How does Shakespeare challenge the conventional role of women within the patriarchal society of Much Ado About Nothing.
How does Shakespeare challenge the conventional role of women within the patriarchal society of 'Much Ado About Nothing'. 'Much Ado About Nothing' is set in a patriarchal society in the late 16th century. In a patriarchal society, men are the dominating sex and women are the oppressed ones. The title of the play also plays a part in showing how things are overly based on sexual relationships between men and women. The play takes place over a course of three days. As so much happens during these three days, the events take place rapidly and can create confusion and misunderstanding. 'Much Ado About Nothing' is a play of wit, deception and slander. It is full of darkness just as much as it is full of light. For Beatrice, a pre-occupation with death arises from her entrapment within a court whose practices she does not admire. She constantly tries to oppose the views of her society with which she doesn't agree. The treatment of gender issues in 'Much Ado About Nothing' would have been central to its impact on Elizabethan audiences. Women, stereotypically, were expected to be silent, gentle, passive and submissive. Independent women were regarded with suspicion and interest. In the first three scenes, the male characters continually criticise the females. Benedick voices the traditional patriarchal ideology through his constant criticism of women's actions and sexual
How and why does Othello's character change during the course of the play? How does Shakespeare present this dramatically?
How and why does Othello's character change during the course of the play? How does Shakespeare present this dramatically? When Othello is sent to war in Cyprus, the Moor's character changes over the course of time. His language and attitude towards people, including his innocent wife, begins to differ for the worse. Othello's wild behaviour worries Desdemona incredibly as he changes a lot from his calm and gentle nature from before. Shakespeare presents this transformation through Othello's syntax and dramatic irony. His confused logic is evident in his actions whether they are violent or passionate. When Othello is in his home city of Venice, his attitude towards others is calm, shown when Cassio enters warning him that Brabantio is after him, he replies, "'Tis well I am found by you: I will but spend a word here in the house and go with you." Othello doesn't react to the words of Cassio, he stands confidently as he hasn't done anything wrong. He is a man of bravery and self-assurance. When Brabantio arrives, he orders his officers to seize Othello, but in reply, the Moor says, "Keep up your bright swords, for the dew will rust them." This humorous comment breaks the tense atmosphere and relaxes the viewers' thoughts on the situation. Shakespeare is clearly trying to show Othello's confidence and self-control as strangers approach him. This annoys Brabantio, as he feels
Compare how the past reveals feelings about a place in Nothings Changed with the ways another poet reveals feelings about a place or places in one other poem.
Essay Question: Compare how the past reveals feelings about a place in "Nothing's Changed" with the ways another poet reveals feelings about a place or places in one other poem. Nobody can help have feelings- they are a part of everyone. We feel differently towards an issue as different things happen to us. Feelings do not change with time. What we feel as a child stays with us even when we are older. Feelings can be positive or negative. The poets Tatamkhula Afrika and Grace Nichols are both trying to deliver a similar message about feelings. In the poem Nothing's changed, the poet is feeling anger towards the white people even though the Apartheid had been finished. "District Six. No board say it.... And the hot, white, inward turning anger of my eyes." This shows that the poet is feeling ferocity towards the People in District Six. This can be said because "District Six" has been written as a short, expletive sentence, which is full of anger. "No board says it: but my feet know" This shows that even though Apartheid has ended and all the boards which differentiate the black community from the white community have been removed, the poet still feels secluded from the community. "And my hands, and the skin about my bones, and the soft labouring of my lungs, and the hot, white, inward turning anger of my eyes." This shows that as he is walking along, his anger is
Explore the dramatic presentation of love in Romeo and Juliet(TM)
In the Prologue of 'Romeo and Juliet' we are immediately introduced to the theme of love that runs throughout the play. "Two star-crossed lovers". Shakespeare introduces us to various types of love, portrayed through different character relationships. For instance, we see conventional love through Romeo and Rosaline and the idea of the Patrachan lover, romantic and sexual love, which is seen between Romeo and Juliet and, finally, parental love, portrayed in Capulet and Lady Capulet and Juliet. We also see love from a more cynical view, through Mercutio. In 'Romeo and Juliet' two characters primarily link love and sex. They are the Nurse and Mercutio. At the mentioning of love these two people always talk about sex. This can be seen mainly in Act 1 Scene 4, and how Mercutio thinks about love. At this point in the play Romeo is very distant and unhappy, Mercutio uses this as an opportunity to try and humour Romeo, using wit, sexual innuendo and imagery. "O'er ladies lips, whos straight on kisses dream". He uses more sexual innuendo throughout the play when the subject of love is mentioned. This is also seen when discussing Rosaline outside Capulet's mansion. He uses sexual images, for example, "Quivering thigh". This suggests a cynical attitude towards love, as he is never heard to mention non-sexual attributes when talking about a woman. The Nurse also links love and sex
Imagery in Othello
Write about the use of imagery in 'Othello' and its contribution to the overall effect of the play. In Shakespeare's Othello, the use of imagery, and especially symbolism, is most important in expressing meanings and builds the major themes of the play in order to create dramatic atmosphere. The function of imagery was predominately to generate characterisation and to define the themes in the play. Shakespeare's application of imagery is vital in affecting the reaction of the audience and allows the audience to understand the play in more depth. There are many ways in which imagery is used in Othello and it is conveyed in many different areas. Poison is a key area in which Shakespeare more than dips into with the play. The idea of poison is most strongly associated with Iago, the heinous villain of the play that controls everyone around him, as a sort of puppeteer, manipulating both their thoughts and their actions. Iago's main agenda is to ruin the life of Othello, his master and general, and he achieves this by blackening and poisoning people's minds with his power of persuasion. Poison is a recurring image in the play and it first appears near the beginning of the play, where Iago and Roderigo go to inform Senator Brabantio that Othello has married his daughter, the fair Desdemona, and Iago most certainly goes in order to blacken Brabantio's idea of Othello. 'Call up her
Compare How Agard Challenges Particular Values and Ways of Thinking in Listen Mr. Oxford Don and Half Caste
Compare How Agard Challenges Particular Values and Ways of Thinking in 'Listen Mr. Oxford Don' and 'Half Caste' The poems, 'Listen Mr. Oxford Don' and 'Half Caste' were both written by John Agard, and in both of these poems, Agard challenges the status quo. In 'Listen Mr. Oxford Don', he challenges the use of language and in 'Half Caste', he challenges views of ethnicity. In the poem 'Listen Mr. Oxford Don', Agard characterizes Mr. Oxford Don as the 'Guardian of English', and the idea of a person who uses the 'correct' form of English. In this poem, Agard challenges the view that Standard English is the correct form of English, and other forms of English are of a lesser status. In the poem 'Half Caste', Agard challenges the reader prejudices towards people of mixed ethnicity. In 'Listen Mr. Oxford Don', Agard uses repetition of particular words and imagery to help him convey his ideas. He uses the phrase, "is a dangerous one" twice in the poem. He also uses sentence like, "I ent have no gun" to create the image of violence. Words such as, 'bashing' and 'slashing' are also used by Agard which suggest him being very threatening. The reason that Agard creates all these violent images is because he wants us to know that he's a peaceful man, but he can be very dangerous if people think that English has to be spoken in a particular way. Unlike 'Listen Mr. Oxford Don', in 'Half
How does Sujata Bhatt show that identity is important in from Search For My Tongue? Compare the methods she uses with the methods another poet uses to show that identity is important in one other poem.
How does Sujata Bhatt show that identity is important in 'from Search For My Tongue'? Compare the methods she uses with the methods another poet uses to show that identity is important in one other poem. 'Search For My Tongue' ('SFMT') and 'Hurricanes Hit England' ('HHE') both share a common theme of identity and how it influences our day-to-day life. 'SFMT' and 'HHE' together show show your cultural identity is within you; it's not constricted to a certain place. However, the two poets show this in different ways. In SFMT, Bhatt's emotional response to the language shows its importance. Whereas in HHE, Nichols' final conclusion of 'the earth is the earth' and her response to this epiphany show importance. Language is a method used in both poems to show identity's importance. Both poems use a physical thing metaphorically, too. In SFMT, it's her tongue. Whereas in HHE, it's the hurricane.In SFMT, the two tongues (languages) conflict in her (both physically and metaphorically). The two toungues would be squashed; there's clearly not enough room in someone's mouth for two tongues. This reflects her struggles on knowing two languages: the 'mother tongue' and the 'foreign tongue'. This is effective in showing Bhatt's dilemma and concerns. As a reader, I empathise with her as I understand that it must be difficult and frustrating. Additionally, the metaphor of the language being
The Outsider (Of Mice and Men)
The Outsider Of Mice and Men is a classic novel written by one of the world's most illustrious writers, John Steinbeck. John Steinbeck wrote a naturalistic novel which dealt with many powerful and universal themes including the value of dreams and goals, friendship and also "outsiders", which means individuals who do not fit into the mainstream of society. The novel also illustrates the significance of moral responsibility, the veracity of social injustice and also solitude. His novel "Of Mice and Men" is a story taking place around the 1930s during the Great Depression in California where the New York Wall Street stock market collapsed, and the rate of unemployment was very high. The great depression affected everyone, including both the rich and poor, industrial workers, farmers and so on. This novel however, portrays the life of two farmers, George Milton and Lennie Small. The themes of the novel are important because they depict human life in a remarkable and comprehensible way relating to the dreams and constant struggles faced in life. All the characters played in the novel "Of Mice and Men" are lonesome, living an empty life everyday consisting of mainly hard labor. The characters all live a very disheartening life, with the lack of happiness, love and affection in their lives. This can be seen also when George mentions that 'ranch workers are the loneliest people
Shylock - villian or victim?
Shylock has been very badly treated by certain Christians and he yearns for revenge. He goes too far when he seeks the life of his main persecutor, but he is essentially, an intelligent, dignified man who can no longer bear to be humiliated. Long before Shylock plotted against him, Antonio seemed to take a pride in spurning Shylock, treating him in public with rudeness and contempt. This type of behaviour appears to contradict with the rest of his character. You would imagine that such a man would instinctively shrink from insulting anybody so grossly, but Antonio seems proud of it and tells Shylock that he will probably abuse him again, 'spit on him again and spurn him, too'. In 'The Merchant of Venice', Shakespeare does not treat Shylock as simply evil for evil's sake. He makes him human. Shylock has good reason to resent Antonio. He says: 'You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog, and spit upon my Jewish gabardine, and all for use of that which is mine own,' When Shylock shows a seeming kindness to Antonio he takes it as a sign that 'The Hebrew will turn Christian: he grows kind'. Kindness in a Jew is beyond Antonio's conception. Christians alienate Shylock simply because he is a Jew. In ancient, medieval, and Renaissance times, Jews almost always encountered prejudice from non-Jews around them. Scholars are divided on whether Shakespeare, in The Merchant of
Why Act 3, Scene 3 is a significant turning point in Othello
Act Three, Scene Three - Othello Choose a scene which you consider to be a turning point and explain in detail and with some reference to the rest of the play why it is dramatic and significant. Refer to language, themes and characterisation. A turning point is a time in a plot where actions cause a character to develop from their prior persona. A classic example of this is Act Three, Scene Three of Shakespeare's 'Othello'. This scene is crucial to the play, as it conveys the change in the moor, Othello's personality as a result of Iago's manipulation. In this essay I will describe this scene's dramatic nature and significance with reference to language, themes and characterisation. I will begin by describing Othello before Iago had interfered with his relationship. I will then give an overview of the structure and state why it is effective. I shall explore the key moments in manipulation and discuss how a climax is created. In conclusion, I shall relate the scene to the rest of the play, whilst discussing why it is dramatic with reference to the main themes portrayed, and its overall significance. Othello is a man of many complexities. Having being cast into a world of civilised Venetians, he is seen as an outsider; a 'black ram', 'The Moor'. His ethnicity is foreign to the people, and so it can be seen in his simple dialect. Yet, referred to as "noble Othello",
