These words demonstrate the power of language and persuasion. Shakespeare uses the power of language and persuasion in his play, ‘Othello’ when the character of Othello is put in front of the duke and accused of witchery. Shakespeare uses the power of language and persuasion in Act 1 Scene 3 when Othello speaks, “Her father lov’d me…This only is the witchcraft I have us’d.” Shakespeare uses monologue to have Othello persuade the duke and council of his innocence. Othello uses the power of language and persuasion to persuade the court that it was Barbantio’s fault that he fell in love with Desdemona. His words in the monologue convince the court that he did not use witchery to get Desdemona to marry him.
Richard at the beginning of the play reveals his plot to kill his brother Clarence in order to eliminate successors to the throne. Act 1 Shakespeare’s use of pun in the line ‘Brother, farewell,’ is said by the Duke of Gloucester with such earnestness that it is interpreted as a simple departure by George, however, there is an underlying message of ‘rest in peace Clarence’ which is later exposed in Richard’s aside. In Act 5, after the brutal death of Richard, pondering how England has remained under a time of tyranny and betrayal, with the use of alliteration, Richmond says as a part of his ending speech “brother blindly shed the brother’s blood”. This, while emphasising the greed of Richard where he has lost all morality and killed his biological brother in order to gain power, further emphasises Shakespeare’s indirect intention to bring forward the theme of karma. It also targets Elizabethan audience obliquely as it displays Shakespeare as an authentic man who believes in fate.
2010 HSC Question Analyse how the central values portrayed in King Richard III are creatively reshaped in Looking for Richard The work of Pacino is able to creatively place Shakespeare’s core ideals of humanist philosophy and the corrupting influence of power within a modern context, to reveal the perennial nature of the playwright’s central values. Shakespeare’s King Richard III (1592) identifies hereditary power as a potent force when the natural order is usurped. Al Pacino’s Looking for Richard (1996) sees power within a democratic time and thus presents it as privilege, not a God-given gift, yet the two maintain a similar view of the dangers of authority without balance. Shakespeare’s time demanded a negative portrayal of Richard’s humanist ideals, where blame is placed upon the King’s lack of Christianity for his abhorrent acts. Pacino, however, contends with a time where it is increasingly becoming the norm, but still contends with a society that can be considered moral devoid in some manners, and thus the importance of spirituality and thought is evident in both.
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.
This is in the same way that Macbeth, ‘a valiant cousin’, who had the respect of the King, became driven by ambition which blurred the path of righteousness behind people’s backs. Shakespeare uses Macbeth’s thoughts in his first soliloquy to show the conflict between decisions of right and wrong. He is driven by his ‘vaulting ambition’ to self fulfil the
This allegiance derives the King's authority from his inheritance and the common knowledge that this is the way the political order in the country should be determined. Henry has substituted this for his own power and become king, not from any legitimate, traditional claim but simply because he has a military superiority over the legitimate king and the desire to get rid of Richard. The usurpation of Richard II leads to serious repercussions such as an uprising of Welsh supporters of the slain King against Henry IV. However, the play additionally investigates the theme of honor and the character development of Prince Hal. The following essay will detail how far "Henry IV Part One" is a play that explores the consequences and civil
English 'Persuasive Writing' By Eva Kiss Literature is meant to provide a perspective on life. The ability to view writing through different perspectives allows a deeper understanding of the text, as well as a wider knowledge about the world around us. William Shakespeare's Henry IV:Part One is one of his many historical plays, arguably intended to divulge to the Tudor England audience a different viewpoint of the Royal family to contemplate the rule of King Henry IV. The text opens up the issues of duty, the question of honour, the 'right' approach towards leadership and the value of life which, considering the Elizabethan period in which it was written, delves into the many concerns of the responders of the time, as well as remaining
Pacino’s Looking for Richard (LFR) draws on Shakespeare’s play King Richard III in his ‘docudrama-like-thing’ pursuing the goal of making Shakespeare more accessible for a notoriously uninterested 20th century audience. Through the connections implicit and explicit between the texts my understanding of the idea of legitimacy and language have been enriched through a relationship between the two texts where the appropriation affects the original text as well as the text influencing the appropriation. Despite differing contextual circumstances, the contestable nature of legitimacy and its fabrication of credibility is reflected in both LFR and RIII, whether it be over Shakespeare or monarchy. The reshaping of ideas in RIII has also illustrates
Ross rushes to England, ostensibly to tell Macduff first hand the tale of his family’s “savage slaughter”, in reality to sound out the prospects for changing sides and gaining favour. Ross’ language, his syntax, his utterly bogus empathy and feigned innocence all sit at odds with the audience’s clear understanding: He WAS present during the prelude to HIS COUSIN’s “savage slaughter”. The kindest interpretation is that he was toadying to Macbeth, doing his bidding. He knows why the family was slaughtered. Now, he opens discussions with the soon-to-be-declared bereaved Thane with a
Culturally, in this time period, Shakespeare was writing tragedies. This could be due to the fact that Elizabeth I just died, or to please James’ theatrical preferences. Either way, Othello, like any other tragedy of Shakespeare’s, ends in complete destruction and death. Some scholars have speculated that Shakespeare wrote Othello to please James I, who had a keen interest in the history of the Turks and their defeat by the Christians in the Battle of Lepantoin 1571. In assigning Othello, the Christian general, the role of defending Cyprus against the Turks, Shakespeare refers to recent military history but also signals to the Elizabethans that his hero is an African and, therefore, worthy of their empathy.