Sunday, January 26, 2020
Kingdom Of Heaven | Summary | Analysis
Kingdom Of Heaven | Summary | Analysis Kingdom of Heaven by Ridley Scott is a modern film about the Crusades, set in 1184 centered on Balian of Ibelin. The film is presented as a conscious piece of historical fiction and the majority of the film follows closely with historical records. (Wikipedia) William Monahan, the films writer, has included several fictional characters and dramatized the relationships between characters to increase the films artistic and commercial appeal. Ridley Scott makes an effort to promote Christian/Muslim peace in the Holy Land and downplays traditional Religious viewpoints. The films cinematography is visually stunning and the battle scenes are intense. (Radcliffe) Overall, the film is enjoyable to watch, although it is quite long. The Directors Cut Edition has a running time of 189 Minutes. Kingdom of Heaven is a fictional historical action film with the main theme of promoting peaceful coexistence between religions. The film begins in a remote French village as Balian, a blacksmith, is devastated over his wifes suicide. Balian meets a group of Crusaders led by Baron Godfrey of Ibelin, who reveals himself to be Balians father. This part of the storyline deviates from historical records because Baron Godfrey is a fictional character and Balian is from Ibelin. (Wikipedia Balian de Ibelin) After killing the town priest, Balian joins Baron Godfrey on his Crusade to Jerusalem with hope of redemption and forgiveness for his sins. During Balians quest to Jerusalem he is Knighted and after his father Godfreys death, is recognized as Baron of Ibelin in Jerusalem. Scott depicts Jerusalem as a city where Christians and Saracens live in peace under King Baldwin IV. King Baldwin IV the Leper ruled Jerusalem from 1174-1185. Jerusalems political arena is complex, as the Knights Templar, led by Guy de Lusignan and Raynald of Chà ¢tillon, Tiberius, the Marshal of Jerusalem, and Princess Sybilla all are seeking to increase their own power. The Knights Templar led by the films Arch-Villian, Guy de Lusignan are the primary Villians and portrayed by Scott as mercenaries, seeking profit and attacking Muslims because God wills it. (Kingdom of Heaven 2005) Princess Sybilla and Balian begin a relationship when she visits Ibelin. This part of the story is fictional and my feeling is that Scott intended to make the film more appealing to women by adding a romantic affair between the main characters. The Knights Templar attack a Muslim trade caravan that is under protection of Saladin, the leader of the Muslim army. Saladin is a Muslim historical figure that led the Muslim Army in opposition to the Crusaders and ruled over Egypt, Syria, and Damascus. (Maalouf 1984) This attack sets into motion a course of events that ends with Saladin gaining control of Jerusalem in the films final scenes. Saladin attacks Kerak, Raynalds castle as retribution for his crimes. During the battle, Balian and his men are captured while trying to defend the villagers. Because Balian had displayed mercy by releasing one of Saladins servants earlier in the film, Saladin releases Balian and a temporary truce is negotiated between the Muslims and Christians. This is an example of the films main theme and prominent sub-theme of doing good deeds for others. Shortly after the battle, King Baldwin passes away, leaving Sybillas son, Baldwin V King of Jerusalem. Historical records indicate that Saladin did attac k Kerak in 1183 and 1184, but was repelled by the Crusaders. (Wikipedia Siege of Kerak) In addition, King Baldwin IV did not pass away immediately after the Siege of Kerak, he passed away in 1185. Scott indicates a bias toward the Muslims in this part of the film; he depicts the Knights Templar and Raynald as warmongers and the films villains. Raynald and Guy are against peace between the Christians and Muslims. King Baldwin Vs reign over Jerusalem is temporary because Princess Sybilla euthanizes her son out of compassion, as she finds that he is also a Leper. This part of the film is fictional, King Baldwin V was not a Leper, but he did pass away in 1186, just one year after becoming King. (Wikipedia King Baldwin V) Sybilla crowns Guy de Lusignan as King and he immediately instructs Raynald to wage war against Saladin. Raynald and Guy lead the Knights Templar to battle against Balians advice. Saladin massacres the Raynalds Army at the Battle of Hattin and personally beheads Raynald. This was Saladins plan all along; he knew Guy and the Knights Templar would attack first. After Balian survives an assassination attempt ordered by Guy, he joins Tiberius in Jerusalem which is now virtually defenseless against Saladins Army. By showing the aftermath of the Battle of Hattin, that God has punished an evil man and his followers belligerent actions with death, Scott reinforces the films primary them e of encouraging peaceful coexistence between religions and sub-theme, that doing good deeds for others is being religious. Tiberius and his men abandon Balian and the people of Jerusalem, leaving no Knights to defend the city. This part of the film shows how Balians values have changed during the film. Before Balian left on his Crusade, he had lost faith in religion and himself, and now he is a confident and selfless leader, who stays in Jerusalem only to defend the cities people. (Kingdom of Heaven 2005) Scott shows a bias toward the Christian point of view in the films final scenes and audience should feel a strong sympathy to the Christians as they are defending innocent people. In preparation for the battle with Saladin, Balian Knights many of the villagers to improve morale. Balian is outnumbered by Saladins men and his only hope is to protect the city long enough to force Saladin to make a deal to protect the people of Jerusalem. Balian and his men successfully withstand a barrage of bombs from Saladins Trebuchets and attacks from his Army for three days. During the battle, Balian is a successful Commander, although he is injured while fighting with a Muslim. On the third day, Saladin is able to breach Jerusalems walls overpower Balians men. Balian is able to negotiate the peaceful surrender of Jerusalem with Saladin only because he threatens to destroy the city and all religious artifacts, both Muslim and Christian if the battle continues. This scene is based in fact as records indicate that Balian de Ibelin did negotiate the surrender of Jerusalem to Saladin, but that Saladin was offered a ransom for all Christians to leave Jerusalem unharmed. (Wikipedia Balian de Ibelin) The film ends with Balian and Sybilla in the remote French Village where the story began. King Richard of England and his men ride along searching for the defender of Jerusalem and Balian replies, I am a blacksmith. (Kingdom of Heaven 2005 ) Ridley Scott conveys his primary theme with his final message that Nearly a thousand years later, peace in the Kingdom of Heaven remains elusive. Throughout the film we see evidence that Scott is promoting peaceful coexistence between religions. King Baldwin IV states, A man must choose to do good deeds instead of evil and Your Soul is in control of your own. Balian consistently supports this theme by resisting violence, by refusing to fight over his horse, releasing Guy de Langston after the final duel and many other times during the film. Ridley Scott has disguised Kingdom of Heaven as a visually pleasing historical action film; Scott wants his audience to realize the futility of war and the value of peaceful coexistence between all religions. http://blogcritics.org/video/article/movie-review-kingdom-of-heaven1/ Maalouf, Amin. 1984. Crusades Through Arab Eyes. Online E-Reserve Edition. London: Al Saqi Books. Kingdom of Heaven: Directors Cut Edition. 2005. Directed by Ridley Scott. 189 Min. Century City, CA: 20th Century Fox. Blu-Ray.
Saturday, January 18, 2020
Western Art Exhibition Critique
The show ââ¬Å"Renoir in the 20th Centuryâ⬠is a group art exhibit of the French artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir and his friends, held at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), exhibiting from February 14 to May 9, 2010. The paintings on exhibit are the works Renoir finished in the last 30 years of his life, included in the 6,000 art pieces he finished throughout his entire career. The gallery literature lists his displayed work as ââ¬Å"decorative, classical, and a highly personal interpretation of the Grand Tradition. The artists that Renoir influenced throughout his life and are also on display at the LACMA with their paintings, drawings and sculptures are Picasso, Matisse, Maillol and Bonnard. The art works in the public display by Renoir consist of women, children and family members with only a few self-portraits. No landscape or still life is evident in this show, as in his earlier Impressionism shows. But what makes it important is that the art work is good, as compared to years of negative art reviews by critics, who have turned their backs on this notable artist in his later years. Painting until he died in 1919, Renoir was an unpretentious and very humble artist, even though he always wanted to be the best at what he did. He had become well-established during the Impressionism years because of his talent and this attitude. However, his successful art period was quickly followed by years of wondering if he could ever paint again. Iââ¬â¢m starting to know how to paint. It has taken me over fifty yearsââ¬â¢ work to get this far and itââ¬â¢s not finished yet,â⬠declared the artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) in 1913, at a time when a major exhibition of his work, including the large nudes painted at the turn of the twentieth century, was in the show at the Bernheim Jeune gallery in Paris. When Renoir followed other artists, such as Monet, into Impressionism it w as considered by the art world as a huge movement away from Realism ââ¬â the historical work of past artists that almost appeared to imitate life. The year 1869 had brought a new style of art called Impressionism into the world, developed by artists Renoir and Monet. At the beginning of the art movement, the works of both artists were so much alike it was as if their still life and landscape art blended together into one joyful union with colors to match the feelings. Using unmixed primary colors, the work had a look about it unlike any other. The dark earthy tones and heavy dedicated brush strokes of the previous masters were gone. By 1880, Renoir had begun to move away from Impressionism even though he was highly sought for his unique colors and rainbow palette style, especially in his nudes and body forms. However, deep inside he felt he had ââ¬Å"wrung Impressionism dry. â⬠These feelings are because his work of the human form had always been more traditional than other artists of the Impressionism group, and he was feeling as if it was pulling him away from what he felt was right for him. Renoir's return from an Italy trip in 1982 left him doubting Impressionism even more, with his work changing so much that critics, patrons and other artists felt he was going downhill with his art ability. At this time, late Renoir artwork was beginning to be considered bad Renoir work. Showing with the Impressionists, the painter [Renoir] is reported to have lamented to a dealer, ââ¬Å"I've come to the conclusion that I can neither paint nor draw. â⬠Looking at the show one is inclined to mumble, ââ¬Å"Indeed. Renoir eventually left Impressionism, returning to the full-bodied female nude and children he enjoyed doing, instead of landscape and outdoors. After studying in Italy, he discovered the importance of drawing prior to painting. According to the art exhibit literature, the work of Gabriel and Jean that Renoir painted in 1895, a painting of his infant son and nanny, demonstrated this fact. Prior to its painting, he worked on preparatory drawings of the painting before he started. This was difficult He had become so mesmerized with the child's infant gown he spent hours on the painting, while quickly painting over the face of Gabrielle whom he really did not want to paint, refusing her several times prior to this. ââ¬Å"He [Jean] said that in his father's paintings, everyone looked as if they were brothers and sisters. We are all Renoir's children in the paintings,â⬠Jean Renoir said. â⬠Severely in pain with rheumatoid arthritis, his hands became completely gnarled and he became wheelchair-bound. In as much pain as he was, he still painted for years. Paintings like Jean as a Huntsman shows a full-length portrait of his son, Jean, referred to as a modern ââ¬Å"Blue Boy. â⬠The work appears as a work of the old masters, with the gallery listings describing it as similar to the work of Spanish artist Diego Velazquez, which exemplified Renoir's work with ââ¬Å"great art of the pastâ⬠ââ¬â with Jean posing for several months while his father painted under extreme pain throughout the process. According to the LACMA literature for the show, the painting remained with Renoir until his death, and then was given to LACMA by Renoir's son, Jean, in 1979. Subject matter of his final years were nudes, girls at a piano, children with their nannies ââ¬â turning his back on his Impressionism style he had been so involved with earlier in his life. The light brush strokes disappeared, with Renoir returning to the style of the old masters such as Rubens. With hands appearing as old tree stumps, he had mastered the use of color and brush strokes toward his final years. To paint, he wrapped fabric around his gnarled fingers while clamping a paintbrush between the thumb and first of his right hand, appearing gaunt and emaciated. But he still painted for hours because if he quit, the pain may actually destroy him. The art display ââ¬Å"Renoir in the 20th Centuryâ⬠Los Angeles County Museum of Art demonstrates how far Renoir had come artistically toward the end of his life. Instead of ââ¬Å"Bad Renoir artâ⬠in his later years, it was the best he had ever done with a glowing to his skin tone other artists could not compete with. Becoming more and more of an art master who was dedicated to his work helped him overcome his physical pain. Through this, he worked to re-develop and refine the traditional forms and methods into an exquisite art form he had always preferred. Nowhere is this success more apparent than in the art exhibit of Renoir and his friends.
Friday, January 10, 2020
Commentary for ââ¬ÅThe May Poles and Their Queenââ¬Â Essay
When reading the Greek myth Orpheus, I was immediately struck by the heroism of the central character. Orpheus is the classic male hero, overcoming all obstacles to bring back his beloved Eurydice, only to be eventually thwarted by something even more powerful than his heroism: his own love. Because of the essentially classical, romanticized nature of Orpheus, I felt it would be an ideal source text for a modern-day interpretation. In order to gain a better understanding of the text, I initially adopted, in Stuart Hallââ¬â¢s terms, the ââ¬Ëpreferredââ¬â¢ reading; that is, how the audience are ââ¬Ëmeantââ¬â¢ to read a text, who they are expected to empathise with and what conclusions they are meant to draw. Applying Greimasââ¬â¢s structuralist scheme, I found it easy to identify Orpheus as the ââ¬Ësubjectââ¬â¢ or, according to Proppââ¬â¢s ââ¬Ëspheres of influenceââ¬â¢, the ââ¬Ëheroââ¬â¢. Orpheus can also be identified as Proppââ¬â¢s ââ¬Ëdonorââ¬â¢ figure through his extraordinary skill at playing the lyre, which provides him with apparently limitless power when it comes to charming the gods of the underworld. The ââ¬Ësenderââ¬â¢ would be Eurydice, for dying and subsequently ââ¬Ësendingââ¬â¢ Orpheus on his quest to the underworld. The ââ¬Ëvillainââ¬â¢ could be Aristaeus for chasing Eurydice, or any of the creatures of the underworld for opposing Orpheus. Alternatively, and perhaps more interestingly, the ââ¬Ëvillainââ¬â¢ could be Orpheusââ¬â¢s own love, which is so strong it forces him to look back, and lose his wife forever. Eurydice can also be identified as Greimasââ¬â¢s ââ¬Ëobjectââ¬â¢ or Proppââ¬â¢s ââ¬Ëprincessââ¬â¢: the ââ¬Ëobjectââ¬â¢ of Orpheusââ¬â¢s quest, whose only ââ¬Ëskillââ¬â¢ is to be desired by the ââ¬Ësubjectââ¬â¢, Orpheus. I also applied Tzvetan Tordorovââ¬â¢s theory that there is a similar narrative framework to all stories. For Todorov, a story usually begins with a state of peace and harmony, an ââ¬Ëequilibriumââ¬â¢: Orpheus has his love, his music and is happy. This then evolves into ââ¬Ëdisruptionââ¬â¢: Eurydice dies and Orpheus must journey to the underworld to bring her back. Then Orpheus attempts to repair the ââ¬Ëdisequilibriumââ¬â¢, by charming the creatures of the underworld. Next, according to Todorov, a ââ¬Ënew equilibriumââ¬â¢ is often found. However, in Orpheus, this is not the case. Eurydice is left in the underworld and Orpheusââ¬â¢s head is left singing alone in the upper world, still crying out for his lost love, unable to find his ââ¬Ënew equilibriumââ¬â¢ by being denied even unity in death. Applying these structuralist theories, I found, only served to emphasize the essentially patriarchal nature of the myth. The literary theorist Terry Eagleton talks of how ââ¬Å"[a textââ¬â¢s] blindnesses, what it does not say and how it does not say itâ⬠¦ [is] maybe as important as what it articulatesâ⬠(Eagleton, 1996) i.e. the ââ¬Ëuntoldââ¬â¢ story, the ââ¬Ëgapsââ¬â¢ in the original tale, can allow for additional perspectives other than the conventional, ââ¬Ëpreferredââ¬â¢ reading. In reference to Orpheus, I felt that the character of Eurydice, and her account of events, was a very important ââ¬Ëblindnessââ¬â¢, which had been largely ignored by Greek mythology. Because of this, I decided to adopt a more ââ¬Ëoppositional readingââ¬â¢, as Hall would characterise it, and subsequently, a more ââ¬Ëfeministââ¬â¢ approach, making Eurydice the classic hero. This opened up a variety of possibilities to me concerning the other roles. Could Orpheus (or Christian in my re-working) now become the ââ¬Ëvillainââ¬â¢, his ââ¬Ëquestââ¬â¢, from her perspective, becoming more akin to a ââ¬Ëhunting downââ¬â¢? The ââ¬Ëobjectââ¬â¢ could now become Edieââ¬â¢s desire to be recognised and appreciated. Could Christianââ¬â¢s ââ¬Ëunderworldââ¬â¢ not be Edieââ¬â¢s ââ¬Ënew equilibriumââ¬â¢? I also thought it would be interesting to strip Christian of his ââ¬Ëdonorââ¬â¢ role by making his musical talent all a faà ¯Ã ¿Ã ½ade. I felt that it was a perfectly reasonable reading of the original text to believe that the reason Orpheus ââ¬Ërequiredââ¬â¢ Eurydice was simply to act as his ââ¬Ëmuseââ¬â¢ and inspire him to create beautiful music. By interpreting Orpheusââ¬â¢ need for Eurydice on a more literal level, I could make Edie the one who was the true musician. This makes Christianââ¬â¢s need for her all the more desperate as, without Edie, Christian feels he can no longer be a successful musician, as is the case in the original text. I also felt that the tale of Orpheus had almost become too romanticized and was subsequently open to a parody. Consequently, I tried to create a carnivalesque interpretation, that is, exaggerate some of the key aspects of the characters until they almost become ââ¬Ëgrotesqueââ¬â¢, in order to evoke humour. I decided to make my target audience aged 14-18, as I felt that they would feel comfortable with the modern-day, often egotistical, music culture, and also be open to, and appreciate, the attempt to invert the original taleââ¬â¢s gender stereotyping. As I wanted to create a visually dynamic as well as linguistically comical piece, I chose the genre of a television drama: a genre likely to appeal to my target audience. This also allows the piece to suddenly break out of realism in order to give the drama a distinctly surreal edge, for example, the impromptu arrival of the snake. I felt the addition of this element of ââ¬Ëmagical realismââ¬â¢ to the piece would add to the farcical nature and heighten the comedy. The opening few scenes are key to establishing the tone of the piece, and also the charactersââ¬â¢ relationships. The opening scene of a ââ¬Å"rock bandâ⬠performing on stage is designed to grab the viewerââ¬â¢s attention, whilst also appealing to my target audience. Christian uses the informal register of the archetypal ââ¬Ërock starââ¬â¢: ââ¬Å"Weââ¬â¢ve been Christian and the May Poles! Goodnight!â⬠This type of lexis has connotations of arrogance and vanity, which is designed to contrast with the stupidity of Orpheusââ¬â¢s kilt and also the band name ââ¬ËChristian and the May Polesââ¬â¢, a pun on the original ââ¬ËMaenadsââ¬â¢. By having Edie backstage, providing the real musical talent, she initially appears a relatively oppressed, marginalised character: always forced to stay in the background: ââ¬Å"Yeah. Well, I ainââ¬â¢t ââ¬ËChristianââ¬â¢, am I?â⬠There is a sense that Edie has accepted the belief imposed upon her by Christian: that she is simply an accessory to his success. I gave her a distinct Northern accent in order to appear more ââ¬Ëdown to earthââ¬â¢ than her ââ¬Ërock starââ¬â¢ counterpart, and also to appeal more to the audience as the ââ¬Ëunder-dogââ¬â¢. Throughout, Christian is portrayed as the archetypal, vain, male ââ¬Ërock starââ¬â¢. I attempted to emphasize this vanity linguistically, through his self-obsessed use of language ââ¬â ââ¬Å"Youââ¬â¢ve already got flowers. My flowers. Flowers handpicked by moiâ⬠ââ¬â and also through his obsession with his eyebrows. I felt that by giving this conventionally ââ¬Ëeffeminateââ¬â¢ concern to both Christian and Al, I could further parody the ââ¬Ëstrongââ¬â¢ male stereotype associated with Greek myths. One of the key changes that I made to the original text was that in my drama, Edie runs away from Christian as opposed to ââ¬Å"Aristaeusâ⬠. She is also willingly ââ¬Ëbittenââ¬â¢ by the snake. By having Edie willingly leave Christian for the ââ¬Ëunderworldââ¬â¢, this is in keeping with my overall ââ¬Ëfeministââ¬â¢ angle of approach, as it now becomes Edieââ¬â¢s ââ¬Ëquestââ¬â¢ to find her role as a performer. Instead of making the characters of my ââ¬Ëunderworldââ¬â¢ subtly linked to the characters in the original myth, I decided on overstating their most obvious physical features in order to provide an out and out carnivalesque adaptation. Because of this, I decided that a theatre would be an ideal setting, and, by drawing inspiration from the character of the serpent, introduced the idea of a pantomime production of the Bible in the hope that this would generate further humour. Deliberately playing with the notion of stereotypes, that is foregrounding the whole issue, was also a comic device. Just as Christian is the ââ¬Ëstereotypical rock starââ¬â¢, so all the characters of the underworld are stereotypical actors, as I felt this would add a new angle to these conventionally frightening characters. The use of ââ¬Ëstockââ¬â¢ figures and the language associated with them, ââ¬â such as the ââ¬Ëwiseââ¬â¢ Yorkshiremen ââ¬â would also speed up audience recognition and mean the characters would not need to be individually introduced. In earlier drafts, I had attempted to give the beginning a more serious edge, in order to contrast with the absurdity of the underworld. I had incorporated monologues, in the style of Jim Cartwrightââ¬â¢s Road, in an attempt to provide greater character insight. However, these monologues seemed to ââ¬Ëjarââ¬â¢ with the other scenes and make the beginning appear ââ¬Ëflatââ¬â¢, without really adding to the piece. Although they established the characters, they did so in a rather bland, pedestrian way, so these scenes were reworked. However, I still felt I had to emphasize the difference between the characters of the ââ¬Ëupper worldââ¬â¢ and those of the ââ¬Ëunderworldââ¬â¢ and one of the main ways I did this was through my choice of language. Because my chosen setting was a theatre, I wanted to give the language of the ââ¬Ëunderworldââ¬â¢ a distinct theatrical edge. One of the ways I tried to achieve this was through my use of ââ¬Å"luvvies'â⬠discourse, for example, the Serpentââ¬â¢s line ââ¬Å"How marvellous!â⬠, an indication of the affected register of language associated with the theatre. This inflated speech is in immediate contrast to both Christian and Edieââ¬â¢s more ââ¬Ëdown to earthââ¬â¢, Northern dialect and I tried to emphasize this contrast by having the two types of speech juxtaposed in order that they might ââ¬Ëbreak againstââ¬â¢ each other and subsequently, generate humour: ââ¬Å"Greetings Child/Who the hell are you?â⬠Another theatrical device which I made use of was the ââ¬Ëone linerââ¬â¢ ââ¬â a device associated with pantomime ââ¬â in the hope that this would make the piece feel like a ââ¬Å"pantomime production of Orpheusâ⬠as it were. For example the serpentââ¬â¢s ââ¬Ëone-linerââ¬â¢ ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m playing the serpent incidentallyâ⬠attempts to add humour by overstatement, as I interpreted this character on a literal level and made my serpent, an actor ââ¬Å"wearing a giant green snake costumeâ⬠. This line also refers to both the pantomime production of the Bible and the original Greek myth. It will inform viewers already familiar with the myth that the ââ¬Ëdescent into the underworldââ¬â¢ is about to begin, and provide a ââ¬Ësneak previewââ¬â¢ into future events. The ââ¬Ëwise menââ¬â¢, Rod, Bob and Todd were added to act as a Cerebus figure. I gave them each a pint of beer in order that they might ââ¬Ëfoam at the mouthââ¬â¢ as Cerebus was famed for doing, and made them ââ¬Å"drunk andâ⬠¦ quite menacingâ⬠in order to, like Cerebus, be perceived as ââ¬Ëviciousââ¬â¢. Through their physical similarity and the syntactical correspondency of their language, they are designed to appear like a ââ¬Ëclub-actââ¬â¢, finishing off each otherââ¬â¢s sentences in an almost ââ¬Ëpantomime patterââ¬â¢ style, in order to ââ¬Ëgang upââ¬â¢ on Christian: ââ¬Å"We are wise men./The wise men of Yorkshireâ⬠. I also made them speak simultaneously, in order to appear as though they are ââ¬Ëone being with three headsââ¬â¢: ââ¬Å"We know!â⬠I transformed the original mythological character of Charon into another actor, Little Ron. I combined many of the traditional aspects of Charon such as the hood and cape, with sunglasses in order to contrast with Charonââ¬â¢s ââ¬Ëblazing eyesââ¬â¢ motif. I also made him exceptionally short in order to dismiss any preconceptions which the audience may have of Charon being ââ¬Ëspookyââ¬â¢ and ââ¬Ëall powerfulââ¬â¢. As opposed to Orpheus paying Charon ââ¬Ëone silver coinââ¬â¢ to descend in the underworld, Christian instead gives Little Ron a cigarette. I felt this fitted in with my modern-day outlook and also would add a comical element by effectively having ââ¬Å"Godâ⬠smoking. One of the most dramatic changes I made to the original tale was that in my version, Edie chooses to stay in the ââ¬Ëunderworldââ¬â¢, and it is she, as opposed to Des/Hades, who sends Christian back to the ââ¬Ëupper worldââ¬â¢ with the dismissive remark ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m an actress, Chrisâ⬠. By changing the original ending, Edie has found her real existence in the underworld, and to her, it is the upper world which is full of misery. Christian, however becomes a classic picture of male melancholy: ââ¬Å"homeless and unable to even strum his guitar.â⬠He is an allusion to the current crisis in masculinity, a phenomenon often voiced in the media, his ââ¬Ëtraditional roleââ¬â¢ as the performer taken over by his female counterpart: abandoned for ââ¬Å"Keith Harrisâ⬠. Because of this, Christian feels his masculinity has been threatened. This is then made ironic by his final effeminate cry of ââ¬Å"My tweezers!â⬠In the final scene, I had Edie ââ¬Å"smiling sadisticallyâ⬠as she plucks her eyebrows, indicative of her mocking of Christian, a reversal of the original patriarchal tale. For whereas in the original text, it is the ââ¬Ëheroââ¬â¢ Orpheus who ââ¬Ëgoes on his quest and failsââ¬â¢, in my transformation it is the ââ¬Ëheroineââ¬â¢ Edie, who not only sets off on her ââ¬Ëquestââ¬â¢ but also succeeds and ultimately, it is she who ââ¬Ëcomes out on topââ¬â¢. BIBLIOGRAPHY Philip, Neil. The Illustrated Book of Myths, (DK, 2000) Hughes, Ted. Ted Hughesââ¬â¢ Collected Plays for Children, (Faber, 2001) Widdicombe, Rupert. The Sunday Times, (4 September 1994, CINEMA, pages 10-11) Ross, Alison and Greatrex, Jen. A2 English Language and Literature, (Heinemann, 2001) Eagleton, Terry. Literary Theory, An Introduction (Blackwell, 1996) Machery, Pierre. A Theory of Literary Production (Routlege and Kegan Paul. 1978) Graves, Robert. The Greek Myths:1 (Penguin, 1955) Vogler, Christopher. The Writerââ¬â¢s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers (Michael Wiese Productions, 1998) Cartwright, Jim. Road (Samuel French, 1989)
Thursday, January 2, 2020
Center For Applied Linguistics What Is An Assessment...
Center for Applied Linguistics What is an assessment portfolio? An assessment portfolio is a compilation of a student s authentic work over a particular period. The assessment portfolio allows for identifying growth in a concise package. The collection of work includes grading guidelines, the rational for the evaluations chosen, and allow for self-awareness. What are the advantages of assessment portfolio systems for ELLs? The portfolio of assessment allows students to guide their personal, academic goals by composing academic evidence of their abilities. A portfolio allows a visual understanding of accomplishments each ELL student has achieved. It allows for an open grading scale. The collection of work allows students to have the input of the academic success.The ideology of the collection of work encompasses positive attributes that allow students another positive interaction throughout their academic day. What are the challenges of assessment portfolios? Portfolios of any type require an extensive amount of time and organization, especially depending on classroom size. There may be limitations to the value of an assessment portfolio. A factor of these constraints may include the view of bias (positive or negative) from the educator perception of the child s growth and potential. The fact that materials listed in the documentation are not based on standardized testing models lack credibility for some school districts. I have questions dealing with classShow MoreRelated The Issue with Traditional Testing Methods Essay3581 Words à |à 15 Pagesplace in a non-discriminatory manner, adjustments must be made. According to the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC), ââ¬Å"Alternative assessment is any form of measuring what students know and are able to do other than traditional standardized tests. Alternative forms of assessment include portfolios that are collections of stu dents work over time, performance-based assessments, and other means of testing students such as open-ended essays with no single correct answer, and project work thatRead MoreMultiple Intelligences Seminar and Workshop14464 Words à |à 58 PagesIntelligences Seminar/Workshop Content Outline: PART I ââ¬â Explanation 1. What is the theory of multiple intelligences (M.I.)? 2. How does this theory differ from the traditional definition of intelligence? 3. What do multiple intelligences have to do with my classroom? 4. How has M.I. theory developed since it was introduced in 1983? 5. Who are the critics of this theory and what do they say? 6. What are some benefits of using the multiple intelligences approach in my schoolRead MoreConducting Action Research in the Foreign Language Classroom3273 Words à |à 14 PagesNortheast Conference 1998 New York, NY Anna Uhl Chamot Sarah Barnhardt Susan Dirstine Materials Contributor: Jennifer Kevorkian National Capital Language Resource Center 2011 Eye Street NW Suite 200 Washington, DC 20006 THE NATIONAL CAPITAL LANGUAGE RESOURCE CENTER GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY/ THE CENTER FOR APPLIED LINGUISTICS/ THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY NORTHEAST CONFERENCE 1998 CONDUCTING ACTION RESEARCH Foreign language teachers develop insights into their studentsââ¬â¢ learning from observingRead MorePortfolio Integrative Essay : Portfolio3159 Words à |à 13 Pages Portfolio Integrative Essay Summative Evaluation. Kendra Andersson Simpson University CP6410- Seminar and Capstone Patsy Shealy, PhD, LMFT July 24, 2015 Portfolio Integrative Essay Summative Evaluation. In this final essay for the Portfolio Capstone Project, I will demonstrate my ability to integrate the knowledge and skills I have acquired during this program. This writing will include a brief written demonstration of each competencies using preselected prompts. The followingRead MoreMisconceptions on Learner Autonomy: a Methodological and Conceptual Renewal4972 Words à |à 20 Pageslearner-centered approaches. As the learner has become the center of the foreign language teaching, autonomy has been attributed to the learner as one of the essential capabilities that a learner should have. Learners are the ones who are in charge of learning. To motivate learners in language education can happen only if the learners can learn on their own as well as the cooperation with teachers and their peers. Thus learner autonomy as applied to language learning means studentsââ¬â¢ taking more controlRead MoreUnderstanding 21st Century Skillsâ⬠in English Language Classrooms3761 Words à |à 16 Pagesmain thrust of this movement is to make learners a productive contributors to upcoming society, for this it is necessary for the teachers to enable the learners to quickly learn the core content of a field of knowledge while also mastering a broad portfolio of essentials in learning, innovation, technology, and careers skills needed for work and life. Through multimodal activities, students will explore key elements of design such as color, shape, size, texture, density, and layout to understand andRead MoreDual Language4991 Words à |à 20 Pages Table of Contents Abstract 2 Features of Dual Language Education Programs 4 Assessment and Accountability 6 Curriculum 6 Instruction 7 Staff Quality 10 Professional Development 12 Program Structure 14 Family and Community 16 Support and Resources 17 Conclusion 18 References 20 Abstract What is Dual language? Dual language is a form of bilingual education that teaches students, as young as pre-kRead More2010 Secondary Education Curriculum in English6955 Words à |à 28 Pagesfunctional literacy. This became a primary consideration in the design of the curriculum and the formulation of standards and the essential understandings from which the content of the curriculum was derived. The results of national and international assessments were reviewed and analyzed for their implications for teaching and learning. The findings were used to further tighten the standards and improve the delivery of the curriculum and the teaching-learning process. The results of the evaluation of theRead MoreStrategic Information Systems Planning (Literature Review)8531 Words à |à 35 Pages3.1 Inverted U- curve: Law of diminishing returns 3.2 Optimization of planning process 4. Factors influencing decision-making 4.1 Environmental factors 4.1.1 SISP Performance in an uncertain environment 4.1.2 Environmental assessment in strategic information systems planning 4.1.2.1 Hypotheses Testing 4.1.3 Uncertainty in SISP Due To Environmental Factors 4.2 SIS and Its Interface with the CEO 4.3 Alignment of SISP with Corporate Strategy Read MoreCommunicative Language Teaching15330 Words à |à 62 PagesTeaching Today is distributed with permission from SEAMEO Regional Language Centre and is part of the Portfolio series by SEAMEO Regional Language Centre which holds the copyright to this material. First published 2006 Printed in the United States of America isbn-13 978-0-521-92512-9 paperback Book layout services: Page Designs International Table of Contents Introduction 1 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 What Is Communicative Language Teaching? The Background to CLT 6 Classroom Activities in Communicative Language
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