Philosophical studies.

Pythagoras of Samos (c. 570 – c. 495 BC) was an ancient Ionian Greek philosopher, polymath and the eponymous founder of Pythagoreanism. His political and religious teachings were well known in Magna Graecia and influenced the philosophies of Plato, Aristotle, and, through them, the West in general. Knowledge of his life is clouded by legend; modern scholars disagree regarding Pythagoras's education and influences, but they do agree that, around 530 BC, he travelled to Croton in southern Italy, where he founded a school in which initiates were sworn to secrecy and lived a communal, ascetic lifestyle.

In antiquity, Pythagoras was credited with many mathematical and scientific discoveries, including the Pythagorean theorem, Pythagorean tuning, the five regular solids, the Theory of Proportions, the sphericity of the Earth, and the identity of the morning and evening stars as the planet Venus. It was said that he was the first man to call himself a philosopher ("lover of wisdom") and that he was the first to divide the globe into five climatic zones.

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The Beguiled 2017 film The Beguiled is a captivating and atmospheric drama that delves into themes of desire, power, and betrayal. Based on the novel A Painted Devil by Thomas P. Cullinan, this film transports viewers to the tense and secluded world of a Confederate girls’ school in the American South during the Civil War. Through its careful direction, nuanced performances, and striking cinematography, The Beguiled is a haunting tale that explores the complex dynamics between a group of women and the unexpected arrival of a wounded soldier.

Set in a large, crumbling plantation home surrounded by dense woods, the film opens with the discovery of Corporal John McBurney (Colin Farrell), a Union soldier who is wounded and seeks refuge at the school, which is run by Miss Martha Farnsworth (Nicole Kidman). The women and young girls who live in the school are initially hesitant to help him, but they ultimately decide to nurse him back to health. As McBurney recovers, the tension in the house begins to rise, as his presence stirs up a mix of desire, resentment, and jealousy among the women. What starts as an act of compassion soon transforms into a battle for control, as the power dynamics within the house shift and simmer with underlying sexual tension and emotional manipulation.



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Home Explore Shakespeare Shakespedia Shakespeare's Plays

Hamlet

Synopsis and plot overview of Shakespeare's Hamlet

In this section

TL;DR (may contains spoilers): Hamlet sees his dead dad's ghost, pretends to go crazy with revenge, actually goes crazy with revenge (debatable), and everyone dies.

Hamlet Summary

The ghost of the King of Denmark tells his son Hamlet to avenge his murder by killing the new king, Hamlet's uncle. Hamlet feigns madness, contemplates life and death, and seeks revenge. His uncle, fearing for his life, also devises plots to kill Hamlet. The play ends with a duel, during which the King, Queen, Hamlet's opponent and Hamlet himself are all killed.

More detail: 2.5 minute read

Act I

Late at night, guards on the battlements of Denmark's Elsinore castle are met by Horatio, Prince Hamlet's friend from school. The guards describe a ghost they have seen that resembles Hamlet's father, the recently-deceased king. At that moment, the Ghost reappears, and the guards and Horatio decide to tell Hamlet.

Claudius, Hamlet's uncle, married Hamlet's recently-widowed mother, becoming the new King of Denmark. Hamlet continues to mourn for his father's death and laments his mother's lack of loyalty. When Hamlet hears of the Ghost from Horatio, he wants to see it for himself.

Elsewhere, the royal attendant Polonius says farewell to his son Laertes, who is departing for France. Laertes warns his sister, Ophelia, away from Hamlet and thinking too much of his attentions towards her.

This above all: to thine own self be true.

— Hamlet, Act 1 Scene 3

The Ghost appears to Hamlet, claiming indeed to be the ghost of his father. He tells Hamlet about how Claudius, the current King and Hamlet's uncle, murdered him, and Hamlet swears vengeance for his father. Hamlet decides to feign madness while he tests the truth of the Ghost's allegations (always a good idea in such situation