A semiotic analysis of Carla Trujillo's What Night Brings Essay

A semiotic analysis of Carla Trujillo's What Night Brings - Essay Example Her mother who is deeply in love with their father ignores the ever-increasing abuse that her daughters are subjected to each day. Moreover, the exclusive part of this narrative is that in many occasions Corin and Marcin do not romanticize their dad, rather they disown him and call him by his name â€Å"Eddie† instead of dad. Thus, Marci prays for this to end one day. However, his prayers are not that his dad should die but just go away. He does not pray for the death of his dad because she has a second prayer that she sees will not be answered if she did so. Her second prayer is that God will change her physically from being a girl to a boy. Marci has a deep wish for a male body which thus create the foundation of her sexual fantasies and dreams. The main reason behind her deep desire for the male figure is because she wants to have relationships with girls, and the only way that she can appropriately express her feelings to them is by changing to a boy. Both wishes of Marcin somehow sounds impossible to achieve, but religious people say God can do miracles. In the meantime, the two girls found other techniques of surviving. Majority of their relatives had no idea on what to do with Eddie’s violence but were supportive and loving. In addition, other than her mother being blind to the actions of her husband, she is approachable. Considerab ly, the narrative holds the inventive attempts by the girls to outsmart their father and convince their mother and at least be able to see what a monster their father was. For instance, the most delightful one was where they were lent a camera by one of their uncles and tried to capture his father in implicating positions with his fiancà ©e. By all this, Marci becomes aware of his affection and desire for girls and hopes to become a boy one day. The lesbianism feelings are touching and subtle, and by no means inflexible. Glimpses of how varied religious and family

New Original Programme Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

New Original Programme - Coursework Example Music programmes began to rise in the 1990s with the coming of many music genres. Most of them provided a countdown of hit songs as voted by fans. The 21st century came with numerous changes in the presentation of programmes. Few categories of programmes existed, and the shift has seen the inclusion of new categories of programmes. Specialization within the programming sector of TV can be attributed to the rising demand for new programmes. Design of programmes continues to change immensely in the aim to satisfy the growing number of viewers, and their needs. The producers of programmes can link the demographics of viewers with the increase in specialization. Specialization has also been extensively utilized in the TV channels. The channels continue to specialize as a way of cutting a market niche for themselves in the extremely competitive airwave market. MTV, for example, is a TV channel dedicated only to music. Specialization continues to be extremely attractive to numerous players in the industry. New programme According to Jevon Saba, 2011, the most popular programmes for 2010 were fiction series programmes. This was based on the international popularity assessment conducted in 2011. Around the globe, these programmes led in the number of views as well as popularity from persons questioned. Music programmes have not been popular owing to the fact that they target a specific group of viewers. This immensely affects their popularity with groups of different demographic. The new programme proposed in this report shall be an analysis and interpretation show. The set up proposed shall be of a talk show or panel show. The programme shall be analyzing music related issues and discussing the progress achieved in music. Over the years, musicians have continued to use talk shows as a way of popularizing themselves to the masses. A music talk show shall present a platform for music related matters to be discussed. The popularity of talk shows increases in relation to the content and the host. This field of shows continues to gain popularity in the 21st century due to their content (Banerjee et al 2006). Many viewers see them as avenues of collecting information about fundamental elements of interest in life. The new music talk show shall give an opportunity to producers of records a chance to be seen in public. Enough information shall be availed to the viewers from the interviews conducted during the talk show. The entertainment aspect in talk shows can be presented in the different elements involved in the show. The show shall be a 40 minute programme. The host shall introduce the guests for each show and ask the several questions. This shall form the first part of the show. The second part shall involve the audience in the studio asking questions to the guest while the last part shall be for viewers to ask their questions via telephone. Each part shall be ten minutes long and the two commercial breaks shall each be five minutes. The commercia l breaks shall allow for the sponsors and advertisers to run short commercials during the programme time. Talk show hosting Talk show hosting continues to be popular in the 21st century. Larry king and Oprah Winfrey are some of the best internationally recognized icons of talk show hosting. In the music industry however the talk shows have been very few. The new programme shall seek the services of a renowned personality within the industry. The proposed programme seeks to have Kabelo Ngakane hosting the talk show and conducting the

Review of Storage Media before Tooth Replantation

Review of Storage Media before Tooth Replantation Save cells before tooth replantation- A Review Abstract Avulsion is one of the most complex traumatic injury affecting both teeth and children. Avulsed teeth can be replanted. Management protocols for avulsed teeth should include management of the pulp and periodontal ligament (PDL) cells in order to improve the long-term prognosis and survival of these teeth. If immediate replantation is not possible, the clonicity and progenicity of the viable PDL cells can be maintained with aid of suitable storage medium at the place of trauma. The incorrect use of a storage medium potentially increases the risk of PDL cell necrosis, which can result in ankylosis and replacement resorption of the tooth root. Considering the importance of the storage media, an informed choice of a media is essential for a favourable outcome. This review discusses the common storage media that are available and some of the unique features of each media along with the problems associated. Keywords Avulsion, Replantation, Storage media Introduction According to WHO classification, Avulsion or ex-articulation is complete displacement of the teeth from its alveolar socket. [1, 2] Avulsion of permanent teeth is seen in 0.5- 3% of all dental injuries. Andreasen Andreasen predicted that the incidence of these injuries may eventually surpass the incidence of dental caries. Numerous studies show that this injury is one of the most serious dental injuries, and the prognosis is very much dependent on the actions taken at the place of accident and promptly after the avulsion. The immediate replantation of teeth is the ideal treatment of choice for the avulsed teeth to prevent post replantation complications such as inflammatory resorption, ankylosis or replacement resorption. If immediate replantation is not possible, the clonicity and progenicity of the viable PDL cells can be maintained with aid of suitable storage medium at the place of trauma. The lack of first aid knowledge about the avulsion among the public and health care centers delays immediate replantation and limits the prognosis of the avulsed tooth. Various storage media are available maintain the progenicity and clonicity of PDL cells to improve the outcome of the replantation. The purpose of this article is to, review the current storage media with their pros and cons and to provide an insight about the efficacy of newer storage media available. Historical perspective Cvek [3] showed that storage of knocked out teeth in saline could improve the success of replanted teeth. Lindskog et al [4] reported that the key to retention of the knocked-out teeth was to maintain the vitality of the periodontal ligament. Andreasen [5] also mentioned that crushing of cells on the tooth root could cause death of the cells and lead to resorption and reduction in prognosis. Blomlof [6], mentioned that the best storage medium was a medical research fluid called Hank’s Balanced Salt Solution maintained the cell viability for two hours. Matsson et al [7] showed that soaking in Hank’s Balanced Solution for thirty minutes prior to reimplantation could revitalize extracted dog’s teeth which were dry for 60 minutes. Blomlof L [8] recommended milk as a storage media prior to reimplantation when immediate replantation is not possible. Krasner et al [9] reported that the systematic storage device â€Å"Save-A-Tooth† was developed to optimally store and preserve knocked out teeth. Layug et al [10] quoted that milk packed in ice seems to be best alternative, due to its wide availability and minimum detrimental effect. Marino T G et al [11] showed that long shelf life milk is more effective than Save A Tooth. Pearson et al [12] mentioned that Baby Milk formula (Enfamil) is more effective storage media than pasteurised milk for atleast 4 hrs. Al-Shaher et al [13] reported that 75% PDL cells had been kept viable after 20 hr maintenance in propolis solution. Sonoda CK et al [14] mentioned that saliva can be storage medium for avulsed tooth when no medium is present at accidental site. Khademi et al [15] introduced egg albumin as a storage medium for up to 10 hrs. Gopal K et al [16] reported that coconut water can be used as a storage medium due to its readily acceptable by the body and sterile in nature. Ji Young Hwang et al [24] invented green tea extract as a suitable, alternative storage media for avulsed teeth. Likewise there a re many storage media available for the success of replanted tooth [Table-1]. Factors considered for storage media The prognosis of the tooth re-implantation depends on the existence of feasible cells in the periodontal ligament and also depends on those which are able to proliferate on the damaged areas of the root.[17,18] Therefore either immediate replantation or storage of the tooth should be done in an appropriate storage media. Two important factors considered for storage medium are Hydrogen ionic potential/ pH and Osmolality. According to Marino et al, the pH and the osmolality of the storing environments must be physiologic, for both interfere in the surviving of cells of the periodontal ligament. Each storage media has different pH and osmolality based on which the survival of PDL cells is assessed [Table-2]. Authors have reported that the cellular growth may occur between 290 and 330mOsm/kg. The pH must be between 7.2 and 7.4, but growth may occur between pH 6.6 and 7.8.[19] Ideal requirements of storage media An ideal storage media should have the osmolality and pH closer to physiological conditions to maintain the viability, clonogenic capacity and mitogenicity of the Pdl cells.[20] It should be readily available at the site of accident [1] so that, the tooth can be immediately placed into it, should have a longer shelf life,[20] should have anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties which reduces inflammation and replacement resorption.[21,22] It should also have an antioxidant property which will protect the cells from oxygen radical mediated damage.[23] Finally last but not the least the storage media should be economical. Not a single storage media fulfill all the ideal requirements, so various comparable studies been conducted to evaluate the efficiency in maintaining the cell viability of PDL cells of replanted teeth. Container for the transport of avulsed teeth along with the medium must be unbreakable, nontoxic to the cells of PDL, should be leaking proof, easy handling, should be sterile as well the internal walls must be made of soft material.[24] Some of the commercially available are â€Å"tooth rescue box† (Dentosafe) containing a culture medium, salts, amino acids, glucose and vitamins [25] and â€Å"Save A Tooth† system, a 6-part system containing HBSS media, that was designed to prevent damage to the PDL cells of an avulsed teeth.[24] Newer Medias in Research Ascorbic acid: Addition of ascorbic acid to osteoblastic cell lines can stimulate type 1 collagen production, followed by expression of specific markers associated with osteoblastic phenotypes such as alkaline phosphates (ALP) and osteocalcin. Ishikawa et al [60] studied the effect of ascorbic acid on PDL cells and observed that ascorbic acid increased the ALP activity which is required for binding of PDL cells to type 1 collagen via ÃŽ ±2ÃŽ ²1 integrin whose expression is again increased by ascorbic acid, so it may serve as potential storage media. L-DOPA (Levodopa; Sigma chemical, Perth, WA, Australia): is drug with possible mitogenic effect. It stimulates secretion of growth hormone from pituitary gland which aids in healing process. Mandana et al [61] observed the effect of levodopa on human PDL fibroblasts and stated that it can also have local effect on growth of cells and can act as preserving medium for avulsed teeth. Cryoprotective agents: The effect of low temperature storage on clinical success of reimplantation has been studied. Schwatz and Andreasen [62] studied the effects of the cryopreserving agents, 5% and 10% dimethyl sulphoxide (DSMO) and 10% glycerol on PDL. They observed that use of different cryoprotectives, combined with controlled freezing rates can preserve the PDL of reimplanted teeth. Conclusion The success of dental reimplantation depends on the existence of viable cells on the periodontal ligament, which are able to proliferate on the denuded areas of the root surface. This can be reached through immediate reimplantations taking place within up to 30 minutes or transporting the tooth in an adequate storage medium for dental reimplantation. Tap water, saliva and saline must be avoided for the storage of avulsed teeth, because they do not offer any benefit to the healing. Contact lens solutions and Emdogain also do not offer any good results over other media. Propolis and egg white needs additional studies where propolis is not easily available in emergency situations whereas egg white is a promising media considering its availability. Milk is significantly better than other storage media, but it is not so efficient as Hank’s balanced salt solution, viaspan and eagle’s medium as storage medium for avulsed teeth for the maintenance of vitality and proliferative capacities of periodontal ligament cells. Although HBSS, ViaSpan and Eagle’s medium have great potential to maintain the PDL cells in a viable state of avulsed teeth, lack of ready availability to the general public as well the cost makes them less than ideal for developing countries like India. Milk remains the most convenient, cheapest and re adily available solution in most situations, also being capable of keeping PDL cells alive.

Fortunato is Fortunes Fool in The Cask of Amontillado Essay -- Edgar

Fortunato, Fortune's Fool Who was Fortune's Fool? The answer to that question would be Fortunato. Fortunato is a character in Edgar Allan Poe's short story, "The Cask of Amontillado." Fortunato has wronged Montresor, the narrator of "Cask." The reader can't trust Montresor because he is an unreliable narrator, so the reader can't say for a fact that Fortunato had wronged Montresor. Montresor then seeks revenge on Fortunato. During carnivale season, Fortunato is drinking all types of wine. Montresor knows Fortunato is drunk so he goes to Fortunato and tells him he has Amontillado. Fortunato wants the Amontillado so much, that he is willing to do anything for it, that leads him to his death. Montresor brought Fortunato into the catacombs, chained Fortunato to the wall, walled Fortunato up, and Fortunato was dead. Actually he wasn't dead right then and there. Montresor walled Fortunato up alive, so Fortunato can suffer much pain, then die, die a helpless man. Fortunato was a fun loving/outgoing, alcoholic, boastful/prideful man. Dressed as a jester at the carnivale, Fortunato was getting drunk. He drank and chatted with many people. Fortunato was a very fun-loving and outgoing man, ?He had a weak point- this Fortunato- although in other regards he was a man to be respected and even feared.? Montresor calls him respected, this shows that Fortunato was a man who many liked, making them respect him. The fear, as the reader might suspect, is that he prides himself too much in his knowledge of wine. Another fear, as the reader can assume, may be that he can get too outgoing. His drinking problems probably make him very distraught and obnoxious. Montresor knows that Fortunato is very outgoing, and that he aims and shoots fo... ...haracteristics bring about Fortunato?s fortune. He was fortune?s fool. His fortunes catch up with him and lead to a bad consequence, Fortunato?s death. If Fortunato wasn?t so enthusiastic when it came to wines, he may have realized Montresor was going to do something bad. If Fortunato wasn?t an alcoholic, he wouldn?t have been drunk. If he wasn?t drunk, he may have known that Montresor was going to hurt him. Finally, if Fortunato wasn?t boastful and prideful, he wouldn?t have wronged Montresor at all. And if he never had done some sort of wrong to Montresor, he wouldn?t be dead. In summary, if Fortunato didn?t have those 3 characteristics, he wouldn?t be dead, and Montresor would have never said he had been ?wronged.? Unfortunately Fortunato was Fortune?s Fool. For his fortune favored him. Fortune was God?s gift to the fools, which is why fortune favors the fools.

Sociology Paper

Option B Movie Analysis Watching movies is a leisurely activity enjoyed by many people. Not only are movies enjoyable to get a good laugh, cry, or just to relax to, but there are many things to be learned from movies as well. For this project I choose to examine two movies from a sociological perspective. The two movies I chose are, Law Abiding Citizen and 8 Mile. Law Abiding Citizen Law Abiding Citizen is a story of a man who takes justice into his own hands after the legal system fails to bring justice on the murderer of his wife and children.Instead of convicting the murder for a longer sentence, the lawyer plays it safe by making a deal with the murderer to convict for a shorter sentence; which in turn keeps his conviction percentage high. Questions for Law Abiding Citizen 1. What was the main issue the movie was expressing? Both individuals interviewed found that the main issue was that the main character Clyde is determined to bring down the corrupted law system that failed to bring his wife and daughter justice. 2. How was this issue presented?Both individuals agreed that this was apparent because the first five minutes of the movie show the murder take place and the rest is Clyde’s actions to bring down the law system. 3. What sociological issue was presented? Individual A believes the sociological issue presented is the relationships between the law system and Clyde. Individual B believes that the sociological issue presented deals with how crime and punishment affects society’s views on justice. 4. How was the sociological issue presented? Both individuals agree that these issues were straightforward in the plot.The issues were represented by the characters actions in the movie. 5. How did the movie distort social reality? Both individuals believe that the events that took place in the movie are extremely exaggerated. Although they both believe that the justice system has many flaws they don’t believe that a person would be able t o commit all the acts that Clyde committed without being caught. 6. How did the characters in the movie show deviancy? Individual A says that that all the murders that took place were deviant.Individual B agrees but also includes that the lawyer making deals with murderers is deviant because it doesn’t help society overall. 7. Why do you think that the characters had deviant behavior? Both individuals agree that Clyde was deviant because of the death of his family. Individual B adds that the lawyer’s deviant deal making is a quest for a higher career status. 8. Whose behavior do you find was more deviant? Both individuals find that Clyde is the most deviant because he caused the most deaths but they both understand why Clyde did what he did and take his side over anybody else’s in the movie. . Do you agree with the law system’s justice or Clyde’s form of justice? Both individuals agree with Clyde’s form of justice in the movie, but both thin k that in real life they would not act out in Clyde’s manner. 10. Whose act was more deviant in your opinion Clyde’s or the murder? Both individuals find that Clyde is the most deviant but they take his side over the murderer because they both feel they connected more with Clyde and his motives. I found that the main concept in Law Abiding Citizen was deviancy. Deviancy can be defined in many different ways.For example Howard Becker defined deviance as not that act but the reaction of others to the act. The textbook on the other hand defines deviance as, any behavior or physical appearance that is socially challenged and or condemned because it departs from the norms and expectations of some groups. In Law Abiding Citizen, Clyde, who has witnessed the murder of his wife and daughter, displays behavior that could be defined as deviant. Ten years after the death of his loved ones he decides to take justice into his own hands. An example of his deviancy includes brutally murdering his family’s murderer.He does this by injecting him with adrenaline, sewing his eyelids open, placing him below a mirror, and cutting him limb by limb. Throughout the movie he murders more people that failed to bring his families murderer to justice. It is interesting to analyze the deviant acts by Howard Becker’s definition of deviancy. In the beginning of the movie a woman and daughter are murdered and the reaction I had towards the killer was disgust and anger. Later on in the movie when Clyde murder’s the murderer, it is much more graphic scene but my reaction to the act was not disgust and anger.In this scene I feel that I, as well as other viewers understand his motives. Both of the individuals I interviewed felt the same way. By Howard Becker’s definition the more graphic and torture some murder in this case was less deviant because of our reaction to the act. Clyde turned to deviancy. I feel that his deviancy relates to Robert Mertonâ₠¬â„¢s strain theory. Robert Merton’s strain theory analyzes what happens when people are socialized into desirably cultural goals but denied the institutional means to achieve those goals. Merton uses this term to explain why good people turn to crime.I believe this relates to Clyde because before the crime, he was a productive member of society, he supported his family and worked as an engineer. Unfortunately the justice system did not provide the institutional means of providing him closure on the crimes committed. He then felt the need to take action and provide justice himself. Another concept that goes along with strain theory is anomie. The book defines anomie as, a state in which the ties attaching the individual to the group are disrupted due to dramatic changes in circumstances.Emile Durkheim used the term anomie as a detachment from norms that usually guide ones behaviors. Emile Durkheim stated that this usually accompanies a lack in social integration. He also stat ed that the less socially integrated individuals are, the more likely they are to do harm to themselves and others. The behavior of Clyde shows that he is not socially integrated and he displays anomie. This was triggered by the death of his family members and the lack of support given by the justice system. 8 Mile 8 Mile is based off of Eminem’s life.It shows the struggles of growing up surrounded by poverty, drugs, alcohol, and gangs. The main character Jimmy (based off of Eminem) struggles with poverty and a drug addicted mother with an abusive boyfriend all while trying to establish himself in the music industry. Other barriers he faces include competing gangs and a weak support system. Questions for 8 Mile 1. What was the main issue the movie was expressing? Both individuals agree that there were many struggles present in the movie from poverty to gangs. 2. What sociological issue was presented?Individual A says that the issue was conflicting power struggles between gang s. Individual B says that the issue was how poverty affects people. 3. How were the sociological issues presented? Individual A says that the struggles between gangs were shown through the numerous fights and through the rap battles. Individual B says that the affects of poverty are shown through the acting out behavior of various characters as well as the mother’s need to stay with an abusive boyfriend for his money. 4. How did the movie distort social reality?Both individuals believe that the movie realistically portrays social relationships but neither one entirely sure because they have not lived in any areas similar to the part of Detroit in the movie. 5. Why do you think that the characters in the movie showed deviancy? Both individuals believed it was because they were born into it and don’t know how to live in another life style. 6. What are the ‘battles’ in 8 Mile? Both individuals stated that the battles in 8 mile were a way of the local lyrical minds to show off their talent against one in other to score a deal with a record label. . Why do the characters In 8 Mile participate in these battles? Both individuals said they participate in these battles to further themselves and possibly make it big. 8. Was the burning of the old house acceptable? Individual A said that they completely accepted that they burn the house down since no one lived in it anymore and it just served as a place for violence to take place. Individual B said they did not accept the burning of the house mainly because it still could have served as a shelter to the homeless. 9. What do you think was Eminem’s major setback?Both individuals said that poverty was the biggest thing holding Eminem back. 10. Why was it his major setback? Both individuals said that if it weren’t for his poverty, he would have never have been in all of the situations that he was in. Also though, if it weren’t for his poverty he wouldn’t be rapping about a lot of what he usually raps about so it helped him in a way also. There were many sociological aspects of the movie 8 mile. The movie did not go into depth in a particular sociological issue but many were present. One of the issues was the struggling family relationship.The family relationship in the movie was not healthy. The mother was a single mother living in extreme poverty. We learned in class that poverty is the primary strain in a one-parent family. In the movie the mother dates a guy who abuses her and her children. She continues to stay in the relationship out of fear of not being able to provide a home and food for her family. Another issue that is presented is the conflicts that arise when social classes conflict. In the movie there is a house where a young girl from a low class family got raped (as social class decreases being a victim to crime increases).The house is an abandoned house that remains standing until the characters from the movie decide to burn it down. They come to the conclusion that if the house was on the â€Å"other side† of 8 mile (the territory of another social class) that it would have been demolished by now. They then take it into their own hands to burn the house down. This is only one of the actions performed by the characters that could be considered deviant. The reasons for the deviancy in this movie vary from the deviancy in Law Abiding Citizen. The characters in 8 mile have deviant behavior, such as stealing, weapon use, fighting, and vandalism.I believe their deviance is best explained by the differential association theory used in symbolic interactionism. The differential association theory, coined by Edwin Sutherland, says that people learn to either deviate or conform to society’s norms through the different groups with whom they associate. Most of the characters in the movie were born into a low class life style. One of the characters was portrayed as having a status inconsistency. Status inconsi stency is when a person has characteristics high in one area of status and low in another. One of the members of Jimmy’s rival gang is a great example of status inconsistency.He is a member of a gang, walks the streets, is involved in fighting yet he attended Cranbrook and has two educated, happily married parents. I have watched both Law Abiding Citizen and 8 Mile on numerous other occasions before watching these movies again for this project. In the past I never took as much time to think about the driving forces behind the characters behavior and social contexts. As a result this project helped me analyze the movies from a new perspective. It was very interesting to see the concepts I have learned about in class be portrayed in the media.

The Image of Fool in King Lear: from Page to Sage

The Fool – from text to screen. The concept of a fool in Shakespearean plays is nearly as popular as the very figure of a fool used to be in Middle Ages at royal courts and some private households of aristocrats. The characters that could be described as fools appear in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night (Feste) and As You Like It (Touchstone). And there is of course the most famous of the fools, named simply The Fool in Shakespeare’s King Lear – the one with reference to whom this essay is created. A fool, according to Encyclop? ia Britannica was a person, often retarded, handicapped, dwarfed or mad, kept on court for luck and amusement of his patron. Due to his questionable mental abilities he was given license to mock persons of nobility, even the king himself. The origins of his function are sought for in the tribal scapegoat, who served as a sacrifice alternative for the king. Probably for that reason he was endowed with some attributes prescribed to a king such as a bauble (mock scepter) and a motley coat. His entertaining function was marked by other attributes in his possession such as a coxcomb, bells and a horny or ass-eared hood.All those gadgets, apart from arousing amusement, served one more purpose – they made a jester stand out from all the other individuals. Even though some critics tend to perceive the Fool in King Lear as a character crucial to understanding of the play and the significance of particular characters, others are more inclined to categorize him as one of the minor characters. At some stage of King Lear’s development the figure of the Fool was even altogether removed from the play, which may constitute some indication of how different were the attitudes towards the importance of his presence in the play within the course of time.As far as transposition of the text of the play into the film script is concerned, it is particularly worth noticing that cinematic space juxtaposed to theatrical space s hows some vital dissimilarities, among which are different attitude of a producer towards presumable reactions of the audience, the supremacy of the camera’s angle over spectator’s inclination to see what takes their fancy and the possibility of creating more articulate spatial setting. Also G.Wilson Knight considers the screening of any play an outstandingly challenging quest and warns against two main failures that may occur in the production. The first one may be described as mechanical failure, when the director is trying to put the main emphasis on the melodrama, into which the play is turned, while the second one is described by the author as ‘the would-be ‘symbolical’ production’, in which some significant enigmatic and sometimes supernatural values are blurred or not displayed at all.He reports to have heard Juliet’s potion speech, which he found, by the cause of a thunder introduced arbitrarily by the scriptwriter, utterly dist urbed and demolished. He expressed a conviction, that Shakespeare would have arranged a thunder in that place, if that had been what he had intended to. Knight argues also that ‘the sounds – words and additional effects – are (.. ) given’ and all that a director or a screenwriter or particular actors are expected to do is to pour life into them and arrange a proper setting for them.So much for the possible area of scrutiny as far as some comparison between the text and the screen versions is put to question. Of course some temporal or verbal ellipses are inevitable as they are undeniably a part of producer’s license, as well as a kind of a landmark in every screen production, though the vital parts of the play should not be omitted in order to preserve the original character of the artwork.Having still some features of the analysed productions left to scrutinize, the focus may be put on the extratextual and non-verbal factors such as the costumes, t he age of the actors playing Fools, their sex, the overall attitude towards the outer world as well as their demeanour towards other characters in the play that is not strictly implied by the original text. Some leaps in text as far as they are not dictated by thrift in time of production may also prove indicatory for the moulding of the character of the Fool.If the text strays slightly from the original, this might also constitute an evidence of some deliberate interference within the character’s creation. Questions has been long posed what might be the actual age of the Fool. Maggie Williams is one of the advocates of the thesis that he ought to be presented as a young boy, which she justifies by Lear’s frequently addressing him as ‘boy’ and also by his vulnerability to poor weather conditions during the tempest, his fear at the sight of Edgar disguised as Poor Tom as well as his extraordinary attachment to Cordelia which proved itself in his pining afte r her departure .Williams’ conviction, though not isolated, is not entirely shared by some circles of literary critics and a number of producers, who tend to bestow the role of the Fool to more experienced and aged actors. Such is the case with both productions: King Lear, directed by Jonathan Miller released in 1982 and King Lear, directed by Trevor Nunn released in 2008. The character of the Fool is played in both of them by middle-aged actors: in Miller’s film it is Frank Middlemass born in 1919 and in Nunn’s film it is Sylvester McCoy born in 1943.Both actors were at their 60s at the time of each film being shot. In actuality the fool could not have been intended as a child (due to his frequent bawdy innuendos and banters), neither could he be equated to an old man, as it seems, but actually some screen versions of a play managed to picture him as one quite successfully. What can be inferred from the very text of the play is the fact that the Fool was the cl osest companion of the King.The evidence of that could be the fact of Lear’s desperate need for the Fool’s company, when he asks his servants to summon him four times in the act I scene 4 intermittently amid occupying himself with other affairs (interviewing Kent, then Oswald, then a Knight and at the end Oswald again), although, as he claims, he haven’t seen him for two days, which is not an extraordinarily long period of time. He also accompanies King from then on in every venture even in the worst conditions of the tempest until the end of act III scene 6, when he mysteriously disappears.Moreover, the text makes it evident, that the King and the Fool are in close intimacy, the indication of which is Lear’s constant addressing Fool as ‘my boy’, ‘lad’, ‘my pretty knave’ as also this line of his spoken during the storm: ‘Poor fool and knave, I have one part in my heart/ That’s sorry yet for thee. â€℠¢(3. 2. 70-71). Another clue derived from the text pertains to the Fool’s mental disposition. He is probably neither mad nor retarded in any way, which is marked by Kent’s words: ‘This is not altogether fool, my Lord’ after Fool had made it clear to the King that he had no more titles left but this of a fool.Also Gonerill seems not to underestimate Fool’s power in his actions taken against her in his many quips. She calls him ‘more knave than fool’ (I. 4. 269), which may imply that she lets him know that she can see through his witticisms and reveal his real intentions which basically come to dissuading King from trusting his daughters. This and other functions in the play, such as comforting Lear and presaging him from superfluous faith and expectations put in his daughters with aid of ‘folk-wisdom’ are ascribed to the Fool by S.L. Goldberg, who highlights also Fool’s passivity in the course of action and his pathos expressed by his loyalty and heightened feelings, being the spur of his actions. But Goldberg foreworns from over‘sentimentalizing’ Fool, as he is also ‘clear-eyed’ and knows that ‘facts and ideals are always and always will be at odds’, which he tries to express in his wry witticisms, for which Lear calls him a ‘bitter fool’ (I. 4. 119).His figure can be also perceived as a relic of ancient Greek chorus, commenting on other characters and the plot, but presumably his main function comes down to making exertions to entertain the king, or ,as Kent calls it in some moment of the play, ‘to out-jest his heart-struck injuries’. Some of these functions were amplified in particular cinematic productions and others were diminished or even expunged. This is to be analysed with reference to the abovementioned cinematic productions. Apparently in Miller’s King Lear the character of the Fool is more accentuated than in the other production.He is a kind of an old fellow, loyal to his master, who cares for his fate and is not able to come to terms with his fatal misstep of giving away his royal authority and his land to his ungrateful daughters and even worse error of disinheriting and repelling Cordelia. He acts as though he had a strong feeling of responsibility for the king and his providence and as he was striving for something more than just a mere profession of court jester. All his behaviour gives the impression that he assumes the pose of a fool solely in order to remain beside the king regardless the changeable circumstances.Being a court jester allows him to reproach the king, sometimes in extremely harsh words, which make the king look like an idiot. However, what is worth highlighting is the fact that he never does it to impress the king’s escort and other surrounding him people, but he addresses the king directly as though he was his personal counsellor. His own jokes do not amuse h im, what can be easily deduced from the fact of his ability of assuming a grave facial expression almost instantly after making some jests and fooling about.Perchance this alongside with uttering some statements unpleasant to king’s ears earns him an opinion of a ‘bitter fool’, as Lear calls him (I. 4. 119). Given this one may come to a conclusion that he forces himself to play the role of the fool as this seems to be the only way to rebuke the king and talk him through to common sense without falling out of favour as Kant did after speaking the words of truth to his seigneur. The case is utterly different with another Fool – the one played by Sylvester McCoy in Nunn’s film. He is by no means a sedate adviser caged in the uncomfortable disguise of a fool.He is a ‘fool-blooded’ fool, who actually enjoys his position on the court and aspires for nothing more. His confidentiality with the king is verily striking, especially when the specta tors see him sitting in Lear’s lap, patting his face, sleeking his hair or kissing him in a childlike manner. If the title ‘nuncle’ customarily used by court jesters in addressing the king sounds derisively spoken by Middlemass’ Fool, the same word articulated by McCoy sounds as though a child was addressing his real uncle. His jovial and at times childish behaviour contrasts with his bawdy innuendos and gestures.Unlike Middlemass’ Fool, he enjoys being the life and soul of a party, entertaining king’s escort and jesting with them. He is fond of making fool of himself, playing the spoons using them as castanets, singing and cheering others up. Moreover, he is not eager to put himself at risk. As he speaks to Goneril, he quiets himself down in order not to utter an offence. Also the last words, that Fool was meant to speak about Goneril at her court and within her presence were cut out. So were many other lines originally spoken by the Fool. T his omission sometimes results in Fool’s appearing to be talking nonsense.Passing over Fool’s lines may also have another effect: the Fool appears in the whole play as a character of secondary importance, whose only purpose is to entertain the king and his comrades. And he does it, deriving pleasure from it. As it has been illustrated, the approaches towards the Fool in literary critique and cinematography were numerous and sundry, some of them conventional and others more innovative, but definitely each one of them bore some intrinsic artistic values, which cannot be fully apprehended without scrupulous scrutiny, which couldn’t have been contained within the volume of these few pages.Nevertheless the character of the Fool in two analysed above productions was given a closer insight. Two actors performing the role of the Fool in collaboration with the directors of each production created two different images of this figure. One of them was an image of a wise old man, whose role of a king’s personal adviser and tutor required a disguise of a court jester; a ‘bitter fool’, whose witticisms were wry, acute, sardonical, but whose exertions were aimed at only one goal – to save the king: from ill-advised decisions, from madness, from despair.The other one was a full-blooded fool, whose fondness of playing for laughs and entertaining others was tangible and whose, sometimes shocking, intimacy with the king could be explained only by mental impairment. This proved that the creation of a character is not entirely and solely dependent on the source text of a play, but is largely affected by the artistic vision and the license of a producer as well as by the original and individual skills of an actor. Works cited: 1. Davies Anthony, Filming Shakespeare’s Plays.The Adaptations of Laurence Olivier, Orson Wells, Peter Brook and Akira Kurosawa, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, New York, Oakleigh 1994. 2. Encyclop? dia Britannica Online, s. v. â€Å"fool†, accessed May 27, 2012,http://www. britannica. com/EBchecked/topic/212748/fool. 3. Goldberg S. L. , An Essay on King Lear, Cambridge University Press, London, New York 1974. 4. King Lear, DVD, directed by Jonathan Miller (1982; British Broadcasting Corporation, Time-Life Television Productions) 5. King Lear, DVD, directed by Trevor Nunn (2008; Richard Price TV Associates Ltd. 6. Knight G. Wilson, Shakespearean Production with Especial Reference to the Tragedies, Faber and Faber LTD, London 1964. 7. Shakespeare William, The Tragedy of King Lear, Halio Jay L. ed. , Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, New York, Oakleigh 1997. 8. Williams, Maggie. Shakespeare Examinations. Ed. William Taylor Thom, M. A. Boston: Ginn and Co. , 1888. Shakespeare Online. 10 Aug. 2010. (27. 05. 2012) . Sara Wilczynska ——————————————– 1 ]. See for exampl e: Williams, Maggie. Shakespeare Examinations. Ed. William Taylor Thom, M. A. Boston: Ginn and Co. , 1888. Shakespeare Online. 10 Aug. 2010. (27. 05. 2012) . [ 2 ]. See for example: Goldberg S. L. , An Essay on King Lear, Cambridge University Press, London, New York 1974, pp. 84-92. [ 3 ]. i. e. in Nahum Tate’s amended version of King Lear from 1681; see: Introduction to: Shakespeare William, The Tragedy of King Lear, Halio Jay L. ed. , Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, New York, Oakleigh 1997, p. 36. [ 4 ].See: Davies Anthony, Filming Shakespeare’s Plays. The Adaptations of Laurence Olivier, Orson Wells, Peter Brook and Akira Kurosawa, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, New York, Oakleigh 1994, p. 8. [ 5 ]. Ibidem. [ 6 ]. Knight G. Wilson, Shakespearean Production with Especial Reference to the Tragedies, Faber and Faber LTD, London 1964, p. 47. [ 7 ]. Ibidem, p. 54. [ 8 ]. Ibidem, p. 48. [ 9 ]. Op. cit. Williams, Maggie. Shakespeare Examinations†¦ [ 10 ]. See: Shakespeare William, The Tragedy of King Lear: ‘Where’s my knave? my fool?Go you and call my fool hither’ (I. 4. 38); ‘Where’s my fool’ (I. 4. 42); ‘But where’s my fool? ’ (I,4. 60-61); ‘Go you, call hither my fool’ (I. 4. 66) [ 11 ]. Op. cit. Goldberg S. L. , An Essay on King Lear†¦ , pp 90-91. [ 12 ]. Ibidem, p. 90. [ 13 ]. Ibidem. [ 14 ]. Ibidem. [ 15 ]. It becomes particularly visible when the Fool says to the king: ‘If thou wert my fool, nuncle, I’d have thee beaten for being old before thy time. ’. When Lear asks for the explanation, Fool replies: ‘Thou shouldst not have been old till thou hadst been wise’ (I. 5. 33-36) [ 16 ].As in the case when he complains at being whipped for holding his ‘peace’ (meaning being silent in contradistinction to telling truth or telling lies as his earlier words suggest), speaking which he reaches to his crotch, as if he was peeing . [ 17 ]. The words that spoken by the Fool could have enraged Goneril were such: ‘A fox, when one has caught her,/ And such a daughter,/ Should sure to the slaughter,/ If my cap can buy a halter’ – McCoy’s Fool does not speak these words, as he probably is intended by the director as a harmless and joyful character. [ 18 ].Like when he says : ‘All that follow their noses are led by their eyes but blind men, and there’s not a nose among twenty but can smell him that’s stinking’ (2. 4. 63-65) as an explanation for why Kent should be put in the stocks for asking for the reason of King’s escort being so diminished. The rest of the lines from this speech is simply left out, so that it may look like the Fool was talking poppycock. The same situation occurs a while earlier when Fool declares with a blank stare: ‘Winter’s not gone yet, if the wild geese fly that way’ (2. 4. 43). Similarly the rest of the lines is left out.