Wednesday, November 27, 2019
Scopic regimes of modernity Essay Example
Scopic regimes of modernity Essay Example Scopic regimes of modernity Paper Scopic regimes of modernity Paper Centuries of studying visuality has given birth to several methods of visual analysis. These scopic regimes as defined by Jay are quite simply systems for organizing vision. This essay will focus on the two main systems discussed by Jay: Renaissance and Baroque. Both systems arose during similar time frames, and consequently contain some similarities. Yet, each approach is clearly different. Renaissances central themes of order, reason and Cartesian space are clearly in contrast to the themes of the Baroque system, which is far more spectacular and sensational. Images from each regime will be used to illustrate the differences between Renaissance and Baroque. The Renaissance period lasting between the 14th and 16th centuries was a stark cultural shift from the preceding Middle Ages. Born out of European culture notably Italian Renaissance means rebirth, which suggests how radical this period was for its time (Web Museum, 2004). The Renaissance denoted the rise of individual and social values, and strong growth in scientific exploration (Web Museum, 2004). The themes associated with this cultural period were transferred into Renaissance art, which is a defining period in visual history. Jay (1998, p. 4) asserts that the Renaissance or Cartesian perspectivalism, is often regarded as the dominant scopic regime for the modern era due to its representation of natural, realistic images. Renaissance is summarized by order, closure, and fixity according to Wollen (1993). Up until then, visual images of the Middle Ages did not represent the natural appearance of objects in real life. They included no sense of depth or realism. Renaissance art involved for the first time the consistent use of perspective vanishing points (see appendix 1), making the imagery of the period most realistic. It saw the beginnings of geometrical mathematics used to represent objects, and the portrayal of three dimensional rationalized space, as viewed through a singular eye, rather than jumping from focal point to focal point (Jay, 1988 p. 7). Indeed, the shadows and true representation of a foreground and background made the Renaissance approach to visuality the first real period to express depth. It is the concept of Cartesian space that underpins Renaissance imagery. Cartesian space refers to the linearity of Renaissance art (see appendix 1), which is illustrated by the neutrality of the periods artwork (Jay, 1998, p9). Jay (1998, p. 9) claims that the orderly coldness of the Renaissance perspective resulted in the withdrawal of the painters emotional entanglement with the objects depicted, which explains why Renaissance visuality is not as surreal as either the preceding Middle Ages or the subsequent Baroque period. To illustrate the Renaissance approach to visual culture, the painting View of an Ideal City (appendix 1) will be considered. The first thing one notices about this picture is that it is truly balanced, being symmetrical in is imagery. The dominating axes of this picture form an articulated system, as described by Barnard, 2001, p. 175). The size of the buildings on either side of the central piece are the same, and the buildings are spaced equally apart, an underpinning theme of Renaissance imagery. It should be noted that all these peripheral buildings are square in structure. The focal point of the piece is the circular building in the middle (see appendix 1). This notion of geometrically balanced shapes is a strong theme of the Renaissance period (Barnard, 2001, p. 174). However, the image is not completely symmetrical, as closer inspection reveals the light source of the image is located somewhere left of the images center. This is evident by the fact that the buildings on the left are in shadow, whereas the buildings on the right are in full light. It is this shadowing effect that truly makes the image feel realistic. An interesting point about View of an Ideal City is that it is an image of what looks to be a clean well kept relatively large city, yet there are no people in the entire painting. In this regard, the image appears somewhat unnatural. Yet this is what makes the image a perfect example of the Renaissance: it is so mathematically organized that the existence of people would probably make the image less balanced. The Baroque period began in Italy in the late 16th century (Martz, 1991, p7). However, these two periods overlapped (Martz, 1991, p. 7). Baroque, in contrast to Renaissance, is far more spectacular and sensational as a scopic regime. Paintings of the Baroque period are regarded as excessive, extravagant, and even mad. Whereas Renaissance is often subdued, Baroque art is usually on a grander stage, and employs theatrical visual drama (Web Museum, 2004). Martz (1991, p219) considers Baroque a recreation of older forms, both ancient and renaissance, in a sensory swirl of action, moving towards some spiritual goal. This suitable definition comprises common elements of other definitions. One of the strongest themes of the Baroque period was a return to spirituality. A potential reason for the emergence of the spectacular Baroque period according to Calabrese (1992) is that it was a period during which the Catholic Church attempted to steer culture back towards tradition and spirituality. Indeed, these two themes are regularly evident in many paintings of the Baroque era. The heavy religious presence in Baroque artwork confirms the powerful influence of the church, and also adds a surrealist flavour. The concept of the surreal associated in Baroque is in direct contrast with Renaissance. This element of surrealism can be applied to two concepts: the viewers perspective of the painting, and the content of the painting itself. As explained earlier, Renaissance provides the viewer with a realistic representation of natural objects. Baroque is far more bizarre and peculiar, as it crams a multiplicity of visual aspects into one overwhelming image (Jay, 1988, p. 16). It does not offer a natural eyes perspective of the events it aims to portray. Rather, representations of Baroque images have been considered to offer the perspective of Gods eye (Jay, 1988, p. 7), a theory that fits in well with Baroques religious roots. This surrealist concept is well summarized by Buci-Glucksmann who suggested Baroque succeeded in represent[ing] the unrepresentable; it does not merely describe a moment of time (Jay, p. 7), rather it offers far more symbolic and creative food for thought. To demonstrate the contrast of Baroque to Renaissance, the classic ceiling painting by Tiepolo Apollo and the Four Continents (appendix 2) provides a fine example. Immediately, the viewer notices how dramatic the painting is in contrast to any Renaissance image. The painterly nature of Baroque art, as opposed to Renaissance, as described by Barnard has a strong presence in this image (Barnard, 2001, p. 173). Clearly, Apollo and the Four Continents is not realistic. This is for two reasons: the perspective and the content the painting displays. Firstly, the perspective is typical of Baroque. It is not a natural view at all, rather it is more like the Gods eye perspective that Jay discusses (1998, p. 4). The painting offers an all encompassing view of what is a large scene. The multiple focal points of the image are necessary for the viewer who cannot take the whole image in at once at a glance (Web Gallery of Art, 2004). Indeed, the image is of open form common to Baroque, rather than the closed form found in Renaissance (Barnard, 2001, p. 74). The images openness is apparent due to the lack of verticals and horizontals, which are most prominent in View of an Ideal City. Secondly, the strong religious element of the painting removes any sense of realism. Apollo sits in the centre of the heavens, surrounded by light, with other gods believed to be Venus and Mars resting on a cloud below him (Web Gallery of Art, 2004). An endless flow of things to look at in Apollo and the Four Continents means the viewer must take his or her time deciphering the image. The fact that these images melt into each other instead of being strictly distinguished (Barnard, 2001, p. 174) a Baroque trait makes this process more time consuming, but also more interesting. Furthermore, the content offers only symbolism rather that a representation of any true events. Its strong religious focus is intended to elicit emotional responses instead of recreating a real scene. Clearly the Renaissance and Baroque scopic regimes are different methods for organizing images. On one hand, Renaissance aims to represent realism, by way of its scientific like Cartesian perspective. Yet, Baroque on the other hand offers the viewer something that may be confusing to digest, but with arguably more meaning and options for interpretation. The central themes of each style are quite different, despite their coexistence for albeit a brief period. Nonetheless, both regimes have paved the way for contemporary scopic regimes, and demonstrated a strong shift from the previous artwork of the Middle Ages.
Saturday, November 23, 2019
The eNotes Blog New Film, Old Debate Did Shakespeare Truly Pen the Works That Bear HisName
New Film, Old Debate Did Shakespeare Truly Pen the Works That Bear HisName On October 28, the new film Anonymous opens in wide release. Anonymous is a political thriller which postulates that the true author of the works we attribute to William Shakespeare was, in fact, Edward De Vere, the Earl of Oxford. The political backdrop is that of the succession of Queen Elizabeth and the Essex Rebellion that sought to keep her from the throne. The idea that Shakespeare is not the author of all of his work is nothing new. In fact, such theories date to the middle of the nineteenth century, when the authors reputation reached god-like status. That adoration led to a backlash. Murmurings began that someone with such a humble background could not possibly have been capable of such eloquence, and could not have possibly, given his station in life, known so intimately the workings of the court. There have been numerous candidates championed as the true authors at various times over the last two hundred years, including Francis Bacon, Christopher Marlowe, and the movies focus, Edward De Vere. Personally, I think the whole thing is poppycock and would cheerfully throw a few insults at the beef-witted wagtails who are dredging this up again (Like that last bit? Get your own Shakespearean insult here).Ã But I will try to suspend my disbelief and attempt to enjoy the movie for the political thriller it purports to be. Heres the trailer:
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Kyiv Duty Free's Organisational Culture. A comparison between the Essay
Kyiv Duty Free's Organisational Culture. A comparison between the organisational cultural aspirations of its senior management, and the perceptions of it's fron - Essay Example The discussion not only centers on the question of whether corporate culture affects or indeed effects organizational effectiveness, but also on the very nature of corporate culture. Is the notion of corporate culture a tangible phenomenon, or is it, as suggested by Morgan (1997) a metaphor, through which to explain complex aspects of organizational behaviour? Does the analysis of corporate culture depend upon a homogeneous set of variables through which to analyse those phenomena, or is corporate culture an umbrella for a whole range of cultures within the organization? These might include a culture that generates an effective response to change (Burnes, 1996), a marketing culture (Carson et al., 1995), a customer focused culture(Slater & Narver, 1995), a procedure and policy led culture, an enterprise culture (Gray, 1998), a learning culture (Choueke & Armstrong, 1998). The current research focuses on the differences between the perceptions of rank and file and management employees of Kyiv Duty Free. Through an analysis of such differences, means on how to achieve their end future state could be undertaken more smoothly. There is a need to distinguish between what might be termed "the formal culture" and "the informal culture". The formal culture being that recognized and often "managed" by the owners or senior management of the organization, and the informal being a consequence of both social and job-related interaction both within teams and departments. Schein (1996, p. 9) articulates the difficulties that can be experienced in communication between groups within the same organization. He identifies three typologies: "executives", "engineers" and "operators", each having a mutually exclusive paradigm on the organization and the key drivers of that The discussion on corporate culture and the question of whether culture has an effect upon organizational development
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Final Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Final - Research Paper Example On the basis of common and discriminated accountabilities and individual abilities, developed nations must play a key role in fighting climate change and its negative impacts. As a developing nation, China is required to provide considerable importance to the subject of climate change (China.org.cn., n.d.). The paper will describe climate change issues in China which has faced significant condemnation from other nations. The objective of the paper is to understand how China has been dealing with climate change issues. Climate Change Mitigation Attempts in China In China, ââ¬Å"The National Coordination Committee on Climate Changeâ⬠has issued a range of policies and requirements in relation to climate change. China is ranked in the second position among nations with respect to carbon emission mainly because of high level of fossil fuel emission. It is being claimed by global leaders that Chinaââ¬â¢s population, which is nearly four times larger than that of the United States , is the biggest emitter of carbon. The business related decisions in China have intensely impacted the level of international carbon emission and these decisions are inspired by trends of financial growth, local environmental safety and technological development. In order to make reformation in the economy, China has commenced wide-ranging efforts for ensuring energy effectiveness and use of renewable power sources, resulting in lessening of energy concentration. China has recognized that economic development cannot be sustained in the long run without reversing the damage to the environmental resources, national structure, farming output and national environment. Ignorance of these aspects leads to environmental pollution and resource diminution. In the year 1990, China had developed ââ¬Å"Inter-ministerial National Climate Change Coordinating Committeeâ⬠, making it accountable for policies and measures to mitigate the climate change (Chandler, Schaeffer, Dadi, Shukla, Tudel a, Davidson, & Alpan-Atamer, 2002). Chinaââ¬â¢s Economic Responsibilities towards Climate Change China has confronted numerous environment-related issues due to its rapid economic development with respect to aviation, ports, energy resources and land resources among other aspects. Chinaââ¬â¢s complex and corrupt bureaucratic system has faced criticisms for ineffective environmental policies. In the year 2006, Chinaââ¬â¢s carbon emissions surpassed by 8% those of the United States. This has generated immense pressure from other nations calling for strengthening of the climate policy of the nation (PBL, 2007). China has also faced immense stress due to climate issue internally. The public of China have expressed grievances because of environmental issues. In China, the penalties for violation of carbon emission are too light. The organizations of China need to pay a maximum of one million Yuan for violating the rule of climate policy which is quite low in comparison to develo ping a waste treatment plant, costing approximately ten million Yuan (Liu, 2007). Thus, these low amounts of fine effectively enable organizations to violate federal instructions on environment. Several analysts suggest that the carbon emission in China can be as much as 20% more than the expectation. With respect to greenhouse gas emission, China has already surpassed the United States. According to the national figures, carbon emission of China increased almost 7.5% annually from 1997
Sunday, November 17, 2019
Lifespan Development Essay Example for Free
Lifespan Development Essay Lifespan development, also known as human development, is a field of study that is devoted to understanding constancy and change throughout a personââ¬â¢s lifespan (Berk, 2010). Lifespan development begins with infancy and looks at several points in a personââ¬â¢s life in which significant change takes place. The study of children did not begin until the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries (Berk, 2010). Throughout the years, there was much speculation about how people grow and change and when combined with research, theories of development surfaced. These theories were vital and provided organized frameworks for observations of people and they are verified by research and provide a basis for practical action (Berk, 2010). Many theories developed to study the development of infants and children through out life and these theories continue to have an impact on society and research today. There are many notable development researchers and schools of thought such as Locke, Rousseau, Arnold Gesell, Ivan Pavlov, Lawrence Kohlberg, Social Learning Theory, Stages of Moral Development, and Ethiological Theories just to name a few (Crain, 2005). There are some researchers and schools of thought who still have an impact today such as Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution, Jean Piaget and his Cognitive-Developmental theory, and the Psychoanalytic theory first developed by Sigmund Freud. Charles Darwin is significant to developmental studies today because it was he who paved the way, or opened the door for the many schools of thought that followed. Darwin is known as the forefather of scientific child study (Berk, 2010). Darwin was a naturalist who observed the variation among plant and animal species but along with that, he also noticed that within a specific species, no two individuals were alike (Berk, 2010). Darwin developed his theory which emphasized the principles of natural selection and survival of the fittest. Darwinââ¬â¢s theory stated that certain species survive in particular environments because they have characteristics that fit with or are adapted to their surroundings (Berk, 2010). Those within the species that best meet the survival requirements live long enough to reproduce and keep the species going (Berk, 2010). Darwin, in his travels and research, noticed some similarities in prenatal growth among species. Darwin noted that the embryos of most species are highly similar in their early forms revealing their descent from a common ancestor (Crain, 2005). Today, in the broad scheme of things, Darwinââ¬â¢s theory is correct in that there is variation within species and only some survive long enough to reproduce and pass along traits. What Darwin did not understand was the mechanisms underlying the transmission of traits (Crain, 2005). Because of this, Darwin is considered the starting point for the vast amount of research done on lifespan development. Another important aspect of the study of lifespan development is the Cognitive-Developmental theory of Jean Piaget. Piagetââ¬â¢s theory stated that children actively construct knowledge as they manipulate and explore their world (Berk, 2010). Piaget did not believe that a childââ¬â¢s learning depended on reinforcers as the behaviorists believed. Piaget developed stages and he realized that children pass through his stages at different rates and did not pay specific attention to the ages at the various stages but noted that they all pass through the stages in the same order (Crain, 2005). Piagetââ¬â¢s theory consisted of four periods: Sensorimotor Intelligence (birth to 2 years), Preoperational Thought (2 to 7), Concrete Operations (7 to 11), and Formal Operations (11 to adulthood) (Berk, 2010; Crain, 2005). Piaget was able to convince people that children are active learners whose minds consist of rich structures of knowledge (Berk, 2010). Piagetââ¬â¢s research influenced much of the research today that focuses on childrenââ¬â¢s concept of self, other people, and human relationships. Many educational philosophies and programs that place emphasis on discovery learning and direct contact were encouraged by Piagetââ¬â¢s theory (Berk, 2010; Crain, 2005). Piagetââ¬â¢s theory did not come without criticism and challenges. Some researchers believe that Piaget actually underestimated the competencies of children. This called for much research to be conducted to challenge and refute Piagetââ¬â¢s theory and also to find ways to expound upon and improve his theory. The most influential school of thought is that of the Psychoanalytic perspective developed by Sigmund Freud. This perspective states that people move through a series of stages in which they confront conflicts between biological drives and social expectations. (Berk, 2010). The school of thought basically focused on the fact that psychological change is governed by inner forces such as feelings, impulses, and fantasies (Crain, 2005). Freud had all of his patients use free association in their sessions allowing them to talk freely about the painful events of their childhood (Berk, 2010). Freud developed the psychosexual theory based on theiry unconscious thoughts. This theory states that how parents manage their childââ¬â¢s sexual and aggressive drives in the first few years is crucial for healthy personality development (Berk, 2010). Freudââ¬â¢s theory was considered the first to place importance on the influence of the early parent-child relationship and its involvement in development (Berk, 2010). Freudââ¬â¢s theory received much criticism because he did not study children directly and was heavy on the sexual influences in development (Crain, 2005). The controversy surrounding this particular school of thought, prompted much research making it one of, if not the influential theories in development. Research on the many aspects of emotional and social development which includes infant-caregiver attachment, aggression, sibling relationships, child-rearing practices, morality, gender roles, and adolescent identity grew from the theory of Freud (Berk, 2010). There are many different ways in which development is researched. One way is systematic observation. There are different ways in which observations of children and adults can be conducted. Some researchers choose to go into the field or the natural environment and record the behavior which is known as naturalistic observation (Berk, 2010). Through naturalistic observation, researchers are able to get a first hand look at the subjects. On the other side though, some people may not display the same behavior in their everyday life. Structured observations happen when the researcher sets up a laboratory situation that evokes behavior of interest so that every participant has equal opportunity to display the response (Berk, 2010). The ways that the research is gathered varies depending on what is being researched. Systematic observations tell how people actually behave but fail to provide the reasons behind the behavior. Self-reports allow participants to provide information on their perceptions, thoughts, abilities, feelings, and other things of that nature. They are normally structured interviews, unstructured interviews, questionnaires, and tests. Clinical interviews allow for researchers to use a flexible, conversational style to probe for the participantââ¬â¢s point of view (Berk, 2010). Structured interviews, which includes tests and questionnaires, asks all participants the same set of questions (Berk, 2010). They are easier to score and the researchers are able to identify a behavior of interest because the participants is given alternatives in answer choices. The case study methods brings together a wide range of information on one person, including interviews, observations, and test scores (Berk, 2010). This method is generally used when one wants to study a particular group that may be small in size but varies in characteristics. This method can be viewed as bias because the information that is collected is sometimes done unsystematically and is subjective and geared toward the researchers theoretical perspective. There are other ways of studying development such as ethnography which is aimed at studying a culture as a whole or a distinct social group through participant observation. Ethics plays a major role in the study of development as well. It is important to consider things such as the rights of the participants. This includes, protection from harm, informed consent, privacy, knowledge of the result, and beneficial treatments (Berk, 2010). Informed consent is especially important because it provides safeguards for children and elderly people who are cognitively impaired or have to be cared for in settings for the chronically ill (Berk, 2010). Research generally creates ethical issues because of the search for scientific knowledge and at the same time has the opportunity to exploit people. References Berk, L.E. (2010). Development through the lifespan. (5th Ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon Crain, W. (2005). Theories of development: Concepts and applications. (5th Ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall
Friday, November 15, 2019
Techniques used in Reality TV in Australia :: essays research papers
Untasteful, feral, depraved viewing; Euphemism for palpable voyeurism; Is spelling the end of decent, moral society - Slagging out reality TV from a high culture standpoint is as easy as taking candy from a blind, paralysed, limbless baby. Reality TV is a significant part of popular culture in the current settings of mainstream Australian society. Counting the number of reality television shows on two hands is now a physical impossibility. But what impact is this concept having on society now and into the future? The first wave of reality TV shows (such as Survivor, The Weakest Link and Dog Eat Dog) played on people's collective anxieties about the new workplace culture whereby nothing is secure. The threat of expulsion and humiliation is what draws people to this style of programming. This was followed by the lifestyle programs, which were the once removed cousins of Reality TV. Naturally no one is entirely satisfied with the way they live so these programs played on people's desires to improve their lifestyle and living conditions. The third wave of Reality shows (such as Joe Millionaire, The Bachelor and For Love or Money) plays with people's fears of falsified relationships; are there ulterior reasons behind a `supposed' loving relationship (such as money)? The main appeal of Reality television is that the viewer experiences raw human emotions like humiliation, deceit and rejection from a removed perspective. The ability to inspect and analyse the happenings of others without being seen t akes on a god-like perspective. It invokes the fantasy of having access to all that is hidden. Do the treacherous, backstabbing ideals of reality TV shows such as Survivor, Dog Eat Dog and Big Brother actually promote and legitimise their anti-social behaviour and ideals in society, or is it merely a frivolous form of entertainment, providing an emotional outlet for the typical, stressed individual? You could argue either way. Aristotle noted the paradox that people could be entertained by the sufferings and humiliations of others in art form, and named it catharsis. He described it as a purifying and cleansing of the emotions, and the concept is still applied in psychology today to bring repressed feelings and fears to the conscious mind. So could reality TV actually be a vent for people's entrenched emotions? Some would argue that reality TV is an ideal provider of raw human emotion in a realistic form (that is, the emotional relief coupled with the self-assurance of being safely separated from the trials and tribulations). Techniques used in Reality TV in Australia :: essays research papers Untasteful, feral, depraved viewing; Euphemism for palpable voyeurism; Is spelling the end of decent, moral society - Slagging out reality TV from a high culture standpoint is as easy as taking candy from a blind, paralysed, limbless baby. Reality TV is a significant part of popular culture in the current settings of mainstream Australian society. Counting the number of reality television shows on two hands is now a physical impossibility. But what impact is this concept having on society now and into the future? The first wave of reality TV shows (such as Survivor, The Weakest Link and Dog Eat Dog) played on people's collective anxieties about the new workplace culture whereby nothing is secure. The threat of expulsion and humiliation is what draws people to this style of programming. This was followed by the lifestyle programs, which were the once removed cousins of Reality TV. Naturally no one is entirely satisfied with the way they live so these programs played on people's desires to improve their lifestyle and living conditions. The third wave of Reality shows (such as Joe Millionaire, The Bachelor and For Love or Money) plays with people's fears of falsified relationships; are there ulterior reasons behind a `supposed' loving relationship (such as money)? The main appeal of Reality television is that the viewer experiences raw human emotions like humiliation, deceit and rejection from a removed perspective. The ability to inspect and analyse the happenings of others without being seen t akes on a god-like perspective. It invokes the fantasy of having access to all that is hidden. Do the treacherous, backstabbing ideals of reality TV shows such as Survivor, Dog Eat Dog and Big Brother actually promote and legitimise their anti-social behaviour and ideals in society, or is it merely a frivolous form of entertainment, providing an emotional outlet for the typical, stressed individual? You could argue either way. Aristotle noted the paradox that people could be entertained by the sufferings and humiliations of others in art form, and named it catharsis. He described it as a purifying and cleansing of the emotions, and the concept is still applied in psychology today to bring repressed feelings and fears to the conscious mind. So could reality TV actually be a vent for people's entrenched emotions? Some would argue that reality TV is an ideal provider of raw human emotion in a realistic form (that is, the emotional relief coupled with the self-assurance of being safely separated from the trials and tribulations).
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Comparing The Foresyte Saga Essay
Both extracts explore the theme of adultery and extreme examples of conflict in a relationship. However, the differing time periods in which they are set and the contrasting ways in which the authors portray them, vary accordingly. In both extracts it appears that the female protagonists seem to be the source of the problem within the relationship and the extracts centre on their supposed adulterous behaviour. The two extracts differ because in Shakespeareââ¬â¢s Othello, the audience know that Desdemona has in fact not cheated on her husband, but his possessive nature and mistrust of her has warped his judgement. In Galsworthyââ¬â¢s novel, it is clear that the character of Irene clearly has been unfaithful through the description of her body language and the dialogue used, ââ¬Å"so youââ¬â¢ve come back. â⬠The men in both extracts have the controlling factor within their relationships, and suffer from possessive love. In Othello, his desire to control Desdemona and to have her all to himself because sheââ¬â¢s his wife, clouds his judgement on the situation; heââ¬â¢d rather her dead than for her to be with any other man and break anotherââ¬â¢s heart. In Galsworthyââ¬â¢s novel, the man is indeed slowly losing control, but still tries to grasp it. His wife had gone off and had an affair and he wasnââ¬â¢t able to control that. Now he tries to claw it back by shouting at her to leave, ââ¬Å"get out of my sightâ⬠, and then contradicts himself by continuing to ask her to stay, which she obeys, and he is now in the stronger position. John Galsworthy uses animalistic imagery throughout this extract to show the way that Irene has become trapped: ââ¬Å"resemblance to a captive owl. â⬠This comparison also shows the way Irene has become vulnerable, having lost her independence and freedom. This mirrors the situation of Desdemona in Shakespeareââ¬â¢s ââ¬ËOthelloââ¬â¢. In this scene Desdemona is entirely helpless, Othello having already decided what must be done as an alpha male: ââ¬Å"sweet soul, take heed of perjury: thou art on thy death bed. â⬠Shakespeareââ¬â¢s choice of language, for example, his use of imperatives, ââ¬Å"Down, strumpet! â⬠makes it clear to the audience how much in control Othello is. This control is echoed in Soames, who speaks with great authority and power: ââ¬Å"take your hated bodyâ⬠¦ out of my houseâ⬠¦ Get out of my sightâ⬠. Soames commands his wife here in a way that suggests he views her as a possession, who should not disobey him, emphasised in Galsworthyââ¬â¢s use of the image of Irene ââ¬Å"huddled in the furâ⬠, as though she is a belonging. Again Shakespeare reflects this idea in Othello, with the handkerchief used as a dramatic device embodying Desdemonaââ¬â¢s belonging to Othello, her supposed giving it away driving him to madness: ââ¬Å"I saw my handkerchief inââ¬â¢s hand. Thou dost stone my heart. â⬠Neither Soames nor Othello can see the fault in their own actions, demonstrated by Galsworthy through rhetorical questions: ââ¬Å"Why should I suffer? What have I done? â⬠Irene, however, is left in a helpless place, the animalistic imagery continuing, likening her to a trapped bird, her spirit crushed and giving up, ââ¬Å"a bird shot and dying, taking farewell of all that is good ââ¬â the sun and air and its mate. â⬠This comparison also links back to Ireneââ¬â¢s now dead lover Bosinney, her partner, without whom she feels she is unable to function. Shakespeare uses stichomythia to create a passionate atmosphere. Short dramatic lines such as ââ¬Ëit is too lateââ¬â¢, build tension in the audience. John Galsworthy also uses speech to create tension but does so via the exposure of Soamesââ¬â¢ thoughts. ââ¬ËTake away that pitiful white faceââ¬â¢. Soamesââ¬â¢ outburst is made particularly striking in the way that Galsworthy withholds excessive speech up until this point. Unlike Shakespeare who employs continuous dialogue and only one stage direction in this extract, to create a sense of a never ending flow of emotion. The structure used in Othello is used in the build up of tension, for instance the stichomythia used towards the end of the extract. This technique is commonly utilised to dramatic effect in plays. The structure in Othello is generally used advance the narrative and to further increase the build up of tension towards the dramatic climax at the end of the play. In the Forsyte Saga the structure allows the author to progress and elaborate on the metaphors used. Galsworthy uses the structure to put emphasis on certain words or phrases: ââ¬Ëso they sat, by the firelight, in the silence, one on each side of the hearthââ¬â¢. Typically of a novel the structure shows the progressive thoughts of the narrator and isnââ¬â¢t necessarily as linear as that in a play (ie Othello). Wider Reading: The poem My Last Duchess also carries the theme of adultery and extreme example of conflict in a relationship. Robert Browning doesnââ¬â¢t make it clear whether the woman is guilty, but the Duke, like Othello is guilty of jealousy. He doesnââ¬â¢t believe she treats her husband and different to any other men ââ¬Ëall and eachââ¬â¢, ââ¬Ëshe liked whateââ¬â¢er she looked on, and went everywhereââ¬â¢, suggesting she flirted alot, not that the Duke has any proof. The repetition of ââ¬Ëthat spot of joyââ¬â¢ emphasises how the fact her smile wasnââ¬â¢t just reserved for him bothered him, so much so that he used the harsh language like Ann Galsworthyââ¬â¢s choice of ââ¬ËGet out of my sightââ¬â¢ here, ââ¬Ëthat in you disgusts me; here you miss, or exceed the markââ¬â¢, this shows his dark side and makes the reader question whether he killed her himself without knowing what she had done, similar to the way Othello acts on rage of his pride being damaged. The Duke also seems to be very possessive of the Duchess as is Othello and Soames Forsyte. Here he opens the poem ââ¬ËThatââ¬â¢s my last Duchess painted on the wallââ¬â¢ immediately highlighting he owns the painting, but also implies he owns her in person. He also seems to like the fact he can control who looks at the painting, ââ¬Ëthe curtain I have drawn for youââ¬â¢, but couldnââ¬â¢t control who looked at his wife when she was alive. Additionally, in comparison to the imperatives Shakespeare and John Galsworthy use, Browning stresses the Dukeââ¬â¢s power through his quite forceful request, ââ¬Ëwillââ¬â¢t please you sit and look at herââ¬â¢, almost as if the Duke is desperate for his audience to understand his anger, he states ââ¬ËI gave commandsââ¬â¢, yet it seems she didnââ¬â¢t obey him, hence he killed her, ââ¬Ëthen all smiles stopped togetherââ¬â¢.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)