Medea

'Medea' by Euripides

I. Exposition
A. Time: The play was produced in 431 B.C.
B. Place: The play takes place outside of Medea's home in Corinth.
C. Mood & Atmosphere: The mood of the play is of bitter revenge. The atmosphere is filled with Medea's anger towards Jason.
D. Preliminary Situation: Jason disbands his marriage with Medea and marries the daughter of the King of Corinth to gain further status in life. This infuriates Medea who plots for revenge and vengeance.

II. Plot
A. Initial Incident: Jason intends on having Medea exiled. Medea is upset over the situation. Creon, the King of Creon, comes to Medea to order her exile. Medea begs to stay another day. Creon agrees to let her stay 24 hours.
B. Rising Action: The rising action occurs when Jason and Medea meet for the first time. She is angry with him and Jason is trying to justify his decision. In the time she is allotted she meets the King of Athens, who agrees to give her refuge. Medea changes her plan to deceive Jason and kill off those that are close to him.
C. Climax: Jason and Medea talk once again and Medea is deceitfully forgivable and wishes to give poisoned gifts to Jason's new wife. The plan follows through and the Princess and the King die from the poison. Afterwards, Medea kills her children. Jason arrives astounded and cries to Medea, but receives no mercy. Medea rides off to Athens in her golden chariot.
D. Conclusion:
Medea: Medea rides off and takes refuge in Athens. Protected by the King there.
Jason: Jason is left with the death of the king of Corinth, the death of his wife(the princess), and the death of his children(his heirs). Tragic ending for Jason.
All other characters, other than their children, are assumed to be alive and well - haha.

III. Characters
A. Protagonist: Medea
B. Antagonist: Jason
C. Secondary: Creon King of Corinth, Aegeus King of Athens, Nurse of Medea, Women of Corinth
D. Minor: Tutor of Medea's children, Jason's current wife, Messenger

IV. Theme: The theme of the play is of passion, rage, revenge, and the position of women.

V. Personal Reaction: I thought Medea was exceedingly ruthless in this play, more so that she gets away with it in the end. I'd like to assume this is a very rare play because of contemporary views of the time it was made. Although Medea is some what justified by her anger and plots of revenge, she goes too far by killing her children. The act of killing her children may scar her for life and cause more agony than what was worth the revenge. I believe this play was very mature for the era it debuted in. Feminism is a theme some what prevalent in the play.

VI. Evidence: Very Famous feminist quote by Medea about war and the work of woman:
Medea: "I had rather stand my ground three times among
the shields
than face a childbirth once."

Jason after the reaction of Medea killing his children:
Jason: "Murder is punished, and you'll be destroyed
by the avenging phantoms of you children."

Othello

'Othello' by Shakespeare

I. Exposition
A. Time: Late 16th century. During the wars between Venice and Turkey.
B. Place: Venice early then Cyprus later on.
C. Mood & Atmosphere: Italian atmosphere. Mood is sporadic.
D. Preliminary Situation: Othello is a respected man in Venice as a great general. He is also truly in love with his wife Desdemona.

II. Plot
A. Initial Incident: Othello attempts to build a life with Desdemona. Iago, who is upset at Othello for not making him his lieutenant(and envious of Othello), plots to deceitfully ruin Othello by convincing him Desdemona is unfaithful.
B. Rising Action: Iago continues to plot and reveals his scheme: bring down Cassio, and to continually assert to Othello that Desdemona is unfaithful.
C. Climax: Iago plants a handkerchief to trick Othello in to seeing that Desdemona was unfaithful. Iago unsuccessfully attempts to kill Cassio. Othello kills his wife Desdemona, but later kills himself after Bianca reveals Iago's plot. Iago is taken away to be tortured.
D. Conclusion Othello: Othello kills himself after finding out he was tricked in to killing his innocent wife.
Iago: Iago is taken off to be tortured after his plot is revealed and Othello dies.
Desdemona: Smothered by Othello. Dies.

III. Characters
A. Protagonist: Othello
B. Antagonist: Iago
C. Secondary: Desdemona, Cassio, Roderigo, Brabantio, Duke of Venice, Emilia, Lodovico
D. Minor: Gratiano, Montano, Clown, Bianca

IV. Theme: The theme of this play is of tragic heroic love, deceit, and hints of racism.

V. Personal Reaction: To be honest I had to gradually adjust myself to be able to read this play. I believe the play was written in Old English, or early modern english after a bit of research. The play involves a lot of scheming, drama, naivety, and then action. How did Iago get away with so much? In the end of it all he receives only torture and his name/rank is removed, but he has successfully tricked the main characters in the play to kill each other and themselves. How can a General be so good yet could not see the trickery? Anyhow, I believe this play has become a standard for which many other people used. Shakespeare is brilliant.

VI. Evidence: Iago in Act 1 talking to Brabantio about Othello and Desdemona's relationship (little bit of racism):
Iago to Brabantio, "Your daughter and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs."

Iago exclaiming he hates "the moor"
Iago - "I hate the Moor;
And it is thought abroad, that 'twixt my sheets
He has done my office: I know not if 't be true;
But I, for mere suspicion in that kind, will do as if for surety."

Othello before killing himself:
Othello - "I kissed thee ere I killed thee, no way but this,
Killing myself, to die upon a kiss."

A Doll's House

'A Doll's House' by Henrik Ibsen

I. Exposition
A. Time: Play Takes place before and after Christmas in the late 19Th century
B. Place: A European suburb. Probably Norwegian. The entire play takes place in the Helmer's
apartment
C. Mood & Atmosphere: Mood is up and down. Nora is chipper, and lively during the play. The atmosphere has it's moments of drama.
D. Preliminary Situation: Torvald and Nora Helmer have been married for eight years. Nora says the marriage is a happy one. They have 3 children together along with a couple of servants.

II. Plot
A. Initial Incident - Nora is treated like a child and an object by her husband. Nora reveals she borrowed money from someone to Mrs. Linde to save her husband's life.
B. Rising Action – Krogstad is revealed to be the lender to Nora. Krogstad, because of his reputation and Torvald's recent acquired job as bank manager, is going to be fired from his position which will be taken by Mrs. Linde. Krogstad threatens Nora with blackmail(Nora forged her father's signature on the bond) if he loses his job. Rank has a terminal illness.
C. Climax - Nora is distraught about Torvald finding out what she has done. In a turn of events, Mrs. Linde reconciles with Krogstad and they become a couple again. Krogstad is relieved by this and calls off the blackmail. Krogstad wants to retrieve the letter he put in Torvald's mail box. Alas, Torvald reads the ill-fated letter telling Torvald of how Nora forged her father's signature. Nora was hoping that a "wonderful thing would happen" but is hurtfully rejected by her husband's self-centered reaction to her actions. Nora was hopefully expecting Torvald to be understanding with her wife's dire action of acquiring money to save his life, but instead Torvald is furious. Nora then leaves Torvald. Rank places a letter with a black cross in Torvald's mail box indicating that he will isolate himself and die.

D. Conclusion – Nora: Nora leaves Torvald and returns to her home town to find work and live a new life. Nora wants to change her legacy of being a doll for her husband and former doll to her deceased father. She is acquiring to to make her own judgments.
Torvald: Torvald will soon be left with an estranged wife, and the loss of his best friend Dr. Rank.
Mrs. Linde: Lives and takes care of Krogstad and his children. Gets the job at the bank.(?)
Krogstad: Delighted to have a wife to take of his children. Aims to clear his name for the sake of himself and his children's.

III. Characters
A. Protagonist - Nora Helmer
B. Antagonist - 1.Krogstad (2. Torvald could be argued to be an antagonist)
C. Secondary - Doctor Rank, Christine Linde, Torvald Helmer
D. Minor – Nora and Torvald's children, The Nurse Anne-Marie, The Maid Helen, Nora's Father

IV. Theme – The theme of the play is of divorce and morality.

V. Personal Reaction – In the early parts of the play when Torvald is introduced and he begins calling her by pet names I was reminded of the wife and husband in "Who's Afraid of the Virginia Woolf?" but mostly because of Torvald's dialogue with her. I did not initially think Torvald was speaking condescendingly to Nora, but it did appear to me near the end of the play. The play seems very mature for it's time and probably caused some controversy for the actions of the protagonist in this play. In modern times, this would probably be a semi-normal reaction to a condescending husband by the wife. I was a little shocked by her leaving her Torvald at the end.

VI. Evidence – Torvald calling Nora by a pet name and as an object:
Torvald: "Why shouldn't I look at my dearest treasure? - at all the beauty that is mine, all my very own?"

Nora referring to herself as a pet name Torvald probably frequently used:
Nora: "Your squirrel would run about and do all her tricks if you would be nice, and do as she wants."

Nora predicts a wonderful thing is going to happen even amidst the potential revealings of her forgery:
Nora: "A wonderful thing is going to happen!"

Nora before she leaves Torvald, exclaims her position of her past life:
Nora: "I have existed merely to perform tricks for you, Torvald. But you wanted it like that. You and father have committed a great sin against me. It is your fault that I have made nothing of my life. our home has been nothing but a playroom. I have been your doll-wife, just as at home I was father's doll-child; and here the children have been my dolls."

Trifles

http://web.me.com/fjordaniv/iweb/spring/En200.pdf

'Trifles' by Susan Glaspell

I. Exposition
A. Time: Early 20Th century: 1916
B. Place: Majority of the play takes place in the kitchen of John and Minnie Wright's house.
C. Mood & Atmosphere: Feels a bit gloomy as would happen being in a house of a recent murder. House was unkempt.
D. Preliminary Situation: Prosecutor checking house for signs of evidence in murder case.

II. Plot
A. Initial Incident - Murder of John Wright. County Attorney, Sheriff, Mr. Hale, and their wives (excluding attorney) enter the kitchen from outside.
B. Rising Action – The women talk about Mrs. Wright and whether or not she would murder her husband. Then they find a bird cage with a broken door.
C. Climax - When the women find the dead bird in the pretty box with a strangled neck (or mark around neck) the same way as Mr.Wright was found.
D. Conclusion – Final Outcome for Each Major Character:
Mrs. Peters - believes in the law and doing what is right in the law's eyes, but the circumstances and personal experience keeps her from truly doing what she claims to be right.
Mrs. Hale - Hides the motive of the crime - not to be revealed.
County Attorney - Wants to search out physical evidence without really getting to the accused on a personal level that might lead to a motive. He was uneasy and felt that there was some thing more that he couldn't put a finger on.
Sheriff - The review of evidence was complete.
Hale - Called it a day, but was ready to supply more information if needed.

III. Characters
A. Protagonist - The women, Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale, in the kitchen are portrayed to be the protagonist in this play by the author.
B. Antagonist - The men altogether or just the County Attorney.
C. Secondary - Sheriff, Mrs. Wright is an important character but has no dialogue.
D. Minor – Mr.Hale

IV. Theme – The theme of play was of isolation and gender difference.

V. Personal Reaction – I felt the play sympathized with Mrs. Wright's position. Mrs. Wright had been isolated and contained within her home by a smothering, demanding husband for 30 years. After he had killed her bird, which symbolized her singing in her house, she reacted by killing her husband in the same way. This is probably an early feminist drama.

VI. Evidence –
On how the women knew Mrs. Wright killed her husband and them sympathizing with her:

MRS. PETERS. "It was an awful thing was done in this house that night, Mrs. Hale. Killing a man while he slept, slipping a rope around his neck that choked the life out of him."

MRS. HALE. "His neck, Choked the life out of him."
(Her hand goes out and rests on the birdcage.) MRS. PETERS (with a rising voice). "We don't know who killed him. We don't know."

MRS. HALE (her own feeling not interrupted.) "If there'd been years and years of nothing, then a bird to sing to you, it would be awful--still, after the bird was still."