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"Romeo and Juliet", 2005.
Examines themes of love and hate in this tragic play by William Shakespeare.
1,045 words (approx. 4.2 pages), 1 source, $ 36.95
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Abstract
William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" is, first and foremost a love story. However, the real point of the play is the devastating effect of hate. The paper shows how the play is set in an atmosphere of hatred between the Montagues and the Capulets, and it is significant that Shakespeare juxtaposes the most beautiful of human emotions with the most terrible. The paper shows that this concept of love set amidst hate is spelled out in the prologue and within the first few lines we are told that the love of these two young people will be destroyed by the mutual hatred of their families.
From the Paper
"By the end of the play, Romeo's manliness has become his driving force. When Paris is killed and begs him to lay him in Juliet's tomb, Romeo remembers that he was Juliet's suitor and is filled with pity for him, granting his last request. When he sees Juliet, He is overcome with grief and in his last speech, vows to protect her and keep her company even in death..."
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George Bernard Shaw, 2006.
A biography of the Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw.
2,617 words (approx. 10.5 pages), 7 sources, MLA, $ 78.95
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Abstract
This paper describes the works, political and social beliefs and life of playwright George Bernard Shaw. It also discusses Shaw's influence on British and world theater and analyzes his most successful plays and the characters.
From the Paper
"George Bernard Shaw would hate to be called a great English playwright. Not that the "great" part would bother him. But he was born in Ireland (and died there at age 94). As one of his biographers put it: "Shaw draws from his own nation two unquestionable qualities, a kind of intellectual chastity, and the fighting spirit." Where some "names" we may be familiar withm\, Oscar Wilde and Noel Coward, sparred and took on "society" with clever words, Shaw was far more than a writer of clever, interesting plays. He was opening the eyes of his audiences well beyond the theatre to the struggle of class, and education. There is always a social moral to be found in his plays. As a pacifist and a Fabian socialist, he usually undertook to defend the poor and the unwary against the foibles of the leisure class."
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Actress and Teacher Stella Adler, 2005.
This paper discusses the life and work of Stella Adler (1902-1992), one of the most outstanding personalities on the American stage of the twentieth century.
1,355 words (approx. 5.4 pages), 3 sources, MLA, $ 45.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that, for almost ninety years, Stella Adler, who was born into one of the most distinguished and celebrated acting families in theater, had a successful career acting, directing and teaching. The author relates that she founded the Stella Adler Conservatory of Acting in New York City in 1949 and taught such as famous students as Marlon Brando, Robert De Niro and Warren Beatty. The paper stated that Stella Adler had the best teaching approach: She was tough but her students did not fear her, they respected her and listened.
From the Paper
"From 1927 through 1931, Adler played over 100 roles in various productions. Her association with the Group Theater began in 1931. This famous organization was formed by Harold Clurman, Lee Strasberg and Cheryl Crawford. Adler won high praise for her performances in "Success Story" by John Howard Lawson, and later in two seminal Clifford Odets plays: "Awake and Sing" and "Paradise Lost". She married Harold Clurman in 1943, having previously married and divorced Horace Eleascheff. Her marriage to Clurman ended in divorce in 1960. She stayed with the Group Theater for a decade and lamented and deplored the fact that there was a dearth of good roles for women. She felt that the theater was geared for men and that the plays were written for men only. However, she credited the company for bringing the best out of her and for revitalizing her life in theater."
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"A Midsummer Night?s Dream", 2004.
A review of William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream".
1,070 words (approx. 4.3 pages), 0 sources, $ 37.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses the play, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" by William Shakespeare. The paper examines how the play employs the same parallels that exist in reality within the make-believe world of the enchanted forest. The paper explains how the placement of a play within a play superimposes life's small episodes within the larger framework of reality. While the play is a comedy about life, the paper contends that it also alludes to the absurdity of resolving conflict.
From the Paper
"The two sets of lovers that enter the forest leave the reality of Athens for the magic of the fairyland. Unbeknownst to them, it is the magic of the fairies that sorts out their tangled relationships while they sleep. In the real world of Athens, the harsh reality is that Hermia must either wed the man her father wishes her to, live the life of a cloistered celibate, or be put to death. The acquiescence of Theseus and his persuasion of Hermia's father to permit the wedding between Hermia and Lysander, allow the returning lovers and Demetrius and Helena to remain partners. The four lovers are changed from an uncertain future in Athens to a life together after spending the night in the forest. This is a fairy-tale story from many viewpoints. It is the fairies that have worked their magic on the couples making the outcome viable. The pairing that results is the best for all involved. Although it appears Demetrius remains under the spell of the love juice even after they return to the city, the other individuals are now guided by their own passions, and any misguided love has been redirected to the appropriate partner."
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"Othello", 2005.
This paper discusses the character of Othello in Shakespeare's "Othello".
1,790 words (approx. 7.2 pages), 0 sources, $ 57.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that Othello, like most of Shakespeare's tragic heroes, is a man notable for the contradictions in his character. The author points out that the combination of vanity, naivete and an inability to perceive correctly the world around him are the three characteristics that allow Iago to transform Othello from a conquering and triumphant war-hero into a cold-blooded murderer. The paper stresses that the most dramatic way in which Othello is imperceptive is that he fails to recognize Iago's lies before killing Desdemona; and, even after learning that she did not have an affair with Cassio, Othello still failed to realize that he has been manipulated by Iago. Many quotes as illustrations.
From the Paper
"One of the most striking things about Othello is his naivete. Although Othello is a renowned war hero who has seen and experienced horrors throughout his lifetime, he retains a basic naivete about life, especially life in society. Initially, Othello, though able to confront and kill the enemy, is unable to conceive of the idea that one who calls himself friend could be a threat. Othello's naivete is first demonstrated by his lack of knowledge regarding Desdemona's character. Othello idealizes Desdemona, and has characterized her deception of her father as something necessary in order to further their love, instead of considering that they could have admitted their romance to Brabantio rather than eloping. It is Brabantio, not Iago or Othello, that first brings up the concept that Desdemona might deceive Othello."
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Aeschylus' "Libation Bearers" and "Eumenides", 2005.
This paper discusses the Furies from Aeschylus' plays "Libation Bearers" and "Eumenides".
990 words (approx. 4.0 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 35.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that the plays "Libation Bearers" and "Eumenides" are part of a trilogy of ancient Greek plays written by Aeschylus telling the story of King Agamemnon, his wife Clytaemnestra and their children. The author points out that, appearing in these plays, the Furies, who are the three daughters of Mother Earth, represent man's evil and hold him accountable for his evil actions thereby moving from justice to social change and merciful reform. The paper relates that the Furies, creatures of the underworld who become creatures of Athens, show that change and growth is good for society and good for individuals, like Orestes.
From the Paper
"The Furies are not evil, they avenge evil deeds, but they certainly are frightening and cause tumult around them. As they pursue Orestes throughout this play, they do indeed seem evil and vengeful. They can smell the blood of Orestes murdered mother, and that is how they track him all the way to Athens. Ultimately, the Furies could destroy Orestes, but Queen Athena intervenes, and changes the entire aspect of Orestes torment when she takes him to trial before a judge and jury. The Furies represent an old, archaic form of justice based on revenge, and that is another reason makes them ugly. Revenge and its' motives are often just as ugly as the Furies, and so, they represent a form of justice that may be quick, but is not always fair or even just. The Furies are living in the past, and Orestes, with his crime, will pull them into the future, where they can change the way they view the world and are viewed by the world."
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Nils Krogstad, 2005.
Examines the role of Nils Krogstand in Henrik Ibsen's play, "A Doll's House".
774 words (approx. 3.1 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 27.95
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Abstract
This paper shows that while Nils Krogstad is a minor character in "A Doll's House", he has a major function. He becomes an instrument of truth for us and for Nora because his letter reveals Helmer's true nature. While Krogstad causes Nora much distress throughout the play, he is indirectly responsible for her freedom. His desperation and his letter open her eyes to the fact that she is a prisoner in her own home. The paper concludes that from this perspective, his character is necessary to understand Nora's plight in "A Doll's House".
From the Paper
"In order for Nora to help Krogstad, she would have to tell Helmer everything and she is not willing to do this. Krogstad refuses to accept her explanation and simply tells her, "if I lose my position a second time, you shall lose yours with me" (I.144). Here we see how far he is willing to go with her. His sympathy for her situation is short-lived when he realizes that everything he has is at stake."
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?A Long Day?s Journey into Night?, 2005.
Examines the compassion conveyed in this play by Eugene O'Neil.
1,283 words (approx. 5.1 pages), 3 sources, MLA, $ 43.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses the play by American playwright, Eugene O'Neil "Long Day's Journey into Night." The paper focuses on how O'Neil encompasses themes of family love and compassion in this autobiographical play.
From the Paper
"This connection through denial, love, and addiction is also seen between mother and sons. At one point, Mary is seen, like Jamie, refilling the liquor bottle with water to keep the level the same. The family 'trick' keeps up appearances for both characters. This sameness in protective mechanisms of addiction seems both touching as well as tragic-both child and mother protecting one another from one another's knowledge, through the same 'hiding' behavior, as if heredity creates both the hideous and debilitating nature addiction and the protective, loving mechanism to cover up the addiction from the family."
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Broadway Shows, 2005.
A paper arguing that the intellectual content of Broadway shows has declined.
1,908 words (approx. 7.6 pages), 6 sources, MLA, $ 60.95
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Abstract
In this paper, the author argues that, contrary to what is often assumed, Broadway has become more populist, not less. The author argues that, in spite of the spiraling cost of tickets to Broadway shows, the shows pander to the least demanding, most pedestrian of artistic sensibilities.
From the Paper
"It might be logical to surmise that because Broadway ticket prices have reached the dizzying heights of, say, tickets for major league baseball and football's better seats-in the neighborhood of $100 a ticket-the Broadway stage is becoming less populist, pricing theatergoers out of the velveteen seats. However, the opposite is closer to the truth. The higher those ticket prices go, the more populist the Broadway theater becomes."
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"Romeo and Juliet", 2004.
An analysis of William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet".
1,045 words (approx. 4.2 pages), 3 sources, MLA, $ 36.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses and analyzes "Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare. Specifically, the paper examines the influence of destiny or fate on the lovers' lives. The paper claims that in "Romeo and Juliet," the two main characters' personal choices cannot defy their destiny or fate that is written in the stars. The paper also states that the feud between the two families does not justify their ultimate actions.
From the Paper
"Romeo and Juliet are fated lovers, and all of these productions make that very clear. The feud between their families may have torn them apart, but it certainly did not justify their taking their own lives. That they both die because of a misunderstanding and miscommunication only shows that their ultimate fate was exactly what was meant to happen. Their destiny led them to their deaths, and to the situation that led them down the path to their deaths. Romeo and Juliet could not escape their fate, even though today it seems as if they had many choices open to them. Each of their personal choices would ultimately take them toward each other, and toward the destiny waiting for them. These indicate that personal choice can be influential, and even vital for a person to fulfill their destiny."
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The Social Human Identity, 2004.
An analysis of Samuel Beckett's "Waiting for Godot" and Vladimir Nabokov's "Lolita".
1,522 words (approx. 6.1 pages), 3 sources, MLA, $ 50.95
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Abstract
This paper contends that one of the pervasive philosophies behind many post-modern forms of art and literature is the idea that human identities are defined more by their social circumstances than by any universal truths. The paper explains that the human is not a self-sufficient entity, but is built through social conventions. The paper explores how this notion reveals itself in the transitional post-modern works of "Waiting for Godot" by Samuel Beckett and Vladimir Nabokov's "Lolita".
From the Paper
"Nabokov seems to take a more psychological approach to the topic of human identity than does Beckett. This is precisely why Humbert is both "the rapist" and the "therapist," and additionally, why the novel is divided into two sections. In this respect, the human being, to Nabokov, is a complex conglomeration between innate drives and intellectual morality. Innate drives created his idealized mental image of Lolita, but abstract morality meant that such an image was inaccurate and transitory. Recognizing this, we can see that Lolita is divided into two parts along similar lines; the lines of creation and destruction, but also along the lines of individual perspective and social perspective. The novel has two names as well: "Lolita, or the Confessions of a White Widowed Male." (Nabokov, 3). "Lolita" is not the girl Dolores Haze, but the image of the girl that Humbert creates for himself-it is a part of his internal identity. However, "the Confessions of a White Widowed Male" is clearly the title more socially accurate and appropriate for Humbert's incarceration. To the end, Humbert remains obsessed with Lolita even though his image of her no longer exists objectively-she is no longer a child. Lolita is destroyed by external social circumstances."
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"Millennium Approaches", 2004.
An analysis of the play "Millennium Approaches" from Tony Kushner's "Angels in America".
732 words (approx. 2.9 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 26.95
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Abstract
This paper contends that Tony Kushner's "Angels in America" won the 1993 Pulitzer Prize for sensitively handling of some serious issues concerning America today. The paper focuses on the first play, "Millennium Approaches" where the author talks about the Reagan era. The paper examines the Reagan administration's hostility towards the gay movement that became apparent when the AIDS epidemic engulfed the country.
From the Paper
"Ronald Reagan administration has been criticized for its hostile attitude towards gay movement and cause. The administration was highly conservative and close-minded and is held largely responsible for generating homophobia in the country. The President himself refused to discuss the issue until 1987 when 20,000 people died in the US due to AIDS epidemic. In such a society, everyone who appeared different was ridiculed, attacked, harassed and hated. Jews, homosexuals, AIDS-infected patients, almost everyone who was not part of the mainstream culture and society is considered non-human. They are given an unfair treatment and the society mocks their beliefs and values. "
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