Joe Vitale Mrs. Reganato English III – Academic 9 April 2014 Effects of Guilt Guilt, by definition, is an emotion that occurs when a person believes that they have violated a moral standard. It is the single driving force that can push someone off the edge thus into a spiraling downfall of tragedies. Through numerous centuries of literature, guilt has been one of the key themes repeatedly stressed. In this way, the morals of mankind are accentuated, explored and disturbed. In The Tragedy of Macbeth, guilt plays an immense role in the lives of Macbeth and his Queen; guilt is the single attribute that pushes them to the edge and tests their sanity.
Aside from symbolizing blood as honor, he uses it to demonstrate the character of Macbeth and his drastic personality change as the play progresses. After committing the cruel act for their own personal gains, Shakespeare turns bloody images
One could argue that “Macbeth” is Shakespeare’s most excessively violent and horrific play as it is “more imaginative, subtle and complex than any other plays” (Spurgeon), validated by the fact that there are over one hundred references to “blood” throughout. Additionally, the protagonist is tarnished as a “butcher” by Malcolm due to his savagery and violence exhibited throughout the course of the play, ultimately inflicting fear onto the audience- both contemporary and modern. Technically, “Macbeth” is regarded as a pre-gothic text as it was published before the term “gothic” was first used. However, Shakespeare has incorporated many gothic elements throughout to inflict the same effect on the audience as what a pure gothic text would, like Dracula. Shakespeare initially exposes the audience to violence in the opening Act, as the “weird sisters” inform us about the existing conflict between England and Scotland.
Iago’s mendaciousness scorched Othello’s sanity beyond repair. Iago’s villainous behavior and Othello’s radical demeanor both stand for part of every man in contrasting ways. Each if those qualities is regrettably embedded within each of us. The qualities he thrives on throughout Othello, by William Shakespeare, are the ones we’re most ashamed of. In his soliloquy in Act 2 Scene 2 Line 380 he’s especially brutal towards Desdemona in his plans showing no shame what so ever.
(Billy and Connor 81-82) | - Billy and Connor, Allusions, Tangient LLC, Web. 16 July 2013 | It out herods Herod (3, 2,14) | It would be worse than when King Herod ranted. | It develops the theme of insanity in Hamlet because Hamlet is threatening the players with severe punishment for performing the play in a way that Hamlet did not intend. Hamlet was saying the punishment would, “out (…) Herod, in that it alludes to King Herod and the awful things that he proved himself capable of while he was King” (Hannah Henson 10-11). | - Henson, Hannah, Act 3 Symbols and Allusions-Tori, Blogger, 8 November 2012, Web.
A Doll's House, a Tragedy? A tragedy, according to the New Oxford American Dictionary, is a play that has a melancholic ending that concerns the downfall of the main character. Aristotle defined it as “[A play] with incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish its catharsis of such emotions... Every tragedy therefore must have... Plot, Characters, Diction, Thought, Spectacle, [and] Melody.” Famous tragedies include Julius Caesar and Macbeth. A Doll's House, by Henrik Ibsen, cannot be considered a tragedy because although it meets some of the requirements of Aristotle's definition, it does not fit the complete profile of this literary style.
Indeed, one could view Romeo and Juliet as a transitional play in which Shakespeare merges the comedic elements perfected in his earlier work with tragic elements he would later perfect in the great tragedies -- Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth, and King Lear. This mixture of styles ultimately hurts Romeo and Juliet, exposing the immaturity of the playwright. The heroes of the play must contend with external forces that impede their relationship, but, unlike the great tragic heroes, they are devoid of the inner struggle that makes for great tragedy. The influential Shakespearean scholar, A.C. Bradley, went so far as to neglect the play entirely in his well-known collection of lectures on the great tragedies, Shakespearean Tragedy. While no one can deny the merits of Shakespeare's powerful, inspired verse, the themes Shakespeare stresses in Romeo and Juliet also seem to reflect his immaturity as a writer.
Hamlet is a distinctive tragedy which segregates from the conventions of Shakespearean dramaturgy, continually exploring in an enduring manner the ineffectuality of vengeance through the inaction of the protagonist. The playcommunicates the futility of revenge through Hamlet’s philosophical reasoning and paralysis, and through the impulsive consequences of Laertes and Fortinbras’ own avenger destinies. Through his antithetical use of character foils, Shakespeare demonstrates the renaissance values of humanism and individual choice, which in turn critiques the traditional role played by wrath and vengeance in Elizabethan tragedies. As such, the audience witnesses that it is this examination of inaction and the inadequacy of revenge which subverts the tradition of tragedy,
From these thing, it is made clear that Lear is not only rash and insecure but also thoughtless and stupid. Based on these pieces of textual evidence, I think it is clear that King Lear is motivated by his self-concern, and nothing more. Shakespeare causes us to think this through both his words and his actions throughout Act
How far do you agree that ‘The play King Lear presents us with a bleak and cruel world and offers us no comfort at the end?’ Shakespeare’s ‘King Lear’ falls under Aristotle’s definition of tragedy, with the fact that the characters are royal, and therefore have an enormous amount to lose. Moreover, the destructive downfall of not only King Lear but most of the characters in the play is due to the fatal flaw of pride in the king. The embellished language in the play is mainly in verse, and coupled with the unusual language forms of The Fool and Edgar as ‘Poor Tom’, this further links the play with the traditional definition of tragedy. ‘This fellow has banished two on’s daughters and did the third a blessing against his will.’ Untangling the meaning on The Fool’s words can be difficult, but it is clear he is the voice of reason and wisdom whispering in Lear’s ear throughout the play. Despite all this negativity, it would be a great over-simplification to assume that the overall play ‘presents us with a bleak and cruel world and offers no comfort at the end’, though this is an easy assumption to make given the obvious bleakness that infects the play throughout.