So this morning, as I was eating my yogurt, I turned on the television. Boy Meets world was on! yipee! As I watched, I realized it was the Hamlet episode!!
http://www.youtube.com/embed/8cpGk2eGOrA
Is embedding a Youtube video okay? I guess I don't know how this footage was acquired.. hm.
I've been feeling pretty good about my Dwight comparison. But then I wondered: is this a sign from the heavens that I should go back to my previous direction and see how Shakespeare in the media (mainly through TV episodes) can reach out to younger audiences? I guess the bigger question is: How does television USE shakespeare to help teach morals/lessons to their audience??
I think this would be a more involved process-- If I could talk to voice actors/creators of old shows that would be awesome and see what they have to say about shakespeare adaptations.
Help me :[
In other news, after watching 2 well selected episodes of the office, I've found some good material. Not QUITE what I'm looking for but enough to support my idea that Dwight is in fact Malvolio-esque.
Episode 2.6: The one where Dwight gets his purple belt and challenges Michael to a fight:
Episode 2.6
- DWIGHT: “He gave me the duties of a sempei, not that a lot of people here in America know what that is, but it’s equally respected as a sensei." (a sempei is basically someone who mops up the sweat and holds the punching bag/pad).
- This shows the quality that Dwight officiates himself more power in his position when it is improper/unwarranted to do so.
- JIM: “as a sempai, do you think that there will ever be a day where robots and humans can peacefull coexist?"DWIGHT:“Impossible. The way they’re programmed. You are mocking me. I am not afraid to make an example out of you. ”
- This quote could be compared to how the Upper Class and the Class of Malvolio could have never truly coexisted in their time period. Hence why Malvolio could never be with Olivia.
Episode: 2.20: after finding a half smoked joint in the parking lot, Dwight launced an investigation to find the culprit and earns the honorary title of official security supervisor.
- DWIGHT: “I generally like the people I work with. With 4 exceptions. But someone committed a crime. And I did not become a Lackawanna volunteer sheriffs deputy to make friends. And by the way, I haven’t.”
- Malvolio through maintaining order does not make any friends. Breaking up the ale and cakes scene only oversteps his boundaries and ostracizes him more.
Next steps:
Figure out why this matters. Does it? I want to use this comparison to show the similarities between intraoffice relationships and the social class structure during Shakespeares time. Can "puritains" be compared to "that one weird guy you work with?". Is success in business inborn/familial/blood related?
Kara, like I said to Steve (see his Breakfast Club post) maybe you could just focus on how Shakespeare established trope characters that we still use today, or maybe how those characters show up in media for younger audiences and they understand them, and that in turn proves that younger audiences can understand Shakespeare if it's presented to them in the right way. (But we have to make sure they understand they're being fed Shakespeare--I probably saw that same Boy Meets World episode as a kid and had no idea it was Hamlet).
ReplyDeletePersonally, I'm not seeing the use of comparing Dwight and Malvolio--I don't want to discourage you if you're really passionate about it, but I don't feel a lot of . . . weight to the topic right now. I liked the idea of looking at children's TV show adaptations of Shakespeare, though. That's a really interesting field of Shakespeare adaptation because not only do you have to work with the bard, but you have to keep in mind who the characters in the ongoing show are when you assign them certain roles. It's kind of an interesting dynamic.
ReplyDeleteI can't relate to the Office because I haven't seen it--sorry. But I think maybe you could get away with Children's TV show adaptations, especially the more oblique ones. In fact I have a lead for you to follow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWAYpp3WmCs
ReplyDeleteThis is from the Buzz Lightyear of Star Command series I watched as a kid, although I never saw this specific episode when I was younger. As the title invokes, this episode is based off Romeo and Juliet. I would tell you more but then I would be writing the paper instead of you.
I think you are drawing on a potentially interesting line of thought, and you are getting closer. Comparing Shakespeare to modern media can potentially be very lucrative, but also be careful that you are not grasping at comparisons that could be arbitrary or convenient.
ReplyDeleteI think the Shakespeare in the media analysis would reach a much wider audience and would cause more general interest while the Dwight comparison could be fun, I think this other idea (while a little bit safer) might be a better option.
ReplyDelete