西方戏剧史卷子

2013-2014学年第一学期跨校公选课课程期末考试

西方戏剧史

History of Western Theatre

Directions: You are required to write up to 400 words for each essay question. And each is worth 50%. Make sure your writing is relevant to what has been discussed in class.

1.Apply Aristotelian elements of tragedy to Oedipus the King and analyze how these elements

are demonstrated in the text. (Use examples when and where necessary).

1. Plot

It is the story of a King who is brought down by the unforeseen consequences of his own oath. From beginning to end it is concerned with the investigation of some past events. The play unites two parallel problems. One is the detection of murderer of Laius and the second is the identity of Oedipus himself. The two problems are one in a way and solving of either of them is like solving the both.

2.Character

Sophocles reveals his characters by their own speech, in monologues or asides that develop their thought processes, and through well placed aphorisms by secondary characters. It is through Creon’s diction that we learn the most about O edipus and, likewise, through Jocasta that we learn the most about Creon. The chorus, or ‘song’ element of the play, also demonstrates a level of perspicacity akin to the view of the audience as third-party spectators to an ongoing drama.

King Oedipus

The king of Thebes. A man ruled by a fate, according to which he is to murder his father and marry his own mother. Oedipus is unaware of the fact that he has already committed these dreadful acts. He is highly intelligent, short of temper, and impetuous.

3. Thought

Fate and Free Will, Guilt and Shame, Sight and Blindness Finding Out the Truth Action and Reflection .Oedipus just isn’t normal. He was born to fulfill his own fate. It is totally a tragedy 4.Diction

Rhythmic Devices

Jocasta: “Each holding each to blame?

Chorus: Just so.

Jocasta: For what?

Chorus: Ask not.”

Shows that Sophocles meant for diction to play a-Shows that Sophocles meant for diction to play a heavy role in the control of the dramatic aspects heavy role in the control of the dramatic aspects of the play. The amount of stressed syllables puts of the play. The amount of stressed syllables puts emphasis on the conversation between the emphasis on the conversation between the Chorus and Jocasta.Chorus and Jocasta.

6. Spectacle

The tale “Oedipus the King”by Sophocles was supported in large part by the use of visual spectacle. Early in the first scene, "a procession of priests enters; suppliants, broken and despondent, they carry branches wound in wool and lay them on the altar" (Sophocles 1102). The images which are conjured up by such a description emphasize the close-knit, serious nature of the proceedings. Immediately, the reader is forcefully delivered into the seriousness of the situation which is about to be described forthwith.

2.Analyze the character Hamlet by using the knowledge you learned (both in Hamlet and in

previous chapters) from multiple aspects (textual, religious, and theatrical).

Textual and theatrical

The character of Hamlet is complex and many scholars have given different interpretations for this enigmatic character of Shakespeare. Hamlet is an intelligent and knowledgeable person. He is a University student and is thoughtful and philosophical by nature. He thinks deeply about important matters and decisions in life. However, this contemplative nature is also his major flaw. His lack of timely action is the cause of his tragedy. Even after he sees the ghost of his father, he does not totally believe that Claudius killed his father. Only when he gets the proof that his uncle is guilty, he is ready to kill him. Even after that, he delays his action in spite of getting plenty of chances to do it. However, he has a contradictory personality too. This is seen when he suddenly kills Polonius, thinking that it was Claudius, who was standing behind the tapestry. This comes as a shock to the audience, because Hamlet does not even think about checking who the person is before killing.

religious

All the beliefs about the ghost are based in religion, or at least religion-related superstition. The problem with Gertrude's marriage to Claudius being incestuous is grounded in religion - it was sinful to marry Claudius, her husband's brother. Gertrude eventually (from III.iv) turns from Claudius in large part for this reason. Religion is the inspiration for Claudius' attempt to pray for forgiveness in III.iii, and particular religious beliefs stop Hamlet from killing him in the same scene. Ophelia's madness, death and burial are affected by religion. The first two, I think, are partly brought on by it. III.i shows us she's quite sincerely pious. A lot of her stuff in IV.v has religious undertones. According to Gertrude, she sings bits of hymns as she's drowning. She isn't allowed a full Christian funeral and burial. Laertes decides to toss religion out in favour of taking revenge on Hamlet, but in the end takes it back on board, exchanging forgiveness with Hamlet. It's the major reason why Hamlet won't kill himself. It's Hamlet's reconciling of God's power with his own which enables him to get on with life, and death, in Act V. Throughout, Hamlet seems fascinated that God created something with such wonderful beauty and potential, but it gets screwed up; which brings to mind a one-liner I heard recently: if there's a god, he's an under-achiever.