Shakespeares Expositions Contents 1 Shakespeares Expositions 2 The

Shakespeare’s Expositions Contents 1. Shakespeare’s Expositions 2. “The Comedy of Errors” 3. “Hamlet” 4. “Cymbeline” 5. “King Lear” 6. “Antony and Cleopatra” 7. Conclusion

Shakespeare’s Expositions Opening Scene • Crucial for responses from the audience. • Must catch the attention of spectators. • Acquaint any information necessary for understanding what is to follow. ex) no dipping light’s help

Shakespeare’s Expositions Relationship • Relationship between play and audience is variable – in a mediaeval morality play. • The cast may mingle with the spectators dissolving fictional and real world boundary be inviting participation in events - in oriental drama • The actor may remain remote from the onlooker, enforcing the distance between art and life by highly formal mode of expression.

Shakespeare’s Exposition • Dialogue, description, etc. . That gives audiences or readers the background of characters and the present situation. • Determines the mode of the ensuing action. • It is most readily overlooked by spectators • It is geared to the nature of the play. • It determines the stance of audience towards the action that ensue. The way in which Shakespeare sets his drama in motion may be seen as one of the most useful ways of approaching the play.

Shakespeare’s Expositions “The Comedy of Errors” � “The Comedy of Errors” is one of William Shakespeare’s earliest plays. � It is believed to have been written between 1589 and 1594. � It is his shortest and one of his most farcical, with a major part of the humor coming from slapstick and mistaken identity, in addition to puns and wordplay.

Shakespeare’s Expositions Opening � “Comedy of Errors” opens with a spectacle. (The Duke of Ephesus, accompanied by his attendants, enters with a jailor and a captive merchant) � Egeon who is a captive merchant start saying. Proceed, Solinus, to procure my fall And by the doom of death end woes and all

Shakespeare’s Expositions Effects of the exposition � The speech conveys information to the audience. � With the information served , the reader or spectator is able to deduce the relationship between the dramatis personae. � The exposition ensure that the audiences are free to laugh at character’s misapprehensions.

Shakespeare’s Expositions Conclusion of “The Comedy of Errors” �The exposition through a spectacle has a strong point of which spectators can enjoy the play with a pre-history related to characters. �On the other hand , Because of the information, it is possible that the audiences can’t fully pay attention to the play

Shakespeare’s Expositions “Hamlet” • “Henry” is one of Shakespeare’s • • most popular plays. It is believed to have been written between 1599~1601. There are three versions of Hamlet – First Quarto, Second Quarto and First Folio. It is his longest and among the powerful and influential tragedies in the English Language. It is known to be based on the legend of Amleth.

Shakespeare’s Expositions The place of audience • Audience places equality position with dramatis persona. • Audience can only guess the point of play by speech, acting and atmosphere in the play. • It is called “Uncertainty”.

Shakespeare’s Expositions Employment of “Uncertainty” • Hamlet’s opening scene. Two men challenging one other. They only inquire question in darkness. That lead to tension and fearful. ☞ uncertainty of condition. • Banardo’s explanation about “Ghost” scene. Banardo doesn’t keep to explain about “Ghost” After all, audience doesn’t get any information ☞ uncertainty of information.

Shakespeare’s Expositions Good & Weak Points of “Uncertainty” Good point of Uncertainty �It is immersed to audience �Why? They can understand that concentrate their attention on play It can remains strong aftertaste and impression Weak point of Uncertainty �Audience might get a understanding to dramatist’s intention �After all, audience might get a false conclusion.

Shakespeare’s Expositions “Cymbeline” • It is Shakespeare's 2 nd Romance -Theme of innocence and jealousy -Similar plot with “King Lear” • Three stories based on several sources. - Belarius and two princes : from the play ‘The Rore Triumphs of Love and Fortune’. - Imogen’s virtue : from ‘Decameron’ - Cymbeline and the war : from ‘Chronicle of England’.

Shakespeare’s Expositions Opening • Cymbeline opens with a conversation between two gentlemen. - Gives information of Posthumus and the disappearance of Cymbeline's sons - Alludes to the vanishment of the King’s daughter. - No names, No personalities, No motives. - Informs the audience then disappears from the stage. • First Gentleman - Supposed to be a Courtier - Talkative, but offers no particular view or opinion • Second Gentleman - In higher state than the first gentleman - Absolutely ignorant about the play world.

Shakespeare’s Expositions Form Remoteness • Non-Naturalistic Nature (dialogue) • Blank Verse - Use forms that is far from • Elevated Style (far from natural speech daily speech) • Fairy – tale Nature (play) • Series of Dependent - Do not convince the audience Clauses and long of Parentheses the credibility of the play • Break the conventional - Black-and-white terms -> the Queen’s son: Bad word order -> Posthumus: Good • Functional shift - Simple, conclusive explanation (without a doubt).

Shakespeare’s Expositions Traditional Role rather than Personal Character • Imogen : Embodiment of wifely devotion and fertility ▣ Just as King’s daughter, victim of a stepmother’s ambition. Frustrating Audience Involvement • Let audience remain in subject stance • With the Parenthesis, alert audience directly (57 -8)

Shakespeare’s Expositions “King Lear” • One of the Shakespeare’s Four Major • • • Tragedies. Written in 1605, published in 1608 Based of the legend of Leir of Britain, a Mythological pre-Roman King. It is a tragedy of anger It is about Lear’s vanity, blindness, conflict between generations, love, jealousy, betrayal and humor The Plot : Conflicts of King Lear

Shakespeare’s Expositions Opening • The features of exposition : different type of dramatic • • • structure in which undepicted (presented) plots elements are conveyed in dialogue, description, flashback or narrative “King Lear” opens the play with conversation of two men. Similar style of openings with “Cymbeline” and “Antony and Cleopatra”. The two men’s questions & answers are directed to one another. Spectators are in the position of uninformed third party. The conversation allows spectators to guess.

Shakespeare’s Expositions Text [kent] : I thought the king had more affected the Duke of Albany than Cornwall. [Glou] : It did always seem so to us: but now, in the division of the kingdom, it appears not which of the dukes he values most; for equalities are so weighed, that curiosity in neither can make choice of either's moiety. • Lear’s division of the kingdom • Possible discrepancy (contradiction) Kent said “I thought the king had more affected the Duke of Albany than Cornwall” Gloucester said “It did always seem so to us …”

Shakespeare’s Expositions Text • Allowing the silent member to be identified: [kent] : Is not this your son, my lord? • Recognizing a social standing: [kent] : Is not this your son, my Lord? , . . . [Glou] : My Lord of Kent: remember him hereafter. . • Showing morality of the age: [kent] : I cannot wish the fault undone, the issue of it being so proper. • Difference between appearance and reality

Shakespeare’s Expositions Conclusion of “King Lear” • Function of the expository speeches of Lear : -to make the incredible -to diminish the distance between the play world and actuality. -to convey information to the audience -to root Lear’s irrationality in plausible dramatic universe. -it places the reader or spectator to the events that are to be enacted.

Shakespeare’s Expositions “Antony and Cleopatra” • Best known later tragedy. • Written around 1607. • Portrays actual events & persons • • from Roman history. Love story of main characters embodied. Involved Play - Rapid shift between background scenes : creates dramatic tension and reinforce global scope of the play.

Shakespeare’s Expositions Opening • It opens with conversation between two men ; similar information disclosure method as Cymbeline. • It presents two images of Antony and one of Cleopatra - Antony : Mars (god of war) & general man - Cleopatra : Tawny, gypsy, strumpet ☞ predisposes the spectators view of play’s central figure from speaker’s point of view.

Shakespeare’s Expositions The Play • It uses metaphor language, figurative language and personification • It shows a great deal of imagery. • Shakespeare portrays the two lovers in order to invite spectators to consider : two lovers may be leaders of their world, however, they are human being that has feelings of jealousy, love, shame and insecurity. (Despite their historical grandeur, Antony and Cleopatra are no more – no less – extraordinary than spectators. )

Shakespeare’s Expositions Conclusion • “The Comedy of Errors” & “Hamlet” - Demonstrates the variety of ways in which Shakespeare sets his plays in motion - The role played by the exposition in determining the mode of ensuing action. • “Cymbeline”, ”King Lear” & “Antony and Cleopatra” - Starts with a conversation between two men designed to communicate information to those outside the play world. - Three plays are similar but differ remarkably in the relationship between play and spectator.

Shakespeare’s Expositions Conclusion -Lear invites the members of the audience to make deductions about character and motive -Cymbeline frustrates audience involvement and draw attention to the archetypal pattern -Antony and Cleopatra calls the spectator’s judgment into the play • The opening scenes discussed in this chapter can’t be seen as a paradigm for Shakespearian drama as a whole. • No formula can be adduced that will apply to every composition.

Shakespeare’s Expositions Conclusion • These expositions do illustrate some lines of enquiry such as; -How information is communicated to the audience? -In what ways the pre-history of the action in unfolded? … etc… • Opening Scenes of Play -Do not simply convey facts to the audience -The communication of information is obviously an important aspect of their function. -Manipulate the spectator into a particular relationship to the ensuing action. -Dictate a mood or atmosphere -Determine the mode in which the drama evolves

Shakespeare’s Expositions Conclusion • Study of the opening scene of a Shakespearian play can cast light upon the meaning of the whole while affording the reader and insight into the diversity of Shakespeare’s structures. • Shakespeare’s expositions may be seen as the gate-way to the highly rewarding way of approaching the plays.

Shakespeare’s Expositions The End…