UNIVERSITY WORK
Extracts from my university essays in which I achieved a first class whilst studying at the University of Westminster.
How are Gerald Else’s interpretations of Catharsis illustrated in Baz Luhrmann’s William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet?
“Aristotle’s theory of catharsis, though not widely discussed in Poetics, is one of the most integral parts of the definition of tragedy; the imitation of action ‘with incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish its catharsis of such emotions’ (Gilbert, 1926, p301). Over time, catharsis has been interpretated in several different ways. According to Leon Golden’s analysis of Else’s interpretations of catharsis, ‘catharsis […] has been interpreted in two major ways. The term has been taken to mean either the “purgation” of the emotions of pity and fear from the consciousness of the audience that witnesses the tragedy or as the “purification” in a moral or ethical sense of these emotions” (Golden, 1962, p51). The very notion of the purgation and purification of emotion and morality is integral to the tragic form due to its impact on the audience. Allan H Gilbert states that different interpretations of catharsis all reach one similar understanding, that ‘the catharsis of the emotions of pity and fear is brought about by means of pity and fear, or through incidents arousing these emotions’ (Gilbert, 1926, p301). Aristotle’s development of catharsis, along with his other established conventions of tragedy, such as peripeteia, anagnorisis, and hamartia, have proven to be transcendent in their contribution to pastiche from the Athenian works through to more contemporary works; in this essay I will be discussing the illustration of Else’s interpretations of catharsis and applying it to a close reading of Baz Luhrmann’s William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet (1996)”
Contemporary adaptions of Greek tragedy: Aristotelian conventions of tragedy in Park Chan-wook’s Old Boy (2003)
"It is heavily debated that ancient Greek tragedy has helped lay the foundations for most contemporary cinematic productions. Jon Solomon notes that although we ought to be cautious of assuming that popular cinematic pieces are exclusively based on the conventions of Greek tragedy, that ‘there are a number of different ways that Greek tragedies or their themes, motifs, and characters, reappear in popular cinema’ (Solomon, 2015, p.337). One film that stands out particularly regarding Solomon’s ideas of the reappearance of tragedian conventions is Park Chan-wook’s Oldboy (2003). Chan-wook’s Oldboy is a South Korean made revenge thriller. It follows the story of protagonist, Oh Dae-su, and his quest for answers regarding his fifteen-year imprisonment and subsequently seeks revenge on his captor. The plot is orchestrated meticulously to provide an escalating rhythm to a chain of increasingly catastrophic events, to finally peak and decline with one of the most depraved and shocking finales in cinematic history. In this essay, I will discuss how Chan-wook adapts ancient Greek tragedy into contemporary cinema by using Aristotelian conventions of tragedy in Oldboy."
Nostalgia in Film: Exploring interpretations of nostalgia in Shane Meadows’ This is England.
If there were any one director to crash-land into cinema and change the perception of British film, it’s Shane Meadows with his semi-autobiographical feature, This is England. The picture was a standout in British film upon its release in 2006 where it gained significant cultural status and critical acclaim, thus becoming ‘emblematic of British national cinema’ (Fradley, 2013, p1). This is England swept the award ceremonies with great victory, succeeding against a collection of high budget productions including Joe Wright’s Atonement and Paul Greengrass’ highly anticipated The Bourne Ultimatum, the third instalment in the Bourne series, in the Best British Film category at the 2008 BAFTAs (Film in 2008 | BAFTA Awards, 2021). The win gave recognition to the feature; it stood out among its competitors with its low budget and inclusion of unknown and unprofessional actors, which made for an incongruous entry when considering its competitors. However, it was arguably the most contentiously ‘British’ film in the Best British Film category and thus a worthy champion. Following the success of the film and its significant cultural impact, a much anticipated follow up series was confirmed, with Channel 4 airing This is England ’86 (2010), This is England ’88 (2011), and This is England ’90 (2015). Through his success and undeniable essence of ‘Britishness’ with This is England (2005), Meadows became one of the most innovative, original, and gritty social realist filmmakers of a generation.