Critics have described Beatrice and Benedick as characters who defy the romantic expectation. Evaluate this and other interpretations, adding your own personal responses. In Much Ado About Nothing, the principal characters of the plot are Beatrice and Benedict (though some see Hero and Claudio as the main storyline in the play) and are poles apart it first seems. Beatrice is fiery and independent, and doesn’t live up to the Victorian stereotype that her more reserved and naïve cousin Hero does. Benedick also doesn’t sit with his stereotype either, though more so than Beatrice does.
Though both are honourable people because they adhere to their principles without question, they have also shown that they are not honourable as their hubris clouds their judgement, ultimately leading to the tragedy of the play. This, along with other contributing factors such as the impact of hamartia, the conflict of following one’s will and state order play a part in the tragedy of the play leading to the deaths of Antigone, Eurydice and Haemon. The characters’ motivations lead them to pursue their ambitions to fulfil their principal duty, which is either adhering to state laws or to their personal conscience, thus creating the foundation for Antigone’s tragedy. For example, Creon is a despotic King who dictates rules that he expects his State to follow. This suggests that he perceives himself as the law enforcer of Thebes because he ensures that his law is followed and not even the law of the Gods can contest his.
Hamlet and Claudius contradict one another in a variety of ways making them enemies throughout the play. Prince Hamlet is perceived as the protagonist in the play for many reasons, one of them being because he displays an elegant intensity in everything he does, making him very amiable to the audience. When Hamlet is truly indecisive, brutal, revengeful, and hateful. When Hamlet speaks to others, his words are thought out to be hurtful to whomever he is speaking to. “You should not have believ'd me, for virtue cannot so inoculate our old stock but we shall relish of it.
The theme of deception in Shakespeare’s plays The typical themes of Shakespeare’s works, especially his plays, often reflect popular moods, problematic occurrences and typical traits of human nature from his time which are relevant even today. One such theme is deception. The idea of deception in Shakespeare’s plays has many different faces. In one instance, it is accidental, as in The Comedy of Errors. In another instance, it is used as defense against greater harm, as in Othello.
There are many similarities between these two characters even thought their role in the play is completely different. One obvious feature which both Ophelia and Gertrude have in common is that they are both recipients of Hamlet’s ill-will. Ophelia and Gertrude are both verbally abused by the hero. Hamlet views Ophelia and Gertrude the same. To him, both are tender of heart but submissive to the will of importunate men, this forces them into uncharacteristic vices.
Once more, Cordelia explained that she did not have a talent for putting her feelings into complex, flattery statements, and that she loved Lear as any child should love their father. Lear, angered, let Cordelia “revise” her statements for a final time. In response, she explained that because her father had
The metaphor of love being a “heavy burden” is ironic because love should not feel so negative. This reveals how clueless Romeo is about love. It shows that he has little experience with relationships and it is lust making him feel this way. Physically, “heavy burden” could also show the audience how exposed and venerable his feelings actually are. On the other hand, when Romeo has met Juliet he begins to talk in religious metaphors rather than only talking about sorrow and regret.
Hamlet is “tortured by the Crassness of the world he sees and by the crudities of the action demanded of him” states F.Richard while critiquing Hamlet. The titular character of the play, Hamlet, is indecisive and goes through a variety of problems in his quest for revenge. He is supported or schemed against by a variety of characters, many of whom act as a character foil to Hamlet. A foil is used as a parallel and contrasts the main character, letting us better see his various traits, reasoning behind decisions or important differences. In Hamlet, his prominent character trait of indecisiveness and other traits are revealed and better seen when compared and contrasted to the rest of the cast.
This deception is confirmed when Othello says ‘I know Iago, thy honesty, and love doth mince this matter, making it light to Cassio.’ Othello is suggesting that Iago may not tell the whole truth as he wants to protect Cassio. This is ironic as Iago is actually wanting to do the opposite, and his deception has worked better than he expected. This highlights a weakness in Othello which is that he feels like an outcast because of his race, and he is easily deceived as he is too trustworthy and this is what leads to his eventual downfall. Act 3 Scene 3 is possibly the
He is a man who tries to discover a deeper philosophical understanding of human behaviour. However, as Hamlet is thrust into a role which forces him to act he begins to question his sense of identity. His stifling and consuming insecurities restrict him from pursuing his ‘purpose’ of seeking vengeance, and cause him to become morally conflicted. Hamlet’s failure to navigate his changing world ultimately results in inner turmoil and moral corruption by the end the play. Despite Hamlet being a sixteenth century text, the concerns of truth and deception remain relevant to any context, thus enhancing the value of Shakespeare’s work as it has the capacity to stand the test of time.