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Chapter 1: Introduction

1.1 Statement of the problem

The research study indulges the readers to think in a parallel way regarding the theories and

statements used in the study along with the overarching themes. The texts chosen for the study

fits most in the title of the research to explore the issue of influence and domination by the

characters’. It compels to question the existence of the characters and the reason behind their

acts. It is not only a thematic based analysis but there are many viewpoints that need to be

investigating for future study in this field of Literature.

1.2 Purpose of the study

The purpose of the study is very comprehensible that gives birth to a lot of issues through one

role of the subject matter. This is a descriptive study for which it opens the actual study gaps, in

its place of simply carrying out the former way of investigation and to develop improvement

with more clear-cut theory and research questions.

1.3 Synopsis

The plays written by the famous author William Shakespeare are very much interesting because

of its crafty plots. The fictional characters whether it a peasant or a king, every detail about a

man or woman is given in such a way which upholds the richness of classic writings of that era.

The texts used in the study each role is in a mission to subjugate the other one’s power. It also

clarifies how the role of power passes through the character’s vein and changes their attitude

instantly. There comes a question whether all the selected characters to explore the study actually

changes or remain the same. The socio-cultural plays a huge role in the role of power. In the text

it worked here as a catalyst to show the nature of shifting the attitude, it can be anyone a spirit or
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human being. The role of power in the chosen texts is bestowed with a huge influence in the

relation between a father and daughter, brothers, slavery and mastery, friend or spouse, lovers

and so on. Optimizing the roles in the text of Shakespeare’s plays depicts each and every relation

and framework to interpret with such a detail that helps the readers to explore the real theme of

the society in life.

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Chapter: 2 Literature Review

A Literature review concerns a significant role as a groundwork that follows a line of

investigation. This can be serving as a basis for understanding development, gives theoretical

support to the policy that needs to be practiced, provide factual proofs of an important part of the

text, if well conducted it stimulates new ideas and instructions for a particular field if the

research is well scrutinized. As the research has a particular agenda therefore, they fill up the

future research and theory gap that needs to be covered in this section. On the other hand,

working for a research and justify its value with factual data analysis is quite challenging. If

there is a certainty that the research is able-bodied and justified, it will be much easier to figure

out the actual study gaps, in its place of simply carrying out the former way of investigation and

to develop improvement with more clear-cut theory and research questions. Therefore, to

increase the quality of research for a more enriched socio-cultural background in the field of

education. (Synder 333-339). Shakespearean plays are alluring. Somehow it creates an urge for

the readers to look for the aclue or missing pieces. Reading those pieces of writings many

characters and context happen which are parallel between fictional and in real life. Despite the

pile of information about this great author, it is not clear that such incidents or a character

showcase his own life. One of the finest thing about Shakespeare’s plays is that he depicts each

and every from a slave to king, men and women with such a detail that helps the readers to

explore the real theme of the society in life. (Paul 4). The dramatic career of the author has been

separated into different stages to understand the inflamed tension and custom of each particular

period. (Chakraborty, 2013).

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It can be started from the introduction part that due to limitations of the entire research few

portions regarding the role of authority and power can be explored from two or more text written

by Shakespeare. Such text defines the era and the drama of each period that upholds certain

cultural and family semblance. The year 1596 was the second stage of Shakespeare’s literary

career in that particular period “The Merchant of Venice” was written. With the beginning of

understanding the role of men and women in actual life, the dramas’ of Shakespeare began to

play with the original public framework fabricating the concepts of history. (Chakraborty, 2013).

The next one is in between 1601 to 1608. Here, the author had written the plays that consist of

melancholy and disappointment which left the audience in a great dilemma. One of the examples

of the writings of that particular period is “King Lear” in 1605. In this series of his writings, the

role and drama themes continuously created sins and anguish sense deep down in the hearts of

the audience. (Chakraborty, 2013). The last period of his career turns into a new form which

creates a distinction with other works in his career. One of the examples of his written drama of

that period is “The Tempest”. (Chakraborty, 2013). According to the feature of this period, his

writings are embedded with Power and humour to make a good taste of these consistent efforts

and keep tragedies away. The great resources of his plays are the fine art of placing characters’ in

his plays. The fictitious dialogues that paint the character a villain and at the same time a good

character create an impartial picture of each character in real life. (Chakraborty, 2013).

Thus the author has created a vibe of authority in the centre of this ethereal play where it can be

argued that powerfully it represents late-twentieth-century. This makes left readers and audiences

experiencing the impact of the colonizing power during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

It also observes the long-term life of the domain creating a bridge between the
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authoritative and colonized states. Since studies have been conducted regarding the centuries of

colonization of the America and Africa, The Tempest, previously is well thought-out as

Shakespeare’s plays as a version, for legitimate and illegitimate actions of the colonizing and the

populated perspective. (Shakespeare, The Tempest from The Folger Shakespeare).

Comparatively regarding the new interest in the dominator party depicts The Tempest as a

profound force concerning toward Prospero. Prospero is now perceived as one of Shakespeare’s

most multifarious personality. He brings to the island books, practices power to hurt and to

control; he thus represents a former form of the conqueror. In The Tempest, Prospero when lost

shipwrecked, and searching was actually betrayed by his own brother Antonio. (Shakespeare,

The Tempest from The Folger Shakespeare). It can be assumed by previously discussed text and

analyzing the role of Prospero, the role of Lear as a king in the play King Lear turns the table. It

can be stated that Prospero wants to go back in authority because he has been sent to an island

through treachery but King Lear himself decides to leave the position and love a life of

tranquillity. This distinction between Prospero and Lear never means the will to lose power. Lear

wants to divide the kingdom among his three daughters but not by losing the power of a king.

Pointing the map to divide the kingdom shows the power that he possesses. Again as he tends to

remove himself from life's duties and concerns he makes a decision for the kingdom to be

distributed among his three daughters by their proclamation of love. (Sheri, Cliffnotes.com).

Later on, due to the shift of authority on how situation changes will be discussed in the

discussion part to justify the goal of the study. Again, in the play of “The Merchant of Venice”

when Antonio says-“this way ..to dominate Jews”(I, II, 598-599) reflects powerful urge and

rivalry between the Christian and Jews due to theological beliefs. (Chakraborty, 2013). Over

again, when Portia is deprived of her moral right to choose her husband and elopement of
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shylock’s daughter portrays the theme of the authority of the male society. ( Chakraborty, 2013)

It can be assumed that despite of the shift of power Antonio when getting free from the claims of

Shylock, Antonio forgives him. On the contrary, Antonio when Antonio faces the blame over

him, Shylock at the superior authority refused to show mercy on him.

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Chapter: 3 Research Methodology

This research follows the qualitative research method analyzing the ‘Role of power in the plays

of William Shakespeare in various perspectives’. Phenomenological approach and grounded

theory with a detailed description that employs a rich collection of data. This maintains the

qualitative data analysis through the background of the author and norm of that era. The data

used in the research focuses on the secondary resources involving non-numerical data based on –

Journal, texts and website article. To interpret the meaning and create an area of interest by

providing analysis of the content in the texts that are used in the Latin language. The central

theme is the allure of power and authority to create cohesiveness among the patterns of

approaches and data.

1.1 Research Questionnaire:

RQ1: How the role of authority differentiates each other as characters in Shakespeare’s Plays?

Does the transition of authority changes their situation or changes them in different perspectives?

Explain.

RQ2: How much the role of class hierarchy and socio-cultural context of that era of the author

effects and shifts and role the powers in the texts?

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Chapter 4: Findings and Discussion

Shakespeare’s The Tempest not only expresses humor but also portrays a number of hints

supposing the western fear. There is a distance in between the Western colonizers and colonized

declaring the colonized as not being a human and this is why they are not considered as the

same. The striking risk can be justified, because of people like Caliban are identified as countless

and they remain deprived of such sympathy; this can be regarded as people who are devoid of

history, culture and claim to autonomy. The reason why colonized is described as inhumane due

to their odd approaches such as -language gap in culture and civilization. In comparison to the

Western part, the island is presented civilization in which the colonized inhabitant is Caliban.

During the time of Shakespeare, European people used to think the colonized world in that way.

( Gerlinde, D.2007).

It can be acknowledged that Shakespeare has exposed the authority of the otherworld through his

play ‘The Tempest’. In Act-iii, scene-II, the sense of colonized and colonizer in the text is

portrayed. Caliban talks about this to Stephano, when he tries to convince him to kill Prospero

and take control of the island. Here, Caliban’s desire to “knock a nail” into Prospero’s head

which means treachery is done in the form of plot done to Prospero and betrayal in the play. As a

result, Caliban and Stephano’s plot does not comprise a familial betrayal. Rather it works as an

urge to kill Prospero since Caliban thinks that Prospero has unfairly claim to be the owner of this

island over which Caliban as the real authority should rule. ("The Tempest: Study Guide |

Sparknotes",). It can be said, that the former Duke of Milan is suffering in superiority complex

that compels him to have that alluring sense for the power. Right after he is exiled on an island

his only accompanying person remains Miranda and the creatures he wants to rule over and grew

more authoritative as a magician. Also, it is can be affirmed that when Prospero’s enemies get
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caught in a tempest near the island he turns on his power over them by the assistance of the spirit

Ariel and monster Caliban. Shakespeare’s The Tempest is not the only text of romance and

comedy but displays the transition of characters that exchange the role of villain or hero,

sometimes both bad character and good character. Prospero and the leading character might have

suffered many years with his daughter in an island because of the betray of Antonio his own

brother but on the other side, he dominated over the spirits of the island to protect Miranda. It

can be stated that such scenarios can be put on a view about the era of colonialism and the initial

stages of the Europe discovery and take-over of the” New World” as a viewpoint of the cultural

background of the author at that phase.(Shakespeare, The Tempest from The Folger

Shakespeare). Caliban is a very significant creation to interpret various aspects of post-

colonialism. Shakespeare shows the character of Caliban to define the important features of

various subjects, such as orientalism, colonialism, racism, slavery, etc. (Ahmed, 2020). Caliban

undergoes a process of the mixture as common in postcolonial societies, both as a result of

conscious moments of cultural suppression, as when the colonial power invades to combine

political and economic control, (Ashcroft et al., 2003, p. 183). Thus, his sense of hybridity

threatens Prospero’s ‘massive power’ yet he confronts it by the act of labelling him as the ‘other’

too as he clearly dictates that- This island is his mother’s, Sycorax and their own property.

(Shakespeare, 2000, 1.2.332-345). It can be stated that the position of power has slightly changed

in the mastery Vs slavery relationship as a sense of urgency to be free. Also, it can be said that to

be more clarified among the characters of Shakespeare’s plays the role of power needs to be

scrutinized comparing the other characters in Shakespeare’s play. It can be stated that Lear

seems to be an independent ruler and now decides to divide his kingdom among his three

daughters before that he wants to hear his own praise from the mouth of his daughters publicly to
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display his importance as a ruler and authority of a father. King Lear is another play by

Shakespeare where it can be assumed that the king has initially the supreme authority as a king

but later on fooled by his two daughters Goneril and Regan and lost his ruling power entirely. On

the contrary, Goneril when came in power ousted the king from the kingdom and later on

murdered her sister Regan and herself even after having the power to rule. From the scene of

Act-IV, Scene-II, Goneril expects obedience from a man, but she also wants strength and a

willingness to take what she desires which match her own reflection. When Albany’s attack by

word on Goneril, this shows that Albany is a highly moral individual, the reverse of his wife.

(Shakespeare, 2004, (IV.2.32-36). Goneril plays the role of women at the period of Elizabeth

where she refuses to be a pawn of men and deems herself as the ultimate power which challenges

the reality of the historical period, Which also shows how the hierarchy of class changes from

king to the subject, subject to kind and women subject to men and men is dominated by the

authority of women. (Sheri, Cliffnotes.com).

From a different perspective, it can be assumed that from another character Portia and shylock

how powerful the reverse of supremacy can be in a different situation. At that time women were

not considered as witty as men for whom Portia dressed up as a man to save her husband and his

friend. Again, in the Act-IV, Scene- I, when Portia combat Shylock and he commented on the

impartiality in the judgment of the law, Portia rectifies again that the bond does not approve

drop of blood. The exact words are –“pounds of flesh”. (Chakraborty, 2013, IV.1.209). It can be

said that here as a lawyer of Antonio defending him, she combats shylock by her wit dressing as

a man but does know to show off her authority which she truly deserves as a royal being and

even after getting the triumph of the case but shylock show off his Jewish clan and though he

loses yet he is boasting the power and refuse to accept that he loose at the heat of the moment.
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Chapter 5: Conclusion

Concluding the agenda and justifying along with the reasons the paper establishes the uncertainty

of portraying the ambivalent and amalgam portrayal of non-European figures and the

postcolonial activity practice in that era. Apparently, among the three chosen plays of

Shakespeare one thing is certain which switch of authority. These alluring characters and their

shifts of the position successfully establish the irony of fate because of holding and losing power

in the plays. The interesting part is when the roles get a sudden shift of influences how they react

in such a situation has been analyzed in the paper. The study has been narrow down because of

the topic which focuses only on the role of authority. Therefore, gathering information on this

topic is limited analyzing from a different perspective. It applies a qualitative content analysis

method. However, it can benefit the existing understanding and add new knowledge for the

readers.
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