The Invention of the Human In his recent book, Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human (1998), Harold Bloom argues that Shakespeare’s characters provide the full measure of his continuing legacy. Shakespeare, Bloom maintains, created self-conscious characters who breathe life. Shakespeare’s characters are so alive, possess such "interiority," that they catch themselves looking at themselves. This quality is the essence of becoming human—to know we know, to be aware we are aware, to sense our own presence on the stage of life. Prior to Shakespeare’s ascendancy on the English stage, Bloom argues, there was no concept of the individual self, just types. These types persist in Shakespeare’s plays as residual stock characters displaying humours, like Malvolio (melancholic) and Hotspur (choleric). In Shakespeare these crude concepts of personality give way to major and minor characters who evolve and grow almost within themselves. They possess a special energy that touches all other characters within the play. But it is Bloom’s provocative remark, "Shakespeare invented us," that stretches us beyond our conditioned response to the plays and invites us to define a new relationship with Shakespeare. Bloom argues that Shakespeare so interpenetrates our consciousness and our cultural existence that we do not know the boundary between him and us. One suspects that we are receptive to Bloom’s idea because of the mysterious ambivalence of Shakespeare himself. Shakespeare’s elusive self, the stuff of Keats’s Negative Capability, may indeed be found in his 100 major characters and hundreds of minor personages dispersed through his histories, comedies, and tragedies. Bloom, however, takes Shakespeare and his characters out of dramatic con... ... middle of paper ... ...al world of Elizabethan England—essential to an understanding of Shakespeare’s history plays can easily be lost if we regard the characters as existing beyond their origins. We cannot neglect the social, intellectual, and historical context in which the histories derive their meaning. Bloom asserts that the plays’ characters transcend their origins and operate in a universe that is still being created. We can appreciate his thesis as it reverberates through our consciousness. Bloom has successfully helped us secure a new relationship with Shakespeare and his dramatic art. At the same time, we must wonder if we can separate Shakespeare—and his characters—from the plays. Works Cited Bloom, Harold. Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human. New York: Riverhead Books, 1998. The Riverside Shakespeare. Ed. G. Blakemore Evans. 2nd. ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1997.
Shakespeare’s Personality. Ed. Norman N. Holland, Sidney Homan, and Bernard J. Paris. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1989. 116. - 134.
Richard Nelson highly praises the Eskimo for their knowledge and adaptation. They are known to be living in the harshest environment, yet they brilliantly adjust their lifestyle to survive it. Nelson describes many events he has encountered during his time in Alaska to demonstrate how deeply the Eskimos are bonded with the nature. His main argument is simply stating their interaction with nature and an affinity with the non-human life. He wants to use the relationship between Koyukon Indians and the nature to show what we once had that was forgotten and ignored.
Statistics have been show a frightening increase in AIDS/HIV cases. As of the year 2012, South Africa has had the most cases of HIV/AIDS coming to a total of 6,070,800 ("Country Comparison :: HIV/AIDS”). This is a huge contributing factor to this conspira...
The Battle of the Coral Sea turn out the way it did because a large part of the outcome was due to Japanese complacency and failure of naval intelligence. They underestimated the strength of the forces the Americans had. Also, the Japanese made tactical mistakes. They wasted valuable searching hours while attacking a relatively unimportant target, which was a tanker. The Americans had advantages of knowing what the enemy were planning due to being able to intercept and decode their signals. Also, they had radar that could identify incoming enemy aircraft in time for them to scramble their own fighters into the air to attack them. In the long run, the Allies gained far more from the engagement than the Japanese.
... About You_.” Shakespeare Bulletin: A Journal of Performance Criticism and Scholarship 22.2 (2004): 45-66. Expanded Academic ASAP. Westfield State College Library, MA. 15 April 2005. 15 April 2005.
When you mention Alaska and the Arctic Circle, one envisions igloos, dog sleds, and invariably, Eskimos. However, little do most know, that what most refer to as Eskimos is actually a generalization representing three distinct groups. In order to understand the societies that live in this region and acknowledge their cultural differences we must explore the different groups that inhabit this region of which there are two: the Inuit, and the Yupik.
...te and then set out to find her, Bloom is an answer to Stephen’s quest for a literary father. Bloom cannot replace Shakespeare or Stephen’s mother. Shakespeare represents the ideal literary father, to which Bloom will be measured. Stephen’s mother physically birthed him and provided him with the love he needed as a child. However, the role of Stephen’s father is physically vacant. Here, Bloom fits into Stephen’s life. Upon cursory overview, this can seem unspectacular, yet it is through this physical realm that people agree, disagree, and shape a conception of reality. This ability to see through other peoples’ eyes and vigilantly note the confluence and schisms between their outlooks, as well as ones’ own, may be an essential part of what it means to be a writer.
William Shakespeare has become landmark in English literature. One must be familiar with the early days of English literature in order to comprehend the foundation of much of more modern literature’s basis. Shakespeare’s modern influence is still seen clearly in many ways. The success of Shakespeare’s works helped to set the example for the development of modern dramas and plays. He is also acknowledged for being one of the first writers to use any modern prose in his writings.
Dutton, R., & Howard, J.E. (2003). A Companion to Shakespeare’s Works.(p. 9) Maiden, MA: Blackwell Pub.
Cohen, Walter, J.E. Howard, K. Eisaman Maus. The Norton Shakespeare. Vol. 2 Stephen Greenblatt, General Editor. New York, London. 2008. ISBN 978-0-393-92991-1
As a result, the virus has greatly affected people in countries across the world, especially Africa. In Africa there are thousands of medical facilities in South Africa and they all have a high occupancy rating. In South Africa today, 80% of patients hospitalized in facilities have HIV (“Impact of HIV and AIDS...”). People working in these facilities such as doctors and nurses put themselves at risk because they are at risk for getting HIV related illnesses. In Africa there is a high demand for treatment of the disease and the hospitals have very low resources and training to treat HIV patients. When HIV first started there were very little resources to use for the patients that needed help.
...ld Health Organization (WHO) report shows that, most people living with HIV or at risk for HIV do not have access to treatment, care and prevention and there is still no cure. In spite of these challenges, there have been successes. Global efforts have been made to address the epidemic, specifically in the last decade. The HIV prevalence rates have been reduced in a small but growing number of countries due to prevention and new HIV infections are believed to be on the decline. In addition to this, the number of people with HIV receiving treatment in resource poor countries has increased 10 times since 2002, nearing an estimated 4 million by 2008.
This was researched and written by James Hallam as part of the course on Shakespeare by Individual Studies. Copyright is retained by James Hallam. This material may freely be used, so long as the author and source are cited.
Aids is a worldwide pandemic, it is affecting people on every continent, and country. However this paper focuses on Africa, within the county of Uganda. In Uganda, AIDS rate has dropped drastically in the last ten years. Whether it is due to deaths, incorrect calculations, change in behavior or a country coming together as one, this country has worked for several years to reduce the rate of people infected with the disease. Although, Uganda has made commendable progress in improving the fight towards AIDS they still lack and are in much more of improvement. The country as one needs education, they need to be taught and raise awareness even more.
Scott, Mark W. Shakespearean Criticism: Volume 94, Excerpts from the Criticism of William Shakespeare's Plays and Poetry, from the First Published Appraisals to Current Evaluations. Detroit, MI: Gale Research, 1987. Print.