The picture above is from the 2012 revival of Death of a Salesman. Don't know why it's in black and white, though.
Good evening :)
I'm glad to see that we finished up today's class with a lively discussion of Biff's response to his father's betrayal. Feel free to explore this topic further in your journal and perhaps even in your extended response. Remember that as long as you can support your argument through the text and performance, you can make your point, no matter what it is.
For Thursday, let's finish up Death of a Salesman.
Also, here is a link to a page with information about Erikson's theory of development:
You may also find Kohlberg's theory interesting as well:
Michael Morrison provides a Christian perspective on development:
How would you apply any of these theories to the characters in Death of a Salesman? (Note that Miller was not Christian.)
Now that more and more of you are on Multiply, I thought I'd include some questions that are connected to my past entries:
Here is my entry on Miller's life and career:
You may also find this interview to be interesting:
What light does this information shed on DoaS? on Miller's characters? on his intentions for his play? or on Miller himself?
For more information about DoaS' time and place, see this entry:
You may enjoy reading about modern-day Brooklyn:
How does this information help you understand DoaS, its characters, and its story in more depth?
What does it mean for DoaS to be set in Brooklyn?
If you were to adapt DoaS so that it was set in 2012, what would you change? why?
Take a look at other versions of DoaS:
The latest version is here: http://www.broadway.com/shows/death-salesman/
How are they different from the 1985 version? How are they similar? Which version deserves to be made into a full-length movie for PBS or HBO?
What light do they shed on your understanding of DoaS?
How much should directors change plays? Why? Why not?
To be fair, you ought to look at the reviews, too:
When do critics believe that a production is successful? When do they believe that it is a failure? Are these critics fair? Why? Why not?
And here is the link to the entry on the Beijing production:
What surprised you about this production? Why?
What is the difference between generic and universal?
Finally, I am a little concerned about attendance. Attendance is important!
I'm looking forward to seeing what you have to say!
Dr. Szlyk
2 comments:
I really enjoy Phillip C. Hoffman! I really enjoyed him in Boogie Nights, but I can't envision him in the role of Willy Loman... I don't know why but it just seemed that he doesn't really fit the role perfectly. There's no way that he could play a 60-year-old man's role at 40 years old. However, I did hear that the scenes with him and Biff were quite sensational. What do you think, Dr. Szlyk?
OTOH, Hoffman did play Truman Capote, so he is a gifted actor. Moreover, the theater is physically demanding.
Post a Comment