The Seven Ages Of Man By William Shakespeare And Demeter Retold By Edith Hamilton

In the dramatic monologue “The Seven Ages of Man” by William Shakespeare and the myth “Demeter” retold by Edith Hamilton. Both works of literatures contain universal themes that each writer displays in a way that readers will interpret differently. In the the monologue the universal theme is the cycle of life and is compared to that of a play. While in the myth it is the strength of the bond between a mother and daughter.

Throughout this course, I have learned about what a myth is and all of the themes that fit into myths. The most common themes seen throughout the myths we have studied during this course are fate, pride and hubris, heroism, justice and vengeance, and beauty. I have thoroughly enjoyed learning about mythology throughout this course and I have always felt that the controlling question driving this course is, why is mythology so important to us, even today? It is important to know the answer to this question and to know about the different themes seen throughout the myths studied in this course.

Often in literary works the author includes a theme to go along with their story. Two examples of this are the “The Seven Ages of Man” by Shakespeare and “Demeter” retold by Edith Hamilton. Both literary works follow similar themes throughout their story’s. The theme of both of these works is one of a cycle, “The Seven Ages of Man” being the cycle of becoming a man and the cycle of seasons in “Demeter”. The two cycles can be compared through the point of view they are told from, the amount of emotion in their stories and the importance of their cycles.

One of the things that is so fascinating about poetry is that it allows readers to discover and sometimes challenge and channel their emotions as well as their understanding. A poem’s words as well as its structure can reveal many things to its intended audience. In “Myth” by Natasha Trethewey, the poems form is just as important as the words she writes, becoming a map for the journey Trethewey takes, using transitions to take us from one place to another. The nature of the poem therefor becomes multifaceted, as it encourages the reader to think about the speaker’s words and use of form and structure she uses to craft this epic story. Using form as a tool, Trethewey is able to use structure as a way to guide us as readers and the speaker across the conscious and unconscious thoughts and dreams the speaker faces in this story.

For years, literature has been used to teach us important morals and life lessons. These life lessons are often universal in nature. This means that no matter what age, gender, or status a person is, anyone can relate to the theme being discussed. For this reason they are called universal themes. Non- universal themes are themes that are specific to the story being told, but are not considered universally understood. The following demonstrates that Beowulf and Gilgamesh both have the same universal thematic statement concept of fear in addition to a multiple non-universal themes throughout them.

In William Shakespeare’s, Romeo and Juliet, there are numerous of dramatic purposes that the characters serve in the building of the story. One major character that stands out is Friar Laurence who is a wise and holy man respected by everyone in Verona. However, you should not let that presentation of him fool you. There are a variety of times Friar Laurence has committed sins of dishonesty and deception. The few but many dramatic purposes Friar Laurence has in Romeo and Juliet include: being a mastermind with medicine, peacemaker, and the main reason for Romeo and Juliet’s death.

The play Titus Andronicus by William Shakespeare depicts the Roman Empire from a very traditional perspective within each of the characters. Shakespeare creates a visual of historical Rome that includes many blood battles, deception, courage and loyalty not just to Rome and her people, but to one 's family. By doing this, Shakespeare shows the reader that Rome was a great city of power that revolved around the idea that justice must be of an equivalent manner suitable to the crime committed by the other party. The word "Rome", both historically and in modern times, is often defined as being the perfect model for an advanced civilization, and many looked upon Rome and Romans as being "examples of excellence for architecture and political advances within a society". ("Rome", OED Online). The word "Rome" is seen frequently throughout the play and is used by almost all of the characters. It is a word that describes what Roman civilization entails and how the city of Rome can be a very dark and cruel city. The Roman characters in particular describe the two main concepts of "Rome" and "Roman" by means of traditional birth-right and traditional forms of justice. Both meanings are seen frequently amongst each Roman character. By fully understanding why particular events in the play occur and being able to see the traditional aspects of the word "Rome" among each character, it aids the reader in understanding how the play revolves around the historical context of Roman values of

In the play, “Oedipus Rex”, many ironies took place, as well as fate playing a huge part in the story. “Oedipus Rex” is a story about a man that tries to overcome adversity but cannot escape his prophecy. His parents took him to a hillside as an infant, sliced his Achilles tendons and left him there. A shepherd soon came to his rescue. “King and Queen of Thebes, gave their infant to a shepherd in with orders that he be left on the side of the mountainside to die” (Johnson 1205). As he grew older and much wiser, he went to see the Oracle of Delphi. The Oracle informed him that his destiny was to kill his father and marry his mother. The main ironies in the play are the killing of Oedipus’s biological father, the odd relationship with his mother, and the inability of Oedipus to avoid his fate.

This entry’s theme is a collage of concepts that relate back to our planet, our civilization, environment, and humanity. Plus, I believe that this entry links to blind faith because the author mentions the fact that no one knows what comes after death. Also, I imagine that Annie Dillard wants her readers to perceive our surrounding’s value and how far we, as human beginnings and this earth, have come considering where we initiated.

Perhaps one of the main reasons the Epic of Gilgamesh is so popular and has lasted such a long time, is because it offers insight into the human concerns of people four thousand years ago, many of which are still relevant today. Some of these human concerns found in the book that are still applicable today include: the fear and concerns people have in relation to death, overwhelming desires to be immortal, and the impact a friendship has on a person’s life. It does not take a great deal of insight into The Epic of Gilgamesh for a person to locate these themes in the story, and even less introspection to relate to them.

For a play titled Ajax, the exposition serves as a curious contrast to the rest of the story. By introducing the tragedy in media res with Athena and Odysseus, Sophocles skips past the fuss of the armor debacle and instead delves straight into the aftermath of the event. Athena, who knows of Ajax’s deadly intentions, chooses to redirect his violence towards the innocent livestock. Seeing that this act was Ajax’s definitive moment, not including it in the play raises the question, what role does Athena play in setting the course of the story? It is generally thought Athena is callous and cruel and that she is punishing Ajax for his attempt upon the chieftains, but there is hardly anything in the play to justify such assumptions. I will argue Athena’s spell over Ajax is an act of salvation rather than an act of punishment and through this intervention Ajax attains honor after death with his proper burial. This not only provides insight into Athena’s behavior but also brings the play to a full circle with the reintegration of Odysseus as an instrument of Athena’s intentions.

King Henry the VIII was born in 1491 to Henry Tudor VII and Elizabeth of York, making him their third child, but second son. He was named after his father, Henry VII, and since he was the second son, he was not expected to be King. King Henry VII eldest son Arthur, Prince of Wales was to take the thrown and become King of England, that is until his death unexpected death. When little Henry was ten years old, he attended Arthur and his bride Catherine of Argon’s wedding. Four months after the marriage began, it ended, with Arthur 's death. There was a signed treaty that stated Catherine would be allow to marry the next heir to the throne – Prince Henry. It was considered necessary for a papal exemption to be issued permitting Henry to wed Catherine because she was his dead brother’s wife, and this marriage was restricted in Leviticus. At the time, and for the duration of her life, Catherine denied that her marriage to Arthur had even been fulfilled, so no agreement was required. In any case, both the gatherings in Spain and England needed to make certain of the authenticity of the marriage, so consent from the pope was looked for and got. The marriage did not take place however. Henry became King Henry the VIII of England when Henry VII passed on April 22, 1509, which changed his life forever.

“My only love sprung from my only hate!” (I.v.136). A long feud between the Montague and Capulet families led to a secret marriage to mask the love that Romeo and Juliet have for each other in William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. This also leads to the death of several relatives and friends, but because it is made to be, Romeo and Juliet’s love does not die, even when they do. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is a novel by Benjamin Alire Sáenz about two boys who have very little in common, but grow to love each other and learn the true meaning of friendship, love, and destiny. Some people, like Shakespeare, believe that one’s fate cannot be changed, whiles Sáenz believes that one’s fate can be controlled even though certain aspects of one’s life make it seem difficult.

Throughout all great works of literature, the authors try to include a theme or center point to base their writing on. Within the plot there can be found many similar references and coinciding points to be discovered among the lines the author writes. Richard III is a play written by the great playwright, poet, and storyteller, William Shakespeare. He was a man who wrote many popular stories known today as some of the greatest works of literary art ever read. He lived throughout the late 16th century into the early 17th century, a time where he produced many plays that were appreciated by the masses and even some royalty. Richard III, one of his popular works, is rife with political criticisms while simultaneously veiled by comedic coverage full of metaphoric insults.

Many authors like to write fantasy novels, stories that detached themselves from reality, novels that tell us about magic, parallel dimensions, between others. But even in these fictional stories there is still the presence of the universal themes that can be touched not only in this kind of novels but also in the simpler ones, themes like the fight between good and evil, love, between others.