Betrayal and Loyalty in Shakespeare's plays
AP English Literature & Composition
March 14, 2012
Betrayal and Loyalty in William Shakespeare's Plays
William Shakespeare is one of the most recognized playwrights in the history of man. People have analyzed every sentence of his works and have taken note of the various styles used in his writing. Ironically enough, little is known about Shakespeare's personal life. It is assumed, however, that like other literary writers, Shakespeare relates occurrences in his life into his writing. The average person experiences varied and numerous events that affect them personally, and shape them into who they are. Whether one expresses loyalty or betrayal to another can impact one's life greatly and can cause numerous outcomes in a person's life. In William Shakespeare’s two plays Antony and Cleopatra and Hamlet, the impact that betrayal and loyalty have on the protagonists Hamlet and Marc Antony, and their supporting characters is conveyed as Shakespeare articulates the relationship between selflessness and loyalty in contrast to selfishness and betrayal. Shakespeare points out that those who tend to keep others' well being in mind are more likely to be loyal friends while those who tend to look out for their own personal well being are more likely to betray others; concepts that Shakespeare observed during his time and which are still present in contemporary society. The themes of loyalty and betrayal play a crucial role in the development of each storyline and cause many of the dramatic scenes in the plays.
In Shakespeare's play Antony and Cleopatra, Antony experiences various acts of betrayal and loyalty. Even those whom Marc Antony holds dear to his heart commit acts of betrayal towards him. Cleopatra, the woman Marc Antony loves dearly and cares for a great deal, betrays Marc Antony multiple times throughout the play. Cleopatra proves to be a very unstable character who tends to switch her moods abruptly with her own well being in mind. During the war between Octavius
March 14, 2012
Betrayal and Loyalty in William Shakespeare's Plays
William Shakespeare is one of the most recognized playwrights in the history of man. People have analyzed every sentence of his works and have taken note of the various styles used in his writing. Ironically enough, little is known about Shakespeare's personal life. It is assumed, however, that like other literary writers, Shakespeare relates occurrences in his life into his writing. The average person experiences varied and numerous events that affect them personally, and shape them into who they are. Whether one expresses loyalty or betrayal to another can impact one's life greatly and can cause numerous outcomes in a person's life. In William Shakespeare’s two plays Antony and Cleopatra and Hamlet, the impact that betrayal and loyalty have on the protagonists Hamlet and Marc Antony, and their supporting characters is conveyed as Shakespeare articulates the relationship between selflessness and loyalty in contrast to selfishness and betrayal. Shakespeare points out that those who tend to keep others' well being in mind are more likely to be loyal friends while those who tend to look out for their own personal well being are more likely to betray others; concepts that Shakespeare observed during his time and which are still present in contemporary society. The themes of loyalty and betrayal play a crucial role in the development of each storyline and cause many of the dramatic scenes in the plays.
In Shakespeare's play Antony and Cleopatra, Antony experiences various acts of betrayal and loyalty. Even those whom Marc Antony holds dear to his heart commit acts of betrayal towards him. Cleopatra, the woman Marc Antony loves dearly and cares for a great deal, betrays Marc Antony multiple times throughout the play. Cleopatra proves to be a very unstable character who tends to switch her moods abruptly with her own well being in mind. During the war between Octavius
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