Compare the way Shakespeare presents Hamlets Essay Example for Free

Compare the way Shakespeare presents Hamlets Essay In this play, Hamlet, Shakespeare shows us the different ways that madness can be portrayed and the various ways that others surrounding the central characters can perceive it. From the beginning it is explained that Hamlet would put an antic disposition on and this signifies that Hamlets madness would just be an act, not something that is actually true. Hamlet confides in Horatio and asks him not to look knowingly if he sees Hamlet behaving oddly by saying some doubtful phrase that might be ambiguous in its meaning. This immediately reinforces the notion that Hamlet is only play acting his apparent madness and in actual fact, is sane. Shakespeare presents Hamlets antic disposition as a means for Hamlet to bide his time and figure out how to avenge his fathers murder by a brothers hand. Hamlets madness is not meant to be seen as madness by us, but as something that has a purpose i. e. it could enable Hamlet to kill Claudius and it could be perceived by others that the killing was unintentional and was because of Hamlets madness. However, in the case of Ophelia, Shakespeare presents her form of madness as something that is real and tangible. She has a reason to be mad; her father is dead and gone. Shakespeare enforces the idea that Ophelia really is mad by having her enter in Act 4 Scene 5 distracted and singing a song about the death of her father. Ophelias madness is supported by what the gentleman says to Gertrude at the beginning of Act 4 Scene 5 about Ophelias state of mind; that she winks and nods and gestures and that her speech is nothing, yet the unshaped use of it doth move the hearers to collection. Even Laertes is appalled by Ophelias madness and wonders ist possible a young maids wits should be as mortal as an old mans life? Ophelias actions and what she says causes those around her to doubt her sanity and believe that she really is mad. There are many words that are used by the main characters to describe Hamlets madness. He describes it as his antic disposition whereas Polonius calls it lunacy and Claudius calls it distemper and a transformation. Although everyone perceives Hamlet as mad, Polonius and Claudius at one point doubted that Hamlet in actual fact was indeed mad. Claudius had Rosencrantz and Guildenstern spy on Hamlet, whilst when Polonius spoke to Hamlet he thought that though this be madness, yet there is method int. This shows that madness within Hamlet is not really madness at all, but is just an act; a performance on Hamlets part. Shakespeare adds this doubt to Hamlets madness whereas in Ophelias case there is no doubt about her state of mind to those around her. It is believed that mad people have a tendency to have suicidal feelings. In Hamlets first soliloquy, he desires that his flesh would melt and would have killed himself had not his canon gainst self-slaughter. In his first soliloquy, he says to be or not to be, that is the question-in this line, Hamlet wonders whether or not to commit suicide. These suicidal feelings beg the question had Hamlet actually gone mad? I, like many others believe that Hamlet was not mad, as even though he displayed suicidal thoughts, he did not carry those thoughts out, signifying a sane state of mind. Ophelia however ended up committing suicide by drowning herself in a lake while she chanted snatches of old lauds as one incapable of her own distress. This seems to indicate how fragile her state of mind actually was and how she was driven to madness by her fathers death and Hamlets actions. The gravediggers in Act 5 Scene 1 thought that Ophelia committed suicide and if she had not been a gentlewoman, she should have been buried out o Christian burial as suicide is considered as an unholy crime. Shakespeare seems to want to show us that Ophelia really was mad by having her act, speak and behave in a way that was not seen as normal to Elizabethan society as well as society today. It also seems that Shakespeare, maybe unwittingly, shows us that women were weak-minded individuals whereas men were the stronger sex, mentally as well as physically. Even though Hamlet is knocked with strong emotional surprises, such as finding out that his stepfather killed his father, Claudius, Hamlet still remains strong in public. This is a very sharp contrast to how Ophelia behaved when she suffered acute trauma due to the sudden death of her father. Whilst Hamlet remains strong, Ophelia transcends towards madness as her fragile state of mind had shattered. Maybe, this was the way Shakespeare viewed both sexes or maybe those were the views of Elizabethan society as a whole. Shakespeare presents Hamlets antic disposition as something very different to how Ophelias madness is presented to us. Shakespeare presents Hamlet as a strong character who has the ability to deal with emotional trauma, whereas Ophelia was portrayed as weak and symbolised what Hamlet once remarked: Frailty, thy name is woman. Shakespeare presents Hamlet and Ophelia in contrasting ways to show us the differences between an antic disposition and actual madness. By using these contrasts, Shakespeare seems to be reflecting on the attitudes and views of Elizabethan society and also seems to be offering us his definition of madness.

HIV Treatments and Reducing Drug Resistance Essay -- Biology Medical B

HIV Treatments and Reducing Drug Resistance Abstract HIV is a retrovirus that will constantly attack human’s immune system once an individual is infected and will eventually develop to AIDS, often a deadly sexually transmitted disease. Currently, there are different kinds of antiretroviral treatments available for patients who are tested to be HIV positive as well as patients with AIDS. HIV can easily develop resistance to its treatment through mutation each generation, which leads to ineffectiveness in treatment. The only way to continue to fight off HIV is to change treatment that is still available. Patients have to cooperate with experienced doctors by adhering to their professional recommendations, while doctors are responsible for closely monitoring the patient’s conditions through test results and their body’s response to treatment, as well as helping them to live healthily without serious damage to their immune system over a long period of time. Human Immunodeficiency Virus, commonly known as HIV, is the retrovirus that causes a desperate worldwide epidemic that afflicts human beings – Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, abbreviated as AIDS. When the body is infected with HIV, the immune system will respond by making antibodies to fight against this particular infection (AIDS.org, 2003). As a result, to determine whether a person is infected, a sample of blood is extracted and the test will look for antibodies fighting against HIV. This kind of blood test is known as HIV testing. Even though HIV is the actual cause of AIDS, a person who is positive in the HIV Testing does not necessarily mean that the person has AIDS (AIDS.org, 2004). When a person is infected with HIV, the virus will gradually damage the immune sys... ...s.org/factSheets/102-HIV-Testing/html AIDS.Org. (2004, August). Immune Restoration Overview. Information Fact Sheets. July 17, 2005: www.aids.org/factSheets/470-Immune-Restoration-Overview.html AIDS.Org. (2004, September). Opportunistic Infections. Information Fact Sheets. July 17, 2005: www.aids.org/factSheets/500-Opportunistic-Infections.html AIDS.Org. (2004, March). Viral Load Tests. Information Fact Sheets. July 17, 2005: www.aids.org/factSheets/125-Viral-Load-Tests.html AIDS.Org. (2003, November). What is AIDS?. Information Fact Sheets. July 17, 2005: www.aids.org/factSheets/101-What-is-AIDS.html Avert.Org. (2005, July). Continuing Antiretroviral Treatment. Continuing HIV Treatment. July 21, 2005: www.avert.org/couttrt.htm The Body. (2003, April). Living with HIV/AIDS. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. July 17, 2005: www.thebody.com/cdc/living.html

Destroy Othello Essay

Iago feels that he was passed over for a promotion to lieutenant and resents Cassio, the new lieutenant. He also harbors a potential grudge against Othello, who promoted Cassio. Iago explains to Roderigo that Cassio was appointed despite the fact that three important Venetians had asked Othello to promote Iago. Iago states â€Å"I know my price, I am worth no worse a place† (1. 1. 11), which shows that he felt that he deserved the promotion. He resents that he has fought alongside Othello several times in battle, yet Cassio a mere â€Å"counter-caster†(1. 1. 31), who has never served in battle, was made lieutenant. He holds Othello responsible for his being passed over, and mocks Othello’s race and character. Iago’s conduct reveals his malicious nature. His statement â€Å"I am not what I am† (1. 1. 65) summarizes the deceitfulness of his character. Iago suggests to the heartbroken Roderigo that he â€Å"Call up her father, / Rouse him: make after him, poison his delight, / Proclaim him in the streets† (1. 1. 67-69). This shows Iago’s vindictive nature. He suggests that Roderigo not only disturb Barbantio in the middle of the night, but that he publicly announce that Desdemona has eloped, thus subjecting Barbantio and his family to shame. While calling out to Barbantio, Iago remains in the dark and does not reveal his identity. Here, as in the rest of the play, Iago acts an instigator, hidden in the shadows, yet still managing to manipulate those around him. In speaking to Barbantio, Iago insults him, and describes the relationship of Desdemona in derogatory and pornographic terms. After doing his best to make Barbantio panic, Iago returns to Othello and pretends to be loyal. However, he instructs Roderigo to tell Barbantio exactly where Desdemona and Othello can be found. Iago’s conduct reveals his ability to control others, while they remain unaware of his influence. This is shown by the fact that he uses Roderigo to anger Barbantio, whom he uses to destroy Othello. At this point, Barbantio and Othello are oblivious to Iago’s devious nature. Iago callously betrays Othello but pretends to be loyal to him.

Machiavelli s The And Machiavellian Discourses - 1571 Words

The maintenance of a state requires the ability to act in accordance to the times. The Hobbesian and Machiavellian discourses in relation to the legitimacy of violence are distinct, nonetheless, bring forth significant arguments. Machiavelli claims that leaders ought to be good as long as the times permit, however, the leader with virtu ought to prepare to enter into evil when forced by necessity. Contrary to popular belief, Machiavelli does not endorse violence, rather he provides advice to those who wish to maintain their state or creation and in spite of the ravaging forces of time. The advice of Machiavelli is selective as it is geared to those who wish to maintain their state, not those preoccupied with salvation. In my understanding, Machiavelli advises that in order to maintain a political order, leaders ought to acquire virtu and not remain obstinate or operate with eternal principles. The Hobbesian account of the legitimacy of the use of violence is based on a notion of exc eptionalism, which is the distinctive characteristic of the sovereign. Whereas Machiavelli appeals to effects, Hobbes’ defence of the legitimacy of violence is intrinsically necessary to the notion of sovereignty. By definition, the sovereign is sovereign or exceptional to commit violence. For example, the governing laws of physics make it impossible for man to walk on water, except when the law-giver walks on water. It is in the nature of the sovereign to determine exceptions, any act ofShow MoreRelatedOrder In A Civic Society Is Kept By A Great Many Agents1733 Words   |  7 Pagesall the same? The political theorists Niccolà ² Machiavelli in The Discourses on Livy and Thomas Hobbes in Leviathan offer contrasting conclusions; the former believed obeying selfish motivation disastrous whereas the latter thought it fundamental towards maintaining the solvency of the country. 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