Essay Disputing the Canon

The most common misconception is that reading Shakespeare is not worth your time and doesn’t help you in life. Professor, Michael Mack effectively argues the total disparate. When giving a speech to a group of college freshman, Mack establishes an effective argument that convinces his audience to give Shakespeare a chance and maybe it will help in life in life through his use of rhetorical devices and strong evidence.

Laurence Olivier describes Shakespeare as “the nearest thing incarnation to the eye of God” ; but is it really worth the read? College professor, Michael Mack presents a speech to his students convincing them to read Shakespeare. Mack fashions an effective argument that reading Shakespeare is worth the effort through his use of rhetorical devices and counterclaims.

To play one of Shakespeare’s most complex roles successfully on stage or on screen has been the aspiration of many actors. William Shakespeare’s Hamlet has been the focus on various accounts throughout the 20th Century, each actor attempting to bring something unique and unmarked to the focal character. Franco Zeffirelli and Kenneth Branagh, both film directors, introduce varying levels of success on the screen through downright differences in ways of translation and original ideas. Zeffirelli’s much shorter interpretation of the film is able to convey the importance of Hamlet as a masterwork by using modern approaches to film but still capturing the traditional work behind Shakespeare’s well-known play.

Throughout the entirety of Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, if one looks carefully, one can see many aspects of Marxist thought prevalent in the story. To effectively analyze a story through a Marxist critical lens, the reader needs to pay close attention to how characters of different classes interact with one another, especially in respect to class oppression and social inequity, particularly if the actions or words of a character talk of rebellion against the upper classes. “To Marxist critics, a society's economic base determines the interests and styles of its literature; it is this relationship between determining base and determined superstructure that is the main

In his article “The Loss of The Creature,” Walker Percy presents the case that human or “creature’s” experiences are most often trivial because of our preconceived notions. Percy believes we can only truly enjoy these experiences if we leave the “beaten track.” Only then can we see the true beauty of the experience.

Critical Analysis #3 “The Loss of the Creature” by Walter Percy is about his views and beliefs on whether or not everyone receives the same experience from visiting a new place. The author believes that no one will ever get the same experience as the person who first discovered the land or object because they have expectations from hearing or seeing facts about it somewhere. Percy’s purpose in writing this essay is to argue how strongly he believes that people should live in the moment, not be afraid to get off the beaten path of life, and try things they never seen themselves doing before. The author uses examples, such as, how when Garcia Cardenas discovered the Grand Canyon, it was like nothing he has ever seen before, to make his argument.

Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a work of immense depth in character development, most notably the personal, moral and psychological battles

Hamlet is a play that despite age, can deliver themes that consistently transcend generational differences, even when those differences span hundreds of years. It is the strength of these themes in Hamlet that has given the play such overwhelming cultural gravitas that allows it to remain relevant to this day. As such, it is a highly appropriate play for high school students to study. The core messages of generational conflict, unfolding to one’s true self, and morality are struggles faced by both Hamlet, and high school students. Consequently, this can motivate students in their studies when they discover a character, that despite the difference in time, is so easily relatable. When students recognize similarities between Hamlet and themselves, such as a distaste for the “tedious old fools” (2.2.219) with their “plentiful lack of wit” (2.2.199), it creates a connection between the students and this seemingly ancient piece of literature. A connection, that hopefully after the high school level, can be nurtured into a passion for literature. A connection that allows for greater insight and analysis at this current level. A connection, that if students are discouraged from making now, they are unlikely to make later in their lives, as once they grow older “the heyday in the blood is tame.” (3.4.69) and they will no longer be able to connect with the younger characters such as Hamlet, or the “young Fortinbras, / Of unimproved mettle hot and full” (1.1.95-96).

Characters are an essential component of literature, as they serve to manifest central themes in a story and help to drive the plot forward. Often, authors intentionally construct complex psyches for their characters in order to evoke deep thought and curiosity within readers. Most notably, William Shakespeare is renowned for his ability to develop profound characters with intricate mindsets who add intrigue to his plays. In Shakespeare’s iconic work, Hamlet, each persona is an obvious product of carefully considered characterization. In particular, the main protagonist, Hamlet, is an incredibly reflective and thoughtful character with a complex psyche, as demonstrated through the soliloquy “To Be or Not To Be”.

This essay will discuss several literary criticisms of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. After skimming through several articles, I ended up with four peer-reviewed journal articles, each a different critical perspectives of the play: feminist, psychoanalytical/freudian, moral, and new historicism. My previous studies of Hamlet, as well as my rereading of the play this semester, has collectively given me a general knowledge of the text. My familiarity of the play made it easier for me to decipher the academic journals and see the connections each critic made with the play.

The grotesque appearance of this character is used to show part of Shelley’s apprehension about technology and is expressed differently to Scott’s interpretation due to the contextual influences.

Anywhere you go you hear the name Shakespeare his name is probably one of the most common ones in society today,and has been since his time. But nobody really raises the question why? Why do we, as a society, read William Shakespeares work? Many people argue the fact that its difficult to read and not worth the effort and time.Mr Mack emphasizes shakespeares relevance to basic human existence.Mack produces an effective way that persuades his audience that Shakespeare isn’t easy but very benifical and worth you time.

Hamlet is the most well known and most frequently performed play in today’s society. The deep character development intrigues audiences and builds relationships with the characters, interesting story, and plot that have audiences on the tip of their seats, keeps many fans buying more tickets instead of buying tomatoes to throw. The popularity of Hamlet among readers, hailing it as one of Shakespeare's best, even made itself into high school systems where students would read three of Shakespeare’s best plays: Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar, and Hamlet. Where Shakespeare created new words and reformed English language during that time, many worship him as a god, spawning many conventions and websites. A question that many have found themselves

This article is effective because Evans acknowledges the unavoidable ambiguity of Hamlet and allows readers to view scenes and characters through different lenses. Evans strengthens his argument that friendship is an important theme by using copious amounts of textual evidence and direct quotations while simultaneously referring to Renaissance ideas on friendship. His analysis presents scenes in a nuanced way that displays the theme while allowing readers a choice of interpretation. This tactic is frustrating for readers searching for well-defined and unambiguous answers. However, I believe Evan’s arrangement of multiple meanings is appropriate for Shakespeare, who never wrote to be transparent.

In Alastor, Shelley critiques the role and life poets using a Narrator and ill-fated Poet. The Narrator speaks to the reader, describing the Poet’s journey, and evaluating the Poet’s decisions concerning his life. It can also be alleged that Alastor anticipated A Defence of Poetry’s intent in defining the role of the poet. Examining his prose closely, this will prove to be true and there will be a realistic definition of the role of the poet. The reader will realize the poet is one who binds the forces of the imagery and the senses into a beautiful wholeness of words along the page. Poets comprehend the cosmos in a way others yearn to and envision its grandeur. They are those who unify society with their sensational writing due to their experience exploring the world. It can be acquired by reading Alastor that to obtain this specific sight, one must submit to a lifetime of solitude. However, it also accentuates the point that one must not engulf themselves in solitude, for it will become self-destructive. This brings the issue of the ambivalence of Alastor and how it defines the purpose, nevertheless, justly discover the perils of it. The reader is ultimately observing the poet through the Narrator, which some see as leading to lack of an objective view. This will be considered when examining Alastor and its ambivalence. The definition will not be strictly from the Narrator, but Shelley’s entire perspective. His writing is the epitome of romanticism and his definition of