Folger Shakespeare Library Essays

  • Claustraphobia in The Taming of The Shrew and The Tragedy of Mariam

    1532 Words  | 4 Pages

    displaced within society, and isolated in the domestic space. (Shakespeare, 1982:109) She disappoints in conforming to the mould of a demure obedient maiden, and is thus rejected by her society. Her ‘shrewish’ behaviour leaves her to be deemed incompetent to marry, or be accepted as a woman, as she is not of a ‘gentler, milder, mould.’ (Shakespeare, 1982:109) Crocker highlights that, a shrew ‘is ... ... middle of paper ... ... Library in association with George Washington University. Stable URL:http://www

  • The Selfish King in Shakespeare's King Lear

    1012 Words  | 3 Pages

    Schneider, Ben R. Jr. "King Lear in Its Own Time: The Difference That Death Makes." Early Modern Literary Studies 1 (1995). Shakespeare, William. "King Lear." William Shakespeare: the Tragedies, the Poems. Ed. John D. Wilson. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2006. Stern, Jeffrey. ?King Lear: The Transference of the Kingdom.? Shakespeare Quarterly, 1990. Folger Shakespeare Library.

  • Sexuality in A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare

    952 Words  | 2 Pages

    her. However, new evidence shows that he wrote almost half of his sonnets to a man, including that oft-quoted “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” sonnet. As we look closer and closer at his cross-dressing, male-centric, “fabulous” plays, Shakespeare scholars argue that it’s very possible he swung the other way, or at least been an ally for those who did. Fast forward about four hundred years and we live in a thoroughly(though not yet quite totally) accepting society, with multiple organizations

  • The Tempest

    2241 Words  | 5 Pages

    People often go looking for a copy of The Tempest, by William Shakespeare; they often have trouble finding it because everyone classifies it differently. Some people feel it is a play based on history and politics. Some feel that it is a romance because of the relationship between Ferdinand and Miranda. Others consider it a masque because of Act IV Scene i. Some consider it a tragedy because of how the play opens and turns out even though it turns out that no one dies in the end. There are those

  • Blind Persistence

    709 Words  | 2 Pages

    The play Othello by William Shakespeare is a portrayal of jealousy and deception. The two characters Cassio and Roderigo play a vital role throughout the play in portraying Shakespeare’s theme of how ignorance, whether it be words of advice from others or just indications, can lead to one’s downfall. Cassio and Roderigo both play an essential role in showing how being persistent—ignoring everything that could be signs of warning—to attain what we want is not always the correct approach. The first

  • Death and Destruction in Lord of the Flies and the Tragedy of Macbeth

    697 Words  | 2 Pages

    Death and destruction surround mankind, producing much sentiment and ideas which are crucial and meaningful. In Lord of the Flies by William Golding and The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare, one is able to examine the theme of death and destruction in close-depth by the vivid descriptions in their remarkable writings. Such theme, in both literature, portrays death caused by misjudgment, death of the innocents, and the destruction of human conscience; which all are significant with respect

  • Prospero in William Shakespeare's "The Tempest"

    1260 Words  | 3 Pages

    William Shakespeare's "The Tempest" Prospero has long been read as one of Shakespeare’s most cherished and provocative protagonists. His timeless role in “The Tempest” has provided readers and critics with insights into many attributes of Shakespeare as a man, his works, and the political views that are personified in his play. The historical context of “The Tempest” is one that convincingly conveys the political views of the English people of his time, relating to the colonization of the New

  • Comparison of Characters and The Definition of a Hero

    911 Words  | 2 Pages

    Sydney. Shakspere and His Forerunners. N.p.: J. B. Lippincott Co., 1901. Print. Newell, W. W. Sources of Shakespeare’s Tempest. N.p.: American Folklore Society, 1903. Print. Shelden, Michael. The Imagery of Constraint in Hamlet. N.p.: Folger Shakespeare Library, 1977. Print.

  • John Caird’s Production of Hamlet

    2595 Words  | 6 Pages

    scenes. Presumably this element of the set served the purpose of reinforcing the idea of Hamlet’s journey of transitioning from a life free of pain to a life fraught with the truth of his father’s death (Vivier 323). Unfortunately, Kate Levin in Shakespeare Quarterly says that this thematically driven set choice simply didn’t “jive” with the irregular lighting choices and the monotonous Latin chanting meant to play up the religious aspect of the play (11... ... middle of paper ... ...ucson Weekly

  • An Anti-Feminist and Feminist Look into William Shakespeare’s King Lear

    2150 Words  | 5 Pages

    find their voices and started to stand up for what they believed was right. William Shakespeare was one of the few early writers that saw the world as more than just black and white. He saw the variety of colors, writing not always from a bland male-chauvinist point of view, but from the point of view of a man who knew there is more to life than male dominance. According to Jonathan Dollimore’s “Shakespeare, Cultural Materialism, Feminism and Marxist Humanism,” “Respectable women are maids,

  • William Shakespeare Research Paper

    1027 Words  | 3 Pages

    unoriginal features to a person of that element. William Shakespeare fits that description and was that type of person. Shakespeare lived his life to the fullest and had many great achievements. Shakespeare’s legacy is still very significant in today’s modern life. Shakespeare was a very clever and smart man. He wrote many, many poems, plays, stories, sonnets and much more that were either published while he was alive or not. William Shakespeare was a very interesting, successful, and creative man.

  • Star-Crossed Lovers In Romeo And Juliet

    530 Words  | 2 Pages

    lovers. The same goes for Romeo and Juliet, Romeo shows up to gatecrash the Capulet’s party, sees Juliet, asks for a dance, and they both fall in love. “Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight, for I ne’er saw true beauty till this night. (Shakespeare 60)” When Romeo sees Juliet for the first time, he says nothing is comparable and Juliet also falls in love with him. Onwards to the next step.

  • The Real Macbeth

    798 Words  | 2 Pages

    the play by the famous playwright, William Shakespeare. This classic story has become a mainstay of high school English literature classes around the world. However, few people realize that there was a real king Macbeth who lived long before the Shakespearean character evolved. In fact, the only verity of historical truth in the play is King Duncan’s death at the hand of Macbeth. The “real” Macbeth was not exactly as weak and unsuccessful as Shakespeare portrayed him. The “real” Macbeth had reasons

  • The Evolution of the Sonnet

    683 Words  | 2 Pages

    There were three main types of sonnets, English, Italian, and Spenserian. These three sonnets all either have different patterns or different setups. The evolution of the sonnet through history, type’s forms and analysis of sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare, sonnet 30 by Edmund Spenser and Sonnet 19 by John Milton. Developed in Italy during the Renaissance the sonnet brought a high form of development in the fourteenth century (“A Short History of Sonnets”).A sonnet is a poem composed of fourteen lines

  • William Shakespeare Research Paper

    1410 Words  | 3 Pages

    Introduction In the day and age of Elizabethan England, William Shakespeare did not seem destined for greatness. He was not born into a family of nobility or any significant wealth. He did not pursue completing his formal education at university, and he didn’t come under the mentorship of a greater writer, neither did he marry into wealth or freedom. His talent as an actor seems to have been no greater than average, since he was never known for starring roles. His success as a playwright depended

  • William Shakespeare Research Paper

    1425 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Amazing Life of William Shakespeare William Shakespeare is definitely regarded as one of the best poets and playwrights that has ever been in human history. Many people automatically think of such works as Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet when thinking of Shakespeare, even if they have not possibly read the plays or watched a movie. For example, even today songs are written with a reference to the “love” of Romeo and Juliet. There are many things about Shakespeare that are unknown because of

  • Shakespeare Influence On Romeo And Juliet

    1334 Words  | 3 Pages

    It’s important for those studying English literature to study the classics and classic authors such as Shakespeare. Even today Shakespeare’s work remains relevant and influences many new upcoming writers today. Shakespeare’s works will always be important because they depict a wide variety/range of human emotion accurately, tells what are often relatable and universal stories, and he formed the basis our modern day English language. For us to understand Shakespeare’s work we must first know more

  • A Midsummer Night's Dream - Battle of the Sexes

    576 Words  | 2 Pages

    future betrothed. These traditions and the gender roles assumed by men and women at that time had an impact on Shakespeare’s writing and performances and a great example of this is evident in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Similar to other works by Shakespeare, such as The Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night’s Dream embellishes the pressures that arise between genders dealing with complicated family and romantic situations. The plot includes a duke who is going to marry a woman he conquered in battle

  • The Role of the Forest in Midsummer Night's Dream and As You Like It

    1396 Words  | 3 Pages

    William Shakespeare often compares imagination and reality in his plays. He explores this comparison through the role and purpose of the forests in Midsummer Night's Dream and As You Like It. Midsummer Night's Dream focuses on imagination and escape, while As You like It focuses on reality and self discovery. Imagination plays a key role in Midsummer Night's Dream. Puck, a fairy servant and friend of Oberon watches six Athenian men practice a play to be performed for Theseus wedding in the forest

  • William Shakespeare's Influence on the English Language

    575 Words  | 2 Pages

    The English language has been in constant transition throughout its history, but the most significant transformation in modern English can be credited to William Shakespeare. With Shakespeare’s invention of commonly used expressions, his creation of new words, and his use of iambic pentameter, he was able to affect the language in a way that no person since has. Shakespeare’s influence on modern English is not only visible in everyday speech, but also in the fact that his work has survived over four