264 Chinese Drama
 Fall 2005
Essay Assignments

 

Homework Assignment 1 

Based on Gai Jiaotian’s memoir (“How I first learned to act,” CP 41-47) make a list of skills that a Chinese actor needed to acquire - through arduous training as Gai shows - in order to become an expert of his trade. Take also note of the following things: at what age did the training begin? With whom did apprentices study? How long did their apprenticeship last? When did apprentices show their craft first in public? Was their only one way to become an actor? What was the social status of actors?

Please type your answers (1 to 2 pages) and hand them in on Monday September 26, 2005.

 

Essay Assignment 1: Character Analysis

Imagine the following situation: You are assigned to play the role of Queen Yu in a production of "Hegemon King Says Farewell to His Queen." In order to do this, you have to fully understand the character of Queen Yu (cf. Gai Jiaotian's discussion of how he learned to play a particular role in his autobiographical text included in the course packet). The producer asks you to read the playscript very carefully and to articulate your understanding of the character/role in a 5-page paper.

Questions that might help you focus your reading include:

1. What is the major driving force of Queen Yu in the play?
2. What significant comments does Queen Yu make about herself that reveal aspects of her character? 3. What significant comments are made about Queen Yu by other characters in the play?
4. With which other characters does Queen Yu interact, and how do these interactions shed light on her character/role?
5. What is the basic or central idea set forth in the play? How does Queen Yu contribute to this central idea?

Note that the sole purpose of these questions is to guide you in your exploration of the topic; you still have to come up with your own structure for the essay.

The main part of your essay is to contain your thoughts on the character of Queen Yu and how you would represent her on stage.

Instead of using the heading above (Essay Assignment 1: Character Analysis), substitute your own title. Use the MLA (Modern Language Association) format for bibliographical references in the text and for the list of Works Cited. A brief explanation of this documentation style can be found on the following web site: http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/.

Due Date: September 28, 2005

 

Essay 2: The Relationship between Words and Gestures in Act 4 of “Lord Guan Goes to the Feast”

 For this assignment you are to correlate the lyrics of the first two arias in Act 4 of “Lord Guan Goes to the Feast” with the stage interpretation of these arias as seen in a videotaped performance of the play. Ask yourself the following questions:

-         How do the lyrics of the first two arias differ between textual and stage version? What kinds of changes have been made? What are some possible reasons for these changes?

-         In what ways does our viewing of a stage representation of the play change our understanding of the two first arias? Choose two to three examples where you can show that the actors’ actions and gestures on stage clearly help to deepen our understanding of the lyrics.

Your essay should be 4 to 5 pages long (double-spaced, 12-point type, 1” side margins). Incorporate a brief summary of the play into the main text of your essay.

Instead of using the heading above, create your own title. Use the MLA (Modern Language Association) format for bibliographical references in the text and for the list of Works Cited. A brief explanation of this documentation style can be found on the following web site: http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/.

In order to review the videotaped performance of the play, please go to the Language Laboratory on CAC and ask for the videotape of “Lord Guan Goes to the Feast.” This tape is listed under the course number and title “264 Chinese Drama.”

 Due date: October 12, 2005


Essay 3: Individual and Family in Lan Ts’ai-ho, Snow in Midsummer, and The Lute

In an essay of 4 to 5 pages (double-spaced, 12-point type, 1” side margins) discuss the relationship between individual and family in Lan Ts’ai-ho, Snow in Midsummer, and The Lute. You may choose to discuss all of the three plays or focus on one or two of them. You may consider questions such as: How do the characters in these plays see their position within their family or families? What role do the characters play? Are they content with the assigned role(s)? What are the sources from which the characters draw for their understanding of themselves, their family, and society at large? Is there a difference of perception in regard to male and female characters? What kinds of conflicts arise between individual and family? How are these conflicts dealt with? How are the conflicts ultimately resolved? Do the three plays project a common vision of the ideal relationship between individual and family?

 Instead of using the heading above, create your own title. Use the MLA (Modern Language Association) format for bibliographical references in the text and for the list of Works Cited. A brief explanation of this documentation style can be found on the following web site: http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/.

Due date: November 14, 2005

Asian Languages and Cultures
Scott Hall Room 330 Tel: 732/932-7605

Last updated: November 8, 2005