Graduation thesis Acknowledgements This thesis could not be finished without the assistance of my teachers in foreign language Department, my family and friends. Firstly, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my supervisor_ MA. Le Thi Thuy Ha, whose lectures of English literature attracted me so much, led me to the decision of choosing English comments on each single unit of this thesis, similarly she gave me her indispensable assistance, excellent suggestions, expert advice and detailed comments as well as invaluable encouragement. I own a special debt of gratitude to MA. Tran Ngoc Tuong, who helped initiate the idea for my thesis, giving me his essential contributions and varied experience in doing literature research. I would like to express my truthful thanks to all the teachers of English at the foreign language Department and the directorial Board for giving the opportunity to do this thesis. And finally, I want to thank to my beloved family, my friends who help and encourage me so much during the process of studying this thesis. Hoµng ThÞ Nga Graduation thesis Table of contents Acknowledgement Table of contents Part A: Introduction 1. The rationales of choosing the theme 2. The aims of the study 3. Research questions of the study 4. The objectives of the thesis 5. The methods of the study 6. The scope of the thesis 7. The format of the study Part B. Development Chapter 1. Background 1.1. England in the Renaissance 1.1.1. What is Renaissance? 1.1.2. What is meant by "Renaissance"? 1.2. William Shakespeare 1.2.1. Life and work 1.2.1.1. Life 1.2.1.2. Work 1.2.2. Hamlet and Othello 1.2.2.1. Hamlet 1.2.2.1.1. The brief summary of the play 1.2.2.1.2. The source of the play 1.2.2.1.3. The characters in the play 1.2.2.1.4. The setting of the play 1.2.2.2. Othello Hoµng ThÞ Nga Graduation thesis 1.2.2.2.1. The brief summary of the play 1.2.2.2.2. The source of the play 1.2.2.2.3. The characters of the play 1.2.2.3.4. The setting of the play Chapter 2. The tragic and heroic in society, in literature and in Shakespeare s plays’ 2.1. Definition of the tragic 2.1. Definition of the heroic Chapter 3. The tragic and heroic in Hamlet and Othello by Shakespeare 3.1. The tragic and heroic in Hamlet 3.1.1. The tragic described in pessimistic and melancholic Hamlet and miserable and hopeless Ophelia 3.1.2. The heroic reflected in daring and brave Hamlet and chaste, warm- hearted and sympathetic Ophelia 3.2. The tragic and heroic in Othello 3.2.1 The tragic through loss of belief and down- spirited and tragic person 3.2.2. The heroic through chivalrous and brave Othello and beautiful, courage and believable Desdemona Part C. Conclusion Reference books Suggestion for further studies Hoµng ThÞ Nga Graduation thesis Part A. Introduction 1. The rationales of choosing the thesis When I was a child, I was very interested in learning Vietnamese literature, especially when becoming a student, I have a good opportunity to approach English literature, I feel that this subject is very exciting and it makes me curious. So the study is a lucky chance for me to know and to discover the new things in the literature deeply. Besides, in the process of studying English, I usually have a lot of difficulties in understanding the English literature. From this, it is the impetus for my effort to discover this subject. Moreover, literature is truthful inflection of social life, each period in history of English literature is always expressed the society and people truthfully and objectively in difficult aspects of life by writers. I like to study English history, especially, England in the Renaissance of typical writer- William Shakespeare. Thanks to his plays, I understand clearly about his Age of social life. All the above things are main rationales for choosing my graduation thesis. 2. The aims of the thesis The first aim of my study is to understand more clearly about English literature, especially English literature in the Renaissance. The second aim is to know more about Shakespeare’s life and his career, his attitude and his contribution to English Renaissance literature and understand more about his famous tragedies- “Hamlet” and “Othello”, including the theme “tragic and heroic” in the plays. And the last aim is not only to widen my knowledge about literary language but also to improve my English language, too 3. Research questions of the study - What are the tragic and heroic? Hoµng ThÞ Nga Graduation thesis - What characters' features are the tragicand heroic expressed in two plays "Hamlet" and "Othello"? - How are the tragic and heroic expressed in each player in these plays? 4. The objectives of the study. The theme “tragic and heroic” in the plays of Shakespeare will introduce in this thesis. - “Tragic and heroic” in society and literature - “Tragic and heroic” in Othello and in Hamlet 5.The methods of the thesis - Studying documents dealing with the thesis - Analysis method “the theme and characters of plays” - Making the best use of lectures on the course of English literature - Making the best use of help of the supervisor- MA. Le Thi Thuy Ha. 6 The scope of the thesis - Studying the Renaissance, England in the Renaissance - Studying Shakespeare’s life and career - Studying the theme in Shakespeare’s plays “tragic and heroic” in Othello and in Hamlet 7. format of the thesis This thesis graduation consists of three main parts: Part A. Introduction There are sections in the introduction such as: the rationales for choosing the theme, the aims, the scope, methods and format of the study. Part B: Development The Development consists of three chapters: Chapter 1: “Background; what is Renaissance?; William Shakespeare” Chapter 2: “The tragic and heroic in society, literature and in Shakespeare’s plays; definition of the tragic; definition of the heroic” Chapter 3: “The tragic and heroic in “Hamlet” and “Othello” by Shakespeare; The tragic and heroic in “Hamlet”; The tragic and heroic in “Othello” Hoµng ThÞ Nga Graduation thesis Part C. Conclusion Conference books Suggestion for further studies Part B. Development Chapter 1. Background 1.1. England in the Renaissance 1.1.1. What is Renaissance? According to NguyÔn Xu©n Th¬m (1997), the Renaissance is the transitional period from the Middle Ages to the modern contemporary time, a time which witnessed to use angel’s words “the great progressive turning point that mankind had to far experienced, the time which called for giants and produred giants, giants in power of thought, passion and character, in universarity and learning .” The Renaissance began in 14 th century in Italy then spread to the rest of Europe, the pregmented feudal society of the Middle Ages, with its agricultural economy and church dominated intellectual and cultural life, was transformed into a society increasingly ominated intellectual and cultural political institutions, with an urban, commercial economy and with lay patronage of education, music and art. Moreover, in the period, the man was always central and the freedom of each individual was usually praised, that was essential demand of each person, and was also human rights. They want to confirm their ability before the Universe. The Renaissance marked the beginning of capitalism through the formation of capital holding companies that engaged in expensive and risky trade with Russian, the Far East, and other remote trading sites. For instance, the Muscovy Company, the East Indian company and West Indian company all. From time to time, provided handsome profits for their investors, So London became an ideal city for everybody throughout England and during the sixteenth century London Hoµng ThÞ Nga Graduation thesis approximately doubled its size to 200000 inhabitants, the Renaissance most of English population resided in rural areas. Cities were crowded, considered dirty and often dangerous and especially, the greatest problem was public hygience. For change in politics, there was also not organized police force as we conceive it today, England was, of course, a monarchy Elizabeth I come to throne at the age of 25 on the death of the half-sister, Mary in 1558. Elizabeth reigned until 1603, when upon her death her cousin, Jame I, who was also king of Scotland was connected. James ruled until 1625 and was succeeded by his Charles I. Both Elizabeth and James were relatively good monarchs. Elizabeth was strong and certainly capable of making hard and difficult decision. However perhaps she was a woman, she was less functionally arrogant than most of her contemporary monarchs. Although she was Queen of England, she shared some of her rules with parliament a body made of men chosen to represent with various areas of England. The Renaissance was also marked by numberous advancement in what we could call technology. The most important, invention of printing, took place in 1455, over one hundred years before Shakespeare was born, and first came to England in 1475, when William Caxton set up a printing press in Westminster near Westminter Abbey. The effects of printing were widespread but not as rapid as they might suppose. The percentage of people who could read and write slowly, grew books became less expensive and more available. This will help readers approach new books and many people could read and update news more quickly. 1.1.2. What is meant by Renaissance ?“ ” According to Nguyen Chi Trung (1998), the term Renaissance, meaning literally “rebirth” in French refers to the “discovery of the world and of man” (Michelet). Jokob Burckhardt (a great Swiss historian) expanded on Michelet’s conception, characterizing the Epoch of Renaissance as nothing less than the birth of modern humanity and conciousness after a long period of ignorance and decay. First of all “Renaissance” means not only “the discovery of the world and the man Hoµng ThÞ Nga Graduation thesis beings” more than that, it implies “the awakening of men’s mind, the awakening of individual spirit and secularism” 1.1.2.1. Renaissance means the revival interest in Greek and human literature. It is obvious that, in the middle age, people barely read and study Greek and Rome, and the number of readers of the literature, and the number of readers of these literatures were scholars and literary men because of unavaibility of books. However, thanks to printing machine invention, the number of readers of ancient writers increased greatly and the reading and studying of Greek, Roman literatures became more interested in the amount of printed books was widespread. 1.1.2.2. Renaissance in the discovery of the world and the human beings New inventions and discoveries in science in the Renaissance in the middle age, men know little about the world. In the Renaissance, however men greatly discovered for geography and science. In geographical field, Christopher Columbus discovered America. A Merigo Vespucci and Vasco de Gama discovered the Phillipines, Magellan traveled around the world and discovered several lands and islands. These great geographical discoveries opened new horizons and bright prospects for European people. They longed to discover other continents and people. In astronomy, Nicholas Copernicus- a Polish studied the scientific writing of antiquity and observed the universe- He included that the earth resolves around the sun and the sun is center of the Universe. In the scientific field, Newton discovered “law of gravity” and Galileo invented to men’s awareness about their position and effect in society (the human being in the Renaissance) The human beings in the Renaissance. In the Middle Age, men completely lost their values and position. The church of Rome taught them that men were symbols of evils and sin, that they were slaves in this temporary world. They lived and waited for their emancipation Hoµng ThÞ Nga Graduation thesis from this earthly hopeless life. They lived and prepared themselves for future life in paradise. In the Renaissance, in contrast, men were reborn. They began to accept this world with a much more optimistic attitude. They enjoyed their present life and realized this earth life was beautiful and interesting that men had the right to live and enjoy everything on the earth. 1.1.2.3 Renaissance in the awakening s mind, the awakening of individual’ spirit and secularism. In the Middle-Ages, men depended on “God” and despised materialistic and sexual desire. The role of individual was improved. And the development of society depended on human ability. They had to discover the natural Universe. And their human being ability, new luxurious life, new economic, political and social life all created new will, eagerness in them. Spiritually, they began to lead a revolt against the strict, cramped and austere pattern of life in the Middle-Ages. In this age, there was also a great change in the outlook, the God –centered thought of the Middle- Ages seemed to disappear humanism is greatly praised. Humanists came to look on the world as a good thing in it’s not merely a place to win salvation. Renaissance men were not more subordinated to God. Their own strength and ability to achieve it. Men were their own guides to truth and happiness. 1.2 William Shakespeare 1.2.1 His life. William Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564 in the small town of the Stratford- Upon- Avon about seventy-five miles from London. He was the greatest English playwright and poet of England as well as of the mankind. He was the son of a well –to do merchant. When a boy, he went to Stratford Grammar School where Latin and Greek were almost the only subjects, life itself, contact with people and his acquaintance with the rich English folklore gave him more than the scholartic methods used at Hoµng ThÞ Nga Graduation thesis school. In these days, Stratford-Upon-Avon was often visited by traveling groups of actors. It is quite possible that some performed plays by actors impressed him. In 1577 he left the school early when his family got into heavy debts. Five years later, at age of 18 (he married Anne) left London then he married Anne Hathaway by whom he had three children, Susan (1583), and the twins Hamlet and Judith (1583). Hamlet, his only son, died and was buried at Stratford in 1596. In 1587, we found Shakespeare in London where he soon becomes connected with stage, at the time, he wrote many for the company of actors who played at the theatre. Then the new Globe Theatre was built where Shakespeare’s plays were staged. These theatres anabled him to become a well- known and wealthy man. In 1613, Shakespeare left London and returned to his native town of Stratford-upon-Avon. Three years later, on April 23, 1616, he died and was buried there. Only in five years later in London, Shakespeare was well-known in literary circles. He wrote 2 long poems, 37 plays and 154 sonnets only within twenty years. He is regarded as the biggest poet, the playwright of his Age and of his country. Many writers in his same age praised him as “the honey- tongued poet” or “Evon river swan” .Ben Johnson, an English well-known playwright confirmed that Shakespeare belonged not only to his age but also to eternality. Shakespeare was known as a humanist. He is the great humanist of England and of the world. The outstanding idea that we can see in all his works was humanity. He was the enemy of medieval ideas, religious and racial discrimination. He always believed in his human being’s ability to conquer the world. In his works, he affirmed the principle of equality, the equal moral value of people of all clauses and all races. His plays are filled with action, his characters are believable and his language is thrilling to hear or read. Underlying all this is Shakespeare’s deep humanity. He was a profound son and student of people and Hoµng ThÞ Nga