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26 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What was the political climate in the world at the beginning of the 19th century?
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--Industrial Revolution
--Mass immigration to U.S. --U.S. civil war --Ireland -- potato famine |
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What was Karl Marx writing about?
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The Communist Manifesto 1848
--the split of class is criticized Das Kapital --against capitalism --shows how workers are exploited by the capitalist system |
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What was Charles Darwin writing about?
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The Origin of Species 1859
--evolution --people descending from lower life forms |
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What is social darwinism?
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People took Darwin's idea of biological evolution and applied it to society.
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Which play shows the concerns of social darwinism?
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Woyzeck by Georg Buchner
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What is Romanticism? What country did it come from?
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It is rooted in Germany, specifically the Sturm und Drang movement which prized intuition and emotion over Enlightenment rationalism
senses/emotions exaltation of the artist emphasis on the "natural" --paves the way for naturalism |
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What was the riot over concerning Victor Hugo's play?
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His play "Hernani"
--was a rejection of neoclassicism --at the premiere, a riot --the theatre filled with claques who like and hate. AH |
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What were claques?
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People who were paid to clap at plays.
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Identify and briefly describe popular entertainments in this period.
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--Circus, becomes huge
--Equestrian shows/spectaculars --Minstrel shows -----controversial -----short comic pieces making fun of black stereotypes -----influences musical theatre development in America --Burlesque -----started out as a parody making fun of popular figures -----early beginnings of directors -----popular plays have longer runs |
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What were 3 riots that happened in the 19th century?
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1 - Old Price Riots at Covent Garden
----caused by the rising prices at the theatre 2 - Riots at Hernani by Victor Hugo b/c "Hernani" broke the unities and other neoclassical rules 3 - Astor Place Riots --1848 --William Macready - British --Edwin Forrest - American (they were rivals that were both playing Hamlet) --the police opened fire on the crowd and some people died |
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What did Laura Keene start?
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--She was an actor/manager
--started "combination company": which was a travelling company that focuses on one play Our American Cousin ---Lincoln was assassinated at a performance of this |
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Who wrote Fashion? Explain a bit about this person.
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Anna Cora Mowatt
---Fashion, a comedy of manners ---an aristocrat ---born into wealth and was of high class ---an actress |
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What is the Star System?
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a movement away from the repertory model
----costumes and set can be more accurate ----focuses on one play |
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What are vehicles?
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A production designed to showcase a particular star.
Or an original work is designed to showcase "the star" |
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What is tailoring/re-writing?
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Rewriting exists because there are no copyright laws
Tailoring for actors to showcase things that they are famous for or good at A fan culture grows out of this and contributes to the star system |
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Identify and describe three American actors.
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1 - Edwin Forrest
---American Drama Competition ---when Amer. drama comes off the ground, he wants to star in all the plays ---involved in astor place riots 2 - Ira Aldridge ----1st African American star ----played Othello ----also played Shylock in The Merchant of Venice 3 - Charlotte Cushman -----important b/c she played breeches roles -----most famous for Hamlet -----the appeal: men could see her ankles |
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Who is an important transitional writer who is considered pre-melodrama?
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Friedrich von Kotzebue
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What did Friedrich von Kotzebue do and influence?
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--German
--Pre-melodrama which evolves out of sentimentality --domestic melodramas --major influence on French writing: Pixerecourt, Sardout, Scribe |
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Who was the "father" of melodrama?
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A French man named Rene Charles Guillbert de Pixerecourt.
His most signficant work was Coelina in 1800 |
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Who was Thomas Holcroft?
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An English dramatist who wrote "A Tale of Mystery" in 1802
-----it was an adaptation of Coelina in the English language -----starting point of melodrama in English |
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What are main traits of melodrama?
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Stock characters (evil villian, suffering heroine, etc.)
Music: 2 ways, break for song, or underscoring to tell the audience how to feel heightened emotions sensational, emphasis on spectacle highly episodic structure with emphasis on plot happy endings, well...initially |
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What are 3 examples of specialized melodrama?
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1 - Equestrian: involves horses in plot
2 - Nautical: focus on fisherman and take place on boats 3 - City: melodrama about crime in the big city, urban culture |
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What show did Burlesque troupes perform 500 + times?
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George L. Aiken's Uncle Tom's Cabin
---troupes specifically formed to perform it |
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Who wrote The Octoroon? Explain what is important about this person.
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Dion(ysus) Lardner Boucicault
--starts off translating plays from French --most successful writer of melodrama --started out with comedy --also wrote, "The Poor of New York" |
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What are some characteristics of the well-made play?
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tightly structured plot
a lot of action before the play begins could have feather duster scene stock devices, letters less emphasis on character |
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Who are two playwrights of well-made plays?
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1 - Eugene Scribe: "A Glass of Water"
2 - Victorien Sardou: "Let's Get a Divorce" |
