A Requiem by William Shakespeare(From the play "Cymbeline")

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                This Requiem is taken from Act IV Scene ii of the play “Cymbeline” by Shakespeare. A Requiem is a song that celebrates the dead and prays for their peace. This requiem is regarding the death of Cloten.

Shakespeare looks upon death as a relief from physical needs, deficiencies and sorrows of life. A dead person can neither feel the heat of the sun, nor the bitter coldness of the winter season. Shakespeare’s comparison of the heat of the sun and the coldness of the winter reinforces the idea that there is no need to fear about the harsh seasons after the death.

After death a person goes to heaven, which is his permanent home. As a laborer works and goes home after taking his wages, the dead person too goes to heaven along with his success and failures.

The poet further advises not to be disappointed of death, because death is the fate of every person. It lays its icy hands over all. It lays its hands over the rich as well as the poor one, regardless of the social class. The poet keeps stressing the inevitability of death.

Death liberates human from all the concerns. The dead ones need not fear the anger of his master nor the stroke of a tyrant. It also liberates humans from psychological and safety worries. There is no need for him to care about his clothes and food. Death is very impartial. It does not distinguish between the poor and the rich. Even a King, learned men and doctors must die one day.

A dead man need not fear the lightening flash or the thunder storm. He is free from public criticism. In his life time sometime he would have felt happiness and sadness. But after death he does not feel anything.

At last the poet says that death should not be the cause of sorrow, because all persons whether they are young or old must die.

----HAPPY LEARNING----

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