While Falstaff’s ideals are pernicious, Henry’s condition is “to cold and temperate” and it is this very unsuitability to the throne that leads England to decay under his rule. He speaks contemptuously of “vulgar company,” “gibing boys” and “vile participation” in everyday life, illustrating his disdain for the common man. Simultaneously, he also idolizes Hotspur as “gallant,” “the theme of honours toungue,” and the “straightest plant…amongst a grove”. Yet in reality, Henry and Falstaff are both flawed role models, while Hotspur is also proven to be an inadequate leader. His ideas are deemed “dangerous,” “hare-brained,” and “uncertain” confirming that honour is not confined to valorous fighting.
His fingers become covered with a yellow stain and people think that he is hygienically unclean. He forces Toby to do the paper round but exploits him and does not give him his money which angers Toby (221); he has to pawn his rifles. He is referred to as a “sissy” because he initially he does not want to fight Arthur. He abuses him because he discards the almost-empty mustard bottle (171) and when Dwight strikes him despite his finger injury, Rosemary finally knows she must remove Toby from the household.
Iago explains that Othello’s choice to promote Cassio an inexperienced soldier “That never set a squadron in the field”, over himself has resulted in Iago to “follow him to serve my turn upon him”; appearing loyal to Othello to gain revenge. This report of Othello’s poor military choices makes the audience question Othellos ability as a general, casting Othello in a corrupt, negative light. In Act one Scene one, Brabantio’s is told of the apparent elopement between his daughter, Desdemona, and Othello. To disturb and provoke Brabantio, Iago portrays Othello incredibly negatively, using racist phases and animistic, violent images. Othello is described as “the devil” and an “old black ram” referring to his age and race, compared to Desdemona, a “white ewe”.
King Lear is the title character of the play, so it is obvious he is pretty important. And in the play, he definitely knows it. This is evidenced by his inflated sense of self; he has such an ego that he wants to hear his daughters profess their love for him, saying “Which of you shall we say doth love us most,” (Act I Scene I Line 51) and when one refuses, disowns her, as well as banishing his best friend for disagreeing with him. However, these rash actions suggest something more to me. I think that inside, Lear is insecure.
William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” explores true love in amongst feuding families whilst exploiting the notion that deception leads to catastrophic misfortune. The young poetically portrayed Romeo’s inability to control unchecked emotions, directs him to being disloyal amongst family and his “star crossed [lover]” Juliet. Furthermore, Juliet’s love for “(her) Romeo” causes her to turn a blind eye to his disloyalty and hastily act on his “banished”, through these actions she uses trickery to deceive her family and because of her love affected decisions. Friar Lawrence along with the nurse, cause confusion for the hasty lovers which renders to heightening the family’s feud. Shakespeare presents the concept that deceptive decisions lead to tragic events.
Henry V seems to be prone to using deceit when it is the easiest way to obtain a goal, liable to play mean-spirited pranks when he feels the urge and susceptible to making rash decisions when angry. These faults indicate that while Henry has taken on a more kingly persona, this self is not as different from Prince Hal as he had intended. The first of Henry's flaws to which readers are introduced is the King's tendency to make unwise choices when angry. At a meeting with his advisors at the beginning of the play, Henry debates the validity of his claim to the throne of France. He asks Canterbury if England's claim to France is strong enough to go to war over with the strict injunction to tell the truth, because "never two such kingdoms did contend without much fall of blood, whose guiltless drops are every one a woe"(I.ii.24-26).
King Lear Essay Show how King Lear and/or its main character conforms to three criteria found in Aristotle’s Poetics via A.C. Bradley’s, The Shakespearean Tragic Hero [As outlined in Viewpoints, page 687.] In the play “King Lear” by William Shakespeare it is shown as tragedy. The protagonist of the play, Lear is proud, serious, arbitrary, impatient, peremptory, humorless, and capricious and his position in life has allowed him to indulge all these traits to the fullest. Lear can inspire as well as command loyalty and obedience. Even though Lear is not a man of intellectual brilliance he is a “great soul,” with the capacity for feeling deeply the sorrow of rejection and abandonment by his own.
The king should be patient, have justice, mercy and lowliness. Both Edward, who we will speak about later and Duncan are seen as saintly figures in this play while Macbeth has a horrible soul and is bound to hell. Duncan is a man of prayer while Macbeth cannot pray at all. The king’s most important duty is to protect his people which Duncan does, unlike Macbeth who turns against his people with a reign of terror. This shows just how Kingship is a good force shown by Duncan in this play.
She is completely unable to control her feelings for her only love, “I must love a loathed enemy” [I, v, 139]. The way that Shakespeare uses “must” is very interesting because although the households are enemies she must go against her parents will because she loves Romeo. No longer did her parents support her instead she was rejected. When Juliet rebels against marring Paris, “He shall not make me a joyful bride” [III,v,117]. Lord Capulet becomes enraged of this defiant behaviour, “An you be mine, I’ll give you to my friend / an you be not, hang, beg, starve, die in the streets, / For, by my soul, I’ll ne’er acknowledge thee” [III, v, 192-4].
Cordelia takes on this role by unconditionally loving her father and furthermore forgiving Lear for banishing her, which is seen when she says “No cause, no cause.” (4.7). Edgar takes on a similar role by forgiving his father for going against him when he was tricked by Edmund and taking care of Gloucester in his blindness at the end of the play. The other characters, however, give into temptation and sin more frequently. Pride, for example, is a prominent sin that affects many characters, Lear being a prime example. Lear's pride keeps him from listening to the advice of Kent, the king's most loyal follower, after he banishes Cordelia and admitting he may have been wrong.