Usurper

equivocations, also known as false predictions, given to him by each of the three witches at the beginning of the play. The Tragedy of Macbeth is loosely based upon the murder of the Scottish king, Duncan, the consequences, and the dethronement of the usurper who took his place. Shakespeare wrote this and Banquo in a good light because it was for King James; Banquo was an ancestor to King James. Macbeth wanted to appease King James and not upset him with…

Starting as early as the fifteenth century, European powers had been extending their reach all over the world and “discovering” new lands. However, to their dismay, these lands were already inhabited by countless groups of indigenous peoples. It did not take long for the colonizers to utilize these groups by enslavement and taking their resources and land. This practice of colonialism carried on throughout the centuries until breaking up in the mid twentieth century. As a result of such…

Hal’s own father is repeatedly deemed a “usurper”, though Shakespeare is content to write the play from the royal perspective. Moreover, Hal’s stated aim to have his “reformation glitt[er] o’er [his] fault” suggests that his friendships with the frequenters of the boars-head tavern are superficial…

Jokes about overbearing in-laws are a given in our global culture, indicating a universal understanding that has the ability to transcend categories like race, religion, and nationality. Addressing the relationships of mothers and daughters-in-law in at times comedic, and at others times frustrating, and heartfelt ways, are two books: Annia Ciezadlo’s Day of Honey, and Louise Erdrich’s Love Medicine. Ciezadlo’s novel is the firsthand account of an American war correspondent that marries into a…

James O. Curdwood once wrote in The Case of Beauvais, "In every man's heart there is a devil, but we do not know the man as bad until the devil is roused." If that is possible, how evil are we in the inside? William Golding’s Lord of the Flies is set in a fictional world war in which a plane with a group of British schoolboys crashes on a remote island. At first the boys are lost and confused but still manage to organize into a society. Everything seems fine until their society crumbles into…

The Islamic state extended quickly after the demise of Muhammad through exceptional victories both at changing over unbelievers to Islam and by the military successes of the Islamic group 's adversaries. Extension of the Islamic state was a reasonable advancement, since Muhammad himself had effectively settled the new confidence through change and success of the individuals who remained against him. Instantly after the Prophet 's passing in 632, Abu Bakr, as the first Caliph, proceeded with the…

Since the fall of the Third Reich in 1945, countless people have wondered how such a cruel government was allowed to take power. Hitler is certainly one of the most malicious rulers of all time, but he did not get to where he was without using all of Germany as his political soapbox. After the end of the Great War, Germany’s government was in ruins. Kaiser Wilhelm II had abdicated his position, and the nation was at a loss about what to do with their government. In the end, the Weimar Republic…

So much to talk about with the fifth season primer of GoT: we see Cersei as a child (she hasn’t changed much), Tyrion split for Pentos and the voyage wasn’t what he’s accustomed to, ruling Meereen is hard for Daenerys, and Jon has deal with two kings over at the wall. We get our first flashback of the series and it turns out little Cersei is just as bratty and entitled as big Cersei. Little Cersei and her BFF are tramping through the wet woods of Casterly Rock to find Maggy the Frog – a sexy…

Of the thirty-seven plays he wrote, William Shakespeare’s tragedies are his most popular and enduring works. The majority of his tragedies have had incredible impact and are studied more often in schools. Shakespeare’s tragedies often feature characters built around archetypes and his most famous tragedy, Hamlet, is no exception. Hamlet makes use of archetypes like the tragic hero, the villain, the suppliant, and the foil in order to create characters that are familiar while also building upon…

Wouldn’t it be cool if Macbeth had a mustache like Jean-Claude Duvalier? Macbeth was a Scottish general for the king of Scotland, Duncan. Macbeth was also the Thane of Glamis. Three witches predicted the future for Macbeth and said that he would later be the king of Scotland which he took it into his own hands to get to that point. On the other hand, dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier was the youngest president in the world and ruled Haiti after his father, François Duvalier, died. Jean-Claude ruled…