Wednesday, January 29, 2020
Protagonist and a Chorus Essay Example for Free
Protagonist and a Chorus Essay Aurthor Miller the author of A View from the Bridge shows an interest in his writing across the variety of novels he has written has been about the average person. The play was set in the 1950s. The key elements of a Greek tragedy are that it has a Protagonist and a Chorus. The play starts with the chorus speaking to us, announcing the scene and sets a happy feeling. Marco and Rodolfo, immigrants in America, cause friction within the family located on the docks. Throughout the play Eddies Character goes through the tragic arc. At the end of the play this friction develops into Eddie getting killed. We would see a hero being brave when things start getting tough, helping people who need that aid, just like how Eddies character followed at the start of the play. Unfortunately we see Eddie following the role of a tragic hero a hero that tries to be a stereotypical hero but fails miserably. Eddie, Protagonist of the play, is presented as being a stereotypical Hero. I promised your Mother on her deathbed. Im responsible for you. A side of Eddie being heroic as he brings up Catherine as her Mother has passed away. The audience look up to Eddie as being a role model as he is seen to be a generally caring person gaining the readers respect. You aint all the girls. Eddies speech when he is replying to Catherine as she talks about how her clothes are suitable. It shows us how Eddie is looking out for her which is a hero aspect but we also see a side of him that he is being too over protective and perverted which can seem to be quite disturbing. Beatrices cousins Marco and Rodolfo come over from Italy to visit. When are you going to stop fancying her Beatrice addresses to Eddie that she knows how he feels towards Catherine, also saying how it is wrong as he is looking at other women rather than his wife which could be quite upsetting to Beatrice. When am I gonna be a wife again this is another sentence that Beatrice uses to show us as the audience how annoyed she is about the situation of Eddie and Catherine. We understand this quote to basically say when he is going to forget about Catherine and show more time with Beatrice. Eddie makes a dramatic fall within the tragic arc when he kisses Catherine to spite Rodolfo. As she strives to free herself he kisses her on the mouth. Eddie having a Wife and also being a Uncle to the girl he just kissed as we already know at this part of the novel Eddie wants to be more than just her uncle, the audience would find this very vulgar and disturbing. Eddie did this almost to brand her to show Rodolfo that Catherine is Eddies property and not his. Rodolfos character reacts to the kiss as he lunges towards Eddie with anger, pins his arms, laughing and suddenly kisses him. Eddie does this purely to humiliate Rodolfo; we can see this from the work used laughing as Rodolfo could not fight back. The kiss that Eddie gave to Rodolfo was a message to tell Rodolfo that he is physically stronger than him and also to embarrass him in front of Catherine. The audience of the 1940s may find it inappropriate as homosexuality was discouraged so the kiss would of brought a shocking impact upon the audience as they thought Eddie was a hero that people to look up to but instead he is turning out to be the villain that nobody likes. Miller makes the moments very dramatic by using effective stage craft, when Eddie calls the immigration burro. The phone is glowing in light now. Light is out on Alfieri. Eddie has at the same time appeared beside the phone. Being in a spotlight the audience focuses on Eddie, the audience knows what he has to say at that moment will be dramatic. The lightings emphasis on how important this scene is so the audience needs to engage. Miller uses Eddies action to create an effect on the other characters. Look, im sick and tired of it; im sick and tired of it! Beatrice has reacted very aggravated towards Eddie because of the trouble he has caused that has built up throughout the novel, she explodes with anger. Repeating the phrase shows how Eddie has pushed other close characters towards him to limit. The audience now look at him to be the opposite of a stereotypical hero; instead he is a tragic hero. Eddie tries to redeem himself by allowing Catherine freedom however he does not offer he full freedom as he still tries to prevent her from being with Rodolpho. I mean now you got a new job, you might meet some new fellas.Eddie by saying this, we see him at least trying to be the person we saw at the start of the play, but after Eddies previous actions it is too later and there is no hope for him. Eddie has never given Catherine a choice ever since she was growing up, he decides to at this time to reform himself and be the hero as the audience used to know him as at the beginning of the play. Miller follows the idea of a tragic arc which is the layout of a Greek tragedy. We see this happening when after causing his own family to turn against him, when he thought his actions were acceptable he now tries to redeem himself so we see as a hero again. Characters close to Eddie are disgraced with his actions after failing to redeem himself, so all eyes are set on Eddie as he is the one to blame for the immigration officer knocking on the door. Hes a rat. He belongs in the sewer Catherine expresses her feelings towards Eddie as she sees the man she loves being taken away. The connotations of rat are, unwanted, vermin, and horrible she says the hurtful things to him to express how angry she was towards him. Eddie is seen again to be the villain of the play, as all he has caused it upset between him and the other characters. Just before we see the end of the play, Macro gives us hints as to how it might end Hes praying in the church? Marcos last rights before he faces Eddie he does this to confess that he may die. Marco knew at this time that the only hope for this feud to end between them is if they battle it out like men. The audience at this time feel tense and anxious to what will come next knowing that something could end terribly wrong. The play ends with Eddie being stabbed by his own knife. Oh, B! hes last words as Beatrice holds him in her arms as he falls. Like almost every tragic hero conceived by man, Eddies own actions are the cause of his destruction. The knife took Marco by surprise, but throughout the play Macro is a character that is quite wise in the way he can pick up a chair with one hand using his own body weight but Eddie couldnt. When Eddie went for the lunge with the knife towards Marco, Marco deflected that lunge back towards Eddie, ending by him killing himself due to brutal strength. The audience might predict that he would die with Catherine holding him; since she was the one he was obsessing over the whole time.
Tuesday, January 21, 2020
Cause of Hamlets Distractions: Feelings and Passions Essay example --
Cause of Hamlet's Distractions: Feelings and Passions          Throughout Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet, feelings and passion are an enormous distraction for the main character Hamlet. Hamlet tends to act as though he were an adolescent rather than a grown man. He acts very immature, sarcastic, and takes action, before thinking it out, in the heat of anger. The abilities to love, control one's actions, and to subdue one's depression are signs of becoming mature however, Hamlet, a grown man, has a difficult time controlling these abilities. Although Hamlet may be a man who has come of age nevertheless he tends to identify with the likes of an adolescent because of his irrational actions.         In addition, Hamlet has a particular problem controlling his love for Ophelia as well as controlling his actions. It is apparent that Hamlet loves Ophelia in his own special manner when he says: â€Å"To the celestial, and my soul's idol, the most beautified/ Ophelia--/†(II, ii, 116-117) Although he may love her with all his might, as he tells Laeretes,:               I loved Ophelia. Forty thousand brothers               Could not with all their quantity of love               Make up my sum. (V,i, 264-266)  Hamlet is too immature to love her enough to trust her in their relationship. This trust that he is lacking will give him the ability to hand Ophelia the ke... ...nt, Hamlet only takes action when he becomes angry or furious with someone or something.         Being a young immature, mouthy, extreme youth Hamlet is much like an adolescent and very unlike an adult. His incapacity to love someone maturely, his rudeness and sarcasm towards older people, and his reacting only during times of anger is exactly how an adolescent would act for these qualities tend to be prominent the teenage years. Hamlet's actions have become more and more accepted over time however, his actions then were only accepted then because of his ability to act mad. Had Hamlet acted like that always his behavior would be very unacceptable to society. Hamlet although an adult will forever be remembered as an immature, irrational, adolescent.     Â
Monday, January 13, 2020
Minoan and Mycenean Cultures
In comparing the cultures of the Minoans and the Myceneans, it is best to identify first where they live. The Minoans are inhabitants of the islands off the Aegean Sea such as Crete and Santorini. Perhaps the greatest treasure they have ever made was the palace of Knossos which they covered with frescoes which are wet but surprisingly detailed. The frescoes depict the way of life of the Minoans which was mainly dependent and influenced by the sea. The paintings consists mainly of sea creatures such as dolphins, sea birds, fishermen with sizeable catches and women wearing beautiful dresses and pearl necklaces which were probably harvested from the sea. The Myceneans on the other hand lived Tiryns, a mountain-guarded city. They prefer war to arts since they are a nation of warriors. They built high hallways to defend their city from possible attacks of other people. Their way of life is shown in the different drawings, embroideries and decorations on vases, gold cups, daggers and other weapons. The Myceneans were a powerful people who liked to fight but traded with other people for materials that are not indigenous to their locality. They traded with the Egyptians for gold and like the latter; they created death masks of their dead rulers. The Minoans and the Myceneans, while differing in a lot of aspects, were alike in the sense that their cities are heavily defended. One is surrounded by the seas while the other by mountains. This fondness for fortifications must have been brought about by experiences and incidents of attacks coming from barbarians and pirates who might want to take the treasures and gold of these people. Both cultures, too, have high regard for their kings and rulers.
Sunday, January 5, 2020
Theme Of Dramatic Irony In Oedipus The King - 1057 Words
Rachel Cedano World Humanities 101 Professor Hoffman October 30th, 2017 Double the Tragic Throughout the entire play, Oedipus the king by Sophocles dramatic irony. Dramatic irony is when audience is aware what is happening but the character is not. Sophocles uses dramatic irony to show us Oedipus’s character and what is expected to occur. The intention of using irony also allows us to sustain our interest in the play and keep us intrigued by what’s happening. Ironically, the play begins with dramatic irony. Suddenly after the death of King Laius, A plague has hit the city of Thebes. Since Oedipus was the only one who managed to solve the riddle of Sphinx, the people of Thebes depended on his authority to help. Since he saved them†¦show more content†¦Oedipus being ignorant about this situation and proclaims Tiresias is lying, refusing to even listen. Tiresias hints to Oedipus that he is living with a curse which is being married with his mother, Jocasta and killing his father. Here the dramatic irony is even though Tiresias is blind he knows the truth but Oedipus is blind to see the truth in his situation. â€Å" Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free†(John 8:32). In relation to Oedipus, if he did understood and knew the truth then he would be living a better life instead living in tragedy. Similarly to Athena, Tiresias guided the one in struggle. In this case, Oedipus struggles to realize whats th e truth and what isn’t. Towards the end, the irony leads to Oedipus physically blinding himself. His hubris lead to all the wrongs happening that he clearly struggled to see. When he finally realizes it, he decides to blind himself with golden brooches from Jocasta after she commits suicide from finding out the truth. Throughout the epic of Odyssey, the tragic hero, Odysseus has a variety of relationships with the characters of the play. But interacted more with the gods during his time of struggle. In general, Gods have a huge role on human life, but here most importantly Odysseus. While Odysseus was trapped in the island for many years because Calypso wanted to be with him. The people of Ithaca presuming their king was dead bringing suitorsShow MoreRelatedTheme Of Irony In Oedipus The King827 Words  | 4 PagesThe presence of irony in â€Å"Myth†by Muriel Rukeyser, â€Å"My Oedipus Complex†by Frank O’Connor, and â€Å"Oedipus the King†by Sophocles link these three literary pieces together. However, each of the works utilize different forms of irony in different levels to specifically present their message. In Rukeyser’s short poem, the narrator uses verbal irony through Oedipus’ conversation with the Sphinx and dramatic irony through Oedipusâ€⠄¢ shorthanded conclusions. O’Connor uses situational irony in his short storyRead MoreEssay on Sophocles Clever Use of Dramatic Irony in Oedipus the King831 Words  | 4 PagesDramatic irony depends on the audience’s knowing something that the character does not, and in this play the audience knows Oedipus faith before he knows it himself. In this play there are several parts where Sophocles conveys his plot through dramatic irony. Dramatic irony underlines how partial human perceptive can be even when it is most reasonable and how agonizing it can be to be the costs of the misinterpretation, in some sense foreseeable. Dramatic irony is also use by Sophocles to make theRead MoreOedipus The King Theme Essay1076 Words  | 5 Pages Oedipus the King: Themes of Blindness and Sight in the Sophocles Oedipus the King What does it mean to truly see? Do those blessed with normal vision really see? 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In the story of900 Words  | 4 Pagesusually saves the day. In the story of Oedipus though, the good man with one minor flaw goes through great pain. This pain in the play Oedipus Rex is the focal point for the whole play. Almost every aspect of the play builds up and foreshadows Oedipus’ fall from power, and entry into pain. Sophocles in his tragedy Oedipus Rex creates a mood of dramatic irony using the dualities of sight and blindness, and light and darkness. This dramatic irony highlights Oedipus’ hamartia and in doing so SophoclesRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Oedipus And Othello 982 Words  | 4 PagesOedipus and Othello are two of the most known tragic heroes throughout all of literature. While there are some noticeable differences between the two there are also many similarities between the two characters. With the amount of similarities between the two plays Shakespeare must have been inspired by Oedipus and Sophocles when he was writing Othello. Oedipus the king’s main conflict is based around Greek mythology in that from the time Oedipus is born it is prophesied by the Gods that he is goingRead MoreSophocles Oedipus the King as Nothing More Than a Detective Story1992 Words  | 8 PagesSophocles Oedipus the King as Nothing More Than a Detective Story The play â€Å"Oedipus the King†is a Greek tragedy written by Sophocles in the early days of antiquity and is based upon an ancient story in Greek mythology. It was written around a time when Rome was in power and Athens was the centre of the world. In this time, people believed that the Gods controlled all and that fate and destiny could never be escaped. Based on the title of this essay, I do believeRead MoreIrony in Oedipus the King2291 Words  | 10 PagesTHE TRAGEDY OF OEDIPUS Tragedy, in English, is a word used to indicate other words such as misfortune, calamity, disaster and many more such words. However, this word has another dramatic meaning, not far from its original meaning in English. In Western theatre it is a genre that presents a heroic or moral struggle of an individual that leads to his or her ultimate defeat or misfortune. When the audience and reader share the playwrights particular social perception and social values they easilyRead MoreOedipus Rex Motifs And Symbols1319 Words  | 6 Pages Oedipus Rex Motifs and Symbols The paths (3 crossroads): Expressed three independent ways Oedipus could have chosen to continue his life, and Oedipus chose the inferior road. Oedipus’s legs: Oedipus’s damaged legs and feet symbolize his painful upbringing. As well as this, it represents his mental health, which is damaged just like his feet. Vision: Oedipus can actually see, while Tiresias is actually blind. Yet, even though he can see, Oedipus is blind enough to not recognize that he killedRead MoreEssay about Oedipus - Don Taylor Adaption1286 Words  | 6 Pagesoverlooking the Kingdom and the elegant, admirable robes. Here you will find the setting of â€Å"Oedipus the King†written by Sophocles, adapted in 1986 by Don Taylor. Taylor adapts this version extremely well, highlighting the main themes and significant symbolising Sophocles would have used in the play outstandingly. Also he still keeps the reflection of the Greek culture of the play too. Like all Greek tragedies Oedipus is set around only one setting, here it’s outside the Kingdom where the citizens of Thebes
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