Explore Shakespeare's Presentation of Relationships in Messina.
Explore Shakespeare's Presentation of Relationships in Messina Shakespeare produced the comedy 'Much Ado About Nothing' in Seventeenth century England. The play is set in Messina, Sicily and follows the story of two young lovers-Hero and Claudio, and also the more complex relationship of Beatrice and Benedick. We can see that relationships are of central aspect to the play, whether it be of romance, family or friendship. The setting of the play is described as 'A lively, sociable world presented through its etiquettes and enjoyments, and framed in a context of companionable localities.'(i) We know that the play is a comedy, which is most likely why the play is set in such a happy, warm and entertaining place-to set the right atmosphere. There are many themes shown throughout the play, Love being of foremost importance and significance, and also Deception, Marriage and Society, Honour and Slander. The play opens with the discussion between the messenger and Leonato of the outcome of the war. However we can immediately notice that the war isn't really affecting those in Messina as they are talking about the issue as though it has no relevance to their lives. 'But few of any sort, and none of name.' Shakespeare has also chosen to open the play with the reading of a letter, something which was popularly used by Shakespeare in many of his plays. It also lets us know a bit about
The song "Express Yourself" by Madonna has contradictory messages.
The song "Express Yourself" by Madonna has contradictory messages. It promotes respect for oneself among women, and female empowerment, but at the same time Madonna says women need a "big strong hand to lift [them] to a higher ground." This negates any feminism that the rest of the song might suggest. There is a call for women to become independent, but this sentiment is challenged by the suggestion of women's dependence on men. In the first few lines of the song Madonna clarifies who her intended audience is, "girls." This can be seen as an intentional call for women to unite for a cause. There are a variety of causes suggested in the song. Some that are apparent are Madonna's decimation of patriarchal and capitalist constructions, (suggested in the lines "...Fancy cars that go very fast/ you know they never last...", where Madonna is telling women not to let a man buy his way into their hearts), for sexual liberation (which is made apparent in the lines, "Second best is never enough/ You'd do much better baby on your own."). The theme of sexual liberation present in the lyrics is also suggested in the title, "Express Yourself". I interpreted the line "What you need is a big strong hand to lift you to your higher ground/ Make you feel like a queen on a throne/ Make him love you till you can't come down," as sexual innuendo. I did this taking the lyrics at face value and also
Dramatic Quality of the Central Scenes in 'Dr Faustus' by Christopher Marlowe.
Dramatic Quality of the Central Scenes in 'Dr Faustus' by Christopher Marlowe 'Dr Faustus' is considered by many to be a tragic play, in fact, Marlowe himself called it, 'The Tragicall History of the Life and Death of Dr. Faustus'. However, there are several scenes in the middle of the play (scenes 6 to 11) which can be considered to be comical scenes, which do not fit into the stereotype of tragedies of the time. They can be considered to be interesting scenes in their own right, but their overall purpose and their closely linked end dramatic quality, is examinable. The central scenes are in place chiefly to interject humour into what would otherwise be a grave and serious play. They also work to parody the main plot and at the same time aid foreshadow Faustus' downfall later on in the play. Both of these effects add to and improve the dramatic quality of 'Dr Faustus'. They add another dimension to the play and prevent it from being purely a grim and flat tragedy; without these central scenes, the play may not be as interesting and may be lacking in dramatic quality. The central scenes add another level to Faustus' character, showing the audience how his behaviour and attitude to life have changed giving us a break from the overall tragedy of the play. They also contribute to plot development in that they help further the play's themes. For example, the scenes with
Elizabethan and Jacobean drama
Elizabethan and Jacobean drama The Alchemist Read Act4 sc (i) carefully, then produce a written analysis covering the following areas: * Who speaks in this extract, to whom and where in the drama does it occur? * What is the significance of these lines to the dramatic action of the play? * Give a detailed account of the language used in this extract, looking for particular features that have a significant impact on the comedy * What are the major themes alluded to in this extract, and how do they relate to the rest of the play? * How do the themes alluded to in this extract relate to the cultural and social context of the play? Within this extract we see Sir Epicure Mammon return to Lovewit's house to claim the riches promised him and be introduced to the mad 'lord's sister' (II.3.221). He is met by Face in the guise of Lungs the Alchemists servant. The two engage in a dialogue concerning Mammon's 'stuff' (IV, I, 4) in which he is led to believe that the Alchemist is readying himself to turn the possessions that mammon has given to him into gold. Face then continues to dupe Mammon into believing that the' Lady' he has come to meet is anxiously waiting for him "She is almost in her fit to see you" (IV, I,8). Immediately after this exchange between the two Face retires to get the 'Lady' and returns with Dol Common in tow 'richly dressed' in her guise as a noble
First Impressions of Beatrice and Benedick - Much ado about Nothing.
First Impressions of Beatrice and Benedick In the first line said by either of these characters, we learn a lot about them both. Beatrice is the first of the two to speak when she enquires: 'I pray you, Is Signor Mountanto returned from the wars or no?' - Page 66, Line 23 As Hero explains two lines later, Beatrice is referring to Benedick but she is mocking him. She believes that Benedick is stuck up and through this line she also mocks his pretensions as a swordsman by calling him 'Mountanto'. This first line gives the impression that Beatrice either does not like Benedick or is maybe just pretending not to like him. As part of the same conversation, a messenger sticks up for Benedick and shows that people trust Benedick. It also shows that he is a good person despite what Beatrice says. This makes Benedick look good to an audience because someone is sticking up for him but it displays a jealous side to Beatrice. She could be jealous that Benedick has someone to defend him and she doesn't, but it may also be that he has chosen to be alone rather than to be with her. This is especially shown when she suggests that a fool's weapon is the most appropriate for him. 'He set up his bills here in Messina, and challenged Cupid at the flight: and my uncle's fool, reading the challenge, subscribed for Cupid and challenged him at the birdbolt.' - Page 66, Lines 29-31 By using
Much Ado About Nothing is a play in which language is a key focus.
Much Ado About Nothing A Play in Which Language is a Key Focus In this coursework I will be analysing the play 'Much Ado About Nothing' written by Arden Shakespeare. This addition is edited by A.R Humphreys, which was written in 1958. 'Much Ado About Nothing' is a comedy from Shakespeare's collection. In 'Much Ado About Nothing', Shakespeare uses comedy and a touch of tragedy to send a message of deceit and noting as a key issue. The content of the play basically underlines the story of Claudio's engagement of Hero, which is ruined by Don Pedro's intervention and plotting. This then becomes more complicated when Hero fakes her death. Simultaneously another subplot is seen through Benedick and Beatrice, as they begin to fall in love regardless of their frequent battles of wit despite the hatred they have for each other. Both plots combine which leads into an affair of honour between Benedick and Claudio. Additionally there are two facetious local constables, Dogberry and Verges who try to expose the scheming of Don John and Borachio. The core part of my essay will discuss language and how Shakespeare uses different types of language for different characters. The style of the language is rather different from other plays that Shakespeare has written: as 'Much Ado About Nothing' is written in one third prose then blank verse. Shakespeare therefore changes the tempo and turns
Annalise Carter
Annalise Carter Julie Mulleny Postcolonial literature and theory assessment - Question 2 'Postcolonial narrative, structured by a tension between the oppressive memory of the past and the libratory promise of the future is necessarily involved in the work of mourning." (Sam Durrant) In what ways and to what effects are colonial pasts remembered and thus rewritten in any one or more of the texts o this unit? Throughout Merle Hodge's postcolonial novel 'Crick Crack, Monkey' we are lead thought the childhood of the main protagonist, Tee. A main and paramount theme that runs throughout this narrative is that of education. It is due to this theme that Tee's colonial past is changed and distorted. At the outset of the narrative that we are introduced to a young girl living a simple, but happy life in Trinidad with her Aunt Tantie. This urban life becomes misshapen when Tee attends secondary school and is sent to live with her Aunt Beatrice. It is through Aunt Beatrice's European ideal and Tee's European socialisation at secondary school that her colonial past is transformed and rewritten. From the outset of the novel we see Tee as a young confused girl. Her mother died in childbirth, which caused her father to emigrate overseas, " Then papa went to sea. I concluded that what he had gone to see was wether he could find Mammy and the baby". This confusion subsides momentarily
Comment on the two following scenes: Much Ado About Nothing Act II Scene iii and Love's Labour's Lost Act IV Scene iii.
Comment on the two following scenes: Much Ado About Nothing Act II Scene iii and Love's Labour's Lost Act IV Scene iii. The title Much Ado About Nothing perhaps superficially intimates a great amount of irrelevant, unnecessary fuss, however deeper consideration indicates it has a profound resonance. The major 'Ado' or complication within the plot springs from Claudio's denunciation of Hero and moreover, the minor 'Ado' derives from the deception which unites Beatrice and Benedick. Act II Scene iii is significant in this minor narrative because it acts as a catalyst for the expression of perhaps an already latent attraction between the latter two characters. Furthermore, the Elizabethan pronunciation of 'Nothing' as 'Noting' denotes that the themes of eavesdropping and overhearing are central to the play's importance. Similarly, they can be applied to Act IV Scene iii of the play Love's Labour's Lost although their importance is by contrast, not pivotal to the play's narrative. Thus in this essay the significance of deception, eavesdropping and the discovery of the truth shall be investigated within both scenes in order to analyze their functions within the plots and their overall importance to the corresponding plays. The character of Benedick, within Much Ado About Nothing openly scorns and disdains the notion of love. His misogynistic beliefs are emphasized in his opening
The Long, the Short and the Tall
The Long the Short and the Tall Willis Hall has claimed that he wrote the play "simply as entertainment." How far do you agree with the statement that The Long and the Short and the Tall is only meant to entertain an audience and not educate them? The Long and the Short and the Tall is a play set in the Malayan jungle in 1942 during the Second World War. The play focuses on a small British patrol group who were sent north into the jungle to check for signs of Japanese advance. The playwright is Willis Hall who was first a regular solider serving in Singapore. The play was written for amateur actors in Edinburgh as they had regional accents, which suited the roles for 1950's characters. The title "The Long the Short and the Tall" came from an anti-war song, which was popular during the Second World War. The Long and the Short and the Tall offers the reader a new perceptive of war, responsibility, and isolation while also entertaining. The author Willis Hall makes use of his first hand experience as a solider to give the impression that the realities of war were off-putting. The play raises many issues mainly one being "war," which is addressed in the whole first act. The five patrol members have no awareness of battle and are unable to come to terms with their situation. However, until the Japanese prisoner came, none of the inexperienced soldiers have been faced with the