Essays on Tragedy

Othello is a character displaying all the classic traits of a tragic hero. Linguistically he is eloquent in style; “Rude am I in my speech and little blessed with the soft phrase of speech” (1.3.82-3). This also implies his modest side although he generally acts …

The seemingly loving and honest sisters, Generic and Reagan, and Starr son, Edmund, are In reality; evil, uncaring, deceitful beings, and clothing that symbolizes who a person Is, Is simply only an Illusion. Early on in the play, Learns two daughters, Generic and Reagan, appear …

Oedipus the Decent King Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex is a classic Greek tragedy that tells the story of a king with an unavoidable fate. Oedipus, the king of Thebes, unknowingly marries his mother and kills his father, thus cursing his kingdom with a terrible famine. The …

It is a known fact that the actions someone makes throughout his/her life fashions the kind of person he/she is, however this is not always the case. Ultimately it was Othello who was in control of his own behaviour though he was highly influenced. Despite …

The portrayals of Barrett Browning and Fitzgerald explore the preferences of idealized love and time throughout both texts with the use of symbolism, imagery, irony and characterization to emphasis these differences. The Great Gatsby set during the Jazz age is an exemplification of the failure …

A Midsummer Night’s Dream Shakespeare is one of the most well-known playwright and poet that the world has ever produced. He’s known for his ability to recapitulate the array of human emotions in simple yet Intensely expressive verse. One of Shakespearean most popular plays, A …

The Tragic Hero of Antigone In Sophocles’ play Antigone, both Creon, and Antigone display some characteristics of a tragic hero. Creon is the king of Thebes following the late Oedipus and his sons. He decrees that no one should ever bury Polyneices because he was …

Allen Yun Ms. Chen English 1 Honors 16 April 2013 Oedipus Rex and Antigone Essay Prompt What would happen if one were to witness a wealthy, powerful leader who could wish for nothing more in his life? Sounds like everything a man could dream of, …

According to Aristotle, a tragic hero is a character of noble status and greatness. He is a man who is not entirely good or entirely evil, rather, he is a man who on the whole is good, but also contributes to his own destruction by …

In these paragraphs Marx takes into consideration the first ‘illusion of German Ideology’ and questions it validity. German philosophy based its premises about human consciousness on idealism whereas Marx develops it from the material existence of humans.  He says that ‘[t]he premises from which we …

In the story “Contents of a Dead Man’s Pocket” written by Jack Finney, the main character named Tom goes through a near death experience causing him to realize that ambitions are not all that life is about, that his job is not more important than …

It is quite clear that Columbus is a controversial figure in American history; many different views of the “Admiral of the Ocean” are presented to the American public. For starters Columbus Day is still viewed as a national holiday; on the other side many people …

Shakespeare’s Macbeth has been considered by many experts a successful tragic play over all other Shakespeare tragedies. The play reveals the concept that ambition could lead a hero astray In Macbeth we see the gradual change of Macbeth‘s and Lady Macbeth’s characters that ultimately led …

The Foolishness of Achilles’ Anger What causes a great leader to fall? Why do people who have such large potential fail? Could it be pressure? Expectations? Circumstances? All these things may contribute but the final blows are made by a serious character flaw or a …

Epic heroes like Achilles, Odysseus, and Aenas were warrior-type males who fought enemies and wars with great strength and exceptional courage.  Most of the time they had little regard for their own personal safety.  That, particularly characterized Achilles.  Odysseus on the other hand was cautious …

What Does it Mean to be a Man or a Woman? A theme the tragedy of Macbeth routinely reveals is one of gender roles. Throughout the play, many characters struggle with conflict within themselves; not unlike conflicts that we face inside ourselves today. Various major …

Antigone, the main character in Sophocles‘ renowned tragedy of the same name, is often praised as a figure of integrity and heroism. However, Sophocles’ intentions may not have been so simple. By taking a deeper look into Antigone‘s words and deeds, one realizes that she …

The play entitled “Arsenic and Old Lace” is about the story of comedy towards tragedy and dilemma. It emphasized the main product of the play, which is the elderberry wine that the main characters used to kill and bury people who had no family. Despite …

Gender Overplay The representation and relationships of women in Venetian society in terms of ender relations and equality are explored throughout the play. The character of Ago, adopts the sexist and discriminatory attitudes towards women that was common In the patriarchal society of Venice. Ago …

Aspects of a Tragic Hero To be a tragic hero, the character must show a great strength of heroism, including a vulnerability, that could lead to his or her demise. Sophocles, the great ancient playwright of the Greek Empire was as popular then as he …

William Shakespeare’s classic, The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, is about two lovers that are forbidden to be together and their solution. The writing style of this Shakespearean play reveals the era of the play by highlighting the social classes. Skillfully using his writing, Shakespeare …

Running ahead: Is reality television negative Reality television has gone negative in the most apart. Take shows like “Jersey Shore”. This show by its self shows how to be ignorat, loud, don’t care about anything but partying. Do we really want our children to act …

The tragedy ‘King Lear’ by William Shakespeare, although written about quite remote epoch and unusual (in terms of our contemporary world) settings, raises vital philosophical, social and psychological themes, which are unlikely to become outdated. The most abstractive philosophical issue, described in ‘King Lear’ is …

William Shakespeare’s play Othello, written in 1603, is set in Venice and follows the ‘valiant’ general Othello who is manipulated by Iago into his own downfall; being the murder of his wife then suicide. The play explores some of the deepest characteristics of human experience, …

John Proctor, a clear cut tragic hero. Tragic heroes are broadly portrayed as literary characters who make an error of judgment or have a fatal flaw that, combined with fate and external forces, brings on a tragedy. Making the tragic hero suffer an experience of …

How far do you agree that “The play of King Lear presents us with a bleak and cruel world and offers us no comfort at the end Much of Shakespeare’s King Lear follows themes such as betrayal on the part of the antagonists and the …

Tragic play by Shakespeare In Macbeth, the author explores the depths of human ambition, the damaging effects of remorse, and the distorting effects of power. The play deals with perennial issues that fascinate audiences and provide deep understandings of the human condition. In order to …

Asher Miller was one of the greatest playwrights and essayists of the 20th century. He won numerous awards for his writing including the Tony Award for best play and Pulitzer Prize for drama. He lived a long fruitful life and provided a total of seven …

I was given the brief that, if I was a director how would I compose work on Macbeth on Act One, Scene Three of the play? I would begin by thinking on how I will present the following to the audience: the setting, the atmosphere, …

Q: Describe Antony and Cleopatra as a heroic act written in a post-heroic age. Antony and Cleopatra is a tragic play written by William Shakespeare; embodying the basic notions of most of the Jacobean tragedies that occurred during the reign of King James the first …