Shakespeare Suffering Essay

An essential element to any Shakespearean tragedy is the idea of human suffering. In both Titus Andronicus and King Lear no one can deny that the characters in these plays do indeed suffer and at great lengths, but the question begs to be asked what is the source of this suffering? Keeping in mind that during the times in which William Shakespeare wrote death, adultery and fragrant sexuality where at an optimal level and as such single parent families frequently resulted. Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus and King Lear are indeed tales that show the follies of such single parent families and more precisely those families that lack a mothering figure. It is this lack of the female in the

When looking at Hamlet, one could say that William Shakespeare put the play together as a very cathartic tragedy. The emotional result of dealing with so many deaths brings on a plethora of emotions which are not usually felt in a typical play. Hamlet begins not with the normal prosperity and good fortune as do most tragedies, but with a more stifling and depressing sort of mood (Tekany 115). However, something else could be said about this play as well. The play centers on Hamlet and his existential characteristics, such as angst, isolation and his confrontations with nothingness. The exhibition of these characteristics proves Hamlet to be an existential character.

Through Shakespeare’s use of minor characters in his play, Hamlet, the playwright was able to subtly develop Hamlet’s character. In using minor characters, Shakespeare emphasized certain traits which the main character held. These minor character also personify the motifs of contrast between a sickly interior versus healthy exterior and contrasting life and death; the minor characters’ embodiment of these motifs further establish for the audience the importance of these motifs within the play.

William Shakespeare is the world’s pre-eminent dramatist whose plays range from tragedies to tragic comedies, etc. His general style of writing is often comparable to several of his contemporaries, like Romeo and Juliet is based on Arthur Brooke’s narrative poem, “The tragical history of Romeo and Juliet”. But Shakespeare’s works express a different range of human experience where his characters command the sympathy of audiences and also are complex as well as human in nature. Shakespeare makes the protagonist’s character development central to the plot.

William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is laden with tragedy from the start, and this adversity is reflected in the title character. Being informed of his father’s murder and the appalling circumstances surrounding the crime, Hamlet is given the emotionally taxing task of avenging his death. It is clear that having to complete this grim undertaking takes its toll on Hamlet emotionally. Beginning as a seemingly contemplative and sensitive character, we observe Hamlet grow increasingly depressed and deranged as the play wears on. Hamlet is so determined to make his father proud that he allows the job on hand to completely consume him. We realize that Hamlet has a tendency to mull and ponder excessively, which causes the notorious delays of action

The tragedy of Shakespeare’s King Lear is made far more tragic and painful by the presence and suffering of the king's youngest daughter, Cordelia. While our sympathy for the king is somewhat restrained by his brutal cruelty towards others, there is nothing to dampen our emotional response to Cordelia's suffering. Nothing, that is, at first glance. Harley Granville-Barker justifies her irreconcilable fate thus: "the tragic truth about life to the Shakespeare that wrote King Lear... includes its capricious cruelty. And what meeter sacrifice to this than Cordelia?"5 Yet in another passage Granville-Barker has come much closer to touching on the real explanation. I quote the passage at length.

Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a work of immense depth in character development, most notably the personal, moral and psychological battles

In King Leer, Shakespeare presents characters who suffer great injustices as well as those who never seem to suffer or feel remorse over their actions. Maynard Mack states, it is better to suffer than to live without a conscience; but simply suffering remains insufficient. While suffering remains superior to having no conscience, it alone does not make a person good, but creates opportunities for the growth of a conscience, instead of blinding someone from the reality of their actions.

There is no denying that Shakespeare is a definitive playwright. He has presented us with classic works that have set the precedent for drama and the theatre. Among Shakespeare’s more notable plays are his tragedies. In the tragedy his protagonists are often given flaws in their character and hence, are suitably named tragic heroes. The downfall of these protagonists is often a result of their own character flaws and unfortunately, they suffer a doomed and unhappy ending. While the tragic hero is flawed they must also be honorable and worthy of the audience’s understanding and sympathy. On a quest for righteousness the tragic hero often goes through immense suffering which is why the audience can feel bad for him. For the most

Critic Northrop Frye stated that a tragic figure functions as an instrument to the suffering of others. In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare the tragic figure Claudius bring suffering to others as a result of his actions As a result of Claudius's actions in the play the behaviors contribute to the tragic vision of the work as a whole.

Who was Shakespeare? Was he a man from Stratford-Upon-Avon who started with little and became the greatest English author to ever live; or was he a privileged Earl who was a favorite at Queen Elizabeth’s court? That is the great mystery. This particular mystery is difficult to solve because of the lack of documentary evidence. The Elizabethans did not believe in getting everything in writing as people do today. Therefore, the truth may never be known with certainty. However, evidence does exist to support at least two theories about the Shakespearean authorship: one that the man from Stratford wrote the works, the other that Edward de Vere the Earl of Oxford was the author. The question then becomes, which

Shakespeare uses imagery and metaphor to illustrate the King’s pain as he realizes that his world has suddenly transformed from one of righteousness to one of corruption. The King describes his situation as “my offence is rank it smells to heaven; It hath the primal eldest curse upon’t, A brother's murder. Pray can I not.” This description creates an image of something that the king has done that make him evil and that God is sadden, and all he wants to do is pray and ask for forgiveness. The king is portrayed as a evil man who is seeking for forgiveness and heaven itself looks down on him.

Justice that is present in King Lear proves that every risky action you take will eventually catch up with you. While in an argument with Goneril a messenger runs in and proclaims to Albany, "O my good lord, the Duke of Cornwall’s dead, slain by his servant, going to put out the other eye of Gloucester" (Shakespeare IV.II.69-72). Through a rush of power lust and arrogance, the Duke of Cornwall makes the decision to gouge out the eyes of Gloucester. The need to go through with this action is not being forced upon Cornwall and a much simpler discipline could have be given out for Gloucester's supposed betrayal. Due to Cornwall's extreme actions, one of the servants chooses to be a martyr for justice and use their own extreme actions to violently slay Cornwall. Without the rebellious initial actions taking place by Cornwall there would be no need for justice to occur and the death of Cornwall could have been prevented.

and be silent" (I, i, 69). "I am sure my love's more ponderous than my tongue."

The character of Cornwall displays a wanton disregard for human dignity, enabling him to transform the malevolent will of the other characters into action, without remorse for the human consequences of them. Furthering the ascent of evil within the play. When Kent was the subject of Oswald and Regan’s contempt, Cornwall decided to take initiative, asking the others to “Fetch forth the stocks! As I have life and honour there shall he sit till noon”(II.ii.122-123). Within that particular instance, Cornwall is the only character with a sufficient disregard for human dignity to commit the act, the only character willing to transform malevolent thoughts into concrete action. Further, Cornwall has such disregard for humanity that he’s able to shamelessly and gruesomely blind Gloucester with a knife, one of the most painful means to do so, asserting to Glouster that “See’t shalt thou never. Fellows, hold