This is definitely the better of my recent A grade essays, being a near-perfect A* grade. Apparently. Anyway, I'm not going to publish it all here as it is stupidly long; I'll pick out some good paragraphs for you :)
How do the playwrights portray characters in hostile worlds through literary and linguistic techniques?
INTRO:
In both Shaffer's 'Equus' and Shakespeare's 'Othello', the protagonists are demonstrated to live in worlds which are hostile to them as individuals. Through contemporary references, dramatic devices and linguistic techniques, both playwrights illustrate this for their audiences, and show this to be the cause of the protagonists; respective crimes: Alan's blinding of the horses and Otehllo's murder of Desdemona, as peripateias in both tragedies.
CONTEXT PARAGRAPHS:
From the beginning, both playwrights present socities which are clearly hostile to outsiders. 'Equus', set in 1970s Britain, presents a conservative society under a Conservative government, which is facing the strain of Cold War, anti-outsider politics. In the second scene, Hesther describes two psychiatrists who can be seen as metaphors for society as a whole and for its treatment of Alan. She uses the phrase "immovably English", with "English" used in this case as a synonym for conservatism and unkind values. The adjective "immovably" premodifies this and allows it to seem harsher than it might have done, adding to the audience's understanding of the way society is likely to treat Alan before he, himself is mentioned by name or seen on stage at all. This is therefore a dramatic device used to set the scene, and is perhaps more poignant to modern audiences than contemporary ones as we are now evidently unfamiliar with the political or societal constraints of the tiem in which it was written.
The same can be said of 'Othello', in which the title character is immediately presented as an outsider because of the way his fellows perceive his race. Although most historians accept that the Elizabethans did not have a concept of 'race', and could therefore not be termed 'racist' for their treatment of Othello, the fact that Shakespeare chooses to refer to him cataphorically throughout, seldom ever allowing a character to refer to him by his name, demonstrates the way in which they all perceive him to be different. This is added to by the fact that he is constantly referred to as "the Moor", as though suggesting his race is an acceptable way of setting him apart. To modern audiences, with our concepts of political correctness, this will seem even harsher; although it can't be doubted that this presentatio of Othello has always seemed to place him in a hostile, foreign environment.
EXAMPLE OF GOOD 'EQUUS' PARAGRAPH:
The control exerted by the fictional character of Equus within Alan himself also plays a large part in Alan's understanding of the world, and consequently in his fear of every day circumstances which contribute to this. Through the use of capitalisation in this section, Shaffer turns "Merciful" and "Kind" into proper nouns, in a way similar to that utilised by the catholic church to illustrate their God as omniscient and forgiving. This turns the character of Equus from an abstract concept illustrated to the audience through Dysart's sue of scientific and psychiatric jargon into a real being in which we can believe, given the references back to the world in which we live. The effect of this is not only to portray hostility in Alan's world but also to allow the audience to draw parallels with the constraints and hostilities they see in their own, allowing them to buy into Alan's fear and comprehend it more readily.
EXAMPLE OF GOOD 'OTHELLO' PARAGRAPH:
Iago's deception - and the audience's understanding of it - builds throughout the play, with the hostile world which finally leads Othello to murder his beloved wife being created by his supposed friend more and more rapidly towards the end of the play. The hostility in the character of Iago is shown through what critics describe as his "complete and unexplainable evil", and through the juxtapositions in what he says about Othello in soliloquy and face-to-face. These ideas juxtapose entirely, and are often oxymoronic, showing the extent of the deception being woven and suggesting to the audience the extent of the traditional tragic fall Othello will face, when it comes. For example, in soliloquy in the first Act of the play, Iago uses the declarative "I hate the Moor", utilising the hyperbolic stative verb "hate", which creates an oxymoron when compared with the stative noun "love" which is utilised in a fyrther declarative by Iago later in the same Act, still in reference to Othello. The way that this deception creates a hostile world is then exacerbated by the way in which Shakespeare weaves the semantic field of jealousy through the whole play, specifically in Iago's lexis, through utterances such as "green eyed", showing the audience how the control exhibited by a character such as Iago then leads Othello to begin to believe in this manipulation, and eventually to make it real.
CONCLUSION:
Ultimately, the hostilities of the worlds around them cannot be wholly responsible for the crimes of Alan or Othello: however in both cases this was a significant factor, perhaps best explained by Dysart in Act Two of 'Equus' - "he is a modern citizen for whom society does not exist".
MARKS:
AO1 - 9 (/10)
AO2 - 10 (/10)
AO3 - 37 (/40)
56/60 = 9?% = A*
Saturday 19 June 2010
Essay Examples: A Grade Essays (Part One)
To help you see how to construct a good A-Grade essay, I'm going to provide you with a couple, and then with the marks they recieved at the end. This helps me to remember essay technique, too, so it's all good :)
How do Shakespeare and Shaffer explore the importance of self-awareness in presenting characters as individuals in society?
In both Shakespeare's 'Othello' and Shaffer's 'Equus', the theme of self awareness (and the lack thereof) is crucial to driving the plot and creating characters. Although it plays a crucial role in the downfalls of both protagonists, it is perhaps most interesting in the cases of Iago and Dysart, who are both presented as highly individual because of their uniquely acute self awareness, and the ways in which they deal with this.
In typical Shakespearean style, Iago's self-awareness is presented through regular and repetitive soliloquy, including regular use of the first person pronoun "I" to demonstrate the extent of his self-obsession to the audience in a less evident manner. Through statements such as "I hate the Moor. My cause is hearted" he demonstrates an acute awareness of his own passions and motivations as a character while never explicitly explaining them to the audience, presenting him as somewhat of an individual because of the air of intrigue which this surrounds him. The extent of his emotional awareness is illustrated through the hyperbolic use of stative verbs such as "hate", as well as through repetition of "I" and the possessive "my" to personalise emotions.
Through this presentation of him, the audience is lead to see him as an individual: in a society as polite and diplomatic as Shakespeare presents Venice to be, Iago's passions and the brutality with which he openly expresses them cause him to stand out. The fact that he evidently does not feel the need to explain these passions further ostracises him, in that he is thius breaking further social conventions/
This is only illustrated further by his fervent repetition of the phrase "I hate" throughout Act One, during which he also tells the audience exactly what he intends to do, showing him as not only uniquely aware of his emotions but also as self-obsessed: his need to voice his plans shows a degree of pride in them which breaks from the expected, given their nature.
Soliloquy is also a technique employed by Shaffer to illustrate Dysart's self awareness at the beginning of the play. Through the narration of his dream, metaphor is used to show a subconscious self-awareness at this point in the play, which then grows to become conscious later - linking in with the audience's understanding of Dysart and a psychiatric professional, which will be very different now given that psychiatry as a form of mental help has more or less been dropped. The metaphor "the mask is slipping" is used here to suggest Dysart;s growing realisation that he has no faith in his profession, with him thereby being presented as an individual in society because most would agree that curing a child would be a worthy cause. This also leads the audience to question the morality of Dysart's profession, in parallel with the character himself, something which is stated as one of Shaffer's final dramatic intentions for the play.
In Dysart's closing monologue, he speaks the line "There is now, in my mouth, this sharp chain. And it never comes out." The metaphor in this illustrates his uderstanding of the restrictions which society has placed upon him, in terms of expectations, and his final simple sentence shows, thorugh bitterness implied, exactly how he feels, as well as demonstrating that such societal expectations are eternal. Use of present tense in this soliloquy, where so many others have been in the past tense, shows understanding of the eternal nature of these restruictions, highlighting how they occurred and will always happen. Dysart's unique understanding of the way society works, which is here presented, shows him to be almost omniscient; truly an individual in society.
Elements of spoken language are also used by both playwrights to present their characters as individuals in society, and as uniquely self aware. Dysart, for example, uses simple sentences in his confession to Hesther in Act Two: "I'm jealous Hesther. Jealous of Alan Strang". The greater pause implied by the grammatical choice of a full-stop here shows Dysart's distaste for his own feelings, a notion echoed in the fact that he feel the need to speak them aloud, as though this might rationalise them. The use of stative verbs to express emotion is a regular device used to show self awareness, and Dysart's use of "jealous" in this case further demonstrates his own emotional choices, despite how evidently "other" they are. The audience are thus guided to question and sympathise with Dysart, subtly guiding them to potentially make his moral decision later in the play.
One notable element of spoken language employed by Shakespeare in the presentation of Iago as an individual in society is premodification. In this soliloquy in Act Two, Scene One, he speaks the line "That Cassio loves her, I do well believe't", with the intensifier "well" being used as premodification. This could be used to argue against Iago's self awareness, as everything he has spoken so far contradicts this statement, making this initially appear as self-deception. However, it could also show Iago's awareness of the irrationality of his passions, and that he is therefore trying to justify them. The use of premodification shows complex thought being given to a line, thus suggesting a continued awareness of the irrationality of his beliefs, and a continued need to justify them.
A similar situation occurs in Act One Scene Six of 'Equus', when Dysart first discusses his dream with Hesther. His use of the second person pronoun "you" shows him trying to persuade Hesther to take the floor, perhaps implying a lack of understanding of the true nature of his dream. However, it could also be argued that it demonstrates a clarity of understanding of the dream, and shows Dysart's unwillingness to accept this, in the knowledge that it will make him an individual in society.
MARKS -
"This is a mature and well developed response with an impressive level of technicality and understanding"
AO1 - 9 (/10)
AO2 - 8 (/10)
AO3 - 35 (/40)
52/60 = approx 90%
High A grade.
Really? To me, this isn't brilliant at all... it's one of the worst I've written! What do readers think?
HistGrrl x
How do Shakespeare and Shaffer explore the importance of self-awareness in presenting characters as individuals in society?
In both Shakespeare's 'Othello' and Shaffer's 'Equus', the theme of self awareness (and the lack thereof) is crucial to driving the plot and creating characters. Although it plays a crucial role in the downfalls of both protagonists, it is perhaps most interesting in the cases of Iago and Dysart, who are both presented as highly individual because of their uniquely acute self awareness, and the ways in which they deal with this.
In typical Shakespearean style, Iago's self-awareness is presented through regular and repetitive soliloquy, including regular use of the first person pronoun "I" to demonstrate the extent of his self-obsession to the audience in a less evident manner. Through statements such as "I hate the Moor. My cause is hearted" he demonstrates an acute awareness of his own passions and motivations as a character while never explicitly explaining them to the audience, presenting him as somewhat of an individual because of the air of intrigue which this surrounds him. The extent of his emotional awareness is illustrated through the hyperbolic use of stative verbs such as "hate", as well as through repetition of "I" and the possessive "my" to personalise emotions.
Through this presentation of him, the audience is lead to see him as an individual: in a society as polite and diplomatic as Shakespeare presents Venice to be, Iago's passions and the brutality with which he openly expresses them cause him to stand out. The fact that he evidently does not feel the need to explain these passions further ostracises him, in that he is thius breaking further social conventions/
This is only illustrated further by his fervent repetition of the phrase "I hate" throughout Act One, during which he also tells the audience exactly what he intends to do, showing him as not only uniquely aware of his emotions but also as self-obsessed: his need to voice his plans shows a degree of pride in them which breaks from the expected, given their nature.
Soliloquy is also a technique employed by Shaffer to illustrate Dysart's self awareness at the beginning of the play. Through the narration of his dream, metaphor is used to show a subconscious self-awareness at this point in the play, which then grows to become conscious later - linking in with the audience's understanding of Dysart and a psychiatric professional, which will be very different now given that psychiatry as a form of mental help has more or less been dropped. The metaphor "the mask is slipping" is used here to suggest Dysart;s growing realisation that he has no faith in his profession, with him thereby being presented as an individual in society because most would agree that curing a child would be a worthy cause. This also leads the audience to question the morality of Dysart's profession, in parallel with the character himself, something which is stated as one of Shaffer's final dramatic intentions for the play.
In Dysart's closing monologue, he speaks the line "There is now, in my mouth, this sharp chain. And it never comes out." The metaphor in this illustrates his uderstanding of the restrictions which society has placed upon him, in terms of expectations, and his final simple sentence shows, thorugh bitterness implied, exactly how he feels, as well as demonstrating that such societal expectations are eternal. Use of present tense in this soliloquy, where so many others have been in the past tense, shows understanding of the eternal nature of these restruictions, highlighting how they occurred and will always happen. Dysart's unique understanding of the way society works, which is here presented, shows him to be almost omniscient; truly an individual in society.
Elements of spoken language are also used by both playwrights to present their characters as individuals in society, and as uniquely self aware. Dysart, for example, uses simple sentences in his confession to Hesther in Act Two: "I'm jealous Hesther. Jealous of Alan Strang". The greater pause implied by the grammatical choice of a full-stop here shows Dysart's distaste for his own feelings, a notion echoed in the fact that he feel the need to speak them aloud, as though this might rationalise them. The use of stative verbs to express emotion is a regular device used to show self awareness, and Dysart's use of "jealous" in this case further demonstrates his own emotional choices, despite how evidently "other" they are. The audience are thus guided to question and sympathise with Dysart, subtly guiding them to potentially make his moral decision later in the play.
One notable element of spoken language employed by Shakespeare in the presentation of Iago as an individual in society is premodification. In this soliloquy in Act Two, Scene One, he speaks the line "That Cassio loves her, I do well believe't", with the intensifier "well" being used as premodification. This could be used to argue against Iago's self awareness, as everything he has spoken so far contradicts this statement, making this initially appear as self-deception. However, it could also show Iago's awareness of the irrationality of his passions, and that he is therefore trying to justify them. The use of premodification shows complex thought being given to a line, thus suggesting a continued awareness of the irrationality of his beliefs, and a continued need to justify them.
A similar situation occurs in Act One Scene Six of 'Equus', when Dysart first discusses his dream with Hesther. His use of the second person pronoun "you" shows him trying to persuade Hesther to take the floor, perhaps implying a lack of understanding of the true nature of his dream. However, it could also be argued that it demonstrates a clarity of understanding of the dream, and shows Dysart's unwillingness to accept this, in the knowledge that it will make him an individual in society.
MARKS -
"This is a mature and well developed response with an impressive level of technicality and understanding"
AO1 - 9 (/10)
AO2 - 8 (/10)
AO3 - 35 (/40)
52/60 = approx 90%
High A grade.
Really? To me, this isn't brilliant at all... it's one of the worst I've written! What do readers think?
HistGrrl x
Essay Plan: Courage
How do the playwrights use the theme of "courage" to portray individuals in society?
In Shakespeare's 'Othello' and Shaffer's 'Equus', the playwrights use the theme of courage to portray two very different characters: Dysart, who is seen as an individual in his unwillingness to follow social expectations and treat Alan, something which he later over-comes, thus illustrating his courage; and Othello, whose courage is used to describe him from the start so that his tragic fall more rapidly isolates him.
OTHELLO
- SF courage, Act 2 ("the man commands like a full soldier", "the warlike Moor Othello", context that actually lost Cyprus wars)
- Honourability - "Not I: I must be found", Act One (unexpected of a lascivious Moor)
- Compares his death to former acts of courage, making him seem somewhat redeemed in death (imperatives "Set you down this"; metaphor "the circumcised dog"; context of wars & victory = courage)
DYSART
- Hedges "Maybe" and "possibly" show unease at what has to do (link changing nature of psychiatry and American anti-psychiatry movement) - makes eventual choice more courageous
- Elogy at end (soliloquy reminiscent of Shakespearean epilogue) - shows will do what has to do, despite not wanting to
- Perenthesis - "alright! I'll take it away" - shows pressure & pain at what he has to do
The opposite is then true of their counterparts, arguably the antagonists whom the playwrights present as individuals through their cowardice: Alan, who feels the need to seek revenge against a repressive God, and Iago, who critics argue is a character of pure evil, and this can be seen as cowardly through his easy manipulation and deception of Othello, who is presented as both courageous and vulnerable because of his race.
IAGO
- "I hate the Moor, and it is thought" - audience won't believe, making assertions to provide rationale for the plan only makes him seem more cowardly
- Exploitation of Othello; "O, beware, my Lord, of jealousy"
- Use of soliloquy = inability to admit plans = keeping things hidden = cowardly
- Lies and dramatic irony exacerbate this
ALAN
- Use of jingles = backing away (link // 70s materialism)
- Refusal to speak
- Simple sentences show fear; exclamatories towards the end (link Catholic God)
Remember: much of this exam is pretty contrived, and the theme of courage is especially so. Define your terms and back your points up: in English, you're ability to argue and use terminology is key. You could be completely wrong, but if you assert your argument well you could still be right...
Does that even make sense?
- HistGrrl x
In Shakespeare's 'Othello' and Shaffer's 'Equus', the playwrights use the theme of courage to portray two very different characters: Dysart, who is seen as an individual in his unwillingness to follow social expectations and treat Alan, something which he later over-comes, thus illustrating his courage; and Othello, whose courage is used to describe him from the start so that his tragic fall more rapidly isolates him.
OTHELLO
- SF courage, Act 2 ("the man commands like a full soldier", "the warlike Moor Othello", context that actually lost Cyprus wars)
- Honourability - "Not I: I must be found", Act One (unexpected of a lascivious Moor)
- Compares his death to former acts of courage, making him seem somewhat redeemed in death (imperatives "Set you down this"; metaphor "the circumcised dog"; context of wars & victory = courage)
DYSART
- Hedges "Maybe" and "possibly" show unease at what has to do (link changing nature of psychiatry and American anti-psychiatry movement) - makes eventual choice more courageous
- Elogy at end (soliloquy reminiscent of Shakespearean epilogue) - shows will do what has to do, despite not wanting to
- Perenthesis - "alright! I'll take it away" - shows pressure & pain at what he has to do
The opposite is then true of their counterparts, arguably the antagonists whom the playwrights present as individuals through their cowardice: Alan, who feels the need to seek revenge against a repressive God, and Iago, who critics argue is a character of pure evil, and this can be seen as cowardly through his easy manipulation and deception of Othello, who is presented as both courageous and vulnerable because of his race.
IAGO
- "I hate the Moor, and it is thought" - audience won't believe, making assertions to provide rationale for the plan only makes him seem more cowardly
- Exploitation of Othello; "O, beware, my Lord, of jealousy"
- Use of soliloquy = inability to admit plans = keeping things hidden = cowardly
- Lies and dramatic irony exacerbate this
ALAN
- Use of jingles = backing away (link // 70s materialism)
- Refusal to speak
- Simple sentences show fear; exclamatories towards the end (link Catholic God)
Remember: much of this exam is pretty contrived, and the theme of courage is especially so. Define your terms and back your points up: in English, you're ability to argue and use terminology is key. You could be completely wrong, but if you assert your argument well you could still be right...
Does that even make sense?
- HistGrrl x
Essay Technique: Constructing an Argument
One of the ways in which it is possible to get a high mark for AO3 without using too much contrived context is to construct a clear argument which you should lay out in the introduction and then follow through the rest of the essay; this is especially useful as it means that you can get the awkward little "made them an individual in society" line in early - and again in the conclusion - and then go on to write an actual decent essay, only alluding to this bizarre and awkward point throughout.
The arguments I have constructed for the themes stipulated as potentials by the exam board are below, and I shall post a full essay plan, including an introduction, next in order to illustrate this further.
Sample Arguments
Mental instability
The mental difficulties of both protagonists isolate them further and are used to illustrate the means which lead to their crimes
INDIVIDUAL IN SOCIETY HIGHLIGHTED BY: Isolation
Parents and children
Restrictive societies and restrictive parents lead characters to rebel
INDIVIDUAL IN SOCIETY HIGHLIGHTED BY: Rebellion against the norm
Sexual Ethics
Individualism presented through defiance of social conventions in this matter
INDIVIDUAL IN SOCIETY HIGHLIGHTED BY: Obvious ;)
Self Awareness
Pivotal to plots of both plays, especially in the cases of 'antagonists', Dysart and Iago
INDIVIDUAL IN SOCIETY HIGHLIGHTED BY: unique degrees of self awareness presented
Deception
Leads to the ends of both plays, catalysing the resolutions. The role of dramatic irony differentiates each play.
INDIVIDUAL IN SOCIETY HIGHLIGHTED BY: the true selves characters are hiding
Courage
Dysart and Othello presented as courageous; Iago and Alan aren't
INDIVIDUAL IN SOCIETY HIGHLIGHTED BY: difficult decisions characters make, and the ways they subvert the stereotypical views of these descriptions
Religion
Protagonists crimes presented as religiously motivated and justified; religious presentation through their own eyes and those of others
INDIVIDUAL IN SOCIETY HIGHLIGHTED BY: ways in which their perceptions of religion are twisted
Family
The protagonists' families shape them; Desdemona's family helps shape Othello and Dysart's family shapes his uneasiness
INDIVIDUAL IN SOCIETY HIGHLIGHTED BY: attitudes of families and the ways in which they isolate the characters of Othello, Desdemona, Alan and Dysart
Jealousy
Deliberately cultivated to isolate in 'Othello'; occurs accidentally to the same ends in 'Equus'
INDIVIDUAL IN SOCIETY HIGHLIGHTED BY: Isolation
Hoping that helps. I'm so tired today that I really can't take much more revision! :(
- HistGrrl xx
The arguments I have constructed for the themes stipulated as potentials by the exam board are below, and I shall post a full essay plan, including an introduction, next in order to illustrate this further.
Sample Arguments
Mental instability
The mental difficulties of both protagonists isolate them further and are used to illustrate the means which lead to their crimes
INDIVIDUAL IN SOCIETY HIGHLIGHTED BY: Isolation
Parents and children
Restrictive societies and restrictive parents lead characters to rebel
INDIVIDUAL IN SOCIETY HIGHLIGHTED BY: Rebellion against the norm
Sexual Ethics
Individualism presented through defiance of social conventions in this matter
INDIVIDUAL IN SOCIETY HIGHLIGHTED BY: Obvious ;)
Self Awareness
Pivotal to plots of both plays, especially in the cases of 'antagonists', Dysart and Iago
INDIVIDUAL IN SOCIETY HIGHLIGHTED BY: unique degrees of self awareness presented
Deception
Leads to the ends of both plays, catalysing the resolutions. The role of dramatic irony differentiates each play.
INDIVIDUAL IN SOCIETY HIGHLIGHTED BY: the true selves characters are hiding
Courage
Dysart and Othello presented as courageous; Iago and Alan aren't
INDIVIDUAL IN SOCIETY HIGHLIGHTED BY: difficult decisions characters make, and the ways they subvert the stereotypical views of these descriptions
Religion
Protagonists crimes presented as religiously motivated and justified; religious presentation through their own eyes and those of others
INDIVIDUAL IN SOCIETY HIGHLIGHTED BY: ways in which their perceptions of religion are twisted
Family
The protagonists' families shape them; Desdemona's family helps shape Othello and Dysart's family shapes his uneasiness
INDIVIDUAL IN SOCIETY HIGHLIGHTED BY: attitudes of families and the ways in which they isolate the characters of Othello, Desdemona, Alan and Dysart
Jealousy
Deliberately cultivated to isolate in 'Othello'; occurs accidentally to the same ends in 'Equus'
INDIVIDUAL IN SOCIETY HIGHLIGHTED BY: Isolation
Hoping that helps. I'm so tired today that I really can't take much more revision! :(
- HistGrrl xx
Tuesday 8 June 2010
Themes: Sexual Ethics
The theme of "Sexual Ethics" is very relevant in both plays, and seems a likely one to come up as an exam question.
On the image are some quotes and ideas which relate to this theme; they'll be looked at in more detail in future.
Click the image to see it larger :)
- HistGrrl x
Context: Willow Trees
Shortly before Desdemona's death, she sings a song about willow trees, relating a similar event in the life of her mother's maid, Barbary. This is foreshadowing, as it essentially tells of Desdemona's story to come, however for the first audiences of the play it had a greater meaning: willow trees were contextually associated with death through Romany and Greek mythology, and then through Celtic and English folklore.
People believed that willow trees protected the souls of the dying, and so many old English churchyards are lined with them to guide souls to heaven; through this reference, Shakespeare not only hints at Desdemona's coming death but also points to her innate kindness and good qualities by suggesting that she will go to heaven - as we later learn Othello wishes her to, as he ensures that she has prayed before he kills her, meaning her sins will be forgiven.
Willow branches were placed on the coffins of the dead, or saplings planted on their graves, to ensure their safe passage into heaven; folklore also suggests that to plant a willow sapling when young and watch it grow would ease the passage of your soul upon death.
References are also made in modern culture; a reference is made in country song "Whiskey Lullaby" (from the late 2000s), which is embedded below, because it always makes me cry, and because I think we're all in need of some light relief about now!
"And then they buried her beneath the willow and the angel sung a Whiskey Lullaby..."
Ahh, Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss. Perfection doesn't come much more perfect. <3
- HistGrrl x
Monday 7 June 2010
Themes: Courage
The theme of "Courage" is very relevant in both plays, and seems a likely one to come up as an exam question.
On the image are some quotes and ideas which relate to this theme; they'll be looked at in more detail in future.
Click the image to see it larger :)
- HistGrrl x
Themes: Hostile Worlds
The theme of "Hostile Worlds" is very relevant in both plays, and seems a likely one to come up as an exam question.
On the image are some quotes and ideas which relate to this theme; they'll be looked at in more detail in future.
Click the image to see it larger :)
- HistGrrl x
Helpful pointer - Othello
Help familiarise yourself with the plot of 'Othello' with this audiobook, available for just £4.95 on iTunes! It's really helped me, as it is unabridged and high quality, and allows for quick and easy understanding of the chronology of the play, as well as the emotions involved, to be gained.
Promise that this isn't advertising - I just think it's helpful. :)
- HistGrrl x
Promise that this isn't advertising - I just think it's helpful. :)
- HistGrrl x
Context: Religion in 'Equus'
Equus as a play is wrought with religious lexis and references, and has, by some critics, been seen as an allegory for and parody of Christianity.
Equus as an allegory
- Alan is confused; he has been brought up memorising Biblical passages, mostly related to horses, and has thus confused Christ with Equus.
- This begins with the first time Alan rides a horse, and continues through until his Father takes the painting of Christ from him, eventually replacing it with a face-on photograph of a horse, showing his replacement of conventional religion with the religion he, himself, has created.
- This is demonstrated through his repeated use of biblical lexis when referring to Equus.
Biblical lexis in reference to the "character" of Equus
- Holy of Holies – the stable, his “temple” (spoken by Dysart, but agreed to by Alan)
- Begat – Alan creates a ‘parody’ of traditional Biblical ‘family tree’ – leading, traditionally, to the birth of Christ
- “Behold, I give you Equus, my only begotten son” – evidently, this would traditionally refer to Jesus; as the Nicene (Roman catholic) creed pronounces “We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father” -- it seems likely that this is where Alan received these ideas
- “His last supper” – Dysart seemingly misses this reference to the Bible, asking only “last before what?”; however the way Alan uses this phrase shows his contorted understanding of religion
- While with Equus, many of Alan’s other utterances appear to be contortions of the Nicene creed; for example “I want to be you forever and ever” could be derived from “one God, forever and ever”
Sacrifice
Alan’s reference to the “last supper” links in to what some critics see as Alan’s sacrifice of “his Christ”;
- Christ was sacrificed on the cross to “take away the sins of the world”
- When Alan blinds the horses, already seen to be ‘his Gods’, he is doing so to relieve himself of the sins he has committed in their presence
- “The sadomasochistic act covers his need to obliterate his judge and to crucify his Christ.” – Mitchell Hay
Dora's influence
“The Book of Job. Such a noble passage, you know?”
- use of the tag question suggests that Dora believes everyone to know such biblical passages – demonstrating how Alan has such a detailed knowledge of them (enough so to contort them for his own purposes)
- use of the adjective “noble” shows the extent to which Dora believes the passage, and demonstrates the reverence her family had for horses (“we’ve always been a horsey family”)
“Sex is not just a biological matter. It is spiritual as well”
- Dora uses declarative statements here, demonstrating her clarity in her beliefs, and insinuating that she has passed them on to her son as fact. This contorts Alan’s beliefs and can be seen as having eventually lead to his ‘passion’ for horses.
Parental conflict
Dysart: “If there is any conflict over religion, it should be evident on a Sabbath evening”
- use of the more biblical word ‘Sabbath’ as opposed to ‘Sunday’ shows the strength with which Dysart believed Religion to be a cause of tension; everyone knows that Sunday is the Christian “day of rest”, however it tends to be ignored – those who refer to it as the “Sabbath” are more likely to have stronger religious leanings
Relevance
Religion is also a good way to contextualise easily in 'Equus', where genuine historical context is harder to find and easily relate to the text. Biblical lexis and references can show the restraint placed on characters, for example in line with January 2010's question regarding "Hostile Worlds", where religious repression could be seen in this way - where even Alan's God is hostile towards him.
It can also easily fit into the categories of sexual ethics and parental relationships (see "Dora's influence"), and can be added 'casually' in in many circumstances, as Alan's unique understanding of religion makes him truly an individual in society.
Questions? As ever, ask! :)
- HistGrrl x
Equus as an allegory
- Alan is confused; he has been brought up memorising Biblical passages, mostly related to horses, and has thus confused Christ with Equus.
- This begins with the first time Alan rides a horse, and continues through until his Father takes the painting of Christ from him, eventually replacing it with a face-on photograph of a horse, showing his replacement of conventional religion with the religion he, himself, has created.
- This is demonstrated through his repeated use of biblical lexis when referring to Equus.
Biblical lexis in reference to the "character" of Equus
- Holy of Holies – the stable, his “temple” (spoken by Dysart, but agreed to by Alan)
- Begat – Alan creates a ‘parody’ of traditional Biblical ‘family tree’ – leading, traditionally, to the birth of Christ
- “Behold, I give you Equus, my only begotten son” – evidently, this would traditionally refer to Jesus; as the Nicene (Roman catholic) creed pronounces “We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father” -- it seems likely that this is where Alan received these ideas
- “His last supper” – Dysart seemingly misses this reference to the Bible, asking only “last before what?”; however the way Alan uses this phrase shows his contorted understanding of religion
- While with Equus, many of Alan’s other utterances appear to be contortions of the Nicene creed; for example “I want to be you forever and ever” could be derived from “one God, forever and ever”
Sacrifice
Alan’s reference to the “last supper” links in to what some critics see as Alan’s sacrifice of “his Christ”;
- Christ was sacrificed on the cross to “take away the sins of the world”
- When Alan blinds the horses, already seen to be ‘his Gods’, he is doing so to relieve himself of the sins he has committed in their presence
- “The sadomasochistic act covers his need to obliterate his judge and to crucify his Christ.” – Mitchell Hay
Dora's influence
“The Book of Job. Such a noble passage, you know?”
- use of the tag question suggests that Dora believes everyone to know such biblical passages – demonstrating how Alan has such a detailed knowledge of them (enough so to contort them for his own purposes)
- use of the adjective “noble” shows the extent to which Dora believes the passage, and demonstrates the reverence her family had for horses (“we’ve always been a horsey family”)
“Sex is not just a biological matter. It is spiritual as well”
- Dora uses declarative statements here, demonstrating her clarity in her beliefs, and insinuating that she has passed them on to her son as fact. This contorts Alan’s beliefs and can be seen as having eventually lead to his ‘passion’ for horses.
Parental conflict
Dysart: “If there is any conflict over religion, it should be evident on a Sabbath evening”
- use of the more biblical word ‘Sabbath’ as opposed to ‘Sunday’ shows the strength with which Dysart believed Religion to be a cause of tension; everyone knows that Sunday is the Christian “day of rest”, however it tends to be ignored – those who refer to it as the “Sabbath” are more likely to have stronger religious leanings
Relevance
Religion is also a good way to contextualise easily in 'Equus', where genuine historical context is harder to find and easily relate to the text. Biblical lexis and references can show the restraint placed on characters, for example in line with January 2010's question regarding "Hostile Worlds", where religious repression could be seen in this way - where even Alan's God is hostile towards him.
It can also easily fit into the categories of sexual ethics and parental relationships (see "Dora's influence"), and can be added 'casually' in in many circumstances, as Alan's unique understanding of religion makes him truly an individual in society.
Questions? As ever, ask! :)
- HistGrrl x
Context: The Ottoman-Venetian Wars (1570-1573)
"News, lads! Our wars are done:
The desperate tempest hath so banged the Turks
That their designment halts. A noble ship of Venice
Hath seen a grievous wreck and sufference
On the most part of their fleet
- Othello, II.I, lines 20 to 24
The Ottoman-Venetian wars allow us to date Othello precisely, to the summer of 1573, at the end of the war which saw the Ottoman Empire, an Islamic force which was commonly accepted as the strongest Empirical force of the day, run a conquest against Cyprus, a Venetian colony which, in the play, Othello is sent to defend and govern.
However, in Othello, Shakespeare twists history to paint his tragic hero as more heroic, as the Turks actually won the wars, despite the above quote, with the Venetians seceding Cyprus, and a significant amount of money, to the Turks as a peace settlement in order to facilitate further trade between the two nations.
A brief over-view of the warsCyprus had been under Venetian rule since 1489, but was in the centre of the Ottoman Empire by 1517, when Ottoman secured Egypt, leaving it vulnerable to attack.
Despite a peace treaty with Venice in 1567, then, the Ottomans launched a naval and land invasion of the island in 1570s, taking all of its major cities between June and August of that year; massacres of Christians (resident under Venetian rule) ensued, with women and boys being saved to be sold on as slaves.
Venice, with the support of the Pope, secured backing from Spain, Portugal, and other states which make up what we now know as Italy, in order to take on the Ottomans, but they were nevertheless unsuccessful, realising the cost of the war in both arms and lost trade by 1573, when a peace treaty was drawn up between the Ottomans and the Venetians, seceding Cyprus to the Ottoman Empire, where it remained until 1879 (when it was given the Britain in a peace negotiation following the so-called "Eastern Problems" which lead to the eventual disillusion of the Ottoman Empire).
Relevance to the play
Critics agree unanimously that, as Othello was written in the early 1600s, it is definitely set at the end of these wars.
Thus, the fact that Shakespeare presents a Venetian victory suggests even greater power from the Venetian state, with Othello arriving in Cyprus in Act II as governor, giving him a position of greater power as he is asked to keep the peace.
Although it is not specifically stipulated in the play, the suggestion is that the "warlike Moor Othello" arrives fresh from battle, and thus has helped to secure a Venetian victory, painting him as all the more the hero, thus making his tragic fall at the end of the play even more tragic.
And YAY ME for getting more military history into my Othello revision!
Hope that made sense; any questions, just ask!
- HistGrrl x
Sunday 6 June 2010
Themes: Deception
The theme of deception is very relevant in both plays, and seems a likely one to come up as an exam question.
On the image are some quotes and ideas which relate to this theme; they'll be looked at in more detail in future.
Click the image to see it larger :)
- HistGrrl x
Saturday 5 June 2010
Context: The Tragic Structure
The tragic structure is an important element of the plot of both plays; 'Othello' easily fits in to the traditional structure of a Grecian tragedy, whereas 'Equus' does not - however this does provide a comparison point in line with AO3.
The traditional tragic structure can most easily be seen in Freytag's Triangle, otherwise known as "the tragic ark".
This shows the advancement of a tragedy, from beginning to end:
- The deisis shows the rising action and building tension
- The peripateia is the crisis point, at which there is no turning back, and the action has reached its climax
- The denouement and lusis show the falling action and the unravelling of the plot to the end, or resolution, when catharsis, or a purging of emotions, occurs.
Tragedy of this style is defined as the downfall of a character of great stature because of their own flaws, or hubris, and always results in a death.
In some ways, therefore, 'Equus' can be seen to fit this structure - although no death occurs, and the character most like a tragic hero, Dysart, has no tangible hubris, given that he recognises his flaw before he falls because of it.
Now that's all covered, it's time for a break! Deep breaths, cups of tea and Doctor Who, mayhaps? Enjoy :)
- HistGrrl x
The traditional tragic structure can most easily be seen in Freytag's Triangle, otherwise known as "the tragic ark".
This shows the advancement of a tragedy, from beginning to end:
- The deisis shows the rising action and building tension
- The peripateia is the crisis point, at which there is no turning back, and the action has reached its climax
- The denouement and lusis show the falling action and the unravelling of the plot to the end, or resolution, when catharsis, or a purging of emotions, occurs.
Tragedy of this style is defined as the downfall of a character of great stature because of their own flaws, or hubris, and always results in a death.
In some ways, therefore, 'Equus' can be seen to fit this structure - although no death occurs, and the character most like a tragic hero, Dysart, has no tangible hubris, given that he recognises his flaw before he falls because of it.
Now that's all covered, it's time for a break! Deep breaths, cups of tea and Doctor Who, mayhaps? Enjoy :)
- HistGrrl x
Dramatic Intentions
'Dramatic Intentions' are a concept which may well be alien to non-theatre students, but which are crucial to the understanding of any play - especially given the number of marks given in this exam to the understanding of the plays as plays.
An outline of dramatic intentions within "Basic Drama Theory" is given in Wikipedia.
So, what are they?
They're what the playwright or director wants an audience to get out of a play; for example the dramatic intentions in a comedy would be to amuse.
In some plays they are more evident than others; for example, in 'Equus', it can be seen fairly easily that Shaffer wants his audience to question psychoanalysis and the justice system, as well as the role of nurture and environment in the personality and psychosis of a child.
In 'Othello', however, dramatic intentions are harder to decide; they could be to lead the audience to question the role of race, or Iago's motives, or the nature of evil. None of these has a truly solid grounding, the way that the intentions for 'Equus' seem to, and so a degree of hedging in thus necessary so as not to generalise or make wild assertions with which the examiner could easily disagree.
Questions? Ask :)
- HistGrrl x
An outline of dramatic intentions within "Basic Drama Theory" is given in Wikipedia.
So, what are they?
They're what the playwright or director wants an audience to get out of a play; for example the dramatic intentions in a comedy would be to amuse.
In some plays they are more evident than others; for example, in 'Equus', it can be seen fairly easily that Shaffer wants his audience to question psychoanalysis and the justice system, as well as the role of nurture and environment in the personality and psychosis of a child.
In 'Othello', however, dramatic intentions are harder to decide; they could be to lead the audience to question the role of race, or Iago's motives, or the nature of evil. None of these has a truly solid grounding, the way that the intentions for 'Equus' seem to, and so a degree of hedging in thus necessary so as not to generalise or make wild assertions with which the examiner could easily disagree.
Questions? Ask :)
- HistGrrl x
Context: what counts?
As explained in the specification, it's important to have a heavy contextual knowledge of random little nuggets which you can throw in for the examiner's pleasure.
The more random, the better - because, after all, that'll make you unique. You just have to make sure that they're correct!
So, some general contextual ideas for each play are listed below. They may be approached in greater detail at a later date, however.
Context in 'Othello'
Race
The Elizabethans and Jacobians had no concept of race, therefore the characters in the play cannot be construed as racist. This means that the effect of the play on a contemporary audience is very different from the effect of the play on a modern audience.
Arrangement of marriages
Women of Desdemona's stature would simply not have chosen their own marriage partners - and this is a common theme in Shakespearean drama. See 'Romeo + Juliet' for example.
Turkish wars
These date the play precisely; more information can be found on Wikipedia.
Role of women
Especially with reference to the character of Emilia, who is not the traditional meek wife, given that she is the one who 'outs' Iago as the culprit for all of the events of the play. Desdemona, too, subverts convention by marrying of her own free will. Iago's attitude to women should also be considered.
Tragedy
How does 'Othello' fit in the traditional tragic ark? (To be covered in a later blog)
Context in 'Equus'
Religion
An especially touchy subject given the 1970s setting and the Irish problems (to be covered in a later blog)
Commercialism
Alan's fixation on products and jingles, as well as Frank's socialist tendencies, lend themselves to the theme of 1970s materialism; the 1970s are a period when it is believed that Britain's materialistic edge fully began to develop, and 'Equus' highlights Shaffer's views on the effects this might have on society.
Psychoanalysis
A particularly relevant theme, given that attitudes to psychosis were altering significantly in this period.
Role of women
Debatable - but could possibly be shoe-horned in if the worst came to the worst!
Conservatism
And it's effects on people's attitudes to Alan; cold war politics and fear of the unknown.
Utter proof that I'm truly a history geek and not a literature student; I managed to get the words "cold war" into this! YAY!
Any questions are welcomed - comment :)
- HistGrrl x
The more random, the better - because, after all, that'll make you unique. You just have to make sure that they're correct!
So, some general contextual ideas for each play are listed below. They may be approached in greater detail at a later date, however.
Context in 'Othello'
Race
The Elizabethans and Jacobians had no concept of race, therefore the characters in the play cannot be construed as racist. This means that the effect of the play on a contemporary audience is very different from the effect of the play on a modern audience.
Arrangement of marriages
Women of Desdemona's stature would simply not have chosen their own marriage partners - and this is a common theme in Shakespearean drama. See 'Romeo + Juliet' for example.
Turkish wars
These date the play precisely; more information can be found on Wikipedia.
Role of women
Especially with reference to the character of Emilia, who is not the traditional meek wife, given that she is the one who 'outs' Iago as the culprit for all of the events of the play. Desdemona, too, subverts convention by marrying of her own free will. Iago's attitude to women should also be considered.
Tragedy
How does 'Othello' fit in the traditional tragic ark? (To be covered in a later blog)
Context in 'Equus'
Religion
An especially touchy subject given the 1970s setting and the Irish problems (to be covered in a later blog)
Commercialism
Alan's fixation on products and jingles, as well as Frank's socialist tendencies, lend themselves to the theme of 1970s materialism; the 1970s are a period when it is believed that Britain's materialistic edge fully began to develop, and 'Equus' highlights Shaffer's views on the effects this might have on society.
Psychoanalysis
A particularly relevant theme, given that attitudes to psychosis were altering significantly in this period.
Role of women
Debatable - but could possibly be shoe-horned in if the worst came to the worst!
Conservatism
And it's effects on people's attitudes to Alan; cold war politics and fear of the unknown.
Utter proof that I'm truly a history geek and not a literature student; I managed to get the words "cold war" into this! YAY!
Any questions are welcomed - comment :)
- HistGrrl x
'Othello' Synopsis
Othello, by William Shakespeare, is a traditional tragedy telling the story of a Moorish (black) general, Othello, of the Venician army, who defies convention when he woos and marries the "fair" (white) Desdemona, daughter of a Venetian dignitary. Her father is ruffled by this, and, upon learning she married Othello of her own free will, warns him of her potential deception later in the marriage.
Othello is then sent to defend the Venetian colony of Cyprus from the Turks; Desdemona goes too, in the care of Iago, Othello's standard barer.
Iago reveals himself to be grossly jealous of Othello for his status, and to be angered by the fact that he was not promoted to Lieutenant, with a young Florentine, Cassio, receiving this honour in his place; thus begins his plan for vengeance.
He provokes a 'friend', Roderigo, into starting a drunken brawl with Cassio, who fights and is disgraced. Cassio turns to Desdemona for help; she promises to do all she can to get him back in Othello's favour.
Iago uses this to persuade Othello that Desdemona is in love with, and committing adultery with, Cassio - proof of which is seen when Desdemona's handkerchief is found in Cassio's possession (when, truthfully, Iago placed it there).
Reluctantly, Othello agrees that Desdemona must surely be a whore, and breaks down, allowing Iago to point him towards revenge. He asks Iago to kill Cassio; Iago stabs Roderigo in the fray, with Cassio surviving. Othello then turns his sights on Desdemona, strangling her in her bed, but insisting too that she prays first - proving that he has not stopped loving her.
Emilia (Iago's wife and Desdemona's maid) comes to tell Othello about the brawl and Roderigo's death, instead finding him in the process of killing Desdemona. She calls for help, and Venetian senators arrive, eventually unravelling Iago's plot thanks to her quick wit and evidence.
Iago kills her for this, and is taken away, presumably to be tortured.
Othello commits suicide, taking justice into his own hands and going to join his wife.
Cassio is left as General.
Synopsis (c) TheHistoryGrrl 2010
Themes are woven throughout the synopsis
For a more detailed synopsis, see wikipedia.
'Equus' Synopsis
Equus, by Peter Shaffer, tells the story of a psychiatrist, Martin Dysart, who is asked to treat a particularly disturbed young boy named Alan Strang.
Strang has blinded six horses for no apparent reason, having been a horse lover all his life, and through a investigations into his past, upbringing and family background, Dysart begins to create a picture of what lead to this crime.
Through this, however, he is also lead to doubt the power of his profession: he sees that Alan has more passion in his life than he himself, in an unhappy marriage, has ever had, and knows that it is his duty to take this passion from the boy in order to make him "normal".
Through the play, the audience are lead to consider injustice, the morality of psychiatry, the influence of parents, the power of religion, and, ultimately, what it means to be normal.
Synopsis (c) TheHistoryGrrl 2010
For a more detailed synopsis, see wikipedia.
Friday 4 June 2010
Introduction
Each post at Eq/Ot will be slightly different. As this is a new course, and a new, very complicated specification, it's difficult to guess what will come up on the paper and how to go about tackling it.
We're going to start with synopses, and then move on to looking at the texts thematically, studying key quotes and themes, and then move on to looking at essay plans and sample essays, in the hope of getting our heads round these texts.
Hoping this helps!
- HistGrrl x
We're going to start with synopses, and then move on to looking at the texts thematically, studying key quotes and themes, and then move on to looking at essay plans and sample essays, in the hope of getting our heads round these texts.
Hoping this helps!
- HistGrrl x
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