... observe the appropriate period of mourning for her deceased husband, the King of Denmark. Interestingly, Gertrude herself has little to say in defense or explanation of her decision, which has left the interpretation of her motives and even her mental state up to the judgment of readers and literary critics, many of whom have been as brutal and unforgiving as Hamlet in their condemnation of Gertrude's behavior. An alternate ... reading, however, may yield other possible meanings. Regardless of whether Shakespeare intended the reader to condone ... ...

• Word Count: 2208
• Approx Pages: 9
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Graduate

... "#. He focused on the linguistic sign and "phoncentrically privileged the spoken word"#. He accepted that the entire system of signs existed in a personal understanding or interpretation of sound-images and their concepts, yet felt that this was arbitrary. Never did he broach the field of sociology whilst determining the cultural inflictions that formed the arbitrary relationships between signifieds and signifiers, yet it is this ... and expressed through the text. Religion formed a central structure and set of rules for members of the state to follow, as is reflected throughout much of ...

• Word Count: 1406
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Graduate