"The interest of the drama expires with the fourth act" How far do you agree with this assumption that the life and death of the Duchess is the predominant focus of interest for the audience?

"The interest of the drama expires with the fourth act" How far do you agree with this assumption that the life and death of the Duchess is the predominant focus of interest for the audience? The view as expressed in the question can only be answered after defining the importance, and role, of the Duchess and also whether the other characters are not equally as important. It presumes that she is only influential while she is alive. The idea as expressed by Pratchett in Reaper Man "No one is finally dead until the ripples they cause in the world die away... the span of someone's life they say is only the core of their actually existence" is one that I feel is applicable to the questions and one I shall endeavour to explore. The interest that is inherent with the Duchess I feel lies within the complexity and controversy of her character: Her feministic view to life seen in her valiant effort to remain in control amidst her brothers, "Whether I am doomed to live, or die, I can do both like a prince". She marries for love, "when I choose a husband I will marry for your honour" and is the aggressor in choosing Antonio about for a mate "we are forced to woo because none dare to woo us". A strong female role is uncommon outside comedies and so dominant, monarchic role of the Duchess would have attracted attention. The Duchess could have been seen as an allegory for Elizabeth I;

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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Compare how Act 3 Scene 2 was presented in the two versions of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" that you watched.

Compare how Act 3 Scene 2 was presented in the two versions of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" that you watched. You are asked to pay particular attention to the way the characters of Helena and Hermia are presented and to comment on how different audiences might respond to the two films. 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' is a play written by William Shakespeare. It is about the love life of four characters, two men, Lysander and Demetrius, and two women, Hermia and Helena. Lysander and Hermia love each other and Helena loves Demetrius. However, Demetrius loves Hermia too. In the scene in the videos, two fairies, Oberon and Puck, are trying to bring Helena and Demetrius together so that the four of them can co-exist peacefully. However, Puck accidentally makes Lysander fall in love with Helena, and then Oberon makes Demetrius fall in love with Helena too, with some juice that they pour into the men's eyes. Therefore, both men have now fallen in love with Helena and Hermia is desperately trying to win Lysander's love back. However, Lysander keeps declaring his love for Helena and his hate for Hermia so Hermia eventually tries to start a fight with Helena but is dragged off by both men. Then both men leave the scene bracing for a fight, and Helena is chased away by Hermia. There are two versions of this scene, the black and white version directed by Max Reindhart in 1935, and a colour

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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IT and financial services

IT AND FINANCIAL SERVICES ASSIGNMENT ONE WORDS CONTENTS SECTION 1 * IDENTIFYING THE DUNCAN FAMILYS FINANCIAL NEEDS SECTION 2 * FINANCIAL PRODUCTS CURRENTLY USED BY THE DUUNCAN FAMILY SECTION 3 * RECONMENDED FINANCIAL PRODUCTS AND SERVCIES AND PROVIDER SECTION 4 * REFERENCES SECTION 1: IDENTIFYING THE DUNCAN FAMILES FINANCIAL NEEDS Mr George Duncan is aged 38 and is married with two children. He works full-time as a company secretary for Leuchars and Panton Ltd, chartered Surveyors. His wife, Anne Duncan works part-time as a playgroup Leader. Salary unknown. Mr Duncan's salary earns £3,500 gross per month; this is paid directly into his current account. The Duncan family have a fairly straightforward and traditional banking system. They have one current account with the Royal Bank of Scotland and one savings account with the Dunferlime Building Society. They also have a share portfolio. The Duncan's money transmission is purely cash and cheque. They have no outstanding debts from borrowing etc. With George's monthly income of £3,500, they have a monthly outgoing of £1,185, which is detail below: £ FOOD & DRINK 315 CAR EXPENSES (petrol, road tax, repairs and insurance) 80 CLOTHING 80 ELECTRICITY & GAS 70 COUCIL TAX 210 ENTERTAINMENT (cinema, theatre, restaurants, TV) 65 TELEPHONE 25 LIFE ASSURANCE 50 OTHER EXPENSES 25 PROPERTY

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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Comparison of Two Productions of A Midsummer Night's Dream

GCSE English/English Literature Assignment Shakespeare's 'A midsummer Night's Dream In this assignment I am going to study William Shakespeare's 'A midsummer night's dream'. Which I will watch be performed by two different theatre company's. The first show is to take place at the Royal exchange theatre, on the 8th April. Directed by Lucy Bailey. The second performance is to take place on the 16th May, at the Salford Lowry theatre. Performed by The Royal Shakespeare Company. Directed by Richard Jones. In this assignment I will describe the two different theatre designs. I will also look closely into one chosen key scene, giving a brief plot of the scene and discuss key characters from this scene. I will comment on how the two different directors, directed my chosen scene and the differences between them while commenting on how affective they were. I will then compare the two different productions overall and specifically in my chosen scene saying which one I preferred and why. As well as any other thoughts on the play. The theatre design of the Royal Exchange is a theatre in the round. A road ran from one side of the theatres across to the opposite side. Although this was a fixes scene it was multi-per phased a lamppost stood in one corner of the theatre. This was very affective as it gave the audience the idea of being in the middle of nowhere. A if it was just one on going

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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Pope Gregory VII and Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV began the rivalry and conflict of personalities in 1075.

Pope Gregory VII and Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV began the rivalry and conflict of personalities in 1075. Pope Gregory VII forbade lay investiture; the term used for investiture of clerics by the king or emperor, a layman. The clerical reform movement generated the crisis; it was essential that the church had the power of selecting bishops if church reforms-abolition of simony and clerical marriage-were to be carried out. The famous decree against lay investiture come from Pope Gregory VII; 'If anyone in the future receives a bishopric or abbey from the hands of any laymen, he is under no circumstances to be ranked among the bishops, & we exclude him from the grace of St Peter.. and if anyone with a bishopric or any ecclesiastical offices let him know that he will there with incur the sentence of excommunication'. As the feud concerning investiture broke out, there was no official agreement as to the powers of the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor in installing bishops; it was thought by each they both had overall power in this matter. Although investiture meant the ecclesiastical ceremony itself, the duties also included with the election and installation process. The dispute over investiture was one of the greatest struggles between Church and state in the Middle Ages. The problem rose from the dual

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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With close reference to Henry V, Act 1, scene ii, ll.260-298, in an essay of approximately 1500 words, discuss - Henry's use of rhetorical devices- The way themes important to the play as a whole are present in this scene.

With close reference to Henry V, Act 1, scene ii, ll.260-298, in an essay of approximately 1500 words, discuss - Henry's use of rhetorical devices - The way themes important to the play as a whole are present in this scene The historic play Henry V was written in the Fifteenth century by William Shakespeare and is said to be "the most active dramatic experience Shakespeare ever offered his audience." By Joel Altman. (1) Imagination played a big part in Elizabethan plays because of the lack of visual effects and props etc, therefore language and 'over - dramatic' action was required to provide epic illusion. The need to exercise the imagination is emphasised in Henry V by the chorus who serves to introduce and sum up the five acts. "Piece out our imperfections with your thoughts:" (Prologue New Penguin Edition 4) The play works on many levels and explores six themes; the king's search for justification; modesty and pride; money and the making of deals; the omnipresence of death; the rhetoric of politics; the king as an actor. It was necessary that these themes were emphasized at every stage of the performance thus ensuring that the audience were swept up in the story and the characters reached out to the audience, in fact Paul Garnult, director of the Wales Actor's Company said "It is about the communication of emotional expression, the transference of resonant images from

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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Drama review - I didn't have the opportunity to see Hannie Rayson's first play Life After George and I couldn't be more disappointed, especially after seeing her latest play Inheritance.

DRAMA REVIEW- Draft Claudia Buttazzoni I didn't have the opportunity to see Hannie Rayson's first play Life After George and I couldn't be more disappointed, especially after seeing her latest play Inheritance. Inheritance is a wonderful piece of work. It is a sensitive, tender play, witty and sophisticated at the same time. It is also a very deep piece of work which covers many of our Nations biggest issues. Rayson weaves so many controversies together in the one play; gender identity, women's rights as land owners and the way they are viewed in a mans world, depression and suicide, city life versus life in the bush and one of Australia's longest existing battles- Aboriginal land rights. Inheritance is about rural Australia, which could only mean that it is a play about the land. It tells the story of five generations and just one farm. Twin sisters Girlie Delaney and Dibs Hamilton are preparing to celebrate their 80th birthday. The families are all gathered at 'the farm', Allandale, which Dibs had inherited from her mother. As the story goes, Dibs and Girlie's grandfather Jessie Allan, whose daughter married a man by the name of Norm Myrtle, founded Allandale. They had twin daughter's Dibs and Girlie. Norm struggled with depression, he struggled with life until the day that he decided he couldn't go on anymore, and hung himself. His body was found, hanging, by

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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King Lear: A Transformation of Self.

Lindsay Grazul December 16, 2003 Dr. Michael Hanby CHS-1000-012 King Lear: A Transformation of Self In King Lear, William Shakespeare traces one man's discovery of his individual sinfulness and ignorance, and his eventual appreciation of his mortal flaws and their consequences. Through the imagery of sight and eyes, Shakespeare details King Lear's passage from initial blindness to the virtue, honesty, and love of Cordelia to the ultimate restoration of his vision through suffering and selfless love. By illustrating the loss and gain of internal sight, as well as, detailing Lear's transformation from egotistic pride to self-abandoning love, the reader is taught to assess reality in terms of truth within ourselves, rather than, mere appearance or monetary value. Lear's tragic flaw is his excessive desire for approval and exaltation, which he looks to obtain by asking his three daughters to profess their love for him. The two eldest daughters, Regan and Goneril, speaking with self-serving exaggeration, give Lear exactly what he desires, reverence and adoration. However, Cordelia, his "most beloved daughter", refuses to comply with Lear's superficial desires. Aware that love extends deeper than artificial compliments, Cordelia confesses her "plain" love, characterized by modesty and honesty. "Then poor Cordelia!/ And not so, since I am sure my love's/ More ponderous

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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The decision to use the atomic bomb

The decision to use the atomic bomb is a debate that will question and antagonize American foreign policy analysts and decision makers for as long as moral and ethical elements accompany empirical realities. However this debate was most intense and important while the shockwaves of the first use of atomic power were still encircling the world. At this time those that had to carry the responsibility of such a decision had the responsibility to defend it. This responsibility fell primarily to Henry L. Stimson, American Secretary of War and main adviser to the President Harry S. Truman. In 1947, two years after the first use of the atomic bomb Henry L. Stimson produced "The Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb" outlining his reasons, and the suggestions made by the Interim Committee; the committee formulated to advise the president of his decision, headed by Henry L. Stimson. The period after the introduction to the world of atomic energy had been filled with bomb testing in February of 1946, surveys of the effects on humanity, objection to this kind of force, and a critical claim that the American government had created a 'myth' to justify the use of atomic warfare1. Many people started to question; was the bomb really necessary during World War Two? What really motivated the decision makers in determining what plan of action to take, and what were the alternatives? This new

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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Show through the movement of verse Brutus' thought process at 2

Show through the movement of verse Brutus' thought process at 2.1 lines 10-34 This is a soliloquy, designed to reveal Brutus' thinking and feelings, and also to give the audience a chance to judge his motives. By delaying the action of the play, it increases suspense as the audience enter the mind of a killer and his plotting. Throughout his speech, rhythm, rhyme, repetition and imagery are used to reveal Brutus' need to justify himself. The whole speech is in iambic pentameter. Iambs occur when, of two syllables, only the second is stressed. Here, "death" is most stressed, followed by "must". "Must" and "death" contain hard-hitting consonants ("t" and "d") and the combination, along with "must", sounds threatening, intent and violent. This rhythmic effect in the first clause sounds determined and final - so why does Brutus run on? The colon before "and, for my part" suggests that he feels he needs an explanation for this decision, one that he can justify in "general" terms (meaning for the general good of the people), if not on a "personal" level, why he is, quite definitely, going to kill Caesar. The iambic rhythm set up so far is interrupted by lines 2 and 3, with "personal" and "general" going from one stressed followed by two unstressed, creating a trickling sound, and supporting a very thoughtful tone. One can feel that Brutus is just trying to persuade

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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