Essay on A Midsummer Nights Dream Critical Analysis

Mandy Conway Mrs. Guynes English 12 16 March 2000 A Critical Analysis of quot;A Midsummer Nights Dreamquot; William Shakespeare, born in 1594, is one of the greatest writers in literature. He dies in 1616 after completing many sonnets and plays. One of which is quot;A Midsummer Nights Dream.quot; They say that this play is the most purely romantic of Shakespeares comedies. The themes of the play are dreams and reality, love and magic. This extraordinary play is a play-with-in-a-play, which master writers only write successfully. Shakespeare proves here to be a master writer. Critics find it a task to explain the intricateness of the play, audiences find it very pleasing to read and watch. quot;A Midsummer Nights Dreamquot; is a†¦show more content†¦He needs her too, so he wins the boy for himself to make her feel inferior. In other words, Titania gave up something that she loved to make her husband happy. This is seen in everyday life, women give up their wants to make their men happy. Titanias sacrifice for Oberon cost her to lose both her Indian boy and his mother, her women lover. When men dont make women happy, they turn to their friends for what they need, whatever it may be. (Scott 370-373) Male domination not only exists between husband and wife, but also between father and daughter. Theseus will not allow Hermia to marry Lysander. Theseus wants her to marry Demetrius. Egeus, a ruler, will force Hermia to become a nun unless she marries Demetrius. In retaliation to his demands, Lysander and Hermia run away together. Hermia is scolded by Egeus for being in love with the man she chooses. This suggests that men cause women to feel forced and obligated to do as they say. (Scott 373) Another example of male domination is the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. Theseus first wife was frail and yielding, and he divorced her. Hippolyta has been a warrior, and Theseus victory over her makes her unable to resist. By conquering the female warrior and marryi ng her, he fulfills his need for the exclusive love of a woman while satisfying his homoerotic desires. Close bonding fulfills this homoerotic desire with a male companion, such as Demetrius andShow MoreRelatedAn Analysis of the ‘Happy Ending’ of Shakespeare’s a Midsummer Night’s Dream.1930 Words   |  8 PagesAll’s Well That Ends Well†¦ Or Is It? An analysis of the ‘Happy Ending’ of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It is commonly said that â€Å"all’s well that ends well.† In the case of the comedies of William Shakespeare, this is almost universally true. With specific regard to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the machinations of Oberon are able to bring together Lysander and Hermia, as well as Helena and Demetrius, in a way that provides for the happiest of conclusions. As readers of the play,Read MoreLove, Friendship, Loyalty in William Shakespeares Midsummer Nights Dream and King Lear2661 Words   |  11 Pagesof love, friendship and loyalty in his plays, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1600) and King Lear (1603-1606), there is distinct and constant portrayal of these themes classified of inconsistencies. It is crucial to understand that the historical context of Shakespeare’s writing is important in grasping a true understanding of the inconsistencies that exists in love, friendship and loyalty. Writing during the time of the renaissance, Shakespeare’s critical writing of such themes is of great importance inRead MoreReflection Of Ovids Metamorphoss1330 Words   |  6 PagesArthur Golding issued the first complete English version. The poem was immensely popular and went through six printings during Shakespeares lifetime. The Neoclassical eighteenth century poets valued the Metamorphoses for its metric skill and for its analysis of passion. 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Hamlet by William Shakespeare - 1456 Words

The play Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, takes place in a time where the impossible was a part of the lives of everyday people. Occurrences that people in the modern time would believe unbelievable. Yet, with just a quill and parchment Shakespeare’s is able to connect the past and present by weaving a plot with skill that is still unparalleled to this day. The play Hamlet this exceeds this expectation by revealing depth of Hamlets, the protagonists, character personality through the use of imagery and symbols. First Shakespeare uses decay and corruption as one of the many types of imagery used in the play. Secondly he uses the idea of appearance vs reality frequently throughout the play as both symbolism and imagery. Thirdly he uses the representation of people who have passed on as symbols. To sum it up Shakespeare uses decay/corruption, appearance vs. reality and the deceased to illustrate that Hamlets character has depth be revealing significant aspects of it. Decay and corruption is used in the play as a tool demonstrates various aspects of Hamlets character. It is used when referring to the garden, to poison and to death. Over all the use of this imagery demonstrates how pessimistic he is. One thing Hamlet talks about is a garden in the castle as a representation of his beliefs on marriage. He states â€Å"tis an unweeded garden that grows to seed, things rank and gross in nature.†(I, II, 37) This illustrates that he is in disbelief that theShow MoreRelatedHamlet, By William Shakespeare880 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Shakespeare is praised as the pioneering English poet and playwright whose collection of theatrical works is regarded as the greatest artistic value throughout the history of English literature. Shakespeare delved into the spiritual and mental component of humanity and the consequences that arise from this human spirit when it is disputed. 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Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 Free Essays

string(34) " needs and pursuing an education\." To what extent were African-American slaves â€Å"free† after the abolition of slavery by the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863? What challenges did they face after their emancipation? This is a subject of continued interest. History is rife with records of decades of untold torture and harrowing experiences. African-American slaves suffered at the hands of their captors and masters. We will write a custom essay sample on Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 or any similar topic only for you Order Now They were denied all natural rights as human beings and forced to live like animals. A slave was viewed as one-third of a person and the property of their owner(s) and treated as objects, mere things.One would therefore assume that after their emancipation, life would become significantly better because the slaves were free to move away from the torturous hands of their masters. Indeed these slaves were truly hopeful to live as free people in their new land of opportunities. Regrettably, many of them faced incredible opposition and discrimination even after emancipation. Being emancipated from slavery did not, for instance, make the former slaves enjoy equal treatment as the white population. Life continued to be unbearable for them. Thus by and large, the emancipation of the African-American slaves did not truly free them nor directly lead to an increased quality of life or standard of living. It was only the beginning of that dream. Investigation Over the course of many centuries the idea of freedom has been tossed back and forth, constantly being modified to fit the standards of those times. This ideology has also steadily progressed through history. As far back as history can tell us, freedom was virtually non-existent. People were under the absolute rule of kings and monarchs. As revolts and rebellions occurred against these monarchs the idea of freedom gradually evolved. Citizens began to recognize that they were equal as human beings and had rights, thus refused to blindly follow their incapable leaders any longer. With this change also came a revolution in the government. Other forms of leading a nation were being considered besides the ever so popular and rominent monarchy, such as a constitutional monarchy in which the people were given significantly greater freedom and involvement in decision making processes, which would eventually become a rough design for our modern day democracy. But in the case of African slaves in the United States, this hierarchy of absolute power and control appeared insurmountable. Forced to live terrible lives on plantations at the hands of their masters in horrendous conditions, being free someday was all they had to keep them going. This wish was fulfilled in 1863 with the creation of the Emancipation Proclamation by Abraham Lincoln. The slaves were now free to become independent and lead their own lives. But emancipation, as a matter of fact, was only a large stepping stone for the slaves. But for a few ‘privileged’ slaves who served as house servants, the â€Å"sunrise-to-sunset† back-breaking jobs on farms and plantations became their vocation for which many were unaccustomed to. They were punished for any flimsy reason with a variety of objects and instruments including whips, knives, guns and field tools. They were hanged, forced to walk a treadmill, placed in chains and shackles or in various contraptions such as thick and heavy metal collars with protruding spikes that made fieldwork difficult and prevented the slave from sleeping while lying down. Even the most kindly and humane masters used the threat of violence to force these field hands to work from dawn to dusk. Runaways were also heavily punished, mercilessly flogged in the presence of all the slaves assembled from the neighboring plantations, chained with heavy weights round the neck, or chained to another person, sometimes of the opposite sex for an extended period and flogged repeatedly. As if that were not enough, the wounds of the slaves whipped were burst and rubbed with turpentine and red pepper. Enslaved black women were raped by their owners, members of their owner’s families, or their owner’s friends, and children who resulted from such rapes were slaves as well. Being pregnant did not spare a slave woman the whip or rod. A hole was dug for her to rest her belly while being whipped. They were also at constant risk of losing members of their families if their owners decided to sell them for profit, punishment, or to pay debts. Slavery indeed was dehumanizing in every sense of the word. The Declaration of Emancipation was monumental, and came with the renewed sense of hope that life after their emancipation would become significantly better. Being free, the former slaves envisaged being able to live with a sense of purpose and pride in a land ripe with a cornucopia of opportunities waiting to be capitalized on. Spirits were high and celebration took place as ideas and fantasies of a rich lifestyle with a good standard of living were being formulated. [1] For some ex slaves, their dreams became somewhat of a reality as their fight for survival during slavery helped them develop the wits needed to succeed in their new found world. Unfortunately, there were many tragic disappointments, as nearly all the slaves that were emancipated were forced to return back to their old masters after leaving the plantations, starving and diseased. [2] Many were not able to survive on their own. This came as a result of both internal and external forces – being somewhat trapped by their own helplessness, insecurities, lack of knowledge[3] and still viewed as slaves by the whites. Even though former slaves became free to travel throughout the south daring to leave the plantation to visit or search for loved ones from whom they had become separated was no small feat. Other challenges also included deciding on a name as well as the more elusive task of creating an identity with no sense of one’s ancestry, making choices for themselves about where they labored and the type of work they performed, the use of public accommodations, providing for one’s daily needs and pursuing an education. You read "Emancipation Proclamation in 1863" in category "Essay examples" When one lives at the hands and mercy of a master who controls every aspect of one’s life, starting fresh in a ‘foreign country’ can prove to be a difficult task. For many of them, the dream was short-lived. In many respects, the slaves were not solely responsible for their burdens or inability to rise to freedom. Simply declaring that the slaves were free did not go far enough to enable them become self-determined. They needed the help and guidance of those in control not only to survive but also to thrive. Without much land, money, materials or no legal title to aid them, they soon became ‘freed’ in name only, rather than as legal citizens who were entitled to the most basic liberties. It was no wonder news about the passing of the Thirteenth Amendment in January 1865, was greeted with euphoria and relief. This new chapter in American history was to fully abolish slavery in the United States, ‘freeing’ four million African Americans. Men and women – black and white, and in the North and South began the work of rebuilding the shattered union and of creating a new social order called Reconstruction that would hold many promises. Many young blacks also joined the army upon encouragement from military generals, lured in by the prospect of earning money and the being accepted by the whites. [4] Furthermore, with the protection of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to the Constitution and the Civil Rights Act of 1866, citizenship was to be granted to all people born or naturalized in the United States and guaranteeing that no American (including the freed slaves) would be denied the right to vote on the basis of race. With that, the freed Southern black men began to exercise this right to vote and actively participate in the political process, many being elected to the United States Congress and local offices. Racial lines seemed to begin to diminish as coalitions of white and black Republicans passed bills to establish the first public school systems in most states of the South, although sufficient funding was hard to find. Freedom truly seemed to fill the air. They also met in annual conventions across the nation and issued heart-felt addresses to the people of the United States, to affirm their status as citizens and implore the support of fair-minded white people. In spite of the daunting challenges, former African-American slaves were determined to succeed in their new found freedom; and they did – making significant strides in establishing their own churches, towns and businesses. Their quest for equality, and the opportunity to live in harmony with any other ethnic group in the country[5] prompted their swift rejection of President Lincoln’s 1862 offer to segregate them to the District of Columbia, which they could colonize. Even with the winds of the Thirteenth Amendment on their backs, the ride to freedom was everything but smooth. Opponents of this progress soon rallied against the former slaves’ freedom and began to find means for eroding the gains for which many had shed their blood. Some Whites were even skeptical in the first place, stating that the slaves should have – at least – been in some way educated or prepared for freedom, before it was so suddenly thrust upon them so they didn’t become an evil and menace to the welfare of the entire country. White supremacists sought to return blacks to their subordinate status under slavery. They resurrected barriers and enacted new laws to segregate society along racial lines. They limited black access to transportation, schools, restaurants and other public facilities. The groundbreaking advances of Reconstruction were quickly being reversed. Extreme racist Southerners hated them just as much if not more than before they were freed. Forming anti-black groups such as the Klu Klux Klan they continued to harass and persecute them with unimaginable acts of violence. As rioting increased by enraged white people against African Americans – whom they accused of stealing their jobs – millions of these former slaves began living in a constant state of anxiety and fear.. While most blacks were denied their right to keep and bear arms and therefore unable to protect themselves or their families, lynching increasingly became the weapon of white mob terror. A combination of similar acts of oppression such as fraud and intimidation were also employed to reduce black voting and regain control of state legislatures. Laws or provisions passed such as poll taxes, residency requirements and literacy tests made voter registration and elections more complicated which overwhelmingly disadvantaged blacks. Litigation to challenge such provisions at the state and national levels were to no avail as the Supreme Court upheld the states’ decisions. Their treatment and accommodations became inferior to those provided for white Americans, systematizing a number of economic, educational and social disadvantages. Black soldiers for instance, were not given as much pay as their fellow white soldiers, and it was only until they appealed through a letter to Abraham Lincoln that this policy was changed to even the pay scale. [6] Segregation in all public facilities, with a supposedly â€Å"separate but equal† was also mandated. Conclusion The crux of the Emancipation Proclamation – which advocated abolition of slavery – was easier said than done. It simply raised the hopes of many enslaved African Americans about the prospect of freedom only to leave them still despairing. African Americans continued suffer from segregation, lack of education, and political disenfranchisement. Freedom for them appeared to be superficial, if at all existent– only fulfilling their desire to truly make lives for themselves, while ignoring or depriving them of the means to achieve it. They were still unprotected from the brutal attacks suffered at the hands of anti-Negro groups[7] who still despised them, and granted no help in developing a new lifestyle. The lack of equality, legal or human rights made achieving anything remarkably unfair and near impossible. Life was just as it was under the bondage of slavery. Hence for all the good intentions for the abolition of slavery , the Declaration of Emancipation did not truly spell freedom and equality for all African-American slaves, nor did it directly lead to a lasting increased quality of life or standard of living. It was a huge step towards the beginning of a long, painful struggle for freedom – far longer and more difficult than anyone could realize. The ruling government could and should have done more to quell the uprisings the emancipation triggered, and worked towards helping the former slaves establish themselves while integrating them with other groups to live in peace. It was the thirteenth amendment passed after the end of the American Civil War which permanently abolished slavery and also paved the way for further amendments to the constitution that would brought complete freedom for the former slaves. How to cite Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, Essay examples

What is the Mfecane, and how is it relevant to contemporary South African society free essay sample

â€Å"How relevant is the study of the Mfecane to South African History and our contemporary (present) society?† What are the different theories on the Mfecane and how have these changed over time. (See your textbook references and the Jeff Guy lectures) You can also look at Giliomee and Mbenga pages 124-127 and 139 particularly (a copy is available in the classroom – BUT I WILL HAVE PHOTOCOPIES MADE IF YOU REQUEST THEM). Look at some of the older interpretations of the Mfecane – and compare these with more recent interpretations. Shaka is a very central figure in Zulu history. Shaka made a popular â€Å"comeback† in South Africa during the 1980s with an SABC-TV series Shaka Zulu. View extracts of this series, and decide how best it would be placed in the different theories of the Mfecane, explaining why. Between 1994 and 2013, Shaka has made a significant comeback into popular history and is viewed as a central icon of Zulu nationalism. We will write a custom essay sample on What is the Mfecane, and how is it relevant to contemporary South African society? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page How is this – both Shaka and Zulu nationalism, manifested (demonstrated/obviously shown) in South Africa today, in terms of popular culture and politics. Is there a future for Zulu nationalism in a South Africa today? The Mfecane loosely means ‘the crushing’, and is also known as Difaqane, or Lifaqane. The term ‘Mfecane’ was first coined by E. A. Walker (1928: 210), which largely refers to the conflicts between South African tribes in the centre and eastern regions of Africa in the early 1800s, which fought each other in search of food and land. However, there are many distinct theories about Mfecane, and numerous historians present their own opinions. Originally it was widely believed that Shaka Zulu, and the growth and expansion of the Zulu tribe under his command, was the primary cause of Mfecane. However, there have been increasing numbers of theories that suggested what else might have contributed towards the Mfecane. Although it is impossible to conclusively prove the causes of Mfecane, some theories suggest that a widespread drought hit Southern Africa in the early nineteenth century causing expanding tribes to relocate searching for fertile land, often battling over the same land with different tribes. Another prominent theory is that when the Portuguese introduced the maize they had brought from America, this food source caused a massive population increase in many Southern African tribes, especially the Zulu tribe, and the  Zulus had to expand their territory to accommodate their larger numbers. Until the 1980s, the Mfecane was universally viewed as a series of major political and social disturbances that took place among the African societies in the 1820s and 1830s, which had been caused primarily by the vast expansion of the Zulu kingdom under Shaka Zulu. This was recognised as the reality, and it was never enquired. However, in 1988, to counter this concrete ‘fact’ of the time, historian Julian Cobbing presented his argument that although there were admittedly major upheavals that did take place in the 1820s and 1830s, the Mfecane occurred primarily because of the impact of the expansion of the frontiers of European colonial settlement and trade in southern Africa. But this was not without heavy controversy, as in an article in the Journal of African History (2009), Carolyn Hamilton, along with many others, found Cobbing’s arguments distorted the evidence and argued that Cobbing was, on many accounts, wrong. Hence the real causes of Mfecane are yet to be proven. The 1986 SABC TV-series ‘Shaka Zulu’ illustrates Shaka as a ‘military genius who revolutionized African warfare with strategies almost unequalled in battle’, and rightfully he gains a reputation as the ‘Black Napoleon’. The portrayal of Shaka Zulu that this TV-series showed, which enabled the popular comeback of Shaka Zulu in the 1980s, corresponds with some early theories of Mfecane which suggest that Shaka Zulu was the primary cause of the chaotic struggles between tribes. His brilliant military tactics and fierce training, combined with his natural leadership and powerful stature, allowed him to become a central icon of Zulu nationalism. The current president of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, is of Zulu descent. In 2007 Jacob Zuma defeated Thabo Mbeki, former deputy president and former president of African National Congress, in the election of President of the ANC. It is interesting to note that Thabo Mbeki is of Xhosa descent while Zuma is of Zulu, which reminds people of South Africa of the Zulu and Xhosa clashes during the Mfecane. Jacob Zuma, as the president of the African National Congress, has led in a Zulu Nationalist way. Since his election as national president in 2009, he has been gaining the support and trust of the  Zulu living in KwaZulu-Natal with his nationalist patriotism, which shows a discouraging future for the Inkatha Freedom Party, the previous rulers of KwaZulu-Natal. This essentially shows how the study of Mfecane is relevant to our contemporary society: Like Shaka Zulu led the Zulus to power battled rivalling clans, Jacob Zuma has raised the Zulus to power fighting rivalling National Parties, and they have both become major icons of Zulu nationalism. Is there a future for Zulu nationalism in South Africa today? Nationalism is the sense of identity and patriotism with a nation. This means that in Zulu nationalism, nationalists such as Jacob Zuma think of South Africa as more of a ‘Zulu nation’ than what South Africa strives to be perceived as following an Apartheid era: a ‘rainbow nation’. Certainly, there are positive aspects of Zulu nationalism in the sense that the president of South Africa strives to help the KwaZulu-Natal province, to raise the sense of identity among the Zulu community. However, the president should be striving to help all aspects of South Africa, not just the Zulus. To conclude, I believe that the study of Mfecane is a vital aspect of South Africa’s history and contemporary society, and is very relevant. However, although I believe that Zulu nationalism was a major contributing factor in building present day’s South Africa, I do not believe that it has an important role in the future because South Africa should be striving to become a multi-cultural nation, regardless of the ethnicities and cultural differences present in South Africa. References: Internet: Gallery Ezakwantu. (-) Southern African Tribal Upheavals. Available from: http://www.ezakwantu.com/Tribes%20 20Southern%20African%20Tribal%20Wars%20-%20Mfecane%20-%20Lifaqane%20-%20Difaqane.htm [Accessed 29 July 2013] Gumede, William. (2012) Zuma and Zulu Nationalism. Available from: http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/features/85841 [Accessed 1 4 August 2013] HS-102 Readings. (-) Nationalism. Available from: http://www2.sunysuffolk.edu/westn/nationalism.html [Accessed 3 4 August 2013] Mashele, Prince. (2012) Is Jacob Zuma a Zulu Nationalist? Available