The Characterization within Hamlet Essay -- GCSE English Literature Co

The Characterization within Hamlet      Ã‚   This essay will inform the reader regarding the characterization found in Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet – whether the dramatis personae are three-dimensional or two-dimensional, dynamic or static, and other aspects of the character portrayal.    John Dover Wilson in What happens in Hamlet tells how the Bard is capable of even bringing realism to a ghost:    Shakespeare’s Ghost is both a revenge-ghost and a prologue-ghost, that is to say from the technical point of view it corresponds with its Senecan prototype. But there the likeness ends; for it is one of Shakespeare’s glories that he took the conventional puppet, humanised it, christianized it, and made it a figure that his spectators would recognize as real, as something which might be encountered in any lonely graveyard at midnight.[. . .] The Ghost in Hamlet comes, not from a mythical Tartarus, but from the place of departed spirits in which post-medieval England, despite a veneer of Protestantism, still believed at the end of the sixteenth century. And in doing this, in making horror more awesome by giving it a contemporary spiritual background, Shakespeare managed at the same time to lift the whole ghost-business on to a higher level, to transform a ranting roistering abstraction into a thing at once tender and majestical. (56-57)    The genius of the Bard is revealed in his characterization. Brian Wilkie and James Hurt in Literature of the Western World examine the universal appeal of   Shakespeare resulting from his â€Å"sharply etched characters†:    Every age from Shakespeare’s time to the present has found something different in him to admire. All ages, however, have recognized his supreme skill in inv... ...tts Institute of Technology. 1995. http://www.chemicool.com/Shakespeare/hamlet/full.html    West, Rebecca. â€Å"A Court and World Infected by the Disease of Corruption.† Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardo. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. from The Court and the Castle. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1957.    Wilkie, Brian and James Hurt. â€Å"Shakespeare.† Literature of the Western World. Ed. Brian Wilkie and James Hurt. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1992.    Wilson, John Dover. What happens in Hamlet. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1959.    Wright, Louis B. and Virginia A. LaMar. â€Å"Hamlet: A Man Who Thinks Before He Acts.† Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardo. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. from The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Ed. Louis B. Wright and Virginia A. LaMar. N. p.: Pocket Books, 1958.      

Naming of Parts Essay

1. What is the ‘naming of parts’ that the title of the poem refers to? The naming of parts refers to the riï ¬â€še lesson in the poem, with the soldiers being taught about the parts of the riï ¬â€še. 2. The ï ¬ rst stanza identiï ¬ es the timeframe of this poem. Explain why ‘yesterday’, ‘today’ and ‘tomorrow’ might be signiï ¬ cant. This talks about the past, present and future, which is why it is signiï ¬ cant. 3. Explain the simile that compares Japonica to coral (lines 4-5). Japonica is a pink ï ¬â€šower that blossoms in bunches on trees in the spring. The poem compares the colour of the japonica to coral, and how it glows and shines. It talks about the beauty of the ï ¬â€šowers, and compares it to that of the coral. 4. In which lines is the title line repeated? What is the effect of this repetition? The line is repeated four times in the whole poem, three times in the ï ¬ rst stanza and once in the last. The effect of the repetition is that it ties the poem together, and it puts emphasis on the title. 5. Who do you think is speaking in this poem and who do you think is being addressed? Give reasons for your answer. I think that the speaker in this poem is a soldier that has just been recruited, and is being taught about how to use his riï ¬â€še. In my opinion, the poem is addressing the soldier himself, or maybe the world, and people in war. 6. In the second stanza, what is meant by the metaphor concerning the branches, and what is meant by the description of them as making ‘silent, eloquent gestures’? I think that Reed is describing the simple beauty of nature, and perhaps how the branches can be compared to human limbs, with gestures that are elegant and expressive. 7. Why do you think the poet has drawn attention to the piling swivel, â€Å"Which in our case we have not got† (line 12)? I presume that Reed has drawn attention to the piling swivel to show that the soldiers are in training, and have not yet received their own riï ¬â€šes, and therefore do not have the piling swivel. 8. The word ‘ï ¬ nger’ is used in two different contexts in the third stanza. What is the meaning of each, and what do you think is the effect of using both in close proximity? The ï ¬ rst mention of the word is a literal context, meaning that they need to use their thumb to release the safety catch, and not their ï ¬ nger. The second seems to me as if it is a comparison of the instructor and the blossoms of a plant. I think that it is so because the soldier has drifted off, and is looking at ï ¬â€šowers while listening to the instructor talk about not using ï ¬ ngers. 9. The fourth stanza begins with the word ‘And’ (line 19). What is the effect of this? It seems like it is a continuation of another sentence, or something that the instructor has said before. It gives us a way to link the ï ¬ rst part of all the stanzas together, as if the nature part of the previous stanza was something completely different. 10. In the same stanza, the phrase ‘easing the spring’ is used twice with two different meanings. What effect is created when these two ideas are considered side by side? The ï ¬ rst meaning is to ease the spring in a riï ¬â€še, a mechanical and literal reference. In the second mention however, the word spring is capitalized, and is referring to the season. When these two are compared to each other, the ï ¬ rst seems like a comparison to war and destruction because of the riï ¬â€še’s use to do so, and the second contrasts with references to reproduction and giving life. It makes a contrast between giving and taking life. 11. There is a lot of imagery associated with sexual reproduction. Give some examples of these words and explain how this language might contribute to the theme of the poem. The â€Å"easing of the spring,† where Reed writes â€Å"rapidly backwards and forwards,† could be associated with sexual reproduction. 12. In contrast, what ideas in the poem evoke the idea of death and destruction? The instructor’s mechanical and almost cynical explanation of how to use the riï ¬â€še, or how to kill and destruct in the war, evokes this idea very clearly. 13. Comment on the phrase: â€Å"..and the point of balance, / Which in our case we have not got†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (lines 27-28). Perhaps this is talking about how the soldier feels that their lives have been thrown out of balance, or how the world is out of balance, engaging in warfare instead of appreciating the beauty of nature around them. 14. Why do you think the poet drew attention to the silence of the almond blossom? (line 29). I do not see any other reason than him wanting to draw attention to the incredible beauty of nature, and how this contrasts with the destructive warfare going on. 15. In your opinion, what is the main theme or message of this poem and how effectively has the poem communicated it? In my opinion, this poem is about the contrasts between the beauty of nature and war. I think this poem communicates this in a very good way once one has read it a few times and identiï ¬ ed the contrasts and metaphors that are hidden. 16. Lastly, write some comments about how your interpretation of the poem has developed since you ï ¬ rst encountered it. Don’t forget to reï ¬â€šect on your artistic interpretations last week – how did they help (or hinder) your growing understanding? Since I ï ¬ rst heard the poem, I have understood more and more of the meaning behind it. At ï ¬ rst, I only grasped the fact that it talks about a riï ¬â€še lesson, and that it probably had a connection to soldiers and war. I did not comprehend the relationship between war and nature that I interpret as the underlying theme now. I didn’t get very much out of the artistic interpretation last week, other than exploring the nature/war relationship more. The destructive versus growth aspect was also explored, and this helped me grasp the meaning of some of the metaphors.

Prison Models - 861 Words

Prison Models There are three models of prisons that have been prominent in American since the early 1940’s: custodial, rehabilitative, and reintegration. Each model is designed differently based on its overriding goal, and this affects the physical design, policies, and programs that are implemented within each of the models. Custodial Model Archaic Purpose: Control, focus is on maintaining security and order. Goal: Punishment, this is the best way to provide deterrence against future crime. Focus: Prisoners must be punished for their wrongdoings and prison life must be made so unpleasant so that offenders will hesitate to commit any new crimes upon release. Theory: Classical, belief that humans operate under†¦show more content†¦Theory: Social disorganization, a lack of education and resources causes community social controls have broken down causing a criminal culture to emerge. By providing an education and allocating the proper resources to inmates to re-enter these communities, you are combatting the forces that keep communities disorganized. Offenders will learn new ways and have better resources and will not look to re-emerge into the criminal culture they came from. Design: Campus, this allows for a more college-like atmosphere so inmates can focus on education, learning new skills, and how to adapt back into society. Management Style: Academic, prison staff and administration are there to teach and guide inmates on the skills and resources needed to reintegrate into society. It is up to the inmate to take advantage of services and programs offered. Inmates are allowed to take an active role in the decision making process, and are encouraged to question processes and procedures. Inmates openly and freely express their opinions. Administrative Style: Responsibility Model, prison administration maintains order by placing limitations but inmates are allowed to self-govern within the restricted environment. Communication is informal and inmates are allowedShow MoreRelatedPrison Socialization And The Correctional Institution1188 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Academics have endeavoured to research and identify models of imprisonment connected with variations in prisoner behaviour within the correctional institution. (Cao, Zhao, Dine, 1997). In corrections institutions there have been two established, yet divided viewpoints which are the â€Å"importation and deprivation† models of imprisonment. Sometimes, in overcrowded prison systems, managing harmony and continuity is vital for both correctional officers and inmates. A disciplinary actionRead MorePrisons Are A Violent Dangerous And Hospitable Place For Any Person1666 Words   |  7 Pages Prisons are a violent, dangerous and hospitable place for any person. 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