OK, time to catch up
Oops, I forgot to blog last week. Hmmm. I liked the James article, I found it a little incongruous with the works I have read of his, though. Hmmm. I think what we said in class, though, about his Novels being quite different from the shorter works, is true, though. I guess this article seemed a little...romantic, almost, in its idealisation of reading. Which I relate to, personally, it is just surprising from James. "A novel is in its broadest definition a personal, a direct impression of life" Hmmm. Very interesting, though. I may have to go back and read more Henry James, to articulate this further. Anyway.
I found the Corneille article amusing, and not a little extreme in the strictness of the rules. I am not sure I agree with him, even in the opening, where he asserts that "in comedy, unity of action consists in the unity of plot or the obstacle to the plans of the principal actors, and in tragedy in the unity of peril, whether the hero falls victim to it or escapes." I can see the point about comedy, I remember after it was pointed out to me that there is almost always a blocking agent or, more likely, character that was central to the plot, I was shocked to discover that it was really true. But "peril" as the unifying agent to drama just dosen't work for me. I like the definitions of comedy and drama that focus on comedy as the story of a community, and the blocking character playing out objection to something that goes against social mores or convention, but resolved in the end, and the community goes on to thrive, all is well. That goes along with Corneille's assertions. But in this definition, Drama is the story of the individual, and the development of the character and internal growth. Peril may of may not have anything to do with this, but I really don't see it at the level of importance Corneille seems to give it. Hmm. Often the character Drama focuses on does face some sort of struggle or life changing event, though...
OK, that's all I can come up with right now...I really need to do this right before or after class from now on...
Jen
I found the Corneille article amusing, and not a little extreme in the strictness of the rules. I am not sure I agree with him, even in the opening, where he asserts that "in comedy, unity of action consists in the unity of plot or the obstacle to the plans of the principal actors, and in tragedy in the unity of peril, whether the hero falls victim to it or escapes." I can see the point about comedy, I remember after it was pointed out to me that there is almost always a blocking agent or, more likely, character that was central to the plot, I was shocked to discover that it was really true. But "peril" as the unifying agent to drama just dosen't work for me. I like the definitions of comedy and drama that focus on comedy as the story of a community, and the blocking character playing out objection to something that goes against social mores or convention, but resolved in the end, and the community goes on to thrive, all is well. That goes along with Corneille's assertions. But in this definition, Drama is the story of the individual, and the development of the character and internal growth. Peril may of may not have anything to do with this, but I really don't see it at the level of importance Corneille seems to give it. Hmm. Often the character Drama focuses on does face some sort of struggle or life changing event, though...
OK, that's all I can come up with right now...I really need to do this right before or after class from now on...
Jen
posted by Jenni Lovato at 4:55:00 PM
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