Through the study of the dramatic form, we encountered a variety of different texts each from their own distinctive era. From Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Hamlet, which incorporates a more traditional form of drama, through the use of Aristotle's Tragic Hero, to Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot. which incorporates many components from the Theater of the Absurd. This web page will inform you of the different forms of drama we have encountered this year through the use of different lenses and aims to connect them all to a central theme. Please enjoy navigating this page and we hope it will guide you to the mountain top.
What makes a hero?
From Aristotle's ideas of tragedy and the tragic hero, written about in Poetics, to the idea of an antihero posed by the Theatre of the Absurd, the definition of a hero has evolved throughout time.
A COMMON THEME
Although hoping for change can be wonderful there comes a point however when we must realize that we are in an endless cycle of waiting. Waiting prevents us from creating problems, but it also stops us from finding solutions. As a whole, it stops progress from forming, and in a time of enlightenment, this should be seen as harmful. Many of us wait without even realizing; whether that comes in the form of waiting for change, waiting for a broken promise or even waiting for death.
Hamlet The Masochist Theory
Masochism is getting pleasure from one’s pain or suffering. It is no secret that Hamlet is under a considerable amount of duress. This is evident through his numerous soliloquies in the play including: “Oh, what a rogue and peasant slave am I!” and the famous “To Be Or Not To Be”.
“A play obsessed with death.”
Shakespeare poses two ways of life through Hamlet, whether to live and suffer in fear of what comes after or to take matters into one’s own hands and fight against any troubles. In a plot full of revenge and power, Shakespeare introduces two foil characters to Prince Hamlet, Claudius, and Fortinbras, who allow for contrast to existing between the ideas that Shakespeare presents.
Hamlet's Playlist
This playlist encompasses both songs of the olden day and of recent times. I think that the mixture between symphonic and new era music adds a different artistic texture that one cannot live without the other. From the older instrumental songs, I have understood a sort of emotion portrayed that would perfectly suit the themes of the play. The mood of each song follows the themes of the plot and add depth to the emotion that is in Hamlet. From the newer lyrical songs, a picture of a gothic demonstration of the themes of Hamlet is portrayed. The newer songs were selected as if a modern screening of Hamlet were to have a soundtrack.
Civil Rights Movement
Harlem
What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore—
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over—
like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?
Deferred Dreams
“What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?” Every human is born into this world with limited time before they take their last breath. The issue is life isn't fair and it isn't long enough. No one knows how much time they have left, the only thing that they know for sure is how they are going to spend it. The members of the Younger family were unable to pursue their dreams so they pushed them off to the side and left them for another day.
Waiting for Godot
Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot” is a wonderful piece of literature focusing on the repetitive daily life of the two main characters Vladimir and Estragon. Upon first sight, the play seems to be written in gibberish. There is no plot, setting, or anything the reader can use to connect with the story. It is not until the reader finally finishes the play that any dissection of theme begins. In fact, as a member of the theater of the absurd, the play does not have an intentional theme it wishes to share with the reader. The whole point of a play of this nature is to not have anything, it is merely to break the rules. Written in the 1940s the play is heavily influenced by World War Two which happened just before its creation. The loss of faith in rules is one of the main impacts the war had on the remaining civilians. This play reflected just that.
However, even if no intentional theme is present in the play the presence of a theme is not impossible and to many readers, it is powerful to reshape their lives. Waiting for Godot does a
great job at distracting the reader with absurdity, enough absurdity that the truth behind the words is easy to hide.