Humanities through the arts exam 2

Narrative Poetry

Poetry that tells a story

lyrical poetry

A brief, subjective work using strong imagination and melodic, emotional language to create a single, unified, and intense impression of the personal feelings of the poet.

Dramatic Poetry

Utilizing theatrical styles and techniques in a form that presents a portrayal of life, character, or the narration of a story through techniques such as monologue, soliloquy, and dialogue between characters.

Tone

In literature, the atmosphere of the story represents the author’s attitude toward developing the characteristics of the story.

Satire

In literature and drama, the use of humor, exaggeration, or irony to criticize or make fun of people, institutions, or societal norms.

Irony

saying one thing and meaning another

Paradox

Clear contradictions

Connotative Language

a words related associations like the feelings or ideas it suggests

Denotative Language

a words literal meaning or dictionary definition

Apostrophe

an address to a person or thing that is not physically present, it can bring to life abstract ideas

Imagery

language that stimulates any of our physical sense, it generates a mental imagining of the scene.

Symbol

an object, person, situation, color, or action that has a literal meaning in the story but also represents a larger, abstract idea or theme

Natural Symbol

an element drawn from the physical or natural world (such as a river, storm, season, animal, or tree) that universally or intuitively mirrors human emotions, life cycles, or abstract concepts

Conventional Symbol

an object, color, person, or action that carries a culturally recognized, widely accepted meaning outside of any specific literary work

Dénouement

also known as resolution. In theater, film, and literature, the final resolution of a dramatic or narrative plot, the events following the climax.

Omniscient Narrator

3rd person narrator

tone (literature)

the atmosphere of the story represents the author’s attitude toward developing the characteristics of the story.

flat character

a one-dimensional, uncomplicated figure built around a single idea, trait, or stereotype

round character

a complex, multi-dimensional, and realistic fictional figure who possesses deep internal conflicts, layered motivations, flaws, and a detailed backstory

motif

a short, recurring theme, idea, melody, or other element

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Dylan Thomas, "Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night" the meaning of this peace is tonever give up, stay strong, and fight hard for life instead of accepting defeat quietly

That’s my last Duchess painted on the wall,

Looking as if she were alive. I call

That piece a wonder, now; Fra Pandolf’s hands

Worked busily a day, and there she stands.

Will’t please you sit and look at her? I said

“Fra Pandolf” by design, for never read

Strangers like you that pictured countenance,

The depth and passion of its earnest glance,

But to myself they turned (since none puts by

The curtain I have drawn for you, but I)

And seemed as they would ask me, if they durst,

How such a glance came there; so, not the first

Are you to turn and ask thus. Sir, ’twas not

Her husband’s presence only, called that spot

Of joy into the Duchess’ cheek; perhaps

Fra Pandolf chanced to say, “Her mantle laps

Over my lady’s wrist too much,” or “Paint

Must never hope to reproduce the faint

Half-flush that dies along her throat.” Such stuff

Was courtesy, she thought, and cause enough

For calling up that spot of joy. She had

A heart—how shall I say?— too soon made glad,

Too easily impressed; she liked whate’er

She looked on, and her looks went everywhere.

Sir, ’twas all one! My favour at her breast,

The dropping of the daylight in the West,

The bough of cherries some officious fool

Broke in the orchard for her, the white mule

She rode with round the terrace—all and each

Would draw from her alike the approving speech,

Or blush, at least. She thanked men—good! but thanked

Somehow—I know not how—as if she ranked

My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name

With anybody’s gift. Who’d stoop to blame

This sort of trifling? Even had you skill

In speech—which I have not—to make your will

Quite clear to such an one, and say, “Just this

Or that in you disgusts me; here you miss,

Or there exceed the mark”—and if she let

Herself be lessoned so, nor plainly set

Her wits to yours, forsooth, and made excuse—

E’en then would be some stooping; and I choose

Never to stoop. Oh, sir, she smiled, no doubt,

Whene’er I passed her; but who passed without

Much the same smile? This grew; I gave commands;

Then all smiles stopped together. There she stands

As if alive. Will’t please you rise? We’ll meet

The company below, then. I repeat,

The Count your master’s known munificence

Is ample warrant that no just pretense

Of mine for dowry will be disallowed;

Though his fair daughter’s self, as I avowed

At starting, is my object. Nay, we’ll go

Together down, sir. Notice Neptune, though,

Taming a sea-horse, thought a rarity,

Which Claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me!

Robert Browning, "My Last Duchess"

Devouring Time, blunt thou the lion's paws,
And make the earth devour her own sweet brood;
Pluck the keen teeth from the fierce tiger's jaws,
And burn the long-lived phoenix in her blood;
Make glad and sorry seasons as thou fleets,
And do whate'er thou wilt, swift-footed Time,
To the wide world and all her fading sweets;
But I forbid thee one most heinous crime:
O, carve not with thy hours my love's fair brow,
Nor draw no lines there with thine antique pen;
Him in thy course untainted do allow
For beauty's pattern to succeeding men.
Yet, do thy worst, old Time: despite thy wrong,
My love shall in my verse ever live young.

William Shakespeare, “Sonnet XIX” meaning: an address to Time, personified as a destructive sculptor and force of nature that tears down all physical beauty

We real cool. We   

            Left school. We

            Lurk late. We

            Strike straight. We

            Sing sin. We   

            Thin gin. We

            Jazz June. We   

            Die soon.

Gwendolyn Brooks, “We Real Cool”

Dark house, by which once more I stand

   Here in the long unlovely street,

   Doors, where my heart was used to beat

So quickly, waiting for a hand,

 

A hand that can be clasp’d no more—

   Behold me, for I cannot sleep,

   And like a guilty thing I creep

At earliest morning to the door.

 

He is not here; but far away

   The noise of life begins again,

   And ghastly thro’ the drizzling rain

On the bald street breaks the blank day.

Alfred Lord Tennyson, In Memorium, A.H.H. about his friend that died and going back to the house

a short story we read in class

Alice Walker, “Roselily” about how getting married and moving to the north can be seen as freedom but also seen as a restraint

“Willing suspension of disbelief”

theatre

Hamartia

tragic flaw

Melodrama

stereotypical heroes and villains, exaggerated situations, a simple plot, and an obvious struggle between good and evil

Performance art

type of play might an artist stage an unconventional live event that challenges traditional ideas about theatre

Mise-en-Scène (theatre)

everything the audience can see

To be, or not to be, that is the question:

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer

The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,

Or to take arms against a sea of troubles

And by opposing end them. To die—to sleep,

No more; and by a sleep to say we end

The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks

That flesh is heir to: 'tis a consummation

Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep;

To sleep, perchance to dream—ay, there's the rub:

For in that sleep of death what dreams may come,

When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,

Must give us pause—there's the respect

That makes calamity of so long life.

Shakespeare, Hamlet’s soliloquy

Lighting design – functions

• helps us focus our attention

• provides thematic rhythm and structure (plot and themes)

• establishes atmosphere or mood

• provides time and place of the action

props

• Set props: help identify mood and themes of play (can also help with plot)

• Hand props: help flesh out characters’ personalities

Consonance (music)

pleasant/stable

Dissonance (music)

tense/unstable

Leitmotif

In music, a dominant recurring theme, phrase, or sentence often associated with a character, situation, or element.

monophony

a type of musical texture in which a single musical line exists without accompaniment.

homophony

A type of musical texture in which chords accompany one main melody.

polyphony

A type of musical texture utilizing two or more melodic lines of relatively equal interest performed at the same time.

cantata

In music, a composition in several movements for orchestra and chorus often with a sacred text, and utilizing recitatives, arias, and choruses.

sonata

an instrumental piece, usually in three or four movements and usually for one or two players.

ritual dances

sacred cultural function

performed in ceremonial or religious contexts to

• effect change in the physical world

• worship, communicate with, give thanks to gods

• express tribal unity

folk dances

cultural/ethnic history and identity

• from the common people

• normally accompanied by ethnic music, in ethnic dress

• performed at social functions by people not professionally trained

• non-sacred; an expression of regional/ethnic pride

ballet

dance as PERFORMANCE

• spectacle

• professional

• codified

Catherine de Medici

mother of dance

Louis XIV

the Sun King (1638-1715)

• Performed in court ballets

• Founded Royal Academy of Dance, 1661

• Codified ballet positions

• Positions were standardized and name

• Emphasis on outward rotation of legs

• All male until 1681

court dances

Social dancing, often in couples

• Slow because of heavy costumes

• Led by dancing master (FT dancing teacher) at court

ballet blanc

Corps de Ballet

group of dances. the corps de ballet (including men and women) played a unified supporting role, creating setting and mood

Pas de Deux

celebrations of love, uniting male power with female grace

Isadora Duncan

founder of modern dance

modern dance

innovative poses → often looking for natural poses

• simpler or ordinary-dress costumes; barefoot or soft shoe (not point)

• movement is often harsher, more percussive; contractions of body

• often a fusion of other dance forms (ethnic, ritual)

• doesn’t necessarily want to defy gravity; works with the floor in ways other than oppositionally (as ballet had done)

• feet in parallel (not turned out) and flexed (not pointed)

• wider range of music

Martha graham

mother of modern dance contraction and release, like breathing