Although this scene does not contribute to the salvation of the plays struggle, it gives insight into the root of the conflict by using Philematium and Scapha as a representation of a master’s lack of self-control. Philolaches’s freeing of Philematium for thirty minae, which was a “Straw to other wild expenses,” could have been an extension of Plautus ridicule of masters who lacked self-control (Segal, 176). According to scholars, “Such masters needed correction, or more often invited ridicule.” However, to Plautus the lack of self-control was best mocked through, “Slaves cringing at the idea of the whip,” (Bradley,225). Which is broadly recognized in other Plautine comedies such as, “The pot of gold” where Euclio does not show control over his Staphyla’s punishment, causing ridicule among Euclio. In this scene, Philolaches’s diction and intention towards Scapha, “I’m barley in control, I’d fly right at the evil bitch’s eyes,” is a driving force for comedic appeal. In addition, the violent diction towards Scapha can again be tied to reputation through Scapha’s unideal advice to Philematium, “You’re wrong to put your hopes in just one lover, to be so dutiful to him, rejecting other men,” (Segal, 139). …show more content…
Clearly Scapha’s remark angers Philematium, where his rage reveals a considerable amount about his character; it mostly reasserts his awareness of societal standards for a good reputation based on his earlier doleful
One of the most emotional and moving scenes in William Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet is in Act III, Scene I lines 90-155 in which the title character becomes somewhat abusive toward his once loved girlfriend Ophelia. It is interesting to examine the possible motives behind Hamlet's blatant harshness in this "Get the to a nunnery" scene toward the easily manipulated and mild mannered girl. While watching Kenneth Branagh and Mel Gibson's film adaptations of the play, the audience may recognize two possibilities of the many that may exist which may explain the Prince's contemptible behavior; Kenneth Branaugh seems to suggest that this display of animosity will help the troubled
Throughout the play, powerful, old, and wise words lead to the plot and theme of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. A leader that wants power at no cost will hide bad intentions in beautiful words. Words must not be trusted completely, for they lead to
The play leads the audience to question and decide what is more important, doing the right thing for yourself or choosing what is right for an entire group or in this case, the Greek culture. The Cure at Troy has a powerful meaning or theme that most audience members can relate too. Everyone, most likely, at least once in their life will face issues and have to find a way to get over their pride in order to help others around them succeed. Philoctetes has to overcome his own pride and evaluate the overall groups meaning of success compared to his
Have you ever acted out in retribution for something done to you? Some examples could be if you punched someone for intentionally kicking you, or if someone deliberately hurt the feelings of someone you love and you retaliated in kind. You probably thought the punishment you received for your actions was too harsh or lenient. Many factors went into the decision of what discipline you received for this act and some were fair while others probably were not. This is true for the actions of many people in Aeschylus’s Oresteia. In each of the three plays, someone is seeking vengeance for a wrong done unto them, someone they know/love, or both. For this paper, I will be focusing on the vengeance enacted by Clytemnestra, Orestes, and the Fates. The vengeance that each person enacted was deemed just or unjust depending on many factors including the people who were doing the judging. Vengeance in Aeschylus’s Oresteia is viewed through the social lens of the society that it was enacted in. This lens is made up of the popular values, beliefs, and social conventions of the period as well as the judge’s personal views and/or experiences. These factors (such as gender and relation to the victim, as well as the presence or absence of transgressions on the characters part) lead to different opinions about the guilt of the accused individual and the individual themselves. The view of vengeance in Aeschylus’s Oresteia is very subjective.
Purposely difficult and intentionally obsessive, Plato’s Phaedrus is an exceedingly difficult read that defies all conventional logic as a piece of discourse. The text is extremely subjective, open to interpretation and individual creativity as to what or whom the narrative is about. Written by Plato, a close disciple of Socrates, this text is set along the Illissus river where Phaedrus and Socrates meet for a day of speech, debate, rhetoric and okay…flirting. Phaedrus leads of the day and recites a speech by his close friend Lysias, who Phaedrus considers to be a top speechmaker. Socrates then, after chiding by Phaedrus unleashes two speeches of his own that overshadow and refute Lysias claim so boldly that Phaedrus is so taken by the
When Teiresias asks in Antigone (line 1051), "What prize outweighs the priceless worth of prudence?" he strikes (as usual) to the heart of the matter in Sophocles' Theban Plays. Sophocles dramatizes the struggle between fate and free will, in one sense, but in another sense the drama might be better understood as the struggle between the will of the goods (which it is prudent to follow, according to Teiresias) and man's will (which is often imprudent). Sophocles' characters are moved by their own wills, of course (either in accordance or in conflict with the will of the gods). Oedipus in Oedipus the King is determined to pursue the truth in spite of the objections of Jocasta, the priest, and his own misgivings. In Oedipus at Colonus, Theseus "cannot rest" (line 1773) until he has served both Antigone and the late Oedipus (implying that conscience is his motivator awareness, in other words, of his duty towards them). In Antigone, Antigone acts in accordance to the will of the gods (but in disobedience to the will of Creon) and does so knowing the punishment that awaits her: "Go I, his prisoner, because I honored those things to which honor truly belongs" (lines 178-9). This paper will show how while fate is a powerful force in The Theban Plays, the characters themselves are still left to exercise their own free will (either with respect or disrespect to will of the gods). Thus, the main drama consists not in the
Shakespeare presents the complex family feud between the Montagues and the Capulets as the underlying ‘antagonist’ of the story, another major reason as to why the lovers didn’t prevail. This grudge is complex as the character’s actions in siding, supporting or in trying to pacify the feud makes the feud more complex. Some of Shakespeare’s greatest use of insults lend themselves to develop the dramatic technique of characterisation among the endorsers of the feud and while doing so, builds up the foreboding mood and suspenseful atmosphere of the feud. An exchange of insults between servants Sampson and Abraham such as do you bite your thumb at us, sir? would’ve united Elizabethan audiences together despite their distinctions among class. In the first act, Tybalt only
There is such a considerable amount of violence in Titus, varying in intensity and degree that it might seem hard to draw any firm conclusions about its impact. One can, however, obtain the idea that the violence within the play has a far greater impact on both the audience and the on-stage characters when accompanied by a rhetoric or language that either juxtaposes or reinforces the brutality. The way in which characters react to violence, evident through their speech and imagery, can manipulate our responses to them and instil either an affinity or indifference to their personalities. Titus' first appearance in Act I Scene I is an example of this manipulation. His cold, calculating rejection of Tamora's plea for her son's life, juxtaposed with the solemn, funeral rhetoric give us the impression of a character who can flit between brutality and normality very easily, and who demonstrates little compassion when doing so.
The effort and the input are sometimes not deserved or appropriate with reward in the future. In this play, the use of violent and brutal language helps the playwright and the characters to reveal people’s effort to achieve things that are not so much important or needed. That form of language is used to heighten the tension and create the impression that whatever is at stake is crucial, whereas in reality they are talking about love and marriage based on cheating and cunning. Shakespeare manages to reveal the hypocritical nature of the society where people will fight and defend their positions only to end up losing everything or having not gained anything in the first place. The use of brutal language is also tactical in the sense that Shakespeare is able to attract attention of the audience while convey his message of a brutal, insensitive
Once again in Julius Caesar, we see the use of dramatic form to convey opposing perspectives on the assassination of Caesar. Conflict is a key factor in William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar and in any Shakespearean drama. Conflicting perspectives are used to build dramatic tension, in Julius Caesar, this is both within the group of conspirators and between them and those who oppose them. From the beginning Shakespeare encourages us to question the republican cause. In the opening scene of act one, Flavius and Marullus, who are the administrative officers display their disdain for the common people of Rome. Flavius refers to the common Romans as ‘idle creatures’ and Marullus, outraged by the plebs when they turn their backs on Pompey, calls them ‘You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things!’ ‘O you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome, Knew you not Pompey?’ The use of insulting language, imperative, exclamation and rhetorical questioning make an important point regarding Caesar’s triumph over Pompey and the fickle nature of the plebians. They appear cruel and dictatorial, making it hard for the audience to
“Since his [Aristophanes’] plays were often sharply critical of Athenian policies, his ability to make people laugh was essential to conveying his message. He was a practitioner of what we now call Old Comedy, an irreverent form that ridiculed and insulted prominent people and important institutions” (80).
The gravity of Egeon's predicament, and the play's potential for tragedy, is rendered even more poignant by the senex's constant grief. In direct contrast, the prologue of Menaechmi is witty, urbane, and very informal. Not only does the speaker slyly mock the audience ("Please listen with your whole attention span; / I'll tell it in the very fewest words I can" ), he delivers a rather sharp jab to other Roman comic playwrights, who proudly boast of their authenticity and "their fidelity to the Greek models, a practice which evidently had some snob appeal." Ironically, this jab seves as a basis for the playwright to assert his own authenticity and dramatic authority:
In order to comprehend and gleam the theological insights of Philemon, or any Biblical scripture, it is imperative that, at least, a basic understanding of the historical and cultural principles be present in the mind of the reader. Without a comprehension of these truths, a false understanding or misrepresentation of the text may occur. This is not to say that nothing can be obtained from the scripture in and of itself. However, many deeper details may remain hidden without further exploration. As is stated in 2 Timothy 2:15, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
10 Continuing his appeal, Paul mentions who it is for: his son Onesimus, who became his son during his imprisonment. “Son” here is, again, a figurative word relating to the spiritual connections
In this paper, I will discuss a play by Athenian playwright Aristophanes, The Wasps. First, I shall give a brief overview of the The Wasps. Then, I will examine the courtroom scene of the play and argue that Philocleon is not an impartial juror. Next, I will discuss generational gap in Athens. Finally, I will conclude the paper with my outcome of the investigation of the conflict between Misocleon and Philocleon.