PAPER Topics

... Superstition seems to play a role in the basic daily life of most Roman citizens. For instance, the setting of the first scene is based upon superstition, the Feast of Lupercal. This feast is in honor of the god Pan, the queen of fertility. During this time, infertile females are supposed to be able to procreate, and fertile ones are supposed to be able to bear more. It is also a supposed time of sexual glorification and happiness. Other scenes depict how throughout Rome, roaming the streets are mysterious sooth-sayers, who are supposedly given the power to predict the future. Dictating what is to come through terse tidbits, these people may also be looked upon as superstitious ...

... point when Reverend Hale begins to change is in Act III during the trial of John Proctor. “I am a minister of the lord, and I dare not take a life without there be a proof so immaculate no slightest qualm of conscience may doubt it.” He starts to doubt if the very thing that he searches to rid the people of might be a lie. Let you not mistake your duty as I mistook my own...where I turned the eye of my great faith, blood flowed up. Beware Goody Proctor-cleave to no faith when faith brings blood. Reverend Hale realizes his job of finding and ridding the world of witches is false. “It is mistaken law that leads you to sacrifice.” He no longer believes in witches. Hale urges Goody P ...

... concerned with his goals, regardless of the path he must take to reach them is Thomas Cromwell. Cromwell is the personification of pragmatism and is willing to do anything, providing the end sees him satisfied. "…our job as administrators is to make it as convenient as we can," Cromwell states in reference to the King's divorce and the pursuit of More's support. He is "…the King's ear," and is thus responsible for all the menial tasks which the King would otherwise have to perform, including seeing to it that Sir Thomas More either agrees to give the King his support or is punished. One of these duties is to spy on others for the King's benefit. One instance of this is on the night Mo ...

... with nothing. Following this Lear begins to banish those around him that genuinely care for him as at this stage he cannot see beyond the mask that the evil wear. He banishes Kent, a loyal servant to Lear, and his youngest and previously most loved daughter Cordelia. (Nixon) This results in Lear surrounding himself with people who only wish to use him which leaves him very vulnerable attack. This is precisely what happens and it is through this that he discovers his wrongs and amends them. Following the committing of his sins, Lear becomes abandoned and estranged from his kingdom which causes him to loose sanity. While lost in his grief and self-pity the fool is introduced to guide Lear ba ...

... Romans. He encouraged the crowd to believe him as an honorable man. He says that he wants them to know the facts, “Censure me in your wisdom, and awake your senses that you may better judge” (). Brutus got people sympathy by saying that he never wronged Caesar, that he cried for Caesar’s love, was happy for his greatness, honored him for his courage but had to kill him for the better of people. Brutus was very ambitious about his plans. He stuck to his ideas and led the way of the conspiracy. With out Brutus there would have been nothing to the Tragedy of Julius Caesar. Brutus was the backbone to the conspiracy. Cassius said that Brutus’ main purpose in the conspiracy is for an ...

... is a person who suffers tremendously, whose suffering goes beyond him. The tragic hero also takes the action that produces the suffering and calamity which leads to death. Other characteristics of a tragic hero are as follows. The tragic hero is a person who is of high degree, and his welfare is intimately tied up with the welfare of the state. The hero is an exceptional being, of high degree, whose actions and sufferings are of an unusual kind, who possesses and exceptional nature. His nature is exceptional in the sense that it is very much like our nature, except that it is intensified. The tragic hero is also involved in conflict, which could be either conflict with someone el ...

... of the novel, he is aware of his high position. In the first act, Othello refuses to be aroused by Iago's account of the anger of Brabantio. He knows where he stands and later on refuses to retreat before Brabantio's men: "My parts, my title, and my perfect soul shall manifest me rightly" (31-32). His acceptance of his rank makes everyone appear beneath him, and sets him up to face a tragedy. Othello is not as flawless as expected. He thinks too highly of himself and lets his ego harm his judgement. In act three scene three, Othello says, "I'll see before I'll doubt; when I doubt, prove; And on the proof, there is no more but this, Away at once with love and jealousy!"(190-92). He is ...

... protagonist. Many critics argue that Creon is the tragic hero of Antigone. They say that his noble quality is his caring for Antigone and Ismene when thier father was persecuted. Those who stand behind Creon also argue that Antigone never had a true epiphany, a key element in being a tragic hero. Creon, on the other hand, realized his mistake when Teiresias made his prophecy. He is forced to live, knowing that three people are dead because of his ignorance, which is a punishment worse than death. My opinion on this debate is that Antigone is the tragic hero. She tries to help her brother without worrying about what will happen to her. She says, "I intend to give my brother burial. ...

... Her insanity being caused by Hamlet's murder of her father is proven when she sings "He is dead and gone lady, he is dead and gone, at his head a green grass turf, at his haed a stone." (Shakespeare, 383) Hamlet is also faced with the awareness of evil and longs for death, being disgusted with life. He thinks that life is manifested in sex, which he sees as not only the force that creates more life and thus more evil, but as the root of his mother's sin. Hamlet's rejection of Ophellia stems from this rejection of sex and his confusion about her intentions. Hamlet, being a duel character, is both opposed to and involved in evil. This is why he is reluctant to f ...

... Instead of turning away or giving up, she persisted, showing what love and, in a way, courage could do under such dire circumstances. Through it all, she did it with spirit, life, vitality, and strength. Her relationship with the convict, Matthew Poncelet, was on two levels. The first was as a friend and confidant. Sister Helen was the first to truly explore Matthew for Matthew. Others tried to learn about him, but only to vilify or condemn him. The second level was as a messenger of religion, a messenger of God. For the very first time, Matthew was given the opportunity to realize his worth as a human, and his worth in the eyes of God. Through this understanding, he wa ...