Figurative Language In Henry Viii Cardinal Wolsey

517 Words3 Pages

In Shakespeare’s play Henry VIII Cardinal Wolsey’s uses the elements of figurative language, literary terms and biblical allusions with similes when he considers his downfall. The elements Wolsey uses describe how he takes it, what he thinks of the position now and how he feels. Wolsey begins his soliloquy by use of figurative language when he states “The third day comes a frost, a killing frost” he uses it to describe the beginning of his fall from the position he once held. The change for Wolsey was cold and bitter, even fatal because he realizes how different the situation is for him. The downfall from his position was cold for Wolsey because he was casted out and it came as a surprise. The bitterness of Wolsey’s change was the reason for it being something he believed in and forcing Wolsey to move down hurt him. Fatal because Wolsey’s position in the kingdom was his whole life, to him that was his sole purpose to advise the king. Now Wolsey’s place is new, it makes him full of …show more content…

Wolsey perceived the king as God and for Wolsey to have lost his position it broke his heart and devastated him. Wolsey feels betrayed by his kingdom and is filled with pain. Wolsey is also angry because of the reason he was kicked down from where he was. To Wolsey he was subjected below to where he felt like there is no hope or no purpose. There is no meaning in Wolsey’s life in his eyes and has no mission this tore him apart. In Cardinal Wolsey’s speech he uses different elements as he considers his downfall. Figurative language is used to describe how Wolsey firsts reacts to his downfall. Then Wolsey used literary terms on how he views his new place in the world. And finally he uses a biblical allusion and simile to explain how he