Final Post - Identity

In the course of reflecting on the critical concept of identity when it comes to the works of William Shakespeare, I have learned that it is not a concept that is all the easy to pinpoint, as I had first assumed it would be. Before, I would have considered identity as something that is constant, and if it undergoes any change it would do so gradually.

In reading the plays I have this semester and analyzing the theme of identity there within, my understanding of the concept has changed. I now see that identity is something that is malleable; it can be manipulated to fit certain purposes, as Prince Hal uses it, or it can be subject to rapid and substantial transformation in given situations, like if it is something that is forced as in The Taming of the Shrew or The Merchant of Venice. I now understand that identity is not a concept that is always so easily understood or clear, for example in The Comedy of Errors.

Identity in the world of Shakespeare operates differently than it does in our own world because it is functioning with the purpose of moving plot along and creating rich characterizations that keep the action of the play intriguing. Having the puzzle of identity and seeing how it is laid out within various plays was interesting because it allowed for the analysis of the sheer broadness of the concept and how it can be taken on in a multitude of ways.

In reality identity isn’t really telescoped or broken down in such a manner, but is rather something that exists. Behaviors are more so at the forefront perhaps than motivations, and at that core is the basis of identity. Identity is a concept that is somewhat overwritten in the world with its fast-paced change, because what composes identity is constantly subject to being shifted. Considering the state of the world and some of its biggest issues that are being debated, perhaps what shapes identity by today’s standards is still being worked out, and its function cannot be fully determined until later reflected upon.

The manner in which Shakespeare treats the concept of identity within his plays has informed the way in which I apply identity today thusly: I no longer consider identity to be something that, when applied to one individual, must remain static. Identity, even that of a single person is something that is multifaceted and shaped by events and others in the world around them and may be a result of circumstance. Identity is quite similar to having to play a role – there is the outward appearance and action but there is also that internal reflection happening in order to determine how identity is conveyed. Which can be likened to the experience of composing this blog on the singular critical concept across an array of works in one semester. It was certainly a growing experience to have to take up with one subject and see how it appeared and develops in different arenas and definitely aided my ability to look at works contextually and abstractly.