William Shakespeare Essays
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The following excerpt is from Act 1 scene (i) of William Shakespeare’s play ‘Julius Caesar’. In this passage, two tribunes named Flavius and Marullus attempt to stop the citizens of Rome, who have gathered in the streets, from celebrating Caesar’s triumph over Pompey and his sons, as well as the Lupercal feast. This passage is […]
In act one scene three of Julius Caesar, there are many things that help to create tension and really help the reader to understand the immediate danger that is to follow. For example, the scene itself uses pathetic fallacy to set the scene and create a sense of tension. The âthunder and lightningâ effect our […]
In the play “Macbeth” I think that Shakespeare is trying to say a number of things about evil. He uses through out the play the characters and language to show and represent ideas and concepts about evil. In the play Shakespeare shows that evil is something that you should try and avoid at all costs […]
Malcolm gives Lady Macbeth this description in the last speech in the play after he has been named the King of Scotland. He is declaring that the reign of Macbeth and his wife has ended and that he has begun. When he refers to Lady Macbeth as a ‘fiend-like Queen’, Malcolm is implying that he […]
This depends on the audience, and their interpretation of a hero. Exactly what constitutes a hero has no doubt changed since 1600, although some of the core elements have remained the same. For example, in Shakespeare’s time, a hero had to be – without exception – male. This, although perhaps not strictly true today – […]
In Shakespeare’s time, relationship values were far different to what they are today. Whether the relationships are linked in blood or just physical lust, certain actions or points of view were, and still are, held dear – whereas others would be completely inexcusable. Today’s society, however, which is more strongly based on freedom, has no […]
Shakespeare’s skill as a seasoned playwright are put to the test throughout the play, as he tries to maintain interest to various levels of audience even after they are told the play’s ending in the opening prologue. The focus of the play is not what is going to happen, but how. The audience already know […]
Throughout history, numerous love stories have captivated audiences. Notable examples include Wuthering Heights, Casablanca, and The Great Gatsby. Nevertheless, in my perspective, the most renowned and extraordinary of these tales is William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. This exceptional work distinguishes itself by presenting a profound transition from animosity to affection. William Shakespeare, widely regarded as […]
Although âRomeo and Julietâ is a Tragic Romance it also explores the ever changing relationship between Juliet and her father. There are many factors as to how and why Romeo and Juliet died. The major contributor to the downfall of these lovers was Capulet, Juliet’s own father. He brought upon the death of Juliet by […]
Macbeth, a Shakespearean tragedy follows the journey of the protagonist Macbeth as he plots to assassinate King Duncan, after hearing a prophecy from the three witches. Shakespeare’s most powerful and emotionally intense play follows the journey of betrayal, guilt and murder during the Jacobean era. Despite, written almost 400 year ago, Macbeth is still equally […]
In these poems each poet portrays love in a very different way, and each with a different attitude to love. As the saying says, “one word frees us all, of the weight and pain in life. That word is love. ” The two poems which I shall analyse and explore are, “Shall I compare thee […]
The Merchant of Venice was written by Shakespeare in or around 1597, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. At this time, Jews were in exile from England and there was a strong feeling of anti-Semitism. Therefore, in answering the set question, what I really need to answer is, “was Shakespeare essentially an anti-Semite himself; […]
The Merchant of Venice is set in a time of racial and religious strife. Venice was an important Mediterranean centre for goods from the Far East. It would have been a very exotic location for an Elizabethan audience; Shakespeare chose to set the play in Venice, because people in Elizabethan England would not have visited […]
The Merchant of Venice is about a Christian merchant called Antonio; he is well respected and highly thought of. His friend Bassanio needs some ducats and Antonio being the caring friend that he is, lends money from Shylock, a Jewish usurer. Antonio makes it clear to Bassanio that if he can’t afford to pay him […]
The story of The Merchant Of Venice looks at very typical attitudes of the day on many subjects such as the treatment of Jews and the way women should have acted towards men (mainly their fathers and husbands). After studying the Merchant Of Venice I have decided to discuss weather Shakespeare’s three women characters are […]
During the late 16th century, England displayed a strong Christian identity and harbored prejudice against individuals of different races or religions, particularly Jews. This sentiment is evident in the literature of that time, such as Shakespeare’s ‘The Merchant of Venice,’ where one character named Shylock represents the stereotype of Jews being fixated on money and […]
Twelfth Night, written by Shakespeare in the early 17th century, is a romantic comedy containing several sub-plots and one main plot. The main plot is the complex love triangle between Orsino, Olivia and Viola/Cesario. This is seen as extremely strange as Viola, a woman, is dressing up as a man to work for Orsino. She […]
Viola arrives in Illyria after being shipwrecked. She makes a decision to disguise herself as a man while in Illyria. The fact that Viola wants to conceal her true identity is a sign that she is ‘out of balance’, one of the main themes of the play. Viola is involved in many of the main […]
Twelfth Night was written by William Shakespeare in 1600 and was performed at the Royal Palace on the 6th January 1601. Shakespeare’s men who were also known as the Lord Chamberlains men performed it for Queen Elizabeth I. Shakespeare wrote the play for the Queen herself so that on the 6th January, which is the […]
Shakespeare concludes twelfth night by providing a resolution for certain characters, while leaving others with less satisfying endings that may not fully appease the audience. Viola’s initial challenge is her belief that her brother has passed away. ‘My brother, he is in Elysium.’ (A1S2L4) In Elizabethan times, Elysium was interpreted as ‘heaven,’ the realm where […]
Disguise is a popular method that Shakespeare uses which supports dramatic irony to inject humour into the play, where the audience members are aware of something (in this case the true identity of the characters) that characters in the play are not. This of course creates tension in the play and excites the audience as […]
Twelfth Night, also known as What You Will, is a romantic comedy penned by William Shakespeare in the 17th century. It has garnered immense popularity and is regarded as one of Shakespeare’s foremost artistic achievements. This essay aims to delve into the reasons behind Twelfth Night’s status as one of Shakespeare’s most beloved and frequently […]
