西方戏剧史卷子

12013-2014学年第一学期跨校公选课课程期末考试西方戏剧史HistoryofWesternTheatreDirections:Youarerequiredtowriteupto400wordsforeachessayquestion.Andeachisworth50%.Makesureyourwritingisrelevanttowhathasbeendiscussedinclass.1.ApplyAristotelianelementsoftragedytoOedipustheKingandanalyzehowtheseelementsaredemonstratedinthetext.(Useexampleswhenandwherenecessary).1.PlotItisthestoryofaKingwhoisbroughtdownbytheunforeseenconsequencesofhisownoath.Frombeginningtoenditisconcernedwiththeinvestigationofsomepastevents.Theplayunitestwoparallelproblems.OneisthedetectionofmurdererofLaiusandthesecondistheidentityofOedipushimself.Thetwoproblemsareoneinawayandsolvingofeitherofthemislikesolvingtheboth.2.CharacterSophoclesrevealshischaractersbytheirownspeech,inmonologuesorasidesthatdeveloptheirthoughtprocesses,andthroughwellplacedaphorismsbysecondarycharacters.ItisthroughCreon’sdictionthatwelearnthemostaboutOedipusand,likewise,throughJocastathatwelearnthemostaboutCreon.Thechorus,or‘song’elementoftheplay,alsodemonstratesalevelofperspicacityakintotheviewoftheaudienceasthird-partyspectatorstoanongoingdrama.KingOedipusThekingofThebes.Amanruledbyafate,accordingtowhichheistomurderhisfatherandmarryhisownmother.Oedipusisunawareofthefactthathehasalreadycommittedthesedreadfulacts.Heishighlyintelligent,shortoftemper,andimpetuous.3.ThoughtFateandFreeWill,GuiltandShame,SightandBlindnessFindingOuttheTruthActionandReflection.Oedipusjustisn’tnormal.Hewasborntofulfillhisownfate.Itistotallyatragedy4.DictionRhythmicDevicesJocasta:“Eachholdingeachtoblame?Chorus:Justso.Jocasta:Forwhat?Chorus:Asknot.”ShowsthatSophoclesmeantfordictiontoplaya-ShowsthatSophoclesmeantfordictiontoplayaheavyroleinthecontrolofthedramaticaspectsheavyroleinthecontrolofthedramaticaspectsoftheplay.Theamountofstressedsyllablesputsoftheplay.TheamountofstressedsyllablesputsemphasisontheconversationbetweentheemphasisontheconversationbetweentheChorusandJocasta.ChorusandJocasta.6.SpectacleThetale“OedipustheKing”bySophocleswassupportedinlargepartbytheuseofvisualspectacle.Earlyinthefirstscene,aprocessionofpriestsenters;suppliants,brokenanddespondent,theycarrybrancheswoundinwoolandlaythemonthealtar(Sophocles1102).Theimageswhichareconjuredupbysuchadescriptionemphasizetheclose-knit,seriousnatureoftheproceedings.Immediately,thereaderisforcefullydeliveredintotheseriousnessofthesituationwhichisabouttobedescribedforthwith.22.AnalyzethecharacterHamletbyusingtheknowledgeyoulearned(bothinHamletandinpreviouschapters)frommultipleaspects(textual,religious,andtheatrical).TextualandtheatricalThecharacterofHamletiscomplexandmanyscholarshavegivendifferentinterpretationsforthisenigmaticcharacterofShakespeare.Hamletisanintelligentandknowledgeableperson.HeisaUniversitystudentandisthoughtfulandphilosophicalbynature.Hethinksdeeplyaboutimportantmattersanddecisionsinlife.However,thiscontemplativenatureisalsohismajorflaw.Hislackoftimelyactionisthecauseofhistragedy.Evenafterheseestheghostofhisfather,hedoesnottotallybelievethatClaudiuskilledhisfather.Onlywhenhegetstheproofthathisuncleisguilty,heisreadytokillhim.Evenafterthat,hedelayshisactioninspiteofgettingplentyofchancestodoit.However,hehasacontradictorypersonalitytoo.ThisisseenwhenhesuddenlykillsPolonius,thinkingthatitwasClaudius,whowasstandingbehindthetapestry.Thiscomesasashocktotheaudience,becauseHamletdoesnoteventhinkaboutcheckingwhothepersonisbeforekilling.religiousAllthebeliefsabouttheghostarebasedinreligion,oratleastreligion-relatedsuperstition.TheproblemwithGertrude'smarriagetoClaudiusbeingincestuousisgroundedinreligion-itwassinfultomarryClaudius,herhusband'sbrother.Gertrudeeventually(fromIII.iv)turnsfromClaudiusinlargepartforthisreason.ReligionistheinspirationforClaudius'attempttoprayforforgivenessinIII.iii,andparticularreligiousbeliefsstopHamletfromkillinghiminthesamescene.Ophelia'smadness,deathandburialareaffectedbyreligion.Thefirsttwo,Ithink,arepartlybroughtonbyit.III.ishowsusshe'squitesincerelypious.AlotofherstuffinIV.vhasreligiousundertones.AccordingtoGertrude,shesingsbitsofhymnsasshe'sdrowning.Sheisn'tallowedafullChristianfuneralandburial.LaertesdecidestotossreligionoutinfavouroftakingrevengeonHamlet,butintheendtakesitbackonboard,exchangingforgivenesswithHamlet.It'sthemajorreasonwhyHamletwon'tkillhimself.It'sHamlet'sreconcilingofGod'spowerwithhisownwhichenableshimtogetonwithlife,anddeath,inActV.Throughout,HamletseemsfascinatedthatGodcreatedsomethingwithsuchwonderfulbeautyandpotential,butitgetsscrewedup;whichbringstomindaone-linerIheardrecently:ifthere'sagod,he'sanunder-achiever.