Compare Brutus and Antonys speeches in Act III Scene 2 of Julius Caesar. Analyse the dramatic effects created by Shakespeares use of language
Compare Brutus and Antony's speeches in Act III Scene 2 of Julius Caesar. Analyse the dramatic effects created by Shakespeare's use of language. Like most of Shakespeare's tragedies, Julius Caesar is loosely based around true events during the Roman era. Julius Caesar is based upon a Roman emperor who ruled the empire until his death. Caesar was born around 100 B.C. and died in 44 B.C. Although the play is named Julius Caesar, the main characters of the play are Brutus and Mark Antony. Before Brutus began his speech, the third citizen says: "The noble Brutus is ascended: silence!" This reaction from the third citizen reflects the fact that Brutus is a significant figure and reflects also their eagerness to listen to Brutus' statement for Caesar's murder. Brutus begins by addressing the crowds as "Romans, countrymen and lovers!" This helps him appear very courteous. In line 18, Shakespeare uses a chiastic structure "believe me for mine honour and have respect to mine honour, that you may believe" to swing the audience's support towards Brutus. Using a chiasm (repeating words in a different way) makes Brutus' words more emphatic. From line 22 onwards Brutus is explaining his reasons for killing Caesar. Brutus uses memorable sentences such as: "Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more." Here Brutus is stating that he did indeed care about Caesar. However, he
Iago is fascinating for his most terrible characteristic: his utter lack of convincing motivation for his actions.
Iago is fascinating for his most terrible characteristic: his utter lack of convincing motivation for his actions. Iago's motivation is nothing more than jealously, self-absorption and hatred, yet his tact is presented in a decidedly and socially acceptable fashion, that is, until his true self is uncovered. In being so wrapped up in himself, Iago's vengeful attitude knows no bounds. His motivation becomes first known to us in the first scene of the play, in which he claims to be angry at Othello for having passed him over for the position of lieutenant. At the end of Act I, scene iii, Iago states that he thinks Othello may have slept with his wife, Emilia: "It is thought abroad that 'twixt my sheets / He has done my office". However none of these claims seems to adequately explain Iago's most deep hatred of Othello, and Iago's lack of convincing motivation or his inability or unwillingness to express his true motivation-makes his actions all the more terrifying and sinister. He is willing to take revenge on anyone, Othello, Desdemona, Cassio, Roderigo, even Emilia, at the slightest provocation and he enjoys damage that he causes. Iago's true power lays in his great talent for understanding and manipulating the desires and insecurities of those around him. Thus making him both a powerful and compelling figure. He seems to be the puppeteer of all the other characters in the
From the study of ‘The Merchant of Venice’ is shylock presented as a villain or victim? To what extent will this view have changed from that of the original audience?
From the study of 'The Merchant of Venice' is shylock presented as a villain or victim? To what extent will this view have changed from that of the original audience? The play is set in the late 15th century and is mainly about the character of shylock a money lending Jew; he is trying to live a simplistic life as a simplistic character in Venice a country that would have despised and alienated Jewish people. Christians very much believed in their religion/faith and would have disliked any Jewish person. Therefore the original audience would have hated shylock because of his religious beliefs and his job of money lending, as Christians wouldn't have been able to this job, as it would disagree with their belief. Shakespeare captured the way Jews were portrayed in this play well and managed to display it in a certain way, which wouldn't offend, but captured both sympathy and understanding from the audience at the time. Shakespeare play would be looked at in a very different way in a modern performance as the audience wouldn't discriminate towards Jews/ shylock as Christians are taught differently to when the play was originally written and children would have learnt about different religions and cultures and could cope with a Jewish character. Shylock's first appearance in the play is in act 1 scene 3 and his first line is; " Three thousand ducats", this could be taken by
Romeo's letter to his father - Romeo and Juliet.
Dear Father, As you read my last words to yourself I am lying dead not because of a sword wound but because of a broken heart. Confusion and puzzle must be swarming through your head like a beehive but as you come to the last word of this letter you should hopefully understand and forgive me. I received an invitation that invited me to my only foes mansion but I met my only true love there. Rosaline was the one that I thought had my heart but my thoughts were deceived and my eyes saw the truth. As I gazed through my mask I saw her. I asked myself 'Did my heart love till now?' only about a quarter of an hour later I knew the answer to this question. I asked for a kiss and was denied at first. When going to kiss I said thus from my lips, by thine, my sin is purged. Our lips touched and my heart throbbed I pleaded 'Give me my sin again.' As I requested she did. A women interrupted our moment and told Juliet that her 'mother craves a word' with her. 'What is her mother?' I asked with curiosity and the answer that I got was like a sharp pain through my heart. A Capulet I asked myself how can this be? 'my life is my foe's debt' A Capulet or not I had to go and see my lady again and see I did. She appeared at her balcony. She gazed into the star night as I looked into her eyes 'Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,' I fell more in love. She spoke 'Ay me!' I muttered to
How does Shakespeare use imagery in his play Romeo and Juliet to intensify the drama, create atmosphere and illuminate the central themes?
GCSE Coursework: Shakespeare - Romeo and Juliet How does Shakespeare use imagery in his play Romeo and Juliet to intensify the drama, create atmosphere and illuminate the central themes? In Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet", Shakespeare uses imagery to create atmosphere, intensify drama and illuminate central themes. By using a variety of metaphors, dramatic irony, use of figurative language and his explanation of poetic forms he conveys meaning and character excellently. He incorporates all of these dramatic devices and more to convey the plot and reveal those things that were Elizabethan concerns. Shakespeare starts the play with a prologue. This was very popular in Shakespeare's time and he uses a sonnet to imply love because it was established as a poetic form for love and devotional poetry. It's used to set the scene and describes what is going to happen. It describes Romeo and Juliet as "Star crossed lovers"; this shows the audience the play is going to be about romance but also despair and feuds and not being in control of one's own destiny. The sonnet shows Shakespeare's ability to distil the essence of language and draw the audience into the action. Using the sonnet Shakespeare achieves the 'suspension of disbelief', which shows his class as a writer because it highlights the theatricality of the play, to show the audience that the play is completely fictional.
Commentary on Macbeth soliloquy Act V scene V"To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
Commentary on Macbeth soliloquy Act V scene V "To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow, Creeps in this petty pace from day to day, To the last syllable of recorded time; And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow; a poor player, That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more: it is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing. " Soliloquy is a speech made by a character alone on the stage or thinks she/he is alone. Through soliloquy, the audience gains an honest and direct experience of that character's mind. In this particular soliloquy, Macbeth expresses overwhelming despair. This soliloquy encompasses the entire experience of Macbeth's kingship, short to the entire play. Imagery, time, dictions and repetition each have its constituency in shaping this important soliloquy. The passage reveals to the reader the despair and desolation of Macbeth just before the deciding battle with Macduff and Malcolm. Just before the soliloquy, Macbeth has been informed that Lady Macbeth is dead. The sudden departure of Lady Macbeth marks the lost of Macbeth's only love and trusty as well as the ties to the world. By now, Macbeth is all alone, as most of the previously mentioned Thanes have taken side with Malcolm. After this soliloquy, Macbeth is
'Antony's use of rhetoric in Act3, Scene2 is more effective than Brutus'.
'Antony's use of rhetoric in Act3, Scene2 is more effective than Brutus'.' To what extent do you agree with this statement? 26 If one considers merely the apparent 'winner' of the argument in Act 3, Scene 2, then Antony is the obvious choice as the better orator. However, Brutus probably had a more difficult job as he had to convince the crowd to forgive him for the murder of the (effective)1 head of the Roman Empire. In fact, the use of rhetorical devices in both speeches is extensive and generally well balanced. This has been affected by the order in which the men spoke to the crowd, which could, to some extent, alter the opinion of the rhetorical devices used. Rhetorical devices in the passage are well used, especially in the case of Antony and his use of pathos, although one may argue that in this instance pathos is particularly easy to use. An example of pathos2 is,'...I should do Brutus wrong and Cassius wrong (who you all know) are honourable men. I will not do them wrong; I rather choose, to wrong the dead, to wrong myself and you, then to wrong such honourable men.' This quote in some ways appears at first glance to be pro-Brutus but the undertones are more malicious and if said in grief3, could evoke powerful emotional reactions from the audience which is one of Antony's main objectives, so to make the plebeians4 turn against the conspirators in their, and at the
Discuss Shakespeare's treatment of courtship and marriage in "Much Ado About Nothing". In your essay you should refer to modern interpretations of the play and consider the context in which they were produced as well as the context of the original play.
Discuss Shakespeare's treatment of courtship and marriage in "Much Ado About Nothing". In your essay you should refer to modern interpretations of the play and consider the context in which they were produced as well as the context of the original play. In 'Much Ado About Nothing' there are two love interests on which the play is mainly focused. The courtship between the two couples Beatrice and Benedick and Hero and Claudio gives the audience a glance at two completely different forms of love. The relationship between the characters Claudio and Hero is one which is very traditional and a very safe way of communicating their feelings to one another. Shakespeare borrowed the story of Hero and Claudio from a man called Matteo Bandello, this shows that this may not be his own view of how love should be expressed. He did however invent the story of Benedick and Beatrice; this may mean that he believes that the way in which love is expressed should be much more spontaneous and heart-felt. The way that Beatrice and Benedick treat each other offers humour as this is one of Shakespeare's comedies whilst also providing a relationship which seems much more modern and extraordinary for the time. The courting between Beatrice and Benedick is slightly vicious as they seem never to compliment each other but instead comment on each others faults 'he is no less than a stuffed man' and the
The Gender Transformation of Caesar
The Gender Transformation of Caesar Shakespeare's Julius Caesar opens with the concurrent celebrations of Caesar's defeat of Pompey and the annual fertility festival of Lupercal. The coupling of the two historically separate events each celebrating distinct gender roles dramatically highlights the importance of gender characterization. Rome's patriarchal society demands a leader who embodies the virile spirit of the state with leadership marked by strength, courage, and constancy. Caesar quite fittingly assumes this role as he returns valiant and victorious from the battlefields; thus, in order to remove him the strong ruler of Rome, Caesar's enemies must retrench his masculinity. Roman society considers women as the embodiment of weaknesses, thinking that their physical, mental, and political inferiority make them of little use beyond reproductive purposes, explaining why aspirants to the throne feminize the identity of the masculine warrior figure to position him as unfit for the crown. The portrayal of the two female characters of the novel, Portia and Calphurnia, captures the prevailing stereotypical perceptions of women. Caesar's wife, Calphurnia, demonstrates women's predisposition towards fearfulness and superstition when she pleads with Caesar to remain at home after dreaming that a statue made in the likeness was Cesar pouring forth blood. Calphurnia establishes
How does Lady Macbeth change throughout the play, "Macbeth"?
How does Lady Macbeth change throughout the Play? "Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be What thou art promised;" These are the powerful opening lines of Lady Macbeth - the most infamous and indomitable female character in all of Shakespeare's many works, who defies the position of order and gender of her time and used power and ambition to achieve her dreams. Her opening scene in I.v where she is reading the letter from her husband, which proclaims the witches' prophecy, and the following soliloquy are the first exposure to her character, as it allows us an insight into her most intimate thoughts and feelings. At the idea of her husband being possibly made King she jumps straight to the conclusion that he will be, "and shalt be what thou art promised". This is shocking to the audience as her superstition shows her underlying hunger for power by the fact she takes three deranged, women on a moor as the literal truth - any excuse for her to rise in authority. Shakespeare's use of the witches adds drama because at the time the play was written, during the reign of James I, witchcraft and heresy were deemed punishable by death and to "consult with any evil sprit" was illegal under the 1604 Witchcraft Act, so they would have seen it as a scandal that Lady Macbeth believed the witches. She seems even more ruthless by the fact that automatically she presumes that they will
