... well-off family. Even as a young child Plato was familiar with political life because his father, Ariston was the last king of Athens. Ariston died when Plato was a young boy. J.J O"Connor states that, "However, the excessive Athenian political life, which was under the oligarchical rule of the Thirty Tyrants and the restored democracy, seem to have forced him to give up ... guiding these activities. In 347 BC Plato died, while his published writings are all still live. The writings consist of some twenty-six dramatic dialogues on philosophy and related themes. O"Connor states, "The phi...

• Word Count: 1255
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... . "Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, and fill me from the 2 crown to the toe top full of direst cruelty." (Act 1 Scene 5 Line 39-41) Her speech to the demons is both powerful and sinful. "She isn't sure there's enough manhood to go around between herself and her husband, so she calls upon scheming ... when she say, "Come, you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, And fill me from the crown to the toe topful Of direst cruelty!" (Act 1 Scene 5 Line 39-41) "This invocation signifies a link between Lady Macbeth and the supernatural, or witchcraft, ...

• Word Count: 2179
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: High School

... concepts. Shakespeare was considered a very spiritual person in an unorthodox sense as he was part of a group calling themselves the Rosicrucians, as was Francis Bacon, and this greatly influenced the tones of their work. As there are still lingering claims of authorship to Shakespeare's work, Bacon is considered to be one of the most probable candidates. The history of astrology dates ... ...

• Word Count: 1633
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

... to be William Shakespeare's greatest tragedy, Hamlet. Interpreted by four directors, (in chronological order), Laurence Olivier, Franco Zeffirelli, Kenneth Branaugh, and Michael Almereyda, the play takes on four very different tones, personalities and qualities. They differ in the treatment of certain themes and ambiguities, such as Hamlet's supposed madness, the culpability of the queen and Hamlet's relationship to Ophelia as well ... ...

• Word Count: 1694
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

... his soldiers. At the end of his speech, Henry makes his ultimate warning, "Your naked infants spitted upon pikes, Whiles the mad mothers with their howls confused" (3.3.38-39). In his final moment he caters to the fathers of the town, the men who will actually be fighting this battle. Who will see their own children's heads upon spikes ... ...

• Word Count: 1885
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... after an illegal deed is done. Macbeth is overwhelmed with emotions and creates an illusion of " A dagger of the mind, a false creation/ Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain? "( II.i.38-39).The dagger shows that his mind conjures up hallucinations because he is so paranoid of what happens if he is caught and even before he commits the murder, he is ... ...

• Word Count: 1978
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... supernatural elements were at work. The Elizabethans had always been susceptible to belief in the supernatural. As May notes, these people more that other people questioned matters beyond their vision (39). Shakespeare was clearly influenced by his race. He had an inquiring mind that refused bondage by the limitations of matter (Mish 28). Listing the numberless superstitions that Shakespeare gathered from ... ...

• Word Count: 1725
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... supernatural elements were at work. The Elizabethans had always been susceptible to belief in the supernatural. As May notes, these people more that other people questioned matters beyond their vision (39). Shakespeare was clearly influenced by his race. He had an inquiring mind that refused bondage by the limitations of matter (Mish 28). Listing the numberless superstitions that Shakespeare gathered from ... ...

• Word Count: 1725
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... intents wicked or charitable, thou com'st in such a questionable shape that I will speak to thee: I'll call thee Hamlet, King, Father, royal Dane: O, answer me!- (Act I, Scene IV, Line 39-45) In this speech by Hamlet, it is quite clear that he is unable to make a decision. Even though this spirit is right in front of him and has done ... ...

• Word Count: 1494
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... culture and it is somehow not their fault in the way they think and feel toward women. Her finical freedom ultimately gave her the ability to "think things in themselves."(p.39) When returning home she finds that women in the work place have the most unimportant jobs of the society and the questions were unanswerable. Only in time will the freedom ... ...

• Word Count: 1454
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... her own evilness. This is seen when she says "out dammed spot! Out I say!... Who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him (5.13.39-45). Within every tragic hero, Shakespeare instills a tragic flaw. Macbeth's weakness in character is often considered to be the ambition which he seemingly shows. The quest for security and the ... ...

• Word Count: 1801
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... . This is because his service to country has only occurred to propel his own power. Iago admits this by saying, "I follow him (Othello) to serve my turn upon him". (Othello, 1.1.39) This exemplifies the implication that Iago is serving under Othello solely as a stepping-stone in order to eventually gain power. Clearly, Iago's power trip is not a result of his love ... ...

• Word Count: 1715
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

... sometimes labour in the quern, And bootless make the breathless housewife churn; And sometimes make the drink to bear no barm; Mislead night-wanderers, laughing at their harm?- (II, i, 33-39) Puck and the things he does are so entertaining. So when Quince and the others were rehearsing for the play. Puck thinks it would be funny to make a real Ass ... ...

• Word Count: 1474
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... its origin / Cannot be bordered certain in itself. / She that herself will sliver and disbranch / From her material sap perforce must wither / And come to deadly use" (Act IV, scene 2, 39-45). Shakespeare sets the play in such a savage, dark, and barbaric time for a reason. While it was a bleak pagan world, he shows that if all men are treated justly, there ... ...

• Word Count: 1402
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... saw Banquo's ghost, it is not certain; however, this scene is a turning point, showing that Macbeth is beginning to lose his composure. To finish, Macduff wails "Bleed, bleed, poor country!" (4.3 39) In this line, Macduff personifies Scotland. Here, the country is given human qualities of bleeding because of the uncountable deaths and mass destruction, which have been encrusted upon the country ... ...

• Word Count: 1305
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... 's revelations that causes Hamlet to feign madness. Hamlet unwittingly destroys Ophelia, by his pretence of insanity, which results in Ophelia being blamed for "the happy cause of Hamlet's wildness". [III.i.39] It is presumed that Ophelia is a tool used by Shakespeare to reveal Hamlet's true feelings, and also as a test of the reader's attitude to, and empathy towards him. Hamlet's madness ... ...

• Word Count: 1550
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... says Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, and fill me from the crown to the toe top-full of direst cruelty! Make thick my blood. (1.5.39-42) At this moment it appears that Lady Macbeth also succumbs to evil. During Macbeth's hesitation before the murder of Duncan, Lady Macbeth attacks his pride and therefore further pushes ... ...

• Word Count: 1772
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... shall be made And crowns for convoy put into his purse. We would not die in that man's company That fears his fellowship to die with us. (IV.iii.20-39) This is a quote from Henry's "St Crispin's Day" speech. Henry once again uses his rhetoric skill to motivate his followers. This time he uses Honor to inspire his men. He ... ...

• Word Count: 1396
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... to lose the nature she has in order to accomplish her purpose" (Bloom). Lady Macbeth, in fact, says, "Come to my woman's breast / And take my milk for gall- ( I.v.38 -39). She is so determined to become queen that she says violent, repulsive things to prove it. She also mentions that she would "have plucked my nipple from his (a babe's) boneless ... ...

• Word Count: 1282
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... put before him through a planned scheme by Iago, Othello is angry and feels used, "I tremble at it. Nature would not invest herself in such shadowing passion without some instruction"(IV, i, 39-41). Othello then confronts Desdermona with these lies, "If you bethink yourself of any crime unreconcil's as yet to haven and grace solicit for it straight" (IV, ii, 26-28 ... ...

• Word Count: 1809
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

... from the truth. It is this mistake that drives (37) him to madness and ultimately to his downfall. In the end Lear suffers from his own mistakes, (38) and realization, (39) the suffering he has caused himself and others, but it is (40) too late, ending in ultimate suffering and pathos through death. With all this that has happened to Lear ... ...

• Word Count: 1783
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... thee still. Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible To feelings as to sight? Or art thou but A dagger of the mind, a false creation, Proceeding from the heart-oppressed brain? (2.1.33-39) Macbeth begins to see visions even before the murder of Duncan, which signifies that he is may be having second thoughts and foreshadows that Macbeth will eventually completely lose control ... ...

• Word Count: 1597
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School