...Compare and Contrast Tragedy and Comedy A tragedy is defined as beginning with a problem that affects everyone, i.e. the whole town or all the characters involved, the tragic hero must solve this problem and this results in his banishment or death [run-on sentence]. A comedy is defined as also beginning with a problem, but one of less significant importance. The characters try to solve the problem and the story ends with all the characters uniting in either a marriage of a party. Although these two genres are seen as being complete opposites of each other, through further analysis one can gather that though they are different certain similarities can also be seen. One aspect of these genres that can be compared and contrasted is the narrative or plot. A comparison can be analyzed in that both begin with a problem. In Oedipus Rex, the play begins with a plague devastating the city of Thebes. In A Midsummer Night's Dream there is also a plague that is upon the land. However, a difference between these two beginnings is that in Oedipus Rex the citizen are effected by it to the point that they look towards Oedipus for a solution to their suffering; while in A Midsummer Night's Dream, the effects of the plague are never shown to the audience and it seems a minor detail. Another difference is the cause of the plague in the two plays. In the tragedy, Oedipus Rex, the hero ends up being the cause because he murdered the king; while in A Midsummer Night's Dream the cause is a...
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...The classic tragedy, as defined by Aristotle, has six major parts. These parts include a plot, characters, theme, melody, spectacle, and language. All stories, according to Aristotle must have a beginning, middle, and end, and must follow a logical sequence according to these six elements. The plot is the series of events, or sequence in which the action of the play occurs. Plot must follow a cause and effect relationship, which follows a logical pattern. Characters are the people in the play, who have certain qualities that can be determined by what they say, do and what others say about them. The theme of the play is the general feeling or statement made by the author that presents an observation or thought to the audience. Melody is the musical quality of the play, which includes a change of pitch by the voice, musical instruments , and also includes the high and low points of the play giving it an overall melodic quality. Spectacle includes the visual elements of the play, anything that is observed by sight. Often in modern movies and plays spectacle can be overdone, especially if a reason for the spectacle cannot be found. Language is the dialog or speech that makes up the story, and is used by characters to present the play to the audience. Aristotle lays out a very specific definition of what a tragedy should include, and how each element should be presented. He tells us that the tragedy must include these six elements and that they must be laid out in a logical manner...
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...341-49). • Please get prior approval from the instructor for any outside sources. Your paper should include: -a very short introduction paragraph introducing your topic (2-3 sentences), ending with your thesis statement. -well-organized body paragraphs beginning with a topic sentence and containing evidence from the text to support your argument. -a very brief conclusion summarizing your main points (2-3 sentences) Prompts for Paper #2 (Due Monday, August 31) 1. Choose two major female characters, from different tragedies and/or comedy, and compare and contrast their points of view towards traditional gender roles. 2. Analyze views of masculinity in two different texts, each from a different genre (epic, lyric poetry, tragedy, oratory, philosophy). 3. Analyze the ideology of leadership, drawing from at least one tragedy and one speech. 4. Analyze views of foreigners in two different texts, each from a different genre (epic, tragedy, history). OR your choice of topic, with prior approval from the...
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...As Wesley Morris said ‘The History boys is a bittersweet comedy,’ and that is extremely precise. Comedy iss generally intended to be humorous or to amuse by activating laughter. The History Boys is noted as a comedy-drama but overall has a deeper intention. Ironically, the gravitational topics discussed are opposite to the comedy; just like Hector and Irwin as these characters function in the play is to exemplify the comedy and gravity. But, why did Bennett incorporate these characters in? Bennett cleverly distinguished between the opposite values of a teacher and created two opposite characters to enhance the comedy and gravity of them. But, why is Bennett’s play labeled as a comedy? Comedy is used throughout the History Boys by Bennett through selected techniques such as parody, contrasting characters and their clever juxtapositions within the plot. But, the elements of a more somber tone flourish throughout the play. Comedy is clearly a main influence of Bennett’s when writing The History Boys as there are several humorous scenes in it. The mock interview disagrees with the critics view. ‘How do I define history? It’s just one fucking thing after another.’ This is an example of one of the entertaining moments of the History Boys as he wouldn’t say that in an interview. Bennett proves to the audience that Rudge adds to the comedy. The French scene shows the Head teacher contrast with the student intelligence. The persuasion of the Headmaster into speaking French and the...
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...values. England The English drama of the 16th cent. showed from the beginning that it would not be bound by classical rules. Many themes and ideas can be seen in the components of the Elizabethan drama. For example, many works were influenced by other works. Themes on revenge were seen and blood and killing was evidenced in many works by, for instance, Thomas Kyd 's Spanish Tragedy (c.1586). Marlowe’s works presented deeper meanings of questioning life. Shakespeare, of course, stands as the supreme dramatist of the Renaissance period, equally skilful at writing tragedies, comedies, or chronicle plays. His great achievements include the perfection of a verse form and language that captures the spirit of ordinary speech and yet stand above it to give a special dignity to his characters and situations; a marvellous ability to unify plot, character, imagery, and verse movement. With the reign of James I the English drama began to decline until the closing of the theatres by the Puritans in 1642. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medieval_drama Comedy in Elizabethan Drama: The term "comedy" as applied to a division of the drama was not used in England until the Renaissance had brought a knowledge of the classical drama and theatre. Though the term was new the thing was old. The comic spirit invaded the miracle plays at an early date; while there were many wandering entertainers who provided farce and clownage. Farce in written drama appears at the beginning...
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...ENGLISH 12 TERMS AND DEVICES A active voice allegory alliteration allusion analogy antagonist anti-climax antithesis apostrophe argumentative essay anecdotal evidence archaic language aside assonance atmosphere audience autobiography B ballad ballad stanza bias biography blank verse C cacophony caricature case study catastrophe cause and effect character characterization character foil chorus chronological order cliché climactic order climax colloquialism colloquial language comedy comic relief compare and contrast comparison conflict connotation consonance* contrast couplet D denotation dénouement descriptive essay dialect dialogue diary diction didactic dilemma direct presentation dissonance drama dramatic irony dramatic monologue dramatic form dynamic character E editorial elegy emotional appeal epic epilogue epiphany epigram epitaph euphemism euphony expert testimony exposition expository essay extended metaphor external conflict F fable falling action fantasy farce figurative language first person point of view flashback flat character foil foreshadowing form formal essay formal language frame story free verse G genre graphic text H hero historical reference hyperbole I iambic pentameter idiom image imagery indeterminate ending indirect presentation informal essay informal language interior monologue internal conflict internal rhyme irony * consonance is defined in two ways: 1) the repetition of consonant sounds before and after differing vowels, such as “flip-flop,”...
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...William Shakespeare is a popular author in Hollywood. Recently, we have seen several renditions of his comedies and tragedies brought to the silver screen from Trevor Nunn's THE TWELTH NIGHT to Baz Luhrmann's modern ROMEO AND JULIETTE, but few compare to the new staging of HAMLET by Kenneth Branagh. No other actor, producer, writer, and director has done the preeminent Bard more justice and honor than Kenneth Branagh, and he pushes this theater production to epic proportions. With lavish sets and lush costume design changing the setting from medieval to the 19th Century, this tale of a son's revenge for the untimely death of his father at the hands of his father’s brother delves into humanity's fundamental questions of: What does it take to be an honorable man? An honorable king? An honorable father? An honorable son? This story involves all levels of drama, including violence, intrigue, sex, and madness. The movie begins in the middle of a story. The King of Denmark has died and his brother is taking the throne and the Queen as his bride for the sake of the country. Two guards see an apparition coming in the night. The apparition is seemingly like that of the deceased King, so the guards callto Horatio and the son of the King, Hamlet, to confirm their visions. When Hamlet arrives, the apparition takes him away and demands that he put his father’s soul to rest for his "most horrible and foul murder." Alone, he is faced with the duty of exacting revenge for his father's death...
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...Compare and contrast the way in which Shakespeare presents the themes of love and rebellion in Romeo and Juliet and Much Ado about Nothing. In Romeo and Juliet and Much Ado about Nothing, Shakespeare presents the themes of love and rebellion by the way he presents the characters Juliet and Beatrice. He also does this by using different language and poetic devices such as rhyming couplets and animal imagery. In addition he links in the two plays to comedy and tragedy which helps the reader understand how love and rebellion effects one character more than the other. Furthermore, Shakespeare uses the role of stereotypical women in the Elizabethan Era and how it links into the plays theme of love and rebellion. For example, how Juliet and Beatrice deal with the arranged marriage laws. In both plays, Juliet and Beatrice show a similarity towards love as they are stubborn and independent when it comes to love and marriage. However they show these traits in different ways. For example, in Romeo and Juliet, Juliet is fighting for love as her parents want her to marry Paris even though her heart only desires Romeo. Juliet shows more determination and desperation in declaring her love compared to Beatrice. This is due to her parents controlling her future and Romeo being their family’s enemy therefore they are against their marriage. I know this because of when Juliet speaks to her parents and says, “I will not marry yet! And when I do, I swear, it shall be Romeo”. This quote tells...
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...A active voice allegory alliteration allusion analogy antagonist anti-climax antithesis apostrophe argumentative essay anecdotal evidence archaic language aside assonance atmosphere audience autobiography B ballad ballad stanza bias biography blank verse C cacophony caricature case study catastrophe cause and effect character characterization character foil 襯托 chorus 合唱 chronological order cliché climactic order climax colloquialism colloquial language comedy comic relief 喜劇性穿插 compare and contrast comparison conflict connotation consonance*尾韻contrast couplet D denotation dénouement 結局 descriptive essay dialect dialogue diary diction didactic dilemma direct presentation dissonance drama dramatic irony dramatic monologue dramatic form dynamic character E editorial 社論的 elegy emotional appeal epic敘事詩 epilogue 收場白 epiphany神聖的表現 epigram讽刺短诗 epitaph碑文 euphemism 委婉語 euphony悅耳之音 expert testimony exposition闡述 expository essay extended metaphor external conflict | F fable falling action fantasy farce figurative language first person point of view flashback flat character foil foreshadowing form formal essay formal language frame story free verse G genre graphic text H hero historical reference hyperbole I iambic pentameter idiom image imagery indeterminate ending indirect presentation informal essay informal language interior monologue internal conflict internal rhyme irony J jargon juxtaposition L legend limited omniscient point of view literal language lyric M melodrama metaphor metre...
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...Jack Roth 10-28-15 Period 1 Funeral Compare/Contrast These two passages both deal with funerals and narrate the observances of them. The first anecdote describes a funeral as an entertaining view on how society lavishes social classes. This is shown through a mildly sardonic tone. The second passage describes the depression that the narrator feels within and around oneself, including a somber tone. Each short story differs in attitude through diction, details, and syntax. In the first narrative, the author uses a bright and cheery form of diction to describe the funeral he/she is at. Words such as “grotesque”, “striking”, and “magnificent” lighten the mood of the funeral - a place which is usually upsetting. This ironic description consists of a sarcastic tone in order to show the joviality that the writer gets from the way people overreact to the death of a man of low class. The other story contains a rather dark use of diction. The author expresses the setting of the funeral as “silent”, “still”, and “vague” to bring out the emptiness that it has. This shows the somber tone of the narrator to bring the solemness within the passage....
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...Cause and Effect Hamlet Essay William Shakespeare, arguably the greatest language in the English language and England’s national poet, has written numerous histories, tragedies, comedies and poems. Throughout his plays, his use of dramatic irony, immaculate word choice and wording, and his vast imagination has made him a successful playwright even in his time. Shakespeare’s scripts for his theatrical company, needed to pertain to the needs and fascinations of the Elizabethan audience. It is safe to assume that all his sonnets, poetic speeches, electrifying action and soliloquies in his play were created for the delicate and quickly appreciative of language Elizabethans of his time. A particular example out of the many soliloquies present in the tragedy of Hamlet is the beautiful and moving speech in Act IV, Scene IV (IV, iv, 35-70) of Hamlet depicting his admiration of Fortinbras and his disappointment in himself. The poetic loving audience is noticeably the cause while this splendid speech, along with the many others, is the effect. This soliloquy is a mere example of Shakespeare’s disgust for the political manipulations of his time, the acceptance of murder, and the change of self brought on by others. In the brilliant vocalization of Shakespeare’s feelings through the speech made by Hamlet, it is evident that Shakespeare despises the waste of lives due to war without justification. Perhaps, knowingly that the audience would share this view or dissentient of lives lost...
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...American Intercontinental University Topics in Cultural Studies: 215-08 Introduction to Humanities- Unit 1 Individual Project Deanna K. Wadley April 28, 2012 ABSTRACT This paper will develop a table to compare and contract both the ancient Greeks and Romans. It will include their culture, the type of governments they had, the level of trade, and economic conditions as well as the geographical areas they both thrived in. In addition the table will compare and contrast both civilizations art, architectural styles and accomplishments and their philosophical and religious beliefs. The table will also include visual representation to give readers a clearer picture of the past. Features of Greek and Roman Cultures Features | Ancient Greece | Roman Republic/Empire | | Timeline | 800 BCE – 500 BCE | 509 BCE - 27 BCE | | Government | * Made up of independent states called Polis, or city states. * Used sanctuaries to gather to share important cultural elements. * Citizens were land-owning males who had the right to vote and speak out in court (Sayre, 2010). | * Class structure composed of three tribes and consisted of two ranks; Patricians, and plebeians. * First form of representative government made up of a legislative and judicial branch * Developed elaborate code of law. (Sayre, 2010). | | Agriculture | * Farming * Animal husbandry * Beekeeping * Greeks had poor soil as they were located in rocky hills and mountains. Greece, 2001). | ...
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...Compare/Contrast Essay “Romeo And Juliet” and “Much Ado About Nothing” There are many similarities between Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing and Romeo and Juliet. Was this Intentional or Accidental? Even though Much Ado About Nothing is a comedy, and Romeo and Juliet, is one of his saddest tragedies, the two plots share many common incidents. Did Shakespeare mean to have these coincidences or did they happen by accident? In both of his dramatic works, the Masque is a key element furthering the infatuation of the lovers. Also the balcony scenes in both plays are crucial because without them the plot could never have reached its denouement. It seems that God came into both of the plays in the spirit of the friars, because they had good plans to keep love together. In both plays, the masque functions as a dramatic device which initiates the love plot. It occurs in a social gathering, but not without the help of costumes. If it were not for costumes the result of love might have been drastically different. How was the masque used to get lovers together? In the case of Romeo and Juliet, Romeo hears about the masque and decides to go, thinking that he might be able to get away with this scheme. Upon entering he sees Juliet and right away, he knows it is love. If he had not worn the costume, the hosts might have ejected him from the party and he might not have met Juliet. Much Ado About Nothing has...
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...HOW TO TEACH “OTHELLO” (The play by William Shakespear’s) I. INTRODUCTION Othello, like all of Shakespeare’s plays, particularly the tragedies, is complex and subtly nuanced. Through its complexitiesand subtleties, Shakespeare makes us care about the characters who people this story. We understand their weaknesses and their strengths, their passions and their nobility. In our engagement in their lives and our pondering over what has gone wrong and why, we are given the opportunity to analyze human life both in the abstract and in the particular of our own lives. Shakespeare’s ability to involve us in the lives and fortunes of his characters is one of the best reasons for reading and teaching Othello. Othello has particular gifts to offer to teenagers. It is a play about passion and reason. Intense feelings are exhibited here:love, hate, jealousy, envy, even lust. Teenagers struggling with their own passions can empathize with both Roderigo’s and Othello’s plight. It is also a play that examines, as do Shakespeare’s other works, human relationships and interactions. For teenagers in the first rush of attempting to understand how romantic relationships work and when and why they might fail, this text provides much to ponder. In addition, studying the play gives young people a rich literary vehicle for developing their critical thinking and analytical reading skills. The closer they examine this work, the richer they find it. II. SUMMARY OF THE PLAY The play is set...
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...A TEACHER’S GUIDE TO THE SIGNET CLASSIC EDITION OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S MACBETH LINDA NEAL UNDERWOOD S E R I E S E D I T O R S : W. GEIGER ELLIS, ED.D., ARTHEA J. S. REED, PH.D., UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA, EMERITUS and UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, RETIRED A Teacher’s Guide to the Signet Classic Edition of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth 2 INTRODUCTION William Shakespeare developed many stories into excellent dramatizations for the Elizabethan stage. Shakespeare knew how to entertain and involve an audience with fast-paced plots, creative imagery, and multi-faceted characters. Macbeth is an action-packed, psychological thriller that has not lost its impact in nearly four hundred years. The politically ambitious character of Macbeth is as timely today as he was to Shakespeare's audience. Mary McCarthy says in her essay about Macbeth, "It is a troubling thought that Macbeth, of all Shakespeare's characters, should seem the most 'modern,' the only one you could transpose into contemporary battle dress or a sport shirt and slacks." (Signet Classic Macbeth) Audiences today quickly become interested in the plot of a blindly ambitious general with a strong-willed wife who must try to cope with the guilt engendered by their murder of an innocent king in order to further their power. The elements of superstition, ghosts, and witchcraft, though more readily a part of everyday life for the Renaissance audience, remain intriguing to modern teenagers. The action-packed...
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