John Hedderman

Dr. Pollock

Shakespeare Pre-1600

5/18/2017

Final Paper

William Shakespeares plays are truly works of art. Even 401 years after his death, his

plays continue to be edited and republished. Shakespeare was able to actively capture the true

human experience, creating relatable characters and issues. Still, these plays have more to offer

than simple enjoyment. William Shakespeare was able to use his platform, as a playwright, to

create subliminal messages or morals throughout his work. Typically, the message or moral

lesson came as the consequence to particular characters actions. Today, many of these lessons

are included in synopsis of the plays; however, the synopsis is not enough to understand how the

address either a moral lesson or explores an ethical question from various perspectives. Through

the result of characters actions in William Shakespeares plays Richard III, Romeo and Juliet,

and The Merchant of Venice, moral lesson and ethical questions are explored.

The first text with characters creating discourse, only to uncover a moral lesson is

Richard III. Primarily following the life and events of Richard, Duke of Gloucster, as he

becomes the king. From the opening, the lines the audience knows that Richard is a power

hungry villain who will stop at nothing to become the king. Richard succeeds in killing King

Henry VI, Prince Edward, Clarence, and others while on his power trip. Even after killing Lady

Anns father and husband, King Henry VI and Prince Edward, Richard is able to manipulate her

to love him, LADY ANN: With all my heart, and much it joys me too (RIC 1.2.205). Through
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these manipulations and killings, Richard is able to become the king. Still, it is because of these

poor life choices that the audience has the moral lesson to learn from the play.

Before understanding the moral lesson, it is important to look at Richards first speech.

This speech explains the plot of the play in general detail. It provides clear indication that

England is not in need of a new ruler as a war just ended, RICHARD: Grim-visaged war hath

smoothe his wrinkled front (RICH 1.1.9). It all started from the discontent over the end of the

war. Richards actions spiral out of control until he ends up dead in a battlefield, fitting for

someone who felt useless in peacetime. Richards actions and timely death, present the

complications, and moral lesson, behind killing ones way to the top. Through his actions to

become the king, Richard was responsible for multiple killings and false imprisonments. As the

play was sent it England, it could have also been a warning for those who wanted to follow

Richard IIIs short lived rule.

The next text that expresses a clear moral lesson is Romeo and Juliet. The timeless classic

explores what it once was to be a teenager, as few hundred years ago. Thankfully, Shakespeare

was able to capture the human experience in the writing and the text is still relevant to couples

today. When reviewing the text, the three days that the couple is together leads to the moral

lesson. When Romeo and Juliet first notice one-another it is unusually intense, ROMEO: My

lips, tow blushing pilgrims, ready / To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss (1.4.208-9).

Romeo is beyond in love with Juliet, who returns the love and moves the relationship forward.

The relationship forbidden by both families yet it is consensual between the star-crossed lovers;

and still both characters are at fault, yet still leads to the plots major moral complications.

The actual moral lessons comes only after the couple has killed themselves. Romeo by

poison and Juliet by her own rusty dagger. From their actions, the audience can learn a few
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different lessons. The first, not addressed in the text, lesson is the idea of moving a relationship

too quickly. There is no reason to kill yourself over someone you met only a few days prior.

Next, the Prince gives the moral lesson to the audience, after the bodies are found he states,

PRINE: Where be these enemies? Capulet, Montague, / See what a scourge is laid upon your

gate, / That heaven finds means to kill your joys with love; / And I, for winking at your discords,

too, / Have lost a brace of kinsmen. All are punished. (RoM 5.3.291-95). The Prince makes the

situation very clear; the feud between both houses was for no reason. It killed close members of

each family and many of the Princes soldiers. The moral lesson that feuds and grudges serve no

purpose than causing trouble for all participants, and those closely involved. One might even

take this to an ethical consideration of what it means to have feuding households or even royal

feuds leading to war. Through these grudges, nothing is accomplished besides woe and terror.

The final text that displays clear moral and ethical lessons from characters actions is The

Merchant of Venice. The text quickly identifies contemporary complications between religions

and people. Antonio, a Christian man, and Shylock, a Jewish man, are placed together to

understands what it means to be a certain religion at the time. There are multiple actions, by

these character, that guides the text to the moral lessons. The first action being is how Antonio

treats Shylock, as recalled by Shylock, You call me misbeliever, cut-throat, dog, / and spit upon

my Jewish gabardine (MoV 1.3.108-11). Besides showing how terrible Antonio is, these

recalled actions towards Jewish people might have motivated Shylock to ask for an equal pound

of your [Antonios] fair flesh to be cut off and take, if the debt is not repaid (MoV 1.3.145-6).

Similar to Antonio, Shylock should also be seen as a terrible person for asking such an

outlandish demand of Antonio.

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This conflict spirals out of control until the duo are located in Venices court. Shylock

uses his platform to clearly present issues with Christian teaching behind owning slaves, The

slaves are ours: so do I answer you: / The pound of flesh, which I demand of him, / Is dearly

bought; tis mine and I will have it (MoV 4.1.96-98). Shylock makes it very clear that his act of

cutting a pound of flesh is no more vile than Christians owning slaves. Shylock goes even

further, pleading with Antonio to see him as no different than anyone else, Hath not a Jew eyes?

/ Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, / affections, passions; fed with the same

food, hurt with / the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, / healed by the same means,

warmed and cooled by the / same winter and summer, as a Christian is? (3.1.55-50).

Throughout the play, Shylock presents his actions and speeches in a similar fashion to force the

reader to recognize the similarities between cultures. Together, everything centers on the oath of

the pound of flesh. Before the oath is broken, Shylocks actions make it clear that the reader

should question why certain religions are unjustly treated. Shylock proved that religions are

similar enough and that there is no reason to be upset with him over something that would be

acceptable if he were Christian. Shakespeare wants the reader to ponder how we treat people,

recognize hypocrisy, and understand that we are all human.

William Shakespeare was a master of the English language. He used his words to create

wonderfully dramatic plays that will survive well into the future. The ability to create character

who express the most basic level of the human condition, is something no one has been able to

replicate so eloquently. Writing on the human experience allowed Shakespeare to explore the

moral issues relevant to all humans. Specifically able to address the issues with coming to power

unfairly in Richard III; the moral lesson behind rash decisions and holding grudges in Romeo

and Juliet; finally, Shakespeare writs about the importance to treat all humans with dignity and
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respect through The Merchant of Venice. Recognizing all of these texts together opens a world of

new moral lessons and ethical questions to be considered and constantly reviewed as our

understanding and application for William Shakespeare increases.

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Work cited

Shakespeare, William. The Merchant of Venice. Ed. Jay L. Halio. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2011.

Print.

Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. Ed. Jill L. Lenvenson. Oxford: Oxford UP, 200. Print

Shakespeare. William, The Tragedy of King Richard III. Ed. John Jowett. Oxford: Oxford UP,

2008. Print.