Category: Art 2722

Introduction

Historical literary surveys about modern theatre and drama are mainly based on the arguments relating to author, the masterpiece, or the period in consideration. Studies on literary surveys about modern theatre are aimed at offering concise explanation and critical consideration of important aspects of literary discussion terms such as symbolism, realism, style, and many other literary terms.

In this case, modern theatre enables the multiplicity of relationship between the text of a play and its presence on the stage, thus further relating to the literary and theatrical experience (Wells pg.V). Majority of drama contain literary materials, which when read, they could provide some entertainment; however, theatre gives a drama or a play the finishing- touch for it to be a complete experience.

In carrying out historical literary survey about modern theatre and drama, the study of text within their historical context are undertaken including the textual criticism to validate the text of the masterpiece which includes checking the historical and social background of the play or masterpiece.

For example, to understand the masterpieces of Athenian tragedy of the fifth century B.C., one will need to understand the religious myths of the ancient Greeks, the organization of the Greek city-states, and the political history of the times. The later especially involves the relationship between certain thematic concerns in the plays of Aeschylus or Euripides and the events of the Persian and Peloponnesian wars of their time (Yadav, Sundram, & Sundram pg.170).

The origin of theatre can be traced back to ancient times, to the religious rites (rituals) of the ancient people. According to Hartnoll, these rituals were songs and dances in honor of a god, performed by priests and worshippers, with these rituals being adopted and performed as plays or drama, giving rise to theatre, which has been transforming up to the modern theatre (Hartnoll 7).

Elements of modern theatre and drama

Spectacle

Spectacle is mainly intended to make the audience to overact towards the play or the drama being presented. Among the early element of theatre spectacle has remained largely unchanged in the transform to the modern theatre. To enable spectacle to be highly effective, it should be aimed at the most sensitive aspects of the human nature especially those dealing with extremities of power: gods, monarchy, terrorism, war, disasters, regicide, and apocalypse.

That is why when activism engaged spectacle in the past in plays such as Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder. The Boston Tea Party received strong responses and produced lasting icons of history, even when there were few witnesses of the event (Kershaw pg.208). In most western theatres, spectacle is not much involved in their shows, remaining either as liked or despised, an element of modern theatre that is not well promoted thus more of a passive theatre ingredient.

Spectacle has remained, though in a more silent manner than in the past. That is why the standard modern reference works on theatre such as The Oxford Companion to the Theatre (1967) by Phyllis Hartnoll and The Cambridge Guide to Theatre (1992) by Martin Banham, mainly engage in separating the serious art from the spectacle by discussing about theatre in Spain or the Spectacle Theatres of Renaissance Italy while remaining tellingly silent on spectacle (Hartnoll 114-120). However, a few reference texts towards the end of the millennium include the concept but are cautious about its significance

British cultural materialism and the American new historicism

The America new historicism was introduced in the America through a publication of Stephen Greenblatts Renaissance Self-Fashioning, a defining work of new historicism, and with The Womans Part, the first anthology of feminist criticism of Shakespeare (Kang, 1997).

However, the cultural materialism evolved later through the works of Raymond Williams in a series of significant works of the late 1970s and 1980s applying Marxist study of social dynamics to several cultural phenomena including drama, literature and art, arguing that though unique as practices they cannot be separated from the normal social process (Carlson, 1993. pg.524).

The two concepts aim to stop the tendency of treating art as a special form of experience or activity that is not linked with the social aspects. They are also aimed at stopping the directed criticism of past periods in viewing given art forms of a specific period with a biased global perspective. Rather, these concepts changed the materialist criticism of art to be more ideologically based.

The two concepts replaced the traditional centers of theoretical and critical attention (the author, the canon, and the organic text) with the study of the forms and flow of power. The dramatic text becomes a site for the negotiation and authorization, interrogation, subversion, containment, and recuperation of power.

This is in addition to an orientation that is well reflected in the Introduction to Shakespeare Reproduced (1987), essays from a seminar on Shakespeare and ideology held in Berlin in 1986 (Carlson, 1993. pg.524). For cultural materialists, the dramatic text, individual performance and other encounters with the text are joined forming social and ideological negotiation (Kang, 1997).

Conclusion

Due to the ever-changing human nature in terms of technology, culture, societal set up, conflicts, issues, and demographics, the modern theatre will gradually continue to change in reflection of changes in the human nature and perspectives.

Works Cited

Berghaus, G. On Ritual. London: Routledge. 1998.

Carlson, M. A. Theories of the theatre: a historical and critical survey from the Greeks to the present. New York: Cornell University Press. 1993.

Hartnoll, P. A concise history of the theatre. London: Thames and Hudson. 1968.

Kang, T. Negotiating with Shakespeare. DAI-A 58/07, 1997. Web.

Kershaw, B. Theatre ecology: environments and performance events. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 2007.

Wells, S. Literature and drama: with special reference to Shakespeare and his contemporaries. London: Routledge. 1970.

Yadav, K. P., Sundram, Malti & Sundram, Malti. Encyclopaedia of Modern Tech. New Delhi: Sarup & Sons. 2004.

Introduction

World art includes many examples of works by great masters who are known to descendants. One of these artists is the Mexican Frida Kahlo. Most of her work is devoted to herself since she spent a long time alone. In the works of Kahlo, not only the influence of popular Mexican culture and art can be traced but also European painting. Her pictures are naive and simple, but these properties distinguish the artist from many of her contemporaries.

The fans of Kahlo value her work Self-Portrait Dedicated to Dr. Eloesser. This painting occupies one of the most significant places in the artists creative biography and is known to many admirers of her talent. The expressive image depicted on the canvas brightly conveys the identity of the master and her manner of painting. It is supposed that social, political, and economic factors had a significant impact on Kahlos work on the whole and the mentioned picture in particular.

Social Context of Creating the Artwork

The considered self-portrait is one of the most famous works of Frida Kahlo for the entire period of her creative activity. It was painted in 1940 and, as it becomes clear from the title, was dedicated to one of the artists good friends (Self-portrait, dedicated to Dr. Eloesser, 1940 by Frida Kahlo n.d.). Those visual images that the audience can observe in the picture underscore the artists mood and her perception of the world at a particular stage of her creative path.

The time of work on the canvas had a significant effect on the result. When paying attention to the details of the self-portrait, it is possible to see a rough necklace on the womans neck, which clearly indicates her suffering and feelings (Self-portrait, dedicated to Dr. Eloesser, 1940 by Frida Kahlo n.d.). It was during these years that the artist began to face serious health problems. She could not leave her house and, despite the popularity that appeared, had to spend much time at home (Ketenmann 2003). At that time, she divorced and often suffered from loneliness and was forced to seek expression of her feelings in painting. Her self-portrait became the means to tell society about her experiences and fears.

Political Context of Creating the Artwork

When considering the painting of Kalo from the point of view of the political context, some events also influenced her work. In particular, the womans acquaintance with the Russian revolutionary Trotsky in 1937 was a significant stage in her life (Frida Kahlo: biography n.d.). For a while, he lived in the house of the artist and her husband, and a romantic relationship arose between Trotsky and Kalo. However, soon, they had to break down because of the excessive attachment of the revolutionary to his new Mexican passion, and all these political controversies also had an impact on the artists activities.

Kahlo did not participate in any state actions. Nevertheless, the political situation in the world was unstable, and the Second World War had already begun by the time of work on the self-portrait. Dark colors on the canvas can indicate the depressive mood of the artist, which was probably not only because of her depression but also anxiety about the situation in the world. Moreover, Kahlo resorted to some political motives in her paintings, for instance, mentioning Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime in general (Frida Kahlo: Mexican painter n.d.). Therefore, such a context can also be taken into account when evaluating her work.

Economic Context of Creating the Artwork

Kahlo became widely known to the public closer to the end of her career. Work on the self-portrait coincided in time with the period when the artists paintings were in demand at various exhibitions. According to Kaiser (2012, p. 89), Kahlos pictures were valued for her own unique sense of style and representation. Such public recognition did not go unnoticed, and Kahlo began to work more actively not only to stop her depression state but also to earn more money.

Even today, exhibitions dedicated to the artist regularly pass. Organizers create dummies dressed in those clothes that were typical for the artists work, show her paintings and collections of objects dedicated to her (Frida Kahlo: making herself up 2018). Particular attention is paid to her self-portrait as one of the most vivid and expressive works that had a significant impact on the formation of a special and unique genre of painting. During her life, the artists works did not cost much, but they allowed her to earn money. Today, the price of the painting under the authorship of Frida Kahlo is estimated high.

Conclusion

A number of social, political and, economic factors had a significant influence on the formation of the Mexican artists style and, in particular, her famous self-portrait. The mood of the painter and her experiences can be traced based on her manner of painting. Frida Kahlo is known today as the author of the unique style of painting, and her works are regularly presented at major world exhibitions.

Reference List

Frida Kahlo: biography n.d. 

Frida Kahlo: making herself up 2018. 

Frida Kahlo: Mexican painter n.d. 

Kaiser, SB 2012, Fashion and cultural studies. Bloomsbury, London.

Ketenmann, A 2003, Frida Kahlo: pain and passion, Cologne, Germany.

Self-portrait, dedicated to Dr. Eloesser, 1940 by Frida Kahlo n.d. 

The name of this particular band causes a wave of appreciation in any audience all over the world, and the sounds of their melodies cause a wave of excited screaming of the bands numerous fans and admirers. Everyone knows the names of the bands members. Their path towards fame was short and wonderful, their triumph lasts still. Their most famous singles were adopted and covered by many different musicians of different generations.

The appearance of Queen blew up every stage they stepped on. All of the songs and albums this band released have become legendary and are known all around the world. The impact this band had on the history of rock music cannot be underestimated. Queen has influenced many artists and changed the idea of a performance of a rock band or a musician in general. Queens album called A Night at the Opera released in 1975 that includes its most famous single the Bohemian Rhapsody is of big importance for the development of rock as a genre, it changed the looks of rock performances and the idea of music videos.

The way from zero to hero was very quick for the members of Queen. The band was formed in 1971 and by 1973 Queen already had their first contract for recording. The first album by Queen appeared the same year. A while after that the band headed off to their first of many tours. In a couple of years the band was already gaining the popularity on the worlds arena. The tours started to become international. Queen started to perform in the USA and in Japan. The demand for tickets and number of people willing to see the concerts was so huge that the band had to add more shows.

The members of the band had to work very hard. Logically, a big pressure and exhaustion has created health problems. First Brian May had to take a sick leaf because of hepatitis  because of that several concerts had to be cancelled. Then Freddy Mercury started to develop throat problems. Freddies rare four-octave voice was in danger and many doctors advised the singer to take a break, but he refused to disappoint thousands of fans and continued to perform through the pain. Through the whole history Queen has produced eighteen albums and eighteen top singles. The income from the album sales is so high that Queen is considered one of the most popular and best-selling rock bands in the world.

It is a well known fact that the more successful albums a band or an artist produces, the more pressure and expectations it creates. After a while releasing a product that will keep up with the previous success is becoming harder and harder. The history of Queenss shows and albums started with small performances in the clubs of London. The first album was called Queen and it was not very popular. Queen II has seen the world less than a year after Queen and already included some of the bands special experimental techniques. The seven albums that followed the first two have cemented the bands name into the history of rock. Night at the Opera released in 1975 became the bands first platinum album (Band History, n. d.).

The big break of Queen started with this album  i think this could already be considered a history altering fact because if Night at the Opera had not appeared the world would have never seen Queen. The albums reviews say that it shows the bands special style and openness towards experiments, the sounding has evolved from heavy-metal to pop-rock. Queens songs are lyrical and the use of choruses and vocal rounds makes their melodies recognizable and outstanding (Nicholson 1976). Everyone knows the songs by Queen and their famous harp and piano effects. This was new impact on the history of rock, not many bands could adopt this kind of innovations and adjust them for their own style.

A Night at the Opera has songs with many different subjects. For example, Im in Love with My Car and Sweet Lady were written in Queens traditional style of abstract snarl. Death on Two Legs is known as Freddies tribute to the bands former manager. You are My Best Friend is a glorious single that sounds closer to the genre of pop, while Love of My Life is very romantic and endearing song that touched many hearts all over the world. Ones of the most well known songs of this album are Brian Mays The Prophets Song and 39, though the absolute triumph went to a song that is known and loved by generations  the magnificent Bohemian Rhapsody.

This particular song has made the albums popularity skyrocket. After this single has seen the world there was no longer a doubt that Queen is going to stay in the history of rock forever. At first Bohemian Rhapsody was not predicted to be so big in the music world. It was said to be too long as it lasts for nearly six minutes. Mercury took it to a radio station to a friend of his. After it was played once it never stopped being requested. The single became huge in the UK over just one weekend and then it started to conquer the hearts of foreigners. Bohemian Rhapsody is my favorite song by Queen, once I have heard it for the first time  it mesmerized me and won my heart right away. A trait that made Bohemian Rhapsody stand out even more was a music video Queen made for this song. This video is considered to be the first official promotional music video in the history. It has started the whole new dimension of music  the music clips.

To sum up, Queen is a true legend of the history of rock music. They had many amazing qualities, various achievements; they brought lots of innovations and have made a huge impact on the development of rock as a genre. Queen was one of the first bands that were especially interested in making a fantastic show for the fans; this is why their bright and memorable concerts attracted such unbelievable masses of people. Queen has brought changes to the sounding of rock music  added new unusual instruments and techniques in the use of voice. Queen has produced the first in history promotional video clip to a song.

Another special thing about Queen is Freddy Mercurys openness about his orientation and a huge impact into a development of social and public tolerance towards homosexuals in rock community of that time. These days many different artists still mention Queen as the source of their inspiration and an ultimate role-model  among these artists are Foo Fighters, Lady Gaga, Green Day and Katy Perry (White 2014). The songs by Queen are used in various films; the lines of their songs are being cited by many directors, song writers and artists.

Reference List

Band History. (n. d). Queenpedia. Web.

Nicholson, K. (1976). A Night at the Opera. Web.

White, D. (2014). Queen. Web.

Introduction

Frida Kahlo is among the most well-known self-portrait artists. As it is clear from the most prominent of her works, she uses her own image to express moods and various stages of life in a masterly fashion. Self-portrait dedicated to Dr. Eloesser that appeared in 1940 is an important work showing Fridas temporary recovery.

The Artwork: Disease and Gratitude

The artwork discussed within the frame of the assignment was created to express gratitude to Leo Eloesser who was Fridas close friend. At the very beginning of the twentieth century, Eloesser starts studying medicine in Germany, and his hard work helps him to become an outstanding surgeon, enjoying famous peoples confidence. In the middle of the 1920s, Eloesser meets Fridas husband, Diego Rivera, and becomes their family friend (Courtney, OHearn & Franck 2016, p. 92). It is common knowledge that Frida Kahlo suffered from numerous diseases during her life, and this is why supporting the relationships with an experienced medical specialist was extremely important for her.

Following the anguish of body and mind related to bus crash and miscarriage, Frida Kahlo faces another health issue that poses a significant threat to her well-being. At the end of 1939, the artist starts suffering from intense low-back pain; apart from that, her health deteriorates due to the development of acute fusarium infection disseminated from her right hand (Self-portrait dedicated to Dr. Eloesser (1940) n.d.). Feeling anxious about her health, Leo Eloesser encourages Frida to come to San Francisco to receive appropriate and timely treatment. The treatment helps to improve her condition, and Frida creates her self-portrait, which is then sent to Leo Eloesser. After his death, the painting becomes the property of Leos companion who dislikes it and finds another owner.

Self-Portrait and Its Elements

In reference to the key features of the discussed work, there are many elements that carry symbolic meaning and give clues, helping to understand Fridas psychological condition. In general, close attention to detail characterizes her approach to art. It becomes obvious when different self-portraits created by Frida are compared. This artist manages to reflect life changes with the help of secondary objects and tiny details, whereas her facial expression in the paintings remains basically the same.

The key elements presented in the painting include Fridas earrings of an unusual shape, flowers on her head, a thorn necklace, and the hand that holds white banderole. To some extent, all the above-mentioned details refer to the changes in Fridas health condition. It is possible that Fridas hand-shaped earrings fulfill two purposes simultaneously. To begin with, the artist includes the earrings to demonstrate that she often wears the gift given by Pablo Picasso who admired her talent for painting (Self-portrait dedicated to Dr. Eloesser (1940) n.d.). Apart from that, the design of her earrings refers to the location of her fungal infection.

When it comes to flowers as her hair ornament, it can be suggested that they also have a symbolic meaning, indicating Fridas hope and peace of mind following the recovery. In fact, flowers rarely appear in her paintings. The thorn necklace that the artist is wearing is another significant element that is included in some of her works as the representation of physical pain and its alleviation. In this situation, the necklace is likely to express freedom from pain that Eloesser gave to Frida  the necklace seems to be broken.

Finally, the hand near the banderole also carries two meanings simultaneously. By including this tiny hand, the artist pays tribute to her native culture, in which people use the so-called milagros, religious charms that are believed to accelerate physical recovery and carry out wishes (Watkins 2015). Apart from that, this element refers to the artists acute hand infection that was cured thanks to Leo Eloessers help.

Social, Political, and Economic Context

In reference to the social context, the first thing to be paid attention to is the growth of patriotic moods in many Mexican people due to the changing aesthetic preferences of well-known art experts of the twentieth century. A few months before the creation of the discussed self-portrait, Frida Kahlo visits Paris to participate in an exhibition organized by Andre Breton (Reef 2014). The event becomes extremely important to further the development of visual arts in Mexico as the show encourages the Louvre Museum to purchase Fridas work. During this time, Fridas unique style wins recognition among European art experts; the growing interest in Mexican cultural richness and Fridas friendliness helps her to establish trust-based relationships with many foreign artists (Frida Kahlo biography n.d.).

Continuing on the socio-political context, it is important to mention the influence of gender inequality and the growth of the feminist movement. Even though the end of the 1930s was not a period when the key problems of Mexican women were solved, the activity of the United Front for Womens Rights in Mexico contributed to important changes in political and social life. Until the middle of the 1950s, Mexican womens participation in political life was limited due to the absence of the right to vote (Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores n.d.). Nevertheless, many women of the time were active supporters of various political movements; for instance, Frida shared her husbands opinion on the salvational nature of communism (Galea 2017).

The economic context in which the painting was created also remains significant. In general, it is possible to suppose that Fridas active work and elastic temperament helped to increase the representation of economically disadvantaged social groups (those with physical disabilities, women, and LGBT people) in Mexican art. Therefore, her artistic career helped to make the problems of these groups more visible.

Conclusion

In the end, Kahlos work dedicated to Leo Eloesser presents a painting that actively uses visual symbols to tell about pain, gratitude, and recovery. The period of its creation is the time when Frida became more popular in Europe, and it is partially reflected in the choice of symbols. On a national level, this period presents numerous challenges to disadvantaged and underrepresented social groups to which she belonged.

Reference List

Courtney, CA, OHearn, MA, & Franck, CC 2016, Frida Kahlo: portrait of chronic pain, Physical Therapy, vol. 97, no. 1, pp. 90-96.

Frida Kahlo biography n.d.

Galea, K 2017 The life and politics of Frida Kahlo, The Socialist.

Reef, C 2014, Frida & Diego: art, love, life, Mifflin Harcourt, New York.

Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores n.d., The 63^rd anniversary of womens suffrage in Mexico.

Self-portrait dedicated to Dr. Eloesser (1940) n.d.

Watkins, M 2015, The un-doing of hard borders, in SP Moslund, AR Peterson & M Schramm (eds), The culture of migration: politics, aesthetics and histories, I. B. Tauris, New York, NY, pp. 189-203.

I believe that tools can be considered works of art when approached from two separate perspectives. The first is their aesthetic value. Utilitarian objects may have complex decorations, patterns, markings, various spots, and engravings. In some cases, the aesthetic elements are developed from the use of the tool and could transfer the object from a utilitarian to a work of art status (Fig. 1). The second perspective comes from the social and historical context that the tool may be a part of.

For example, bullets in a box do not have any explicit artistic meaning and are not likely to be considered an object of art. However, bullets that collided in mid-air can hold a symbolic meaning. They represent the conflict between nations and the chaotic nature of war, where even such small and fast objects as bullets can collide (Fig. 2).

I believe that both perspectives are valid because art can be experienced from various viewpoints. An object can be pleasant to look at. It may remind people of their past experiences, or make them think about the human condition. On the other hand, an object may tell a lot about the context in which it was created and used. In fact, I believe that almost any utilitarian object may be artful if it has a significant context.

It does not have to have any specific visual characteristics other than authenticity. Even things that are created today may be considered art in the future. A cheap dashboard camera may be used as a symbol of constant surveillance present in modern society. However, a beautifully designed utilitarian object can also serve as an art piece. For instance, home appliances from the 1960s were often designed with specific aesthetics in mind and can be very artful.

References

Çanakkale  pilgrimage to Gallipoli. (2017). Web.

Ginsburg, C. (2015). Costume, textiles, needlework. New York, NY: Cora Ginsburg LLC.

A music concert that I attended was entitled The Seven Ts at Seventy and was dedicated to the 70th birthday of Charles Ferguson, a lecturer at California Institute of the Arts, who was also a solo performer during the show. The concert took place on January 19, 2019, in the Campbell Recital Hall. The major instrument featured was guitar, and the repertoire included several classical compositions by Tárrega, Túrina, Tórroba, Tedesco, Tansman, Telemann, and Tchaikovsky.

The pieces played by Ferguson were highly versatile in terms of genre and overall sound characteristics because the works he selected to perform came from different periods and cultural backgrounds. The composition by Telemann, Fantasia No. 6 Grave-Presto-Siciliana-Allegro in E Minor, especially stood out because it belongs to the late Baroque period. Thus, the melody in Telemanns piece has an almost solemn quality it and a measured order of movement.

Even though Fantasia No. 6 was originally intended to be played on a violin, it is possible to say that Fergusons arrangement of this composition for a guitar not only successfully transferred its melodic qualities but also endowed it with greater sound depth.

Besides the piece by Telemann, Ferguson also adapted some piano compositions by Tchaikovsky (Autumn Song and selections from Album for the Young) and Tansman (Chant sans Parole and selections from Pour Les Enfants). The works by the latter composer and musician of Polish origin, who lived in the 20th century, have the French neoclassical style characteristics: clarity, emotional restraint, expanded tonality, exquisite balance, and so forth. At the same time, the works by Tchaikovsky, who lived in 19th century Russia, belong to the classical, romantic tradition, which is more emotional than neoclassicism and is associated with greater ambiguity of form.

Among Tchaikovskys pieces played during the concert, Autumn Song was particularly lyrical, whereas some selections from the Album for the Young, including March of the Wooden Soldiers and Baba Yaga, were more dynamic and fast-paced. Overall, Fergusons selection of Tchaikovskys works reflected the diversity of the composers talent to some extent. However, as a person who is accustomed to listening to Tchaikovskys short pieces played on a piano, I was not very fond of Fergusons versions. Nevertheless, I can give full credit to the performer for an impeccable, expressive, and sincere guitar play.

In my opinion, the pieces created by the Spanish composers Tárrega, Túrina, Tórroba, and the Italian composer, Tedesco, which Ferguson also chose to perform at his solo concert, were particularly successful. None of these prominent 20th-century composers had strictly defined style and their works frequently comprised the features of neoclassicism, impressionism, and Spanish folk.

For instance, Madroños incorporated some melodic qualities similar to traditional flamenco with frequent accents, a collection of ascending tones and pitches, and brisk rhythmic patterns. Along with other compositions performed by Ferguson, such as Burgalesa, Allegro con Spirito from Guitar Sonata in D Major, Adelita y Lágrima, Madroños was specifically designed to demonstrate the whole complexity of guitar techniques. Thus, with his immaculate skills, Ferguson delivered a top-notch listening experience to the audience when playing them.

The Seven Ts at Seventy became one of the most enjoyable concerts that I have recently visited. I liked the overall selection of compositions included in the show. They were sufficiently diverse and, what is probably more important, perfectly performed. The overall organization of the concert was without a hitch as well. The performer communicated with the audience and conveyed all the necessary information. Thus, he managed to keep all music lovers who attended the concert properly entertained and engaged.

Introduction

Joel Sternfeld is considered one of the first artists to try color photography, with his works focusing on the exploration of the American psyche of the late 1970s and the 1980s. This period in U.S. history was associated with doubt and reflection, especially for the Western part of the country, and Sternfeld managed to capture this issue in his most notable work, American Prospects. For this analysis, a closer look will be given at the photographers famous image  McLean, Virginia, December 1978 (Figure 1).

Description

In the image, an observer can see a firefighter at a local farmers market buying pumpkins. In the background, a large house is burning down. The photograph is framed in such a way that immediate attention is given to the pumpkin stand. This creates an illusion of a stereotypical image of fall in America. However, as one looks more attentively, the glance travels to the building in flames, with firefighters on the roof trying to put the fire down. The elements of the photograph are arranged closely with little negative space between them. If one is to crop the main aspects of the image, the farmers market and the burning building can fit in a smaller frame compared to the actual size of the photograph.

In regards to focus, pumpkins scattered on the ground were the closest to the photographer and thus appear sharper and clearer. The natural light of gloomy fall day made the photograph well-lit but not bright or overly exposed. The light grey sky serves as a background for the main composition, making colors less vibrant and leaning to sepia tones. The darkest spots on the image include the market and the burning building as well as some of the trees in the background.

There is still a noticeable contrast of several colors: the yellow-orange of the pumpkins against the barely green grass, the yellow sign of the farmers market against the dark greys, browns, and greens of the trees, and the yellow-orange flames against the light grey sky. These contrasts give the image the texture and character that many will associate with fall.

It is interesting to explore the angle of the image. The perspective and framing point to the idea that the photographer was passing by the area and noticed an interesting scene. It is also likely that the picture was taken from an area that was a little higher than the market. However, no special strategies to take the perfect staged photo are present, which suggests that it was spontaneous and far from being impeccable. Since Sternfelds image is so fascinating, one may theorize about the changes in its meaning if some of the elements were different. If, for example, the firefighter was watching the house burning down, this would have shown a feeling of worry. He would have likely also been the key focus of the entire photo, with his yellow jacket standing out against the greys and dark greens of the landscape.

The photograph also pays attention to the beauty of the landscape regardless of the strange situation with the fire. The colors are beautiful and harmonious, typical of a traditional American fall. However, this beauty is complicated by the bright fire; while it is said that it is possible to watch a fire burn for a long time, the same cannot be said about a burning house. Overall, the essential aspects of the landscape include scattered pumpkins, the line of trees in the front of the burning building, the farm stand, and trees in the background, and the house. These elements are working together to create a peaceful but shocking landscape of American fall.

Analysis

Playing with composition is an interesting task because it allows us to interpret something in a new way or give it a deeper meaning. When cropping Sternfelds photograph, it was chosen to remove the scattered pumpkins in the front of the picture. This led to the image getting a horizontal orientation rather than a vertical (Figure 2). Also, it preserved the main elements: the farmers market and the burning house. In this way, the first look on the image does not focus on the beautifully scattered pumpkins but rather goes straightaway to the focal points of the composition.

The image generated above is rather mundane and less interesting compared to the original, which means that the photographers artistic value should not be overlooked. However, it is more straightforward and less complex in composition. It should also be mentioned that cropping the image allowed the house to be placed almost in the center of the composition, giving it more attention. In addition, the horizontal orientation of the image goes with the line of trees to the right of the farmers market. In this way, they are in the center from the top and bottom edges and create a point of balance between the house and the market. The trees also cut between the chaos of the fire and the peacefulness of the market.

Greeting Card

The greeting card seen in Figure 3 above takes advantage of the surprise and contradiction inherent to Sternfelds photograph. A vignette filter was chosen to focus the attention of the viewer on the events depicted in the image. In this way, ones glance is oriented on the area that appears lighter, while non-important aspects of the landscape are darker. This effect also gives the appearance of an aged photograph.

In terms of the greeting itself, Welcome to the State of Virginia was the first phrase that came to mind because the photo was taken there and can somewhat represent it. Have a Good Time was added as a sarcastic joke since the image shows fire and a bystander that seems not to care about it at all. This greeting card can be indeed given to someone visiting Virginia both as a joke and as a reminder of the complex social issues that persist in the country.

Conclusion

In summary, Sternfelds McLean, Virginia, December 1978 should never be cropped or altered. The photograph is balanced in many ways: from the color palette to the contrast between the good and the bad. Although, it should be mentioned that the fire was controlled and used for firefighter training, which is why the man in the market may not be interested in it. Despite this, there is still deeper meaning to the photograph analyzed in this paper: a person always cares about ones own affairs than about what is going on in the world.

Reference

McLean, Virginia, December 1978 [Image]. (n.d.). Web.

The Truman Show is a film about the infringement by the media groups into the private lives of celebrities and about how such interference causes disruptions such as what happened with Princess Diana. It can also be seen as an intrusion by the media into the life of the common man just as is revealed in shows such as Jerry Springer and Oprah that reveal the life of common people while probing into almost every detail of their private lives. The film clearly portrays that with the kind of media that we have today, people cannot lead a private life. This paper will examine and analyze different aspects of the film in regard to its production details, profitability, performance, genre comparisons, and application to auteur theory, plot, music, and symbolism.

The Truman Show was released in 1998 and is essentially a science fiction comedy and drama, being directed by Peter Weir and produced by Scott Rudin. The producer had purchased the script from the writer Andrew Niccol for $ 1 million and Paramount Pictures became the production company. The film was budgeted at $80 million and the director searched several locations before finalizing on Universal Studios for most parts of the storys settings while a master-planned community called Seaside in Florida was chosen for the majority of the shooting. Paramount pictures devised a marketing strategy for the film such that it opened in the entire United States on June 5, 1998, and grossed earnings of $31,542,121 on the first weekend. The film was a total success and grossed a total of $264,118,201 as earnings and became the 11th most successful film of 1998. The film became a success primarily because of the unique marketing strategies applied by Paramount Pictures and received several nominations at the 56th Golden Globe Awards, 71st Academy Awards, The Saturn Awards, and the 52nd British Academy Awards (The Truman Show, 2009).

There are many films that have similar stories whereby the public follows the life of a given person by way of live shows, but the Truman Show was the first of its kind and in this sense, it becomes a classic of the genre. Although the story is not mind-boggling in portraying a world that is built to relay a live soap twenty-four hours of the day, the main character is the only person who is ignorant about all this being a frame-up. In the movie, Truman had no choice since his life was coordinated and orchestrated to the extent that he had no discretion about what friends he could have and whom he could get married with. He was throughout his life unaware of being stuck in a protected cage. This is the essence of the story which is portrayed as being under the constant watch of the media.

The Truman Show has resonated as being more than just a reproving story. Despite the grasping human efforts of constructing superficial prototypes, the movie has developed an invincible thesis of prototypes that play their respective roles. The idea of the movie is to make the active audience aware that even if the influential elite makes attempts to create realities for them, their souls would lead them to the most appropriate path. Peter Weir is an important and innovative auteur who has worked within the boundaries of Hollywood whereby his films such as The Truman Show, Fearless, Dead Poets Society, and Witness fit in perfectly within the framework of auteur theory.

The auteur theory is amply demonstrated in the works of Peter Weir in terms of the themes, motifs, and psychological analysis that are used in the plotting of the characters in these films. Jonathan Rayner (2004) has said about Weirs films that they are distinct and creative and maintain the consistency that clearly speaks about the grand narratives and world views. In narrating his viewpoint on the director being an auteur filmmaker, Rayner has maintained that The Truman Show distinctly identifies with the themes of freedom and repression as expressed in the films Fearless, Dead Poets Society and Witness. These films have commonalities in identifying with issues relating to youth and virtuousness in relation to disenchanted knowledge, culture clashes, and the celebrations in regard to the unpredictable and unique overwhelming personal experiences. Such similarities in the films made by Weirdo establish him as an auteur.

Most of the film is set in a town that is mostly engaged in running continuous television shows. All the people in this town are either actors or part of the movie team except the main character Truman Burbank who is portrayed as being unaware about living in a reality that is construed and filmed for others entertainment. The main characters are suggestive of having family relations or friendships with Truman. In fact, Truman was selected from amongst six unwanted kids to become a TV star. A huge studio was built and named Seahaven which became the artificial town in which Truman lived. The entire studio in being enclosed made it possible for the crew, directors, and producers to control and keep track of every aspect of the environment that Truman lived in, while each of his movements was under close scrutiny.

The plot reveals that Truman has to be prevented from escaping and discovering the truth behind this superficial world and as a precaution, his father is killed in a manipulated boat accident so that Truman is always scared of water. Since Seahave is made to appear as an island, Trumans fear of water removes the risk of his escaping and although he is depicted as having a wife named Meryl, Truman develops intimacy with a female actor named Sylvia who is taken away from the cast after being found to be explaining to Truman the artificial existence that he was being made to go through. However after thirteen years, of accidentally stumbling on some studio equipment, Truman does realize the impractical life that he is leading and attempts to escape from Seahaven (Birgit Wolz, 2009).

But Truman, in his quest for truth and escape, finds a lot of obstacles which include a nuclear meltdown that is nonexistent, abrupt collapsing of the transport systems, maneuvered traffic jams, and the re-emergence of his dead father. In desperation to get his freedom, Truman is able to get rid of his fear of water and in the face of a superficially made up hurricane in the ocean he ultimately, albeit by accident, reaches the boundary of the made-up realities in piercing through the painted sky on the inside of the internal dome wall. While he walks by the periphery of the ocean, he finds a door and walks through it only to see Christof telling him from the clouds about the truth and his artificial existence. Christof tries to influence Truman into staying back by telling him that the real world is equally untruthful, but at this point, Truman bids farewell to the audience and steps into the real world. While doing so he is cheered by millions who comprise the audience, which also includes Sylvia who is seen leaving her home to be reunited with Truman.

The makers of the film have worked out a cautiously created lesson for the viewers which has a lot of metaphors and symbols in questioning the perceived realities in regard to overcoming fear, seeking truth, and self-determination. All that is taken as reality in the film is actually an edited version which is filtered as reality. The world is perceived by thinking of our ears and eyes as being a microphone and camera. Reality is not witnessed directly but through an inner movie that is made to exist within our minds and which is of course not reliable. The inner movie is played as a story about who we are and about the world that surrounds us. In essence, most of these beliefs and stories are framed in the mind in childhood as being responses to the realities that surround us and as we grow such beliefs prove to be inaccurate reflections as compared to the present realities.

Jim Carrey plays Truman Burbank who is selected out of six unwanted babies and is the first child to be adopted legally by any corporation. Truman is revealed as being unaware of the broadcast of his daily life and works in an insurance company. He has a beautiful wife and ultimately realizes that all that he witnesses and experiences is not real after all. Laura Linney plays the role of Hannah Gill and Meryl Burbank, Trumans wife. She works as a nurse in the hospital and in keeping with the shows objective of product promotions, is regularly seen showing off the items that she purchases frequently. She is portrayed with the goal of acting as Trumans wife and bearing a child from him. Noah Emmerich acts as Marlon, best friend of Truman ever since they were both children. Marlon works as an operator for vending machines in a company called Goodies and has promised Truman that she would never lie to him. Ed Harris plays the character of Christof who is the creator of the Truman Show. Christoff is depicted as always being sincere about the program in taking personal pains to ensure that everything moves in order. Natasha McElhone acts as Sylvia, who becomes romantically inclined with Truman while Brian Delate plays the role of Walter Moore who is portrayed as Trumans father. Holland Taylor acts as Alanis Montclair who is the mother of Truman.

The inventive and creative music for the movie was created by Burkhard Dallwitz who was given the job after Peter Weir was much impressed with his abilities. Some parts of the music and soundtrack have been composed by Philip Grass who also appears in the movie momentarily as a studio performer and composer. The movie depicts a mix of far-reaching orchestrations and percolating simplicity that instills the viewer in an atmosphere of legend and Apocrypha.

The Truman Show is in essence a comedy relating to romantic dreamers and to the tradition that the real world is a sham in touching and shaking the viewer so that the world looks entirely different to him after the movie is over. The movie is about the victory of a simple person.

References

Birgit Wolz, The Truman Show.

Jonathan Rayner, The Films of Peter Weir, 1999, Cassell.

The Truman Show.

John Philip Sousa, a known American composer, was born on November 6, 1854, in Washington, DC, in a family of former European residents. The legacy of this famous bandmaster is among the greatest national treasures of the United States. In the history of America, this remarkable figure is known as The March King, whose music continues to fill hearts with the sense of national pride even nowadays. Regarding his achievements in the musical sphere, The Stars and Stripes Forever is the work that has become the national march of the U.S. military forces. Another composition named Semper Fidelis has been taken as an official march of the United States Marine Corps. The works of a famous bandleader are, in fact, hard to enumerate within a single passage. Those are very numerous, and the following research will review some of the most prominent marches of all time.

Education and Peculiar Biographical Facts

John Philip Sousas rise from local musician to one with a burgeoning national reputation was accompanied by remarkable historical events that had split the USA territory into two countervailing parts (Graziano 475). However, the composers earlier years were relatively quiet. It is known that the future bandmaster grew up in a family of Europeans. Sousas mother, Maria Elisabeth Trinkhaus, was German by origin, and his father, John Antonio Sousa, originated from Spanish. It is known that they met in Brooklyn and lived there for a while. Then in 1848, the family decided to move to Washington, DC. There John Antonio joined the US Marine Band, which had a serious influence on both his own life and the life of his son. Six years later, the third child, John Philip, was born whose immense talent and relationship to music was already marked by destiny.

At the age of six, John Philip Sousa began to attend music classes. He had been studying a variety of wind instruments for about four years. Teachers noticed his extraordinary talent and advised Sousas parents to encourage their son to proceed with education. At the age of ten, John Philip started attending the rehearsals of his fathers band. It was exactly the time when the country was split by the tragic events of the Civil War. From 1861 to 1865, the capital remained a military zone serving as the refugee for the wounded. The boys regular visits to the hospital to see the wounded served as a background for forming his unique and straightforward worldview (Graziano 475). The chaotic sounds of war continued to arrive for as long as the battles had been raging. However, there was a positive side to this occurrence: military bands could be found everywhere, which served as an additional source of inspiration for the boy.

The first real opportunity to demonstrate his potential as a musician came to Sousa in 1868. A young man was offered a position of a bandmaster with a circus troupe (Graziano 477). John Philip accepted this opportunity very enthusiastically, viewing it as a chance to start a wonderful career. However, the father did not share his sons enthusiasm and, therefore, enlisted the boy in the Marine Corps for a young man to keep away from the circus. Sousas service in the corps lasted for seven years when finally, at the age of 20, he was discharged from the Marines and focused on the career of a professional musician. This is how a new round of the composers life began.

Figures that Influenced Sousas Perception of Music

Regarding the impact the masters works make on the audience, one can easily know about that by reading the devoted scholarly articles or critics reviews. Camus, in his research, states that John Philip Sousa is Americas most frequently performed and internationally recognized composer (547). Naturally, Sousas wide renown was impossible without the substantial experience he acquired as a bandmaster. Regarding his manner of composing, the musician was to a greater extent influenced by the stylistic trends of Offenbach. Such works as The Stars and Stripes Forever and The High School Cadets were greatly affected by the style and expressed the strong rhythmic propulsion accompanied by more memorable tunes (Camus 547). The combination of these two features was exactly the factor to distinguish the two mentioned marches from the rest of the works.

The composers genuine interest in the style of Offenbach was supported by the exposure to the oeuvre of Gilbert and Sullivan. The success and general recognition of the two remarkable figures forced him to start composing for the stage as well. Sousa then wrote ten comic operettas; the most remarkable of them were The Bride-Elect, The Free Lance, and El Capitan (Wilder 60). It is known that he even wrote lyrics to some of the composed operettas. Nevertheless, music always remained the main subject of his interest. Entertaining the audience by means of a symphony orchestra was the primary concern of the great composer. He, therefore, borrowed all the peculiar techniques from the famous musicians of his time and embodied those into his own unique compositions.

Famous Works

Among the works that brought the worldwide musician fame, the national march of the USA deservedly takes the victory podium. As Camus stresses in his study, recognition of Sousas foremost place among march composers came in 1987 when Congress legislated The Stars and Stripes Forever as the national march of the United States of America (547). In his later years, Sousa wrote that the march was composed on Christmas day, in 1896. On that very day, John Philip Sousa was on an ocean trip with his wife and had accidentally known about David Blakelys death, the manager of his band. He was so shocked by the news that he composed a march in Blakelys name. It happened so that a tragic event served as a premise for creating the most remarkable Sousas masterpiece.

Another famous composition of the master is El Capitan, written in 1896. It is an operetta in three acts, which is regarded to be Sousas most successful stage work. Regarding the way this play was performed, Hess clearly stated that the audience loved its toe-tapping marches and jaunty melodies (123). The operetta had toured across the USA and Canada for nearly four years from 1896 to 1900 and gathered full of the enthusiasm public in practically every city it was staged.

Except for the play, the name El Capitan is often associated with the march composed of the themes from a similarly-named operetta. A straightforward language of Gilbert and Sullivan arrived as the major genre feature to guide Sousa in his work on the march. It is notable that the technique he used helped the composer to perfectly reflect a humorous plot of the play and, thus, add popularity to a known operetta.

One more work to pay close attention to is the earlier mentioned Semper Fidelis, which has become the official march of the US Marine Corps. This march was written in 1888 as a response to Mr. Chester Arthurs request, the President of the United States. The phrase Semper Fidelis is a Latin equivalent for always faithful, which is known to be a motto of the US Marines. By the time the composition was written, Sousa had remained the leader of the United States Marine Corps Band for eight years, and it was quite reasonable for him to mark off this biographical fact by a new work (549). As the composer admitted later in the interview, he wrote the march over one night, and it appeared to be one of the major achievements of his professional career.

Conclusion

John Philip Sousa is a historical figure whose contribution to the cultural development of the United States is impossible to underestimate. Both the life and the career of the great composer were associated with remarkable events the USA encountered in the second half of the 19th century. It is known that Sousas parents, his father, in particular, played one of the key roles in forming their sons unique world perception and unveiling his immense talent. The decision to connect a career with the US Marine Corps was, to a greater extent, influenced by John Philips father. It later occurred that Sousas service in the corps served as a formidable background for writing such marches as Semper Fidelis, The Stars and Stripes Forever, El Capitan, and many more famous compositions. All of them are currently regarded as a national treasure of the United States of America.

Works Cited

Camus, Raoul F. John Philip Sousas America: The Patriots Life in Images and Words by John Philip Sousa IV and Loras John Schissel, and: Bully for the Band!: The Civil War Letters and Diary of Four Brothers in the 10th Vermont Infantry Band: Charles George, Herbert George, Jere George, and Osman George ed. by James G. Davis, and: Connecticuts Fife & Drum Tradition by James Clark. Notes, vol. 69, no. 3, 2013, pp. 547-551.

Graziano, John. Making the March King: John Philip Sousas Washington Years, 18541893 by Patrick Warfield. American Music, vol. 32, no. 4, 2014, pp. 475-477.

Hess, Carol A. El Capitan by John Philip Sousa. American Music, vol. 31, no. 1, 2013, pp. 122-124.

Wilder, Steven Scott. Sousas Descriptive Works and Suites as Class-Cultural Mediations. Diss. The Ohio State University, 2017.

Introduction

The 1993 film Farewell My Concubine (directed by Chen Kaige) is now referred to as one of the Chinese cinematographys finest works. There are several reasons for it, but the most important one has to do with the films high educational value. After all, even though Farewell My Concubine is, in essence, a love story with the strongly defined queerness overtone to it, this movie does provide a rather accurate account of many turning points in Chinas history. Therefore, by watching Kaiges film one will indeed be able to learn a great deal about China, in general, and the socially predetermined workings of peoples Oriental (Confucian) mentality, in particular. In my paper, I will explore the validity of this suggestion at length while expounding on what should be deemed the social and cultural significance of some of the films most memorable scenes and episodes.

Discursive context in the film Farewell My Concubine

Among the main factors that contributed substantially towards making it possible for Farewell My Concubine to win the Palme dOr award during the 1993 Cannes Film Festival can be named Kaiges success in ensuring the psychological plausibility of this films themes and motifs. In its turn, this can be explained by the fact that Farewell My Concubine does provide a strong discursive context to the on-screen action. The films initial scenes, in which the main characters of Cheng Dieyi and Duan Xiaolou are seen subjected to harsh beatings by a teacher (as trainees in the Peking Opera), illustrate the validity of this statement. The reason for this is that they exemplify the practical implications of the Confucian paradigm in education, which justifies physical punishment as an effective instrument of disciplining students.¹ It is understood, of course, that those Western viewers who are to watch Kaiges film for the first time may end up experiencing much emotional discomfort as a result of their initial exposure to the mentioned scenes.

However, by the time the movie reaches its conclusion, the audience will be likely to realize that there are many discursively ambivalent dimensions to the films cinematic representations of violence. For example, the recurring episodes of child abuse that continue to take place throughout the films first half are shown having caused much suffering to Dieyi and Xiaolou. On the other hand, however, the films context implies that both individuals were able to become better men because of their childhood experiences in this regard  in full accordance with the fatalistic provisions of Confucianism. In its turn, this emphasizes the unmistakably Oriental (holistic) sounding of Farewell My Concubine, as a whole. As Xu aptly pointed out, Farewell My Concubine is neither a collector of Chinese curiosities nor a disquisition on the politics of blame. The film is not principally about child abuse, prostitution, homosexuality, communist brutality, or oriental despotism& Its principal concern is with the barbarity contained in a civilization.² Moreover, it also helps to explain the significance of the films other peculiarities within the context of how it portrays Chinese society through the historic stretch in question.

Probably the most notable of them has to do with the fact that, as it can be inferred from Farewell My Concubine, throughout the Republican period in Chinas history (1912-1949); it was not only that Chinese society remained deeply divided along the class-lines, but that there was a feudal quality to it. For example, in one of the films initial scenes, Master Guan tells Dieyis mother, Prostitutes and actors are equally despised by society.³ As the plot unravels, viewers slowly realize what accounted for the full scope of this statements discursive connotations. After all, even after having attained the status of opera celebrities during the thirties, Dieyi and Xiaolou never ceased to be seen as a commodity by the societys rich and powerful. The homoerotic relationship between Dieyi and Yuan Shiqing exemplifies the legitimacy of this suggestion. The reason for this is that despite his admiration for Dieyis acting talents, Shiqing could never bring himself down to be willing to think of Dieyi outside of his role as Concubine. In the eyes of Shiqing, Dieyi was nothing but a trophy to own. Such Shiqings attitude appears to have been fully consistent with the ways of Chinese society at the time, reflective of its strongly hierarchical structure, on one hand, and its traditional affiliation with the bureaucratic form of political governing, on the other.

In this respect, we can refer to the films another scene where Master Guan adopts an utterly subservient posture while trying to win Na Kuns (important official) favor, followed by the take in which the former is seen subjecting young boys to a brutal beating as if he were a slave owner of some sort. This once again highlights the earlier mentioned holistic quality of ones Chinese living  the Chinese have traditionally been known for their unconscious strive to blend within the surrounding social environment, as opposed to trying to control it (as it is the case with most Westerners). This creates many objective preconditions for the former to be stereotyped in the West as the masters of psychological mimicry. The same goes to explain why Chinese culture has traditionally been known for its strong collectivist ethos.

Unfortunately, the fact that Chinese society adheres to the communal/collectivist values is exactly what causes it to be prone to corruption  yet another motif, explored in Farewell My Concubine. What is especially notable about how the director addresses the theme of bribery in pre-Communist China is that he refrains from ascribing any moralistic overtones to it. According to the film, corruption/bribery is nothing but an integral part of the societys functioning  neither good nor wicked. The validity of this argument can be illustrated regarding the films scene in which Dieyi sings for the Japanese to free his stage brother Xiaolou out of imprisonment, and also the one where Xiaolous wife Juxian comes to visit Dieyi in the Chiang Kai-sheks jail to tell him that Shiqing was able to arrange his release by bribing the court. Both episodes help to clarify the implications of the uniquely Chinese concept of guanxi, which stands for the establishment of a connection between two independent individuals to enable a bilateral flow of personal or social transactions.⁴ This simply could not be otherwise because the mentioned scenes in the film imply the self-governing quality of Chinese society  hence explaining how it was able to retain its innate integrity, despite having been heavily affected by numerous socio-political upheavals throughout the 20^th century.

What has been mentioned earlier reveals yet another rationale as to why Farewell My Concubine was able to win a critically acclaimed status  the way this film address the most important events in Chinas modern history is fully observant of the unity of opposites (yin yang) principle of dialectical reasoning. To exemplify the full soundness of this statement, we must refer to the specifics of how Kaiges film treats the founding of the Peoples Republic of China in 1949 and the Cultural Revolution (1966 -1976). The first thing that comes into ones sight in this regard is that Farewell My Concubine refers to these events as having been objectively predetermined.

According to how Kaiges film presents it, the Communist Revolution of 1949 was brought about by the fact that throughout the Republican period, most people in China suffered from extreme poverty, as well as from having been considered second and third class citizens by the countrys corrupted high-ranking governmental officials, whose main task was to preserve Chinas semi-colonial status.⁵ The directors positive attitude towards the founding of PRC in 1949 is revealed in one of the films advanced scenes, in which Dieyi and Xiaolou end up being applauded by the audience of Communist soldiers  even though Dieyi could not sing properly at the time. After all, this scene stands out in contrast with the earlier one, where Nationalist soldiers are shown giving both actors some strong beating because of Dieyis presumed affiliation with the Japanese. It is quite obvious that the film refers to the concerned historical development as such that proved overall beneficial to China.

The same cannot be said about the films treatment of the Cultural Revolution  the event that Farewell My Concubine appears to be critical of. In this respect, we can refer to the scene with Xiaolou and Juxian burning theater prompts in their house while anticipating that the Cultural Revolution will eventually result in outlawing the Peking Opera as the example of bourgeois art. What makes this scene even more tragic are the revolutionary announcements (broadcasted over the radio) heard in the background  both characters cannot help having some shots of alcohol one after another while listening to the propagandistic slogans and feeling helpless to do anything about the situation. The director wanted for this scene to be evocative of how intelligent people in China have felt throughout the Revolutions duration. Nevertheless, it is namely the films episode in which Xiaolou, Juxian, and Dieyi are seen escorted by the crowd of Red Guards (presumably to be executed for their bourgeois crimes against the people), which provides viewers with the most memorable insight into what used to be the Cultural Revolutions unsightly realities.

This in part can be explained by the Orwellian sounding of the episodes take in which Xiaolou begins to describe Dieyis crimes while cheered by the crowd  something that occurred quite unexpectedly even to himself. There can be only a few doubts that by having this particular scene prominently featured at the films end, Kaige wanted to warn the audience about the main danger of authoritarianism, concerned with the fact that ones continual exposure to the emotionally charged political propaganda will necessarily result in affecting the very workings of his or her mind  just as it happened to Xiaolou. Such a directors intention makes perfectly good sense, given the subtleties of the socio-political climate in China during the mid-nineties, In the political atmosphere of the mid-1990s, criticizing the Cultural Revolution had become permissible, even fashionable.⁶

This contributes even further towards ensuring the believability of the films tragic ending. After all, having been obsessed with the opera and Xiaolou, Dieyi did not have what it takes to be willing to conform to the newly emerged socio-political circumstances  quite unlike what it turned out to be the case with his stage brother. The reason why Dieyi ended up committing suicide is that it was the only way for him to resist being forced to act just like everybody else. Hence, the innermost significance of this specific character  in Kaiges film, he serves as a living metaphor of old China, where ones individualistic mindedness (and even queerness) used to be considered an asset. And, according to the principle of historical materialism (the officially endorsed ideology in todays China); ones inability to adjust to the constantly changing external circumstances suggests that the concerned individual is evolutionarily unfit  pure and simple.

Conclusion

I believe that what has been said earlier is fully consistent with the papers initial thesis. There is indeed much rationale in the idea that the film Farewell My Concubine is both historically and psychologically insightful  just as it was shown through the analytical part of this research paper. As such, this film can be recommended for viewing by just about any person who aspires to attain a better understanding of China, in general, and the Oriental outlook on the surrounding reality and ones place in it, in particular. There is even more to it  Kaiges film contains many implicit clues as to what will account for the ways of Chinese society in the future. However, outlining them will represent a separate deductive task.

Bibliography

Farewell My Concubine. Directed by Chen Kaige. 1993. Beijing, China: Beijing Film Studio, 2002. DVD.

Hui, Luo. Theatricality and Cultural Critique in Chinese Cinema. Asian Theatre Journal 25, no. 1 (2008): 122-37.

Joseph, William. Politics in China. 2^nd Ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014.

Qi, Sun. Confucian Educational Philosophy and its Implication for Lifelong Learning and Lifelong Education. International Journal of Lifelong Education 27, no. 5 (2008): 559-578.

Xu, Ben. Farewell My Concubine and its Nativist Critics. Quarterly Review of Film and Video 16, no. 2 (1997): 155-170.

Yeung, Irene and Rosalie Tung. Achieving Business Success in Confucian Societies: The Importance of Guanxi (Connections). Organizational Dynamics 25, no. 2 (1996): 54-65.

Footnotes

1. Sun Qi, Confucian Educational Philosophy and its Implication for Lifelong Learning and Lifelong Education, International Journal of Lifelong Education 27, no. 5 (2008): 565.
2. Ben Xu, Farewell My Concubine and its Nativist Critics, Quarterly Review of Film and Video 16, no. 2 (1997): 165.
3. Farewell My Concubine, directed by Chen Kaige (1993; Beijing, China: Beijing Film Studio, 2002), DVD.
4. Irene Yeung and Rosalie Tung, Achieving Business Success in Confucian Societies: The Importance of Guanxi (Connections), Organizational Dynamics 25, no. 2 (1996): 55.
5. William Joseph, Politics in China. 2^nd Ed. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014), 120.
6. Luo Hui, Theatricality and Cultural Critique in Chinese Cinema, Asian Theatre Journal 25, no. 1 (2008): 128.