Entry 5, Aaron

In lieu of discussion in class, I want to look at Aaron more thoroughly. He is the only character in Titus that isn't flat. It maybe be attributed to the fact that he is the only character which has a history the reader is aware of that isn't in the text. Being a Moor, we all know that he would have been condemned in Anglo-Rome. This exposition that is assumed gives reason to his enmity for all in the world. When he utters that he regrets any good deed he's ever done, it is not only his hatred of the world that comes through, it is also self-hatred; being brewed from his forced position, which is immutable, by his white suprresors, as the heel nipping snake in their eden. Only he has no promise of a better life, or an after life for that matter. So why should any effect on his earth be of any consequence, when pity or hope has no place in it for him. Aaron is much more than a simple Moor in this story, which he at first appears to be; rather, his rage foils each characters' to be judged against, and it is only his that seems tangible to the reader.

4 - Titus

I think that looking at Titus through the scope of parody, pastiche and camp helps greatly in determining Shakespeare's intention, which would not have been taken into consideration otherwise, rather believed to be another great play by the "greatest playwright of all time." Though I still disagree with you that Journey's "Separate Ways" is camp, I think it's harder to define Shakespeare's first tragedy. It seems to have aspects of all genres which, in itself, might infer that Shakespeare failed miserably at his attempt, rendering itself campy. However, I believe that his play was a mix of parody and pastiche. The hyperbolous nature of the play - Titus's many sons, the extremely gory elements, the too-swift plot line - all lend itself to parody. But that isn't too say that Shakespeare wasn't impressed with his counterparts' productions or that he didn't have fun with this play. In fact, it might be that he was both condemning the tragedy for its overwrought plot structure but venerating it for its entertainment value at the same time. Can a piece of art not be both a parody and a pastiche at the same time?

Entry 3, Production Deisign/Direction

I think the choice by Luhrman to make a highly stylized film adaptation of a Shakespeare tragedy is a perfect marriage. The language itself is stylized, both in its poetry and its wit, and should therefore have the privilege of appearing as such. It is even more appropriate in modern times to do so, as many viewers are taking their cues from the acting, blocking and production design rather than the actual words (it isn't easy to follow the verse without the text in front of you). Other adaptations, like Titus aims at and achieves this mark as well, whereas the 90s version of Hamlet attempts to modernize the story but falls short; the film lacks style and color, its pallet being dark and monochromatic, in turn alienating the viewer instead of engaging him.

2 - Romeo's acting chops

A Partial Ode to Romleo
Tresses of golden light so quickly to shine down/
Cheeks of an angel's under locks like a crown/
Shall I compare thee to a doll, a Precious Moment?/
Each minute you're with me is such sweet atonement.

With that, I'm going to discuss Romeo's (Leo Caps) acting in his scenes with Thybalt (Johnny Legs). In these scenes, Leo Caps is able to convey many emotions: pity, anger, anguish, confusion and listlessness. His facial expressions are especially keen in his performance. He is able to show pity when he first pleads with Thybalt for peace, as he widens his eyes (puppy/prudence) to show his earnestness, then furrows his brow and speaks slowly and seriously to show Thybalt, that though he may seem like an incompetent 12 year old girl, he is ready to have a G2 peace conference. He expresses anger and anguish after Mercutio's death by shrieking unintelligibly and, as Angela pointed out (in class), channeling his role in What's Eating Gilbert Grape. Throughout his dialogue with Thyb, he is on the brink of crying, which conveys a certain desperation for truce; so after Mercutio dies, he languishes, his arms drawn to the side as on puppet strings, his hair in his face as on puppet strings, with two intense looking bloodstains on each side of his face; all to convey his helplessness, as Romeo, weary with guilt over the death of his friend, feels that all is for naught at this point.