William Shakespeare: a legendary playwright and icon within the literary canon – yet the most feared of all composers up for grabs to study by students during the HSC.

So, why does such fear of Shakespeare exist?

 First and foremost, as human beings, we fear uncertainty – we have an indispensable aversion towards the ‘unknown’, and when we think about it, Shakespeare indeed embodies everything ‘unknown’ to us as modern creatures. His dialect is archaic, his characters are to a degree inaccessible, his belief systems are made up of assumptions that no longer exist today, and his context is a completely foreign landscape to us, rendering his entire capital anachronistic in this postmodern era, and further elevating the barrier that disconnects us from his works.

Yet, amongst all of this nebulosity, there must be some sort of value embedded in what this legendary literary artist has created that cements his status and ongoing relevancy in the current literary rhetoric
– that is, there has to be some timeless, temporally transcendent quality or aspect of his work that qualifies his position amongst the many other great creators we have the opportunity to learn about during HSC. Personally, I think that the penetrating universality of his works is anchored in the very fact
that even though he was writing during an age so distant from ours, he was able to illuminate issues about the human condition that we can continue to learn about today.

Such timeless concerns span from themes surrounding the caustic and destructive nature of jealousy (*cough* Othello *cough*), the self-destructive nature of one’s untenable pursuit of political power (*looks
over to the King Richard III play sitting on my table*), the importance of a leader’s ability to exercise Machiavellian politics through adopting an amorphous disposition and façade that can continually oscillate in correlation with one’s external environment, tailoring and manipulating one’s public image to meet the demands of his outer world (King Henry IV Part 1), or even the disastrous repercussions of unbridled ambition that disrupts or perverts the natural order, and demoralises one’s conscience (*enter Macbeth*). So, whether it’s a tale about power, politics, performance or destructive emotions, we as modern audiences can continue to dissect his works due to its enduring value. Additionally, through such analysis, we often make the discovery that his works are in actuality not as distant from our reality than what we had previously thought.

With all of this in mind, how do we successfully navigate through the complex labyrinth and literary intricacies of Shakespeare’s works to synthesise masterful analysis and responses?

Why don’t we have a look at how to go about analysing his plays and use one of his most famous works, ‘Macbeth’, as an example. 

Context:

Successful responses and effective arguments about any of Shakespeare’s works will undoubtedly integrate a well-rounded understanding of his zeitgeist and the time period in which he was creating his works.

Shakespeare was writing during the Elizabethan period, a period in English history during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, which was itself part of the larger Tudor period. As Shakespeare’s life spanned from 1567 to 1616, it is also important to note that the era preceding Shakespeare’s works was known as the Medieval Ages, and the period he was writing in was classified as the Renaissance era. Understanding the historical dimensions of his works will ensure that you also understand the values, beliefs and assumptions that underpin his compositional choices and the concerns he decides to delve into within his plays. Some general features of his context (that assist in understanding the themes he explores in his narratives) include:

–     The Great Chain of Being (the belief which asserts that everything in existence, all living
creatures and matter, can be translated into a hierarchical structure reflective of their respective value in nature – this assumption was thought to have been decreed by God and was strongly adhered to by Medieval Christians) or Divine Right of Kings (this was a political doctrine in defence of monarchical
absolutism which promulgates the assumption that Kings are bestowed their power by the divine supremacy of God and hence could not have their actions questioned or challenged by earthly authority. This belief has its roots in metaphysical ideological platforms as it posits that the individual who will fulfil the role of a king is pre-ordained by the celestial force of God and that their right to the throne is a birthright). Clearly, these sentiments reflect the superstitious ideological constructs that form the general framework of Shakespeare’s context. Indeed, we see these contextual elements translate in Macbeth, for example, through the inclusion of witches and the disruption of the Natural Order in Macbeth.

–     Divine Retribution: The belief that those who destabilise or pervert the natural order (such as going
against the Great Chain of Being or challenging the Divine Right of Kings) will be punished by God. Indeed, Macbeth’s grisly death on the battlefield as he is beheaded by Macduff elucidates this idea.

–     Tensions between Renaissance Humanism and Christian Providentialism: this was spurred by the
paradigmatic tensions between the ideologies of the Middle Ages and the philosophies of the new, modern world during the Renaissance. The clashes between these two periods resulted in frictions between the notions of free will (the ability to dictate one’s existence, of which was a more ‘modern’ idea) and destiny (the inability to govern one’s life, and instead surrendering their existence to an omnipotent force, which was the general belief of the time). Many of Shakespeare’s plays reveal these tensions, reflecting the paradigmatic clash amid the superstitious past and the progressively secularised future.

–     With the whole idea about the Great Chain of Being and Divine Right of Kings built on predeterminism, our central character Macbeth most definitely captures this tension as he, after the witches’ prophecies that he will become King, is driven by his ambition to materialise his desire to claim the crown. Yet, in
exercising this free-will to dictate his fate and pursue political and royal power (a liberty that was championed by the emerging humanistic paradigm), we see the dangerous consequences of usurping the ‘natural’ order, through the events of the play. Shakespeare hence depicts the tensions between the
ideological binaries of humanism and predeterminism that confronts his time period, cautioning readers of unrestrained ambition that breaks the codes of divine institutions (or perhaps the mores of society).

–     Patriarchy: Elizabethan England was considered patriarchal as men were perceived as superior and women were inferior. Not only were women regarded the “weaker sex” from a physical standpoint, but they were also seen as emotionally subservient. Essentially, women were seen as economic property, and were dehumanised into docile creatures of obedience stripped of their autonomy. Whilst a lot of the female characters in his works indeed embody these archetypal Elizabethan tropes, some of Shakespeare’s works interestingly depart from these gendered narratives. Lady Macbeth is a wonderful example of a complex female villain who falls outside of the traditional understandings of ‘women’ during this time period.

Clearly, from these handful of examples, we glean a better understanding of how the composer’s context undeniably shapes the issues that the composer explores in their work.

Concepts:

Following after an understanding of context, we are then able to think about the themes that Shakespeare explores in his works. Now, there are way too many themes that Shakespeare explores across all of his works such as love, hate, duty, honour, fate versus free will, ambition, jealousy, family, politics, power, gender, freedom, imprisonment, deception, corruption, good versus evil, and sin through to more complex ideas such as Machiavellianism and realpolitik, verisimilitude, retribution, colonialism,
providentialism, humanism, the power of necromancy, superstition and the list goes on…

If we were to go through every possible Shakespearean idea, this page would be much too long. So, let’s just have a quick look at ONE concept explored using our example text Macbeth so you have a general idea of how you should go about thematically analysing your specific text. 

As we already know, Macbeth is driven to murder King Duncan after being tempted by the witches, who plant the thought in his mind that he will become King of Scotland. With his ambition fueling this desire, as well as the pressure exerted by his wife Lady Macbeth, Macbeth falls victim to this temptation which sets in stone his pathway towards eventual self-destruction. Interestingly though, whilst Macbeth fits the conventional idea of ‘ambition’, Lady Macbeth can be seen as the true villain of the play. Whilst Macbeth continues to exhibit rational thinking and by nature is a character full of the “milk of human kindness”, Lady Macbeth is devoid of such characteristics and uses her sexuality and flattery to emotionally manipulate Macbeth into carrying out the murder. As such, it is difficult to pinpoint precisely where the ‘ambition’ lies Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s dynamic – is one solely at fault for the transgression or is it the blended wrongdoings of both individuals?

Ultimately, the answer to that question lies in your interpretation of the play.

Example analysis of ‘ambition’ in Macbeth (click here to see our method of constructing a solid PEEL paragraph):

“Shakespeare argues that unrestrained and reckless ambition that transgresses the boundaries of moral
institutions is derivative of existential entropy, whereby the perceived fruits of ambitious pursuits is rendered illusory due to its psychologically destructive repercussions. Indeed, the greatness that which can be manifested through one’s ambition is expressed by Lady Macbeth as she reflects on her husband’s character: “Thou wouldst be great/ Art not without ambition, but without/ the illness should attend it”. The contrasting rhetoric “not without” and “but without” highlights Lady Macbeth’s frustrations towards Macbeth, as his ability to conjure dreams of great magnitude are reduced into inconceivable reveries due to his lack of will power to set aside morality to rise up to eminence. Whilst Lady Macbeth’s perspective of ambition and greatness can be understood as a simple input-output dynamic, where ambition and the motivation are mathematical determinants and a function of individual greatness, Macbeth struggles with his moral rationality, and his conscience cannot be silenced, as such, problematising his aptitude to realise his dreams. The metaphor and visual imagery “I have no spur/ To prick the sides of my intent, but only/ vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself/ and falls on the’other” illustrates the strands of doubt which tantalises Macbeth’s consciousness as he understands his plans to seize the throne as being equivalent to the amateur who overestimates his skills to ride a horse. As such, Macbeth’s perspective of ambition is reflective of the moral complexities that surface during one’s journey of ascending their social hierarchy. Interestingly, even after successfully murdering Kind Duncan and
becoming king himself, existential entropy arises within both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, whose consciousness are both rife with unease as a result of their hyper-attunement to their own malignance. Hence, Lady Macbeth’s rhetorical question “What, will these hands ne’er be clean?”  is symbolically
significant of the parasitic nature of guilt that blooms like wildfire inside the sinner’s mind and emblematises how such guilt will remain eternally seared into the fabric of her very existence. The consequences of ambition are once again exemplified in Macbeth’s maxim “To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus” as Shakespeare captures the persisting paranoia that Macbeth endures following his crime. With no lineage to carry on his name, the value of regality is rendered inherently meaningless and transient, as Shakespeare fundamentally dismantles the nexus between ambition and existential reward.”

Form:

Lastly, when studying Shakespeare, we need to ensure that we exhibit an understanding of his form – that is, play. A discussion of both the dramatic techniques employed and the dramatic structure is important to support our analysis. To be more specific, many of Shakespeare’s plays are historical tragedies. “Historical” essentially means that his works dramatically delve into moments in history of change or tension (yet it is important to note that this does not mean that Shakespeare provides accurate
historical recounts as many of his works had to be constructed in ways that acted as propaganda to further propagate the Tudor myth, particularly since Queen Elizabeth I was in reign). Whereas “tragedy” is a form of drama based on human suffering and the sorrowful or devastating, yet painfully inevitable, events that precipitate the downfall of the central character.

In many of Shakespeare’s works, the trigger which provides the irreversible impetus for self-destruction is typically centered around the main character’s primary flaw (or framed in more technical terms, hamartia).
For example, in Macbeth, it is his ambition which perpetuates his downward spiral. In Othello, it is his jealousy.

Understanding the various structures, a tragedy can manifest in is also important. Aristotle’s tragic plot structure, for instance, is valuable to remember when deconstructing the dramatic structure of
Shakespeare’s plays to exhibit a good understanding of the play form:

1.  Inciting incident

2.  Action: Unfolding Chain of Events

3.  Plot Reversal/ Change of fortune/ Recognition

4.  Pity and Fear

5.  Action towards plot Denouément

6.  Catharsis: Purge of Pity and Fear

7.  End

Other aspects of the play which we should also try and incorporate into our analysis may include:

–     Peripeteia (a sudden
reversal of fortune)

–     Anagnorisis (a critical
discovery or realisation)

–     Hamartia (a tragic flaw
or event that overcomes the hero)

–     Catharsis (the purging
of the audience’s emotions through pity and fear, provoked by the play)

–     Dramatic irony

–     Soliloquies

–     Sustained imagery

–     Iambic pentameter

–     Free verse 

However, this is not a skill you develop overnight. It requires countless amounts of drafts to continually refine your writing. And this is where our english tutors step in! For year 7-10 classes, students are required to do 2 PEEL paragraphs per week which our tutors mark and provide model answers for. We prefer to change it up so that weeks alternate between novel study, poetry, Shakespearean plays and films to make our lessons interesting. These weekly writing exercises develop their sophistication for senior grades, which is when we help students refine their expression in their essays.

Want to learn more? Click here to access a recording of our essay writing seminar!