William Shakespeare Essay Examples - Argumentative Topics for Research Papers

Essays on The Most Famous Plays

Macbeth

Lady Macbeth Banquo King Duncan

Romeo and Juliet

Hamlet

Ophelia Gertrude Laertes

Othello

Desdemona Iago Renaissance

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Sonnet 73: a View of the Inevitably of Aging, and the Approach of Death

Quite possibly the most fundamentally difficult thing for a man to do, is to examine himself, and come to the realization that his time is limited. We get an insight into this struggle in “Sonnet 73” by William Shakespeare. The excerpt of sonnet 73 that we are going to examine is written by William Shakespeare. This particular sonnet from our textbook is 14 lines long. It is a lyric poem. The poem is in iambic pentameter, which is consistent with […]

Gender Swapping: Swap the Character, Swap the Role

Most, if not all, schools have experienced a day filled with a politically charged social movement, fighting against the norm and clashing with conformity: Opposite Day. This day seems like a humorous, spirit filled event, yet the overwhelming number of students participating in cross-dressing demonstrates otherwise. Boys and girls (or should I say males and females) perform the opposite of their socially instilled gender. This temporary gender performativity is primarily expressed through clothing, yet gender performance itself is not limited […]

Merchant of Venice and the Jewish Question

Published in 1596, The Merchant of Venice recounts the narrative of Shylock, a Jew, who loans cash to Antonio relying on the prerequisite that he will remove a pound of Antonio’s tissue on the off chance that he defaults on the credit. Antonio acquires the cash for his companion Bassanio, who needs it to court the affluent Portia. At the point when Antonio defaults, Portia, camouflaged as a man, safeguards him in court, and eventually outclasses Shylock with hair-parting rationale: […]

Much Ado about Nothing Critical Review

Some will discredit the importance of a valuable, thought out, and auguring title. However, Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” provides all evidence needed to disprove these claims with its alluring use of symbolism in its name, which intertwines with the book in more ways than one. In William Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing,” miscommunication, confusion, trickery, and voyeurism run rampant as consistent motifs in the plot. This is not unintentional, however, as is illustrated in the play’s title. The word […]

Why is Friar Laurence to Blame?

There are several characters that could be blamed for the death of these two young lovers, however, one of the characters that’s to a large extent responsible for their deaths is Friar Laurence. Friar Laurence has a vital role where he is seen as a man of God and is trusted by many in Verona. He was the wise and smart advisor for Romeo and Juliet, but none of those qualities were shown in any of the decisions he made. […]

Foreshadowing in “Hamlet”

In the book Hamlet, there are multiple motifs present. Motifs are a recurrent image, word, object, phrase, or action that helps the reader understand the main theme or ideas the author is portraying in books. One motif that appears the most is about weeds, growth, flowers, nature. This motif correlates and puts an emphasis on the bibles Garden of Edan and shows its connection of Claudius killing King Hamlet to Abel being murdered by his brother Abel. The theme of […]

Ophelia (from Hamlet) Character Analysis

In all his plays, Shakespeare never gave so much weight on female roles and characters, as he always took a specific approach towards gender dynamics. However, in Hamlet, the poet gave to Ophelia a strong, yet graceful power. Captured by this mysterious and bold creature, directors like Zeffirelli (1990), Branagh (1996), and Almereyda (2000) depicted her in three completely different ways and eras: Middle Ages, Renaissance, and the Present. Generally, in paintings Ophelia is represented as a romantic, tragic, powerless […]

How does Iago Manipulate in ‘Othello’ ?

The power of persuasion is a dominant and influential tool which can easily be misused for personal benefit. Lies and deceits are becoming more common in society, with individuals masking their true intentions. In William Shakespeare’s Othello, the character Iago is no different from those cunning human beings. He preys on and triggers other characters’ doubts and insecurities by putting on a façade that makes him appear reliable, trustworthy, and righteous. Iago’s drive for manipulation stems from his own hatred […]

The Imagery in ‘Macbeth’

Imagery in literature is an author’s use of evocative and descriptive language to add depth to their work in order to draw more emotion from the reader or audience. William Shakespeare, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English Language and the world’s greatest dramatist makes heavy use of imagery in most of his works. Macbeth, one of his most renowned plays, is no exception to this. Macbeth implements umpteen examples of imagery and symbolism in order to build […]

Did Hamlet Love Ophelia?

Hamlet does not have good relationships with the women in his life, as his life is presented in the famous play. It is possible that one of the reasons why Hamlet is having his mental breakdown in isolation is because of these poor relationships, and this may be due to the frailty of these women, particularly psychologically, that mirrors Hamlet’s own challenges. This helps to explain why he cried out in frustration: “Frailty, thy name is a woman’.(1.2.148). Hamlet is […]

What the Apothecary did in ‘Romeo and Juliet’?

Romeo and Juliet was a heart wrenching tragic tale of star-crossed lovers. This read was captivating, “for never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo.”(5.3.309-310). A quintessential novel like this has captivated many generations of readers who found the various explored concepts of family feuds, hidden romances, parental disagreements, and the consequences of hasty decisions portrayed intriguingly. With a romance analyzed for such a long time, what does Shakespeare really want to tell us? […]

What is Hamlet’s Tragic Flaw?

Hamlet by Shakespeare is a play that can be studied from various perspectives. It deals with different themes and one of the most discussed one is Providentialism. Hamlet´s disobedience and opposition to the new Kings Claudius ideas and principles, displays contradictions during the play that are worthy analyzing and discussing in debt. Finally, the relationship and disputes between Claudius and Hamlet will make Hamlet think about the topics that include modern identity, freedom and questioning of Providentialism and if these […]

Shakespeare’s Sonnet 147 Analysis

Shakespeare’s Sonnets are some of the most interesting and famous poems written in English. First published in 1609, almost nothing is known about the poems’ style. But the Sonnets have been read, interpreted, reprinted and written about ever since their first idea. This piece will examine why the Sonnets are so important to the history of English poetry and why they continue to be enjoyed and studied today. Studying Shakespeare is important because his works are deep and they can […]

How did Lady Macbeth Die?

Introduction In William Shakespeare’s shortest tragedy ‘Macbeth’, Macbeth and his wife set out to kill king Duncan after finding out Macbeth’s future from the three witches. Macbeth is trusted by Duncan but eventually betrays his trust and is manipulated into agreeing to commit the crime by his ambitious wife Lady Macbeth. This conflict drives a wedge between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth and creates tension all throughout the play. Eventually, towards the end of the play, their treachery is discovered and […]

Honor in Much Ado about Nothing

In Much Ado About Nothing, honor is earned, given, taken away, and restored. Though one could argue that the virtue is synonymous with integrity, William Shakespeare’s definition seems primarily based on reputation instead of doing the right thing (though with a couple exceptions). The honor and respect sought from others is what Shakespeare focus on as one of the main themes in the play. Although honor is applied to both men and women, how each one of them earns and […]

Much Ado about Nothing

The Honor in Much Ado about Nothing In the play Honor in Much Ado about Nothing, the motif of honor is widely prioritized. Since the play is based on Shakespeare’s creativity, it courts the central theme of honor the way it was depicted in society during that period. As evident, honor was a preserve for the few, who took converged with the societal expectations, norms and generally, what the society mutually accepted as honorable. In that regard, it was regarded […]

Merchant of Venice – Revenge Traggedy Play

The renaissance Christians despised the Jews since they trusted that their behavior of accusing interest on money they lend was against the societal ethics. Among the period of renaissance Christians had bowed obtainable to be forcefully indebted to the Jews who had progressive money to them with percentages taxes hereafter their extended contempt for the Jewish associates who began identifying them as cruel by demanding lending on the duties they lend. This was an arrogant and un fair response from […]

Merchant of Venice Summary

Ever since William Shakespeare composed The Merchant of Venice in 1596, many versions of this play have been performed frequently on stage. This captivating play, because of its humorous scenes and satisfying ending, is broadly welcomed by varieties of audiences. Although the play typically regarded as an entertainment, it is one of Shakespeare’s most debatable plays for several reasons. Written in England during the sixteenth century, where anti-Semitism was extremely intense, the play poses many confusions whether or not it […]

Legal Aspects in Merchant of Venice

Merchant of Venice critically shows many key aspects of Law throughout the play. It shows when Laws can be unjust, how words can be twisted. It shows the flaws involved in Laws. Again it shows that the pen is mightier than the sword. Literature is beautifully used here to represent the legal system of Venice. Here we will be analyzing the legal aspects of the play. We will also be focussing on how injustice was met out to Shylock throughout […]

The Revenge in Hamlet Play

“As a groundbreaking author with numerous plays that are entirely diverse from one another, Shakespeare investigated the range of the human spirit and how it reacted whenever difficulties arose. “Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder,”” this saying originates within William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. (Punchner & Shakespeare 2013) The tale of Hamlet is one of William Shakespeare’s most notable works of literature. The creation was published in the early sixteenth century, and one of the most massive plays that William Shakespeare’ […]

Strengths and Weaknesses of the Othello Play

A profound analysis of Shakespeare’s Othello’ reveals that the article had a number of strengths and weaknesses. Othello is the main character presented as a great warrior who commands respect from the way he speaks and carries out military tasks. These strengths failed to make his personal life admirable because of the weaknesses in marriage and his susceptibility to manipulations by his advisors who made him jealous. The tragic play brought out a clear picture of racism and its role […]

Stereotypes in Othello

An interesting fact about Williams Shakespeare’s plays is when they were performed they were only performed by men. That is why he only used female characters when he absolutely had to. The female characters he chose to incorporate into his works were chosen for specific reasons. While reading Othello it was very clear that the point he was trying to make had to do with women’s stereotypes of the time of the playwright. This particular play was written during the […]

Existentialism in Shakespeare’s Hamlet

In tragic novel Hamlet, Hamlet ,the protagonist, is a very distinct character with traits that make him one of the most intriguing and fascinating characters to ever be written. After his father’s questionable death, Hamlet has become tentative, pessimistic, and dissatisfied. Furthermore, Hamlet holds now revulsion for his stepfather’s scheming and his mother’s lust and frailty-after their mistimed marriage. Hamlet’s enigmatic and paradoxical nature draws the readers to the character. He is at once an ultimate iconoclast, in a self-loathing […]

The Psychoanalytic Approach to Shakespeare’S Hamlet

Prince hamlet from the movie adaptation of hamlet by Kenneth Branagh. This will compare Prince Hamlet’s actions in the movie to the criteria needed to classify Prince Hamlet with Bipolar Disorder. All his actions and vocals will be analyzed to determine if so. Does Prince Hamlet Have a Bipolar Disorder After watching Hamlet for the first time, it was apparent to me that something was off about the prince that wasn’t just simply him faking and it only became more […]

Theme of Betrayal in Hamlet

The Theme of Revenge in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet Hamlet is one of William Shakespeare’s most famous literary works. The play is made up of different intertwined themes that are essential to its development. However, the dominant theme that is in play is the quest for revenge. Revenge can be described as the theme that is cleverly built upon from the beginning of the play and throughout its extent. This is the driving force behind some of the main characters of […]

Mental Illness in Hamlet

“The most dangerous thing when, you have a mental illness, is convincing yourself that you don’t have it” – Noah Hawley. This is exactly what Hamlet in the play by William Shakespeare did. This plays plot is based off of the death of King Hamlet, and his son Hamlet must come home to Denmark for his father’s funeral. Upon arriving home Hamlet finds that his uncle Claudius (King Hamlet’s brother) has married his mother and is now the king. The […]

Theme of Death in Hamlet

Shakespeare’s Hamlet– solemn tones of questioning existence and a romance within a tragedy– a solemn man’s story, mixed with a fiery ambition for revenge, with a trail of blood leading to it. In Scene III, pages 56-88, Hamlet performs his famous soliloquy, “To be or not to be, that is the question..,” Hamlet’s soliloquy is full of deep thoughts of existential crisis, and the indecisiveness of Hamlet with his life decisions. The tone of Hamlet’s first soliloquy starts as sorrowful […]

Othello Shakespeare’s Thoughts about Women

Shakespeare was a great playwright of his time and created some of the most revisited literary works in history, but even someone as experienced as he can sometimes be lacking in ideas. Ironically, Shakespeare uses women in his plays just as they were used in the renaissance era. The three women in this play are all somehow seen as whores. Shakespeare uses the women characters in the play and Othello, to further the plot and only introduces them when it […]

The Idea of Female Identity in Othello

The idea of Female Identity and the growth of a woman despite the attacks of a man both verbally and physically, or therefore lack of, is visibly shown in Shakespeare’s Othello. Many focus on the hope of that the social phenomenons of a woman would arise a stronger, new, intense and independent female character, even against the sexual, physical and verbal abuse produced and given off by powerful male figures in the play. Shakespeare uses each woman to represent the […]

Iago’s Role in Othello

The names of the fundamental characters, Othello, Iago and Desdemona, have become normal things. Othello is all the more near Elizabethan sort of family misfortune than some other Shakespeare’s play. It uncovers the contention between the individual and the encompassing society, yet in a more masked structure. Shakespeare was attempting to uncover not envy and artlessness, but rather the awfulness of life: its causes and laws. He was struck by the force of outrage and its significance throughout everyday life. […]

About William Shakespeare
Born : April 1564, Stratford-upon-Avon, United Kingdom
Died : April 23, 1616, Stratford-upon-Avon, United Kingdom
Spouse : Anne Hathaway (m. 1582–1616)
Children : Hamnet Shakespeare, Susanna Hall, Judith Quiney
Siblings : Joan Shakespeare, Edmund Shakespeare, MORE

Essays on William Shakespeare

Essays on The Most Famous Plays