her life, and the novel during a suppressed time in World War II Germany. Through her experiences Liesel’s learns to equate abandonment with love knowing that circumstance have forced her loved ones to leave her.
To begin, I personally don’t believe Liesel is wrong for stealing a book from the bonfire because it was going to be destroyed anyways. It shouldn’t harm or have a huge impact on someone else. The book could have been thrown out by someone who did not want it anymore. Her family cannot really afford books and Liesel is
She adds that she’s agreeable with everyone, with him as an exception. Benedick retorts that she’s lucky that she doesn’t love him like all the other women he knows, because he loves no one, especially not her. Beatrice responds, “A dear happiness to women, they would have been troubled by a pernicious suitor.... ... middle of paper ...
Liesel and Rudy's relationship changes as the both of them mature and grow up. They grew up playing soccer on the street and then found satisfaction in stealing things with each other. One thing that never really changed was Rudy's persistence. Throughout the novel, Rudy continuously asks "How about a kiss, Saumensch?" Being completely upfront with his feelings. Liesel starts out only seeing Rudy as her best friend and nothing more. Through the course of the novel, she starts realizing that she has feelings for Rudy, but refuses to show it. She completely denies her feelings and I think it is due to all of the abandonment she faced in her life. She was probably afraid of getting hurt. Death says, " the only thing worse than a boy who hates you [is] a boy who loves you" (Zusak 52). This statement is true. A boy that hates you can easily be hated in return. A boy that loves you and is persistent like Rudy was, makes it hard to push the boy away and makes it hard on the girl to avoid or reject his feelings. Rudy loved Liesel for what she was and everything she was. I honestly think that the formation of Liesel's was inevitable. I think that Liesel told Mr, Stiener that she kissed Rudy's corpse because she wanted him to know that there was closure and that Rudy was loved. Death even stated that "it embarrassed her, but she thought he might have liked to know" (Zusak
This is part of her “merry war” with Benedick. Beatrice appears to loathe Benedick and vice versa; they engage in many “skirmishes of wit.” However, although Beatrice appears hardened and sharp, she is vu...
... heart in the marketplace.” (A4; S1; L 315-321). When Hero was wrongly accused is when Beatrice showed this the most. She believed that because of what he had done, Claudio deserved to be dead. She wanted no bad deed to go unpunished and what she seen fit was for Benedick to challenge Claudio to a dule and she didn’t want Benedick to stop until he was dead.