Abstract
This paper examines how Tom Stoppard is able to use Shakespeare's "Hamlet" to create a contemporary perspective in his text "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead" by exploring the values which Shakespeare presented in the 17th century in a way that reflects their reception in the modern context in which he composed. It looks at how the plays are vehicles for both writers to explore the values of language, death and fate in their respective eras.

From the Paper
"Death in Hamlet is a significant occurrence. It is undeniably permanent and there are always consequences. The entire play in fact is sparked on by said consequences. Hamlet is driven to revenge by his father's "foul and most unnatural murder", as is Laertes. Shakespeare transmits the idea of the permanence, the inevitability of death. Hamlet refers to 'poor Yorick'. He reminisces about the court jester: "Here hung those lips / that I have kissed I know not how oft." He recalls joking and laughing with Yorick, but now all that remains is his vacant skull, tossed away to make room for Ophelia. "

Tags:death, fate, yorick, ophelia

From the Paper
"A man who was cheated of his royal title by his brother and set adrift with his infant daughter, happens upon a deserted island. He defeats the evil master of the island and takes over as ruler. The man feels sorry for the son of the previous master, teaching him his language and housing him. This continues until the man catches him molesting his daughter. As retribution, the man enslaves him."

Tags:analysis, ariel, caliban, characters, colonial, history, post, prospero, shakespeare, tempest, themes

Abstract
This paper analyzes the various factors pertinent to the deaths of Romeo and Juliet, with an emphasis on Friar Lawrence's role in their deaths. The writer concludes that the responsibility for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet lies not only with the Friar but also with nearly every main character in the play.

From the Paper
"Although it often appears that the Friar is responsible for events leading to the deaths of Romeo and Juliet, in reality it is usually other influences that are accountable. For instance, the Friar's plan (giving Juliet the sleeping potion to evade the wedding to Paris, then spiriting her to Mantua until Romeo could return to Verona) was not flawed in itself. Unfortunately however, Balthazar, seeing Juliet's funeral, hastened to tell Romeo that he "saw her laid low in her kindred's vault," (5, 1, 20). It was this information that made him, and later Juliet, commit suicide. Again, while marrying Romeo and Juliet may seem like an irresponsible action, it did not contribute to the lovers' deaths. Their first meeting, based on chance, and their separation, as a result of Romeo's banishment, played a far greater role in the tragedy."

Tags:friar, lawrence, paris, balthazar, capulet

Abstract
"Macbeth", written by William Shakespeare, is the tragic tale of Macbeth, a virtuous man, corrupted by power and greed. This desire leads him to murder the king but also leads him to insecurity. This paper analyzes his uncontrollable ambition and how these desires take control of his actions which lead to his ruin.

From the Paper
"Throughout the play, Macbeth's character grows stronger as Lady Macbeth's will regresses. It even gets to where Macbeth will not include his wife in his villainous schemes, where at one time, it was Lady Macbeth who was implementing these schemes in his head in the first place. In a sense, the two characters switch roles. The turning point for Lady Macbeth is when she learns of her husband's slaying of Macduff's family. She realizes that this is all a result of her greed for power, power that led to the corruption of her husband and allowed her to create a monster out of a once, at least, worthy man. In this state, she turns to sleepwalking, which reveals her guilt. "Out, damned spot! Out, I say! One, two. Why, then "tis time to do't... The thane of Fife had a wife. Where is she now? What, will these hands ne'er be clean?..." This guilt and paranoia eventually leads to Lady Macbeth's violent death at her own hands."

Tags:villain, murder, king, power, greed, ambition

Abstract
This is a literary essay that discusses William Shakespeare's "Hamlet" and how the character of Hamlet would have been perceived by an Elizabethan audience. The paper contends that, in the eyes of an Elizabethan audience, Hamlet is a failure, both as an avenger and as a human being.

From the Paper
"In William Shakespeare's play Hamlet the central character, Prince Hamlet of Denmark and heir to the throne has a personality that is often considered flawed. He possesses several negative attributes that would have given the Elizabethan audience of the time good reason to find him failing as a human being and as an avenger. However, there is evidence throughout the text that suggests Hamlet is not a total failure as a human being and avenger. To draw a conclusion, one must explore Hamlet's character and analyze his actions throughout the course of the play."

Tags:death, brother, claudius, father, lie, cheat, mother, gertrude, king, queen, polonius, madness

Abstract
This essay explores the prodominant themes in "Romeo and Juliet" based on the statement by Prince Escalus, 'For never was there a story of more woe, Than this of Juliet and her Romeo'. Keeping that quote in mind, the essay questions whether love can be counted as the only theme in Romeo and Juliet. The essay discusses in detail three major themes of hate, fate and time, using three scenes in detail, using quotes to support the argument.

From the Paper
"In the tragedy of "Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare, the main theme of the play is love but it is not the only one. The play explores other themes that revolve around love such as the fate of the two lovers, the speed and time of their love and the hatred between their families. When Prince Escalus stated " for never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo" (Act V, Scene III, line 308-309), the purpose of his statement was to illustrate the presence of a wide variety of themes which all contributed to the tragic story of Juliet and her Romeo."

Tags:fate, hate, quote, scenes, time

Abstract
Explores the characteristics of Desdemona, Bianca and Emilia and their status, roles and power within the largely male dominated society. The paper suggests that the male dominated society leads to, ultimately, all three women falling victims.

From the Paper
"Othello by William Shakespeare is a play set in Venice at the height of it's powers. There are three significant female characters in the play, Desdemona, Bianca, and Emilia, who are representative of the female gender. Their characters within the play are presented as being victims of their gender, and victims of the male dominated society of the time. They are seen as victims in their treatment, their status and roles and their power within society, and in the ultimate death of two of the three female characters in the play."

Tags:cassio, dominant, females, gender, males, men, patriarchy, play, power, race, victims, women

Abstract
This paper examines Shakespeare's use of the theme of time-as-destroyer, in three of the sonnets: No's 64, 65, and 73. Shakespeare's poetic techniques are analyzed in detail. Some of these include meter, alliteration, antithesis, syllogism, personification, ploce, and chiasmus. In order to demonstrate these different techniques, the author makes extensive comparisons between the three sonnets.

From the Paper
"The poem is an apostrophe, addressed to the absent (or at least voiceless) lover. It says these things you may see in me: that I am aging, that I am like a setting sun, that I must soon die. But because you see this impermanence, this fading or deterioration, you only love me more. Now, impermanence has become a positive thing, fueling the love his beloved has for him.
"The imagery in this sonnet is gentler than that of the two others. There, we had raging, engulfing oceans, and battering days, and rocks and brass and hard, indomitable things. Now, the imagery is of yellowing leaves, and boughs that once had sweet singing birds on them. The giving over to inevitable death is not one raged against, but is a sweet thing like the setting of a sun. His late stage of life is being compared with fading light, and with night which is "death's second self that seals up all in rest." We are being eased into death here, being made to think of it as slumber."

Tags:alliteration, beauty, chiasmus, courtly, elizabethan, literature, love, personification, ploce, poetry, shakespeare, sonnets, theme, time, life, imagery, repetition, couplet, technique, contrast

Abstract
This essay focuses on the feminist criticism of the Shakespeare's drama "King Lear." The author examines modern and traditional presentations of this play. The main characters, and plot line are detailed, and then analyzed in order to look its portrayal of women. The play has undergone several transformations, and has adapted some of the themes regarding women to modern times.

From the Paper
"Shakespeare's original King Lear enforces anarchy, sexual insubordination and a misogynist emphasis through its portrayal of women and their impact on society, hence their destructive existence. This drama requires the audience to accept the underlying agreement that fathers are owed particular duties by daughters and chaos will manifest if this condition is not met. This assumption obviously imply that in King Lear, chaos was spawned by the neglect of these duties hence suggesting females are once again the cause of conflict."

Tags:criticism, feminist, production, lear, king, daughters, mind, family, relationships

Abstract
This essay suggests that Hamlet was not insane, but emotionally devastated by what he perceived as betrayal by those closest to him. Quotes from the play are used skillfully to support this theory.

From the Paper
"As the curtain opens on Shakespeare's "Hamlet," the audience is introduced to an extremely bleak young man. The grief triggered by the death of his father and the hasty re-marriage of his mother to his uncle, has left Hamlet feeling disorientated. It is in this state of emotional vulnerability that Hamlet begins to distort reality and doubt the intentions of those around him. Hamlet's initial sense of hopelessness deepens as the play progresses and more of the people in his life appear to betray him. He is left alone in a world where he is unable to trust anyone and even begins to doubt the strength of his own character. The perceived betrayal by those closest to Hamlet, causes him to become disillusioned about himself and others."

Tags:betrayal, disillusioned, gertrude, hamlet, insane, ophelia, shakespeare