Bits of Life 2

F-12 Words-375

our professor, who spoke on the Elizabethan poets such as Shakespeare and other major poets of the era. He taught us Measure for Measure, which was prescribed for a detailed study.

It was one of the most passionately discussed plays of William Shakespeare. The story revolves around Angelo, a hypocrite, enforcing strict laws while surrendering to his own desires. This is particularly with regard to his proposition to Isabella. Shakespeare shows how power corrupts a person and leads him to fall inevitably. It was a difficult play to understand.

Critics wondered whether to call it a comedy and often it is referred to as a dark comedy. Our professor called it a tragi-comedy.

We read several other plays of Shakespeare during the first year of M.A.class, which include his famous tragedies, Macbeth and Hamlet. We had a wonderful time listening and discussing these plays, which are full of dark and deeper themes. Macbeth’s sin and Hamlet’s dilemma are still etched clearly on my mind. Our sympathies went out to Hamlet, an innocent prince who wondered “to be or not to be”.

Shakespeare’s Othello has a special place in my heart. We cried, when we saw sweet Desdemona dying in the arms of her much loved warrior husband Othello. Iago is the classic villain, suave and sabotaging, cool and cunning. We hated him heartily. Our teachers did full justice in painting these immortal dramas with clarity and effectuality.

One of the most entertaining comedies of Shakespeare we had for a detailed examination, was As You Like It a five-act comedy in which love was treated both as a satire and a celebration.

Briefly, the story is about an ill favored duke banished by his brother Frederick to the forest of Arden. This is the main setting for the dramatic events taking place. His daughter Rosalind disguised as a man and Orlando driven out by his brother Oliver fall in love with each other and so do Celia, a cousin of Rosalind, also disguised as a man and for whom Oliver falls for.

Oliver, after being saved by Orlando from a lion and a snake becomes remorseful and he is united with his brother.
Finally, all the injured parties come together in the forest. Frederick repents his