British Literature
Reading Shakespeare: Understanding Lady Macbeth and Her Guilt
Lady Macbeth is haunted by her guilt of murdering King Duncan. She plunges deep into madness as shown by her act of sleepwalking and obsessively washing her hands. […]
Literature
British Literature
Reading Shakespeare: The Tragedy of Lady Macbeth
Lady Macbeth is a woman of great complexity and her actions and character are intimately tied to the play itself. She is bold and blatantly honest than her husband in the play. […]
British Literature
Knocking on Hell Gate: The Porter Scene in ‘Macbeth’
The porter scene in ‘Macbeth’, though read as comic, only serves to offset the darker parts of the play. […]
British Literature
Mirroring the World: Kingship, History and Macbeth’s Quest for Knowledge
Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ mirrors the political events of the seventeenth- century England. Like many of Shakespeare’s plays, it also shows the contrast between appearance and realty. […]
British Literature
“Fair is Foul and Foul is Fair”: Reading Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’
The world of Macbeth is a world where nothing is certain. What appears to be foul is actually fair, but that fair can easily and rapidly shift to foul once again. […]
British Literature
Stagecraft—A Key Tool In Understanding Henry V
King Henry V has learned the arts of theater from a true master: Falstaff himself, who is almost never at a loss for a response, an improvisation or a control over the scene. Learn how Shakespeare has used stagecraft as a tool to create his plays. […]
British Literature
Henry V: Setting up, Reversal, and Defeat of Expectations
Prince Hal’s important makeover is reflected throughout Henry V, where expectations are set with the old irresponsible Prince Hal in mind. The prince makes the transition through his decisions and choice of friends and banishes Falstaff, his trusted lieutenant. […]
British Literature
Henry V: Understanding the Role of God in Politics
What role does God or religion play in Henry V? How can a focus on this relationship help us to understand the very heart of this play? Read on to find the answers. […]
Literature
The Transformation of Prince Hal into King Henry V
Shakespeare shows a king’s required training in the life of King Henry V. Henry V leaves all his childish traits and the fun in his life to become a worthy king. Shakespeare sacrifices Falstaff to depict Hal’s decisions. […]
Literature
Understanding the Themes in Henry IV through Play Comparison
Henry IV, part II is more difficult to follow and comprehend, compared to part I. To comprehend part II, one must compare it to the first part. Henry IV themes slowly alter in the second part, but this change is not easy to detect without comparing it to the part I. […]