Faith in Mercy: Measure for Measure

Measure for Measure deals with the consequences of an imperfect judicial system. Problems arise when Claudio has consensual intercourse with his fiance, Juliet, and is imprisoned and sentenced to execution as a consequence. The law is depicted as random and harsh, possibly because Claudio’s crime was something Shakespeare himself...

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Twelfth Night and Christianity

The role of Christianity in Twelfth Night is unclear. Throughout the play, there is pagan reference after pagan reference, which contrasts Shakespeare's usual theme of Christianity. Instead of discussing heaven and hell, Viola says "My brother he is in Elysium" (1.2.4). Elysium is the heaven of the Greek afterlife, and since Viola and...

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A Midsummer's Night Dream - Love, Identity, and Setting?

In Shakespeare’s A Midsummer’s Night Dream, there were several noticeable themes that would be interesting to research. In the online group forum of Slack, Gaylie Bowles and I discussed several themes that kept popping up throughout the text. These themes included love, gender roles, and the setting of the play. Love was a major theme...

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Embracing Sexuality in Measure for Measure

Throughout Shakespeare's play, Measure for Measure, justice is executed with unmitigated stringency, as Angelo condemns Claudio for fornication. Angelo's own hypocrisy regarding the sexual law he so strictly enforces becomes apparent as he promises to grant Claudio pardon on condition that Claudio's chaste sister, Isabella, will yield...

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A Midsummer Nightmare: Prewriting

An example of the elevated diction used to describe love in ShakeSpeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.  I finally took the opportunity to read Shakespeare's, A MidSummer Night's Dream. For a long time I have heard about this play in casual conversation, it would spring up in a passing comment or flit by in a piece of a movie scene....

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Sam's Ideas of Character Development in Macbeth

The character development in Macbeth was something that really interested me. The play features a lot of really fascinating characters that change as the play goes on, which is so interesting. If I was to write a paper on Macbeth, I think I would do something along the lines of researching character development in both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth....

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Paulina's Personal Prerogative (The Winter's Tale)

Paulina guarding the statue of Hermione, while an extremelyhandsome Leontes (right) pleads with her to let him approach. I have spent the past few days continually contemplating what I would want to talk about, were I to write a paper on The Winter's Tale. I considered writing on the self-referentiality of the play, friendship (especially...

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The Question of Duty

In reading The Winter's Tale, I liked focusing on how the text fit into what is typical of the Romance Genre. Having taken a Romance class, I have studied other texts of Romance and it was interesting to see how this one was a Romance, and yet, what made it uniquely its' own. The Winter's Tale has many references to honor, especially...

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Cursed to Read Richard III

If you want to learn how to curse, read Richard III. Curses were definitely some of the most important features of this play. From the very beginning, Richard sees himself as a cursed man and kind of has an “If you can’t be good, be good at it” mentality. His actions only worsen his plight, however, and readers are introduced to some really...

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Romeo and Juliet as a Quest for Justice

 As I read Romeo and Juliet, I kept finding instances where justice and the attainment of it became a center of focus for the characters of the play. Although it seems a little silly to me, personally, the drive for revenge found among the Montagues and the Capulets when any one of their respective parties is killed by the other is indicative of that. However, perhaps more compelling is the death of Romeo and the justice...

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The Power of Appearance

As I was reading Much Ado about Nothing I noticed the great lengths that the characters would go to hide their true selves from others. They all put on appearances, either through their dress, their words, or their actions.  It seems that appearance matters more than reality, in particular for women.  The main conflict in the...

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Classical Imagery in "The Merchant of Venice"

The Merchant of Venice is notable in Shakespeare's catalouge as being fraught with ambiguity.  From the vague Antisemitism of Shylock's characterization to the possible romance between Antonio and Bassanio, the play is interesting in how it utilizes contradictions and ambiguities to create engaging characters.  There is...

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Romeo and Juliet: A Precurser to Transcendenalism

"Romeo and Juliet:" A Precurser to Trandscendentalism While reading "Romeo and Juliet" so many things came to mind to write about; nevertheless, inspiration struck while I was reading Walden last night by Henry David Thoreau.  I kept finding parallels between the play and transcendentalism. Strange? I know. But bear with me.  The...

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Love or Duty?

Were I to write a paper on Antony and Cleopatra, I would write it on the clear juxtaposition of passion vs. discipline. Shakespeare sets up Antony and Caesar as clear foils for one another, and Antony's love for Cleopatra and resulting irrational behavior ultimately falls to Caesar’s clear vision and careful plans. What Shakespeare...

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The Queens of Richard III

Margaret of Anjou Richard iii may very well be my favorite play to have read so far this semester. It is very clever in its use of wordplay and plot development.  The theme of conscience is huge and brought together through so many character’s interactions.  There's a lot I could write about, but what I think particularly strikes...

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The Conspiracy of Julius Caesar

Were I to write a paper about Julius Caesar I think I would really like to go into the idea of conspiracy because throughout the play it seems that everyone conspires with one another: Caesar conspires with Antony to become emperor, Brutus conspires with Cassius to kill Caesar, etc. One line from the play really emphasizes this in a letter...

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Love and Foolishness in "Twelfth Night"

     After reading some of "Twelfth Night" I think there is so much in it that could be analyzed. The second alternate title for the play is "What You Will," which is almost Shakespeare saying, "get whatever you will out of this comedy." With its similarity to stories like “She’s the Man,” this play offers the ridiculousness...

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Shakespeare vs. Cervantes: The Race to Invent Metafiction

Shakespeare famously writes so that his characters will often break the fourth wall. The most cited example of this is the closing scene of The Tempest when Prospero delivers the epilogue and asks the audience for their applause. However, in the play The Merchant of Venice some of Shakespeare's characters also seem aware of a higher...

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