Justice in "The Tempest"

In the play The Tempest we find out that Prospero had an unjust act placed upon him, that he was removed from his throne by his brother.  It then becomes clear that any justice that is placed on the characters on the island will be as a result of this wrongful deed.  However, it becomes clear that all the justice will be carried out by one character, Prospero.  Everything within the play is his decision as a result of him having more power over other characters through the use of magic.  He controls the fate of all the other characters.

However, when we look closely at Prospero's character, it becomes clear that Prospero's idea of justice and injustice is to some extent hypocritical.  For instance, while Prospero sees his brothers actions of removing him from power as immoral, he seems to see nothing wrong with keeping both Ariel and Caliban enslaved and ordering them what to do to fit his will.  Throughout the play, it becomes clear to me that Prospero's view of justice is very one-sided.  Everything in determining what is just or unjust comes down to what is good for himself and his daughter.  He hardly ever considers other characters in the play and the wrongs his actions could cause them.  Furthermore, because Prospero doesn't refer to a higher power in giving out justice, all morality in the play becomes somewhat abiguous.  This is because, while Prospero says he is doing a moral thing in seeking justice for what was done for him, just thinking oneself moral does not make you moral.  Everything becomes subjective, however much of this is hidden by the fact that Shakespeare doesn't let us hear other characters thoughts on the issues at hand.

Thus it is clear that while we as readers are tempted to side with Prospero in thinking that he is in the morally right to seek justice, we must remember that we are only seeing one characters view of events.  Had we for instance been able to hear Caliban's thoughts or some other characters thoughts, we may view at least some of the issues at hand differently.  Thus, while it may appear that justice was achieved in The Tempest this may just be an illusion as everything within the play is one-sided and one man's thoughts.

Magic in "xThe Tempest"

Throughout The Tempest, magic is a central subject that drastically effects the plot of the play.  This is unusual that Shakespeare would choose magic as such a central theme because magic in his time was very taboo.  Thus, in order to see the reason for while he decided to have a mere mortal place judgement on characters in The Tempest instead of having it all divine will (which would be much more accepted in his time) we must look at Prospero's magic in more detail.

Prospero uses magic by simply stating his intentions and stating its desired effects.  For instance when Prospero finishes telling Miranda about her history, he tells her "Thou art inclined to sleep," (line 220) and as a result Miranda is overcome with tiredness and falls asleep.  He also does the same thing when he paralyzes Ferdinand when Ferdinand challenges Prospero by drawing his sword.  Ariel, Prospero's servant, also states clearly his intentions whenever he casts magic on the people.  For instance, he wakes up Gonzalo in Act 2, Scene I by simply stating "If of life you keep a care...Shake off slumber and beware... Awake!" Thus, it is clear that the words Prospero and Ariel speak to do magic is not as important as the meaning behind the words they state.  We also are told in Act III that Prospero's source of magic comes from his books, which once again stresses the importance and power of language.

Now, it is important to realize that throughout The Tempest characters are subjected to Prospero's will as a result of magic and the words he speaks.    It doesn't matter how strong or how high of ranking in noble status the characters are, they are all still equally effected by Prospero's magic.  Thus, I think it is clear that Shakespeare decided to use magic in The Tempest because he wanted to leave a message to his audience.  He wanted to show that language and being able to yield it well is stronger than the strongest warrior or the most high ranking individual.  Also, perhaps he was also telling his audience that if they truly want to understand his plays well, they can't just simply read or listen to the words but must also deeply consider the meaning behind the words because that is where the magic of his plays truly come to life.

Demons and Monsters in "Othello"

Throughout Othello, there is lots of imagery of hell, demons, and monsters.   Even the names of Othello and Desdemona contain the names hell and demon respectively.  However, in less serious situations animals instead of demons / monsters are used.  For instance in Act I scene Iago calls Othello a "Barbary horse" and an "old black ram.  Iago later on in scene III of Act I tells Roderigo "Ere I would say I would drown myself for the love of a guinea-hen, I would charge my humanity with a baboon" (lines 330 -331).  There are many, many example of animal themes throughout the play Othello.  However, it is when the imagery of animals will not suffice, that imagery of demons and monsters are used.  This is because, not only do demons and monsters portray the characters as brutish and beast like, but also portrays them as grotesque, deformed, manipulative, and demonic.

Shakespeare's use monsters lead his audience into seeing the horror of what is unfolding in the play.  It also helps emphasize the main parts of the play that will lead to the downfall of that particular character.  For instance, Iago uses monster imagery when telling Othello about how he should beware jealousy as it is the "green-eyed monster which doth mock..The meat it feeds on" (Act III.iii lines 170-171).  Emilia also uses monster imagery to describe jealousy by stating "monster...Begot upon itself, born on itself" (III.iv. lines 156-157).  Both of these comparisons of jealousy and monsters help not only show that someone who is jealous becomes a grotesque, evil creature, but it also shows that just as monsters are not always born monsters, someone who isn't jealous can become jealous. 

Shakespeare uses demons, hell imagery, and damnation whenever a character is considering the morality of something or placing judgment on another.  For instance, when Othello realizes he was wrong about Desdemona and decides to kill himself he states, "Whip me, ye devils ... roast me in sulphur...wash me in steep-down gulfs of liquid fire!" (V.ii. lines 284-287).  This is showing that Othello wants eternal and physical torture in hell.  This helps show that while Othello became a monster, he didn't become a fully evil as a devil or demon would be because he regrets what he has done and sees the horror and horribleness of his actions.  However, the true devil in the play is Iago which is made clear when Othello calls him a devil and demon many times throughout Act V scene ii when Othello discovers it was all Iago's manipulation that lead him to do the deeds he had done.

Thus, it is clear that in Othello there was a progression from being human to being truly evil that Shakespeare used to portray how horrible or evil something or someone was.  This progression goes from being human to being an animal, to being a monster, and finally to being a devil.

Desdemona Character Progression Throughout the Play

Desdemona's character is clearly not the same throughout the play.  At the start of the play she appears to be a strong, independently minded who is willing to stand up for what she believes in even if it is something that is hard to do.  For instance, in the first Act she defies her father, saying that she truly loves Othello, despite him threatening that he will disown her, which he does.  This is shown in the quote "My noble father, I do perceive here a divided duty" (I.iii. lines 179-180).  Even by the fourth act she still shows some resolve and diligence when Othello strikes her when she states "I have not deserved this" (IV.i. line 236).

However, by the end of the play when she finds out that Othello believes her to be unfaithful she becomes a submissive character.  For instance when Emilia asks her "O, who hath done this deed?" Desdemona replies just before she dies "Nobody, I myself.  Farewell.  Commend me to my kind lord. O, farewell" (V.ii. 133-134).  Even when Othello tells Desdemona that he is going to kill her, she remains submissive and doesn't try to defend herself or get angry with him to convince him that she is faithful.

So why this sudden, and fairly drastic transition?  I believe it is because throughout the rest of the play, before she becomes really submissive, she believes everything is good.  Sure, her relationship with her father is ruined at this point but she has already made it clear that Othello is what she wants in life.  She was willing to give up everything (including her father) for him because she believed so strongly in him.  However, it is when she realizes that Othello believes her unfaithful and won't forgive her, that she falls apart as a character and becomes submissive.  This, to me is because she no longer can have faith in their mutual love.  Sure, she is still deeply in love with Othello despite what he believes, but it is clear to her that he may feel that love for her again.  I see the final submission as a way of her doing a final test.  If there was still some love in Othello for her, than when the moment came to pass to kill her he would realize his mistake and ask for forgiveness.  If he won't ever forgive her and is even willing to kill her than in a way she accepts death because she no longer has anything to live for.  She has given everything away to have Othello and when Othello abandons her, she is left with nothing, not even her dignity and honor because she had put them on the line with her trust in Othello which clearly was a mistake.  Thus, death is a welcoming thing for her because then she wouldn't have to feel the pain of her abandoned love.

"Twelfth Night": Are the Characters happy?

While Twelfth Night is a romantic comedy and everything does end well for all the characters with everyone falling in love with each other, throughout the play everyone seems to suffer as a result of their love sick condition.  In this play, Shakespeare seems to be showing that love causes pain.  Many of the characters commonly express love as a kind of curse, and express how painful it is to be trapped in a love like state.  For instance Olivia describes love as a "plague" from which she suffers terribly (I.v line 265).  Another example is that Orsino sees love as doleful and compares it to an "appetite" that he wants to satisfy and cannot (I.i. line 21).  In these examples it is clear that the characters in twelfth night are left in a state of love-sickness and they percieve it as if they are being punished by some cosmic force in the universe.  Being in this state, and wanting to satisfy their love appetite leads to desperation in many characters.  Viola, who is one of the less melodramatic characters in the play even suffers from this desperation which is shown in the quote "My state is desperate for my master's love" (II.ii line 35). Being in this suffering state causes the character to loose control of their emotions, and even causes some to become violent even thou they didn't show any signs of being violent even thou there was no signs of violence being one of their characteristics at the start of the play.  For example, Orsino in Act V.i threatens to kill Cesario because he beilieves he has forsaken him by thinking he has become Olivia's lover.

However, even my conclusion above that the characters at least end up happy in the end of the play is not completely correct.  Some character do not in fact achieve romantic happiness.  For example, Malvolio and Antonio are prevented from fulfilling their romantic desires.  Throughout the play Malvolio tried pursue Olivia is disappointed that he had been tricked into thinking Olivia had liked him and is left feeling like a fool and even unworthy.  More controversially, Antonio (who had shown some signs of attraction to Sebastian in the play) can not fulfill his desires due to social norms.

So why did Shakespeare not make a happy ending for everyone and why did he cause so much suffering in his characters up till the end?  I think it is because he is trying to show that love cannot conquer all obstacles and is not guaranteed to happen.  In a way he was taking a more realistic approach to show that not everything works out as you had hoped and in fact you may be left feeling like a fool.  He also shows the harsh reality that those who do not have their romantic desires fulfilled still remain in love and are left in a worse case of suffering because they then know that it can never be fulfilled.   Thus, Shakespeare is showing that falling in love is not always a good thing and can lead to much suffering.  This is clearly one of Shakespeare's more cynical plays concerning love.

Hamlet's Obssession with Death

From the start of the play, we find out that Hamlet is depressed over the death of his father.  He keeps contemplating death throughout all of Act I, and in many ways begins to become obsessed with death.  It isn't until Act I, scene v that Hamlet discovers his father was actually murdered by Claudius and is asked to seek revenge. 

So, why is Hamlet obsessed with death?  While, it may seem that his obsession is a direct result of Hamlet's fathers death, I don't think it is that simple.  Hamlet is clearly well educated, more so then most other characters in the play.  Thus, it would be reasonable to assume that Hamlet likes discovering truths about the world.  When Hamlet's father died, it could be possible that it brought the issue of what happens after die to the forefront of Hamlet's mind.  As a result, it has caused him to question to purpose of the living world as shown in the quote:

How wear, stale, flat, and unprofitable
Seem to me all the uses of this world!
Fie on't! o fie! "tis an unweeded garden
That grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature
(Act I. sc ii.)

To me, this quote shows that Hamlet sees the world as an inevitably decaying world, that everything is going from good and beauty to bad and gross.  Thus, I don't think it was his father's death that put him into a depressed mood, but instead the realization that everything alive is decaying into death that makes him depressed.  Because there is no longer any purpose to living in Hamlet's eyes, Hamlet actually wishes he wasn't born as shown in the quote

O that this too too solid flesh would melt,
Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew!
Or that the Everlasting had not fix'd
His canon 'gainst self-slaughter! O God! O God!
(Act I. sc ii.)

It is clear that Hamlet, seeing no purpose to life, sees life as nothing more than suffering, and as a result wishes he didn't have to go through life anymore because he tired of seeing everything and everyone suffer. 

However, Hamlet soon gets a purpose to live once his father asks him to seek revenge on his murderer Claudius.  As a result, Hamlet begins to move his intellectual thoughts toward the morality of seeking revenge and redemption.  He is still obsessed with death, but it becomes more focused upon the actual events concerning death rather than death itself.  He questions the morality of killing Claudius to seek redemption for Claudius killing his father. 

Thus, it is clear to me that Hamlet's obsession's are as a result of his continuous searching for answers of issues such as death and morality, and not from his sadness over his father's death.

The Importance of Magic and Myth in "A Midsummer Night's Dream"

While reading "A Midsummer Night's Dream" as the play progressed (especially by Act II) it became clear that magic and myth would be used widely throughout the play.  However, when looking at the love triangle between the characters and their conflicts, it is clear that the magical elements were not absolutely necessary in order to develop the plot.  Thus, one must ask themselves why Shakespeare would introduce magic into his play when he could have easily wrote the play without such elements.

To me, the magic is absolutely necessary because it helps create a dream like atmosphere where everything is possible.  In a way, he uses words and images that will make the audience feel as if the magic is effecting them as well, making the play more real.  The fairies in the play help add a fate like element to events that are happening in the play and contribute to this dream like mood.  For instance Oberon  helps conjure us images of magic when he says:
"
"A mermaid on a dolphin's back
Uttering such dulcet and harmonious breath
That the rude sea grew civil at her song
And certain stars shot madly from their spheres
To hear the sea-maid's music
(Act II.i. lines150-154)

This quote, along with many others make the stage bigger and takes the imaginations of the audience to celestial levels.  It helps them realize that powerful forces are at work, but powerful though they be, they are what brings beauty and purpose to everything else.

So why is it so important for Shakespeare to utilize this dream like mood where magic is everywhere?  To me, it is because he wants to show that love is a grand form of magic that had purpose and beauty woven from greater forces.  He is using magic as a way to attack the notion that love is nothing more than chemical shooting through the brain.  In a way, he is making love more real and have greater value.  The fairies are put into place because they are the tool to help bring that magic into the love triangle that develops in the play.  While Puck does mess up and delivers the love potion to Lysander instead of Demetrius, this is only done by Shakespeare to add a comedic element to the play.  In the end, the most important thing is that love as portrayed by Shakespeare in the play, is a powerful force in the universe that goes beyond natural chemicals firing from the brain.  Thus, he makes love more authentic and vital to the play. 

Cassius and Brutus: The Significance of their Deaths

After reading Act 5, it has become clear to me that Cassius's and Brutus's deaths were very significant in showing the state of mind of the characters.  Both Cassius and Brutus die from a sword through the chest, however the similarities stop there.   Cassius dies after mistakenly interpreting the cheers and grabbing of Titinius off his horse as the enemy taking him prisoner, and thus has Pindarus run the sword through his chest while Cassius closes his eyes.  When Cassius realizes this he states:

"O coward that I am, to live so long
To see my best friend ta'en before my face!" (Act 5.3 lines 34-35)

and then right before he dies says:
"Now be a freeman, and , with this good sword
That ran through Caesar's bowels...
...Caesar, thou art revenged,
Even with the sword that killed thee." (Act 5.3 lines 34-45)

What these lines show is that Cassius clearly sees that he is about to die as a direct result of having killed Caesar, it is Caesar's revenge for why he is being killed.  However, from these lines I got the impression that Cassius isn't seeing his death as a way of making amends and reconciling Caesar's death, but instead as more of a curse / ill fate that is all Caesar's fault.  It sounds to me that he is blaming Caesar still for both what he thought was Titinius's captured imprisonment as well as his death.  However, the fact that Cassius still decides to kill himself because of what he thought happened to Titinius shows that he felt guilty for bringing about Titinius's fate because he sees that it is a direct result of him trying to stop Caesar that lead to these events.  Finally, the fact that Cassius closes his eyes / covers his face shows that he is fearful of meeting his end, and thus in a way it shows that he probably doesn't regret killing Caesar because it was wrong but regrets it because it lead to the end of him and his friends.

On the other hand, Brutus's death is very different.  While he dies by a sword as well, he chooses to have Strato hold the sword and has him cover his eyes, while Brutus keeps his eyes open and runs into the sword, killing himself.  Brutus before his death states:

"I shall have glory by this losing day,
More than Octavius and Mark Antony
By this vile conquest shall attain unto." (Act 5.5 lines 36-38)

and

"Farewell, good Strato.
Caesar, now be still.
I killed not thee with half so good a will." (Act 5.5 lines 49 - 51)

From these lines it is clear that Brutus sees his death as a way of reconciling his deed of killing Caesar, and that by now killing himself Caesar's ghost can now rest in peace.  The fact that Brutus ran into the sword himself with his eyes open, shows that he did not fear death, and maybe in a way wanted it because he couldn't live with himself for what he had done to Caesar.  This makes since because Brutus didn't really have anything against Caesar himself in the first place.  Also, it shows that unlike Cassius, Brutus is accepting his punishment of death and because he tries to be honorable decides to carry it out himself for the good of Rome.  Finally, the fact that he has Strato cover his eyes shows that he cared about other peoples feelings and reactions, which could explain why he accepts his own death because he knows the people of Rome want him to die.

Thus, it is clear that while both Cassius and Brutus acted together to kill Caesar, and choose to die by the sword, their deaths show that down deep in their character they were very different. 

 

Cassius As The True Villain In "Julius Caesar"?

Throughout the play it is clear that from the viewpoint of the characters, it is Julius Caesar who is the villain of Rome and must be killed to protect the republic.  However, when looking at it from the readers point of view, I would argue that from what the reader knows about the characters, Cassius is much more of a villain  in the play then Caesar is.  While Caesar does seem to have ambitions to be crowned emperor of Rome, there is no clear evidence that he evil as a person.  For all we know, Caesar could truly have Romes best interests in heart and prove himself to be a noble and wise leader.  Of course, the opposite could also be true that he could misuse his power.  However, the point is that from what the reader has read, there is no way of knowing for sure.

This is why I would argue Cassius is the true villain in the play.  So what makes Cassius a villain?   To answer this we must think about what makes a villain.  A villain usually manipulates people, brings harm to people, has deeper motivations than those that are clear to the other characters, and usually has a reasonable amount of intelligence over other characters in the play.  After reading, has become clear that Cassius meets a lot of these requirements as a villain.  Cassius manipulates Brutus by sending fake letters from citizens expressing their fear of Caesar being crowned emperor in order to get Brutus to join his cause to assassinate Caesar.  This is seen in the quote:

"Be you content.  Good Cinna, take this paper,
And look you lay it in the praetor's chair,
Where Brutus may but find it; and throw this
In at his window; set this up with wax
Upon old Brutus' statue" (Act I.III).

Cassius clearly plans to harm Caesar by getting a group together to assassinate him at the capitol.  Also, from reading the play there are indications that Cassius is not the true noble character in the play but Brutus is.  Cassius seems to be motivated by thinking that Caesar simply isn't strong enough in character to be emperor of Rome, and in many ways is after power himself.  However, Brutus seems to have a the best interests of Rome at heart and his motivations are not self centered.  Also, it is clear that Cassius is a thinker and is reasonably smart from the quote:

"Let me have men about me that are fat;
Sleek-headed men, and such as sleep o'nights:
Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look;
He thinks too much: such men are dangerous." (Act I.II).

Here Caesar is expressing his fear of Cassius to Antony because he knows how much Cassius thinks and how smart he is.  He showing that it is those that think that are dangerous and because Cassius thinks a lot he could turn on him and try to stop his ambitions to be crowned.  However, Antony dismisses Caesar's fear by saying that Cassius loves Caesar and only wants the best for him.  This is yet again more evidence that Cassius has successfully manipulated his enemies into thinking he is a friend and his friends into thinking Caesar is the enemy.  Thus, while the play is called "Julius Caesar" it is clear that the play focuses around Cassius and that in one interpretation it could be Cassius who is the true villain.  However, I will need to read more of the play to fully understand Cassius's motivations, to fully know for sure if he is the true villain. 

Reflections of The Importance of Christopher Sly Blog Post

Last week, I predicted that the Christopher Sly story was foreshadowing a change in character of Katherina. I also predicted that Katherina would change as a result of a change in enviornment (in this case being forced in marriage with Petruchio). Ultimatly, Katherina would be taimed, becoming a new person.

After reading Act IV and V I have found that for the most part this prediction was true. Just like Christopher Sly, Katherina initialy resisted the circumstances forced upon her. This is clearly seen after her and Petruchio are married in the quote:

"I trust I may have leave to speak
And speak I will. I am no child, no babe.
...
I will be free
Even to the uttermost as I please in vords" (Act IV.iii 73-80).

Here, Katherine is trying to protect her personal independence by standing up to Petruchio when he is about to throw away the cap the tailor made, which she likes and wants to keep. However, despite standing up to Petruchio, Petruchio does not listen and still does what he wants to her, dominating her. Eventually, Katherina gives in to Petruchio and submits to his will. This occurs when they are arguing about the sun and the moon in the quote, "What you will have it named, even that it is, And so it shall be still for Katherine" (Act VI.vi. 22-23).

At this point however, Katherine has ongly given in to Petruchio, nothing about her character has truely changed. This is just like when Christopher Sly accepts he really is a lord, but still hasn't come to kile being a lord yet.

The final transition, where Katherina comes to truely enjoy being married (Just as Christopher Sly came to enjoy being a lord) doesn't occur till Petruchio and her kiss on the street in Act V. In this scen Katherina refers to Petruchio as her "love" and "husband" all without the usual cynical tone. Even Petruchio drops his frustraion with her and refers to her as "my seek Kate" (Act V.i 130). Thus it is clear that theChristopher Sly story really was foreshadowing many of the plot elements of the main play.

The Importance of Christopher Sly

While I know that the inductions at the start of the play, The Taming of the Shrew have no direct impact on the main play itself, I predict that it still has an importance overall. When the lords play the practical joke on Christopher Sly, they are taking him from one environment (which has already shaped his characteristics) to another environment (which changes Sly's characteristics). As a result, it is the enviornment and the way other characters treat Sly that changes his personality and behavior. By taking the plot theme that, it is the enviornment that shapes your personality and applying it to the characters in the main play, we might be able to predict plot events to come. One such plot event, is that I see Sly's story as foreshadowing a change that might occur with Katherine. The powerfull men in Katherine's life are similar to the lords in Christopher Sly's story. Katherine is forced to pretend to be a wife. Katherine rejects this in a similar way that Christopher Sly rejects the idea of him being a wealthy lord. Both were forced into their situations against their own free will. However, Christopher Sly comes to accept that he is a lord, and quickly begins the transition into a new self as seen by the quote:

"Upon my life, I am a lord indeed
And not a tinker, nor Christopher Sly.
Well, bring our lady hither to our sight,
And once again a pot o'th'smallest ale," (Induction 2, 70-73)

Not only does Christopher sly accept that he is a lord, but it is clear in the quote above that he is happy he is a lord and not his old self. While he obviously says things a true lord wouldn't say and doesn't play the part of a lord well, his willingness to accept his new life is the initiating point when his transformation begins.

Thus, if my theory is right, then Katherine will also come to accept the idea of marriage, and become a new self. Both of them will have become transformed characters as a result of the events forced upon them. Of course this is all just a prediction and may have nothing to do with what happens. Guess have to read on and find out! Stay tuned!!!

Richard III ~ A Progression of Evil

Richard III in Shakespeare's play is clearly an evil character as any decent person can see. However, while he certainly is evil, his level of evilness seems to progress from act to act. This is seen in both his actions and his manipulation skills.

Richad III actions become more horrific in the way he deals with other people. At the start of the play Richard III only kills to get more power. For instance the things he does to Clarence is done to help lock in his progression to being crowned king. This is seen in the quote:
"I'll in to urge his hatred more to Clarence,
With lies well steeled with weighty arguements.
And if I fail not in my deep intent,
Clarence hath not another day to live-". (Act 1.1, 147-150)

Richard's intent he is talking about in this quote is to get Clarence out of the way by turning the king (his brother) against him. This will make Richard III protector and next in line to be crowned after the kings son. However, by Act 4 Richard III has progressed to the point to where he is killing for really no good reason.He kills the prince and his brother even though he has already become king and there is no chance of the public allowing the prince to take his place as king with the rumors Richard III has spread about his father. Richard also decides to have Buckingham killed because he refuses to kill the princes and thus questions his loyalty. By Act 5 we are reminded of just how evil Richard III has become by the progression of ghosts coming forward, all of which were killed by Richard.

In addition, Richards manipulation skills grow throughout the play. At the start he is only manipulating one person at a time, and is more cautious as shown in the quote:

"Clarenxe still breathes, Edward still lives and reigns;
When they are gone, then must I count my gains.". (Act 1.1, 161 - 162)

In this quote it is clear that he is slowing himself down, reminding himself that he must keep his head together and not count his gains before he gets them. However, by the end of the play he trys to manipulate all the citizens and everyone else in a short amount of time, to make the final step to become king. Also, by Act 5 he can no longer slow his mind down and is constantly contradicting himself, not able to make decisions. Thus, it is clear that it is a result of him thinking he is all powerfull and able to manipulate anyone to do or accept anything he wants that ultimatly gets him in a mess. This leads to his downfall both mentally (in the destruction of his identity) and physically (when he is killed).