Theme of Social Hierarchy in William Shakespeare's Henry V, Twelfth Night and Macbeth
Henry V, Twelfth Night, and Macbeth cover the whole field of Shakespearean genres, but it is amazing how Shakespeare displays a theme and carries it through in any kind of play he wants to. Historic, comic, and tragic plays are about as different as you can get, yet when we take a closer look we see many similarities among them, especially in the area of social hierarchy. In all three of these plays, Shakespeare uses a similar theme, which he conveys and proves through his characters. Twelfth Night's Malvolio, and Macbeth's Macbeth, Henry V's Henry all hold social status, and they spread the social scale, one a servant, one a nobleman, and one a king. In the play we see their desires to better their social standing and climb the social hierarchy that puts them all on similar ground, ground which in some cases is somewhat dangerous, breaking social laws.
In Twelfth Night, Malvolio is a servant. Granted, he is a higher-level servant; he is responsible for Olivia's finances. When we begin the play, it seems, even through Malvolio's melancholy personality, that he is content with his social standing. He enjoys the little social power he possesses but is not seeking a higher social standing. However, after he finds the letter, he "becomes" a new individual. His cross-gartering himself with yellow stockings, his incessant smiling, and his eager compliance with the anonymous show us the lengths Malvolio is willing to go to now to increase his social standing. His quickness to direct the letter to himself also shows us that the attitude he appeared to show at the beginning, his melancholy satisfaction with his social standing, may have been...
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... God's approval. If Henry could not "with right and conscience take [his] claim" (Henry V I.ii.98), he wouldn't have gone to war. He was not going to risk lives for a quest that was not within his royal limits. Malvolio didn't bother to care about going out of his socially constructed box and neither did Macbeth.
This is Shakespeare's point. Society has created a hierarchy for a reason, and it is within no person's rights to try to break out of his mold, except for the King, who is the figurehead of England. Shakespeare doesn't let Macbeth or Malvolio off the hook as Malvolio is completely humiliated and overwhelmed with and humorously vows to revenge and Macbeth is ultimately killed, defamed, and stripped of his crown after death. Breaking the social hierarchy is placed in a bad light and discouraged for anyone as unpleasant things may happen in consequence.
In William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, Malvolio is considered an outcast by everyone else in the play except Olivia. He doesn’t act the same way that any of the other characters act, and he seems to be a real stickler for the rules, which upsets certain characters more than others. But it is this strict coherence to the rules that allows Malvolio to have such a high position in Olivia’s household. While Malvolio may be considered an outcast to most of the characters in the play, Olivia shows concern for Malvolio and his well-being.
When people come into a position of power the definition of power is altered and changed according to their perspective, where they believe that every decision that they take and do which hurts others and may even result in their demise is not of their responsibility, they would believe that what they are doing is the right thing no matter what it is and even if it is to others morally repugnant. And such people would do anything to remain in that position withholding power causing them into doing horrible things such as murder, deception, lying, bribery, coning and stealing. Now as we ponder through out this play we notice a drastic change in the one of the leading characters that is Macbeth, because of the power he held and of the greed that got the best of him, and turned him to his antithesis. At the commencement of the tragedy Macbeth was a noble man of high rank in the king’s army he was man who could be trusted with a person’s life. He fought for the king, for justice, fairness and for freedom, he was never afraid of anybody, he was never greedy, where he was humble and never aspired to be king. He was valiant and noble, where he defended the king’s honor and was a true gentleman. He truly embodied the idea of a man. His manhood was never questioned by anybody. He cared for his friends, especially Banquo who was hi...
Throughout Macbeth, Shakespeare dramatically shows what can happen when our common gender roles are broken. He shows the power that people can have over others when they aren’t acting the way they’re expected to.
A common similarity in Shakespearean plays is the main character either being an tragic villain or tragic hero. In Macbeth and Hamlet both villains Claudius and Macbeth are killers who are seeking power. William Shakespeare wrote Hamlet and it is about a king’s son seeking the revenge of his father's wrongful death by his own brother Claudius. He also wrote Macbeth which is about a power hungry warrior who becomes king by his corruption and ambition. King Claudus and King Macbeth both are similar in many ways but yet have many differences with set them apart but in the end bring them together by an common action to gain power.
...in themes similar to those found in the two Henry IV plays, such as usurpation, rebellion, and the issue of lineage of royal right. But Richard II and King Henry V are decidedly more serious in tone, and in comparing them to I Henry IV and II Henry IV, the argument can be made that it is these two latter plays which resound with greater realism with the broader spectrum of life which they present. Shakespeare carefully balances comedy and drama in I Henry IV and II Henry IV, and in doing so the bard gives us what are perhaps the most memorable characters in all of English literature.
Among the greatest gifts that the renaissance produced was the eloquent and incredible Shakespearean plays. Written mostly in the 1590s these plays have been performed and admired countless times; entertaining mass audiences by providing interesting tales that explore the depth of human insights and the different universal themes. Among the many Shakespearean plays Macbeth, written in 1606, stands out with its short composition but multiple themes. This tragedy narrates the tale of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s quest to grasp ultimate power by ignoring their morals and succumbing to their dark desires, which ultimately leads to their downfall. This tragic play portrays the desires, needs, and temptations that accompany ambition in men and women. However the ambition in Macbeth is blind, it does not abide to the morals, but it allows space for dark actions as means necessary for accomplishment. Blind ambition serves as the main driving force that drives Macbeth to subdue to his dark desires, defy his noble behavior, and ultimately his downfall.
One leading contribution for Macbeth’s tragedy is the inability to have his power kept in check. According the Berger, a position of authority can directly affect the individual’s sense of self, status, and their role in society. This also touches this individual’s sense of not only others, but also that of the world surrounding this person (1). A position of power directly impacts those around that person. These characters surrounding this power, who are close enough, can also maintain a power check over that person. Yet these characters holding such a position in the play are not able to keep this power in check. Under the influence of unchecked power, Macbeth takes actions that have serious and devastating consequences for other characters in the play.
Exerting the type of power that is influenced by malicious intentions can cause one to make decisions that are not beneficial to others. A Midsummer Night’s Dream is written within a time period and setting that favors men instead of woman. In other words, men have all the authority to control the events that occur in their own lives as well as the lives of others whom are considered insignificant. The plot displays the catalysts that ignite many characters’ desire for control that is misused by higher status people. Shakespeare’s use of characterization demonstrates how the wanting of control causes the characters to act irrationally through the misuse of power. Shakespeare’s use of setting, plot and characterization causes the ordeals that the characters ultimately face. In turn, the deceitful choices of a few individuals with status impacts whether the lives of lower status people are enhanced.
William Shakespeare was one of the first to introduce many to the distinct divide in social class and those who where in power. Some of Shakespeare 's most famous literatures & playwrights tell the stories and air the dirty laundry of people associated high in power and social class. In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet Shakespeare gives many examples of social class and power and how they both can destroy and disrupt when greed and unrighteousness gets in the way. He also proves how both social class and power can break, manipulate, and ruin individuals caught up in the dramas of social class and power. It is without question that William Shakespeare 's Hamlet teaches us the truth about power
Johnson, Vernon Elso, ed. "Shakespeare's Macbeth." Social Issues in Literature: Power in William. San Francisco: Greenhaven, 2009. N. pag. Print.
Shakespeare distinguished social classes by contrasting poetic meter between characters in A Midsummer’s Night Dream. The working class, Athenian Nobles and the fantasy world collided together to create chaos. As Shakespeare broke down the tradition of social classes, he created chaos and the motif of disorder in his play. Ultimately, the sense of order is rooted in tradition and when tradition is torn away society has nothing left to fall back on.
Leadership in William Shakespeare's Henry V. At the time when "Henry V" was written in 1599, England was in chaos. facing many dilemmas and challenges. The country was coming to the end of the Elizabethan era. Queen Elizabeth was in the final years of her reign. and she was getting old, which must be taken into consideration.
This leads Maria to formulate a plan using his pride as his downfall. Though Malvolio is a servant he is positive that he is meant for greatness. When Maria forges a love letter in Olivia’s hand Malvolio is only too happy to reactive it. He follows its directions and makes a fool of himself while trying to reach his ambitions for an improvement in social status. When Olivia rejects him he understands that he is not what he thinks he is. He is a servant and that is where he belongs. He finds his identity and though he is possibly unsatisfied he is accepting, and though he is upset with the people who prank him he has found himself and is now in his mind even higher above them. He even goes so far as to say he will make his revenge. It is also shown when they are trying to show him as insane. He clings to who he is and his mental powers. He is in control of himself now that he understands who, and what, he is.
Malvolio's entrance to the scene immediately creates comedy as even before he finds the letter we find him fantasizing about being "Count Malvolio", this notion creates humor as it seems that Malvolio has forgot he is merely Olivia's steward not her social equal despite his is conceited self-righteousness. The farce is enhanced by comments made by the onlookers who insult Malvolio, "Pistol him, pistol him!" Sir Andrew makes this comment, as he himself desires Olivia's hand in marriage. Malvolio lets his imagination go wild creating further humor when he imagines that his "kinsman Toby" will approach and curtsy in front of him.
In King Lear, Shakespeare portrays a society whose emphasis on social class results in a strict social hierarchy fueled by the unceasing desire to improve one’s social status. It is this desire for improved social status that led to the unintentional deterioration of the social hierarchy in King Lear. This desire becomes so great that Edmund, Goneril, Reagan and Cornwall were willing to act contrary to the authority of the social hierarchy for the betterment of their own position within it. As the plot unfolds, the actions of the aforementioned characters get progressively more desperate and destructive as they realize their lack of success in attaining their personal goals. The goals vary, however the selfish motivation does not. With Edmund, Goneril, Reagan and Cornwall as examples, Shakespeare portrays the social hierarchy as a self-defeating system because it fosters desires in its members that motivate them to act against the authority of the hierarchy to benefit themselves. A consideration of each characters actions in chronological order and the reasons behind such actions reveals a common theme among the goals for which morality is abandoned.