The profound intertextuality between William Shakespeare’s 1597 historical tragedy King Richard III (KRIII) and Al Pacino’s 1996 docudrama Looking for Richard (LFR) is portrayed to a considerable degree through the organic synthesis and resynthesis of the representation of values. The composers’ selection of textual devices and their exhibitions of societal influence illuminates an abundance of … Read more
E.M.W. Tillyard wrote in his 1944 work entitled Shakespeare’s History Plays that ‘the Tudors, to suit their ends, encouraged their people to look on the events that led to their accession in a special way.’ The marriage of the houses of York and Lancaster which ended the period of civil strife known as the Wars … Read more
Niccolo Machiavelli a political philosopher who wrote “The Prince” has a unique relationship with the subject that he wrote about. Machiavelli wrote his book as a manual on leadership and governing during the late Italian Renaissance. The book was also served as a handbook for the rulers. Niccolo says that he was not interested in … Read more
The Prince by Machiavelli and A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies by Bartolomé de Las Casas are two distinct books that give accounts of nation-building, power, and the molarity or ruling by giving an insight into what motivates one person to dominate or rule another. The text A Short Destruction of The … Read more
In terms of prescribing rules to preserve the state, Machiavelli’s Prince has principles. It matters that Machiavelli’s Prince has principles because it means that Machiavelli offers a template for other Princes to follow on how they should their rule kingdom. The Prince, written in the mirror for princes style, provides historical examples as templates for … Read more
Niccolo Machiavelli’s, The Prince, is one of the most controversial books of its time. Because of its contents, Machiavelli is seen by many as symbol for evil and vice. The book was thought to be so abhorrent that it was banned by the Catholic church, and harshly critiqued by many of Machiavelli’s contemporaries. The Sixteenth … Read more
Introduction Lee Maracle’s Bobbi Lee Indian Rebel reveals the untold narrative of Indigenous women in Canada. The book is styled in as an autobiography and follows the life a young Indigenous woman plagued with challenges of poverty, addiction and oppression. Taking place mainly in Toronto Lee Maracle describes the up rise of activism on issues … Read more
Imagine a society where the only use of women is to repopulate society, where a woman’s worth is essentially determined by her ovaries. This frightening scenario is a reality in Margaret Atwood’s novel, The Handmaid’s Tale. Atwood wrote The Handmaid’s Tale in response to the hostile political climate of the 1980s. The book portrays women … Read more
A major theme that runs throughout the novel is that of the importance of reputation and how others view us in society. This is as important, if not more so, for women than men, I believe this is a conscious decision on the behalf of Atwood. Atwood uses Alias Grace to explore why women feel … Read more
The stereotype of women passiveness rarely emphasizes the strengths behind staying silent. Isabel Allende writes with the perspective of magical, powerful women in 19th century Chile where they face the constraints of the patriarchy. The plot of the novel centers around the female family members of each generation. They tell their story and their hardships … Read more
Past and present American literature has ultimately reflected the life and culture of America today. The history of that literature suggests that America is not an equitable nation. According to the Oxford Pocket English Dictionary, equity is, in its most basic form, the quality of being fair and impartial. Historically, America has not demonstrated qualities … Read more
Leo Tolstoy’s death of Ivan Ilyich deals with the not accepting his death until it right before his death, and Miguel de Cervantes book Don Quixote where the death on Don Quixote he was more accepting when his time came. Even though they both are dealing with death at the end they are not the … Read more
In King Lear, Shakespeare represents social status as something that holds immense value. He shows that his characters are willing to do whatever it takes in order to be closer to the top of the hierarchy, as this results in more power. This involves the betrayal of family and the death of many, showing that … Read more
Shakespeare’s comedy Much Ado About Nothing revolves around the marriage of Hero and Count Claudio, which quickly becomes convoluted by secrets, omissions, and lies. Still, Hero and the Count are destined to be married all the while Don John, the “plain-dealing villain,” plots their demise. As to be expected, in the first scene of the … Read more
Shakespeare has been greatly influenced by the time period he wrote Othello in when observing the roles of racism and white beauty standards in the play. The protagonist of the play, Othello, is a general in the defence forces of Venice, husband of the fair Desdemona and a man of North African descent. While it … Read more
