The introduction touched on a lot of different topics that may be chosen for the documented essay. I'm not an expert on book formatting, but I think this would have been better as an afterward. The author of this section write as though the play has already been read or seen by the reader, and that kind of information should probably be placed after the work. I also think it was also a little long for an introduction.
My favorite part was about the colonization. I like the pictures used (except the one on page 35-yuck!) because I think everything is better with pictures. Information on "The New World" is always fascinating to me. Just thinking about setting out on a ship and finding a new, uncharted stretch of land with new people that know nothing of the outside world is amazing. It sometimes makes me think of the old Burger King commercial about "Whopper Virgins".
I think the cultural influences on the play make it into a time capsule of the time is was written. The fact that it is a play, and is almost completely dialogue is really amazing. The characters become the narrators, and their words are what create the images of the island. The best part is that, for the most part, it goes unnoticed. Even though this is not how anyone speaks to one another, it still manages to sound realistic. Top Notch!
2 comments:
I have to agree with you that the "Introduction" seemed slightly out of place. I am very glad that Dr. Bowden assigned us to read it after we had read the entire play. (Knowing her it was most likely on purpose.) I feel like if I had actually tried to read the introduction before I knew anything about the play I would have been very lost. Even while reading it I often found myself going back to the part of the play it was referring to just to refresh my memory.
I agree with you that the pictures were a very nice added touch. I love being able to connect visually with an image with the descriptions. I also like seeing how others "see" a work as they read it. As I put in my blog, I never would have imagined a "young" Prospero, yet we can see the image on 82 of a stage production where Prospero does not even have facial hair!
I really like the fact you pointed back that this is a play, with mostly words spoken by the characters. Sometimes that is easy to forget and it's so easy to be influenced by the first vision of the play acted out. I can't seem to get the image of Prospero in all his robes standing on the rock looking out at the storm that we saw in class. The introduction for me was most exciting when it went into detail about the different styles of production of the play – Prospero old and young, beard and no beard, elaborate sets and almost bare settings, Ariel, Miranda, etc. Depending on the interpretation, it would seem this play could also be called a time capsule of any time period. It’s also fascinating to me that I do not like Prospero, but others believe him and trust him – and we’ve all read the exact same words in print!
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