The rise of eponymous drama illustrates the sudden power of the person in literature. This breakaway of Shakespeare’s ‘greatness’: many of his contemporaries and followers attempted to recreate his style, often decaying into wanton violence and atrocities (as with John Webster). His plots could be said to demonstrate moral stances (perhaps Othello could promote trust or fidelity with the consequences of jealousy and infidelity illustrated) but then Romeo and Juliet destroys the lovers who are attempting to reunite broken families, so it is difficult for that theme to be accurate. However, Shakespearean originality lies in the plots and variety even with in particular plays – Twelfth Night is generally considered a comedy but the persecution of Malvolio decays beyond the comic with the close of the play worryingly unresolved with his promise the he’ll ‘be reveng’d on the whole pack of you.’ The characterisation of his figures was also unique for his time: Shakespeare seems to have held great insight into likely human reactions to the extreme situations in which he places his characters, with... ... middle of paper ... ...he voice of the ghost that is heard, to show his indifferent attitude to his friends. Polonius’s language is used to further his character: his authority in Court (almost Claudius’ equal) contrasts with his rambling language to exacerbate his foolishness and almost guarantee his later destruction.
The Comedy and Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare The Prologue includes phrases like 'death-marked love' and 'fatal loins'. From this we might think that Romeo and Juliet is an unrelenting tragedy. Yet the first Act has many humorous moments. Consider the balance of tragedy and comedy in Act one, concluding whether it is on the whole humorous of tragic. As defined by Aristotle, 'tragedy evokes pity and fear in the audience.'
Early histories are an interesting place to start a study of Shakespeare. With tragic and comic elements, Henry VI (all parts) and Richard III bend the arc of history. Richard III is particularly fascinating, due to how the title character attacks his enemies. Edward Berry, in Patterns of Decay, says that the play “explores the ‘self alone’ through movement from conquest to destruction.” (75) The characters of Richard III are complicated, and have tragic ends. By examining the title character in Shakespeare’s Richard III, it’s seen that Richard’s motivations, murders, and other actions lead to his ultimate demise as he descends into insanity at the hands of himself.
Critical commentary varies and appears exhaustive. Bradley speaks of evil, but thinks Lear dies in a moment of supreme joy; Knight argues that however vicious and cruel the Lear world is, the death of Cordelia represents the future triumph of love. Frye writes of Lear’s madness as our sanity if it were not sedated as if the universe is fundamentally absurd. Andrews writes that the meaning depends on the F vs. Q variations, and that the audience must be left uncertain. Snyder says that Lear dramatizes the phases of dying that we all endure, and that Lear dies because he is warn out by the exhaustion of life.
Similarly Othello had the same scenario, yet his downfall was by his jealousy and disbelief of his wife’s devotion to him, “There’s the money for your pains. [He gives her money.] I pray you turn the key and keep our counsel” (4.2.108-110). Both were depicted as victims of their beginnings, yet were changed into something incomprehensible to themselves later. Both themes are similar, yet they are different in a way, Shakespeare depicted an indefinite amount of images to create his theme for both plays.
The whole “mystery” of Hamlet’s hesitant revenge boils down to wondering why he doesn’t go ahead and play his traditional part, complete with the elegant rants we know he can deliver. (89) The real battle in the play between imagination and realism is forcefully presented by another literary critic. Harold Goddard’s essay, “Hamlet: His Own Falstaff,” highlights this battle in the play: Hamlet, the conclusion is, is a failure because the materials Shakespeare inherited were too tough and intractable. Too tough and intractable for what? That they were too tough and intractable for a credible historical picture may be readily granted.
Macbeth is clearly deep in thought about the potential results of changing his fate, though the acts of humanism in mind are sinful in every way. Shakespeare writes this quote so that it can be inferred that nothing good can come from immorally altering one’s fate. Later in Act 1, Lady Macbeth clearly praises corrupt humanism when she says about Macbeth, “Thou wouldst be great, art not without ambition, but without the illness should attend it” (Shakespeare I, v 18-20)... ... middle of paper ... ...en killed, he uses humanism in a way that it should be used: to save his own and his brother’s lives. Shakespeare uses both Macduff’s and Malcolm’s uses of humanism to demonstrate how humanism should be applied to life. Throughout Macbeth, Shakespeare explains his view of both humanism and how it should be used through the characterization of both the good and evil characters in the play.
The original text leans more toward the latter idea, while the Zeffirelli and Luhrman versions showed hamartia and tragic flaw respectively. In all actuality, to see what causes Romeo's downfall, it's all in how you interpret Shakespeare's words. Personal experiences and thought processes will lead to different ideas. Look at Zeffirelli and Luhrman; two directors using the same text as the inspiration, and they pulled away from it understanding it in entirely different ways. Works Cited Romeo and Juliet, Prolouge
Iago brings about the downfall of several characters, breaks Brabantio's heart with words, poisons Othello's delight, turns Desdemona's virtue to pitch and still feels not the slightest trace of remorse, instead all he feels is pleasure at others pain. Shakespeare's managed to turn Cinthio's "scorned lover" character into an evil, twisted and unfeeling sadist. He is hugely disturbing towards Jacobean audiences of the time for the crooked manipulation and the faults of the human character he personifies. We can all identify certain aspects of his character in varying degrees in out own personalities, hopefully this can lead us to change our ways when we see how wretched this character is, he has an insatiable appetite for suffering and no matter how much he causes, he is still unhappy.
"Lear […] O, heavens,/If you do love old men, if your sweet sway/show obedience, if you yourselves are old,/Make it your cause. Send down, and take my part" (Shmoop 2008). After King Lear 's daughters, Goneril and Regan, double-cross him, King Lear sees things are not going the way it is planned since his daughters have different intentions. William Shakespeare 's play, King Lear is a archetypal play of a person impropriety and punishment. The public is tested by the conflict of the righteousness of a person and a person 's sinfulness.