...Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Two protagonists, Hermia and Lysander, enamored of each other with an almost cloyingly forbidden love, seek escape from persecution and treachery meant to rob them of their certain amorous connection. Standing resolute, the king of Athens, Egeus, would rather smite down his daughter, Hermia, than permit her to stray from the path he ordained her to follow. She's presented with three choices, the most agreeable "to protest [for] aye austerity and single life" as a nun (Shakespeare). Otherwise, she's faced with death, as her father would rather maintain his own authority and reputation than allow the happiness of his daughter. While it is important to uphold a high degree of order, is not the grief that would come about if she were "to die [for] disobedience to [her] father's will" less agreeable than the "disobedience" in itself (Shakespeare)? Egeus would rather appear dignified to the public and have his daughter killed than allow her the love she longs for. Such ulterior motives, ulterior sins, such as pride and greed exist in the world today and cause major corporations and celebrities alike to prefer the easy ways out in pursuit of money and stardom. Instead of addressing change head-on, those with power hide from it and ruin lives from their sanctuaries of bureaucracy. They fight modifications to their contentedness by proxy, or not at all. Intriguingly, the setting of A Midsummer Night's Dream also conveys the...
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...Nothing or A Midsummer Night's Dream, Vienne-Guerrin explains that she finds the insults in The Merchant of Venice boring and can not possibly be funny. Firstly, she believes insults in Shakespeares plays to be, "...are paradoxical words that are offensive and yet entertaining, that they only seem to be bad words but are actually a good theatrical and artistic material." When she reads Shakespeares other plays, she typically is...
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...‘As men prove their weakness, they demonstrate their power.’ The male characters in a midsummer night’s dream are depicted as ones, who are given authority; however the female characters in the play aren’t submissive to them and they seem to have very little power over them. Oberon has power through aristocracy and his marriage with Tatiana who is queen of the fairies. He is initially at odds with his wife, because she refuses to relinquish control of a young Indian prince whom he wants for a knight. Oberon’s desire for revenge on Tatiana leads him to send Puck to obtain the love-potion flower that creates so much of the play’s confusion and farce. We also know that Oberon and Titania have been clashing a lot and that their big "brawls" have been very destructive. Titania tells us that the fights have been so violent that they've disrupted the seasons and the weather, which has caused devastating winds, rain, and flooding. As a result, crops have been ruined and there's been a shortage of food for humans. As Titania admits, "this progeny of evils comes from our debate, from our dissension" (2.1.3). This shows that Oberon is equally as powerful as Titania, normally women were dominated by their husbands as a woman belongs to their father until they’re married ultimately becoming their husbands possession. Furthermore, the fact Titania is reluctant to gain control of an Indian prince and questions Oberon’s choices is an example of her independence rather than to follow him without...
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...ending up creating a lot of stir inside the church, reason why the pope in Rome banished this plays from being acted there. This is how the Biblical scenes ended being acted at the flea market by actors(Brown, unpublished course). From this point, the medieval tragedy will further be polished by William Shakespeare in the 16th century who offers this literary genre a new level of refinement, using metaphors and allegories to represent certain philosophical theories(the Platonic theory of love in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”) and ideas upon human life, judgement and feelings. The purpose of this essay is to emphasize the differences between the ancient tragic hero and the Shakespearean tragic hero that further bring about the social, cultural and political background of the eras. Based on Daniela Brown’s observations on this topic that will further be analysed in detail, we can build a general idea upon the images of the two character types. While the Ancient tragic hero would be a reflection of a sincere individual, in both mind and spirit and the interaction with the others, the Shakespearean tragic hero does no longer possess this unity, this equilibrium between appearance and essence. The individual is now seeking to serve only his interest which also brings us to the Renaissance mentality of the survival, with people being aware of the bad happenings that could always hit the world, like in the Late Middle Ages (14th century to 1453, the Fall of Constantinople), with “The Great...
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...A Midsummer Night’s Dream Study Questions Write answers in full sentences. Name_______________________ Act I, Scene i 1. Who is Theseus? Why is he anxious for the rising of the new moon? 2. What does he tell Philostrate to do? 3. Why is Egeus angry? Why has he come to see Theseus? 4. What are your impressions of Hermia? Whom does she love? Quote 5. What was the proper role for woman/daughters in Athenian society according to Egeus and Theseus? 6. What alternatives does Theseus offer Hermia? In what tone do you imagine him presenting these alternatives? Quote 7. What is Lysander’s comment about Demetrius’s previous love affair with Helena? What does this say about Demetrius? 8. How does Hermia change during her time alone with Lsyander? 9. Where do Lysander and Hermia agree to meet that night? Why? 10. What is the relationship between Hermia and Helena? 11. How does Helena betray the secret Hermia tells her? Why? 12. Why do you suppose Egeus prefers Demetrius to Lysander? 13. Paraphrase Hermia’s speech, line 150-155. Quote. Prediction: Do you think that Hermia and Lysander will succeed in their plans for elopement? Act I, Scene ii 1. What is the purpose of the meeting at Peter Quince’s house? 2. Who is Nick Bottom? How does he make trouble at the meeting? 3. Briefly, what is the plot of Pyramus and Thisbe? ...
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...The Social Changes in Marriage Western Governors University Social Changes in the Module of Marriage Bob Dylan said it the best, “The times they are a changing”. The purpose of marriage in today’s society is no longer what it was over a century ago. Families in the early 1900s were depicted in movies such as “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” where arranged marriages were the social norm. The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet or Leave It to Beaver were the “families” of the mid-1960s.They were comprised of two parents, two children and a happy stable environment. The Husband’s role was that of the provider, with the Wife’s role being that of a homemaker and nurturing mother. The children were a reflection of their parent’s social reverence to society norms. In the late 1960s – 1970s cultural norms regarding marriage, pre-marital sex/cohabitation and childrearing changed significantly. The family was replaced by divorced parents or blended families, reflected in shows such as “Different Strokes,” “One Day at a Time,” and “Parent Trap” reflected such. Currently, non-traditional families are accompanied by same sex marriage and depicted in sitcoms such as Modern Family, which combines multiple variations of family models in one show. These various family modules are becoming widely accepted in society, along with changes in the social module of marriage, as “traditional family values are being swept away by a wave of tolerance toward lone mothers, gay couples and unmarried...
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...Literary Criticism The Two Gentlemen of Verona The Two Gentlemen of Verona is a comedy about the adventures of two bosom buddies, Valentine and Proteus. When Proteus falls in love with his best friend's girlfriend, the guys find themselves torn between the bonds of male friendship and romance. (If you're thinking all this sounds like a modern day "bromantic comedy," you're right. Two Gentlemen of Verona is the great, great grandfather of buddy flicks like the 2009 comedy I Love You Man.) Written as early as 1590-91, Two Gentlemen appears to be William Shakespeare's first play. (As usual, some literary critics are divided over this issue, but we're going with the editors of The Norton Shakespeare and the editors of The Oxford Shakespeare on this one.) As Shakespeare's first theatrical effort, Two Gentlemenhas been referred to as a "limping forerunner" of Shakespeare's later works. Even famous literary scholar Harold Bloom says it's "the weakest of all Shakespeare's comedies." We, on the other hand, prefer to think of Two Gentlemen as Shakespeare's test kitchen, where a budding young playwright begins to work out the recipe for his "comedies" and begins to explore themes and conventions that he'll develop more fully in later works – particularly the themes of male friendship and heterosexual love, which come into conflict in plays like The Merchant of Veniceand also in Shakespeare's collection of Sonnets. Like all test kitchen creations, Two Gentlemen is far from perfect...
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...George Orwell, "Politics and the English Language," 1946 [pic] Most people who bother with the matter at all would admit that the English language is in a bad way, but it is generally assumed that we cannot by conscious action do anything about it. Our civilization is decadent and our language -- so the argument runs -- must inevitably share in the general collapse. It follows that any struggle against the abuse of language is a sentimental archaism, like preferring candles to electric light or hansom cabs to aeroplanes. Underneath this lies the half-conscious belief that language is a natural growth and not an instrument which we shape for our own purposes. Now, it is clear that the decline of a language must ultimately have political and economic causes: it is not due simply to the bad influence of this or that individual writer. But an effect can become a cause, reinforcing the original cause and producing the same effect in an intensified form, and so on indefinitely. A man may take to drink because he feels himself to be a failure, and then fail all the more completely because he drinks. It is rather the same thing that is happening to the English language. It becomes ugly and inaccurate because our thoughts are foolish, but the slovenliness of our language makes it easier for us to have foolish thoughts. The point is that the process is reversible. Modern English, especially written English, is full of bad habits which spread by imitation and which can be avoided if one...
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...Most people who bother with the matter at all would admit that the English language is in a bad way, but it is generally assumed that we cannot by conscious action do anything about it. Our civilization is decadent and our language — so the argument runs — must inevitably share in the general collapse. It follows that any struggle against the abuse of language is a sentimental archaism, like preferring candles to electric light or hansom cabs to aeroplanes. Underneath this lies the half-conscious belief that language is a natural growth and not an instrument which we shape for our own purposes. Now, it is clear that the decline of a language must ultimately have political and economic causes: it is not due simply to the bad influence of this or that individual writer. But an effect can become a cause, reinforcing the original cause and producing the same effect in an intensified form, and so on indefinitely. A man may take to drink because he feels himself to be a failure, and then fail all the more completely because he drinks. It is rather the same thing that is happening to the English language. It becomes ugly and inaccurate because our thoughts are foolish, but the slovenliness of our language makes it easier for us to have foolish thoughts. The point is that the process is reversible. Modern English, especially written English, is full of bad habits which spread by imitation and which can be avoided if one is willing to take the necessary trouble. If one gets rid of these...
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...Bloom’s Classic Critical Views W i l l ia m Sha k e Sp e a r e Bloom's Classic Critical Views alfred, lord Tennyson Benjamin Franklin The Brontës Charles Dickens edgar allan poe Geoffrey Chaucer George eliot George Gordon, lord Byron henry David Thoreau herman melville Jane austen John Donne and the metaphysical poets John milton Jonathan Swift mark Twain mary Shelley Nathaniel hawthorne Oscar Wilde percy Shelley ralph Waldo emerson robert Browning Samuel Taylor Coleridge Stephen Crane Walt Whitman William Blake William Shakespeare William Wordsworth Bloom’s Classic Critical Views W i l l ia m Sha k e Sp e a r e Edited and with an Introduction by Sterling professor of the humanities Yale University harold Bloom Bloom’s Classic Critical Views: William Shakespeare Copyright © 2010 Infobase Publishing Introduction © 2010 by Harold Bloom All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher. For more information contact: Bloom’s Literary Criticism An imprint of Infobase Publishing 132 West 31st Street New York NY 10001 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data William Shakespeare / edited and with an introduction by Harold Bloom : Neil Heims, volume editor. p. cm. — (Bloom’s classic critical views) Includes bibliographical references...
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...A TEACHER’S GUIDE TO THE SIGNET CLASSIC EDITION OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S MACBETH LINDA NEAL UNDERWOOD S E R I E S E D I T O R S : W. GEIGER ELLIS, ED.D., ARTHEA J. S. REED, PH.D., UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA, EMERITUS and UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, RETIRED A Teacher’s Guide to the Signet Classic Edition of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth 2 INTRODUCTION William Shakespeare developed many stories into excellent dramatizations for the Elizabethan stage. Shakespeare knew how to entertain and involve an audience with fast-paced plots, creative imagery, and multi-faceted characters. Macbeth is an action-packed, psychological thriller that has not lost its impact in nearly four hundred years. The politically ambitious character of Macbeth is as timely today as he was to Shakespeare's audience. Mary McCarthy says in her essay about Macbeth, "It is a troubling thought that Macbeth, of all Shakespeare's characters, should seem the most 'modern,' the only one you could transpose into contemporary battle dress or a sport shirt and slacks." (Signet Classic Macbeth) Audiences today quickly become interested in the plot of a blindly ambitious general with a strong-willed wife who must try to cope with the guilt engendered by their murder of an innocent king in order to further their power. The elements of superstition, ghosts, and witchcraft, though more readily a part of everyday life for the Renaissance audience, remain intriguing to modern teenagers. The action-packed...
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...A TEACHER’S GUIDE TO THE SIGNET CLASSIC EDITION OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S ROMEO AND JULIET By ARTHEA J.S. REED, PH.D. S E R I E S W. GEIGER ELLIS, ED.D., E D I T O R S : UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA, EMERITUS and ARTHEA J. S. REED, PH.D., UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, RETIRED A Teacher’s Guide to the Signet Classic Edition of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet 2 INTRODUCTION William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is an excellent introduction to Shakespearean drama; teenagers can relate to its plot, characters, and themes. The play’s action is easily understood, the character’s motives are clear, and many of the themes are as current today as they were in Shakespeare’s time. Therefore, it can be read on a variety of levels, allowing all students to enjoy it. Less able readers can experience the swash-buckling action and investigate the themes of parent-child conflict, sexuality, friendship, and suicide. Because of the play’s accessibility to teenagers, able readers can view the play from a more literary perspective, examining the themes of hostility ad its effect on the innocent, the use of deception and its consequences, and the effects of faulty decision making. They can study how the characters function within the drama and how Shakespeare uses language to develop plot, characters, and themes. The most able students can develop skills involved in literary criticism by delving into the play’s comic and tragic elements and its classically...
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...ARTS TEACHERS’ GUIDE Grade 9 ARTS Teacher’s Guide Unit I WESTERN CLASSICAL ART TRADITIONS GRADE 9 Unit 1 ARTS TEACHERS’ GUIDE GRADE 9 Unit 1 WESTERN CLASSICAL ART TRADITIONS LEARNING AREA STANDARD The learner demonstrates an understanding of basic concepts and processes in music and art through appreciation, analysis and performance for his/her self-development, celebration of his/her Filipino cultural identity and diversity, and expansion of his/her world vision. key - stage STANDARD The learner demonstrates understanding of salient features of music and arts of the Philippines and the world, through appreciation, analysis, and performance, for self-development, the celebration of Filipino cultural identity and diversity, and the expansion of one’s world vision. grade level STANDARD The learner demonstrates understanding of salient features of Western music and the arts from different historical periods, through appreciation, analysis, and performance for self-development, the celebration of Filipino cultural identity and diversity, and the expansion of one’s world vision. CONTENT STANDARDs The Learner: demonstrates understanding of art elements and processes by synthesizing and applying prior knowledge and skills demonstrates understanding that the arts are integral to the development of organizations, spiritual belief, historical events, scientific discoveries, natural disasters/ occurrences and other external phenomenon ...
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...A TEACHER’S GUIDE TO THE SIGNET CLASSIC EDITION OF GEORGE ORWELL’S ANIMAL FARM By HAZEL K. DAVIS, Federal Hocking High School, Stewart, OH S E R I E S W. GEIGER ELLIS, ED.D., E D I T O R S : UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA, EMERITUS and ARTHEA J. S. REED, PH.D., UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, RETIRED A Teacher’s Guide to the Signet Classic Edition of George Orwell’s Animal Farm 2 INTRODUCTION Animal Farm is an excellent selection for junior and senior high students to study. Although on one level the novel is an allegory of the 1917 Russian Revolution, the story is just as applicable to the latest rebellion against dictators around the world. Young people should be able to recognize similarities between the animal leaders and politicians today. The novel also demonstrates how language can be used to control minds. Since teenagers are the target not only of the educational system itself but also of advertising, the music industry, etc., they should be interested in exploring how language can control thought and behavior. Animal Farm is short and contains few words that will hamper the reader’s understanding. The incidents in the novel allow for much interactive learning, providing opportunities for students to dramatize certain portions, to expand on speeches, and to work out alternative endings. The novel can be taught collaboratively with the history department as an allegory of the Russian Revolution, allowing students to draw parallels...
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...This is a good article. Click here for more information. The Tempest From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (Redirected from The tempest) This article is about the Shakespeare play. For other uses, see The Tempest (disambiguation). The shipwreck in Act I, Scene 1, in a 1797 engraving by Benjamin Smith after a painting by George Romney The Tempest is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1610–11, and thought by many critics to be the last play that Shakespeare wrote alone. It is set on a remote island, where Prospero, the rightful Duke of Milan, plots to restore his daughter Miranda to her rightful place using illusion and skilful manipulation. He conjures up a storm, the eponymous tempest, to lure his usurping brother Antonio and the complicit King Alonso of Naples to the island. There, his machinations bring about the revelation of Antonio's lowly nature, the redemption of the King, and the marriage of Miranda to Alonso's son, Ferdinand. There is no obvious single source for the plot of The Tempest, but researchers have seen parallels in Erasmus's Naufragium, Peter Martyr's De orbe novo, and eyewitness reports by William Strachey and Sylvester Jordain of the real-life shipwreck of the Sea Venture on the islands of Bermuda, and the subsequent conflict between Sir Thomas Gates and Sir George Somers. In addition, one of Gonzalo's speeches is derived from Montaigne's essay Of the Canibales, and much of Prospero's renunciative speech is taken...
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