In the backstage world of theatre, some believe that the play is cursed, and people do not mention its title aloud, referring to it instead by such names as "the Scottish play’’. This is because Shakespeare is said to have used the spells of real witches in his text, allegedly angering the witches and causing them to curse the play. So to say the name of the play inside a theatre is believed to doom the production to failure, and perhaps cause physical injury or death to cast members. There are stories of accidents, misfortunes and even deaths taking place during runs of Macbeth or by actors who had uttered the name. Several methods exist to dispel the curse, depending on the actor.
Author Henrik Ibsen was one of the best and major writers and directors of the 19th Century. Many people consider him as the father of realism, and as one of the fathers of modernism in theatre. Some of his major work includes Hedda Gabler, A Doll House, The Master Builder and An Enemy of the People. After Shakespeare, the plays of Henrik Ibsen are most frequently performed by people all over the world. His writing was always based on some theme related to the society and its norms.
This movement theme was anti-art. Any Ready-made objects could be works of art, for example Marcel Duchamp drew a moustache on a reproduction print of the famous Mono Lisa. This movement mocked the public art admirers who believed art was good just because it was in a museum. In Paris in about 1922 Dada was overtaken by a world of imagination and the subconscious, Surrealism. The literary movement of surrealism gave the movement its direction experimenting with a new automatic writing (automatism) which was writing down the words that pour into one’s head, Parallel to the painters who commit to canvas the images that spring into mind.
Vakhtangov is the conduit of Stanislavsky’s ideas in practice The art and especially the art of theater at the end of the first decade of the twentieth century in Russia was very complicated. Theatrical practitioners, like the entire country, divided into supporters and opponents of the revolution. Separation in the aesthetic sphere occurred in relation to the traditions of world cultures. Excitement of a social experiment accompanied by artistic passion for experimental art and rejection of the cultural experience of the past aimed at building a new society. The key to success in this period was experimentation and innovation.
The School for Wives: Molière’s Obsession by Lawrence Henley Molière (a.k.a. Jean-Baptiste Poquelin) was the preeminent writer of seventeenth century French stage comedy, acknowledged today as the prime force that advanced the genre beyond the unidimensional farce and commedia influences preceding him. Molière (1622–1673) brought his characters out of greyscale into full, living color. In his hands, the French stage became a vehicle for social commentary, examination of character (mostly flawed), and an intellectual look inside the shortcomings of human nature. Molière’s success vaulted French comedy to its apex.
Macbeth was written to please King James VI as the themes in the play ‘witchcraft’ and ‘Scotland’ were James’ interests. It is also a possibility that it was also written in response to events in 17th century England. As “Macbeth” reflects the social anxieties after decades of harsh and unjust female rule such as Queen Elizabeth. Ambition, power and greed are some of the main themes in this play as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth change their characters traits in order to get what they want- which in this case is ‘power’. Ambition is what drives both of them and finally they are corrupted by greed; this is seen through all of Macbeth’s killings as he is never satisfied and wants more.
ECHOES OF SOCIO-POLITICAL FORCES IN JONSON’S THE ALCHEMIST AND ETHEREGE’S THE MAN OF MODE THE MAN OF MODE The Man Of Mode, or Sir Fopling Flutter, is one of the better known Restoration Comedies. The Puritan Cromwell, believing all acting and theater to be evil, abolished them at the outset of the Commonwealth. While many sought to clean up the theater, the Puritans distrusted all amusements as being a distraction from spiritual things and a waste of time; thus they sought to do away with ballad singers, dancing, game festivals, and even mirrors (due to concerns about vanity). England eventually got tired of the Puritan rule and was fed up enough to invite Charles back. When the Restoration came, the theaters were reopened and a floodgate of new works spilled forth.
Check your notes; below is a succinct synopsis of that introductory discussion: “Waiting for Conventions” In Waiting for Godot, Beckett implements broken conventions of traditional theatre in order to successfully satirize the detrimental nature of the human condition symbolized throughout this absurdist play (which seems to have no plot). A certain level of tension is created by this plays lack of plot which leaves the audience expecting something to happen that never comes. This lack of plot to some overshadows the reasoning behind why Beckett does this. Although these broken conventions can act as a looking glass into the true meaning of the play, they require the audience to do a certain amount of searching to crack the nut which is Waiting for Godot. Waiting for Godot, unlike many plays follows no specific plot, a concept in which most conventional plays ought to have in order to rope in an audience member to the contents and morals of the play.
Introduction: Post the Lippincott version - Wilde tried to defend novel with preface of English version. Supports the comment made as in the preface, Wilde directly states that "Those who find ugly meanings in beautiful things are corrupt without being charming" Victorian society is very hypocritical and felt that Dorian was a presentation of Wilde; they thought he was corrupt and he was facing trials. Paragraph - Dorian: Sells soul metaphorically upon seeing painting, realising his own beauty and Lord Henry's influence - "I would give my soul for that" Shows that Lord Henry's influence has made Dorian worship aesthetic items. "Then had come Lord Henry Wotton with his strange panegyric on youth, his terrible warning of its brevity". Dorian is no longer attracted by inner beauty but instead is excited and intrigued by exterior forms.
Madness in Hamlet and King Lear The subject of madness is a major theme in two of Shakespeare’s most well-known tragedies, “Hamlet” and “King Lear”. In both of these plays, a character feigns insanity to carry out a motive - Hamlet and Edgar respectively. However, while it is made quite clear to the audience that Edgar is only pretending to be a mad beggar (“Whiles I may escape I will preserve myself, and am bethought to take the basest and most poorest shape that ever penury, in contempt of man brought near to beast”), it is somewhat less clear whether Hamlet has crossed the line and lost control of his “antic disposition”. Shakespeare gives evidence which suggests that Hamlet is sane by having three other men also witness the manifestation of the ghost of Hamlet’s father. If Hamlet were to have seen his father’s ghost by himself, there would be a greater argument for him being insane from the outset of the play.