Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Let me know what you think!

Okay, I'm formulating a better thesis than my rough draft one, still going off the research that I have, but including this idea of the oracle. This is probably too long to be considered my finalized thesis, but I wanted your thoughts and suggestions before I dive into my paper again. I hope this one has more direction than my previous draft and can appeal to a more specific audience (although I'm not totally decided on what that audience is yet).

When asked what genre is most true to life, most people would answer tragedies. We have a tendency as a society to believe that the worst is going to happen, and hoping anything positive will is wishful thinking. Romances, however, are a mix of tragedy and comedy, and while Shakespeare's romance The Winter's Tale has been criticized since its beginning as being unrealistic, Leontes' experience with the oracle within the play becomes a metaphor for the audience's rejection of The Winter's Tale, seemingly based on a desire to be realistic, but in reality predicated on an inability to see recognize the romantic elements of life.  
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5 comments:

  1. LizyMarch 27, 2013 at 3:07 PM

    Hallelujah! that's brilliant!

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  2. UnknownMarch 27, 2013 at 8:41 PM

    I'm a definite instigator that your thesis doesn't necessarily need to be one sentence. But that's just me. I think this sounds great!

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  3. pobblesMarch 28, 2013 at 11:02 AM

    Wow, Rachel! That's a paper I want to read. I wonder if any biographical evidence could prove Shakespeare's own life was more Romantic than tragic. I know he suffered a lot with his son dying, but overall his own rise to fame seems a pretty Romantic story. Maybe that could support your argument.

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  4. LeahMarch 28, 2013 at 10:57 PM

    Very valid application of the real-life definitions of tragedy/romance etc. Oh and I like involved metaphors like the oracle and the audience's reaction to the play! This is an engaging topic. Can't wait to read more.

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  5. UnknownMarch 29, 2013 at 1:12 PM

    I like how you're incorporating the oracle into your paper. In earlier versions of your thesis, I didn't feel like it packed enough punch. But the oracle is a specific enough element to guide your argument, so great job.

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