Shakespeare utilises ‘Henry IV Part 1’ to demonstrate that how you initially perceive an individual may not be a true representation of their character. Whilst a larger cohort holds the public view of individuals, it may not necessarily be correct in defining an individual’s behaviour. Throughout the play, Shakespeare wishes to display the complexity of various characters and the substantial layers that are present in their temperament. Harry Percy, also called Hotspur is a character that has an extremely strong public perception of his character. Hotspur is regarded as an “ever-valiant and approved Scot” (I, i, 54) who is referred to as a “wasp-stung and impatient fool.” (I, iii, 235) This characterisation is the very reason that leads him to acquire the name Hotspur as mentioned by Worcester who
Similarities between Edward de vere and characters like Hamlet is also very good proof to argue the authorship debate with. The way hamlets life is made out to be, and how it is so similar to de Vere suggest that Edwards life was put in a play, and called Hamlet, because they had so many similarities between the two. Another similarity with Edward de Vere and his life is Notably Polonius, this is a line from “young men falling out at tennis.” Oxfordians argue that this is also connect to
By casting Richard (a York) as a villain Shakespeare is affirming to his Elizabethan audience of the emergent middle class and the nobility of the Tudor’s legitimate right to rule over England. The play also reflects the tension between providentalism and the growing secular interest in free will. This shift from God’s will to free will is particularly evident in the character of Richard as he fights for power and leadership, disregarding his conscience and religion. Al Pacino’s 1996 documentary Looking for Richard produced for an American audience that fails to see how Shakespeare is relevant to the world around them “It has always been a dream of mine to communicate how I feel about Shakespeare to others”. However like Richard III, Looking for Richard was set after another significant conflict in the Cold War.
‘The Tragedy of King Richard the 3rd’ was a revolutionary play of its time due to its appeal of all classes ranging from the noblest Queen to the street pheasant. King Richard also explores the concept of what it means to be evil; Pacino’s film reflects this giving an insight on the faces, motives and free will of Richard. Shakespeare’s integrity lies in his accessibility to an audience and his ability to explore values within his plays. King Richard is a man who presents copious ideological characteristics and also throws into confusion many traditional values set into the mindsets of the Elizabethan and post-Elizabethan peoples. The opening lines of the play have Richard speak directly to the audience in the form of a soliloquy ‘Now is the winter of our discontent, made glorious by this son of York,’ this metaphor is a direct link to the character of Richard, a man who is discontent.
Moreover, the different mediums enable the audience to explore the performative nature of identity and the individualistic nature of ambition and how the different contexts respond to and portray this. Ambition and identity in Richard the Third are overwhelmingly portrayed in a negative light, ultimately resulting in dire consequences; in an Elizabethan context individualism and ambition reflected a person striving to grasp what was not due to them - ultimately, opposing God’s will. Richard, in the play, is represented as both villain and protagonist. We are made aware of Richards duplicitous nature and his evil aspirations as early as Act 1 Scene 1 where he states “I am determinèd to prove a villain” a self referential (and metadramatic in nature) pun which brings about questions of determinism and free will, themes that are explored throughout the play; there is ambiguity around whether or not Richard actually has autonomy over his nefarious deeds, which he goes about plotting. In keeping with his Elizabethan context, Shakespeare can not be seen to oppose the chain of being, the hierarchical chain of the period where a king was at the top,
The Importance of Being Earnest as Timeless Social and Political Satire [For All Generations] The Importance of Being Earnest was written in 1896 by famous playwright, Oscar Wilde, and is a timeless masterpiece that transcends time because it has satirical elements that target social and political issues that are still invariably controversial in today’s society. The play consistently parodies issues such as the relationship between romance and marriage and one’s socioeconomic status and marriage. In the traditional sense, romance and marriage probably should fall hand-in-hand, and though one’s socioeconomic status probably should not be the decided factor of a marriage, it is the play’s mission to satirically suggest otherwise. While romance and marriage should inherently fall hand-in-hand, looming faithfully overhead is the idea that romance suddenly disappears shortly after the wedding. Perhaps the inevitable experience of coming to terms with the thought of living together forever procures an uneasy feeling and puts an impression on newlyweds that marriage turns into a series of routines and monotony.
They bring in a lot of content which fits into to comedy criteria as well as enable the plot to develop fully. Firstly, the aspect of comedy ' servants and masters' is one where The Importance of Being Earnest fits perfectly as Lane and Merriman are both butlers of Jack and Algernon-the main characters of the play. They show the contrast between the lower and upper class in the Victorian Era which is a theme often found in comedic plays. Additionally, the relationship between Lane and Algernon could possibly represent the theme of youth and age-the generation gap. This is shown when Algernon asks Lane, " Is marriage so demoralising as that?"
The presentation of society and social class are significant in Oscar Wilde's 'The Importance of Being Earnest', written in 1895, and George Bernard Shaw's 'Pygmalion', written in 1912. Each author uses a variety of techniques to explore the extent in which characters and events portray society and the social class in the era of which they are written. Morality in society is a significant aspect in which both Wilde and Shaw present through characterisations.Wilde uses Algernon’s character to make witty comments such as “more than half a modern culture depends on what one shouldn’t read”. This suggests the restrictions and assumptions which create a strict moral code existing in Victorian society; furthermore, this use of epigram allows Wilde to emphasize the mockery towards social morality. This view is supported by David Parker, who establishes the play as “Restoration Comedy”, implying Wilde does not deal with the problems of society in an orthodox manner as most plays do but
It provides the audience with a vivid understanding of time and the image it creates. Also, the remarkable language indicating Macbeth’s insanity, and it’s lasting effect throughout the play. The passage also brought into a clearer explanation Macbeth’s tragic flaw, which was his weakness towards his ambition. Through these clever themes and images, much can be determined of the play, therefore making it the most gorgeous scene within
A Society Satirized in a Wonderful Play “Ignorance is like an exotic fruit…” writes Oscar Wilde as he sets the literary table with a rich display of Victorian satire. “The Importance of Being Earnest is obviously a comic critic of late Victorian value (Schmidt 5). Born in Dublin, Ireland, to affluent parents in 1854, Wilde experienced a social advantage when graduating from Oxford after receiving a scholarship (Moss 179) that gave him more than a taste of indulgent upper class life to ridicule. Wilde shows his characters as if they actually knew that they were in play and making them feel and realize all the absurdities they are saying (Foster 19). Both Jack and Algernon are admired by two young ladies who mistakenly believe the men's names to be Ernest, and who adore the men for this very reason.