Wykład 5 – 20.12.11
Shakespeare & history
He had to manipulate between Elizabeth’s expectations, what ppl believed, legends and facts.
In 1649 Shakespeare was accused of execution of Charles I. King were presented as ordinary ppl.
Richard II
Here Sh. Had to deal with the legend: 'He dressed up as a woman and walked into the crowd that attacked palace during pheasant revolts. The crowd knelt down an draw back'.
Richard II is presented as a good man but a poor king. It's possible to be a poor king and a good man. Richard is too good to be a King. Politics is a dirty business. Honest ppl will never be successful in politics. Kings cannot be honest.
Richard II was made to resign.
Henry IV
He was seen as a usurper, he had killed the saint for which Richard II was considered. It was believed that the honesty of the monrach gurantees honesty of the state. It's not about Henry the IV but more about growing up Henry V (his son). This two plays (Henry IV, Henry IV) are often called “Education of prince Hal' . Henry V has a friend Falstaf. He goes away from England, he's enjoying himself. He grows up between his father's court and Falstaf. In the end he gives up Falstaf. Falsaf was favourite Queens' charater.
Henry V
The legend was so spectacular that Sh couldn't possibly present Henry V in a positive light. In the times of war Henry V was the most popular play. He won 100year war. The first English carol was written about Henry V and his victory. Sh presents him as an ideal diplomat, soldier, husband. He was a great soldier, hero. In this play we have a famous metaphor that repeats in English literature:
Monarchy is compared to a bee-hive. Monarch is queen-mother. Queen-mother doesn't do much but each bee has a task to do and doesn't pay attention what others do. - The essence of conservative philosophy – each man has to do his own duty. Individual profits will influence whole country. Do your duty, don't look at others.
2nd tetralogy – it's all about Richard
Richard is the blackest villain – it's exclusively Sh's creation. He wanted to present him as a black character that he even 'gave' him hunch though historians does not say anything about him having a hunch.
Richard is presented as one who killed his naphews. Richard didn't killed them, he saved them in fact. He had to be presented in this way for Elizabeth wanted The Tudors to be seen as a blessing. The final scene is the battle at the Boswell(?). It's the final battle, day before it. We have a two camps Richard's and Richmond's camps. All ppl whom Richard killed come to him and say he killed them and go to Richmond's.
Richard was famous for his courage – this Sh could not take away from him. During the final battle Sh gave him famous line 'A kingdom for a horse'.
These tetralogies are called chronicles.
History is only background for Sh. In Hamlet there's referrence to the history of Poland ← check it for exam.
Sh presented his view on the history in his classical plays. 'Julius Cesar'.
Topicality – referring to current issues
Julius Cesar; There was a young man, his name bas Babbington, who was manipulated by clever politicians into the plot that included killing of the Elizabeth. He was supporter of the Stuarts. In public they discussed the theme out loud, it was quickly found out. They were arrested. Elizabeth didn't wanted to kill them, she knew somebody else manipulated him. But she couldn't. They were dying for a week of public torture. In Julius Cesar Brutus is Babbington.
Anthony & Cleopatra
Lord Essex wanted to became a king (marry Elizabeth) but she refused him.
How does Sh present history in his tetralogies? Choose one play and present it the context.
History in his classical play
History in one tragedy – his tragedies are universal, theme is universal, historical background is not important, you can apply it to any time.
Shakespeare & psychology
In Sh's times there was no psychology nor psychiatry sciences. If sb was psycho-diseases it was called Melancholy. There was a book “Anatomy of melancholy' where there were examples of famous ppl from history that suffered from melancholy. So Sh didn't get any education about it but he managed to depict them accurately. Ss of psychology learn about schizophrenia from Macbeth, lady macbeth has developed Clinical schizophrenia.
Othello complex – when obsessively jealous person destroys, kills the object of their love.
Sh's characters are very plausible from the psychological point of view. He was called “shakescene' because he violated 3 unities (time, place, action[1 plot]). He introduces unity of character (they are believable, they change and develop).
Sh's developments:
Tragic flaw (tragiczna wada) – characters fail because of their character.
Macbeth – ambition for power
King Lear – pride
Othello – Jealousy
Hamlet – conflict of 2 cultures (europe, viking England)
Comic relief (ulga komiczna) – funny scene that comes after a moment of extreme tension to give the audience some space, relief.
After the death of Dunkan there is a funny scene with the porter
Shakespeare & views on art
Hamlet
Hamlet's father was poisoned by inserting poison into his ear.
Art is a mirror in which we see our soul.
Art if artificial but it tells us the truth about ourselves, our reactions towards what is true. Art is a mirror in which we see our faces.
Art cannot change life. It cannot relate to life, it has no practical implication in life.
Tempest – Prospero want's to change ppl for better. The last words of the Tempes (his last play) 'I will drown my books' – art cannot change life.
In his sonnets he says that art is stronger than life but he says that among all arts literature is the strongest. It doesn't crush, nor faint.
Shakespeare and the stage – explain about unities and tragic flaw and comic relief
Shakespeare's views on art
Around 1605 Sh wrote Sonnets (collection of them, 154).
Sonnet: 14 lines which are distributed differentely
Petrachan/Italian sonet: 8 (descriptive,) + 6 most about love
English / Shakespearian Sonnet: 3x4 (quatrain) lines + 1x2 lines (couplet)
3x4 – three different attitudes, view points
1x2 – witty and unexpected conclusion
About politics, culture, not only about love.
When Sh write about woman he always presents as ugly and when he writes about man he is handsome
Sh's sonnets have 3 addresses:
Dark Lady
Fair Youth
Rival Poet
Dark Lady:
Woman was presented as unappealing but final couplet says that although she's not perfect, he loves her, she cannot be compared by any foolish comparisons.
Fair Youth
Shakespeare's protector. Prince of Southampton. Sh writes that beauty passes quickly. Man should get married and have children. Sonnets to Fair Youth are philosophical.
Rival Poet
Sonnets about art. Sh's rival could be John Donne or Ben Johnson. Literature can immortalise ppl. 'you shall live in this verses' (about a woman).
Extra Work: Learn a Sh's sonnet by hart and recite it