Thornbury Castle.
Thornbury Castle In 1508 The Duke of Buckingham (Edward, Earl of Stafford) started to build a castle at Thornbury. He built onto the existing medieval manor house where he stayed as a child. In 1521 he was executed for treason before he had a chance to finish it. It has puzzled historians for many years whether the castle was built for defence or just to show off. The question I am going to try and find the answer to is: "Was Thornbury castle the last English castle to be built with a serious purpose of defence?" Thornbury Castle has features that make it look like a castle and features that make it look like a palace. For this reason some historians have called it a "Tudor castle-palace". Features that make it look like a castle: Arrow slits: Some of the walls have arrow slits, a few of which are also crossed for crossbows. These could give some protection from an arrow attack, but in the 15th century cannons were becoming more popular and the use of arrows in battle was declining. Moat: There is a ditch around the outer walls that also goes behind the barracks. This is most likely to have been a moat. John Leland who, in 1541, wrote about a stream that Buckingham re-routed to fill the moat backs up this theory. Barracks: In the outer court there are remains of barracks, which is unusual and atypical of the time as it was illegal to have a private army. The
Give an account of the methods, which Shakespeare uses to reveal Richard IIIs character to us and to shape our attitudes towards him.
Shakespeare Coursework Task: Give an account of the methods, which Shakespeare uses to reveal Richard's character to us and to shape our attitudes towards him. You should also refer to Shakespeare's manipulation of history and the way in which he sets out to present Richard III in a particular way. Richard the third was king during the 15th century and happened to be one of the best kings England had, and did, as kings go, a good job of running the country. Shakespeare however makes him out to be an evil manipulative person who does anything and everything to gain power. Also Shakespeare meddles about with time and the order in which things really happen, with the basic concept of making Richard seem even more scheming and seductive. Why should such a brilliant playwright want to lie about a good and decent king such as Richard the third? As soon as you start this play, Shakespeare is already hammering the image of Richard as a disgusting and rotten toad who is so evil and horrible that such quotations as used as a description for him. "That dogs bark at me as I halt by them" Another thing that happens is that Shakespeare, instead of setting the scene and keeping it calm in the first act, already is getting the plot introduced and thickened. Within the first 10 pages of the Oxford edition it already has Richard killing someone by methods, which involve others
How effectively did the Scots respond to Edward I's historical arguments for English superiority over Britain?
David Stevens Tutor: Dr. Roger Mason How effectively did the Scots respond to Edward I's historical arguments for English superiority over Britain? The concept of superiority and even overlordship over the rest of the British Isles and its peoples played a central role in the formation of a sense of English identity and the formation of England as a defined social and political unit. The writings of Gerald of Wales and William of Malmesbury described the other peoples inhabiting Britain and Ireland as uncivilised barbarians and these influential ideas, strengthened with the experiences of the population with the other peoples, and the English financial and institutional superiority, provided the basis for expansion and what can be described as the first wave of English imperialism. It was not until the reign of King Edward I of England, however, that there was a monarch with the legal, political and military talent, and perhaps more importantly the determination to realise the natural English right to rule Britain. He enjoyed much success in Wales and qualified success in Ireland, but was aware that Scotland was always a different proposition, particularly because of its special relationship with the papacy. When the succession crisis arose therefore, with the death of King Alexander III and the
Did Buckingham build Thornbury Castle, his home, as a palace or a castle for defence?
Thornbury Castle Coursework Thornbury Castle was built by a man called Edward Stafford the Duke of Buckingham and wasn't finished because he was be-headed in 1512 by Henry VIII. It has different features that could show that it was meant for defensive purposes or that it was built as a luxurious palace. The castle has a few arrow slits in the walls and grooves in the gateway, which show that there was intention for a portcullis's. There are also remains of soldiers barracks, which was slightly unusual, as Henry VII had made it illegal to have private armies. There is evidence that Buckingham intended to re-route a nearby stream to make a moat around the gateway to the park. This evidence is supported by John Leland's chronicle called 'Thornbury in the reign of the Tudors' where it says 'There cumithe an Armlet of severne ebbynge and flowing into this parke. Duke Edward had thought to have trenchyd there, and to have brought it up to the castle'. These features show that there may have been an intention for defence and the soldiers barracks show that he wanted an army because his tenants in Wales didn't often pay their rent so he wanted an army to make sure he got his money. There is evidence of gun ports around the outer walls, which is atypical of a Tudor Palace. Many things about the castle/palace show that it was built with the purpose of a luxury palace, which showed off
How Might the Audience feel about Richard at the end of Act 2
How Might the Audience feel about Richard at the end of Act 2 The play Richard III shows power, greed and ambition and how doing these things can effect other people and change how you act and think. In the world today someone who is like Richard in the way that he is greedy and power hungry is Saddam Hussein. The whole play shows how Richard is ambitious, greedy and power hungry. At the start of the play he is ambitious because he has set himself a task to become king. This shows that he is greedy because he is not happy with what position he is at that moment and wants more power. The way in which he does this is by killing anyone who could prevent him from becoming king. I think Shakespeare may have wanted to show that having ambition, power and a little greed is ok but if you lose your head and want more and more power making you become more greedy it could result in not just other people getting hurt. Most of what Richard says at the start of the play, Has something linking to it: because Richard is deformed, he cannot be loved; because he cannot be loved, he must be a villain; because he must be a villain, he will stop at nothing for the throne. These excuses basically show that he is hiding the fact that he wants to play a 'Bad' character. As he is becoming more successful towards the throne, He is starting to enjoy it. The fact that the deformity is an excuse shines
In the play, 'The Devil's Disciple' by George Bernard Shaw, the playwright shows a lot of conflict between the 'good' and 'bad'. In Act 1, Scene 1, he conflicts the behaviour of Mrs Dudgeon and Anthony Anderson in many ways.
Eleanor Grimwood The Devil's Disciple In the play, 'The Devil's Disciple' by George Bernard Shaw, the playwright shows a lot of conflict between the 'good' and 'bad'. In Act 1, Scene 1, he conflicts the behaviour of Mrs Dudgeon and Anthony Anderson in many ways. Starting with Mrs Dudgeon's first line, it is spoken "sharply." In the stage directions, Mrs Dudgeon "buries her face in her hands, as it is her duty as a widow to be overcome by grief", suggesting she is not at all overcome by grief, so possibly, Shaw's intent was that she cried overdramatically when it is performed on stage. The first impression of Anderson is that he is "shrewd, genial..." "With something of authority of his profession in his bearing." Other words used are "sensible...strong, healthy...keen, cheerful...no doubt an excellent parson..." Shaw obviously thinks a great deal of him, respecting him. He does not say anything bad about him. Shaw is displaying Anderson as a loving and kind man. He looks "compassionately" at Mrs Dudgeon, stating that the lord had laid his hand "very heavily" upon her. She in turn replies "with intensely recalcitrant resignation." The conflict between them had already arisen, very clear. Mrs Dudgeon "spitefully" comments that her husband Timothy's brother Peter "deserved it, if ever a man did." We are told later that she in fact was in love with Peter. Possibly
What is Junk by Melvin Burgess.
Junk is a hard hitting novel by Melvin Burgess. Tar Loves Gemma, but Gemma doesn't want to be tied down - not to anyone or anything. Gemma wants to fly but no one can fly forever. The life of Tar Is not good, but Gemma thinks her life is so bad as well but it is not. Gemma's Life is ordinary. Gemma just needs to work with her Father for a bit and do things together because they never get on. Gemma most of the time causes the arguments in the house by always wanting to stay out late and not go to school but most of the time she gets her own way, but not all the time. Junk is set in Bristol in the 1980`s and follows the lives of Tar and Gemma, two runaways who seek solace and adventure in squatting, partying and drug-taking. Heroin destroys personality, friendship, family and life. In this essay I am going to show how many ways of the adventures that Gemma and Tar start out on quickly turn to the Nightmare reality of junk. There are many examples of ADVENTURES & NIGHTMARES Now Tar's life is really Looking Bad. Both of Tar's Parents are alcoholics and when they're angry who suffers (tar). Tars Real name is DAVID but gemma gave him the name tar because he is always smoking. Tar's Father is a teacher at his school and always keeps his eye on him. Tars Mother never stops Drinking. Tar's Father is the one who always lashes out on him and states it's always his fault. The novel
'In plot, in imagery, in structure, Richard II offers us little thatis not already present or implicit in Edward II. 'Assess Shakespeare's debt to Marlowe in this play.
'In plot, in imagery, in structure, Richard II offers us little that is not already present or implicit in Edward II.' Assess Shakespeare's debt to Marlowe in this play. It was the very nature of the Renaissance writers to use as their subjects base a story or myth that had already been told. Renaissance means 're-birth' and their idea of creativity did not include originality, to show their skill was to take a plot that had already been told either by history, a predecessor or their contemporaries and to rework it and in doing so surpass it. "The object of history for many Renaissance writers was to learn the mistakes of the past in order to avoid them in the future." (Smith, viii). Our modern idea, received from the Romantics, of having to have originality to be able to create a best-seller was not what the Renaissance was about at all, in fact it was the opposite. The Renaissance period was about reliving what their ancestors had already achieved and being able to learn from their mistakes and advances. To be accused of having massive debt to a writer was neither uncommon nor frowned upon, and so to say Shakespeare's Richard II is indebted to Marlowe's Edward II is no slander on Shakespeare, it would only be slander if it was said that Shakespeare used an immaculate play and destroyed it in trying to rework it. However, the circumstances that are unusual in this case is
The unwanted!
Gothic Story The unwanted! Chapter 1: The storm Th Thursday 12th January 1943 was an extremely cold and gloomy winter's night. Lady Victoria Smith was resting in her chamber. The sun dial was displaying the time as thirty minutes past eleven. Lady Victoria looked out from her window at the sundial that lay in the dark grass. Although the moon was at its biggest and brightest in the sky, a large shadow was still cast over the gardens and the huge house. "Fifteen before midnight." Victoria muttered to herself. She felt a little warm so she decided to open her window not knowing what terrible fate lay without. She sighed whilst looking up at the beautiful white glowing moon. A smile was added to her very pretty face. It is wonderful, she thought to herself, so beautiful and so mysterious. Hooking the long deep red silk curtains to the gold hooks so as they did not hide even the smallest part of this beautiful, mysterious scene. She then walked over to her deep red silk sheet covered bed which was made of very dark oak. She lay down on the huge dark wooden masterpiece looking out of her tall, wide open window at what seemed to her like a small white version of the sun. As she lay on the bed wondering and pondering her thoughts of where this most extravagant object had come from and how it had become, her butler, Edward, entered. "I am sorry if have awoken you ma'm it's just
Was Edward IV's ruling between 1471-1483 effective?
Was Edward IV's ruling between 1471-1483 effective? Edward was the eldest surviving son of Richard Plantaganet, Duke of York, who was declared successor to Henry VI in 1460. Following York's death that December, Edward defeated Henry's Lancastrian supporters before being crowned Edward IV in June 1461. An invasion by Warwick and Margaret's Lancastrian forces In September 1470 forced Edward to flee into exile in the Netherlands. During March 1471 he and his brother Richard, duke of Gloucester, returned to England from the Netherlands. Taking London, he defeated and killed Warwick at Barnet before defeating the Lancastrians at Tewkesbury. Henry VI was put to death in the Tower. This was to be the start of Edward's, very successful, second reign. Edwards second reign (1471-1483), in contrast with his first (1461-69), was by far the more successful of the two. During 1461-70 Edward struggled to impose himself onto the people of England. Within the 1960's Edward himself admitted that his interests in women, food and wine caused problems during his reign and whilst his surprising marriage to Elizabeth Woodville, politically caused problems, financially it only slowed his progress to recovery. In fact many historians have gone as far to say that Edward's original reign was not much of an improvement to the disastrous reign of his predecessor, Henry VI. However, it must be