Wednesday, April 9, 2014

For Friday: Criticism on The Tempest

Read ONE (at least) of the Articles below and answer 2 of the following questions:

David Lindley, "Music, Masque, and Meaning in The Tempest" (187)
Stephen Orgel, "Prospero's Wife" (201)
Peter Hulme, "Prospero and Caliban" (233) 

THE QUESTIONS (answer TWO) 

1. What "problem" is the author responding to in the play?  That is, how is his/her essay trying to address a specific issue that needs to be resolved in staging The Tempest that would help modern audiences "get" Shakespeare's intention?  What makes this issue so problematic?

2. Do you think this essay offers a more historical or a theoretical approach to Shakespeare?  In other words, do you feel that the author offers a more "back to the text" approach in understanding how to reach Shakespeare's intentions, or is the author trying to use modern theoretical approaches/influences to "resurrect" the play?  What makes you think this, and how successful do you feel this approach is?  Be specific.  

3. Do you feel like the essay would agree with a more radical interpretation of The Tempest as we saw in the Chinese opera production?  How would the ideas/thesis of this essay be realized in a more theatrical production?  Or do you feel the more orthodox BBC version is more in keeping with the author's views?  


4. How does the essay help you understand or appreciate The Tempest in a new light?  What ideas does the essay reveal that you either didn't consider before, or didn't 'see' from this perspective?  Be specific and reference a particular scene, moment, or character that connects to ideas in the essay. 

2 comments:

  1. Answers in response to David Lindley’s essay entitled “Music, Masque, and Meaning in The Tempest” (pages 187-200).
    1. The essay “Music, Masque, and Meaning in The Tempest” grapples with the idea that Shakespeare’s The Tempest is a commentary on the nature and function of Music and Masque within a play. He argues that the play itself is Shakespeare’s way of subtly reminding audiences that neither masque, nor music have value without context. He does this by referring to several examples from the text where the lyrics do not fit with the traditional context of the music, but they gain meaning to the audience in the context of their character’s predicament. This is problematic in any staging because the music itself is not recorded or written down. If, when staging this play we ignore the context of the music and stage it in such a way that the music reflects only the lyrics we could lose Shakespeare’s commentary.
    2. This essay seems to be taking a very historical approach. The author uses many references to The Tempest as evidence to support the idea that Shakespeare was commenting on the nature and value of Music and Masque. He also provides us with the information regarding the neo-Platonic concept of music consistent with era the play was written in. This historical information helps us to understand the author’s analysis of the play, and his assumption of Shakespeare’s intentions. I believe this was his intention because he is not attempting to convince us to read Shakespeare in a new way, but rather to convince us of Shakespeare’s commentary on Masques and Music within plays.
    Catherine Melton

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  2. Answers are for "Prospero's Wife"

    1. The essay "Prospero's Wife" looks at the different relationships in The Tempest and how they reflect Shakespeare's views on these relationships, or ideas, or how he felt these relationships should be handled. This essay tries to apply psychology and Freudian theories to the relationships in The Tempest, and in previous plays by Shakespeare. It also provides a few historical facts to the British monarchy's rulers. I think with the psychology theories it does try to show Shakespeare's audience that these relationships may have reflected what was going on in his own life. What makes this approach a bit problematic is that we know very little to Shakespeare's life. We may never know any more about his life than we already do. These are mostly theories and not hard facts - which may make it hard for an audience to truly grasp these ideas.

    2. I feel that this essay looks at both theoretical and historical approaches to Shakespeare to resurrect an audience's interest in it and to solve what might have been going on in Shakespeare's head when he wrote his plays. For example, this essay looks at Freudian theories to analyse the relationship between Prospero and his acts on his bastard brother. Shakespeare himself had a bastard brother, Edmund. The essay also gives the possibility that Shakespeare may have fathered illegitimate children. With these facts and possibilities brought to attention, then the audience may have a closer look at Shakespeare himself and how he felt about relationships between siblings, parents, and couples. This essay also looks at historical figures that were technically illegitimate children, yet they gained power: figures such as Elizabeth herself, and James I. I don't believe that to an audience just going to enjoy a Shakespeare play would make it more interesting, I do not feel that to someone just going to be entertained by a Shakespeare play would really be interested in these fact and theories, but I do feel that the audience that wishes to decipher the "mystery" of Shakespeare I do think that it would open their eyes to different relationships in Shakespeare's plays and how they may have reflect his views and his personal life.


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