... straightforward answer. A dramatic text is a text that has been written for it to be delivered by some form of media, for example theatre, film or television. A performance text on the other hand is a version of the dramatic text, which is what ultimately gets performed. Therefore, to put it simply, a performance text is a version of a dramatic text that has been annotated and altered for the actual performance. This complicates the role of dramatic text, as there can be various different performance texts just for one dramatic text. Therefore you have to question, after a certain period of time, if the performances turn further and further away from what the dramatic text is trying to convey? Considering William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, which is such an ‘iconic text of world theatre’ (Lavender, 5), you can compare the role of the dramatic text when it was first published and performed in around 1603 with performances leading up to the present day. This is something which doesn't only differ depending on what time period it is being performed or how renowned the text is but it differs from performance to performance mainly because of the various different concepts the directors have with this singular play. However, factors such as the set or audience can also have a considerable effect. Nevertheless, ‘we have to develop Shakespeare’s plays, if we are to perform them at all’ (Elsom, 6). As time passes, new theories are put into place and old ones need to be revisited...
Words: 2656 - Pages: 11
...the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, I utilized much time in comparing and contrasting whether or not the young people of 2014 relate to Hamlet. There are some thoughts that had come across me as to why I could see some similarities of Hamlet to the young people of 2014, but in the end, I realized there was a lot more to Hamlet that I have not seen in any children of the present day. Therefore, I do not believe the young people of 2014 relate to Hamlet. William Shakespeare was the most influential writer in English literature. He was born in 1564 to a successful middle-class glove maker in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. Shakespeare attended grammar school, but his formal education proceeded no further. In 1582 he married an older woman, Anne Hathaway, and had three children with her. Around 1590 he left his family behind and traveled to London to work as an actor and playwright. Public and critical success quickly followed, and Shakespeare eventually became the most popular playwright in England and part-owner of the Globe. The play of Hamlet is mainly about a boy named Hamlet who is trying to avenge his father’s death. Throughout the play he has many thoughts and suspicions of the cause and of the murderer but being as contemplative and thoughtful by nature, he holds back from entering a state of craziness and madness. The two watchmen discover the ghost that walks the ramparts of Elsinore Castle in Denmark and believe it to resemble the recently deceased King Hamlet, whose...
Words: 1284 - Pages: 6
...of this statement and in relation to ‘Hamlet’ and ‘The Duchess of Malfi’ it is important to define what pain actually is. Pain relates to grief in terms of Hamlet grieving for his father’s death. It also relates to suffering and injury – be that of the mind or body. There are instances in ‘Hamlet’ and ‘The Duchess of Malfi’ where the motivation for revenge may arise from the emotional pain of the aggressor; there are however acts of revenge shared in these plays that cannot be explained as a confession of pain but rather as a result of self-preservation and duty. Somroo explains that ‘The motive of revenge is a primitive emotion to be found in natural man, though it is a dangerous emotion.’ Somroo explains that revenge is primitive therefore it can be explained as an impulsive emotion born of pain or suffering. This shows that suffering and revenge are closely linked; the idea that revenge is born out of pain has excited audiences throughout history as a theme of revenge tragedies. In this genre of play both Webster and Shakespeare use the theme of revenge to show that it has consequences for every character that is unfortunate enough to be involved as it often results in multiple and an almost comical amount of dead bodies. Shakespeare more than Webster has used the character of Hamlet to explore a motivation for revenge deep within the character in their pain and affection for the cause of revenge. There are ways in which both Shakespeare and Webster demonstrate that revenge...
Words: 1734 - Pages: 7
...2015 A Drama Review of Hamlet By studying the Stage Show of Wuhan University Abstract As the longest masterpiece of Shakespeare, Hamlet impresses us with its tragic revenge of prince Hamlet. This stage show presents us the core part of Hamlet through performance of “nunnery scene”, “closet scene” and Hamlet’s monologue. Thus, this article will mainly focuses on drama review of the stage show from aspects of technical arts, adaption and editing as well as performance of the actor and actresses and a character analysis combing with Oedipus complex, Electra complex together with the author’s personal reactions. Keywords: drama review; technical arts; performance, character analysis Contents I. Introduction………………………………………………………………………....3 II. Technical arts………………………………………………………………………4 A. Lighting &Music.……………………………………………………………..4 B. Stage Properties…………………………………………………………..........4 C. Costumes………………………………………………………………………4 III. Editing& Adaption………………………………………………………………..5 IV. Performance……………………………………………………………………….6 A. Hamlet…………………………………………………………………………...6 B. Ophelia………………………………………………………………………….6 C. Gertrude…………………………………………………………………………7 V. Character Analysis………………………………………………………………....7 A. Hamlet………………………………………………………………………….7 B. Ophelia…………………………………………………………………………8 C. Gertrude………………………………………………………………………..9 VI. Conclusion…………………………………………………………….................9 Introduction The original play of Hamlet is a masterpiece...
Words: 2097 - Pages: 9
...Film Review: Hamlet (2009) Gregory Doran I had not expected to laugh at Hamlet, as much as I did at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s 2009 production of Hamlet. Director, Gregory Doran, does the play an informative justice and favourable effort at guiding the perspective of the audience into focus of certain character’s monologue. This, along with the strings of time being interwoven with the set designs and costumes, adds many more layers than other works by the Royal Shakespeare Company. With these layers and additions, Gregory Doran creates an emphatic and enthusiastic version of Hamlet that, although most modern, can be viewed as the most popular of the few. It had been unusual to me to see such stars as David Tennant and Patrick Stewart bolstering as their respective Hamlet and Claudius. To start, Tennant I found to be the utmost enrapturing version of Hamlet I had witnessed. Tennant uses his limber body to express his emotional responses in every frame he exists within. In (Hamlet, 1.2.4) before and after he discovers news of his Father’s Ghost, Tennant expresses rage, sadness, excitement and doubt, within a few minutes of dialogue. It is here, where you the viewer, are first gazed upon by the nature of the actor, and the rawness you are intended to feel. I compare the eye contact to the effect of being a member of the audience in a stage play. It resembles the notion that a character that addresses outward from the stage, into the crowd, that said character is speaking...
Words: 1598 - Pages: 7
...Elements of Drama: A Review of Hamlet Elements of Drama: A Review of Hamlet The way an artist creates a sculpture is similar to the tactics of a drama writer. While artist focus on the color and shape of their creations, writers of drama focus on specific elements. In Hamlet, Shakespeare uses plot, character, setting, staging, and theme to create a well-rounded story. One of the first elements of drama is plot. Considered to be the foundation, plot is the idea in which the setting and characters surround (Mays, 2014). As a stack of dominoes, lined in a row, the plot of a story creates a similar effect. As each domino falls, it enables the rest to follow suit. Plot is comparable, because the events within a story usually lead to the next. The drama, Hamlet, revolves around a prince seeking revenge for his father's death. As the story begins, Hamlet's father has died, and his mother marries her husband's brother, the new king. Soon, Hamlet realizes, after meeting with the spirit of his father, that his dad was murdered. The spirit convinces Hamlet to seek revenge. Pretending to be mad, Hamlet conspires to kill the king. During his scheme, Hamlet pretends to despise his crush, Ophelia, and accidentally kills her father. The death becomes reason to send Hamlet away. As Hamlet travels back to school, Ophelia's brother seeks revenge on Hamlet for his father's death. Hamlet returns and is informed of Ophelia's suicide, along...
Words: 794 - Pages: 4
...Shakespeare was a respected poet and playwright in his own day, and is widely regarded today as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet. As quoted in an article,” The Romantics, in particular, acclaimed Shakespeare's genius, and the Victorians worshipped Shakespeare with a reverence that George Bernard Shaw called "bardolatry"”. In the 20th century, his work was repeatedly adopted and rediscovered by new movements in scholarship and performance, and is currently an active part of education curriculums. His plays remain highly popular today and are constantly studied, performed and reinterpreted in diverse cultural and political contexts throughout the world. It is safe to say that although Shakespearean plays were set in the Renaissance Era, they are still the epitome of English literature and are revered by theaters, performers and audiences alike due to their remarkable credibility in portraying everlasting political, social and moral issues. http://www.neptunetheatre.com/content/Shakespeare_hat_trick His plays move from romantic to tragic, humorous to serious so much so that he not only caters to all tastes but also all times by portraying the political situation of his times as well as the way of living. Even Romeo and Juliet, considered by many as a die –hard romantic scripture actually highlights political issues. One of the main political aspects of the play was when count Paris uses...
Words: 3064 - Pages: 13
...BOOK REVIEW OF COMEDY OF ERRORS This is one of the first literatures from the great legend “William Shakespeare”. All the work from William Shakespeare is literally a literature. His books are referred in syllabus in schools and colleges all over the world. He is in true sense a king of English literature. There are so many contemporary authors whose work is supposedly inspired by him. Frankly I never read any of his books so when I come across “The comedy of errors” and immediately grab it. And second thing is plays are always the medium for writers to depict the present political and social conditions. And Shakespeare must have written this book in as early as in 1500. Because of that some of the things are not as relevant or funny today as they might have been at that time. The book has story of two twin brothers and their twin slaves. It is a story of lot of coincidences and fun happen because of that. The story starts with a death threat hovering over an old merchant for breaking some silly rules. He tries to win duke’s sympathy by telling him the story how he lost his family i.e. his wife and his two twin sons and there twin slaves. And he breaks the rule as he is in search of them. Coincidently one of his lost son and one slave was settled in the same city for a long time and they had been happily married. Another coincidence happens when other twin brother and slave also visit the city. And there happen lot of kayos which results in slapstick...
Words: 635 - Pages: 3
...2014 The Madness of Hamlet In William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, the character of Prince Hamlet has just gotten back to Denmark from school to learn that his uncle and mother are now getting married, the same uncle that killed his father, the king. There is much debate as to whether or not Hamlet truly did go crazy from these series of events. However, Hamlet, much to his dissent, did indeed go crazy when his late father died, although he persisted in believing he had not; through his demeanor, words, and inner turmoil, it was shown that he was simply in denial about this fact. When Hamlet’s late father’s ghost told him to kill his uncle as an act of vengeance, Hamlet wholeheartedly agreed. He also decided to act crazy, something his family and friends attributed to either grief or love, however Hamlet told his friend Horatio that he was simply acting. He might have began off simply acting, but he did gradually fade into madness. Hamlet went to see Ophelia after his meeting with the host of his father, where he demonstrated his first act of madness. “He took me by the wrist and held me hard…/ Long stayed he so,/ At last, a little shaking of mine arm,/ And thrice his head thus waving up and down/ He raised a sigh so piteous and profound” (II. i. 98-106). This is where his family got the idea that he was mad with love. And so, deciding to prove this, Claudius and Polonius had Ophelia help them, insisting she go talk to Hamlet whilst they spy on their...
Words: 1058 - Pages: 5
...Adlerisms 1. “I can think, I can wait, I can fast…” –Siddhartha 2. “Fate will unwind as it must…” -Beowulf 3. “A mistake is repeated until it is learned…” -Confucius 4. “My worst enemy, my best friend – myself…” -Henry Reyna – Zoot Suit 5. “Tender yourself more dearly!” -Polonius, Hamlet 6. “If you fail to prepare – prepare to fail…” -Steve Prefontaine, Olympic Gold Medalist 7. “Our intentions are far more different than our actions…” -Coach Adler LQHS 8. “Defeat distraction, or distractions will defeat you…” -Coach Adler LQHS 9. “Those who settle for less end with less…” -Coach Adler LQHS 10. “A good fall makes one wiser…” -Aesop 11. “If I were you I would turn back now and save some time and grief. Believe me; you’re heading in the wrong direction…” -Coach Adler LQHS, The Two Ants 12. “In the middle of the journey of our life – I came to find myself in a dark woods where the straightway was lost…” -Dante Alighieri 13. “Acta non verba” (Actions not words) -Latin Idiom 14. “Carpe diem” (Seize the day) -Latin Idiom 15. “A good student only needs to be told once!” -Coach Adler LQHS 16. “Every day wasted is another day you’ll never get back!” -Boyd Grant, Fresno State Basketball 17. “A future filled with regret is not a bright one…” -Koby Serreitelli 18. “If you remain organized you stay in control” -Elise Alverzez 2013 19. “Impossible is just a big word that gets thrown around by small...
Words: 2720 - Pages: 11
...Case 12-02 To Recognize or Not to Recognize, That Is the Question Shakespeare Inc. (“Shakespeare” or the “Company”) is a privately held book printing and publishing company with a December 31 year-end. The summary balance sheet as of December 31, 2010, included: Current assets Noncurrent assets Total assets Current liabilities Noncurrent liabilities Total liabilities Total shareholder equity $ 6,500,000 28,250,000 $34,750,000 $ 4,500,000 13,750,000 $18,250,000 $16,500,000 The summary results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2010, included revenue of $10.7 million and net income of $1.2 million. Shakespeare is planning to issue its financial statements on March 20, 2011. On March 18, 2011, Shakespeare’s management will evaluate new information about one of its accruals and two subsequent events to determine if this information or events represent items that should be recognized or disclosed in the December 31, 2010, financial statements. Medical Benefits Payable For the past several years, Shakespeare has self-insured medical benefits (health and dental) for its employees. The Company records the costs of medical care in the period in which covered events occur and includes its best estimate of the costs that have been incurred but not yet reported (IBNR) in its estimate of the medical benefits payable. Shakespeare looks to the FASB Accounting Standards Codification, which defines IBNR as “losses incurred by the insured entity that have not yet been reported to...
Words: 967 - Pages: 4
...Case 12-02 To Recognize or Not to Recognize, That Is the Question Shakespeare Inc. (“Shakespeare” or the “Company”) is a privately held book printing and publishing company with a December 31 year-end. The summary balance sheet as of December 31, 2010, included: Current assets Noncurrent assets Total assets Current liabilities Noncurrent liabilities Total liabilities Total shareholder equity $ 6,500,000 28,250,000 $34,750,000 $ 4,500,000 13,750,000 $18,250,000 $16,500,000 The summary results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2010, included revenue of $10.7 million and net income of $1.2 million. Shakespeare is planning to issue its financial statements on March 20, 2011. On March 18, 2011, Shakespeare’s management will evaluate new information about one of its accruals and two subsequent events to determine if this information or events represent items that should be recognized or disclosed in the December 31, 2010, financial statements. Medical Benefits Payable For the past several years, Shakespeare has self-insured medical benefits (health and dental) for its employees. The Company records the costs of medical care in the period in which covered events occur and includes its best estimate of the costs that have been incurred but not yet reported (IBNR) in its estimate of the medical benefits payable. Shakespeare looks to the FASB Accounting Standards Codification, which defines IBNR as “losses incurred by the insured entity that have not yet been reported to...
Words: 967 - Pages: 4
...Case 12-02 To Recognize or Not to Recognize, That Is the Question Shakespeare Inc. (“Shakespeare” or the “Company”) is a privately held book printing and publishing company with a December 31 year-end. The summary balance sheet as of December 31, 2010, included: Current assets Noncurrent assets Total assets Current liabilities Noncurrent liabilities Total liabilities Total shareholder equity $ 6,500,000 28,250,000 $34,750,000 $ 4,500,000 13,750,000 $18,250,000 $16,500,000 The summary results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2010, included revenue of $10.7 million and net income of $1.2 million. Shakespeare is planning to issue its financial statements on March 20, 2011. On March 18, 2011, Shakespeare’s management will evaluate new information about one of its accruals and two subsequent events to determine if this information or events represent items that should be recognized or disclosed in the December 31, 2010, financial statements. Medical Benefits Payable For the past several years, Shakespeare has self-insured medical benefits (health and dental) for its employees. The Company records the costs of medical care in the period in which covered events occur and includes its best estimate of the costs that have been incurred but not yet reported (IBNR) in its estimate of the medical benefits payable. Shakespeare looks to the FASB Accounting Standards Codification, which defines IBNR as “losses incurred by the insured entity that have not yet been reported to...
Words: 967 - Pages: 4
...ENG 4UA Assignment Breakdown Unit 1 – 5% Activity 1 – Grammar Review Grammar Quiz – Formative Activity 2 – Academic Citation Citation Review – Formative Activity 3 – Plagiarism Dropbox: Katrina Letter - Formative Discussion: Case Studies – Formative Activity 4 – Essay Structure Dropbox: Reorganizing the Essay - (2.5%) Activity 5 – Statement of Intent and Initial List of Works Cited Dropbox: Statement of Intent and Initial List of Works Cited - Formative Activity 6 – Editing the Essay Discussion: Shakespeare Essay – Formative Dropbox: Literature Essay Rewrite (2.5%) Unit 2 – 15% Activity 1 – Imagery and Symbolism Discussion: Symbols and Images - Formative Dropbox: Poetic Verbal-Visual Collage (5%) Activity 2 – Diction Dropbox: Event Poem/Reflection - Formative Activity 3 – Form Discussion: Forms - Formative Activity 4 – Sound and Sense Dropbox: Poetry Analysis – Formative (5%) Activity 5 – Theme and Understanding Discussion: Battle of the Critics - Formative Activity 6 – ISP Reflective Journal Dropbox: Reflective Journal - Formative Activity 7 – Culminating Activity Dropbox: Best Poem in the World (5%) Discussion: Best Poem - Formative Unit 3 – 25% Activity 1 – Culminating Assignment Essay Module Discussion: Integrated Quotations - Formative Discussion: Elaboration of Evidence - Formative Activity 2 – Worldviews and Interpretations Dropbox: “The Return” Response (Parts A, B, and C) - Formative Activity 3 – Text Attack Discussion:...
Words: 441 - Pages: 2
...Hamlet review and critique On Sunday October 26, 2003 at 2:00 PM I saw Hamlet the play at Cal State Fullerton campus in the Little Theatre. Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, is a tragic play consisting of numerous deaths. The deaths that took place played a very important role in the unfolding of the play. From viewing this play the audience can almost guess who was going to die. A prince named Hamlet is the main character. Hamlet planned to take over the throne in Denmark, but treachery would spoil all of Hamlet's plans. The King, Hamlet's father, was found dead. Hamlet was devastated when he learned of his father's death, but what made him more uneasy was the fact that Gertrude, Hamlet's mother, remarried so quickly to the brother of the dead King. The brother would be the one who would betray Hamlet. Horatio, a loyal friend to Hamlet, was on night watch outside the castle, he told the prince of an incident when they saw an apparition who resembled King Hamlet. Hamlet came out the next night hoping to see the ghost. Sure enough, the ghost appeared and called to Hamlet, wanting to speak with him. The spirit talked about how Claudius poisoned the King while he was sleeping. The spirit wanted the prince to avenge his murder. All was quiet in the kingdom until the start of Hamlet's supposed insanity. The Prince was with his mother talking when the prince noticed someone in the room. Hamlet thought it was Claudius, and killed him. Hamlet did...
Words: 856 - Pages: 4