Richard Iii/Looking for Richard Essay - 1179 Words

HSC Advanced English, Module A: Richard III and Looking For Richard, Essay Connections of commonality and dissimilarity may be drawn between a multiplicity of texts through an appreciation of the values and attitudes with which they were composed. Accordingly, the values and attitudes of the individual being may be defined as an acute blend of externally induced, or contextual and internally triggered, or inherent factors. Cultural, historical, political, religious and social influences, dictated by the nature of one’s surroundings, imprint a variable pattern of values and attitudes upon the individual. Thus any deviation in any such factor may instigate an alteration of the contextual component of one’s perspective. By contrast, the†¦show more content†¦This derives from the play as a recount of historical events with a known outcome and a medium for propaganda in support of the monarchy, an avid determinist. Nevertheless, the aforementioned tension is prevalent throughout and epitomised by the paradoxical pun ‘I am determined to prove a villain’. Uttered with a tone of poise and self-assuredness, the term ‘determined’ implies a conscious statement of purpose and a preordained villainy. Thus Richard is aligned with the stock character of the Vice, an instrument of predestination, and the innovative Machiavel, an advocator of humanism. Despite this, the ultimate decline of Richard is consequential of the reign of determinism. The directly antithetic correctio ‘I am a villain. Yet I lie, I am not’ yields an implicit self-doubt and acknowledgment of an inability to fulfil his humanist purpose. Providentialism thus displays precedence over self-determination. This is in direct contrast to Pacino’s docudrama, composed for a secular modern American audience disengaged with traditional notions of determinism. A greatly diminished and altered portrayal of Margaret, the primary instrument of determinism in the play, is expressive of this. Pacino devalues her curses by reduci ng her to a ‘sort of ghost of the past’. A frenzied montage of informative discourse and the activity of the play complete withShow MoreRelatedEssay on Richard Iii and Looking for Richard1284 Words   |  6 PagesA deeper understanding of ambition and identity emerges from pursuing the connections between King Richard III and Looking for Richard. Compare how these texts explore ambition and identity. Ambition; an earnest desire for some type of achievement or distinction, as power, honour, fame, or wealth, and the willingness to strive for its attainment * Al Pacino’s production as an art-house vanity project * Promotes himself – manipulating the audience through cutaways, specific and timedRead MoreKing Richard Iii and Looking for Richard Essay1602 Words   |  7 PagesEssay 1 – King Richard III and Looking for Richard How has your study of the connections between King Richard III and Looking for Richard deepened your understanding of the context of and values within, each text? William Shakespeare’s play King Richard III and Al Pacino’s docu-drama Looking for Richard have enriched my understanding of how context shapes the values inscribed within each text. In light of this, the connection that exists between the two texts is: how the central character of theRead MoreKing Richard Iii and Looking for Richard Essay2197 Words   |  9 PagesThe texts King Richard III and Looking for Richard both accept the centrality of power and the yearning for it, as a central plot driver and an assumed part of the human condition. However, each presents a different perspective as to the nature of power; its origins and morality. Discuss this statement with close, detailed reference to both texts set for study. Power is defined as the possession of control or command over people and events. In Shakespeare’s play ‘King Richard III’, the centralityRead MoreKing Richard Iii and Looking for Richard Essay Plan1162 Words   |  5 PagesShakespeare’s Richard III and Al Pacino’s Looking for Richard both portray central values and ideas of the time. * The texts ideas are reflected by the context of the time. * Both texts written in different time periods meaning completely different contexts which shape the text. * Through Pacino’s hybrid style docudrama, he attempts to demystify Shakespeare’s Richard III, making it more accessible to the everyday person. * Shakespeare shows the journey in Richard III of Richard himselfRead MorePaper 2: Module a Richard Iii/Looking for Richard1020 Words   |  5 Pages Through exploring connections between Shakespeare’s Richard III and Al Pacino’s Looking for Richard the values of the era are often a product of the context of the text. However, through studying the theatricality of man and the pursuit of power, it is clear these notions transcend time and context. Shakespeare valued the way an actor could act within a play and theatre was valued in this context. Shakespeare also demonstrated how Richard pursued political power, whilst Shakespeare himself pursuedRead MoreNotes on King Richard Iii and Looking for Richard Essay1350 Words   |  6 Pagesever a woman in the humour won?† - assonance and expansive ‘o’ sounds as well as rhetoric and repetition â€Å"I’ll have her but I’ll not keep her long† - intercuts of ‘Ha’ as well as an increased speed of cuts through this line – almost portrays Richard as mad – cut of him out of costume in rehearsal laughing - Seduction through language and sexual tension in Pacino’s version – low neckline in costume, attempted kiss- more recognised and understood by audience, romantic model of film - no diageticRead MoreEssay about Richard Iii + Looking for Richard Comparative Speech834 Words   |  4 PagesGood morning/afternoon Throughout my comparative study of texts and context, I have explored various connections shared between William Shakespeare’s ‘Richard the 3rd’ and Al Pacino’s ‘Looking for Richard’. As both of these items are based on the same character, King Richard the 3rd, they share a lot in common. The connection that I have chosen to concentrate on though is the idea of power, and how both texts explore this theme. William Shakespeare is an extremely famous EnglishRead MoreAnalyse How the Central Values Portrayed in King Richard Iii Are Creatively Reshaped in Looking for Richard.1683 Words   |  7 PagesAn honest tale speeds best, being plainly told.† This quote from William Shakespeare’s King Richard III is a seed from which Al Pacino’s docu-drama Looking For Richard grows, both texts demonstrating the intrinsic relationship between contexts and the composition of texts. As 21st century students, we see Pacino’s creative reshaping emphasise inherent values within the original text, from dynamic perspectives to interpretational understandings, presented in an ‘honest’ and ‘plainly told’ compositionRead MoreJane Eyre1260 Words   |  6 Pagesbetween King Richard III and Looking For Richard is further enhanced by consideration of the marked differences in textual form. Evaluate this statement in the light of your Comparative Study of King Ri chard III and Looking For Richard. William Shakespeare’s 16th century historically tragic play, King Richard III and Al Pacino’s 20th century docudrama, Looking for Richard portray parallel themes of war, characterisation of Richard in context and plot. Shakespeare wrote King Richard III during theRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s King Richard IIi1258 Words   |  6 PagesRichard: What have you done to me! Shakespeare: My historical tragedy â€Å"King Richard III† is just my dramatic presentation of your exploits in your bloody pursuit of the throne. Pacino: My postmodernist docudrama â€Å"Looking for Richard† is my modern interpretation of Richard III. My attempt to establish connections that enhance our understandings and interpretations of our respective contexts, ideas and values, primarily involving the representation of the human condition through the character of Richard