Quotes related to the search for truth:
The Wild Duck Quotes:
"Greg: I intend to open Hialmar Ekdal's eyes. He shall see his position as it really is-that is all."
"Greg: Yes, an amazingly clever dog; one that goes to the bottom after wild ducks when they dive and bite themselves fast in tangle and sea-weed, down among the ooze."
"Rell: Well, I'll tell you, Mrs. Ekdal. He is suffering from an acute attack of integrity."
Throughout "The Wild Duck", Ibsen uses the motif of searching for truth. Gregers is the one who searches for the truth of the Ekdal family, while the doctor Relling dismisses him as a hopeless idealist and believes that the "life-illusion" should remain intact. The three quotes above show Gregers' belief that he is going to "open the eyes" of Hialmar, and pull him up from "among the ooze" of his father's lies. Relling, on the other hand, diagnoses Gregers with "an acute attack of integrity", and he believes that things will remain better if the Ekdals do not have to face the harsh realities of their lives. The main reason that Ibsen uses this motif of the quest for the truth is to raise the possibility in the audience's mind that sometimes the truth is better left covered up. He does not seem to take one explicit side or the other, but he does raise the question of whether or not the truth should be revealed even if it is harmful.
"Blood Wedding Quotes"
"I just don't know. Suddenly, like this, it always takes me by surprise. It's true, isn't it? Well-behaved. Hard-working. She bakes her own bread, and sews her own skirts, yet I feel, when she's named, as if I'd been struck on the forhead with a stone".
"MOTHER: Do you know my son's fiancee?
NEIGHBOR: A good girl!
MOTHER: Yes, but..."
"MOTHER:Everyone wants to know about what affects them. Who was the boy?
NEIGHBOUR: Leonardo.
MOTHER: Which Leonardo?
NEiGHBOUR: Leonardo...of the Felix family.
MOTHER: (rising) A Felix!"
In "Blood "Wedding", the motif of searching for truth is not as obvious as it is in "The Wild Duck", but it is still kind of present. The character of the mother is the one that is, if not searching for the truth, suspicous about the Bride and her family. Her suspicions later turn out to be correct when the Bride runs away with Leonardo. The main purpose having the mother be suspicious of the son's wedding is probably to forshadow what happens in act 2 when the Bride runs away with Leonardo. This makes it more dramatic when act 2 is shown and the Bride actually does run away with Leonardo.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Blood Wedding Act 3
"A dramatist often creates a gap between what the audience knows and what teh characters know. With reference to at least two plays, discuss how and to what effect dramatists have used this technique."
Dramatic irony is a common feature in drama and tragedy. When dramatic irony occurs, the audience is aware of something that the characters in the play are not aware of. Dramatic irony is used in both "Oedipus" and "Blood Wedding
The story of "Oedipus" was a well-known myth to the ancient greeks who first converted it into a play, and the audience knew the basic plot of the story. Thus it was no surprise to them when they found out that it was Oedipus that murdered his father and slept with his mother. However, to the characters in the play, none of this was forseen, and they did not know what was going to happen in the end. All of this places the audience one step ahead of the characters, and it heightens the suspense of the story as they watch what they know are the futile efforts of Oedipus to find out if the prophecy is true.
Like "Oedipus", "Blood Wedding" also makes use of dramatic irony in the storyline. Unlike "Oedipus", most of the audience was probably not familiar with the play, and the irony instead comes when they watch the Bride talk to Leonardo in a scene that the Bridegroom cannot see. Like all dramtic irony, this results in the audience being aware of some thing that the characters (in this case the bridegroom) are not aware of. In this case, the suspense in the play is raised because the audience knows that a character (the Bridegroom) is acting on information that is false.
Dramatic irony is a common feature in drama and tragedy. When dramatic irony occurs, the audience is aware of something that the characters in the play are not aware of. Dramatic irony is used in both "Oedipus" and "Blood Wedding
The story of "Oedipus" was a well-known myth to the ancient greeks who first converted it into a play, and the audience knew the basic plot of the story. Thus it was no surprise to them when they found out that it was Oedipus that murdered his father and slept with his mother. However, to the characters in the play, none of this was forseen, and they did not know what was going to happen in the end. All of this places the audience one step ahead of the characters, and it heightens the suspense of the story as they watch what they know are the futile efforts of Oedipus to find out if the prophecy is true.
Like "Oedipus", "Blood Wedding" also makes use of dramatic irony in the storyline. Unlike "Oedipus", most of the audience was probably not familiar with the play, and the irony instead comes when they watch the Bride talk to Leonardo in a scene that the Bridegroom cannot see. Like all dramtic irony, this results in the audience being aware of some thing that the characters (in this case the bridegroom) are not aware of. In this case, the suspense in the play is raised because the audience knows that a character (the Bridegroom) is acting on information that is false.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Blood Wedding Journal-Point of View
Like many of the other works we have read, Blood Wedding is written from an omnescient point of view. The play shows what is happening from the bridegroom's perspective, the bride's perspective and Leonardo's perspective.
The play opens from the perspective of the bridegroom and his mother.
"Bridegroom: (entering) Mother.
Mother: What?
Bridegroom: I'm off.
Mother: Where to?
Bridegroom: To the vineyard"
This opening scene of the Bridegroom talking to his mother sets him up as the protagonist of the play. Because he is not doing anything in particular that would get the audience to dislike him, and becuase he is the main character in the opening scene of the play, the audience automatically assumes that he is the main character, and the audience automatically sympathizes with him.
Later in the play, the action shifts to the bride and her family.
"Maid: I'll finish doing your hair here.
Bride" I can't stand it inside, it's so hot.
Maid: In this place it's not even cool at dawn.
Because the point of view is omnescient and not first person, the viewpoint shifts at the end of act one and when act two begins the scene is set with the Bride and her family preparing for the wedding. In the scenes before this the bridegroom and his mother talk of his impending mairrage to the bride, so the audience is led to believe that the bride is basically on the side of the bridegroom in whatever conflict arises.
The point of view in Blood Wedding appears to be reliable, and there is no reason to suspect that it is concealing information.
The play opens from the perspective of the bridegroom and his mother.
"Bridegroom: (entering) Mother.
Mother: What?
Bridegroom: I'm off.
Mother: Where to?
Bridegroom: To the vineyard"
This opening scene of the Bridegroom talking to his mother sets him up as the protagonist of the play. Because he is not doing anything in particular that would get the audience to dislike him, and becuase he is the main character in the opening scene of the play, the audience automatically assumes that he is the main character, and the audience automatically sympathizes with him.
Later in the play, the action shifts to the bride and her family.
"Maid: I'll finish doing your hair here.
Bride" I can't stand it inside, it's so hot.
Maid: In this place it's not even cool at dawn.
Because the point of view is omnescient and not first person, the viewpoint shifts at the end of act one and when act two begins the scene is set with the Bride and her family preparing for the wedding. In the scenes before this the bridegroom and his mother talk of his impending mairrage to the bride, so the audience is led to believe that the bride is basically on the side of the bridegroom in whatever conflict arises.
The point of view in Blood Wedding appears to be reliable, and there is no reason to suspect that it is concealing information.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Journal on Blood Wedding Act One-Setting
In this Journal entry I will look a little bit into how the setting of Blood Wedding has affected the novel.
So far it seems that Blood Wedding is set in Spain sometime in the early 20th century. People still ride horses, but there are cars as well, and the climate is warm and suitible for growing grapes
One way in which the setting of Blood Wedding affects the novel is simply the plot. When the Bridegroom and the Mother go and visit the Bride, they travel by horses for about four hours to get there. "Good; but too remote. A four hour journey, and not a house or a tree". In addition, this setting allows for the introduction of the symbol of grapes. "Never mind. I'll eat grapes. Give me a knife." I am not yet sure what the grapes are a symbol for, but they are probably a symbol for something.
In addition to this relatively superficial effect on the plot, the setting in Blood Wedding also allows the author to look at women's role in society. In Blood Wedding, the mairrage between the Bridegroom and the Bride appears to be mostly arranged, with neither side really having a complete say in the matter. In addition, the Bride is a submissive and obedient woman in around her father and future husband. Her father says that she "never speaks out; is as soft and gentle as wool; she embroiders all sorts of embroidery...". When the Bride does come into the room, "Her hands are folded modestly and her head is bowed". By chosing to set the play in a place and time period where these behaviors are the norm, the author is able to examine them in the novel. I will know more about this as I read more of the novel.
So far it seems that Blood Wedding is set in Spain sometime in the early 20th century. People still ride horses, but there are cars as well, and the climate is warm and suitible for growing grapes
One way in which the setting of Blood Wedding affects the novel is simply the plot. When the Bridegroom and the Mother go and visit the Bride, they travel by horses for about four hours to get there. "Good; but too remote. A four hour journey, and not a house or a tree". In addition, this setting allows for the introduction of the symbol of grapes. "Never mind. I'll eat grapes. Give me a knife." I am not yet sure what the grapes are a symbol for, but they are probably a symbol for something.
In addition to this relatively superficial effect on the plot, the setting in Blood Wedding also allows the author to look at women's role in society. In Blood Wedding, the mairrage between the Bridegroom and the Bride appears to be mostly arranged, with neither side really having a complete say in the matter. In addition, the Bride is a submissive and obedient woman in around her father and future husband. Her father says that she "never speaks out; is as soft and gentle as wool; she embroiders all sorts of embroidery...". When the Bride does come into the room, "Her hands are folded modestly and her head is bowed". By chosing to set the play in a place and time period where these behaviors are the norm, the author is able to examine them in the novel. I will know more about this as I read more of the novel.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Connections-the search for truth.
In both The Wild Duck and Oedipus the King, there is a motif of characters searching for the truth when it is concealed.
In The Wild Duck, this motif is especially prominent. In Act I of the play, Gregers comes home to find that Gina has married Hialmar, and he is immediately suspicious of his father.
WER. What do you mean by that? [flaring up] You are not alluding to me, I hope?
GREG. [softly but firmly]. Yes, I am alluding to you.
This immediate suspicion of possible deciet begins Gregers search for the untainted truth behind his father's relationship with the Ekdals. To do this he goes to live with the Ekdals and reveal the lies that his father has created.
In Oedipus the King, the search for truth takes a different form. Oedipus begins the play looking for the man who killed his father, which is in a way a search for the truth behind the murder.
When he is told that he must find the murderer, he says to the supplicants,
"Well, I will start afresh and once again Make dark things clear"
This desire to "make dark things clear" is the driving force in the play. As the play moves on, Oedipus begins to suspect that the oracle was correct and that he himself was the one who murdered his father. Here he is still engaged in the search for truth, only it has shifted slightly so he is searching to see if the predictions of the Oracle are correct.
Both authors likely use this motif to highlight the complexity of the world and the fact that, despite the hero's greatness they are still only humans struggling against the forces of fate, or the world.
In The Wild Duck, this motif is especially prominent. In Act I of the play, Gregers comes home to find that Gina has married Hialmar, and he is immediately suspicious of his father.
WER. What do you mean by that? [flaring up] You are not alluding to me, I hope?
GREG. [softly but firmly]. Yes, I am alluding to you.
This immediate suspicion of possible deciet begins Gregers search for the untainted truth behind his father's relationship with the Ekdals. To do this he goes to live with the Ekdals and reveal the lies that his father has created.
In Oedipus the King, the search for truth takes a different form. Oedipus begins the play looking for the man who killed his father, which is in a way a search for the truth behind the murder.
When he is told that he must find the murderer, he says to the supplicants,
"Well, I will start afresh and once again Make dark things clear"
This desire to "make dark things clear" is the driving force in the play. As the play moves on, Oedipus begins to suspect that the oracle was correct and that he himself was the one who murdered his father. Here he is still engaged in the search for truth, only it has shifted slightly so he is searching to see if the predictions of the Oracle are correct.
Both authors likely use this motif to highlight the complexity of the world and the fact that, despite the hero's greatness they are still only humans struggling against the forces of fate, or the world.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Journal Entry
This journal will be a reaction to the dinner part in The Wild Duck, by Gregers.
"The dinner party last night ended up being a disaster for me. I talked for a while with my old friend Hialmar, and I learned of his current situation of being married to Gina. My mind had immediately went to the memory of my mother telling me of father's infedelities. When I confronted him about this, he practically admitted it! After that, he even offered me a job to further bury the rumors of him and Gina Needless to say, I declined. I was so disgusted by the old man that I left him completely. Tomorrow I will go to Hialmar and tell him the truth of him and Gina that he deserves
"The dinner party last night ended up being a disaster for me. I talked for a while with my old friend Hialmar, and I learned of his current situation of being married to Gina. My mind had immediately went to the memory of my mother telling me of father's infedelities. When I confronted him about this, he practically admitted it! After that, he even offered me a job to further bury the rumors of him and Gina Needless to say, I declined. I was so disgusted by the old man that I left him completely. Tomorrow I will go to Hialmar and tell him the truth of him and Gina that he deserves
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
The Wild Duck-stylistic techniques
Here I will be going over some basic stylistic techniquest that Henrik has used so far in The Wild Duck
One of the stylistic techniques that is most obvious to the reader is Henrik's focus on sensory detail in the play. In contrast to Oedipus the King, Henrik goes into great detail on where each scene is, how it is arranged, who is there, and what is going on. The description at the beginning of Act II reads:
"SCENE: HIALMAR EKDAL'S S studio, a good sized room, evidently at the top stroy of the building. On the right, a sloping roof of large panes of glass, half-covered by a blue curtain. In the right-hand corner, at the back, the entrance door; farther forward, on the same side, a doo leading to the sitting room. Two doors on the opposite side, and between them an iron stove. At the back, a wide double sliding door. The studio is plainly but comfortably fitted and furnished. Between the doors on the right, standing out a little from the wall, a sofa with a table and some chairs; on the table a lighted lamp with a shade; beside the stove an old arm-chair. Photographic instruments and apparatus of different kinds lying about the room. Against the back wall, to the left of the double door, stands a bookcase containing a few books, boxes, and bottles of chemicals, intstruments, tools and other objects. Photographs and small articles, such as camel's hair pencils, paper, and so forth, lie on the table.
This huge amount of detail in the set corresponds wiht theatre's increasing focus on realism and naturalism around this time period. Unlike the greeks and earlier playwrites, Henrik makes the set and scenery a window into the lives of characters that act oblivious to the presence of the audience.
Henrik also makes use of symbolism in the play. The titular wild duck who lives with the Ekdals could symbolize the web of deciet that Werles is trying to maintain. In the play, the duck is said to have wanted to dive to the bottom of the river and never come up, rather like Werles wanting his deception to not be discovered or announced. Gregers, who says he wants to "be a clever dog" wants to be like the dog that dragged the duck to the surface. This symbolizes Gregers drudging up the lies of his father and exposing them for what they are.
One of the stylistic techniques that is most obvious to the reader is Henrik's focus on sensory detail in the play. In contrast to Oedipus the King, Henrik goes into great detail on where each scene is, how it is arranged, who is there, and what is going on. The description at the beginning of Act II reads:
"SCENE: HIALMAR EKDAL'S S studio, a good sized room, evidently at the top stroy of the building. On the right, a sloping roof of large panes of glass, half-covered by a blue curtain. In the right-hand corner, at the back, the entrance door; farther forward, on the same side, a doo leading to the sitting room. Two doors on the opposite side, and between them an iron stove. At the back, a wide double sliding door. The studio is plainly but comfortably fitted and furnished. Between the doors on the right, standing out a little from the wall, a sofa with a table and some chairs; on the table a lighted lamp with a shade; beside the stove an old arm-chair. Photographic instruments and apparatus of different kinds lying about the room. Against the back wall, to the left of the double door, stands a bookcase containing a few books, boxes, and bottles of chemicals, intstruments, tools and other objects. Photographs and small articles, such as camel's hair pencils, paper, and so forth, lie on the table.
This huge amount of detail in the set corresponds wiht theatre's increasing focus on realism and naturalism around this time period. Unlike the greeks and earlier playwrites, Henrik makes the set and scenery a window into the lives of characters that act oblivious to the presence of the audience.
Henrik also makes use of symbolism in the play. The titular wild duck who lives with the Ekdals could symbolize the web of deciet that Werles is trying to maintain. In the play, the duck is said to have wanted to dive to the bottom of the river and never come up, rather like Werles wanting his deception to not be discovered or announced. Gregers, who says he wants to "be a clever dog" wants to be like the dog that dragged the duck to the surface. This symbolizes Gregers drudging up the lies of his father and exposing them for what they are.
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