Download or read book Approaching possible reasons for the different endings in Geoffrey of Monmouth s Historia Regum Britanniae and William Shakespeare s King Lear written by Julian Binder and published by GRIN Verlag. This book was released on 2012-02-23 with total page 24 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Seminar paper from the year 2011 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 1,0, University of Tubingen, language: English, abstract: 1. Introduction: ... This is the basic plot of the legend of King Lear. Geoffrey of Monmouth, a magister and later bishop of Saint Asaph, used it for his Historia Regum Britanniae, also known as The History of the Kings of Britain, a work which pretends to be a history of the British rulers. It was written between 1135 and 1138 and served William Shakespeare as a source for his tragedy called King Lear, which was written between 1603 and 1606. It is no big secret that legends, plays and even traditions sometimes undergo massive changes in the course of time. By comparing the modern celebration of Halloween or St. Nicholas ́ Day to their original meaning, we are able to detect various differences. These changes could be seen as a kind of defamiliarization of their ancient message. Can they simply be seen as a try to change old and established elements into modern and popular objects that are suitable for the longing and the desire of the mass? By having a closer look at today ́s commercial character of Halloween and Christmas, one would tend to agree. On the other side, it seems to be quite logical that different periods with different social and political circumstances can cause different interpretations and expectations of a piece of literature or an event. Although Shakespeare ́s and Geoffrey ́s works are dealing with the same background legend, their message and their intentions seem to be quite different. As it was Shakespeare who adapted the Lear story and provided it with several changes, the question arises why he did so. Did he make these changes for commercial reasons? Did he try to integrate the legend into a contemporary context in order to influence the masses to attend his play? Was he politically dependent and in some way forced to do it? Are contemporary values and ideas of his era the key to explain the changes? The aim of this paper is to find out, or at least to approach Shakespeare ́s and also Geoffrey ́s intentions for providing their own versions of the story of King Lear with special characteristics. In order to be able to compare the different works, it seems to be necessary to provide some background information about both in the following... 2. Geoffrey of Monmouth ́s "Historia Regum Britanniae" 3. William Shakespeare ́s "King Lear" 4. Possible reasons for the different endings 4.1 Specific patterns 4.2 Religious influences 4.3 Different genres 4.4 Political influences and dependencies 5. Conclusion 6. Works cited

Download or read book Approaching Possible Reasons for the Different Endings in Geoffrey of Monmouth s Historia Regum Britanniae and William Shakespeare s King Lear written by Julian Binder and published by GRIN Verlag. This book was released on 2012-03 with total page 25 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Seminar paper from the year 2011 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 1,0, University of Tubingen, language: English, abstract: 1. Introduction: ... This is the basic plot of the legend of King Lear. Geoffrey of Monmouth, a magister and later bishop of Saint Asaph, used it for his Historia Regum Britanniae, also known as The History of the Kings of Britain, a work which pretends to be a history of the British rulers. It was written between 1135 and 1138 and served William Shakespeare as a source for his tragedy called King Lear, which was written between 1603 and 1606. It is no big secret that legends, plays and even traditions sometimes undergo massive changes in the course of time. By comparing the modern celebration of Halloween or St. Nicholas ́ Day to their original meaning, we are able to detect various differences. These changes could be seen as a kind of defamiliarization of their ancient message. Can they simply be seen as a try to change old and established elements into modern and popular objects that are suitable for the longing and the desire of the mass? By having a closer look at today ́s commercial character of Halloween and Christmas, one would tend to agree. On the other side, it seems to be quite logical that different periods with different social and political circumstances can cause different interpretations and expectations of a piece of literature or an event. Although Shakespeare ́s and Geoffrey ́s works are dealing with the same background legend, their message and their intentions seem to be quite different. As it was Shakespeare who adapted the Lear story and provided it with several changes, the question arises why he did so. Did he make these changes for commercial reasons? Did he try to integrate the legend into a contemporary context in order to influence the masses to attend his play? Was he politically dependent and in some way forced to do it? Are contemporary values and ideas of his era t

Download or read book King Lear written by Jeffrey Kahan and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2008-04-18 with total page 385 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Is King Lear an autonomous text, or a rewrite of the earlier and anonymous play King Leir? Should we refer to Shakespeare’s original quarto when discussing the play, the revised folio text, or the popular composite version, stitched together by Alexander Pope in 1725? What of its stage variations? When turning from page to stage, the critical view on King Lear is skewed by the fact that for almost half of the four hundred years the play has been performed, audiences preferred Naham Tate's optimistic adaptation, in which Lear and Cordelia live happily ever after. When discussing King Lear, the question of what comprises ‘the play’ is both complex and fragmentary. These issues of identity and authenticity across time and across mediums are outlined, debated, and considered critically by the contributors to this volume. Using a variety of approaches, from postcolonialism and New Historicism to psychoanalysis and gender studies, the leading international contributors to King Lear: New Critical Essays offer major new interpretations on the conception and writing, editing, and cultural productions of King Lear. This book is an up-to-date and comprehensive anthology of textual scholarship, performance research, and critical writing on one of Shakespeare's most important and perplexing tragedies. Contributors Include: R.A. Foakes, Richard Knowles, Tom Clayton, Cynthia Clegg, Edward L. Rocklin, Christy Desmet, Paul Cantor, Robert V. Young, Stanley Stewart and Jean R. Brink

Download or read book Why William Shakespeare s Romeo and Juliet had to die written by Anika Kehl and published by GRIN Verlag. This book was released on 2014-08-20 with total page 28 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Seminar paper from the year 2013 in the subject Didactics for the subject English - Literature, Works, grade: 2,3, Ernst Moritz Arndt University of Greifswald (Anglistik/Amerikanistik), course: Hauptseminar: Global Shakespeare, language: English, abstract: “And they all lived happily ever after” – This might have been the last sentence of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet every other night back in the 18th century. We cannot be sure how theatre companies went about the happy ending of the so “[...] called greatest love story ever told” (Davies, 2001, p. 397) but scholars state that the plays blending of comedic and tragic elements has sometimes encouraged theatres to let their love couple live (cf. Smith, 2012, p. 158; McAllindon, 1991, p. 60). This raises the question why Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet had to die, which can be answered in several ways. The paper is going to explore three different reasons: the (seemingly) inevitable fate of the “star-crossed lovers” (Prologue, 6), the danger of immature love and the feud with its consequences for society, family, and coming of age. Ultimately the paper will try to find out what Shakespeare might have wanted to tell his audience and how his messages are conveyed by recent film adaptations. First of all it will be looked at the play’s history, the societal environment during its emergence and Shakespeare’s religious background which are of utmost importance to interpret the author’s ideas. Afterwards all three previously mentioned reasons for the couple’s death will be illustrated and analyzed. In conclusion the paper is going to argue that the play is an example of a man-made tragedy which had to end badly in order to open the audience’s eyes to the goings-on around them. Finally two film adaptations will be looked at in some detail, mainly concentrating on their endings and their justification for it.

Download or read book Shakespeare s Reflexive Endings written by Robert Frank Willson and published by Edwin Mellen Press. This book was released on 1990 with total page 164 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This study discusses the scenic form of the tragic closes of Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth, Antony and Cleopatra, and Coriolanus, with particular emphasis on the way in which these finales recall the plays' opening scenes.

Download or read book Let Wonder Seem Familiar written by R. S. White and published by Arden Shakespeare. This book was released on 1985 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dr White examines the ways in which Shakespeare uses formal conventions from romance throughout his writing career, especially in giving formal completion to a play without forfeiting the open-ended sense of life's complexity. In his romantic comedies these conventions are modified to imply that the cosy womb of marriage is not the end of lovers lives; in the problem comedies they are used to challenge the artifice of the comic ending; in some tragedies they are used to provide an ideal of fulfilment which has been destroyed by the tragic events and in the last plays or romances they are used to invoke the full sense of life;s continuing comprehensiveness.

Download or read book The Promised End written by Peter Mercer and published by Austin Macauley Publishers. This book was released on 2023-10-13 with total page 135 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Promised End explores how the endings of Shakespeare’s tragedies work – how, in effect, they resist conventional closure. It looks back from the endings of five plays – Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth, and King Lear – to explore how their structures of action, imagery and the interaction of different genres – comedy, tragedy and romance – bring them to conclusions that are both inevitable and yet strangely incongruous, beyond explanation and moral understanding, almost too terrible to bear.

Download or read book The Remarks on the Plots of Shakespeare s Plays written by Karl Joseph Simrock and published by . This book was released on 1850 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Good that Lives After Them written by George F. Held and published by . This book was released on 1995 with total page 266 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Tempest by William Shakespeare Book Analysis written by Bright Summaries and published by BrightSummaries.com. This book was released on 2018-12-13 with total page 21 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Unlock the more straightforward side of The Tempest with this concise and insightful summary and analysis! This engaging summary presents an analysis of The Tempest by William Shakespeare, which tells the story of Prospero, the former Duke of Milan, who was usurped by his brother Antonio and marooned on an island with his daughter Miranda. When the men who betrayed him sail past the island, Prospero commands Ariel, a nature-spirit he has bound to his will, to raise a mighty tempest and shipwreck them. While he harnesses Ariel’s powers to subject the noblemen to a number of trials, a drunken jester and butler encounter Prospero’s other slave, Caliban, who tries to convince them to murder him. Over the course of the play, Shakespeare explores a number of weighty topics and incorporates elements drawn from many genres, creating a play that is as multifaceted as it is timeless. The Tempest is one of Shakespeare’s best-known problem plays, and has been performed frequently since it was first published in the early 17th century. Find out everything you need to know about The Tempest in a fraction of the time! This in-depth and informative reading guide brings you: • A complete plot summary • Character studies • Key themes and symbols • Questions for further reflection Why choose BrightSummaries.com? Available in print and digital format, our publications are designed to accompany you on your reading journey. The clear and concise style makes for easy understanding, providing the perfect opportunity to improve your literary knowledge in no time. See the very best of literature in a whole new light with BrightSummaries.com!

Download or read book Troilus and Cressida by William Shakespeare Book Analysis written by Bright Summaries and published by BrightSummaries.com. This book was released on 2019-04-08 with total page 22 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Unlock the more straightforward side of Troilus and Cressida with this concise and insightful summary and analysis! This engaging summary presents an analysis of Troilus and Cressida by William Shakespeare, which is set during the Trojan War, one of the key episodes in Greek mythology. It traces the progress of the conflict as both sides refuse to back down regardless of the human cost of their obstinacy; meanwhile, the Trojan prince Troilus attempts to woo Cressida, but their initial happiness is soon shattered by her apparent duplicity. With its subversion of the mythological tradition and frequent shifts in tone, Troilus and Cressida is one of the most philosophical and thought-provoking plays by William Shakespeare, who is widely considered to be one of the most influential writers in the history of the English language. Find out everything you need to know about Troilus and Cressida in a fraction of the time! This in-depth and informative reading guide brings you: • A complete plot summary • Character studies • Key themes and symbols • Questions for further reflection Why choose BrightSummaries.com? Available in print and digital format, our publications are designed to accompany you on your reading journey. The clear and concise style makes for easy understanding, providing the perfect opportunity to improve your literary knowledge in no time. See the very best of literature in a whole new light with BrightSummaries.com!

Download or read book All s Well That Ends Well by William Shakespeare Book Analysis written by Bright Summaries and published by BrightSummaries.com. This book was released on 2019-04-03 with total page 24 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Unlock the more straightforward side of All’s Well That Ends Well with this concise and insightful summary and analysis! This engaging summary presents an analysis of All’s Well That Ends Well by William Shakespeare, a ‘problem play’ that draws on elements of both comedy and tragedy. It tells the story of Helena, a spirited young woman who has fallen in love with the high-born but imprudent Bertram. Helena manages to secure his hand in marriage by winning favour with the king, but Bertram is disinterested in the match and absconds to fight in a war. Helena is forced to rely on her quick wits and resourcefulness to both track him down and persuade him to come back to her... All’s Well That Ends Well is a lesser-known play by William Shakespeare, who is widely considered to be one of the most influential writers in the history of the English language. Find out everything you need to know about All’s Well That Ends Well in a fraction of the time! This in-depth and informative reading guide brings you: • A complete plot summary • Character studies • Key themes and symbols • Questions for further reflection Why choose BrightSummaries.com? Available in print and digital format, our publications are designed to accompany you on your reading journey. The clear and concise style makes for easy understanding, providing the perfect opportunity to improve your literary knowledge in no time. See the very best of literature in a whole new light with BrightSummaries.com!

Download or read book The character development of Macbeth and of evil in Shakespeare s play written by Fabian Wähner and published by GRIN Verlag. This book was released on 2016-09-27 with total page 22 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Essay from the year 2014 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 1,3, University of Potsdam (Institut für Anglistik/Amerikanistik), course: Shakespeare’s Tragedies II, language: English, abstract: "So foul and fair a day I have not seen" (Shakespeare Act I, Scene 3, l. 38) . These words mentioned by Macbeth, the main protagonist of the corresponding tragedy, echo one of the main themes of the whole play: nothing is as it seems to be. This central topic also arises in other tragedies by William Shakespeare. In "Macbeth", this motive appears in a much stronger way. This tragedy tells the journey of a former loyal and shining hero, who evolves into the center of evil. "Macbeth" is considered as one of the most sinister tragedies of William Shakespeare. From the beginning on, the setting is depicted as a world full of nightmares, darkness, murder and treason. The play is constituted in a barren landscape, considered as a reference to hell. Most of the events happen during the nighttime, which supports this sinister impression. Some of the attempts that were made to analyze Macbeth, describe him as pure evil and a tyrant. A psychopath, who merciless defends his position as a king by killing every possible opponent who crosses his path. Other interpretations draw him as a victim, torn between the question of what is right and what is wrong and influenced by the evil that surrounds him. How can a man, who is firstly described as a hero and a loyal subject change in such a dramatic way? Which path does he take to become such a criminal individual like he mostly is described? What changes happen within his mind? These questions about the character development or in other words, the development of the evil within Macbeth are the core of this paper. In this research, the Reclam version of Shakespeare's "Macbeth", published 2011 in Ditzingen, Germany, is used.

Download or read book Good and Evil in Shakespeare s King Lear and Macbeth written by Alina Degünther and published by . This book was released on 2013-06-12 with total page 72 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The concepts of good and evil, which can be understood and defined differently, are two broad and sapid concepts because of its diverse interpretations. The two abstract notions have been discussed throughout the centuries since the human existence and continue to be a dispute today. However, the meaning of good and evil was especially interesting in the middle Ages and Renaissance that will be introduced in the first part of this thesis. It will present the different origins of good and evil and examine how variously these concepts were perceived in the middle Ages and Renaissance. It should be pointed out that there was a great contrast in defining of good and evil in both centuries. Additionally, the second part of the thesis will explore the problems of those concepts in terms of King Lear and Macbeth. It will deal with the problems of goodness of Cordelia and Banquo, evilness of Edmund and Lady Macbeth and badness of Lear and Macbeth. It will also identify how the characters turn to good, bad or evil side, whether they become creator or victims of evil, and finally reveal who of them can be called good, bad or evil person. Finally, the third part of the thesis will present the interpretation of the final scenes where both tragedies end with the coronation of the new king. It will explore the conflict of both forces and reveal what kind of force can actually win the struggle between good and evil in both plays. It will also deal with the problem of ambivalent depiction of the characters and examine the question of what is actually good and evil and how to define it in Shakespeare´s plays. So, the aim of the thesis is to explore the problems of the concepts of good and evil in terms of the tragedies King Lear and Macbeth and to identify to what extent the characters can be seen as good and evil.

Download or read book The Gap in Shakespeare written by Colin Nicholas Manlove and published by London : Vision ; Totowa, NJ : Barnes & Noble Books. This book was released on 1981 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Winter s Tale by William Shakespeare Book Analysis written by Bright Summaries and published by BrightSummaries.com. This book was released on 2019-04-03 with total page 21 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Unlock the more straightforward side of The Winter’s Tale with this concise and insightful summary and analysis! This engaging summary presents an analysis of The Winter’s Tale by William Shakespeare, a so-called ‘problem play’ that is believed to be one of the last works he ever wrote. It tells the story of Leontes, King of Sicily, who comes to (mistakenly) believe that his wife Hermione is having an affair with his friend Polixenes, King of Bohemia. After attempting to have Polixenes killed, he publicly accuses Hermione of adultery and banishes their newborn daughter. However, he comes to his senses after the apparent deaths of both Hermione and their young son, and spends the remainder of the play trying to atone for his actions. William Shakespeare is considered one of the greatest playwrights in English literary history, and the popularity of his works remains undiminished even today, several centuries after his death. Find out everything you need to know about The Winter’s Tale in a fraction of the time! This in-depth and informative reading guide brings you: • A complete plot summary • Character studies • Key themes and symbols • Questions for further reflection Why choose BrightSummaries.com? Available in print and digital format, our publications are designed to accompany you on your reading journey. The clear and concise style makes for easy understanding, providing the perfect opportunity to improve your literary knowledge in no time. See the very best of literature in a whole new light with BrightSummaries.com!

Download or read book Othello by William Shakespeare Book Analysis written by Bright Summaries and published by BrightSummaries.com. This book was released on 2018-10-24 with total page 20 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Unlock the more straightforward side of Othello with this concise and insightful summary and analysis! This engaging summary presents an analysis of Othello by William Shakespeare, which recounts the tragic downfall of the Venetian general Othello, who is notable for being one of the few black protagonists in early English-language fiction. Having married the beautiful young Desdemona just before the start of the play, Othello’s marital bliss is soon shattered by the lies of his scheming ensign Iago, who is resentful that Othello has recently thwarted his ambition of being promoted. Iago therefore works to convince Othello that Desdemona has been unfaithful to him, and stokes his misplaced rage and jealousy to such an extent that Othello eventually strangles his wife with his bare hands. Othello is one of Shakespeare’s best-known tragedies, and has been performed frequently since it was first published in the early 17th century. Find out everything you need to know about Othello in a fraction of the time! This in-depth and informative reading guide brings you: • A complete plot summary • Character studies • Key themes and symbols • Questions for further reflection Why choose BrightSummaries.com? Available in print and digital format, our publications are designed to accompany you on your reading journey. The clear and concise style makes for easy understanding, providing the perfect opportunity to improve your literary knowledge in no time. See the very best of literature in a whole new light with BrightSummaries.com!