Shakespeares presentation of the characters of Hal and Hotspur in Henry IV Essay Example for Free

Shakespeares presentation of the characters of Hal and Hotspur in Henry IV Essay Compare Shakespeares presentation of the characters of Hal and Hotspur in Henry IV Part 1 The two main characters in Henry IV Part 1 are named Hal and Hotspur. They are two very contrasting characters. Hal (actual name Henry Bolingbrook) is the son of the king, Henry IV. Hotspur (Harry Percy) is the son of Lord Northumberland. His family is very wealthy and powerful, and at the start of the play they are fighting for the King because they are good friends with him. Things soon turn sour though, when the short-tempered Hotspur, egged on by his scheming uncle, Lord Worcester, falls out with the King and vows to get revenge on him. This essay describes the numerous differences between the two young men. In his fathers eyes, Hal mixes with the wrong sort of people, and this is probably true. He spends a lot of his time with thieves like Gadshill, liars like Falstaff, and drunkards like Bardolph. The King is very disappointed with the way his son behaves, and he makes this clear right at the beginning of the play. Whilst I by looking on the praise of him [HOTSPUR] see riot and dishonour stain the brow of my young Harry he confides in Westmoreland. He even goes as far as wishing that Hotspur was his son instead of Hal! Oh that it could be proved that some night-tripping fairy had exchangedour children where they lay. Hotspur is an aggressive, short-tempered character. He always says what he thinks, no matter who is around, and this characteristic tends often to get him into hot water. He forbad my tongue to speak of Mortimer, but I will find him when he lies asleep and in his ear Ill holla Mortimer! he says in one of his many rants about the King. Hal is almost the exact opposite of Hotspur in this respect, he is very laid-back, and keeps his thoughts to himself rather than blurting them out like Hotspur. When asked if he was afraid of Glendower and the rebels, he replies nonchalantly Not a whit ifaith, showing his relaxed manner. Hal is not as flippant with his remarks as Hotspur. He keeps himself to himself. This is made clear to the audience when he reveals in an aside that his mixing with disreputable people is a scheming plan to eventually glorify himself when he turns over a new leaf. He reveals this quite late in the play, which is done on purpose to show that he has been keeping it to himself for quite a while, giving the audience the impression that he is a scheming and calculating person. Hotspur is obsessed with war and politics, whereas at the start of the play it seems like Hal couldnt care less. I love thee not; I care not for thee Kate when I am a-horseback I will swear that I love thee infinitely says Hotspur, who we know loves Kate very much, but when there is a battle approaching he doesnt care about anything else. Although at the start of the play Hal seems disinterested in war and politics, it later emerges that he is almost as fanatical about it as Hotspur. Hal, when he insults people, does it behind their back, and is much more subtle than Hotspur. In Act 2 Scene 4 Hal has a dig at Hotspur while laughing and joking in the tavern, whereas Hotspur criticises the King while he is just meters away from him in Act 1 Scene 3. He forbad my tongue to speak of Mortimer, but I will find him when he lies asleep and in his ear Ill holla Mortimer! he rants. Hotspur often mentions Gods name in his speeches. And God defend but still I should stand so he says at one point in the play, and Welcome, Sir Walter Blunt; and would to God you were of our determination! he says at another time. Frequent mention of Gods name was an important part of public rhetoric, in contrast to todays society where faith in God is no longer an essential part of the political or judicial process. Harry does not mention God as often, perhaps hinting at either a lack of faith or a lack of knowledge and experience of rhetoric. This comparison demonstrates how Hal has much to learn about being a successful speaker, and in a broader sense about life as a noble in general, whereas Hotspur seems to have already picked the idea up. Hotspur is very disorganised, and doesnt plan ahead. He thinks on the spot, and has a tendency to let himself down as he sometimes makes poor decisions when he is under pressure. A plague upon it! I have forgot the map he exclaims, when the whole point of the meeting he was attending was to use the map to divide up land. Hal is more of a forward-thinker, as proved with his long-term plan to make people disapprove of him and then to change his ways in the future. Hal controls events himself, whereas Hotspur lets his temper control events, and lets himself be egged on by crafty people like his uncle Worcester. An example of how easy Hotspur is to manipulate is the way he is subtly encouraged by Worcester to fall out with the king. Hotspur uses lots of expletives and exclamations, whereas Hal uses much more relaxed language most of the time. A two-faced side of Hostpur emerges in Act 4 Scene 3, where he acts very warmly towards the enemys messenger. Welcome, Sir Walter Blunt some of us love you well, and even those some envy your great deservings and good name. he says. Hal is also two-faced in a way, because he mixes with dishonourable people even though he doesnt even want to. Of course he pretends to want to when he is around them. Both Hal and Hotspur are admired by people on the opposite sides to them. In Act 4 Scene 1 Vernon compares Hal to the Gods, using lots of philosophical metaphors, much to Hotspurs displeasure. Rise from the ground like feathered Mercury he proclaims in a description of Hal. The King shows his respect for Hotspur as well by calling him Mars in swaddling clothes. They are both respected by their enemies, and both seem to be unappreciated by their own sides. So as you can see, although Hal and Hotspur at first seem like very contrasting characters, as the play progresses you begin to notice more and more similarities between them.

Analysis of Characters from The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy E

Analysis of Characters from The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy A young Scot who arrives in Casterbridge at about the same time as Susan and Elizabeth-Jane, Donald Farfrae becomes Michael Henchard’s business manager. He quickly becomes Henchard’s only trusted friend and, later, his adversary in both business and love. Hardy draws Farfrae as Henchard’s counterpart in every way. He is physically small, polite and charming, careful and controlled, forward thinking, and methodical. Whereas Henchard propels his fate through moments of rash behavior, Farfrae is cool and calculating in all he does. Although his personality is friendly and engaging, Farfrae maintains a certain detachment from people and events, always considering the possible consequences of his decisions and actions before he makes them. As a result, his path through life is as smooth as Henchard’s is rough. Farfrae initiates a relationship with Henchard by providing information that is a great help to Henchard in solving a business problem and by refusing Henchard’s offer of payment for the information. Henchard is so grateful and impressed that he talks Farfrae into abandoning his plans to go to America and convinces him to take a job as Henchard’s business manager. Because Farfrae is more organized and methodical than Henchard, the business prospers under his management. Farfrae is ambitious enough to eventually go into business for himself, though, and this enrages Henchard even though Farfrae, in his typically principled way, tries to minimize competition between the two firms. Farfrae courts Elizabeth-Jane and even hints that he would marry her if he were in a financial position to do so, but when he meets the newly wealth... ...ng woman who, like Henchard, suffers several reversals of fortune and ends badly. Henchard has an affair with her before Susan arrives in Casterbridge, and this affair ruins Lucetta’s reputation. To try to repair the damage, Henchard, thinking that Susan is probably dead, offers to marry Lucetta. Before the marriage takes place, though, Susan returns, and Henchard must call off the wedding. After Susan dies, Lucetta inherits wealth, and Henchard renews his interest in her. Lucetta is more interested in Farfrae, though, and marries him. When Lucetta’s old letters to Henchard become public, the scandal of their affair returns to haunt them both, and Lucetta is so distraught by this that she suffers a seizure and dies. Farfrae soon realizes that Lucetta was not a good match for him and that, had she lived, their marriage would not have been happy. Themes

Mankind Harming Environment

I believed that mankind harms our environment. During the earliest times, the life-styles of our ancestors were very simple. The air they breathed was clean. The streams were clear and free of harmful organisms. They used natural fertilizers for the agricultural crops. The surroundings were free of household throwaways. Today, there has been a tremendous growth in science and technology. Such advances have brought about changes in terms of new products, improved equipment, and more effective methodologies. Unfortunately, this same technology which made life easier for us produced wastes which are now affecting the quality of our surrounding air, water, and land. Factories and motor vehicles send tones of pollutants into our air. Excessive air pollution poses a danger to our health. It can likewise cause stunted growth and even death to our plants. Out streams are polluted by discharges from industrial plants that use chemicals. Garbage and sink wastes are carelessly thrown in our surroundings. Synthetic fertilizers and insecticides pollute our land and farm products (Allaby, 2002). Are we all aware of the extent of the damages brought about by modernization? Have we contributed to such environmental pollution? What have we done to minimize such danger to our lives? How can we take care of our environment? We must undertake measures to conserve and preserve our resources and minimize utilization of energy before it’s too late. Our fight against pollution is an initial step toward conserving our environmental resources and energy. We must all join hands for this common goal. Reference: Allaby, Michael. (2002). Basics of Environmental Science. Routledge. London.

Symbolism In The Things They Carried - 1368 Words

The Things They Carried Lorraine Fonger South University Composition III/Literature ENG1300 Colette Morrow October 29, 2017 The Things They Carried How many â€Å"things† do you carry with you every day? Everybody carries things that symbolize who they are or where they are from. Those things may be heavy, light, or even things that you cannot see. In the short story â€Å"The Things They Carried† by Tim O’Brien, he introduces a lot of symbolism in every object mentioned, many of them you can see, some you can’t see. In this short story, the narrator tells of the burdens carried by each soldier and the meanings of these things to the men. The things they carried described in detail the soldier’s emotional issues in their lives†¦show more content†¦Often, they would share the load of machinery by taking turns carrying the equipment and giving relief to the men that routinely carried it. This is just some of the things that were specialized to an individual according to their size or skill. But the soldiers also carried things that weren’t so necessary, yet they would bring these things along anyway for certain personal reasons and a sense of security. Not only did the soldiers carry heavy physical burdens, they carried heavy emotional burdens of fear and the need to maintain ties to home. According to Evans, â€Å"Grief, terror, love, longing—these were intangibles, but the intangibles had their own mass and specific gravity, they had tangible weight† (Evans, 2015). O’Brien clearly defines one of the hardest things the men had to carry, â€Å"By and large they carried these things inside, maintaining the masks of composure.† (O’Brien, 1990, p. 184). Henry Dobbins, who was a big man, always had a lot of extra food with him. He burned up food very quickly and went through food much faster than most. He would also carry his girlfriend’s pantyhose around his neck. This was his way of telling everybody that he had a girlfriend at home and was sexually active when he had breaks. The pantyhose symbolized his masculinity and the normal, rational existence of home. Ted Lavender was the guy who carried tranquilizers, 6-7 ounces of dope, and more rounds of ammunition thanShow MoreRelatedSymbolism in The Things They Carried Essay1104 Words   |  5 PagesA. Park The Things They Carried The symbols in Tim O’Brien’s â€Å"The Things They Carried† are essential to understanding the soldiers and their lives during the Vietnam War. At the opening of the story, Lieutenant Jimmy Cross would dig into his foxhole and read the letters while imagining romance with Martha; however, at the end of the story after the death of Ted Lavender, he â€Å"crouched at the bottom of his foxhole and burned Martha’s letters† (402). The inner feelings of Cross would be mistakenlyRead MoreEssay about The Things they Carried Symbolism772 Words   |  4 Pages The Things They Carried: Essay Prompt Two Tim O’Brien writes about both the physical objects they carry as well as their emotional burdens. The objects that these soldiers carry serve as a symbolism for what they are carrying in their hearts and minds. The soldiers carry items varying from pantyhose, medicine, tanning oil, and pictures. Jimmy Cross is an inexperienced sophomore in college, he signs up for the Reserve Officers Training Camp because his friends are doing the course. Jimmy Cross doesn’tRead MoreSymbolism In Tim OBriens The Things They Carried1969 Words   |  8 Pagesstory â€Å"The Things They Carried† (pg. 433), the story follows Lieutenant Jimmy Cross and his command during the Vietnam War. Lieutenant Cross constantly spends most of his time fantasizing about a girl named Martha, who he has an unrequited crush on. However after witnessing the death of one of his soldiers, while he was preoccupied thinking about Martha, Cross feels guilty and realizes that he needs to focus on leading his command. I believe that O’Brien’s â€Å"The Things They Carried† use imageryRead MoreSymbolism in Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried Essays978 Words   |  4 Pagesexperience in Vietnam, â€Å"The Things They Carried† is a short story that introduces the reader to the experiences of soldiers away at war. O’Brien uses potent metaphors with a third person narrator to shape each character. In doing so, the reader is able to sympathize with the internal and external struggles the men endure. These symbolic comparisons often give even the smallest details great literary weight, due to their dual meanings. The symbolism in â€Å"The Things They Carried† guides the reader throughRead MoreSymbolism in Tim O Briens quot;The Things They Carriedquot;605 Words   |  3 PagesSymbolism In The Things They Carried In Tim OBriens story The Things They Carried we see how OBrien uses symbolism in order to indirectly give us a message and help us to connect to what the soldiers are thinking and feeling. During a war soldiers tend to take with them items from home kind of as a security blanket. The items they normally take with them tend to reveal certain characteristics of their personality. Henry Dobbins is the guy who loves to eat so he made sure he took someRead MoreHeroism In Tim OBriens The Things They Carried1684 Words   |  7 Pageswar. A more realistic rendition of war is seen in Tim O’Brien’s short story, The Things They Carried. Throughout the story, O’Brien uses metafictional characters to portray the physical and emotional burdens carried by American soldiers who were forced to conform to societal expectations upon being drafted for the Vietnam War. The literary elements O’Brien uses throughout the story to convey this theme are symbolism, imagery, tone, and inner conflict of the protagonist. The Vietnam War, which lastedRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien865 Words   |  4 Pageswho enter here.† Dante Alighieri. Hope is an anodyne. In times of war many soldiers require a buffer to alleviate the pain of witnessing the horrors of the war zone reality. This may manifest as emotional baggage, a reoccurring theme in â€Å"The Things They Carried† by Tim O’Brien. Emotional baggage transcends the physical weight it manifests that was in the soldier’s packs. Emotional baggage can manifest as something intangible, like an obsession, or take on physical weight and mass, like something thatRead MoreEssay about Literary Techniques in The Things They Carried1276 Words   |  6 PagesIn The Things They Carried, Tim O’Brien uses many such techniques to provide more depth to his book. Four literary techniques used by Tim O’Brien are symbolism, pathetic fallacy, irony, and juxtaposition. One literary technique prominent in The Things They Carried, particularly in the story by the same name, is symbolism. Throughout this story, O’Brien mentions all the things that the soldiers carry with them, both physical and emotional. However, the physical items that the men carried is moreRead MoreThe Things They Carried by Tim OBrien1154 Words   |  5 PagesThe novel The Things They Carried by Tim OBrien begins by Mr. OBrien describing his dramatical events that happened during the middle of his Vietnam experience while he was fighting in the war. Mr. OBrien received his draft notice in the month of June in the year of 1968. When he received this notice Mr. OBrien had feelings of confusion, and that drove him to go north to the Canadian border, and it had him contemplating if he wanted to cross it or not because he does not want to be forced toRead MoreSymbolism In The Tell Tale Heart And The Tell Tale Heart987 Words   |  4 Pages How does the symbolism affect the meaning of a written piece, does it make it more or less important? Symbolism is used to represent ideas; that may imply deeper, hidden meaning than what the text directly states. Symbolism can be used in different ways throughout different books; for example, â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart†, by Edgar Allen Poe and â€Å"Once upon a Time†, by Nadine Gordimer, contain a variety of symbolism that have the possibility of having two or more meanings. The problem with this is identifying