What is John Proctor? I am no saint; for me it is fraud. I am not that man. Explore Millers Presentation of Proctor in The Crucible. How far do you agree with Proctors Analysis of himself?

'What is John Proctor? I am no saint; for me it is fraud. I am not that man." Explore Miller's Presentation of Proctor in The Crucible. How far do you agree with Proctor's Analysis of himself? In 1962, Salem was affected dramatically by the tragedy of witchcraft. Miller use's this hard-hitting occurrence to structure his story named ' The crucible'. By using a real event this can really affect the audience and influence them into picking up more understanding of the play and the happenings that are involved, hence the fact that witchcraft does not seem like a fully believable event. Miller uses the 1692 Salem witchcraft trials to symbolize the 1950s anti-Communist purges. The events of the 1692 Salem witch trials mostly parallel those of the McCarthy trials. If you opposed the McCarthy investigations, you were accused of being a communist. If you opposed to the Salem Witch trials, you were accused of being a witch. Those accused suffered great consequences in both the Crucible and the McCarthy trials. As the McCarthy trials were still currently going through during the release of this play it made the play more effective and easier to relate to. Miller uses clever dramatic devices and a range of different techniques that help engage the audience and manipulate them into siding with different characters in the play and collecting important data that will help with

  • Word count: 1184
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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In As You Like It Act 1 scene 2 and Act 2 scene 3 how far do you think Orlando is a hero?

Elisha 21.4.09 In Act 1 scene 2 and Act 2 scene 3 how far do you think Orlando is a hero? Orlando is the central protagonist in William Shakespeare's play 'As You like It'. His involvement in the major continuous plot displays his characteristics and traits clearly. This essay will explore how far Orlando can be considered a hero, to what extent he is a conventional hero and how Shakespeare's stagecraft conveys Orlando as heroic in Act 1 scene 2 and Act 2 scene 3. Before it is possible to deduce if Orlando's characteristics promote him into being a hero, it is necessary to have prior comprehension of what exactly the term hero means, and the necessary traits possessed for heroism. Personally, I believe a hero to be someone of distinguished courage or ability. Heroes are often admired, and regarded as a model or ideal. Throughout 'As You Like It', Shakespeare portrays Orlando as a possessor of these qualities, however, in Act 1 scene 2 and Act 2 scene 3, these qualities are extensively evident. The pre-eminent aspect of Orlando that expresses his heroism is his use of language. Generally heroes are not just conveyed as heroic externally but also by their internal, invisible characteristics. Strong, muscular frames and handsome, pulchritudinous faces will capture an

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Character analysis of Celia in "As you like it ".

Character Analysis Celia is the daughter of Duke Frederick, cousin to Rosalind, and a general balance to Rosalind's foolish love. Celia and Rosalind, Together Forever Celia values her relationship with Rosalind so much that very little else matters to her, which is why she runs away with Rosalind to the Forest of Arden (disguised as Aliena). This makes sense, as the girls initially seem like twin sisters: [..] if she be a traitor, Why so am I; we still have slept together, Rose at an instant, learn'd, play'd, eat together, And wheresoever we went, like Juno's swans, Still we went coupled and inseparable. (1.3.12) Initially, Celia and Rosalind are partners in crime, jesting together, running off together, changing their identities together (Celia becomes Aliena), and generally having fun�together. Celia even declares their trip into the forest isn't banishment, but a chance at liberty, as they get to be the women they want to be (together). Celia and Love Celia and Rosalind's relationship changes once Orlando enters the scene. Celia is relegated to dealing with Rosalind's constant lovesickness and hijinks as Rosalind/Ganymede. As the play develops, Celia is confined more and more to simply reacting to Rosalind's antics. Through Celia, we get to investigate Rosalind's changing attitude toward love, which is contrasted by

  • Word count: 504
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Shakespearean plays have much been linked to Aristotles ideas of tragedy, the protagonists are capable of both good and evil and must be an admired yet flawed character.

Tragedy Aristotelian tragedy is characterised by seriousness and dignity, involving a great person who will experience a reversal of fortune. Aristotle’s definition can include just a simple change of fortune from good to bad which creates a sense of fear and pity within the audience. This change of fortune must have been triggered by the main character himself, but this would usually happen in a wider context of which the main character does not understand or of which he cannot control. Aristotle dictates that a tragedy’s structure should not be simple, but complex, must arouse pity and fear and must be caused by the tragic hero’s hamartia (mistake). The change to bad should happen not because of a flaw in the tragic hero’s morals or background, but should be caused by a mistake of some kind that the hero makes and should furthermore have no input from any external cause, Aristotle describes a downfall brought about by an external cause as a misadventure and not a tragedy. The common use of the word tragedy often refers to any story with a sad ending whereas an Aristotelian tragedy must fit a set of requirements. By these requirements a social drama cannot be tragic as the hero is a victim of their incidents and circumstances which depend upon the society of which the hero lives in. Shakespearean plays have much been linked to Aristotle’s ideas of tragedy, the

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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How does Shakespeare present the two different worlds of Court life and the rural idyll of the 'Golden Age' in As You Like It?

How does Shakespeare present the two different worlds of Court life and the rural idyll of the 'Golden Age' in As You Like It? As You Like It is a pastoral piece of literature and this form of literature thrives on the contrast between life in the city and life in the country. Typically, it suggests that the oppression from the Court can be remedied by a trip into the country's therapeutic woods which in this case refers to the Forest of Arden and that a person's sense of balance and rightness can be restored by the uncorrupted shepherds and shepherdesses. This restored rightness enables one to return to the Court a better person. In this play the character of whom this affects is Oliver de Boys Although Shakespeare tests the bounds of these conventions, the shepherdess Audrey as an example, is neither articulate nor pure. He begins As You Like It by establishing the city/country dichotomy on which the pastoral mood depends. The play ends with Shakespeare reminding us that life in the country is solely a temporary affair. I have gathered this because as the characters prepare to return to life at court, they do not rank the country over Court or vice versa, but instead they suggest a delicate balance between the two as too much of one thing is seen as being negative. They give the impression that the simplicity of the forest provides shelter from the strains of Court life,

  • Word count: 1432
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Dramatic effective of Act V Scene 1 of Macbeth

Comment closely on the dramatic effectiveness of Act V Scene 1 of Macbeth. In Act V Scene I of Macbeth, Shakespeare presents the audience with Lady Macbeth again, after her long absence from the play since the banquet scene. The scene has a sinister and dark atmosphere created through the dialogue, and shows the audience a surprising degeneration of her mind; the woman who once said 'a little water clears us of this deed' after the murder is now guilt-ridden. In previous scenes, Lady Macbeth has been presented as a strong, evil and dominating woman with ruthless ambition. She was the one who reasoned Macbeth to kill Duncan, saying 'But screw your courage to the sticking lace and we'll not fail' assertively. When Macbeth committed the murder she advised him that the deed 'must not be thought after these ways, so it will make us mad'. However, in this scene it is revealed that her guilt is so strong that she cannot take her own advice and has indeed become 'mad'. This scene is set in 'Macbeth's castle', which at this stage of the play would have a heavily sinister atmosphere already, because it is where King Duncan's 'sacrilegious murder' took place. It commences with dialogue between the gentlewoman and the doctor. The doctor's first statement instills several questions in the audience's mind as it seems to begin en media res, so the audience does not know what

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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How does Shakespeare build dramatic tension

How does Shakespeare build dramatic tension? Shakespeare wrote the Merchant of Venice, it is one of Shakespeare's less known plays because the original manuscripts were lost but the play did re-surface in the 1600s. In Shakespeare's time there was only one Jew in England, he name was Rodrigo Lopez. He was the Queen's Physician and was only half Jew. He was tried and executed. Shakespeare probably never met a Jew so he may have got his attitudes towards Jews from his experiences of them; he may also have got ideas and inspiration from the one other play about Jews at the time called `The Jew of Malta'. Christopher Marlowe who was a contempary of Shakespeare wrote it. Marlowe was stabbed to death in a pub. This play was a controversial play when it was written and it still is now. It was controversial in Shakespeare's time because Jew's were not well liked and this is supported by the fact that the only Jew in England was executed. This play is arguably even more controversial now because we live in a post-holocaust world. The holocaust changed people's views towards Jews because they were treated like sub-humans and they were massacred by the millions. The genre of this play is hard to decide because in Shakespeare's time it would have been a comedy because people would have wanted to see Shylock lose everything because he was a Jew but now it is more of a tragedy because

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Romantic Ideals in 'As You Like It'

How does Shakespeare use the 'relationship' between Touchstone and Audrey to develop ideas about romantic ideals in As You Like It? Support your answer by close reference to the play. In the novel As You Like It, Shakespeare utilizes the idea of romantic ideals by exploring Touchstone and Audrey's relationship. Shakespeare uses juxtaposition to contrast ideas about romantic ideals. By placing Touchstone, a man from the court, and Audrey, a woman from the countryside, together, he develops a contrast between the two different perspectives of romantic ideals. Touchstone's method of flirting with Audrey is an accurate representation of the way love is in the court. Touchstone uses complex and intelligent wordplay to seduce Audrey, "For honesty coupled to beauty is to have honey a sauce to sugar". Touchstone's use of the metaphor 'honey a sauce to sugar' shows us how a stereotypical courtly lover would seduce his love. The use of a metaphor shows us that courtly love is not direct, but subtle and implied. The language used in Touchstone's remark is also very formal and embellished, giving us an idea of what a courtly lover's idea of a romantic ideal is. Audrey's replies to Touchstone's courtly and witty remarks reveal the nature of pastoral love, "I do not know what 'poetical' is. Is it honest in deed and word?" Audrey replies to Touchstone's remark of how he wishes her to be

  • Word count: 785
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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How does Shakespeare present the two different worlds of court life and the rural idyll of the Golden Age in As You Like It

How does Shakespeare present the 2 different worlds of court life and the rural idyll of the "Golden Age" in As You Like It In Shakespeare's play As You Like It Shakespeare presents the two different worlds of court life and the country life by making the court a place of corruption. With People like Oliver and his attempt to Burn Orlando alive in his stable and getting Charles the wrestler to kill Orlando in a wrestling match "And this night he means to burn the lodging where you use to lie, and you within it. If he fail of that, he will have other means to cut you off." This also shows that the court can be a very violent place if you are in a bad position. Whereas the country is a place of peace and perfection as Duke Senior and his lords comment upon "Hath not old custom made this life more sweet than that of painted pomp" That shows that the court is a place of happiness but material happiness, and that the country is a place of real happiness. This is also a reference to the golden age,the golden age was a time when people believed that the world was timeless with no seasons,and people thought that food never grew, it was just there and nobody aged. In the Shakespearian times people tended to write about the golden age. Also another reference to the golden age in this case was when Orlando responds to Rosalind saying "there is no clock in the forest" there are

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Discuss the different types of love in Act 3 of As You Like It

Discuss the different types of love in Act 3 of As You Like It Rebecca Lau In Act 3, Shakespeare portraits love in different characters' point of views, also showing the different ways love can be expressed in. Orlando and Silvius both express their love openly, not fear of embarrassments. Touchstone's love is very realistic; Phoebe's way of express is very childish; and Rosalind's words are very self-contradicting. Touchstone's point of view of a "wife" is a tool that can be replaced or thrown away at any time. Just from the excuse he gave from not having a proper wedding "for he is not like to marry me well and, not being well married, it will be a good excuse for me hereafter to leave my wife", it can show that he doesn't really value this marriage and is already thinking about divorcing before they are even married. Also from the reason he gave about the marriage is just "by so much is a horn more precious than to want", we can tell how he sees Audrey as a person. Audrey in Touchstone's eyes can be seen as an object or just a releasing of sexual needs, he is not respecting her in any point. As a professional jester, people usually imagine them as very naïve and stupid, but in a contrast to Orlando from a noble family, he acts more mature and is more realistic. By using big difference in status, Shakespeare shows that the way of thinking is actually not affected by

  • Word count: 1253
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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