Poetic devices

Is Hamlet Insane? The sanity of the human being is a treasured thing and, by its nature, a vital component of what makes a person. Yet in order to avenge his father’s death Hamlet willingly sacrifices his own sanity, at least in public, so that he may conspire without suspicion. In fact, Hamlet plays the part of an insane man so convincingly, many have claimed that at some point in the play the madness stops being an act and Hamlet truly loses his mind. However, Hamlet shows a clarity of actions…

Who Is To Blame in The Crucible (A Character Analysis of Abigail Williams in The Crucible) Arthur Miller, the author of The Crucible, once said “Betrayal is the only truth that sticks.” In his play The Crucible, there are many examples of betrayal and mass hysteria in the play and there are many different people who cause each. But, as in each tragedy, there is always one main antagonist. Some would say John Proctor is responsible for all the wrong done in the play. He is to a point, but there…

The story of Romeo and Juliet can be considered the most known tragic love stories known to humanity. Not only do the two protagonists commit suicide, the causes of why the whole story leading up to their deaths is disputed from around the globe. My opinion is that the ages of the characters, particularly Romeo caused this immense tragedy. His age caused him to develop many flaws, his idea of love, his imaturaty, and his impulsivenes. Romeo's idea of love was way too dramatic. From the first…

What is a tragic hero? Today, a tragic hero is defined as a literary character whose poor judgment leads to their own destruction. This modern definition, although modeled from Aristotle’s version, differs from the traditional, Greek tragic hero. Aristotle stated that “a man doesn’t become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall,” and thus in order for a literary character to be deemed an Aristotelian tragic hero, they must meet certain qualifications. The first is, the tragic hero…

Oedipus Quote Analysis “By fate we are driven; yield to fate. No anxious cares can change the threads of its inevitable spindle.” In this particular quote taken from the greek play Oedipus,, I feel that there is more than one type of fate. One is inevitable, in example death. Death is a fate that cannot be avoided. The second, is a type of fate that can be escaped from. For example, a robber is brought to court and sentenced to jail for 30 years. During a prison break, he escapes and sneaks on…

What does it take to be a good role model? A good role model is an individual who not only has the ability to shape the actions and perceptions of another but who also possesses moral values and a sense of rectitude. William Shakespeare’s Macbeth evolves around a Scottish nobleman who's ambition drives him towards the edge of sanity as he ruthlessly annihilates anyone who becomes a hindrance to his crown. His rise to power is short-lived, however, as he is eventually overthrown, leading to his…

Oedipus the King is a tragedy outlining the fall of Oedipus as he discovers his true identity. The drama focuses on his inability to see past his own ignorance, thus leading to disastrous consequences. As outlined in Aristotle’s Poetics, the mark of a good tragedy is represented by an error done by the protagonist. In the play, dramatic irony emphasizes Oedipus’ compulsion for knowledge which is hindered by his own ignorance, thus resulting in his loss of reputation. Throughout the play, Oedipus…

In one iconic and powerful exchange in the movie The Dark Knight, Two-Face, a heroic district attorney turned villain said to one of the protagonists, Jim Gordon, “You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become a villain.” This quote eloquently describes the ideology of characters who are neither a hero nor truly a villain, but fall somewhere between. For many, morally grey characters are fascinatingly terrifying since their actions are understandable, but also condemnable.…

Antigone’s Love Antigone is the daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta. In the beginning of the book, we find out that Antigone’s brothers have slaughtered each other in war. One of the brothers, Polyneices is considered a traitor and Creon, the king, refuses to give him a proper burial. Antigone decides to disobey the king and give her brother a proper burial. Antigone loves the idea of a noble death and it drives her decision-making at the end of her life. Her death had a major impact on the city and…

Having an open mind creates the possibility of accepting new ideas, but refusing to listen to others can do more harm than good. In Things Fall Apart, Antigone, and Titus Andronicus, stubbornness of the protagonist is the main conflict that leads the tragic hero to their downfall. All three tragic heroes, Okonkwo, Antigone, and Titus believe their own beliefs are the correct ones to be followed and that there's nothing wrong with it, however as the stories progress it's clear to see that this is…