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LITR 4533: |
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Web Highlight 2006 |
WEB
HIGHLIGHT – DESIRE UNDER THE ELMS
IRIS
GILBERT
06/08/06
INTRODUCTION
When a story or a plot contains a basic storyline combined with another storyline, narrative genre is at work. Desire Under the Elms is a good example of such a genre. There is a combination of comedy, romance, and tragedy working together in Desire and with the help of student postings from previous semesters; we will take a look at each of these storylines.
COMEDY
This storyline often begins with a problem…but the problem is less significant than tragedy…ends with the problem overcome…Usually the problem was simply “a misunderstanding” rather than a tragic error. The concluding action of a comedy is easy to identify. Characters join in marriage, song, dance, or a party, demonstrating a restoration of unity (handout).
Midterm
Samples 2000 complete exam, ex. 2
…An
example of this is seen in parts of Desire Under the Elms, such as the
party scene at the Cabot home. Although this play is a tragedy, in this scene
there is comedy occurring in the witty remarks from the partiers and in the
silly jig Ephraim dances…
ROMANCE
This storyline may open as though all is well, but action usually begins with a problem of separation.
Midterm
Samples 2002
Romances…can involve lovers or family members. The storyline often involves a physical journey or a personal transformation (handout) and can involve quests or tests of morality. Characters in a romance are usually classified as either entirely good or entirely bad…Comedies and romances…do not necessarily involve characters of great societal importance, or at least their problems will not have a significant impact on society as a whole.
Midterm
Samples 2002
From the onset of the problem the audience is affected by the problem. Desire Under the Elms connects the audience…to a love that should be forbidden…
TRAGEDY
This
storyline begins with a problem that is significant to society, its leaders,
or its representatives. The
problem may originate in the “tragic flaw” of the hero or it may represent
a temptation or error that human beings recognize, such as greed, vanity, or
self-righteousness…The action consists of an attempt to discover the truth
about the problem, to follow or trace or absorb its consequences, to restore
justice (even at cost to oneself), or to regain moral control of the
situation. The tragedy ends with
the resolution of the problem and the restoration of justice, often
accompanied by the death, banishment, or quieting of the tragic hero
(handout).
Midterm
complete sample 2004
…In
a sense, Eben and Abbie attempt to solve the issue: Eben buys Peter and
Simeon’s shares, while Abbie makes a son.
Like Oedipus, both figures find their efforts to be the destruction of
the farm and the future. Ephraim
releases his cattle and plans to leave, with the money that has already been
distributed. Abbie, confused with
Eben’s discord, kills their child, when she should have destroyed Ephraim.
In the end, the pair is banished, like Oedipus, while Ephraim is left
to heal the micro-society. Although
none of these figures represent the ruling class, they suffer downfall and
enormous loss, in the discovery that they are both the negative social factor.
As they fall, the audience sees the destructive nature of greed and
manipulation, creating feelings similar to witnessing the fall of Oedipus.
More importantly, Elms shows
the great effect of tragedy: “. . . an
emotional connection between the characters, story and the audience” (LR
02).
Midterm
samples 2002
…According
to Cara Skinner, "tragedy has a lasting power that seems to stretch
across time and generations. The
reasons for this stem from the powerful issues tragedy addresses and the
emotions it evokes in its audience."
As exemplified in Oedipus Rex,
A Midsummer Night's Dream, Hamlet,
and Desire Under the Elms, tragedy
inspires search for truth, gives voice to taboo topics i.e. child murder, is
flexible, and permits insight into human condition, fear, pity, and depth of
character…(CW02)
CONCLUSION
As seen in Desire Under the Elms, there is often one genre overlapping with another genre which lends credibility to the concept that there are “no pure genres” or if there are pure genres, they are so few in number that they would be considered exceptions to the rule.
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