Essays On Play

“According to novelist Henry James, William Shakespeare is the greatest and most successful deception ever perpetrated on an unsuspecting world,” (Anderson) declared. Shakespeare is globally recognized as a playwright of immense talent, celebrated for his plays, sonnets, and poems. Nonetheless, there exists a theory, originally proposed by J., suggesting that Shakespeare was actually a pseudonym […]

The tragic play Hamlet, an important work in world literature, offers a profound experience that should be available to all students of literature. It explores various thought-provoking issues, particularly Hamlet’s struggle with indecisiveness and his delay in seeking revenge for his father’s murder. These themes are emphasized through Hamlet’s impactful soliloquies, which are among the […]

Hamlet’s transitioning perspective of death Anna Stallholder American Author Mark Twain once said, “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time. ” Since the beginning of time, death has been a controversial topic. Whether the concept is being questioned amongst a […]

“How has your understanding of the play’s structure, dramatic techniques and language helped you appreciate its textual significance and importance? ‘ Playwright William Shakespeare created the revenge tragedy Hamlet over 400 years ago and yet it remains still, a forerunner in its genre because it is more than just a revenge tragedy; it is the […]

The character of Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother, posted a lot of problems in the interpretation for readers, critics and artists and was often considered a symbol of the harlot, the object of Oedipus complex in Hamlet, is an example of women’s subservience to man (Hamlet and Claudius). Rebecca Smith in his essay “A Heart Cleft in […]

In Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hamlet, there is a dominant and overwhelming theme that is concurrent throughout the play. Throughout the play, all the characters appear as one thing on the outside, yet on the inside, they are completely different. The theme of Appearance versus Reality surrounds Hamlet due to the fact that the characters portray themselves […]

The story of Hamlet comes from a long line of revenge tragedies in which a character attempts to avenge the murder of a family member. Just as revenge is present in literature, it is also present in todays society. It is always there, lurking in the darkness of the human mind, watching, waiting for an […]

The death of characters is a recurring theme in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. While some individuals meet their demise due to their own selfish actions, others are victims of manipulation by the monarchy. Polonius’ family falls into this category. Hamlet’s true tragedy lies not with Hamlet himself or his family, but rather with the family of […]

Madness is the condition of mind that eliminates rational thinking, resulting in an individual’s lack of proper understanding about their surroundings. The text examines the theme of madness in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. It suggests that individuals who have undergone traumatic events may resort to madness as a means of escaping their harsh reality. The protagonist, […]

Ophelias Weaknesses In classic works of literature all characters have certain flaws. In Shakespeares tragedies the characters all have flaws that eventually lead to their undoing. In the play Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, the character of Ophelia is ultimately killed by her flaw. It is apparent that Ophelia is an obedient person through her thoughts […]

While staying true to moral principles is admirable, it can end in tragedy. In analyzing two pieces of classical literature, the morally certain protagonists both share the distinction of tragic heroes. Their stories are different, but they are connected in that they are both defenders of what is right. Sophocles’s Antigone and William Shakespeare’s Hamlet […]

When considering the use of hamartia in the plays Antigone and Hamlet, one wonders what flaws in the characters ultimately result in their tragic outcomes. Antigone, written by Sophocles, was staged during a period when the Athens and Greek civilizations were at their zenith. Creon’s tragic flaw is pride. Hamlet, a play written by William […]

Hamlet is the longest play on Shakespeare. It serves to elaborate the story behind powerful and influential occurrences in the English literature. They dramatize the way prince hamlet was called upon by his father’s ghost to come and wreak hell upon his uncle brother to his father named Claudius. It was an epic moment for […]

The theme of appearance and reality is such a dominant one in Oedipus Rex and Othello, and the obsession with appearance plays such an important part in bringing them closer to Oedipus’ and Othello’s tragedy, that the plays can be termed a tragedies of appearance in human life, in which the opposite of appearance is […]

Jealousy is described as feelings of resentment against someone because of that person’s rivalry, success, or advantages. It plays a very large role in Shakespeare’s “Othello”. Jealousy is the fire that motivates Iago and clouds Othello’s judgment, leading to the downfall of both men. Iago is extremely jealous of Cassio because of his position in […]

Consider how Shakespeare’s themes of prejudice and chaos versus order were received by his contemporary audience. How does Geoffrey Sax’s production continue to find relevance in these issues for the modern audience? Othello is a play of tragedy; that examines the darker aspects of human existence, and forces us as audience to contemplate what it […]

In Shakespeare’s play “Othello” the character Othello is presented as an outsider to the events that are taking place amongst the other characters. He was excluded from what the truth holds and this caused his downfall, along with his jealous nature and stubbornness. To make things worse Iago’s cunning plans captures Othello into a downward […]

Jeoffery Sax’s contemporary film version of Othello consistently portrays the strong and influential themes of race and women that are present in Shakespeare’s original play. However, these themes are greatly contrasted by the changes in society that undermine their values and purposes. The accounts of both Shakespeare’s Othello vividly express the changes in values regarding […]

Undoubtedly, Professor F’s influence is unquestionable. In his discussion of Shakespeare’s Othello, R Leavis asserts that the story is a tale of self-destruction rather than simple manipulation. According to him, Othello’s downfall emerges from his inherent flaws of selfishness, lack of self-knowledge, pride, and an egotistical nature. Leavis argues against fellow critic Bradley’s perspective that […]

“The value of identity of course is that so often with it comes purpose” (Stevenson, Robert). In play Othello identity is a topic that appears throughout the play. In Shakespeare Othello all the women, Desdemona, Emilia and Bianca have no separate identity all three are defined by who they are or not married to or […]

William Shakespeare’s play “Othello” was inspired by Giraldi Cinthio’s collection of 100 narratives, “Hecatommithi”, which was published in 16th century Italy. It is believed that Shakespeare read the original Italian version and was inspired to create his own rendition. While maintaining the majority of the original ideas, Shakespeare also incorporated some of his own alterations […]

“ Iago is a villain who is thoroughly bad and cold, yet he may be admired for his intelligence, understanding of the human spirit and his ability to manipulate certain individuals to believe him . ” Of all the characters in Shakespeare’s Othello, none is more complex and unknown than Iago. He displays a duplicitous […]