Richard III by William Shakespeare Essay Example for Free

Richard III by William Shakespeare Essay This essay is to assess how much sympathy the naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve and harmless Hastings deserves after being fooled by the cunning Richard III and falling into his trap of trusting him.  In Act I Scene I, Richard plays the loving, faithful and devoted brother when Clarence arrives at the tower, and sympathises greatly with Hastings. He pretends to be worried by the news of Edwards poor health, suggesting not simply his family loyalty, but also his concern for the nation. In his conversations with both Clarence and Hastings, Richard slanders Queen Elizabeth and her relatives, blaming them for all of the ills that have befallen both Clarence and Hastings, claiming that is was she that convinced the king to have them sent to the tower in the first place. Throughout the conversation with Hastings, Richard flatters his victim, telling him what he wants to hear and as Hastings does not like Queen Elizabeth due to previous events, he is taken in by what Richard has been telling him. More pity that eagles should be mewd While kites and buzzards prey at liberty (1.1.line132-3). In this quotation, Hastings is using a metaphor describing his opinion on the matter of being sent to the tower by claiming that the eagles are he and Clarence who are trapped, whilst the kites and buzzards are the followers of the Queens court, who are allowed to do as they please. The shared dislike of Queen Elizabeth between Hastings and Richard kindles a friendship between them, and as the audience, we arent taken in by his false concern and so know that this technique Richard has used to intrigue Hastings is extremely effective, and Hastings has fallen into the trap of trusting Richard. In this scene, some empathy is directed towards Hastings because in only the first scene we have seen Richard cast Hastings under his spell and Hastings becomes captivated, oblivious to the apparent corrupt and depraved qualities of Richard. As the audience, from the outside looking in, we know a lot more about the sinister Richard than the character of Hastings due to the revelations in the opening soliloquy delivered powerfully by Richard, confessing his plans and motives to become king of England. In Act I Scene III, Old Queen Margaret, widow to the murdered King Henry and mother to the murdered Prince Edward enters a courtroom where persons such as Richard, Hastings, Buckingham and Queen Elizabeth are already present. She opens by reminding those attending of Richards earlier crimes interrupting the dispute to threaten and blame the assembled company that for overthrowing her husband, Henry IV. She is then accused of playing a part in the death of Richards brother, Rutland. Although attacked with allegations, Margaret is not deterred from her aim and proceeds to curse each of the characters in turn and prophesies their destruction. After cursing most of those surrounding her, when she reaches Hastings, she predicts And so wast thou, Lord Hastings, when my son Was stabbd with bloody daggers. God, I pray him, That none of you may live his natural age, But by some unlooked accident cut off (1.3.line 210-213). By saying this, she foresees that Hastings will not live his life to a natural age and will be beheaded. This curse comes true and Hastings happens to remember her prophecy in his last speech before his death. Margaret warns the company against Richard, Thou elvish-markd, abortive, rooting hog, Thou that was seald in thy nativity The slave of nature and son of hell (1.3.line 227-229). Margaret continues to argue with Richard, cursing him continually and then leaves. Rivers and Buckingham seem disturbed by her heavy-handed words but by way of contrast, Richard remains calm and pretends to repent the wrongs that he did Margaret. At the time when Hastings is cursed he seems displaced by Margarets words as he doesnt reply, but later shakes it off by remarking False-boding woman, end thy frantic curse, Lest to thy harm thou move our patience. (1.3.line 246-7) and seemingly does so to prove to the others that he is not worried about the denunciation by overtly putting on a bravado. In this scene, not much sympathy is inflicted towards Hastings, as although he seems to be deterred by the curse, he puts it to the back of his mind, attempting to impress those surrounding him, especially Richard after striking up a friendship, and therefore appears arrogant. Act II Scene I begins with the ailing Kind Edward attempting to make peace between all of his friends and family, endeavouring to tie up all ends before he soon dies. He asks Hastings, Rivers, Dorset and Buckingham to profess their loyalty to each other and for sake of one of the last of wishes of a dying man, they pretend to do so. King Edward, on his deathbed, is attempting to reunite his friends and family, trying to make sure that he can die in peace, knowing that his family is content.

Intimacy in A Streetcar Named Desire, by Tennessee Williams Essay

Intimacy Tennessee Williams used his life experiences to write many successful plays. One of his most successful plays is A Streetcar Named Desire. In this play Williams relates the characters closely to his father, mother, and sister. William’s father was a gambler, a drunk, and very aggressive. Williams’s mother was a Southern Bell and looked down upon people that were not like her, and his sister was suffering from psychological disorders. Stanley is like William’s father, Blanche is like William’s mother and sister, and Allan, Blanche’s dead husband, is like Tennessee Williams. Suchitra Choudhury says that â€Å"Tennessee Williams’ plays are acknowledged to be substantially constituted of violence and victimization. . . . Williams’s plays very often end in what seems to be victimization.† The play A Streetcar Named Desire is a classic example of violence and victimization. Stanley is very violent and Blanche is the victim, her past h aunting her in the present. Throughout the play we see how Blanche evolves into what seems to be a psychotic breakdown at the end. We see how the need for intimacy ultimately causes her to become psychotic. Blanche struggles with the death of her husband Allan, and as a result she is constantly trying to create a reality of what she believes life should be like. How does the past affect Blanche in the present? Blanche strives to deny the past and build a new life for herself, one that she perceives to be what she deserves. Blanche’s promiscuity in Laurel is the result of her constant search for intimacy, not just sex. Blanche struggles with guilt that it is her fault her husband Allan commits suicide. Even though Stella and Stanley and even Eunice and Steve have what she thinks are horrible relatio... ...n, Leonard. The Tragic Downfall of Blanche Dubois, Modern Drama, Vol. 10, No. 2, December, 1967, pp. 24957. http://galenet.galegroup.com.ezproxy.maconstate.edu/servlet/LitRC?locID=maco12153&ADVST2=NA&srchtp=adv&c=6&stab=512&ASB2=AND&DT=Criticism_select&ADVSF2=tennessee+williams&docNum=H1100001574&ADVSF1=a+streetcar+named+desire&ADVST1=TW&bConts=514&vrsn=3&ASB1=AND&ste=74&tbst=asrch&tab=2&ADVST3=NA Choudhury, Suchitra. A Streetcar Named Desire. Great Neck Publishing http://proxygsu-mac1.galileo.usg.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lfh&AN=25997558&site=ehost-live">Literary Contexts in Plays: Tennessee Williams' "A Streetcar Named Desire". Williams, Tennessee. A streetcar Named Desire. The Norton Introduction to Literature. 9th Edition. Alison Booth, J. Paul Hunter, Kelly J. Mays Ed. NewYork. W. W. Norton, 2005 (1539-1602)

The Lemurs of Kirindy

Peter Kappeler’s article entitled, â€Å"The Lemurs of Kirindy,† brought into focus the different behaviors adapted by and that has evolved among the mammals in the Kirindy Forest in the west-central coast of Madagascar.   Of particular interest in the article were the lemurs of Kirindy, which Kappeler described to have evolved and changed their behaviors in order to adapt to the changing seasons and climates of the forest. This paper looks into the process of natural selection among the mammals of Kirindy.   The discussion and analysis provided herein posits that natural selection favored the most unusual primate behaviors among lemurs.   More specifically, the position assumed in this discussion asserts that because of the constantly changing physical/natural environment of the forest, lemurs have adapted and underwent the process of evolving biologically, as their response to the natural changes occurring in their physical environment—completing the process of natural selection. The â€Å"pronounced seasonal changes† in the Kirindy forest was described as a combination of either very hot or cold climates, erratically changing each season.   On December to February, the forest does not experience rain, wherein nights reach above freezing point.   In addition to these drastic changes in temperature, primate behaviors also vary during long dry spells or months of continuous rains.   Behaviors of lemurs affected not only include hibernation periods, circadian rhythms, or food hunting patterns, but also reproduction cycles and mating behavior.   Ultimately, the erratic changes in climate in Kirindy influence the survival techniques of lemurs. Indeed, these seasonal changes have affected the circadian rhythms, mating behaviors, and food hunting techniques of the lemurs of Kirindy.   Sifakas are known to adapt a â€Å"calorie-saving† behavior by â€Å"expending less energy† through a decrease in their physical activities and expose themselves to heat as much as possible.   Moreover, sifakas eat plants that have high liquid content, further supporting its survival techniques in order to survive the cold season.   Sifakas’ mating behaviors, meanwhile, have also been inadvertently affected by the seasonal changes in the forest.   Female sifakas give birth during the cold season, and learn to support their young by hunting for plants or leaves with high liquid content and adapting a calorie-saving lifestyle. Fat-tailed lemurs, meanwhile, have also learned to adapt to new behavior in order to survive the cold season in the forest.   The rainy season is a time when fat-tailed lemurs store fat as their food supply for their hibernation period.   They do this by eating high-energy fruits and insects, converting these foods into fat, which is then stored in their tails.   After the rainy season, fat-tailed lemurs get ready for the dry season by hibernating in hollow trees. The sifakas and fat-tailed lemurs are just examples of mammals that have learned to adapt to the environment’s drastic changes, particularly in the Kirindy forest of Madagascar.   Variations and changes in lemur behavior demonstrated that the process of natural selection took place in the forest, wherein the uncontrollable physical conditions that the lemurs lived in led to an alteration of their lifestyles, and ultimately, biological tendencies and reactions to the environment (i.e., Kirindy forest).

Analysis Of The Story Cathedral - 1351 Words

â€Å"Cathedral† The story â€Å"Cathedral† demonstrates that lack of sight does not necessarily prevent one from perceiving things as they are, or live their life to the fullest. In the story, a middle-age blind man, who is a friend to the narrator’s wife, and used to be her boss at one point, visits the narrator and his wife. The narrator has never interacted with blind people before, and all he knew about blind people was what he had seen on television. Blind people are stereotypically portrayed on television as slow moving, dull people, who never laugh. Based on this perception, the narrator was reluctant to meet the blind man and doubted whether they were going to connect. This is evident when the narrator states, â€Å"I wasn’t enthusiastic about his visit. He was no one I knew. And his being blind bothered me† (Carver 1). The doubt the narrator had towards blind people his further evident when the blind man arrives at his house. On seeing the blind man for the first time in the parking lot, the narrator noticed that the blind man had a beard, but he thought that it was unusual. This is evident when the narrator remarks, â€Å"This blind man, feature this, he was wearing a full beard! A beard on a blind man! Too much, I say† (Carver 4). The skeptical view, the narrator had towards blind people is further brought out when the narrator was being told about the death of the blind man’s wife. The narrator could not imagine a man marrying a woman, living together, and having sex withShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Story Cathedral 1734 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Cathedral is a famous short story by American writer and poet Raymond Carver. The story was first published in The Atlantic Monthly in 1981 and appeared in The Americas Best Short Stories in 1982. In the short story cathedral, the unnamed narrator’s wife’s blind friend is coming to visit. The narrator isn’t thrilled about his wife’s blind friend coming to visit nor is he happy that the man is blind. Later in the evening the narrator experiences a life changing realization of the trueRead MoreAnalysis Of The Story Cathedral 936 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Cathedral† is all about inner vision. It throws light into the fact that inner vision is more vital than physical vision. It covers various areas of life: intimacy of relations, importance of communication, need for love and care in relations, trust etc. The story is about a husband, wife and a blind man who is the narrators wife’s friend named Robert. Robert is a blind man, but he has got good insight than the narrator who hardly understands the feelings of people. When the narrator comes toRead MoreAnalysis Of The Story The Cathedral 989 Words   |  4 Pagesplace. Everyone has been guilty of putting someone else down, for personal gain. Ego is associated with confidence and often clouds our perception of others, making us feel superior to others and that is portrayed in these three short stories. Short story â€Å"Cathedral,† narrated by a husband who expresses his feelings toward his wife’s legally blind old friend and former boss, Robert. Robert had lost his wife to cancer recently and was invited by the narrated wife to stay with she and her husband forRead MoreAnalysis Of The Story Cathedral By Raymond Carver1305 Words   |  6 PagesThe Story â€Å"Cathedral† by Raymond Carver is about true blindness and the effects of emotional contact. Peterson studies the use of determiners, a and the, that refer to the blind man in the story and its effects to establish the atmosphere of the story. He states that the change in determiner seems subtle, but these subtle changes are significant because the changes show how narrator feel about Robert throughout the story. Nesset studies the sexual polices and the love lives in several Carver’s storiesRead MoreAnalysis Of The Story Cathedral By Raymond Carver Essay1137 Words   |  5 PagesHannah Artille November 22, 2016 Words: When Three Stories Collide There are three short stories with characters who are very alike. In the short story â€Å"Cathedral† by Raymond Carver, the protagonist, Bub, has an unwanted visitor. Similarly, in the story â€Å"Everyday use† by Alice Walker, the character Dee visits her mother and sister, which turns into a very unpleasant encounter. Lastly, the main character, Hulga, in â€Å"Good Country People† by Flannery O’Connor, is deceived by her visitor, a bibleRead MoreThe Theme Of Blindness In Raymond Carvers Cathedral745 Words   |  3 PagesIn Raymond Carver’s â€Å"Cathedral† the narrator is seen to show ignorance and bias towards blindness throughout the story, however towards the end he realizes his flaws and the difference between looking and seeing. From the beginning of the story to the end you can see a change within the narrator after his encounter with the blind man. At the end of Raymond Carver’s â€Å"Cathedral† the narrator hopes t o accomplish a change in his understanding of himself, and his experience with Robert flickers this changeRead MorePersuasive Essay804 Words   |  4 PagesPersuasive Essay In 1983, Raymond Carver introduced his short story â€Å"Cathedral† to the public. The first-person narrative takes place within the narrator’s home, where his wife is waiting upon the arrival of her blind friend Robert. The narrator, however, becomes more concerned about how Robert’s visit will affect him rather than enjoy the situation. Once Robert arrives, the narrator tries to understand the blind man, but he is unaware of what tasks Robert is capable of performing due to the narrator’sRead MoreAn Analysis of Cathedral822 Words   |  4 PagesAn Analysis of Cathedral Cathedral, written by Raymond Carver, is a short story that explores the narrator’s insecurities and fears of what he does not understand and through the progression of the story is enlightened by the man he fears. The short story Cathedral is a story of the narrators’ wife’s old friend coming to visit. The friend, Robert, is a man that she knew ten years before and has kept in contact with since. The two correspond via tape recordings on a regular basis. The wife tellsRead MoreCharacter Analysis Of Raymond Carver s Cathedral 1426 Words   |  6 PagesCharacter Analysis in Raymond Carver’s â€Å"Cathedral†: The Narrator Literature has the potential to act as a mirror by presenting people’s lived experiences, expectations, and perceptions through characters. Such is what can be deciphered through the analysis of different characters in Raymond Carver’s story â€Å"Cathedral.† This paper focuses on the narrator of the story portrayed by the author as blind, which is used metaphorically not to imply physical blindness, but the inability to have reasonedRead MoreRaymond Carver with Cathedral and John Updike with AP979 Words   |  4 PagesRaymond Carver with â€Å"Cathedral† and John Updike with â€Å"AP† â€Å"Cathedral† and AP both short stories written during the same century. But even though they both introduce stereotypical characters that somehow change their view of the world, they have many more different aspects. The stories differ in atmosphere and the quantity of people involve in each story. The story â€Å"Cathedral† only took place in a family house with only the husband, wife who can be qualified as a static character tried to kill