Posted by Amy Szerlong
Group 3 (Erica, Sam and Amy) met during class period to begin discussing our analysis, and we ended up comparing our notes from Henry IV on these topics to help clarify. Here’s what we came up with as a culmination of handouts, our notes, and examples given in class.
Exposition
- when/where is it delivered and how?
- who knows what? who doesn’t?
- what is it I need to know to move on?
- what do we NEED to know in order to advance?
- Example: In Act I Scene II of Henry IV, the audience learns the following: Falstaff is older and a drunkard. Hal foots the bill for his idiot and thieving friends.
- So, exposition is basic facts about relationships, characters and the environment…
Forwards
- what makes the play advance?
- arouses audience interest in things to come
- causes us to ask questions
- again, moves play forward
- Shakespeare dominated by forwards, (good plays and titles are dominated by forwards…)
- Examples: In Henry IV – Robbery (tricking Falstaff), Mortimer’s plot to go against the king, initial line of play (exposition development…) war = who will win?, Hotspur called in front of king
This is as far as we got today. We are aware that these aren’t the most extensive series of notes, but since none of us have had the opportunity to finish reading Measure for Measure, we disbanded early to squeeze in some extra reading time! Additions are welcome!