Max characterisation - The Homecoming
Max characterisation Pinter presents Max as the dispossessed alpha male, fighting in an ethological battle against his 3 sons. His attempts to retain his power are unsuccessful as his questions and insults are, for the most part, completely ignored. He feels unheard in his own home as he asks "do you hear what I'm saying? I'm talking to you"; he has become subordinate and has lost his dominance. Seen as a patriarchal interrogator and intimidator in his younger years, highlighted by him entering the play with a question "what have you done with the scissors?" and telling stories about his 'glory days', Max uses exclamations, expletives and questions to try to draw out those around him. Feminising his brother and sons, by calling them insults such as "whore" and "slutbitch", Max tries to regain ground in the power struggle between the Hackney predators. By calling Sam a "bitch" he not only emasculates him but also attacks his suspected homosexuality. Max's reminiscence of when he and MacGregor "were two of the worst hated men" he attempts to instill fear and trepidation among those listening to his story and to scare Lenny into submission. His speech is reminiscent of that given by Ronnie Kray, infamous London thug in the 50s/60s, who said he and his brother were "fucking untouchable". His language register is similar to that of Max, pugilistic, aggressive and filled with
Explore Shepards use of setting, lighting and sound effects in Fool for Love; how do these elements enhance the action of the play?
Explore Shepard's use of setting, lighting and sound effects in Fool for Love; how do these elements enhance the action of the play? Within Shepard's play 'Fool for Love' his use of setting, lighting and sound effects all have an impact on the audience. All these background uses are used to enhance the actions that are carried out throughout the play; the effects highlight the key importance of the actions to show that they represent an emotion or feeling. Within the beginning of the play Shepard has a detail amount of stage directions, which are based upon mainly the lighting and setting. "Low rent hotel room... Faded green plaster walls... Dark brown linoleum flooring... faded blue chenille bedspread." The setting informs the audience that because the play is set within a motel room this can be seen as the link to the past where May's life was always changing and how May has never been able to settle in life causing her to live within a cheap lifestyle. The setting within Shepard's opening scene can be seen as a link towards Tennessee Williams play 'Streetcar named Desire', Within his opening scene which is set within the street where there is a sense of decay within the background with the decompositions of the buildings. However within the opening scene the setting contrasts with the use of sound and music. 'Merle Haggard's tune "wake up"' this is a pop song which are
My Last Duchess' we experience the view that the male should have the main role in relationships, in 'La Belle Dame Sans Merci' we hear of a relationship where the woman is in total control
What differing views and experiences of male-female relationships do you find in these poems, and how do the poets effectively express them? In the three poems we experience three different views of how male-female relationships should take place. In 'My Last Duchess' we experience the view that the male should have the main role in relationships, in 'La Belle Dame Sans Merci' we hear of a relationship where the woman is in total control of the man and has all the power. Finally in 'A Woman to Her Lover' we hear the view that both men and women should have an equal amount of power and no one should be dominant. In 'My Last Duchess' the thoughts of a very possessive and arrogant Duke of Ferrara are shared. He expected his wife to behave in a very conservative manner and wanted her to treat others as inferior. The Duke shows his position of power in the poem by referring to her as; 'My Last Duchess'. The Duke uses the possessive pronoun 'My' which shows that the Duke doesn't want anyone else to enjoy his wife's company and he wants her all to himself. This shows that he has power over his wife as he refers to her as a belonging; it also shows that he is arrogant as well as dominant. Furthermore, we can see that the word 'last' implies that the Duke had previous wives; it also suggests that she is his duchess no more and so something must have happened to her. As a result
Troy Maxson, the main character in August Wilsons critically acclaimed play Fences, talks about his father who was never there for him when he was a kid. Born in the southern United States, where African- Americans were racially discriminated during th
Oh Father, Where Art Thou? Thy Son Awaits Troy Maxson, the main character in August Wilson's critically acclaimed play Fences, talks about his father who was never there for him when he was a kid. Born in the southern United States, where African- Americans were racially discriminated during the time, Troy's father was evil and tortured him. He feels that he has been really supportive for his kids and he is what his father had never been to him. Troy grew up with a father who thought putting food on the table and roof over the head was the only thing a father has to do for his family. Despite Troy's attempt to be unlike his father, his style of talking to the kids and ordering them to respect him makes him exactly like his father. Fences, is not necessarily about how history repeats itself, but also how a person's past influences their life and decisions. Troy's father didn't support the family like a normal father did. His father, Maxson Sr. was there only to support his family basic needs; food on the table and roof over their heads. His father was never there for him or his family. Troy talks about his father being evil because of which nobody could withstand him and also his mother leaving him when he was young because of his father's evilness. He says: My mama couldn't stand him. Couldn't stand that evilness. She ran off when I was eight. She sneaked off one night
Remind yourself of Act III Scene 1, Consider the dramatic significance of this episode and what it tells audience about eighteenth century views of marriage
Remind yourself of Act III Scene 1, from line 167, where Lady Teazle enters, to the end of the scene. Consider the dramatic significance of this episode in the play and what it tells the audience about eighteenth century views of marriage. Within this scene Sheridan further develops his characters with particular focus on Sir Peter Teazle who is largely exposed in his role as companion to Rowley and Sir Oliver, guardian to Charles, Joseph and Maria and also as husband to Lady Teazle. His stubbornness is revealed throughout, demonstrated by his ill-feelings for Charles, officious behaviour toward Maria and culminates with his inability to control his temper when bickering with his wife. And yet, in spite of such an unfavourable conduct, it is difficult for the audience to harbour any real resentment for the 'old dangling bachelor'. He might lose the ongoing verbal battles with Lady Teazle, but succeeds in gaining a degree of sympathy as we are privy to yet another of his sentimental asides concerning, but in the absence of his wife, 'How happy I should be if could tease her into loving me, though but a little'. Despite commencing as a reconciliatory and almost nostalgic exchange 'Yes, yes you were as kind and attentive - ' '..so I was, I would always take your part when my acquaintance used to abuse you..', its rapid descent into yet another passionate quarrel between Sir
Discuss Pinters dramatic presentation of Ruth in The Homecoming
st November 2010 The Homecoming * Discuss Pinter's dramatic presentation of Ruth in The Homecoming Surrealistically representing the pugilistic life of a pack of 'Hackney predators', Pinter portrays the mounting conflict within the tribe as each male fights for the Alfa position, with the reward of the lone female, Ruth. Embroidered with elaborately hidden meanings, pregnant pauses and ellipses, this play strips the characters of the outside shell of etiquette and politesse associated with society and left with only language as an attempt to cover the nakedness of their animalistic cores. These characteristics are recognized through the 'Pinteresque' themes of nameless menace, erotic fantasy, obsession and jealousy, family hatred, and mental disturbance. The plot follows the course of Teddy returning home with his wife, Ruth, and her journey in to 'take on' the pack and eventually take over the role of Queen Bee. During the course of the drama, she exacts her revenge on Teddy in leaving him for his family of sexually screwed up 'butchers'. Teddy and Ruth's arrival from America is symbolically representative of Teddy's homecoming after nine years away. He returns married with a 'Doctorship of Philosophy' and supposedly father of three sons, although later questioned by Max, 'all yours, Ted?', suggesting Ruth is, as ever, unfaithful and a prostitute. 'Are you tired?'
How does the opening of Alan Bennetts The History Boys introduce the audience to the themes and concerns of the play?
The opening of The History Boys introduces the theme of Hector and Irwin's opposing educational philosophies, displaying to the audience a theme that is pivotal in determining many of he events that arise later in the play. The character's educational philosophies are also represented as the tragic hero and the anti-hero. Hector's want for his students to be enriched by education and mature into well-rounded human beings becomes his downfall as the tragic hero. Irwin becomes the anti-hero and antagonist for Hector's love of education by teaching the boys to cheat their way, ultimately to top qualifications. This disruption within the balance of education sets way for the boys to decide whether they will become 'thoughtful or smart' adults. The play begins with a prolepsis showing Irwin in a wheelchair, in his forties, where he describes to MPs his idea for the abolishment of the regular justice system to undertake one that resembles punishment in schools. This introduction to the plot runs parallel to Bennett's introduction of Irwin's educational philosophy. The association of education within politics reflects Irwin's meretricious way of teaching. He is represented in the scene to be spin doctor for a group of MPs in the 2000s, where his job is associated with using facts and arguments that would satisfy the public, rather than display an entirely truthful aspect of
Re-read Act 1 Scene 7 of Murmuring Judges. Discuss the effects of Hare's use of dramatic techniques and stagecraft in this extract and elsewhere in the play.
Re-read Act 1 Scene 7 of 'Murmuring Judges'. Discuss the effects of Hare's use of dramatic techniques and stagecraft in this extract and elsewhere in the play. In Act 1 Scene 7 of 'Murmuring Judges, David Hare uses dramatic techniques in a multitude of ways with varying effect on the audience, predominantly to communicate social messages. At the beginning of the scene, Gerard is isolated by the departure of characters and changes in lighting. The fact that "the lights on stage change in silence" symbolises Gerard's subsequent inauspicious future, because it is as though he is being condemned by the lack of light, and therefore lack of hope. Consequently, the audience perceives Gerard's plight and sympathises with his solitary, hopeless status. The stage directions dictate that Barry is in "exactly the same position," with work "overflowing in front of him." Hare's intended effect is to convey to the audience the excessive bureaucracy faced by the police, which they are receptive to because it is a visually salient feature of Barry's section of the scene. He is likewise isolated due to that the police station is "empty", communicating to the audience his marginalisation from the rest of the police force because of his corrupt methods and attitudes. The audience grows sympathy for him as a result, because, although he uses unorthodox and illicit ways of solving crime (namely
Do you agree that Yeats creates a scene of tragic intensity in Purgatory, or is the play too short and the characters too thinly evinced for this to be the case?
"I have a one act scene in my head, a scene of tragic intensity." :- Yeats Do you agree that Yeats creates a scene of tragic intensity in Purgatory, or is the play too short and the characters too thinly evinced for this to be the case? The play Purgatory was written in 1938 by Yeats as a single-scene play revolving around the idea of tragic intensity. Yeats was a philosophical writer, choosing meaningful subject matters to discuss in his work. In this case, he chose to symbolise the destruction of Ireland created by the controversy of religion after being inspired by other plays such as Shakespeare's Hamlet and using the definitions set out by Aristotle after he studied the elements that made up a great tragedy. In order to create a successful tragedy, Yeats used the Aristotelian unities: time, action and place. The timing of the play ensures a strong plausibility as the action is all dealt with in real-time, therefore reducing the imagination needed on behalf of the audience increasing the plausibility. The setting throughout the play is in a confined place upon the stage with very few changes made, allowing little release of tension. This intimate setting forces closeness between the characters and audience: though it finishes with the Old Man abandoning the scene leaving it desolate. The complexity of Shakespeare's Hamlet, there are more precise actions and plot in
The History Boys Essay
"The History Boys" is about eight boys of high academic abilities who are preparing to sit the Oxbridge entry exam. They are taught by two homosexual teachers, Hector and Irwin, who have total different teaching strategies. Hector is an older man with strong feelings towards poetry and has no particular teaching program and gropes his students and it seems that the boys don't really enjoy it though at the end it shows that they are quite ok with that. Irwin, a much younger man, is more sensible about teaching. He is the new teacher that has been taken in to teach the students about how to stand out between their competitors with getting into Oxford. There is quite some competition between both the teachers with Hector being older and Irwin being more attractive and being very close in age with the boys. "He does, depressingly so"1 Hector seems very jealous and depressed at the fact that the new teacher Irwin is clever. This means that there is even more competition for Hector and that if he wants to impress the boys, he needs to work harder. Irwin is obviously younger and even more attractive than Hector which could make things even more complicated for Hector. Hector is clearly gay and gropes his students, but what the students do not know is that Irwin too is gay. Hector obviously has realised that the students don't really mind him groping them as they are not