Flashcards
Drama A Level
Cards in this deck (111)
- 1Much Ado was written around ____1598
- 2Things for the director to consider?Performance space e.g. in-the-round
Play style e.g. naturalistic, classical
Temporal and physical setting
Themes
Actor X Audience
Which characters should audience sympathise with?
Mood/atmosphere?
Use of design features? - 3Don John is often interpreted as Machiavellian... Where does this term come from? WHAT DOES THIS MEEEEEAN????Niccolo Machiavelli
Italian Renaissance political philosopher and statesman
Reputation as an atheist and immoral cynic
Suspected of treason-torture, exile
Primary concern=art of war
Reputation matters
Cruelty="well-used"
-cunning, scheming, unscrupulous - 4DMachiavellian
Malcontent
Villain
Stereotypical
Flat or round character? - 5Types of Lights?"Floodlight: floods stage, kills actors' shadows
Followspot: follow actor
Spotlight: focus audience's attention
Ellipsoidal Reflector Spotlight (ERS): sharp circular beam, can use gobos
Fresnel spotlight: "spot" or "flood" focus, soft beam, adjustable size.
Birdies: mini lantern, hidden onstage - 6Qualities of lights?Intensity (bright/dim)
Colour
Distribution (direction, or lack thereof if soft and diffused. Direct sunlight? Living room? Dungeon?
Movement (e.g. from afternoon to evening) - 7Corduroy? -Structure of fabricThick, kinda stiff
Breathable
Warm, durable
Machine washable - 8Cotton?Cool, soft, comfy
Breathable
Durable
Wrinkles easily - 9Denim?Breathable
Absorbent like cotton
Heavier and more durable - 10Flannel?- Refers to a structure of fabricUsually cotton, can be wool
Soft, fuzzy
Thick, insulated->warm
Very durable - 11Hemp?3X stronger than cotton
Not as soft as other fibres
Readily takes dyes
Breatheable
Wrinkles easily
Doesn't drape well - 12Leather?Breathable
Durable
Flexible - 13Linen2X as strong as cotton
Breathable
Lightweight
Absorbent
Not stretchy
Wrinkles easily - 14Seersucker?- structure of fabricUsually cotton, can be rayon or other
Puckered style-lifts off skin, lets air circulate
Breathable - 15Silk?Versatile, soft, comfy
Absorbent-cool in summer, warm in winter
-easily dyed
Retains shape, drapes well, shimmers - 16Velvet?- structure of fabricCotton/silk/rayon
Durable, thick, plush, warm
Short fuzzy surface
Drapes well - 17Wool?Can be scratchy
Can be soft e.g. Angora wool
Breathable
Resists wear and tear
Insulator->warm - 18Acetate?Synthetic fibre
Crisp/soft touch
Dyes and prints well
Low moisture absorbency - 19Acrylic?Light-weight, soft, warm
Dyes to bright colours
Breathable
Retains shape
Aesthetic for wool-like, cotton-like or blended appearance. - 20Nylon?Strong, light-weight
Stretchable, durable
Does not absorb moisture well-hot and clammy - 21Polyester?Strong, stretchable, durable
Does not absorb moisture well-hot and clammy - 22Rayon?Strong, extremely absorbent
Soft, comfortable
Drapes well - 23Outline the features of Elizabethan fashion?Elaborate, artificial, stylised, striking
Rich, heavy velvets
Stiff, exaggerated shapes
Fine lace ruffs on necks and sleeves
Cuffs - 24Elizabethan women's make-up?Make-up base of white lead and sulphur
Various dyes on cheeks
Beauty spots drawn on
Eyebrows plucked thin
Lips thickly lipsticked
Hair pinned and perfumed, brushed back from forehead - 25Elizabethan women's fashion?Broad shoulders, wide hips, slim waists
Bodice down to waist
Partlet a.k.a. jewellery bodice, "wings" at shoulders, came to a point at waist.
Sleeves-fastened to bodice with laces, tight at wrist, otherwise full.
Kirtle-skirt, framework under called "farthingale," made from whalebone, allows kirtle to balloon out
Country maidservant might wear bodice of her petticoat "laced before", blue or black kirtle. - 26Elizabethan's wealthy men's fashion?Colourful fabrics, gold or silver lace
Rare furs, jewels such as pearls
Silk, brocade, satin, velvet
Armour shape-masculine image-broad shoulders, broad hips, narrow waists.
Doublet-striking, expensive, resembles breastplate, stuffed with horsehair, wool, or rags
Hose, breeches
Ruff
Cloak ("gown" if full length)
Hair combed forward to form short fringe - 27Noble colours Elizabethan?Gold, silver, crimson, scarlet, deep indigo blue, violet, deep black, pure white.
- 28Colour connotations: Red?Fire, power, importance, stands out, valour.
Made from cheap dyes
LOWER CLASS - 29Colour connotations: crimson?Colour of the church
Fire, power, importance
Presence of God, blood of martyrs
Atonement, humility
Expensive dye->UPPER CLASS
Royalty, nobility, and members of the council as decreed by sumptuary laws. - 30Colour connotations: Indigo?a.k.a royal blue
Power, importance, wealth
+blue->heavenly grace
Worn by Virgin Mary in some depictions
Dye from India, expensive - 31Colour connotations: Purple?Royalty
Purple togars worn by Roman emperors
Penitence, mourning
Liturgical colour for lent and advent
Expensive dye->wealth and power
Sumptuary laws->Queen, her mother, sisters, children, aunts, King, King's mother, children, brethren, uncles. - 32Colour connotations- White?Pristine->difficult, expensive
Purity, virtue
Servants needed to keep it clean
Queen Elizabeth depicted in white gown
Christian colour for festivals and holy days of Christianity
Baptism, marriage, ordination, dedications - 33Colour connotations- Black?Authority,power
King Philip II of Spain depicted in black
Expensive
Symbolic of death
Christian/Biblical colour for Good Friday
Humility, plainness, monasticism - 34Colour connotations- pink?Joy, happiness
Cheap dyes
Ladies, young girls - 35Colour connotations- Blue?Servitude
Heavenly grace-Virgin Mary depicted in blue
LOWER CLASS - 36Colour connotations- orange?Courage
Cheap dyes - 37Colour connotations- brown?Humility, poverty
Cheap dyes
Worn by lower classes and clergy
Humility, plainness, monasticism - 38Colour connotations- grey?Mourning, repentance
Colour of ashes->it was a punishment or penance to walk barefoot in a town covered in ashes.
Season of Lent, fasting, prayer
Cheap dyes
Humility, plainness, monasticism - 39Colour connotations- green?Renewal of life, nature
Season of epiphany
Cheap dyes, including veg dyes
Associated with medieval legend of Robin Hood - 40Colour connotations- yellow?Renewal, hope
+white=Easter
Envy, greed, treachery
Judas Iscariot depicted in yellow
Since 1270 Jews wore yellow stars
Cheap dyes - 41Colour connotations- Gold?Royalty, nobles
Divinity, majesty, wealth
Duchesses, Marquises, Countesses, Dukes, Earls. - 42Qualities of performer to consider?Age, height, build, colouring, facial features
Make-up
Pitch, pace, tone, accent
Movement, gesture, posture, gait
Costume and accessories
Props
Delivery of specific lines
Interaction with chorus
Eye contact, spatial relationships, physical contact, use of space
Set, lighting, and sound to support action
Thematic and theoretical aspects
Genre, style, original context - 43Different meaning of the title: "Much Ado About Nothing"?It is about nothing: chaos and anger based on hearsay and misunderstandings
Nothing sounded like noting: theme of eavesdropping
Notings-> innuendo ;) - 44Themes of Much Ado?Position of women in male-dominated, patriarchal world.
Gender expecations e.g.women to submit and be virtuous.
Men's distorted code of honour and distrust of women.
Destructive nature of love-> leads men and women into delusion. - 45Events of each scene in Act One?Scene 1: Introduce characters
Scene 2: Antonio tells Leonato what he's overheard (wrong)
Scene 3: Learn of Don John's evil nature, Borachio overheard DP and C correctly - 46Events of each scene in Act Two?Scene 1: Beatrice warned she won't get a husband.
Masked ball
Scene 2: Borachio tells DJ his plan
Scene 3: Balthasar's song, Benedick overhears - 47Events of each scene in Act Three?Scene 1: Beatrice overhears
Scene 2: DP plans to leave, Ben says he's got "toothache." DJ tells DP and C about Hero
Scene 3: The Watch overhear Borachio and Conrade, they're arrested.
Scene 4: Hero being dressed forwedding, Beatrice says she's ill. - 48Events of each scene in Act Four?Scene 1: Wedding, Hero's denouncement
Scene 2: Borachio and Conrade confess to the Watch. - 49Events of each scene in Act Five?Scene 1: Leonato challenges Claudio, Antonio stands by him, Benedick arrives and challenges Claudio too. The Watch bring the truth.
Scene 2: Benedick and Margaret banter, Ursula brings news that Hero was innocent.
Scene 3: Claudio's epitaph
Scene 4: "Another Hero!"
Couples together, Benedick promises to "devise theee brave punishments" for DJ.
"Strike up, pipers!" - 50How much of Much Ado is written in prose? The effect of this?3/4
Earthy realism of Beatrice and Benedick, the principle wits.
Quick, spontaneous repartee
->
foundation for comedy. - 51Describe Hero's language?Speaks in eloquent verse out of public eye.
Refined wit
Inner beauty and intelligence
Led to suppress this by her social role as Claudio's fiancee.
Dignity of her verse->injuastice of her disgrace, darkens comedy. - 52Does Benedick ever use verse?Yes, when he pledges support for the Friar's scheme.
He fails to indite a love sonnet to Beatrice->too realistic to believe for long in romantic illusions. - 53Language and literary devices in Hero's denouncement.In verse.
Paradox
Metaphor
Rhetorical structures
Blank verse-discrepancy between illusion and reality, pain caused by deception. - 54Name some moments that are written in verse?Hero's slander
Leonato's tirade
Friar's consolation - 55Name some moments in prose?Beatrice and Benedick "KIll Claudio"
The Watch (garbled prose)
Benedick's challenge to Claudio - 56Devices that depersonalise feelings?Elaborate syntax
Metaphor
Balance
Antithesis - 57Link between the language of Benedick and Don Pedro?Benedick alludes to mythology and the scriptures: educated.
Pleasure at wit > displeasure at mockery
DP shows similar egotism, but not playful->cold and aggressive.
DP-> claustrophobic language. - 58Describe the language of the Watch?Distorted courtly language
Antidote to DJ's stiltedness
Swift repartee
Plentiful images-vivid
Precise, versatile, clever wordplay
No playfulness, allusiveness, or wit. - 59Aragon context?House of Aragon ruled Sicily from end of 13th century.
Sicily under Spanish control in 17th century
Rigid control, undermined influence of old privileged classes.
Backward, feudalised society.
Shakespeare satirises aristocratic vanity. - 60Describe Balthasar's song?Strict code of male honour
Subordination of women - 61Themes of the masked ball?Messina's rigid formality
Importance of appearance
Tendency to deceit
Distrustful climate
Spying among factions - 62Why is Much Ado set in Messina?Allowed for dramatization of attitudes and emotions more than native England.
Set away from England to avoid directly offending the monarch or state. - 63What letters make PLOSIVE sounds? Effect of plosives?P B T K D G
Ferocity, passion, energy - 64What letters/letter combinations create sibilance? Effect of sibilanceS Z Sh Zh
Hissing, silent, hushing, sensual
Onomatopoeia - 65What letters are FRICATIVE? Effect of fricatives?F V Th H
+sibilants=accentuate mood
+plosives->hushed undertone to violent mood - 66_____ vowel sound accentuates fricatives? ____ vowel sound accentuates sibilants?Short
Long - 67What is revealed by the rash slander of Hero?Male fear and distrust of women
H X C love is not genuine - 68What was the prejudiced view of women?A woman curbs a soldier's necessary freedom and thirst for adventure then cuckolds him for his pains.
- 69Benedick's attitude towards women and relationships?Benedick exploits male privilege
Expects fidelity from women, which he himself does not have.
Uses the image of a bull with cuckold horns
Imagery reveals aggression and fear of self-mutilation or castration.
Carves male bonding as protection from women.
Gloats when he believes DP took Hero-confirms his doubts. - 70Why are characters paired and groups?To reveal each other's hidden or darker side.
- 71Irony and hidden meanings in Hero's denouncement?Claudio avenges his honour dishonourably
Ease of his deception reveals a secret wish to dishonour Hero or see her as a whore. - 72Leonato's tirade?23 lines
Uses "I" 12 times
Wounded vanity and idealisation of honour
Paternal love thus compromised - 73Don Pedro?Ranks highest- aristocrat
Bachelor
Respects marriage enough to help C
Willing and able to spar with Beatrice
Hatches the plot to bring B&B together
Believes DJ enough to see Hero's window
His honour would be tarnished by Hero's disloyalty-0he arranged the match.
Wit-parodies Dogberry without malice. - 74Don John?Bastard in legal and ethical terms
Melancholy, depressed, depressing
Pays 1000 ducats to Borachio
Ends->Hero dead, Claudio distraught, DP shamed, Leonato dishonoured
Believes in astrology ("Saturn")
Duplicitous
"plain-dealing villain"-paradoxical
Honesty can be malevolent - 75Claudio?Young, beardless, built like the prince
Gullible, quick to jealousy, insecure
Dreadful poet going by epitaph
Publicly disgraces Hero rather than merely calling off the wedding.
Refuses to fight L or A
Learns he's wrong->swears to love Hero as much as before, accepts any penance
English stereotype of hot-blooded Italian
Falls in love with H before speaking to her
Interested in her inheritance most?
Childish-sulkily hits Ben, tantrum at H
Supposed to be brave, but doesn't woo Hero himself. - 76Leonato?Governor of Messina
Older man, white beard
Hero's father, Beatrice's guardian
Indulges Beatrice and enjoys wit battles
Plays along with B&B plot
Instinctively believes H's slander-believes Prince - 77Benedick?Gentleman of Padua
Realist
According to Bea, gets new best friend each month, for money?
Fears women's infidelity
Bea=fave sparring partner
Disgusted at C abandoning bachelorhood
Shaves beard and becomes melancholy after hearing of Bea's love.
Love for Bea > Love for Claudio
Terrible poet
"Signor Mountanto"-over-ambitious or over-sexed - 78Antonio?Old man, tendency to wag head in characteristic way
Has a son-provides music
Tries to calm L down, but when he sees C and DP he loses temper.
Traditional family view
Rarely addresses Beatrice - 79Balthasar?Attendant of DP, musician
Self-deprecating about his talent
Talks too much, bad dancer
Lack of dancing ability ruins his chances with Margaret - 80Conrade?Attempts to cheer up DJ because DP has taken him back, but that DJ should abuse this favour.
Seems left out of DJ's plot.
Denies being a villain
Calls Dogberry an ass
Capricorn-faithful, ambitious, pessimist
For his star sign, DJ thinks he should be more depressed - 81BorachioDrunkard with a crafty mind
Brings useful news to DJ
No qualms about using Margaret
Good dancer
Can't hold his tongue when drunk->arrested, plot discovered
Confesses, apparent remorse for Hero
Clears Margaret's name
Becomes repentant
Without him->no conflict or resolution
Motivated by "a thousand ducats" - 82Friar Francis?Long-winded, well-meaning
Convinced of Hero's innocence
Shocked by slander
Plans H's fake death to make DP and C remorseful
In charge of marriages
Religious voice of reason - 83Dogberry?Few doubts about himself
Determined word-mangler
Unaware of his malapropisms
Conscious of his place-interrupts Verges
Officer, owns a house, owns 2 gowns
Incompetent
Efforts to maintain modicum of dignity
One of Shakespeare's natural children. - 84Verges?2nd in command of Watch
Old man, under Dogberry's thumb
Slightly more competent than Dogberry
No resentment of D's interruptions
Somewhat weak in the head
Shorter than Dogberry - 85SextonExamines men detained by Watch
Interrogation taken over by Dogberry, but Sexton is able to guide it - 86Hero?Leonato's modest daughter
Sweet, obedient, overshadowed by Bea
Almost never speaks in elders' presence
Capable of eloquent speech
Doesn't object to proposals
Shocked at wedding->faints, doesn't defend herself
Submissive-agrees to engagements and Friar's plot
Accepts second wedding to Claudio, no explanation
Teases Bea, gives her poem to Ben
Conventional outlook and behaviour
Attracted to Claudio from previous visit, accepts DP, then accepts Claudio
Few lines-reserved, passive
Name is reflective of her innocence - 87Beatrice?Leonato's orphaned niece
Contentious, realist, provocative
Doesn't want husband, little patience
Distrustful of men, maybe because of previous experience with Benedick
Little care for social convention
Trades witticisms with DP
Wrote a sonnet for Benedick <3
Protected, but not dominated, by Leonato
Independent, outspoken
Insightful, soulful, fights her own pride, loyal to Hero above all else. - 88MargaretHero's waiting-gentlewoman
Fashion-obsessed flirt
Likes men who can dance
Witty enough to VS Ben and Bea
Joins in B&B plot
Engages in role-play with Borachio
One of the veiled ladies at the end - 89Ursula?One of Hero's waiting-gentlewoman
Recognises masked Antonio
Gleefully joins in B&B plot - 90Watchmen?Neither bright nor conscientious
1st: Joins in testimony to Sexton
2nd: Can read and write-put in charge of nightly patrol, leads Watch to arrest Borachio and Conrade - 91Which characters see the truth?The Watch
Friar Francis - 92What is the Claudio X Hero relationship built on?Romance tradition
Honour-her chastity is non-negotiable
Idealisation and desire - 93What is Beatrice and Benedick's relationship based on?Modern relationship
Not based on sexual desire, romantic ideals, honour, or status
Beatrice is an orphan, not a daughter to be married off as a commodity
Compatibility comes first, romance later
"merry war"-> intellectual equals
Mutual respect
Antagonistic courtship
Equality, respect - 94Explain how appearance, or semblance, is deceptive in MAAN?Those who think themselves clever, like DJ, end up looking foolish
Those whom we initially think are foolish, like Dogberry, turn out peculiarly wise
Wisdom is of the heart, not the intellect - 95How much does Hero speak, compared to how often she is mentioned?She has fewer lines than the other major characters
BUT
We hear her name more often that that of any other character - 96Explain Shakespeare's use of Hero's fake death?He was fond of "temporary consignments to the grave."-William Hazlitt
Human tendency to not value someone or something fully until we have lost it.
Audience learns to value life by watching others pretend to die.
Apparent death->comic fullness of life.
Based on Greek myth of Alcestis. - 97Explain the opening of the play?Establishes setting-distances play from English royal politics
Men being praised by men in a courtly setting - 98What was the basis for the Hero-Claudio relationship?Ludovico Ariosto's poem "Orlando Furioso", 1591.
- 99Context of masks?Common feature of popular entertainment and everyday life in Italy and other parts of Europe
Travelling commedia dell'arte players: performed bawdy scenes at carnivals in Venice.
These resemble the masquers and torchbearers in A2 S1. - 100Describe Messina?Large port city
NE tip of SIcily
From end of 13th century-ruled by house of Aragon
Still under Spanish rule in Shakespeare's time
Place of play and restoration
Society bound by custom and convention - 101Context of the Watch?Each area of a city policed by ordinary citizens-no professional police force
Humble, unneducated men
Constable: unpaid volunteer.
Mocked for their pompous self-importance - 102Context: bastards?Conceived outside of wedlock
Common figures in early modern Europe: male infidelity was tacitly accepted
Denied inheritance rights of legitimate children
Seen as scheming villainous figures
Real DJ: of Austria, bastard son of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V - 103Cuckold?"to embarrass"
Depicted with animal horns->shameful sign of having an unfaithful wife
Running joke in ballads, pamphlets, and plays like Much Ado. - 104Marriage in Shakespeare's time?Social and spiritual necessity
Support and companionship
Growing genre of self-help guides offering man-to-man advice on coping with the failings of women and the burden of marriage
Women depicted as manipulative and immoral, deceptive and superficial, hiding their sins beneath a show of virtue - 105Female clothing in 16th century Italy?Complex rules restricting clothing of women before and after marriage
Before vows-Venetian brides could leave father's house, had to be carefully chaperoned and wear a black silk veil - 106Robert Burton's "Anatomy of Melancholy" 1628?Explores mental afflictions and psychological types
Uses Bea and Ben as example- at first "cannot fancie...each other, but are harsh and ready to disagree."
Solution-push couple into marriage->
through closeness they will "begin at last to dote insensibly one upon another." - 107Harpy?Mythical monster of Greek and Roman origin.
Human head
Bird's claws and wings
Metaphor for an annoying, unscrupulous woman. - 108Gardens of gentry and middle classes?Increasingly seen, in Shakespeare's day, as places of pleasure and artful display, spaces for growing food.
Thomas Hill's gardening manuel: designs for mazes, knotted gardens, shady arbours of entwined trees. Spaces consciously framed to produce shade and privacy, encourage visitors to get lost. - 109Ending of Much Ado?Dance
Harmony
Restored order
Close but controlled encounters between the sexes - 110Rapiers in Shakespeare's time?Ornate rapiers or short swords worn
Weapon
Sign of male honour, social rank, contemporary fashion
Metaphor for sharp words between B&B
Benedick challenges Claudio to a duel to defend Hero's honour
Phallic symbol and metaphor - 111Original reception of B&B?Popular
In 1640 Leonard Digges: "let but Beatrice/And Benedicke be seene, loe in a trice/The Cockpit Galleries, Boxes, all are full."
Charles I, in personal copy of Shakespeare: "Bennedike and Beatrice" beside play's title.
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- Flashcards on Drama A Level, created by George Murray on 17/06/2017.
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