fandomhigh | Modern Shakespeare, Wednesday Per 1 & 2

The beanbags and other comfortable seating were back as the class settled in to watch Scotland, PA, a take on Macfinlay. Before the movie began, Karla passed around a plot summary of the original play. "In what is usually considered Shakespeare's take on the folly of ambition, we have the Macfinlays who are given a prophecy: Macfinlay will become king of Scotland. However, Scotland already has a king, Duncan, and Duncan's children are next in line for the throne. Rather than waiting to see how the prophecy might shake out, Lady Macfinlay suggests to her husband that they murder Duncan and take the throne for themselves. Macfinlay's best friend, Banquo, also receives a prophecy at the same time, saying that he will never be king, but his children will be."

She continued to go over the play in far greater detail than the handed out summary went into. The summary was useful for a quick reference for the students who were unfamiliar with the work (and could read it), but they deserved to have a fuller understanding of the play before watching the adaptation. Once her lecture was finished, she started the movie. "In this version, the story has been updated to America in the 1970s and the Macfinlays murder over a burger joint rather than a nation. There's popcorn and soda if you wish to make this a real movie experience. Otherwise, pay attention, take notes if you'd like, and be prepared to discuss the movie after it ends."

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Ambitiously

Lucille Sharpe

Cosette Fauchelevent

Peridot

Hanna Heller

Gratuity Tucci

Steven Universe

Kaylin Neya

Once again, it's pretty academic. She's willing to slow down, repeat herself, and answer questions, but note-taking is encouraged.

Why couldn't Shakespeare be Shakespeare? Why the need to make make these strange movies?

Lucille just tried to look composed, and assumed what she considered a neutral expression.

Honestly, the only reason Cosette hadn't started taking color-coded notes yet was that the idea hadn't occurred to her.

The outline was impressively well-structured, though.

Tip was already at least passingly familiar with the play, so while she took some notes here and there about things she hadn't remembered, she was mostly trying to imagine a Boovian adaptation of the story. Obviously the title character would be Smek. But Boov didn't have marriage -- or any sort of romantic relationships at all -- so Lady Macfinlay would have to be, like, an undersecretary or something. Maybe Smek's receptionist? The one who had the whole "but I don't want to lower my helmet"/"but you have to lower your helmet" conversation. . . . Actually, the whole thing would probably work best using Funsize and his death ray.

As a result, her notes were covered in quickly scribbled doodles of six legged, frog armed aliens in kilts waving daggers and death rays around.

You know, as you do.

It's entertaining and darkly comedic, though there are some references to sex and drugs as well. After all, it takes place in the 1970s.

It was just as bad as she had expected. Lucille probably failed at trying not to make this obvious.

Well, the significance of the 70s was somewhat lost on Cosette, as were some of the drug references, but she felt she'd gotten a fairly good handle on it for the most part.

"So, the first question is--the original play involved murder for the sake of the nation, much like in Amleth. Here, it's murder for the sake of a business. Does changing the scale change your opinion on the Macfinlay's actions? Is it more understandable to kill to become king than a CEO?"

Having learnt from the previous week, Lucille had chosen something more comfortable to sit on than a beanbag. It was also at the back of the room, so that perhaps the teacher wouldn't notice her. The discussions last week had made her feel awkward.

"I would think it would be more so. More likely for the perpetrator to be able to elude the authorities, with less at stake. And less likely to effect others outside their immediate circle, if they cared to minimize the damage they would cause." Hanna looked a little disturbed. But not much. "At least from a strategic point of view. It's a betrayal, but not treason. It's still ridiculous to kill for ambition."

"I think you're more likely to have to kill to get rid of a king," Tip said slowly. "That kind of power is really . . . entrenched. And most places won't just decide to hold an election peacefully because someone decided they need one." New Boovworld was remarkable in that respect, even if the election itself hadn't been an entirely peaceful process. "So it's understandable. But it's still a pretty crappy way to go about things."

She was pretty firmly anti-killing. They hadn't even killed the Gorg, who were about as much asking for corporal punishment as any beings she knew of. Admittedly, they may have died in space due to a severe and deliberately provoked allergic reaction. But, you know, there was still a lot of plausible deniability for her, there.

Karla pulled up a specific clip from the movie. "In the play, Macfinlay is a terrible king, driving Scotland into the ground. The very land rejects his rule. But here, he's actually very good at it, turning a failing burger joint into a wealthy and profitable business. Does that change your view on things?"

Lucille did raise her hand here. "Why wouldn't he have done the right thing taking over the... burger joint and making it a success?"

"No," Hanna said, sounding confused. "I'm not certain why it's a question." What did wealth and profit, or land, have to do with justifying murder?

"Doesn't that mostly just make him a really successful asshole? Instead of an incompetent one." A beat.

". . . Pardon my language."

Edited 2016-05-18 22:40 (UTC)

"Both the play and the movie raise the question of how much of what happens is Macfinlay's fault and how much is him being convinced by his wife and how much by the witches, represented by the hippies in the film. Where would you place the blame--or give the credit?"

"Clearly his wife is the clever one," Lucille said. "The witches might have offered inspiration, but without his wife he would have failed."

Tip pointed to Lucille and nodded. "She's definitely the one in charge. He's just a tool."

Lucille looked at the new girl. They hadn't spoken, but at least she seemed clever.

With a small nod, she said: "She should have let him take the full responsibility for it, when things started to go bad. That is the only advantage of her power not being recognized."

There's always more discussion to be had!

Sorry this is so late! I'll try to be better about getting class up earlier in the future!

Modern Shakespeare, Wednesday Per 1 & 2

Sign In (05/18)

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Listen to the Lecture

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Watch the Movie

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Post-Movie Discussion Question 1

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Talk to Karla

OOC