Dear Diary,
I am to be wed tomorrow. I am of mixed feelings. It is too late to turn back now. I know I'm beautiful, why do they keep telling me? WHY!? That Leonardo man came by again... he should not have been invited. He's going to tell the bridegroom of our past I know it. Why does he snoop around on his damned horse? Already there is so much hate between them. Its like I have no control. With my consent for marriage, I was unaware I would have to just sit here and be bossed around by everyone. But it's too late to turn back now. Poor bridegroom isn't even that great. Why did I say yes to him? I feel so....contained. I wish I was out. Out of this marriage that puts me in the box with the walls. And such a big wedding! So many people, can't turn back now. I will be wed, and I will be bossed around. This is a big step.
-Bride
Friday, May 27, 2011
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Wild Duck Responses
Ivan Kallevig:
"Well I like this because it's kind of a cool read, but what does it do to connect to the play? I feel like this brings up nationalist vibes when the play shows no focus on that. Either way though, it looks pretty haha."
Tanner Bean:
"Good quotes and comparison, but I think you overlooked something that puts this whole "cut out" idea at a midpoint. For the most part, Ibsen actually uses the dull parts to express important information to the audience in a format of which they are more accustomed, that they can relate to. So I think that to an extent the playwright can manipulate "dull" moments to be key parts of the rising action or even the climax."
Montana Agnew:
"I agree with you here too. I think it can really vary from play to play, and that each can serve different purposes. Like Jordy though, I often see style as just the frosting on the plot, simply adding dimensions to what is actually happening but not laying the ground work for the book."
"Well I like this because it's kind of a cool read, but what does it do to connect to the play? I feel like this brings up nationalist vibes when the play shows no focus on that. Either way though, it looks pretty haha."
Tanner Bean:
"Good quotes and comparison, but I think you overlooked something that puts this whole "cut out" idea at a midpoint. For the most part, Ibsen actually uses the dull parts to express important information to the audience in a format of which they are more accustomed, that they can relate to. So I think that to an extent the playwright can manipulate "dull" moments to be key parts of the rising action or even the climax."
Montana Agnew:
"I agree with you here too. I think it can really vary from play to play, and that each can serve different purposes. Like Jordy though, I often see style as just the frosting on the plot, simply adding dimensions to what is actually happening but not laying the ground work for the book."
Monday, May 23, 2011
Wild Duck Journal 6
What is drama but life with the dull bits cut out?
I wouldn't call myself a drama expert, but I think this statement is terrible. I think, rather, that drama is the manipulation of regular life events, so taking the "dull" parts and making them into exciting or emotional things. For instance, let's say I walk my dog down the street alot. One day I'm walking down the street, I talk to a few people, then BLAM, my dog gets hit by a car. I feel like because theatre generally includes this "talking" or interphase scene, the above statement is falsified.
SPECIFIC EXAMPLE TIME
Oedipus. Now, your probably thinking, "WHAT? Nothing about this play is dull?!?!?!". While that may be true, that also proves my point. This play is simply making manipulations on normal human actions to create the drama. The fact that Oedipus has to find the truth is played out in a very systematic manner, and throughout the story, generally no gaps are left out (with the exception of sleeping).
The Wild Duck. Ahhhh muuuuuch better for my stance. It doesn't take an English professor to see that ALL this book does is uses day by day scenarios to increase tensions and foreshadow future events. This play's very life blood is the fact that it is centered around these day by day, no out of the ordinary events. The "action" is simple conversation, and, once again, barely any time is skipped with exception to sleep.
So yeah, I think the opposite of this statement, that play's a re centered around manipulations on the "dull" parts.
I wouldn't call myself a drama expert, but I think this statement is terrible. I think, rather, that drama is the manipulation of regular life events, so taking the "dull" parts and making them into exciting or emotional things. For instance, let's say I walk my dog down the street alot. One day I'm walking down the street, I talk to a few people, then BLAM, my dog gets hit by a car. I feel like because theatre generally includes this "talking" or interphase scene, the above statement is falsified.
SPECIFIC EXAMPLE TIME
Oedipus. Now, your probably thinking, "WHAT? Nothing about this play is dull?!?!?!". While that may be true, that also proves my point. This play is simply making manipulations on normal human actions to create the drama. The fact that Oedipus has to find the truth is played out in a very systematic manner, and throughout the story, generally no gaps are left out (with the exception of sleeping).
The Wild Duck. Ahhhh muuuuuch better for my stance. It doesn't take an English professor to see that ALL this book does is uses day by day scenarios to increase tensions and foreshadow future events. This play's very life blood is the fact that it is centered around these day by day, no out of the ordinary events. The "action" is simple conversation, and, once again, barely any time is skipped with exception to sleep.
So yeah, I think the opposite of this statement, that play's a re centered around manipulations on the "dull" parts.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Wild Duck Journal 5
Plot Versus Style (in reference to importance)
First off, let me say that generally I view the plot as more important because it is directly explaining all the things that a style builds too. In metaphorical sense, the plot is the bread part of the cake, while the style is the frosting.
SO, let's start comparing the two plays, yayyyyyy.
OEDIPUS. The style is almost unimportant. Why? With exception to metaphor, I don't think that Sophocles really used much stylistic input. Instead, like most Greek plays, the crowd was only focused on what is happening and what they are seeing. This brings me to a point, THE AUDIENCE LIKES PLOT. Why do the playwrights here write their plays? To entertain the audience. Often it is hard for the audience to hear consonance or the like when it is being played to their ears in real-time. However, deceit, betrayal, murder, arguing, relationship, and anything like that that build to the plot is visible. I can SEE Iago betraying Othello.
THE WILD DUCK. Well, this play I would argue places more importance on the style simply because through act 2 the plot seems.....well...boring. The audience would not be enthused with the simple conversations of the characters. Gregers is renting a room out? Big deal. That is the most climatic point so far? Lammmmme. So clearly this ever important entertainment factor is placed on the playwright's clever use of style right? WRONG. Well, kinda. I think the entertainment factor here is the set. I'm not sure if that is what is being referred to as "style". From what I've read in the stage directions however, Ibsen loves to use particular detail in his stage directions and what the background looks like. I feel that it really is the highlighting factor of everything the characters are doing. Not Ibsen's literary style.
In conclusion, plot is more important in my opinion. But I will do a no-no and bring up a new point in my conclusion, I think the importance is perceptive. What I find important may be different to someone else.
First off, let me say that generally I view the plot as more important because it is directly explaining all the things that a style builds too. In metaphorical sense, the plot is the bread part of the cake, while the style is the frosting.
SO, let's start comparing the two plays, yayyyyyy.
OEDIPUS. The style is almost unimportant. Why? With exception to metaphor, I don't think that Sophocles really used much stylistic input. Instead, like most Greek plays, the crowd was only focused on what is happening and what they are seeing. This brings me to a point, THE AUDIENCE LIKES PLOT. Why do the playwrights here write their plays? To entertain the audience. Often it is hard for the audience to hear consonance or the like when it is being played to their ears in real-time. However, deceit, betrayal, murder, arguing, relationship, and anything like that that build to the plot is visible. I can SEE Iago betraying Othello.
THE WILD DUCK. Well, this play I would argue places more importance on the style simply because through act 2 the plot seems.....well...boring. The audience would not be enthused with the simple conversations of the characters. Gregers is renting a room out? Big deal. That is the most climatic point so far? Lammmmme. So clearly this ever important entertainment factor is placed on the playwright's clever use of style right? WRONG. Well, kinda. I think the entertainment factor here is the set. I'm not sure if that is what is being referred to as "style". From what I've read in the stage directions however, Ibsen loves to use particular detail in his stage directions and what the background looks like. I feel that it really is the highlighting factor of everything the characters are doing. Not Ibsen's literary style.
In conclusion, plot is more important in my opinion. But I will do a no-no and bring up a new point in my conclusion, I think the importance is perceptive. What I find important may be different to someone else.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Wild Duck Journal 4
Letter from Werle to Gregers-
Dear son,
I know you don't hold me in the highest regards, but I aim to change that. You see, you are viewing me not through your mother's eyes alone, but from her universal perspective. There is no need to be bitter towards me finding love, as you are just being selfish by trying to take the opportunity away from me. When you speak to me, it is word for word like your mother and don't you (for your own good) want to grow up and form your own opinions?
STRIVE! I plead of you, for independent views and thoughts of me. The family you so notably lacked can be formed if you let it. You have the power over having the American dream family. I'm not a criminal, that was proven in the court of law. Ekdal was a big boy and knew exactly what he was getting himself into with this lying in the timber business.
I'm am not the horrible person you make me out to be. You have soiled my reputation among myself and others and that is not okay with me. You will respect me, as the way you are acting is surely not the way I raised you
-Gregers
Dear son,
I know you don't hold me in the highest regards, but I aim to change that. You see, you are viewing me not through your mother's eyes alone, but from her universal perspective. There is no need to be bitter towards me finding love, as you are just being selfish by trying to take the opportunity away from me. When you speak to me, it is word for word like your mother and don't you (for your own good) want to grow up and form your own opinions?
STRIVE! I plead of you, for independent views and thoughts of me. The family you so notably lacked can be formed if you let it. You have the power over having the American dream family. I'm not a criminal, that was proven in the court of law. Ekdal was a big boy and knew exactly what he was getting himself into with this lying in the timber business.
I'm am not the horrible person you make me out to be. You have soiled my reputation among myself and others and that is not okay with me. You will respect me, as the way you are acting is surely not the way I raised you
-Gregers
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Oedipus Journal 3
Heightened Emotional Moments:
Sophocles used heightened emotional moments to create an emotional response from his audience in his plays. For my comparison journal I am comparing Oedipus the King to 1984.
Sophocles greatly heighten the emotion of Oedipus' situation when the former king of Thebes finds out that his mother has hung herself in response to finding the whole messy "killed his own dad, slept with his mom" situation. Oedipus responds by ripping out his eyes. Pretty nasty huh? Well that is what Sophocles was going for. He wanted the audience to be so shocked by this disgusting unthinkable response that they would pick up on the emotions of the situation purely because of how dire the actions are. This is often a technique (shock and awe) used on modern television and movies, taking advantage of the fact that the audience watches what is happening and does not just read it.
Conversely, in novels, because you cannot actually see what is happening, authors depend on the words used and the pace of the text to dictate emotion in the situation. This is shown in 1984 where in the emotional moments George Orwell does not use shock and awe but rather a pre-established knowledge of what it completely unacceptable to the government. He also heightens the emotion of the situation by speeding up the rhythm and pace of the text, so the reader not only feels like they are reading fast, but they are reading fast.
Sophocles used heightened emotional moments to create an emotional response from his audience in his plays. For my comparison journal I am comparing Oedipus the King to 1984.
Sophocles greatly heighten the emotion of Oedipus' situation when the former king of Thebes finds out that his mother has hung herself in response to finding the whole messy "killed his own dad, slept with his mom" situation. Oedipus responds by ripping out his eyes. Pretty nasty huh? Well that is what Sophocles was going for. He wanted the audience to be so shocked by this disgusting unthinkable response that they would pick up on the emotions of the situation purely because of how dire the actions are. This is often a technique (shock and awe) used on modern television and movies, taking advantage of the fact that the audience watches what is happening and does not just read it.
Conversely, in novels, because you cannot actually see what is happening, authors depend on the words used and the pace of the text to dictate emotion in the situation. This is shown in 1984 where in the emotional moments George Orwell does not use shock and awe but rather a pre-established knowledge of what it completely unacceptable to the government. He also heightens the emotion of the situation by speeding up the rhythm and pace of the text, so the reader not only feels like they are reading fast, but they are reading fast.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Oedipus Journal 2
Setting-
The geographical setting of Oedipus is different parts of Greece. For the audience watching the plays, this makes the story relateable because they are from there and familiar with the culture being portrayed. What is cool for the audience is that they get to see a representation of what their culture used to look like compared to what it looks like in the present. The relateable setting also makes it easier for the Greek people to fully understand the lesson that is being taught (of what not to do). The characters are allowed to be changed to fit the play and the play's central theme because no one in the audience would have been "there" back in time to prove the playwright's representation wrong. The geographical setting also impacts the play because of the set up of the different parts of Greece being close in location and at war, making stories from the time about war very common.
The geographical setting of Oedipus is different parts of Greece. For the audience watching the plays, this makes the story relateable because they are from there and familiar with the culture being portrayed. What is cool for the audience is that they get to see a representation of what their culture used to look like compared to what it looks like in the present. The relateable setting also makes it easier for the Greek people to fully understand the lesson that is being taught (of what not to do). The characters are allowed to be changed to fit the play and the play's central theme because no one in the audience would have been "there" back in time to prove the playwright's representation wrong. The geographical setting also impacts the play because of the set up of the different parts of Greece being close in location and at war, making stories from the time about war very common.
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