William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, with or without his words: The Afterlives of Shakespeare’s Text in Film
Major
English – Literature
Submission Type
Oral Presentation
Area of Study or Work
English-Literature
Expected Graduation Date
2023
Location
CNS E101 2.4 Heroes and New Genres: Written and Visual Storytelling
Start Date
4-15-2023 10:30 AM
End Date
4-15-2023 11:30 AM
Abstract
When looking at the long list of works attached to and associated with William Shakespeare, it might seem reasonable to want to separate or even dismiss certain versions, performances, or adaptations from the ‘original’ in order to help reduce the catalog to a more authentic list. To aid in dismissing and distancing certain presentations from their source, critics such as Alfred Harbage in his essay “Shakespeare Without Words,” claim that Shakespeare’s plays should be treated as whole works of art, and argue that many modern performances are focusing on the actions and ignoring the words. This leads to the contention that an adaptation without Shakespeare’s words should not be included in the conservation or preservation of his canonical works. However, this reductive urge should be avoided whenever possible to allow and encourage as much engagement with the valuable source text as possible. This presentation will offer close readings of key scenes from three adaptations of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest: Peter Stow’s 1908 silent film version; Fred M. Willcox’s sci-fi classic Forbidden Planet; and Julie Taymor’s 2010 fantasy film version of The Tempest. Each film adaptation provides a unique insight into Shakespeare’s text, even as the adaptations remove some–and sometimes all–of Shakespeare’s original language. Scholars Peter Hulme and William Sherman conclude in their essay “Performances and Productions,” that the elements of spectacle are crucial to the plot, and by tracing these elements, as they have been interpreted and displayed in various film adaptations, I hope to demonstrate the ability of more modern and imaginative adaptations to engage in a logocentric framework while challenging a restrictive attachment to certain versions.
William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, with or without his words: The Afterlives of Shakespeare’s Text in Film
CNS E101 2.4 Heroes and New Genres: Written and Visual Storytelling
When looking at the long list of works attached to and associated with William Shakespeare, it might seem reasonable to want to separate or even dismiss certain versions, performances, or adaptations from the ‘original’ in order to help reduce the catalog to a more authentic list. To aid in dismissing and distancing certain presentations from their source, critics such as Alfred Harbage in his essay “Shakespeare Without Words,” claim that Shakespeare’s plays should be treated as whole works of art, and argue that many modern performances are focusing on the actions and ignoring the words. This leads to the contention that an adaptation without Shakespeare’s words should not be included in the conservation or preservation of his canonical works. However, this reductive urge should be avoided whenever possible to allow and encourage as much engagement with the valuable source text as possible. This presentation will offer close readings of key scenes from three adaptations of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest: Peter Stow’s 1908 silent film version; Fred M. Willcox’s sci-fi classic Forbidden Planet; and Julie Taymor’s 2010 fantasy film version of The Tempest. Each film adaptation provides a unique insight into Shakespeare’s text, even as the adaptations remove some–and sometimes all–of Shakespeare’s original language. Scholars Peter Hulme and William Sherman conclude in their essay “Performances and Productions,” that the elements of spectacle are crucial to the plot, and by tracing these elements, as they have been interpreted and displayed in various film adaptations, I hope to demonstrate the ability of more modern and imaginative adaptations to engage in a logocentric framework while challenging a restrictive attachment to certain versions.