Essay on Morality in the Elizabethan Era - 1101 Words

Morality in the Elizabethan Era Values and morals of the Victorian era are quite different than those that our society upholds today. The satirical plays, A Dolls House by Henrik Ibsen, and Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw, examine the problems with certain beliefs held by the people, both men and women, of the Victorian age. Furthermore, the people in general didnt not just hold certain morals, but the different classes in the Victorian society also held their own beliefs on moral code. Of which, the middle class beliefs are most closely examined in both plays. Men and women were expected by others in Victorian society to uphold certain moral behaviors. These expectations caused many problems for the individual that upheld them†¦show more content†¦This time the women are seen expecting the man to care for them, like in Freddys case. You really are very helpless, Freddy. Go again; and dont come back until you have found a cab(Shaw 574). Because Freddy is a male, he is expected by his mother and sister to find a cab for them in the rain when there are none in sight. Even on the streets men will defend women who they dont even know. What business is it of yours? You mind your own affairs....Nice thing a girl cant shelter from the rain without being insulted,(Shaw 576). Bystanders noticing the flower girl is upset by the note taker, they defend her, if she were a man they would have expected her to fend for herself. The second requirement that makes a man a man in Victorian times is his perfect family. There they are!...Look at them, Christine! Arent they darlings?(Ibsen 19). Nora is showing off her perfect little children to her friend Mrs. Linde. Yes, take a good look at her. I think she is worth looking at. Isnt she charming, Mrs. Linde?(Ibsen 53). Torvald is now showing off his prize trophy, his wife, as if Mrs. Linde really cares. With a perfect wife and children Torvald can be seen as a true hard-working, good man. Yet, many times these seemingly good values are flawed underneath . There are many problems with these values imposed on men in Victorian times. In the case of protecting his woman, we see Torvalds true colors in the end of the play after he discovers NorasShow MoreRelatedThe Elizabethan Age: Is There a History Behind the Theater? Essay examples1668 Words   |  7 Pages There’s always history behind a theater, right? Right! The Elizabethan Theater was part of an age where body of works reign while Elizabeth I was queen (1558-1603). During the Elizabethan era, there was a mass production of inspired drama, poetry and other forms of literature, as well as growth in humanism and significantly the birth of professional theater in England. This period embodies the work of Sir Philip Sidney, Edmund Spenser, Christopher Marlowe, the well-known, William ShakespeareRead MoreHamlet1304 Words   |  6 Pagest With underlying themes of revenge, incest, and suicide, William Shakespeare’s Hamlet was remembered by many Elizabethan Era viewers as both a philosophical and oft-debated masterpiece (Dickson). These controversial themes attracted viewers everywhere, enticing them to see the play. One scene in particular from the original text of the play where this proves true is act IV, scene iv, lines 31-65, in which the titular character Hamlet decides that the time for revenge is at hand in an insightfulRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s King Richard IIi1258 Words   |  6 PagesShakespeare: I constructed â€Å"King Richard III† during the Elizabethan era where providential ideals of fate, divinity and God’s will were being challenged by Renaissance humanism and secularism, while Pacino here constructed his abomination in the 20th century; a strongly secular humanist time of political corruption and exploitation of individualism. Pacino: Although we have different mediums and contextual backgrounds, strong ideas of power and morality do intertextually connect both our texts, especiallyRead MoreGender Roles Of Female Characters1479 Words   |  6 PagesThroughout the eras, literature has mirrored the social changes taking place in English society specifically in regards to gender roles of female characters. The Elizabethan era, which lasted from 1558 to 1603, is often referred to as the golden age by historians where many transitions in English society regarding marriage and gender took place (Ivic 110). It was a time in which wives were viewed as the property of their husbands (Ivic 110). However, every woman was expected to marry and be dependentRead More A Comparison of Everyman and Christopher Marlowes Doctor Faustus1145 Words   |  5 PagesEveryman and Christopher Marlowes Doctor Faustus Everyman and Doctor Faustus are both Morality Plays, these are specifically plays that existed within the Medieval period. They were popular during this period as they were intended to instruct the audience in the Christian way and attitudes to life. The morality play is essentially an allegory written in dramatic form. In the fourteenth Century, morality plays were mainly based on the seven deadly sins as in everyman with each character representingRead MoreEssay about Elizabethan Theater1308 Words   |  6 Pages Elizabethan Theater Drama changed literature and theater into what it is today. I. History of Elizabethan Theater a. forming of theater 1. medieval church 2. mystery and morality b. actors 1. rogues and thieves 2. acting guilds II. Influences and people a. commanding actors 1. Shakespeare 2. Burbage b. other 1. wars of the roses (other historical influences) 2. laws restricting theater III. The theaters a. prices 1. seating 2. stage b. the theater and the globe 1. locations and characteristicsRead MoreHamlet- Shakespeare dramatises the tension between Passion and Reason1413 Words   |  6 Pagesunderlying tension. ‘Hamlet’ presents challenging representations of the traditional values of passion and reason through their varying forms. The representation of these concepts coupled with dramatic tension conflicts with traditional plots of the Elizabethan era thus creating a sense of enduring value. The various depictions of dramatized tension that underpin the play, allows issues of passion a nd reason to flourish throughout as is the intention of Shakespeare. Tension emphasises how acts of passionRead MoreChristopher Marlowe Protests: The Moral of Doctor Faustus Essay883 Words   |  4 PagesWhen Doctor Faustus was written, there was turmoil in Elizabethan society. The old medieval view made God the most important aspect of the world, while mankind and the natural world were ignored. This was giving way to the idea that mankind and the natural world were supreme. At first glance, it seems that Doctor Faustus was written with the medieval ideal in mind, however, I believe this is not so. I believe that Marlowe subscribed to the renaissance view of the world, and Doctor Faustus was intendedRead MoreClaudius as Evil in Hamlet by William Shakespeare Essay1029 Words   |  5 PagesIn Shakespeares time Ââ€" the Elizabethan era Ââ€" evil had a similar, but somewhat altered connotation in the human mind. Evil was an entity that violated the English Christian monarchial tradition. Therefore, a man such as Claudius, from Shakespeares play Haml et, a cold-blooded murderer and a ruthless manipulator, who uses rank deeds to usurp the thrown is in direct violation with the Elizabethan societal norms, and hence he is an evil character. In the Elizabethan era, the royal crown was viewedRead More Claudius as Evil in Hamlet by William Shakespeare Essay990 Words   |  4 PagesShakespeare’s time – the Elizabethan era – evil had a similar, but somewhat altered connotation in the human mind. Evil was an entity that violated the English Christian monarchial tradition. Therefore, a man such as Claudius, from Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, a cold-blooded murderer and a ruthless manipulator, who uses â€Å"rank† deeds to usurp the thrown is in direct violation with the Elizabethan societal norms, and hence he is an evil character.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the Elizabethan era, the royal crown was viewed