Theme : Comedy Flashcards
Features of a comedy
Humour
Resolving conflict / reconciliation
Forgiveness, redemption
Juxtaposition of serious and light hearted moments
Events / characters for comedy
Slapstick - Stephano and Trinculo + caliban
Stephano and Trinculo - folly and the subversion of authority (juxtaposition)
Marriage - reconciliation, harmony, and the restoration of order
Gonzalo - counterbalance to serious and cynical characters, like Antonio and Sebastian. His optimism lightens the mood and provides moments of hope
Freedom of Ariel
“A strange…”
“…fish!”
Trinculo
Slapstick
[enter Stephano singing:…]
[…a bottle in his hand]
Slapstick
“A delicate…”
“…monster”
Stephano
Slapstick
“Four legs and…”
“…two voices”
Stephano
Slapstick + dramatic irony
“I will kiss…”
“…thy foot”
Caliban
Slapstick
“This will prove…”
“…a brave kingdom to me”
Stephano
Subversion of authority
[enter caliban, Stephano and Trinculo…]
[…all wet]
“I will kill…”
“…this man”
Stephano
Subversion of authority
“His daughter and I…”
“…will be king and queen “
Stephano
Subversion of authority
“Then, as my gift…take…”
“…my daughter”
Prospero
Marriage
“She is…”
“…thine own”
Prospero
Marriage
“Be merry…few…”
“…in millions can speak like us”
Gonzalo
Optimism
“No name of…”
“…magistrate”
Gonzalo
Optimism
“Riches, poverty…”
“…and use of service, none”
Gonzalo
Optimism
“Here is everything…”
“…advantageous to life”
Gonzalo
Optimism
“Thou shalt…”
“…be free”
Prospero
Freedom of Ariel
“My Ariel…”
“…chick, that is thy charge”
Prospero
Freedom of Ariel
What does Howard say about the link between marriage and comedy
“Marriage is insistently the goal of every [shakespeare] comedy”
What does Riga say about Stephano’s murder plot
“Stephano’s murder plot is based on folly rather than evil”
How does the RSC 1993 portray Stephano and Trinculo
Trinculo - big shoes and a ventriloquist dummy
Stephano - has a beer belly and a fake posh accent
McFarland on Gonzalo
“Gonzalo is a speaker of a certain truth”
Donmar 2016 production
Set in a prison - are they truly free? Is there a resolution if they’re still confined?
What does Mason say about Ariel’s contribution to the play’s ending
“Ariel is the catalyst in getting Prospero to feel and forgive”
