I have mentioned the Rupert Everett Byron programme that was on recently. Although INCREDIBLY rude, it is essential viewing and it is available on 4OD (see link below). I must stipulate that it is quite offensive if you are of a delicate sensibility, but highly insightful and relevant for our play. If you're prepared, please watch it and comment on this post.
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-scandalous-adventures-of-lord-byron/4od#2935402
Tuesday, 29 September 2009
Sunday, 20 September 2009
Essay: How does Stoppard present Regency attitudes to women in the exchange between Septimus and Chater in Scene 1?
Please submit questions, concerns or insights here.
Welcome to the Arcadia blog
Welcome, Arcadians!
Blogging is increasingly becoming used in academic circles as a way to share learning beyond the classroom walls. In fact, some univrsity courses now require you to blog as a mandatory element of course structure, often using blog comments as a form of assessment. Hopefully you will all have many insightful comments to make over the next few months that will be shared with the year group in their learning.
Arcadia is a complex play that requires careful consideration. The amount of time that we spend together in class seems as though it may prove insufficient for a full appreciation of all of the elements that will lead to your decision of coursework topic.
This blog intends to ask questions that may either not surface in class or that may require development beyond the classroom walls and should thus lead you to think more creatively about some of the more intricate aspects of the play.
Please take time to read posts, contribute thoughts and add posts of your own so that we can extend our understanding of the play and share insights that will inevitably improve your analysis.
Blogging is increasingly becoming used in academic circles as a way to share learning beyond the classroom walls. In fact, some univrsity courses now require you to blog as a mandatory element of course structure, often using blog comments as a form of assessment. Hopefully you will all have many insightful comments to make over the next few months that will be shared with the year group in their learning.
Arcadia is a complex play that requires careful consideration. The amount of time that we spend together in class seems as though it may prove insufficient for a full appreciation of all of the elements that will lead to your decision of coursework topic.
This blog intends to ask questions that may either not surface in class or that may require development beyond the classroom walls and should thus lead you to think more creatively about some of the more intricate aspects of the play.
Please take time to read posts, contribute thoughts and add posts of your own so that we can extend our understanding of the play and share insights that will inevitably improve your analysis.
Mrs Chater: harlot or feminist?
Because we never meet Mrs Chater in the play, we have to judge her as she is presented by others. This may cause a problem if we only consider her in light of what the men say about her, so we should also consider Thomasina and Lady Croom's judgement as well as her own voice in the letter she sends to Septimus. Furthermore, we should interpret her character beyond what is explicitly said.
Is Mrs Chater a self-interested sexual predator? Is she a victim of the men who seduce her? What motivates her actions: is it marital disillusionment or the desire to rise into the world of men in the only way she knows how? How can we contrast her actions with those of the other female characters who seek to penetrate the male hegemony?
Is Mrs Chater a self-interested sexual predator? Is she a victim of the men who seduce her? What motivates her actions: is it marital disillusionment or the desire to rise into the world of men in the only way she knows how? How can we contrast her actions with those of the other female characters who seek to penetrate the male hegemony?
Septimus: morality under the microscope
Septimus clearly has questionable morality, yet we seem to find him ultimately sympathetic as a character and take delight in his cuckolding of Mr. Chater. What does this say about us? Are we sadistic or do we grant Septimus permission to flout the moral codes of the Regency period because of their inherent hypocrisy?
Consider Septimus' actions in the play and evaluate his moral rectitude in light of these questions. Also, look at this link and consider whether we can label Septimus as a nihilist and, if so, whether the play advocates nihilism.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nihilism
Consider Septimus' actions in the play and evaluate his moral rectitude in light of these questions. Also, look at this link and consider whether we can label Septimus as a nihilist and, if so, whether the play advocates nihilism.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nihilism
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