I found I haven’t written anything in English for long. Before my english was totally outdated and awkward, I should be alerted enough to polish it now and then. So as practice, I wrote two simple comments on two plays I read today:
The School of Scandals
It’s a play I have been well acquainted with since an undergraudate. However, it is this afternoon that I took the courage to read it thoroughly. Comic and satiric. Even in modern times,I could find the significance of this work of 18th century in our life. It featured a privileged class in 18th century when the aristocrats took the fancy of spreading the scandals, killing the characters by backbiting, turning things upside down, damaging the reputation of noble people. The school of Scandal, under the leadership of Lady Sneerwell, has been a community where many idle upper-class men and women gathered and competed the talents of making up stories. Lady Sneer, once a victim of scandals, became a scandalmonger in turn. She was in secret love with Charles who actually favored Marie. So in order to split these two souls, Sneer wrote a fake letter in his name to Lady Teazle,which is intended to stir up Sir Peter Teazle—Charles’s guaridan’s hatred and distrust. It did work out as the gullible Peter was completed deceived. In the meantime, Joseph Surface a mean hypocrite and brother of Charles’ attempted to seduce Marie as well by joining the Sneerwell’s league to overthrow Charles’s reputation. The scheme went smoothly until the arrival of Charles and Surface’s uncle—Sir Oliver spoilt their design. Sir Oliver, a rich and heirless man, came back to pass his inheritage to his nephews. To discover the truth behind these evil tongues, he disguised himself and spied into the real story. After several dramatic actions, truth is coming out, evil is punished, the good is rewarded. Certainly, that’s the way comedy draws the ending. What’s amusing lies in the dramatic action, how the people make a fool of themselves, how they come to know the truth, how it reaches the climax and how the climax comes to the resolution. Even though the comedy seems a bit improbable and artificial, it did provoke the laughters. What’s more, the stylish society portrayed in that time could find its echo in modern society as well. Think of the paparazzi, think of our zest for the celebrities’ secret life, think of our natural story-telling talent that enables us to pass off the fake as genuine, there is no doubt there lies the common psyche within human kind—that’s the intent to gloat over other people’s misery and peek into others’ lives and throw dirt on those lucky dogs. Perhaps, that’s why this play could survive centuries and remain a meaningful text to be staged.
She Stoops to Conquer or A Mistake of The Night
Wrtitten by Oliver Goldsmith, this play was equally popular as The School of Scandal with its obivious blursque of sentimentalism at then society. The story set in an old-fashioned aristocrat—Mr Hardcastle’s family. This aristocract loved everything old—old friends, old times, old manners, old books, old wines, and, old wife. He arranged a marriage of his daughter Miss Castle with his old friend’s son Marlow. The time came when Marlow was asked to see Miss Castle and see whether there was spark between them. However, on his way to Hardcastles’, he was teased by Hardcastle’s step son Tony by directing him to an “inn”—which actually is Mr Hardcastle’s house. So Marlow lodged in the inn and mistook Hardcastle as the host, and more boisterous, Miss Hardcastle as the barmaid. Then dramatic ironies pervade their dialogues and actions. Miss Hardcastle, falling for Marlow’s sense of humor and his sexual advance when he was unaware of the mistake, was determined to make the wrong and make the best of it. This is the major dramatic situation,parralled with the other pair of thwarted lovers thought of how to elope together with the fortune. I thought the playwright’s ability to run several threads through on story is superb. In terms of the overall quality, the conflict must be condensed and centered without being led astray. Both Oliver and Goldsmith did a brilliant job in this point. There are many other sub-plots that run neck and neck with the main plot without being too confusing and loose. The other merit, the comedy playwright’s sensitivity to grasp the vein of the manner in their societies is so keen that the plays could engage the readers or the spectators’ interest sucessfully. Even for me, when I was reading the text, I could sense the style of that time in such complicated English. But many phrases and techniques still need more close analysis,other wise, I am never capable of judging a work critically and meaingfully. Just take time! Take easy!!