VCE · Text Response
Text Response: In Flames, Arnott suggests that grief is…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 82.5%: In Flames, Arnott suggests that grief is never straightforward.” To what extent do you agree? In Flames, Robbie…
In Flames, Arnott suggests that grief is never straightforward.”
To what extent do you agree?
In Flames, Robbie Arnott portrays grief as a multifaceted and unpredictable force, revealing how it manifests differently across individuals and situations. To begin with, Arnott elucidates how toxic societal expectations surrounding masculinity and femininity shape the ways in which men express grief, highlighting the influence of cultural norms on emotional expression. Moreover, Arnott depicts how experiences of grief vary across humans and nature, highlighting the diverse responses to loss. Although, Throughout the novel, Arnott portrays grief as a complex force, however, ultimately he demonstrates that although grief is highly subjective, it compels all individuals to act in ways that deviate from their usual behaviours.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: In what way does Act 4 of Romeo and Juliet…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 85%: As the play continues, Shakespeare explores how individual efforts to assert autonomy are overshadowed by the…
As the play continues, Shakespeare explores how individual efforts to assert autonomy are overshadowed by the inescapable influence of destiny. Juliet's desperate attempt to assert autonomy is encapsulated in her defiant resolution to use 'this knife' to end her own life rather than submit to a forced marriage. This act builds upon the repeated foreshadowing of her death, highlighting a struggle she is destined to lose. However, this act of defiance - intended to rewrite her fate - paradoxically aligns her with the tragic destiny she seeks to avoid, with every action fulfilling her tragic prophecy. By intertwining free will and fate, Shakespeare uses dramatic irony to underline destiny's all-encompassing impact,. Thus the playwright evokes pity as the audience watches characters act on incomplete information, evident when Juliet relies on Friar Lawrence's expertise which is in itself incomplete. The Friar's plan, an exercise in human agency, ironically requires Juliet to simulate 'a thing like death', thereby acknowledging fate's
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: In what way does Act 4 of Romeo and Juliet…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 87.5%: As the play continues, Shakespeare explores how individual efforts to assert autonomy are overshadowed by the…
As the play continues, Shakespeare explores how individual efforts to assert autonomy are overshadowed by the inescapable influence of destiny. Juliet's desperate attempt to assert autonomy is encapsulated in her defiant resolution to use 'this knife' to end her own life rather than submit to a forced marriage. This act builds upon the repeated foreshadowing of her death, highlighting a struggle she is destined to lose. However, this act of defiance - intended to rewrite her fate - paradoxically aligns her with the tragic destiny she seeks to avoid, with every action fulfilling her tragic prophecy. By intertwining free will and fate, Shakespeare uses dramatic irony to underline destiny's all-encompassing impact,. Thus the playwright evokes pity as the audience watches characters act on incomplete information, evident when Juliet relies on Friar Lawrence's expertise which is in itself incomplete. This dynamic is evident in the Friar's plan, an exercise in human agency that ironically relies on simulating what the Friar calls
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: In what way does Act 4 of Romeo and Juliet…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 85%: As the play continues, Shakespeare explores how individual efforts to assert autonomy are overshadowed by the…
As the play continues, Shakespeare explores how individual efforts to assert autonomy are overshadowed by the inescapable influence of destiny. Juliet's desperate attempt to assert autonomy is encapsulated in her defiant resolution to use 'this knife' to end her own life rather than submit to a forced marriage. This act builds upon the repeated foreshadowing of her death, highlighting a struggle she is destined to lose. However, this act of defiance - intended to rewrite her fate - paradoxically aligns her with the tragic destiny she seeks to avoid, with every action fulfilling her tragic prophecy. By intertwining free will and fate, Shakespeare uses dramatic irony to underline destiny's all-encompassing impact,. Thus the playwright evokes pity as the audience watches characters act on incomplete information, evident when Juliet relies on Friar Lawrence's expertise which is in itself incomplete. This dynamic is evident in the Friar's plan, an exercise in human agency that ironically relies on simulating what the Friar calls
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: In what way does Act 4 of Romeo and Juliet…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 85%: As the play continues, Shakespeare explores how individual efforts to assert autonomy are overshadowed by the…
As the play continues, Shakespeare explores how individual efforts to assert autonomy are overshadowed by the inescapable influence of destiny. Juliet's desperate attempt to assert autonomy is encapsulated in her defiant resolution to use 'this knife' to end her own life rather than submit to a forced marriage. This act builds upon the repeated foreshadowing of her death, highlighting a struggle she is destined to lose. However, this act of defiance - intended to rewrite her fate - paradoxically aligns her with the tragic destiny she seeks to avoid, with every action fulfilling her tragic prophecy. By intertwining free will and fate, Shakespeare uses dramatic irony to underline destiny's all-encompassing impact, evoking pity as the audience watches characters act on incomplete information.This dynamic is evident in the Friar's plan, an exercise in human agency that ironically relies on simulating 'a thing like death' to subvert fate.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Act 3: To what extent do characters in the…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 85%: Shakespeare highlights how fate and Elizabethan societal constraints erode the characters' autonomy. Romeo's…
Shakespeare highlights how fate and Elizabethan societal constraints erode the characters' autonomy. Romeo's despairing cry of being 'fortune's fool' encapsulates his belief that he is merely a pawn of destiny, rather than an agent of his own will. In this way, Shakespeare argues the pre-determined nature of human life, subtly introducing an element of luck in the course of events. Despite this, Shakespeare reveals Romeo's tendency to deflect personal responsibility for his impulsive actions onto an external force. Furthermore, the Friar's description of Romeo's tears as "womanish" reflects the rigid social expectations of masculinity. Shakespeare's use of this gendered term constructs a vivid image of the 'normal' man: rational, stoic, and incapable of showing weakness. In critiquing the era's hegemonic gender expectations through careful characterisation of protagonists, Shakespeare reveals that
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: 1. ‘Sophocles’ Oedipus the King provides…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 72.5%: Sophocles highlights that individuals who embody human fallibility will make unguided decisions. In “Oedipus the…
Sophocles highlights that individuals who embody human fallibility will make unguided decisions. In “Oedipus the king” Sophocles uses Oedipus’ characterisation to showcase how unbridled pride leads to the rejection of beneficial advice. During Oedipus’ conversation with Tiresias, Oedipus states that “[His] words are futile”, demonstrating his reejction of the truth. Sophocles illustrates Oedipus’ rejection of this truth as a result of his initial arrogance, foregrounding his criticism of individuals who are unable to set aside their hubris to view a situation from an objective perspective. Sophocles continues by juxtaposing Oedipus with Creon. Through their interaction during the first episode where Oedipus accuses Creon of plotting against him with no evidence with Creon urging Oedipus “to think rationally”, Sophocles uses this juxtaposition to highlight Oedipus’ emotional impulsiveness and Creon’s ability to remain objective even under pressure. Through this Sophocles exemplifies the detrimental actions of those who act irrationally through the explication of their human flaws which prompted
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Sumn about the truth i forgort
VCE Text Response essay scoring 77.5%: In 5th century BCE, humility and wisdom were two qualities that the ancient Greeks herald as of great importance,…
In 5th century BCE, humility and wisdom were two qualities that the ancient Greeks herald as of great importance, where in order for one to live a life of Eudaimonia, one must “know thyselves” - as written in the temple of delphi. This is reflected in Sophocles' Oedipus the king where the story revolves around the tragic hero Oedipus and his pursuit for truth. Whilst he initially began this journey with good intentions, it was ultimately one that propelled him to his tragic end. It is upon learning the truth of his identity where he transforms from an individual blinded by his own hubris, to one who understands the truth behind his world. His story of transformation is one which Sophocles created to illustrate how accepting the truth, regardless of how tough a pill to swallow, can reveal the bad side of one’s character that they may have been ignorant of which allows them to know more about themselves. It is also when their mistakes are known where they are able to help others in preventing such from reoccurring. Additionally, when one accepts the truth about their own limitations, especially accepting the fact that they will not be able to rival or exceed those of divine beings, where they gain wisdom by again knowing themselves.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: To what extent does Sophocles in Oedipus…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 80%: Sophocles' pioneering tragedy “Oedipus the King”, first staged in fifth-century Athens, encapsulates the tragic…
Sophocles' pioneering tragedy “Oedipus the King”, first staged in fifth-century Athens, encapsulates the tragic futility of human defiance against the inescapable degree of fate. Ardently underscoring the satirical nature of the play, Sophocles emphasises the inevitable subversion of Oedipus’ downfall, under the authoritative decree of the gods, exposing the vulnerability of human agency. Through this, Sophocles skillfully depicts Oedipus’s distressing journey for truth as both a blessing and a curse, illuminating his quest for veracity while simultaneously sealing his tragic downfall. Initially, Sophocles forthrightly declares that Oedipus’ attempts to uncover his true identity foster a sense of ignorance, thus leading him to act irrationally. In this way, Sophocles partially denounces fervent individuals who elusively struggle to uncover the truth, revealing the immense suffering and self-destruction that lies ahead. Ultimately, however, Sophocles vehemently commends those who justly chase the truth, indicating the moral responsibility and human growth resulting from true insight into one’s identity. By staging the play during the Peloponnesian War and amid a devastating plague, Sophocles prompts Athenians to reflect on how denial of truth, whether personal or political, can worsen civic suffering, suggesting truth-seeking is vital for both moral clarity and communal survival.
From the outset, Sophocles stridently condemns Oedipus’ arrogant pursuit of truth, showcasing how his hubris blinds him to reality and isolates him from others, thus leading to irrationality. When Oedipus vows to “bring it all to light myself,” the dramatic irony of his declaration underscores his ignorance: the very “light” he seeks will expose his own guilt. In this way, Sophocles symbolises “light” as a journey of knowledge and pride, showcasing Oedipus’ actions as noble to the chorus. By stressing “myself,” Sophocles presents Oedipus’ truth-seeking as an act of pride rather than wisdom, a choice that alienates him from the collective guidance of others. Here, Sophocles vigorously critiques this relentless pursuit, implying that the ignorant search for truth leads to self-isolation and his predetermined demise, catalysed by his definite hubris. This arrogance escalates when he assures the people of Thebes that he will “grant your prayers,” elevating himself to the role of a god in a society that viewed divine power as absolute. For an Athenian audience, this blasphemous comparison would have been shocking, as a mere human levels himself to the sovereign gods, highlighting Oedipus’ hubris and foreshadowing his fall. Indeed, Sophocles crucially highlights that this blasphemous comparison creates unwavering tension as Oedipus’s god complex conflicts with the societal ideology of Greek belief, symbolising Oedipus’s excessive ignorance and irrationality. His scornful retort to Tiresias — “You dare tell me to listen to you, you who are blind?” infenstifies this irony. While Oedipus mocks physical blindness, the audience recognises his deeper, metaphorical blindness to the truth. Sophocles’ juxtaposition of sight and blindness not only anticipates Oedipus’ self-inflicted blinding, but also exposes his hamartia: an inability to accept truth from others. Through this, Sophocles warns that a stubborn, prideful pursuit of knowledge leads not to wisdom but to irrationality and destruction. Overall, Sophocles fervently highlights Oedpius’ journey of truth as one that cultivates ignorance, leading to impulsiveness.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “For a man to help others, with all his…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 85%: Performed at the festival of Dionysia during the 5th century, Sophocles' Greek tragedy Oedipus the King serves as a…
Performed at the festival of Dionysia during the 5th century, Sophocles' Greek tragedy Oedipus the King serves as a cautionary tale warning against selfish reasons for action-taking. Set against the backdrop of a plague-ridden city state of Thebes, Sophocles probes at the notion of noble and virtuous leadership. From the prologos, individuals who act in the face to serve others are rewarded. Yet, Sophocles also warns hubris to be a driving force for the process of achievements. Ultimately, Sophocles poses humanity’s attempt to conceal the truth to be fundamental **** . Essentially, Sophocles celebrates humanity in the capacity to help others thus fuelling action, however, he also reveals the true spark for accomplishment to be excessive pride and manipulation of truth.
Ostensibly, Sophocles stipulates the desire to support others to be a significant motivator in action-taking. Indeed, this notion is particularly characterized through the headstrong leadership of the protagonist. Oedipus is instantly introduced to the Athenian spectators and modern audience as an authoritative figure whom the Thebans look up, ‘huddling at [his] altar’. His genuine concern for his citizens is projected in his statements ‘You can trust me. I am ready to help, I’ll do anything’ in tandem with ‘what preys upon you so?’ Thus the deliberate punctuation echoes his worries and readiness to aid his dying people. Further, his admirable swift action-taking is driven by his impulse to save Thebes. Through the nautical imagery personifying Thebes to be unable to ‘lift her head from the depths, the red waves of death’, the city-state is depicted to be of dire and urgent help. Oedipus ‘act[ing] at once’ after ‘groping, labouring over many paths of thoughts’ insinuates the burdens on his people have affected him similarly as he has ‘wept through the nights’. Therefore, the first episode elucidates Oedipus’ willingness as king to search for the cure that beset Thebes. Furthering this notion is through Creon’s moral righteousness as an influential figure. Although accused as a ‘traitor’ by Oedipus, his ability to maintain his reason is lauded by Sophocles and the Athenian audience, as this sophrosyne was valued to be a virtuous man during the Golden Age. His concern for the Thebans is revealed in his statement ‘Not if you rule unjustly’ therefore insinuating Oedipus’ unmoderated ruling to be unjustified, thus he acts to serve the good of his city. This notion is also mirrored by the play’s denouement as Creon exhibits mercy in face of Oedipus’ ‘former failings’. The act of sending Antigone and Ismene, Oedipus’ own ‘flesh and blood’, at his desire, champions Sophocles conception that Creon’s actions are driven by the desire to help others as he disregards Oedipus’ incestuous and parricidal acts by showing leniency. Therefore, the desire to assist others is a powerful incentive for taking action.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: In Sunset Boulevard .Wilder shows us…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 80%: Betrayal is examined in Billy Wilder’s 1950s Sunset Boulevard through the actions of characters driven by…
Betrayal is examined in Billy Wilder’s 1950s Sunset Boulevard through the actions of characters driven by controlling desires. Wilder critiques the selfish intentions behind these self-destructive behaviours, showing how they harm both the individual and those around them. He condemns the self-delusion his characters live in, demonstrating how their desires and illusions ultimately result in tragic consequences.
Wilder demonstrates the extent to which characters go in order to obtain control and power over others. Norma Desmond is presented as a domineering woman who exploits Joe’s weakness for his car to entrap him in a romantic relationship. Her repeated dismissal of his financial concerns—“don’t worry about the money”—symbolises her control, as she substitutes his independence with her gifts, including the “camel hair coat.” Wilder emphasises this imbalance through mise-en-scène: Joe is frequently shown in Norma’s grand, decaying mansion, framed against lavish décor that highlights how suffocatingly she surrounds him with wealth. Norma’s insistence on using “we” and “us” illustrates her psychological manipulation, reinforced visually by close-up shots of her clinging to Joe, positioning them as one entity. Even in her seemingly affectionate remarks—“must you chew gum”—her control mirrors that of a partner dictating behaviour. Similarly, Max exerts control, but Wilder distinguishes his loyalty through softer lighting and low, steady camera angles when he tends to Norma, which contrast with the harsher shots of Joe’s reluctant compliance. Meanwhile, DeMille is framed in powerful, authoritative lighting at Paramount Studios, where his command—“forget about the car”—demonstrates Hollywood’s power structures. Through these contrasts, Wilder critiques not just personal control, but the way Hollywood itself manipulates and shapes its participants.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: 'We Have Always Lived In The Castle is…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 82.5%: Shirley Jackson’s ‘We have always lived in the Castle’ is a gothic novel which explores gender roles and societal…
Shirley Jackson’s ‘We have always lived in the Castle’ is a gothic novel which explores gender roles and societal norms in late 1950’s America. Whilst in the face of adversity, women within the text continuously rise above their hardships to establish their strength and power in the world. By establishing an ongoing legacy, both the past and present women form stable foundations for future generations to build off through their preserved spirit. Whilst following traditional roles, the women in the text complete their tasks with their own purposes, rather than following the patriarchal ideology, to prevent extreme breakdowns. Additionally, despite the social norms of the time, oppressed women within the text still retain a level of control over men in the household.
Through the preserved resilience of their ancestors, the Blackwood’s legacy after experiencing intense hardships continues throughout the novel. The cellar of the Blackwood ‘castle’ is a symbol of resilience within the novel, as it contains the ‘rarebits’ of the women who lived in the mansion before Merricat and Constance. These rarebits represent feminine power hidden within a bigger picture, such as women within a society ran by patriarchal men. Jackson intentionally includes this to criticize the patriarchy, reflecting on how women are often the foundation of larger concepts such as the house itself, however they go unacknowledged, leaving their impact buried underground and left unnoticed. This concept is supported in the destruction of the house, as the villagers rampage and destroy the interior of the house, whilst leaving cellar untouched, showing how the legacy of past Blackwood women could not be broken, even during savage attacks. Constance treasures the food in the cellar, depicting the jams and pickles as ‘poem[s] by the Blackwood women’, showing the significance they hold, as during the time the novel was set, poems were ways people eternalised memories for future generations to appreciate. Thus, Jackson highlight’s women’s ability to remain strong against the overarching dominance of the villagers and men in their lives.
Gender roles are also explored throughout the text, which allows for a contrasting view from Jackson, who advocates for the freedom of choice. Constance cooks and cleans the house whilst taking care of Merricat and Uncle Julian, which is the traditional role of a women in the 1950’s. Yet Constance does this for
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: To what extent does ‘The Memory Police’…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 80%: Yoko Ogawa’s post-war dystopian allegory The Memory Police explores the unsettling atmosphere of a society governed…
Yoko Ogawa’s post-war dystopian allegory The Memory Police explores the unsettling atmosphere of a society governed by authoritarianism and the gradual erasure of both individual and collective memories. Despite the willingness of individuals to resist totalitarian systems, Ogawa recognises that the relentless attempt to exert control limits their overall ability to overcome these forces. Foremost, Ogawa critiques the unyielding power a government may hold to overpower those under it, where resilience is seen as unattainable. Furthermore, she criticises individuals who demonstrate no effort to challenge oppression, thereby avoiding disruption of authority. However, while Ogawa acknowledges that power can attempt to decay one’s purpose, there are still opportunities for people to act in defiance.
Foremost, Ogawa stresses that power can be overbearing to the point where people struggle to find any possibility of standing against it. On an unnamed island, a place controlled by men ‘determined to see things disappear’, Ogawa establishes a setting where the vanishings of flowers and birds occur ‘beyond [the citizens’] control’. Through this construction, Ogawa distorts the boundary between the existence of human agency and the necessary submission towards hidden forces. This emphasises the uncertainty individuals face in recognising the extent of power imposed upon them. Thus, Ogawa underscores the inability of individuals to withstand insidious forces that appear to distort the natural order. This is strengthened through Ogawa’s use of the Memory Police’s coats, even after searching ‘every clothing store on the island’, the jackets are positioned beyond reach for the inhabitants. The coats symbolise the authority’s ability to adapt under suppressive conditions, leaving citizens helpless and reinforcing the dominance of the regime. Therefore, Ogawa insinuates that a system holding onto too much authority may physically inhibit those around it from evading such power. Overall, Ogawa recognises that control can be employed so coercively that individuals are stripped of the capacity to resist.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Theme: Belonging, Creative Expression…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 90%: In this scene, Waititi conveys how creativity and shared experiences foster a sense of belonging in an individual.…
In this scene, Waititi conveys how creativity and shared experiences foster a sense of belonging in an individual. From the outset, he establishes Ricky's displacement through costuming: the vibrant yellow of Ricky’s jersey is visually isolated against a dark background, symbolising his difficulty integrating into the family. This visual juxtaposition, which renders Ricky the focal point, draws attention to his bright clothes and, in turn, elicits a corresponding sense of displacement in the viewer. Yet this same technique also foreshadows the emotional transformation he is poised to undergo as he becomes part of the family dynamic. Waititi reinforces this narrative shift through the diegetic sound of Ricky joining Bella’s birthday song—an act of shared creativity that signals his growing emotional connection. Through this, the director explores the idea that artistic expression can become a bridge to emotional intimacy, allowing Ricky to connect with others and reclaim a sense of individuality previously stripped away by institutional structures. Connection, in this context, is shown to go beyond physical presence;
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “King Oedipus suggests destiny is a direct…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 82.5%: The Greek tragedy 'Oedipus Rex', written by Sophocles and originally presented in 429 BCE in Athens, explores the…
The Greek tragedy 'Oedipus Rex', written by Sophocles and originally presented in 429 BCE in Athens, explores the tensions between fate and human agency in a society influenced by rationalist and Sophist thoughts. During this time of intellectual and political change, Sophocles critiques the Athenian faith in reason by presenting Oedipus' relentless quest for truth, a pursuit driven by pride, which paradoxically leads to his downfall. Using tragic structure, dramatic irony, and invocation of Greek religious values, Sophocles asserts the inevitability of fate, while simultaneously highlighting how Oedipus’ own choices accelerate his destruction. Thus, while human decisions shape the path to ruin, Sophocles ultimately suggests that destiny triumphs over free will, demonstrating that Oedipus’ downfall is both self-inflicted and divinely ordained.
In exploring the tension between fate and free will, Sophocles utilises the theatrical conventions of tragedy to affirm the inevitability of Oedipus's destined downfall while exposing how his hubris hastens this fate. In doing so, Sophocles discloses Oedipus' inherent flaw of hubris in which he resists the divine decrees of fate, nullifying his evasion from preordained misfortune. Oedipus' perilous duality as the "best of men" threatened by unchecked arrogance in his sovereignty is highlighted in the Prologos. By echoing the first-person pronouns "mine" and "myself", Sophocles highlights Oedipus’ arrogant egoism as he patronisingly asserts himself as the sole "saviour" of Thebes. The boastful style of dialogue reflects his self-perception as the "man of experience." However, for the Athenian audience, aware of his tragic destiny, his self-proclaimed "triumph" elicits dramatic irony since he is, in fact , the "murderer that he hunts". In this way, Sophocles critiques Oedipus' "blind [ness] to misery" as both the "father murderer" and one "coupling with [his] mother." Although regarded as the "first of men", his hamartia of intemperate pride negates his ability to comprehend "how far [he has] gone in guilt", compelling him to pursue the truths behind his life and ultimately gravitating towards calamity. In a stichomythic dialogue, Oedipus's adherence to his fatal flaw deteriorates into blasphemous conceit, as he dismisses Tiresias, Apollo's prophet, as "a pious fraud" and derides the blind prophet's vision as "lost in the night" rather than metaphorically "see[ing] the light." Resounding the dramatic irony of Oedipus' eventual blindness, the metaphor reveals his delusion of equating sight with truth and how his excessive pride in "stopping the Sphinx" has paradoxically blinded his capability to recognise the veracity of destiny. By defying divine prophecy and mocking the Gods’ moral decrees, Oedipus attempts to assert free will, yet Sophocles shows that such defiance only hastens his submission to fate. The frenetic verbal combat jarringly highlights that Oedipus' childish "rage" is powerless against divine knowledge and is ultimately governed by forces beyond his control. In this way, Sophocles reinforces the tension between human choice and predetermined outcome, demonstrating that Oedipus’ downfall is both a product of his decisions and the inescapability of fate.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does Sophocles use Oedipus the King to…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 87.5%: During 5th century Athens, Greeks are known to be a part of a society that regularly practises honouring…
During 5th century Athens, Greeks are known to be a part of a society that regularly practises honouring ceremonies to the gods of their polytheistic religion, praying for their empathy in hopes that their fateful futures bear happiness. However, this became a time when the rise of epistemological questioning threatened the belief of predetermined natures, suggesting there is more freedom in human choice. During this heated debate, Sophocles introduced ‘Oedipus the King’ to explore the deep ends of each side of the dichotomy – is fate or free will the right answer? Although destiny is believed to control the outcomes of those who lived in ancient Greece, Sophocles underscores the complex relationship between human choice and fate. He initially asserts that selective believers who attempt to escape fate will always be unsuccessful. Furthermore, he indicates that consciously aligning with the foretold outcomes of the prophecy will be favoured by the gods. Additionally, Sophocles illuminates how external forces of fate spark a cascade of fatal symptoms, such as guilt. Sophocles utilises the play’s tragedy to exemplify the importance of being conservative to the Greeks’ polytheistic religion, as he warns his audience about the destructive nature of epistemological tension.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: 'Shakespeare presents marriage as…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 85%: Whether it is Beatrice's ascetic disdain of saccharin romance, Claudio's fickle romantic affections or even Don…
Whether it is Beatrice's ascetic disdain of saccharin romance, Claudio's fickle romantic affections or even Don John's brazen malevolence, Shakespeare's 16th century tragicomedy, Much Ado About Nothing illuminates the importance of marriage within Elizabethan society and explores the profundity that all characters see within it. Regardless of their initial view, be it of arrogant aversion or gracious acceptance, the cast all come to see the value that it can provide, for some are 'too wise to woo peaceably' and others who simply 'suffer love'. Accepted as almost a universal truth, marriage is seen as the natural end goal within the progression of a person's life. Marriage is often linked directly to one's social status, as marrying another binds their image with one's own. One can even use marriage as a tool to further one's own ideals, by feeding ones hubris or destroying another's reputation, asserting the influence that it holds upon social acceptance.
In spite of initial reluctance to participate in marriage due to various matters of pride, all characters eventually come to accept the value and inevitability of it. By the conclusion of the all play, Benedict and Beatrice overcome different obstacles in order to reach the happy ending, looking 'pale with love.' Don Pedro's predication that, 'the savage bull doth bear the yoke,' demonstrates Shakespeare's use of foreshadowing to allude to the merry conclusion. Benedick does eventually 'think upon the savage bull,' with Claudio to 'to tip thy (Benedick's) horns with gold', manifesting this augury in a way which completely undermines his initial assertion that 'if ever the sensible Benedick bear it, pluck off the bull's horns and set them in my forehead.' Don Pedro's declaration that 'I shall thee, 'ere I die, look pale with love,' denoting that he wishes nothing more than to see Benedick fall in love, overtly illustrates the effect of being in love to the people around oneself, as Don Pedro believes that marriage would greatly add to his image of Benedick, and that it is all but guaranteed to happen. In doing so, Shakespeare intends to portray the notion of marriage as one that's consistent with every man and women, regardless of their hubris and stubbornness. The two marriages conclude the play on a positive, upbeat note where Don John is 'ta'en in flight' and that they 'have a dance 'ere we are married.' Unequivocally, a successful marriage is displayed as being synonymous to achieving true happiness and receiving social praise and an event that is emblematic of the final stages of a person's development.
Despite marriage being