I have chosen to do "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost. I read this poem for the first time in the stall of the bathroom in Creeden during Poetry Week last school year. After my first time reading this poem, I immediately was impacted. At the time, I was having a difficult time coming to terms with my decision for lacrosse and whether I was truly happy with the school I committed to (Furman University). I always wanted to go to a school that was north of Maryland, preferably a liberal arts school or well-respected prestigious university with name value, one that someone would easily recognize on College T-Shirt Day. This poem made me do some soul searching to think about what really matters in this college decision. At the time, I cared WAY too much about what others would think of my choice, not what I really wanted. I was hung up on the idea of going to an Ivy-League school like my dad, too concerned that I was "settling" for my hefty scholarship at Furman and didn't really want to go there. For me, the two roads discussed in this story represent my choices for college, one Furman and the other a small liberal arts school like Middlebury. The last two lines of the poem really impacted me the most. They read "I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference." These two lines spoke to me the greatest, telling me that everything will work out and that my choice will benefit me in the long run. This poem gave me comfort and security in my decision. I have so much gratitude for whoever taped that poem up on the bathroom stall. It has affected me more than she will ever know!
Sunday, November 6, 2016
Should Ariel Be Portrayed as Male or Female?
In the written play of The Tempest, Ariel does not seem to have a gender. However, depicted on stage and in the 2010 movie, Ariel always seems to be played by a male actor. Why? Ariel is more of a fairy-like spirit than a boy. It would make sense to have a female play Ariel in the modern day movie, as we typically think of fairies as girls, like Tinkerbell. But why the choice of a male? Maybe choosing a male that is prepubescent or has a higher pitched voice makes Ariel seem more neutral in gender. Like the switch of Prospero from male to female, it would be interesting to see Ariel being portrayed as a female.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jS1D4d4lMyM
This is the only clip of The Tempest I could find with Ariel played by a female actress. Right away, I noticed that the female Ariel was wearing a more feminine looking outfit with glitz and sparkles. It may have been hard for the director and costume designer to make the female Ariel seem less girly and feminine. After seeing the very girly representation of Ariel in this production of The Tempest, I think that I prefer when Ariel is played by a male but dressed and portrayed as neutral in gender.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jS1D4d4lMyM
This is the only clip of The Tempest I could find with Ariel played by a female actress. Right away, I noticed that the female Ariel was wearing a more feminine looking outfit with glitz and sparkles. It may have been hard for the director and costume designer to make the female Ariel seem less girly and feminine. After seeing the very girly representation of Ariel in this production of The Tempest, I think that I prefer when Ariel is played by a male but dressed and portrayed as neutral in gender.
Tempest's Adjustment to the Screen
The Tempest has been described by critics as very hard to adapt to the screen, which I found hard to believe since I personally enjoyed the 2010 movie version of Shakespeare's play. However, after reading some critiques that questioned the portrayal of this classic, I began to understand the critics.
The switch from the male Prospero, a main character in both the play and movie, to a female Prospera seemed to be the focal point of discussion. The whole attitude and motives of this character seem to change as his gender is switched. As a male originally, Prospero does not come of to readers, or me at least, as caring and looking out for his daughter Miranda's best interest. But the minute Prospero was portrayed as Prospera, I began to think that she is being a caring mother who is being protective of her daughter. I, as well as the critics, see Prospero as a bit more villainous in some regards than Prospera. Maybe that is because of our preconceived ideas about roles of moms and dads? It is interesting how the switch of gender of a main character can change the meaning or perception of a play so drastically! Does the switch from Prospero to Prospera affect you?
The switch from the male Prospero, a main character in both the play and movie, to a female Prospera seemed to be the focal point of discussion. The whole attitude and motives of this character seem to change as his gender is switched. As a male originally, Prospero does not come of to readers, or me at least, as caring and looking out for his daughter Miranda's best interest. But the minute Prospero was portrayed as Prospera, I began to think that she is being a caring mother who is being protective of her daughter. I, as well as the critics, see Prospero as a bit more villainous in some regards than Prospera. Maybe that is because of our preconceived ideas about roles of moms and dads? It is interesting how the switch of gender of a main character can change the meaning or perception of a play so drastically! Does the switch from Prospero to Prospera affect you?
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