8/14/2019 Term Papers Essay School 1071114313

1/3

The use of symbolism in plays and poems Symbolism is the use of a person, an object, a place, or anidea to represent it self and something beyond itself at the same time. Two recognizable examples of symbolism are the Stars and Stripes on the flag; this is the symbol for the United States of America. Another well-known symbol is skull and crossbones, which we all know represent something poisonous. Symbolism is often used in all forms of literature and poetry. Many use it because it helps the

writer to get their expressions out more clearly (Prentice Hall Literature 619). Some symbols can beread clearly and understood with ease but there are others, which have private meanings. Symbols with private meanings usually cannot be comprehended at first glance but instead you have to really understand the text in which you are reading. In order to get the exact meaning of a private symbol you must appreciate the literary work in which you are reading (Prentice Hall Literature 619). More frequently used and most recognizable uses of symbolism in today's society are youth, which symbolizesspringtime, middle age, which is summer, and old age, which is autumn or winter. Also there is death, which is darkness or cold, roses are used for love and beauty, and doves are for peace and owls,which symbolizes wisdom. Two writhers who could be symbolizing by an owl are William Shakespeare andWilliam Blake (Prentice Hall Literature 619). William Shakespeare and William Blake can both be considered as two of the greatest writhers in their time. Though Shakespeare wrote plays and Blake wrote poems there still remain many similarities between the two. These two writers became familiar withsymbolism and decided to take their poems and plays to the extreme. Both figured out ways to maximize the effect of the use of symbolism in their poems and plays. Their knowledge of literature cannotbe questioned because the both soared above the rest. Their ability to use unique symbols makes the

m nothing short of literary geniuses. They have shown us that the expression of your thought can beobtained in your literary work. (Prentice Hall Literature 619). William Shakespeare was born on April 13, 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, England to John Shakespeare and Mary Arden. Shakespeare began hiseducation at the age of seven where he attended the Stratford grammar school. While at Stratford hestudied Latin Rhetoric, Logic, and literature. His knowledge and imagination is said to have come from reading about ancient authors and poetry. Shakespeare received a license to marry Anne Hathawayin November 1582. Shakespeare was married when he was only 18. His wife was 26 years old. Shakespeare fathered three children: Susanna, and twins Hamneth and Judith. Shakespeare was first recognizedas a writher by Robert Green in 1552. Shakespeare became widely known as an actor and a play writer.By 1594 he had written six plays and two poems (Prentice Hall Literature 204). In 1599 Shakespeareand six other associates became owners of the Globe which was an outdoor theatre. This is where he decided to continue his acting. Shake4speare died April 23, 1616, but before his death he had writtenthirty-seven plays (Prentice Hall Literature 204). William Blake was born in 1757. At the age of four he screamed because he was believed to have seen God in his window. At the age of eight, while walking in fields, he saw a tree with angels. To the people Blake's visions raised great concern, butto his parents his gift was something that should be nurtured. Blake never attended any schools, instead he was self-taught. Although he did not attend any school his father decided when he became oldenough he would be sent to an engraver because Blake loved to draw (Prentice Hall Literature 618).Between the ages of twelve and twenty, Blake wrote a series of poems. Some of his better known poemswere Poetical Sketches and Songs of Innocence. Instead of publishing his poetry he engraved them onmetal plates with varnish, and then he painted then by hand. Because the process took so much timefew of his books were published. Blake lived in a filthy London Studio where he continued to see visions of angels and prophets who instructed him in his work. Once he painted while receiving a visionof Voltaire. He was later asked did Voltaire speak English he replied "to my ears it was English" (Prentice Hall Literature 618). Blake's poetry wasn't recognized until several years after his deathon August 13, 1827. This tells me that throughout Blake's lifetime poets were rarely understood. Hispoetry was understood to operate on two levels one of them symbolic, the other was literal (Prentice Hall Literature 618). Shakespeare, one who is known for his extremely dramatic plays, was considered one of the greatest writers of all time. Some of his more famous plays are Julius Caesar, Twelfth

Night, Romeo and Juliet, and King Lear. In these plays Shakespeare shows a variety of symbolism. Some of his symbolism can be recognized at first glance, but there are others that have to be carefully read and studied to truly understand their meaning. In his pays happiness, times of hardship, loveand times of joy are all represented by symbolism. His plays are truly nothing short of a work of art (The Complete Works of William Shakespeare 118). One play that Shakespeare displays his knowledgeof symbolism is Julius Caesar. This is a tragic play based on the lives of ancient Greek biographerPlutarch. Writer Sir Thomas North translated the content. It was first performed in 1599 and published in 1623. The play takes place in ancient Rome, it tells the Roman events before and after the assassination of the Roman ruler Julius Caesar. Ironically in the play Julius Caesar is not the main character: the character within the main focus was Brutus. He is a Roman general and Caesar's best friend. Brutus soon turns against Caesar and joins a plot to murder him. After the death of Caesar hejoins an army and soon kills himself (Julius Caesar38). Some symbolism in this play are the omens ofCaesar's death, the warnings of the augur and of artemidorus, and the absence of the heart in the animal sacrificed all symbolizes the unity of an army which was destroyed. The river in the pay is said to have symbolized the faminality of the Heavens. A red stain of the left leg and foot of the sta

tue of Brutus is said to symbolize the blood of the great Caesar. More examples of symbolism can befound within this play. Explore it and notice the extreme use of symbolism (Julius Caesar 54). Another play where Shakespeare shows his knowledge of symbolism is Macbeth. Macbeth is also one of Shakespeare's tragic plays. It is based on the Chronicles by the English historian Raphael Holinshed. It was first performed in 1623. This was a tale about how Macbeth captures the throne by murdering KingDuncan. After killing King Duncan he becomes more and more of a man without feelings. After the death of his wife he feels nothing so he goes into battle. He is then killed and Duncan's son, Malcolm,

8/14/2019 Term Papers Essay School 1071114313

2/3

takes over the throne (Macbeth). Something special about this play is that the whole play symbolizesa mixture of history and legends. Another form of symbolism in this play is when the witches promise Banquo that his children would inherit the throne. In the end it was not his children who inherited the throne; children symbolized grandchildren or descendants (Shakespeare 30). This play also symbolizes a compliment to the king. It was suppose to flatter the king because it was written about his

ancestor, Banquo. This is one of Shakespeare's most popular plays in his time and in the present (Macbeth). Unlike William Shakespeare, William Blake does not show his knowledge of symbolism in plays. Blake uses his method of expressing himself through symbolism in poetry instead of in plays. He feels as though symbolism helps him to express himself through his poetry. Blake's poetry raised manyeyebrows in time, mainly because the people did not understand the greatness of his poems. Throughout his lifetime he went everyday with no one really noticing him for the great poet that he is knownas today. Two poems that stand out among the rest of Blake's poems are "The Lamb" and "The Tiger". These are two poems where Blake actually had a chance to show ho much he loved to use symbolism (Prentice Hall Literature 618). In William Blake's "The Lamb", the lamb has two symbolic meanings. One meaning I have interpreted as the lamb being the people of the world. Blake appears to have had problems with the people of the world. Another being that the lamb symbolizes is a child, a child that ismore than a child, a child that seems to have a relationship with God (Prentice Hall Literature 620). In his poem "The Tiger", Blake truly expresses his feelings toward the world. He uses the jungle cat as a symbol for the savage and unnamed forces in the world that prompts human beings to perform evil actions. William Blake's relationship with the outside world is unknown, but he was greatly mist

reated by everyone. He lived a life of poverty so that may have been more than enough to push him over the edge. Also in Blake's poems he tries to show a contrast between good and evil. Blake believedsymbolism makes literature a wonderful thing (Prentice Hall Literature 622). Symbolism is a brilliant way to express your thoughts and emotions in your writing. The creator of symbolism was nothing short of a genius. Those who understand and use symbolism know that it works wonders for you literarywork. If symbolism is used correctly it can stimulate the minds of your readers. Using symbolism allows you to lose control of your feelings in your writing. This is why it is used so often (PrenticeHall Literature 721). symbolism plays poems symbolism person object place idea represent self something beyond itself same time recognizable examples symbolism stars stripes flag this symbol united states america another well known symbol skull crossbones which know represent something poisonous often used forms literature poetry many because helps writer their expressions more clearly prentice hall literature some symbols read clearly understood with ease there others which have private meanings symbols with private meanings usually cannot comprehended first glance instead have really understand text which reading order exact meaning private symbol must appreciate literary work reading prentice hall literature more frequently used most recognizable uses today society youth symbolizes springtime middle summer autumn winter also there death darkness cold roses used love beauty doves peace owls symbolizes wisdom writhers could symbolizing william shakespeare william blake prentice hallwilliam shakespeare blake both considered greatest writhers their time though shakespeare wrote plays blake wrote poems there still remain many similarities between these writers became familiar withdecided take their poems plays extreme both figured ways maximize effect knowledge cannot questionedbecause both soared above rest ability unique symbols makes them nothing short literary geniuses they have shown that expression your thought obtained your literary work born april stratford upon avon england john mary arden began education seven where attended stratford grammar school while stratford studied latin rhetoric logic knowledge imagination said come from reading about ancient authorspoetry received license marry anne hathaway november married when only wife years fathered three children susanna twins hamneth judith first recognized writher robert green became widely known actor play writer written other associates became owners globe outdoor theatre this where decided continueacting shake speare died april before death written thirty seven born four screamed because believedseen window eight while walking fields tree angels people visions raised great concern parents giftsomething that should nurtured never attended schools instead self taught although attend school father decided when enough would sent engraver loved draw between ages twelve twenty wrote series somebetter known were poetical sketches songs innocence instead publishing poetry engraved them metal plates varnish then painted then hand process took much time books were published lived filthy londonstudio where continued visions angels prophets instructed work once painted while receiving visionvoltaire later asked voltaire speak english replied ears english wasn recognized until several yearsafter death august this tells that throughout lifetime poets were rarely understood understood operate levels them symbolic other literal extremely dramatic considered greatest writers some more famous julius caesar twelfth night romeo juliet king lear these shows variety recognized first glance others carefully read studied truly understand meaning pays happiness times hardship love times represented truly nothing short complete works play displays knowledge julius caesar tragic play based lives ancient greek biographer plutarch writer thomas north translated content performed published takes place ancient rome tells roman events before after assassination roman ruler julius caesar ironically main character character within main focus brutus roman general best friend brutus soon turns against joins plot murder after joins army soon kills himself omens warnings augur artemidorus absence

heart animal sacrificed symbolizes unity army destroyed river said symbolized faminality heavens stain left foot statue brutus said symbolize blood great examples found within explore notice extremeanother shows macbeth macbeth also tragic based chronicles english historian raphael holinshed performed tale about macbeth captures throne murdering king duncan killing king duncan becomes without feelings wife feels nothing goes into battle then killed duncan malcolm takes over throne special about whole mixture history legends another form when witches promise banquo children would inherit throne children inherited symbolized grandchildren descendants also compliment suppose flatter written a

8/14/2019 Term Papers Essay School 1071114313

3/3

ncestor banquo most popular present unlike does show uses method expressing himself through feels though helps express himself through raised many eyebrows mainly people understand greatness throughout lifetime went everyday really noticing great poet today stand among rest lamb tiger these actuallychance show much loved lamb lamb symbolic meanings meaning interpreted being people world appears problems world being child child than child seems relationship poem tiger truly expresses feelings to

ward world uses jungle savage unnamed forces prompts human beings perform evil actions relationshipoutside unknown greatly mistreated everyone lived life poverty been than enough push over edge triesshow contrast between good evil believed makes wonderful thing brilliant express your thoughts emotions writing creator short genius those know works wonders correctly stimulate minds readers using allows lose control feelings writing oftenEssay, essays, termpaper, term paper, termpapers, term papers, book reports, study, college, thesis, dessertation, test answers, free research, book research,study help, download essay, download term papers