The Butterfly Effect Essay

By the end of his life, Shakespeare had become a master of spinning tales revolving around the complex dynamics of family life. More specifically, he was able to base an entire story off of the thoughts and opinions of the parents, or more commonly the father, about one of the main characters hopes and wishes. These shows were given an instant conflict and greater depth by staking the true interests of the children against the views of their father. This is evident in so many of his plays, whether it be comedies, histories, or tragedies, and this makes it more familiar for the reader and the audience. For instance, in Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hermia does not love Demetrius and therefore does not wish to follow her father’s inclinations and marry him. The same can be said for Romeo and Juliet, because Juliet loves Romeo and does not wish to marry Paris, the man her father has chosen for her. But this idea does not explicitly apply to love. Shakespeare has thought of so many different situations a family can be put into and it gives a new twist to the age old argument of father and child. As seen in Henry IV Part One, Prince Hal is hanging around thieves and drunks and his father, King Henry IV, wishes he would lead a nobler lifestyle. In addition, King Lear shows a …show more content…
This effect is the idea that if a person were to go back in time, keep everything consistent with what had happened but accidentally kill a butterfly, the future will be significantly altered. Therefore, by taking this effect into account when analyzing writing, such as Shakespearian plays, it can help expose the differences and teach us more about the play as it is originally written. It is interesting to think about Twelfth Night from this perspective: what would have happened if Olivia’s father had not died? How would the play change and how would it compare to the rest of Shakespeare’s