Abstract
This essay is about William Shakespeare and the ways in which his art has changed and evolved with time. This essay covers many of Shakespeare's plays and many modern film adaptations of his plays. The paper discusses much of the history behind Shakespeare's works and the many sources from which his drama was derived. The essay also deals with Shakespeare's language and the aspects of his invented language that have become a part of our everyday vocabulary. It covers the many characters, plots and genres of Shakespeare's works. The main theme of the paper is centered around the ways modern history has invented a Shakespeare of its very own.

From the Paper
"Who is Shakespeare? What is Shakespeare? Nearly four hundred years following his death, the Shakespearean debate trudges on. In his lifetime, William Shakespeare wrote a phenomenal cannon of dramatic literature. He managed to create an astounding thirty-seven plays in scarcely the span of twenty-five years. Individually, these plays constitute some of the best art ever written. Collectively, these works secure Shakespeare as the principle literary draftsman of the Elizabethan Age. In his dedication to William Shakespeare in 1623, Ben Johnson wrote: "He was not of an age, but for all time." To this day, Shakespeare's creative genius has yet to be exceeded. No writer in any language can rival the eminence and immortal perpetuity that Shakespeare has relished. And no man, in any creative enterprise, has ever impelled a cultural influence as ample or as profound. Shakespeare's language and extensive lexicon of coined phrases are more ubiquitous in trite conversation today than the myriad of cliched aphorisms present in the King James Bible. His hundreds of characters-the very mirrors of human nature-are equally as recognizable. From small amusements like Bottom the Weaver, to such unparalleled manifestations as Falstaff, Shakespeare has enriched civilization by mimicking it."

Tags:caesar, chronicles, coriolanus, dream, edward, elizabethan, england, renaissance, literature, enlightenment, play, stage, drama, falstaff, henry, holinshed, idaho, iii, jacobean, julius, king, henry, richard, dream, midsummer

Abstract
This paper examines the play, "Troilus and Cressida," as a critique on the mythology of the Trojan War and as a larger comment on the problems of human desire and self-centered actions. There are three kinds of reasoning offered by three different characters, all of which make claims to a method for judgement, a method for values and as a rationale for acting. Shakespeare then portrays each character in contradiction, acting in self-serving ways, thus prolonging the war, trapped in a cycle of unresolvable issues that are based on the conflicts of human motivation.

Abstract
This essay discusses how Coriolanus's mother uses three convincing arguments to try to talk her son out of destroying his home city. The writer emphasizes how Coriolanus's mother used syntax and diction to persuade her son.

From the Paper
"Shakespeare had a way with words that few people could ever duplicate. A wonderful example of how Shakespeare used language and imagery to express emotion is the monologue by Coriolanus' mother in the Shakespearian play of the same name. In the short exert from Coriolanus, a woman's son is preparing to destroy his own city. His mother is attempting to discourage his actions. She tries to convince him to make peace between his people (The Romans) and the Volsces, she tries to dissuade him by telling him that if he does conquer his own city than he will dishonor his name, she tells him that destroying a people is an "act of the Gods" and that if he tries to accomplish it he will really accomplish nothing, she expresses to him how dishonorable it is to hold a grudge, she uses her children and herself to guilt him into not attacking the city and she finally warns him that if he goes through with his plan than the Gods will spite him."

Tags:mother, rome, shakespeare

Abstract
This paper shows that, despite often being used as a negative color, Shakespeare uses black in "Titus Andronicus" in a positive way. Aaron the Moor, though the villain, is actually the only good parent in the play and the only character who remains true to himself.

From the Paper
"Scene Two of Act Four also shows Aaron as a parent. The birth of his son provides him a bond with another person sharing his skin color, and he feels the need to protect his son, who is now his only ally. Demetrius says that he will kill the boy: "I'll broach the tadpole on my rapier's point. / Nurse, give it to me, my sword shall soon dispatch it" (4.2.85-86). Aaron stands up for his son without missing a beat and threatens Demetrius: "Sooner this sword shall plough thy bowels up" (4.2.87). Aaron's strong love and his willingness to fight for the child's safety contrasts greatly to the other parents in Titus."

Tags:african, race, tragedy, whiteness

Abstract
This paper discusses Shakespeare's poem "Venus and Adonis" and describes the theme of sexuality within it.

Tags:venus, adonis, sexuality

From the Paper
" Any production of Shakespeare's first tragedy, Titus Andronicus, has to take a position regarding the play's seriousness and Julie Taymor's 1999 film version, Titus, establishes her intentions immediately. She will not only take it seriously she will look to the text for universal lessons about violence. The film's opening sequence also makes clear, however, that she will not offer a literal-minded production but will work freely in visual terms, and in supplementing the text as she sees fit, in order to produce the meanings she hopes to draw from the play. It is easy, however, to forget all about her serious intentions as one sits back and enjoys the nearly irresistible brilliance of the spectacle that Taymor creates. Yet, even though the viewer can be pleased by the sheer fun that is involved in the costumes, the music, the acting, and the.."

Abstract
Women had no status in Elizabethan society; their main function was as fertile breeders, and their role in society was simply not viewed as important. This paper shows how the unimportance and taking for granted of women is clearly reflected in Shakespeare?s plays. Although their roles are not viewed as contributing to society, the dramatic function of women in Shakespeare plays is anything but not contributory. The paper shows that the female lead's role is crucial to the restoration of order that occurs in the play. As Shakespearean comedies are cyclical, the ultimate goal of a comedy is to travel from disorder to resolution. This paper examines three plays, "As You Like It", "All's Well Ends Well", and "Twelfth Night".

From the Paper
"Similarly, Viola in Twelfth Night, goes through a loss of identity by disguising herself as Cesario in order to find work with Duke Orsino. She disguises herself as a man because society believed females to be incapable of handling work. When Viola becomes Cesario, she instantly becomes one of Orsino's favourite workers and is rewarded with the position as his page. The positioning of Viola as Orsino's page asserts Viola's working capabilities, and thus shows the audience that women can do a job as well, perhaps even better, than men."

Tags:Rosalind, Viola, Osrind, Helena

Abstract
This paper looks at how both main characters in Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew" and "Henry V" have either challenged or embraced traditional gender ideologies of the 15th century. Katherine, the main character in the "Taming of the Shrew", evidently challenges traditional gender ideologies, as she is deemed "shrewish". She ultimately exudes behavior unlike any other woman of that time, which leads us to believe that she is rejecting her traditional role as a female in this male-dominated society. The paper shows that, conversely, Katherine from "Henry V" embraces the traditional gender ideologies of Shakespearean time. The thesis in this paper is backed up by in-text citations.

From the Paper
"Her actions deem her to be independent, as she feels that she does not need to marry to be happy. This is illustrated when Petruchio feels that he must break her will in order to tame her, in other words, to make her more feminine. The fact that Petruchio has such a hard time doing this illustrates just how strong willed Katherine is in her pursuit to be independent. By being overbearingly masculine, Petruchio finally wins over Katherine as she becomes "obedient to his honest will" (5.2.74). It is at this point where Katherine's pro-feminine views seem to disappear as she states: ?I am ashamed that women are so simple/To offer ware where they should kneel for peace,/Or seek for rule, supremacy and sway,/When they are bound to serve, love and obey [?]? (5.2.161-164). Katherine is essentially "selling out", as she denounces her femininity along with her gender ..."

Tags:masculine, roles, stereotypes

Abstract
This paper discusses Shakespeare's revenge tragedy "Titus Andronicus," and the complex psychological interiority created by his use of dramatic language. The writer analyzes some of Titus' speeches in detail to show how the language he uses reflects an oscillating emotional state and a great inner tension. What Titus does not say also throws light on his true feelings as a grieving father, as can be seen in the stagecraft of scenes such as the one where, as a victorious general, he makes a formal address to Jupiter. The paper concludes that this tragedy communicates the fundamentally impossible task of holding together competing elements of human character.

From the Paper
"Clearly Titus' thoughts are upon his slain sons; indeed, Titus' speech draws our attention to the deaths of his sons through their treatment as cargo (1.1.71-73). We observe his use of simile, a rhetorical device which, in this instance, helps to create the illusion of his complex psychological or interior life. Titus objectifies his sons by referring to them as cargo carried aboard a ship - the "precious lading" returns with the bark. This simile explicitly suggests commodity exchange. Titus has sailed off to war in a bark with living sons and returned with dead ones, and as such he has exchanged the lives of his sons for Rome's victory."

Tags:opposition, psychoanalytic, triumphal, hyper-masculine, imperator, apostrophe, stoic

Abstract
This paper illustrates the specific idea that appears to be evident in a majority, if not all, of Shakespeare's works - that the works are mainly concerned with the concept of the disruption and restoration of order at various levels. Examples are provided of this "breakdown" at various different or parallel levels, including personal, intimate, political and spiritual. The paper examines several Shakespearean tragedies including "Hamlet", "King Lear" and "Macbeth".

From the Paper
"Hamlet at the very moment of killing Claudius and thus restoring both personal and political order himself dies. He then cannot take his rightful place on the throne, nor as head of his family. This has been denied him as the price for its very restoration. This also holds true for Lear. His kingdom is restored and those who sought to destroy him are no more. Yet it is Albany who now rules. In addition at the personal level, Lear finally discovers his love for Cordelia only just before her death. Having finally found her, she is now lost to him for eternity. Lear has also paid the ultimate price for restoration."

Tags:Claudius, Cordelia, Antony, Cleopatra