The Role of Openings - Mr Hoye's IB English Website

Paper 2 – Example Drama QuestionStandard LevelMay 2003Question 2b)Compare the presentation and functions of the openings in two or threeplays that you have studied.The openings of Tennessee Williams A Streetcar Named Desire andArthur Millers The Crucible are both vital in establishing the initialimpressions in both plays. Each introduction provides knowledge of thesetting and time frame as well the mood, this being the expected purposeof an overture. But more so, the differing presentations of both openingsalso provide suggestions of themes and underlying messages.Williams begins his play by including intricate detail to set the scene with apoetic tone, describing the blue sky with a kind of lyricism gracefullyattenuat[ing] the atmosphere of decay. Despite the old, deteriorating andfading image of the scene, there is an appealing factor which is intended toattract the audience. The richness of the redolences of bananas andcoffee along with the blue piano [which] expresses the spirit of life whichgoes on there illustrates the colourful vitality of the slums of New Orleans.Williams accentuates this impression of the vibrant nature of Elysian Fieldsas multiple characters are immediately introduced after the opening stagedirections with colloquial dialogue to reflect the complex and busy natureof reality, such include a negro woman, a sailor, and a vendor all ofwhom are not central to the plot but create a sense of bustling activity.This contrasts markedly with the opening of The Crucible where thenarrow window and the use of asyndeton, a chest, a chair, and a smalltable; illustrate the bareness of the room and create a solemn tone inorder to reflect tension and fear that permeates the house as Betty, thedaughter of Reverend Parris, is allegedly ill under the influence ofwitchcraft. This tension and fear not only creates a captivating start to theplay but effectively parallels the mood in America during time of the RedScare when Miller was writing. This sense of tension is emphasised by thenarrowness of the window which may represent the repression and lack offreedom present both in Salem and Millers America. Similarly, the air ofclean spareness and raw and unmellowed wood suggest the Puritanicaland unforgiving nature of both the world of the play and the world of theplaywright.Following the opening stage directions of The Crucible, there is anextended narrative from an unidentified speaker where Parris is describedas cutting a villainous path and as being man about whom there is verylittle good to be said. Miller goes on to make his critical attitude to Parrisand the theocracy developed in Salem even more clear in the rest of thisoverture in a voice that is almost explicitly his. However in contrastWilliams begins to characterise main roles such as Stanley, Stella andeventually Blanche but does this more subtly as Stella, is portrayed aslaughing breathlessly when Stanley throws the meat at her, suggestingthat she does not come from this poor area but finds its roughnessexhilarating. Stella provides a clear contrast to Blanche, with herincongruous appearance, who also clearly does not belong here butseems uncomfortable and confused rather than excited.Millers characterisation of Reverend Parris may be more obvious incomparison to Williams subtler characterisation in A Streetcar NamedDesire due to the differing messages of the two plays. Millers playcriticises the Communist Witch Hunts of the 1950s and The Crucible is anallegory for the events of the time. Vengeful accusations were madeagainst one another in society as individuals hid behind the fear ofCommunism, just as they did in Salem, hiding behind the fear of witchcraftand Satan. For Millers criticism to be heard, it was essential that hismessage was clearly and obviously conveyed in The Crucible. This isComment [Kev1]: There is a focus on thequestion, but these ideas are very general and need tobe more specific in order to effectively introduce theideas that are to follow.Comment [Kev2]: Some good quotationsComment [Kev3]: Clear link to the effect on theaudienceComment [Kev4]: Good development of thispointComment [Kev5]: Good use of multiplereferences to the textComment [Kev6]: Clear contrast between the twotexts, although the opening sentence here is a littlelongComment [Kev7]: Nice exploration of multipleeffectsComment [Kev8]: Some good tentative languageas the point is developedComment [Kev9]: Some clear contrast andevaluation here, in this case that Williams opening isthe more subtle of the two.Comment [Kev10]: Continued exploration of thecomparisons between the two plays with a plausibleaccount of the differences that links back to theoverall impact on the audience