What I thought was interesting was how upset and angry Tom seemed all the time. He tells Jim that he is going to leave his family because he is so unhappy. How is it that Amanda and Laura haven't realized that there is a possibility that he might leave? Especially since he is out all night at the movies, doing things that are similar to what Amanda's husband did before he left, then why wouldn't Amanda realize earlier the possibility. Although she does say that he can leave once a man has been found for Laura, I do not believe she knows the how serious his is about leaving. The other thing is that from the quote above, one can see that this quarreling really bothers Laura. Perhaps this contributes to why she is so awkward all the time. Perhaps she is so nervous about her family life that she can hardly stand to venture out into the real world and break out of her shell.
Monday, February 27, 2012
The Glass Menagerie, Scene 3
"Before the stage is lighted, the violent voices of Tom and Amanda are heard. They are quarreling behind the portieres. In front of them stands Laura with clenched hands and panicky expression." - stage directions.
The Glass Menagerie, Scene 7
"Laura is still huddled upon the sofa, her feet drawn under her, her head resting on a pale blue pillow, her eyes wide and mysteriously watchful. The new floor lamp with its shade of rose-colored silk gives a soft, becoming light to her face, bringing out the fragile, unearthly prettiness which usually escapes attention." - stage directions.
For this blog, I am going to answer a question from page 1119 in my book.
How do the various physical effects - theatrical components such as sets, lights, costuming, makeup, gestures, stage movements, musical effects of song or dance, and so forth - reinforce the meanings and contribute to the emotional effects? By what means does the playwright indicate the nature of these physical effects - explicitly, through stage directions and set descriptions, or implicitly, through dialogue between characters?
In the quote I've listed above, the stage directions have a huge impact on how the audience portrays what is happening in the play. The audience realizes by these movements and so forth that Laura is incredibly nervous and the situation she is in is making her on edge. In other plays, like William Shakespeare's plays, the lack of stage directions, gestures, etc. make it a bit difficult for the audience or reader to understand exactly how some characters are feeling and the emotions they are portraying which we might not see if we were not watching the play first-hand. This play is unique because there are lots of theatrical components that help the audience to fully grasp how the characters are acting and feeling. The physical effects are indicated by the playwright explicitly through stage directions and set descriptions. This is portrayed by the quote I have used above. The playwright makes all of these physical effects obvious and clear to the reader. He included a brief overview at the beginning of each scene to sort of set up the scene itself. Then, embedded in the dialogue are stage directions and descriptions to further those physical effects.
For this blog, I am going to answer a question from page 1119 in my book.
How do the various physical effects - theatrical components such as sets, lights, costuming, makeup, gestures, stage movements, musical effects of song or dance, and so forth - reinforce the meanings and contribute to the emotional effects? By what means does the playwright indicate the nature of these physical effects - explicitly, through stage directions and set descriptions, or implicitly, through dialogue between characters?
In the quote I've listed above, the stage directions have a huge impact on how the audience portrays what is happening in the play. The audience realizes by these movements and so forth that Laura is incredibly nervous and the situation she is in is making her on edge. In other plays, like William Shakespeare's plays, the lack of stage directions, gestures, etc. make it a bit difficult for the audience or reader to understand exactly how some characters are feeling and the emotions they are portraying which we might not see if we were not watching the play first-hand. This play is unique because there are lots of theatrical components that help the audience to fully grasp how the characters are acting and feeling. The physical effects are indicated by the playwright explicitly through stage directions and set descriptions. This is portrayed by the quote I have used above. The playwright makes all of these physical effects obvious and clear to the reader. He included a brief overview at the beginning of each scene to sort of set up the scene itself. Then, embedded in the dialogue are stage directions and descriptions to further those physical effects.
The Glass Menagerie, Scene 6
"It's our turn now, to go to the South Sea Island - to make a safari - to be exotic, far-off! - But I'm not patient. I don't want to wait till then. I'm tired of the movies and I am about to move!" - Tom.
For this blog, I am going to answer a question found on page 1119 in my book.
How is dramatic suspense created? Contrast the amount of information possessed by the audience as the play proceeds with the knowledge that various individual characters have: what is the effect of such a contrast?
One way that dramatic suspense is created is when Tom tells Jim secretly that he is going to leave his family just like his father did. Personally, I found it a little shocking since it seems that the family has had a lot of difficult times after their father left. Why, then, would Tom feel like he could just leave Amanda and Laura. The information the audience knows is very different to the amount of information Amanda and Laura have. We realize that pretty soon, the electricity is going to go out since Tom didn't pay the bill and Amanda and Laura are going to be left to fend for themselves. The effect of this contrast is that the audience feels a bit sorry for Amanda and Laura since we have a feeling that their fate is not going to end well. It also keeps the audience alert and entertained because we are anticipating something terrible to happen. The audience knows something Amanda and Laura do not and we are interested to see how everything will play out.
For this blog, I am going to answer a question found on page 1119 in my book.
How is dramatic suspense created? Contrast the amount of information possessed by the audience as the play proceeds with the knowledge that various individual characters have: what is the effect of such a contrast?
One way that dramatic suspense is created is when Tom tells Jim secretly that he is going to leave his family just like his father did. Personally, I found it a little shocking since it seems that the family has had a lot of difficult times after their father left. Why, then, would Tom feel like he could just leave Amanda and Laura. The information the audience knows is very different to the amount of information Amanda and Laura have. We realize that pretty soon, the electricity is going to go out since Tom didn't pay the bill and Amanda and Laura are going to be left to fend for themselves. The effect of this contrast is that the audience feels a bit sorry for Amanda and Laura since we have a feeling that their fate is not going to end well. It also keeps the audience alert and entertained because we are anticipating something terrible to happen. The audience knows something Amanda and Laura do not and we are interested to see how everything will play out.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
As You Like It Act III, Scene ii
"[Aside to CELIA] I will speak to him like a saucy lackey, and under that habit play the knave with him." - Rosalind.
This is the part of the play that I didn't really understand. There are only two positive things I can think of that was gained from Rosalind pretending to be a man while in the presence of Orlando was that she could work and groom him into realizing what is considered modest and what is not considered modest when it comes to how he treats women. In addition to this, though, Rosalind's disguise contributes to one of the themes of the play. It contributes to the theme that states that things are not always as they may appear. Everyone who was around Rosalind thought that she was a man. In reality, she was a woman pretending to be a man. Other than these positive aspects, I do not really understand the point of her pretending to be a man while around Orlando. In fact, there were also some negative aspects to Rosalind's plan. For one, Phebe actually ends up falling in love with Rosalind because she believes she is a man.
As You Like It Act V, Scene iv
"Proceed, proceed: we will begin these rites, as we do trust they'll end, in true delights." - Duke Senior.
For this blog, I am going to answer a question found on p. 1119 of my text book.
Is the play a tragedy or comedy, a melodrama or a farce? If a comedy, is it primarily romantic or satiric? Does it mingle aspects of these types of drama? How important to experiencing the drama is the audience's awareness of the classification of the play?
This play is considered a comedy rather than a tragedy. In Shakespeare's time, comedy did not mean something that was to be funny. Instead, comedy referred to something happy, or something that ended joyfully. The play As You Like It ends with lots of marriages and a dance. Also, any conflicts between characters were resolved by the end of the play. Since the play was not sad or depressing, and it ended in something very happy, it is considered a comedy. This comedy could further be characterized as romantic. This is because the play literally ended with three marriages. It wasn't satiric because I was definitely not sitting there laughing when I was reading the play. Experiencing the drama is very important when it comes to the audience's awareness of the classification of the play. One must truly be immersed in the play and experience it as if he or she was actually in it to be able to classify it. Without being immersed in the play, one would not be able to realize that it is appealing to the emotions and that it is in turn a melodrama. Then, if one didn't really care about the characters who died, he or she might not really feel as if it were a tragedy.
For this blog, I am going to answer a question found on p. 1119 of my text book.
Is the play a tragedy or comedy, a melodrama or a farce? If a comedy, is it primarily romantic or satiric? Does it mingle aspects of these types of drama? How important to experiencing the drama is the audience's awareness of the classification of the play?
This play is considered a comedy rather than a tragedy. In Shakespeare's time, comedy did not mean something that was to be funny. Instead, comedy referred to something happy, or something that ended joyfully. The play As You Like It ends with lots of marriages and a dance. Also, any conflicts between characters were resolved by the end of the play. Since the play was not sad or depressing, and it ended in something very happy, it is considered a comedy. This comedy could further be characterized as romantic. This is because the play literally ended with three marriages. It wasn't satiric because I was definitely not sitting there laughing when I was reading the play. Experiencing the drama is very important when it comes to the audience's awareness of the classification of the play. One must truly be immersed in the play and experience it as if he or she was actually in it to be able to classify it. Without being immersed in the play, one would not be able to realize that it is appealing to the emotions and that it is in turn a melodrama. Then, if one didn't really care about the characters who died, he or she might not really feel as if it were a tragedy.
As You Like It Act I, Scene i
"She is at the court, and no less beloved of her uncle than his own daughter; and never two ladies loved as they do." - Charles.
For this blog, I am going to answer a question found on p. 1119 of my text book.
What themes does the play present? To what extent do the thematic materials of the play have an effect on the dramatic experience? Does the power of the ideas increase or decrease the pleasure of the theatrical experience? Does the play seem either too didactic or insufficient in its presentation of important human concerns?
One major theme this play presents is that things are not always as they may seem. The quote I used above is an example of this because although it was thought that Duke Frederick loved Rosalind like his own daughter, he actually was nervous about having her around because he believed that since she was the daughter of the banished Duke, she was probably a traitor. Rosalind and Celia both believed that Duke Frederick was fine with Rosalind staying with them, but they soon realized that it was all an act. Duke Frederick could not wait to get Rosalind out of the kingdom. The effect that this theme has on the dramatic experience is that it is a theme that we can all relate to in our everyday lives. It is a timeless theme that people of all generations can take into consideration and learn from. The power of this theme increases the pleasure of the theatrical experience because it makes the play that much more interesting. If things were always as they seemed in the play, then it would be incredibly boring. This play is definitely not too didactic. However, the play was not insufficient in its presentation of these themes because I knew exactly what the themes were. If it was insufficient, then it would probably be incredibly difficult to even know what those themes were.
For this blog, I am going to answer a question found on p. 1119 of my text book.
What themes does the play present? To what extent do the thematic materials of the play have an effect on the dramatic experience? Does the power of the ideas increase or decrease the pleasure of the theatrical experience? Does the play seem either too didactic or insufficient in its presentation of important human concerns?
One major theme this play presents is that things are not always as they may seem. The quote I used above is an example of this because although it was thought that Duke Frederick loved Rosalind like his own daughter, he actually was nervous about having her around because he believed that since she was the daughter of the banished Duke, she was probably a traitor. Rosalind and Celia both believed that Duke Frederick was fine with Rosalind staying with them, but they soon realized that it was all an act. Duke Frederick could not wait to get Rosalind out of the kingdom. The effect that this theme has on the dramatic experience is that it is a theme that we can all relate to in our everyday lives. It is a timeless theme that people of all generations can take into consideration and learn from. The power of this theme increases the pleasure of the theatrical experience because it makes the play that much more interesting. If things were always as they seemed in the play, then it would be incredibly boring. This play is definitely not too didactic. However, the play was not insufficient in its presentation of these themes because I knew exactly what the themes were. If it was insufficient, then it would probably be incredibly difficult to even know what those themes were.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Reflective Essay
Kennedy Prentice, Period 1, February 13, 2012, Reflective Essay
The plays written by William Shakespeare are highly esteemed and taught by teachers to students and scholars all over the world. What makes these plays so appealing to so many people is that their themes are considered timeless and universal. One example of the timelessness of Shakespeare’s themes is from that which argues that jealousy is a destructive force. This theme can be connected to many aspects of our culture today. The song “Jealous Guy” by John Lennon and the shocking true story of the last days of Stefanie Rengel are two sources that prove this timelessness of Shakespeare’s theme, which is presented in the play Othello.
John Lennon is one of the most celebrated names in the history of music. Even he can admit that jealousy can lead one astray. This is demonstrated in his song “Jealous Guy” (Click on the link to view the song lyrics.) where he admits to his love that being jealous was bad and caused him to wrongfully hurt her. Consider the line of the song that reads, “I was feeling insecure you might not love me anymore,” (John Lennon, 1). This feeling is identical to the feelings Othello had in Shakespeare’s play when he thought Desdemona was cheating on him. The problem is that both Lennon and Othello are only jealous which leads them into hurting the people they love. Lennon admits that he “began to lose control” and “didn’t mean to hurt [her],” (John Lennon, 1). Similarly, after finding out that he was deceived and Desdemona never cheated on him, Othello realized that he made a horrible mistake killing his true love. He cries out in sorrow, “Whip me, ye devils, from the possession of this heavenly sight! Blow me about in winds! Roast me in sulphur! Wash me in steep-down gulfs of liquid fire! O Desdemona! Desdemona! Dead! Oh! Oh! Oh!” (V, ii, 276-281). Jealousy created problems for both of these men and caused them to do things they wished they had never done. However, this idea that jealousy is destructive can be found in places other than songs and love stories filled with tragedy.
Stefanie Rengel was a fourteen year old girl who was brutally murdered by her ex-boyfriend, David Bagshaw. The reason David decided to stab her repeatedly was because his current girlfriend, Melissa Todorovic, became jealous of Stefanie and convinced David to kill her. “After David remarked he thought Stefanie was pretty, Melissa began to obsessively examine her pictures on Facebook,” (Jiménez, 3). This one remark is what prompted Melissa and David to plot the death of Stefanie Rengel. In both this situation and the situation regarding Othello, the jealous person felt the only way to solve the problem at hand was by killing the other individual. Othello plots to kill Desdemona when he speaks to Iago saying, “Get me some posion, Iago, this night. I’ll not expostulate with her, lest her body and beauty unprovide my mind again. This night Iago,” (IV, i, 188-190). The theme from Othello that jealousy is a destructive force connects very clearly with this current event because both circumstances ended in death. Life is taken for granted and the peoples’ views of what is right and wrong are clouded by their jealousy. Shakespeare’s writings are not only revered by teachers, professors, and scholars, but also feared by students. His work is intimidating for the sole reason that it can be hard to decipher and difficult to understand. However, if one takes the time to thoroughly study the material, he or she will find that the themes presented by Shakespeare are universal and timeless throughout all ages. It could be helpful for people to look at his work more as lessons and examples on how to live one’s life. Jealousy, as Shakespeare argues, never leads to anything positive and can become destructive if left to morph into pure negativity.
Works Cited
Perrine, Laurence. “Othello.” Perrine’s Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense. Fort
Worth. Harcourt College. 2002. 1361-1462. Print.
Worth. Harcourt College. 2002. 1361-1462. Print.
Jiménez, Marina. "The Last Days of Stefanie Rengel." Toranto Life. Dec. 2009. Web. 9
Feb. 2012. http://www.torontolife.com/features/last-days-stefanie-rengel/.
Feb. 2012. http://www.torontolife.com/features/last-days-stefanie-rengel/.
"John Lennon - Jealous Guy Lyrics." Lyrics.com. Web. 12 Feb. 2012.
<http://www.lyrics.com/jealous-guy-lyrics-john-lennon.html>.
Monday, February 6, 2012
John Lennon - "Jealous Guy"
One of the huge conflicts, and also a major theme, centered around the play Othello is how jealousy can destroy everything. Othello believes Desdemona is cheating on him and betraying his love for her. This is not an unusual feeling for someone to have, though. Many people in today's world may find themselves caught in the trap of jealousy, even when there might not even be anything to be jealous of. The song "Jealous Guy" (click on the song title to view the complete lyrics.) by John Lennon is a perfect example of this jealousy. He even sings, "I began to lose control. I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm sorry that I made you cry." This relates perfectly to how Othello was feeling at the end of the play. Othello realized that he lost his mind and self-control. He also realized that it was wrong to kill Desdemona. He didn't mean to hurt her or make her cry. She was innocent all along. As I read the lyrics further, I was astonished at the similarities between this song and the play. The song says, "I was feeling insecure you might not love me anymore. I was shivering inside, I was shivering inside." This is exactly how Othello felt when Iago convinced him that Desdemona was cheating on him. One can even relate this feeling of "shivering inside" that Lennon sings about to the epileptic seizure Othello has. Go ahead and watch this video so you can see these similarities for yourself:
Thursday, February 2, 2012
My Frustration
"Demand me nothing. What you know, you know. From this time forth I never will speak word." - Iago.
This line spoken by Iago was sort of like the last straw for me. Everyone in class would say how there was something about Iago that made them feel sympathy for him. Some said it was because the play was sort of told through his eyes. He was the one who would have moments where he would explain his plans and feelings to the audience. I just never really saw it, though. He was the villain and was plotting and planning to hurt lots of people, so I never felt any sympathy for him. However, I thought I would keep an open mind since so many others in my class were feeling differently. That was until I read this line. Even when he is caught and it is obvious that he is the villain, Iago won't even so much as explain his reasons and motives to the man who's life he destroyed. I just felt like screaming at Iago when I read this, and I am not really sure how Othello was able to keep from killing him.
This line spoken by Iago was sort of like the last straw for me. Everyone in class would say how there was something about Iago that made them feel sympathy for him. Some said it was because the play was sort of told through his eyes. He was the one who would have moments where he would explain his plans and feelings to the audience. I just never really saw it, though. He was the villain and was plotting and planning to hurt lots of people, so I never felt any sympathy for him. However, I thought I would keep an open mind since so many others in my class were feeling differently. That was until I read this line. Even when he is caught and it is obvious that he is the villain, Iago won't even so much as explain his reasons and motives to the man who's life he destroyed. I just felt like screaming at Iago when I read this, and I am not really sure how Othello was able to keep from killing him.Othello Act V, Scene ii
"Then must you speak of one that loved not wisely but too well; of one not easily jealous, but, being wrought, perplexed in the extreme; of one whose hand, like the base Indian, threw a pearl away..." - Othello.
For this blog, I am going to answer a question found on p. 1119 of my text book.
What themes does the play present? To what extent do the thematic materials of the play have an effect on the dramatic experience? Does the power of the ideas increase or decrease the pleasure of the theatrical experience? Does the play seem either too didactic or insufficient in its presentation of important human concerns?
One theme this play presents is that jealousy can have the power to destroy something that is good. Othello had everything he ever wished for when he married Desdemona. She was the perfect wife for him and loved him with all her heart. However, Othello let his jealousy get the best of him and it ended up ruining everything. He killed his one true love for reasons he felt were important but that ended up not even being true. Another theme found in this play is the perception of reality. Things are not always as they may seem. Everyone believed Iago was a pure and decent man. He was even called "honest Iago" by many of the other characters. In reality, Iago was an evil man full of hatred and resentment. People thought he was there to help and serve them when he was actually there hurting and betraying them. These themes effect the dramatic experience because they are themes we can relate to in our own lives. These themes are timeless themes that even people today can learn from. The power of these ideas increases the pleasure of the theatrical experience because we feel we can learn form them. I believe that this play is neither too didactic or insufficient in its presentation of these important human concerns. Although the entire play might be considered focused around these themes, I did not feel like they were being forced upon me. These themes are so relevant to our everyday lives that it is only natural to learn from them. However, the play was not insufficient in its presentation of these themes because I knew exactly what the themes were. If it was insufficient, then it would probably be incredibly difficult to even know what those themes were.
For this blog, I am going to answer a question found on p. 1119 of my text book.
What themes does the play present? To what extent do the thematic materials of the play have an effect on the dramatic experience? Does the power of the ideas increase or decrease the pleasure of the theatrical experience? Does the play seem either too didactic or insufficient in its presentation of important human concerns?
One theme this play presents is that jealousy can have the power to destroy something that is good. Othello had everything he ever wished for when he married Desdemona. She was the perfect wife for him and loved him with all her heart. However, Othello let his jealousy get the best of him and it ended up ruining everything. He killed his one true love for reasons he felt were important but that ended up not even being true. Another theme found in this play is the perception of reality. Things are not always as they may seem. Everyone believed Iago was a pure and decent man. He was even called "honest Iago" by many of the other characters. In reality, Iago was an evil man full of hatred and resentment. People thought he was there to help and serve them when he was actually there hurting and betraying them. These themes effect the dramatic experience because they are themes we can relate to in our own lives. These themes are timeless themes that even people today can learn from. The power of these ideas increases the pleasure of the theatrical experience because we feel we can learn form them. I believe that this play is neither too didactic or insufficient in its presentation of these important human concerns. Although the entire play might be considered focused around these themes, I did not feel like they were being forced upon me. These themes are so relevant to our everyday lives that it is only natural to learn from them. However, the play was not insufficient in its presentation of these themes because I knew exactly what the themes were. If it was insufficient, then it would probably be incredibly difficult to even know what those themes were.
Othello Act V, Scene ii
"Set you down this, and say besides that in Aleppo once, where a malignant and a turbaned Turk beat a Venetian and traduced the state, I took by the throat the circumcised dog and smote him, thus. (Stabs himself.) - Othello.
For this blog, I am going to answer a question found on p. 1119 of my text book.
Is the play a tragedy or comedy, a melodrama or farce? If a comedy, is it primarily romantic or satiric? Does it mingle aspects of these types of drama? How important to experiencing the drama is the audience's awareness of the classification of the play?
This play is definitely more of a tragedy than of a comedy. For one, three people die in the end as a result of a different character's evil persuasions. Othello kills his wife Desdemona, Iago kills his wife Emilia, and Othello kills himself after realizing the terrible thing he has done. If this were a comedy, it would have been more happy. It is important to realize that in Shakespearean time, comedy was not necessarily used to reference something funny. It was more characterized by something happy and not sad. This play was by no means happy so it is safe to say that it can be characterized as a tragedy. If I had to say whether this play is a melodrama or a farce, I would probably characterize it as a melodrama. A melodrama exaggerates the plot and characters in order to appeal to the emotions. Although I am not sure it is necessarily exaggerating the plot and characters, it is for sure appealing to the emotions. The audience is frustrated that no other characters realize the evil Iago is doing until the end when it is too late. Then the audience is also horrified with the deaths that occur at the end and sad that there was no happy ending. Finally, one must truly be immersed in the play and experience it as if he or she was actually in it to be able to classify it. Without being immersed in the play, one would not be able to realize that it is appealing to the emotions and that it is in turn a melodrama. Then, if one didn't really care about the characters who died, he or she might not really feel as if it were a tragedy.
For this blog, I am going to answer a question found on p. 1119 of my text book.
Is the play a tragedy or comedy, a melodrama or farce? If a comedy, is it primarily romantic or satiric? Does it mingle aspects of these types of drama? How important to experiencing the drama is the audience's awareness of the classification of the play?
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