Examine the relationship between Volpone and Mosca in Acts I and II of the Ben Jonson play "Volpone"; to what extent is Volpone presented as the dominant partner?
Examine the relationship between Volpone and Mosca in Acts I and II; to what extent is Volpone presented as the dominant partner? During The Argument at the beginning of the play the audience is told that, although the play's title is 'Volpone', the play is mostly centred on 'his parasite', Mosca, and the cross-plots he 'weaves' as he 'assures' and 'deludes' the other characters. Despite this, Volpone is not entirely submissive. There are several occasions where he is the stronger, commanding character, and throughout the play there are some elements of permanent authority, which cannot be overlooked. As stated in 'The Persons of the Comedy', Volpone is a 'Magnifico', an entrepreneur who would be socially higher than his parasite, Mosca, and therefore better educated than him. This good education is seen in Act II Scene ii as Volpone speaks as the mountebank, Scoto of Mantua. Although it is unknown who contrived the plot, although it is assumed to be Mosca as he suggests the disguise, Volpone uses scientific language, such as 'mal caduco' and 'hernia ventosa', to convince the crowd to buy his oil, even calling in 'Oglio del Scoto'. Even if Mosca had created the idea, he would have been unable to use such language to make the crowd believe Volpone was Scoto, and therefore he is reliant on Volpone's knowledge to help carry out his plans. This social dominance on Volpone's
In Lorcas Play The House of Bernada Alba examine Religion throughout the play and the significance it has.
In Lorcas Play - 'The House of Bernada Alba' examine Religion throughout the play and the significance it has. 'The house of Bernada Alba' was written by Garcia Lorca in the 20th century before the beginning of the Spanish civil war. Lorca uses the play to describe what it was like for women living at the time of the civil war. The play is about a family of women in which all the daughters all love the same man, a marriage is planned between the oldest daughter Angustias and the man, Pepe el Romano, however this marriage is for money not for love, Pepe actually loves Adela. In the play there is a strong male influence however no men actually speak in the play, it always shows men to be outside in the open whilst the women cooped up inside in the house. This shows that women at the time the play was written were oppressed and weren't aloud to be 'free'. In the play we see a lot of religion however we dont see much Christianity as the house seems to be lacking the simple moral rules set up by the Christian faith. There is a lot of imagery in the story however a lot of it stems from religion, for example the play begins with the ringing of church bells, they cause the servant to get a headache. We see this as she says "The sound of those bells is right inside my head." This quote could be seen as symbolism as at the time the church was very oppressive, this is where we see the
The Irony and Puns in the Changeling Reveal the Characters actions are prompted by an Individual Sexual Drive though they are often unconscious of the fact .- How far do you agree with this Review?
"The Irony and Puns in the Changeling Reveal the Characters actions are prompted by an Individual Sexual Drive though they are often unconscious of the fact ."- How far do you agree with this Review? Throughout 'The Changeling' Middleton and Rowley create characters that are driven by calculated sexual desire. Having no outlet for their passion causes our protagonists to unconsciously shift their frustration in the direction which may, to be euphemistic, provide relief. There is a duplicity to much of the dialogue and the exchanges which take place within the play and many literal meanings have bawdy undertones conveying the subconscious preoccupations of the central characters. One area where individual sexual drive is evident is in the sphere of relationships where love and sexuality are often conflated. Alsemero speaks of love " as firm as love e'er built upon", the biological undertones of this reflect his attitude to Beatrice, as his love is founded upon a mere glimpse of her in the temple . Alsemero says "I love her beauties to the holy purpose" and this again is an affirmation of the physicality of his attraction to Beatrice. Beatrice's heightened awareness of this fact and the power of physical attraction is exemplified by her statement that eyes are "rash sometimes, and tell us wonders Of common things, which when our judgments find, They can then check the eyes,
What are the main themes to emerge from the first three acts of 'The Changeling'?
What are the main themes to emerge from the first three acts of 'The Changeling'? Middleton and Rowley's Jacobean tragedy portrays a world in which the characters are often caught between their reasons and their passions. It is a play of contrasts; between judgement and lust, measure and obsession, appearance and reality, combined with the theme of madness, provided obviously by the sub plot but also evident in the main plot through the 'love sickness' of characters such as Alsemero and Beatrice. The play also considers the position of Women in a patriarchal society, their stereotypical expected behaviour and the effects of women on the men around them. In addition there is also the theme of deception, between characters and perhaps characters deceiving themselves. This is often done, in particular in the sub-plot, to comic effect which heightens the tragedian themes evident else where in the play. There are many parallels and contrasts between the two plots and although seemingly unrelated they share key themes such as madness and appearance vs reality. The theme of irrational passion is evident from the opening lines of Act 1 Scene 1, As Alsemero talks of his feelings for Beatrice and we see the two fall in love almost immediately. "I love her beauties to the holy purpose, And that methinks admits comparison With man's first creation" Alsemero's intent is to marry
The Use of Shocking and Stricking Visual Effects in Tis Pity She's A Whore
Early seventeenth century plays often make striking use of visual effects to shock the audience. Explain the ways Ford creates striking or shocking dramatic effects in 'Tis Pity She's a Whore. Plays of the seventeenth century are notoriously known for being rife with gory representations and some critics have gone as far as to suggest that Ford is a prime example of the glorification of violence and sex on the stage. However, this stylistic use and representation was not unwanted by his audience - seventeenth century theatre goers of that age expected shocking scenes with the purchase of a ticket. This very apparent made it necessary for Ford to sometimes over dramatise or make more bounteous his shocking and striking scenes - John Ford, many would argue, went just that one step further. Undeniably, one of the most shocking moments that Ford creates is seen fairly near to the beginning of the play in an exchange between Giovanni and Annabella. The play's main plot revolves around the two siblings and their growing love for one another, and we see this love addressed and first reciprocated in Act I, Sc 2. Giovanni is first to admit his love, offering Annabella a dagger to "strike" him with if she does not requite this love. This moment is extremely dramatic and shocking to the audience, as Giovanni's desperate nature if revealed here; Ford establishes both his character and
Vasquez is instrumental to the tragedy, but is not himself a tragic character. Exploring ideas about tragedy, consider the role of Vasquez in "Ts Pity She's a Whore"..
"Vasquez is instrumental to the tragedy, but is not himself a tragic character." Exploring ideas about tragedy, consider the role of Vasquez in the play. Vasquez is first introduced to us in Act 1, Scene 2 - he is the third character we meet, after the Friar and Giovanni, and, in a way that is telling of what we are to find out about his character later on in the play, he is engaged in a duel with Grimaldi, a man of much higher rank than his own - this immediately highlights a defining feature of revenge tragedies, in that lower ranked characters often interact with those of higher rank in a manner unbefitting of their social standing, and by intertwining Vasquez with such notions from the off, it gives the character an immediate link to the very nature of revenge tragedies, and allows Ford to introduce him instantly as an 'engine of revenge' for Soranzo. This allows Vasquez to commit gruesome acts (the plucking of Putana's eyes) while maintaining that he does so only to defend the honour of his master; indeed, in this initial meeting, Soranzo implies that Vasquez only duels with Grimaldi because the latter has insulted Soranzo ('and on this ground I willed my servant to correct this tongue'). Vasquez's subsequent triumph over Grimaldi, and the pleasure he seems to take in his victory over the higher-ranked Grimaldi is a recurring characteristic of his, in that one of his
How does Shaffer draw upon aspects of the play's historical background to enhance its dramatic interest?
James Bevan How does Shaffer draw upon aspects of the play's historical background to enhance its dramatic interest? Consider: The period in which the play is set Its setting - Vienna The background of Court Life The events in Amadeus happen in the eighteenth and nineteen century. Vienna is the capital of an expansive empire. It is the centre of the musical world, somewhere seemingly perfect for a genius of music. We are immediately introduced to Vienna's citizens who themselves are also an audience to the events that unfold. The emperor's taste in music is superficial; Salieri's simple compositions are ideal as they "make no demand on the royal ear". Mozart's music is therefore too challenging for a man of such minimalism. Mozart's unutterably beautiful music is merely described as having "too many notes". This clearly shows that they simply cannot comprehend the magnitude of Mozart's music as music cannot have too many notes. Historically, the play is set in the 'Age of Reason'. People in this era fundamentally believe that shared beliefs were more important than personal opinion, and therefore public life mattered more than private life. With this in mind we can directly contrast this way of life with what Mozart brings to Vienna. Our initial meeting with him shows us his complete disregard to social etiquette and a personality totally unheard of for his time. Mozart
The Rover - How important is the carnival setting in influencing characters behaviour - especially that of the women?
The Rover Jessica Pemberton "How important is the carnival setting in influencing characters behaviour - especially that of the women?" Plan - Things to include Focus on the plays setting, e.g. social, historical and political Setting of the play in the 1650s Setting of the play in Naples, Italy Significance of the carnival - masks and disguise - deception How does it influence the character's behaviour The play's period setting in 1650's Italy is very significant as most restoration comedies are set in London. Behn may have set the play in Naples rather than England as the English were seen as "dull" and stingy, whereas Neapolitans are seen as a complete contrast and less restrained. The English restoration was an episode in the history of Britain beginning in 1660, when the English monarchy was restored under King Charles II after the interregnum that followed the English civil war. During his exile, Charles II had been a cavalier, roaming the continent with a band of royalist followers. When Charles II regained the throne after eighteen years of the Puritan government led by Oliver Cromwell and Cromwell's son, he restored the theater in London. During the time of Puritan rule, theaters had been burned down and stripped of their property, and those actors who dared to present informal dramas were publicly whipped for encouraging "immoral" behavior. Some theatres
"The Changeling" is a striking illustration of how the genius of a great dramatist can transform the most unpromising melodrama into the subject matter of a memorable and harrowing psychological tragedy.
THE CHANGELING: "...Beware of off'ring the first-fruits to sin..." "Women Beware Women"- Thomas Middleton "The Changeling" is a striking illustration of how the genius of a great dramatist can transform the most unpromising melodrama into the subject matter of a memorable and harrowing psychological tragedy. Una Ellis- Fermor, in "The Jacobean Drama: An Interpretation", describes the tragedy as the "most compact and pitiless in this drama", containing "elements of great beauty and subsequent action", resulting in their disintegration by the "spiritual evil set at work within them". Belonging to the decadent period of Jacobean tragedy, it is a key study in the history of post- Elizabethan drama- one that is psychological and realistic. It portrays a sombre and disturbing world, where driven by impulses and passions they can scarcely comprehend, leave alone master, Middleton's and Rowley's characters gradually disintegrate as moral beings. As T. S. Eliot has commented, it is the "tragedy of the not naturally bad but irresponsible and undeveloped nature, caught in the consequences of its own action." The play deals with complex ideas and feelings in such a way that the whole structure appears to rely on a sustained sureness and quickness of mind. It offers us a picture of the operation of folly and madness within the mind, and in doing so it explores 'abnormal' mental states;
Antigone by Sophocles presents a moral conflict over whether the gods law or the Kings law is more powerful.
Perla Lacayo ENGL200 Dr. Prof. LW June 10, 2010 Bound by Blood There are times when moral law is more salient than civil law. Regardless of any society, culture or environment, a person is brought up in, all human beings are born with the inclination to do what they feel is the right thing to do. "Antigone" by Sophocles presents a moral conflict over whether the god's law or the King's law is more powerful. Antigone had lost both her brothers who were at war with each other. Creon, King of Thebes, honors Eteocles with a proper burial because he fought for the city of Thebes; and leaves Polynices to "be left unburied" and dishonored because he "thirsted to drink his kinsmen's blood and sell the rest to slavery" (Antigone 225-226). Although, she disobeyed Creon's martial law, Antigone held her loyalty to her family and did what she felt was morally right because regardless of what crime Polynice's committed he deserved to be honored with a proper burial. It acquires a lot of valor to make a stand and defend an action or a belief that is prohibited by society. Being faithful to her family was of high priority to Antigone. She shows much of Oedipus's character in her impulsiveness, and determination to do what she felt was morally right for her family. They both had exceptionally strong personalities. Antigone showed her mental strength when she risked her life to