With close Reference to the Language of Specific Characters Essay Example

With close Reference to the Language of Specific Characters Essay Written by William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy based around the concepts of love and conflict. Within the play, each different character brings with themselves their own unique attitudes towards love, sex and marriage, ranging from the aggressive views of Sampson and Gregory to the passionate and sensitive views of Romeo and Juliet. It is the intention of this essay to explore and analyse the opinions of the main characters in the play, along with how they are presented by Shakespeare. The first characters to be introduced in the play are Sampson and Gregory, an uneducated and violent double-act with an obsession with sex and no thoughts of love or marriage. Being lowly servants of the Capulet family, they speak in prose tainted with rude and aggressive language: Women being the weaker vessels are ever thrust to the wall: therefore I will push Montagues men from the wall, and thrust his maids to the wall (Act One, Scene One, Lines 14-17) We will write a custom essay sample on With close Reference to the Language of Specific Characters specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on With close Reference to the Language of Specific Characters specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on With close Reference to the Language of Specific Characters specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer This quote clearly shows that they regard women as being nothing more than sexual objects to be used at ones leisure and then disposed of. The word vessels here implies that women are only suitable to carrying children, again demonstrating to the audience that Sampson and Gregory regard women as being inferior. When the actor delivers his lines, he would emphasise the word thrust in order to convey Sampson and Gregorys vulgar and misogynistic attitude to the uneducated peasantry, who would appreciate the crudeness. In addition, their bawdy and rude sense of humour, which is shown by their phrases Tis known that I am a pretty piece of flesh and my naked weapon is out would have appealed to most of the audience. In direct contrast to Sampson and Gregory is one of the heroes of the play, Romeo, who is of noble status within the Montague family. We observe Romeos attitudes to love changing rather drastically as the play progresses; he goes from being the classic Petrarchan, negative lover to a passionate and soulful one. Before he meets Juliet, the person who inspires this change within him, he talks about his unrequited love for Rosaline (who, incidentally, the audience dont actually see in the play). He describes his love elaborately and excessively, using phrases such as She is too fair, too wise, wisely too fair. The audience think that Romeo is being over-the-top and insincere, a notion thats heightened by his apparently confused views of love, demonstrated by his use of oxymorons: O brawling love, O loving hate, O anything of nothing first create! (Act One, Scene One, Lines 170-171) Not only do these contradictory terms show Romeos inability to think straight, they also show him blinded by his apparent love for Rosaline. However, when Romeo meets Juliet for the first time, he changes from having a negative view of love and being in a state of emotional turmoil to being positive, light and soulful. His language suddenly transforms from a dark and depressing mood into a more lifted one. This becomes apparent to the audience when they hear Romeo say: This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this, My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss (Act One, Scene Five, Lines 93-95) His language, though no longer overly elaborate, still has some Petrarchan qualities, though Romeo expresses his love positively rather than through depression, which informs the audience that his love is passionate and pure. His description of Juliet as holy shrine suggests that she is his world, his religion, his life, and tender kiss emphasises his caring love for her. Through language such as this, Shakespeare makes clear that Romeo is no longer in love with the idea of being in love (as he was before), but is well and truly in love with Juliet. Although Juliet returns Romeos affections, their views on love and marriage were rather different before they met. Juliet was the classic example of a dutiful daughter, pleased to obey her parents in almost every aspect of life, including love. When Lady Capulet proposes Paris offer to her, Juliet says Ill look to like, if looking liking move But no more deep will I endart mine eye Than your consent gives strength to make it fly (Act One, Scene Three, Lines 98-100) At this point in the play, Juliet is being obedient and is allowing her parents to guide her in the matter of love as they see fit. However, when Juliet meets Romeo, her views change so drastically that she goes against all social norms and proposes marriage herself (an idea that was simply unheard of in Elizabethan culture the man was supposed to propose). Juliet even goes so far as to offer to abandon her family for Romeo (and hence, risk abandonment), making the audience realise that her love for Romeo is greater even than her love for her parents and her life, which serves as a great contrast to the previously shy and dutiful Juliet: Or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love And Ill no longer be a Capulet. (Act Two, Scene Two, Lines 35-36) Both Romeo and Juliet share a passionate, true love for each other, harbouring no obsessions with sex (unlike Sampson and Gregory). When they meet, they begin to realise just how powerful love can be, and devote themselves to the other. The fourth character to be discussed is the Nurse, of the House of Capulet. She is of low social status, which is reflected in her bawdy (though unaggressive) sense of humour. However, Nurse treats Juliet as her own daughter (something Lady Capulet never did), a fact which is made apparent to the audience when Lady Capulet says Thou knowest my daughter of a pretty age. Also, although Nurse displays a strong parental for Juliet, her views of love are rather superficial, and based upon appearances. A man, young lady! Lady, such a man As all the world Why hes a man of wax (Act One, Scene Three, Lines 76-77) The above quotation (describing Paris) shows that Nurse considers appearances to be of utmost importance; the phrase man of wax implies perfection in looks. She also refers to Paris as a flower and doesnt mention anything about his character when persuading Juliet to marry him. Nurses views on marriage are influenced by fond memories of her late husband God be with his soul and she also says to Juliet: And I might live to see thee married once, I have my wish (Act One, Scene Three, Lines 63-64) This tells the audience that she has positive views on marriage and has a motherly wish to see Juliet married. Furthermore, Nurse uses a lot of sexual innuendo, talking about wormwood on my dung and Juliet falling backward when thou hast more wit. Making such casual remarks in the presence of a person such as Lady Capulet was considered improper in those times, but the Nurses disregard for this also reflects her low social standing. Another pair of characters from Juliets family is Lord and Lady Capulet, who, surprisingly, have contrasting views of love and marriage. Lord Capulet believes that Juliet should be older before she is married, and wants her to choose her husband. Let two more summers wither in their pride, Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride. (Act One, Scene Two, Lines 10-11) The above quote shows that Lord Capulet is quite prepared to wait another few years for Juliet to get married, which is the complete opposite of what Lady Capulet thinks: Well, think of marriage now; younger than you, Here in Verona, ladies of esteem, Are made already mothers. (Act One, Scene Three, Lines 70-72) Lady Capulet clearly has no patience, and wants Juliet to marry Paris straight away. This implies that Juliets father is more loving and protective, while her mother is superficial and uncaring. Furthermore, the views of the two contrast on the point of love too: But woo her, gentle Paris, get her heart My will to her consent is but a part. (Act One, Scene Two, Lines 16-17) This suggestion from Lord Capulet tells us that he wants Juliet to love her husband, and shows that he doesnt really want to impose his own will upon her. Lady Capulet, on the other hand, wants Juliet to marry immediately, so that she can share all that he doth possess and add to the family fortune. The next character to be explored is Mercutio, Romeos best friend. He is of noble status but uses crude and vulgar language in spite of his standing. He has a negative attitude towards love and regards it as a foe that must be beaten down: If love be rough with you, be rough with love. Prick love for pricking, and you beat love down. (Act One, Scene Four, Lines 76-77) However, he displays a strong filial love for Romeo, and his view on love could be influenced by Rosalines harsh treatment of his best friend. Another explanation could be that Mercutio has never experienced love before; therefore he doesnt know how to deal with it properly. His cynical attitude makes Mercutio dismiss Romeos fantasies, because he is supposedly succumbing to the evil powers of love. Another character with a negative view of love is Benvolio, Romeos other friend. When attempting to comfort Romeo, he suggests that he should simply find someone else to replace Rosaline in his affections. Compare her face with some that I shall show, And I will make thee think thy swan a crow. (Act One, Scene Two, Lines 88-89) Within the above quotation, Shakespeare informs us of the superficial attitudes to love and women within Benvolio. The use of the word compare suggests that women are merely objects, and the casual suggestion to replace Rosaline shows Benvolios shallow opinions. However, he does display a strong filial love for Romeo, which is shown when he tries to comfort him over the unrequited love. Even though the advice is not very good (Benvolio has probably never been in love himself), the gesture is still there. He also believes that love seems to be a good thing on the outside but on the inside it is an evil enemy: Alas that Love, so gentle in his view, Should be so tyrannous and rough in proof (Act One, Scene One, Lines 163-164) Contrasting with Benvolio is Tybalt, of the House of Capulet, who displays absolutely no filial love. He despises everyone of the House of Montague and displays a rather fiery personality. It fits when such a villain in a guest: Ill not endure him (Act One, Scene Five, Lines 74-75) This quote referring to Romeo shows that Tybalt cannot stand any Montagues, and his previous order, Fetch me my rapier, boy along with other such statements littered throughout his dialogue suggest that he is very violent and aggressive. Later on in the play, he challenges Romeo to a fight to the death, demonstrating his obsession with his familys honour. The final character to be explored is Friar Lawrence, who, despite having two sons, treats Romeo like one of his children, giving advice and encouragement. He refers to Romeo as good son, which tells the audience of his fatherly feelings. Friar Lawrence doesnt differentiate between the two houses of Capulet and Montague, unlike most of the other characters, and agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet in the hope that it will unite the conflicting families. To conclude, William Shakespeare delivers to us an array of moral values and attitudes to love, sex and marriage in Romeo and Juliet. One of his greatest works, the play expresses the views of all social classes, using marvellous linguistic tools that are unparalleled to this day. The audience are greeted with the violent and aggressive attitudes of Sampson and Gregory, juxtaposed by the passionate and sensitive views of love of Romeo and Juliet. Throughout the play, Shakespeare masterfully weaves humour and sadness, peace and conflict, love and hate, together into an intricate and entertaining plot that will be performed and studies for generations to come.

3 Great Options for Online Homeschooling Support

3 Great Options for Online Homeschooling Support SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The magic of the internet has dramatically increased the resources available to the average homeschooler. Through online homeschooling resources, homeschools can supplement their existing coursework, parents can get curriculum support, and students with irregular schedules can stay enrolled in high school! In this complete guide to online homeschool, we’ll introduce online homeschooling, discuss the pros and cons to online homeschool, and go over the types of online homeschool and the benefits and drawbacks to each type. We’ll also provide examples of each type of program! An Introductionto Online Homeschool Online homeschooling refers to a homeschooling program (so, no going to a brick-and-mortar building!) where some or all of the learning is done through the aid of an online program. Other than that, it’s a pretty broad term. Online homeschooling could mean you are doing a complete, comprehensive program at an online high school. It could also mean one or both of your parents are your primary teachers, but you are supplementing their teaching with one or two online homeschool classes. It could even mean your parents are getting their homeschool curriculum from an online source, which they are then teaching to you. Thus, â€Å"online homeschool† can refer to pretty much any internet-based homeschooling coursework resources. Should You Use Online Classes in Your Homeschooling Program? There are both pros and cons to making use of online material and courses in your homeschooling program. Benefits of Online Homeschooling There are several benefits to online homeschooling: It's Flexible Online homeschool allows for increased flexibility in schedule. This is really important for students who may be engaged in lots of travel for athletic competitions or who have other constraints that cause them to have irregular schedules. Being able to work on the road and at unusual times is a must for students who are pursuing activities that aren’t compatible with a typical Monday-Friday 8 am-3 pm school schedule. It Doesn’t Rely Solely on Parent Expertise Even if your parents are amazing homeschool teachers, there may be areas where they don’t have enough knowledge to effectively teach you, especially when you get older and start taking advanced and AP classes. In this case, online homeschool classes can fill in the gaps and make sure you get the instruction you need for advanced coursework. Can Have Engaging, Interactive Teaching Methods Some online homeschool programs will mostly involve you reading an online textbook and doing standard exercises. However, there are some programs that strive to present material in an engaging and interactive way using the online/computer-based medium. This can help keep you from getting bored. Validated Grades A benefit to online homeschool programs that give grades is that it helps validate your grades beyond just a parent transcript. If an online, independently run and graded course gives you high marks, that’s going to serve as evidence to colleges that you really know the material and help validate your homeschool grades and achievements. If you're a competitive ice-skater, you might need online homeschool so you can skate and graduate! Drawbacks of Online Homeschooling Here are some of the drawbacks: Self-Motivation Is Required The less structured and monitored a program is, the more self-motivated you’ll need to be. So if you’re doing a very self-guided program without too many deadlines or checkpoints along the way, you will really need to keep yourself on track. A parent can help with this, of course, but it will ultimately be up to you to make sure all the work gets done. Quality Control The landscape of online education is very uneven, so you need to really make sure that whatever online homeschooling program(s) you use are high-quality. Ideally, they would be accredited in some way and have good reviews from other students. Other things to look for include instructor availability, quality and comprehensiveness of content, and workload. Less Curriculum Flexibility Online homeschooling, particularly complete online high school programs, offer less curriculum flexibility than traditional homeschooling, where parents can create the entire curriculum tailored to student interest. For example, parents can arrange every subject in short units around single topics or make all of your math work relate to cooking and baking to keep students interested. With online programs, it’s less individualized and more outside of parental (and student) control. Cost In general, most online homeschooling resources cost money, and they can be quite expensive! At some providers, an individual course can cost a thousand dollars, and enrolling in a complete online high school can cost several thousand dollars a year! Unfortunately, it takes more than a simple stamp to guarantee quality. The 3 Types of Online Homeschool: Pros and Cons There are three overall categories of online homeschool: single classes, complete online schools or programs, and online curriculum support for homeschooling parents. Single Classes As a homeschooler, you can take single classes in specific subjects from a variety of online course providers to supplement your home learning without having to enroll in a complete online high school. Pros: By taking single online courses, you can pick and choose from a variety of sources. This allows you not only to try out different providers and formats but dramatically expands your potential course catalogue! If you can find an online provider that offers a course, you can take it! Taking single courses is also, in general, going to be more cost-effective than enrolling in a complete online high school. You can select only those courses that you absolutely need an online provider for and save money on the ones where you don’t. Cons: The more different providers you take courses from, the more logistically complicated it will be! Not only will you have to make sure that none of your courses clash in terms of scheduling, deadlines, and so on, you will need to request transcripts from all of your coursework providers when it’s time to apply to college! Examples: Here are several examples of providers that offer single classes for online homeschool. Note that many online high schools also offer the option of taking single classes. PA Homeschoolers - This homeschool-student only provider offers robust online AP courses for high-schoolers. Reviews of the site praise the individualized attention that students get from instructors and the overall quality of the curriculum and learning experience. Florida Virtual School - This public online course provider has both single course and complete curriculum options; with FLVS Flex, homeschoolers can supplement their coursework with select online courses. UC Scout - The University of California system offers this online course provider specifically so that students can satisfy California universities’ A-G requirements online (the A-G requirements are fairly standard high school college prep course expectations). But anyone can enroll in their courses! Taking single classes gives you access to a whole buffet of online courses! Complete Online Schools/Programs You can also enroll in a complete online high school program and take all of your courses through the same provider- like a regular high school, but in cyberspace! Pros: This is a great option for students in rural areas or with unusual schedules who still want to be connected to some kind of high school community. Some online high schools really make an effort to connect students, too, through things like extracurriculars. You will get a more consistent, cohesive academic experience from an online school as opposed to if you patch together classes from various online course providers, homeschool, and community college. Some online high schools even have pretty robust institutional resources like guidance counselors to help you apply to college! An online high school gives you the benefit of one simple, complete transcript from the school- which you won’t have if you take classes from multiple sources. This will make it logistically simpler down the line when you start applying to colleges. Cons: You have much less control and flexibility in an online high school versus traditional homeschooling or select online courses. You have to comply with the school’s rules about how many courses you can take, when you can take them, any prerequisites you need, and so on. You’re limited by the school’s course catalogue- if they don’t offer it, you can’t take it. Complete online high schools can be expensive! Many are private schools, in which case you may find yourself paying thousands of dollars annually. However, some states offer free public online high schools to students, so be sure to look into that. Examples: There are hundreds of online high schools out there. These are only a few examples. But if you are going to use an online high school, make sure that it’s accredited! Stanford Online High School - This rigorous, application-only online high school was created by Stanford University and features a lot of interaction with other students as a main selling point. It is fairly expensive, though! Connections Academy - This is a free, accredited online public high school. The Keystone School - An accredited, online private high school based in Pennsylvania but available to students everywhere. Also check out our massive list of over a hundred free online high schools! If you need to keep irregular hours to fuel your frog-hunting passion, online homeschool may be just the thing for you! Online Homeschool Curriculum Support If you’re a parent who is looking for predesigned homeschool curriculum to use with your children, there are tons of online homeschooling curriculums available out there. Pros: The major pro, of course, is that this can be an incredible time-saversince you don’t have to design the entire curriculum yourself. If you can find a well-designed, high-quality, positively-reviewed curriculum for a course, you can confidently use it yourself! Pre-designed curricula can also be helpful when you are familiar with the subject, but not an expert. It will give you a little boost in knowledge and effectiveness if the curriculum is high-quality. Cons: Quality control is an issue for any online homeschool curriculum. Since most curricula aren’t offered by accredited institutions, it can be hard to know that what you’re getting is the real deal. Ideally, you’d be able to look over some of the curriculum before purchasing or using it so that you can validate it. You’ll also want to try to find reviews from other users. Examples: Here are a couple of curriculum support options. Note that it may be the hardest to separate the wheat from the chaff with curriculum support sites because anyone can start up a website and upload a curriculum with little possibility of outside validation. Bridgeway Academy - In addition to single courses and an online high school program, they also offer a program for parents to connect with homeschool curriculum that meets their needs. Calvert Education - Calvert Education offers homeschool curriculum to parents with an online management tool and a support line. They also claim President Barack Obama as an alumnus! Imagine a 24-7 curriculum support line for all your 2 am math-instruction questions. Online Homeschool: Key Takeaways Online homeschooling resources are available from many sources. You can take individual courses, enroll in a complete online high school, or get homeschool curriculum online! Here are some of the pros and cons to online homeschool: Pros: It can offer flexibility for students with unusual schedules. It allows you to get taught by trained experts in a variety of subjects. Teaching methods can be interactive and engaging. An online course transcript helps validates other homeschool grades. Cons: You need to be self-motivated to learn in the online format. Quality control for online learning resources can be a problem. Less flexibility than traditional homeschooling. It can be expensive! There are also pros and cons to the different kinds of online homeschool: Single courses allow youtry out multiple providers and have access to more classes and are more cost-effective than a complete online high school. However, the more providers you take classes from, the more logistically complicated it is! A complete online high school keeps you connected to a high school community, gives a cohesive academic experience, and gives you just one simple transcript, but uou are limited by the high school’s regulations and course catalog. Complete online high schools can also be very expensive. Curriculum support is a less extensive option that can still be ahuge time-saver for parents, but quality control is often an issue with these resources. Online homeschool for everyone! Yay! What's Next? Get more guidance on deciding if online high school is right for you, and a list of 100+ free online high schools to consider. And be sure to learn more about getting a high school diploma online! Thinking about a private online school? See our full expert review of Stanford Online High School. Need to register for the ACT orprep for the ACTas a homeschooled student? Or what aboutpreparing for the SAT as a homeschooler? Considering taking AP courses online? See our guide to 12 pros and cons of online AP courses. And see expert reviews of the best and worst online AP courses. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: