Abstract This paper examines how, in his 1980 movie "Amadeus," PeterShaffer took it upon himself to tackle the ambitious characterization on stage of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. It looks at how "Amadeus" suggests that the young Mozart disdained not simply all musical forms, but also all societal standards of correct behavior, unlike that of his contemporary, more respected musician Antonio Salieri. It discusses how the contrast between Mozart and Salieri is that one man strives to be true to his art, while the other man cares less about art and more about bolstering his own sense of self-worth.
From the Paper "Mozart's sense of loyalty to art rather than institutions is shown when he openly defies the Emperor Joseph II who does not understand "The Marriage of Figaro," one of Mozart's greatest musical creations. The emperor protests that the classic comic operetta has 'too many notes,' and Mozart refuses to alter his vision to suit the needs of a powerful ruler and patron. Unlike Salieri, who is diplomatic and can easily show a false face to survive politically in the court, Mozart places loyalty to his artistic vision above all else, in contrast Salieri, who can diplomatically and skillfully navigate the world of the Viennese Court, securing patrons, but although Salieri is constantly and profoundly aware that the work he produces is not sublime, but mediocre at best because it serves the artistic demands of the times, not of the ages."
Abstract This paper explains the various dramatic incidents that occur in the plays "Amadeus", written by PeterShaffer, and "Julius Caesar", written by William Shakespeare. The paper provides in-depth analyses as to the causes of these events and other patterns involved in them. "Amadeus" revolves around the life of Antonio Salieri, a court composer, and is based on both history and the myth connected with his life, including themes of jealousy and obsession. "Julius Caesar" is the story of a Roman statesman and general who is plotted against and is murdered by his colleagues.
From the Paper "Amadeus is about a court composer, Antonio Salieri, who is the protagonist in this play. Salieri had always wished from his childhood that he became a great composer, and he also makes a deal with God that he should grant him his one wish. Salieri is happy with his position as court musician until when Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, a musician arrives in court. Mozart plays much better than Salieri, and this leads to a lot of problem as Salieri realizes that it is Mozart that God has blessed with the talent of excellent music and not him, and this makes Salieri jealous of Mozart and this jealousy slowly starts developing into an obsession and Salieri starts to conspire against Mozart. He is said to have killed him ultimately. But ironically, Salieri gets to realize in the end that it is not God that he has defeated by killing Mozart, because even after Mozart's death his music seems to continue to be heard and praised, whereas at the same time, his music is no longer even known and it slowly tends to fade off and Mozart's music remains ever so fresh and is constantly heard even after his death."
Abstract The writer of this paper reviews the fictional film "Amadeus" that focuses mainly on composer Antonio Salieri's numerous alleged conspiracies against Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. This paper asks and answers the central question raised in the film regarding Salieri's responsibility in Mozart's death. This paper also details the historical inaccuracies portrayed in the film while giving a brief biography of Mozart's life and music.
From the Paper "In the end of Amadeus, the audience finally learns that Mozart dies of natural illness, and it is, hence, unnecessary to go into the question of whether he was murdered by Salieri unless one wishes to argue that he was. While the true nature of the relationship between Salieri and Mozart is bound to remain speculative due to the lack of relevant documentations, it is nevertheless quite clear that the controversial ending in Amadeus, with Salieri's involvement in the Requiem, never took place. Equally clear is the fact that the fictitious elements in the film are not the result of historical misconceptions on the playwright's part, but are synthesized for the purpose of providing drama to an otherwise unappealing documentary in the life of Mozart."
This paper presents a brief summary of PeterShaffer's ?Amadeus?, Brian Friel's "Dancing at Lughnasa", Caryl Churchill's "Top Girls" and Caryl Churchill's ?Cloud 9?.
Abstract The paper explains that PeterShaffer's play ?Amadeus? offers a dramatic representation of a debate that has been waged for some time over the reason for the death of Mozart and the possible involvement of Salieri in that event. The author states Brian Friel's "Dancing At Lughnasa" is a memory play whose narrator, Michael, is reliving the summer of 1936 when he was a boy. The paper reviews two feminist plays by Caryl Churchill: "Top Girls", which shows her belief in a brand of feminism that is allied to socialism and ?Cloud 9?, which covers a long period of time to show ways in which society has changed and remained the same.
From the Paper "Michael, a love child, lives with his Mother and her four sisters in Ballybeg, Ireland. His Aunt Rose is slightly retarded. This particular summer his uncle, the priest Father Jack, returns from his missionary work with lepers in Uganda and rejoins the family. He has been sent home in poor health, most probably because he has "gone native." His spirituality is now as African as it is Catholic, and even the English language is strange to him since he has been speaking Swahili all these years."
Abstract A discussion of the movie Amadeus; which was directed by Milos Forman, and released during 1984. This paper shows how the film is an adaptation of PeterShaffer's Broadway hit, and is considered as an expansion of a Viennese 'urban legend' concerning the death of the great musical genius Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The paper discusses the storyline in the film and touches on the music which appeared in the movie.
From the Paper "Salieri now had his big plan for the final demise of Mozart, and the beginning of fame for himself. He put on a costume that Leopold had on at a party while visiting Mozart, and then went to visit with Mozart. During this visit, he pretended to be a mysterious benefactor and commissions the backbreaking "Requiem," which eventually cost Mozart his health and life. Salieri knew that with Mozart's lifestyle, that Mozart didn't have much longer to live, so with the "Requiem" in hand, he planned for it to be played at a mass for Mozart, taking all credit for the composition, which would be the beginning of his fame. The plan didn't work and the "Requiem" wasn't finished until later by Mozart's pupil Sussmayer. Also, there was no great mass for Mozart. All that Salieri gained was guilt, which followed him to his last days."
This paper analyzes the repression of young boy by his parents and psychiatrist, his sexuality, spirituality and love for horses in the "Equus" by PeterShaffer.
1,350 words (approx. 5.4 pages), 6 sources, 1991, $ 47.95
From the Paper "The play "Equus" by Peter Shaffer deals with what Grant has called "the forces of reason against ecstacy". The character Alan Strang is a young boy who yearns for the sexual and spiritual ecstacy that he associates with horses. However, Alan is repressed and forced to fit into a rational society which is represented by his father, his mother, and the psychiatrist Dysart. The father, Frank Strang, is opposed to organized religion; nevertheless, he himself is a symbol of the authoritarian aspects of organized religion in that he demands blind obedience from his son. The mother, Dora Strang, represents the emotional aspects of organized religion. As such, she inadvertently teaches Alan to identify with the sufferings of Christ. The character of the psychiatrist, Martin Dysart, reflects the conflict between ecstacy and rationality by being ... "
Abstract Analysis of David Mamet's "OLEANNA" and PeterShaffer's "EQUUS." Compares both as examples of a tragic fall, and as modern man's struggle to find meaning and purpose in present-day society. How their actions and events push leading characters of both plays over the edge; their fall from grace.
From the Paper "This paper is an examination of two strong figures in contemporary American drama, both professional men who are faced with situations that cause them to question their choices and confront their weaknesses. John, in David Mamet=s Oleanna, is a college professor whose smug superiority is shaken by his encounter with a female student. Martin Dysart, in Peter Shaffer=s Equus, is a child psychiatrist who has already begun to doubt his powers when he takes on the case of a teenaged boy accused of a horrible crime. Both provide interesting examples of a tragic fall as outlined by a master playwright, and the contrasts between these two figures hold a mirror to modern man=s struggle to find meaning and purpose in present-day society.
Oleanna (1992) begins with an exchange between a college professor, John, and one of his students, Carol. He has given her a ..."
Abstract This paper explores how appearance and reality are intertwined in PeterShaffer's play "Equus". It uses several quotes from the play followed by brief discussion.
Abstract In this article, an analysis of sections of the New Testament is provided. In this analysis, the writer demonstrates that the role played by Peter the Apostle in the work and for Christianity is one of primacy. The writer explains that this is due to Peter representing the primary model of Christian faith and behavior.
From the Paper "In the New Testament, Peter the Apostle is one of the most significant of Jesus' twelve apostles. Simon ben Jonah is Peter's original name but when Jesus encountered Simon and his brother fishing, he said Thou art Simon the son of Jona thou shalt be called Cephas, which is interpreted Peter. There are numerous mentions of Peter, later Saint Peter, during his apostolic life in the New Testament Gospels and Acts. It is in ... "
Abstract This paper explores horror actor Peter Cushing's ancestral ties with Sir Henry Irving, the great English stage actor and Bram Stoker, the author of Dracula, in the context of the English stage and Irving's tours of America, from 1881 to 1889. It examines Bram Stoker's work in April of 1912, that used a new medium of artistic expression and brought Stoker his posthumous fame--the motion picture industry which catapulted Stoker's Gothic novel to the darkest realms of cinematic exploitation and created a new cultural icon in the form of a blood-sucking, malevolent human monster known as Count Dracula.
From the Paper "While Ellen Terry and Henry Irving enjoyed some days of quiet and peace in the privacy of their drawing-rooms and staterooms, the rest of the (touring) company, the tons of scenery, the hundreds of costumes, the 1,200 wigs, the small-part actors, the supers and Bram Stoker, were sailing to America in a slow boat called The City of Rome." Although this quote from Madeleine Bingham's 1978 biography Henry Irving and the Victorian Theatre seems at first glance rather superficial, two specific points deserve closer examination--first, Henry Irving, the legendary British thespian, the Sir Laurence Olivier of his time, who dominated the English stage for more than thirty years and was the first actor to be knighted 1, and actress Ellen Terry, his longtime leading lady, must have thought of themselves as blue-blood royalty, due to sailing to America from Liverpool in October of 1883 aboard the luxurious steamship Britannic on their first U.S. tour; and second, as the remainder of the company trudged along on that "slow boat" The City of Rome, Irving's business manager, the Dublin-born Bram Stoker, apparently was not considered as deserving of better quarters during the long voyage across the Atlantic to the theatrical citadel of New York City. However, this may have been in Stoker's favor, for it is quite possible while separated from Irving's manic desire for control that Stoker retreated to his conjoined cabin ( No. 100, a few steps from the promenade bar 2 ) and took pen in hand to scribble in a "dogeared notebook (with) hieroglyphical entries in thick, half-obliterated pencil," 3 more notes concerning his ten years of research into the occultic sciences."
This paper analyzes the film "Amadeus", directed by Milo Forman, from the perspective of an historian especially as it portrays the Age of Enlightenment.
Abstract This paper explains that the film "Amadeus", a fictionalized accounting of the life of Mozart, is set in the Enlightenment period in the late eighteenth century and depicts the higher urban, social class in Austria concentrating on rulers rather than commoners. The author points out that Salieri's telling the "Amadeus" story from a mental hospital is his penance, or his position in the Enlightenment purgatory. The paper relates that Mozart, viewed as an Enlightenment hero, is able to push some boundaries, such as composing the "Marriage of Figaro", because the Enlightenment was basically about shaking up the social structure.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Main Question
Conclusion
From the Paper "The characters in Forman's "Amadeus" are not fictional, but they are
fictionalized. They are based on real people who lived and died in Enlightenment Europe, but since no one was around to write down every word they said before they died, the director had to take liberties with dialog and action in a way that fictionalizes the story. The death of Mozart is already the stuff of legend and fiction, and this movie takes it further. The characters therefore represent actual historical figures, but they are still fictionalized. Forman's film was made in 1984, and this doesn't appear to have much impact on the story it is telling. The film was a Broadway musical before it was a movie."
This paper analyzes the film ?Amadeus? (Milos Forman, 1984), which received numerous awards and generally favorable reviews, though it has been criticized for being historically inaccurate in a number of areas.
Abstract This paper states that the overall effect of the film ?Amadeus? is as a well-crafted and dramatic telling of an interesting story, which happens to be about historical figures. This paper explains that one of the reasons for much of the criticism of the historical accuracy in the film is because the idea that Salieri killed Mozart, while not a new one, has little basis in fact. The author points out that the way Forman directs the movie emphasizes the image of Mozart as a boorish young man with a terrible giggle who writes brilliant music effortlessly while chasing women and hanging out in bars.
From the Paper "The opening scene in the film sets the tone for much of what follows. The first image is of a cold street scene at night, the street filled with snow, and as a Mozartian overture is heard, the voice of Salieri cries out from inside his apartment, "Mozart!" The attempted suicide of Salieri is counterpointed by the Mozart opera overture heard over it, and as Salieri is carried through the streets and the snow, he seems to see a grand ball from the past. We, then, see Salieri in the hellish asylum, though his own room is something of an oasis of calm and music amidst the general torment of the main halls. In this way, Salieri is presented as both part of the asylum and somehow apart from it, living more in the past than in the present. Salieri's plight is made evident as he plays his own tune and finds that his audience does not remember it, which is precisely what he feared -- Mozart's pieces would be remembered, and his would not."
Abstract Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was an undeniable genius. Mozart's rejection of court musical life was transparent. Mozart's finances during the Vienna years must be counted a mystery. By the time of Mozart's final illness, he had completed only some of what has become known as "Mozart's Requiem". Considerable evidence suggests that Mozart dabbled in mathematics. In studying Mozart, we can see that his life was anything but ordinary.
Abstract This paper examines Milos Forman's 1984 film, "Amadeus", and shows how it is a great example of film where the art director's effort to tell a story without a use of dialogue is evident within the film.
From the Paper "Milos Forman's 1984 film Amadeus is a great example of film where the art director's effort to tell a story without a use of dialogues is evident within the film. The art director has a number of ways to support the director's intention (especially dealing with one's emotion) because he can set up the mood that film is leading to with a scenic design as well as the pieces that contribute to building a scene."
Abstract This paper considers the life and works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and how they fit with his era, showing the nature of the time in which he lived and how he affected music in that period. The paper notes how Mozart was always dependent on the largesse of patrons meaning political and social leaders of the era who funded artists and musicians and who often demanded certain types of art or music from their artists and composers.
From the Paper "Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart left behind a large body of work in spite of his death at a relatively young age. He stands with Bach and Beethoven as one of the giants of music, in his case from the Classical era in the eighteenth century, an era marking a change from the earlier Baroque era and leading later to the beginning of the Romantic era. Mozart's work demonstrates many of the intellectual forces of his time and also shows the political influences on music and on the artist in that era. Mozart was always dependent on the largesse of patrons, meaning political and social leaders of the era who funded artists and musicians and who often demanded certain types of art or music from their artists and composers."
