Essay about Treatment of Women in Hamlet and Trifles

Treatment of Women in Hamlet and Trifles Of all Shakespeare’s thirty-seven plays, perhaps the best known and loved is Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Many people think that it is unforgettable because of its poetic language and style. But, while these are factors that mark the play as a classic, it remains timeless because it explores many of the issues that are still important to people today. These issues, including loyalty to family and country, protecting loved ones, and deception are still prevalent around the world, and are especially prominent in the United States government. Another play that addresses major issues that are still relevant to society, especially women, is Susan Glaspell’s Trifles. Because Glaspell’s play†¦show more content†¦In his famous soliloquy, Hamlet asks himself, â€Å"To be or not to be, that is the question: Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer / The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune / Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, / And by opposing end them?† (III. i. 56-60). Thus, Hamlet first asks himself whether he should be his father’s avenger or not. More specifically, he asks himself whether it is more righteous to silently endure the rest of his uncle’s reign as king without getting revenge, or to end his suffering by killing his uncle to get revenge as his father wants. When asking himself this question, he is also taking into account his own life and how he might be hurt by keeping his loyalty to his father: To die, to sleep-- / No more—and by a sleep to say we end / The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks / That flesh is heir to! ‘Tis a consummation / Devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep-- / To sleep—perchance to dream. (III. i. 60-65) This shows that he is exploring the possibility that he may also be killed in his search for revenge. It almost sounds as if he is foreshadowing his own death because he says that ending the â€Å"heartache† is something he desires. Therefore, Hamlet seriously questions whether he should remain loyal to his father, because he takesShow MoreRelatedThe Slave Mortality Presented By Nietzsche In His Genealogy1396 Words   |  6 Pagescould that way our frail bodies could survive. This take still has a place in the culture that we face today and in a lot of ways it has no place. Both of the plays The Good Woman of Setzuan by Bertolt Brecht and Trifles by Susan Glaspell depict worlds that are full of evil. In Trifles, a woman murders her husband and two of her friends justify it by using the slave s morality. He took away her ability to sing so it is justifiable that she killed him. Glaspell makes it clear that the house was â€Å"notRead MoreExpo5600 Words   |  23 PagesMacbeth: Easy Questions, Difficult Answers DERICK MARSH Macbeth is not an obscure play. The course of the action, unlike that of Hamlet, can easily be summarized. Most readers and audiences can come to some general agreement on what the play is about, provided that they can offer answers to the two major questions of understanding that the play poses. These answers, it need hardly be said, cannot be precise and absolute, since Shakespeare s plays, like life, never allow us the delusion of perfectRead MoreDuchess Of Malf Open Learn10864 Words   |  44 Pagesthe publication Anita Pacheco and David Johnson (eds) (2012) The Renaissance and Long Eighteenth Century, published by The Open University and Bloomsbury Academic. Learning outcomes After studying this unit you should be able to: understand the treatment of the themes of love and death in Acts 1 and 2 of John Webster’s play The Duchess of Malfi examine other related themes and concerns of Acts 1 and 2 carry out textual analysis recognise some of the historical contexts of the play. Background JohnRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare and Macbeth8813 Words   |  36 Pagesstory;  Macbeth  contains many examples of imagery and language that Shakespeare borrowed directly from his source, a practice common to all writers. For example, compare these words of Holinshed with Shakespeares words. Holinshed: What manner of women (saith he) are you, that seeme so little favourable unto me, whereas to my fellow heere, besides high offices, ye assign also the kingdom? Banquho My noble partner / You greet with present grace, and great prediction / Of noble having, and of royal

Malcolm X An Emotional Breakdown - 851 Words

Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little. He was born May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska. His parents were Louis Norton Little and Earl Little. His parents had eight children. His mother was a homemaker and his father was an outspoken Baptist leader. His father’s civil rights activism got him sent death threats from the Black Legion. This made his family relocate twice before his fourth birthday. In 1929, his home in Lansing, Michigan was burned. In 1931, when Malcolm was only six years old, his father’s body was found lying across the town’s train tracks. Several years after, Malcolm’s mother had an emotional breakdown. She was sent to a mental institution, making the children be split up into foster homes and orphanages. In 1946, he and his friend Malcolm Jarvis got arrested and charged for burglary charges. He was sentenced ten years in prison, but he was let out on parole after seven years. Later, he was in a period of self-enlightenment. His brother, Reginald, often visited him. When he visited, they would talk about Muslim religion. His brother belonged to the Nation of Islam. Malcolm had begun to study the teachings of the leader, Elijah Muhammad. By the time he was paroled, he was a devoted follower of the NOI. He changed his last name to â€Å"X’, because â€Å"Little† was a slave name, and â€Å"X† would represent his lost tribal name. X was made a minister and national spokesman for the NOI. He was also charged with establishing new mosques in Detroit and Harlem. He used paper columns,Show MoreRelatedQuitting Was Not An Option For Malcolm X918 Words   |  4 Pages Quitting was not an option for Malcolm X. Throughout his problematic life, Malcolm had to deal with so many obstacles in his way of success. He faced orphanage at an early age due to his father’s death and mother’s insanity, got caught up in criminal activity and even went to prison because of his actions. When he believed he found his calling in the religious group, the Nation of Islam, he was eventually betrayed by it’s leader, Elijah Muhammad, and was absolutely broken. Anyone in hisRead MoreMalcolm Xs Life and Accomplishments628 Words   |  3 PagesMalcolm X, Born name Malcolm Little, was born in Omaha, Nebraska on May 19, 1925. His mother was Louise Norton, which had eight children including Malcolm. His fatherâ€⠄¢s name was Earl Little, who was a Baptist preacher and strong supporter of the Black Nationalist leader Marcus Garvey. Before Malcolm’s fourth birthday, the family was forced twice to relocate due to death threats from the white supremacist organization, Black Legion. Despite their efforts to get away from them in 1929, the Legion burnedRead MoreEssay on The Civil Rights Movement: Malcolm X1135 Words   |  5 Pagesdifferent than King’s protests, he did his part and help with equality. This man was Malcolm Little, more famously known as Malcolm X. After a rough upbringing, Malcolm X led protests that differed which ended with his assassination. His protesting didn’t start when the Civil Rights Movement started; it started with his rough childhood. He was born on May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska. He was born with the name Malcolm Little. His mother was Louise Norton Little. She was a homemaker occupied with theRead MoreMalcolm X : A Man Who Changed American History1453 Words   |  6 Pages Malcolm X The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told by Alex Haley is the story about a man who greatly impacted American history. Malcolm Little, or Malcolm X as he is more widely known, taught what he believed in regards to segregation, racism, and discrimination. Growing up in a large family with a father Earl Little, a Baptist minister, and his mother Louis Little who was a homemaker, Malcolm’s life at the time seemed very promising. His father’s involvement in support of the BlackRead MoreThe Autobiography Of Malcolm X As Told By Alex Haley1442 Words   |  6 PagesThe Autobiography of Malcolm X as told by Alex Haley is the story about a man who greatly impacted American history. Malcolm Little, or Malcolm X as he is more widely known, taught what he believed in regards to segregation, racism, and discrimination. Growing up in a large family with a father Earl Little, a Baptist minister, and his mother Louis Little, who was a homemaker, Malcolm’s life at the time seemed very promising. His father’s involvement in support of the Black National gained him manyRead MoreMalcolm X : All These Things1073 Words   |  5 PagesHicken B8 Malcolm X Minister, political activist, author, ex-convict, self-made man. . . Malcolm X was all these things. Although his ideology was often divisive, no one could deny that he was a central figure of the African-American civil rights movement of the 1960s. From his troubled youth to his religious conversions to his assassination at the age of 39, Malcolm X’s story was often dramatic and always compelling. He was a complex and charismatic figure, and his influence lives on. Malcolm X wasRead MoreDr. Ben Carson As A Leader Of A Nation1638 Words   |  7 Pagesthe United States’ presidential election in 2016. Despite this, some question his ability to lead a nation, considering his lack of political background. Indeed, Carson currently faces issues similar to past leaders in the black community, such as Malcolm X, whose leadership was questioned as they lacked traditional experience. A large part of Carson’s public image is best summed up in his announcement, â€Å"I am not a politician. I don t want to be a politician† (bio). He proclaims, â€Å"Politicians do whatRead MoreThe Beliefs of Martin Luther King Jr. versus Malcolm X Essay1208 Words   |  5 PagesLuther King Jr. versus Malcolm X â€Å"I have a dream, that one day little black boys and black girls will join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sister and brother.† (de Kay 75)†¦Martin Luther King Jr. During the past century, the United States of America has wresled with the problem of inequality between black and white people. Two influential people who helped to combat racism and the inequality of man were Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Martin Luther KingRead MoreEssay on Malcolm X1967 Words   |  8 PagesMalcolm X In the course of human history there will always be change. In order to bring about that change there must be something that is so controversial that it can break people away from the normal routine they have been accustomed to. Few people can raise the amount of attention needed to fuel that controversy. Malcolm X was one of those few that would die trying to achieve that attention. Earl Little was a black Baptist minister and an avid civil rights activist. On May 19, 1925 in OmahaRead MoreMalcolm X And The Civil Rights Era1852 Words   |  8 PagesDuring a very significant time period of American History, many leaders, particularly Malcolm X, rose to prominence during the Civil Rights era. The mid 1900’s was a time of racial segregation, and discrimination leading to a worldwide issue between the black and white races. â€Å"By any means necessary†, a famous quote breeds from this time of racial discrimination which brought together thousands of people to get what th ey as humans deserved. 100 years after the Emancipation Proclamation, African Americans

Unequal and Unethical Treatment of Women in the Middle East Free Essays

History shows many instances of discrimination and unequal rights for women. Women have been looked down upon and been abused by men in many different countries and cultures. There is a history for inequity of women, especially domestic violence and abuse. We will write a custom essay sample on Unequal and Unethical Treatment of Women in the Middle East or any similar topic only for you Order Now These dilemmas have been going on for the many years in the past, and are still going on today, especially in Middle Eastern countries. One major aspect of the situation of abuse towards women is involved with marriage. In many Middle Eastern countries, it is common for parents to arrange or even force a marriage, and for the children to have no say in it (Child Brides). I believe that this is a large part of the cause for aggression and abuse against the women. In an article from Gaza City called Abuse of Women Still Rife in Palestinian Life, Says Study ¬, a girl named Saana described how she had to endure beating from her father and then her husband as well. Saana’s father arranged a marriage for her, and in the second week of marriage her husband started beating her. He had no apparent reason for beating her. Also, after marrying this man, Saana found out that he had been conducting another relationship with a 15-year-old girl. Her husband eventually dumped her back at her parents’ house. In this culture, divorced women have very bad reputations, no matter what the situation is. Because of this, Saana returned home from her physically abusive husband to verbal abuse from her father. Studies in Gaza show that â€Å"†¦more than one in five women say they suffer physical domestic violence but there is not a single women’s shelter. † (Abuse of Women). Although many women are being abused, the government is doing very little, if anything to help them. Even law enforcement officers are very biased. There is basically nothing keeping men from abusing women. Penalties for men who kill or hurt their wives are very insignificant. Also, only male relatives are allowed to file incest charges on behalf of children. Police routinely ‘mediate’ causes of sexual and physical abuse by returning the victims to the ‘care’ of the perpetrators, which obviously doesn’t help the victim at all. Very few women have submitted complaints, though there is so much abuse going on. This may be because they are afraid of their husbands finding out that they complained, and for that reason beating them even more. An article written in 2006 mentioned that of 85 cases of rape in 2003, only in one single case resulted in conviction. (Abuse of Women). According to other online articles, some families arrange marriages for their daughters as young as 7 years old (Child Brides). For example, there was one court case in Saudi Arabia in which a father wanted to allow his 8-year-old daughter to get married to a 47-year-old man. The mother of the daughter was divorced from the father. A relative stated that the mother was determined on getting the marriage overturned. (Eight-year-old girl’s Marriage) There are also some miscellaneous issues about to rights of women, unrelated to marriage. One such example is that women in Saudi Arabia are not allowed to drive cars. A well-known Islamic Scholar named Sheikh Ayed Al-Qarni stated that this rule is based on religious reasons. Al-Qarni set out four clarifying statements: â€Å"One: I do not see women driving cars in our country because of the consequences that would spring from it such as the spread of corruption, women uncovering their hair and faces, mingling between the sexes, men being alone with women and the destruction of the family and society in whole. Two: Sadd Al-Dharaie principle (the closing of doors which could lead to corruption or sinful actions) is one of the values in our religion. Women driving cars is a sinful thing. It is used by those who want to wage a war against purity and hijab. Three: One of the principles of our religion is protecting honor and moral values. Women driving cars would threaten these principl es because of the dire consequences resulting from it. Four: Such public issues must be brought up with the certified religious institution who have the say in such matters as I have said many times before. (Women Driving Cars Is a Sinful Thing: Al-Qarni). Though it may be that a religion includes a rule disallowing women to drive, the women should have a right to choose whether to follow this religious rule or not, and not have to endure any legal punishment if they choose not to. Though it seems that the idea of equal rights for women in the Middle East is an impossible notion, there are actually people who care and are working to solve this issue. In Gaza, there have been non-governmental organizations that have been dedicating effort to reduce domestic violence n the area. One such organization featured on BBC News concluded that a major role in domestic violence is the frustration in men after the stress of political and social issues in Gaza. Abu Fahdi, a former abuser, said, â€Å"For us, the war really begins after the military war is over. Here in Gaza men are supposed to be providers. The siege, the strikes, in one way or another they affect all households in Gaza – poverty, hunger, homelessness. Men are really frustrated. They sometimes take it out on their wives. In Gaza, however, there are few places for a woman to run. â€Å"There are no shelters here. Just clinics where women can get comfort, advice or anti-depressants – more often than not, without their husbands knowing. † (Gazan Women). Psychiatrist Suha Mousa works with women that have faced abusive husbands. She says it’s difficult to work with these women because it can get complicated to intervene in their family lives. She explains that if a husband divorces his wife or if she leaves him and returns home to her father’s house, she could lose all access to her children. It is thought by many that the Islam religion includes unequal rights for women. This is because the Islam religion requires women to be ‘modest’ and wear headscarves to hide their hair and skin. These restrictions make people believe that women are lower than men. Female member of parliament Jamila al-Shanti disagrees greatly with this idea. She believes that a reason for domestic violence is less-than-adequate amount of respect for women. â€Å"From the moment of birth, a baby boy is celebrated. A baby girl is accepted,† she says. Jamila al-Shanti believes that when people say that â€Å"Islam dictates that women should be at the bottom of the pile,† it is not Islam; it is bad traditions and habits that cause this harsh judgment of women. It is the opinion of human rights groups that laws in Gaza deal with cases of violence much too leniently. They usually consider issues like domestic violence or even cases of husbands murdering their wives family affairs. (Gazan Women) These issues in Gaza, Saudi Arabia, and other Middle Eastern countries cause pain and suffering to be part of every-day life for women. As time passes, people work hard to stop such problems that degrade women. They may never be completely wiped out, but they can be greatly reduced if enough people dedicate themselves towards helping this cause. Women deserve equal rights as much as men do, and this is expressed in the Declaration of Human Rights. Works Cited â€Å"8-year-old Girl’s Marriage Ruled Legal – UPI. com. † Latest News, Latest News Headlines, News Articles, News Video, News Photos – UPI. com. Web. 12 Feb. 2011. . Adler, Katya. â€Å"BBC NEWS | Middle East | Gazan Women Face Rise in Abuse. BBC News – Home. Web. 12 Feb. 2011. . Macintyre, Donald. â€Å"Abuse of Women Still Rife in Palestinian Life, Says Study – Middle East, World – The Independent. † The Independent | News | UK and Worldwide News | Newspaper. Web. 12 Feb. 2011. . Qusti, Raid. â€Å"Women Driving Cars Is a Sinful Thing: Al-Qarni. † Arab News Newspaper. Web. 12 Feb. 2011. . Stritof , Sheri, and Bob Stritof. â€Å"Child Brides — Forced Marriage of Children — The Problem of Early Marriages. † Marriage — THE Starting Place for Exploring Marriage and Marriage Issues. Web. 12 Feb. 2011. . 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