Goethe: He who has a task to perform must know how to take sides, or he is quite unworthy of it.

Part II. Mystery of History

SHOWS: 12th Night

Each subdirectory 215 and 413 I broke into three parts too. The problem is that we have to jump from HS level of knowledge (next to nothing) to 400 level in Playscript (I have English grads in). Not onkly the last is writing intensive, they must know how to apply drama to acting and directing (working knowledge of the plays).

Summary

Part I. Craft
Part II. Art
Part III. Theory
Part IV. Play

Questions

THR215 and THR413 have the same breakdown (four parts)!

Notes

Stay with me, I will sort out the pages of the main directory under the new organization (lessons). You might tale a look at THR413 Playscript analysis subdirectory; since I teach it in the Fall of 2003, the updates most likely will be get there first. DRAMATURGY AND DOUBTING: "I believe that the basic requirement for all rehearsal work at the Schaubuhne is primarily a kind of doubting process . . . a doubting and questioning of the theatri- cal means and also of the traditional themes." Jack Zipes. "Utopia as the Past Conserved: An Interview with Peter Stein and Dieter Sturm of the Schaubuhne am Halleschen Ufer." Theater 9.1 (1977): 52. DRAMATURGY AND AUTHORITY: "In most German theatres the chief Dramaturg holds a position of considerable power and often dominates even the top man, the artistic director.... Often very sharp conflicts develop between them . . ." Esslin 49.

Analysis:

Part Two: Evolution of Drama

Art of Writing for Stage

Playscript Analysis

Style, Themes, Imagery, Symbolism, Authorship...

Dramatic Literature

But why does Tragedy select subjects so awfully repugnant to the wishes and the wants of our sensuous nature? This question has often been asked, and seldom satisfactorily answered. Some have said that the pleasure of such representations arises from the comparison we make between the calmness and tranquillity of our own situation, and the storms and perplexities to which the victims of passion are exposed. But when we take a warm interest in the persons of a tragedy, we cease to think of ourselves; and when this is not the case, it is the best of all proofs that we take but a feeble interest in the exhibited story, and that the tragedy has failed in its effect. Others again have had recourse to a supposed feeling for moral improvement, which is gratified by the view of poetical justice in the reward of the good and the punishment of the wicked. But he for whom the aspect of such dreadful examples could really be wholesome, must be conscious of a base feeling of depression, very far removed from genuine morality, and would experience humiliation rather than elevation of mind. Besides, poetical justice is by no means indispensable to a good tragedy; it may end with the suffering of the just and the triumph of the wicked, if only the balance be preserved in the spectator's own consciousness by the prospect of futurity. Little does it mend the matter to say with Aristotle, that the object of tragedy is to purify the passions by pity and terror. In the first place commentators have never been able to agree as to the meaning of this proposition, and have had recourse to the most forced explanations of it. Look, for instance, into the _Dramaturgie_ of Lessing. Lessing gives a new explanation of his own, and fancies he has found in Aristotle a poetical Euclid. But mathematical demonstrations are liable to no misconception, and geometrical evidence may well be supposed inapplicable to the theory of the fine arts. Supposing, however, that tragedy does operate this moral cure in us, still she does so by the painful feelings of terror and compassion: and it remains to be proved how it is that we take a pleasure in subjecting ourselves to such an operation. [S]

In DramLit use Berford textbook. In THR413 Analysis we continue to read the plays from Modern Drama (textbook -- and your 200 words posts every week for each new play), but our focus is different (see THEMES directory).
In Part 1. Craft we talked about the general rules that govern any play, the grammar of dramatic language. Now it's time to use how each individual writer uses (and develops) this language -- and therefore we must discuss the ART of playwrighting (back to the six elements by Aristotle, but from the IDEA(s) principle).
Get used to the different ways of seeing the three main elements (Plot, Character, Thought) in different seguences: Plot (Action) > Character (Hero) > Thought (Message)
or (here, in part 2):
Thought > Character > Story
[ I will explain when and why we should use diffferent approaches: action-oriented, character-oriented or message-oriented scripts.
Examples.
Some theatre history and other files from Theatre Theory. ]

Must Read: Theatre:

PS

Cyber-students, you can subscribe to DramLit eForum, it becomes active in Sept. 2003 (instruduce yourself, see guidelines on Forums-eGroups pages).

NB

"Page & Stage" [ must see THR215 and THR200 ]

Next: Part Three: Theory

Fall 2003: The Possessed (showscase)