Need an argumentative essay on Importance of Shakespeare in the National Curriculum. Needs to be 7 pages. Please no plagiarism.Download file to see previous pages... This is the reason that his works

Need an argumentative essay on Importance of Shakespeare in the National Curriculum. Needs to be 7 pages. Please no plagiarism.

This is the reason that his works can be tagged as universal in terms of its subject matter and characterization as it is observed that although the plays were written in the seventeenth century yet the people of the twenty first century can also relate to his observations and point of views. Moreover the recent development in the field of literary theory also shows that even the stylistic and linguistic techniques that Shakespeare employed in his plays at the time, make his plays a good candidate for applying new theories such as feminism, colonialism, post-colonialism etc. and analyzing his works from a new dimension hence enriching his plays in meaning and significance. As McAlindon also states, “Ben Johnson declared that Shakespeare was not of an age but for all time…his work is universally valid and speaks to human beings across the ages…Shakespeare’s plays are able to address all people at all times and everywhere” (4). “Macbeth” depicts a story of a man whose lust for power and status leads him to his doom. The play portrays the downfall of an individual with follies like greed, jealousy and anger. Moreover the supernatural aspect of the play is also very interesting as Shakespeare uses the three witches as a tool for foreshadowing in the play by giving prophecies about Macbeth’s and Banquo’s future. Though in a way it can be interpreted that the witches acted as Macbeth’s voice of sub-conscious leading him to achieve his ambition and dream of becoming the King. The “Tempest” deals with the tale of a man named Prospero his revenge and his life on an island. In this play as well Shakespeare employs technique of supernatural in the form of spirits and ghosts as a tool for plot progression and development. In this particular play it is interesting to note the manner in which various ideas of the modern theories can be applied in order to be able to better understand human actions and behaviors. 2. Macbeth Although the play was inspired from the works of Holinshed who was an English chronicler yet the play does not deals with any historical themes or issues. Moreover the characterization of the play cannot be confined to or categorized as a representation of one particular era, race or culture. In fact “Macbeth” presents a human drama of ambition, desire, and guilt. Like Hamlet, Macbeth speaks soliloquies that articulate the emotional and intellectual anxieties with which the readers can easily relate and understand the utter desolation of characters, even Macbeth’s lust for power is also understandable. For all his lack of values and unrelenting ambition Macbeth is a character who is created in a manner that many times in the play it appears to be relatable. This powerful grip on the audience and the enthralling characterization of Shakespeare is one of the reasons that his plays are still taught and are a part of national curriculum. Although other reasons that make this play so important for the students include its universal themes and human psyche that is explored in the play. 2.1. Thematic Concerns Some of the major universal themes that are explored in the play include theme of ambition, theme of guilt and theme of power corrupts. In the play theme of ambition reveals the negative side of ambition where an individual’s goal develops into an obsession and ultimately leads to his destruction. As it is also observed in the play that Macbeth says, The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step On which I must fall down, or else o'erleap, For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires. Let not light see my black and deep desires. The eye wink at the hand.