A Glimmer Of Hope By William Shakespeare - 1818 Words

Allen Chen Ms. Fill European Literature / Period 5 26 September 16 A Glimmer of Hope It is customary for a work of literature that accounts for a variety of customs and values of a society to also address religion as a quintessential part of the society. However, texts that have ancient origins and are passed down orally such as Beowulf can be unclear regarding the interpretation of religious themes. As Stevick points out, â€Å"interpretations [of Beowulf] ... sort themselves ... into opposing views†, consisting of â€Å"regarding the poem as dominantly Christian† or viewing the poem as one of â€Å"Germanic orientation† or pagan (Stevick 79). In fact, Beowulf may not purely one or the other; instead, it could have been set at a time where â€Å"Christian and pagan values blend† (Ruth 154), or as Stevick puts it: â€Å"mediating these opposing views† as a â€Å"‘transitional’ period† (Stevick 79). Conversion of faith is not instantaneous and thus the transitional period is far from brief. Although Beowulf is not iceably centered around this period, it leans toward the time when the Anglo-Saxons were still new to the Christian faith. Contrary to the belief that religious references prove that Beowulf depicts an ancient society that successfully integrated the Christian faith into its culture, the text actually represents the initial failure of the Anglo-Saxon society to adopt Christianity during the transitional period. While the text does reveal countless obscure Christian references, they areShow MoreRelatedThe Cask Of Amontillado : William Shakespeare1450 Words   |  6 PagesMelanie Bottini Ruiz-Velasco English 221 Final Paper 17 December 2014 The Cask of Amontillado: Shakespeare in American Literature There are a few names in literature which represent the ability to captivate an audience with suspense and gloom. Though masters of different genres, Edgar Allen Poe and William Shakespeare both embody this unique ability. One of Poe’s work in particular resembles the beauty and darkness that is found in Shakespeare’s tragedies. In the intriguing short story â€Å"The CaskRead More Good and Bad in Othello Essay1555 Words   |  7 PagesGood and Bad in Othello  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   A huge battle between good and evil is waged the William Shakespeare’s drama Othello. In this essay let us study the many facets of these two dimensions as presented through the words and actions of the characters.    Can the protagonist, who has committed a double killing in the last scene, be saved? In William Shakespeare: The Tragedies, Paul A. Jorgensen discusses the theology of the final scene:    It is better not to look too anxiously intoRead MoreEssay Morality and Immorality in Othello1255 Words   |  6 PagesMorality and Immorality in Othello      Ã‚  Ã‚   William Shakespeare’s tragic drama Othello presents to the audience a picture of many different shades of morality and immorality. It is the purpose of this essay to elaborate in detail on this thesis.    Roderigo’s opening lines to Iago in Act 1 Scene 1 take us to the very root of the problem:      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Tush! never tell me; I take it much unkindly   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   That thou, Iago, who hast had my purse   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As if the strings were thine, shouldstRead MoreShylock s Tragedy And Its Toll On Romantic Comedy1308 Words   |  6 Pages Shylock’s Tragedy and its Toll on Romantic Comedy The inclusion of Shylock in The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare adds a complexity not typically found in romantic comedy. Shakespeare could have made Shylock’s role a light mockery of anti-Semitism, or something to that effect, but instead he chose to create a tragedy at the center of romance and comedy. This makes for a play, which does not fit neatly into an assigned genre. Shylock’s language in this passage, reveals several thingsRead MoreEssay on Shakespeare1701 Words   |  7 PagesWilliam Shakespeare often examines the personal transformation of characters in his works. His frequent illustrations of changing players most likely suggests that he is a true believer in the idea of people being able to emotionally grow. Moreso, the author essentially endorses the thought of developing humanity as a living being. Parallel to King Richard in Richard II, he illustrates many characters throughout his works whom undergo similar personal growth. Oftentimes th ese personal changesRead More Sacrifice of Values to Please Authority in Shakespeares Hamlet1052 Words   |  5 PagesSacrifice of Values to Please Authority in Shakespeares Hamlet It seems that it is human nature to want to please others, but compromising ones values in order to do so can result in people getting hurt emotionally or physically. In William Shakespeares Hamlet, the desire to please those in authority overweighs the judgment of many characters. These characters are more interested in pleasing those in power than doing what is in their best interest. This is seen in Polonious eager attemptRead MoreWilliam Shakespeares Macbeth Essay examples1678 Words   |  7 PagesWilliam Shakespeares Macbeth During Shakespeares Macbeth, Lady Macbeth shows herself to be a controversial figure, battling with her will and conscience. The first we see of Lady Macbeth is in the opening of Act 1, Scene 5, where she is reading a letter from her husband, Macbeth, out loud. The letter from Macbeth reveals what has happened, but he has chosen to mainly write about the prophesy of the weird sisters, and the possibility of him seizing the throne in theRead MoreEssay on Humanity and Reason in Othello1791 Words   |  8 PagesHumanity and Reason in Othello  Ã‚  Ã‚      In Othello Shakespeare probes deeply into the human condition by creating characters, who, by their inability to think rationally, surrender what sets them above animals. Before he succumbs to Iagos poisonous innuendoes, Othello himself expresses his clear understanding of this role of the human intellect. He initially refuses to listen to Iagos suggestions that Desdemona cannot be trusted, Exchange me for a goat/When I shall turn the business of my soul/ToRead MoreImages of Night and Sleep in Macbeth by William Shakespeare Essay1479 Words   |  6 PagesImages of Night and Sleep in Macbeth by William Shakespeare The Shakespearean work Macbeth is a dramatic tragedy. It is a serious play that represents the disastrous downfall of its central character, Macbeth. In this tragedy there are many terrible acts of bloodthirsty, premeditated violence. Many of these gruesome acts happen at night. These incidents of tragedy have a major affect on the main characters and their actions. Macbeth also contains many images of sleep. AsRead MoreThe Role and Function of the Fool in King Lear2999 Words   |  12 Pages‘King Lear The Fool in ‘King Lear is a William Shakespeare creation. Shakespeare has the ability to reveal a human character with an exceptional use of language. He allows us to see more than just words on the paper; were given a multi dimensional insight into a character. Usually his characters arent as straight-forward as black or white, they are invariably more complex. Edmund for example, its easy to present him as the villain but Shakespeare also shows us a sorry side to him as he attempts