Dryden's Thinking Activity

1) Do you find any difference between Aristotle's definition of Tragedy and Dryden's definition of Play?

Let's first see both the definition,
Aristotle's definition

"Tragedy, then is an art of imitation of an certain that is serious, complete and of a certain magnitude; in the language embellished with each kind of artistic ornament. The several kinds being found in separate parts of the play; in the form of action not of narrative; through pity and fear effecting the proper purgation catharsis of these and similar emotions."

Dryden's definition

"A play ought to be a just and lively image of human nature, representing its passion and humors and the changes of fortune to which it is subjected, for the delight and instruction of mankind"

We can see diffrence from the very starting of the definition, Aristotle starts with word "Tragedy" while wordsworth starts with "The play" which shows that Aristotle only give definition of Tragedies while wordsworth speaks about The Play in general. In Aristotle's definition there is words used like "pity", "fear", "catharsis" this all words shows inaway a delight through sad emotions while wordsworth's definition talk about "Delight" which includes all kind of delight. These are some visible difference in both definition.

2) If you are supposed to give your personal predilection, would you be on the side of the Ancient or the Modern? Please give reasons.

I would rather prefer to go with the moderns, yes ancients are important but it doesn't mean that we stuck to them if we will stuck at one point we will die we have to move on and this is the reason I will go with moderns because they always add something new to the work of ancients and yes moderns are sit on the back of ancients and they can see far because inaway they are at height.

3) Do you think that the arguments presented in favour of the French plays and against English plays are appropriate? (Say for example, Death should not be performed as it is neither 'just' not 'lively' image, displaying duel fight with blunted swords, thousands of soldiers marching represented as five on stage, mingling of mirth and serious, multiple plots etc.)

As per my thinking it is not appropriate to show something inferior just because they don't follow you this is not fare practice. Both french plays and English plays have their own charm so no one is superior or inferior. Now the question is about showing some type of scene on stage, I think it is all right to show death scene or love scene on stage, duel fight with blunted swords these all things are normal to show because audiance knows that they are watching play not reality so there is no harm to show these things. Now mingling of mirth and serious or too many sub plots, that is the choice of writer, and tragi-comedy it is good invention or too many sub plots are also acceptable they somehow make play iteresting. So the arguments which are presented against English drama and in favour of french drama is unappropriate.

4) What would be your preference so far as poetic or prosaic dialogues are concerned in the play?

I think both are equally important and mostly doesn't matter it is prosaic or poetic only matters is meaning or the depth of the dialogue. Well rhymed and meteric poetic lines if don't have depth of meaning than that rhymed lines are worthless. So baisically it doesn't matter the dialogues are in prosaic lines or poetic lines the deep understandig which dialogue gives that is important and every dialogue may be don't need to give deep meaings then even it is upon writers choice in which he wants to write.

Death - My Sweetest Dream

My sweetest dream is Death
When I am on my bed
When my eyes are wet
With every moment of my life which I had
I will feel proud on my Death
Because my sweetest dream is Death

I want everyone to smile
And say me good bye
I want my heart full with delight
Because I don't want anyone to cry
When I am going to Die.

Thinking Activity On "Hamlet"

I have given task of show my thoughts on the movie and play "Hamlet" here is link of my task and this blog is in answer of that task http://dilipbarad.blogspot.in/2013/08/worksheet-hamlet-movie-screening.html

How faithful is the movie to the original play?
As far as the original text of shakespeare's "Hamlet" is concerned the movie of kenneth branagh is fully faithful to the original text. It has every dialogues but if we talk about visuals the movie makes many changes like in costumes of characters or castle this all things looks like victorian age rather then renaissance age. Also directer add some scenes and use his creativity by showing ghost entry through movement of statue also he starts movie with showing the statue of king Hamlet and end with the statue is in dust while in text there is nothing like that, in nunnery scene the use of mirror is so attractive and improve the importance of that scene, in the scene of grave the flashback technique is used and show the childhood of Hamlet and Yorik that shows that how Yorik is important in Hamlet's life while reading you don't feel importance of Yorik, in text Hamlet is young while in movie Hamlet is middle aged.

After watching the movie, have your perception about play, characters or situations changed?
Yes, after watching movie the understanding of the play is increased before watching movie I feel that Hamlet is really gone mad but after watching movie I understand that Hamlet is just act that he is mad but actually he is not. Before watching movie I think that after the prayer scene there is duel between Laertes and Hamlet but it is not like that so yes the confussion is removed after watching movie.

Do you feel ‘aesthetic delight’ while watching the movie? If yes, exactly when did it happen? If no, can you explain with reasons?

Yes, I feel aesthetic delight while watching the royal palaces and ice desert and also when in flashback Hamlet is playing with Yorik at that time the happiness of Yorik and Hamlet make tha moment so enjoyable.

Do you feel ‘catharsis’ while or after watching movie? If yes, exactly when did it happen? If no, can you explain with reasons?

Yes, I feel catharsis when Hamlet behaves rudely with Ophelia and when Ophelia gone mad after the death of her father, I feel catharsis for gertrude also when her own son abuse her and behaves badly with her.

Does screening of movie help you in better understanding of the play?

Yes ofcourse only reading can not make everything crystal clear as watching. While watching movie the madness of Ophelia, psychology of Hamlet and his every soliloquies are more understable while watching rather than reading, situation of every character is more clear. In understanding of every emotion movie is really helpful.

Was there any particular scene or moment in the movie that you will cherish lifetime?

Yes, there is last scene of Horatio and Hamlet, on one hand Horatio says 'if your mind deny obey it' and on the other hand Hamlet says 'readiness is all' this is the line which touch my heart and I never forget it.

If you are director, what changes would you like to make in the remaking of movie on Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’?

If I am a director, first I change the opinion of Hamlet towards his mother Gertrude. In my movie Hamlet accept his mother's second marriage and think like it is her life and she can do whatever she wish. Then I also change character of Ophelia, her dialogue is never like "I obey thee" she has her own choice and she has that strength to fight for her rights and if Hamlet behaves badly with her she has that strength to leave him she never be a blind lover and she has her self-respect. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are never be just puppets in Claudius's hand, they never agree to spy on Hamlet because they are friends.

In the beginning of the movie, camera rolls over the statue of King Hamlet out side the Elsinore castle. The movie ends with the similar sequence wherein the statue of the King Hamlet is hammered down to the dust. What sort of symbolism do you read in this? (Clue: In Book IX of 'Paradise Lost', Satan reflects on his revenge motive:       "But what will not ambition and revenge; Descend to? Who aspires must down as low; As high he soared, obnoxious, first or last, To basest things. Revenge, at first though sweet, Bitter ere long back on itself recoils." Is it not King Hamlet's ambition to avenge his death responsible for the downfall of his kingdom which is symbolically pictured in last scenes?)

This creativity of director may be tries to say that revenge is never end with the happiness. In starting camera on statue of King Hamlet may be shows the royalty of empire but in end when the head of that statue of King Hamlet is in dust which shows the destroy of empire. It is very simple King Hamlet is one who seed the revenge in Prince Hamlet's brain and because revenge is never have happy endings the whole royal family died. In movie "Hate story" which came in 2012 there is one beautiful dialogue that "जब बदला लेने की ठान लो तो
एक नही दो कब्र खोद लेनी चाहीए". which shows that revenge and King Hamlet is the one who is responsible for all deaths.


While studying the play through movie, which approach do you find more applicable to the play? Why? Give reasons with illustrations.

While studying the play through movie I find feminist approach more applicable because before watching the play I never thought that Hamlet is so cruel with his mother when after watching the play with in the play Getrtrude call Hamlet in her bed-chamber. I can't imagine anyone to behave like this with his or her mother. That's the reason I found feminist approach more applicable.

Look how badly behaves Hamlet with his mother. This is the scene of death of polonius.

Which of the above mentioned approaches (in Pre-viewing task) appeals you more than other?Why? Give reasons.

In pre-viewing task I feel philosophical and psychological approach more applicable than any other because of the thinking habit of Hamlet and his soliloquies, his confussion firstly towards ghost that the ghost is really his father's ghost or it is just a trap the confussion of that ghost speeking truth or not, because of all this things I feel philosophical and psychological approach more applicable.