This summary (in the form of several tables and bullet point lists) gives all the important information regarding Epic Theatre; this includes Epic Theatre concepts/characteristics, dramatic analysis (structure, language, characters, themes, and symbols and metaphors) of The Caucasian Chalk Circle i...
, CONCEPTS/CHARACTERISTICS
CONCEPT INFLUENCE EXPLANATION EXAMPLES
Verfremdungseffekt/ Orient: audience must critically Audience re-examines pre- Michael=doll (emotional detachment)
V-effect/ analyse action conceptions by looking at the Singer uses script in Prologue and
Alienation Expressionism: stock characters familiar anew; no emotional breaks emotional continuity
ACTOR-AUDIENCE catharsis Simon and Grusha talk to each other
RELATIONSHIP in the 3rd person
SPASS Frank Wedekind: slapstick, Comedy used to comment on a Natella and the Governor's
CHARACTERISATION & PLOT heightened melodrama, paradox social issue, V-effect device, exaggerated characters
as comedy audience examines comedy more Act 1: Doctors are a comic duo
Chaplin: comedy to comment on than drama, breaks emotional Act 2: Sergeant's crude humour
social issue tension
Gestus & Propgestus Greek Theatre: masks, Gestus: physical embodiment of Natella's haughty behaviour
CHARACTERISATION & stereotypes person's role in society Grusha uses Michael's jacket to
COSTUMING Chaplin: exaggerated actions Propgestus: masks/props/costumes "become" upper class
reveals character's role/status/etc.
Historification Medieval Theatre: tales of heroic Historical stories paralleled with Story (from Bible and ancient Chinese
SETTING deeds/epics current issues and audience is folktale) of the Chalk Circle
Shakespeare: tales from past distanced from characters Setting is in the past
Lutheran Bible: parables Issue shown in "modern" Prologue
Montage Shakespeare: acts as episodes Fragmented, episodic, self-contained Episodes linked by singer
STRUCTURE Greek Theatre: episodic structures, development is focused Act 4 and Act 1 take place in the same
Expressionism: episodic on thematic jumps, keeps audience time period
alert Random time passing between acts
Lehrstücke Frank Wedekind: liberal and anti- Didactic plays that give intellectual Azdak: not a typical judge (distorted
THEMES & INTENTIONS governmental causes pleasure with little empathy for the Robin Hood)
Erwin Piscator: political characters; dialectical and Grusha: begrudgingly accepts her role
motivations paradoxical characters and plot as a mother
DRAMATIC ANALYSIS
, STRUCTURE
CONCEPT INFLUENCE EXPLANATION EXAMPLES
Play-within-a-play Historification Play is performed in the story/play TCCC is a story told by the Singer to
V-effect to create attention and alienation the farmers and the Expert.
from modern era.
Thematic Jumps/Semi-cyclical Montage Self-contained episode; no linear Act 4 and Act 1 take place in the same
Structure development and used to create period, and Act 5 is a convergence of
alienation. narratives (Grusha and Azdak)
Episodic Structure Montage Each episode can stand on their 5 distinct acts. Each act has its own
own: minor climaxes and story/purpose. Prologue completely
pronounced either verbally or separate.
through a sign/projection.
Open-ending V-effect Audience has to decide the ending It is unclear what happens to Natella
Dialectics and this encourages critical thinking. and Azdak (who apparently
(thesis – antithesis – synthesis) disappears).
LANGUAGE
CONCEPT INFLUENCE EXPLANATION EXAMPLES
Juxtaposition V-effect Different language/speech types are Prologue – kolchos casual speech
used to break empathy. Act 1 – court's formal speech
V-effect Expressionism/Orient Breaks empathy and encourages Proposal between Simon and Grusha
critical thinking. is formal and in 3rd person
Gestus in language Stereotypes/Stock Characters Easily identifiable stock characters; Grusha mimics Natella in Act 2.
parody bourgeoisie. Stilted, formal language of court.
CHARACTERS
CHARACTER INFLUENCE EXPLANATION EXAMPLES
Voordelen van het kopen van samenvattingen bij Stuvia op een rij:
√ Verzekerd van kwaliteit door reviews
Stuvia-klanten hebben meer dan 700.000 samenvattingen beoordeeld. Zo weet je zeker dat je de beste documenten koopt!
Snel en makkelijk kopen
Je betaalt supersnel en eenmalig met iDeal, Bancontact of creditcard voor de samenvatting. Zonder lidmaatschap.
Focus op de essentie
Samenvattingen worden geschreven voor en door anderen. Daarom zijn de samenvattingen altijd betrouwbaar en actueel. Zo kom je snel tot de kern!
Veelgestelde vragen
Wat krijg ik als ik dit document koop?
Je krijgt een PDF, die direct beschikbaar is na je aankoop. Het gekochte document is altijd, overal en oneindig toegankelijk via je profiel.
Tevredenheidsgarantie: hoe werkt dat?
Onze tevredenheidsgarantie zorgt ervoor dat je altijd een studiedocument vindt dat goed bij je past. Je vult een formulier in en onze klantenservice regelt de rest.
Van wie koop ik deze samenvatting?
Stuvia is een marktplaats, je koop dit document dus niet van ons, maar van verkoper lukagouws. Stuvia faciliteert de betaling aan de verkoper.
Zit ik meteen vast aan een abonnement?
Nee, je koopt alleen deze samenvatting voor €4,34. Je zit daarna nergens aan vast.
