Drama Classics on Video

8/10/2019 Drama Classics on Video

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Chapter 1: Theatre Language

Drama: a particular kind of literature written to be performed; a pattern of words andactions with the potential for becoming living words and actions

Theatre as an Art Form is different from other art formsIt has unique properties not present in other forms:

Live event

The most important element of the theatre is the live interaction between

performer and audience.

For theatre to happen there must be an audience and performer.

Transitor !rt""It cannot be fi#ed or held in time

""This is the ephemeral nature of theatre. It is a temporar event that lasts onl

for a finite amount of time$ ie. the length of the actual performance.

""It is not possible to e#actl reproduce the same event ever time.""%ach production is unique; each performance in that production is unique.

""! film or television show is static""it never changes because it is recorded.

""%ach production and performance of Master Harold and the Boys will bedifferent from others.

""This is different from the written pla script$ which remains static.

""&lot$ dialogue$ basic stage directions$ etc. alwas remain the same in the writtenscript.

Interpretive art""The production team interprets the script and finds was to translate the

meaning of the written words into a live production for a live audience.

'ollaborative !rt

""The creation of the stage production is a collaborative art.

""The production team works together (collaborates) to translate the meaning of

the written te#t into a staged performance.

The &roduction Team

""Includes the plawright$ director$ designers$ and actors.""Together the will interpret the plawright*s work b filling in details of character$

action$ scener$ costumes$ lighting and sound.

""The communicate meaning to the audience using visual$ verbal and emotional cues.

The &lawright

""The plawright is the theatre artist who authors the script that is frequentl the starting

point for theatrical creation.""uses language to e#press dramatic action.

""responsible for determining the sub+ect matter of the pla.

""decides where the action will take place and over how long a period of time.

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""decides how the events of the drama will unfold.

""For a pla to make sense$ it must have a beginning$ middle and end.

The &lawright*s -ision

""The plawright creates a te#t that is the starting point or +umping off/ place for thecreation of a production.

""The production team collaborates to interpret the meaning of the script and reali0e the

plawrights* vision through scener$ costumes$ lights$ sound$ etc.

""The ensemble works to bring this interpretation to life through characteri0ation$ actor

behavior$ blocking$ etc.

""Together these people create a production for a live audience.

1cript or &late#t

""The dialogue$ stage directions$ and character descriptions that together constitute the

printed te#t of a pla.

&erformance Te#t

""The interpretive production of the plate#t; what the audience sees and hears.

"" The specific choices b the principal decision makers that create the fictive worldthrough the use of Theatre languages. 'ontrast with &la te#t.

Theatrical 'onventions: devices of dramatic construction and performance that facilitatethe presentation of stories on stage

Theatre Languages""the verbal and nonverbal tools of communication used b theatre

artists to organi0e the audience*s perceptions and to create the fictive world of the pla.""1cener$ Lighting$ 'ostume$ 2akeup$ !ctorl behavior

""!ctorl 3ehavior4all the actor does$ through his5her own person to create a

character living through fictive circumstances. Includes phsical stance$movement$ vocal qualit$ volume$ timing$ intellectual focus and interaction with

other characters$ props$ and scener.

Fictive 6orld: the world of the pla; an alternate realit designed to be perceived b

spectators. Fictive because it*s an illusion created out of imagination; a world because it

is a complete image.""It is in the fictive world that characters e#ist and pursue their goals. !ctors are not

characters$ the4with other theatre makers4simulate characters. The fictive world isthe imaginative envisioning of man theatre workers made accessible to a spectator. It is

a comple# idea"driven form made palpable to the senses.""The spectator witnesses the work of the theatre workers and imagines the fictive world.

The willing suspension of disbelief/ allows the fictive world to e#ist for and be

responded to b the spectator.""The fictive world is the imagined universe where a pla*s action takes place. 3ecause it

is imagined$ it operates according to the laws devised b its makers. The creative artists$

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esp. the principal decision makers$ shape the performance te#t to make it correspond to

the imagined fictive world. The create it out of their own private fund of impressions$

drawing upon the real world onl when the want to and onl to the e#tent that seemsappropriate. !udiences imagine the fictive world but do so b allowing the stimuli of the

performance te#t to shape their thinking.

!ction

""The term action/ refers to the movement of the actors and the unfolding of a pla*s

events. !ction ma be phsical or pschological.

&lot

""The term plot/ refers to the sequence of actions that determine what happens in a pla;

the events that make up the pla*s stor.

%#position

""%#position is a strateg used b plawrights to give information or e#plain events notseen in the action of the pla. This is information the audience needs to know in order tounderstand the plot and characters of a pla; describing./

%nactment

""literall$ to act out. The events presented on stage that the audience sees; doing./

%mergent 2eaning

""The unfolding of events at enactment speed; a movement of consciousness or

understanding.

""The significance seen in each succeeding moment of the event alters with the observer*sshifting awareness.

'onflict

""'onflict is the problem/ or problems/ faced b the characters of the pla that must be

resolved. It can also be defined as the collision of two opposing forces. The wa conflictis resolved is what makes a pla interesting and compelling.

'risis

""! unit of the dramatic action that brings about a significant change or clima#. It is a

situation in which opposing forces are clearl arraed against each other$ thereb forcinga decisive moment when things will go in either one direction or another. ! crisis

precipitates a clima#. In a crisis$ a ma+or dramatic question is vividl set forth and an

answer to that question is activel pursued.""There can be$ and usuall are$ man crises in a pla. %ach crisis promotes a clima#

which moves the action forward. ! ma+or crisis is one which resolves the dramatic action

as a whole. 8ften it is a scene in which the protagonist and antagonist meet in a wa inwhich there can be no backing off or avoidance.

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'lima#

"" !n point in a dramatic stor when a crisis$ either ma+or or subsidiar$ reaches a pointof resolution. It is a moment at which opposing forces are so engaged that the create a

high point of tension. It is the point at which the conflicts between those opposing forces

resolve the immediate action. It is the culmination of the crisis$ it grows from it.

esolution

""end the conflict$ wrap up the action$ and5or bring the events to a conclusion. 'haos anddisruption are smoothed awa and loose ends are tidied up.

&rotagonist and !ntagonist

""The protagonist is the leading character of a pla. 15he is the character the pla is aboutand the one who changes the most over the course of the pla.

""The antagonist is the person or force opposing the protagonist.

%nsemble

""The ensemble is the group of actors who work closel together and share the

responsibilit for the performance of the pla.

3locking

""!ll the movement of the actors on the stage during a pla.

Dialogue

""Dialogue is spoken language. The plawright writes the dialogue for the actors to speak out loud.

""1ometimes$ the plawright will indicate in the script that the actors are to improvise

spoken language. The actors speak as their characters would.

Dnouement

""! device used b plawrights to bring all the events to a conclusion.

&olar 'onditions""a comparison between the circumstances in place earl in the

script5performance with those in place late in the script5performance; useful for anal0ingthe pschological changes in a character.

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Master Harold…and the boys b !thol Fugard

!thol Fugard is a prominent plawright$ novelist$ director$ and actor whose work is

mostl based on and around the 1outh !frican apartheid. =e has won multiple awards

and has received numerous honorar degrees.

=arold !thol Lannigan Fugard was born >une ,,th$ ,?97 in 2iddleburg$ 'ape &rovince$

1outh !frica. =is father was &olish5Irish and his mother was an Afrikaner . 3ecause

Fugard@s father was disabled$ his mother ran the famil businesses: The >ubilee

esidential =otel and the 1t. Aeorge*s &ark Tea oom. Fugard and his father had a tenserelationship$ which is wh the writer decided to go b !thol (his grandfather@s name)

instead of =arold$ his father@s name.

Fugard attended the Bniversit of 'ape Town until he dropped out to travel around

!frica$ and later$ he served on a merchant ship. =e then worked as a +ournalist in &ort

%li0abeth. =e married 1heila 2eiring$ an actress$ and the two formed the 'ape Town'irce &laers$ a theater workshop. =is first pla$ Klaas and the Devil $ premiered in ,?C.

Fugard first became aware of the harsh realities resulting from apartheid when he took a +ob as a clerk in the Eative 'ommissioner*s 'ourt in Fordsburg. There$ he dealt with

cases of black 1outh !fricans violating the pass laws/ (passports laws making it difficult

for black 1outh !fricans to travel and5or migrate). The e#perience had a deep impact on

Fugard.

In order to have more opportunities in the theater$ Fugard and his wife moved to London.

3 this time$ he had written the pla The Blood Knot about two !frican brothers$ one

with lighter skin and one with darker skin$ as the navigate their familial relationship andtheir raciall segregated societ. =e had tried to show it in 1outh !frica but it was banned because it depicted interracial relationships. Fugard could finall stage the pla in

London.

The Blood Knot premiered as a television broadcast in ,?$ which led to the 3ritishgovernment revoking Fugard*s passport for four ears and keeping him under state

surveillance. 6hile he was detained$ he wrote and staged Boesman and Lena$ which won

an 8bie award. 2ost of Fugard*s writing focuses on anti"apartheid themes. =is bod of

work can be separated into the &ort %li0abeth plas$ the Township plas$ the %#ile plas$1tatements$ the 2 !frica plas$ and the 1orrows. The &ort %li0abeth plas are deepl

personal and deal with apartheid*s effects on 1outh !frican families. 8ne of Fugard@smost renowned plas$ “Master Harold”… and the boys”$ is part of this series.

!s apartheid came to a blood and chaotic end in the ,?GHs and ,??Hs$ Fugard*s work began to address the post"apartheid struggle. &las like My Children! My Afria! and

alley "on# deal with the resulting familial and political turmoil. =e published his

memoir$ Co$sins$ in ,??<.

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2ost of Fugard@s work was banned in 1outh !frica until ,??<. The ma+orit of his plas

premiered in London or !merica. =e first staged several of his plas at the ale

epertor Theater$ and a handful had 3roadwa openings. In 7HHC$ 1outh !frica granted!thol Fugard the 8rder of Ikhamanga for his e#cellent contribution and achievements in

the theater./ =is debut as a film director was The %oad to Mea (,??7). In 7HH$ the film

adaptation of Fugard@s novel Tsotsi won an !cadem !ward for 3est Foreign LanguageFilm.

!thol Fugard currentl teaches acting$ directing$ and plawriting at the Bniversit of

'alifornia$ 1an Diego. =is most recent pla was Comin# Home (7HH?).

“Master Harold”…and the boys is a multifaceted$ stirring testament to the cruelt ofapartheid in 1outh !frica. It is !thol Fugard*s most frequentl performed and most

popular pla. 3ased on events from Fugard*s life$ Master Harold is renowned for its

evocation of painful memories from 1outh !frica@s troubled histor. =e strikingl

portras the pervasive racism and patriarch of the time while working to e#orcise his

own personal demons.

6hen !thol Fugard was a child$ his mother managed the >ubilee esidential =ouse and

the 1t. Aeorge Tea oom in &ort %li0abeth$ 1outh !frica. 2eanwhile$ Fugard@s father was

disabled$ which kept him from working. =e was also an alcoholic$ going in and out ofhospitals$ and he held e#tremel racist opinions. The ounger Fugard went b =all/ as

a oung man and was ver close to two of his famil@s older black servants$ 1am and

6illie. 6hen he was ten$ Fugard had an argument with 1am and spat on him. =e wrote inhis +ournal that he immediatel felt regret and shame. This +ournal entr served as the

inspiration for “Master Harold”.

In a ,?G7 interview$ !thol Fugard e#plained that he wrote the pla at one level$ in anattempt to understand how and wh I am the man that I am./ In the same interview$Fugard accused his father of being full of pointless$ unthoughtout pre+udices$/ but that

his mother*s outrage over the in+ustice of J1outh !fricanK societ/ helped him to

develop his progressive moral perspective.

Fugard was forbidden from staging his plas in 1outh !frica because white and blackactors could not be onstage together. !s a result$ Fugard directed the world premiere of

&Master Harold&''' and the boys at the ale epertor Theater in 2arch ,?G7. akes

2okae plaed 1am$ Dann Alover plaed 6illie$ and el+ko Ivanek was =all. ! fewmonths later$ the pla moved to the Lceum Theater on 3roadwa. It received e#cellent

reviews. The (e) *ork Times critic wrote that the pla forced Jthe audienceK to confront

our own capacit for cruelt M and to see all too clearl +ust who it is we reall hurt whenwe give in to it./

3 2arch of ,?G9$ the 1outh !frican ban on the pla was lifted$ and Master Harold'''

and the boys premiered at a theater in >ohannesburg. The Times reviewer for the 1outh

!frican show observed that audience members were visibl stunnedN man$ blacks andwhites$ were cring./



The (e) *orker proclaimed that the pla works on two levels: as the stor of a loving

but lacerating relationship between a black man and a white bo; andNas a powerful

political statement about apartheid./ In ,?G?$ Time 2aga0ine called Fugard the greatestactive plawright in the %nglish"speaking world./

In ,?GC$ &Master Harold&'''and the boys was adapted into a television movie starring2atthew 3roderick and 2okae. ! film version starring Fredd =ighmore and -ing

hames was released in 7H,H. The pla has gone through numerous revivals at plahouses$ theaters$ and colleges throughout the world.

Summary

The pla is set in the 1t. Aeorge Tea oom in &ort %li0abeth$ 1outh !frica. 1am and

6illie$ two middle"aged black servants$ are cleaning up the room on a rain da. The

banter while the do their work$ and 1am helps 6illie learn ballroom dancing. 6illie isgoing to participate in an upcoming competition but is struggling with the steps. =e is

also irritated with his girlfriend and partner$ =ilda$ for supposedl being unfaithful. 1am

gentl rebukes 6illie for slapping her around.1am and 6illie are interrupted when =all enters. =all is the oung teenage son of theTea oom@s proprietors. =e has +ust finished his school da and sits down to have lunch.

=e is clearl ver familiar and friendl with 1am and 6illie. Toda$ however$ =all is

distressed to learn that his father might be coming home from the hospital. It soon

becomes apparent that his father an alcoholic and disabled. The news about his fathermakes =all wear$ prickl$ and apathetic about his schoolwork. 1am encourages him to

do his homework$ though. =all and 1am discuss who might be considered a Oman of

magnitude.O 1am first names Eapoleon$ but =all disagrees. The discuss Tolsto$1hakespeare$ Darwin$ >esus$ and others. =all$ an atheist$ evinces disgust when 1am

mentions religious figures.

Following this discussion$ =all starts to reminisce about his childhood " which

contained both his happiest and unhappiest das. =e used to wander down to the servants@quarters and hang out with 1am and 6illie. =e arranges 1am and 6illie in a fictional

scene and imagines himself coming down to pla games with them. =all@s fondest

memor was when 1am made him a kite. !t first$ =all was embarrassed about therudimentar to$ thinking it might not fl. =owever$ once the got to the park and the kite

flew$ =all felt e#hilarated. ecalling that da$ =all wonders wh 1am could not sit

down on the bench with him to watch 6illie run around with the kite.

=all muses how strange it was that he$ a white bo$ could be so close to 1am and 6illie$

two black men. =owever$ =all@s good mood vanishes when his mom calls. =e argues

with her on the phone and insists that his father should not be coming home because he isnot read. 6hen =all gets off the phone$ he vents his frustration about his mom@s

weakness to 1am and 6illie. =e concludes that life is worthless and mess. 2orose$ hereturns to his studies.

1am and 6illie talk about the upcoming ballroom dance competition and continue to +oke

around. 6illie throws a rag that hits =all$ who e#plodes with anger. =all insists that

there can be no more of the ballroom dancing nonsense. 1am counters b saing that



=all ought to tr dancing$ but =all scoffs that it is not intellectual enough. The discuss

the merits of ballroom dance for a bit$ and 1am con+ures up the scene at the dance

competition$ describing the +udge$ the dancers$ and the troph. 1am@s passion starts to pique =all@s interest. =e is inspired to write about the dance competition for his school

essa about an important cultural event.

1am wa#es poetic about how ballroom dancing is a world of beaut and grace because professional dancers do not collide with each other like people do in the real world. =allis touched and affected b 1am@s words. Bnfortunatel$ =all@s mom calls again. The

second conversation between them is more strained than the last. =all is frustrated that

he will have to take care of his dad. =owever$ when his dad comes on the phone$ =allchanges his tone and pretends to be upbeat.

!fter he gets off the phone$ =all is bitter and angr and starts to lash out against his dad.

1am warns him not speak ill of his own father$ so =all starts to shout at 1am and 6illie

instead. =e becomes increasingl belligerent$ and starts commanding the men to get back to work. =e reminds 1am and 6illie that the have to listen to him$ his dad$ and an

other white man in 1outh !frica. =all then informs 1am he must call him O2aster=arold.O 1am remains quiet for a beat and tells =all that if he reall wants that$ 1am will

never call him anthing else. =all is offended b the threat. =e sneers at 1am andrepeats a cruel$ racist +oke that he and his father both find funn. 1am pulls down his

trousers and shows the bo his rear end to demonstrate the absurdit of =all@s behavior.

=all is shocked and spits in 1am@s face. 6illie groans in despair. 1am wipes the spit off

and wonders aloud if he should hit the bo but accedes to 6illie@s request that he shouldnot. Then he tells =all that he is sorr to see that =all is this ashamed of his father and

himself. =e is sad to see that after all this time$ his efforts to teach =all how to be a

better man than his father have failed. =e then tells =all that the reason he could not sit beside him while 6illie flew the kite all those ears ago was because the bench was for

O6hites 8nl.O

=all is clearl morose after the conflict and starts to silentl gather up his things. 1am

softl asks =all if the should make a new kite$ but =all responds hopelessl that it israining$ and leaves. Left alone$ 6illie and 1am continue to close up the Tea oom. 6illie

sacrifices the mone for his ride home to pla a song on the +ukebo#. The two men

practice dancing and 6illie tells his friend that he won@t beat =ilda anmore.

Characters

=all"! seventeen"ear old white bo living in 1outh !frica during apartheid. =all is

the son of the proprietors of 1t. Aeorge@s &ark Tea oom. =all is smart but apathetic$ prone to la0iness and bouts of anger. =e is also stubborn and cnical. =e struggles with

the shame of his father@s alcoholism$ racism$ and phsical disabilit$ and finds hismother@s weakness to be annoing. =e has alwas found comfort with 1am and 6illie but

the pervasive racism of apartheid"era societ creates a barrier between them b the end of

the pla.

1am""1am is a middle"aged black man who works at 1t. Aeorge@s &ark. =e has workedfor =all@s famil for ears$ and is educated$ smart$ and patient. =e has a deep friendship

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with 6illie and is like a father figure to =all. =e is understanding but he also has a

breaking point. ace complicates 1am@s relationship with =all$ and b the end of the

pla$ he e#periences profound disillusionment with the petulant teenager.

6illie""6illie is a middle"aged black man who works at 1t. Aeorge@s with 1am. 6illie isfriendl and not as well"read as 1am. =e is sweet most of the time but has a quick temper.

=e has a tempestuous relationship with =ilda$ his lover and the mother of his children.=ilda and 6illie are practicing to dance in the ballroom competition together$ which6illie is ver dedicated to although he has difficult with the steps.

=ilda""Eever seen onstage. 6illie@s lover and the mother of his children; the have a

tempestuous relationship. 1he is supposed to be doing the ballroom competition with

him$ but is mad at him for beating her.

=all@s mom""=all@s mother is the proprietor of 1t. Aeorge@s &ark Tea oom but neverappears onstage. 1he is weak"willed and does not stand up to her alcoholic$ violent

husband. 1he is also racist$ instructing =all not to spend too much time with the

servants.

=all@s dad""=all@s father is disabled and in the hospital throughout the duration of the pla. =e is an alcoholic$ a bull$ and is deepl racist. =all does not respect his father and

the do not have a good relationship. =all@s father comes is an e#ample of white

patriarch at its worst. Fugard has openl said that =all@s father in &Master Harold&'''

and the boys is based on his own father.

Themes

!partheid""The events of &Master Harold& ''' and the boys take place within the historical

conte#t of 1outh !frican apartheid. %ven though there is no discussion of the actual laws

or conditions of this forced segregation$ apartheid permeates the characters* behavior$ beliefs$ and status in societ. =all is deepl fond of 1am$ who is more of a father figure

than =all@s biological dad. =owever$ from the beginning of the pla$ =all makes some

insensitive toss"awa comments about race. Later$ though$ he lets out his anger about his

father b spitting in 1am*s face. =all has proven unable to e#ercise control over thesituation with his father. =owever$ he knows that because 1am is black$ he cannot

retaliate against =all$ his white master. In this wa$ =all selfishl abuses the structure

of apartheid and creates an irreparable rift in his relationship with 1am.

Friendship""Inside 1t. Aeorge@s Tea oom$ there is clearl real affection and sense ofcamaraderie between =all$ 1am$ and 6illie. =all has alwas found solace in the

presence of these older men. =e en+os spirited intellectual debates with 1am and gentlteases 6illie. =owever$ outside the cafe$ this friendship is at odds with the institutionalracial divide of 1outh !frica. The politics of apartheid slowl encroach on the bond

between 6illie$ 1am$ and =all over the course of the pla. 1am and 6illie also share a

meaningful friendship that is not complicated b race. 6illie*s respect for 1am leads himto take his friend@s advice and apologi0e to =ilda at the end of the pla. 1am and 6illie@s

friendship thus helps to ameliorate 1am@s disappointment in =all after he reveals himself

to possess the same racism that his famil propagates.

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Father51on elationships""=all*s father never appears on stage but his imminent return

catal0es the main arc of the pla$ +ust as he e#ercises power over his son in his absence.

=all@s father is an alcoholic bull who wields power disproportionate to his phsical andmental condition simpl because he is white and middle class. =all is profoundl

ashamed of his father*s behavior but refuses to admit his feelings. egardless$ =all*s

father has impacted his son@s perspective in man was without him reali0ing it. =all isarrogant$ prickl$ and depressed. =e has a tendenc to lash out when he feels powerless.

In addition$ =all has internali0ed his father*s racism which manifests itself in his

treatment of 1am and 6illie. =all cringes and subordinates himself before his father$even after he mocks his mother for doing so. In fact$ 1am has been more of a father figure

to =all$ but the apartheid mindset prevents =all from understanding the importance of

1am in his life.

'oming of !ge""!s a seventeen"ear old bo$ =all is at an important stage in his life.=e is growing up and tring to decide where he belongs in the world and what he

believes in. In some was$ =all demonstrates potential to overcome the apartheid

mindset that his parents embrace. =e possesses intellectual curiosit$ holds a sincere

commitment to atheism$ and celebrates 1am@s vision of hope. Like man teenagers$though$ =all is prone to fits of anger$ depression$ apath$ and stubbornness. =e lashes

out at some of the onl people who care for him and revels in his power over the black

servants. =e lacks self"awareness. Fugard leaves =all in a vague position at the end ofthe pla " it is unclear whether he will learn from his mistakes or if he will further burrow

himself in his bitterness and despair.

3allroom Dancing""From the ver first scene to the ver last scene$ ballroom dancing is

one of the most prevalent smbols in the pla. !t first$ dancing is source of amusementand entertainment for 1am and 6illie. It is a hobb for them$ something to aspire to

outside the humdrum tedium of work. 8ver the course of the pla$ dance emerges as an

important cultural mainsta for the black communit. 1am evokes the dance competitionas a smbol of an ideal world in which people can live together in harmon withoutcolliding with each other. Dance provides a safe space for 1am and 6illie$ awa from the

struggles of apartheid"era 1outh !frica.

Eonviolence""Fugard subtl threads the message of nonviolence throughout the pla.

!fter =all spits on 1am$ the normall patient 1am badl wants to hit the bo. =e checkshimself$ however$ and asks for 6illie@s advice. 6illie$ who has the tendenc to beat his

girlfriend$ reali0es that 1am should desist. 6illie prevents a OcollisionO between 1am and

=all$ effectivel diffusing their spat. %arlier in the pla$ 1am evokes 2ahatma Aandhi asan e#ample of someone tring to teach India@s 3ritish coloni0ers how to OdanceO without

colliding$ and =all agrees. =owever$ all the intellectuali0ing in the world cannot

suppress =all@s misdirected anger$ which leads him to spit in 1am@s face. 6hile =allseems determined to bump into 1am$ though$ 1am eventuall steps back. =e and 6illie

end the pla dancing alone together.

Teaching""Teaching permeates the te#t and the plot of &Master Harold& ''' and the boys.

1am teaches 6illie to dance$ patientl e#plaining the steps to him. =all teaches 1amwhat he learns in school$ giving the older man access to an education that his race

prevents him from obtaining. 1am tries to teach =all how to become a decent man and

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avoid turning out like his father. =owever$ =all revolts against 1am@s advice$ refusing to

learn the lessons 1am is tring to teach him. =all@s outburst does not mitigate the

importance of 1am@s actions$ but it does illustrate the difficult in combating apartheid@scruel influence.

History of Apartheid!partheid was the 1outh !frican race polic that separated black and white citi0ens andremains a terrible stain on the countr@s histor. It began in ,?<G and ended in ,??<

resulting in terrible violence$ persecution$ and suffering. The roots of apartheid run deep.

In the ,CHs$ Dutch settlers arrived in 1outh !frica and formed the 'ape of Aood =ope.Then$ the Dutch %ast India 'ompan brought in slaves from all over the world. The

Dutch$ later known as the !frikaners$ struggled to hold onto power as more %nglish"

speaking settlers arrived. The !nglo"3oer war resulted in a loss of sovereignt for theDutch 3oers$ and the 3ritish established slaver officiall in the wake of their victor.

In the earl ,?HHs$ the 3ritish began implementing race separation laws for blacks and

whites in 1outh !frica. 8ne of these laws forced the countr@s black population (whichformed the racial ma+orit) to live on a restricted territor. 2eanwhile$ the white Eational

&art used black 1outh !fricans as cheap labor. This arrangement lasted throughout the66II era. =owever$ !frikaner farmers started to lament the migration of cheap black

laborers to urban areas. In ,?<G$ Daniel 2alan was elected &rime 2inister of 1outh

!frica and outlined policies for complete segregation. !n non"white 1outh !fricans$including black$ !sian$ and mi#ed"race citi0ens$ were forced out of cities and into

Ohomelands.O In addition$ the were no longer considered citi0ens in the OwhiteO parts of

1outh !frica. 2alan introduced four ma+or laws intended to keep tabs on 1outh !frica@snon"white population$ including the &rohibition of 2i#ed 2arriages and the &rohibition

egistration !ct.

The following &rime 2inister$ =endrick -erwoerd$ is known as the most prominentarchitect of apartheid. !fter his election in ,?CG$ he tried to make apartheid more palatable to the public$ referring to the oppressive policies as Oseparate development.O

6ithin their homelands$ black 1outh !fricans now had economic$ social and political

freedom. Despite the positive rhetoric$ non"white 1outh !fricans could still not vote$ own

land$ move to another countr$ or choose their own +obs. The had to carr passbooks atall times containing their personal documents$ like birth certificates and marriage

licenses. If a non"white 1outh !frican was caught without his or her passbook$ it could

lead to imprisonment and torture.

esistance against apartheid began in the ,?CHs with the formation of the !frican

Eational 'ongress$ which boasted Eelson 2andela as a member. The group staged the peaceful Defiance 'ampaign of Bn+ust Laws and called for equal civil rights for all 1outh

!fricans. 2an of the !E' activists were arrested$ but were put on trial in ,?, andsubsequentl acquitted.

The &an !fricanist 'ongress focused on an !nti"&ass Laws campaign. Their movement

resulted in the infamous 1harpsville 2assacre that took place in 2arch of ,?H. ! few

ears later$ the !E' formed a militar wing$ resulting in the imprisonment and e#ile of

,,



Eelson 2andela and man others. 1oon thereafter$ -erwoerd@s government deemed

resistance to apartheid to be illegal.

The world began to focus on the trouble in 1outh !frica$ and in response$ the countr

withdrew from the Bnited Eations and the 3ritish 'ommonwealth. -erwoerd wasassassinated in ,? b a mi#ed"race parliamentar messenger. =is successor$ 3alta0ar

>ohannes -orster$ rela#ed some of more pett laws of the apartheid era$ but in theor$ heremained committed to white supremac.

In ,?G9$ si# hundred 1outh !frican organi0ations came together to form the BnitedDemocratic Front. It called for the elimination of homelands and the government@s

endorsement of the Freedom 'harter. In response$ the government claimed a state of

emergenc$ and federal soldiers began to mercilessl arrest$ beat$ and torture non"white1outh !fricans. 8ther countries stopped business transactions with 1outh !frica as a

result of the violent oppression$ and the countr plunged into an economic depression.

In ,?G?$ Eational &art leader Frederik 6illem de Plerk released all of 1outh !frica@s

black political prisoners and announced to &arliament that apartheid was a failure. acial

violence continued even though the 1outh !frican government legall allowed all political parties. Eelson 2andela was freed in ,??9. The ne#t ear$ apartheid officiall

ended. 2andela became the first freel elected &resident of 1outh !frica and instituted

full equalit for all 1outh !fricans. =e quickl implemented democratic elections$abolished the homelands$ and implemented a new constitution.

8sborne$ Pristen. 3oghani$ !. ed. O2aster =arold... !nd the 3os 1tud AuideO.

Arade1aver$ 9, 2arch 7H,< 6eb. 9H >une 7H,<.

Fugard has traced his sense of guilt and remorse over what happens to black people to a

specific incident in his &ort %li0abeth childhood: QI spat in the face of a black man. Icannot talk about it to this da. I bear the guilt.* =e calls himself the Qclassic* e#ample of the impotent white liberal.* et such feelings provide the impetus for his plas. !nd that

painful childhood incident has finall found a place in Master Harold…and the boys. The

black man involved was 1am 1emela$ a 3asuto waiter in the Fugard boarding"house whowent on to work for the famil for some fifteen ears. Fugard remembers him as the

Qmost significant4the onl4friend* of his bohood ears. 6hen he was about thirteen$

and helping behind the counter in the 1t. Aeorge*s &ark tearoom while 1emela waited attable$ he and the man had Qa rare quarrel*$ the sub+ect of which is now forgotten.

In a truculent silence we closed the cafe$ 1am set off home to Eew

3righton on foot and I followed a few minutes later on m bike. . I saw

him walking ahead of me and$ coming out of a spasm of acute loneliness$as I rode behind him I called his name$ he turned in mid"stride to look

back $ and as I ccled past$ I spat in his face. Don*t suppose I will ever

deal with the shame that overwhelmed me the second after I had donethat./

( Athol +$#ard and Barney "imon, bare sta#e- a fe) .ro.s- #reat theatre. 2ar 3enson$

,??$ pg 77"79.)

,7



Chapter 2: Dramatic Structure/Spectatorship

The 1i# %lements of Drama

From !ristotle*s /oetis (&oetics""99C"979 3.'.%.)

&lot: !ristotle states the &lot is the most important of the Drama. 1ome would argue that

'haracter is more important than plot.

&lot is the spine of the pla and is made up of all the essential character actions or

incidents. The significant events$ the sequence and pace of character entrances$ the

confrontations between characters$ the changes in the situations$ and the outcome of thevarious actions contribute to the development of the plot. &lots can be simple$ comple# or

arbitrar.

Thought (Theme5Ideas): 6hat the pla means as opposed to what happens (the plot).1ometimes the theme is clearl stated in the title. It ma be stated through dialogue b a

character acting as the plawright*s voice. 8r it ma be the theme is less obvious and

emerges onl after some stud or thought. The abstract issues and feelings that grow outof the dramatic action.

'haracter(s): the fictive beings in a pla; the inhabitants of the fictive world.

'haracters are defined b:

M !ctions

M 2otives

M 2oral traits

M =istories

M 6ords that make up their vocabularies

M esponses5reactions

6e learn about characters through:

M 6hat the sa about themselves

M 6hat others sa about them

M 6hat the do

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M The phsical descriptions given b the plawright

Language: !lthough language is not present in all forms of drama and man twentieth"centur theatre practitioners have looked to modif the centralit of words in the theatre$

language is one of the great sources of vitalit in the theatre.

2usic: 6hen !ristotle included music as one of the structural elements of the drama$ he

was referring to the musical accompaniment for the choruses and to the chorus membersthemselves chanting parts of their test in Areek tragedies. !lmost all forms use music in

one wa or another.

1pectacle: 1pectacle comes at the end of !ristotle*s discussion of dramatic structure and

he calls it the least important and least artistic element of the drama. 1pectacle mainclude everthing from acting stle and the blocking and movement of the pla to

structural elements$ lights$ and special effects.

!ntonin !rtaud""Theatre and it0s Do$ble"" OThe stage is a concrete phsical place whichasks to be filled$ and to be given its own concrete language to speak.

Additional mportant !lements in Dramatic Structure:

Aiven 'ircumstances

The five 6@s: 6ho$ 6hat$ 6here$ 6hen R 6h. %ach of these elements e#ists in ever

drama.

Fretag*s &ramid: !ccording to Austav Fretag$ a drama is divided into five parts$ or

acts: e#position; rising action; clima# (or turning point); falling action; and (dependingupon whether the drama is a comed or a traged) either a denouement or a catastrophe.

(! comed is a drama in which the protagonist$ or main character$ is better off at the end

of the stor than he or she was at the beginning; a traged is the opposite.)

Fretag*s &ramid

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%#position (including inciting moment)

In the e#position$ the background information that is needed to understand the stor

proper is provided. 1uch information includes the protagonist$ the antagonist$ the basicconflict$ the setting$ and so forth.

The e#position ends with the inciting moment$ which is the single incident in the stor@saction without which there would be no stor. The inciting moment sets the remainder of

the stor in motion$ beginning with the second act$ the rising action.

3ecause plas often begin in a state of chaos or crisis (i.e. before the pla opens several

events have been taking place. 2ost of them will involve conflict. The pla begins at the

convergence of all of these conflicts). 3ecause of the comple#it of the previous action

before the beginning of a pla$ the audience needs information. The need to know some$if not all of the five 6@s and what the past action is. This information is usuall

disseminated in the first act.

ising action

During the rising action$ the basic conflict is complicated b the introduction of relatedsecondar conflicts$ including various obstacles that frustrate the protagonist@s attempt to

reach his or her goal. 1econdar conflicts can include adversaries of lesser importancethan the stor@s antagonist$ who ma work with the antagonist or separatel$ b and for

themselves.

'lima# (turning point)

The third act is that of the clima#$ or turning point$ which marks a change$ for the better

or the worse$ in the protagonist*s affairs. If the stor is a comed$ things will have gone

badl for the protagonist up to this point; now$ the tide$ so to speak$ will turn$ and thingswill begin to go well for him or her. If the stor is a traged$ the opposite state of affairs

will transpire$ with things going from good to bad for the protagonist.

Falling action

During the falling action$ the conflict between the protagonist and the antagonist

unravels$ with the protagonist winning or losing against the antagonist. The falling actionma contain a moment of final suspense$ during which the final outcome of the conflict is

in doubt.

Denouement or catastropheThe comed ends with a denouement in which the protagonist is better off than he or she

was at the stor@s outset. The traged ends with a catastrophe in which the protagonist is

worse off than he or she was at the beginning of the narrative

Structures of Spectator "esponse

&aradigm (mental template)4a model or pattern of thinking that we use to make sense of

the world; a belief sstem; worldview.

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!s we encounter new e#periences and thoughts$ our paradigms are continuall

challenged.

""2ost of our da"to"da e#periences fit (or fit prett closel) our e#isting templates.1uch e#periences support what we alread know$ or gentl help us to modif our

worldview slightl and take our understanding +ust a step further. The programming we

receive through the structured educational sstem and the general cultural environmentaugments this process.

""=owever$ we also encounter situations and ideas that seem strongl contrar to our

belief sstems or completel at odds with them. 6e have three choices: ,) alter ourtemplates to accommodate the new e#perience or information; 7) rationali0e and5or

distort what we e#perience to make it fit our e#isting model or 9) ignore the e#perience or

information b pretending it is meaningless$ did not happen$ or does not e#ist.

""These mental behaviors help us and hinder us as we tr to make sense of theatre

&aradigm5Template5&erceptual Arid

""our was of seeing the world; frames of reference

""living in societ conditions us to think5value5believe certain things""we bring these models of thought5value5belief to the theatre

""theatre targets these structures: plas aim to reinforce or subvert common structures ofthought5value5belief

1pectatorship structures

""spectatorship: cluster of mental and phsical behaviors a person engages in whenwitnessing theatre

Dissonance (clash):

""occurs when the spectator*s perception of the world and the image of the world beingshown on stage don*t match

S 9 reactions to dissonance

,. alter our paradigm to accommodate new information

7. distort the information to fit the e#isting paradigm

9. ignore the new information

'losure

""the pschological urge to have our observations come to a point where the all fit

together

""this drive motivates the spectator to resolve things so that an nagging inconsistenciesare muted

""an urge to eliminate dissonance 5 to have our template fit the information presented b

the performance te#t

##the spectator$s ally: when it stimulates the spectator to keep thinking about difficult

material

##the spectator$s enemy: when it compels the spectator to ignore data in order to reach aspeed conclusion

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%&" '%AL S T% "!SST CL%S&"!(

)ays of thin*ing: building a more sophisticated spectator

S Conver#ent thinkin#

M 'onvergent refers to things that move toward a central point

M 2ode of thought that tends to reduce diversit and comple#it in order to arrive at

single answer

M The closure +unkie*s favorite wa of thinking

S Diver#ent thinkin#

M Divergent refers to things which move awa from a central point

M Thinking characteri0ed b the willingness to imagine multiple possibilities

M &laful responses are likel

M 'losure likel to be postponed

S Dis1$ntive thinkin#

M %ither5or thinking

M %stablishes a relationship of contrast or opposition

M 1eparates or divides information into discrete categories

M !dvantages: closure facilitated quickl and cleanl

M Disadvantages: false dichotomies established$ range of possibilities discounted

S Contin$$m thinkin#

M Takes in consideration a range between two e#tremes; constructs a scale of

possibilities

M !n alternative to dis+unctive thinking

,



M !dvantages: facilitates sophisticated consideration of subtle distinctions

S (on2val$ative onsideration

M !nother form of thinking that contrasts with dis+unctive thinking

M ather than calling a performance good or bad and stopping there$ a spectator

attempts to open him or herself to the arra of stimuli being offered and then

describe the e#perience in nuanced$ rather than simpl +udgmental$ terms

M equires effort$ but it*s worth it

'ree* Theater

Areek Theater was ver different from what we call theater toda. It was$ first of

all$ part of a religious festival. To attend a performance of one of these plas was an act

of worship$ not entertainment or intellectual pastime. 3ut it is difficult for us to even begin to understand this aspect of the Areek theater$ because the religion in question was

ver different from modern religions. The god celebrated b the performances of these

plas was Dionsus$ a deit who lived in the wild and was known for his subversive

revelr. The worship of Dionsus was associated with an ecstas that bordered onmadness. Dionsus$ whose cult was that of drunkenness and se#ualit$ little resembles

modern images of Aod

! second wa in which Areek theater was different from modern theater is in itscultural centralit: ever citi0en attended these plas. Areek plas were put on at annual

festivals (at the beginning of spring$ the season of Dionsus)$ often for as man as ,C$HHH

spectators at once. The da00led viewers with their special effects$ singing$ and dancing$as well as with their beautiful language. !t the end of each ear*s festivals$ +udges would

vote to decide which plawright*s pla was the best.

In these competitions$ Sophocles was king. It is thought that he won the first pri0e

at the !thenian festival eighteen times. Far from being a tortured artist working at thefringes of societ$ 1ophocles was among the most popular and well"respected men of his

da. Like most good !thenians$ 1ophocles was involved with the political and militar

affairs of !thenian democrac. =e did stints as a cit treasurer and as a naval officer$ andthroughout his life he was a close friend of the foremost statesman of the da$ &ericles. !t

the same time$ 1ophocles wrote prolificall. =e is believed to have authored ,79 plas$

onl seven of which have survived.1ophocles lived a long life$ but not long enough to witness the downfall of his !thens.

Toward the end of his life$ !thens became entangled in a war with other cit"states

+ealous of its prosperit and power$ a war that would end the glorious centur duringwhich 1ophocles lived. This political fall also marked an artistic fall$ for the unique art of

Areek theater began to fade and eventuall died. 1ince then$ we have had nothing like it.

Eonetheless$ we still tr to read it$ and we often misunderstand it b thinking of it in

terms of the categories and assumptions of our own arts. Areek theater still needs to be

,G



read$ but we must not forget that$ because it is so alien to us$ reading these plas calls not

onl for analsis$ but also for imagination.

Anti#one

Anti#one was probabl the first of the three Theban plas that 1ophocles wrote$ althoughthe events dramati0ed in it happen last. !ntigone is one of the first heroines in literature$ a

woman who fights against a male power structure$ e#hibiting greater braver than an of

the men who scorn her. Anti#one is not onl a feminist pla but a radical one as well$making rebellion against authorit appear splendid and noble. If we think of Anti#one as

something merel ancient$ we make the same error as the Ea0i censors who allowed >ean

!nouilh*s adaptation of Anti#one to be performed$ mistaking one of the most powerful

te#ts of the French esistance for something harmlessl academic.

3edi.$s the Kin# (aka 3edi.$s %e4)

The stor of 8edipus was well known to 1ophocles* audience. 8edipus arrives at Thebes

a stranger and finds the town under the curse of the 1phin#$ who will not free the citunless her riddle is answered. 8edipus solves the riddle and$ since the king has recentl

been murdered$ becomes the king and marries the queen. In time$ he comes to learn thathe is actuall a Theban$ the king*s son$ cast out of Thebes as a bab. =e has killed his

father and married his mother. =orrified$ he blinds himself and leaves Thebes forever.

The stor was not invented b 1ophocles. Uuite the opposite: the pla*s most powerfuleffects often depend on the fact that the audience alread knows the stor. 1ince the first

performance of 3edi.$s %e4- the stor has fascinated critics +ust as it fascinated

1ophocles. !ristotle used this pla and its plot as the supreme e#ample of traged.

1igmund Freud famousl based his theor of the 8edipal 'omple#/ on this stor$claiming that ever bo has a latent desire to kill his father and sleep with his mother. The

stor of 8edipus has given birth to innumerable fascinating variations$ but we should not

forget that this pla is one of the variations.

3edi.$s at Colon$s

3eginning with the arrival of 8edipus in 'olonus after ears of wandering$ 3edi.$s atColon$s ends with !ntigone setting off toward her own fate in Thebes. In and of itself$

3edi.$s at Colon$s is not a traged; it hardl even has a plot in the normal sense of the

word. Thought to have been written toward the end of 1ophocles* life and the conclusion

of the Aolden !ge of !thens$ 3edi.$s at Colon$s- the last of the 8edipus plas$ is a quietand religious pla$ one that does not attempt the dramatic fireworks of the others. 6ritten

after Anti#one- the pla for which it might be seen as a kind of prequel$ 3edi.$s at

Colon$s seems not to look forward to the suffering that envelops that pla but back uponit$ as though it has alread been surmounted.

Characters

8edipus " The protagonist of 3edi.$s the Kin# and 3edi.$s at Colon$s' 8edipus

becomes king of Thebes before the action of 3edi.$s the Kin# begins. =e is renowned

for his intelligence and his abilit to solve riddles4he saved the cit of Thebes and was

made its king b solving the riddle of the 1phin#$ the supernatural being that had held the

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cit captive. et 8edipus is stubbornl blind to the truth about himself. =is name*s literal

meaning (swollen foot/) is the clue to his identit4he was taken from the house of

Laius as a bab and left in the mountains with his feet bound together. 8n his wa toThebes$ he killed his biological father$ not knowing who he was$ and proceeded to marr

>ocasta$ his biological mother.

>ocasta " 8edipus*s wife and mother$ and 'reon*s sister. >ocasta appears onl in the final

scenes of 3edi.$s the Kin#' In her first words$ she attempts to make peace between

8edipus and 'reon$ pleading with 8edipus not to banish 'reon. 1he is comforting to herhusband and calml tries to urge him to re+ect Tiresias*s terrifing prophecies as false.

>ocasta solves the riddle of 8edipus*s identit before 8edipus does$ and she e#presses her

love for her son and husband in her desire to protect him from this knowledge.

!ntigone " 'hild of 8edipus and >ocasta$ and therefore both 8edipus*s daughter and his

sister. !ntigone appears briefl at the end of 3edi.$s the Kin#- when she sas goodbe to

her father as 'reon prepares to banish 8edipus. 1he appears at greater length in 3edi.$s

at Colon$s- leading and caring for her old$ blind father in his e#ile. 3ut !ntigone comesinto her own in Anti#one' !s that pla*s protagonist$ she demonstrates a courage and

clarit of sight unparalleled b an other character in the three Theban plas. 6hereasother characters48edipus$ 'reon$ &olnices 4are reluctant to acknowledge the

consequences of their actions$ !ntigone is unabashed in her conviction that she has done

right.

'reon " 8edipus*s brother"in"law$ 'reon appears more than an other character in the

three plas combined. In him more than anone else we see the gradual rise and fall of

one man*s power. %arl in 3edi.$s the Kin#- 'reon claims to have no desire for kingship.et$ when he has the opportunit to grasp power at the end of that pla$ 'reon seems

quite eager. 6e learn in 3edi.$s at Colon$s that he is willing to fight with his nephews

for this power$ and in Anti#one 'reon rules Thebes with a stubborn blindness that issimilar to 8edipus*s rule. 3ut 'reon never has our smpath in the wa 8edipus does$

because he is boss and bureaucratic$ intent on asserting his own authorit.

&olnices " 1on of 8edipus$ and thus also his brother. &olnices appears onl ver briefl

in 3edi.$s at Colon$s' =e arrives at 'olonus seeking his father*s blessing in his battle

with his brother$ %teocles$ for power in Thebes. &olnices tries to point out the similarit

between his own situation and that of 8edipus$ but his words seem opportunistic ratherthan filial$ a fact that 8edipus points out.

Tiresias " Tiresias$ the blind soothsaer of Thebes$ appears in both 3edi.$s the Kin# and Anti#one' In 3edi.$s the Kin#- Tiresias tells 8edipus that he is the murderer he hunts$

and 8edipus does not believe him. In Anti#one- Tiresias tells 'reon that 'reon himself is

bringing disaster upon Thebes$ and 'reon does not believe him. et$ both 8edipus and'reon claim to trust Tiresias deepl. The literal blindness of the soothsaer points to the

metaphorical blindness of those who refuse to believe the truth about themselves when

the hear it spoken.

7H

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=aemon " 'reon*s son$ who appears onl in Anti#one' =aemon is engaged to marr

!ntigone. 2otivated b his love for her$ he argues with 'reon about the latter*s decision

to punish her.

Ismene " 8edipus*s daughter Ismene appears at the end of 3edi.$s the Kin# and to a

limited e#tent in 3edi.$s at Colon$s and Anti#one' Ismene*s minor part underscores hersister*s grandeur and courage. Ismene fears helping !ntigone bur &olnices but offers to

die beside !ntigone when 'reon sentences her to die. !ntigone$ however$ refuses to

allow her sister to be martred for something she did not have the courage to stand up for.

Theseus " The king of !thens in 3edi.$s at Colon$s. ! renowned and powerful warrior$

Theseus takes pit on 8edipus and defends him against 'reon. Theseus is the onl one

who knows the spot at which 8edipus descended to the underworld4a secret he promises 8edipus he will hold forever.

'horus " 1ometimes comicall obtuse or fickle$ sometimes perceptive$ sometimes

melodramatic$ the 'horus reacts to the events onstage. The 'horus*s reactions can belessons in how the audience should interpret what it is seeing$ or how it should not

interpret what it is seeing.

%urdice " 'reon*s wife.

Themes

Themes are the f$ndamental and often $niversal ideas e4.lored in a literary )ork'

The &ower of Bnwritten Law

6hen 8edipus and >ocasta begin to get close to the truth about Laius*s murder$ in

3edi.$s the Kin#- 8edipus fastens onto a detail in the hope of e#onerating himself.>ocasta sas that she was told that Laius was killed b strangers$/ whereas 8edipus

knows that he acted alone when he killed a man in similar circumstances. This is an

e#traordinar moment because it calls into question the entire truth"seeking process8edipus believes himself to be undertaking. 3oth 8edipus and >ocasta act as though the

servant*s stor$ once spoken$ is irrefutable histor. Eeither can face the possibilit of what

it would mean if the servant were wrong. This is perhaps wh >ocasta feels she can tell

8edipus of the prophec that her son would kill his father$ and 8edipus can tell her aboutthe similar prophec given him b an oracle (GMGC)$ and neither feels compelled to

remark on the coincidence; or wh 8edipus can hear the stor of >ocasta binding her

child*s ankles (GHMG,) and not think of his own swollen feet. 6hile the information inthese speeches is largel intended to make the audience painfull aware of the tragic

iron$ it also emphasi0es +ust how desperatel 8edipus and >ocasta do not want to speak

the obvious truth: the look at the circumstances and details of everda life and pretendnot to see them.

The Limits of Free 6ill

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&rophec is a central part of 3edi.$s the Kin#' The pla begins with 'reon*s

return from the oracle at Delphi$ where he has learned that the plague will be lifted if

Thebes banishes the man who killed Laius. Tiresias prophesies the capture of one who is both father and brother to his own children. 8edipus tells >ocasta of a prophec he heard

as a outh$ that he would kill his father and sleep with his mother$ and >ocasta tells

8edipus of a similar prophec given to Laius$ that her son would grow up to kill hisfather. 8edipus and >ocasta debate the e#tent to which prophecies should be trusted at all$

and when all of the prophecies come true$ it appears that one of 1ophocles* aims is to

+ustif the powers of the gods and prophets$ which had recentl come under attack infifth"centur 3.'.%. !thens.

1ophocles* audience would$ of course$ have known the stor of 8edipus$ which

onl increases the sense of complete inevitabilit about how the pla would end. It is

difficult to sa how +ustl one can accuse 8edipus of being blind/ or foolish when heseems to have no choice about fulfilling the prophec: he is sent awa from Thebes as a

bab and b a remarkable coincidence saved and raised as a prince in 'orinth. =earing

that he is fated to kill his father$ he flees 'orinth and$ b a still more remarkable

coincidence$ ends up back in Thebes$ now king and husband in his actual father*s place.8edipus seems onl to desire to flee his fate$ but his fate continuall catches up with him.

2an people have tried to argue that 8edipus brings about his catastrophe because of atragic flaw$/ but nobod has managed to create a consensus about what 8edipus*s flaw

actuall is. &erhaps his stor is meant to show that error and disaster can happen to

anone$ that human beings are relativel powerless before fate or the gods$ and that acautious humilit is the best attitude toward life.

+otifs

Motifs are re$rrin# str$t$res- ontrasts- or literary devies that an hel. to develo.and inform the te4t0s ma1or themes'

1ight and 3lindnesseferences to eesight and vision$ both literal and metaphorical$ are ver frequent

in all three of the Theban plas. Uuite often$ the image of clear vision is used as a

metaphor for knowledge and insight. In fact$ this metaphor is so much a part of the Areek wa of thinking that it is almost not a metaphor at all$ +ust as in modern %nglish: to sa I

see the truth/ or I see the wa things are/ is a perfectl ordinar use of language.

=owever$ the references to eesight and insight in these plas form a meaningful pattern

in combination with the references to literal and metaphorical blindness. 8edipus isfamed for his clear"sightedness and quick comprehension$ but he discovers that he has

been blind to the truth for man ears$ and then he blinds himself so as not to have to

look on his own children5siblings. 'reon is prone to a similar blindness to the truth in Anti#one' Though blind$ the aging 8edipus finall acquires a limited prophetic vision.

Tiresias is blind$ et he sees farther than others. 8verall$ the plas seem to sa that human

beings can demonstrate remarkable powers of intellectual penetration and insight$ andthat the have a great capacit for knowledge$ but that even the smartest human being is

liable to error$ that the human capabilit for knowledge is ultimatel quite limited and

unreliable.

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Sym,ols

"ymbols are ob1ets- haraters- fi#$res- or olors $sed to re.resent abstrat ideas or

one.ts'

8edipus*s 1wollen Foot

8edipus gets his name$ as the 'orinthian messenger tells us in 3edi.$s the Kin#- fromthe fact that he was left in the mountains with his ankles pinned together. >ocasta e#plains

that Laius abandoned him in this state on a barren mountain shortl after he was born.

The in+ur leaves 8edipus with a vivid scar for the rest of his life. 8edipus*s in+ursmboli0es the wa in which fate has marked him and set him apart. It also smboli0es

the wa his movements have been confined and constrained since birth$ b !pollo*s

prophec to Laius.

The Three"wa 'rossroads

In 3edi.$s the Kin#- >ocasta sas that Laius was slain at a place where three roads meet.

This crossroads is referred to a number of times during the pla$ and it smboli0es the

crucial moment$ long before the events of the pla$ when 8edipus began to fulfill thedreadful prophec that he would murder his father and marr his mother. ! crossroads is

a place where a choice has to be made$ so crossroads usuall smboli0e moments wheredecisions will have important consequences but where different choices are still possible.

In 3edi.$s the Kin#- the crossroads is part of the distant past$ diml remembered$ and

8edipus was not aware at the time that he was making a fateful decision. In this pla$ thecrossroads smboli0es fate and the awesome power of prophec rather than freedom and

choice.

-lot %.er.ie

3edi.$s the Kin#

! plague has stricken Thebes. The citi0ens gather outside the palace of their king$8edipus$ asking him to take action. 8edipus replies that he alread sent his brother"in"

law$ 'reon$ to the 8racle at Delphi to learn how to help the cit. 'reon returns with a

message from the 8racle: the plague will end when the murderer of Laius$ former king of Thebes$ is caught and e#pelled; the murderer is within the cit. 8edipus questions 'reon

about the murder of Laius$ who was killed b thieves on his wa to consult an oracle.

8nl one of his fellow travelers escaped alive. 8edipus promises to solve the mster of

Laius*s death$ vowing to curse and drive out the murderer.8edipus sends for Tiresias$ the blind prophet$ and asks him what he knows about

the murder. Tiresias responds crpticall$ lamenting his abilit to see the truth when the

truth brings nothing but pain. !t first he refuses to tell 8edipus what he knows. 8edipuscurses and insults the old man$ going so far as to accuse him of the murder. These taunts

provoke Tiresias into revealing that 8edipus himself is the murderer. 8edipus naturall

refuses to believe Tiresias*s accusation. =e accuses 'reon and Tiresias of conspiringagainst his life$ and charges Tiresias with insanit. =e asks wh Tiresias did nothing

when Thebes suffered under a plague once before. !t that time$ a 1phin# held the cit

captive and refused to leave until someone answered her riddle. 8edipus brags that he

alone was able to solve the pu00le. Tiresias defends his skills as a prophet$ noting that

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8edipus*s parents found him trustworth. !t this mention of his parents$ 8edipus$ who

grew up in the distant cit of 'orinth$ asks how Tiresias knew his parents. 3ut Tiresias

answers enigmaticall. Then$ before leaving the stage$ Tiresias puts forth one last riddle$saing that the murderer of Laius will turn out to be both father and brother to his own

children$ and the son of his own wife.

!fter Tiresias leaves$ 8edipus threatens 'reon with death or e#ile for conspiringwith the prophet. 8edipus*s wife$ >ocasta (also the widow of Ping Laius)$ enters and asks

wh the men shout at one another. 8edipus e#plains to >ocasta that the prophet has

charged him with Laius*s murder$ and >ocasta replies that all prophecies are false. !s proof$ she notes that the Delphic oracle once told Laius he would be murdered b his son$

when in fact his son was cast out of Thebes as a bab$ and Laius was murdered b a band

of thieves. =er description of Laius*s murder$ however$ sounds familiar to 8edipus$ and

he asks further questions. >ocasta tells him that Laius was killed at a three"wacrossroads$ +ust before 8edipus arrived in Thebes. 8edipus$ stunned$ tells his wife that he

ma be the one who murdered Laius. =e tells >ocasta that$ long ago$ when he was the

prince of 'orinth$ he overheard someone mention at a banquet that he was not reall the

son of the king and queen. =e therefore traveled to the 8racle of Delphi$ who did notanswer him but did tell him he would murder his father and sleep with his mother.

=earing this$ 8edipus fled his home$ never to return. It was then$ on the +ourne thatwould take him to Thebes that 8edipus was confronted and harassed b a group of

travelers$ whom he killed in self"defense. This skirmish occurred at the ver crossroads

where Laius was killed.8edipus sends for the man who survived the attack$ a shepherd$ in the hope that

he will not be identified as the murderer. 8utside the palace$ a messenger approaches

>ocasta and tells her that he has come from 'orinth to inform 8edipus that his father$

&olbus$ is dead$ and that 'orinth has asked 8edipus to come and rule there in his place.>ocasta re+oices$ convinced that &olbus*s death from natural causes has disproved the

prophec that 8edipus would murder his father. !t >ocasta*s summons$ 8edipus comes

outside$ hears the news$ and re+oices with her. =e now feels much more inclined to agreewith the queen in deeming prophecies worthless and viewing chance as the principle

governing the world. 3ut while 8edipus finds great comfort in the fact that one"half of

the prophec has been disproved$ he still fears the other half4the half that claimed hewould sleep with his mother.

The messenger remarks that 8edipus need not worr$ because &olbus and his

wife$ 2erope$ are not 8edipus*s biological parents. The messenger$ a shepherd b

profession$ knows firsthand that 8edipus came to 'orinth as an orphan. 8ne da longago$ he was tending his sheep when another shepherd approached him carring a bab$ its

ankles pinned together. The messenger took the bab to the roal famil of 'orinth$ and

the raised him as their own. That bab was 8edipus. 8edipus asks who the othershepherd was$ and the messenger answers that he was a servant of Laius.

8edipus asks that this shepherd be brought forth to testif$ but >ocasta$ beginning

to suspect the truth$ begs her husband not to seek more information. 1he runs back intothe palace. The shepherd then enters. 8edipus interrogates him$ asking who gave him the

bab. The shepherd refuses to disclose anthing$ and 8edipus threatens him with torture.

Finall$ he answers that the child came from the house of Laius. Uuestioned further$ he

answers that the bab was in fact the child of Laius himself$ and that it was >ocasta who

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gave him the infant$ ordering him to kill it$ as it had been prophesied that the child would

kill his parents. 3ut the shepherd pitied the child$ and decided that the prophec could be

avoided +ust as well if the child were to grow up in a foreign cit$ far from his true parents. The shepherd therefore passed the bo on to the shepherd in 'orinth.

eali0ing who he is and who his parents are$ 8edipus screams that he sees the

truth and flees back into the palace. The shepherd and the messenger slowl e#it thestage. ! second messenger enters and describes scenes of suffering. >ocasta has hanged

herself$ and 8edipus$ finding her dead$ has pulled the pins from her robe and stabbed out

his own ees. 8edipus now emerges from the palace$ bleeding and begging to be e#iled.=e asks 'reon to send him awa from Thebes and to look after his daughters$ !ntigone

and Ismene. 'reon$ covetous of roal power$ is all too happ to oblige.

1parkEotes 1taff. ".ark(ote on The 3edi.$s /lays. , !ug. 7HHCVhttp:55www.sparknotes.com5drama5oedipusW.

Oedipus Rex

Character List

8edipus: the king of Thebes$ married to >ocasta. =is name means swollen foot./

>ocasta: wife of 8edipus and queen of Thebes. 3efore 8edipus$ she was married to Laius.

'reon: >ocasta@s brother$ he shares one third of Thebes@s riches with 8edipus and >ocasta.

Teiresias: a blind prophet who knows the truth about 8edipus@s parentage.

2essenger from 'orinth: he arrives to tell 8edipus that his father (the man 8edipus

believes to be his father) &olbus is dead$ and that the people of 'orinth would like8edipus to be their king. =e also reveals to 8edipus that &olbus and 2erop are not his

real parents. =e sas that long ago a stranger from Thebes gave him a bab$ and that hegave the bab to the king and queen of 'orinth. This bab was$ of course$ 8edipus.

1hepherd: the man who gave the bab to the messenger and witness to Laius@s death.

&riest: his followers are making sacrifices to the gods at the beginning of the pla$ hoping

that the gods will lift the blight that has struck the cit.

!ttendant: a servant of 8edipus and >ocasta who reveals what happened in the palace

after 8edipus discovered his parentage.

Ismene and !ntigone: 8edipus@s oung daughters who are led out at the end of the pla.

8edipus laments the fact that the will never find husbands with such a cursed lineage

and begs 'reon to take care of them.

'horus of Theban %lders: a group of men who serve as an emotional sounding board ande#position device in the pla$ reflecting on the happenings and asking questions. The

7C



'horus speaks as one person$ although sometimes single 'horus members will deliver

lines.

7



Chapter 0: Theatre and Society: Historical Theatre Languages

I. 6h stud historical theatresX!. The theatre that a communit produces reflects its values and concerns""studing

theatre$ therefore$ is studing a culture*s value sstem

3. Bnderstanding how our theatre differs from a historical model tells us something

about our concerns and values

II. Theatre Language

!. definition: the verbal and nonverbal tools of communication used b theatre artists to

organi0e the audience*s perceptions and to create the fictive world of the pla.

3. compare to !rnold*s term theatrical conventions: devices of dramatic construction and

performance that facilitate the presentation of stories on stage

III. Areek Theatre (Cth

centur 3.'.%.)!. 1ocial functions

,. eligious observance: theatre had sacred roots

a. worship of Dionsus (the god of nature$ wine$ and fertilit) b. 'it DionsiaYa festival held each spring to celebrate and enact the

renewal associated with Dionsus

c. actors transformation into character during plas presented at festival paralleled the transformation nature undergoes in the spring to sustain

human life

7. &olitical practice: theatre and politics were interrelated institutions in Cthcentur 3'% !thens

a. 'it Dionsia was lavishl funded b the government b. all public and private business shut down during the festival

c. the average citi0en could serve the cit either b militar service or b

theatrical service""as member of a chorus

d. the Theoric Fund$ established b &ericles in <<H$ made it so that citi0ensreceived pament for all civic duties: +ur service$ attending council

meetings$ and attending the theatre

3. Thematic interests

,. =umanit*s relationship to the divine7. The ideal social order 9. 'oncern with death and violence$ but these acts almost alwas take place out

of view of the audience

'. 2a+or plawrights

,. !eschlus

7. 1ophocles

7



9. %uripides

I-. Areek theatre language

!. &hsical structure,. 8pen"air

7. Located on a hill side for the natural angle of audience seating (,C$HHH

capacit)9. 1eating formed crescent around a circular dancing area H"H ft. wide called

the orchestra

<. In the middle of the orchestra was an altar at which offerings to Dionsus weremade

C. To the rear of the orchestra was a scene house CH"H ft wide

3. 1cener,. 2inimal

7. The scene house was probabl used as background

9. 1ome painted panels ma have helped locali0e action

<. &robabl plawright*s words were the primar tool for designating place

'. 'ostume,. 3asic garment was a simple tunic pinned at the shoulder falling to the knee or

ankle

7. 2a have derived from robes worn b Dionsian priests9. ! cloak$ either long or short$ was usuall worn over it

<. Lace"up boots that ma have had thick platform soles

C. 1ome characters wore ornate headdresses

D. 2ask

,. &robabl the most significant costume element

7. Identified the character*s age$ gender$ and personalit9. %nlarged facial features making them more visible

<. %nabled actor to pla more than one part

C. !ided audibilit of actor*s voice

%. !ctorl behavior

,. !ll roles plaed b men

7. !ctors plaed multiple roles9. 1imple$ broad gestures that could be seen in large space

<. Facial e#pression not a factor due to masks

C. %mphasis on aural elements of performance""beaut and skill in vocal deliver

7G



F. The chorus

,. -aried in si0e: ,7"CH actors

7. 'an act as a character: e#pressing opinions$ asking questions$ etc.9. 1pectator*s stand"in on the stage

<. 1ets mood

C. !dds movement$ spectacle$ song$ dance

-. 'hoices for period stle

!. %mulate theatre languages of the period in which the pla was written and first performed

3. 'ontempori0e/ it: use theatre languages of the audience*s period

'. &lace pla in a period different from the one in which the author wrote and from

which the audience is viewing itD. &eriod collage: using elements of disparate periods

-I. 6h emulate period stleX

!. !llow a contemporar audience to hear and see the pla the wa the originalaudience heard it

3. Immerse the audience in the feeling of another time and place '. &reserve older performance traditions

'haracteristics of Traged

""deals with serious sub+ects

""characters have to confront their own mortalit

""characters come from aristocratic or noble families and usuall e#hibitadmirable behavior

""characters often have personalit traits or make decisions that cause their

downfall""characters act alone and take responsibilit for their actions

""plots frequentl involve a crisis over succession to a throne$ representing a

rupture in the bonds that tie families and societ together ""murder and death frequentl occur at the end of tragedies as a result of the

transgression of sacred principles

""the audience often empathi0es with tragic characters$ identifies with their

suffering$ and e#periences catharsis

7?



Antigone ,y Sophocles

-lot %.er.ie

!ntigone and Ismene$ the daughters of 8edipus$ discuss the disaster that has +ust befallen them. Their brothers &olnices and %teocles have killed one another in a battle

for control over Thebes. 'reon now rules the cit$ and he has ordered that &olnices$ who brought a foreign arm against Thebes$ not be allowed proper burial rites. 'reon

threatens to kill anone who tries to bur &olnices and stations sentries over his bod.

!ntigone$ in spite of 'reon*s edict and without the help of her sister Ismene$ resolves togive their brother a proper burial. 1oon$ a nervous sentr arrives at the palace to tell

'reon that$ while the sentries slept$ someone gave &olnices burial rites. 'reon sas that

he thinks some of the dissidents of the cit bribed the sentr to perform the rites$ and hevows to e#ecute the sentr if no other suspect is found.

The sentr soon e#onerates himself b catching !ntigone in the act of attempting to

rebur her brother$ the sentries having disinterred him. !ntigone freel confesses her actto 'reon and sas that he himself defies the will of the gods b refusing &olnices burial.

'reon condemns both !ntigone and Ismene to death. =aemon$ 'reon*s son and

!ntigone*s betrothed$ enters the stage. 'reon asks him his opinion on the issue. =aemon

seems at first to side with his father$ but graduall admits his opposition to 'reon*sstubbornness and pett vindictiveness. 'reon curses him and threatens to sla !ntigone

before his ver ees. =aemon storms out. 'reon decides to pardon Ismene$ but vows to

kill !ntigone b walling her up alive in a tomb.The blind prophet Tiresias arrives$ and 'reon promises to take whatever advice he

gives. Tiresias advises that 'reon allow &olnices to be buried$ but 'reon refuses.

Tiresias predicts that the gods will bring down curses upon the cit. The words of Tiresiasstrike fear into the hearts of 'reon and the people of Thebes$ and 'reon reluctantl goes

to free !ntigone from the tomb where she has been imprisoned. 3ut his change of heart

comes too late. ! messenger enters and recounts the tragic events: 'reon and his

entourage first gave proper burial to &olnices$ and then heard what sounded like=aemon*s voice wailing from !ntigone*s tomb. The went in and saw !ntigone hanging

from a noose$ and =aemon raving. 'reon*s son then took a sword and thrust it at his

father. 2issing$ he turned the sword against himself and died embracing !ntigone*s bod.'reon*s wife$ %urdice$ hears this terrible news and rushes awa into the palace. 'reon

enters$ carring =aemon*s bod and wailing against his own trann$ which he knows

has caused his son*s death. The messenger tells 'reon that he has another reason togrieve: %urdice has stabbed herself$ and$ as she died$ she called down curses on her

husband for the miser his pride had caused. 'reon kneels and pras that he$ too$ might

die. =is guards lead him back into the palace.

Themes

Themes are the f$ndamental and often $niversal ideas e4.lored in a literary )ork'

The &ower of Bnwritten Law""!fter defeating &olnices and taking the throne of Thebes$

'reon commands that &olnices be left to rot unburied$ his flesh eaten b dogs and birds$

creating an obscenit/ for everone to see ( Anti#one- 79,). 'reon thinks that he is

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+ustified in his treatment of &olnices because the latter was a traitor$ an enem of the

state$ and the securit of the state makes all of human life4including famil life and

religion4possible. Therefore$ to 'reon*s wa of thinking$ the good of the state comes before all other duties and values. =owever$ the subsequent events of the pla

demonstrate that some duties are more fundamental than the state and its laws. The dut

to bur the dead is part of what it means to be human$ not part of what it means to be aciti0en. That is wh &olnices* rotting bod is an obscenit/ rather than a crime. 2oral

duties4such as the duties owed to the dead4make up the bod of unwritten law and

tradition$ the law to which !ntigone appeals.

+otifs

Motifs are re$rrin# str$t$res- ontrasts- or literary devies that an hel. to develo.

and inform the te4t0s ma1or themes'

1uicide""!lmost ever character that dies in the three Theban plas does so at his or her

own hand (or own will$ as is the case in 3edi.$s at Colon$s). >ocasta hangs herself in

3edi.$s the Kin# and !ntigone hangs herself in Anti#one' %urdice and =aemon stabthemselves at the end of Anti#one' 8edipus inflicts horrible violence on himself at the

end of his first pla$ and willingl goes to his own msterious death at the end of hissecond. &olnices and %teocles die in battle with one another$ and it could be argued that

&olnices* death at least is self"inflicted in that he has heard his father*s curse and knows

that his cause is doomed. Incest motivates or indirectl brings about all of the deaths inthese plas.

Araves and Tombs""The plots of Anti#one and 3edi.$s at Colon$s both revolve around

burials and beliefs about burial are important in 3edi.$s the Kin# as well. &olnices iskept above ground after his death$ denied a grave$ and his rotting bod offends the gods$

his relatives$ and ancient traditions. !ntigone is entombed alive$ to the horror of everone

who watches. !t the end of 3edi.$s the Kin#- 8edipus cannot remain in Thebes or be buried within its territor$ because his ver person is polluted and offensive to the sight of

gods and men. Eevertheless$ his choice$ in 3edi.$s at Colon$s- to be buried at 'olonus

confers a great and mstical gift on all of !thens$ promising that nation victor overfuture attackers. In !ncient Areece$ traitors and people who murder their own relatives

could not be buried within their cit*s territor$ but their relatives still had an obligation to

bur them. !s one of the basic$ inescapable duties that people owe their relatives$ burials

represent the obligations that come from kinship$ as well as the conflicts that can arise between one*s dut to famil and to the cit"state.

Sym,ols

"ymbols are ob1ets- haraters- fi#$res- or olors $sed to re.resent abstrat ideas or

one.ts'

!ntigone*s %ntombment""'reon condemns !ntigone to a horrifing fate: being walled

alive inside a tomb. =e intends to leave her with +ust enough food so that neither he nor

the citi0ens of Thebes will have her blood on their hands when she finall dies. =er

imprisonment in a tomb smboli0es the fact that her loalties and feelings lie with the

9,



dead4her brothers and her father4rather than with the living$ such as =aemon or

Ismene. 3ut her imprisonment is also a smbol of 'reon*s lack of +udgment and his

affronts to the gods. Tiresias points out that 'reon commits a horrible sin b lodging aliving human being inside a grave$ as he keeps a rotting bod in dalight. 'reon*s actions

against !ntigone and against &olnices* bod show him attempting to invert the order of

nature$ defing the gods b asserting his own control over their territories.1parkEotes 1taff. ".ark(ote on The 3edi.$s /lays. , !ug. 7HHC

Vhttp:55www.sparknotes.com5drama5oedipusW.

Characters

!ntigone " The pla@s tragic heroine. In the first moments of the pla$ !ntigone is

opposed to her radiant sister Ismene. Bnlike her beautiful and docile sister$ !ntigone isscrawn$ sallow$ withdrawn$ and recalcitrant brat.

'reon " !ntigone*s uncle. 'reon is powerfull built$ but a wear and wrinkled man

suffering the burdens of rule. ! practical man$ he firml distances himself from the tragicaspirations of 8edipus and his line. !s he tells !ntigone$ his onl interest is in political

and social order. 'reon is bound to ideas of good sense$ simplicit$ and the banalhappiness of everda life.

Ismene " 3londe$ full"figured$ and radiantl beautiful$ the laughing$ talkative Ismene isthe good girl of the famil. 1he is reasonable and understands her place$ bowing to

'reon@s edict and attempting to dissuade !ntigone from her act of rebellion. !s in

1ophocles@ pla$ she is !ntigone@s foil. Bltimatel she will recant and beg !ntigone to

allow her to +oin her in death. Though !ntigone refuses$ Ismene@s conversion indicateshow her resistance is contagious.

=aemon " !ntigone*s oung fianc and son to 'reon. =aemon appears twice in the pla.In the first$ he is re+ected b !ntigone; in the second$ he begs his father for !ntigone@s

life. 'reon@s refusal ruins his e#alted view of his father. =e too refuses the happiness that

'reon offers him and follows !ntigone to a tragic demise.

Eurse " ! traditional figure in Areek drama$ the Eurse is an addition to the !ntigone

legend. 1he introduces an everda$ maternal element into the pla that heightens the

strangeness of the tragic world. Fuss$ affectionate$ and reassuring$ she suffers no dramaor traged but e#ists in the da"to"da tasks of caring for the two sisters. =er comforting

presence returns !ntigone to her girlhood. In her arms$ !ntigone superstitiousl invests

the Eurse with the power to ward off evil and keep her safe.

'horus " !nouilh reduces the 'horus$ who appears as narrator and commentator. The

'horus frames the pla with a prologue and epilogue$ introducing the action andcharacters under the sign of fatalit. In presenting the traged$ the 'horus instructs the

audience on proper spectatorship$ reappearing at the traged@s pivotal moments to

comment on the action or the nature of traged itself. !long with plaing narrator$ the

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'horus also attempts to intercede throughout the pla$ whether on the behalf of the

Theban people or the horrified spectators.

>onas " The three Auardsmen are interpolations into the !ntigone legend$ doubles for the

rank"and"file fascist collaborators or ollabos of !nouilh@s da. The card"plaing trio$

made all the more mindless and indistinguishable in being grouped in three$ emergesfrom a long stage tradition of the dull"witted police officer. The are eternall indifferent$

innocent$ and read to serve.

1econd Auard " Largel indistinguishable from his cohorts$ the 1econd Auard +eeringl

compares !ntigone to an e#hibitionist upon her arrest.

Third Auard " The last of the indifferent Auardsmen$ he is also largel indistinguishablefrom his cohorts.

2essenger " !nother tpical figure of Areek drama who also appears in 1ophocles@

Anti#one- the 2essenger is a pale and solitar bo who bears the news of death. In the prologue$ he casts a menacing shadow: as the 'horus notes$ he remains apart from the

others in his premonition of =aemon@s death.

&age " 'reon@s attendant. The &age is a figure of oung innocence. =e sees all$

understands nothing$ and is no help to anone but one da ma become either a 'reon oran !ntigone in his own right.

%urdice " 'reon*s kind$ knitting wife whose onl function$ as the 'horus declares$ is to

knit in her room until it is her time to die. =er suicide is 'reon@s last punishment$ leaving

him entirel alone.Tan$ 2ichael.

".ark(ote on Anti#one. , !ug. 7HHC Vhttp:55www.sparknotes.com5drama5antigone5W.

Chapter : Theatre and Society: Historical Theatre Languages -art 23

I. %li0abethan theatre (,CH",H9)

!. 1ocial function

,. ! secular theatre

%li0abeth forbade performance of religious dramas in an effort to investher government with more authorit

7. ! professional theatre

!ctors weren*t performing a civic dut; the were making a living9. Theatre operated ear"round$ not +ust at a special season: more regularl

integrated into social fabric

3. Thematic Interests

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,. %#ploration of human possibilit

7. eflects desire of audience for moments of heightened e#perience: tumult of

war$ mth$ passionate love stories9. Developing sense of nationalism and patriotism leads to interest in histor plas

bloodshed$ mutilation$ murder graphicall depicted on stage

'. 2a+or plawrights

,. 6illiam 1hakespeare

7. 'hristopher 2arlowe9. 3en >onson

II. %li0abethan theatre language

!. &hsical structure of The Alobe,. 8pen air

7. 7H sided (circular in appearance)

9. 1tage +utted well into the ard/ and was visible from three sides (T=B1T)

<. 1tage was raised <" ft off the groundC. 9 tiers of roofed galleries surrounded the ard containing benches and bo#es

. 'apacit: appro#imatel 9HHH

3. 1cener

,. 2ain acting areaYplatea$ or place7. 2inimal use of set pieces to alter platea

9. &laces were depicted largel through the plawright*s words

'. 'ostume,. &robabl the most elaborate visual element

7. 2ost actors wore contemporar dress regardless of the period depicted in the

pla9. !s costl and elegant as the plaer5compan could afford""often cast"offs from

nobilit

D. !ctorl behavior

,. 2en pla all roles

7. &ro#imit of audience made broad gestures and e#aggerated speech unnecessar

The Tempest ,y )illiam Sha*espeare

The Tem.est probabl was written in ,,HM,,,$ and was first performed at 'ourt b the

Ping*s 2en in the fall of ,,,. It was performed again in the winter of ,,7M,,9 duringthe festivities in celebration of the marriage of Ping >ames*s daughter %li0abeth. TheTem.est is most likel the last pla written entirel b 1hakespeare$ and it is remarkable

for being one of onl two plas b 1hakespeare (the other being Love0s Labor0s Lost )

whose plot is entirel original. The pla does$ however$ draw on travel literature of itstime4most notabl the accounts of a tempest off the 3ermudas that separated and nearl

wrecked a fleet of colonial ships sailing from &lmouth to -irginia. The %nglish colonial

pro+ect seems to be on 1hakespeare*s mind throughout The Tem.est- as almost ever

9<



character$ from the lord Aon0alo to the drunk 1tephano$ ponders how he would rule the

island on which the pla is set if he were its king. 1hakespeare seems also to have drawn

on 2ontaigne*s essa 8f the 'annibals$/ which was translated into %nglish in ,H9. Thename of &rospero*s servant"monster$ 'aliban$ seems to be an anagram or derivative of

'annibal./

The e#traordinar fle#ibilit of 1hakespeare*s stage is given particular prominence in TheTem.est' 1tages of the %li0abethan and >acobean period were for the most part bare andsimple. There was little on"stage scener$ and the possibilities for artificial lighting were

limited. The Ping*s 2en in ,,7 were performing both at the outdoor Alobe Theatre and

the indoor 3lackfriars Theatre and their plas would have had to work in either venue.Therefore$ much dramatic effect was left up to the minds of the audience. 6e see a

particularl good e#ample of this in The Tem.est- !ct II$ scene i when Aon0alo$

1ebastian$ and !ntonio argue whether the island is beautiful or barren. The bareness ofthe stage would have allowed either option to be possible in the audience*s mind at an

given moment.

!t the same time$ The Tem.est includes stage directions for a number of elaborate specialeffects. The man pageants and songs accompanied b ornatel costumed figures or

stage"magic4for e#ample$ the banquet in !ct III$ scene iii$ or the wedding celebrationfor Ferdinand and 2iranda in !ct I-$ scene i4give the pla the feeling of a masque$ a

highl stli0ed form of dramatic$ musical entertainment popular among the aristocrac of

the si#teenth and seventeenth centuries. It is perhaps the tension between simple stageeffects and ver elaborate and surprising ones that gives the pla its eerie and dreamlike

qualit$ making it seem rich and comple# even though it is one of 1hakespeare*s shortest$

most simpl constructed plas.

It is tempting to think of The Tem.est as 1hakespeare*s farewell to the stage because ofits theme of a great magician giving up his art. Indeed$ we can interpret &rospero*s

reference to the dissolution of the great globe itself/ (I-.i.,C9) as an allusion to

1hakespeare*s theatre. =owever$ 1hakespeare is known to have collaborated on at leasttwo other plas after The Tem.est : The T)o (oble Kinsmen and Henry 555 in ,,9$ both

probabl written with >ohn Fletcher. ! performance of the latter was$ in fact$ the occasion

for the actual dissolution of the Alobe. ! cannon fired during the performance

accidentall ignited the thatch$ and the theater burned to the ground.

Characters

&rospero " The pla*s protagonist$ and father of 2iranda. Twelve ears before the events

of the pla$ &rospero was the duke of 2ilan. =is brother$ !ntonio$ in concert with !lonso$

king of Eaples$ usurped him$ forcing him to flee in a boat with his daughter. The honestlord Aon0alo aided &rospero in his escape. &rospero has spent his twelve ears on the

island refining the magic that gives him the power he needs to punish and forgive his

enemies.

2iranda " The daughter of &rospero$ 2iranda was brought to the island at an earl age

and has never seen an men other than her father and 'aliban$ though she dimlremembers being cared for b female servants as an infant. 3ecause she has been sealed

9C



off from the world for so long$ 2iranda*s perceptions of other people tend to be naZve and

non"+udgmental. 1he is compassionate$ generous$ and loal to her father.

!riel " &rospero*s spirit helper. !riel is referred to throughout this 1parkEote and in most

criticism as he$/ but his gender and phsical form are ambiguous. escued b &rospero

from a long imprisonment at the hands of the witch 1cora#$ !riel is &rospero*s servantuntil &rospero decides to release him. =e is mischievous and ubiquitous$ able to traverse

the length of the island in an instant and to change shapes at will. =e carries out virtuall

ever task that &rospero needs accomplished in the pla.

'aliban " !nother of &rospero*s servants. 'aliban$ the son of the now"deceased witch

1cora#$ acquainted &rospero with the island when &rospero arrived. 'aliban believesthat the island rightfull belongs to him and has been stolen b &rospero. =is speech and

behavior is sometimes coarse and brutal$ as in his drunken scenes with 1tephano and

Trinculo (II.ii$ I-.i)$ and sometimes eloquent and sensitive$ as in his rebukes of &rosperoin !ct I$ scene ii$ and in his description of the eerie beaut of the island in !ct III$ scene ii

(III.ii.,9H",9G).

Ferdinand " 1on and heir of !lonso. Ferdinand seems in some was to be as pure and

naZve as 2iranda. =e falls in love with her upon first sight and happil submits to

servitude in order to win her father*s approval.

!lonso " Ping of Eaples and father of Ferdinand. !lonso aided !ntonio in unseating

&rospero as Duke of 2ilan twelve ears before. !s he appears in the pla$ however$ he is

acutel aware of the consequences of all his actions. =e blames his decision to marr hisdaughter to the &rince of Tunis on the apparent death of his son. In addition$ after the

magical banquet$ he regrets his role in the usurping of &rospero.

!ntonio " &rospero*s brother. !ntonio quickl demonstrates that he is power"hungr and

foolish. In !ct II$ scene i$ he persuades 1ebastian to kill the sleeping !lonso. =e then

goes along with 1ebastian*s absurd stor about fending off lions when Aon0alo wakes upand catches !ntonio and 1ebastian with their swords drawn.

1ebastian " !lonso*s brother. Like !ntonio$ he is both aggressive and cowardl. =e is

easil persuaded to kill his brother in !ct II$ scene i$ and he initiates the ridiculous storabout lions when Aon0alo catches him with his sword drawn.

Aon0alo " !n old$ honest lord$ Aon0alo helped &rospero and 2iranda to escape after!ntonio usurped &rospero*s title. Aon0alo*s speeches provide an important commentar

on the events of the pla$ as he remarks on the beaut of the island when the stranded part first lands$ then on the desperation of !lonso after the magic banquet$ and on themiracle of the reconciliation in !ct -$ scene i.

Trinculo R 1tephano " Trinculo$ a +ester$ and 1tephano$ a drunken butler$ are two minormembers of the shipwrecked part. The provide a comic foil to the other$ more powerful

pairs of &rospero and !lonso and !ntonio and 1ebastian. Their drunken boasting and

9



pett greed reflect and deflate the quarrels and power struggles of &rospero and the other

noblemen.

3oatswain " !ppearing onl in the first and last scenes$ the 3oatswain is vigorousl

good"natured. =e seems competent and almost cheerful in the shipwreck scene$

demanding practical help rather than weeping and praing. !nd he seems surprised butnot stunned when he awakens from a long sleep at the end of the pla.

-lot Summary

! storm strikes a ship carring !lonso$ Ferdinand$ 1ebastian$ !ntonio$ Aon0alo$1tephano$ and Trinculo$ who are on their wa to Ital after coming from the wedding of

!lonso*s daughter$ 'laribel$ to the prince of Tunis in !frica. The roal part and the other

mariners$ with the e#ception of the unflappable 3oatswain$ begin to fear for their lives.Lightning cracks$ and the mariners cr that the ship has been hit. %verone prepares to

sink.

The ne#t scene begins much more quietl. 2iranda and &rospero stand on the shore of

their island$ looking out to sea at the recent shipwreck. 2iranda asks her father to doanthing he can to help the poor souls in the ship. &rospero assures her that everthing isall right and then informs her that it is time she learned more about herself and her past.

=e reveals to her that he orchestrated the shipwreck and tells her the length stor of her

past$ a stor he has often started to tell her before but never finished. The stor goes that&rospero was the Duke of 2ilan until his brother !ntonio$ conspiring with !lonso$ the

Ping of Eaples$ usurped his position. Pidnapped and left to die on a raft at sea$ &rospero

and his daughter survive because Aon0alo leaves them supplies and &rospero*s books$which are the source of his magic and power. &rospero and his daughter arrived on the

island where the remain now and have been for twelve ears. 8nl now$ &rospero sas$

has Fortune at last sent his enemies his wa$ and he has raised the tempest in order to

make things right with them once and for all.

!fter telling this stor$ &rospero charms 2iranda to sleep and then calls forth his familiar

spirit !riel$ his chief magical agent. &rospero and !riel*s discussion reveals that !riel

brought the tempest upon the ship and set fire to the mast. =e then made sure that

everone got safel to the island$ though the are now separated from each other intosmall groups. !riel$ who is a captive servant to &rospero$ reminds his master that he has

promised !riel freedom a ear earl if he performs tasks such as these without complaint.

&rospero chastises !riel for protesting and reminds him of the horrible fate from whichhe was rescued. 3efore &rospero came to the island$ a witch named 1cora# imprisoned

!riel in a tree. 1cora# died$ leaving !riel trapped until &rospero arrived and freed him.

!fter !riel assures &rospero that he knows his place$ &rospero orders !riel to take theshape of a sea nmph and make himself invisible to all but &rospero.

2iranda awakens from her sleep$ and she and &rospero go to visit 'aliban$ &rospero*sservant and the son of the dead 1cora#. 'aliban curses &rospero$ and &rospero and

2iranda berate him for being ungrateful for what the have given and taught him.

&rospero sends 'aliban to fetch firewood. !riel$ invisible$ enters plaing music andleading in the awed Ferdinand. 2iranda and Ferdinand are immediatel smitten with

each other. =e is the onl man 2iranda has ever seen$ besides 'aliban and her father.

9



&rospero is happ to see that his plan for his daughter*s future marriage is working$ but

decides that he must upset things temporaril in order to prevent their relationship from

developing too quickl. =e accuses Ferdinand of merel pretending to be the &rince of Eaples and threatens him with imprisonment. 6hen Ferdinand draws his sword$ &rospero

charms him and leads him off to prison$ ignoring 2iranda*s cries for merc. =e then

sends !riel on another msterious mission.8n another part of the island$ !lonso$ 1ebastian$ !ntonio$ Aon0alo$ and othermiscellaneous lords give thanks for their safet but worr about the fate of Ferdinand.

!lonso sas that he wishes he never had married his daughter to the prince of Tunis

because if he had not made this +ourne$ his son would still be alive. Aon0alo tries tomaintain high spirits b discussing the beaut of the island$ but his remarks are undercut

b the sarcastic sourness of !ntonio and 1ebastian. !riel appears$ invisible$ and plas

music that puts all but 1ebastian and !ntonio to sleep. These two then begin to discussthe possible advantages of killing their sleeping companions. !ntonio persuades

1ebastian that the latter will become ruler of Eaples if the kill !lonso. 'laribel$ who

would be the ne#t heir if Ferdinand were indeed dead$ is too far awa to be able to claim

her right. 1ebastian is convinced$ and the two are about to stab the sleeping men when!riel causes Aon0alo to wake with a shout. %verone wakes up$ and !ntonio and

1ebastian concoct a ridiculous stor about having drawn their swords to protect the king

from lions. !riel goes back to &rospero while !lonso and his part continue to search forFerdinand.

'aliban$ meanwhile$ is hauling wood for &rospero when he sees Trinculo and thinks he is

a spirit sent b &rospero to torment him. =e lies down and hides under his cloak. ! storm

is brewing$ and Trinculo$ curious about but undeterred b 'aliban*s strange appearanceand smell$ crawls under the cloak with him. 1tephano$ drunk and singing$ comes along

and stumbles upon the bi0arre spectacle of 'aliban and Trinculo huddled under the cloak.

'aliban$ hearing the singing$ cries out that he will work faster so long as the spirits/leave him alone. 1tephano decides that this monster requires liquor and attempts to get'aliban to drink. Trinculo recogni0es his friend 1tephano and calls out to him. 1oon the

three are sitting up together and drinking. 'aliban quickl becomes an enthusiastic

drinker$ and begins to sing.

&rospero puts Ferdinand to work hauling wood. Ferdinand finds his labor pleasant because it is for 2iranda*s sake. 2iranda$ thinking that her father is asleep$ tells

Ferdinand to take a break. The two flirt with one another. 2iranda proposes marriage$

and Ferdinand accepts. &rospero has been on stage most of the time$ unseen$ and he is pleased with this development.

1tephano$ Trinculo$ and 'aliban are now drunk and raucous and are made all the more so b !riel$ who comes to them invisibl and provokes them to fight with one another b

impersonating their voices and taunting them. 'aliban grows more and more fervent in

his boasts that he knows how to kill &rospero. =e even tells 1tephano that he can bringhim to where &rospero is sleeping. =e proposes that the kill &rospero$ take his daughter$

and set 1tephano up as king of the island. 1tephano thinks this a good plan$ and the three

prepare to set off to find &rospero. The are distracted$ however$ b the sound of music

9G



that !riel plas on his flute and tabor"drum$ and the decide to follow this music before

e#ecuting their plot.

!lonso$ Aon0alo$ 1ebastian$ and !ntonio grow wear from traveling and pause to rest.!ntonio and 1ebastian secretl plot to take advantage of !lonso and Aon0alo*s

e#haustion$ deciding to kill them in the evening. &rospero$ probabl on the balcon of the

stage and invisible to the men$ causes a banquet to be set out b strangel shaped spirits.!s the men prepare to eat$ !riel appears like a harp and causes the banquet to vanish.=e then accuses the men of supplanting &rospero and sas that it was for this sin that

!lonso*s son$ Ferdinand$ has been taken. =e vanishes$ leaving !lonso feeling ve#ed and

guilt.

&rospero now softens toward Ferdinand and welcomes him into his famil as the soon"to" be"husband of 2iranda. =e sternl reminds Ferdinand$ however$ that 2iranda*s virgin"

knot/ (I-.i.,C) is not to be broken until the wedding has been officiall solemni0ed.

&rospero then asks !riel to call forth some spirits to perform a masque for Ferdinand and

2iranda. The spirits assume the shapes of 'eres$ >uno$ and Iris and perform a short

masque celebrating the rites of marriage and the bount of the earth. ! dance of reapersand nmphs follows but is interrupted when &rospero suddenl remembers that he still

must stop the plot against his life.

=e sends the spirits awa and asks !riel about Trinculo$ 1tephano$ and 'aliban. !riel

tells his master of the three men*s drunken plans. =e also tells how he led the men with

his music through prickl grass and briars and finall into a filth pond near &rospero*s

cell. !riel and &rospero then set a trap b hanging beautiful clothing in &rospero*s cell.1tephano$ Trinculo$ and 'aliban enter looking for &rospero and$ finding the beautiful

clothing$ decide to steal it. The are immediatel set upon b a pack of spirits in the

shape of dogs and hounds$ driven on b &rospero and !riel.

&rospero uses !riel to bring !lonso and the others before him. =e then sends !riel to bring the 3oatswain and the mariners from where the sleep on the wrecked ship.

&rospero confronts !lonso$ !ntonio$ and 1ebastian with their treacher$ but tells them

that he forgives them. !lonso tells him of having lost Ferdinand in the tempest and

&rospero sas that he recentl lost his own daughter. 'larifing his meaning$ he drawsaside a curtain to reveal Ferdinand and 2iranda plaing chess. !lonso and his

companions are ama0ed b the miracle of Ferdinand*s survival$ and 2iranda is stunned

b the sight of people unlike an she has seen before. Ferdinand tells his father about hismarriage.

!riel returns with the 3oatswain and mariners. The 3oatswain tells a stor of having

been awakened from a sleep that had apparentl lasted since the tempest. !t &rospero*s

bidding$ !riel releases 'aliban$ Trinculo and 1tephano$ who then enter wearing theirstolen clothing. &rospero and !lonso command them to return it and to clean up

&rospero*s cell. &rospero invites !lonso and the others to sta for the night so that he can

tell them the tale of his life in the past twelve ears. !fter this$ the group plans to returnto Ital. &rospero$ restored to his dukedom$ will retire to 2ilan. &rospero gives !riel one

final task4to make sure the seas are calm for the return voage4before setting him free.

9?



Finall$ &rospero delivers an epilogue to the audience$ asking them to forgive him for his

wrongdoing and set him free b applauding.

ThemesThe Illusion of >ustice""The Tem.est tells a fairl straightforward stor involving anun+ust act$ the usurpation of &rospero*s throne b his brother$ and &rospero*s quest to re"

establish +ustice b restoring himself to power. =owever$ the idea of +ustice that the pla

works toward seems highl sub+ective$ since this idea represents the view of onecharacter who controls the fate of all the other characters. Though &rospero presents

himself as a victim of in+ustice working to right the wrongs that have been done to him$

&rospero*s idea of +ustice and in+ustice is somewhat hpocritical4though he is furiouswith his brother for taking his power$ he has no qualms about enslaving !riel and 'aliban

in order to achieve his ends. !t man moments throughout the pla$ &rospero*s sense of

+ustice seems e#tremel one"sided and mainl involves what is good for &rospero.

2oreover$ because the pla offers no notion of higher order or +ustice to supersede&rospero*s interpretation of events$ the pla is morall ambiguous.

!s the pla progresses$ however$ it becomes more and more involved with the idea of

creativit and art$ and &rospero*s role begins to mirror more e#plicitl the role of anauthor creating a stor around him. 6ith this metaphor in mind$ and especiall if we

accept &rospero as a surrogate for 1hakespeare himself$ &rospero*s sense of +ustice begins

to seem$ if not perfect$ at least smpathetic. 2oreover$ the means he uses to achieve his

idea of +ustice mirror the machinations of the artist$ who also seeks to enable others to seehis view of the world. &lawrights arrange their stories in such a wa that their own idea

of +ustice is imposed upon events. In The Tem.est- the author is in the pla$ and the fact

that he establishes his idea of +ustice and creates a happ ending for all the characters becomes a cause for celebration$ not criticism.

3 using magic and tricks that echo the special effects and spectacles of the theater$

&rospero graduall persuades the other characters and the audience of the rightness of his

case. !s he does so$ the ambiguities surrounding his methods slowl resolve themselves.

&rospero forgives his enemies$ releases his slaves$ and relinquishes his magic power$ sothat$ at the end of the pla$ he is onl an old man whose work has been responsible for all

the audience*s pleasure. The establishment of &rospero*s idea of +ustice becomes less a

commentar on +ustice in life than on the nature of moralit in art. =app endings are possible$ 1hakespeare seems to sa$ because the creativit of artists can create them$ even

if the moral values that establish the happ ending originate from nowhere but the

imagination of the artist.

The Difficult of Distinguishing 2en/ from 2onsters/""Bpon seeing Ferdinand for thefirst time$ 2iranda sas that he is the third man that e*er I saw/ (I.ii.<<?). The other two

are$ presumabl$ &rospero and 'aliban. In their first conversation with 'aliban$ however$

2iranda and &rospero sa ver little that shows the consider him to be human. 2irandareminds 'aliban that before she taught him language$ he gabbled like 5 ! thing most

brutish/ (I.ii.9C?M9H) and &rospero sas that he gave 'aliban human care/ (I.ii.9<?)$

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impling that this was something 'aliban ultimatel did not deserve. 'aliban*s e#act

nature continues to be slightl ambiguous later. In !ct I-$ scene i$ reminded of 'aliban*s

plot$ &rospero refers to him as a devil$ a born devil$ on whose nature 5 Eurture can never stick/ (I-.i.,GGM,G?). 2iranda and &rospero both have contradictor views of 'aliban*s

humanit. 8n the one hand$ the think that their education of him has lifted him from his

formerl brutish status. 8n the other hand$ the seem to see him as inherentl brutish. =isdevilish nature can never be overcome b nurture$ according to &rospero. 2iranda

e#presses a similar sentiment in !ct I$ scene ii: th vile race$ 5 Though thou didst learn$

had that in*t which good natures 5 'ould not abide to be with/ (I.ii.9,M99). Theinhuman part of 'aliban drives out the human part$ the good nature$/ that is imposed on

him.

'aliban claims that he was kind to &rospero$ and that &rospero repaid that kindness b

imprisoning him (see I.ii.9<). In contrast$ &rospero claims that he stopped being kind to'aliban once 'aliban had tried to rape 2iranda (I.ii.9<M9C,). 6hich character the

audience decides to believe depends on whether it views 'aliban as inherentl brutish$ or

as made brutish b oppression. The pla leaves the matter ambiguous. 'aliban balances

all of his eloquent speeches$ such as his curses in !ct I$ scene ii and his speech about theisle*s noises/ in !ct III$ scene ii$ with the most degrading kind of drunken$ servile

behavior. 3ut Trinculo*s speech upon first seeing 'aliban (II.ii.,GM9G)$ the longest speech

in the pla$ reproaches too harsh a view of 'aliban and blurs the distinction between menand monsters. In %ngland$ which he visited once$ Trinculo sas$ 'aliban could be shown

off for mone: There would this monster make a man. !n strange beast there makes a

man. 6hen the will not give a doit to relieve a lame beggar$ the will la out ten to see adead Indian/ (II.ii.7GM9,). 6hat seems most monstrous in these sentences is not the

dead Indian$/ or an strange beast$/ but the cruel voeurism of those who capture and

gape at them.

The !llure of uling a 'olon""The nearl uninhabited island presents the sense ofinfinite possibilit to almost everone who lands there. &rospero has found it$ in itsisolation$ an ideal place to school his daughter. 1cora#$ 'aliban*s mother$ worked her

magic there after she was e#iled from !lgeria. 'aliban$ once alone on the island$ now

&rospero*s slave$ laments that he had been his own king (I.ii.9<<M9<C). !s he attempts tocomfort !lonso$ Aon0alo imagines a utopian societ on the island$ over which he would

rule (II.i.,<GM,C). In !ct III$ scene ii$ 'aliban suggests that 1tephano kill &rospero$ and

1tephano immediatel envisions his own reign: 2onster$ I will kill this man. =isdaughter and I will be Ping and Uueen4save our graces4and Trinculo and thself shall

be m viceros/ (III.ii.,H,M,H9). 1tephano particularl looks forward to taking

advantage of the spirits that make noises/ on the isle; the will provide music for his

kingdom for free. !ll these characters envision the island as a space of freedom andunreali0ed potential.

The tone of the pla$ however$ toward the hopes of the would"be coloni0ers is ve#ed at

best. Aon0alo*s utopian vision in !ct II$ scene i is undercut b a sharp retort from theusuall foolish 1ebastian and !ntonio. 6hen Aon0alo sas that there would be no

commerce or work or sovereignt/ in his societ$ 1ebastian replies$ et he would be

king on*t$/ and !ntonio adds$ The latter end of his commonwealth forgets the

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beginning/ (II.i.,CM,C). Aon0alo*s fantas thus involves him ruling the island while

seeming not to rule it$ and in this he becomes a kind of parod of &rospero.

6hile there are man representatives of the colonial impulse in the pla$ the coloni0edhave onl one representative: 'aliban. 6e might develop smpath for him at first$ when

&rospero seeks him out merel to abuse him$ and when we see him tormented b spirits.

=owever$ this smpath is made more difficult b his willingness to abase himself before1tephano in !ct II$ scene ii. %ven as 'aliban plots to kill one colonial master (&rospero)in !ct III$ scene ii$ he sets up another (1tephano). The urge to rule and the urge to be

ruled seem ine#tricabl intertwined.

+otifs Motifs are re$rrin# str$t$res- ontrasts- and literary devies that an hel. todevelo. and inform the te4t0s ma1or themes'

2asters and 1ervants## Eearl ever scene in the pla either e#plicitl or implicitl

portras a relationship between a figure that possesses power and a figure that is sub+ectto that power. The pla e#plores the master"servant dnamic most harshl in cases inwhich the harmon of the relationship is threatened or disrupted$ as b the rebellion of a

servant or the ineptitude of a master. For instance$ in the opening scene$ the servant/ (the

3oatswain) is dismissive and angr toward his masters/ (the noblemen)$ whoseineptitude threatens to lead to a shipwreck in the storm. From then on$ master"servant

relationships like these dominate the pla: &rospero and 'aliban; &rospero and !riel;

!lonso and his nobles; the nobles and Aon0alo; 1tephano$ Trinculo$ and 'aliban; and so

forth. The pla e#plores the pschological and social dnamics of power relationshipsfrom a number of contrasting angles$ such as the generall positive relationship between

&rospero and !riel$ the generall negative relationship between &rospero and 'aliban$

and the treacher in !lonso*s relationship to his nobles.

6ater and Drowning""The pla is awash with references to water. The 2ariners enter

wet/ in !ct I$ scene i$ and 'aliban$ 1tephano$ and Trinculo enter all wet$/ after beingled b !riel into a swamp lake (I-.i.,?9). 2iranda*s fear for the lives of the sailors in

the wild waters/ (I.ii.7) causes her to weep. !lonso$ believing his son dead because of

his own actions against &rospero$ decides in !ct III$ scene iii to drown himself. =is

language is echoed b &rospero in !ct -$ scene i when the magician promises that$ oncehe has reconciled with his enemies$ deeper than did ever plummet sound 5 I*ll drown m

book/ (-.i.CMC).

These are onl a few of the references to water in the pla. 8ccasionall$ the references to

water are used to compare characters. For e#ample$ the echo of !lonso*s desire to drownhimself in &rospero*s promise to drown his book calls attention to the similarit of the

sacrifices each man must make. !lonso must be willing to give up his life in order to

become trul penitent and to be forgiven for his treacher against &rospero. 1imilarl$ in

order to re+oin the world he has been driven from$ &rospero must be willing to give up hismagic and his power.

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&erhaps the most important overall effect of this water motif is to heighten the smbolic

importance of the tempest itself. It is as though the water from that storm runs through

the language and action of the entire pla4+ust as the tempest itself literall and cruciallaffects the lives and actions of all the characters.

2sterious Eoises##The isle is indeed$ as 'aliban sas$ full of noises/ (III.ii.,9H). The

pla begins with a tempestuous noise of thunder and lightning/ (I.i.,$ stage direction)$and the splitting of the ship is signaled in part b a confused noise within/ (I.i.C<$ stagedirection). 2uch of the noise of the pla is musical$ and much of the music is !riel*s.

Ferdinand is led to 2iranda b !riel*s music. !riel*s music also wakes Aon0alo +ust as

!ntonio and 1ebastian are about to kill !lonso in !ct II$ scene i. 2oreover$ the magical banquet of !ct III$ scene iii is laid out to the tune of 1olemn and strange music/

(III.iii.,G$ stage direction)$ and >uno and 'eres sing in the wedding masque (I-.i.,HM

,,).

The noises$ sounds$ and music of the pla are made most significant b 'aliban*s speech

about the noises of the island at III.ii.,9HM,9G. 1hakespeare shows 'aliban in the thrall of

magic$ which the theater audience also e#periences as the illusion of thunder$ rain$invisibilit. The action of The Tem.est is ver simple. 6hat gives the pla most of its

hpnotic$ magical atmosphere is the series of dreamlike events it stages$ such as thetempest$ the magical banquet$ and the wedding masque. !ccompanied b music$ these

present a feast for the ee and the ear and convince us of the magical glor of &rospero*s

enchanted isle.

Sym,ols

The Tempest##The tempest that begins the pla$ and which puts all of &rospero*s enemiesat his disposal$ smboli0es the suffering &rospero endured$ and which he wants to inflict

on others. !ll of those shipwrecked are put at the merc of the sea$ +ust as &rospero and

his infant daughter were twelve ears ago$ when some loal friends helped them out tosea in a ragged little boat (see I.ii.,<<M,C,). &rospero must make his enemies suffer as he

has suffered so that the will learn from their suffering$ as he has from his. The tempest is

also a smbol of &rospero*s magic$ and of the frightening$ potentiall malevolent side ofhis power.

The Aame of 'hess""The ob+ect of chess is to capture the king. That$ at the simplest level$is the smbolic significance of &rospero revealing Ferdinand and 2iranda plaing chess

in the final scene. &rospero has caught the king4!lonso4and reprimanded him for his

treacher. In doing so$ &rospero has married !lonso*s son to his own daughter without the

king*s knowledge$ a deft political maneuver that assures !lonso*s support because !lonso

will have no interest in upsetting a dukedom to which his own son is heir. This is the finalmove in &rospero*s plot$ which began with the tempest. =e has maneuvered the different

passengers of !lonso*s ship around the island with the skill of a great chess plaer.

'aught up in their game$ 2iranda and Ferdinand also smboli0e something ominousabout &rospero*s power. The do not even notice the others staring at them for a few

lines. 1weet lord$ ou pla me false$/ 2iranda sas$ and Ferdinand assures her that he

would not for the world/ do so (-.i.,<M,). The theatrical tableau is almost too

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perfect: Ferdinand and 2iranda$ suddenl and une#pectedl revealed behind a curtain$

plaing chess and talking gentl of love and faith$ seem entirel removed from the world

around them. Though he has promised to relinquish his magic$ &rospero still seems to seehis daughter as a mere pawn in his game.

&rospero*s 3ooks##Like the tempest$ &rospero*s books are a smbol of his power.

emember 5 First to possess his books$/ 'aliban sas to 1tephano and Trinculo$ forwithout them 5 =e*s but a sot/ (III.ii.GMGG). The books are also$ however$ a smbol of&rospero*s dangerous desire to withdraw entirel from the world. It was his devotion to

stud that put him at the merc of his ambitious brother$ and it is this same devotion to

stud that has made him content to raise 2iranda in isolation. et$ 2iranda*s isolationhas made her ignorant of where she came from (see I.ii.99M9)$ and &rospero*s own

isolation provides him with little compan. In order to return to the world where his

knowledge means something more than power$ &rospero must let go of his magic.

1parkEotes %ditors. 1parkEote on The Tempest./ 1parkEotes LL'. 7HH7.

http:55www.sparknotes.com5shakespeare5tempest5 (accessed December ,9$ 7H,7).

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