Women in William Shakespeare’s Plays Essay - 2376 Words

Shakespeare and the members of the Elizabethan era would be appalled at the freedoms women experience today. The docility of Elizabethan women is almost a forgotten way of life. What we see throughout Shakespeare’s plays is an insight into the female character as perceived by Elizabethan culture. Shakespeare’s female characters reflect the Elizabethan era’s image of women; they were to be virtuous and obedient and those that were not were portrayed as undesirable and even evil. When one considers Shakespeare’s female characters, one has to remember that the plays were written in a time when women were considered weak-minded creatures who were apt to make bad choices if given the freedom. Shakespeare, for the most†¦show more content†¦Orsino, as the frustrated suitor laments â€Å"that women are very inconstant in their love, and could have a feeling as deep as the love that he has for Olivia† (Bates 10). Shakespeare also plays with the role of strong women as undesirable, even evil. As we see throughout many of his plays â€Å"it is common in Shakespeare’s plays†¦ for the good characters to easily fall victim to their evil counterparts† (Peterson 12). This is particularly true of Cordelia and King Lear in the play, King Lear, as both become victims of Regan’s and Goneril’s plotting (Shakespeare V.iii.276-280). â€Å"Women as the most evil of characters is not a new experiment for Shakespeare† (Peterson 8). In Elizabethan life â€Å"a dominant woman was unnatural, a symptom of disorder† (Order in the sexes 1). Particularly in King Lear, we see the unnaturalness of dominant women and how they are evil. Regan and Goneril, who begin the play with false declarations of love for their father, soon become dominant women who show little regard for the values of their society (Shakespeare I.ii.54-61, 69-76). Regan, in particular, becomes a target. â€Å"[Lear] notes that humanity is in danger because of people like her† (Peterson 22). Even Albany, Regan’s husband, is appalled at what his wife has become through her thirst for power. â€Å"The woman form she takes, Albany proclaims, disguises the fiend which exists beneath and if it were not for this cover, he would wish to destroy her†Show MoreRelated Portrayal of Women in William Shakespeares Plays Essay3560 Words   |  15 PagesWilliam Shakespeares characterization of women varies immensely from one comedy to another. In his works, Taming of the Shrew, The Merchant of Venice, and Much Ado About Nothing, he portrays both dominant and submissive women. Ultimately, Shakespeare examines the complexity of women by displaying the vast array of attitudes, emotions, and their treatment and reaction to men as well as refuting the typical subservient wife role. In Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew, the difficultiesRead More The Role of Women in Hamlet in William Shakespeares Play Essay2041 Words   |  9 PagesThe Role of Women in Hamlet in William Shakespeares Play Gertrude and Ophelia, the only two women in Hamlet, reflect the general status of women in Elizabethan Times. Women were suppressed by the males in their lives (brothers, fathers, and partners) and were always inferior. Ophelia and Gertrude have little or no power due to restricted legal, social and economic rights that were found in Elizabethan society. The male characters in Hamlet reflect this sexist view pointRead MoreEssay about The Life of William Shakespeare1274 Words   |  6 Pages William Shakespeare was a very talented man known for his various works of literature. His works include poems, plays, and sonnets. His works are then broken down into tragedies, comedies, and histories. Shakespeare left this world centuries ago, but his writings continue to live throughout the world today. He has greatly impacted the world of literature and his existence will forever be remembered. In 1564, William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon (Hazell 32). It seems thatRead MoreRole of Women in Shakespeares Plays - a Case Study of Macbeth and the Merchant of Venice1499 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction William Shakespeare (baptized 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English poet William Shakespeare and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world’s pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England’s national poet and the â€Å"Bard of Avon† (or simply â€Å"The Bard†).His surviving work consist of 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and several other poems. His plays have been translated into every major language and are performedRead MoreEssay on The Globe Theatre and The Elizabethan Audience 1022 Words   |  5 PagesThe Globe Theatre The Globe Theatre in London , where William Shakespeares most famous plays premiered; Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth, and Twelfth Night, was built in 1599 in Southwark on the south bank of London’s River Thames by Richard Burbage. It was co-owned by Shakespeare, with a share of 12.5%. The Globe was a large, open-aired, three-tiered theater made out of timber taken from the Theatre-– a former theatre owned by Richard Burbage’s father. The Globe Theatre burned to the groundRead MoreThe Impervious Perception of William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night1631 Words   |  7 PagesIllyria (fantasy world), Twelfth Night was supposedly originally written for the entertainment of Queen Elizabeth I. William Shakespeare’s comedy associates with the Feast of Epiphany (January 6th) and was means for entertainment in the seventeenth century. It contains some aspects that can be thought of as a successful comedy when compared to the standards of today’s society. The play incorporates some of the very same devices that are used in modern comedies today, such as topsy-turvy romance, fooleryRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Taming Of The Shrew889 Words   |  4 PagesIn many accounts, William Shakespeare’s Taming Of The Shrew, is often criticized for its seemingly misogynistic themes; such as the thought of â€Å"taming† a woman, thus making her completely submissive to her husband. While in the opening of the play, Katharine, ill-tempered but seemingly impenetrable, gets pulverized by Petruchio’s contradicting her words, and also saying disgusting jokes in an intense verbal arguement. In another example, one of the other main characters, Bianca, was bet on by severalRead MoreWomen s Tragedy : Hamlet And King Lear1185 Words   |  5 PagesDr. Pitchford ENGL 4037 24 November 2015 Women in Shakespeare’s Tragedies: Hamlet and King Lear While William Shakespeare’s Tragedies are well known for their violence, tragic heroes, and fatal flaws, the method in which Shakespeare portrays his female characters in a negative light is seldom expressed. The women of Shakespeare’s Tragedies are represented unfavorably, no matter if they are virtuous or evil. â€Å"Shakespeare’s plays are not lacking in women with positive human qualities, and some ofRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare And Domestic Violence .During High1006 Words   |  5 PagesWilliam Shakespeare and Domestic Violence During high school, students will tend to read multiple plays written by William Shakespeare in school. In fact, part of the English Language Arts (ELA) Standards set by Common Core included William Shakespeare’s plays. For ninth and tenth grade students, standard CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.9 expected them to be able to examine how an author draws on and transforms source materials in a specific work (Common Core State Standards, 2017). The examplesRead MoreWilliam Shakespeares Taming of the Shrew William Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, The Taming of1100 Words   |  5 Pages William Shakespeares Taming of the Shrew William Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, The Taming of the Shrew, is an embodiment of the context in which the text was shaped, the Renaissance. The Renaissance period was a time of progression, primarily in the areas of art, science, humanism, religion and self-awareness. The Renaissance focused on taking elements of the past including religion, art and science and adapting them to make them better. Humanists advocated for the freedom of the individuals

Brennaghs Hamlet Essay - 2087 Words

Often when a movie is adapted from a play, there are several aspects which are adjusted or completely lost. This often depends on the directors point of view as well as the casting director. In Kenneth Branaghamp;#8217;s movie amp;#8220;Hamlet; only a small number of aspects were lost from the movement of the play to the movie. The movie was amp;#8216;word for wordamp;#8217; of the play with the exception of a few moved silique. Therefore, the plot or order did not change. The scene where Hamlet meets his father, 1.5, was very well done; conjuring great emotions of fear and suspense. In addition, the final scene was adequately performed evoking anxiety and thrill for the viewer. The ghost of Hamlet was very disappointing at first†¦show more content†¦As the ghost of Hamlet holds out his arms, he looks like a robot., the image of a ghost should be flowing. Although he is in amour the scene could have been much better shot had the ghost been more realistic and not robotic. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;This letdown continues when the ghost speaks to Hamlet: nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Mark me... nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;My hour is almost come nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;When I to sulphamp;#8217;rous and tormenting flames nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Must render up myself. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;(1.5.2-5) His voice, along with his motions, are robotic. It does not bring apprehension but rather discontent. In the first act we are faced with this large problem, what is the remainder of the movie going to be like? Thankfully, Branagh lives up to the expectations as the amp;#8216;ghost sceneamp;#8217; develops. Firstly, the

My Moral Philosophy Essay Example For Students

My Moral Philosophy Essay Dr. DarlingINS 30111/7/00Is there a Moral Code?What is a moral code? I feel that a moral code is a unwritten code that one lives by, This code is indicating how I should live. There is not anyone watching over me judging my moral code; just I am responsible to my self for my actions. However, a moral code should always be in my head and tells me how to act in all situations. An example would be littering; is it right to throw that gum wrapper out the window of my car? No, just put it in a pocket, I can throw it out later. If you I throw that wrapper out the window I might feel what Dick Gregory (433) calls shame; the feeling of regret or disgrace over an action like throwing a gum wrapper out the window. The moral code would make me feel this way because I would disgrace my own moral code by throwing that wrapper out the window. I might even consider why, should I cause some one else to clean up my mess and feel shameful for causing that to happen?Another example would happen when dr iving in traffic. Sure, I could be that guy who doesnt let anyone in traffic and be the one yelling Thering 2 and honking, but why? Its not going to help me go any faster. Just relax and let some one in the traffic. Then some day when I really need to be let in traffic, the person who I let in will let me in or another person who I let in will recycle that good deed and let some one else in and in time it will get back to me. When one does a good thing it will always come back to help in time. In the end, I feel that one must treat others the way he/she would like to be treated. An example of this happened when I was on Phish tour. I lost my wallet in Albany a few years back. The kid that found it remembered me and knew he would see me at a Phish show eventually. He used my ticket for the show he was going into, but he saw me a week later and bought me a ticket for that show. In return, this past tour his car broke down so I let him jump in and ride with us. Therefore, his helping m e get my wallet back helped him out directly in the long run. This is the type of person I want be, the person who helps out, and then is helped out in the end. This interpretation of a moral code reminds me of Existentialism and Jean Paul Sartres view that there is nothing else of man but what he makes of himself (451), so the moral code is a part of man. There is nothing Thering 3else but man. So man and his will is all there is. His total existence rests on himself and the moral code he made for himself. Moral philosophy is just how one should live. I like to think of myself as a person who lives for fun, always trying to enjoy myself, just like the Epicureans(417). I feel that I have my whole life to be busy and earn cash. So why not enjoy myself now, go on that trip with my friends, step back and take the back road to enjoy the scenery? If I do not enjoy life, why live? However, I do have to do certain things to enjoy life. Just like the Epicureans, I must first satisfy my moral code before I engage in pleasure seeking. This means to me that I must fulfill my moral obligation to myself to finish school and stick with my moral code in order to enjoy myself. In order to enjoy life I need to have summers off, have a few dollars, and some one to enjoy life with me. To do that I now realize that I need to get my schoolwork done in order to get a degree, which will entitle me to those summers of fun! Therefore, I need to do my work now, instead of taking that one more drink or playing on e more Dart game. Plus, at the end of the day I will feel better about myself since I did what I was supposed to do in upholding my moral code. If I Thering 4stick to my moral code, it will enable me to reach what the Epicureans call Hedonism, better known as pleasure. When seeking this pleasure, though, I must put the surplus of pleasure over pain always. To do this I might have to endure pain as in writing papers and going to school for four to five years in order to reach sixty years of pleasure. If I do not put myself through four to five years of pain to reach pleasure, then that would be immoral, according to my moral code. I also feel that it is immoral to step on others in my pursuit of pleasure because its just not right to hurt some one or ruin his/her pleasure in order to achieve mine. I would not like it if some one else stepped on me in my pursuit of pleasure. In following my moral code, I want to be treated with respect, and I want to live life to the fullest by not si tting around a keg and being a beer dreamer, but going out and seeking pleasure. I want to seek the things that are important to me and go to that Phish show in Las Vegas, restore my Volkswagen bus, take that trip to Cape Cod, but not sit at a bar and wish it. .ud069f6c81e2915c6661f07682d1c9afb , .ud069f6c81e2915c6661f07682d1c9afb .postImageUrl , .ud069f6c81e2915c6661f07682d1c9afb .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ud069f6c81e2915c6661f07682d1c9afb , .ud069f6c81e2915c6661f07682d1c9afb:hover , .ud069f6c81e2915c6661f07682d1c9afb:visited , .ud069f6c81e2915c6661f07682d1c9afb:active { border:0!important; } .ud069f6c81e2915c6661f07682d1c9afb .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ud069f6c81e2915c6661f07682d1c9afb { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ud069f6c81e2915c6661f07682d1c9afb:active , .ud069f6c81e2915c6661f07682d1c9afb:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ud069f6c81e2915c6661f07682d1c9afb .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ud069f6c81e2915c6661f07682d1c9afb .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ud069f6c81e2915c6661f07682d1c9afb .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ud069f6c81e2915c6661f07682d1c9afb .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ud069f6c81e2915c6661f07682d1c9afb:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ud069f6c81e2915c6661f07682d1c9afb .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ud069f6c81e2915c6661f07682d1c9afb .ud069f6c81e2915c6661f07682d1c9afb-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ud069f6c81e2915c6661f07682d1c9afb:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Country Ghrammer EssayMy moral code would be to have the most pleasure in life as possible. I will not look back at college and be Thering 5feeling that those were my best days. Every moment will be as enjoyable as possible, like the Epicureans. If I follow my moral code then I will have lived my life to the fullest and with the moralitys that was important to me. This includes treating others as I want to be treated, feeling that when I do something good it will come back to help me, and seeking a surplus of pleasure over pain every day. Works CitedStrodach, George. The Philosophy of Epicurus. The Courseof Ideas. Second Edition. Jeanne Gunner and Ed Frankel, Washington: H arperCollins Publishers, 1991. 417-420. Sartre, Jean Paul. Existentialism. The Course of Ideas. Second Edition. Jeanne Gunner and Ed Frankel Washington: HarperCollins Publishers, 1991. 451-455. Hoffer, Eric. Long Live Shame. The Course of Ideas. Second Edition. Jeanne Gunner and Ed Frankel,Washington: HarperCollins Publishers, 1991. 433-438.