Author Archives: dc135125

Posts: 4 (archived below)
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About dc135125

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Overreach: Ambitious and an Enemy

Posted on May 14, 2013 by dc135125

Out of all the characters in A New Way to Pay Old Debts, Overreach acts out of radically private motives. He views everyone around him as rivals and he views a conflict based on winning or losing. He was also an ambitious character who would do anything to dominate in order to succeed in his plans. Margaret, his daughter and Marall were two people Overreach sought to dominate in order for his ambitions to go through,but since that failed, so did his plans and schemes.

Not only does Overreach want to be one step ahead of the others, he also laughs at the misfortunes of the other characters. He was a social climber who would do anything to climb up the ladder. Unlike other characters, who were good, Overreach acts against his past, denying it and not bound and respecting it. He also threatens his daughter Margaret to marry and was not a redeemable character because of his undesirable behavior and believes that “losers weepers, finders keepers” as a setting in his world.

Posted in A New Way to Pay Old Debts, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

The Hypocrisy and the Selfishness of the Brothers

Posted on April 24, 2013 by dc135125

The brothers of the Duchess were nothing but hypocrites. They forbid their sister to marry, but they were also not married at all. Normally one would secure their legacy by marrying and having children.  However that will not happen for the two males of the royal family. They, unlike their sister, only cared for themselves, and that would prove their downfall in the end. Selfish people would get their judgment in due time, but the good would need to suffer first.

In the case of Ferdinland, why does he hate his sister so much, especially if they were twins? He was a terrible and wicked brother who seemed to be too obsessed with his sister and wants her for herself. When the Duchess lives, Ferdinand wants her to be single so he could inherit all of her money. However, he got his wish, but his sanity was gone, and his other half (the Duchess) was torn away from him. He became a like a werewolf and died a horrible death. A hypocrite to the end, his fate was well deserved, since he caused Bosola to murder his sister, her children, the maid Cariola, and others.

However, the Cardinal is even worse. He values reputation, but his sister has the reputation he needed. There was no love, mercy, or any type of selfless aspect from the Cardinal. He only cares for himself and would abandon his own brother, the one who plotted with him in the end. However, the Cardinal deserved a far worse death than the attack from Bosola because of his wicked plans, wicked deeds, and a stable mind. He was the real mastermind and deserved to be tortured like his sister before he dies. However, that was not to happen, and in the end, all the reputation the Cardinal wanted was gone and he wished himself to be forgotten, since his family name became tarnished.

Posted in Power struggles, The Duchess of Malfi | 2 Comments

The Shoemaker’s Hoilday: A Happily Ever After

Posted on March 18, 2013 by dc135125

In this play, there were shoemakers who try to achieve their goals, two of whom had to overcome hindrances to reunite with their loved ones, while the other was helped to work his way on top with one of the shoemakers. Lacy wants to marry Rose, who was beneath his social class, but their fathers do not like the union because of social class. As a result, Lacy become Hans the shoemaker. Although a hypocrite at first (in my opinion), Lacy somehow redeemed himself by helping Simon Eyre to be promoted, even though he did not become a honest man who fought for his country. Being a shoemaker was not easy and by the end of the play, Lacy’s hard work paid off when he helped Rose with her pair of shoes and the lovers were able to marry each other with the help of the King and mayor Eyre.

Ralph was more of a tragic figure than Hans and suffered more as a result. Unlike Lacy or his alter ego Hans, Ralph was honest to a fault, not wanting to go to the army as a newlywed, even though he seemed to have no choice. After the war, Ralph became lame and searched for his beloved wife, Jane, who was to be married to another man. Fortunately with the help of his wife’s shoes, Ralph managed to stop the union with Jane and Hammon, earning his happily ever after….or not because he cannot give birth to children because of his impotence.

Simon Eyre was once a shoemaker who became mayor with the help of Lacy. His charming personality attracted others around him. He was a character I believe returned the favor to Lacy by helping him to marry Jane, despite the fathers’ protests. Shoes are important in The Shoemaker’s Hoilday and a shoe could affect the fates of various characters in the play.

Posted in The Shoemaker's Holiday, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Human and Goddess

Posted on February 26, 2013 by dc135125

John Lyly’s Endymion was a love play. Endymion was in love with Cynthia, the Moon Goddess. In the original myth, it was Cynthia that pursued Endymion. In Lyly’s version, the reverse occurs. However, there were obstacles in the way, including Tellus, who does not believe Endymion, and Cynthia, who holds unlimited power because she was a goddess. Tellus puts Endymion to sleep because he rejects her love and Endymion’s chances with Cynthia were over before it even started because Cynthia had power and knew that Endymion did not belong to her, however heartfelt Endymion was during the course of the play.

This play was written to Queen Elizabeth. However, Elizabeth was the role of the Moon Goddess in this play, while Endymion was one of her lovers, Tellus the loyal guard who believed Endymion was lying. Elizabeth died without a husband, so Endymion (the lover role) does not have Elizabeth’s love. Tellus was the guard who loves Endymion, yet he does not believe him. Love is blind, even if Endymion confesses everything, since everything was lost by the end.

Posted in Endymion, Love relationships, Power struggles | 1 Comment