This term paper aims to examine the use of comic elements and its effects on Lady Gregory’s play Spreading the News with the question in mind whether and how Lady Gregory is reproducing stereotypes. Therefore, the paper will begin by defining the genre comedy as a theoretical introduction. For thus the aim, the definition and some of the most important comic characters will be explained. As the focus in this paper is an Irish play, the paper will go on with the introduction of a stage character, namely the stage Irishman, which characterises Irish stereotypes. It is also important to know who Lady Gregory was in order to find out why she wrote in the way she did. That is why the main part will start with a very short biography of hers. The main part will also contain an analysis of comic elements and the presentation of the stage Irishman in the play Spreading the News. There will be an accentuation on stereotypes and what the presentation of them provokes in the audience to discuss whether the aim is fulfilled or not. Finally, the paper will also contain a conclusion in which the results will be summarised.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Genre Comedy: Definition, Characters and Purpose
3. The Stage Irishman
4. Lady Gregory’s Comic Play Spreading the News
4.1. Analysis of the Comic Approach in Lady Gregory’s Comic Play Spreading the News
4.2. The Effects of the Comic Features
5. Conclusion
Objectives and Research Focus
This paper examines how Lady Gregory employs comic elements in her play Spreading the News to explore the reproduction of Irish stereotypes, specifically addressing whether the play reinforces or challenges these cultural tropes within the context of the Irish Literary Revival.
- The definition and function of the comedy genre and stock characters.
- The historical development and implications of the "Stage Irishman" archetype.
- An analysis of comic features, including plot, language, and characterization in Spreading the News.
- The intersection of cultural identity, stereotyping, and didactic purpose in Irish drama.
- The impact of the English Magistrate as a contrasting figure in the play.
Excerpt from the Book
4.1. Analysis of the Comic Approach in Lady Gregory’s Comic Play Spreading the News
Lady Gregory explained that by writing the comic play Spreading the News she only served the need of the Theatre. However, it ended up being her most successful play (Cusack 82). But what was it that made it so successful? In the following, the paper will concentrate on comic features of the play Spreading the News. Such as the plot, the characters, the use of stereotypes, the language and the presentation of the stage Irishman.
“The idea of the play first came to me as a tragedy.” (Gregory1). This is what Lady Gregory wrote in one of her Notes on her comic play Spreading the News. She was inspired from things out of real life like a young girl whose reputation was being damaged by a chance word and a melancholy man (Gregory2). The reason why she then wrote it as a comedy, she explained as being ‘forced’ to do so (Trotter 27). Her comic play Spreading the News was written for the opening of the Abbey Theatre in 1904 (Kearney 134). It is a one-act play that is set in a fictional village, named Cloon, in rural Ireland. The play is set at a local fair and deals with misunderstandings caused by an old woman with a hearing impairment and a villages’ willingness to believe and spread false news. This results in the false accusation of murder and arrest of the character Bartley Fallon by the English magistrate who is very suspicious and expects the worst from the people in the village.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter outlines the play's background, presents the research question regarding the reproduction of stereotypes, and details the methodology for the analysis.
2. The Genre Comedy: Definition, Characters and Purpose: This section provides a theoretical framework for comedy, discussing its didactic purpose and the function of stock characters derived from cultural stereotypes.
3. The Stage Irishman: This chapter explores the history of the "Stage Irishman" archetype, distinguishing between its representation on the English versus the Irish stage.
4. Lady Gregory’s Comic Play Spreading the News: This section provides biographical context on Lady Gregory and initiates the textual analysis of her play.
4.1. Analysis of the Comic Approach in Lady Gregory’s Comic Play Spreading the News: This chapter examines the specific comic elements, misunderstandings, and character dynamics that drive the play's plot.
4.2. The Effects of the Comic Features: This chapter evaluates the play's success and its effectiveness in fulfilling its didactic goals through the creation of laughter.
5. Conclusion: This chapter summarizes the research findings, confirming that while the play utilizes stereotypes, it does so to subvert them by prioritizing the fictional narrative over character ridicule.
Keywords
Lady Gregory, Spreading the News, Stage Irishman, Irish Literary Revival, Comedy, Stereotypes, Abbey Theatre, Cultural Identity, Stock Characters, Didactic Purpose, Humour of Situation, Irish Drama, Misunderstanding, Social Norms, Authenticity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary objective of this research paper?
The paper aims to analyze whether Lady Gregory reproduces negative Irish stereotypes in her play Spreading the News or if she uses them as a tool to explore Irish identity.
Which specific genre of literature does the author focus on?
The author focuses on the comedy genre, specifically analyzing the theoretical aspects of "New Comedy" and the use of stock characters.
What is the "Stage Irishman" archetype?
It is a recurring stage type characterized by specific traits such as litigiousness, chattiness, and lack of logic, often used in English drama to portray Irish people in a ridiculous light.
What scientific approach does the author take?
The author utilizes a literary analysis approach, combining historical context of the Irish Literary Revival with established genre theory and comedy studies.
How is the main part of the paper structured?
The main part includes a theoretical introduction to comedy, an exploration of the "Stage Irishman," a biographical overview of Lady Gregory, and a detailed analysis of the play's comic features and effects.
Which key elements characterize the analysis of the play's comic approach?
The analysis focuses on the role of misunderstandings, the influence of the English Magistrate, and the prioritization of the "fiction" created by the villagers over individual character traits.
Why does the author argue that the characters in the play are not meant to be "laughable"?
The author suggests that the exaggeration of the characters' beliefs and the contrast with the authoritarian Magistrate make the characters appear more natural and attractive to the audience rather than targets of ridicule.
What role does the English Magistrate play in the narrative?
The Magistrate serves as a colonial outsider whose authoritarian nature and distrust of the locals provide a counterpoint to the villagers, thereby highlighting the stereotypical assumptions held by foreigners.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Özlem Arslan (Autor:in), 2018, Lady Gregory's Comic "Spreading the News". Reproducing Stereotypes?, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/448200
