Bradstreet’s use of metaphor allows her to relate the complex relationships of being a parent to being an author. When the narrator calls her creation her “ ill-formed offspring of [her] feeble brain” she draws parallels between how parents can feel about their children when frustrated (line 1). The narrator refers to her work as a “ rambling brat” to show how difficult it is to accept something she has created (7). The narrator seems to feel this difficulty not only as an author but also as a mother. As a frustrated parent feels the narrator once again uses the metaphor of a child to describe how an author feels when their work does not turn out how they wanted.
How could the personal and social tensions between characters in the plays you have studied be expressed on stage. In your answer refer to the performance styles, techniques and conventions that you could use in staging two texts set for study. The Australian plays ruby moon and a beautiful life explore the personal and social tensions between characters. Both plays present a couple in a moment of crisis, and explore the way social tensions have become personal tensions. Australian audiences are able to understand and appriciate these social tensions which the plays present, and equally, to empathise with the personal tensions presented.
Both ‘Summer of the Seventeenth Doll’ by Ray Lawler and ‘The removalists’ by David Williamson have explored the different ways people cope when things change or go wrong. Both playwrights use the style of realism to portray themes which depict changing circumstances on the stage and show how different characters respond. Ray Lawler and David Williamson use the techniques of relevant idiom, staging, costume and symbolism, all conventions of realism, to explore the themes of stereotypes, the changing of traditions and violence. In the early 20th century Australia was searching for its national identity. Plays up until this point in time were traditional melodramatic English plays.
Melina Marchetta’s novel Saving Francesca is written from the point of view of Francesca, a sixteen year old girl who has moved to a new school and is trying to cope with her mother’s depression. Having the main character relating the story allows the reader to feel close to Francesca as the reader can understand her thoughts and feelings. However, because the story is told through Francesca’s eyes the reader has to rely on Francesca’s assessment of a situation. In many ways Francesca is an unreliable narrator. She does not fully understand what is happening to her mother and many of her comments about her mother are incorrect.
Indigenous theatre Chasing the lolly man is a one man production, staring Indigenous performer, Mark Sheppard. This performance shares stories and celebrations on the indigenous identity. Constantly changing roles, Mark Sheppard narrates and acts out everything the indigenous culture thinks about society nowadays, right down to the tacky television shows and the opinions of Australian politics. ‘Chasing the Lolly man’ contains many of the dramatic languages, including, Elements of Drama, Conventions, and Skills of Drama and Style. This essay will be discussing how the dramatic languages are portrayed throughout this one person show and Indigenous Theatre.
It is seen when Lewis is introduced, his views on love are very similar to that of his girlfriend Lucy and best friend Nick. He does not hold much value on fidelity due to the importance of the Vietnam War in his life. Lewis expresses to the patients that “love is not so important nowadays.” It is through the play itself, “Cosi Fan Tutte: Women are like that”, a play about “test[ing]..girls fidelity”, that Lewis reevaluates his opinions and values and learns to form his own. Lewis changes to having a more traditional view on romance and is able to accept that it is important in relationships. This change in Lewis is apparent when he describes the opera as being about “important things, like love and fidelity” and when he reacts genuinely hurt to when he discovers that his girlfriend Lucy has been having sex with Nick.
Contemporary Australian Theatre Practice At their best, contemporary Australian plays explore and reveal important social, political and personal issues. This is done using an extensive variety of innovative, unique and brave theatrical techniques to evoke emotion and to engage an audience. Wesley Enoch and Deborah Mailman’s “The Seven Stages of Grieving” and “Ruby Moon” by Matt Cameron are two popular Australian plays where this is very apparent. Through our studies in class, it became clear “The Seven Stages of Grieving” is a modern day play which reflects the history of Australia’s Indigenous community and the suffering of the Aboriginal people. An important, noteworthy point is that the play is ever evolving.
Australian Playwrights use dramatic styles and techniques to reflect themes, issues and characters that are uniquely Australian Play writing from 1788 to 1960 in Australia used dramatic styles and techniques to reflect the issues and characters that were genuinely Australian during that time period. Plays such as “The Currency Lass” and “White With Wire Wheels” aimed to express these themes. The Currency Lass written by Edward Geoghegan, was first performed in 1844 at the Royal Victorian Theatre, it was the first Australian comedy in the Colonial Stage. The play is set in early Sydney Town, where colonial Australia was attempting to establish itself as an extension of English Society. A major theme of the play is the formation of an identity
Australian plays explore the lives of people marginalised by social context and environment. Discuss this statement with reference to the staging of the characters and their environments. Throughout history, and most prominently in contemporary Australian theatre, plays and dramatic performances have been influenced by, or present societal issues. Australian theatre has transformed into a medium through which marginalised and outspoken people in society are given voice. Jenny Kemp’s impressionistic surrealist play, ‘Still Angela’, and Michael Futcher and Helen Howard’s moving play, ‘A Beautiful Life’, are both excellent examples of touching Australian plays which explore the lives of people marginalised by social context and environment.
Marianne appears to react subconsciously and heedlessly to situations rather than consciously assessing and reasoning before she acts. Marianne physically pours out her feelings by playing passionate, joyless songs on the piano or by having crazed, emotional outbursts. In her love life she hits high and low extremes: Marianne is emotionally whimsical when she is in love with Willoughby however, she is completely struck with sadness and despair when the relationship takes a troublesome turn. Marianne’s emotions do not only affect her, but also impact her family and everyone else around her. As Marianne begins to notice her actions, she begins to shift her characteristics from those of irrationality, imagination, and emotion to reason, intellect, and restraint in feeling.