Essay about Sub-plots in Hamlet - 1096 Words

Sub-plots in Hamlet There are many things that critics say make Hamlet a Great Work, one of which is the way that Shakespeare masterfully incorporates so many sub-plots into the story, and ties them all into the main plot of Hamlet’s revenge of his father’s murder. By the end of Act I, not only is the main plot identified, but many other sub-plots are introduced. Among the sub-plots are trust in the Ghost of King Hamlet, Fortinbras, and the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia. These three sub-plots are crucial to making Hamlet the master piece that it is. In the times that Shakespeare lived ghosts were a readily accepted idea, but one had to be wary of them because it was difficult to decipher a good ghost from a bad one.†¦show more content†¦To take this sub-plot out would have left the reader/audience with many questions, especially in Shakespeare’s time. People would wonder if the ghost was of good intent, and if Hamlet was wise in revenging his father. In many versions of Hamlet, the character of Fortinbras is taken out. Fortinbras is the heir to Norway, but his father lost almost all of his inheritance to King Hamlet. Fortinbras wanted revenge, but he was told he could not take it because the land was lost fairly in an agreed contract. Fortinbras represents Hamlet after he has learned of his father’s murder, the only difference is that he does not take revenge because King Fortinbras was not murdered. Although what he contributes can easily be omitted from the play, many feel that it ruins the play at the end. After all of the heirs to the Denmark throne have been killed, Fortinbras comes to Denmark from a victorious conquer of Poland. In his dying breath Hamlet said, But I do prophesy th’election lights On Fortinbras. He has my dying voice (308). Because much of the Denmark land once was Fortinbras’ inheritance, Fortinbras was enable to claim the kingdom. This ending is needed to make the play a true tragedy. According to Aristotle, a tragedy is a a conflict between the protagonist and a superior force, . . . reaching a sorrowful or disastrous conclusion that excites pity or terror while leaving one with a sense of reconciliation rather than one ofShow MoreRelatedThe Aristotelian Method Of Shakespeare s Hamlet Essay1805 Words   |  8 Pagesway? In Hamlet, there is evidence of all of the six elements that Aristotle thought created a successful tragedy, as well as a turning point. This method of analyzing can help to separate and analyze a lot of what makes Hamlet such a successful and classic play. From the plot to the spectacle, Hamlet shows evidence of everything. Even if this method isn’t the best way to analyze Hamlet, it does create a good starting point for taking the play apart piece by piece, starting with the plot. In theRead MoreEssay on Hamlet -- Is Hamlet Sane782 Words   |  4 PagesHamlet Essay: Is Hamlet Sane With the coming of Freudian theory in the first half of this century and the subsequent emergence of psychoanalytically-oriented literary criticism in the 1960s, the question of Hamlets underlying sanity has become a major issue in the interpretation of Hamlet. While related concern with the Princes inability to take action had already directed scholarly attention toward the uncertainty of Hamlets mental state, modern psychological views of the play have challengedRead MoreMadness versus Reality in Hamlet1550 Words   |  6 PagesRunning Head: Hamlet Madness Versus Reality A tragic story motivated by revenge leads to a tragic end with avengers hunger for revenge results in death of the murderer and most often demise of the avenger himself. Revenge tragedies share within themselves some common aspects; sub plots, madness, passion, one or more violent scenes and a main character filled with hate for a significant opponent usually due to a crime committed against the avenger or the main character. Since authorities of theRead MoreThe Significance of Death and Sex to William Shakespeare1482 Words   |  6 PagesI would like to look at three of Shakespeares tragic plays: Hamlet, Othello and King Lear. Shakespeare uses many themes in all his play that attract audiences throughout history. The things he wrote about are as relevant now as they were in his time. Death and Sin were issues that are always around. In his plays, Shakespeare could comment on these things and make audiences see things that they could not before. In Hamlet, we can see clear examples of Death and Sin as significant toRead MoreHamlet Tragedy Of The Mother And Son1137 Words   |  5 PagesHamlet-Tragedy of the Mother and Son William Shakespeare is a writer of tragedies—the tragedies within common everyday relationships. Of these various relationships, Shakespeare reveals his interest in the relationship between the mother and son within Hamlet. The mother: Queen Gertrude, and the son: Prince Hamlet is unique within the play because Hamlet’s relationship with his mother is rare in the sense that Gertrude is one of two women within Hamlet. And like the other woman, Gertrude is submergedRead MoreHamlet Soliloquy Analysis Essay2074 Words   |  9 PagesThis soliloquy by Hamlet is where he first devises the plan of the â€Å"Mouse Trap† (Act III, scene 2). 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Hamlet is an especially intriguing production, both on the set and on the screen because of its uniqueness to be different from what most peopleRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Hamlet 1815 Words   |  8 PagesShakespeare’s play â€Å"Hamlet† is the most famous Shakespeare play (Frequently Asked Questions). It is set in 1600’s Denmark. There is a big complaint by high school and college students that the play is too hard to read due to the language used by William Shakespeare. However, there are many adaptations that have been made using this play. One of these adaptations is called â€Å"Thug Notes† and is on YouTube. This adaptation uses ver y informal language, but is able to convey the most important plot points foundRead MoreHamlet as a Revenge Tragedy Essay examples1285 Words   |  6 PagesHamlet as a Revenge Tragedy Revenge tragedy was a brief sub genre of tragedy at the end of the sixteenth century, despite some clashes with the teachings of the church. In a revenge tragedy a crime, normally murder, has gone unpunished, because the criminal has too much power and cannot be reached by the law. This fact is revealed by a ghost to someone closely connected with the victim, laying on him the responsibility to revenge the crime. The revenger is usually anRead MoreThe Tragic Flaw Of Shakespeare s Othello1108 Words   |  5 Pagesliterary work in which the main character is brought to ruin or suffers extreme sorrow, especially as a consequence of a tragic flaw. Othello was brought down by a fatal fault jealousy in his character. Shakespeare s other great tragedies -- Hamlet, Macbeth and King Lear -- deal with issues that affect the well-being of entire nations, whereas Othello is a tragedy with timeless themes such as love, hate, jealousy, revenge, intrigue, trust, suspicion, self-interest, racism and judgment. Here

Capital Punishment And The Death Penalty - 1087 Words

Capital punishment has been used for centuries as a way to reduce the cost of inmates, to repay the families of victims and to aid in the safety of our society. In its time, capital punishment has taken on many different forms ranging from hangings and electrical shock to lethal injections. With the risks that are involved in providing a successful death to those on death row, capital punishment needs to be done in a more efficient manner. Complications have occurred during executions, which have fueled a need to repeal the Death Penalty. There are always two sides to an argument and when it comes to the death penalty there is no difference. Those who are for the death penalty and are keeping the practice say that the death penalty aids in giving victims’ families peace as well as preventing the perpetrator from doing those despicable crimes again. According to Kyle Gibson in the article Death Penalty Repeal: It s Necessary to Use Capital Punishment in a Free World the only wa y for many families to have any peace in their loss is for the perpetrators to die for what they have done. The author also mentions that death many not be enough to stop the pain and help them to move on with their lives (Gibson, Online). Those people who want to abolish the death penalty believe that the practice is unethical. They state that the practice is not nearly as beneficial to our government. They argue that the practice may not always work effectively and may take longer for theShow MoreRelatedCapital Punishment : The Death Penalty1482 Words   |  6 PagesMrs. McElmoyl 12/12/14 Capital Punishment As stated by former governor of New York, Mario M. Cuomo, Always I have concluded the death penalty is wrong because it lowers us all; it is a surrender to the worst that is in us; it uses a power- the official power to kill by execution- that has never brought back a life, need inspired anything but hate. (Cuomo 1) This is one of the main arguments against capital punishment (also known as the death sentence.) Capital punishment is the ability for a governmentRead MoreCapital Punishment : The Death Penalty1410 Words   |  6 PagesCapital Punishment in America In 1976 the Supreme Court of the United States of America ruled the Death Penalty constitutionally permissible. The debate over capital punishment has always been a topic of great controversy. Before the Supreme Court ruling in 1976 America had been practicing capital punishment for centuries. At the current time some states enforce the death penalty, while some do not. 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Many people argue that capital punishment is useful in deterring crime and that it is only fair that criminals receive death as punishment for a heinous crime. On the contrary, others see the death penalty as a violation of the 8th amendment. It restricts excessive fines, and it also does not allow cruel and unusual punishment t o be inflicted upon criminalsRead MoreThe Death Penalty And Capital Punishment931 Words   |  4 Pageswritten down (Robert). The death penalty was applied for a particularly wide range of crimes. The Romans also used death penalty for a wide range of offenses. Historically, the death sentence was often handled with torture, and executions, except that it was done in public. In this century, the death penalty, execution or capital punishment, whatever you’d like to refer it as, is the result for committing capital crimes or capital offences and it is not in public. The death penalty has been practiced byRead MoreCapital Punishment And The Death Penalty991 Words   |  4 PagesCapital Punishment Imagine your having a normal morning, eating breakfast doing your normal routine. Suddenly your phone rings and when you answer you hear the worst news possible. One of your family members has just been murdered in cold blood. You cry, mourn, then become angry. You attend the court hearing and you sit less than 20 feet away from the murderer. Do you truly believe this person deserves to live? Or should they face a punishment that is equal to their crime? Some may say CapitalRead MoreThe Death Penalty And Capital Punishment1569 Words   |  7 Pagesthe death penalty also referred to as capital punishment. The death penalty is both useless and harmful to not only criminals but also their potential victims. This paper uses these horrific facts to try and convince the reader that the death penalty should be done away with before it is too late, although that time may have already come. With supporting evidence to support my cause, I hope that the following information sways at least one reader to see the harm of keeping the death penalty an activeRead MoreCapital Punishment And The Death Penalty1235 Words   |  5 PagesWhat is capital punishment? Why do people support it, but yet people cherish lives? Is it a moral thing to do? Should one be for or against the Death Penalty? Let’s take a look deep into the world of justices and why capital punishment still exists in today’s society. Capital punishment or the death penalty is a feder al punishment given to criminals who are convicted of murders. It is the highest law punishment available that can prevent future murders by developing fear within them. Capital punishmentRead MoreThe Death Penalty Is A Capital Punishment1271 Words   |  6 Pages What is the death penalty? The death penalty is a capital punishment that is punishable by death or execution. This is usually given to people that have committed serious offences or capital crimes. There are 31 states in the United States that are for the death penalty. Crimes that are punishable by the death penalty, vary from state to state. Examples of such crimes are; first degree murder or premeditated murder, murder with special circumstances, such as: intended, multiple, and murder whichRead MoreCapital Punishment And The Death Penalty1539 Words   |  7 PagesCapital punishment, otherwise known as the death penalty, has been the center of debate for a long time. Capital punishment may be defined as the â€Å" [e]xecution of an offender sentenced to death after conviction by a court of law of a criminal offense† (Capital Punishment). Up until 1846, when Michigan became the first to abolish the death sentence, all states allowed legal practice of capital punishment by the government (States). Currently, there 32 states still supporting the death penalty and 18

Film Review Dear White People Essay Example For Students

Film Review Dear White People Essay There is an everlasting struggle for self-identity within the African American community. Primarily, due to the trauma created during American history. Many men and women have overcome the trauma, and found their own purpose for their life. Some attribute their self-discovery to a higher education. College is supposed to be a place to find out who you are and create a path for your life. The film, â€Å"Dear White People,† written and directed by Justin Simien breaks down the misconceptions of marginalized African American students at the fictional Ivy League institution, Winchester University. The Black students are struggling to define themselves in an environment dominated by race, power, and privilege. The film tells the story through the vantage points of four students. Sam White is a politically-active film student, who voices her thoughts on a radio show entitled, â€Å"Dear White People. † Colandrea â€Å"CoCo† Connors is a YouTube blogger, who hopes to become a reality TV star. Lionel Higgins is an awkward and aspiring, journalist, who struggles with his sexuality as well as his perception on campus. The fourth character, Troy Fairbanks is the popular son of the school’s dean, who’s running for a position on student government. Right away, the director sets the tone of the film by telling audiences that a, â€Å"race war,† has begun, following a Halloween party hosted by the campus humor magazine staff. The theme of the party instructs white attendees to, â€Å"unleash their inner negro. † The tension began 5 weeks prior, and finally erupted at the black-faced Halloween party. A flashback, to five weeks ago, audiences are introduced to Sam. She is the outspoken DJ of the radio show, â€Å"Dear White People,† who details her experiences as a mixed African American. Sam exposes hypocrites, but still hasnt discovered herself. Then, there’s Lionel. Lionel is black and gay, something that is yet to be accepted at Winchester University, and also in society. Lionel is forced to face his battles head on, when he’s asked by the schools newspaper to cover, â€Å"Black culture,† on campus. All the while, Colandrea is trying her hardest to act Black enough for a spot on reality TV. Troy, is simultaneously trying to decide whether the life his father wants for him, is the life he wants for himself. The director, Simien, evenly balanced the serious issues of the film with comical satire. The movie examines today’s status quo, from the eyes of young Black people. Regardless of skin color or ethnicity, audiences are able to identify with the struggles presented by each character; this is probably why this movie speaks to so many. The film concludes with life at Winchester after the chaotic Halloween party. The commotion has settled, and black students have found a way to express themselves to make their presence known on campus. â€Å"Dear White People,† is a must see film. Everyone will perceive it differently, but it is one of those films that examines the issues we’d rather keep quiet about. The message of the film is well received; it is a solid film. Simien and the cast did an outstanding job of detailing this generation’s struggle with race, power, and privilege.