Shakespeare’s Use of War.
In the plays Anthony and Cleopatra, Coriolanus and Henry the VI, Shakespeare manages to present the theme of war in various tones. By tracing leading character arcs (or journeys) both symbolically and textually, the theme of war (and possibly any theme) can be observed in a context that provides us with a road map of narrative techniques. In these plays, politics, social status and the pursuit of power, propel motives forward. Although similar, by comparing character arcs with one another, the treatment of these social themes; in this case being within the guise of war, can be further explored to distinguish the variety of ways a theme such as war, may encompass multiple social narratives.
