Eurydice

I was not familiar with Sarah Ruhl's play "Eurydice" before this class but I really, really enjoyed reading it. I really like the way Ruhl transposed this classic story into a more modern day, yet still fantastical, setting. I'm not one for classic Greek or Roman history, mythology, etc. so perhaps the setting Ruhl used (commentary on costumes, scenary, etc.) was a big part of the reason I liked this play despite its roots in classic Greek mythology.

I really liked the way Ruhl opened the play in the first movement. By showing the audience/reader how Orpheus and Eurydice interact, the audience/reader becomes acquainted with this couples dynamics, ways of relating to each other, etc. This makes their relationship less abstract and thus makes their loss of one another, and Eurydice's fear and inability to recognize Orpheus later, even sadder.

I really like the parallels drawn between Man and Child characters...their creepy, relentless come-ons and attempts to persuade Eurydice that staying with them is best. Is the Child supposed to be the Man growing younger? I don't know I just felt like the parallels in the underworld and the world of the alive (this mystical, fantastical Earth???) added a lot to the play and the character of Eurydice. Another thing I noticed about the interactions between the Man and Eurydice in the first movement is that, because they just met each other, they are both (to some extent) ignorant. Thus the explaining they do for each other is also done for the audience/reader.

The stones were another way to communicate information to the audience. Not well educated in Greek theater, I'm only assuming that the stones were fulfilling the role of the Greek Chorus (which, when telling the story of a Greek myth, is of course neccessary). Thus their exposition does not feel awkward or out of place since their existance (besides the plot involving the underworld and other fantastical aspects) heightens/reminds/highlights the imaginary, unrealistic atmosphere and setting of this play. Thus it is not jsut plot the stones reveal, but they also add to the general atmosphere of the play. Besides, they are hilarious. Perhaps some dark comedic relief to this heavy, sad story line? I think the role of the greek chorus could be a very strong and interesting tool to use when writing our own plays.

I thought it was interesting to read in the interview with Ruhl, that she had some background/interest in poetry. She said that she does not write poetry much anymore but I found some traces of it in this script. Scene one in the second movement, where Eurydice talks about Orpheaus, is one example of this. I particularly liked the syncopated interactions between Orpheaus and Eurydice when Orpheaus is trying to take her back from the underworld. I thought this style adds a lot, especially since music and remembering letters/language and writing letters and books plays a large role in this play...under the broader idea of means of communication (and their failure and successes).

I'm not sure how I felt about the grandmother character. When I first read the stage directions for her I wondered about how to communicate her identity to the audience. Yes, the father does explain to Eurydice (and thus the audience) later who she is but I still just saw her as a wandering, isolated character. Maybe thats the point, but even after reading Ruhl's explanation of the nearly silent grandmother, I was still unconvinced that her role added that much to the play.

Assortment of Dialouge Clippings

The tricky part about playwriting is the huge reliance on dialouge. In novels, short stories, and general pieces of prose the author/writer has the liberty to place dialouge within descriptions and narratives. In plays, however, nearly all that information must be relayed to the audience via dialouge without just outright telling, as if reading a prose manuscript or sounding as if the dialouge is unnatural.

In the excerpt from "Death of a Salesman," the dialouge between Willy and Howard provides a strong sense of the dynamics between the characters as well as their age, ranks, and even Willy's relationship with his sons. We understand that Willy is an older man nearing retirement who has, in the past, "crack[ed] up" and is reliant on this younger man who holds higher authority than Willy in this business. Willy's relentless and shameless attempts to bargain with Howard over his position at the company, and then to keep his position at all, reflect a dire situation of his soul. Howard's stubborness portrays a lack of symapthy. Thus this dialouge provides the audience with a strong sense of the character dynamics along with basic information about these characters' situations.

The excerpt from "Arcadia" starts with an update between Hannah and Bernard, thus providing the audience with some practical information. The manner in which this information is exchanged is tense. Their lines are short, some are just one word, and this terseness adds to the tension. The two also try to one-up each other with information and theories within their shared field of expertise- providing the audience with knowledge of their career/business/research as well as adding a sense of competing pride within the character dynamics. Thus the audience learns about their practical interests as well as their interest in one another through this excerpt.

The excerpt from "Angels in America" is a very intense scene that forces the audience to pick up on refrences to dynamics of this marriage that have existed before this scene. With mentions of snippets of previous episodes between Joe and Harper, the audience learns of their marriage dynamics. Through responses to accusations, the audience learns of Joe and Harper's feelings towards Mormons in Utah- about their infiltrations in regards to homosexuality. The audience also learns what Joe and Harper don't like about each other, Harpers suspicions and some of Harper and Joe's behavior that is not played out on stage during this scene.

These scenes not only provide information for the audience, but are active enough to further the plot. A playwright cannot rely on descriptions of a streetfight, of quiet and internal thoughts inspiring a character to act in a certain way, or on anything else to further the plot. Instead the playwright needs to show it on stage, the characters need to further the plot on their own without reliance on any sort of narrative to fill in the gaps between talking.

In the scene from "Henry IV, Part 1" Hotspur utters "for the hour is come/ To end the one of us" and then Hotspur and Prince Henry fight. Thus the dialouge alerts the audience, in addition to feelings the characters have of one another and their pride and desire to kill the other, that a fight is coming and only one of the Harry and Henry shall survive.

In the excerpt from "Closer" the dueling scenes between Larry and Anna and Larry and Alice, as Larry turns from one woman to the other, provides the audience with a potrayal of the two relationships Larry had. Thus the audience is able to compare and contrast, and further to judge Larry, on their own. The audience is also able to see trends and recurrences in Larry's behavior instead of having one of the ladies yell at him for repeating his mistakes. This dialouge feels more like commentary on relationships- acting out a message on stage more than furthering plot itself. Or at least the plot it does further seems to exist to make a specific point. This is more effective than it might be on a page, buried in or preached through prose .

In the excerpt from "Orphans," the audience learns what what Harold wants when he aksas "When are you gonna send me out on a real assignment" signfying a desire for more challenge, excitement, and a chance to prove himself. We also learn about the relationship from Treat's perspective. Thus this dialouge serves to provide information about motives for at least Harold as well as Treat's manipulation and desire for revenge. Through recounting instances not played out in this scene, we learn about their personal biases evident through the manner and voice through which they retell these small instances to each other.