Shakespeare highlights brotherly love throughout Romeo and Juliet and there are five examples of it. Romeos two main best friends are Benvolio and Montague. Benvolio represents a peace-maker and Mercutio a volatile, provocative man and has a language that includes sexual innuendos. In the Baz Luhrmann film, Luhrmann depicts Montague as a sexually ambiguous character … Read more
The Hidden Theme of Sacrifice William Shakespeare has woven in a hidden theme that some may overlook. Shakespeare uses the theme of sacrifice in “the Tragedy of King Lear” to reveal what each character truly loves through their actions, rather than through their words. Shakespeare demonstrates the theme of sacrifice with the character of Goneril … Read more
Whether or not ghosts exist was a subject of great debate in the Elizabethan era. Elizabethan playwrights were very prevalent in the debate and their works were heavily inspired by the Roman tragedian Seneca, who brings us the concept of ghosts returning from the dead to call for revenge. The nature of such ghosts was … Read more
Another means for the insight into the characters’ minds is the ‘aside’, which often functions as a pre-form or a transition to the monologue in Shakespeare’s works. Nevertheless, in many cases a short version of a monologue cannot be distinguished from an ‘aside’. Shakespeare has developed this type of expression far above its original purpose, … Read more
Hamlet was written in 1609 by William Shakespeare; Shakespeare is one of the greatest poets and playwrights. Since the original performance of Hamlet, there have been many movie adaptations. Some of the many well-known film directors for these movies are Kenneth Branagh, Franco Zeffirelli and Sir Laurence Olivier. From the above film directors, I will … Read more
King Lear’s Inner Conscious and Peace Shakespeare’s King Lear brings into question the loyalties of children to their fathers and how that impacts their immediate lives. Through King Lear’s short-lived moments between normalcy and madness, we can observe how and in what ways Cordelia and the Fool influence him. While serving almost the same purpose, … Read more
Individuals often encounter a struggle between competing forces, which only lead to further doubt since it is not only about a matter of picking one or the other. It is important to protect our sense of personal identity and help guard against being overwhelmed by the demands of their surroundings and maintain independence. However, relationships … Read more
The Consequences of the Spectrum of Idealism In most cases, an individual’s behaviour will directly reflect their personal desires. As suggested in William Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hamlet, an individual’s unrealistic desires can hinder their ability to productively take action. When their circumstances are disrupted, many individuals will cling to the comfort and familiarity that lies in … Read more
The humanism of the Renaissance is also described as the age of the individual, since it especially emphasized the dignity and value of the individual. The human, with all his respective emotions and perceptions, was now placed into the center of society and the universe, and during this discovery of the individual, the individual personality … Read more
The general feelings and behavioural traits of gender inequality, honour and loyalty of humankind are flawed by William Shakespeare’s in his play Julius Caesar (1599). Shakespeare explores issues relating to human nature and power through characterisation. This is illustrated through insignificance of women such as Portia and Calpurnia, and the honour and loyalty of Brutus … Read more
‘Macbeth’, written by William Shakespeare in 1606 explores the ideas of the corrupting power of ambition as it follows the path of courageous Macbeth attempting to conquer Scotland, due to the influence of three witches. Driven by desire for leadership, the once honourable Macbeth and his wife embark on a murderous journey which sees their … Read more
In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, there are many different ways to interpret the play due to Shakespeare leaving scenes vague and allowing for creative licensing. No one knows what Shakespeare truly intended for the meaning behind what he wrote. This has let actors, directors, and producers put in what they think Shakespeare meant Hamlet to be. Through … Read more
The classic novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, has been developed into a graphic novel and in this essay, we will be taking a closer look at the writing and illustration process of the novel. We will also look at how the novel compares to the original version. This novel is considered one of the … Read more
Hamlet’s Time of Night Soliloquy My lines: “Tis now the very witching time of night, when church yards yawn and hell itself breathes out contagion to this world. Now could I drink hot blood,” (Hamlet 3.2 371-374) Part One: Characteristics 1. Purpose of the soliloquy: Hamlet has just found out that his father’s ghost was … Read more
“Sawubona”, meaning I see you, is the very first thing that comes out of a Zulu speaking person when they see someone, and the response would generally be ‘Ngikhona’ which means I am here. This simple greeting is a profound way of stressing on the importance of human connection that is found in human beings … Read more
