Is Richard II about Bolingbroke’s ambition or Richard’s incompetency? At the core of William Shakespeare’s allegorical play Richard II, the disparities between the abilities of Bolingbroke’s ambitions and Richard incompetence are explored in depth. Shakespeare’s prime impetus was to investigate a warning and voice concerns to the reigning monarch Queen Elizabeth I, that there could be catastrophic consequences if the Great Chain of Being was disrupted. Shakespeare projects Richard as a conniving and calculating character who overestimates his authority to such an extent that he fails to fulfil the duties of kingship. Richard shows a dangerous capacity for poor judgment and fascination with luxury, which deviate from the expectations of royalty.
Sometimes the question arises of whether one should follow divine law over human law and vice versa. This becomes one of the main conflicts in Sophocles' Antigone. The second choral ode in Antigone suggests that man's greatness lies in striving to overcome death, but it is also his downfall if he disregards justice and divine law and the fear of death present within the rest of the population. Thebes has been able to recover from the battle between Polyneices and Eteocles, leading to the coronation of Creon and become a functioning society. We see that the society attempts to perfect itself as much as possible in the mortal life because we only have one life before we enter the afterlife.
Henry V Pro or Anti War? Is Shakespeare’s Henry V pro or anti war? I personally think that the play is a bit of both. Although some people believe that the play “glorifies” war and is all about fighting there’re some points in the play where it can turn and be anti war. I don’t think the play was written to show how King Henry V was a fanatic about going to war with other countries, but I think that it was also wrote to show how understanding he could be about war.
At the time it was endlessly debated as to whether going to war with the British was the right thing to do, but it was eventually decided that it was necessary in order to gain our independence. The lives lost were clearly a negative, but they were not lost in vain as they contributed to a higher purpose. Our country continued to deal with war, not only with other states but also within its borders. After experiencing the agony of several wars, the majority of Americans were resolute in their indifference to waging or aiding conflict abroad or otherwise. From there our government developed a policy of isolationism (for the most part) until after our involvement in World Wars I and II.
More than these, I think Lear is motivated by his idea that he is a good man. One thing that supports is when Kent says “I’ll tell thee thou dost evil,” (Act I, Scene I, Line 175) and Shakespeare writes the king as reacting in a frenzy, going so far as to say “This moment is thy death,” (Act I, Scene I, Line 190). By portraying the king in this way, Shakespeare causes us to judge him as unstable and mental. While his actions thus far have been rash, him reacting in this way, and him banishing his daughter saying, “Here I disclaim all my paternal care, Propinquity and property of blood,” (Act I, Scene I, Lines 117-118). From these thing, it is made clear that Lear is not only rash and insecure but also thoughtless and stupid.
4. Why history is included in the curriculum? As the great philosopher G. Santayana once said, “those who do not understand history are destined to repeat it.” History teaches us not only facts but also the concept of self-examination of our own history, behaviors and proclivities. History teaches us that those in power tend toward corruption and that those who possess absoloute corruption. History teaches us that long,drown out,protracted wars accomplish little,other than mass suffering, and tend to bleed all nations (involved in such wars) of their treasure,often setting them back decades, or even centuries.History teaches us that if we do not
Iago believes that Othello has greatly misjudged choosing “Michael Cassio”, over him, as Cassio is a “Mere prattle without practice”. Throughout this extract Iago dominates through sheer volume of words it only begins as a typical conversational pattern, then Iago dominates the text with his lengthy speeches. Shakespeare uses metaphors to make a contribution to the dramatic impact of this verse. For example, Iago uses the metaphor of a ship “blee’d and clam’d”. A ship is “bleed and calm’d” when the wind is taken out of it’s sails, and this reflects how Iago feels at being passed over promotion by Othello.
Always doing the right thing by others led Beowulf to his death, showing that what is believed to be a virtue will not help a kingdom to thrive, but destroys it. However, the Prince was willing to cross the lines of moral goodness in order to maintain his leadership and increase opulence of his kingdom. People are not always committed, and when they don’t believe, they must be made to believe by force. (Bondanella and Musa 258). The Prince’s authority was more effective than Beowulf, due to the nature of morality, or lack thereof, necessary to be a prosperous leader and his judgment was directly affected by the environment and size of the community.
When Hamlet explains,“ this majestical roof fretted with golden fire, why, it appears no other thing to me than a foul…”, the “why” adds a tone of confusion, hinting that not even Hamlet can explain as to why he feels this way about the air. The sentences that follow continue the pattern of being an antithesis, with Hamlet describing man with great admiration, but then contradicts what he just said with, “Man delights not me”. Hamlet’s usage of antithesis reflects how he repeatedly contradicts his own thoughts throughout the play. Because of his father’s recent death, Hamlet’s mentality is confused, uncertain, and pessimistic. His disinterest in the world he knows is beautiful confirms the depressed state he is in.
Consequently, they achieve a certain degree of self awareness and knowledge that they did not possess before. Shakespeare, writing in the tragic genre created in Lear and Macbeth, two tragic heroes who achieve anagnorisis or personal discovery through a series of tragic events. Aristotle believed “anagnorisis....when it occurs together with peripetia (adventure) the change of fortune from good to ill or reverse” would lead to “external identification” which is in other words self-knowledge. Shakespeare’s contemporary audience would have understood the theme of self knowledge, in tradegy as it was a popular genre. During that time, it was believed that the death of a King would upset the natural balance of order and society.