So I guess
we’re kind of done with Hamlet, only
to be immersed with Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern Are Dead, which is kind of a spin-off of Hamlet. I wasn’t really sure what to expect when we began reading Ros and Guil, and it was a bit of a
confusing play at first. I mean, I understood what was happening as we read it
aloud, but figuring out what everything meant was hard.
We also saw
the movie, directed by Stoppard himself. What I thought was interesting was
that the movie didn’t follow the play exactly, even though it was Stoppard’s
interpretation. I personally didn’t really like the movie all that much – not that
it was bad, but I just thought the written play was a lot better. I think it would
be fun though to actually watch the play being performed. I think a big aspect
of the play is that it is a play within a play and the audience has to figure
out what’s “real” and what’s not. I think this idea is kind of lost when you
watch this as a movie.
After quite
a bit of discussion, I think our class has discovered the basic
meanings/messages of the play. First is that we are all on a boat and pirates
can happen to anyone. We also figured out that England is Heaven, but might have
just been made by the cartographers. I think there are still quite a bit of
unanswered questions that our class has yet to discuss, but hopefully soon we’ll
have everything straightened out and we’ll be able to come up with a theme
statement.
Aside from
just reading Ros and Guil, we’ve also
done some essay practice. Even though we do essay practice monthly as part of
our blog assignments, we actually spent time in class going over how to
properly write an intro and thesis. Ms. Holmes emphasized TAP: Thesis Answers
Prompt. If our thesis fully answers the prompt, everything else will be smooth
sailing from there.
Hi Jackie!
ReplyDeleteRosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead was nothing like I expected. I really had no expectations and then being thrown the curve ball that is this play was quite shocking. What you brought up about the idea of the play being meant to be performed never occurred to me before. It makes a lot of sense that much of the play’s meaning is lost when it is not performed since performing and acting are so heavily discussed. I too found it strange that the movie went a bit off the page despite Stoppard’s guidance. I wonder if what he added in where attempts to mask the lack of an audience and the inability to break the fourth wall. That’s crazy that your class already caught on to the boat, pirates, and England ideas. Those blew right over my head. After having come up with a theme statement however, those three ideas are crucial to the play.
Learning how to write the essays helped me. Writing is so horrifying to me, but the more I do it the more confident I feel.
On a random note: I admire you and your writing so much. You are a phenomenal writer and congratulations again on winning the short story contest! :)
Hi Jackie!
ReplyDeleteI like this post. You hit every aspect of our class materials, and provided a window into your personal feelings on our work.
Next time, I think you could elaborate more on your reactions. What specifically confused you? Where there particular elements of the film you didn't enjoy? What did you think about our essay practice?
You should also consider layering in some extra-curricular connections, such other films, books, plays, or television shows. These demonstrate a deeper understanding of the text, and allow for a richer experience when seeing or reading something new.
I'm afraid you fall a little bit into the trap of being a "tour guide." These posts should go beyond a simple recitation of class events, and allow your voice and point of view to come through.