Othello’s name and honour is undermined from the beginning of the play, due to the fact that he has gone against the societal norm by marrying and eloping with Desdemona, by Iago, Othello’s ensign and Roderigo, a gulled gentleman of Venice. The fact that insults such as “Moor”, “thicklips”, “devil” and “Barbary horse” are used to describe Othello by these men not only hints to an audience member that the titular character is black, but also paints a negative image of him in one’s mind. Iago uses crude language and sexual imagery when talking about Othello’s nature, especially when telling Brabantio that the purity of his daughter, Desdemona, has been lost or stolen, saying, “an old black ram is tupping your white ewe”. Desdemona has apparently been enticed “To the gross clasps of a lascivious Moor” with whom she will begin “making the beast with two backs.” These are all sordid and gratuitous illustrations which lead one to believe that Othello is indeed a “foul”, lewd beast. Amongst these depictions of Othello are some extremely racist derisions, leading one to question
Shylock and Jews Treatment Introduction William Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice is an ingenious play which elicits many themes and stereotypical characters depictions which have also been brought out in other literary works. In the play Merchant of Venice, Shakespeare candidly builds up the mean character of Shylock who is a Jewish money-lender which is on broader spectrum depicted the ill-treatment of the Jews in the sixteenth century. Ironically, Shylock lends money to a Christian adversary, who is Antonio and they agree on Antonio’s pound of flesh as collateral security. Things escalate up to the edge when Antonio becomes bankrupt and consequently defaults on Shylock’s loan where he demands as they had agreed on Antonio’s pound of flesh in what is ultimately seen as revenge for the spit and insults Antonio had previously hauled onto Shylock. To add salt into the injury Shylock’s daughter, Jessica elopes with Lorenzo who is Antonio’s friend and is converted into a Christian which heightens his rage (Gibbons 36).
Here the audience is left with an unanswered question as to how the feud started and from the prologue we are left wondering if anger and hate will lead to the death of the two “ star crossed lovers”. The prologue also contains many oxymorons such as “civil” and “blood”.shakespeare uses these oxymorons to show contradicting ideas which the play is full of. The play begins with a fight between the servants of both families. Shakespeare does this to show the immense hatred that is shared between both families as even the servants get involved and to set the scene for violence and bloodshed. In act 1 scene 5 we see the hatred between the two families through the
They are corrupt because they have social status but then they abused this power. Furthermore, the villains in both The Duchess of Malfi and Measure for Measure have the characteristics of Machiavellian villains. Per contra, Angelo is not like the villains in The Duchess of Malfi because he does not have an assistant to help him and does not have a personal vendetta against another in the play. He just wants to eliminate crime but, eventually, contradicts his own laws he is enforcing by asking Isabella to give her body to him sexually to save her brother: ‘You must lay down the treasures of your body To this supposed, or else to let him suffer: What would you do?’ (Act 2 Scene iv) This quotation tells us that; females of that day and age would have done exactly what they were told to do, on command if told to. We can see this by looking at the language of this quotation.
The revelation is in itself a dramatic effect as the audience becomes more intrigued and excited on how Hamlet has managed to get them killed. The language used by Hamlet when explaining how he had managed to get them killed depict his anger towards treachery ‘Tis dangerous when the baser nature comes/between the pass and fell incensed points/of mighty opposites’ (5.2.61-63). This could also depict the notion of Hamlet’s attitude towards the lower rank; it is most likely that Hamlet and Claudius that belong to the upper rank regard Guildenstern and Rosencrantz as inferior breeding. On the other hand ‘mighty opposites’ could also suggest Hamlet referring to the two forces of evil and good. Moreover the dramatic effect that Shakespeare outlines when Hamlet narrates to Horatio his plan to save himself that he has realised that ‘There's a divinity that shapes our ends, /Rough-hew them how we
In the first few scenes of the play, the readers experience first-hand some of Iago’s capabilities, in particular, his deceptive traits. Distinctively in act 2 scene 3, Shakespeare exposes more of Iago’s personality – a greedy and jealous man. Iago’s actions in this scene lead to the firing of Cassio. Previously, in act 1, the readers are shown Iago’s jealousy towards Cassio’s higher rank – a lieutenant (in lines 19-28). Iago’s unforgiving and jealous nature comes into place like a jigsaw puzzle when Othello holds a party to celebrate the unsuccessful Turkish invasion and his marriage to Desdemona.
Comparing to versions of Romeo and Juliet The star crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet, are presented in two famous movie productions. The first directed by Franco Zeffirelli’s 1996. The updated Luhrmann picture best captures the essence of Shakespeare for the present day viewer. Through the use of modernisation and location, while preserving Shakespearean language, to capture the audience. Equally Zeffirelli’s more historical interpretation show cases the original medieval architecture the Shakespeare contemplated.
It is obvious from this first soliloquy that Shakespeare has moulded Richard to look almost monstrous and noticeably deformed. From the beginning of the play we are aware of Richard’s feelings about his body and how much contempt and disdain he has for being given such a repugnant body. “Cheated of feature by dissembling nature, Deformed, unfinished” (1.1.19-20) Richard draws the audience in, and endeavours to attract our sympathy by addressing his deformity. By doing this he is clearly trying to manipulate the audience. He talks about how he has “no delight to pass away the time” (1.1.25).
2) “What drawn and talk of peace? I hate the word as I hate hell, all Montagues and thee.” To what extent does hate drive the action of the play? “Romeo and Juliet,” written by William Shakespeare, is a tragic tale of love and misfortune. Readers are able to see the extent that hate drives the action of the play through the events and consequences that occur as a result. Shakespeare demonstrates this premise by providing many events that stem from hate.
The theme of sexism is instantly introduced in the play. Petruchio, arguably the most controversial character in the play, is talking to Hortensio, a hopeful suitor of Bianca. Petruchio discusses his business in Padua, and explains to Hortensio exactly what his intentions are there. He reveals a sexist side to his character, when in lines seventy-four and seventy-five of scene one act two, he remarks, ‘I come to wive it wealthily in Padua; If wealthily, then happily in Padua. Petrechio uses degrading language within this quotation.