"Yes, I have tricks in my pocket, I have things up my sleeve. But I am the opposite of a stage magician. He gives you illusion that has the appearance of truth. I give you truth in the pleasant disguise of illusion."
~The Glass Menagerie, Tennessee Williams
The Glass Menagerie has made me think of some things from my own life - mostly insignificant little connections, but I think that's what makes reading this play bearable. When I saw the phrase "gentleman caller," I immediately remembered the movie Easy A based off of The Scarlet Letter.
When Laura is describing the pieces of glass, I thought of the twenty-seven different places in Brown County that sell glass figurines. (That's not an exact number, I just guesstimated.)
In the movie Water for Elephants, the word "menagerie" is used to describe the pens that the animals were kept in, so I thought of them as just a larger glass collection.
I work at a dance studio, and I have danced for about 8 years, so when Amanda was fretting over Laura's appearance and trying to make her improve it, I got a flashback of competitions and dance recitals - the moms trying to get their girls into uncomfortable costumes and reliving their glory days - it's like the performances were solely for them. Amanda makes me think of hardcore stage moms.
I know this stuff isn't so insightful or analytical, but they're the things I relate back to The Glass Menagerie.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Dysfunctionality - Drama Blog 2 (Glass Menagerie)
"This is our father who left us a long time ago.He was a telephone man who fell in love with long distances; he gave up his job with the telephone company and skipped the light fantastic out of town."
~ The Glass Menagerie, Tennessee Williams
I haven't gotten all the way through The Glass Menagerie yet, so I'm still unaware of some finer details. I also don't really understand the point of the play; yes, it's about a dysfunctional family (as my aunts say, "we put the "fun" in "dysfunctional" "), but "why" is the big question. However, I feel like some family issues stem from the father leaving the family. Actually I'm sure of it.
First of all, the man (in the forties and in many cases today) was the main provider for the family. He worked and brought in all the money. But when he left, someone had to take over his place as the worker; naturally, that was the son, Tom. Tom has to take care of the family, but he absolutely hates his job. It isn't mentally stimulating for him, and he wants to be creative and write poetry. That doesn't bring in money, so he must settle. This obviously makes Tom resent his family and creates a desire in him to leave and be free of his responsibilities, which creates more tension.
Second of all, I think that Amanda has an inferiority complex where she thinks that she wasn't pretty or interesting (as in having an appealing personality) for her husband - maybe she thinks he ran away because of her? - so she only values herself as how others see her and how good she looks. I think it also makes her long for a time in her life when she had options and she wasn't "weighed down" by an angry child and a crippled child. She is still so focused on herself that she can barely think of her children.
And finally, Laura has some issues. Obviously, from childhood, she was going to be insecure about her condition that cripples her. But not only does she have to deal with her defect, but she has to put up with her mother constantly deriding her and saying she should have gone to college and that she needs a man to make her life complete.
~ The Glass Menagerie, Tennessee Williams
I haven't gotten all the way through The Glass Menagerie yet, so I'm still unaware of some finer details. I also don't really understand the point of the play; yes, it's about a dysfunctional family (as my aunts say, "we put the "fun" in "dysfunctional" "), but "why" is the big question. However, I feel like some family issues stem from the father leaving the family. Actually I'm sure of it.
First of all, the man (in the forties and in many cases today) was the main provider for the family. He worked and brought in all the money. But when he left, someone had to take over his place as the worker; naturally, that was the son, Tom. Tom has to take care of the family, but he absolutely hates his job. It isn't mentally stimulating for him, and he wants to be creative and write poetry. That doesn't bring in money, so he must settle. This obviously makes Tom resent his family and creates a desire in him to leave and be free of his responsibilities, which creates more tension.
Second of all, I think that Amanda has an inferiority complex where she thinks that she wasn't pretty or interesting (as in having an appealing personality) for her husband - maybe she thinks he ran away because of her? - so she only values herself as how others see her and how good she looks. I think it also makes her long for a time in her life when she had options and she wasn't "weighed down" by an angry child and a crippled child. She is still so focused on herself that she can barely think of her children.
And finally, Laura has some issues. Obviously, from childhood, she was going to be insecure about her condition that cripples her. But not only does she have to deal with her defect, but she has to put up with her mother constantly deriding her and saying she should have gone to college and that she needs a man to make her life complete.
Unrealism - Drama Blog 1 (Glass Menagerie)
"AMANDA: I took that horrible novel back to the library- yes ! That hideous book by that insane Mr. Lawrence. [Tom laughs wildly.] I cannot control the output of diseased minds or people who cater to them - [Tom laughs still more wildly.] BUT I WON'T ALLOW SUCH FILTH BROUGHT INTO MY HOUSE ! NO, no, no, no, no!"
~ The Glass Menagerie, Tennessee Williams
Fair warning: I left my book at school, so I won't have page numbers for my quotes.
So one of the things we talked about during class was realistic vs. nonrealistic vs. unrealistic. One of the characters I think fits really well into the unrealistic category is Amanda, the mom. Amanda is a little ridiculous - she says things and does things that most mothers don't. While most mothers have to keep their children grounded and in touch with reality while the children may have wild imaginations or hyper-emotional states that illicit irrational outbursts, Amanda assumes the role of the child. She constantly talks about her days as an adolescent, and it is obvious that she wishes she could regress to that time when she was the center of attention and her life was seemingly perfect, when she had yet to make crucial mistakes that would follow her the rest of her life. She still cares about very superficial aspects of both her life and her daughter's. She loses her patience and temper with Tom when she assumes that something is going to threaten the structure or stray from social convention in her life, as if her life were functional. Amanda does not act how a normal mother would, so I would say she is a bit unrealistic.
~ The Glass Menagerie, Tennessee Williams
Fair warning: I left my book at school, so I won't have page numbers for my quotes.
So one of the things we talked about during class was realistic vs. nonrealistic vs. unrealistic. One of the characters I think fits really well into the unrealistic category is Amanda, the mom. Amanda is a little ridiculous - she says things and does things that most mothers don't. While most mothers have to keep their children grounded and in touch with reality while the children may have wild imaginations or hyper-emotional states that illicit irrational outbursts, Amanda assumes the role of the child. She constantly talks about her days as an adolescent, and it is obvious that she wishes she could regress to that time when she was the center of attention and her life was seemingly perfect, when she had yet to make crucial mistakes that would follow her the rest of her life. She still cares about very superficial aspects of both her life and her daughter's. She loses her patience and temper with Tom when she assumes that something is going to threaten the structure or stray from social convention in her life, as if her life were functional. Amanda does not act how a normal mother would, so I would say she is a bit unrealistic.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Ja-queeese - Drama Blog 3 (As You Like It)
To be honest, this play was pretty decent. However, the thing that probably bothered me the most was how Jaques' name is pronounced. OKAY PEOPLE, can you please do you and your child a favor and name them something normal and easy to pronounce?? They are in France. He should pronounce it jahck, not ja-queese.
His name reminds me of more.... ahem.... ghetto names these days. It seems like names are just getting more and more ridiculous. Here are some examples.
Orangejello (oh-rahn-gel-lo): it is in fact not pronounced like "Orange Jell-O."
La-a (la-dash-ah): the punctuation is now being called by name, not pronounced phonetically. But stay tuned! There's another interesting one coming up.
Yohiness/ Yomajesty (yo-high-ness and yo-maj-es-tee): These are legit twin names that have been put on birth certificates.
L' (lah-po-strofe): I swear this was my dad's co-worker's daughter's name. Just L-apostrophe.
Well, I hope you enjoyed laughing at these ridiculous and unnecessary names.
His name reminds me of more.... ahem.... ghetto names these days. It seems like names are just getting more and more ridiculous. Here are some examples.
Orangejello (oh-rahn-gel-lo): it is in fact not pronounced like "Orange Jell-O."
La-a (la-dash-ah): the punctuation is now being called by name, not pronounced phonetically. But stay tuned! There's another interesting one coming up.
Yohiness/ Yomajesty (yo-high-ness and yo-maj-es-tee): These are legit twin names that have been put on birth certificates.
L' (lah-po-strofe): I swear this was my dad's co-worker's daughter's name. Just L-apostrophe.
Well, I hope you enjoyed laughing at these ridiculous and unnecessary names.
Do You Like Cheese? - Drama Blog 2 (As You Like It)
"I would cure you, if you would but call me Rosalind and come every day to my cote and woo me."
~ Rosalind, As You Like It
I was re-reading this scene and I immediately thought of the movie She's the Man. The movie is actually based off of another Shakespeare comedy The Twelfth Night, but the scene matches well. Like the play, in the movie, Viola Hastings dresses up like a man (there is a lot of cross-dressing in Shakespeare plays. Why??) because she wants to play for the boys soccer team. While she's there, she meets Duke Orsino and tells him how to talk to women, all the while pretending to be one (although she actually is). It mirrors the scene from As You Like It because Rosalind dresses up like a man when she is around Orlando; she tells him how to deal with his love and woo her, then she (he) pretends to be a woman, just like Viola is to Duke. But seriously, I'm legitimately confused why there is so much cross-dressing.
Sorry that the video is so short, but this was the best one I could find
~ Rosalind, As You Like It
I was re-reading this scene and I immediately thought of the movie She's the Man. The movie is actually based off of another Shakespeare comedy The Twelfth Night, but the scene matches well. Like the play, in the movie, Viola Hastings dresses up like a man (there is a lot of cross-dressing in Shakespeare plays. Why??) because she wants to play for the boys soccer team. While she's there, she meets Duke Orsino and tells him how to talk to women, all the while pretending to be one (although she actually is). It mirrors the scene from As You Like It because Rosalind dresses up like a man when she is around Orlando; she tells him how to deal with his love and woo her, then she (he) pretends to be a woman, just like Viola is to Duke. But seriously, I'm legitimately confused why there is so much cross-dressing.
Sorry that the video is so short, but this was the best one I could find
All You Need Is Love - Drama Blog 1 (As You Like It)
"The worst fault you have is to be in love."
"'T is a fault I will not change for your best virtue."
~ Jaques, Orlando, As You Like It
The biggest thematic element in As You Like It is love. Love in this play is positively connoted; often you will see modern stories and movies portraying love, but also incorporating a much more realistic perspective of it. In the play, love magically fixes everything. It turns evil people into positive, happy people (Oliver falls in love with Celia and suddenly stops his scheming). Love makes some others ridiculously optimistic and frankly, a little annoying (Orlando turns into a poet). As You Like It is very unrealistic and shallow, but not in a negative sense - it just doesn't have a whole lot to it. We discussed in class today that if Shakespeare's writings were essays that you wrote for class, As You Like It would be the religion essay: an overused theme composed of mostly BS with maybe an insightful thought or two.
Two songs today that could be related to the play and a more modern novel are "Poison and Wine" by the Civil Wars and "Love Story" by Taylor Swift. "Poison and Wine" would be more realistic because it examines poignancies in relationships, conflict of emotion for another person. "Love Story" would relate to the play because it describes a fairy tale-like situation in which everything magically turns out well in the end.
"'T is a fault I will not change for your best virtue."
~ Jaques, Orlando, As You Like It
The biggest thematic element in As You Like It is love. Love in this play is positively connoted; often you will see modern stories and movies portraying love, but also incorporating a much more realistic perspective of it. In the play, love magically fixes everything. It turns evil people into positive, happy people (Oliver falls in love with Celia and suddenly stops his scheming). Love makes some others ridiculously optimistic and frankly, a little annoying (Orlando turns into a poet). As You Like It is very unrealistic and shallow, but not in a negative sense - it just doesn't have a whole lot to it. We discussed in class today that if Shakespeare's writings were essays that you wrote for class, As You Like It would be the religion essay: an overused theme composed of mostly BS with maybe an insightful thought or two.
Two songs today that could be related to the play and a more modern novel are "Poison and Wine" by the Civil Wars and "Love Story" by Taylor Swift. "Poison and Wine" would be more realistic because it examines poignancies in relationships, conflict of emotion for another person. "Love Story" would relate to the play because it describes a fairy tale-like situation in which everything magically turns out well in the end.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Reflective Essay! Drama Blog
From age to age, traditions and lifestyles change. Clothes, hairstyles, jobs, technology and social conventions evolve with society; however, one thing that will never change is human emotion and pain that is suffered, sometimes daily. Jealousy is the most universal, recurrent sentiment that every single person on earth experiences. People are wired to compete with others – to push the hardest, gain the most assets, and accomplish the greatest feats. Jealousy is a main theme in Othello, a play written by William Shakespeare in the late 1500’s. While jealousy was important enough to write about back then, it is still considered significant today; its magnitude is reflected in two modern products of media – the song “Jealousy” by Darren Criss and the novel The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien.
“Jealousy” describes raw envy; it portrays the destructive and irrational nature of the emotion, and it can be directly connected to Othello. One of the most relevant lines in the song is “And I don’t know what to do, it’s changing me, it’s killing you.” This connects to Othello and Desdemona’s relationship and its progression throughout the play. Because Iago has convinced himself that Othello slept with his wife Emilia, he persuades Othello that his wife Desdemona has been sleeping with his colleague Cassio (IV.i.104-157). Othello then becomes extremely jealous, and his demeanor oscillates severely because of his envy. Othello was once considered a level-headed and lucid man, even in the midst of war; now, he makes assumptions and lets his emotions violently consume him. The second half of the quote “it’s killing you” relates to Desdemona because Othello kills her out of jealousy(V.ii.83-123). A second relevant quote is “In absolutely no position to be needlessly unkind, when I’m the one writing this fiction, make it real in my mind.” When Othello heightens and imagines the lies Iago planted in his head, he does absurd things like slapping Desdemona. He becomes cruel and he submits to his rampant feelings. However, because Othello creates “this fiction,” he justifies his extreme behavior.
Not only is jealousy exposed in contemporary songs, but it is also in novels. J.R.R. Tolkien depicts jealousy throughout his fantasy, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. One scene in particular mirrors Othello well. Young hobbit Frodo Baggins suddenly acquires an omnipotent, corrupting ring from his uncle, Bilbo Baggins. He ventures with a group of warriors from various lands and races of Middle Earth to destroy the ring before it acts as a catalyst to unleash great evil and an age of darkness upon the world. During the journey, Frodo faces the tribulations of transporting the ring to Mont Doom; these trials not only include physical ailments and stress, but they also involve dealing with mental obstacles, such as the jealousy others harbor for him and the power of the ring. In one scene, Boromir physically attacks Frodo in attempts to get the ring; he thinks he could use its power for good and save his kingdom of Gondor. While this does not clearly relate to Othello, there are several key correlations. Both Boromir and Othello are influenced by a separate, evil entity – the ring for Boromir and Iago for Othello. The ring and Iago motivate the conflict in both stories; in the Fellowship, the ring’s power is so great that it annihilates any logic or reason men have – they only desire the ring. Iago similarly does this to Othello by obliterating his rationale with lies that lead to a desire for revenge against Desdemona (V.i.1-22). Jealousy stimulates Boromir and Othello to attack those that they love, and they ultimately destroy their relationships. Monday, February 6, 2012
More Jealousy - Drama Blog (Othello)
So the last time we met, I included a video of a song called "Jealousy" by Darren Criss that pretty much described a major theme in Othello. (the theme of jealousy, btw.) Here are the lyrics! I'm going to pick out two specific examples from the song; it's a little creepy how accurate they are.
"Jealousy" has a couple of key phrases that can be related to passages of Othello. One of the most prominent is, "And I don't know what to do, it's changing me, it's killing you." This can really be related back to the former of the two main characters, Othello and Iago, the two people to which the jealousy theme applies. In the beginning of the play, Othello is a level-headed, rational man who can stay calm in any situation; however, when Iago begins to fill his head with ideas of his wife Desdemona cheating, he goes crazy because of his jealousy, and then he strangles Desdemona. ("it's changing [Othello], it's killing [Desdemona]).
Another phrase is "In absolutely no position to be needlessly unkind, when I'm the one writing this fiction, make it real in my mind." This relates to when Othello is getting progressively more angry by imagining and heightening the lies Iago tells him about Desdemona and her assumed lover Cassio. Othello is a big jerk to her for no reason (he even slaps her) when she didn't do anything. But, because it's real to him, he is acting on his "justified" anger.
Well, there you go! (And here is "Jealousy" by Darren Criss)
 |
| Othello preparing to kill Desdemona |
Another phrase is "In absolutely no position to be needlessly unkind, when I'm the one writing this fiction, make it real in my mind." This relates to when Othello is getting progressively more angry by imagining and heightening the lies Iago tells him about Desdemona and her assumed lover Cassio. Othello is a big jerk to her for no reason (he even slaps her) when she didn't do anything. But, because it's real to him, he is acting on his "justified" anger.
Well, there you go! (And here is "Jealousy" by Darren Criss)
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Oh, Really?? - Drama Blog 3 (Othello)
"Villain, thou diest!"
~ Roderigo, Othello, V.i.22
This is going to be more of an observational blog.
Has anyone noticed how blunt the characters are in this play? It's probably the same in Shakespeare's other plays, for I'm assuming that it just stylistic. The only other reason I could think of is because there is no narration, so he is making up for that through dialogue. But seriously, I don't think it's necessary for the characters to announce what they are about to do, and they think it is crucial. Especially in Act 5! It's like whenever some action takes place, there has to be a commentary accompanying it. Or is it in dialogue because it isn't in stage direction? You would think good actors would just automatically do the actions and make them realistic, and the other actors would react well to it without saying it aloud. Bianca announces, "Alas, he faints!" We just saw him. Roderigo tells Cassio, "Villian, thou diest!" And then he misses. (Throw up your awkward hands.) Maybe he wouldn't have moved and you would have killed him if you wouldn't have told him. Also, Sherlock screams, "Oh, I am slain!" right after Cassio stabs him. Then Othello tells an absent Desdemona, "Strumpet, I come!" She can't hear you....
Enough with the extraneous declarations! We can see you. That's really enough. I promise.
~ Roderigo, Othello, V.i.22
This is going to be more of an observational blog.
Has anyone noticed how blunt the characters are in this play? It's probably the same in Shakespeare's other plays, for I'm assuming that it just stylistic. The only other reason I could think of is because there is no narration, so he is making up for that through dialogue. But seriously, I don't think it's necessary for the characters to announce what they are about to do, and they think it is crucial. Especially in Act 5! It's like whenever some action takes place, there has to be a commentary accompanying it. Or is it in dialogue because it isn't in stage direction? You would think good actors would just automatically do the actions and make them realistic, and the other actors would react well to it without saying it aloud. Bianca announces, "Alas, he faints!" We just saw him. Roderigo tells Cassio, "Villian, thou diest!" And then he misses. (Throw up your awkward hands.) Maybe he wouldn't have moved and you would have killed him if you wouldn't have told him. Also, Sherlock screams, "Oh, I am slain!" right after Cassio stabs him. Then Othello tells an absent Desdemona, "Strumpet, I come!" She can't hear you....
Enough with the extraneous declarations! We can see you. That's really enough. I promise.
"It's This Jealousy...." / Themes - Drama Blog 2 (Othello)
"I hate the Moor,/ And it is thought abroad that 'twixt my sheets/ He's done my office. I know not if't be true, / But I for mere suspicion in that kind/ Will do as if for surety."
~ Iago, Othello, I.iii.366-369
The suspicion that started it all....
5. 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 of the biggest themes in the play is jealousy. It is involved in almost every aspect of conflict - Iago's plotting against Othello, Othello's excessive anger towards Desdemona and Cassio, and Roderigo's love for Desdemona. We see it throughout, but somehow it doesn't overwhelm the play or the experience of the audience. I think that because jealousy is something that people deal with on a daily basis and something that everyone has experienced personally at least once, the large concentration of jealous behavior and theme doesn't seem inundating. It is natural for people to see this. Also, because it is so common in everyday life, it is very relatable - while the audience would like to see everyone be friends and sit in a circle singing Kumbaya, they know that this is realistic, raw, and good - it heightens their theatrical experience. This human concern is addressed well.
And now, a song from the marvelous Darren Criss describing Othello's main theme.
~ Iago, Othello, I.iii.366-369
The suspicion that started it all....
5. 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 of the biggest themes in the play is jealousy. It is involved in almost every aspect of conflict - Iago's plotting against Othello, Othello's excessive anger towards Desdemona and Cassio, and Roderigo's love for Desdemona. We see it throughout, but somehow it doesn't overwhelm the play or the experience of the audience. I think that because jealousy is something that people deal with on a daily basis and something that everyone has experienced personally at least once, the large concentration of jealous behavior and theme doesn't seem inundating. It is natural for people to see this. Also, because it is so common in everyday life, it is very relatable - while the audience would like to see everyone be friends and sit in a circle singing Kumbaya, they know that this is realistic, raw, and good - it heightens their theatrical experience. This human concern is addressed well.
And now, a song from the marvelous Darren Criss describing Othello's main theme.
Oh, the Humanity! / Drama/Tragedy - Drama Blog 1 (Week 2) (Othello)
"Speak of me as I am, nothing extenuate,/ Nor set down aught in malice. Then must you speak/ Of one that loved not wisely but too well."
~ Othello, Othello V.ii.340-342
2. 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 one hundred and ten percent tragedy. One of the characteristics of a tragedy is death, and even though they come at the end, you can still tell it's a tragedy before everyone gets stabbed. Basically, the whole play is Iago plotting, Cassio fighting, Roderigo whining, and Othello being ridiculously angry. It's nothing but drama - there's pretty much no way the plot could twist into something that concludes happily. Also, we see Othello's tragic flaw: his excessive love for Desdemona. If he hadn't loved her so much, he wouldn't have reacted so irrationally and strangled her to death. Then come the deaths - Cassio gets Roderigo, Othello strangles Desdemona, Iago stabbing Emilia, Othello stabbing Iago (although he doesn't die... he should have), and as the big finale, Othello committing suicide. The only hint of comic relief in the whole play is the punny clown who was involved for approximately .249 seconds. But he was mostly annoying. Hmm. Well, what it all comes down to is that the audience really didn't have to know it was a drama - they would find out in at least the first 10 minutes.
~ Othello, Othello V.ii.340-342
2. 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 one hundred and ten percent tragedy. One of the characteristics of a tragedy is death, and even though they come at the end, you can still tell it's a tragedy before everyone gets stabbed. Basically, the whole play is Iago plotting, Cassio fighting, Roderigo whining, and Othello being ridiculously angry. It's nothing but drama - there's pretty much no way the plot could twist into something that concludes happily. Also, we see Othello's tragic flaw: his excessive love for Desdemona. If he hadn't loved her so much, he wouldn't have reacted so irrationally and strangled her to death. Then come the deaths - Cassio gets Roderigo, Othello strangles Desdemona, Iago stabbing Emilia, Othello stabbing Iago (although he doesn't die... he should have), and as the big finale, Othello committing suicide. The only hint of comic relief in the whole play is the punny clown who was involved for approximately .249 seconds. But he was mostly annoying. Hmm. Well, what it all comes down to is that the audience really didn't have to know it was a drama - they would find out in at least the first 10 minutes.
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