Day 1
'All plays pose questions to the world, yet some questions are easier to ignore.' In light of this statement, evaluate the questions raiser in 2-3 plays and show how and to what degree the issues are restored.
Day 2:: May 2010 TZ2 HL
1.Some dramatists make more significant use of physical elements such as stage scenery than do others. Discuss the extent of such features and their impact on meaning in two of the plays you have studied
2.Writers may make repetitive use of details which become dramatically significant. Consider the use made of such repetition of detail in at least two plays and discuss te impact of the plays as a whole.
Day 3&4:: FOUR GROUPS
may 2006 TZ 1 HL
1.
“In dramatic construction there must be variation of pace and rhythm, monotony of any kind being certain to induce boredom.”Comparing at least two plays you have studied in the light of this statement, show how variations of pace and rhythm have been used to attract or heighten the interest of the audience.
2. To what extent can the plays you have studied be seen to have, directly or indirectly, a social or political purpose? Refer to two or three plays, exploring how they achieve their purposes.
Poetry
MAY 2006 TZ1 SL
3.Comparing the opening scenes of at least two plays, discuss what audience expectations are aroused and how.
4. “Drama explains individuals, not relationships.” Paying close attention to how individuals and relationships are presented in two or three plays you have studied, say how far you find this statement to be true.
Poetry
Also look through these :
General Questions
5. Either
(a) “Art is on the side of the oppressed.” Evaluate the means by which two or three works in your study either confirm or raise questions about the validity of this assertion.
Or
(b) “Works of literature are often layered, and may require close attention to discover their depth and complexity.” With respect to two or three of the works you have studied, show how valid this view is.
Or
(c) “A writer conveys not only experiences but a whole world in which these are possible.” With respect to two or three works you have studied, discuss whether the author has created a coherent, imagined “world”.
Or
(d) In what ways and to what effect have writers in your study made use of illustrative elements such as anecdotes, analogies, allusions and the like in their works?
TEST ON MONDAY: 04 FEBRUARY:
Choose any one from the list. Prepare a draft /mindmap and write the whole answer or prepare and write a draft and write a detailed mind map--choice is yours. However make sure your answer can be examined through all the criteria in the MS. Sending you the MS through mail.
btw: did any one see the earlier draft of this post? those questions have disappeared:( writing again!
2007 November TZ1
Drama
1. Either
(a) “The compulsion to talk,” to tell one’s story, or the stories of others might be seen as
very important to the construction of plays. How far has the telling of stories been important
to at least two plays you have studied and how have the “stories” been effectively delivered
through theatre?
Or
(b) The climax of a dramatic work does not always occur in a fixed or expected place.
Comparing at least two works you have studied, discuss the placement of the climactic moment
of the plays and the effects on dramatic action.
General Questions on Literature
5. Either
(a) How and with what effect have seasons and weather been used in at least two of the works you
have studied?
Or
(b) The presence of pairs, or of doubles and doubling often appears in works of art. How and for
what purposes have at least two writers in your study made effective use of such patterns?
Or
(c) In what ways have the materials of the sciences been used by writers to enhance the literary
elements of their works? Refer closely to at least two works you have studied.
Or
(d) “Books,” according to one writer, “mold character, enforce patriotism, and provide a healthy
way to pass a leisurely hour.” By direct reference to at least two of your works, discuss the
ways in which one or more of these purposes appears, as well as your view of their importance
in the total effect of the work.
revision day 7,8
May 2008 TZ1
Drama
1. Either
(a) “What is drama but life with the dull bits cut out?” To what extent do you find this
statement applicable in at least two plays you have studied?
Or
(b) A dramatist often creates a gap between what the audience knows and what the
characters know. With reference to at least two plays, discuss how and to what effect dramatists
have used this technique.
General Questions on Literature
5. Either
(a) “Why won’t writers allow children simply to be children?” Discuss the presentation and
significance of children, or the state of childhood, in at least two works you have studied in the
light of this complaint.
Or
(b) It is said that writers are the conscience of the world. In what ways have at least two of the
works you have studied encouraged you to appreciate or question this assertion?
Or
(c) “ Art is a lie that makes us realise the truth.” Discuss at least two works you have studied in
light of this statement, and say how far you would agree with it.
Or
(d) “Although doubt is not a pleasant condition, certainty is an absurd one.” In the light of this
statement, explore the impressions of doubt and/or certainty conveyed in at least two works
you have studied.
Day 9, 10
M08/1/A1ENG/HP2/ENG/TZ2/XX :
Drama
1. Either
(a) “Comedy exposes human weakness; tragedy reveals human strength.” How and to what extent
does this claim apply to at least two of the plays you have studied?
Or
(b) A change in status of the characters in a play (a success, for example, a loss or exposure) helps
to convey the ideas and/or values of the dramatist. How and to what extent has change in status
contributed in this way to at least two of the plays you have studied?
General Questions on Literature
5. Either
(a) Some writers make us see people’s lives through the lens of nostalgia. In what ways have
writers used nostalgia in at least two of the works you have studied?
Or
(b) Urban settings are often portrayed as “spiritual wastelands”. To what extent, if at all, and
by what means, have at least two of the works you have studied presented urban settings in
such a way?
Or
(c) Images of sickness, both real and metaphorical, can reflect corruption in individuals
and/or society. To what degree and to what effect is this evident in at least two of the works
you have studied?
Or
(d) “All Art is quite useless.” With close reference to at least two of the texts you have studied
discuss and give reasons for the extent to which you agree or disagree with this statement
days 11,12
N08/1/A1ENG/HP2/ENG/TZ0/XX
Drama
1. Either
(a) “It is through speech primarily that a dramatist reveals who his characters are.”
Using at least two works you have studied, show how far you can agree that this is a valid
statement about the writing of plays.
Or
(b) The audience’s expectation and the fulfilment or reversal of expectation are both used
by playwrights. How have at least two of the plays you have studied satisfied or disappointed
expectation, and with what effect?
General Questions on Literature
5. Either
(a) The description of people or places or events in literary works is likely to be more than
just decoration. Compare several instances in at least two of the works you have studied
where description has had a crucial effect on the work.
Or
(b) The courage to think or speak or act differently from others is often at the heart of literature.
In what ways have at least two writers you have studied presented such choices?
Or
(c) Literature frequently “challenges the barriers that prejudice erects”. How convincingly have
at least two writers in your study presented such barriers and with what effect have they
been opposed?
Or
(d) “In literature, names are never wasted.” In at least two works you have studied, discuss the
ways writers use names in their works to achieve their larger purpose.
days 13, 14
M09/1/A1ENG/HP2/ENG/TZ2/XX
Drama
1. The success of any drama depends on the credibility of the protagonists. Referring closely to
at least two of the plays you have studied, explore to what extent and in what ways they illustrate the
truth of this statement.
2. Looking closely at one or more of the following elements: lighting, sound and music, discuss the
ways in which they can affect the presentation of ideas in at least two of the plays you have studied.
General Questions on Literature
9. Writers of literature rarely offer answers that resolve the issues they raise. To what extent and in what
ways does this statement apply to at least two of the works you have studied?
10. In what ways is the literature you have studied concerned with gaining, maintaining or losing a
paradise of some kind? Refer closely in your answer to at least two works.
11. Poetry can be prosaic and prose can be poetic. Explore this statement in relation to the varieties of
language used in at least two of the works you have studied.
12. “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” To what extent do at least two of the
the works you have studied present concepts of good and bad as a matter of perception?
days 15, 16
M09/1/A1ENG/HP2/ENG/TZ2/XX
Drama
1. In plays a character who appears briefly, or who does not appear at all, can be a significant presence,
contributing to action, developing other characters or conveying ideas. To what extent have you
found this to be true of at least two works you have studied?
2. “Drama, even in its darkest moments, underscores the strength of the human spirit.” How and to what
extent is this true of at least two of the plays you have studied?
General Questions on Literature
9. By what means and with what effect do writers establish and use tone in at least two of the works you
have studied?
10. “Reading literature is a way of walking in the footsteps of others.” By what means and to what effect
do at least two writers you have studied help you understand the situations of others?
11. Wit and other comic devices can often add an important edge to what a writer is trying to express.
Examine the effects of such devices on the expression of ideas in at least two of the works you
have studied.
12. “Literature is the embodiment of beauty and intelligence.” To what extent is this true of at least two of the works you have studied?
'All plays pose questions to the world, yet some questions are easier to ignore.' In light of this statement, evaluate the questions raiser in 2-3 plays and show how and to what degree the issues are restored.
Day 2:: May 2010 TZ2 HL
1.Some dramatists make more significant use of physical elements such as stage scenery than do others. Discuss the extent of such features and their impact on meaning in two of the plays you have studied
2.Writers may make repetitive use of details which become dramatically significant. Consider the use made of such repetition of detail in at least two plays and discuss te impact of the plays as a whole.
Day 3&4:: FOUR GROUPS
may 2006 TZ 1 HL
1.
“In dramatic construction there must be variation of pace and rhythm, monotony of any kind being certain to induce boredom.”Comparing at least two plays you have studied in the light of this statement, show how variations of pace and rhythm have been used to attract or heighten the interest of the audience.
2. To what extent can the plays you have studied be seen to have, directly or indirectly, a social or political purpose? Refer to two or three plays, exploring how they achieve their purposes.
Poetry
MAY 2006 TZ1 SL
3.Comparing the opening scenes of at least two plays, discuss what audience expectations are aroused and how.
4. “Drama explains individuals, not relationships.” Paying close attention to how individuals and relationships are presented in two or three plays you have studied, say how far you find this statement to be true.
Poetry
Also look through these :
General Questions
5. Either
(a) “Art is on the side of the oppressed.” Evaluate the means by which two or three works in your study either confirm or raise questions about the validity of this assertion.
Or
(b) “Works of literature are often layered, and may require close attention to discover their depth and complexity.” With respect to two or three of the works you have studied, show how valid this view is.
Or
(c) “A writer conveys not only experiences but a whole world in which these are possible.” With respect to two or three works you have studied, discuss whether the author has created a coherent, imagined “world”.
Or
(d) In what ways and to what effect have writers in your study made use of illustrative elements such as anecdotes, analogies, allusions and the like in their works?
TEST ON MONDAY: 04 FEBRUARY:
Choose any one from the list. Prepare a draft /mindmap and write the whole answer or prepare and write a draft and write a detailed mind map--choice is yours. However make sure your answer can be examined through all the criteria in the MS. Sending you the MS through mail.
btw: did any one see the earlier draft of this post? those questions have disappeared:( writing again!
May 2012: TZ2
Choose any 1
Drama:
1.”Some plays excite our emotions; others make us think;
others do both.” In the light of this statement compare at least two plays you
have studied.”
2. Violent or threatening behavior can be presented to an audience
in different ways. Compare the ways in which at least two play wrights you have
studied have presented violence and/or threat s, and comment on the success or
otherwise of their methods.
General Questions on Literature:
3. “ Writers very often try to convey the familiar in novel
ways.” Discuss this statement with reference to works b at least two writers
you have studied considering both ideas and techniques , and their contribution
to the works as a whole.
4. Although writers often claim they do not try to moralise,
almost every work contains a moral issue. To what extent, in what ways and to
what effect have the authors of at least two works you have studied explored a
moral issue?
5. “Writers may structure their works to maximize the effects
they wish to produce.” Discuss this statement with reference to works by at
least two writers you have studied, analyzing the use of structure and its
effects.
6. “Liberty and security are potentially contradictory aims.”
With reference to works by at least two writers ytou have studied,
consider how far and to what effect they
effect they present this idea.
Revision Day 5& 62007 November TZ1
Drama
1. Either
(a) “The compulsion to talk,” to tell one’s story, or the stories of others might be seen as
very important to the construction of plays. How far has the telling of stories been important
to at least two plays you have studied and how have the “stories” been effectively delivered
through theatre?
Or
(b) The climax of a dramatic work does not always occur in a fixed or expected place.
Comparing at least two works you have studied, discuss the placement of the climactic moment
of the plays and the effects on dramatic action.
General Questions on Literature
5. Either
(a) How and with what effect have seasons and weather been used in at least two of the works you
have studied?
Or
(b) The presence of pairs, or of doubles and doubling often appears in works of art. How and for
what purposes have at least two writers in your study made effective use of such patterns?
Or
(c) In what ways have the materials of the sciences been used by writers to enhance the literary
elements of their works? Refer closely to at least two works you have studied.
Or
(d) “Books,” according to one writer, “mold character, enforce patriotism, and provide a healthy
way to pass a leisurely hour.” By direct reference to at least two of your works, discuss the
ways in which one or more of these purposes appears, as well as your view of their importance
in the total effect of the work.
revision day 7,8
May 2008 TZ1
Drama
1. Either
(a) “What is drama but life with the dull bits cut out?” To what extent do you find this
statement applicable in at least two plays you have studied?
Or
(b) A dramatist often creates a gap between what the audience knows and what the
characters know. With reference to at least two plays, discuss how and to what effect dramatists
have used this technique.
General Questions on Literature
5. Either
(a) “Why won’t writers allow children simply to be children?” Discuss the presentation and
significance of children, or the state of childhood, in at least two works you have studied in the
light of this complaint.
Or
(b) It is said that writers are the conscience of the world. In what ways have at least two of the
works you have studied encouraged you to appreciate or question this assertion?
Or
(c) “ Art is a lie that makes us realise the truth.” Discuss at least two works you have studied in
light of this statement, and say how far you would agree with it.
Or
(d) “Although doubt is not a pleasant condition, certainty is an absurd one.” In the light of this
statement, explore the impressions of doubt and/or certainty conveyed in at least two works
you have studied.
Day 9, 10
M08/1/A1ENG/HP2/ENG/TZ2/XX :
Drama
1. Either
(a) “Comedy exposes human weakness; tragedy reveals human strength.” How and to what extent
does this claim apply to at least two of the plays you have studied?
Or
(b) A change in status of the characters in a play (a success, for example, a loss or exposure) helps
to convey the ideas and/or values of the dramatist. How and to what extent has change in status
contributed in this way to at least two of the plays you have studied?
General Questions on Literature
5. Either
(a) Some writers make us see people’s lives through the lens of nostalgia. In what ways have
writers used nostalgia in at least two of the works you have studied?
Or
(b) Urban settings are often portrayed as “spiritual wastelands”. To what extent, if at all, and
by what means, have at least two of the works you have studied presented urban settings in
such a way?
Or
(c) Images of sickness, both real and metaphorical, can reflect corruption in individuals
and/or society. To what degree and to what effect is this evident in at least two of the works
you have studied?
Or
(d) “All Art is quite useless.” With close reference to at least two of the texts you have studied
discuss and give reasons for the extent to which you agree or disagree with this statement
days 11,12
N08/1/A1ENG/HP2/ENG/TZ0/XX
Drama
1. Either
(a) “It is through speech primarily that a dramatist reveals who his characters are.”
Using at least two works you have studied, show how far you can agree that this is a valid
statement about the writing of plays.
Or
(b) The audience’s expectation and the fulfilment or reversal of expectation are both used
by playwrights. How have at least two of the plays you have studied satisfied or disappointed
expectation, and with what effect?
General Questions on Literature
5. Either
(a) The description of people or places or events in literary works is likely to be more than
just decoration. Compare several instances in at least two of the works you have studied
where description has had a crucial effect on the work.
Or
(b) The courage to think or speak or act differently from others is often at the heart of literature.
In what ways have at least two writers you have studied presented such choices?
Or
(c) Literature frequently “challenges the barriers that prejudice erects”. How convincingly have
at least two writers in your study presented such barriers and with what effect have they
been opposed?
Or
(d) “In literature, names are never wasted.” In at least two works you have studied, discuss the
ways writers use names in their works to achieve their larger purpose.
days 13, 14
M09/1/A1ENG/HP2/ENG/TZ2/XX
Drama
1. The success of any drama depends on the credibility of the protagonists. Referring closely to
at least two of the plays you have studied, explore to what extent and in what ways they illustrate the
truth of this statement.
2. Looking closely at one or more of the following elements: lighting, sound and music, discuss the
ways in which they can affect the presentation of ideas in at least two of the plays you have studied.
General Questions on Literature
9. Writers of literature rarely offer answers that resolve the issues they raise. To what extent and in what
ways does this statement apply to at least two of the works you have studied?
10. In what ways is the literature you have studied concerned with gaining, maintaining or losing a
paradise of some kind? Refer closely in your answer to at least two works.
11. Poetry can be prosaic and prose can be poetic. Explore this statement in relation to the varieties of
language used in at least two of the works you have studied.
12. “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” To what extent do at least two of the
the works you have studied present concepts of good and bad as a matter of perception?
days 15, 16
M09/1/A1ENG/HP2/ENG/TZ2/XX
Drama
1. In plays a character who appears briefly, or who does not appear at all, can be a significant presence,
contributing to action, developing other characters or conveying ideas. To what extent have you
found this to be true of at least two works you have studied?
2. “Drama, even in its darkest moments, underscores the strength of the human spirit.” How and to what
extent is this true of at least two of the plays you have studied?
General Questions on Literature
9. By what means and with what effect do writers establish and use tone in at least two of the works you
have studied?
10. “Reading literature is a way of walking in the footsteps of others.” By what means and to what effect
do at least two writers you have studied help you understand the situations of others?
11. Wit and other comic devices can often add an important edge to what a writer is trying to express.
Examine the effects of such devices on the expression of ideas in at least two of the works you
have studied.
12. “Literature is the embodiment of beauty and intelligence.” To what extent is this true of at least two of the works you have studied?
Day 2 Question 1 by Sanika, Kevin and Vedya
ReplyDeleteIntroduction
The physical elements used by the playwrights in the plays Death of a Salesman and A Streetcar Named Desire contribute to understanding the work in depth. These include colors, music, shift in time and stage scenery in general. There are some common types of stage directions used by the two playwrights and these are compared in the essay.
Paragraph 1
Shift in time for DOAS
The shift in time in DOAS is extremely important due to its implications. Willy Loman, a salesman who is dismayed by his hope of American Dreams, mentally goes back to the time when every aspect of his life, especially regarding Biff, was going well. The shift in time is aided with the physical change of the stage, physically going back to the past.
Explanation- the stage direction shows that the present and the past are running concurrently. This is true for Willy because everything of his present cannot be explained without the past. This is why whenever Willy doesn’t understand why everything is not going well, he goes back to the point in the past which is implicated with today.
Music involved- cinematic effect to involve the audience of going to the past.
Paragraph 2
ASND- Colors which stand as symbols shows the nature/irony of the character
Conclusion
Both of the physical elements used in the two plays, although are of different types, are used for the purpose of characterization. The symbolic representation using colors in ASND was more obvious and easily understood while the shift in time in DOAS had to be looked into a little more closely. DOAS more effective because the stage direction explained what kind of man is Willy Loman entirely. Whereas the colors only show parts of the characters’ personalities.
question no. 2
ReplyDeleteRashmika, Bora and Samhitha
2.Writers may make repetitive use of details which become dramatically significant. Consider the use made of such repetition of detail in at least two plays and discuss te impact of the plays as a whole
discussion....
Repetition of motifs
Street car named desire- desire
desire for perfection
desire itself is an illusion
importance of being earnest- the name earnest is being repetited.
puprose of repetition
repetion is the dramatic technique which is being used in many of the play. the usage and effect of this dramatic technique has been highlighted in two of the plays we have read- streetcar named desire and IOBE
examples:
In street car name desrie:
a)Blanche mentions tram named desire.
b)all the characteers have desire
Blanche: love, happiness, somebody to depend on, beauty
Stanley: power, sexual, survival
Mitch: ideal partner, (to certain extent)sexual -fell in love because of her looks
Stella: Stanley (repetitively telling about relationships, left belle reve for Stanley)
Eunice and Steve (all the other peripheral characters have similar desire with that of Stella and Stanley)
c)title reiterate the word 'desire'
d) characters mentions the word 'desire'
Blanche: " what you are talking about is brutal desire-just-Desire!"
IBOE:
a) Cecily and Gwendolen both fall in love with the man name earnest.
b) Jack and Algy both are mistaken as Earnest
c) Two male protagonists wanted to be christened as Earnest
d) Jack turns out to have Earnest as christened name
e) the play ends with "I finally understood the grave importance of being earnest"
b) title also has the word "earnest".
Topic sentence 1: Repetition has been used to bring out the central theme of both the plays. Tennesse Wiliams and Oscar Wilde have effectively used repetition to convey his central theme. In SCND, the central theme is desire, and in IBE, it’s importance of being earnest.
Topic sentence 2: The both playwrights have designed the plot and subplot with the use of repetition. The entire story of each play is shaped by the word that is repeated.
Grusha, Arthi, and Promit
ReplyDeleteIntroduction:
Questions raised are universal, but their treatment is dependent upon the sub-genre they belong to. Both Pygmalion and SCND address class distinction, which inevitably, leads to a power struggle.
P1 topic sentence: Characterization in both the plays play an important role in establishing the class distinction which leads to the ultimate power struggle. This characterization in Pygmalion is stated explicitly in the descriptions that Shaw provides his audience. On the other hand, in SCND, the characterization is delicately integrated into the actions of the characters, such as Stanley.
P1 Evidence: Quote Shaw's description of Higgins and Mrs. Higgins.
P1 Evidence: Quote chewing gum and the walking.
P2 topic sentence: While class distinction permeates the entirety of Pygmalion, there is no concrete plot as such. The entire play is based on a series of elements and instances centered around class distinction. These elements and instances are clearly brought about by dialogue. However, in SCND, there is a very tangible plot which subtly brings about class distinction. Constant power struggle is only one of the myriad of elements that enhances the plot.
P2 Evidence: Difference in the way dialogue is used brings out class distinction which is central to the plot. While, in SCND, dialogue is used to belittle an inferior class, bringing out a power struggle which is essential to the plot. The conflicts in the plot due to the class struggle is more light-hearted in this play since it is a comedy. Characters from different social classes speak differently. i.e. Eliza vs. Higgins. However, unlike Higgins, Blanche's dialogue obviously belittles the lower class (Stanley), which constitutes to the power struggle and eventually, to the climax of the plot, which is the rape.
P3: The resolutions in the plays are entirely different. *Explain and site textual evidence, connecting it to the contrasting sub-genres*
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete(Sanika and Samhita)
ReplyDelete4. “Drama explains individuals, not relationships.” Paying close attention to how individuals and relationships are presented in two or three plays you have studied, say how far you find this statement to be true.
Plays chosen: Streetcar named Desire and Death of a Salesman
Introduction:
1. In tragedies, it is mainly explanation of individuals
2. In Death, it is about Willie and his American dream- centre point if him
3. In Streetcar, centre point is always Blanche
4. Tragic heroes have hamartia
Topic Sentence 1: In Death of Salesman, Wil, lie (the individual) is explained in terms of his likes and desires and this is done mainly through explaining his relationship with Biff and Happy
a. He moulds Biff with the view of making him achieve the American dream
b. His fluffs up both the boys’ self-esteem and lives in an illusion to shield himself from the fact that he is failing and has failed to achieve the American Dream
Topic Sentence 2: In Streetcar, Blanche’s character is developed mainly through her relationship with her sister and the men in her life.
a. Blanche flirts with all men, including her sister’s husband and shady past is also revealed through us by mentioning her encounters with unscrupulous men
b. Stella’s dialogues imply that during the time when Stella and Blanche are at Belle Rieve, Stella takes a subordinate position to Blanche.
Topic Sentence 3: In keeping with the features of tragedies, individual’s characters are explained but this is done mainly through establishing their relationships with other characters. However, purpose of play remains to neither explain individuals not relationships but to establish the climax and cause resolution by framing the downfall of tragic hero due to his hamartia.
a. Neither is Blanche’s character ‘explained’ nor are all of her relationships clear
b. Willie’s detachment from stark reality is confusing as is his curiously understanding relationship with his wife.
Conclusion
a. Give example of Macbeth as well
b. Also, summarize topic sentences and entire argument
2. To what extent can the plays you have studied be seen to have, directly or indirectly, a social or political purpose? Refer to two or three plays, exploring how they achieve their purposes.
ReplyDelete(Bora and Promitee ^^)
The topic, in other world, is:
Does author has social political purpose he wants to deliver in his play?
First purpose of Shaw is to mock the higher class.
By using Eliza and Doolittle who belong to lower class but more practical, and realistic (and perhaps, better in knowing who they are) they know what they want and use money to indulge them, not being controlled by money (like Mrs. Eynsfold Hill). And also middle class (Mrs. Pearce). They have moral..
Pickering and Mrs. Higgins who seem to be more moral than Higgins, also show they lack realistic and moral compared to lower class (in the Mrs. Higgin’s at home day)
And Also Shaw mocks the higherclass through the ball scene. Higher class gets fooled that Eliza is really a duchess. (Higher class as the ones who only focus on external appearance)
Eliza and Doolittle are used as tool to mock the higher society
But at the end they both belong to higher statum in the society
Both Eliza and Doolittle are in confused state where they are unsure and forced to do stuff they do not like.
Author is then, is mocking not only the higher class but also entire society (people) that look up to higher class that does not have any moral
continued
DeleteImportance of being earnest
Oscar Wilde's purpose was to mock the higher class and he does it:
1) by revealing the shallowness of characters' treatment of subjects, for example marriage and love (Algy).
2) By punning the word "earnest" that was mentioned in the title.-The expectation that the audience had about the pay when they first heard the title "Importance of Being Earnest" was contradicted in the play by using the word in totally different context.
3) the Moral, Manners and etiquette the audience expect to see from the higher class is crushed by Algy and Jack's bunburying (absconding from their social duties for a short period of time by taking refuge in the rural area)
4) The fact that Gwendoline likes Jack purely because of his name -Earnest (although it is a fake name Jack uses in rural area) degrades the ideology/moral of high class altogether.
5) through characters' way of solving problems- Jack and Algy eat bread and cake after instead of apologizing Cecily and Gwendolin after their fight.
6) by valuing prospective purely on their possession and title rather than characters and manners that should be given more importance -Aunt Augusta thinks Cecily should marry Algy purely on that bases and rejects Jack to be Gwendolen's husband due to his unidentified past.
Oscar's attempt to mock the higher class was successful. He mended his mockery in comedy so that audience (who were also from higher class) did not feel they were directly penalized. However, after the play, they were made to reflect their lives to see themselves in the place of Algy,
Jack, Cecily and Gwendolen.
To what extent can the plays you have studied be seen to have, directly or indirectly, a social or a political purpose. Refer to 2 or 3 plays, exploring how they achieve their purposes.
ReplyDelete2 books – Pygmalion and death of a salesman.
Both Pygmalion and DOAS directly address a social convention. Differences in social classes is an integral part of the plot in Pygmalion. DOAS is addressing the question “Does the American dream really exist?”.
Catharsis in a social satire like Pygmalion occurs when the flaws of the social conventions are exaggerated to such an extent that their foolishness becomes blatantly obvious and the foolishness purges out. Catharsis in a tragedy like DOAS occurs when consequences of social conventions are very realistically portrayed.
Para one: Exploring characterization
Pygmalion: Two major techniques used in characterization: Dialogue and detailed description of the setting around the character.
Evidence1: Quote Higgins’ introduction and Eliza’s introduction.
Evidence2: Quote dialogues of Higgins and Eliza. Quote dialogues about how Eliza speaks after her training. Show how her self-confidence is reflected in the way she speaks.
Bernard Shaw exaggerates the mannerisms of stereotypical characters representing different classes of the society in order to highlight the nuances of the social conventions.
DOAS: Realistic portrayal of characters. Dialogue used for this.
Evidence: Quote typical American phrases used.
Para 2: Plot
Pygmalion: The plot is twisted to make a point. For example in the real world, a person like Higgins would not have taught Eliza. Give 2 more examples. So at times, it seems unreal.
DOAS: The plot is a series of instances that could happen to any normal American salesman.
Part 3: Climax/ resolution
Pygmalion: The ending is twisted unrealistically to make a point about the Pygmalion myth and how people cannot be altered merely by a change in dialect and social habits.
DOAS: The ending seems more natural. This leads to greater cathartic effect.
Though Pygmalion is certainly entertaining, DOAS is more believable. Hence the message is stronger. Therefore the social purpose is achieved better in DOAS.
To what extent can the plays you have studied be seen to have, directly or indirectly, a social or political purpose? Refer to two or three plays, exploring how they achieve their purposes.
ReplyDeleteBy Vedya and Kevin
Intro
Plays often contain a political or social message which may pertain to the period it depicts. In such plays the social motives are usually layered in the background inconspicuously or sometimes even play a key role in the development of the plot. For the purpose of the essay, Pygmalion written by George Bernard Shaw and Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller will be used.
Para 1
In Pygmalion there are various classes which appear and their implications are symbolized by the characters- Pickering for the upper class, Mrs.Pearce standing for the middle class and finally, Alfred Doolittle for the lower class. The dynamics of the relationships between the three classes has an underlined social tone.
Ex. The upper class males (Higgins and Pickering) think of transforming Eliza as a game without thinking about the consequences. It is only Eliza (and Mrs. Higgins) herself who realizes the importance of keeping an individuality of her own until the end. This puts Eliza in an intellectually and emotionally higher ground which is ironic.
Para 2
DOAS: Arthur Miller brings to the surface a social issue,not political.
Tries to show a common character of the society and reveals the depth of character which has been brushed aside by the society. Turns a common man into a tragic hero- Realism.
Technique: 1.How the protagonist is treated. Ex. The confrontation with Howard and how he calls Willy a "kid." Repeated when Bernard calls him a "kid"
2.His mental state shown clearly through stage direction.
3.His tendency to go back to the past to the point which is the cause of today's situation. Ex. Willy goes back to the memory of Biff witnessing Willy's affair when he tries to figure out why Biff turned out to be so different from the expectation.
4. various POVs - Out of all Linda is who adds the 'tragic hero' angle to Willy.
Para 3
Pygmalion, also carries a political motive - Socialism
Technique: 1.putting Bernard's words in Alfred Doolittle's mouth
2.Eliza's character- self-sufficient, women, even takes care of man (Freddie)
DOAS has its background as Realism and Arthur Miller achieves this very effectively by creating a character so close to the real image. It is done very naturally. On the other hand, Pygmalion is rather manipulative for it is evident that Shaw sometimes puts his own words and opinions in his characters' mouths. Also, some parts of the play are indirectly shown. However, this does not lessen the effect of the message Shaw wanted to give across as the dialogues of his characters often contained logical and critical judgment of the society. Skipping of the parts perhaps may have made it even more effective because all the messages had to be presented in just five Acts. The flow of the story may not be natural but the transition is smooth because of its genre of Comedy (absurd things can happen).
The climax of a dramatic work does not always occur in a fixed or expected place.
ReplyDeleteComparing at least two works you have studied, discuss the placement of the climactic moment of the plays and the effects on dramatic action.
A street car named desire is written by Tennesse Williams and the Death of the sales man is written by Oscar Wilde.
A street car named desire:
Climax: scene where Blanche gets raped by Stanley, her sister’s husband.
This was unexpected because:
Although Blanche was longing for man’s attention and love, Stanley was never a subject of sexual desire because he was her sister’s husband – “It’s your husband.. it’s not me”(not sure of exact quote line)
When Stanley comes back from hospital leaving Stella there, he suggests blanche to “bury hatchets” and be friends again. He is in happy mood, and he momentarily forgets about his desire for power.
Death of a salesman
Climax: scene where wily recalls the moment when Biff found out about a woman he had apart from his wife. –It’s climax because his Wily’s question about why biff and Happy are not successful is fully answered. The guilt burdens on him
Not expected because:
Biff respects his father even after the incident
Linda does not know about it
Everyone is unaware about it
“The compulsion to talk,” to tell one’s story, or the stories of others might be seen as very important to the construction of plays. How far has the telling of stories been important to at least two plays you have studied and how have the “stories” been effectively delivered through theatre?
ReplyDeleteDramas in general, and tragedies in specific tell a story. Sometimes the story is very obvious, like in SCND. The rising action is evident as one event logically leads up to the other leading to the climax, the rape. In the course of telling the story, themes like desire and class distinction are explored. However is some dramas, the rising action does not lead up to the climax as evidently, like in DOAS. The events are more scattered and describe different parts of Willy Loman’s life. Yet in retrospection, as one reaches the climax, the point at which Willy is fired, one begins to see very clearly how all the events are connected logically to tell the story of a common salesman, Willy Loman.
The first step of any story telling process is to establish characters and their relationship with each other. In SCND, the protagonist, Blanche and the antagonist, Stanley, are flat characters. We see both of them from a neutral POV. This makes the contrast between them very obvious and makes the conflict very evident. On the other hand, Willy Loman is a round character. We see not only Willy from his POV, but also from the POV of other characters. This rounded perspective makes it evident to the audience what Willy himself cannot see – how he is his own antagonist. Since the antagonist is not as blatant as in SCND, the conflict, and the reason for the conflict is not as obvious. Since conflict is not as apparent, unlike in SCND, it is not very obvious what is the rising action in reference to the context and how it leads to the climax.
Another reason why SCND’s plot is easier to follow, is because the characters and their relationship with each other is more or less static. Hence the characters don’t do anything very uncharacteristic of them at any point in the play. This consistency is brought out by consistent non-verbal actions in general and also in specific interactions with each other. Blanche’s instinctive flirtatious manner around men, her appearance of delicacy and acting like the ‘damsel in distress’ is consistent in several situations throughout the play. Similarly in several instances throughout the play Stanley showcases an animalistic need to establish power and territory. This is evident when he rummages through Blanche’s suitcase without her permission, whacks Stella on her thigh in front of his friends and when he enters the room and breaks the stereo. Even the rape in the climax is consistent with this animalistic desire for power. Stella as a character is also static. It is her static nature, her faith and fidelity to Stanley that does not permit her to face reality, leading to the resolution where she sends Blanche away to a mental asylum. Even in DOAS the protagonist, Willy Loman, is a static character. However, his son Biff, is a dynamic character. It is his dynamism towards the end which allows him to break past the expectations and face reality. As a result, he confronts Willy, during which process, Willy realizes that Biff actually loves him. This realization combined with Willy’s static nature of overly optimistic nature, clinging onto every improbable strand of hope, leads to the resolution of the conflict where Willy commits suicide so that Biff could inherit all the insurance money.
Continued..
ReplyDeleteOnce the characters have been established, the next step is to decide the mode of narration – how the audience is made aware of the various events that contribute to the plot. Both the plays use not only a combination of interactions of the characters in the present but also flashbacks to provide information about past events, which help the audience make sense of these present events. However the nature of flashbacks is very different in both the plays. In DOAS, the flashbacks are so integrated into the story, and often a combination of several memories, that it is often difficult to distinguish the present with the past. For example the memory where Willy tells Linda how much he loved her, suddenly changes into his memory of the woman he had the affair with. These memories are not necessarily factual, and are often mental constructions to justify his past actions. This is evident by contradictory claims at several points in the play like “Chevrolet Linda is the greatest car that was ever built” and “ That god-damn Chevrolet! They should prohibit its manufacture”. This adeptly describes Willy’s state of mind where he finds in difficult to live in the present because he is lost in his perception of how the past was and the present should be. Hence the flashbacks form Willy’s character and the plot in DOAS. In SCND, the flashbacks are not so descriptive. They are introduced as background sounds, like the gunshot, or dialogues, like her interaction with her husband, that only Blanche can hear. There is also no ambiguity about the past and present. The present is always in the foreground. These flashbacks serve only to explain Blanche’s reaction to the present situation and thus enhance the plot. They don’t form the plot itself. Unlike in DOAS, the story could still be told without the flashbacks.
In conclusion, the “delivery of the story” is more coherent and unambiguous in SCND than in DOAS because of static and flat characters and a more direct and chronological mode of narration. Yet, the aim of DOAS was not to narrate a simple story. Since DOAS wanted to narrate the story of a common salesman with the American dream, the theatrical techniques used in DOAS allowed the audience to look inside Willy’s mind and made the narration more realistic and relatable to the audience.
“The compulsion to talk,” to tell one’s story, or the stories of others might be seen as very important to the construction of plays. How far has the telling of stories been important to at least two plays you have studied and how have the “stories” been effectively delivered through theatre?
ReplyDeletePlays: DOAS, SCND
Introduction
While literature as a whole involves detailed storytelling, this technique is especially significant in the construction of plays. In both Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller and A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, the art of storytelling is expertly employed, thus creating important intricacies in plot that are effectively delivered through theatre performance.
Paragraph 1 – Death of a Salesman
Statement 1: Arthur Miller, through the use of flashback as a method of storytelling, creates a refreshingly unique plot. Although, in many respects, the play lacks a concrete plot, the tragic story of a common man named Willy Loman is built up through a series of flashbacks that reveal important aspects of his personality.
Evidence 1: *quote flashbacks of Uncle Ben and of Willy’s affair*
Statement 2: While Death of a Salesman surrounds the character of Willy Loman, other characters such as Biff, Happy, and Linda are critical to the plot of the play. Thus, because these characters do not claim the foreground of the plot in the chaotic present, these characters are embellished upon only through Willy’s essential and rambling memories.
Evidence 2: *quote flashbacks of Biff when he was on the football team and of when Willy was a successful salesman and was travelling all of America*
DOAS primarily consists of a series of various flashbacks that collectively lend to a wholesome plot. Thus, through these flashbacks, Miller explores the pursuit of the American dream, and essentially, its intangibility. Through storytelling, Miller establishes a contrast between the ironically hopeful past and the hopeless present, thus creating the dramatic conflict between reality and illusion that permeates the entirety of the play.
Paragraph 2 – A Streetcar Named Desire
Statement 1: Unlike DOAS, SCND comprises of a very apparent plot. Yet, the play’s protagonist, Blanche, remains mysterious throughout the play because of her deliberate attempts to forget her past and purify herself i.e. compulsive bathing, affinity towards darkness, avoiding Stanley’s questions about the Flamingo Hotel. Thus, it is through flashbacks that Williams unveils aspects of Blanche’s personality and shadowy past, effectively contributing to the dramatic tension in the play that exists within Blanche herself.
Evidence 1: *quote flashback of the gunshot and the boy Blanche loved, dying, and her feelings about what happened*
Statement 2: The play, to a large extent, focuses on the power struggle between Blanche and Stanley i.e. the rich and the poor. While Blanche initially maintains a position of power because of her elite social status, the power struggle between the two becomes more strained and prominent after Stanley’s realization of Blanche’s tainted past through information he obtained from someone from Blanche’s shady past. Thus, this storytelling results in the growing dramatic conflict that exists between the protagonist and antagonist, and without which, the climax of the plot – the rape – would not exist.
Evidence 2: *quote Stanley telling Blanche about him knowing about her indiscretions and Blanche reacting outwardly unaffected, yet showing a slight hesitancy and fear
(b) The presence of pairs, or of doubles and doubling often appears in works of art. How and for
ReplyDeletewhat purposes have at least two writers in your study made effective use of such patterns?
Works Chosen: Importance of being Ernest and Pygmalion
• Intro
1. Pairs (a match between a 2 persons), doubles (2 symmetrical or contrasting persons) and doubling (symmetrical or contrasting behaviour or circumstances)
2. Development of such patterns in comedies is brought about by and aids
a. Use of motifs (such as diction or money or dressing) to bring out pattern
b. Development of characters (by similar and foil characters) in such a way that they represent pairs/doubles/doubling
c. To bring out the overall theme of the play (appearance vs. reality)
• Para 2
1. Going to tackle the part ‘how’ of the question
2. In Ernest and Pygmalion, motif of money and status
3. Parallelism in both used to bring out presence of pairs (Algy-Cecily, Pickering-Higgins), doubles (Cecily –Gwendolen, Higgins-Doolittle) and doubling ( Ernest is lying about name at first but then realizes everything all is true, poor girl becomes like a duchess)
• Para 3
1. Going to tackle part about ‘for what purposes’
2. This parallelism is based on motifs
3. In Ernest
a. There are problems in the algy-cecily match because of status and money and the resolution of the pairs is also because of that
b. Contrast between Cecily and Gwenolen is highlighted because of high-society (references to French maid, latest fashions etc.)
c. Lies (Bunburrying) is undertaken by Ernest to escape his duties to keep up his appearance as a guardian
4. In Pygmalion
a. Pickering-Higgins are of the same class and club together to almost ignore the existence of Eliza (lower class) as a human being
b. Higgins-Doloolitte are remarkably alike despite class difference- this helps prove point that despite difference in appearances, crux of humans is same –helps undermine class system (socialistic ideals)
c. Even though poor girl becomes duchess, her mind and thoughts remain unchanged- thus proves that classes (status, money) is superficial and is an appearance to mask the reality
• Para 4
1. (joiner) Theme of appearance and reality
2. Reiterate concisely the evaluation bit of the last para
3. Theme of appearance vs. reality has been developed differently in both- in Ernest, clear and simplistic parallelism is used to bring about theme directly and simply
4. In Pygmalion, parallelism is more complex and aids theme more implicitly
5. The latter makes play more intriguing
• Conlusion
1. Reiterate entire argument (topic sentences)
2. Compare with Much Ado About Nothing