MOD A - Hagseed/The Tempest Flashcards
Intro
THESIS - A composers engagement with textual conversations provides them with the profound ability to communicate a change in universal values and attitudes through elevating the nuances in the older text. This is the result of the adoption of contemporary human values and perspectives surrounding freedom and self-determinism, instead of patriarchal attitudes that eliminate a sense of self agency
both texts - William Shakespeare, in his text The Tempest, exposes the colonialist and Christian humanist values surrounding the metaphorical and physical agency by individuals during the ideologically rigid Jacobean era. Catalysed by new perspectives/understandings, Margaret Atwood’ postmodern novel Hag-Seed challenges such ideals, elevating the subtle strengths of Shakespeare’s characters Caliban and Miranda through reframing them to possess a sense of power and freedom in 21st century society.
link - This, along with contextual differences and changes in textual form, leads to a change in human perspectives, values and attitudes.
Caliban - TT
TS (D)- Through her reconstruction of the ‘monstrous’ and ‘abhorred’ Caliban into a complex collective of ‘prisoners’, Atwood elevates the subtlety of Shakespeare’s character by challenging the rigid colonialist perspectives, values and attitudes of the 17th century, humanising marginalised groups.
TS (R)-Through her deliberate decision to manipulate Shakespeare’s perception of the “monstrous” Caliban as a complex collective of prisoners, Atwood subverts the vilification of the racial ‘other’ to castigate the prejudicial power and control that continues to dominate marginalised groups.
rest - These are a result of Shakespeare’s contextual concerns, namely the xenophobic milieu that caused racial prejudices to permeate 17th century society, resulting in the isolation and oppression of the ‘other’
This is evident when Prospero refers to Caliban as “a devil, a born devil” on whom “nurture can never stick”. The demonic imagery of Caliban as the “devil” and “nurture” not metaphorically sticking to him exposes how he is inherently evil due to existing in the unholy state of godlessness, hence unveiling how Caliban is not treated with any form of humanity. This emphasises how the racial other is marginalised due to the colonial belief that states how the colonisers must educate the colonised, ultimately leading to them existing in a state of isolation as they are unable to assimilate into society.
Furthermore, the metaphor of Caliban as a caged animal, where he expresses to Prospero “you sty me in this hard rock”, Shakespeare is exposing the ideological prison that is crafted by oppressive values and attitudes that metaphorically imprison him, symbolising the superiority of the white man in the colonialist 17th century.
Caliban - HS (dissonances)
Contrastingly, driven by her social justice perspective, Atwood’s metatextual commentary accentuates the nuances of Caliban’s character by highlighting her active opposition to racial prejudice and subjugation in her text.
Atwood’s argument for a future of empowerment by affording power to oppressed groups is exposed by the postmodern and pastiche style of her text and slam poetry; the repetition of “Hag-Seed” in “But I’m Hag-Seed” and “Cause I’m King Hag-Seed”. Atwood is displaying the changing nature of values and attitudes across time by turning “Hag-Seed” into an acclamation from an insult, hence affording power to those who were historically dehumanised.
Atwood’s stimulation of the textual conversation allows for the subtities of Caliban’s character to be exposed, emphasised by the changes in contextual values and form, as she is colliding with the values and attitudes from Shakespeare’s time as she has taken power away from the oppressors and has given it to the ‘prisoners’ for the purpose of empowerment, reflecting postmodern values of freedom and equality
Additionally, through the metatextual commentary on Caliban as “secretly poetic”, “more than just an ugly face”, “MUSICAL” and “ROMANTIC”, Atwood subverts Shakespeare’s use of synecdoche of reducing Caliban to his physical appearance alone, elevating the nuances of his character by asking her audience to view the prisoners as complex and multifaceted beings who have their own sense of self. Atwood is also challenging the colonialist values and perspectives regarding power by exposing the humanity of the marginalised individuals.
Thus, through her reconstruction of Caliban into a group of humanised prisoners, Atwood accentuates the complexities of Caliban’s character through highlighting the changes in form and context, mainly due to the adoption of contemporary attitudes regarding imprisonment.
Caliban - HS (resonances)
Similarly, the rebirth of Caliban in Atwood’s text highlights the continued marginalisation and dehumanisation of the ‘other’, commenting on the transcendent nature of dehumanisation across contexts.
This is evident when Atwood reimagines Gonzalo’s utopian commonwealth speech through Lonnie stating “If I were redesigning the prison system, I’d try giving the inmates more freedom, not less”. This is contrasted with Tony immediately dismissing comment that the prisoners would “poison the soup, first chance” hence showing that while Atwood is arguing for prison reform and rehabilitation, the prejudicial assumptions that prevent marginalised individuals to assimilate into society are still being upheld.
Furthermore, through the slam poetry recited by the prisoners – “Now Hag-Seed’s black and Hag-Seed’s brown, Hag-Seed’s red, don’t care if you frown”, Atwood creates an image of Caliban through the listing of colour adjectives that represent all indigenous people. Here, Atwood is suggesting that minority people are still victims of oppression and that we are invited to view them that they are linked by the idea of oppression. Thus, through reimagining the “abhorred” Caliban as a group of prisoners, Atwood highlights the inherent the marginalisation and perception of the ‘other’ that is a universal notion across all contexts and how these individuals can be exploited.
Miranda - TT
TS (D)- Through her reimagining of the ‘virginal’ and ‘innocent’ Miranda into the self-empowered and sexually liberated Anne-Marie, Atwood emphasises her subtle strength by exposing how changes in form and contextual values, due to the adoption of the postmodern perspective regarding feminism, affords oppressed groups with a sense of self-agency.
TS (R)- Atwood’s transformation of the sweet and ‘cherub-like’ Miranda into the complex and multifaceted Anne-Marie, accentuates how she manipulates universal narratives and values in order to be relevant to her progressive, postmodern audience.
rest- This is reflective of Shakespeare’s contextual concerns, namely the dehumanisation and objectification of women, as well as the Christian puritan values of virginity, purity and chastity. This is explored through Shakespeare’s use of possessive pronouns that describe miranda to be Prospero’s possession: “take thee my daughter” and “my dear one”, where Shakespeare is emphasising the beginning of the extended metaphor of Miranda as a possession that can be owned, aligning with the patriarchal perspectives including the dehumanisation and oppression of women of his time as he highlights the dominating nature of hegemonic masculinity within 17th century society.
This is further conveyed through Miranda being described as a “jewel” and a “gift”, exposing the extended metaphor of her as an object of monetary worth, with her value being equated to her virginity, purity and chastity, thus highlighting how Miranda is the perfect form of female passivity.
Miranda - HS (resonances)
Similarly, Atwood explores the influence of patriarchal paradigms that permeated Shakespeare’s The Tempest, prevailing subjugation and oppression of women throughout time.
This is evident when Anne-Marie expresses to Felix how “being a girl is the pits”, where Atwood invites her audience to look at how women are still treated, thus exposing how the female experience is still bound by this notion of oppression and inequality. Here, the textual conversation provides insights about imprisonment through revealing to us that patriarchal values have endured a change in context.
Furthermore, through the prisoners describing Anne-Marie’s physical appearance as “malignant”, “eating disorder” and “poxy wench skin and bones”, Atwood is highlighting how shallow perspectives and assumptions have endured from Shakespeare’s time and made their way into contemporary society. The accumulation of this derogatory language against Anne-Marie accentuates how the prisoners are drawing on past patriarchal assumptions that allow for the objectification of women and are thus attempting to define and identify her. Thus, through her recreation of Shakespeare’s Miranda into the multifaceted Anne-Marie, Atwood exposes the transcendent nature of imprisonment and freedom, highlighting humanities inherent desire to restrict and control those with limited power in order to fulfil our own selfish desires.
Miranda - HS (dissonances)
Contrastingly, Atwood is writing is writing in a post modern context and is influenced by the Libertarian and feminist perspectives of self-agency, autonomy and self-determinism, striving to afford women more power and control in 21st century society by elevating the nuances of Miranda’s character in her text.
This is evident in the simile of Anne-Marie winding “her arms and legs around” her “lithe partner”, “like an octopus controlling her prey” and the violent imagery of her pulling his “head back in a chokehold”, where Atwood is presenting a power dynamic that subverts the framework of Shakespeare’s time affording women control in Atwood’s contemporary world. Additionally, Atwood is celebrating the power of women and exploring the diminishing patriarchal values from Shakespeare’s time of purity and chastity - highlighting the subtle strength of Miranda’s character by arguing for a future of female empowerment.
Furthermore, when Felix expresses how Anne-Marie was “ruthless” and unethical” in regards to he manipulating Wonderboy for the sake of the production, Atwood clearly contrasts Anne-Marie with Shakespeare’s “cherubin” Miranda.
Atwood is expressing how the contemporary female experience is not defined by perfection, destabilising the notion of the traditional perfect woman as Anne-Marie has become sexually liberated yet also vilified.
Therefore, through her reimagining of Shakespeare’s ‘virgin’ Miranda into the empowered Anne-Marie, Atwood is colliding with the values from Shakespeare’s time, providing women in the context of the 21st century with a sense of liberation.
Conclusion
Atwood’s reconstruction of Shakespeare’s The Tempest throughout her text Hag-Seed reveals how composers manipulate prior ideas and values in order to make their texts resonate with their respective audiences. Through emphasising the need for the liberation of marginalised and oppressed individuals in her reframing of the isolation of the ‘other’, Atwood showcases the differences in context perspective and her 21st century post-modern and consideration of incarceration and emancipation.
