English Language and Literature Commons^™

Sanitized For Public Viewing: Review Of William Shakespeare’S The Tempest, Allison Meyer

Best Integrated Writing

This review analyzes the Stratford Festival’s 2026 production of Shakespeare’s The Tempest, directed by Antoni Cimolino, and argues that the production minimizes the play’s political and colonial themes. The article examines how specific production choices, including Caliban’s costume design, the comic treatment of Stephano and Trinculo, and Prospero’s final interaction with Ariel, obscure questions of power and colonization. Through detailed analysis of staging, characterization, and directorial decisions, the review evaluates the consequences of presenting Shakespeare’s play as a story of personal forgiveness rather than political conflict. It interrogates this erasure of colonial power struggles within the framework of the Stratford …

From Linguistic Domination To Counter-Power: The Weaponisation And Reappropriation Of Language In Shakespeare's Drama, Md. Abu Bakkar

Journal of Language, Literature, and Arts

Studies of language and power in Shakespeare usually treat colonial, psychological, political, and familial domination as separate problems belonging to separate plays. This article asks what happens when the target of linguistic domination takes up, repeats, or withholds the discourse through which domination is exercised. It proposes linguistic counter-power as a comparative analytical concept: a change in who can define, command, or be believed within the dramatic world that outlasts and exceeds the speaker’s own act of resistance. The concept is distinguished from discursive resistance, linguistic agency, counter-discourse, and resignification, and is operationalised through three tests: uptake, durability, and structural …

Shakespeare Adapts, Grace C. Tiffany

Selected Papers of the Ohio Valley Shakespeare Conference

No abstract provided.

Shakespeare’S Troilus And Cressida And The Genre Of Comical Satire, Robert B. Pierce

Selected Papers of the Ohio Valley Shakespeare Conference

No abstract provided.

“Shall I Always Keep Below Stairs?”: The Waiting-Gentlewoman On The Margin Of Much Ado About Nothing, Daniel F. Gates

Selected Papers of the Ohio Valley Shakespeare Conference

No abstract provided.

Moral Ecology In Shakespeare's Tragedies: Nature, Animals, And Conscience As Ethical Agents In Hamlet, Macbeth, And King Lear, Md. Abu Bakkar

Journal of Language, Literature, and Arts

Shakespeare's tragedies repeatedly dramatize a universe in which moral transgression produces consequences that extend beyond individual psychology to affect society, nature, and the non-human world. This study examines how Hamlet, Macbeth, and King Lear construct a system of moral ecology, understood as a framework of ethical causality in which human actions generate interconnected consequences across psychological, social, and natural orders. Using qualitative close reading informed by moral criticism, ecocriticism, animal studies, and early modern cosmology, the study analyzes selected passages representing natural disturbance, animal imagery, and conscience as forms of ethical response. The findings show that the three …

Unsex Me Here: Gendered Psychology In Shakespeare's Major Tragedies And Comedy, Md. Abu Bakkar

Journal of Language, Literature, and Arts

This study examines how gender shapes psychological experience across five of Shakespeare’s major plays: Macbeth, Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, and Twelfth Night. Existing scholarship treats Shakespeare’s tragic women, tragic men, and comic heroines as separate problems; this article asks whether one framework connects them. Its starting point is the reversal in psychological positions between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth: he resists killing on moral grounds and then grows recklessly violent, while she plans the murder with cold resolve and is later overwhelmed by guilt. The study asks whether this pattern recurs more broadly, and why. Drawing …

Tell Thy Story: The Jew As Other In "Pericles", Dov B. Rabinowitz

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This paper attempts to address a perceived blind spot in criticism of early modern literature, namely, the lack of critical race readings centering the othering of Jews in early modern drama. Shakespeare’s Pericles is used as an example of characters being othered, or Judaized, as they pass through city to city. Historical data, such as the history of the Domus Conversorum in England where converted Jews were kept, is used to bolster this argument, with Thaisa being read as othered in a Judaized way by being kept in a religious institution and never truly accepted by the people of Ephesus. …

In Praise Of Antony's Folly: The Triumph Of Foolishness In Shakespeare's Antony And Cleopatra, Michael Anthony Rombola

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Antony and Cleopatra has long been regarded as a play about shame. Underlying this reading there have been several assumptions, namely that Antony's shame is justified and that Cleopatra's influence is destructive. These beliefs are rooted largely in the historical treatment of Cleopatra, particularly that of Plutarch, who advanced the view that the Queen of Egypt destroyed a formerly great man. In this paper, I argue that the opposite is true: that Shakespeare's Cleopatra, far from destroying Antony, actually helps to liberate him from the tyranny of Roman expectation. In the course of my analysis, I examine two competing sets …

The Fate Of Kings: Providence And Humanism In Shakespeare's Henriad, Katherine Cornell

Masters Theses

Shakespeare’s Henriad offers a picture of the rise and fall of kings, engaging with the integral concepts of Providence, humanistic responsibility, and the divine right of rulers. This analysis will consider the ideas of divine right and humanism as they appear within the Henriad and argue that the plays reconcile the two seemingly competing philosophies of divine right and humanism by depicting a world in which God establishes kings, but gives those kings free agency over their actions. The fortune and fate of kings is first expressed in Richard II, when Richard’s selfish actions cause his own demise, opening the …

“Why, Marcus, So She Is”: An Examination Of The Father/Daughter Relationship In Shakespeare’S ‘Titus Andronicus’, Anna Elizabeth Cunningham

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is concerned with the father/daughter relationship between Titus and Lavinia in Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus. Scholarship on this relationship is sparse, and chapter two discusses the context that it is typically understood within, namely the father/daughter chastity pattern—in which fathers jealously protect their acquiescent daughters’ chastity from violation, ending in the daughter’s death. It is asserted that Titus and Lavinia fall outside of this pattern. Chapter three examines Titus and Lavinia’s relationship before her assault, asserting that Titus assumes the role of Roman first and father second, which guides his treatment of all his children. Lavinia is connected to …

Historic Shrouds: A New Voice For Shakespearean Women, Ashleigh E. Weinstock

Global Tides

This article presents, and seeks to remedy, the argument that Shakespeare’s female characters are deprived of equal representation as complex humans through narrative gaps, action relegated to offstage scenes, and reduced opportunities for direct-to-audience speech, mirroring the social hierarchies of early modern gender, which continue to be reflected in modern society.

While this critique is not new, this essay argues that the criticism of these theatrical inequalities is insufficient to remedy their harms. Instead, this author proposes a performance-based, generative model of restorative justice termed the Historic Shroud, which seeks to give voice to sidelined female characters by placing …

Ztc Sls 302: Medieval/Early Modern Cultures, Nicolette Guida

Open Educational Resources

This course explores the depiction of gender, race, and social class in Shakespeare’s plays, with a focus on how his works engage with and challenge the norms of early modern society. In this course, we will study two of Shakespeare’s comedies: Much Ado About Nothing and The Taming of the Shrew; as well as two of his tragedies: Romeo and Juliet and Othello in relation to the culture of early modern England. Through an in-depth study of these texts, students will examine the complexities of these social categories as portrayed in the plays and how they continue to resonate in …

Shakespeare’S Martyrs And The Poetics Of Transformation, Robert Keim

Theses and Dissertations--English

At the beginning of William Shakespeare’s career as a playwright, England’s most widely read book, after the Bible, was Acts and Monuments of These Latter and Perilous Days, commonly known as John Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. Foxe’s martyrological literature, along with the inherently theatrical nature of martyrdom itself, helped the lives and deaths of Reformation martyrs to assume a prominent place in England’s literary consciousness. Shakespeare was not immune to their influential presence, and though overt representations of martyrdom were too controversial for the popular stage, he did enrich his plays by endowing certain characters—through imagery, allusive diction, …

The Substance Of Reality: Moral Perfectionism In Shakespeare's Hamlet., David Wright

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Through a selection of and close reading of key passages, I offer an interpretation of Hamlet that seeks to illuminate the play as an important work of moral philosophy, and to situate the play within a strand of moral philosophy named moral perfectionism by Stanley Cavell. Indeed, Hamlet is a masterpiece of Renaissance drama, but when read with attention to moral perfectionism, the play yields additional layers of meaning. Hamlet is a “philosophical drama” that navigates the “moral calling of philosophy”—a text that seems to, almost uncannily, elicit the audience to think reflectively, to ask fundamental human questions along …

The Sauce To Meat Is Ceremony: Cannibalism And Hospitality Serve As Horror And Culture Tropes In Hannibal And Macbeth, Shay Williams

Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy

When examining Macbeth (1623) as a case study within Shakespeare’s canon, we see all the obvious horror tropes - murder, witches, a ghost, bodies, blood and gore. What is less pronounced is the horror that lies within eating, drinking, feasting, and the ceremony of banquets. On the other side of the spectrum, and unlike the character of Macbeth, we have a figure that epitomizes all things horror, and has been read about in novels, watched on film, and as of late (2013-2015) has been the subject of a Television show, aptly named: Hannibal. In both works, we encounter men/monsters/killers …

“Sonnet 29”: The Transcendent Power Of Rich Love, Emily M. Lewan

2025 Symposium

Shakespeare's "Sonnet 29" highlights the journey of the human condition from lowly self-deprecation to high self-sentiments when affected by love. This paper analyzes the poignant fourteen lines penned by William Shakespeare and draws parallels between their sentiment and modern research on love's positive impact on preexisting low self-esteem and self-worth. "Sonnet 29" develops a story of the natural stages from self-deprecation due to low self-esteem into heightened self-worth due to the potent integration of love. Modern, scientific research by Harris and Ulrich, Răşcanu, and Zhang and Hawk, lends credence to the assessment of love's powerful and positive impact on a …

Conformable Kate: Identity And Power In The Taming Of The Shrew, Helen R. Ball

The Confluence

The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare is often read as an exploration of power dynamics and abuse, leaving readers to question the extent of Katherine’s power and autonomy in her marriage to Petruchio. Some believe Katherine manages to control her husband, Petruchio, while others believe Petruchio successfully 'tames' her. This essay explores such a question and seeks to answer which character holds the most power within the play. Using textual evidence from the play, scholarship from Natasha Korda’s writing on domesticity and commodity structures in Shakespeare's time, and Gary Schneider’s ideas of the public and private sectors of …

Long Live The Cruel King Of England: A Character Analysis Of Shakespeare’S “Henry V”, Georgia L. Coomer

The Confluence

This essay revisits Shakespeare's "Henry V," questioning the common belief that the character embodies the ideal Christian king and heroic military leader. Through careful textual analysis and references to existing literary scholarship, it argues that beneath Henry's esteemed image lies a ruler driven by political strategy, moral ambiguity, and a willingness to act ruthlessly. The analysis highlights three key aspects of Henry’s character: first, his tendency to shift moral responsibility onto others, especially in his discussions with Canterbury about the war with France; second, his capacity for imaginative cruelty, as seen in his threatening speech at Harfleur; and third, his …

False Virtues And Fragile Honor: The Weight Of Reputation In Shakespeare’S Works, Amanda Sheps

Theses and Dissertations

"False Virtues and Fragile Honor: The Weight of Reputation in Shakespeare’s Works" analyzes the intersection between honor and social standing in William Shakespeare's Othello and Much Ado About Nothing, specifically in regards to the gender roles prevalent in the plays' societies. In both plays, women who are perceived as a threat to the prevailing norms of society are ostracized, ridiculed, and may even face violence at the hands of their male love interests. The innocence of Desdemona and Hero, however, calls into question the validity of this cruel treatment. These negative reactions reflect the pressure that men have to preserve …

Shakespeare, Storytelling, And Science: An Exploration Of The Relationship Between The Early Modern Scientific Movement And Shakespeare’S 17th-Century Works, Morgan Mead

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

The 17th-century scientific movement generated a “death of the metaphor” that reverberated across the literary landscape. The creation of the Royal Society in 1660 shifted the ways in which literature and art were represented and respected in Western society. Shakespeare's works, believed to have been written from 1592-1615, show the growing relevance of the scientific and philosophical issues and queries that led to the formation of the Royal Society. A deep dive into Shakespearean metaphor and the scientific works that were causing shifts within Shakespeare’s world provides insight into the mind of an artist consumed and perturbed by matters of …

All That May Become A Man: Dynamics Of Gender And Violence In Macbeth, Lauren M. Schuster

West Chester University Master’s Theses

The text of Shakespeare’s Macbeth is rife with the language of gender crisis, with the titular character and his wife struggling against the repressive nature of patriarchal gender norms. It is this conflict between individual gender expression and societal ideals of gender that underscores the play’s central conflict, with Lady Macbeth’s rejection of typical femininity as an inciting force for the murder of King Duncan and the chaos that follows. In my reading of Macbeth, I focus on the rhetoric of material sex and gender performativity. In doing so, I examine what such rhetoric suggests about the patriarchal structures …

The Art Of Masking And Performing For The Perfect Marriage In William Shakespeare’S The Taming Of The Shrew, Rita Oliva

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis explores how William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew exaggerates the art of masking and performing as necessary social techniques for women surviving the patriarchal culture of Padua. Through close analysis of Katherine and Bianca Minola, both sisters adopt performative identities, the “shrew” and the “ideal woman,” that reflect, resist, and expose the restrictive gender norms governing female behavior, qualifications for marriage, and worth. While Bianca’s apparent passivity and rhetorical femininity promote her to manipulate societal expectations to her advantage, Katherine’s refusal to submit to the societal and cultural standards of Padua results in her categorization of a …

Shakespeare’S Portia: A Feminist Icon But Figure Of Hierarchy, Rowan G. Feasel

Endeavors: Mississippi State Undergraduate Research Journal

In Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, Portia achieves a level of agency that few Shakespearean women do with her wealth and wit despite having to conform to her father’s wishes for her marriage with the casket test. Through dressing as a man during Antonio’s trial, Portia even assumes a physical appearance that reflects her skill in gaining influence and gives her more power over the men. Because of her ability to assert control in her home and the courtroom, literary critics often present Portia as a feminist icon. However, Portia restricts other characters like the Prince of Morocco and …

To Be Or Not To Be Controlled: The Making Of Thespians In Nineteenth-Century Asylums, Olivia Kurylo

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Throughout the 1800s, superintendents of insane asylums incorporated the works of Shakespeare into their medical practices. Shakespearean plays became a conduit of power for the asylum superintendents, providing them with a literary model of sanity that they imposed on patients while simultaneously becoming a mode of communication for asylum patients to perform as ‘sane’ in accordance to the superintendents’ definitions. While the superintendents imposed a Shakespearean model of social normalcy onto the patients, the asylum patients used Shakespeare’s plays as a conduit for verbal expression. Essentially, asylums became Shakespearean plays as both the medical staff and the asylum patients employed …

Lady Macbeth's Maternity And Morality, Lauren Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the ways in which adaptations of Lady Macbeth from the seventeenth century to modern day have functioned to vilify or redeem Lady Macbeth based on her connection with her maternity as well as on the contextual, cultural, and political opinions surrounding both a woman’s place in society and the importance of maternity. This thesis examines William D’Avenant’s 1674 stage adaptation of Macbeth, Han Tae-Sook’s 1998 stage adaptation Lady Macbeth, and Lisa Klein’s 2009 novel adaptation Lady Macbeth’s Daughter to capture a range of cultures and the evolution of the character.

Reflecting On Shakespeare’S Accessibility And Relevance In A Chinese University: The Case For Translanguaging And A Genai-Proficient Educator, Therese P. Abonales

Journal of English and Applied Linguistics

This paper reflects on the implementation of an approach that integrates Generative AI (GenAI), specifically the Chinese GenAI model Wenxi Yiyan (also known as Ernie Bot in English), along with translanguaging into the teaching of Shakespearean literature and language instruction.The approach, tested with a group of third-year English majors at Jimei University (JMU), Xiamen, China, using Sonnet 116 as the primary topic, leveraged Wenxin Yiyan using both Chinese and English, to enhance pedagogical strategies, simplifying complex Shakespearean language, instead of mere translation, to make it more accessible and engaging for Chinese English majors. This paper begins by exploring Shakespeare's relevance …

Shadows And Seduction: Exploring The Duality Of Night In Romeo And Juliet, Elizabeth Woelkers

Rushton Journal of Undergraduate Humanities Research

This essay explores how societal perceptions of night evolved from a time of secret worship to a period fraught with fear and demonic influence. Further, this essay explores Shakespeare's use of night to frame the clandestine romance between Romeo and Juliet, highlighting the lovers' perilous engagement with darkness. By embodying the duality of night within the lovers, Shakespeare underscores the timeless struggle between the purity of light and the seduction of night. Additionally, this duality serves as a cautionary narrative, urging audiences to resist the allure of night's temptation and remain in the true light of God.

Diverse Possibilities Of Shakespeare: Teaching Twelfth Night Through A Queer Lens, Julia Ritzler

Honors Projects

This project seeks to understand the ways in which Queer Theory can be applied to secondary language arts education to enhance students' understanding of identity and gender in literature. For the purposes of this project, Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night is being used as a case study text. This project includes a thorough analysis of Twelfth Night through a queer lens, a literature review of Queer Theory and educational pedagogy, a block plan and related instructional and assessment materials, a rationale for the block plan, and project limitations and implications for future research. By analyzing scholarly texts and applying the theories within …

Reflection: The Twenty-Line Trap? Shakespeare Enacted By Young Women, Shannon Reed

Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy

Professional actors assemble a toolkit of monologues with an obligatory “Shakespearean monologue” of around 20 lines. But female actors are at a disadvantage, with less than 150 women in a repertoire of over 1,100 characters in Shakespeare’s 37 or more plays. Young female actors (18-22 years old) are even more at a loss, if the powerful and complex older female roles are removed, leaving only a few dozen appropriate speeches. What effect does this limited canon have on such actors? Here, I reflect upon my own participant observer experience as a young woman actor, who received the bulk of my …