dramatic structure.review3

8/13/2019 Dramatic Structure.review3

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The Order to Things

similitudethe image is a reflection of the subject (Plotinus)a desire to transform reality into an image through

which the universal (theological) truth will be known verbalization of the inner; externalization of the innerQui facit veritatem venit ad lucem

resemblance At nova res novum vocabulum flagitathow is it possible to know what the sign reveals

activity of the mind/interpretation


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The Order to Things

neo-classical orderit is possible to discover new things as long as theycan be ordered within the elements constituting thearrangement:

certain knowledgegrid of memorythe identity of the object is the connection between thisobject (tragedy) and the series (order of things) Descartes

the identity of the play is discovered by means ofmeasurement/comparison with the existing concept(tragedy) and order (social, political, moral whatcan be reasonably shown on stage)


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French Neo-classical Ideal

The Cid controversy (1637):the French Academy 1629; 1635; 1637Scudery, Observations on the Cid (1637)Corneille, Lettre apologitique (1637)Opinions of the French Academy (Chapalain)


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French Neo-classical IdealThe Cid

classical tragedy (de Castro s Las Mocedades del Cid) 5 act ruleaction 24 hours/in and around the king s courtseparation of tragic and comic modes (rationality in art)

versus the opinions of the French Academy (Chapalain):the question of probability

The Cid as history is possibleThe Cid as literature is not probable

compression of time/space a sin against humannatureagainst the rules of bienseance (Chimene)


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Phedre

the notion of the preface in Racine s Phedre the topics discussed in the Preface:

subject taken from EuripidesI owe to him that which I could reasonably show on stage

the character of Phedreneither entirely guilty nor innocent

the character of a nurse

the character of Hippolitusthe character of Aricia

the use of the authorities to justify the presence of Aricia


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Phedre

division into 5 actsacts I and II parallel actionunities

verisimilitude (cf. with the Preface)dramatic structure the presence of absence

acts I & II: Theseusact III: all are present; but there is no common language(cf. with Roland Barthes)acts IV & V: the absent body

IV: Phedre V: Hippolitus


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Tartuffe

Molire s Tartuffe (1664, 1667, 1669, 1673)* probabilities established in Act I

universe of fantasyoutward signs seen as the essence of the idealimitation of modelscharacters are the prisoners of themselves driven by

illusionthe appearance of Tartuffe in Act IIIthe notion of absolute power


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French Theatre

Public theatres:Htel de Bourgogne (1547-1783)

1402 Confrerie de la Passion1539-1543 Htel de Flandresnew construction: 1547(reformation & counter-reformation)

galleries/paradis parterrestage

Thtre du Marais (1634)a converted tennis court (jeu de paume)

parterrethtre suprieure


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French Theatre

1640-1660s:Palais Cardinal (1641; renamed as Palais Royale in 1642;remodeled by Torelli in 1646)

Petit Bourbon remodeled by Torelli in 1645; torn downin 1661Salle de Machines (1662; Vigarani)

Versailles (since 1660)

1670-89:Htel du Gungaud (1673-87)the Etoile tennis court remodeled by d Orbay in 1689


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French Acting CompaniesFive acting companies in the 1660s:

Molire (Palais Royale)Lully (opera)commedia dell arte BourgogneMarais

1673 Molire dies; Lully evicts the company from PalaisRoyale; the company needs to find a new home Htel duGungaud1673-79: amalgamation of Molire and Marais companies thus, there are only 4 companies


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French Acting Companies

1679: Mlle Champmesl leaves the Bourgognecompany to join Molire/Marais1679: Louis XIV creates Comedie Franaise out of

Molire/Marais & Bourgogne companieshoused in the Htel du Gungaud until 1687the Etoile tennis court remodeled in 1689

1697: commedia dell arte expelled

by 1697 only two companies in Paris:Comedie Franaise (spoken drama)the Opera (Palais Royale)


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Restoration

the return of the king marks the shift in: politics philosophy (Hobbes, Locke, Newton; Royal Society)fashiontheatre:

architecturecostumes

drama & dramatic structure women on stage/female wittsdramatic criticism

play production


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Restoration

Philosophy:Hobbes (1588-1679)

Leviathan (1651)life is short; a human being is selfishgovernment controls the tendency towards violence & evilany government is better than anarchy & civil war

Locke (1632-1704)On Civil Government (1690)

challenges the divine right of the kingsa human being is peaceful a rational being able to governhim/herselfsocial contract between the ruler and the ruled


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Restoration

English empiricism vs. French rationalism:all knowledge comes from experiencethe nature of the world cannot be discoveredthrough pure reasonknowledge tested by an experiment (thescientific model)

Newton: Nature can be understood Principia (1687)


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Restoration

Theatre:before the arrival of Charles II, Sir HenryHerbert, the Master of Revels licensed 3

companies: John Rhodes (Cockpit)Michael Mohun (Red Bull)

William Beeston (Salisbury Court)

Charles II gave a monopoly of theatrical productions to: William Davenant & Thomas Killigrew


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Restoration

Theatre (cont d): October 1660:

King s Company Duke s Company

by late 1660 other companies are suppressed (monopolychallenged by Jolly receives the permission to performon 12/24 1660)1660-1662:

King s Company Duke s Company

Jolly s Company


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Restoration

Theatre (cont d): 1663: Jolly silenced1663-82: two companies1682: Killigrew s company in financial troubles

one company until 1695

1695-1707: Betterton secures a license from

William III to form a new company.


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Restoration

Theatre architecture:1660-1670s: converted tennis courts1670s: new structures

Davenant:March 1660: Lisle s Tennis court

1661: converted into Lincoln s Inn Fields Theatre 1671: Dorset Garden (Christopher Wren; torn down in1709); later: Covent Garden


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Restoration

Theatre architecture (cont d): Killigrew: October 1660: Gibbon s Tennis Court 1663: Theatre Royal

1674 (Drury Lane; until 1791) pit (raked with benches)boxesgallery

proscenium arch platform forward (an apron)two doors on each side


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All for Love (1678)

Preface:subject treated by the greatest wits of the nationthe excellency of the moral

characters: middle courseunities observedevery scene connected with the main designchanges in the plotthe French modelI desire to be treated by the laws of my country


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All for Love (1678)

dramatic structure:late point of attackexposition act I

the last day in Alexandria chaosheroic Antony

Cleopatra a woman in love

procedures of intervention:rewriting/translating/transcribing: Tateapproximation/systematization/transfer: Dryden


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Women and the Female Wits

AlitheaThe Country Wife (1675)

DorotheaWhore s Rhetoric (1683)

Julia/Lady FullbankThe Lucky Chance (1687)

Ms. MillimantThe Way of the World (1700)


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XVIIIth-Century England

1707-14: cultural embedding of trade politicization of trade popularization of the patriot ideal

cultural embedding of trade in Spectatorimportation of early capitalism into humanaffairscommercial realitynew ways of viewing the worldin what ways the market produces discourse onculture


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1715-1734: transatlantic British community1720 South Sea Bubblecolonies for trade

colonies for EmpireBritish Empire in Americaan economic mechanism: the desire to turnuniversal selfishness to universal benefitthe need to create a stable universebalance between virtue and commerce1731: Lillo, The London Merchant


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1743-1776: Pan-Atlantic British Empirecommerce a dynamic force contributing to theconstruction of political society & active history

Vico: human beings created their own historyand institutionsHume: commerce helps human beings createand transform their second nature

Adam Smith, Wealth of the Nations (1776): the perfect normalcy of bourgeois mercantilesociety1771: Cumberland, The West Indian


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EMPIRICISM (cont ed): Thomas Hobbes John Locke

George Berkeley (1685-1753) A New Theory of Vision (1709)

David Hume (1711-1776)Treatise on Human Nature (1739-40)

DEISMGod s role in the universe is limited to that of Creator; a

perfect world endowed with immutable laws


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theory/drama: Jeremy Collier: A Short View of the Immorality& Profaneness on the English Stage (1698)

John Dennis: Usefulness of the Stage to theHappiness of Mankind (1698) Steele s notion of sentimental comedy:

a human being is good by nature; this condition can be

maintained when s/he follows his/her instincts. Badexamples can however divert him/her from the path. It is possible to reclaim people by appealing to virtuous human feelings.


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sentimental philosophy:sentiment: moral reflection; thought influencedby emotion

sensibility: capacity for extremely refinedemotions and quickness to display compassionfor suffering; innate sensitiveness revealing itselfthrough crying, swooning, and kneeling

sentimentality: debased and affected feeling;indulgence in emotion for its own sake


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George Lillo The London Merchant (1731)domestic tragedycontemporary theme

types of characterssentimental philosophydramatic structure

act I: the question of the gaze & of the Other(Mandeville s A Modest Defense of Stews 1724) act IV scene 18act V the moral lesson


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British colonial theory/Empire:grounded in the discussions of the economicadvantages & disadvantages of acquiring the

colonies (cf with mercantilism & cost/profitmargins)strategic & naval considerationsnumerous and industrious people a source

of wealthraw materialscolonies as markets for metropolitan products


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Ethnography:ethnology an XVIIIth century phraseestablished by Ampre:

ORALITY communication with a primitive, savage[the Other], traditional societySPATIALITY the synchronic picture of the worldthat has no history

ALTERITY the difference that a cultural break puts forthUNCONSCIOUSNESS knowledge that originateselsewhere


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Ethnography/Homo sapiens (humando/burying):1740: Linnaeus distinguishes four varieties of man basedon geography and color:

the white Europeanthe red Americanthe dark Asiaticthe black African

1758: Linnaeus adds 2 more varieties: wildmonster


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Richard Cumberland s The West Indian (1771):

88 performances at the Drury Lance produced

by David Garrick (61 revivals by the end of thecentury)Belcour (climate & temperament)

The West Indianheterotopia/outbound journeythe aestheticization of the Other: act I, sc iimercantilism as stabilizing force


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Government regulations of theatrethe legal status of patents issued in 1660/1692questioned by Potter, who opened Haymarket in 1720;court dismisses the legal action brought by two legaltheatres (DL & CG) against the actor who decided toleave the Drury Lane to open a new company1737: the Government prohibits acting for gain, hire, orreward of any play not previously licensed

the only legal houses: the Drury Lane & CoventGarden in the City of Westminster


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Government regulations of theatre (cont ed): evasions:

Giffard gives concerts; plays are added for free

Foote provides free entertainment; the audience paysfor a dish of chocolate or attend an auction of

pictures

1752: all places of entertainment within a 20-mileradius of London required a license from localmagistrates

no laws about theatres outside of London


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Government regulations of theatre (cont ed) 1788: magistrates outside of a 20-mile radius ofLondon could license theatres for legitimate

drama**********

Lord Chamberlain (plays/theatres in the City)

local magistrates within 20 mileslocal magistrates outside 20 milesParliament (theatre royal in select towns)

dramatic structure.review3

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