The short essay on “Much Ado About Nothing” was particularly enjoyable for me because of the nature of the play as well as the topic I chose. The topic I chose was also specifically interesting to me because it required speculation on Shakespeare’s original intent in a major plot choice. While much of Shakespeare’s writing revolves around language, dialogue, and character development, this topic relied primarily on the influence of Shakespeare’s decision not to progress the plot past a certain point, which I found very telling.
“Much Ado About Nothing” is an incredibly engaging comedy that demands its audience’s intellectual attention as well as comedic response. For this reason, I appreciate this piece from Shakespeare on a different level than some of his other works. “Hamlet,” however, is another favorite because of the depth in which the plot and character development is written. The play does not lend for an atmosphere of apathy among its audience. The piece in and of itself demands emotional and intellectual investment.
Prince Hamlet is probably the most intriguing character I’ve come across so far due to his unstable nature and wild motivations. Because everything he does is almost justified, his actions and behavior are much more complex to analyze and and make sense of. In this way, looking at his progression throughout the play objectively lends for a deeper understanding of human nature, as well as Shakespeare’s habits as a writer.
The rashness and instability of young lovers seem to recur in Shakespeare’s works, from tragedies to comedies, and almost always serve a different purpose regarding the entire spectrum of the play’s purpose. In each different work, this character “flaw” provides a new tool for the story line.
I would like to learn about marriage practices and the sociopolitical implications and expectations that accompanied that area in Shakespeare’s time. The rise and fall, as well as natural progression of royalty is also particularly interesting to me.
The role of romance and marriage in Shakespeare’s society, the potency of the pressures of royalty, and the influence of a public oration are all areas of interest for me regarding my long essay.
