This document discusses William Shakespeare's use of violence in his works. It provides examples like Romeo and Juliet, which contains murder and suicide, and Titus Andronicus, known for its graphic violence. While some of Shakespeare's plays were comedies, most centered around violent events of his time. Even his romantic works mixed violence with themes of love. The document argues Shakespeare tended to embellish the violence in his sources to excite audiences and show shifts in power.
3. • William Shakespeare – lived during 16th and
17th Century
• Wrote some comedies but majority of
work centered around violent events
before and during his time
• Great examples of these works are: Romeo and
Juliet, Hamlet, the series of “Henry” plays, etc.
4. • Tended to gravitate away from his real sources
to add more “punch” or titillation to his works
(Hamlet’s father’s poisoning for example)
• Even Shakespeare’s romantic works are full of
mayhem (Romeo and Shakespeare) mixing
murder, and suicide with “star crossed lovers”
• Some of his works used violence to show a
shift in power between parties
5. “Titus Andronicus”
• Coveted by many Tudor-era acting troupes for its
violence – violent and melodrama productions
were in high demand during Elizabethan and
Jacobean time.
6. Titus Andronicus (cont.)
• Contains a multitude of murders and
suicides, and a rape and mutilation scene
• One of Shakespeare’s first tragedies, shunned
later after his time for the use of gratuitous
violence
• Fictitious account of ancient roman times
7. • Based on real historic events of Emperor Julius Caesar
• Plethora of violence depicted within the work
• Murder – Marc Antony’s murder of Caesar, Suicide -Brutus on
his sword after battle with Antony and Octavius
• Power shifts after assassination of Julius Caesar to Octavius
after the battle of Phillipi
8. Romeo and Juliet
• One of Shakespeare’s most done and read
productions. Love story with plenty of
violence and drama also.
• Contains murder and suicide: Rome kills
Tybalt, Tybalt kills Mercutio, Romeo commits
suicide, Juliet also commits suicide.
9. R o m e o a n d J u l i e t (cont.)
• Made into a multi-million dollar, also very
violent movie to help draw in the present
younger generation in 1996
10. Macbeth
• One of Shakespeare’s most darkest and
powerful tragedies
• Has murder, and suicide
• Power shifts through violence as Macbeth
murders King Duncan at the urging of his
wife, Lady Macbeth
11. Conclusion
• Shakespeare wrote many works that used
many different examples of violence to
illustrate shift of power, battle for love, et
cetera
• Shakespeare tended to stray from his sources
to use more titillating details to make it more
gory and violent for his audiences.
