1) This play is awesome!! I think it is so funny..and so far, it's been our easiest read. There is such quick conversation that it makes it extremely easy to read. In the beginning of the drama I thought that Gwendolyn was going to be my favorite character, but as I'm reading, I don't think I can get into how shallow she is. Honestly, her reasoning for not marrying Jack is the most RIDICULOUS thing I have ever heard of in my entire life. Clearly she's thought about him, and he's in love with her and clearly he wants to take care of her for the rest of his life....that's why I just don't understand why she wouldn't let that be the determining factor in loving him, instead of the fact that his name isn't Ernest.
2) The fact that Wilde speaks vicariously through his characters shows the characteristics of a great writer. The fact that he can alter his voice to individualize his characters is something that takes true talent. He does a lot of contrasting the characters when they are in dialouge with one another. Especially Jack and Algernon. Algernon is the robust, outspoken character that says what everyone else is thinking. Whereas, Jack is reserved, conservative, and a true gentleman. They are both funny in their own way and they both want the same thing, a beautiful woman by their side, but they both have very different ways of going about acheiving that goal. These aspects of their personality and the ways that they acheive their goal goes to show different aspects of their self awareness and identity. Also, because Wilde is speaking through his characters, it lets the reader into the minds eye of Wilde. His humor doesn't necessarily conceal critical ideas of identity, it just has different ways of approaching it. Instead of seriously talking indirectly about identity issues, he uses comedy to directly address that someones sense of identity directly impacts their view of themself in an immediate sense. The perfect example of that is Jack and how when he is explaining to Lady Bracknell about his history, it clearly has an impact immediately on her impression of him. Because he has no history and no sense of a firm foundation, she immediately assumes that he is not good enough for her daughter. That goes to show Wilde's demonstration of how a firm sense of identity is a critical ideal.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Monday, April 9, 2007
Taming of the Shrew
1) I've never read this play before, so reading it now after having seen "10 things I hate about you" is interesting. I'm doing my best to create new characters, and I'm almost there, it's just that now they are dressed up in victorian style clothing, and have British accents...sometimes speaking Italian. Wierd..I know, it's just that that's all I got for now. I just see these characters on a small stage, dealing very intensly with one another. Their conversations are quick and sharp, there is no time to lag. The only time I got that there was a pause in conversation was only if one of the guys were plotting something. I love the way that they interact with one another, especially the guys with their servants. I also like the fact that the servants are more of companions or partners in crime as opposed to slaves, per say.
2) The scene for humor sake that I have selected is in Act II when they all come to Baptista’s house. Petruchio presents Hortensio Also, Petruchio is introducing himself as a suitor for Katharina. This whole conversation was entertaining because I could see Baptista’s face a little confused because a man is actually there complimenting Katharina and calling her “fair and virtuous”. It seems as though that the more he pleads his case, the more twisted Baptista’s faces gets. Petruchio goes through this laundry list of compliments of Katharina, all the while knowing that Katharina is none of those things. The way this scene appears to be depicted is with Petruchio searching within himself for the words to conjur up to try and convince Baptista that his pursuit of the eldest daughter is sincere. I think that because the situation is so obviously humorous, it actually turns itself around to make Baptista believe it. Petruchio also makes his intentions obvious when he askes about what kind of dowry will be given. That transparency makes the situation that much more humorous, because Baptista seems to not catch it. Baptista is lulled into the belief that his daughter is honestly being persuaded, while Petruchio’s plan is going exactly as anticipated.
2) The scene for humor sake that I have selected is in Act II when they all come to Baptista’s house. Petruchio presents Hortensio Also, Petruchio is introducing himself as a suitor for Katharina. This whole conversation was entertaining because I could see Baptista’s face a little confused because a man is actually there complimenting Katharina and calling her “fair and virtuous”. It seems as though that the more he pleads his case, the more twisted Baptista’s faces gets. Petruchio goes through this laundry list of compliments of Katharina, all the while knowing that Katharina is none of those things. The way this scene appears to be depicted is with Petruchio searching within himself for the words to conjur up to try and convince Baptista that his pursuit of the eldest daughter is sincere. I think that because the situation is so obviously humorous, it actually turns itself around to make Baptista believe it. Petruchio also makes his intentions obvious when he askes about what kind of dowry will be given. That transparency makes the situation that much more humorous, because Baptista seems to not catch it. Baptista is lulled into the belief that his daughter is honestly being persuaded, while Petruchio’s plan is going exactly as anticipated.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)