Tragedy in Comedy Essay Example for Free

Tragedy in Comedy Essay Tragedy in Comedy is only a bad dream. This statement ironically captures the fable created by Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. While in the play, the night spent by the three couples and the performers in the woods outside Athens is felt by them to be a wild dream, for the audience viewing this comedy, the tragic elements at the beginning of the play seem less like the reality in Shakespeare’s make-believe world. This world has gods and lovers, half-man half-donkey, and goblins spreading love potions. The play captures many elements from the English mythological tradition, and uses them with poise and reserve. As one of the most popular adaptations for film and theatre in modern times, the play survives its intricate plot, typical characterization and reserved prose. The play begins in the house of Egeus with Hermia fighting against the wish of her father to marry the man chosen by him. In response, he invokes the ancient Athenian law that states that a daughter must marry according to the wishes of her father, or else face death. But Egeus gives Hermia another choice, to observe a lifelong chastity in the worship of the goddess Diana as a nun. Hermia decides to elope with her lover, Lysander and they both flight to marry in the house of Hermia’s aunt. They then escape to the forest outside Athens. Hermia has told of this to no one but her friend Helena, who, out of jealousy at being rejected by Demetrious, decides to tell him this in order to gain his favor. The humor here lies in the bitchy love affairs that make Helena betray her friend’s secret. In paintings and other art depicting the scene of confiding, the two are shown in close consultation, secretive and bonding. Thus, the scene is essential in the way that it builds up to the confusion, with Helena trailing Demetrius in his quest to trace Hermia and her lover. It also breaks away from the image, where sacrifice is easily rejected for personal happiness. Such a hedonistic impulse can only mean that the scene is set for the fight or pleasure, in which each person will vie for the lover’s hand. This fight takes a ridiculous proportion, when Oberon, king of the fairies brings forth the hobgoblin, Puck, to lace the sleeping Titania with love potion. Helena is shown from the start to be in pursuit of personal gain. This takes comic proportions when the spellbound Dymetrius and Lysander, a result of an incompetent Puck’s mistaking of Lysander for Demetrius, fall madly in love with her. She feels that this sudden reversal must mean that the two are mocking her. So she can no longer indulge in self centered pursuit, for the objects that she sought now seek her in maddening courtship. Herein lays Helena’s comedy. But it is finally Puck who saves the day, by removing the spell from Lysander, who consequently goes back to his affectionate relationship with Hermia. The band of six â€Å"rude mechanicals†, or stage actors who are to perform at the wedding of Theseus and Hippolyta, find their way into the forest where the â€Å"love in idleness† has caused chaos. It is Puck’s mischief again, in transforming Nick Bottom, an actor, into a man with the head of a donkey. His singing then awakens Titania, who has also been cast with the love potion. This is done on Oberon’s command, for he wishes to procure her changeling as a henchman. This is perhaps the part, when Titania falling madly in love with Bottom, showers Bottom with all that is deserving of a nobleman, a part that is most loved by the audiences of this play. It reaches a tragicomic poise that is eloquent and base all at once (Khoury, 2006). Oberon later orders Puck to remove the curse from Titania, who in turn frees Bottom from the donkey’s head. Oberon commands that Lysander should be freed of the magical hold, but it should remain on Demetrius. The serialization is complete. Theseus and Hippolyta arrive on their morning hunt and find the lovers asleep. Upon waking them, a grand ceremony is held by Oberon. Egeus agrees to Hermia’s union with Lysander, and a group wedding takes place. The lovers believe that the night’s event must have been a dream, and watching a performance by the six workmen, though not particularly pleasing; the lovers find a sense of pleasure and contentment. Oberon and the fairies enter after some time to bless them with good fortune. References Shakespeares Sources for A Midsummer Nights Dream. Shakespeare-online. com. Retrieved on 2009-11-01. The Tempest available at http://shakespeare. mit. edu/tempest/full. html Retrieved on 2009-11-01. The Tempest http://www. enotes. com/a-tempest/ Retrieved on 2009-11-01. The tempest revisited in Martinique: Aime Cesaires Shakespeare. (Critical essay) Khoury, J. (2006) The tempest revisited in Martinique: Aime Cesaires Shakespeare. (Critical essay) Journal for Early Modern Cultural Studies | September 22, 2006 | http://www. accessmylibrary. com/article-1G1-154756422/tempest-revisited-martinique-aime. html Retrieved on 2009-11-01. http://cscanada. net/index. php/css/article/viewFile/559/pdf_398 Retrieved on 2009-11-01.

Analysis of The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks Essay

Analysis of The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks For this month’s book report I read a book called ‘The Indian in the Cupboard’ by Lynne Reid Banks. This book was about a boy named Omri and his small Indian toy. For Omri’s birthday he received a small Indian toy from a friend and a small cupboard from his brother. Omri put his Indian in the cupboard and to his surprise when he opened the cupboard the Indian toy had come to life. Omri has to keep his Indian a secret for fear of an adult finding out. When Omri told his friend Patrick about the toy, Patrick wanted his own. Omri thought it was a bad idea but brought the toy to life anyway. When Omri brought Patrick’s cowboy toy to life, Patrick was very excited, but Omri was afraid he didn’t know that they were real people. Omri decided he would keep them both at his house. Patrick did not like this idea but agreed only if Omri would bring the cowboy and Indian to school the next day. Then all the trouble started. Patrick and Omri were called into the headmaster’s office and the headmaster threatened to call Patrick’s father if he didn’t tell him what was going on. Patrick was so afraid that he showed the headmaster the Indian and the other toy. Luckily the headmaster thought he was seeing things and so he went home. Omri decided that the Indian was too much trouble and that he should put them into plastic again. So Omri locked the Indian into the cupboard and when he opened it again, the toy was p...

Ethical Dilemmas – Abortion

In our society, there are many ethical dilemmas that we are faced with that are virtually impossible to solve. One of the most difficult and controversial issues that we are faced with is abortion. There are many strong arguments both for and against the right to have an abortion which are so complicated that it becomes impossible to resolve. The complexity of this issue lies in the different aspects of the argument. The essence of a person, rights, and who is entitled to these rights, are a few of the many aspects which are very difficult to define. There are also issues of what circumstances would justify abortion. Because the issue of abortion is virtually impossible to solve, all one can hope to do is understand the different aspects of the argument so that if he or she is faced with that issue in their own lives, they would be able to make educated and thoughtful decisions in dealing with it. The definition of a person is an aspect of the abortion issue which raises some very difficult questions. Is an unborn baby a person When does the unborn baby become a person This is a difficult question because in order for one to answer it, he must define the essence of a person. When describing the essence of something, one needs to escribe the necessary and sufficient conditions of that thing. So how does one define the essence of a person Kant describes a person as a rational being. Some people define the essence of a person from more of a biological standpoint. Nevertheless, defining the essence of a person is a very difficult thing for a group of people to agree on. One own definition of a person would most likely greatly impact his opinion on whether abortion is morally justified or not. This becomes even more complicated when one takes into account potentiality. This raises the question of whether the fetus is an actual person r a potential person. Many would argue that a fetus is a potential person because it is has the potential to become what it is not yet. However, does a potential person have potential rights An example was used: does a potential doctor have the rights of a licensed doctor When one is describing potentiality, All he is really describing is what that thing is not. By declaring that a fetus is a potential person, one is also stating that a fetus is not a person. As one can see, this issue of the essence of a person and whether a fetus is a person is a very complicated one. This becomes seven more omplicated if one takes into account the issue of rights. Now, the concept of human rights, that is to say, what American society dictates as human rights, conflicts heavily with itself. On one hand, we form a deep and heavy opinion on one s right to life. On the other, we hold an equally strong opinion on one s freedom to live that life as they please. American society by and large has a firm belief in an individuals right to live. Therefore, if one comes to the conclusion that a fetus actually is a person, then that fetus should receive the protection to it s right to live, as much as you or I. This society also olds the firm belief in one s right to the sovereignty of his or her own body, equal to that of one s right to live. In this case, it is imperative that we understand what liberties we can and cannot take upon ourselves concerning our lives. Case in point, suicide. Society dictates what we are allowed to do, and how we are allowed to live, by law. Most of American laws are written to preserve one s rights to individuality, and one s right to take the liberty to live their lives as they see fit. However, laws are also written to undermine those who s actions compromise the liberties and freedoms of ther individuals, thus protecting the concepts and ideals of agency and liberty. Based on our society s laws, essentially, we believe that what you do to yourself is your choice, and is accepted by law, so long as it doesn stop or impede the lives and freedoms of others. The difficulty in this dilemma lies within the question of whether an abortion falls into a category of protection of a woman s right s over the sovereignty of her own body, or whether it falls into a different category of an action which is not permissible because, according to some people, the fetus is a person whose life and freedom is being ompromised. The question of rights is further complicated by the different circumstances where the abortion issue could be raised. Many people would argue that abortion should not be used as birth control or as a means to deal with the consequences of promiscuous sex. However, how does one address the abortion issue in the circumstance of rape or incest Many say that in these circumstances, abortion is justified. The confusing thing is that the outcome is the same in both circumstances. The fetus is being denied its right to live and grow to its potential as a human being. Where does one draw the line What about case where there is medical complications For example: a woman becomes pregnant and goes to the doctor for an examination. During the doctor visit, various tests are run and it is discovered that the baby will be born severely deformed and that its quality of life would be extremely substandard. If the woman were to have an abortion, would it be justified What about a situation where a woman becomes pregnant and she does to the doctor and is told that the baby is deformed and the birth would most likely kill the mother. The argument justifying abortion in this case goes back to the right to physical sovereignty ver one s own body. A person has the freedom to do what he or she wants to concerning their own body as long as it does not harm or compromise the freedom of another, except in self defense. Therefore, in the case of the mother who would most likely die in childbirth, an abortion could be justified because she is acting in self defense. And in the case of rape, many argue that an abortion is also justified because the woman s right to not conceive has been violated, therefore she should not be responsible for the consequences which came through no fault of her own. As on can see, the issue of abortion is on e that is xtremely complicated. The problem being that many of the ethical dilemmas involved in the abortion issue are so closely intertwined that they are difficult to distinguish from one another. There are some aspects of the issue that would convince most people that abortion is justified, however when those aspects are combined with other intertwining aspects and imperatives, justification oftentimes becomes impossible. In conclusion, the issue of abortion is so complicated and controversial that it is unlikely that a consensus could be reached by American society. There are too many aspects of he issue which peoples views vary to widely. Some of these issues could be things such as the definition of a person, is the fetus a person, and if so when does it officially become a person. There is also the issue of rights. Do the rights of a person outweigh the rights of a non person. Does the right of a mother s sovereignty over her body outweigh the right of an unborn child to live. The answers to these questions are very diverse as a result of the diversity of the American society. With the issue of abortion, one s attitude toward it is going to be based on many things such as religious background and ersonal morals. There is no black and white answer to the abortion issue. Luckily we live in a country where we are able to decide for ourselves whether something is morally right or wrong. Thus, ultimately, the choice is ours. As with the many other ethical issues which we are faced with in our society, it is hard to come to a concrete answer until we are personally faced with that issue. All we can do is make an effort to know all of the aspects which are involved so that we may be able to make a sound decision if we were faced with this problem in our own lives.

Feminism in the Story of an Hour - 2182 Words

Feminism in the story of an hour Feminism is an ideology dealing with women s struggles for the same rights as men. It proposed that all women should be politically, economically, and socially equal to men. The idea arose in the 19th century and is synonymous with the Women s Rights Movement of the 1900s. Women were discriminated against by males and treated like second class citizens. They did not have the right to vote and married women did not have the right to own their on land. When a woman got married, all of her property went to her husband. Feminism can be traced in â€Å"The Story of an Hour† which is about an hour in the life of the main character Mrs. Mallard . . In this story, a woman named Mrs. Mallard†¦show more content†¦This can show the reader that a woman at this time might not even be aware of just how much of herself she has to hold back when married. It seems like Mrs. Mallard didn’t allow herself the thoughts of being completely free from him and what she wil l be able to do when he’s no longer around, until he was actually dead. The window in the story can symbolize an escape from the traditional gender roles according to the feminist theory. The big comfortable chair is located right in front of it, comfortable possibly meaning that she shouldn’t fear being uncomfortable escaping the typical gender role and becoming an independent woman. Once she sits in the chair she notices all the beautiful things going on outside, â€Å"the trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life† is referring to her new life as a woman breaking free from traditional gender roles and experiencing woman’s rights. When her husband who is actually never really dead in the first place came inside, Mrs. Mallard died right there because when she sees her husband, all her feminine freedom is crashing down around her and now that she has seen the freedom she could have as free woman she could never go back to being under the control of a man and ever be happy again. â€Å"When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease—of the joy that kills† means that when a man has control over a woman, it’s like a disease onShow MoreRelatedFeminism Of The Story Of An Hour By Kate Chopin Essay1199 Words   |  5 PagesIdeas of Feminism in Kate Chopin’s Works In the nineteenth century female authors began to challenge the role women played in society in their works, one of the most notable authors being Kate Chopin. Although Chopin did not declare herself a feminist or a suffragist, her novel The Awakening, and many of her short stories reflect emerging ideas of feminism. 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