THeater Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

THeater - Assignment Example Although it is not the purpose of this brief response to elaborate upon the ways in which a playwright or filmmaker can attempt to differentiate without deviating to greatly from the original inspiration, it must be understood that one of the more effective means that this can be accomplished is by subtly yet clearly differentiating the characters from the original in such a way as they provide a level of understanding and nuance as compared to the work to which they are referencing. Within this brief analysis, the author will consider the means by which two of the characters in Rough Magic are distinctly differentiated and represented in a unique way as compared to two of the characters within William Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Finally, at level of analysis will also be given with regards to whether or not this author believes that Rough Magic has the innate potential to be a great film. With regards to the first character which will be discussed, that of Prospero, Rough Magi c portrays him in an entirely different light than did William Shakespeare within The Tempest. Within Shakespeare’s play, Prospero is portrayed as a bellowing, drunken, and un-poetic brute. This of course as a unique dynamic Shakespeare’s play the fact that the other characters are invariably forced into action and reaction based on the bombastic and rather infantile choices and actions that Prospero makes. Without deviating too far from the Shakespearean interpretation of Prospero, Aguirre-Sacasa defines him in a more nuanced manner as individual caught between an ongoing family feud in which he must take an active part. Rather than setting Prospero apart as the embodiment and personification of evil, the playwright reveals a more postmodernist interpretation by which absolute good or bad is not laid squarely upon the character of Prospero (Rough Magic, pg 4). In such a way, the level of differentiation and the means by which absolute good and bad are determined withi n Aguirre-Sacasa’s play as compared to Shakespeare’s are definitively noted with regards to the totality of Prospero’s character. In much the same way, the character of the Ariel is differentiated from William Shakespeare’s character as well as. Whereas the Ariel of Shakespeare’s play is something of an ethereal demigod that is suffered the torture of imprisonment, the Ariel of Aguirre-Sacasa’s play takes upon many of the less than favorable qualities that are somewhat unexpected. It is the understanding of this particular author that the main reason for doing this was to create something of a differential regards the way in which Shakespeare presented the character as compared to the way it was presented within this particular flight. In short, the representation of Ariel within William Shakespeare’s The Tempest was the quintessential woman scorned. Although the same can be true with regards to Rough Magic, the key differential is th at the damsel in distress dynamic is far less evidenced (Rutter, 2003) Within such an understanding, Ariel are self comes represent a horrific and terrifying creature that is