Analysis Of The Play 'The Tragedy Of Mariam'

1066 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Kingship in shakespeare's plays

In the play The Tragedy of Mariam by Elizabeth Cary, we see how society functions under Herod’s tyrannical rule. The character of Herod displays tyrannical traits of controlling his society and having hubris. For example, Herod’s disappearance gives Pheroras a token to marry his lover Graphina, Constabarus the chance to set Babas’ sons free, and Mariam the chance to live since no one is there to kill her. However, this freedom is countered by the fears that these characters manifest. Tyranny seeps into the public conscience, so that even when the physical tyrant is absent, the people’s ingrained fears and obedience limit their freedom. Herod claims absolute power as a king and this especially affects his wife, Mariam. Herod holds possession of Mariam and tries to control her without allowing anyone or herself have authority over her choices. Mariam begins the play with a speech which explains how Herod demands that Mariam be dead if he ever dies, “My death to his had been unseparate” (1.1.50). Although, Josephus' death permits Mariam to live, considering it was his duty to kill her. Mariam is free from her sentence, but despite the idea that the king is not apparent, Mariam still hates …show more content…

People are fixed on the idea that they must be obedient to a specific ruler even when he’s away. Multiple characters support the notion that if a tyrant ruler isn’t present, they still should feel fear, including his wife, Mariam, his brother, Pheroras, and lastly Constabarus. Each one of these characters possessed a sense of fear and anxiety even when a physical tyrant was not apparent. The people’s entrenched terrors and compliance limit their freedom due to the fact that tyranny filters into their moral sense. Which makes us wonder if Herod never returned, would this tyranny come to an

Show More
Related

  • Winston Smith of George Orwell’s 1984 and Hamlet of Shakespeare’s Hamlet

    1569 Words  | 4 Pages

    Heroes in literature and history, more often than not, meet tragic ends, unless they were created by Walt Disney. These particular people are often seen as someone who is apart from the masses in morals and attempt to accomplish a higher calling for the common good. The problem with this type of hero is that they are destined for suffering.Two such characters exist in classic literature, Winston Smith of George Orwell’s 1984 and Hamlet of William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet, Prince of Denmark.” Hamlet is the true classic tragic hero, though, because he is of noble birth, possesses high moral standards, completes the task he is given to better the world, and causes tragedy in both his life and the lives of others.

    Read More

  • Review of the Play Marisol

    358 Words  | 1 Pages

    Since this is a review and its based on my opinion, I would have to say this was one of the worst plays I've ever seen in my life. I wasn't entertained by the play at all. The only good parts were the good-looking girls in the play. I like the main character Marisol based only on her looks. She played on ok job of acting. I realize she had a lot of lines to memorize which she had down, but she just didn't get to me. I think the costumes were ok. They had nothing special, or out of the ordinary except for the angel's wings, which were pretty nice. I didn't like the lighting or the scenery. I didn't know where the scene was supposed to be at some points.

    Read More

  • Gender Role In Medea

    1518 Words  | 4 Pages

    “Medea,” a play by Euripides, depicts the difficulties that befall women and how their suffering from mistreatment, turned her to commit violent and terrible transgressions. Medea’s display of ceaseless demoralized actions lead to the death of nearly her entire family. The text depicts powerless women that live under the rule of their husbands in a male dominated society. Medea rises against societal norms during this time by her strong belief in her own ideas, she rises to power, and begins to challenge the idea of a strong, heroic character.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of A Midsummer Night's Dream

    776 Words  | 2 Pages

    Do you like magical and fictional characters? One of the most Magical stories is A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This play is a contrast of the real world and a world inhabited by fairies and other magical sources and elements. This play takes place during Elizabethan time period. The Play was performed at The Globe Theatre. The play was written in 1590.

    Read More

  • Gender, Language and Silence in "The Tragedy of Mariam"

    2312 Words  | 5 Pages

    `Plays and Poetry by early modern women are primarily concerned with negotiating a position from which women could speak. A concern for ideas of gender, language and silence is, therefore, central, though its expression is sometimes open, sometimes covert.' Discuss with reference to Aemilia Lanyer and / or Elizabeth Cary.

    Read More

  • Creon: A Tragic Hero

    852 Words  | 2 Pages

    Over time, history has given society many to whom we call true heroes. There are many reasons these heroes have been looked up to such as: bravery, dedication, confidence, and inspiration. However, a tragic hero requires a few different qualities. Aristotle describes a tragic hero as a “member of royalty,” someone who “must fall from tremendous good fortune,” and someone who creates pity for him or herself (“Connections: A Theory” 2000). In Greek drama, Sophocles’ Antigone and Euripides’ Medea both contain several possible tragic heroes including Medea, Jason, and Creon. More specifically, in Antigone Creon exemplifies the qualities of a tragic hero best due to his prominent power as king of Thebes, the way he holds strong to his stubborn pride, and the sympathy felt for him in his tragic downfall.

    Read More

  • Essay On The Relationship Between Antigone And Creon

    1608 Words  | 4 Pages

    Aristotle once said, “A man cannot become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall.” A tragic hero is defined as a literary character who makes a judgement error that inevitably leads to his or her own destruction. In the play Antigone, King Creon was perceived as a powerful, respectable, and confident king; inadvertently his confidence and arrogance had led him to the termination of his reign. Creon was confronted with a difficult situation in which he must chose to abide the law or support his niece, Antigone. While being entangled with his pride, he had not given Antigone a chance to persuade him. He had done what he deemed appropriate as king by abolishing his own niece, unaware of the consequences that the future held for him. The interactions between Antigone and Creon in this play had exploited Creon’s flaws and had influenced his decisions which eventually

    Read More

  • Discussion Of The Tragic Hero In Sophocles Antigone

    924 Words  | 2 Pages

    The origin of the Sophocles’ Greek tragedy “Antigone” has created much controversy about the definition of a tragic hero, as defined by Aristotle. A literary character that makes a judgment error that leads to his/her own downfall. Both Creon and Antigone challenge each other’s conception of the divine and civic law while each has lawfulness in their argument. It is evidently noted that Antigone is the hero of the tragedy; she was a romantic idealist whose beliefs on family loyalty and religious values could not be condemned by civil laws.

    Read More

  • The Breakdown of Sympathy for Othello

    1976 Words  | 4 Pages

    Some critics discuss the breakdown in sympathy for Othello during the 20th Century. Do you agree that this is the case and does it apply to Giovanni? As defined by Aristotle in his analysis of tragedy, an audience must experience a sense of catharsis to be affected by a tragedy, meaning it is key that sympathy is felt for the tragic hero or the tragedy will be ineffectual. What makes Othello a successful tragedy is the way that Shakespeare establishes pity for Othello throughtout the play, even in his lowest moments as a character, and it is the lack of this in Tis Pity She’s A Whore that means the audience loses any sense of pathos by the end of the play.

    Read More

  • A Feminist Analysis of Othello

    1738 Words  | 4 Pages

    In William Shakespeare’s tragic play Othello there are numerous instances of obvious sexism aimed at the three women in the drama -- Desdemona, Emilia and Bianca – and aimed at womankind generally. Let us delve into this subject in this paper.

    Read More

  • The Tragic Treatment of Women in Othello

    1666 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Tragic Treatment of Women in Othello In Shakespeare's drama, Othello, there are many different relationships among the main characters. The way that Shakespeare portrays these relationships sets the stage for the pain and deceit that unfolds within the play. Relations between the men of the play, Othello, Roderigo, Iago, and Cassio, undoubtedly form the main theme. Furthermore, each of the men, except Roderigo, also has woman that stands behind and cares for him.

    Read More

  • Macbeth: A Tragic Hero

    1162 Words  | 3 Pages

    Tragic heroes, who destined for a serious downfall, are the protagonist of a dramatic tragedy. A tragic hero is usually a great hero, who gets the most respect from other people; on the other hand, a tragic hero can also lose everything he gained because of his mistakes. His downfall is the result of a wrong judgment, a flaw which might combined with fated and external forces. The downfall can cause the tragic hero to suffer for the rest of his life. In many literary works, the downfall of the tragic heroes usually happen in their highest point. In the same way, Macbeth is a tragic hero in the play called “The Tragedy of Macbeth” which is written by a legendary writer, William Shakespeares. Macbeth is a great general who gained many respect from the people and even the king. In the highest point of his life, because of seeking for greater power, it created Macbeth’s downfall. Macbeth, a tragic hero, causes suffering for himself and others by committing murders and creating distress, which are the negative effects of seeking for a greater power.

    Read More

  • Comparative Character Analysis of Classical Vs. Modern Tragic Protagonists.

    784 Words  | 2 Pages

    A hero/ heroine is described as the principal male/ female character in a literary or dramatic work or the central figure in an event, period, or movement. The classic tragic hero was defined by Aristotle in the fourth century as, “someone who is highly renowned and prosperous” (LATWP, 639), suggesting that there is a “natural right ordering and proportion of traits within the human being that if violated, produces calamity” (LATWP, 639). The book goes on to define classical tragedy as one that “involves the inevitable destruction of a noble person by means of character flaw, usually a disproportionate measure of a specific human attribute such as pride, jealousy or indecision” (LATWP, 639).

    Read More

  • Herodotus

    1236 Words  | 3 Pages

    Herodotus uses the introduction of characters to diverge from the central idea of his theme and he uses this technique to demonstrate his views on moral and political topics. These controversial topics come up while he is unfolding his History and he uses these characters to express his own opinion on these subjects. An example of Herodotus’ confronts moral subjects during his narration when he talks about death, yielding to ones pride, and honorable fighting. He also uses these characters to show that Tyranny is not a good form of government.

    Read More

  • Essay On Macbeth A Tragic Hero

    1404 Words  | 3 Pages

    There are many heroes in this world, whether it’s a fireman or a doctor. A hero is defined based on their courage, nobility and strength. In contrast, there are tragic heroes. According to philosopher, Aristotle, the definition of a tragic hero is one that is of greatness and dignity but, despite their greatness, makes an error, otherwise known as the hero’s “tragic flaw” or “hamartia” which leads to his downfall. In William Shakespeare’s tragedy, Macbeth, the main protagonist and round character, Macbeth starts as a man of greatness and dignity. His assumed loyalty to the country and king earns him respect from a variety of men and the title “Thane of Cawdor.” But, unfortunately because of his tragic flaw he is corrupted by his overwhelming ambition and destroys himself and the natural order of man. Macbeth transitions from the savior of his country, “Bellona’s bridegroom”, a “brave” and unbeatable man to a man of endless brutality. Macbeth is the epitome of a tragic hero.

    Read More

More about Analysis Of The Play 'The Tragedy Of Mariam'

Open Document