Appearance vs. Reality in Henry IV
Shakespeare's play Henry IV begins with a king (King Henry) beginning a
pilgrimage after killing King Richard II. Henry believes that by gaining the
throne of England he has done an honourable deed, yet he admits that the
fighting and bloodshed could continue, A. . . ill sheathed knife . . . @
(I.1.17). He, also, admits that his own son, Prince Hal, is not honourable
enough to occupy the throne, Asee riot and dishonour stain the brow of my young
Harry" (I.1.17).
Shakespeare continues the topos of honour and redemption into Act three,
scene two, where he uses elements such as anaphora, topos, imagery and rhetoric
in a meeting between King Henry and Prince Hal that is both crucial and
climatic to the overall structure of the theme of honour.
At the beginning of Act III sc. ii, Shakespeare clears all other
characters from the stage to allow King Henry=s first meeting, face to face with
Prince Hal, to be focused and intense. King Henry is the first to speak and
sets a sombre tone as he begins to unmask himself to his son A. . . some
displeasing service I have done @ (3.2.5). As well Shakespeare allows King
Henry to bring Prince Hal=s mask to attention by using anaphora:
Could such inordinate and low desires,
Such poor, such bare, such lewd, such
mean attempt, such barren pleasures,
rude society as there art matched withal . . . (3.2.12-15).
The word such is used to emphasise his [Henry] displeasure of Hal=s friends and
the image they portray around him causing Hal in the eyes of Henry to lose his
princely image.
Shakespeare, then allows Prince Hal to defend himself to his father's
interpretations of his (Hal) character. Again, there is a contrast between what
King Henry perceives and what is reality. The king is obviously distressed over
Hal=s choice of friends and how they affect this 'Princely image'. Hal on
the other hand asks for Apardon on my true submission @ (3.2.27), claiming that
such people (friends) tell stories that may not always be true Aaft the ear of
greatness must hear @ (3.
The words carpe diem mean “seize the day” in Latin. It is a theme that has been used throughout the history of literature and has been a popular philosophy in teaching from the times of Socrates and Plato up to the modern English classroom. Carpe diem says to us that life isn’t something we have forever, and every passing moment is another opportunity to make the most out of the few precious years that we have left. In the poems “A Fine, a Private Place” by Diane Ackerman and “To His Coy Mistress” by Andrew Marvell, carpe diem is the underlying theme that ties them together, yet there are still a few key differences throughout each of these two poems that shows two very different perspectives on how one goes about seizing their day.
The author, Voltaire, wrote in the Enlightenment period, a literary movement characterized by the rising concern of philosophy, science, and politics. Voltaire’s writing was influenced by the Enlightenment movement to create awareness of global issues. This is evident in the repeated tragedies Candide stumbles upon. Social issues, corrupt authority figures, and war are real world topics that Voltaire chooses to address in Candide. The satirical nature of Candide allows for an in-depth discussion between the characters regarding the problems they face and the problems of the people they meet, creating a perspective that the audience is forced to look through. It is also a coming of age story, not just for Candide, but for the rising awareness in global issues. Voltaire’s inclusion of the issues of his time reflect the severity of those issues. Satire is used as a reaction to a society’s hypocrisy. Candide as a satirical piece reflects what people have neglected to pay attention to. Coming into a new era of awareness and responsibility leads Candide to reflect on the live he lived in Westphalia and the people he encountered across
In the medieval period, a monk is a person others should be able to admire for their hard work, ability to fast, and dedication to studying. Although a monk typically carries those traits, the monk in Chaucer's tale is more of a “modern man,” as he likes to call himself. Chaucer describes him as greedy, fat, and commonly rolls his eyes (A sign for someone who lusts after food and women), which is the complete opposite of what a monk normally is like. This character refuses to fast, as he claims to live like a modern man because the traditions monks live by are too old. A lesson that most can learn from the monk, is that claiming to be someone one is not for social status or money makes them seem greedy and narcissistic to
Passage Analysis - Act 5 Scene 1, lines 115-138. Shakespeare’s ‘King Henry IV Part I’ centres on a core theme: the conflict between order and disorder. Such conflict is brought to light by the use of many vehicles, including Hal’s inner conflict, the country’s political and social conflict, the conflict between the court world and the tavern world, and the conflicting moral values of characters from each of these worlds. This juxtaposition of certain values exists on many levels, and so is both a strikingly present and an underlying theme throughout the play.
In the beginning of the novel Candide is described as extremely optimistic person who always sees the best in everything. Not only is Candide very optimistic, but he does not really understand how the world works. He seems to be simple minded and immature toward any and all of the harsh realities of the real world. His philosophy towards life is that he is living in “the best of all possible worlds”. Candide gets this philosophy from his teacher Pangloss, who is also an extreme optimist. Both Pangloss and Candide are faced with horrible suffering and misfortune, almost in spite of their optimistic outlook on
such a process, this was just one of the causes of the break with Rome
The father and son relationship is one of the most important aspects through the youth of a young man. In Shakespeare’s play Henry IV, he portrays the concept of having "two fathers". King Henry is Hal’s natural father, and Falstaff is Hal’s moral father. Hal must weigh the pros and cons of each father to decide which model he will emulate. Falstaff, who is actually Hal’s close friend, attempts to pull Hal into the life of crime, but he refuses.
Voltaire's Candide is a philosophical tale of one man's search for true happiness and his ultimate acceptance of life's disappointments. Candide grows up in the Castle of Westfalia and is taught by the learned philosopher Dr. Pangloss. Candide is abruptly exiled from the castle when found kissing the Baron's daughter, Cunegonde. Devastated by the separation from Cunegonde, his true love, Candide sets out to different places in the hope of finding her and achieving total happiness. The message of Candide is that one must strive to overcome adversity and not passively accept problems in the belief that all is for the best.
During the age of Enlightenment, the philosophes believed that reason could be used to explain everything. The philosophes believed that people could make the world a better place to live in. Voltaire is against such optimism. Ian Bell Says "The 'optimist' argument then, was complex and sophisticated, but like all ironists Voltaire chose to simplify it to the extent that it seemed complacent and absurd, and he went on to cast doubt on our chances of ever securing 'eternal happiness'"(1-2). According to Voltaire true happiness can only be experienced in an unreal world. The multitudes of disasters that Candide endures after leaving Eldorado culminate in his eventual abandonment of optimism. Candide loses four of his sheep laden with priceless jewels due to natural causes, and then sees his two remaining sheep stolen, and the local magistrate indifferent to the theft. "Certainly, [says Candide,] if everything goes well, it is in Eldorado and not in the rest of the world" (42). Candide goes a step further, "Oh Pangloss, cried Candide, you have no notion of these abominations! I'm through, I must give up your optimism after all. What's optimism? said Cacambo. Alas, said Candide, it is a mania for saying things are well when one is in hell" (40). Candide's enthusiastic view of life is contrasted with, and challenged by suffering that he endures throughout the book. Hence, Voltaire uses the book to satirize the foolishness of optimism.
Shakespeare’s writing bursts with flavor because of his use of literary elements. Understanding Shakespeare’s writing allows for the discovery of the plot and characters. This understanding reveals the development of key characters, for example, in Henry IV, Part 1. Literary elements, including symbolism, figurative language, and imagery, construct Hal in the play, which in turn allows readers to see his growth. Shakespeare relies heavily on these instances of literary elements because they help readers get the message presented in his play.
The book Candide by Voltaire is a humorous satire constructed of many themes. Through his book, Voltaire expresses his views on life by criticizing many aspects of humanity at that time. He focused in war, religion, and love, but the main target of Voltaire's satire was a certain philosophy. All of the previous topics unite to ridicule the philosophy that, as the character Pangloss said, "things cannot be otherwise than as they are; for as all things have been created for some end, they must necessarily be created for the best end" (1).
The British Monarchy of Henry VII led the United Kingdom into a new direction. Henry VII changed the governmental system used, along with other things that affected the society of the England. King Henry VII of England redirected the Yorkist and Lancastrians, putting an end to the war between them and expanding the British monarchy. The War of the Roses lasted for thirty-two years. The Tudor dynasty began with Henry VII and continued its reign for one hundred and eighteen years.
The narrator is biased against the blind from the beginning. For instance, he stereotypes all blind people thinking they ...
Understanding the Buddhist lifestyle requires learning about the background of the religion and the monks. Buddha set the teachings of Buddhism, also called the Dhamma-Vinaya. The code of conduct, called the Vinaya, teaches people aspiring to gain the monastic life of a monk to gain wisdom and mindfulness. Buddha set these rules for the well-being of the Bhikkus, or the monk. He set these rules to help create a peaceful atmosphere for the Buddhist community and to avoid corruption in the Buddhist community. All monks and/or nuns must not only follow these rules, but also many other rules and principles.
In the middle ages Friars, Monks and Prioresses had very specific roles in society. A Friar had to follow the mendicant order while living off of charity, preaching, educating, attending to the sick and absolving people from their sin. The Prioress was the head of a group of nuns. She would have had a low social standing as she belongs to the Theocracy. Her roles included growing vegetables and grain, producing wine and honey, providing medical care for the community and being in charge of the Priories. Lastly, the Monk’s role was to remain in his cloister and study religious texts; “And that a monk uncloistered is a mere/ Fish out of water, flapping on the pier…”(177-178). All of these people were supposed to model holiness; they were bound to the community and had no personal possessions. They are supposed to be selfless Christians dedicated to the Church.