William the Conqueror

In the play Hamlet, William Shakespeare utilizes foil characters to illuminate Hamlet’s positive and negative attributes and thus portray him as a dynamic character. Shakespeare illustrates the commonality between Hamlet and the foil characters, Ophelia, Laertes, and Fortinbras, through the tragic events that consume their lives and their emotional responses. Furthermore, Shakespeare emphasizes the foil characters’ respective contrasts from Hamlet to expose his resilience, fairness, and…

William Shakespeare is a master writer who addresses sensitive and controversial subjects in his work. In his plays Julius Caesar and Hamlet, he touches on timeless social issues such as suicide. Shakespeare tackles suicide and the weight it carries with different individuals within different cultures. Julius Caesar depicts suicide through Brutus and Cassius, the leading conspirators in the murder of Julius Caesar. Taking place in Rome when honor, valor, and triumph were the most important…

but they were excluded from the festival where the dramas that have come down to us were performed. During the Elizabethan era, the English theater prohibited women from acting by law. As a result, there was no actress at the Globe Theatre during William Shakespeare’s lifetime. During that period, young male actors had to train and act the female characters' part; they would have to learn to be feminine and dress like a woman. In Japanese Kabuki (the traditional Japanese theater),which was…

Originality is a concept which has changed and evolved over hundreds of years. Indeed, the definition of originality, as defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as the “ability to think or express oneself in an independent and individual manner” , has not always been so rigid. In the Elizabethan era the concept of originality was not concerned with whose idea was whose. In fact, originality was all about how the idea was portrayed, for instance, whether it was performed on stage or by other…

They need to act as if everything is normal so that nobody suspects them. Macbeth thinks that it will be difficult to cover it up. He recognises his ‘false heart’ which implies that he isn’t totally happy with Lady Macbeth’s plan. After Lady Macbeth’s persuasion it is obvious that Macbeth is feeling very uneasy and nervous. (When he sees the dagger: ‘Is this a dagger which I see before me…’) When Banquo asks: ‘Who’s there?’ Macbeth replies: ‘A friend.’ That is a good example of dramatic…

In “The Lonely Land”, A.J.M Smith says “This is a beauty/of dissonance,/this resonance” (23-25). By this quote, he means that even though the land is not perfect, there is something to be found under imperfection such as something beautiful. Dumont repeats, “this land is not” three times throughout the poem to make sure the readers understand that the land is not to be taken advantage of. In both of the poems, the land is more than just a place to live. “Not Just a Platform for My Dance”…

“Goodness is something chosen. When a man cannot choose he ceases to be a man.” How do Anthony Burgess in A Clockwork Orange and William Golding in Lord of the Flies reflect violence and social responsibility?…

The first of these is seen when Henry alludes to the Odyssey, “We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts.” The reason he uses this allusion is to show that if the people of the convention do not ‘open their eyes’ to the impending conflict with the British, they will have to face the terrible consequences just as the sailors in the Odyssey did by listening to the siren’s song and ultimately sailing to their deaths…

The consequence of Bolingbroke’s rebellion against Richard and stealing of the throne seems to be, on the surface, a great venture that has awarded Bolingbroke. The reality though, is that since Bolingbroke has wrongfully taken the throne and has risen up against Richard, there are prophecies which lead us to believe that Bolingbroke’s rule will not be smooth-running. It is prophesied by Carlisle “And if you crown him [Bolingbroke], let me prophesy/ The blood of English shall manure the ground/…

Although the protagonist gains power there is still a constant thirst for more, to better their position one step further, even if it comes at the expense of a life. Macbeth becomes fixated on rising to the throne in place of King Duncan however; just recently, he has been given the title of thane of Cawdor by the king. Although happy with the new title and new power, Macbeth still craves for the role held by the king. The importance of honor in society is a primary theme as it is what provokes…