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Shakespeare's "Othello", 2004.
Character analysis of Iago from Shakespeare's play, "Othello".
992 words (approx. 4.0 pages), 4 sources, MLA, $ 35.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses Shakespeare's portrayal of evil in the character of Iago. The paper describes the evil actions and deeds of Iago and looks at what different critics consider to be the reason for Iago's evil behavior. The paper also points out that Iago's evil is of a type that transcends time.
From the Paper
"Perhaps what makes Iago truly evil is the fact that he is not provoked. While it is true that he has been passed over for the position of lieutenant, this is hardly enough reason to destroy the lives that he does. Many critics maintain that Iago feels jealousy toward Othello, which is the motivating factor for his actions. Others believe he is a man that was born evil and finds delight in destroying the lives of others."
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"The Tempest", 2004.
An examination of the role of learning in a text of the Renaissance,
Shakespeare?s ?The Tempest?.
1,887 words (approx. 7.5 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 60.95
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Abstract
The writer of this paper explains that one of the fundamental themes of the play is the transmission of learning through the process of education and the aims and outcomes of that process, both intended and unforeseen. The paper notes that if the island of "The Tempest" can be read as a microcosm of human society, one of the key aspects of Prospero?s character is as an archetype of the teacher who, in terms of Renaissance educational thought and practice, is charged with forming character as much as imparting knowledge, while Miranda and Caliban serve as contrasting images of the effects of education upon its recipients.
From the Paper
"The Tempest? respects the dramatic principle of the unity of time: the action of the play takes place over the course of a single afternoon. Everything that occurs during that limited period of time, however, is profoundly an outcome of events that stretch back twelve years previously. It was twelve years earlier that Prospero, Duke of Milan, entrusted the government of his city to his brother Antonio, in order that he might devote himself entirely to the pursuit of learning in ?the liberal arts ? those being all my study, / The government I cast upon my brother? [1.2: 73-5]. The ?liberal arts? referred to here are those aspects of learning seen in Renaissance humanism as worthy of a free man of high social status: the study of grammar, logic and rhetoric (the ?trivium?) and arithmetic, geometry, music and astronomy (the ?quadrivium?). It was this decision to seclude himself in study that has led to Prospero?s enforced seclusion on his desert island, for Antonio did not follow his brother?s love of learning, but was rather in love with power ? as a Renaissance ruler he is in the cast of Machiavelli?s ?Prince? rather than Castiglione?s ?Courtier? and ?needs will be / Absolute Milan? [1.2: 109]."
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Shakespeare?s "Hamlet", 2004.
Character study of Shakespeare's Hamlet.
2,203 words (approx. 8.8 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 68.95
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Abstract
This paper examines how Hamlet?s character becomes increasingly unjust, unmerciful, and self-deceived as the play progresses.
From the Paper
"The murder of his father is the predominant reason for Hamlet?s mental breakdown. Hamlet not only has to deal with his father?s death, he must also deal with the fact that his mother married his uncle only two months after the death of her husband. In this situation, Hamlet?s grief is compounded. How Hamlet chooses to deal with this grief will effect the rest of his future."
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Shakespeare?s "A Midsummer Night?s Dream", 2004.
Analysis of one the most famous characters in Shakespeare's play, "A Midsummer Night's Dream".
839 words (approx. 3.4 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 29.95
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Abstract
This paper analyzes Puck, one of the main characters in "A Midsummer Night's Dream", and explains how the character of Puck is central to the play, in spite of the fact that Shakespeare did not develop Puck's character more fully.
From the Paper
"Shakespeare is notorious for creating memorable characters and perhaps one of his most famous characters is Puck from his play, A Midsummer Night?s Dream. While Puck is critical to the development of the play, his character remains essentially flat throughout the course of the play. Puck is poetic, playful, innocent, and enjoys laughing at those who become the victims of his antics. However, we do not witness Puck?s development as a character. In a sense, he never grows up and we never see any depth of his character."
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Shakespeare's "Othello", 2004.
Analysis of the character of Desdemona in Shakespeare's play, "Othello".
1,092 words (approx. 4.4 pages), 3 sources, MLA, $ 38.95
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Abstract
This paper illustrates, through examples from the play, that Shakespeare used the character of Desdemona to explore the insecurities in Othello's character.
From the Paper
"In fact, Othello reveals his own insecurity much before Iago begins to plant the seeds of doubt in his mind about Desdemona?s fidelity. This is apparent in his self-effacing remarks about his background and coarse speech (1.3. 84). Indeed, Othello?s self-deprecating remarks reveal his negative perception of his background and alien skin color in spite of his powerful position in Venetian society and Desdemona?s blatant hero worship: ??she wished / That heaven had made her such a man?/ She loved me for the dangers I had passed.? (1.3. 165-69) Unfortunately, Othello is unable to focus on the fact that Desdemona?s love for him was based on the strengths that she saw in his character. Instead, he allows his complexes to dominate his perception of Desdemona?s character and motives."
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Shakespeare?s ?Hamlet?, 2004.
This paper discusses different, critical, contemporary, philosophical, and psychological approaches to interpreting the central themes in Shakespeare?s ?Hamlet?.
1,330 words (approx. 5.3 pages), 11 sources, MLA, $ 44.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that, in the last forty years, criticism of ?Hamlet? has moved from seeing the play as being focused on the central figure of Hamlet to seeing the play as a tragedy of the human condition. The author points out that the figure of Hamlet is used as a means to debate a diverse range of views from Freudian theories of the repressed subconscious to existential anxiety in society. The paper relates that the existential interpretations of the play tend to observe the character of Hamlet in a broader light as a symbol of the search for meaning.
From the Paper
"Modernism was essentially a questioning of established views of human nature and society. The contemporary correspondences of Hamlet?s questioning of the authority structure of his world were not lost on many artists and theorists. Hamlet?s crisis of faith and interrogation of self is also a prominent aspect that is explored in many critical works. The philosophy of existentialism, which emerged in the early twentieth century, was a philosophy that saw the individual as isolated and in search of meaning. Hamlet is the archetypal figure, having been ?displaced?, is searching for a sense of his own purposes and value in a world that has become meaningless."
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"Othello" and "Macbeth", 2004.
A discussion of the power of the language used in Shakespeare's plays, "Othello" and "Macbeth".
10,966 words (approx. 43.9 pages), 23 sources, MLA, $ 216.95
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Abstract
The writer examines the power of language in showing cause and effect in literature. For example, the writer shows how, through silence, Shakespeare is able to portray just as much, and sometimes more, than during dialogue. The paper includes many direct quotes from both plays.
Contents
Language and Power in Othello
Iago and the Addiction of Equivocation
Othello: Contagious Profanity and Failing Syntax
Speech, Paradox, and Fleeing Destiny/Identity
Conclusion on Othello
Magic Words and the Equivocation of Witchery
The Characterization of Macbeth: The Contagion of Power and Prophesy
Language and Prophecy in Macbeth
Lady Macbeth: Language for Self-definition and Self-destruction
Conclusion on Macbeth
Conclusion
From the Paper
"Othello and Macbeth stand out as two important works among a small handful of Shakespeare?s best plays. They have remained among the most popular and powerful of his works in no small part because of their profound emotional content and strong dramatic story. In these works, as in Hamlet or King Lear, Shakespeare seems to transcend the merely theatrical, presenting his audience with a work of such mythical intensity that one might almost consider it revelation. In Shakespeare?s finest works, one has a sense of mythological import -- it is for this reason that subsequent generations of writers have held Shakespearian allusions on par with references to ancient Grecian mythologies or even biblical symbolism, and that his work has truly shaped the course of literature since his time."
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Misogyny in ?Hamlet?, 2004.
An analysis of the misogynistic tendencies of the male characters in William Shakespeare's "Hamlet".
1,989 words (approx. 8.0 pages), 5 sources, MLA, $ 63.95
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Abstract
This paper examines how, within nearly all of the historical and current critical scholarship of Shakespeare?s "Hamlet, Prince of Denmark", there is some emphasis on the misogynistic tendencies of the male characters, and specifically of Hamlet himself. It looks at how Prince Hamlet holds a special kind of prejudice against women and how he is given to the misogyny of a young man who has been mortally betrayed by his mother and, to some degree, his whole society. It attempts to show how his desperation and his anger toward the whole societal standard of gaining through marriage is evident throughout the work, and how title, power, and wealth are gained and exchanged through a system of intrigue that is determined through marriage, lust, and even murder.
From the Paper
"It goes without saying that Hamlet feels inextricably connected to his treacherous mother. He is painfully aware of his own love for her and his desire to please her and at the same time is convinced, more boldly that she deserves only betrayal and hatred, in kind. He rejects her sexual advances through clenched teeth, angry with himself for wishing for the comfort of her body/approval/alliance, and burned by her chameleon nature. As he is aware that if he does not ally with her she will offer herself to the next person available to shield her from her crimes. He foretells his own death, as he contends with his connection to the treachery of his mother towards his father."
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The Rise and Defeat of Power of "Macbeth", 2004.
An analysis of the line, ?Fair is foul and foul is fair?, from William Shakespeare's "Macbeth".
824 words (approx. 3.3 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 29.95
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Abstract
This paper examines how the oft-repeated and most popular line in the play Macbeth, ?Fair is foul, and foul is fair,? is the playful chant of the three witches predicting the fate of Macbeth, as he rises and falls to power because of his greed and treachery. It looks at how this line in the play embodies the wholeness of Macbeth?s demise, where his actions, which eventually led to his downfall, are characterized as a set of conflicting acts that bring about victory and defeat in his pursuit to become the king of Scotland. It also discusses how the role of paradox, that is, self-contradicting meanings, determines the behavior and actions of the main character in the play, Macbeth.
From the Paper
"It can be noted that the line, ?Fair is foul and foul is fair,? is a two-fold statement, illustrating the rise and defeat in power of Macbeth. The first meaning of the statement, ?fair is foul,? is construed to illustrate Macbeth?s rise to power, as the Three Witches prophesied that he would become Thane of Cawdor, and eventually, King of Scotland. The second part of the statement, ?foul is fair,? predicts the defeat of Macbeth in the end, when Macduff and Malcolm?s forces curb his tyrannical rule. In addition to these meanings, the statement also provides an analysis of the powerful role Fate plays in the lives of the characters in Macbeth. Thus, ?fair is foul? may be meant by the Three Witches as the future of Macbeth as determined by Fate; it is vital that Fate is best left alone to fulfill its designs than be interfered with human actions."
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Concepts in Tragedy, 2004.
A comparative analysis of William Shakespeare's "Hamlet" and "Oedipus the King" by Sophocles.
950 words (approx. 3.8 pages), 2 sources, MLA, $ 33.95
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Abstract
This paper analyzes the plays, "Hamlet" by William Shakespeare and "Oedipus the King" by Sophocles. Specifically, it quotes passages that show the fatal mistakes of Hamlet and Oedipus and explains why you would have compassion or condemnation for it. It looks at how both plays illustrate tragic heroes at their best and how both plays illustrate how character flaws can lead to the downfall of everyday men who give in to their flaws rather than overcome them.
From the Paper
"In "Oedipus," the same rule of the tragic hero applies, it is one of the most enduring tragedies of all time, and many believe it is the model for all tragedies that came after it. Oedipus suffers from a tragic flaw that is his undoing, too. Oedipus is rash and impetuous, and he often acts before he thinks, and others see this too. The prophet says, "That's your truth? Hear mine: I say honor the curse your own mouth spoke. From today, don't you speak to me, or to your people here. You are the plague. You ruin your own land" (Sophocles, ). Oedipus' tragic flaw is his rashness, such as when he kills his father on the road, but he is also immensely prideful, and this character flaw also adds to his downfall."
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"The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor of Venice", 2004.
Summary and review of Shakespeare's famous tragedy, "Othello".
1,031 words (approx. 4.1 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 36.95
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Abstract
This paper gives background information on Shakespeare's play, "Othello", and then summarizes its plot. The paper also describes the main characters in the play and then uses quotations made by each of the described characters to support the descriptions.
From the Paper
"The play takes place against the backdrop of the wars between Venice and Turkey during the late sixteenth century. The setting for most of the action is Cyprus, which was a Venetian outpost attacked and eventually conquered by the Turks in 1570. According to the sixth addition of the Colombia Encyclopedia, most of the information derived by Shakespeare about the Venetian-Turkish conflict was derived from ?The History of the Turks? by Richard Knolles, published in England in 1603. Additionally, Shakespeare is said to have derived material for his play from an Italian tale written by Giovanni Battista Giraldi Cinzio in 1565. The original story contains the bare bones of Shakespeare's plot wherein a Moorish general is tricked by his ensign into thinking that his wife is adulterous. Shakespeare added supporting characters to Cinzio's such as the rich young fool Roderigo and the livid and broken hearted Brabanzio, who is Desdemona's father."
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Shakespeare?s ?Hamlet?, 2004.
This paper discusses Shakespeare?s ?Hamlet?, based on Machiavelli?s ?The Prince?.
995 words (approx. 4.0 pages), 2 sources, MLA, $ 35.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that the story of ?Hamlet? illustrates Machiavelli's ?The Prince?, as Hamlet is a good character; with this goodness, becoming a downfall because he cannot make the rational decision not to be good, even when he knows that not being good is required. The author points out that the soliloquy, ?To be, or not to be?, refers to Hamlet?s decision whether to commit murder, with that evil act actually ending the troubles, or whether to be good and not commit murder, with that meaning that the trouble will continue. The paper concludes that, in the end, it is Hamlet?s inability to make a decision that leads to his downfall.
From the Paper
"Hamlet?s state of indecision then only ends when Hamlet is angered by his belief that Claudius is spying on him. It is in his anger that Hamlet makes the snap decision to kill Claudius. However, Hamlet mistakes Claudius for Polonius, and so kills Polonius instead. This is the turning point of the play that leads to the tragic ending. The important point about Hamlet?s decision to kill Claudius is that he does not really make the rational decision. Instead, his decision is only made when he is angered enough that his rational good side is overcome by his irrational side."
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