Critical Review
Foakes, Reginald Anthony, and Reginald Anthony Foakes. Shakespeare and violence. Cambridge University Press, 2003.
Violence is a broad phenomenon affecting the human race. Authors have been selective when selecting themes to talk about, but violence has been on top of the list for most authors. Violence has, in most cases, gone beyond the paper to appear evident in the real lives of several authors. R. A Foakes presents in “Shakespeare and Violence” the journey of Shakespeare along with violence and the various ideas that Shakespeare developed in his search for information on violence. Generally, the events on the infamous 9/11 attack changed the perception that several individuals had, and Foakes was not left behind on his idea on Shakespearian ideologies. “Shakespeare and Violence” goes to the extent of explaining the reality of violence among humankind as well as the history that made Shakespeare have the doctrines that he had towards violence.
One would always wonder where violence originated from and the main reason behind violence. The existence of violence is, however, associated with the origin of humans; thus, violence has existed as long as humans have existed. One of Shakespeare’s research on violence reveals that Cain and Abel marked the start of violence among humankind in the garden of Eden, with jealous being the primary cause of violence. Shakespeare does not, however, understand how Cain knew of violence from a non-existence foundation and leaves questions on whether violence occurs naturally. According to Foakes, Shakespeare was interested in basing most of his works on violence and giving sufficient details concerning the nature of violence. One of the works of Shakespeare that are based on absolute violence is “Hamlet” that leaves an entire chapter for the story of Cain and Abel and the violence that led to the death of Abel.
Authors who employ continuous use of violence in their works have a unique association and perception towards violence. The most common form of violence that captures the attention of authors is terrorism. Generation, the world’s view of terrorism in the whole world, changed after the November 2001 attack on the World Trade Center popularly known as the 9/11 attack. Terrorism has been defined in different backgrounds, but the 9/11 attack brought the aspect of religion and religion. Some beliefs have been associated with terrorism in that some individuals claim to have religious assignments of engaging in holy wars that cannot be avoided. The association between terrorism and religion has been so strong that most people have sacrificed their lives for the sacred claims. Foakes recalls the use of the theme of violence in “The Tempest” to show the extent to which human beings struggle with issues of self-control and their love of violence. Shakespeare seemed to have an immature sense of violence. However, the position of Shakespeare put him in a place that made him unaware of the transformations that violence was going through. Shakespeare would not imagine the intensity that violence would grow owing to the development of technology.
Human beings tend to believe that violence should be met with violence and that using peace to curb violence is a show of weakness. The infamous belief has made the world a violent place, and people have always regretted the mistakes of choosing violence over peace. In “Shakespeare and Violence,” Foakes notes that authors have a way of justifying the use of violence to make their audience happy. Such attempts have ended up praising violence on events where violence should have been condemned. For example, Shakespeare uses violence in “Measure for Measure” to make the audience happy for the way that the formerly violent characters are treated. In the “Measure for Measure,” the threat for the killing of Claudio through a death sentence shows the extent to which the audience would pay to have violent characters suffering through violence. Moreover, Foakes blames the state of the world on the idea of human beings to choose violence for violence.
Shakespearian beliefs are based on the idea that violence for violence ends up in more violence. Foakes recalls the responsibility of the US explicitly after the 9/11 attack. The US respondent by carrying out bombing attacks in Afghanistan as a response to the attack. However, the attacks only caused harm to innocent people and eventually changed their perspective towards the US.
Violence has, in several instances, appeared natural among human beings. Generally, the existence of human beings means the presence of violence: “…proneness to violence, to lash out, is both a part of what constitutes the nature of human beings, especially men, and is also culturally constructed” (Foakes, 3). The knowledge that human beings can hardly live without violence has made them come up with strategies of conforming to the needs of violence. Foakes presents the use of violence in comedy as a show of how human beings used extreme violence to create environments of laughter. For example, the use of laughter in violent plays by Shakespeare shows the attempt by the author to explain the lack of authority over violence. “The Revengers Tragedy” is, for example, associated with satire amid violence. Shakespeare appears to have conformed to the claim that violence cannot be differentiated from the existence of human beings. According to Foakes, Shakespeare changed his perception of violence and realized that violence is natural among human beings.
The question of why human beings use violence against each other is explained in several ways by different authors. Human beings have killed each other in several instances. Generally, unusual relationship exists between unusual compulsion to engage in violence and extreme violent behaviors such as serial killing and irrational violence. Individuals tend to lack control in their involvement in violence. In “Shakespeare and Violence,” Foakes does not place any actual cause for human engagement in violence. However, Foakes recognizes the role of inherited trends for violence. Besides, human beings exist amid “…a human nature, giving [human beings] instincts and modes of behavior that are still affected by . . . Deep-Rooted urges [to engage in violence]” (Foakes, 2). Therefore, the present human beings have limited control over the existence of violence. However, staying away from violence can work towards avoiding the consequences associated with violence.
In sum, “Shakespeare and Violence” goes to the extent of explaining the reality of violence among humankind as well as the history that made Shakespeare have the ideologies that he had towards violence. Foakes argues that violence is natural and that the present human beings have little or no control over violence. After the attack on the World Trade Center, Foakes notes that the view on violence changed across the world. Generally, the nature of human beings is made in such a way that violence is always met with violence.
Works Cited
Foakes, Reginald Anthony, and Reginald Anthony Foakes. Shakespeare and violence. Cambridge University Press, 2003.