- Nov 2020
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boisestate.pressbooks.pub boisestate.pressbooks.pub
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Not I; but those that, iron as the chain In which they slay me with a lingering death, Will slay you with a sudden—Who are you?
I found this encounter to be interesting knowing the discomfort surrounding cross dressing and homosexuality in this time period. Seg. has an interest in Ros. not knowing that she is a woman and goes out of his way to save her. From what I learned in the crash course, many religious playwrights would be very uncomfortable with this idea. I think it is rather bold to open the show with this scene especially in the time period it was written.
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- Oct 2020
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boisestate.pressbooks.pub boisestate.pressbooks.pub
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Chārudatta. [Enters and looks about.] How wonderfully splendid is the court-room. For it seems an ocean, Whose waters are the king’s advisers, deep In thought; as waves and shells it seems to keep The attorneys; and as sharks and crocodiles It has its spies that stand in waiting files; Its elephants and horses represent The cruel ocean-fish on murder bent; As if with herons of the sea, it shines With screaming pettifoggers’ numerous lines; While in the guise of serpents, scribes are creeping Upon its statecraft-trodden shore: the court The likeness of an ocean still is keeping, To which all harmful-cruel beasts resort.14
This line describing the courtrom when Charudatta looks around answered my question about Sanskrit theatre from our My Favorite Things post. I was curious how the characters set the scene when this type of theatre uses no scenery. The character enters the scene and describes in great detail the setting to better paint a picture for the audience. I love how it is done specifically in similies and metaphors in this little monologue.
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- Sep 2020
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boisestate.pressbooks.pub boisestate.pressbooks.pub
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Best live a careless life from hand to mouth.
This line foreshadows his suicide which I learned in the time of the play was not acceptable according to most philosophers. While suicide now occurs for a plethora of different reasons, back then the main reason was to escape failure. In Jocasta's case (or in this line) he had a more live fast die young attitude.
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