The Handkerchief Of Shakespeare s Othello - 1730 Words

Handkerchief Destruction Destruction caused by a single piece of cloth seems like a very farfetched idea. In William Shakespeare’s play Othello, he shows how a single handkerchief can cause mass devastation, and he shows how it can ruin many lives. The background of the handkerchief is what makes the handkerchief so important to Othello. The handkerchief was a family heirloom, and was handed down to him by his mother. The handkerchief is passed around to majority of the characters, and those who came in contact with it changed the plot of the play; however, the men played a bigger role with the handkerchief than the women due to Iago. Iago is the main source of how the handkerchief was passed around to different characters because of his desire to manipulate others, and his desire for revenge. The handkerchief represent love and chastity, but also manipulation and infidelity. The handkerchief first represented Othello’s love for Desdemona, but Iago uses the handkerchief to as the form of â€Å"ocular proof† for Othello; therefore, it makes Othello believe Desdemona is unfaithful to him. A small handkerchief is what leads to many deaths because it creates jealously, but the jealously was caused by manipulation. In today’s society, it is unrealistic that a small cloth could lead to so much death, but it is possible that something such as a text could cause raging jealously. The handkerchief serves as the main symbol in the play because it takes on a role of its own, and itShow MoreRelatedOthello, By William Shakespeare957 Words   |  4 Pagestruth. The best example of that would be the play Othello by the great William Shakespeare. As little as a handkerchief could make a difference if it is a symbol for something. In the play Othello by Shakespeare, handkerchief is first introduced by Othello to his beautiful mistress, Desdemona, as a sign of their love. At the end of the play what gets Othello to take extreme measures by the locati on of the handkerchief. As the symbol of the handkerchief transforms from a strong symbol of love to a giftRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Othello By William Shakespeare938 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The Tragedy of Othello† is commonly considered one of Shakespeare s greatest tragedies and one of his finest works. In this play we see many literary devices at work. Several of these devices are involved in Iago’s deceitful plot against Othello that creates much suspense for the duration of the play. In â€Å"The Tragedy of Othello,† William Shakespeare uses symbolism, irony, and tone to create this classic drama. Symbols are central to understanding â€Å"Othello† as a play. There are two significantRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Othello By William Shakespeare757 Words   |  4 Pages The Tragedy of Othello by William Shakespeare William Shakespeare uses many literary devices to enhance and provide greater complexity in his works. More specifically, the theme, symbolism, and dramatic irony are used to enrich Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Othello. The plot is definitely engaging but the theme allows for an universal human correspondence, furthering the depth of the author’s message. The element of symbolism contributes to the theme of Shakespeare’s tragedy. Symbolism expressesRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Othello, Desdemona And Othello1521 Words   |  7 Pagesplay â€Å"Othello†, Desdemona and Othello married, they desired to share their life together, and even consummated the marriage through sex, but their views of love differ. Let me explain the opposition of how the audience may view the handkerchief as Symbols and also how the symbols have different meaning between the characters in the play. What did the handkerchief mean to both Othello and Desdemona. Was the handkerchief a symbol of Christianity or paganism of magic. How did the handkerchief effectRead MoreOthello, By William Shakespeare Essay1444 Words   |  6 Pageshave meaning. In Othello by William Shakespeare, Iago is the villian present in the drama. He manipulates people into thinking things that aren t true. The way the author lets the reader know the plan behind Iago’s actions, but not the other characters, the irony that s present in the words he uses to describe Iago, and the symbolism he uses to cause betrayal for other characters, helps one to realize that Iago is the villain. One can see the villainry that s present in Iago s character when heRead MoreOf Mice And Men And Othello Analysis1530 Words   |  7 PagesImpossibility of Ideals in Othello and Of Mice and Men It is a celebrated part of human nature to dream big. All too often, these idealistic dreams become too big, and as demonstrated in Othello by William Shakespeare and Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, the harsh reality will always catch up. Othello is the story of a successful venetian general who, despite being a moor, marries Desdemona, a beautiful woman whom he loves with all his heart. Through a jealous ploy by Iago, Othello begins to doubt theRead More Irregularities in Othello1716 Words   |  7 PagesIrregularities in Othello  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   The Shakespearean tragedy Othello contains various irregularities of time and occurrence which cause the audience to scratch their head in wonder and doubt. Let us analyze some of these shortcomings in this essay.    In the Introduction to The Riverside Shakespeare Frank Kermode explains one of the difficulties in Othello:    Othello murders his wife on the second night in Cyprus. The difficulty, of which Shakespeare was clearly aware, arisesRead MoreOthello, By William Shakespeare954 Words   |  4 PagesIn the Shakespeare play Othello, Othello is looking for ocular proof that his wife is cheating on him. â€Å"Villain, be sure thou prove my love a whore, be sure of it. Give me the ocular proof Or by the worth of mine eternal soul Thou hadst been better have been born a dog than answer my waked wrath!†(3.3.369-373) In this quote Iago just told Othello that Desdemona was cheating on him with Cassio. Othello says he will kill Iago if he’s lying. Othello didn’t realize the entire play that â€Å"ocular proof†Read MoreOthello By William Shakespeare s Othello Essay1230 Words   |  5 Pages Previously, in Act 3.4, Othello begins to suspect Desdemona’s loyalty, as he continuously asks Desdemona for the handkerchief, yet she keeps on changing the topic. In Act 4.1, Iago co ntinues to convince Othello of Desdemona’s faithfulness. In Act 3.4, Othello defended Desdemona when Iago accused her; but in Act 4.1, their position is switched. Othello becomes more aware of what Iago is saying and the anger that he has towards Iago has significantly reduced, while he begins to doubt Desdemona.Read MoreManipulating The Supernatural : William Shakespeare s Othello And A Midsummer Night s Dream883 Words   |  4 Pagestoward people that we can relate to. Because of this Shakespeare made his characters as relatable as possible to the audience members of the late fifteenth and early sixteenth century and their views on life so he could generate more recognition for his plays. Throughout Shakespeare s plays, Othello and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, he appeals to the audience by relating to their human nature. One of the major observations of human nature that Shakespeare likely made and incorporated into his plays is the

Racial Issues in Mark Twains The Adventures of...

Racial Issues in Huckleberry Finnnbsp;nbsp; An issue of central importance to Huckleberry Finn is the issue of race. The story takes place in a time of slavery, when blacks were considered inferior to whites, sometimes to the point of being considered less than fully human. But Huckleberry Finn challenges the traditional notions of the time, through its narrator and main character, Huckleberry Finn. While in the beginning, Huck is as unaware of the incorrectness of society’s attitudes as the rest of society is, he undergoes many experiences which help him to form his own perspective of racial issues. Through the adventures and misadventures of Huck Finn and the slave Jim, Twain challenges the traditional societal views of race and†¦show more content†¦Once Huck takes to the river, he has escaped from society and can view it with a new perspective. The heart of the story begins when Huck meets up with the escaped slave Jim. Huck’s first step to overcoming society’s prejudice and racism occurs when he meets Jim on the island. I was ever so glad to see Jim. I warn’t lonesome, now (Twain 36). From this point forward, Jim is not a just a slave to Huck. He is a partner. From the first, Huck is willing to violate the rules of society. Jim implores Huck not to tell anyone that he has run away. People would call me a low down Abolitionist and despise me for keeping mum – but that don’t make no difference (Twain 38). In the beginning, Huck doesn’t turn Jim in to the authorities for two reasons. One is that he has very little respect for the authorities. Another is that it is not convenient for him to turn Jim in. Without Jim, Huck would be alone. And he does not want to have to deal with that again; he would rather have a partner. So in the beginning, Huck does not step far beyond the views of race issues that society holds. The society which Huck tries to escape looks down upon blacks. Society sees blacks as nothing more than slaves, possessions. Jim himself reinforces this: I owns mysef, en I’s wuth eight hund’d dollars (Twain 41). The society also sees blacks as superstitiously afraid. Huck and Tom tease Jim at the beginning ofShow MoreRelatedHuckleberry Finn and the use of Satire Essay1109 Words   |  5 Pages Huck Finn and the use of Satire Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has been controversial ever since its release in 1884. It has been called everything from the root of modern American literature to a piece of racist trash. Many scholars have argued about Huck Finn being prejudiced. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain uses satire to mock many different aspects of the modern world. Despite the fact that many critics have accused Mark Twain’s novel of promoting racismRead MoreMark Twain s Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn1562 Words   |  7 PagesMark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens) Introduction Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835- April 21, 1910), commonly known as Mark Twain was an American writer whose works act as social commentary on issues including racism, poverty and class distinctions. His most distinguished novels, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885) convey the vanquished way of life in the pre-Civil War Mississippi Valley and life on the river. His unpretentious, colloquialRead MoreThe Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain830 Words   |  3 PagesThe Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is â€Å"A Great American Novel†, because of its complexity and richness. Twain writes dialogue that brings his characters to life. He creates characters with unique voice and helps the reader connect to the book. Anyone who reads it is forced to develop feelings for each character. Even though there is a great amount of controversy over the use of some choices, such as the â€Å"n word†, it makes the book more realistic. In the beginning of the novel Huck,Read MoreLanguage in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain Essay719 Words   |  3 PagesMark Twain’s classic novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is arguably the best piece of American Literature ever written. However, the excessive use of the ‘n-word’ has caused a dispute on whether the book should be censored to fit the demands of modern day readers who hope to make an edited version without the slur. The release of an edited version will reduce the message Twain is relaying to his audience. Twain’s choice of language allows the reader to travel back in time to the 1800’s andRead More Critics of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay1446 Words   |  6 PagesCritics of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn   The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is considered by many to be the greatest American novel ever written.   Despite this praise, Mark Twain’s masterpiece has never been without criticism.   Upon its inception it was blasted for being indecent literature for young readers because of its lack of morals and contempt for conformity.   Modern indignation toward Huck Finn arises from its racist undertones, most notably Twain’s treatment of the character JimRead MoreEssay on Huckleberry Finn and Slavery1227 Words   |  5 Pagesoverwhelmingly racist atmosphere that he was placed in, this is an example of how young Huck Finn is able to see a black man with the human qualities that Huck’s upbringing was supposed to rip from all blacks. Huck’s mind, from the very beginning, is open to the possibility of Jim being just another human being, regardless of him being taught otherwise. Around the time period in which The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is loosely based (1830-1845, roughly), slavery was prominent throughout the U.S. and thereRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Huckleberry Finn 1974 Words   |  8 PagesAccording to Carson-Newman College, a literary canon is a body of literature traditionally thought to be suitable for study. Based on this broad definition of the term literary canon, the reader is left wondering whether or not Huckleberry Finn deserves its place in our literary canon? Many people like Jane Smiley, are against it being part of our literary canon for multiple reasons. For example, she is against it because of the appearance of racism and the events throughout the book. However, despiteRead MoreMark Twain s The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn1939 Words   |  8 PagesMark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn In Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the classic novel tells the story of a adolescent boy who finds it hard to fit into â€Å"civilized† society, which casts him out with an escaping slave by the name of Jim to float the Mississippi River. Throughout their journey Huck and Jim experience a combination of adventure and danger followed by a pool of humorous and foul characters. Throughout this novel Twain demonstrates that, â€Å"the existenceRead More Racism in Huck Finn Essay example3609 Words   |  15 PagesRacism in Huck Finn Kids are often exposed to books long before they are ready for them or exposed to them in a manner that seems almost calculated to evaporate whatever enthusiasm the student may bring to them. Very few youngsters of high school age are ready for The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Leaving aside its subtle depiction of racial attitudes and its complex view of American society, the book is written in a language that will seem baroque, obscure and antiquated to many young peopleRead MoreMark Twain : A Man Beyond Color1541 Words   |  7 PagesMark Twain: A Man Beyond Color For skilled labor workers in the mid-1800’s, jobs were plentiful; however, most required an apprenticeship to hone their skills to perfection as a way to secure a job (Armstrong, 2015). Specifically, Samuel Clemens’ mother decided, upon the death of her husband in 1847, Samuel was to begin an apprenticeship with Joseph Ament, owner of the Missouri Courier (Dempsey, 2003). Just before the death of Clemens’ father, because of financial distress, his mother took a job

Gerard manley hopkins terrible Essay Example For Students

Gerard manley hopkins terrible Essay Gerard Manley Hopkins terrible SonnetsIn the mid 1800s a very spiritual poet was born. Gerard Manley Hopkins was born July 28, 1844 to Manley and Catherine (Smith) Hopkins, the first of their nine children (Drabble 473). His parents were High Church Anglicans, and his father had just published a volume of poetry the year before (Drabble 473). He was ordained as a Jesuit priest who wrote beautiful poetry full of thoughts of nature and harmony. Hopkins poetry was, for the most part, published after his death in 1889. Five years before Hopkins death he wrote six terrible sonnets revealing his inner torment and separation from God (Davie 86). These poems were written while Hopkins worked as a professor at University College, Dublin (Drabble 474). Hopkins sonnets No Worst, there is none and I wake and feel the fell of Dark, Not Day show his mental anguish caused by spiritual agony. His job as a professor at University College required the grading of 500 examination papers, each one sever al pages of uninspired student translations, five to six times a year (Benzel 370). His job demanded long hours which took away time for his admiration of nature and his time for prayer. The six terrible sonnets have a strong contradiction to his earlier works. His early works were filled with beautiful scenes in nature and praise of God. His realization that he was not dedicating enough time to God allowed him to see how many other people lose sight of God. This and other experiences during the time while he wrote his terrible sonnets allow us to assume that the poems are his own religious confessions. More important, however, was his sense that his prayers no longer reached God (Benzel 371). Hopkins life-long best friend Robert Bridges received several letters from Hopkins while he wrote the terrible sonnets. Hopkins wrote to Bridges that the sonnets came to him like inspirations unbidden and against my will (Leavis 5296). Hopkins saw in his poems the fragmentation of his capacity to represent his Christian vision adequately. Hopkins considered this poetry the wrong kind of poetry because the sonnets did not manifest that penetrating delineation, that inscaping of Christ in nature which had formerly been his joy (Leavis 5297). Though Hopkins felt these poems were wrong and unwanted he also name them inspirations which meant that he recognized their poetic merit and their spiritual worth. His recognition of his losing touch with God in nature is a way of asking God for forgiveness (Leavis 5297). The sonnet No worst, there is none reveals Hopkins lowest pit of desolation and inner torment caused from his distance with God. Mariani notes the sonnet only contains only a few images of nature and is all darkness. The sonnet can be divided into two parts. The first ten lines of the poem present his despair. Lines one and two No worst there is none. Pitched past pitch of grief / More pangs will, schooled at forepangs, wilder wring (ll.1-2), reveal he has touched bottom: Hopkins, like a violin string, is strung tighter to play at the higher, more piercing and metallic tone of grief (Mariani 59). Line one suggest an inexpressible degree of pain (Benzel 382). Line two turns the grief into something horrifyingly active.Lines three and four Comforter, where, where is your comforting? / Mary, mother of us, where is your relief? (ll. 3-4), almost admonishes the Blessed Virgin and the comforter, who is Christ as well as the Holy Spirit, for not coming to his aid. Line six woe, world sorrow ; on a age-old anvil wince and sing, is Hopkins terrifying realization that man, rebellious creature, is unworthy of Gods concern (Mariani 60). In line six The anvil wincing and singing and furys shrieking force the sense of physical pain on us again and turn the screw tighter (Benzel 382). Line nine and ten O the mind, mind has mountains; cliffs of fall / Frightful, sheer, no-man-fathomed. Hold them cheap (ll. 9-10), refer to mans original fall and severance from God. The last few lines uncover Hopkins relief from his despair.These lines portray Hopkins anguish by his admitting to looking forward to

The Effects of Solons Reforms on Athens Essay Example

The Effects of Solons Reforms on Athens Paper Athens, pre-574 BC, was riddled with problems, and the nobles of Athens soon realised that the revolt, resulting in a tyranny that had happened in so many surrounding cities, was a serious possibility. Their solution was to shift law making power to Solon. Solon soon revolutionised Athens by an attempt to solve the political, economic and social problems of Athens. Before Solons reforms, the political situation in Athens was not desirable. Split into 3 levels; the magistrates, nobles and held the majority of power; the Council of Areopagus, nobles who controlled the law and the state; and the Assembly, the middle classes of Athens who held little power, the government was used by nobles to exploit the poor. Solon endeavoured for Eunomia; or the reign of good order, where all classes where represented in government. Under Solons leadership, the Codes of Law, regarding family matters, were revised and brought benefits to all social classes. He established a Timocracy; a government in which political rights of citizens were determined by wealth, not by birth. He then split the government into 5 levels; the archons, the Council of Areopagus, The Council of 400, the Assembly and the Heliaea. By spreading the power evenly over the 5 levels and allowing men of non noble birth and lower income into government, Solon broke the monopoly the nobles had held over the government and set the foundation for a democracy. We will write a custom essay sample on The Effects of Solons Reforms on Athens specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Effects of Solons Reforms on Athens specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Effects of Solons Reforms on Athens specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The economic situation in Athens was also extreme. Widespread debt, the rising of the Hektemoroi, and Athens war against Megara, all resulted in a struggling Athens. Solon immediately passed the Seisachtheia, or the shaking off of burdens. This meant that all outstanding debt was cancelled, and all those who had become slaves due to their debt were freed. It also involved the return of those who had been sold overseas, and the removal of the Hektemoroi. As a result, Athens became a city filled with peasants who had no money or land. The wealthy of Athens lost control over large areas of land on which the Hektemoroi had worked, and they also lost the interest on their loans. Solon also placed temporary bans on exports or agricultural products to prevent famine. This prevented speculation in essential products and lowered the prices on basic necessities. He encouraged many of the landless to return to learning a craft, and made it obligatory for the father to teach his son a trade. These reforms took steps to making Athens a free citizen nation, but it only alleviated distress instead of eliminating the problems. Pre 574, Athens was split up into 4 social classes; the Eupatridae, nobles that held almost all political power; the Georgoi and Demiourgoi, farmers and craftsmen who held average rights; and the Thetes, who held no political rights or land. These classes also split into clans, the constant bickering between clans often disrupting Athens. Solons reforms meant that all 4 classes held political power, and it was more difficult for the Eupatridae to exploit the other classes. Fighting between clans also decreased, and Athens became much more stable. In conclusion, we can clearly see that Solon attempted to address all major issues prevalent in Athens at the time, from debt to social classes. His reforms aided the situation, but whether his reforms were practical for long term application is arguable.