Humanity of Shakespeare

I really enjoyed “Shakespeare Behind Bars”, and I was actually surprised at how I felt towards the inmates. What I found so interesting, is that there were moments when I nearly forgot about the fact that they were inmates and they have made poor, often horrible, gruesome choices. Many of them speak the lines very well and clear, and in the commentary they make intelligent statements. They show emotion, and understanding of The Tempest. I think it really gave me a new insight into inmates, and the life they live behind bars. The fact that they are so willing to act in this play, some even playing female roles, is truly amazing. We see this almost unexpected humanity that goes against our typical stereotypes of prisoners. Especially when we learn this is the 9th year for the Shakespeare performance.

What I think is great is how they were able to convey their characters so appropriately because of the connection they were able to make to them. This seems like a perfect testament to Shakespeare’s universality and the applications it can still have in modern narratives. If you really get down to the root of things, Shakespeare’s stories aren’t necessarily complicated. If you take out the magic and the fantasy found in certain plays you come down to basic ideas: a boy and girl in love, a jealous and treacherous friend, deceit to reach a goal. Basic human instincts and feelings are timeless.

I think a reason Shakespeare was so popular in his time, and also throughout the centuries, is because of how his plots are developed from the most basic human instincts. We may say we love Othello because of the dark plot, conspiracies, and killings, but maybe truly what attracts us so much to the story is how it emotionally relates to our lives and the society we live in. Or look at Romeo and Juliet, which was practically the prototype for teenage love. It has become so iconic because it embodies love and gives audiences a longing and connection for it.

I think one of my favorite scenes from a movie is from “Shakespeare in Love”, when the troupe is performing Romeo and Juliet. I absolutely love how attached the audience at the Globe is. For example, when Juliet (Paltrow) awakens from her sleep and the audience lets out an entire gasp, or when she asks where her love is and a woman in the crowd tearfully shouts “Dead!”. It’s that kind of connection that has allowed Shakespeare’s plays to thrive and become so famous. I’m a fan of Shakespeare, even if there are occasionally words and phrases I can’t fully understand, and perhaps it is because of this human element.

MTV Presents: The Venetian Shore

I really enjoyed reading Jonson’s play, and what I think made it such an interesting read was the amount of “dark” attributes the characters displayed, and how easy it was to connect the themes to modern day. When we think of plays from the 16th and 17th centuries, what comes to mind (initially to me at least) is class and properness, and this idea that everything back then was not nearly as scandalous and nuts as things are today. Yet this play is evidence that argues against that thought. This play is filled with greed, lust, deception, blackmail, trial, adultery, dark comedy, and backstabbing, among other things. To me, these elements sound like the perfect ingredient to a high-rating television show.

Each character can be related to a certain archetype seen in television (especially reality) that really gives it that modern appeal. Essentially, when thinking this through, I was reminded of “Not Another Teen Movie”. Volpone is the greedy, selfish socialite that isn’t afraid to be nasty to get his way. He is ultimately the bad guy who the audience roots against, and who learns his lesson at the end. Mosca is the intelligent and cunning but dependent sidekick who is full of jealousy and, initially, lacks courage to overtake the boss (Volpone). Celia is your typical pretty girl, who represents the virtuous housewife that every guy wants. Bonario I see as the hero, and the nice guy who ultimately comes out on top. The list could go on, but you get the idea. Of course, like every reality star, each character ultimately has one thing in mind: themselves, and the drama and scandal that ensues is what makes the play such a great and comedic read.

Honestly, I feel this play really would not be too difficult to modernize and make into a modern day play or perhaps even a movie. It’s been done with numerous Shakespeare plays (most notably in my mind “Hamlet” with The Lion King and “Twelfth Night” with She’s the Man). In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if something similar has already been done with “Volpone”. However, I know of nothing and to me it seems like something that would not be hard to achieve. I do not think much of the actual plot has to change, nor the characters, in terms of their attributes. Maintaining the archetypes, Jonson presents us with cookie cutter characters. The most notable change would have to be in the language. Additionally, some historical and political aspects of the plot would also have to be altered, but that goes without affecting the basic storyline.

So, in conclusion, this play gives us a taste of greed, drama, and deception of the early 17th century, and shows that today’s “wild” society may not have taken too big of a leap. What are your thoughts? Does this play have all the right ingredients for a modern dramedy?

Utopia Staged

I've been reading over a few of the posts, and generally I have to agree that, as written, Utopia could not be a successful, interesting play. There really isn't plot or characters, or even dialogue (at least in Book 2 where the main focus is). Essentially, the entire Book 2 would be setting the scene, rather than acting as one, if one were to look at it from a play perspective. However, to me, the main issue with More's Utopia is that there is no obvious conflict that would allow for a great story. There needs to be drama. Without it, an audience can't become connected and leave the theatre satisfied.

So, while Utopia as written would not be a great stage play, I think the concept presents a strong idea. I think what one would have to do to turn this into a play is add elements that would somehow develop characters and stir emotion and conflict. The Utopian society could exist as More wrote it, but something would have to cause change and difference for a successful play to work. No matter what, a stage play would have to be creative in adding elements of some sort. I took some time to brainstorm some ideas, so let me know your thoughts.

One idea would be to have Raphael as the protagonist. As it states in the book, Raphael journeyed to Utopia and stayed for 5 years. Obviously he is not a citizen of the island, so he is not accustom to their ways upon arrival. Essentially, the plot would be that Raphael begins to make connections to people in Utopia while living there, and begins to spark ideas of individuality and expression, and that there is value to ownership and a passion for career. He begins to cause conflict between citizens, who realize that there is more to life than the simplicity of Utopia. This is a more involved idea, which would require a lot of character development.

Also, I read Kristen's blog, which brings up Our Town by Thorton Wilder, one of my favorite plays, and I have to credit Kristen for inspiring this idea. A very simple 3-act play, there is nothing overly complex about it. It simply looks into the life of two American families, and the love that their children develop. However, to me, the most interesting aspect of Our Town is the third act, where we see the citizens as spirits, post life. This could be an interesting take on Utopia as well, where maybe in the first act, we witness the lives of citizens within the society, and then the second (or third) act is a look at them in the afterlife, as spirits, looking back on how they lived in Utopia. The moral of Our Town is to cherish life and value it to its fullest, and I feel a similar plot and moral could work with Utopia.

These are just two thoughts about transforming Utopia into a stage play. I'm no creative genius, so I would love to hear any thoughts/alterations/other ideas you might have.

Unique Utopia, and Ultimately Uniform

It’s always fascinating to read about Utopian societies. What’s interesting about More’s island in Utopia is the wide array of viewpoints that seem to be present in Raphael’s description. The introduction hints that More includes bits of satire within the book, so to who is this the perfect society? It’s interesting to see different aspects from different opinions coming together in the world he creates. Certain things really stuck out to me.

First of all, when Raphael was describing the government, I was immediately reminded of Athenian democracy and the similarities between the two systems. Ancient Athens was one of the founders of democracy, and having learned about how they created a whole new government structure, it was interesting to see the comparison between that and More’s Utopian government. In both, the land is divided into areas, which elect representatives to form a smaller council out of the larger population. Furthermore, in both societies, there was a presiding official elected within these smaller councils. Of course, More’s society presents some unique differences. For one, More’s government doesn’t speak of requirements or “eligibilities” for being elected to a position. Whereas ancient Athens democracy (and in fact, many government systems in the world) have requirements. For example, age limits, or what constitutes as citizenship. The only qualification, from what I can tell, is that it appears only men are able to be syphogrants/phylarchs. This was also the case in Athens.

Another interesting thing about Utopias government is the lack of a detailed court system, and the simplicity of punishment. In fact, it seems as though much is left out in this area, and generally the society is strict in enforcing punishment for wrongdoings. There is no jail, at least not that I could make out, which is such a unique item within itself, and the fact that a crime results in slavery seems so obscure. The reliance on the hierarchy within each household to chastise members for “less grave” crimes shows how honest the society is.

Another aspect of the Utopian society worth taking a look at is religion. For the time period (and the author) it is odd at how accepting More makes the society of various religions. Especially in 16th Century England, where tolerance was nowhere near where it is today. I suppose that the foundation of religion is key to their society, which is why the only group they seem against are atheists. If someone believes this life is all there is, living in a world where you have no choices and little freedom to pursue passions would be rough.

This whole idea, again, fascinates me, and makes me think if a world like this Utopia is something that should be strived for. My ultimate answer would be no. We have come so far as a world, and as a country. The thing lacking from Utopia, which I find so crucial to life, is individuality. The things that make life so great are excluded from the Utopian description, such as music, expression, art, etc. While the systems and the ideas may seem wonderful, the actual life may not be.

Letter to Friend at Delaware

Below is my letter. I apologize that it is backwards, but the only means I had of taking a picture and getting it to my computer was by using Photobooth. So I typed out the entire letter underneath.




Dear Carrie,
How are you? Hope things are going well at Delaware. It is sad to be missing out on my last semester on campus.However, NYC is great and I'm happy with my decision to intern here. I think career wise it was a smart move. Speaking of careers, have you found anything? It probably wont' be too difficult to find something in nursing. Me, on the otherhand... I haven't really found anything yet. And frankly,don't know where to begin!
In all honesty, I have contemplated moving to LA. It's where the industry is, and I think I would really love it there. But is it a good idea? Here, on the east coast, is where my family is, and where my friends are. I know no one in LA, or even California for that matter! I'm worried it would be too large of a risk, and I wouldn't live up to my expectations. It's kind of been my plan (and dream), but I just find myself torn.
I guess overall, I'm a bit nervous/anxious about the whole idea of moving on into the "Real World". It's almost like we've been living in this bubble, with little worries and lots of fun. And now it has to pop and expose us. We won't have the comfort of friends next door, or advisors to calm our nerves. Is this just me? Don't get me wrong, I want to start a career, a life. It's just getting started...
Well, I miss you, and hopefully I'll be able to visit soon and we can hit up Main St ( I hear there is a Chipotle now?!). If not, I'll see you in Lancaster over the summer for Mollie's wedding. Keep in touch.
Best,
Matt

Donne: A Life Reflected in Poetry

It is always interesting to see how a writer’s life may have influenced his or her works. Looking back this week, I have taken the time to look more closely into John Donne’s biography found in the anthology, and look at how his life was mirrored by elements in his poetry. As the biography suggests, Donne’s works present a variety of meaning and attitude, which is most likely a result of the various events and feelings Donne experienced.

Donne had a roller-coaster of a life, and perhaps one of the more unique aspects of it is his secret marriage to Ann More, which resulted in the birth of 12 children. After learning of this, one might gain a different understanding of his poem, “The Flea”. Certainly a poem filled with lust, perhaps it was also a reflection of Donne’s secret love life. The woman in the poem gives off a sense of hesitation, perhaps as a 17 year old niece of the Lord Keeper might act. The speaker of the poem notes the criticism the lovers may face, and the fact that their acts may come off as sacrilegious. Furthermore, the footnotes suggest aspects of the poem may refer to pregnancy, and, again, we know that Donne had numerous children with Ann.

The lust of early poems changes into love as we move onto poems such as “The Good-Morrow”. Donne remained married to Ann for 16 years, until her death, so it seems clear their love was true, and not simply an act to satisfy culture. Evidenced in the lines:
“My face in thine eye, thine in mine appears,
And true plain hearts do in the faces rest;
Where can we find two better hemispheres,
Without sharp North, without declining West.”
Another poem full of love is “The Sun Rising”, which again combines worldly imagery with the theme of love and togetherness. The personification of the sun gives cheerful play to Donne’s love with Ann, and it is clear by reading the poem that they are happy in their marriage.

As happy as Donne’s marriage with Ann was, it came with moments of sadness and grief. Despite the birth of twelve children, there were also stillbirths. In addition, Ann passed away after the last stillbirth. Images of darkness and sadness are reflected in some of Donne’s later poems. Titles such as “The Apparition”, “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning”, and “The Funeral”, we see a clear change from “The Good-Morrow” and “The Sun Rising”. One interesting thing I noticed was that again in “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning”, Donne again uses this image of spheres as he did in “Good-Morrow”. Yet this time rather than being a good fit, he describes them as having “trepidation”, or movement. Almost as if the spheres that were so perfect together before have been torn.

A last point to look at is religion in Donne’s life. Obviously a huge part of his upbringing, it does not seem as though he was truly religious until later in his life. In looking at his poetry, this idea could hold true, seeing as there is not a huge focus on religion or even religious statements in some of his poems. This is then countered in the Holy Sonnets, where religion is the base.

Shakespeare Sonnets: The Whole Picture

In my high school chamber choir, we sang Sonnet 18 ("Shall I compare thee"). It was set to gorgeous music, and I always had an image in my mind while singing the sonnet of this girl sitting in some beautiful open field. Yet I have never taken the time to sit down and read a large collection of Shakespeare's sonnets before. So I was intrigued when reading the introduction and discovering that the person addressed in the sonnets is intended to be a male, rather than a female. So naturally, my image of this girl sitting in a field was shattered as I re-read through Sonnet 18.

It made me consider how important it is to read the sonnets as a unit, rather than individual poems. If one were to read a single sonnet, the general point and theme of the sonnet could be understood. Yet not until you place it into context with the other sonnets can you fully grasp the meaning and gain new insight. The language makes it so easy to get caught up in an idea and stick to that idea, and it becomes common to overlook the details. Therefore, when looking at the entire set as a story, as the introduction suggests, you are able to better see where the narrator is coming from. For example, one of the more interesting sonnets to me was Sonnet 20. After realizing that Shakespeare is addressing a man in the early sonnets, it becomes clear that there is love and admiration for that man. Sonnets 15 and 20 are full of youthful love and praise. So when I got to Sonnet 20, I found the discussion about women versus men unique. It seems as though he likes certain womanly attributes that the young man has. An interesting sonnet about gender and love.

Of course, after reading the series of sonnets, one has to wonder how directly they apply to Shakespeare himself. Or rather, if the feelings and themes portrayed in the sonnets accurately reflect Shakespeare's life. I am certainly not a Shakespeare expert, but from the intro I do know he was married and had children. Of course, marriage and homosexuality were looked upon completely different in that time. It would be difficult to know for sure if the sonnets he wrote here are of truth to his own life. Perhaps they are, and the rumors and speculations are true. Yet maybe they are not, and the sonnets are simply art for art's sake, with no deeper, outside meaning. Maybe the mystery and speculation is what makes the sonnets so unique and intriguing.

Regardless, the language and style of the sonnets is classic and it would be hard to argue that Shakespeare was less than fascinating.

Lyric Sequence: Adele - 21

Recently at my internship, I had the chance to observe a live concert for a webcast featuring Adele. She released her second album, "21", last week, and I she was simply amazing to listen to. Such a powerful voice, and her new album shows personal growth from her first album. It is a perfect fit as an example of a lyrical sequence. The theme of love is consistent throughout, and deals with love lost. The album conveys the emotional stages of a failing relationship, and the overall narrative proves to be an emotional journey. In the opening number, "Rolling in the Deep" (embedded below), the singer shows resentment towards her ex-lover. She states how they "could have had it all", and expresses how he is losing out.



As the album continues, the singer embodies various feelings towards the breakup, contemplating the relationship that was. The final number, "Someone Like You" (embedded below) is a powerful ballad that wraps up the album. We see a sort of contradiction from "Rolling in the Deep", which opened the album, as the singer ultimately is saddened by the failed relationship. Her ex found someone new to love, and she wishes she too can find someone, realizing she must move on, "wishing only the best" for her ex, and hoping she can be lucky enough to find "someone like you".




*Note, this version is especially powerful and unique, as we hear Adele's own account of the song and album. She sings it here live from her house.

If you enjoy what you hear, I highly recommend listening to other tracks on the album, including "Turning Tables" and "Lovesong" (which is a cover version of an original song by The Cure).

Blog Created

Test post for my newly created blog. Since I don't have too much to write yet regarding Brit Lit, instead enjoy this link:

http://www.inbflat.net/