Friday, August 29, 2008
Shakespeare in love and New Historicism
If we were to continue to subscribe to the old-school mandates of the New Criticism, every fallacy regarding the genius, sophistication, and basic "deadness" of Will Shakespeare would continue to support our inevitable lackluster attitude toward his work. While it is a glossy Hollywood production, the film offers viewers the opportunity to regard Will S. and his subsequent works, through a more realistic lens. He was a man with flaws, desires, needs, joys, and sorrows. The New Historicism prompts us to assess the work and the man within the context of humanity - literary genius or plaigarist?; upstanding model of manhood or adulterer and womanizer?; a writer for the ages or a storyteller of his time? Looking beyond the film fluff to the theory itself, Will S. was a man, I believe, who wrote based upon the life and times around him, addressing the issues of humanity that are indeed timeless - love, life, death, communication, the frailities of the human psyche, the shortcomings of a society, etc. Thus his work appears to be "timeless".
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6 comments:
Good work, Jai. Paul
I didn't receive this week's entry. Paul
"Romeo and the Actor's Adaptation Strategies"
The use by actors of various adaptation strategies to convey feelings and ideas goes beyond the use of words. In addition to how the words are spoken actors also incorporate methods that 'speak' through movement, voice, and expression. I was repeatedly drawn to the numerous instances where the actors used specifically their eyes and bodies to convey feelings and emotions and ideas during my viewing of Luhrmann's adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. For instance, during the Fish Tank/First Meeting scene between Romeo and Juliet their eyes said so much about their thoughts and feelings toward one another and themselves. Danes (Juliet) used her eyes to visibly express her innocence and her longing for a fantasy romantic love as she gazed through the tank at young DiCaprio (Romeo). Repeatedly she would shyly drop her gaze, indicating her uncertainty regarding the feelings and thoughts going through her mind. "Is he going to love me as I want to be loved?" "Does he want me for me?" her eyes said. At the same time, DiCaprio's face, as he looked at Juliet through the glass, conveyed his desire, his lust, and his renewed self-confidence. I could read in his expression - the slight smirk across his lips and the glimmer in his eyes - that she intrigued him. She would be the one to prove his good friend Benvolio's words to be true - that some other beauty could take his mind off of the lack of love he received from Rosaline. Even their bodies registered in volumes. Juliet's posture was slight and closed indicating her need to protect her fragile young heart even as her heart pounded to be given/taken by Romeo. Meanwhile, Romeo's posture expressed an air of being cocksure. He knew that she would be his. His mojo was back! All this within that scene and not a word was said. And because they did it so fluidly, no words were needed.
I didn't receive this week's entry on time. What's going on? Paul
"Directing Romeo and Juliet"
Due to my lack of voice, I served as director for my group's mini presentation of our scene (we were the first to present). I was told from my group-mates that my vision helped them greatly and that I "really are good at directing". I focused on the blocking and the physical adaption strategies. In working with the ladies, I wanted them to pull from within themselves the emotion and energy of the feeling of the scene rather than dwell on comprehension of the words (not to mention the fact that we'd seen the film, read the book and knew what was going on). I believe that when a person directs a film or play, they have a hefty task of implanting their vision of the mood of the work and the overall message they intend to convey into the actors. At the same time, the director should not transform the actor into his/her ideal of the character. Rather, the director, if successful, will pull from within the actor a wealth of emotion, experience, and insight and marry that with their own (the director's) vision. It is because of this very belief that I so hoped I could've directed for our upcoming presentations. However, I am more than thrilled to serve as an actor under Alexa and I look forward to her vision in regard to our adaption of scenes from Othello.
I didn't receive this week's entry. Why aren't you posting on time? And why are you posting in the comments section? I'm confused.
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