King Richard Iii & Looking for Richard Essay
-------------------------------------------------
What themes and techniques link the two texts? Refer to the opening scenes of both. (50/50) Due: Thursday 16th
Shakespeare’s play King Richard III and Al Pacino’s documentary Looking for Richard are two text composed more than 400 years apart that can be linked through their themes and techniques. The influence of these themes or values however, is subject to the context of the audience. Both texts explore the characterisation of the main character Richard and how he is presented. They explore the craft of performance, presenting two different approaches to acting and ownership of the actor. The theme of ambition is also prominent in the opening scenes of the texts as audience members are both implicitly and explicitly presented the objectives of the composers and Richard throughout the productions. Due to the mediums of the texts these themes are conveyed using different devices available to plays and documentaries respectively. Shakespeare relies of soliloquies and strong religious reference to establish the importance behind Richard’s plots, the over dramatic representation of Richard as a deformed cripple insights humour and alliance with Queen Elizabeth. Al Pacino instead uses voxpopuli and explanations of the play, as it develops to ensure audience members are able to understand Shakespeare’s intended purpose in a contemporary setting. The storyline is also altered through certain omission and additions highlighting certain aspects of the plot to suit his objective. It is important also to note the differing purposes of the two texts when considering not only links between them but also their differences.
Context, medium and purpose
With a different context the need to present a text in a different medium arises. It is for this reason that Shakespeare’s play is explored and enhanced through a documentary. Al Pacino, in attempting to reconnect a contemporary audience with Shakespeare
What themes and techniques link the two texts? Refer to the opening scenes of both. (50/50) Due: Thursday 16th
Shakespeare’s play King Richard III and Al Pacino’s documentary Looking for Richard are two text composed more than 400 years apart that can be linked through their themes and techniques. The influence of these themes or values however, is subject to the context of the audience. Both texts explore the characterisation of the main character Richard and how he is presented. They explore the craft of performance, presenting two different approaches to acting and ownership of the actor. The theme of ambition is also prominent in the opening scenes of the texts as audience members are both implicitly and explicitly presented the objectives of the composers and Richard throughout the productions. Due to the mediums of the texts these themes are conveyed using different devices available to plays and documentaries respectively. Shakespeare relies of soliloquies and strong religious reference to establish the importance behind Richard’s plots, the over dramatic representation of Richard as a deformed cripple insights humour and alliance with Queen Elizabeth. Al Pacino instead uses voxpopuli and explanations of the play, as it develops to ensure audience members are able to understand Shakespeare’s intended purpose in a contemporary setting. The storyline is also altered through certain omission and additions highlighting certain aspects of the plot to suit his objective. It is important also to note the differing purposes of the two texts when considering not only links between them but also their differences.
Context, medium and purpose
With a different context the need to present a text in a different medium arises. It is for this reason that Shakespeare’s play is explored and enhanced through a documentary. Al Pacino, in attempting to reconnect a contemporary audience with Shakespeare