Dear All,
Thanks for commenting on the first quote. I liked your comments. Here are three important questions I wish you could answer fairly easily. Please answer the first question only on the blog and the other two in your personal notes. Please use quotations from the play to support your answer.
1. How far is Sheridan successful in using the "Aside" technique? and why is this dramatic technique suitable to the theme of the play?
2. During Sheridan's time "Manners were rigid, morals lax." Comment.
3. Describe the plot structure of the play clarifying the start of each part (initial incident, rising action, etc..)
Enjoy!!
In his play, Sheridan carefully chooses the scenes in which he uses his "Aside" technique to help him convey his main message from the play.He applies that technique in the gathering of the "gossip club" at Lady Sneerwell's in Act2, Sc.2, to allow the audience to meet the true personality of Sir Peter.On the entry of Sir Peter, he salutes the ladies, then says-aside-"Mercy on me!The whole set.A character dead at every word I suppose."This helps reveal to the audience how much Sir Peter despises gossip and scandalizing.And throughout the whole scene, as the members of the "gossip club" keep scandalizing, Sir Peter continues to give "Aside" statements that reveal his hatred to such gatherings where the guests keep killing people with their immoral tongues.Further on in the play, Sheridan uses the "Aside" technique in some of the most important scenes-when Sir Oliver goes incognito to his nephews, Joseph and Charles, individually, to unwind their true characters himself.During his first visit to Charles, Sir Oliver gives prejudgment concerning Charles, based on the attitude of his servant Trip, when he says aside "If the man be shadow of the master, this is the temple of dissipation indeed."Then, throughout the rest of the scene, Sir Oliver keeps giving "Aside" comments that reveal to the audience his rage as Charles sells the pictures of his ancestors at such a low price.Sir Oliver could not reveal his inner emotions "Aloud" because he was in disguise and could not blow his cover, but he used "Aside" statements to let the audience into the depths of his thoughts and feelings concerning the situation.Then by the end of the scene, when Oliver discovers Charles' loyalty, he forgives Charles in an "Aside" statement as well, because he was still under cover.Later on, on his visit to Joseph as Stanley, Sir Oliver also reveals his inner, angered emotions in "Aside" statements, as Joseph talks about him in an impudent and disrespectful manner, accusing him of being a miser who doesn't help him though he his financial status is well.Oliver ends his "Aside" comments by his final decision, "Charles, you are my heir." after discovering his nephew's true personalities, and how Joseph was misjudged as a man who "professes the noblest of sentiments", and Charles as a contrary to his brother.The Aloud talks of Sir Oliver in his visits to his nephews represent "Premium" and "Stanley", which are the "Appearances" of Sir Oliver, deceitful to Joseph and Charles.While, on the other hand, the "Aside" talks are the "Real" Sir Oliver representing his "Real" feelings and thoughts.
ReplyDeleteAs obvious above, the "Aside" technique was a great aid to Sheridan as relevant to the "Appearance Vs. Reality" theme of the play.The "Aside" talks represented the "Reality" of the characters, while their "Appearances" were mostly deceitful to other characters, making it clear to the audience that "Appearances" could be deceitful most of the time, and the the "Reality" of the person, and who they truly are, is what matters the most.
God! That's one super long answer!
ReplyDeleteAside
ReplyDeleteWords spoken by an actor directly to the audience, which are not "heard" by the other characters on stage during a play. In Shakespeare's Othello, Iago voices his inner thoughts a number of times as "asides" for the play's audience.Sheridan uses this techinque to convey certain message to his audience. He also wants us to know much about characters's feeling and thier thoughts and if they like as they appear or not. There are many quotations that show that Sheriden uses aside. For example ,"Mercy on me, here is the whole seat! Acharacter dead at every word i suppose."This quotation is said by sir Peter aside as there is no one hears him but audience do. Sir peter does not like gossiping and backbiting people .He may be here mouthpiece of Sheriden. As the sheriden satirize the behavior and customs of upper classes through witty dialogue and comic situation that expose characters' defeact .Again sir Peter says "Mercy on my life- aperson they dine with twice a week". This quotation shows that sir peter does not accept this custom of gossip in his society because no one should be allowed to "kill characters and run down reputations".Sir peter wants to pass a law against gossiping .There is another example for using aside.When sir Oliver goes to charles pretending to be Mr. Premium with him a Jewish moneylender ,Mose ,whom Sir Oliver has hired . A servant ,Trip ,greets them . While Sir Olive waits for Charles to recieve him and MOse ,Trip tries to borrow twenty pounds from Moses.Sir Oliver says aside "Wants to raise money- mercy on me!"This shows us that Sir Oliver disguise Trip for asking money . If the servant like this what will be his moster.Sir Oliver says"If the man be a shadow of master ,this is the temple of dissipation indeed."
Aside is going alone with theme appearance versus reality . As Joseph appears to be good man but he is not .The school for scandal is more than atypical product of its age
This is a well elaborated answer in regards to the use of aside in the play school for scandal.
ReplyDeletewats the relevancy of the school for scandal to the society???
ReplyDelete