Vlad The Bad

(1431-1476)

What a guy, what a moustache. Vlad the third, Prince of Wallachia (or Vlad the Impaler as he is more commonly known as), known for his resistance against the Ottoman Empire and of course, the impaling of his enemies. However, more importantly he is said to be the inspiration behind Gothic character, Dracula. Oddly enough, Vlad's surname 'Draculea' derived from his father 'Vlad II Dracul' is the inspiration behind the name of Stoker's classic.
So after being chucked off the throne twice and two wives, in Stoker's eyes, Vlad would stand out among others as one of the era's most notoriously evil rulers of the selected region. He was weird and obscure enough that few people to recognise his name, yet known to those for his acts of brutal cruelty.

Mysterious Marlowe

Christopher Marlowe 1564-1593

Christopher Marlowe, father of the blank verse, brother of English tragedy, son of a shoemaker, and overall, a pretty strange fella. Baptised on the 26th February 1564 he was two months the elder of peer William Shakespeare. Awarded his Bachelor of Arts degree on behalf of the Privy Council due to his 'good service' and 'faithful dealings' to the Queen.

When it came to religion, Marlowe was a but of a left-winged kind of guy. Although he apparently dismissed allegations that he was an atheist, he admitted he did not believe in God. After Marlowe's friend Thomas Kyd gave up a few depositions (under torture none the less), the Privy Council began to 'keep an eye' on Marlowe, and investigated some serious charges made against Marlowe before his career in stage-writing abruptly came to an end. In fact, after Marlowe's death, Puritan Thomas Beard (The Theatre of God's Judgements) used Marlow's death as 'one of his warning examples of the vengeance of God'.

Despite being considered an extravagant gentleman, tobacco smoker and a homosexual, Marlowe was much more popular in his time than fellow play write, Shakespeare. His considered 'four great plays' include Dr Faustus, Tamburlaine the Great, The Famous Tragedy of the Rich Jew of Malta, an the historic epic, Edward the Second.

In Dr Faustus, his religious views came across strongly. Christian values persist the idea of forgiveness, yet at the final climax of the play, though the protagonist repents, his forgiveness is dismiss and he is ripped apart by the devil himself. It is said though, that the splendor within the story reflected that of the hierarchy of the 16th century, though the horror- perhaps not.

Marlowe's death in any case is an intriguing and strange subject. After being stabbed to death on the 30th May 1593. his death went undocumented, giving no real explanation for his death. Some say it was an assassination by the Privy Council, some say it was a drunken brawl between punters at a pub. However recent reports suggest that his actions before death may have attributed to his untimely death. Evidence shows he spent time with other suspected spy's. During late afternoon, he found himself in a squabble with Frizer who attacked Marlowe in 'self-defence' and stabbed Marlowe around his eye. Frizer was later pardoned, and Marlowe lies in an unmarked grave.

So what can we say about Marlowe? An outrageous and outlandish fellow who paved the way for the blank verse, yet was a private and secretive chap who found himself at a grim, bloody and unfortunate end to his mercilessly undocumented life. What can be said for him however, is that he lead the way for another important man in the history of literature. Marlowe set him in the right direction and influenced his work to a degree of genius, William Shakespeare.

Nosferatu

Bangin' film, loved it.
Quick background info: Nosferatu was made in 1921 and released in 1922. It is an adaptation of Bram Stokers 'Dracula', but when it was made, there were a variety of legal problems which caused the film to be slightly different to THE 'Dracula'. (Such as the word Nosferatu replacing the word vampire, and character Jonathan Harker being named Thomas Hutter in Nosferatu instead.)
The landscape and setting is underground, almost subterranean, which has not only a spooky affect as it is concealed and hidden, also could have an alternate meaning, think underground-where the dead are buried? But it also offers 'obstacles' in Hutter's pathway, creating a sense of unknown and the unexpected.
Talking of the unknown, there is a sense of supernatural in the silent thriller, Nina and her husband are aware of each other and when Renfield is in town, the old vamp 'knows'. 'The Unknown' could also refer to the idea that the audience knows that it is the vampire that is killing the people, yet Hutter doesn't know, creating dramatic irony.

Can I just say, I LOVE THIS GOTHIC STUFF. IT'S BELTING.

Setting in the Gothic

Ok, so from what I've seen of everyone else's blogs, looks like you all have blogged on 'The Castle Of Otranto', I think I must have missed something there (?) therefore, I will just blog about the setting found in a typical Gothic story or film.
The architecture in a Gothic fiction will be presented as large, grand buildings with unique characteristics such as pointed arches and tall spires. They would have been the monument of the city prior the 20th century, and would have been the skyscrapers of their time. Objects in the places such as candle arbores, creaking wooden doors and stone walls all add to the feel of a creepy Gothic building.
Weather is crucial to the setting of a Gothic fiction. Lightening, thunder and heavy rain is a regular occurrence, creating pathetic fallacy adding to the atmosphere of the point in the fiction. For example in Mary Shelly's Frankenstein, when Victor Frankenstein's mother dies in childbirth, the weather outside is chaotic, and in the film adaptation, lightening strikes a tree causing it to be destroyed. Another aspect of this, is that Gothic fiction is very dark, and events often take place at night to add to the horror and suspense.

American Gothic by Steph

American Gothic - Grant Wood

I know this is really sad, but I feel the need to clear up something from last lesson. When Mr F put on the board a handful of pictures that we had to explain why they were Gothic, he put up the painting called American Gothic by Grant Wood (above). Just to clear it up, this isn't actually a typical Gothic painting. It was painted in 1942, Wood was captivated by the simple Gothic-style house (in the background of the painting) in a town he visited called Iowa. He actually used his sister and his dentist as the subjects. He made this painting as a homage to-down to-earth Puritan dignity, found in small town America. Wood was actually part of the artistic movement of Regionalism (a form of realism common in North America). He derived similar techniques (such as his crisp, firmly delineated and precisely modelled style)from the Gothic and early Renaissance masters he studied during the 1920's. Therefore, this painting is not considered 'Gothic'. If you look at Gothic painters, e.g Gentile da Fabriano or Gaddi their style focus's on vibrant colour, attention to detail and often very religious subjects.

So guys, I'm really sorry for being pedantic and whatnot, but I just had to have a say. So if you have a look at the real Gothic paintings from the middle-ages and compare it to today's idea of Gothic, it's very different.

Proposals for the three re-creative pieces

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
Act3, Scene 1, Lines 30 [onwards]
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern have just left after reporting back to the King on Hamlet's behaviour. Here, I propose to include a new scene where Rosencrantz and Guildenstern have a quite conversation between the two of them, where they discuss what they have been told to do, (to spy on Hamlet). Rosencrantz is arguing that what they are doing is ok, that Hamlet was never a close friend in the first place, and the fact that they get some sort of reward in the end if he follows the Kings orders. However Guildenstern feels the opposite. He is a weaker character and therefore does what Rosencrantz tells him to, but he argues that they should re-consider spying on Hamlet before something bad happens, (foreshadowing).
Commentary
By inserting this piece, it will give to fairly insignificant characters a chance to express what they actually feel, giving them an opinion and motives etc. It should give an insight to the audience about their personalities, and it should distinguish between the two, which is good and which is evil. It should also evoke the question of what is moral, and a dilemma between the two characters, which also will help to define what types of roles they will take in the play.

Polonius
Act 3, Scene 4, lines 1-13
Polonius is hiding behind the arras in Queen Getrude's closet, listening in on their conversation. I propose to insert a soliloquy by Polonius. The audience should here his speech after Hamlet has said "No, by the rood, not so", at this point, Polonius will interject with his soliloquy, saying how he could have been wrong about his theory that Hamlet was insane, and perhaps that he was just grief stricken. Then Polonius 'fantasises' that what if the King was behind the death of the late King? What if Claudius had a plan all along to become the King? This is when Polonius 'figures out' what's been going on. While Hamlet and Gertrude continue talking, audience will see Polonius talking to himself, not paying any attention to the conversation between Gertrude and Hamlet. That is when he hears "Help, ho!" and is brought out of his thoughts, and killed.
Commentary
Polonius is portrayed as a doddery old man, who speaks nonsense. However in this scene, I would like the audience to see his 'true colours', a moment of intelligence, showing that perhaps in his youth, he was once a very intellectual man. This could be backed up by the fact that when Polonius talks, he is often very philosophical, perhaps showing he was a very clever man. This also makes his death more of a tragic loss. In this re-creative piece, I also wanted the idea of fate to become more of a theme in this tragedy, the idea that everything happens for a reason and is pre-determined, because when Polonius finally understands what is going on, he is slain before being able to do anything about it, suggesting that the death and fall of the monarchy must happen.

Ophelia
Act 2, Scene 1, lines 105-onwards.
Ophelia has just been told to stay away from Hamlet by her father, Polonius, and she obeys. When Polonius leaves, she hangs back for a soliloquy in which she tells the audience how she feels repressed as a woman and as an individual, how she hates having to obey higher-powered people, how she feels about Hamlet and her worries and fears of never marrying and becoming a single lady (spinster). She toys with the idea of disobeying Polonius, and telling Hamlet how she feels about him, then she contradicts herself, saying how un-lady-like that would be. The theme of her soliloquy would be her disobeying of some kind, then talking herself out of it.
Commentary
In this soliloquy, there would be tones on feminism and gender oppression and inequality. It would give Ophelia a proper speech, and it would show a character insight about how she feels. However, the main thing is that I wanted Ophelia to sound like Hamlet, as in the soliloquy she constantly talks herself in and out of things, which mirrors Hamlet's personality for instance, when he talks himself into taking revenge on Claudius, then puts on a play just to make sure he did kill his father. Or when he talks about killing himself, then talking himself out of it because he'd go to hell.

The Recreative Piece

To be a bit different, I thought that I'd expand on one of the idea's we discussed last lesson- Did Gertrude kill Ophelia? I have done a better soliloquy for Gertrude after Hamlet leaves her after the bedroom scene, but I thought this was more entertaining to read. Well, in a way. Here goes.

4.7.158
(OPHELIA is sitting on the bank of a river which flows behind the castle of Denmark, dipping her bare feet into the water. Rue is clutched in her hands, she is singing quietly)

OPHELIA: Oh to be a Queen, a loving King for a husband, a blue-blooded child, but now left fatherless, worthless..What shall become of me now?
[ENTER QUEEN]

QUEEN: Sweet Ophelia, are you feeling any better my dear?

OPHELIA: The water is quite cold Madam, quite cold.

QUEEN: (Aside) The poor girl, she is definitely gone. (To OPHELIA) My lady, why don't you come back into the hall? You can warm up, the air is biting. I will ask for a meal-

OPHELIA: Then what Madam? What more could you possibly want from me? Leave me, I beg you.

QUEEN: Now, Ophelia..

OPHELIA: I know what has been happening! You, the wretched King, even my father. You've all been scheming! Turning Hamlet against me, I could've helped him! How could I have disobeyed you? I could've helped him. You turned him against me! All of you nasty, scheming royalties!

QUEEN: How dare you! Did you get taught nothing? You are not to speak to me like that! I am your Queen!

OPHELIA: Of course, Madam.

QUEEN: Damn your insolence! We took you under our roof!

OPHELIA: No, you took my father under your high. chandeleared ceilings! And for what? To make a mockery of him! To destroy his kindness, to use his daughter in a wicked game, to murder him! What am I now, my lady? Nothing. You robbed me of my father! You stole away my lover!

QUEEN: Your lover! Silence yourself child!

OPHELIA: Yes, my lover! We were to be married, to allow our child to grow up with protection and love! We wanted to restore this family from the sham it is now!

QUEEN: Your child? Ophelia..

OPHELIA: The water is cold, Madam. Very cold.

QUEEN: You're with child? Ophelia no! How could you? Tell me this is not the truth but some ramblings from your recent loss of sanity!

OPHELIA: Leave me.

QUEEN: Damn you! You're tainted! You're a devil's advocate! You're-!

OPHELIA: I said, leave me now please dear woman. I've had enough of you for the day.

QUEEN: (Lunging for OPHELIA, pulling back her hair and dragging her to the ground as OPHELIA screams) You're a sinner! You must be punished!

OPHELIA: (Laughing) Kill me like you killed my father!

QUEEN: To hell with you! Sinful little girl, to hell! (QUEEN with noticeable effort pushes OPHELIA into the river which is full of pond weed, debris and other water plants)

OPHELIA: Madam, I cannot swim! (Laughing, as she sinks under)

QUEEN: (Watches OPHELIA drown) Such a shame... Dear girl, I would have so loved a daughter, especially such a beautiful daughter like you, Ophelia.. (Picks up the Rue, as her breath becomes normal again. She throws the plant onto Ophelia's dead, floating body.) Goodbye, Ophelia. You will have a Christian funeral. (QUEEN looks around, before running back towards the hall) [EXIT QUEEN]


Well, that's that then. Apologies for it's shockingness. This has definitely made me realise that I will not be doing a re-creative piece for coursework. Standard essays for the win.