How does Shakespeare present Ophelia Essay Example for Free

How does Shakespeare present Ophelia Essay In Hamlet Shakespeare presents Ophelia as a helpless girl, who is continually manipulated by the men around her for their own gain. In many of his other plays the women are presented as strong and admirable people who play major roles in the live of the protagonist, such as Lady Macbeth in Macbeth. In Hamlet, however, Ophelia becomes a very different role-she is conveyed as a lesser to the men around her. She is continually manipulated by her father, Polonius, her brother, Larertes and Hamlet, the supposed love of her life. Her sweet and innocent nature results in her becoming dependent on the man in her life to tell her how to behave. Hamlet shows a very different style in Shakespeare writing, no longer is the women controversially given respect by the male character, but is instead shown in a more traditional mere pawn for their fathers, brothers and lovers. Ophelias relationship with her father is less then the traditional intimate one expected. Instead it shows a controlling man, obsessed with what others think, and a daughter respectful of her fathers wises. Polonius becomes convinced that Ophelias relationship with Hamlet will result in the diminish of his families honour, and to him, the respect others have for his families reputation is very important. He thus begins to pressurise Ophelia into breaking off any understanding between herself and Hamlet. Shakespeare uses these characters and their interaction to present a more traditional view of how a woman should act toward the men in their lives during this time period. I personally do not see her as a week character, but instead see her as a women with no other choice than to respect and obey the man who has looked after her all her life. Their relationship is a cold one, with little compassion between the two, but apparent respect on Ophelias behalf. Her brother too becomes set against her love for Hamlet, believing that she will ruin herself for Hamlet, yet he will never actually marry her, due to her lower social standing. During the actual play, Larertes is the only man who conveys to her that he actually cares for her, but we can see clearly that he believes her continuous open regard for Hamlet will reduce their familys nobility. He too adds to the pressure put on her to distance herself from Hamlet. Hamlets strategic plans towards Ophelia are probably the most conniving and vicious. He not only manipulates her constant love for him, but also toys with her emotions throughout, making her play exactly how he wants. He uses the courts knowledge of his relationship with Ophelia to get deeper involved in his plot to avenge his father and kill the king. He evolves Polonius theory that Hamlet is mad with love for Ophelia. When she returns Hamlets love letters and other tokens of his affections in act III scene I, Hamlet seizes this moment to cement the beginning of her descend into madness in both Ophelias eyes and in Polonius and Claudius as Hamlet is aware they are watching this encounter between the two ex-lovers. He appears troubled and hysterical as he denies giving her anything and laments the dishonesty of beauty. Confusingly, he claims to both have loved, and never loved her. As he leaves she mourns the noble mind that has now lapsed into apparent madness. Hamlet believes that by hearing this fight between Ophelia and himself, Polonius and Claudius will think he is now crazy and thus not fear him, making Claudius more vulnerable. Hamlet, Polonius and Larertes all put pressure on her to do what they want, they all use her to gain themselves and they all have little regard for her genuine love for Hamlet. Her heart begins to dictate over her head and as a result of being caught in the crossfire of all the men in her life; Ophelia goes crazy, unable to cope with the stress and contradiction. Finally, she kills herself finding no place in the situation for her own feelings. Hamlet is the least idealistic of Shakespeares plays, with women being presented in a more realistic view, rather than an idealistic outlook on society where women have more control over their lives and arent controlled by the men around them. Ophelia is presented in a more traditional feminine way, relying on men around her. This fits into Hamlet, and makes the play appear more legitimate, due to the emotion involved in the twisted love story. Still, I do not believe she is weak, but instead love struck and susceptible to manipulation by the men closely involved in her life. Many critics have argued that she is a dismal character, which no one can admire, but I see her as instead, a woman who is young, weak and naive to the world around her.

Film Auteur Theory

Film Auteur Theory ‘The auteur theory can be summarised most simply as an acknowledgement of the director as the primary and shaping force behind a film (Craig Keller). How is Godards ‘primary and shaping influence detectable, if indeed, it is? Introduction The auteur theory or la politique des auteurs was a principle developed in the 1950s by a group of French film critics namely: Eric Rohmer, Francois Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard. These critics wanted to see an end to the â€Å"literary†, â€Å"lifeless† and not â€Å"truly cinematic† conventional cinema of the 1930s and 1940s. Inspired by fellow film critic Alexandre Astrucs camera-stylo theory which argued that â€Å"filmmakers should use their equipment as spontaneously, flexibly and personally as a writer uses a pen† these young critics wanted to break the constraints of conventional cinema. Through the experimentation of different cinematic techniques they began to implement their own personal artistic values in films, as directors. It was therefore their belief that an auteur is â€Å"the single individual most responsible for whatever personal expression (if any) a movie yielded up under critical analysis†. This definition has become the most universally understood of the auteur theory and therefore the one which will be referred to during this essay. Prior to the development of the auteur theory, a large majority of films were produced, shot and edited in a similar style. Large studios, with fixed cameras and the scriptwriter having overall control were the order of the day thus creating a rigid style of film production. The auteurs became the primary shaping force behind a movie, manipulating scenes to fit their style rather than employing the traditional method of following scriptwriters prompts. The auteur theory was initiated in the 1950s by a group of French Film Critics including the likes of Eric Rohmer, Francois Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard and Jacques Rivette. These critics spoke out against la tradition de la qualità © of cinema from the 1930s and 40s a period coined le cinà ©ma de papa claiming it to be â€Å"literary†, â€Å"lifeless† and not â€Å"truly cinematic†. In terms of the auteur theory Jean-Luc Godard was seen as the truly radical auteur. By most he is today seen as one of the most innovative and artistic directors having created his own ‘Gordards style. Whilst for others such as Susan Sontag he is ‘the deliberate destroyer of cinema. Either way Godard epitomizes a director out to challenge traditional cinema. Through his early films, such as Vivre sa Vie: Film en douze tableaux (1962) and Une femme est une femme he began to interrogate and illuminate conventional cinema via new cinematic and artistic techniques. He has since become very much the pivotal protagonist of the auteur theory. Objectives This essay will assess the extent to which Jean-Luc Godards ‘primary and shaping influence is detectable in his films. In the main body of this essay I will consider Godards ability to implement his own cinematic style through several inventive techniques. I will consider his ability to challenge the barriers between off screen and on screen reality through his use of sound and editing techniques. I will however, also argue that any kind of definition of the auteur theory oversimplifies the realities of a film making process and can therefore not be seen as a definitive theory. Andrew Sarris explains, one of the premises for an auteur is that the director must ‘exhibit certain recurring characteristics of style which serve as his signature†¦over a group of his films. It is therefore my intention to make reference to four of Godards films to highlight his during the Nouvelle Vague period. I will, therefore, make reference to four of Godards films: A bout de Souffle (1960), Une femme est une femme (1961), Vivre sa vie: Film en douze tableaux (1962) and Le Mepris (1963) to demonstrate†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ When cosidering these films one of the most common trends noticeable is his need to challenge the barriers of off screen and on screen reality. Prior to the Nouvelle Vague, films were predominantly revised novels put on screen. To most directors As Kreidel suggested in 1980 â€Å"[N]o one has yet made a more modern cinema than Godard†. Indeed, Godard through his reaction against traditional realism typifies someone who represents reality with recourse to conventional cinema. Prior to the Nouvelle Vague, directors followed very strict rules in their film making process in which they filmed in large studios with artificial lighting and with scripts which prevented improvisation. Godard completely reversed these rules in his films by directing them in a very spontaneous manner. Following the release of A Bout de Souffle actor Jean-Pierre Melville who played Parvulesco in the film said Godards movie was â€Å"anything shot anyhow†. Godard himself confirmed that â€Å"on A Bout de Souffle I used to write the evening before shooting.† According to Godard, the reason for him doing this was because â€Å"I liked to be surprised. If you know in advance everything you are going to do, it isnt worth doing. If a sh ow is all written down, what is the point of filming it? What use is cinema if it trails after literature?† This idea of filmmaking was revolutionary at the time and was a way in which Godard was implementing his own directional style to his movies. One of Godards earliest artistic influences came when directing his first motion picture A Bout de Souffle. Despite the film being a simple naturalistic movie with the camera following the characters in a deliberately real world filming realistic images, several factors led to the film being cut, mainly due to the length of the film. This created one of Godards most innovative filming techniques, the jump shot, and an editing method which would truly show Godard ability as a cinematic artist. The jump shot essentially create discontinuity in his films as it would catapult the action from one scene to the next with no palpable transition. One of the most noticeable examples of Godards jump shots in A Bout de Souffle came in the scene when Jean Seberg who plays Patricia is a passenger in the scene when Jean-Paul Belmondos character Michel drives her round the centre of Paris in a stolen convertible. During this scene there are up to seven jump shots in rapid succession of the position of Patricia head and the streets of Paris. In creating such a deliberately jagged shot Godard reminds the audience that they are watching a film, and not life itself, a concept vital to Godard when directing his films. One of the most innovative ways in which Godards primary and shaping force is evident in his films can be shown through his use of colour. In conventional cinema, colour was generally used in order to increase the commerciality of films. When it was occasionally used, it enhanced the mood in separate scenes. Godard as a notable auteur employed a far more ambitious use of colour. In his first two colour films Une femme est une femme and Le Mà ©pris he predominantly used primary colours due to him being influenced by â€Å"modern art: straight color, ‘pop art†. Godard uses bold primary colours to indicate the characterisation and narrative development in his films but in such a way that it does not act upon the viewer in a directly sensual way. In Godards first colour film Une femme est une femme, Angela is intent on having a child with her husband Emile. Emile however, is not so keen on the idea and comes across as rather blasà © about the subject; he predominantly wear s blue in the film which symbolises his rather laid back nature. After being repeatedly refused by Emile on the topic of having a baby, Angela goes to Emiles friend Albert to have an affair in the hope to conceive. Albert despite being happy to oblige feels no real affection for Angela and this is shown as he mainly wears grey to symbolise his disinterest in her. In Godards second colour film Le Mà ©pris Godard continues the pattern of using colour to represent characters personalities but tends to also use colour thematically. In the opening scene, when Camille is lying in bed with Paul discussing how much they love each other, Godard uses colour filters which are seen as a representative of what is going to happen in the film. If one considers that red symbolises love, white incertitude and blue coldness then it maps out what happens in the film, love to ambivalence to contempt. Furthermore, when examining the colours that are worn by the characters in the film, the reoccurring theme of Godard using colour to represent personality reappears. Paul the scriptwriter in the film is seen in a grey suit with blue specks highlighting his passive personality during the film. Jerry the ambitious American film producer is mostly seen in a blue suit, red tie and driving a red sports car which in turn highlights his dominant greedy and selfish nature. In addition, Camille is shown in several coloured dresses throughout the film so as to emphasize her continual change of emotions. Finally Francesca, Jerrys secretary wears a red jumper in the scene when she seduces Paul which again emphasizes Godards attempt to symbolise emotional currents in the film. It is important to note that several critics have suggested that on top of Godard using colour thematically the primary colours are also a referent to American musicals, a genre which fascinated Godard. This referent is most evidently seen in the opening credits of Une femme est une femme when bold colourful words flash up on the screen like neon lights reflecting the lavishness of the American musical. Furthermore, other critics suggest that the primary colours are a referent to either the French flag or American flag which again represents Godards primary and shaping influence within this film. A pivotal part in defining Godard as the primary and shaping force of his films can be seen in his use of sound. Prior to the Nouvelle Vague, sound was employed in film to replicate audibly the visual emotion of a scene in order to captivate the audience and make a scene appear more ‘realistic. Martin Heidegger highlights this tradition by saying that viewers have become accustomed to sounds â€Å"elegant effects† and thus treats them as real. Godard however, firmly believed that in ‘faking sound to captivate the audience, one is taking away the realism which he wanted in films. A point agreed by Richard Roud who suggested that â€Å"even in the most so-called realist film, sound has always been an exception†. It was therefore Godards intention to restore sound so that it would captivate ‘real life by refusing to edit or remix any previously recorded track, which he defined as sonic realism. One of Godards most notable examples of this was seen in A Bout de Souffle. Due to the sound being naturally recorded there are several scenes in the film when some of the characters conversations are muffled by natural or real noises. The use of natural sound reaches a peak during the scene in Patricias apartment when the noise of the sirens bellowing in through the open window actually drowns out the characters dialogue. Rather than being a distraction that takes the viewer out of the moment, the use of natural sou nd here, and throughout the film, only heighten the realism. After all, in life, it would be unrealistic to sit in a room with an open window in the centre of Paris and not hear any intrusive sounds. Jean Colet praises Godards creation of realism through sound stating â€Å"[Godard applies] to sound the same demands as for the pictures. [He captures] life in what it offers to be seen-and to be heard-directly.† Godards artistic use of sound can also be seen through his use of music in his films. In Godards Une Femme est une Femme he begins to break up music in short bursts. This use of music gives the sense of the film as a sort of assemblage different bits of the material world put together in a particular way. This further exemplifies Godards use of experimentation as when asked about his use of sound and music he said Things are there: but lets see how they work. Second Section It is undeniable that Godard has produced some of the most inspiring and innovative films through his use of story line and cinematic techniques. His exploitation of light, colour, and sound, editing and alienating the audience showed Godard had revolutionised traditional French cinema and in doing so has inspired modern day film directors such as Quentin Tarrantino. However, in using Kellers summary that an auteur is simply the primary and shaping force of his films it is unquestionably oversimplifying the realities of the film making process. As Godard changed so much in his films compared to traditional cinema it is not possible for him to be praised for every aspect of his films creation. Godard said in an interview in 1983: â€Å"I find it useless to keep offering the public the ‘auteur. In Venice, when I got the prize of the Golden Lion I said that I deserve only probably the mane of this lion, and maybe the tail. Everything in the middle should go to all the others who work on the picture: the paws to the director of photography, theface to the editor, the body to the actors. I dont believe in the solitude of†¦the auteur with a capital A†. Furthermore, Godard admitted that him and the likes of Truffaut, Rohmer and Rivette whilst taking the plaudits for the auteur theory, exaggerated the significance of the theory so as to establish personal expression as one of the primary values in Nouvelle Vague films. Several theorists have also raised doubts as to the significance of the auteur. Foulcault and Roland Barthes suggest that all creative ideas are moulded by the social and political forces that surround us. They go on to state that ideas are contrived from the knowledge that one has gained from past experiences. If one puts this in the context of Godards films it would suggest that Godards cinematic ideas and techniques were influenced by what he has learnt from past experiences. An example of this can be seen in his indirect use of Brechtian distanciation. Whilst it is evident that he was inspired by Brechts idea of alienating the audience to prevent them from being passive observers can one really claim that Godards cinematic techniques were not the result of Brechts indirect influence? Furthermore, when analysing many of Godards films, Godard refers to several quotes from the likes of William Faulkner and Edgar Poe. These are quotes which could have been easily edited but instead G odard â€Å"taste for quotation† suggests that he is not the primary and shaping force in his films.

Sony Playstation Vs Nintendo 64 :: essays research papers

In the last two years of 1995 and 1996, the video game world was taken into another gaming dimension. The releases of the Sony Playstation in September of 1995 and the Nintendo 64 in September of 1996 has given the gaming public an enormous boost of technological advances in the home entertainment system for the common man. Sony and Nintendo soon became heated rivals as each company tries to out sell each other in the gaming marketplace. Eventhough the Sony Playstation and Nintendo 64 are two different systems. They both have some similar qualities and some very notable differences. First of all the most notable difference between the Sony Playstation and Nintendo 64 is the processing power. Most noteworthy is the fact that the Nintendo 64 is a 64-bit machine, while the Sony Playstation is only a 32-bit system. This means the Nintendo 64 can produce better graphics in a game, while the Sony Playstation's graphics aren't as good. The colors in the Nintendo 64's games are more vibrant, while the Playstation's colors seem to be more dull. Another difference is in the price of each of the systems. The Nintendo 64 is a bit more pricey at $199.99 than the Sony Playstation at $149.99. The games for each of the system also plays at vital role in the gaming marketplace. Both of these systems has some advantages when it comes to games. The Sony Playstation is the favorite in this category, with over 170 games with many 3rd party developers in its extensive library of games. Obviously the Nintendo 64 has less games in its library, due to the fact that the Nintendo was released a year later. The Playstation specializes in the sports genre with many different sporting titles. Sports games such as Madden football '98, NHL'98, NBA Live '98, and PGA Tour Golf '98. The Nintendo 64 specializes in the action/adventure genre with various different titles. With action/adventure games such as Turok: the dinosaur hunter, Super Mario 64, Goldeneye, and Super Mario Cart 64. The prices of the games for the Nintendo system are very expensive compared to the Sony. A Nintendo game can range in price from $59.99 to $69.99 and a Sony game can cost between $39.99 and $49.99. Another difference between the Nintendo 64 and the Sony Playstation is the media in which the games are stored. The Nintendo uses cartridges to store its games while Sony's machine is CD-ROM based.

Distress in The Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock Essay -- Love Song J. A

The Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock - The Distress of J.Alfred Prufrock The human psyche is divided into three distinct aspects: the Persona, the Shadow, and the Anima/Animus; at least, it is according to Jungian Psychology. Drawing heavily on the theories developed by Freud, Jung's psychological concepts tell us that if these three facets are not properly integrated - that is, if one of the three is overly dominant, or repressed, or all three are in conflict with each other - then an individual's energies - his libido - will be out of alignment, causing psychological distress and unconscious problems. The Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock, if read Archetypaly, reveals to us such an individual. J.Alfred Prufrock, the nebbish little man that he is, has some very serious problems - he is extremely indecisive, obsessed with trivial details, and frets over inconsequentials ('Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare eat a peach?'); more importantly, he seems to have an inability to confront the opposite sex, choosing instead to develop elaborate fantasies in which to meet imaginary women - all of whom seem to be either cruel, vain, or sinister in some subtle way. An archetypal analysis drawing upon Jung's theories seeks to uncover the reasons behind Prufrock's neurosis. The first line of the poem - 'Let us go then, you and I' - gives an immediate insight into Prufrock's problem: his psyche is out of joint. The 'You' and 'I' of the poem are two aspects of his personality: his Shadow and his Persona, respectively. Prufrock is very much aware of the schism within his own mind. His Persona - the aspect of himself he presents to the social world - remains dominant most of the time. His Shadow, however, comp... ...s earlier illness. Unfortunately for Prufrock, this apparent cycle is entirely contained within a small portion of the whole. Prufrock participates in a greater cycle, but one that seems to end, not in life, or rebirth, but in a symbolic death. He is a crab, a '... pair of ragged claws/Scuttling across the floors of silent seas', a man who wakes... and drowns. His cycle ends negatively, without the rebirth. He never gets his act together, never integrates his personality properly, never stops being the sad little nebbish of a man that he is; the cracks in Prufrock are never mended. -Michael J.Noakes Works Cited Eliot, T.S. "The Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock ." The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Volume Two. Ed. M.H.Abrams, 6th Edition. New York: Norton, 1993. 2140-2143. Distress in The Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock Essay -- Love Song J. A The Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock - The Distress of J.Alfred Prufrock The human psyche is divided into three distinct aspects: the Persona, the Shadow, and the Anima/Animus; at least, it is according to Jungian Psychology. Drawing heavily on the theories developed by Freud, Jung's psychological concepts tell us that if these three facets are not properly integrated - that is, if one of the three is overly dominant, or repressed, or all three are in conflict with each other - then an individual's energies - his libido - will be out of alignment, causing psychological distress and unconscious problems. The Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock, if read Archetypaly, reveals to us such an individual. J.Alfred Prufrock, the nebbish little man that he is, has some very serious problems - he is extremely indecisive, obsessed with trivial details, and frets over inconsequentials ('Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare eat a peach?'); more importantly, he seems to have an inability to confront the opposite sex, choosing instead to develop elaborate fantasies in which to meet imaginary women - all of whom seem to be either cruel, vain, or sinister in some subtle way. An archetypal analysis drawing upon Jung's theories seeks to uncover the reasons behind Prufrock's neurosis. The first line of the poem - 'Let us go then, you and I' - gives an immediate insight into Prufrock's problem: his psyche is out of joint. The 'You' and 'I' of the poem are two aspects of his personality: his Shadow and his Persona, respectively. Prufrock is very much aware of the schism within his own mind. His Persona - the aspect of himself he presents to the social world - remains dominant most of the time. His Shadow, however, comp... ...s earlier illness. Unfortunately for Prufrock, this apparent cycle is entirely contained within a small portion of the whole. Prufrock participates in a greater cycle, but one that seems to end, not in life, or rebirth, but in a symbolic death. He is a crab, a '... pair of ragged claws/Scuttling across the floors of silent seas', a man who wakes... and drowns. His cycle ends negatively, without the rebirth. He never gets his act together, never integrates his personality properly, never stops being the sad little nebbish of a man that he is; the cracks in Prufrock are never mended. -Michael J.Noakes Works Cited Eliot, T.S. "The Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock ." The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Volume Two. Ed. M.H.Abrams, 6th Edition. New York: Norton, 1993. 2140-2143.

1984 And Brave New World Essay -- essays research papers

Brave New World and 1984  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As I read Brave New World and 1984, I noticed how some of Aldous Huxley and George Orwell’s prophecies are becoming true. As science and technology progresses, we have the opportunity to alter few aspects of our lives, even though our freedom and privacy may be in jeopardy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Brave New World, science allows babies to be artificially produced in a laboratory. Nowadays, parents who cannot conceive children are also able to artificially produce their children with the help of science and the genes of both parents. As science advances, the parents may even be able to reform the genes of their baby in order to have that perfect child. In addition, through the Bokanovsky’s Process, ninety-six identical twins can be produced with one bokansovskified egg. Recently, cloning has allowed us to produce identical mammals. If cloning is possible, it will not be surprising when we produce ninety-six identical twins with one egg, like in Brave New World, in the future.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The â€Å"Brave New Worlders† take soma whenever they feel troublesome, depressed or angry. The soma makes them feel pleasant and comfortable. Nowadays when one is having a bad day or does not feel good, he may result to something much like soma such as alcohol or drugs to produce that same pleasant feeling.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The government of the World Stat...