Andrew Zheng English Pd.

2 Critical Lens Essay

3-23-14 Mr. OGrady

When Franz Ka !a said" #$ %he li%era%&re we are reading d'es n'% wa!e &s" %hen why d' we read i%"( he )ean% %ha% %he *&r*'se ' reading +''!s is %' in%er*re% %he hidden )essages %ha% %he a&%h'r %ries %' ,'n-ey a+'&% iss&es in %he w'rld. $ agree %ha% %here is n' *'in% in reading a +''! i %he reader d'es n'% +e,')e aware ' a *r'+le). .his /&'%e is *r'-ed +y %he *lay Ma,+e%h +y 0ha!es*eare. .his +''! has hidden )essages a+'&% *r'+le)s %ha% e1is%ed 422 years ag'" when i% was irs% wri%%en" and s%ill e1is%s %'day. Ma,+e%h is a +''! %ha% %ea,hes %he reader wha% ha**ens when *e'*le +e,')e arr'gan% and ign're %heir ,'ns,ien,es. One *r'+le) %ha% 0ha!es*eare a%%e)*%s %' ,'n-ey is %ha% ' %en *e'*le are gi-en an '*%i'n %' d' s')e%hing %ha% %hey are n'% s&**'sed %' d'" whi,h ,a&ses a ,'n li,% +e%ween %he *ers'n and %heir ,'ns,ien,e. M's% ' %he %i)e" *e'*le are aware ' %heir ,'ns,ien,e" +&% ,h''se %' ign're i%. 3y ign'ring %heir ,'ns,ien,es" *e'*le +e,')e ign'ran% %' %he &%&re" and 'nly %hin! a+'&% %he *resen%. F'r ins%an,e" in A,% 2 0,ene 2" Ma,+e%h ign'res his ,'ns,ien,e a %er +eing ,'n%in&'&sly *es%ered +y his wi e and !ills King 4&n,an. 5a%er" in %he s,ene" he says %he lines" #Ma,+e%h d'es )&rder slee*( sh'ws %ha% he is s%ar%ing %' eel g&il%y a+'&% !illing %he !ing whi,h ,a&ses ins')nia. Als'" +y ign'ring his ,'ns,ien,e" he did n'% %hin! ' %he ,'nse/&en,es %ha% w'&ld s''n ',,&r. F'r ins%an,e" in A,% 3 0,ene 1" Ma,+e%h is s%ar%ing %' ear 3an/&'" and has hi) !illed. .his ,a&ses hi) %' hall&,ina%e a% his dinner *ar%y whi,h ,as%s s&s*i,i'n 'n hi).

Andrew Zheng English Pd.2

3-23-14 Mr. OGrady

An'%her *ers'n wh' ign'res her ,'ns,ien,e was 5ady Ma,+e%h. As readers we realize she als' has a ,'ns,ien,e when she says in A,% 2 0,ene 2" #6ad he n'% rese)+led7 My a%her as he sle*%" $ had d'ne%.( .his ,'ns,ien,e res&r a,es la%er when she is slee* wal!ing in A,% 8 0,ene 19 she eels s' )&,h g&il% %ha% she is &na+le %' wash i% ' her ,'ns,ien,e. 0he des*era%ely %ries %' ,lean %he dr'* ' +l''d 'n her

hand" +&% i% :&s% w'&ld n'% g' away ;A,% 8 0,ene 1<. 6'we-er" %his dr'* ' +l''d is a hall&,ina%i'n" and 'nly e1is%s in her )ind. $n %he end" she ,'))i%s s&i,ide +e,a&se she ,ann'% ,'n%ain her g&il%. .his sh'ws %ha% when *e'*le d' n'% lis%en %' %heir ,'ns,ien,es" %hey end &* in si%&a%i'ns %ha% ,'&ld end %heir li-es. An'%her *r'+le) %ha% 0ha!es*eare addresses is %he nega%i-e e e,%s ' +eing arr'gan%. Arr'gan,e &s&ally leads %' eelings s&,h as '-er*r'%e,%i'n whi,h will ,a&se *e'*le %' d' i)*ra,%i,al %hings whi,h ' %en ends in %heir d'wn alls. $n Ma,+e%h" Ma,+e%h -isi%s %he wi%,hes 'r a 2nd %i)e and %hey %ell hi) %ha% he is n'% g'ing %' +e !illed +y any'ne +'rn ' a w')an. .his ,a&ses hi) %' %hin! he is in-in,i+le when in reali%y he is n'%. Als'" %he wi%,hes %ell hi) %ha% he will reign &n%il %he w''ds g' %' %he hills. .his s'&nds a+s&rd %' Ma,+e%h and in,reases his arr'gan,e. 4&e %' %his arr'gan,e" he d'es an a+s&rd deed" and !ills Ma,d& s a)ily. 4&ring %his s,ene" 0ha!es*eare e-'!es *a%h's r') %he a&dien,e +y !illing %he y'&ng s'n 'n Ma,d& . .his a,% ' *a%h's sh'ws %ha% Ma,+e%h is ,'rr&*%ed +y his arr'gan,e and %his eeling ' '-er *r'%e,%i'n w'&ld lead %' his d'wn all. $n %he end" Ma,+e%h %ea,hes %he readers %ha% +eing arr'gan% and n'% lis%ening %' y'&r ,'ns,ien,e ,an lead %' +ad %hings. .his ,an +e seen %hr'&gh Ma,+e%h and 5ady

Andrew Zheng English Pd.2

3-23-14 Mr. OGrady

Ma,+e%h +'%h dying +e,a&se %hey ign'red %heir ,'ns,ien,e" and %hr'&gh Ma,+e%h le%%ing his g&ard d'wn d&e %' arr'gan,e. Ma,+e%h is a *er e,% e1a)*le %' sh'w %ha% all +''!s ha-e a hidden )essage %ha% %ea,hes a less'n. $% als' sh'ws %ha% g''d li%era%&re ' %en %ea,hes less'ns %ha% ,an +e rela%ed %' )any years a %er i% has +een wri%%en.