Unit 4

All the world’s a

stage
Theater
 Ancient Greece & Theaters

Theater has always been a means of

exploring human relationships and
commenting on social concerns, such as the
 As You Like It The idea that we are rarely
ourselves, all of us ‘play’
by Shakespeare parts and act in ways we
consider acceptable,
expected.

Discussion
- What are those stages?
- How many roles/parts have
YOU played until this day?

Reference of a video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbIOZ
Zy54EM&list=LL&index=1
The 7 stages in life of a manThe 7 stages:
1. Infancy
At first the infant, 2. Childhood
Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms; 3. Adolescence
And then the whining school-boy, with 4. Young adult
his satchel 5. Adulthood
And shining morning face, creeping like
6. Middle age
snail
7. Old age
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
The images and figurative speeches
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad explained
Made to his mistress’ eyebrow. Then a https://genius.com/1706506
soldier,
Full of strange oaths, …
Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion;
 Unit 4.2

Topic Sentences
Identify the topic sentences

Cats are naturally good caregivers because they take care of their kittens, so
they want to take care of their owners as well. Cats are quite clean, and if you
train them to use a litter box, they require almost no cleanup in their areas.
Finally, cats are independent, so you don't need to worry about them being lonely
when you're at school all day. They really are the ideal pet for almost any owner.

Cats are very good pets for several reasons. They are naturally good
caregivers because they take care of their kittens, so they want to take care
of their owners as well. Cats are quite clean, and if you train them to use a
litter box, they require almost no cleanup in their areas. Finally, cats are
independent, so you don't need to worry about them being lonely when
you're at school all day. They really are the ideal pet for almost any owner.
Greek tragedy &
Soap operas
Greek Tragedy
Greek tragedy as we understand it today, was not
merely a show, but rather a collective ritual of the
polis. It took place in a sacred, consecrated space
(the altar of the god stood at the center of the
theatre).

A spectator of a Greek dramatic performance in

the latter half of the fifth century B.C. would find
himself seated in the theatron, or koilon,a semi-
circular, curved bank of seats, resembling in some
respects the closed end of a horseshoe stadium.
Below him, in the best location in the theatre, is
the throne of the priest of Dionysus who presides
in a sense over the whole performance.
Soap Operas

It is regularly broadcast in a daytime time slot, where most

listeners would be housewives; thus, the shows were aimed at –
and consumed by – a predominantly female audience.
Tragedies

Shakespearean Tragedies: Examples of modern tragedies:

❏ The Hunchback of Notre Dame
➢ Romeo and juliet ❏ Titanic
➢ Julius Caesar ❏ A Series of Unfortunate
➢ Hamlet Events
➢ Macbeth ❏ Frankenstein
➢ King Lear ❏ The Hunger Games
❏ The Great Gatsby
❏ The Lovely Bones
❏ The Time Traveler’s Wife
❏ Braveheart
Tragedy in Literature
It is common for the main character in a tragedy to have what is called a tragic flaw. The
tragic flaw is a weakness that causes the character’s downfall or death. This tragic flaw could
be pride, greed, uncontrollable rage, indecisiveness, or jealousy. The flaw almost
always contributes to the tragic character’s sad ending. Hubris, or extreme pride, is a very
popular tragic flaw found in the main characters of tragedies.

Tragedies have a heartbreaking ending. While many tragic stories end in death, a tragic story
does not always have to end in death. These kinds of stories can end in chaos or destruction.
However, in many cases, the main character accepts the fact that he made a mistake and
caused many of the sad events throughout the story. This is usually referred to as self-
awareness. The tragic main character is aware of what he has down and his tragic flaw(s).

Unlike older tragedies, the modern-day tragedy is a little different. While modern tragedies
still have characters who face challenges and have a flaw that contributes to their downfall,
modern tragedies do not have to have a main character who is rich or from a noble family.
Tragedies now can show everyday people. These modern tragedies still show suffering, pain,
and character flaws.
The Tragedy of Macbeth
Plot
A brave Scottish general named Macbeth receives a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will
become King of Scotland. Consumed by ambition and spurred to action by his wife, Macbeth murders King
Duncan and takes the Scottish throne for himself. He is then wracked with guilt and paranoia. Forced to commit
more and more murders to protect himself from enmity and suspicion, he soon becomes a tyrannical ruler. The
bloodbath and consequent civil war swiftly take Macbeth and Lady Macbeth into the realms of madness and
death.

Superstition and "The Scottish Play"

While many today would say that any misfortune surrounding a production is mere coincidence, actors and
others in the theatre industry often consider it bad luck to mention Macbeth by name while inside a theatre, and
sometimes refer to it indirectly, for example as "The Scottish Play" ] or "MacBee", or when referring to the
Link
character and not the play, "Mr. and Mrs. M", or "The Scottish King".
This is because Shakespeare (or the play's revisers) are said to have used the spells of real witches in his text,
purportedly angering the witches and causing them to curse the play.Thus, to say the name of the play inside a
theatre is believed to doom the production to failure, and perhaps cause physical injury or death to cast
members. There are stories of accidents, misfortunes and even deaths taking place during runs of Macbeth.
Source: Wikipedia
Tragic ending
Tragic Ending
Jack freezes to death, Anakin becomes Darth Vader, Thanos snaps away half the
galaxy. When a tragic ending happens just for the sake of it being a tragedy, it’s
obvious, at least to me. Just like a happy ending, a tragic ending has to fit a
narrative and it has to be a satisfying conclusion. It doesn’t have to be the ending
the reader wants, but it has to be an ending that a reader can reasonably expect.

Take Titanic. The fun thing about Titanic was that it could have gone either way.
Rose and Jack have worked so hard to be together and to survive the sinking of the
ship, and yay! Now they both made it out alive and they get to be happy and in
love forever. Could either ending work? Sure. But the tragic ending makes more
sense. A tragic ending, just like the happy ending, can be just as much unrealistic
as it can be realistic if it’s not done just right.
Source:https://writeonfrisco.com/blogs/tips-from-the-toolbox/4-types-of-endings
How to create an unhappy ending

1. Include Happy Moments in Your Work

Your unhappy ending won’t mean much if your entire story is depressing. For maximum
impact, the happiest moment of your story should happen right before your climax,
when everything goes horribly wrong. Take these famous works for example:

The Stephen King classic Carrie is about a social outcast. She gets her
first chance at fitting in when a popular jock asks her to go to Prom
with him. She’s suspicious, but she decides to take a chance and trust
him. She’s even crowned Prom Queen, before the worst happens.

Souce: https://mythcreants.com/blog/how-to-create-an-unhappy-ending/
2. Avoid melodrama
Use subtle imagery to emphasize your tragedy instead of dramatic dialogue. If you’re writing, avoid
embellishing your description. Trend toward understatement.

You don’t have to give your hero a goodbye speech at all. Consider a knowing look, a failed attempt
at words, a few gestures, or a sudden death that cuts conversation short. Play with different
ideas until you find one that feels both fresh and appropriate for your characters.

Don’t use your hero’s death to heap praise and attention on him. It will come off as excessive
glorification to your audience. Instead of gathering a parade of people to carry his body, consider
letting his deeds go unsung, or entrusting the truth to a single side character. Then his actions
will speak for themselves.

In Madoka Magica, main character Madoka has enormous power. She uses that
power to end a great tragedy of the universe, but in doing so, ceases to be a human
and becomes a law of nature. Except for one friend, no one remembers she even
existed.
3. Add something beautiful
Just as happiness might prelude your tragedy, a little light should shine in the
darkness of your story’s closing. This will give your audience something
pleasant to hold onto. It doesn’t have to be big. If your world crumbles, give
your readers a ray of hope by foreshadowing how it will be restored or remade.

In Cloverfield, Manhattan is ravaged by a huge beast. Instead of escaping,

Rob goes to Midtown to rescue his friend and lover Beth. He is afraid she
doesn’t know how much he loves her. They became trapped in the city and
perish, but just before they die, they declare their love.

In The Steadfast Tin Soldier by Hans Christian Andersen, a toy soldier

and a paper ballerina fall in love. Unfortunately, the threats of the larger
world are too much for them, and they are cast into a hot stove. All that
remains is a little lump of tin – in the shape of a heart.
How to Write Tragedy

1. Start with the hero. The hero should be doing well in the beginning – respected,
skilled, and usually honorable. Pick a flaw that you feel your readers can relate to,
something that they may find in themselves from time to time.

2. Snowballing events. It might start small. From the first event, something else
happens, which then leads to something else, and slowly the negative events start to
spiral out of control.

3. Begin with the end in mind. In terms of structure, the most important part of a
tragedy is its ending. How will your hero be destroyed? What fatal flaw will result in the
catastrophe? And how will you describe the end so that readers feel the sad and
pitiable emotions of pathos?

Source: https://literaryterms.net/when-and-how-to-write-tragedy/
Cliffhanger
In a story, there are several ways to create
the effect of a cliffhanger:

1. Using descriptive scenes

2. Using character dialogue
3. Using unanswered questions
1. Descriptive scene

He had finally found her after all

these years of searching. With shaky
hands, he stood in front of her door,
and then he knocked.
Just be sure the main story is complete,
so your readers don't feel cheated
out of a proper ending.
2. End it with a question

Now that he had finished his quest, what

was he going to do with himself?

OR

She had finally gotten her wish. But had

it really made her happy?
3. Use a direct speech/dialogue to introduce the unexpected

"But that was just a small deposit," she

informed them. "We haven't even found the
real gold mine yet."

OR

"Stop talking for a minute," he

cautioned. "Do you hear footsteps?"
All conflict falls into two categories

● Internal conflict is when a character struggles with their own

opposing desires or beliefs. It happens within them, and it drives their
development as a character.

● External conflict sets a character against something or someone

beyond their control. External forces stand in the way of a character’s
motivations and create tension as the character tries to reach their
goals.
Types of conflict
1. https://blog.reedsy.com/guide/conflict/types-of-conflict/
2. https://www.liveworksheets.com/mf1530467mv

A sample IGCSE narrative writing read by the author.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qp0pYkOx-Pk
Conversation VS Interview

Conversation criteria: Interview criteria:

1. Equal conversation between two 1. One person asks questions and

or more people. Each character the other answers.
needs a clear personality.
2. Answers need to be
2. Should NOT be one person asking long/detailed; include lots of
and the other(s) answering; it information that you have read.
MUST be both ways. Mixture of
long and short paragraphs.
Source:
https://igcseeastbury.weebly.com/interview-and-dialogue.htm
l
 General Criteria for Interview and Conversation
1. Lay it out like a script, using a colon. Don't use double/single
quotation marks as this is not a dialogue.
2. Use stage direction given in the brackets (sometimes, for effect
- dont overused them)
Mum: You can't go out tonight, it's about
Son: (interrupting) That’s not fair. You always do this I hate you.
Mum: (wearily) Don't be rude.
3. Rely on punctuation for effect.
See what difference to meaning it makes?
Mum: You can't go out tonight, it's about...
Son: (interrupting) That's not fair! You always do this... I hate you.
Mum: (wearily) Don't be rude!
 General Criteria for Interview and Conversation
4. Use language that is realistic to the characters. Mind the
register. ..

Mum: The predominant reason I believe that you should stay at home is because
your examination is next week! Your English GCSE examination!

Son : I understand your concern but I feel prepared already. I have done multiple
hours of revision. Mr Sule assures me I will be absolutely fine.

Mum: Although you are persuasive, the fact you do not use any PERFECT
techniques to make your points suggests that you need to revise more
thoroughly. You will be staying in.

Son: (sighs) A fair and just decision. Mother is always right!