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MODULE A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF TEXTS AND CONTEXTS: EXPLORING CONNECTIONS Texts: King Richard III (William Shakespeare) and Looking for Richard (Al Pacino)Rubric: Comparative Study-compare texts in order to explore them in relation to their context –the core relationship of the module, context must be all throughout body paragraphs -understanding of the effects of context and questions of value –explicit judgement of the efficacy of a text -different forms or media –textual form is also related to this module, the composer’s choice in relation to their purpose -social, cultural and historical context influences aspects of texts- the 2 contexts of the 2 texts and also your own context other contexts when you do different readings of a text -changes in context lead to changed values being reflected in texts -consideration of purposes and audiences- composer’s purpose in relation to their context -analysis of the context, values and attitudes conveyed through a range of readings- composers represent values and attitudes differently in relation to their context. Us/Pacino –psychoanalytic reading of Richard III and in essays includes student’s own reading Rubric: Exploring Connections-we compare text to text and text to context-the effects of purpose, audience and context on the shaping of meaning-these are all linked, talk about them together-different social, cultural and historical contexts can influence the composer’s choice of language forms and features and ideas, values and attitudes conveyed –Pacino’s purpose related to textual form (documentary) and saying something about the human spirit -the implicit and explicit relationships between texts- explicit would be Pacino talking about Shakespeare, implicit is their shared subject matter -can deepen our understanding of the values, significance and context of each –we must make a personal judgement, including about enduring value A response must include:-context-purpose-audience-textual form and medium of production and how it relates to purpose -explanations of ideas, values and attitudes and how they are represented differently in relation to context/purpose -what you have gained by exploring the connections between the texts –understanding of their contexts, their values, the effect of context on values, appreciation of enduring value CONTEXT (Context-purpose-audience-form)KING RICHARD IIIContext: -16th century England after the War of the Roses –Tudor family in power and they could censor plays (Censorship decree 1558)-cultural and political role of theatre was to spread royalist propaganda -political unrest and persecution of Catholics-times when those in power were aware of their vulnerability and anyone who threatened power was persecuted –the play captures the minds of an audience aware of the ongoing political intrigue and power struggle -Elizabethan period with Elizabeth I as reigning monarch-survived threats to her reign -history books vilifying Richard –Sir Thomas More’s The History of King Richard III-Shakespeare’s source - Early Modern historical method focuses on morality rather than truth –Shakespeare’s depiction of his hunchback more exaggerated -no separation between body and soul – physical deformity meant rottenness of personality -Machiavellian politics –pursuit of power at the cost of morality and Christian values-shift from Providentialism/Determinism/Predetermined fate (God’s will is what is ordained to happen in life) and humanity’s unquestioned relationship with God to public interest in secularism, Humanism and free will (Humanity having control over destiny) –the play a critique of the consequences of secular politics when left open to greed. Richard III conveys this tension as he is a blend of the secular Machiavel and Vice character. -classical tragedy with peripetia (reversal of fortune) and hamartia (fatal flaw)-Shakespeare showing the free will side of Richard is because he is influenced by ancient Greek tragedy – their attitudes towards God is different –their Gods are human, unjust, malevolent -one of the dominant dramatic forms of the time -morality play and the Vice –Christian morality plays served to illustrate the central moral struggle of the Christian soul to remain true to the teachings of the Church. The Vice (devil)’s role was to tempt the common man to succumb to sinful temptations –the character of Richard III has its origins in the Vice though it more human -belief in the supernatural, including witchcraft, ghosts, curses and prophecies –linking the idea of Providentialism –some Pagan superstitions too -women associated with witchcraft –society’s misogynistic fear of female deviance, but also associated with morality in the play –they use sorcery to bring about divine retribution/God’s purpose –associated with Providentialism and ideas of women’s purity Audience: Elizabethan nobility and emergent middle class as well as Tudor royal familyPurpose: -To create an enjoyable, intriguing drama (not historically accurate) that is approved by the Tudors, affirming their legitimate right to the throne/validating Elizabeth’s reign and being politically correct -capturing the minds of the audience by exploring power struggles and having a compelling story which involves condensing, simplifying and dramatizing events, altering character’s actions -Imparting moral values by exploring the consequences of the individual’s relentless pursuit of power, critiquing this historical mistake by exploring the personal and social costs -exploring what it means to be human and what motivates our actions in life Form: Drama/play/theatre, a historical tragedy –more specifically a Christian morality play drawing on the vice character LOOKING FOR RICHARDContext: -1990s America, streets of NYC-rise of digital media and technology and wide acceptance of film as an artistic genre popular with the masses, including MTV quick cut style videos -audience accustomed to playing frenetically-paced computer games -egalitarian sentiment and democratic nature of society –the people on the street are given a voice-meritocratic and free will over providentialism- secular society, decline of religion particularly among youth and strong idea that humans control their own fate, including the belief that young people control their own success regardless of background -the issue of pursuit of power is still relevant with many powerful and controversial dictators in the 20th century eg. Fidel Castro and millions died as a consequence of their actions –shows those in power still need this ethical education-artistic and literary movement of Postmodernism –the general challenging of artistic authority and arguing scholars etc. opinions aren’t necessary more valuable than the common person (anti-intellectual attitudes), the meaning of art is subjective and there is no objective truth -Capitalism and consumer culture – relates to meritocracy -general greater acceptance of people with disabilities –seen in a sympathetic light, as unfortunate rather than God’s mark of doom –links to Richard’s deformity -Pacino’s personal fascination with gangster films and public interest in the psychology behind characters, their duplicitous and complex nature of villains –also relates to the dictators/politics -psychology a registered, scientific discipline but not valued in Elizabethan times -values emotional subjectivity in a time controlled by a rational outlook –maths, science -people look up to actors as heroes –markets film to the masses through appearances by big name celebrities –traditional Hollywood route -more human connection between lives of the actors and audience than intellectuals -method acting of mid 20th century – relates to public interest in understanding complex psychology of characters -The ambiguous current definition of man is less morally straightforward than in Shakespeare’s time so audiences don’t expect moral education from their entertainment –lack of religion, it reflects reality more, loss of Judeo-Christian values –postmodernism promotes moral liberation and self-actualization –ethics depend on the situation -women have achieved a relatively higher level of equality and there are no biological/medical theories (humours) asserting female inferiority Audience: The common American/general public who are familiar with Shakespeare but are sceptical about his relevance in modern times and abject to the complexity of language Purpose:-to make Shakespeare accessible to a modern audience, the common person-to illustrate the relevance of Shakespeare due to its universal themes including what it is to be human and moral values that are still relevant today Form:-drama documentary or docu-drama film –uses the popular medium of film to connect to the masses-uses the deconstructive quick-cut documentary style to keep it fast paced, entertaining and to explain the plot to make it easier to understand -pastiche of cuts between people on the street and high-profile actors and intellectuals/scholars has an equalising effect, letting the audience feel they are accessible to the play and their interpretation is valid and shows its wide appeal -use of humour IDEAS, VALUES AND ATTITUDESFREE WILL VS. PROVIDENTIALISM King Richard III: -the defeat of Richard as a villain supports providentialism and although Richard wants to orchestrate his own destiny Margaret and the women always remind him of providence -he is a charming and manipulative, rhetorically-skilled villain -reflects the tension between free will and determinism(a teleology that promotes the supernatural over the agency of men) - renaissance struggle between themLooking for Richard:-secular world so providentialism is hardly relevant -dwells on Richard’s determination to construct his own destiny -through Richard Pacino considers what it means to be human: our motives, needs, ambitions, flaws HUMAN FRAILTY AND MORTALITY King Richard III:-the moral weakness of other characters facilitates Richard’s acquisition of power, cannot be solely attributed to his manipulative skills -Richard has killed Lady Anne’s husband and father-in-law but yet she is seduced by his flattery and agrees to marry him –she is vulnerable as an unmarried woman on the losing side of the war -unmarried women considered evil, witches -women are considered frail/weak due to cultural contexts –a frailty imposed by their culture –biological theories, strongly patriarchal society -Richard is physically and psychologically an outsider, rendering him vulnerable and human Looking for Richard:-the issue of human frailty is not quite as important in the Wooing of Anne, he is focused on Richard’s manipulative skills and motives than the female characters –women not considered as frail as much –have achieved higher level of parity with men -Pacino is interested in the psychology of ambitious characters, explores Richard’s humanity and flaws and how this relates to his motives -free will relates to his rhetorical abilities –constructing his own destiny DUPLICITYKing Richard III:-Richard is a double sided character -only honest with the audience –soliloquy -uses irony to hide his ruthlessness and lack of conscience -rather than a true Vice character like Iago Richard is more human, motives more real Looking for Richard:-Pacino is very interested in Richard’s manipulative nature with his personal interests in gangster films and characters with complex motives-it is a relevant modern concern with film, public interest in the psychology of villains –in Shakespeare’s time this was less relevant as people only saw the providential aspect that he is doomed to die for being a villain, duplicity in L for R reflects free will -modern audiences see R’s duality as a form of manipulation in the pursuit of power rather than an evil plot in his divine usurpation – he is just proceeding along the course of God’s plan for him to be a villain rather than his free will THE CONSEQUENCES AND LIMITATIONS OF THE PURSUIT OF POWER King Richard III: -is paramount –Richard and others betray, manipulate, lie and murder to obtain power and control-the play illustrates the terrible consequences of suppressing your humanity for power –Richard dies alone without love or respect -providential aspect –if you ignore Christian values and betray God’s will in pursuit of power you are predetermined to destruction-the female figures act as a foil for the Vice –they represent God’s divine order –the vehicle by which the audience goes from sympathy to anticathexis (no emotional investment) –related to Elizabethan attitudes towards women (related with purity and the supernatural)-Margaret –eccentric, old, lonely –associated with witches Looking for Richard:-the actors are fascinated by the battle for power, the hatred that is palpable and the psychology behind it -makes the connection between Elizabethan and modern times stressing that there will always be individuals who betray others for power -link to context-dictators of the 20th century CONSCIENCE –How far are we prepared to go?King Richard III: -Richard lacks it ‘O coward conscience’ –though he realises it -an exploration of how individuals can ignore their conscience and commit acts of evil –they will be punished by fate –moral lesson -ghost scene –dreams and omens relate to Elizabethan superstitions Looking for Richard: -like Pacino, the audience is fascinated by the compelling, unscrupulous nature of Richard –he seduces us through his soliloquies and shocks us with his lack of conscience -perhaps he has a conscience though loses it at the end but Shakespeare thinks he never had it – Pacino’s psychoanalytical study -P doesn’t admit context has changed, can argue he doesn’t fully engage with the textSCENES in KING RICHARD IIIAct 1 Scene 1 – I am determined to prove a villain-the Vice is a figure of wit able to beguile anyone, including the audience – use of soliloquy‘I that am not shaped for sportive tricks’ – the sibilance draws attention to his passivity due to his deformity that is beyond his control – a matter of fate, his vulnerability despite his position of power. Because of this deformity he has become a villain rather than him becoming one as a deliberate act on his part. It was seen as a sign of a sick and wicked soul. God has condemned him as a villain. ‘to see my own shadow in the sun/descant on mine own deformity’ – light metaphor though his is dark, a shadow – he does not want to be seen because of his deformity ‘dogs bark at me as I halt by them’ – animal imagery relates to the Elizabethan belief in the supernatural – this is a sign of his predetermined doom and his unnatural state – anyone who defies nature is evil ‘since I cannot prove a lover…I am determined to prove a villain’ – antithesis – his attempts to embody opposing personas highlights his duplicity and villainous nature. Ironic pun as it suggests notions of self-determinism rather than a divinely inspired direction to the universe – conveys the tension between Richard’s will to shape his destiny and the providential mindset of the time. ‘plots I have laid, inductions dangerous’ – anastrophe, he confides his Machiavellian aims to the audience – deceiving and abandoning ethics to gain power. ‘if King Edward be as true and just as I am subtle, false and treacherous’ – juxtaposition and antithesis End of the play – his doom shows that divine power is paramount Henry Tudor cries: ‘God…be praised’ that ‘the bloody dog is dead’ – Animal imagery relates to Elizabethan view of humans’ superiority to animals – dehumanises Richard. Shakespeare’s choice for R to die unloved implies that deceptive villains will meet divine consequences. Referencing God implies rulers are divinely chosen – affirming the then reigning Tudor family’s right to the throne. The Wooing of Anne – Human frailty -Anne here is depicted as aiding Richard’s rise to power as she is seduced by his flattery and agrees to marry him-the Elizabethan audience would have been aware of her precarious position being widowed and from the losing side of the war – Richard provides her security, as well as her being struck in a moment of grief and weakness -Elizabethan attitudes towards women – a frailty imposed by culture -the feminine is closely associated with witchcraft and prophecy – links to attitudes towards women and to predestination – Richard has no free will here ‘sweet saint’, ‘foul devil’ – antithesis of heaven/hell imagery in stichomythic dialogue – at the beginning she is not convinced – he has killed her father in law and husband in the war – she later says ‘you are become so penitent’ shows she has been wooed by his rhetoric ‘curse …to wolves spiders and toads’ – allusion/supernatural imagery to animals and the supernatural – attitudes towards women as well as Richard’s doom – Anne is prophesising ‘was ever woman in this humour wooed?’ ‘was ever woman in this humour won?’ – repeated rhetorical questions highlight R’s incredulity Act 1 Scene 3 – the consequences of the pursuit of power-the women act as a foil for the Vice – they are a voice of morality and of prophecy from God (associating them with the supernatural) that predict his divinely ordained doom -the women are used to show the consequences of a self-aggrandising pursuit of power – they are the vehicle by which the audience emotionally disinvests in Richard -the Calvinist emphasis on predestination means the women are not only on the side of right but also of destiny ‘wrens make prey where the eagles dare not perch’ – bird metaphor invoking a hierarchy suggesting of the Elizabethan viewpoint where power figures have an unchangeable rank as opposed to the egalitarianism of LforR ‘to royalise his blood I spent mine own’ – blood imagery relates to violence and to succession and legitimacy – if royals are divinely ordained there is no need to royalise one’s blood so Richard’s right to the throne is not legitimate – the Elizabethans reviled his historical legacy ‘foul wrinkled witch’ – Richard identifies Queen Margaret with supernatural imagery ‘some tormenting dream affits thee’ – explicit allusion to future part of the play shows her supernatural powers, prophesising his doom Act 4 Scene 4 – The Wailing Queens -in contrast to Pacino’s brief treatment of this scene – ignores women and thus providentialism though can argue he’s not fully engaging with the text Margaret: ‘I had an Edward till a Richard killed him’ ‘I had a husband till a Richard killed him’ – repetition of the lament sets the tone of a curse. Directing audience’s sympathy away from Richard‘for happy wife, a most distressed widow’, ‘for joyful mother one that wails the name’ – antithesis and repetition show her earlier prophecy has been fulfilled. Margaret is a sympathetic figure and now R is not. An emotional lament – the audience sees Richard for what he is, purely evil – but Pacino would rather not focus on the ethical consequences of Richard’s fascinating actions. Act 5, Scene 3 - Conscience Ghost scene – the fact that it is a shared dream between R and Richmond makes it seem ‘real’ and therefore providential. The ghosts of those R has killed come to haunt R and get to his conscience and praise Richmond. Relates to Elizabethan belief in the supernatural knowing one’s fate.‘Despair, and die’ – repeated by all ghosts condemning R to his grave and damnation – relates to providential narrative – S using Elizabethan’s identification of the history of the descent of Richard as kingBuckingham’s ghost: ‘God and good angels fight on Richmond’s side, And Richard fall in height of all his pride’ – heaven hell imagery and rhyming couplets to have a lasting effect on Richard as he will recognise what he has truly done. Also shows the inevitability of his divine retributionRealisation Soliloquy:‘O coward conscience, how dost thou afflict me?’ – self directed rhetorical questions – he is questioning himself, at war with himself – the influence of conscience ‘Is there a murderer here? No, yes I am’ – self directed rhetorical question and binary opposition highlight Richard’s struggle with himself and his realisation of his crimes. Ultimately he renounces his project of villainy and can never truly realise it but he has his doubts and almost realises his fate. In one sense he has experienced anagnorisis though he also appears to reject it. LOOKING FOR RICHARD ANNOTATIONSScene 1 - vox populi : interviews with the public shows the democratic nature of modern America -interview with expert –humour, intercut to young people kissing while Pacino is performing a soliloquy in front of group of students, incongruity with intercut to earnest expression of academic-non diegetic soundtrack -ominous music behind Richard’s soliloquy as Pacino performs with ominous tone of voice , Pacino looks to camera –direct access to the Vice character -‘he wants to be king it’s that simple’- simplifying the complex familial ties that underpin the play because he wants to simplify for his audience and focus on Richard -academic interview ‘relations with the other gender, but Richard has a little problem here ‘ –explanation –relates to Pacino’s purpose, cut to ‘but I am not shaped for sportive tricks’ –Pacino has humorously jealous, bitter, annoyed facial expression –our sympathy for Richard -voiceover –echoing effect and repetition of ‘deformed’ –sympathetic portrayal of misunderstood gangster who is admirably rhetorically skilled as opposed to Shakespeare’s evil villain who deserves nothing less than his divinely ordained destruction -shot of Pacino on stairs sitting -the role of the actor and the character will merge –method acting -‘Richard’s plan is starting to work now’ ‘he’s got one brother locked up, the other brother who’s king is sick’ ‘he’s in pretty good shape now, he can manoeuver’ –Pacino voiceover with excited tone –shows he is focused on Richard’s evil plans- morality? Act 1 Scene 3 -‘it’s not fancy wording’ ‘some rap is hard to get too you just have to tune into it’ –influence of contemporary times -music, voiceover pacino ‘You see what Richard is doing? He’s stirring the pot.’ ‘He can use the fear, the general turmoil to his advantage’ ‘He’s going to use their hatred to manipulate them’ ‘you know, to divide, then conquer’ –tone of enthusiasm -on Margaret –voiceover –‘she’s kind of a ghost of the past who haunts the Yorks with her curses’ Act 2 –The wooing of AnnePacino’s friend –‘what we said is we are going to shoot the death of Richard and the murder of Clarence and that’s it’ –shows importance of Anne, women, frailtyIntercut –‘someone young enough to believe in Richard’s wrap’ –focus on R’s rhetorical skills and that they are the sole reason for R’s triumphs rather than Anne’s frailty and precarious position as a female In Pacino’s version R speaks first unlike Shakespeare Voiceover - “was ever woman in this humour wooed” moved from end of the scene to beginning changing tone from disbelief into a challenge – Pacino’s focus on R’s wrap –links to ideas of free will and psychology Repetition of “I’ll have her” –focus on R’s ambition and not Anne’s desires and needs Anti-intellectual attitudes – Frederick ‘you know more about Shakespeare than any scholar at Columbia or Harvard’ ‘actors truly are the possessors’ as well as vox populi use Postmodernism –‘a person only has an opinion it’s not a question of right or wrong’ ‘a scholar has the right to an opinion as any of us’ Fred –‘but why does he get to speak to the camera’Scholar –“I simply don’t know why he had to marry her, historically” –close up on Frederick’s angry expression Dark lighting –focus on Richard “I’ll have her” maniacal laughter “but I will not keep her long!!” Pacino gloating rather than incredulity in S. Chiaroscuro lighting hiding half of Pacino’s face in the dark underscores his duplicity. Anne’s line about R being penitent –cut to Pacino “HA” – Richard’s duplicity Murderer’s scene –dark music and lighting, whole scene is played full in costume –shows a focus on the conscience aspect Close ups on their faces, facial expressions –close up on Baldwin’s (Clarence) pleading face –psychology , close up on dagger Dramatic music crescendo and fake blood spurting as he is murdered, the other murderer’s guilty face Act 3 – the cuts between the real world and the play have an equalising effect – reflects on Pacino’s purpose to show us that “actors are truly the inheritors of Shakespeare’s legacy” -American nationalism – they might bring something better and new to Shakespeare over the British -Pacino goes to the Globe, Shakespeare’s house and S has cameos – shows Pacino is trying to legitimate his interpretation of Shakespeare – though does this mean he has no new, postmodern interpretation? Sound effect of Queen lamenting Edward’s death cast over the scene of the modern gathering –not really focused on or given screen time to The character of the Duchess (R’s mum) is removed, significant departure from the script –the lines are instead spoken to the actress who plays Edward’s queen –changes R’s characterisation making the scene more political than if spoken to his mother –a political playIt avoids speaking the lines regarding the incomplete ‘blessing’ given by the Duchess to Richard –little treatment of providential aspects Actor of Buckingham dialogue – ‘Buckingham is kind of like the secretary of state who went off and did all the dirty work, like those guys that did all the Iran/CONTRA stuff” -20th century view of politicians as less legitimate (than royals) and Pacino’s characterisation of the two as ‘gangsters’ –the scholar says that Shakespeare saw them as gangsters Actor of Buckingham (Kevin Spacey) - wearing a black cap backwards like Pacino to look like a gangster pair, sarcastic ‘no influence here’ Voiceover Pacino and F –Richard and Buckingham have betrayed everybody, they lied’ both laughing –moral ambiguity of modern entertainment Voiceover - Fred and Pacino singing excitedly ‘he’s got the whole wide world in his hands’ accompanied by camera that tracks Pacino, arms raised, in the middle of the half rebuilt globe –the power angle for RGoing to Shakespeare’s house, the Globe – Pacino wants to connect to S’s legacy and is trying to legitimate his interpretation of Shakespeare over that of academics-can argue that he has failed because if themes were really accessible to modern audience and without academics why feel the need to legitimise with reference to Shakespeare Absence of the key elements of Hastings’ final speech –do not hear about the prophetic signs he ignored –representation of providentialism Dramatic music –R yelling off with his head –focus on R, Hastings yelling ‘bloody Richard!’ and a quick shot of his executioner’s axe Act 4For R and B ‘all that’s left is winning the people’ –low angle shot up at Buck (in street clothes) acting to the public The cuts between Pacino in costume as Richard and shots of New York crowds blur the ruler/ people divide.Talking about contemporary politics, voiceover Buck actor –‘no matter whether it’s presidency or the local council’ ‘it’s always the fact that the people are sick and tired of the way it’s been and they just want it to change’ –relevance of politics to 90s The play –shot of crowd ‘long live king richard’ –shot of pacino shaking his head, smugly –Pacino’s interest in the duplicitous nature –there will always be people in power like this but Pacino can only make it relevant by gangster characterisation Scholar –‘the truth is that those in power have absolute contempt for everything they pledge’ and ‘that’s really what Shakespeare’s great plays are about’ 1:20 Convincing B to kill the kids in line to the throne (even though he’s already king) –conscience-‘R is finding out the point at which people won’t go’ –close up on Buck’s face, eyes avert camera, struggling when R says ‘I wish the bastards dead’, intercut to actors talking ‘what does it matter now you’re already king’ and ‘it’s interesting to see when Buck will draw the line’ After he orders for kids to be killed –Queen Elizabeth lamenting –very brief treatment, just several shots of her crying outside the castle with dark soundtrack and no lines, rejection of prophecy, gathering of women etc. –no providentialism, focus on richard’s duplicity shows the moral ambiguity of modern entertainment Act 5 ‘richard, to me, is the most accessible, he’s king but on the decline’ -Pacino Voiceover ‘he suspects all the people around him, he has no friends’ –pacino’s sympathy for Richard despite his villainy Richard’s psychological torment – focus on the ghost scene, MONTAGE -shot of him talking in his sleep, eerie lighting with candles, quick cuts between candles, R’s disturbed sleeping face, voiceover ‘TORMENTING DREAMS’, thunder clap sound effect, lamenting queens –distorted visual effect, soliloquy –soft I did but dream –focus on psychology as well as Pacino’s soft tone –us feeling sympathy for him, the conscience struggle relates to psychology Voiceover –so F and I decided to go to the actual theatre where this play…was performed some 300 years ago’ ‘see if we could get a sense of those old spirits. You know, method acting type stuff’ –influence of psychology Final scene –red lighting, Pacino yelling last soliloquy, cuts between that and battle of Bosworth field, soundtrack Extreme close up –‘whatever I’m saying, I know Shakespeare said it’ –he does not know what is specifically significant about Shakespeare -Shakespeare is not significant anymore, Pacino tries to make it so by imposing our values onto the text-although Pacino wants to bring it to the commoners –but when he hears what others have to say eg. ‘rock and roll lady Macbeth’ he thinks “this has gone too far” –he wants Shakespeare to be his but the way it’s always been –is he even confident in the continuing relevance of Shakespeare? Accusations of sexism at this scene as he will not consider the ideas of women and gives them less screen time. MAIN ARGUMENTS/ ESSAY POINTS The wooing of Anne – in Shakespeare it is Anne’s position of frailty that is partly owing to R’s success in wooing her but with Pacino the issue of Anne’s frailty is neglected as he wants to focus on Richard’s rhetorical mastery due to ideas of free will and interest in psychology, gangsters, simplify it - one of the features of the docudrama is the way that Pacino editorialises in a series of intercuts the role of his duplicity by repeating 'I’ll have her'The pursuit of power – the women are a sign from God that Richard deserves a bloody predetermined fate but as divine intervention is no longer relevant Richard neglects this. Brief treatment of the lamentation scene shows Pacino is not interested in exploring the ethical consequences of Richard’s actions but more interested in focusing on his duplicity and skill – with interest in psychology and method acting entertainment is not as didactic compared to Christian morality plays Conscience – due to interest in complex psychology LforR has a large focus on the ghost scene –though eliminates the ghosts themselves as the providence aspect is not relevant Politics and egalitarianism – the royals were seen as divinely chosen - ‘wrens make prey where eagles dare not perch’ ‘to royalise his blood’ and influence of Greek tragedy – Richard dies unloved ‘god be praised that the bloody dog is dead’ as opposed to intercuts of Spacey and Pacino, Pacino in costume and the long shots of public - we don’t see politicians as legitimately as Elizabethans did with America’s democratic system which values the peoples’ voice as much as its leaders’. The cuts between Pacino in costume as Richard and shots of New York crowds blur the ruler/ people divide. BUT without applying new egalitarian ideas about politics would he have failed to interest today’s viewers? He points out the universal nature of Machiavellian power struggles but he had to impose contemporary ideas onto the text.Villainy – Richard is evil with his deformity a mark of his unnatural soul, he dies unloved as divine retribution, in L for R he is cast as a more sympathetic figure –due to sympathy for the disabled, interest in emotional subjectivity and psychology Essay feedback INTRO –this module is partly thematic so the THESIS must have reference to connections between the texts and the themes that will be discussed. Can fulfil both of these requirements by saying the meaning of the text engages with and comments on the same ideas (though similarly/differently). Should have lots of context mentioned in intro. Body Paragraph – topic sentence should involve the theme you are discussing and link between texts as with thesis statement. When talking about the ‘deeper meaning’ of a text define what that is specifically. Do not reiterate the thesis statement –they must be an extension of the thesis –this is because the essay needs to be more focused on THEMES. Don’t mention name of the text in the topic sentence.-the texts both deal with perennial ethical issues though the way they are modified/and interpretations of them differ always show that our values are context dependent, this must be the focus of the essay.STATEMENTS to use in introduction – but could change according to question William Shakespeare’s play King Richard III composed in Elizabethan England condemns the villain Richard for his manipulative pursuit of power. Compare it to a contemporary reinterpretation: the docudrama Looking for Richard created in 1990s America by Al Pacino who also stars as Richard. Pacino believed in the play’s enduring value, so chose to deconstruct it in a fast paced film with a gangster like depiction of Richard to bring Shakespeare to the masses.Providential attitudes led to the play being influenced by the popular genre of the Christian Morality drama that reminded the audience to uphold Christian values.Conclusions after comparing the two texts:Pacino thinks there are universal aspects of the human experience in Shakespeare’s work that are worth sharing with a modern audience, their moral value –the selfish pursuit of power, lack of conscience, betrayal, loss, tragedy, vengeance. But we know that all human experience is context dependent and so by changing these ‘universal’ aspects he is not fully engaging with the text, or, in order to make these perennial themes still relevant he has to impose contemporary ideas onto the original text. Therefore there is enduring value to a limited extent. It can be argued Shakespeare is still relevant because of the poetry/richness of his language, the characters are fallible and human –relate to modern ideas of humanity such as Richard’s fate due to his ambition, most importantly his plays do explore timeless themes and emotions. Some social issues in his plays such as racism, intolerance, status of women, crime are still modern issues. Modern appropriations use modern equivalents of these same ideas. ................
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