The Role of the Double Plot in King Lear and Hamlet Essay

King Lear and Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, are two plays that reveal similar thematic elements, yet possess fundamentally different plot structures. Driven by the suffering and rage of two complementary characters, both plays suggest injustice through ‘good’, but ultimately flawed characters. This shared overarching theme is, however, conveyed differently within each of the works, as one employs two mainly disparate plot threads, while the other relies more heavily on the interaction between the two central plots. Yet the ultimate purpose of this dualism remains the same within both King Lear and Hamlet, in that Shakespeare’s use of the double plot illuminates the tragic elements within both plays, emphasizing core injustices through†¦show more content†¦This dichotomy between external blames and internal repentance is used by Shakespeare to demonstrate the tragic nature of King Lear from more than one plane, showing how two different personalities res pond to two similar fates. In â€Å"Hamlet† however, this clear symmetry is replaced with a more muddled intertwinement. Rather than maintaining two relatively separate plot threads in the journeys of Lear and Gloucester, Shakespeare opts to interweave the motivations and fates of Laertes and Hamlet, using their conflict as the central dynamic, while their parallels take a reduced role. In this sense, while King Lear is driven solely by the dualism of the story, Hamlet relies on the clash of the two plots to suggest injustice. This injustice, through conflict, is shown most prominently in Hamlet’s and Laertes’ duel at the end of the play. Hamlet, describing Laertes as a â€Å"a very noble youth.† (5.1.231), reveals a respect towards his foe that suggests that it is circumstance, not choice, that forces his hand. Similarly, Laertes’ singular goal, â€Å"To this point I stand, that both the worlds I give to negligence, let come what comes, only Iâ €™ll be revenged most thoroughly for my father.† (4.5.151-154) shows that his wrath is fueled solely by duty, such that his pursuit of revenge imparts upon him a single-minded myopia that drives him inexorably towards the final conflict. Ironically, upon meeting Claudius after hearing of his father’s death, Laertes asks â€Å"How came heShow MoreRelated Sinless King Lear ? Essay1364 Words   |  6 Pages      When one contemplates the essence of being a king, one imagines that a king would never want for anything and that his later years would be carefree.   In reading King Lear, one sees a seamier side of life for a particular king.   Lear draws the audience’s attention to this in Act 3 when he cries out pitifully, â€Å"I am a man / More sinned against than sinning.†Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although Lear undoubtedly made a huge mistake when he divided his kingdom and banished two people who were very dear to him.   HoweverRead MoreWomen in William Shakespeare’s Plays Essay2376 Words   |  10 Pagesfeeling as deep as the love that he has for Olivia† (Bates 10).   Ã‚  Ã‚   Shakespeare also plays with the role of strong women as undesirable, even evil.   As we see throughout many of his plays â€Å"it is common in Shakespeare’s plays†¦ for the good characters to easily fall victim to their evil counterparts† (Peterson 12).   This is particularly true of Cordelia and King Lear in the play, King Lear, as both become victims of Regan’s and Goneril’s plotting (Shakespeare V.iii.276-280).   â€Å"Women as the mostRead MoreResponse to Sexuality, Witchcraft and Violence in Macbeth by Dennis Biggins1613 Words   |  7 PagesEH 304 Late Shakespeare 10/10/2011 â€Å"Sexuality, Witchcraft, and Violence in Macbeth, by Dennis Biggins Summary: In this article, Biggins focuses on several themes, both obvious and discreet, within the plot of Macbeth. Biggins disputes other critics opinions that sexuality has little thematic importance in Macbeth, stating that the play is immersed in sexuality through both violent and mystical indications. Other critics refer to the play as the purest of Shakespeare s tragedies,Read MoreWilliam Shakespeare and Macbeth8813 Words   |  36 PagesThe Fall of Man The ancient Greek notion of tragedy concerned the fall of a great man, such as a king, from a position of superiority to a position of humility on account of his ambitious pride, or  hubris. To the Greeks, such arrogance in human behavior was punishable by terrible vengeance. The tragic hero was to be pitied in his fallen plight but not necessarily forgiven: Greek tragedy frequently has a bleak outcome. Christian drama, on the other hand, always offers a ray of hope; hence,  Macbeth  endsRead MoreEssay on Changing Gender Roles in William Shakespeares Macbeth2817 Words   |  12 PagesChanging Gender Roles in William Shakespeares Macbeth  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   Much attention has been paid to the theme of manliness as it appears throughout Macbeth. In his introduction to Macbeth in The Riverside Shakespeare, Frank Kermode contends that the play is about the eclipse of civility and manhood, [and] the temporary triumph of evil (1307). 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Consumed by ambition and spurred to action by his wife, Macbeth murders King Duncan and takes the throne for himself. He is then wracked with guilt and paranoia, and he soon becomes a tyrannical ruler as he is forced to commit more and more murders to protect himself from enmityRead MoreFigurative Language and the Canterbury Tales13472 Words   |  54 Pages †¢ The Lord sits above the water floods. The Lord remains a King forever. The Lord shall give strength to his people. The lord shall give his people the blessings of peace. -Ps. 29 †¢ â€Å"Let us march to the realization of the American dream. Let us march on segregated housing. Let us march on segregated schools. Let us march on poverty. Let us march on ballot boxes.... --Martin Luther King, Jr. †¢ Mad world ! Mad king! Mad composition ! 6. antagonist: the character or force opposing

The Cask Of Amontillado Analysis - 935 Words

Riley Akers Mr. Hooper English II 531-09 September 2, 2017 The Cask of Amontillado In the short story â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† by Edgar Allen Poe, Montressor uses his rival, Fortunato’s, Hubris to plot his revenge for the wrongs Fortunato has done against Montreseor’s family. In the beginning of the story, Montressor explains why he must get his revenge on Fortunato and also explains how Fortunato believes he is a skilled judge of fine wines. His plan to kill Fortunato is to lure him into his wine cellar by using his weakness of fine wines which also gives him plausible deniability of the crime. In the short story Fortunato says, â€Å"Someone is playing games with you. And Luchresi! Ha! Luchresi knows nothing about wines, nothing at all.†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦show more content†¦In the story, the court Jester, hop-frog, refuses to drink the wine that the king offered and tripetta begs the king to not punish him but in return get slapped. After this Hop frog says, â€Å"I will equip you as ourang-outangs.† (5 Po e) The jester Hop Frog devises a scheme to get revenge for the embarrassment that the king has done to him throughout his life. He uses the Kings belief that he is wholly superior to this lowly jester who walks funny to manipulate him into willingly walking into his own doom. After hop frog dresses the king and his ministers as orangutans he finally can seek his revenge. The last thing Hop Frog says to the king is, â€Å"As for myself, I am simply Hop-Frog, the jester- and this is my last jest.† Hop Frog tied them to the chandelier and then proceeded to burn the king and his ministers until they were just corpses hanging in the air. The irony of the whole story is that the court jester which is usually the lowliest position in a king’s court could deceive and enact his revenge on the most powerful figure, the king. Hop frog used the king’s weakness of arrogance and his love of humor to trick him into getting his revenge for Tripetta. Poems In the Poem â€Å"Annabel Lee† by Edger Allen Poe, the writer uses imagery throughout the poem to express how the world took his love but he will always love her. Throughout the poem Edger Allen Poe uses the visual of a kingdom by the sea. On lines one and two the writer says, â€Å"It was many and many year ago, / InShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Cask Of Amontillado 984 Words   |  4 PagesCameron Dickson Period 3 Maude â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† Discussion Questions DUE: Wed., 2/18 Reading Comprehension Why does Montressor hate Fortunato? Does he have the right to punish him? Montressor never said the specific reason for why he hated the man, however he said, â€Å"THE THOUSAND INJURIES of Fortunato I had borne as I best could.† Poe uses this line so that the reader can leave to their own ideas of what would force a man of good nature to kill his own best friend. However, this also leavesRead MoreLiterary Analysis Of The Cask Of Amontillado 1493 Words   |  6 PagesBrooke Womack Literary Analysis Paper Into to Literature: American I Dr. Julia Pond 12 October 2017 The Cask of Amontillado The Cask of Amontillado is a tale of terror written by Edgar Allen Poe. This short story is from the point of view from Montresor’s memory. The setting of this story is in a small unnamed European city, at a local carnival and then at the catacombs under Montresor’s home, around duck. The brief synopsis of this story is about the revenge that the Montresor, the antagonistRead More Analysis of The Cask of Amontillado Essay453 Words   |  2 Pages Analysis of â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† In â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† by Edgar Allen Poe, the dark side of human nature is illustrated through the character of Montresor and his victim, Fortunato. Montresor is a manipulative and vengeful person whom is obsessed with the downfall of Fortunato. Through the acts, words, and the thoughts of Montresor, one is able to see him carry out his plan for revenge. Montresor’s actions lend to his vengeful and manipulative nature. He lures Fortunato into the catacombsRead MoreEssay An Analysis of The Cask of Amontillado1264 Words   |  6 PagesAn Analysis of â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† Edgar Allan Poe takes us on a journey into the mind of a mad man. The story relates a horrible revenge made even more horrible by the fact that the vengeance is being taken when no real offense had been given. In a short space and with ultimate technical skill, Poe creates a nightmare, guaranteed to give the reader a sleepless night.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The plot of the story is a simple one. Montresor tales revenge on his friend FortunatoRead MoreAnalysis Of The Cask Of Amontillado 1277 Words   |  6 PagesIt is often said that revenge is sweet, but that phrase does not hold to be extremely true throughout The Cask of Amontillado. There are various themes and lessons throughout the story, but there is one theme that seems to be shown more than others. The most prevalent theme is that jealousy can lead to vengeance, and ultimately lead to the downfall, or even death, of a person. This theme is clearly evident through the two main characters, Montresor and Fortunato. By looking closer at Montresor’sRead MoreAnalysis Of The Cask Of Amontillado 2056 Words   |  9 PagesIn The Cask of Amontillado Montresor lived for fifty years after killing Fortunato and he narrates the events of the story coldly and that leads some to wonder whether or not Montresor has changed and if he has changed how did he change. O ver the fifty years between the events of The Cask Of Amontillado and the time when Montresor narrates the story, time changed Montresor into a guilty and shamed man that may have PTSD. The plot is simple Montresor has been insulted by Fortunato and he wants revengeRead MoreAnalysis Of The Cask Of Amontillado 1086 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† is narrated in the first person which is essential to creating the authentic aspect of the story. Montresor who is a sensible killer is the narrator, this grants the narration of the story from his own point of view. The reader obtains an exclusive, alarming glance into the peaceful composure of Montresor’s mind. The reader can certainly detect, examine, and identify how Montresor feels and thinks. Readers normally do not get this particular view in other literature. OneRead MoreAnalysis Of The Cask Of Amontillado 1109 Words   |  5 PagesThe first –person narration style of â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† is vital in creating the quality of the story. The story allows one of the main characters in the story Montresor, to tell the story from his point of view which gives t he reader intimate yet disturbing look into the mind story teller thinks and feels which the reader doesn’t normally get from other narrative styles. The narrative style of this story is important because it sets the tone of the story. The reader become more familiarRead MoreAnalysis Of The Cask Of Amontillado 1140 Words   |  5 PagesKawanda Garner Ms. Roesch ENC 1102 29 April 2016 Main Character Narration and Its Effects The first –person narration style of â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† is vital in creating the quality of the story. The story allows one of the main characters in the story Montresor, to tell the story from his point of view which gives the reader intimate yet disturbing look into the mind story teller thinks and feels which the reader doesn’t normally get from other narrative styles. The narrative style of thisRead MoreThe Cask Of Amontillado Analysis1064 Words   |  5 PagesEdgar Allen Poe’s short story , â€Å" The Cask of Amontillado†, was quite different and very suspicious. This story takes place in the 18th or 19th century which, is noticeable throughout the readings. This story contains a lot of â€Å"outdated† or older terms not frequently used today. Its questioned where the story took place exactly. Why? because â€Å"Amontillado† is a Spanish wine, Fortunato and Luchesi are Italian names, and Montresor is a name from Sco tland. The setting is not to clearly mentioned in the

School Shootings Free Essays

Situation On February 14, 2018, Nikolas Cruz massacred 17 students of Stoneman Douglas High School. Since then, politicians, grieving mothers and fathers, and average citizens are at odds with one another over what should be done to prevent such a catastrophe from happening again. In today’s world of perceived division, animosity, and public policy debate, it seems now more than ever that school shootings are a hot button issue. We will write a custom essay sample on School Shootings or any similar topic only for you Order Now In 2018, websites and organizations with political agendas argue that anywhere from 15 to 18 school shootings have happened in the U.S. while those with opposing beliefs say that those incidents have been exaggerated or isolated incidents either near or off a school campus. Since the shooting at the University of Texas (1966) to the Columbine (1999) shooting to most recently the Stoneman Douglas (2018) school shooting, acts of violence are becoming more and more common. School shootings perpetrated by youth (16-25) are a concern and researchers have investigated what causes individuals to perform such actions. Years of research, investigating, autopsies, and psychological evaluations can be, to a degree narrowed down into two causes of school shootings; Individual factors affecting troubled youth and social/cultural influences. While many would argue that there is no definitive cause of school shootings, it seems that most suspects involved experienced some sort of contribution at the psychological or communal level. The researchers who have data to back their argument are hopefully going to be instrumental as to determine a cure or implement preventative measures to make sure a school shooting can either never happen again or reduce the number of incidents/casualties. Researchers: Argument of Individual Factors Affecting Troubled YouthThe consensus among most researchers is that the suspect suffers from mental health issues. Dr. McGee and Dr. DeBernardo, both forensic examiners, believe that â€Å"school shooters† can usually fit a common criteria due to their research of adolescents responsible for school shootings from 1993 to 1998. Both agree that through their research, the â€Å"shooter† is a â€Å"normal† adolescent coming from a middle class, white neighborhood of around 50,000 people. They have a somewhat high IQ and come from a type of broken home (divorce, separation, etc.). It isn’t until that they investigated what the child was experiencing pre-incident that caused concern. The adolescent will experience low self-esteem, disconnect from their peers, and some sort of psychological stressor. These stressors/factors all culminate into â€Å"triggering† the suspect into them believing that the only way to respond to recent trauma is to enact violence on whoever they believe is the cause for such conflict. In the case of Charles Whitman who was the perpetrator of the University of Texas massacre, he murdered the ones closest to him, his wife and mother for debatable reasons while Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold took revenge on their entire school. Glenn W. Muschert, author of â€Å"Research in School Shootings† examines the multitudes of contributing factors of school shootings and states â€Å"A variety of causes may contribute to school shootings †¦ even if direct causality may not be established.† (Muschert, 67) While he believes that there is no definitive cause, mental health is the primary point of argumentation. Continuing with the trend of individual factors affecting troubled youth, another pivotal cause that researchers can identify besides mental health problems is peer humiliation/bullying. Mr. Kimmel and Mr. Mahler, authors and contributors to â€Å"Adolescent Masculinity, Homophobia, and Violence† examine the societal impacts of possible school shooters at the peer level, stating â€Å"In conducting our analysis †¦ because they were different from the other boys—shy, bookish, honor students, artistic, musical, theatrical, nonathletic, â€Å"geekish,† or weird.† (Kimmel Mahler, 1445) Contrary to mental health, the argument of these authors is that the influence doesn’t happen personally from psychological issues but those around them. In their research, most school shooters are suburban caucasian males in suburban neighborhoods and the influence is from students use of derogatory, homophobic slurs to ridicule these kids and repress their individualistic qualities. Eventually this contributes to the triggers discussed with mental health and the peer humiliation/identity becomes the cause. Another quote from a researcher contributing to the argument that bullying creates school shooters states â€Å"Is there something disturbing about the fact that children expect that their schools will have high levels of gay bashing, slut bashing, violence against girls, racism, and violence against those who are less able or otherwise â€Å"different†?† (Klein,233) Jessie Klein believes through experimentation, statistics and testimonials from victims of bullying, this hurts the individual in such a way that the only recourse is through violence in the form of school shootings. Argument: Social, Media, External Influences Lead to School ShootingsWhile the argument from a multitude of researchers and scholars that mental health and bullying are the preliminary factors that cause school shootings, other researchers examining the same topic have come upon the hypothesis that external factors are to blame. The first would be the media’s coverage of school shooters upon apprehension. The national news and tv coverage gives the belief that those who commit school shootings are regarded as celebrities within the nation’s spotlight on them. Since the Columbine Shooting the news provides national news to inform America about what is currently happening but students who are currently experiencing a rough patch of bullying, declining mental health, and other things see this as an opportunity to gain the attention of all who are drawn to national disaster. Video games are believed by many to glorify and give possible shooters a platform to commit such an act without consequence leading to the belief that violence in schools is the next step. McGee, J. P., ; DeBernardo, C. R. The classroom avenger: A behavioral profile of school based shootings. The Forensic Examiner, (1999). 8(5-6), 16-18. (2018)Muschert, G.W., Research in School Shootings. (2007) vol. 1, issue.1, 60-80Kimmel, M. S.; Mahler, M. Adolescent Masculinity, Homophobia, and Violence. (2003)k vol. 46, issue. 10, 1439-1458Klein, J., The Bully Society: School Shootings and the Crisis of Bullying in America’s Schools. NYU Press. (2012) How to cite School Shootings, Papers

The Sarakatsani Shepherds free essay sample

An analysis of how Campbell relates the political relationships and political values of the Sarakatsani shepherds to the cycle of their economic life and their kinship relationships. This paper provides an ethnography of the Sarakatsani shepherds, with emphasis on their economic life, kinship relationships and system of values. The paper is broken up into an introduction, a discussion o f the three political relationships and a conclusion. In building up his picture of political culture in this Greek rural community, Campbells central concern, the paper proves, is how social solidarity is maintained. The institution of patron client relationships enables the shepherds to deal with the villagers and government officials without loss of honor. It establishes a face-to-face relationship that in other cultures is substituted by the impersonal citizen-representative dyad. The competition for social prestige among related families gives expression to their mutual hostility so that a violent means of retaining self-regard may be avoided. We will write a custom essay sample on The Sarakatsani Shepherds or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page