Shannon Firkins Ambition is a common downfall for those who seek and gain power. In literature, authors portray the harmful effects of ambition through their characters. In the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare the main character Macbeth changes from a kind-hearted warrior to an egotistical ruler because of his ambition. The poem “Ozymandias,” by Percy Bysshe Shelley, tells the story of a traveler who comes across an old ruined statue. The inscription on the statue says “My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings, Look on my Works ye Mighty and Despair.” This is ironic because everything around the statue, or the “works” are in ruins.
One of the most important themes in Romeo and Juliet was loyalty, loyalty to family. Romeo and Juliet crossed that line when they fell in love, but both still had strong ties to their families. Many say that; blood is thicker than water, but at the same time, many also say that; loves conquers all. The question that kept running through my mind was: where will Han’s loyalties lie? When Romeo kills Tybalt right after marrying Juliet, it is clear that he is still extremely loyal to his friends and family, even though he knew that Tybalt was Juliet’s cousin.
Nora’s delusions on her husband, the world and herself guide audiences to see Ibsen’s perspective on the power of delusions. Secrecy between Nora and Torvald was the key factor to the destruction of their marriage. Nora always had “something to be proud of. It was [her] who saved Torvald’s life” (159) through forging her dying father’s signature, which was a great offence “because a wife can’t borrow without her husband’s consent” (160). All throughout Nora’s married life, she had made herself believe “a man can straighten out things so much better than a woman” (185), and always looked up to Torvald as a hero who is incredibly in love with her and “he wouldn’t hesitate for a moment to give his life for [her]” (194).
Richer than all his tribe.” Othello believes that Desdemona too much and was blind to her “unfaithfulness”. He says he is not a jealous man, but has been made into one, by her “wrongdoings”. He feels that she has made a fool of him after he had originally put all of his trust into her. Othello and Desdemona were truly in love, until Iago became tangled up in their life. Even at the end of Desdemona’s life, she continued to deeply love Othello.
Gentlemen, I beg you to observe these girls: One has just now lost her mind; the other, It seems has never had a mind at all (1.150) said Creon. Creon humiliates his own nieces publicly. Tragic flaw is a very important characteristic for a tragic hero. Both Creon and Antigone have a very strong sense of pride, but Antigone’s tragic flaw is her lack of fight. Antigone was very heroic and brave at first, Creon now punishes her, and she does not fight back, but she simply badmouths her father.
What is the difference? Classic and cult sensations may both be very popular, but they both have very different characteristics. A classic is universal, pertaining to people of different race, age and social class. Texts such as ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and ‘Pride and Prejudice’ are classified as classics as they were written in past centuries and were so unique and original for the time period that they were written in. Because of this they hold an artistic quality, making them of high value.
In The Myth of Sisyphus -Sisyphus stole the gods secrets and he was punished for this action. It was said that realizing that he was close to death that he wanted to see how much his wife really loved him, and he was granted that but fell for the scene of life and wanted to stay there. “But when he had seen again the face of this world, enjoyed water and sun, warm stones and the sea, he no longer wanted to go back to the infernal darkness.” (Camus The Myth of Sisyphus). This is somewhat similar to the emotions
Sacrificial death of Kattrin is the symbol of all good things, like love and hope, but also symbolizes the destruction of innocence by war. Kathrin’s heroism provides us the outlet for any need to look for a higher
Culture. Culture is really what defines classic. Timeless pieces of literature are the ones that appeal to generation after generation. Literature that someone from the 1600’s wrote is likely to be popular in the 1600’s, especially if written by a famous poet/author like Shakespeare or Jonson. But how would that particular piece of literature stand up to the test today?
Imagery in Words The Most powerful thing a poem can do is invoke powerful imagery. A well written poem should provoke not only the intended imagery but powerful personal imagery as well. This trait is present in both Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 130” and the ballad Sir Patrick Spence. Upon reading the two you see the major differences and similarities. One has been orally transmitted through the ages picking up and losing stanzas and even whole verses, while the other follows a rigid blueprint.