Shakespearean Plays and The Law as an Instrument of Good Governance or Oppression

Introduction

Law is an integral part of most Shakespearean plays and this is especially considering that many of these involve various aspects of the law. Most plays by Shakespeare show that he was an individual that was significantly fascinated by a diversity of legal aspects that are addressed in the way that the characters act. In addition, Shakespeare is an individual that seeks to show that law is an important part of the lives of individuals in society and that it is essential to ensure that they take notice of it. This is especially the case where in Shakespearean plays, law is an integral part of promoting both good governance and oppression because of the numerous legal technicalities that are involved in the process. In this paper, there will be an attempt to show that while law is supposed to be an instrument of good governance, it can also be used to bring about the oppression of certain individuals in society.

Law as an instrument of good governance

In certain Shakespearean plays, law appears to be an instrument of good governance because it enables them to defend themselves from false accusations. Law is an essential aspect of promoting good governance in society and this is a case that is advanced in Shakespearean plays, where individuals are required to be obedient to laws in order to ensure that there is a level of social order (Cunningham, 2017). Plays such as the Merchant of Venice and Julius Caesar show that adherence to the law is an important part of making sure that there is the advancement of social order as well as the avoidance of unnecessary conflict. It also promotes the advancement of means through which to ensure that there is the creation of initiatives that promote solution to problems without resorting to violence. The achievement of these goals through the use of law cannot be underestimated because it shows that it is a means of advancing the interests of good governance. Furthermore, law in Shakespeare can also be used in order to ensure that the interests of the weak are protected against the strong while at the same time helping those in positions of power to promote the advancement of justice in their own societies. A consequence of such a situation is that individuals come to the realization that it is only through the pursuit of law that it becomes possible to not only promote good governance, but also justice in the societies within which they live. 

 Law ensures that there is the advancement of justice in society since the individuals involved are provided with an opportunity to make sure that they are able to advance their individual interests without hurting those of others. One of the most significant cases of law as an instrument of good governance is seen in The Merchant of Venice, where despite Bassanio being maliciously accused of owing Shylock a debt, he is eventually proven to be innocent of the charges that have been brought against him and is acquitted (Hadfield, 2016). Bassanio’s acquittal comes about because of the actions of his wife, who disguises herself as a lawyer and successfully defends her husband against the charges that have been brought against him. That Bassanio is found not to be guilty following the trap that is set to ensnare him by Shylock shows that the law actually works and that it can be a means of ensuring that justice is achieved at all times. The capabilities displayed by Shakespeare in these play show that despite the attempt by certain individuals to make use of the law as an instrument of oppressing their fellows, the law can be made use of as a means of promoting social justice. Bassanio’s acquittal also allows for the development of a perspective concerning the motivations behind why certain individuals are capable of making use of law as a means of advancing their own interests to the detriment of that of others. In the end, as in the case of Shylock, these individuals end up being considered to be the villains of the plays and justice is served when they gain their just punishment.

The pursuit of law is essential for good governance in Shakespeare plays because it promotes the idea that individuals have to set aside their personal interests for the sake of their societies. One of the most important instances is seen in Julius Caesar, where the title character repeatedly refuses to be crowned king of Rome because it is against the laws of the state. Caesar is an individual that, despite his personal ambitions, is still willing to ensure that he attains them through the workings of the law rather than forcing them on the population (Jenkins, 2016). He is shown not to want to shake up the republican order that has been instrumental in governing Rome for centuries; resulting in a situation where despite his popularity and the desire by the population to have him crowned king, he refuses to be crowned in favor of retaining the status quo of the city. A consequence of his actions shows that there is need to ensure the advancement of law as a means of promoting good governance because it creates a situation where Caesar is put in circumstances where he is tempted to assume a role that could do away with the good governance of the city of Rome. However, his refusal to undertake the tempting task of being a king shows that Caesar is an individual that, despite being a dictator, seeks to ensure that there is the promotion of good governance in his home city. Therefore, in this play, Shakespeare promotes the idea that law can be used as a means of ensuring that there is good governance even though the instances where the society is willing to give up its interests because of the popularity of certain individuals.

Law as an instrument of oppression

Despite law being an instrument of good governance, there are instances where it can also be used as a means of promoting oppression. In Shakespeare plays, law is an important aspect of showing that situations arise where law ends up being a means of bringing about either the destruction or oppression of other individuals. One of the most significant parts of law is that it leads individuals towards taking advantage of it to ensure that their individual interests are protected over those of the weak (Omrani, 2016). Using law as a means of advancing individual interests at the expense of others often leads to the oppression of the latter. The result is that many of these individuals end up in situations where they are not able to undertake actions with as much freedom as they would like because to do so could bring about the ire of their oppressors. The role of oppressors in Shakespearean plays tends to be given to villainous rulers, as seen in the case of Claudius in Hamlet. However, there are instances where this role is given to individuals that are considered to be outsiders in their societies, as seen in the case of Shylock, a Jew living in Italy at a time when there was wide mistrust of Jews. Therefore, in Shakespeare plays, when law is addressed, it is done in such a way as to show that despite its being considered a source of good governance, it is also a means through which oppression can be brought about in society; essentially being an instrument of injustice.

Hamlet is one of the most significant Shakespearean plays that address the issue of law as an instrument of oppression. This is especially the case considering that the title character, Hamlet, is a victim of oppression despite not only being from the ruling class of his country, but also the son of the previous king (Thomas, 2014). Despite the privilege that he grows up with, Hamlet is shown to be a weak individual, whose uncle takes advantage of in order to assume the throne. Claudius, his uncle, is shown to be a conniving individual that makes use of every means possible to ensure that he not only kills his brother, but also pushes aside his nephew, who is the legitimate successor to his father, and instead assumes the throne himself. In this situation, Hamlet is depicted as being an extremely weak individual that is taken advantage of by his uncle in such a way that he ends up being denied his rights as the heir to the Danish throne. When his mother marries his uncle, it seems that Hamlet has essentially been pushed aside and he is shown to be an individual that harbors a lot of resentment for the injustice that he has suffered. The way that Claudius takes the throne is not only suspicious, but also goes against the law because the succession was supposed to go to the legitimate successor, Hamlet. Claudius’ succession to the throne shows that he has no regard for the law and that he can twist it in such a way that suits his own purposes to the detriment of his nephew.

The Merchant of Venice is another play that shows that law is an instrument of oppression rather than good governance. The case of Shylock’s false accusations against Bassanio shows that the law can be used as an instrument of oppression. Shylock’s malicious nature is brought forth through his desire to use the law as a means of destroying the life of Bassanio, an individual towards whom he holds considerable hatred for unexplained reasons. A consequence is that Shylock ends up seeking to ensure that he makes use of the law as a means of attaining his malicious objectives. When he requires that Bassanio pays him a debt by giving him a pound of flesh, Bassanio’s hands are tied because the orginal agreement between these two individuals stated that it was a requirement (Nam, 2015). Therefore, Bassanio’s hands are legally tied and Shylock makes use of this advantage over an individual that he considers his adversary to ensure that he seeks to end Bassanio’s life legally because the extraction of a pound of flesh would only mean death. The legal process that Bassanio is subjected to as a result shows that law can be made use of as an instrument of oppression rather than of good governance.

In Hamlet and The Merchant of Venice, there is a sense that law is an instrument of oppression rather than as a means of promoting good governance. Individuals are shown to be extremely vulnerable to the law to such an extent that it leads to a situation where they are placed in unjust situations. They essentially become victims of the malicious machinations of others who feel that they can take advantage of the situation for their own benefit. A result is that some characters are not only able to advance their selfish interests using the law, but there are instances where others are duped into undertaking actions that are illegal, leading to the mental oppression of the individuals involved. The case of the title character in Othello is an essential theme because it involves Othello being duped by Iago into killing his wife because of suspicion of infidelity and jealousy (Myers, 2013). Othello can therefore be considered to have committed a crime because of a moment of madness caused by Iago’s influencing him into breaking the law.

Conclusion

Law is an extremely important part of Shakespearean plays and in most cases, it dominates entire plays. A result of this situation is that it leads to the development of means through which to ensure that there is recognition of the various ways of how law can be both an instrument of good governance as well as that of oppression. The contrasts that are displayed in law show that it is essential for individuals to read Shakespeare with a mind open to the the way that legal matters end up affecting the lives of the characters within the plays. In this way, it becomes possible to make a connection of how Shakespeare is relevant to the lives of individuals in everyday life.

Performance Review of Macbeth by William Shakespeare

The performance of Macbeth by various theatrical groups has, from its beginnings to the present, been based on an attempt to replicate the original situation as was written by Shakespeare. The fact that this attempt has continued to be of immense influence in the performance of this play shows just how the individuals who are involved in it are conscious of the importance of depicting the play in an accurate way. Macbeth is one of the greatest plays and works that were created by Shakespeare for performance on stage and because of this; it has remained exceedingly popular to the present day. When this play is performed in theatres, one will find that most of the scenes remain loyal to the original play since changing any aspect of the script within Macbeth would be detrimental to it on stage. One of the most notable aspects of the play is the fact that some the characters, especially Macbeth, are portrayed in a very negative light, and he ends up doing things that are morally wrong. In the performance of the play, this happens despite these characters having the knowledge that what they are doing is wrong, they tend to do it because of the belief that they are within their rights. For the duration of most of the play, it can be seen that the various actors attempt to remain loyal to the original script often depicting the characters in the play in the most realistic manner as possible. In order to create a situation where there is a contrast of characters that leads the play to its culmination, the performance of the various actors is often crucial in the depiction of the laying bare of the original plot of the play for the audience and this keeps the latter interested in the play.

Just like in the original performance of Macbeth, the actors on the current stage performances often use the characters’ personalities, as depicted in the original script of the play, as well as other events to convince the audience that what they are viewing is the real plot of the film. By doing this, these actors ensure that they maintain the element of revelation that often serves to captivate their audiences at the high point of the play. These stage actors attempt to depict the characters in a way that is almost as exactly as Shakespeare did in his play and by being loyal to the script; the play follows the same course of events as when it is performed on the Shakespearean stage. The performance of Macbeth on stage is highly significant because it is a revelation of the true nature of human beings in the medieval Scotland as told in the sources that Shakespeare used in writing the play. One of the most noteworthy themes in the play, in any of its performances, is that of ambition and this is seen when Macbeth takes steps to take the throne of Scotland despite the fact that he is not in direct line to the said throne. The dark tone which is dominant in the play is also highly significant because it is a revelation of the dark nature of Macbeth and his wife because it shows that they are blinded by their own needs and they cease to care about the needs of those with whom they share their lives (Curran 392).

In the performance of the play, it can be said that the actors put a lot of thought in their characters especially when it comes to the physical appearance of the said characters. In performances, it is seen that the actors seem to be selected from those people who are similar in appearance to the characters that are depicted in the play. This gives the audience the opportunity to appreciate the various characters within the play and to identify with them in a more intimate way than if their appearance were changed. In addition, there is the potential that many of the audience prefer the characters on the stage to remain loyal to the original. It can therefore be said that the performances of the play are highly successful because they ensure that there is a sense of continuity from the original play by Shakespeare. It can be concluded that when the performance of Macbeth is done on stage in the current period, most of the actors tend to remain absolutely loyal not only to the appearance of their characters but also to the original script and this goes a long way in making the play authentic.

Coincidence?

Amazing coincidences, while extremely rare, happen in the real world. This is mainly because they help to bring about a situation where the individuals involved end up questioning the events that are taking place around them and wondering whether or not they were destined to take place. The lives of individuals all over the world are in one way or another connected and this is the reason why the actions of individuals in one part of the world might end up affecting the lives of others in another part. Such instances can be seen in The Garden of Forking Paths, which is a story that promotes the idea that amazing coincidences actually take place. The lives of Yu Tsun and Stephen Albert, despite their not knowing it, are connected as seen through the manner in which Albert seems to be attracted to the work of Tsui Pen, and ancestor of Yu Tsun. Albert’s admiration for the work of Tsui Pen is an amazing coincidence because in the process, he does not realize that his life is going to be ended by a descendant of the person that he admires. Additionally, when Yu Tsun decides to go on a mission to kill Albert in order to send a message to his German masters, he ends up being surprised that the individual that he wants to kill is one who may have removed the should of mystery concerning his own past. However, despite the realization of the coincidence revolving between these two individuals, Yu Tsun ends up putting duty first by killing Albert.

Plato’s view of amazing coincidence can be considered to be one that is extremely complex. This is seen through the advancement of the belief that it is extremely rare to find a coincidence between interest and duty among individuals. This is a highly significant observation because it shows that individuals in society tend to choose between one and the other. Those individuals who are able to maintain a balance between their duties and interests are extremely rare and this is the reason why it is difficult for such coincidences to happen. Therefore, Plato suggests that in order to find a coincidence, individuals have to dismiss the common notions concerning interest and duty and consider them to be essentially mistaken. The dismissal of these ideas makes all the difference because those individuals who do so come to the conclusion that catering for either their obligations or interests lead to a situation where it is nearly impossible to find a situation where they are not causing harm. Plato seems to push for a definition of coincidence which involves those actions or incidents that take place in society according to their natural order rather than being promoted by the illusive definitions that human beings have placed on them. Thus, if all the illusive definition of terms that are used in society were dispelled, it would be possible to come to the realization that those aspects of life that are called coincidences tend to happen more often than is realized.

Descartes seems to promote the idea that coincidence comes about as a result of the familiarity of individuals with sensory objects. This is especially considering that this familiarity makes it extremely difficult for individuals to notice the diverse incidents that take place in their lives. In those times that they really do notice, they term these incidents as coincidences and do not realize that all of the actions that seem coincidental actually take place on a daily basis. The result is that human beings often seek to rationalize the incidents that happen around them to such an extent that they come to give material attributes to those aspects of life that are immaterial. Based on this view, amazing coincidences are common things that take place on a daily basis and it is as a result of the loss of communion with spiritual realities that human beings have experienced that when they encounter these realities, they end up seeking the refuge of their bodies. It is through being used to observing events from a physical level that individuals are hardly aware of the world around them and when they witness glimpses of the manner through which they are all connected, they are termed coincidences and interpreted as random events. Consequentially, it is essential for individuals to ensure that they attain a greater understanding of the events taking place in their lives, especially coincidences, by withdrawing from the sensory experiences that they have on a daily basis.

The Grimm Fairy Tales

When on reads the Grimm Fairy Tales, one comes to the conclusion that Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm are attempting to express their feelings about the world and the contradictions that exist within it. This collection of stories reveal the irony of living the human life as well as those of other creatures, some being happy with their lot in life while others remain sad due to their poverty as well as the tragic events that happen in their lives. The Grimm brothers use their stories to display the true nature of human beings; that nothing is ever permanent and that changes occur once in a while. Throughout their stories, one comes to the realization that there is the extensive use of imagery, symbolism, figurative language, style and tone in relation to the development of the themes involved.

The use of imagery is very extensive in throughout the Grimm Fairy Tales especially when making contrasts between the beauty of the world and the ugliness which is contained within it. This can be seen when, in Tom Thumb, the two men, not caring that their offer to buy Tom from his father would end up separating them. In fact, their only concern seems to be able to make a lot of money using Tom and they do not care at all concerning the feeling of alienation that they would be subjecting him to. The image of Tom as a tiny individual is used to show just how much individuals look down upon the less privileged individuals in society and how they make every attempt to exploit these people. It can be said that the image of Tom Thumb as a little fellow shows that despite his size, he is able to survive in a world that is hostile to his existence as Tom uses his wits to ensure that he is able to survive within it. This image may also be used to show the price which human beings have to pay because of their greed as well as their unthinking ambitions, and this instance can also be perceived in Hans in Luck. The image that is presented of Hans attempting to make his life better as well as to have something useful shows how human ambitions can at times be detrimental instead of helpful because he ends up losing all of his wages as well as all that he attained through barter. While this is the case, in most of the Grimm Fairy Tales, the image of happiness is continuously displayed with very few instances where there is any form of sadness, showing that most of these stories were written for the purpose of entertaining children.

Symbolism is a major style used in the development of the theme of the Grimm Fairy Tales and an excellent example of this, is in The Fisherman and His Wife, where the wife, despite having everything wants more; a symbol of her greed. The fact that she continues to demand more from her husband despite having everything that she needs can be considered to be symbolic of human nature, where we are never satisfied with what we have but continue to aspire for more. In addition, in the story Old Sultan, Sultan the dog can be considered to symbolize unwavering loyalty because despite the favor which the wolf did him in saving his life, Sultan decided to bark at the wolf whenever he comes to steal his master’s sheep. Furthermore, the fight between domestic animals and wild animals in this story shows that despite the poor treatment that the former receive from their masters, they are extremely loyal, while the latter are very cowardly creatures.

The Grimm brothers use figurative language to depict the contrasting characteristics of the characters that they depict in their stories, and a good example of this is that of the talking wolf in Tom Thumb which is an oxymoron used to depict the possible unique ability of Tom to communicate with animals. It is well known that wolves do not have human speech and the Grimm brothers depicting it as talking clearly shows the contrast in a situation where it would normally be impossible for normal conversation to take place. Figurative language can be seen all over the Grimm Fairy Tales and it is used to express the points or instances which can be considered to be the most important in the stories.

The tone of the stories can be considered to range from either being neutral to ironical. This is because of the contrast which the Grimm brothers attempt to make between the different characters in their stories, often depicting extreme good and extreme evil. The tone of the stories can be said to show that the world is a very beautiful place to be born into if one does not mind there not being any happiness all the time. The tone in these stories can be said to bring about quite a number of ironical scenarios, where an environment which is described as being beautiful is infested with evil people such as the thieves in Tom Thumb. In addition, the tone of the stories, such as that of The Elves and the Shoemaker, displays the advantages of doing good because eventually, these good acts are going to be rewarded. It can further be said that the tone of the stories depict the true feelings of their writers about the world and how the situation within it affects the different people living in it. The irony in the stories, such as The Fisherman and his Wife, helps to deliver the writers’ message to the reader as well as fostering an understanding of the subject matter involved.

In conclusion, the use of imagery, symbolism and figurative language in these stories greatly contributes to a greater understanding of the stories. They create situations which are familiar to the reader and they allow him to decipher the true meaning of what the stories is saying. Despite what many people who read it may think, they are not the kind of stories to be taken lightly because they are full of lessons. Instead, they have many lessons to give about the reality of human life in the world and the main message which can be made out of it is that there is not guarantee of happiness in the world and that we should live in it as best as we can.

Comparison of Brave New World and 1984

When one makes a study of Brave New World and 1984, one will come to the conclusion that both of these books are political satires which deal with the issues concerning the suppression of human nature in favor of one which is based on absolute control. One would say that both of these books depict the future world as a dreary place within which to live because the means through which the hums society interacts within them is very different from what is the case today. The interaction between human beings has traditionally been the means of transmitting knowledge from one generation to another, but this is not the case because in these societies, the fact that humans are able to interact does not mean that they learn anything from one another. A common depiction of these books is based on the belief that there will be less human interaction in the future, and this is seen in Brave New World, where because of a lack of serious human relationships, such as family, the issues are traditionally discussed more deeply do not take place and instead, there develops a type of society that is socially stagnant. While in the current world, the individuals get to have a better understanding of the issues being discussed because of regular interaction, in Brave New World, the opposite turns out to be true because of the fact that human beings, during the future age, are not conditioned to act independently of each other.

The events which are described in Brave New World, such as the establishment of a breeding program involving different castes of human beings, is not similar to those in 1984. This is because of the fact that in the latter, human beings, while being dominated by a single party whose purpose is to have absolute control of the society, has not made any attempt to alter humans physically. The main procedure used in gaining the absolute control and devotion among human beings is through the rewriting in history so that it is in the favor of the ruling party’s policies and objectives. Because the sources of history in the state described in 1984, known as Oceania, are either vague or scarce in content, it creates a situation where individuals get only a shallow understanding of the subject matter. In 1984, it is seen that because of the destruction of history, knowledge has become static, not being able to grow as it should. In both of these books, those people who possess knowledge or items that contain knowledge of the independent human nature of the past are completely ostracized from society or are put to death because of their perceived threat to the societal order. This makes it extremely difficult for knowledge to be transmitted and the lack of this knowledge has made the people in the societies described in the books disillusioned with life. This is especially true in Brave New World, where individuals have been conditioned by the ruling elite, to consume a drug known as soma, which is a hallucinogen used to ensure that they do not worry about their troubles.

The theme of control is prevalent in both Brave New World and 1984, and this is based on the need for the ruling elite to retain their power in what they consider to be the ideal state. Apart from working towards the destruction of all knowledge that concerns the past of human beings, they also adopt diverse methods to ensure that they have absolute control over the human society so that there are no rebellions. In Brave New World, there develops a caste system where human beings are no longer born in the natural way and are instead developed in laboratories. These are altered during their development so that they can best suit the purposes of the different castes to which they are assigned, with the higher castes being developed with such characteristics as intelligence while the lower castes are purposely given less intelligence so that they can work towards serving the interests of the higher castes. Because of their synthetic development, the lower castes of the society, who form the majority of the population in Brave New World, is not equipped to deal with the issues of day to day life and they have instead become artificial. It is possible that when Aldous Huxley was writing his book, he felt that the latter was the likely scenario that would face the world if there were no sources of human history from which people could get the knowledge and wisdom that they could use to make their lives more meaningful. In addition, it is possible that he believed that the intellectual development of the human race would be brought to a standstill because intelligent thought is often found in those instruments that perpetuate human history.

In 1984, on the other hand, there has developed a thought police whose purpose is to ensure that any material that individuals possess that might threaten the ruling order are apprehended and sentenced to death. The need for the party’s survival has created a situation where children in Oceania are indoctrinated with the need to spy on everyone who might possibly have any information that threatens the regime. This indoctrination is so great that these children end up also spying on and surrendering their own parents to the though police if the latter indeed have any dissenting material. In this way, children have become the means through which the government spies on its citizens and this is a sign that the normal traditional values of family loyalty have been destroyed, leaving behind a situation where there is no loyalty between individuals and families in the society. Independent thought has greatly been encouraged through the study of human history and this has ensured the development of new ideas. Because of this, the governments in both 1984 and Brave New World have ensured that this ability has been immensely diminished. These governments have come to realize that it is only through the study of old ideas that new ideas are developed and this has led to their destruction of material that may contain information that may be a threat to them.

In conclusion, as seen in both books, despite the large reserves of information that can lead to the further development of the human race, the ruling elite has chosen to destroy such information, perceiving it as a threat. In both of these books, the information provided by these governments do not have the qualities which the original sources of information have because most of the information gotten from the sources that are approved are often instant and shallow. These governments do not allow individuals to contemplate on the information which they read and this ensures that they do not have independent thought. The lack of independent thought due to the absence of knowledge has come to put the human race into a dark age of intellectual stagnation, as seen in these two works. When one reads these books, one comes to the conclusion that the ability to think through the learning of the previous work of others is what has helped the advancement of the human race. The inability to think and the reliance on shallow sources of information such as the internet is likely to see the end of the world as we know it. Human beings learn about their past from books and with this knowledge, the take action to avoid the mistakes of their past. Therefore, without adequate knowledge, the human race will probably end up destroying itself because it will not have the ability to learn from its past.

A World Without Books

Books have, over the centuries, been among the greatest inventions of the human race and it has been through them that human civilization has been able to advance. Books have become so essential that it is difficult to envisage humanity without them. Books have been the way through which the history of the human race has been transmitted from one age group to another. In addition, they have been the through which official records have bee kept, and without them, all the great civilizations of the past would not have been able to blossom and flourish as they did. Throughout history, scholars and those people who could read have been greatly revered by their fellow men because they were believed to be the carriers of and transmitters of knowledge. Before the modern times, books were extremely rare and were intensely sought after by those who could read them. In the Western world, books were so rare that the only book which many of those who could read had read was the bible, a book that certain priests could not even read. The ownership of and the ability to read books were therefore a source of great prestige for those who had the privilege of having them. This privilege eventually came to be spread all over the world as more people became literate and books became commonplace. There has, however, recently developed a trend where people have come to prefer other forms of entertainment at the expense of books, which are slowly, but surely, being viewed as relics of the past.

A world without books is a concept which many people are yet to comprehend due to the fact that a majority of the literate people in the world today at some point enjoys reading. While this is a fact, one has to consider that there have developed newer and seemingly more interesting forms of entertainment, which many of the younger generation is adapting to instead of books. This is creating a situation similar to that in the novel Fahrenheit 451 where books are of no value and any that are found are destroyed. In the world of this novel, books are considered by society to be useless and due to popular demand, it has become the duty of the firemen to destroy every available copy that is found. The influence of other media such as soap operas has become so great that the population prefers it to books, which are looked upon as being too strenuous to read. Many of the characters in the novel have become disillusioned by books, mainly because of the conflicting information which is found within them. Beatty, the boss of the main character, is said to have once been an avid reader, but his disillusionment with books soon led him to get involved in their destruction as a fireman. His disillusionment with them seems to be so great that he makes Montag, the main character, destroy the book which he realizes that the latter has in his possession.

One would say that a world without books would be a dreary place within which to live because books have traditionally been the means of transmitting knowledge from one generation to another. Through books, issues are discussed more deeply and in the process, the reader gets to have a better understanding of the issues being discussed. This is not true of other sources of information, because these sources are scarce in content and this creates a situation where individuals get only a shallow understanding of the subject matter. In Fahrenheit 451, it is seen that because of the destruction of books, knowledge has become static, not being able to grow as it should. Those people who possess books are completely ostracized from society and are put in mental asylums because of their intellect. This makes it extremely difficult for knowledge to be transmitted and the lack of this knowledge has made the people in this society disillusioned with life. Because of their hatred for books, the society in Fahrenheit 451 is not equipped to deal with the issues of day to day life and they have instead become artificial. This is the likely scenario that would face the world if there were no books from which people could get the knowledge and wisdom that they could use to make their lives more meaningful. In addition, it is possible that the intellectual development of the human race would be brought to a standstill because intelligent thought is often written in books.

Books have been a source of history for the human race for centuries, and without them, one would conclude that there can be no history. The study of the history of the human race is extremely important because it enables people to learn from the events of the past and this knowledge helps in the making of future decisions. The study of history is only possible through books and because of the developing lack of interest in them, slowly but surely, the human race is going to end up without a history. This can clearly be seen when, in Fahrenheit 451, most of the women prefer watching interactive soap operas to having intellectual discussions. This has led to a situation where the women in the novel have no life other than that which they watch on television. The power of the media has become so great that the characters in the novel do not have the will, or the inclination, to live a different sort of life. When Montag asks his wife if she remembers where they met, she declares that she does not remember. In fact, she does not seem to show any more interest in the matter despite the fact that it is supposed to be one of the most important events of her life. Her obsession with soap operas has damaged her intellectual ability as well as her long term memory. Perhaps if she had been obsessed with reading books instead soap operas, then she may have had an interest not only in her life but also in her past.

Independent thought has greatly been encouraged through the reading of books and this has ensured the development of new ideas. This ability would be immensely diminished if there were no books in the world because it is only through the study of old ideas that new ideas are developed. Such technology as the internet will inevitably lead to the extinction of books from the world because it is the source of plenty of information. However, despite the large reserves of information within it, the internet does not have the qualities which books have because most of the information gotten from it is often instant and shallow. The internet does not allow individuals to contemplate on the information which they have just received, as books do. The lack of independent thought due to the absence of books is likely to put the human race into a dark age of intellectual stagnation. The ability to think through the learning of the previous work of others is what has helped the advancement of the human race. The inability to think and the reliance on shallow sources of information such as the internet is likely to see the end of the world as we know it. Human beings learn about their past from books and with this knowledge, the take action to avoid the mistakes of their past. Therefore, without books, the human race will probably end up destroying itself because it will not have the ability to learn from its past.

The Jungle by Upton Sinclair

The Jungle is a novel which depicts the unpleasant conditions within which workers had to work in meat packing plants in order to earn a living. It is a description, in the form of a story, of the experiences which Upton Sinclair had while working undercover for six months in an attempt to gather information on an article he was writing. These working conditions are described so vividly that anyone who reads them might become revolted by the conditions in these meatpacking plants. The novel is most realistic, as it follows the life of an immigrant, Jurgis, and his family who comes to America in an attempt to have a better life. In doing so, he ends up working in a meatpacking plant, where the exact opposite of his dreams come to take place. It must be noted that many of the people who ended up working in these plants under sometimes appalling conditions tended to be immigrants and these had no other choice other that to go on doing the same jobs because they had no education and had little knowledge of English. It was therefore difficult for them to recognize the injustices in their lives and in doing so work towards escaping such injustices. It can be said the The Jungle is an attempt by Sinclair to describe the working conditions of the United States according to his socialist views and a way to push the American public into taking action against such conditions, since they are the ones who are the largest beneficiaries of the labor of the immigrants.

The Jungle is basically a political novel whose main purpose is to propagate the socialist view of the ideal America. It is an attempt by Upton Sinclair to show how workers in the industries in the United States worked under bad conditions to earn a living. One of the main themes that can be found in this novel which are an obvious part of the socialist views of Sinclair is that of exploitation. The factory owners and managers exploit their workers in every way possible and treat them more like slaves than as free human beings. Among the most appalling things which the factory managers do is to sexually abuse some of their female workers. This can be seen when Ona, Jurgis’s wife, is raped by her employer, with the latter threatening that she would lose her job if she does not continue giving him sexual favors. Moreover, many of the factory workers have no job security because they can lose their jobs at any moment at the slightest pretext. An example of this sis when Jurgis ends up losing his job because of an injury sustained while working. While this would not, in normal circumstances, get him to lose his job, in Jurgis’ case, it is different because he is not aware of his rights. When it is seen that he will not be able to be as productive as before, he is fired, and this is done without his being provided with any compensation by his employer. While it is the employer’s responsibility to ensure that the workplace is safe for his employees, this is not the case in The Jungle. Although it is the employer’s fault when accidents take place in the workplace, the employer does not take steps to improve the working conditions. Instead, workers who get injured lose their jobs, and the families of those who lose their lives are not compensated.

One of the main themes that are dealt with in this novel is that of the evils brought about by capitalism and the idea that socialism is its cure. For most of his political life, Upton Sinclair was a dedicated socialist whose actions and works tended to upset many of the mainstream Americans who were dedicated capitalists. While Sinclair did not call out for the abolition of capitalism, he advocated for the inclusion of socialism into the American way of life. This would have ensured that there was a balance in the economy, with the people in the lower classes in society being provided with the opportunity for advancement. Throughout The Jungle, Sinclair shows how the family of Jurgis is destroyed by the cruelties that are brought about by capitalism. Most of the disastrous and tragic things that happen to his family are as a result of their lack of a stable financial base through which to support them. Their faith in the so called American Dream is tarnished as the realities of the capitalist ways that are prevalent in America are felt directly. They turn from a family that is full of hope for a better future, to one which gets involved in some of the most abhorrent practices in society. Sinclair’s narrative is one designed to show that capitalism is evil and that the best way to get rid of it is to adopt communism.

In the novel, the American Dream is considered to be just that, a dream and this is because of the fact that despite moving from Lithuania to America in anticipation of having a better life, this does not happen for Jurgis’ family and instead, they end up living in worse conditions than those in their home country. This can be considered to be a parallel of the life which Upton Sinclair’s family lived due to their relative poverty. While both his parents’ families were of aristocratic backgrounds, his father’s family had been ruined during the American Civil War and despite being in America, they had not managed to regain the wealth and prominence that had once been theirs. Instead, Sinclair’s father had to become a salesman in order to make ends meet, something he barely could because of his alcoholism. Sinclair therefore spent some of his childhood with his wealthy maternal family and because of this, experienced both poverty and wealth. In The Jungle, through the portrayal of the tragedies which are encountered by Jurgis and those around him, Sinclair comes to reveal the ugliness that is capitalism, and his belief that the lot of the poor in America has to be improved for the American Dream to finally come true. It is this theme which he used throughout his political career and despite not being able to gain any elective position; he ended up being influential in other matters.

In conclusion, it can be said that The Jungle is an influential novel whose main endeavor was to prove Sinclair’s view that capitalism was an evil practice. Instead, there is the recommendation for the adoption of socialism as the best way of improving the lives of those who have been deprived in society. Sinclair wanted the American public to see the evils which were brought about by the greed and inhumanity of those who practiced capitalism. The unfortunate working conditions that the poor had to undergo everyday of their lives to make their employers wealthier than they already were is a recurring theme in the novel. While this was the novel’s original intention, the public did not come to view it the way Sinclair did and instead, they came to look upon it as a revelation of the unclean environment through which the food they consumed was processed. In the end, The Jungle failed to represent the real intentions of its author and instead, it became a revelation of the food health issues that were prevalent in the United States. The novel was a representation of the political views of Upton Sinclair but it ended up coming into the service of the larger meat processing plants at the expense of the smaller ones.

Little Shop of Horrors

Little Shop of Horrors is a play that seeks to display the folly of unchecked ambition as well as the attraction of individuals to the promise of wealth and power. These are themes that are seen throughout the play where the character of Seymour is attracted to the promises made to him by the plant Audrey II concerning attaining all that his heart desires, and this, in the end, proves to be the cause of his downfall. In this play, the themes of unchecked ambition and the false promises of wealth and power are highly prominent and dominate its entire plot.

The theme of unchecked ambition is extremely prominent in Little Shop of Horrors and this is mainly as a result of the desires that the characters of Seymour and Mushnik have. Seymour is an individual who desires to achieve success in his life and it is as a result of this desire that he is shown to constantly want to get out of the Skid Row neighborhood. Additionally, he has a major crash on his fellow employee at the flower shop, Audrey, in whose honor he names the strange plant that he finds. Therefore, when he realizes that Audrey II has the potential of saving the flower shop, after Mushnik decides to close it, he convinces Mushnik to give Audrey II the chance to bring in more customers. The result is that Seymour ends up becoming indispensable to Mushkin, who, on realizing that his business is completely dependent on Seymour, takes advantage of his innocence and decides of adopt him in order to keep him tied to the shop.

The theme of false promises of wealth and power is explored in this play and this is in relation to Seymour. Seymour, after coming to the realization that Audrey II needs blood in order to survive decides to give it his own blood. However, when he cannot do it anymore, Audrey II asks him to kill people in order to provide it with blood, promising him that if he does so, it will make all his dreams come true. While he has doubts concerning this course of action, he succumbs to his baser instincts and ends up killing people, beginning with Orin, Audrey’s boyfriend, in order to ensure that Audrey II has a constant supply of blood. The result is that Audrey II keeps on asking for more as it grows and this leads to a situation where it ends up killing Audrey, the woman that Seymour loves. This is when Seymour realizes his folly, but by then, it is too late because Audrey II has become too powerful and cannot be killed.

Therefore, the plot of this play is dominated by the themes of unchecked ambition and the false promises of wealth and power. These are shown through the actions of the characters as they seek to ensure that they make use of an unusual plant in order to make their fortunes. However, all of these attempts end up being for nothing because the plant is actually manipulating the whole situation in order to fulfill its desire of achieving world domination.

Literary Devices in Hamlet

In Hamlet, Shakespeare uses various literary devices to enhance the different characteristics in the play. Among the most significant devices that he uses include metaphors, tone, style and motifs. The use of these devices is extremely significant in the play since it builds the characters within it as well as the various themes which are revealed.

Metaphors

In the play Hamlet, there are plenty of instances where metaphors can be found and they are used to reveal the feelings of the main character concerning those who are around him. Among the metaphors which are used in the play is when Hamlet states, "My father's brother, but no more like my father than I to Hercules”(Act 1 scene 2). Later on, he further states, "My fate cries out, and makes each petty artery in this body as hardy as the Nemean lion's nerve." The metaphors which are mentioned above are used by the author of the play to reveal that despite the fact that Claudius, Hamlet’s uncle, had killed his brother to attain the throne, they were extremely alike to each other. It shows Hamlet’s belief that both his uncle and father were men who valued their own power more than those people who were around them. It is because of this that eventually, the both came to their downfall because had they valued their people, then the tragic events which took place in the play would not have happened. Another important metaphor that is used in the play is that related to the cannon fire which accompanies the king’s toasts and this helps to show that Claudius, the king, is united with the land that he rules. In reference to the cannon fire, Hamlet states, "…or that the Everlasting had not fix'd his canon 'gainst self-slaughter!" (Act 1 scene 2). This is used to express Hamlet’s wish that his uncle Claudius would turn into a cloud (a play with the name Claudius) so that when the cannons shot into that cloud, it would be able to kill him. This would in essence freed Hamlet from his promise to his father’s ghost that he would kill Claudius to avenge his death.

Tone

When one considers the tone of this play, one would say that it is extremely dark. This is especially because of the fact that almost all the characters within it are either thinking dark thoughts or are plotting to commit evil things. From the very beginning of the play, we see that there is plenty of anxiety and uncertainty concerning the events that are taking place or are likely to take place. The mood in which Hamlet is put after talking to his father’s ghost is extremely dark, and those who know him come to believe that he is going mad. This dark mood is also transmitted to those who are around him and their actions, either directly or indirectly, reflect the darkness which is in the play. The soliloquies which Hamlet has concerning the dark aspects of life such as betrayal and mortality are some of the things which contribute to the tone of the play. However, from the first line of the play when the guard, Bernardo yells, “Who’s there!” (Act 1 scene 1) the dark tone of the play is set. It is later revealed that this may have been an expression of the anxiety which the guards felt after seeing the ghost of their former king several times during the nights.

Style

One of the aspects of style that is revealed when one reads Hamlet is the use of verse among the main characters when they speak. These characters often use words which have an unaccented syllable followed by an accented one. This creates a rhythmic pattern in their speech and it can be said that Shakespeare used this style of writing in order to keep the attention of the audience on the play and the characters within it. An example of the use of verse in the play is in Act 1 scene 2 when Hamlet states, “O, that this too too solid flesh would melt, Thaw and resolve itself into a dew!” When one considers Hamlet’s soliloquies, one will find that he often speaks in a formal tone, and this is used to reveal that he comes from the nobility. The fact that verse is used in the play is a way for Shakespeare to separate the nobility from the commoners, who often speak in prose, not seeming to use the formal ways of the former. When Hamlet communicates with the commoners who are his friends, he also speaks in prose. For example, when he speaks to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, he says “….how noble in reason! how infinite in faculty! in form and moving how express and admirable! in action how like an angel!” (Act 2 scene 2). This can also be used to reveal Hamlet’s character as being a humble man despite the fact that he is the prince of his country. 

Motif

Throughout the play, the motif of incest is alluded to especially when there are conversations concerning the relationship between Claudius and Gertrude. These allusions stem from the way these two are referred to in conversations between Hamlet and his father’s ghost. One gets the sense that the marriage between Claudius and Gertrude is forbidden and that their being united is an act of incest. These two were previously brother- and sister-in-laws and despite this, with the death of Gertrude’s husband, she chooses to be with her husband’s brother. In addition, the way Laertes speaks of his sister Ophelia, especially after her death has overtones of incestuous desire within it. This desire is seen in sexually suggestive terms and in action when as Ophelia is being buried, Laertes jumps into her grave and holds her. One of the most revealing suggestion of incest in the play is the obsession which Hamlet has with the sex life of his mother and his uncle. Another motif that can be seen in the play is that of misogyny and this is seen through Hamlet’s reaction to his mother’s marriage to his uncle. The disappointment and abandonment which he feels leads him to come to look down upon women as mere weaklings. This acts as an inhibitor to the relationships which Hamlet has with the women in his life since he considers them to be frail creatures that cannot be trusted. The hatred towards women that Hamlet feels is what brings him to tell his mother, “Frailty, thy name is woman” (Act 1 scene 2).

Significance

The play is highly significant because it is a revelation of the true nature of human beings in the world. One of the most noteworthy themes in the play is that of ambition and this is seen when Claudius takes steps to eliminate his own brother so that he can not only take his throne but also his wife. In addition, once it is revealed to Hamlet that it is his uncle, who killed his father; his main ambition in life is to ensure that he takes revenge on Claudius on behalf of his father. The dark tone which is dominant in the play is also highly significant because it is a revelation of the dark nature of human beings. Human beings are often blinded by their own needs and they cease to care about the needs of those with whom they share their lives. This can be seen through Gertrude’s reaction to her son’s dark mood when she ends up believing that he is going mad. If only she had thought to dig deeper into her son’s thoughts, perhaps the real reason for his dark mood would have been revealed and as a result, the tragic events at the end of the play would have been avoided. It can, therefore, be said that the play is significant since it reveals the true nature of the life which human beings have to live.

 References

Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Farnham, United Kingdom: Scolar Press, 1969.

The Monster by Mary Shelley

When one considers the novel The Monster by Mary Shelley, one comes to the conclusion that it is a work based on the study of morality. The morality of the main character, The Monster, is clearly presented and it shows the conflict between the religion and nature. It can be said that despite the fact that Shelley was a well known atheist, who did not believe in the role of God in the lives of mankind, the events that take place in the life of the main protagonist are full of biblical allusions. It is a stark contrast to the beliefs of Shelley, which after reading the text would come into question since she was a believer of the in born morality that can be found in mankind. Shelley’s belief that the God is nonexistent and that man has the ability to choose his own destiny is clearly in contrast with what she writes in the novel. The biblical allusions that can be related to the life of The Monster and his creator are in conflict with what Shelley believed, and because of this, one would come to the conclusion that despite her denying it, Shelley was a believer in the existence of God and His influence in the lives of men. It can further be said that Shelley may have found it difficult to separate the religious beliefs that were current in her time from her own personal convictions, and this is expressed through the confusion through which The Monster undergoes in his attempt to find his place in the world.

Despite Shelley’s atheistic beliefs, one can conclude that she was a keen reader of the bible and this is why The Monster is so full of allusions. When one considers The Monster, one would be tempted to compare it to the story of Cain in the bible. While this may not have been Shelley’s original intention when portraying this character, it can be said that it came about unconsciously, since The Monster is rejected both by the society, when he attempts to become a part of it, and by God, since the latter is not the one who created him. The separation which The Monster feels is like that of Cain since he is forced to wander the earth alone without any support from either his creator or from the society. In addition, it can be said that The Monster experiences the same rejection which was experienced by Cain in the bible. The story is meant to show the atheistic beliefs of the author, but it eventually comes to do the exact opposite as seen when Victor, The Monster’s creator, comes to be disgusted by what he has created. This is a sign that despite Shelley’s belief that human beings are superior in their own right, there are limits to their knowledge. Humans do not have the capacity to bear the knowledge and to become creators the way God in the bible is portrayed. The morality of the ability of human beings to create life comes into question, because they do not have the capacity to accept their creations, instead looking upon them as abominations, the way Victor does towards his creation.

One of the most significant parts of the story is when, after creating the Monster, Victor becomes horrified by what he has done because his creation is a grotesque creature. While this may have been true, the Victor does not act like a creator would, because of the fact that he knew exactly what he was creating and could have designed it in any way he wanted to. This turns out not to be the case and his hatred for his creation leads to the Monster reciprocating the same feelings towards its creator. This leads to the Monster going to the extent of killing the brother of its creator in an attempt to hurt him. Victor, on the other hand, refuses to take responsibility for his creation and as a consequence, he is indirectly the reason for some of the bad actions that are taken by it. The Monster demands that his creator creates a mate for him, because since he is not able to fit into the human society and he is hated by the one who created him. The Monster, because he is unable to enter human society, considers himself to be the first of a new species and this is why he demands a mate from his creator. While Victor initially agrees to these demands, he comes to regret this action and destroys the female companion that he was creating for the Monster.

Mary Shelley’s story has been considered by some to be a substitute expression of the feelings which were troubling here deeply because due to the not often cordial relationship between herself and her husband. It has been said to have been an attempt to express her true feelings of the hurt she was undergoing. One would even go as far as to say that she may have related herself directly with the Monster because of the fact that he was shunned by the man who had created him. The idea is that the Monster was a representation of the rage that was going through Shelley because of the hurt that she felt because of her husband’s treatment of her and their relationship. The events which took place in the novel, especially in those places where the Monster expressed his sense of alienation were a true representation of Shelley’s feelings. The issue of morality comes into question in the novel, since the question being asked is whether Victor Frankenstein was right in creating the Monster then after it came to life, rejected it in disgust. It can be suggested that the Monster is a representation of Mary Shelly while Victor is a representation of her husband. Victor’s rejection of the monster is an expression of how Shelley felt when her husband rejected her and was unfaithful. In essence, one would say that Frankenstein is a novel which represents the feelings of Shelley during her early married life.

In conclusion, it can be said that the novel is a representation of the conflict between nature and the ability of human beings as creators. As has been stated above, the biblical allusions that can be related to the life of The Monster and his creator are in conflict with what Shelley believed, and because of this, one would come to the conclusion that Shelley was a believer in the existence of God and His influence in the lives of men. The novel is a story concerning the Monster’s attempt to search for a purpose and a place to belong in life. All these attempts turn out to be futile and as a result, the Monster comes to become bitter towards the person who created him. The novel shows man as a destroyer, because after creating the Monster, he comes to fear his ugliness and because of this ends up neglecting it. Furthermore, he chooses to destroy the female companion he was making for the Monster because of his belief that it did not have the right to exist and to propagate itself. This shows that while man has the ability to create, he is not able to take responsibility for his creations once he seen that what he has made is faulty. Finally, the personal life of Mary Shelley can be seen to be tightly entwined with the story in Frankenstein and because of this, it can be viewed as a fictional representation of the real life events that she was undergoing.

Abandoned by Guy de Maupassant

‘Abandoned’ is the story of a woman who has an illegitimate child from an affair she has in her youth. However, in order to avoid the public embarrassment which this child would have caused, she and her lover choose to give it away to a peasant couple to raise as their own child. Despite the fact that she gave her child up after birth, the woman does not forget him and continues to wish that she can see him again. The story begins forty years after the woman gives up her child when she brings her husband to the town close to where her son lives. With them is s close friend of the woman who also happens to have been her lover, and father of her child. The husband is oblivious of the reason for his wife bringing him to this town and he complains bitterly about it. When she asks him to take her for a walk, he refuses to do so and instead encourages her to ask her friend to take her. The woman and her former lover leave for the farm in which their son resides. Both of them seem to be anxious to see him again, but while the woman is emotional about the encounter, her friend hides his true feelings, stating that the woman is going to betray them to their son. The main fear of the friend is that their son might find out about them being his parents, and because of their social status, might decide to blackmail them.

The two former lovers continue to walk along the path and after asking for directions arrive at their son’s farm, which at first sight it seems to be a prosperous one. However, on their arrival, there is no one at home except for a young girl who tells them that she does not know where her father is while her mother has gone after the cows. When the girl’s mother returns, it is noted that she looks older than her true age and that she limps on her right leg. At first, she ignores the two visitors completely after looking at them with anger and suspicion. The woman’s friend calls her back and to get her attention, asks her to sell them some milk. The opportunity to make money makes the woman suddenly become extremely courteous and she immediately gets them the milk they want. The former lovers take this opportunity to make enquiries concerning their son, who as they speak of him, comes home. At first sight of him, the couple is extremely shocked at what they see. Their son, despite being only forty years old, is bent over like an old man and has lost the vigor which a man of his age should have. The woman is so shocked and distraught that she asks her former lover that they leave their son’s farm. She blames her former lover of having destroyed their son’s life, while he defends himself by stating that he did what he had to do. When they get back to the place where they are staying, they choose to behave as if nothing had happened that afternoon.

The Performance of Macbeth

The performance of Macbeth by various theatrical groups has, from its beginnings to the present, been based on an attempt to replicate the original situation as was written by Shakespeare. The fact that this attempt has continued to be of immense influence in the performance of this play shows just how the individuals who are involved in it are conscious of the importance of depicting the play in an accurate way. Macbeth is one of the greatest plays and works that were created by Shakespeare for performance on stage and because of this; it has remained exceedingly popular to the present day. When this play is performed in theatres, one will find that most of the scenes remain loyal to the original play since changing any aspect of the script within Macbeth would be detrimental to it on stage. One of the most notable aspects of the play is the fact that some the characters, especially Macbeth, are portrayed in a very negative light, and he ends up doing things that are morally wrong. In the performance of the play, this happens despite these characters having the knowledge that what they are doing is wrong, they tend to do it because of the belief that they are within their rights. For the duration of most of the play, it can be seen that the various actors attempt to remain loyal to the original script often depicting the characters in the play in the most realistic manner as possible. In order to create a situation where there is a contrast of characters that leads the play to its culmination, the performance of the various actors is often crucial in the depiction of the laying bare of the original plot of the play for the audience and this keeps the latter interested in the play.

Just like in the original performance of Macbeth, the actors on the current stage performances often use the characters’ personalities, as depicted in the original script of the play, as well as other events to convince the audience that what they are viewing is the real plot of the film. By doing this, these actors ensure that they maintain the element of revelation that often serves to captivate their audiences at the high point of the play. These stage actors attempt to depict the characters in a way that is almost as exactly as Shakespeare did in his play and by being loyal to the script; the play follows the same course of events as when it is performed on the Shakespearean stage. The performance of Macbeth on stage is highly significant because it is a revelation of the true nature of human beings in the medieval Scotland as told in the sources that Shakespeare used in writing the play. One of the most noteworthy themes in the play, in any of its performances, is that of ambition and this is seen when Macbeth takes steps to take the throne of Scotland despite the fact that he is not in direct line to the said throne. The dark tone which is dominant in the play is also highly significant because it is a revelation of the dark nature of Macbeth and his wife because it shows that they are blinded by their own needs and they cease to care about the needs of those with whom they share their lives.

In the performance of the play, it can be said that the actors put a lot of thought in their characters especially when it comes to the physical appearance of the said characters. In performances, it is seen that the actors seem to be selected from those people who are similar in appearance to the characters that are depicted in the play. This gives the audience the opportunity to appreciate the various characters within the play and to identify with them in a more intimate way than if their appearance were changed. In addition, there is the potential that many of the audience prefer the characters on the stage to remain loyal to the original. It can therefore be said that the performances of the play are highly successful because they ensure that there is a sense of continuity from the original play by Shakespeare. It can be concluded that when the performance of Macbeth is done on stage in the current period, most of the actors tend to remain absolutely loyal not only to the appearance of their characters but also to the original script and this goes a long way in making the play authentic.