Regarding the third act of The Winter’s Tale, Old Shepard’s discovery of the abandoned baby is reminiscent of Oberon’s and Titania’s engagement over the changeling in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Initially, Old Shepard assuming the baby with the box is “some changeling” (3.3.109) is the obvious reasoning for such an inference. However, there’s additional similarities, as well as interesting differences. For instance, instead of the baby being a changeling boy, this baby is something of a changeling girl. Moreover, instead of the female character Titania claiming the boy, the old man claims the girl; thus, there’s a bit of a gender role reversal. Yet, both changelings are a means of gaining power. For Titania, the possession of the male child is symbolic of femininity overpowering masculinity. On the other hand, for Old Shepard, the baby girl, along with the box full of gold, represents the belief of fairy-riches, as long as the secret is kept safe (3.3.110-15). Again, both instances of inheriting the changelings, or something like inheriting a changeling in The Winter’s Tale, occur after someone dies. In Midsummer Night’s Dream, Titania’s friend, the “vot’ress of [her] order,” (2.1.123) dies and leaves the boy for Titania to foster. In comparison, in The Winter’s Tale, Antigonus leaves the baby behind and is mulled to death by the bear (3.3.88-90). And what of Puck’s equivalent in The Winter’s Tale? Clown is Old Shepard’s son and does his father’s bidding. Having said that, Clown should be on the opposing side, as Puck takes orders from Oberon, Titania’s husband and momentary enemy. Still, Puck is something of a complex character because he also helps Titania’s allies:

Take heed the Queen come not within his sight,
For Oberon is passing and wroth
Because that she, as her attendant, hath
A lovely boy stolen from an Indian king. (2.1.19-22)

Thus, Puck potential parallels the role of Clown. Furthermore, the aforementioned Indian king is likely comparable to Leontes, who’s the baby’s father. After Leontes realizes the baby’s his daughter, after the message from Apollo’s priest, in combination with his wife’s and son’s suicide, Old Shepard’s possession of the girl in secrecy is something like the supposed stealing of the Indian king’s son (3.2.131-33 &192-99). Ultimately, I’m interesting in discovering how the rest of The Winter’s Tale plays out.

To begin, Brutus’s knowledge of his wife’s, Portia’s, death appears inconsistent because he mentions it to Cassius with resistance, but afterwards acts as if he’s hearing the news for the first time from Messala. However, I believe Brutus attempts to repress the anxiety and disappointment of his wife’s death. For instance, he contemptuously recollects the suicide of Marcus Portcius Cato:

Even by the rule of that philosophy
By which I did blame Cato for the death
Which he did give himself–I know not how,
But I do find it cowardly and vile
For fear of what might fall so to prevent
The time of life–arming myself with patience
To stay the providence of some high powers
That govern us below. (5.1.100-07)

Thus, Portia’s suicide is an attack on Brutus’s honor. The fact that Portia kills herself is unbearable for Brutus to talk about with Cassius and he potentially plays the fool with Messala because he doesn’t want to except it. Not to mention, Brutus is drinking wine with Cassius so you never know if he’s being accurate. And on a side note, I don’t believe that Portia literally swallows embers to end her life. Instead, I believe the swallowing of smoldering coals is symbolic of embracing the flames of Hell after committing suicide as described in Christianity. Ultimately, Brutus is already disconcerted before the battle at Philippi.

Moreover, the other aristocratic soldiers in Brutus’s army are thrown into the confusing cycle of suicides and misunderstandings. For example, Cassius despairs after Pindarus misinterprets the approaching defeat and death of Titinius, Cassius’s best friend. Consequently, Cassius asks Pindarus to kill him with his own sword, the sword that stabbed Julius Caesar as a sort of repentance. However, the victorious Titinius appears afterwards with the champion-wreath on his head, but he’s too late. Similarly, Titinius despairs and stabs himself with Cassius sword. Thus, Pindarus’s misinterpretation of Titinius’s death leads to Cassius’s and Titinius’s brotherly and despairing suicide which ultimately devastates Brutus’s army; and Brutus himself dishearteningly runs into his own sword held by Strato. In conclusion, Brutus’s suicide is intriguing because he chooses not to hold the impaling sword that mortally wounds him. Does he believe this method circumvents the eternal punishment of burning in Hell? Or is this repentance for murdering Julius Caesar and dishonoring the memory of Marcus Porcius Cato, young Cato’s father?

In Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of King Richard the Third, Richard proves to be the bane of his own existence and causes his own defeat by Henry, the Earl of Richmond. To begin, the ghosts haunting Richard in his sleep can be interpreted as psychological impediments to his success. In other wards, the ghosts are the memories of those he killed or setup to be killed, which is the guilt weighing down on him. Thus, Richard losses sleep and becomes weakened before meeting Richmond on the battlefield. Despite Richard having the larger army and advantage, the exhausted Richard fails to properly lead and distribute his forces against the united and virtuous army of Richmond. Even Richmond declares the importance of proper slumber before jumping into action: “I’ll strive with troubled thoughts to take a nap, / [l]est leaden slumber peise me down tomorrow, / [w]hen I should mount with wings of victory” (5.5.57-59).

Regarding the prophecies of “G” as the murderer, Richard Gloucester proves to be the murderer of countless individuals, including the murderer of himself. For example, he slaughters the humanity within himself and contradicts his Christian faith. He prays to Saint George to inspire his forces with the rage of “fiery dragons,” (5.7.80) which is symbolic of feasting his minions with the angry flames of Hell. Moreover, it’s ironic because he’s asking the holy saint for assistance right after sentencing little George Stanley to his untimely death. Condemning one George is condemning the other. Richmond fights with Saint George on his side because he’s faithful to Christianity and doesn’t sin like Richard. Thus, Richard simultaneously coordinates the murder of an innocent child and dooms himself to eternally burning in the flames of Hell.

Furthermore, Richard’s ruthless desire for unwavering loyalty is the result of his own insecurities as a human being. For instance, he sentences his most faithful followers to death for second guessing his orders only for a second. To Richard, Buckingham asks, “Give me some little breath, some pause, dear, / [b]efore I positively speak in this. / I will resolve you herein presently” (4.2.25-27). Buckingham’s hesitation to immediately follow Richard’s orders to murder King Edward’s children causes Richard to become furious and question Buckingham’s dedications, despite his unwavering support to Richard’s ascension to the throne. In fact, Richard’s merciless actions are attempts to deny his own guilty feelings, which ultimately catches up to him in the shape of the ghosts haunting him in his sleep. Moreover, he fails to avoid the accumulation of guilt by ordering others to carry out his dirty work. During the entire play, Richard doesn’t kill anyone and tries detaching himself from any guilt by having, say, Tyrrell murder Edward’s children; and even Tyrrell himself doesn’t kill the children because he has others smother them for him. Hence, Richard unsuccessfully separates himself from the haunting memories in the shape of ghosts and becomes the weakly scared human being that he despises most when waking up from his nightmares, saying, “O Ratcliffe, I have dreamed a fearful dream. / What thinkest thou, will all our friends prove true?” (5.5.166-67) and “Ratcliffe, I fear, I fear” (5.5.168). He becomes this vulnerably little creature like Edward’s innocent children, but without the innocence.

Regarding Shakespeare’s play, Othello, Othello is similar to the Greek god Dionysus, while Iago’s character resembles that of Satan in Christianity. For instance, Dionysus is “twice-born” like Othello. According to Greek mythology, Dionysus’s parents are Zeus and the mortal woman, Semele. After Zeus’s wife, Hera, discovers the pregnancy of Zeus’s concubine, she tricks Semele into gazing at Zeus in his full godly splendor; thus she bursts into flames because mortals can’t witness the true forms of the gods and live to talk about it. However, Zeus saves the unborn Dionysus from the womb and literally puts the baby into his thigh until he’s reborn. Similarly, Othello is reborn after losing everything in his youth and rising above the common folk in his later years. He defends his marriage with Desdemona by reminiscing about the telling of his life story:

Wherein I spoke of most disastrous [events],
Of moving accidents by flood and field,
Of hair-breadth scales i’th’ imminent deadly breach,
Of being taken by the insolent foe
And sold to slavery, of my redemption thence,
And [conduct] in my traveller’s history,
Wherein of [caves] vast and deserts idle,
Rough quarries, rocks, and hills who’s heads touch heaven. (1.3.133-140)

Othello’s story mentions mountain peaks reaching the heavens as if he himself has reached higher plains of existence. Moreover, Othello is related to Dionysus because the Greek god is the “protector of those who do not belong to conventional society and he thus symbolizes the chaotic, dangerous and unexpected.” Othello is labelled as the “Other” in society; he’s the Moor of Venice.

On the Other hand, the actions of Iago are comparable to the role of Satan. For example, Iago is jealous that Michael Cassio is promoted to lieutenant instead of him. Ultimately, Iago plots behind everyone’s back to fulfill his desires; he wants revenge against Othello to gain wealth, power, and status. Similarly, in Christianity, Satan attempts to overthrow God so he can sit upon the throne of Heaven. Iago works like Satan because he whispers wicked deeds and seductions in the ear of Roderigo like the little devil that sits upon your shoulder:

[If you must] damn thyself, do it
a more delicate way than drowning. Make all the money thou
canst. If [holy rite] and a frail vow [between a wandering] barbar-
ian and a [highly sensitive] Venetian be not too hard on my wits
and all the tribe of hell, thou shalt enjoy her; therefore make
money” (1.3.344-48).

Furthermore, Iago mentions the two-faced Roman god, Janus, which is ironic because he himself plays different sides to attain his goals (1.2.33). For instance, after instigating Roderigo to oppose Othello, Iago tells Othello that he considers stabbing Roderigo for dishonoring the “Moor” (2.1.5-9). Thus, Iago replicates satanic character by seducing Roderigo to the Dark Side of the Force and leading Othello astray as the “corrupter of words.”

In Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, he utilizes the power of names to represent the attitudes and actions of his characters. For instance, Sir Toby Belch is the drunk who lives with his Olivia, and, as his name suggests, he’s quick to lose his temper. The word “Belch” can either mean releasing gas from the stomach through the mouth, or the violent screaming of insults; both of which can be associated to Sir Toby’s character. For example, while he’s in his drunken stupor, Sir Toby is quick to tell Malvolio to go hang himself (2.3.84) and mind his own business (2.3.107-08). Additionally, Sir Andrew Aguecheek is the supposed friend of Sir Toby, who is used for his money to purchase excessive amounts of alcoholic beverages. Likewise to Sir Toby’s last name, Sir Andrew’s last name represents his character. According to the Merriam Webster’s Dictionary, the definition of ague is either having the “fever marked by paroxysms of chills, fever, and sweating that recur at regular intervals,” or having “a fit of shivering.” Furthermore, the word cheek means impertinent talk or behavior. Sir Andrew is quick to open his insolent mouth, and even faster to run away from the fights he started himself. In fact, Shakespeare’s term, “Aguecheek,” is used to name the disease of dementia when it’s associated with liver disease after consumption of too many proteins from meat. Regarding the medical term “Aguecheek,” Sir Andrew says that he’s the “great eater of / beef, and [he] believe[s] that does harm to [his] wit” (1.3.72-73). Moreover, he’s either forgetful or delusional, as if he has dementia, because Sir Toby claims that he “speaks three or four languages word for word without / book,” (1.3.22-23) but Sir Andrew potentially speaks incorrectly when calling Maria the shrew, which is an ill-tempered woman, instead of calling her the mouse (1.3.39). Furthermore, he misinterprets Sir Toby’s usage of the word accost as if it’s Maria’s name and needs to be educated on the word’s meaning (1.3.41-50). Despite Sir Toby’s claims that Sir Andrew knows multiple languages by heart, Sir Andrew wishes that he’s as skillful at speaking as he is at “fencing, dancing, and bear-baiting” (1.3.79-80). However, Sir Andrew doubts his own dancing skills when admiring Feste, and he wishes that “[he has] such a leg” (2.3.18). On top of that, Sir Andrew doubts his supposed fencing skills when he wishes that he doesn’t “meddle with [Sebastian, whom he thinks his Cesario],” before discovering that he’s “valiant and so cunning at fence” (3.4.252-53). Thus, Sir Andrew Aguecheek’s name represents his insolence and ignorance of speech, as well as his forgetfulness and fear; and Sir Toby Belch’s name symbolizes his alcoholic gluttony and drunken rage.

William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream is the satirically symbolic, as well as chaotic, comical play that’s woven with three interconnected layers of characters. The first layer consists of the human nobility, including Theseus and Hippolyta. Both are soon to be wed because Theseus “won [her] love doing [her] injuries” during his military conquest against the Amazons (1.1.17). In other words, Hippolyta is Theseus’s war-prize after conquering her pagan ways with his lawful might. The first layer represents law and order in civilization. On the other hand, the second layer, consisting of Oberon and Titania, symbolizes the passions and impulses of human nature. For instance, Titania breaks the ideology of the male-dominated society by refusing to forfeit “changeling boy” to her husband, Oberon, King of Fairies (2.1.118-137). In comparison to Theseus and Hippolyta, Oberon and Titania reverse roles because Titania refuses to yield and give up control, or rather, give up “changeling boy.” However, Oberon wishes to gain control by pouring the potion-juice on Titania’s eyes in order steal “changeling boy” after casting the love spell on her (2.1.177-85). Whether Titania falls in love with an animal is of little consequence, as long as Oberon gets his prize. Lastly, the third layer consists of the young nobility, including Hermia, Lysander, Demetrius, and Helena. These characters are stuck somewhere in the middle of the other layers. Lysander and Demetrius, much like Theseus and Oberon, aim to win their prize, which just so happens to be Hermia for Lysander and Demetrius. Despite Hermia’s father, Egeus, promising her hand in marriage to Demetrius, she wishes to break the law by marrying Lysander out of passion (1.1.91-98). Additionally, Helena breaks the order by pursuing the uninterested Demetrius as if she’s the male-suitor:
Your wrongs do set a scandal on my sex.
We cannot fight for love as men may do;
We should be wooed, and were not made to woo.
I’ll follow thee, and make a heaven of hell,
To die upon the hand I love so well. (2.1.240-44)
Hermia and Helena reflect the impulsive actions of the passionate Titania by reversing roles and rejecting the civil law of Ancient Athens. Likewise, Demetrius and Oberon seek dominance over women as Theseus triumphs over Hippolyta. Regarding the hierarchy, Theseus and Hippolta rule over the nobility, including Lysander, Demetrius, Helena, and Egeus, who rules over his daughter, Hermia. However, Oberon and Titania are the embodiment of passion. Thus, they rule over the human-realm and its laws. Despite Lysander’s love for Hermia, he falls madly in love with Helena after Robin Goodfellow of the fairy-realm accidentally pours the love-potion in Lysander’s eyes (2.2.88-119). The irony is that Egeus wants Hermia to marry Demetrius, and the love potion will be the perfect tool to get the job done. Although Egeus doesn’t have the love-potion in his arsenal, Robin mistakenly helps Egeus by redirecting Lysander’s love towards Helena. However, this further complicates the love-triangle, thus proving the power of the fairy-realm over the human-realm. To reiterate, Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream contains three layers of characters that effect each other greatly. The royalty rules over the nobility, and the passions of the fairy-realm rule over them all. Hence, the love between Hermia and Lysander is Freudian in the sense that their passions are the id which is in conflict with the superego or laws that rule over them.