Semiotics In Uncle Vanya

The set consisted of separate panels made to look like the walls of a subway station, as well as stairs on either end of the stage and benches for the characters to sit on. There was an immense amount of detail in it, with the walls graffitied onto as if it were actually part of a subway. The costumes were reflective of the characters’ backgrounds. For example, the lawyer, the businessman and woman, and the professor all wore suits, as to indicate their professionalism. On the other hand, the homeless girl wore dirty clothing, reflecting her state before her death. The lighting in the play helped create the atmosphere of being in a subway underground. It came from different parts of the set, including the sides, with some of the lights being different colors, which gave it some variety. As a whole, sound was not particularly prominent in the production. At the beginning and the end, there is the sound of a train, as to indicate its departure and arrival. Additionally, there was also a sound queue with the conductor calling out, but it was barely audible due to a technical error. No special effects were implemented in the

In the scene where Madge Geisel abruptly stands up and behaves possessed in attempt to unmask the murderer, the stage crew shined an ominous light on Madge, darkened the rest of the stage, and played dramatic music. The use of a sudden shift in atmosphere was enthralling and it generated a sudden suspense for the identity of the murder. Creating a strong tension in the situation, the crew retained the audience’s attention and made sure they were attentive when there was an important shift in the plot. Furthermore, the lights were flashed and a shuddering scream echoed in the room during the moments Chase was stabbed. These supplementary elements heightened the horror of murder and signaled its brutality and swiftness. With such an antsy occurrence, the play was made more enticing and therefore became more enjoyable to

The mood of the speaker changes to guilt as the speaker and her mother realize they would "crawl" with "shame" and leave an "emptiness" in their father's heart and yard. The author negatively connotes "crawl," "shame," and "emptiness" to invoke a more serious and shameful tone. The beginning of the conveyed a more matter-of-fact and pragmatic tone, but changes into a more sentimental one by the end to convey family is more important than the money. The symbol of the tree represents the family, and connects it to their father's hard work and dedication to the family. If they were to cut it down, it would be symbolic of their betrayal. Imagery of the tree is used to describe the freedom and beauty of the tree as it "swings through another year of sun and leaping winds, of leaves and bounding fruit." The tree represents their family bond and how strong it is even through the "whip-crack of the mortgage."

-Concrete subjects are used to convey abstract feelings. The bounded feet with “marks and callouses” and the “asymmetrical cropped hair” are representatives of two different cultures. This literature device makes the essay more vivid and encourages readers to think.

Many composers use various techniques in which they communicate the distinctly visual. John Misto’s ‘The Shoe-Horn Sonata’ and Alexander Kimel’s ‘The Action in the Ghetto of Rohatyn, March 1942’ represent significant issues in our world by using various literary and dramatic techniques. Through using these techniques it is evident that the composers of these texts allow the audience to ‘see’ with our eyes as well as with our minds. The many literary and dramatic techniques have the ability to create a visual that

As well as lighting, sound was used very effectively to stage the story. For example “echoes” were created in the alleyways, to make us think that Eddie’s house was a long way away. These echoes were also used to symbolise Eddie’s loneliness. This could show that there is emptiness in Eddie’s heart that can only be filled by a close friend or a brother. There was a bold use of sound especially in scary, dramatic or important scenes. This added to the drama of the overall performance, it made the audience feel a variety of emotions. In the scene when Mrs. Lyons tries to murder Mrs. Johnston, the sound affects really emphasised how Mrs. Lyons was feeling and her sheer madness. The use of surround sound made me feel like I was in the scene and it made the whole performance much more realistic.

In the film the soliloquies are performed as voice overs and remain largely intact. The strong language presented in the voice overs while still being able to watch the character move around in their environment adds a visual element to the already captivating scene. It makes sure that we are totally alert to the plot and the things that are happening.

This story begins to drive the sense of emotion with the very surroundings in which it takes place. The author starts the story by setting the scene with describing an apartment as poor, urban, and gloomy. With that description alone, readers can begin to feel pity for the family’s misfortune. After the apartments sad portrayal is displayed, the author intrigues the reader even further by explaining the family’s living arrangements. For example, the author states “It was their third apartment since the start of the war; they had

How Brecht achieves producing this state of consciousness is more subtle and elegant than the previous technique of having actors walk out with blatant placards to remind the audience that they are watching a play. One of the marks of Brecht’s epic theater is his alienation effect, or “a representation which allows [the audience] to recognize its subject, but at the same time makes it seem unfamiliar” (Brecht 1948, 8).

"All within hearing immediately turned about, and beheld the semblance of Mr. Hooper, pacing slowly his meditative way towards the meeting-house. With one accord they started, expressing more wonder than if some strange minister were coming to dust the cushions of Mr. Hooper’s pulpit·" Working in the realm of the Gothic, Nathaniel Hawthorne hits upon psychological points that few of his readers are willing to explore. Of course, one may not be able to relate to an example involving such an "eccentric" display as Mr. Hooper’s. There is a sudden hush throughout the audience, followed by a rush of low whispering. He walks past them, oblivious to the goings-on and proceeds to the front. Something has changed, and everyone is aware. It is

The lighting of any production is the most important part in my thought. the lighting puts you in the mood that you have to be in, in order to fully understand that part of the show and to actually live it like they do. For example, when they were in the park and it was raining, they had their umbrellas, and the background effects of rain made it really seem as if it was raining in the theatre. The lighting was always focused on every part of the stage, especially on those who were the main parts in that scene.

In the play, the Phantom of the Opera, the actors show expression through their voice (lyrical and vocal aspects), and physical actions towards each other. The Phantom’s voice uses his voice to his advantage in the play. First, instead of singing the whole thing, he expresses and brings out words in the form of whispering, a casual talking voice, or shouting them. Lyrically, the Phantom expresses his longing for Christine by choosing meaningful words that would persuade her to join him. Furthermore, in the play, the interactions between the actors show expression.

For example, he swayed his hand to and fro while one lantern was centered on him, creating a shadow on the wall. When the narrator was executing his “ingenious” plan for murder, he slowly entered the room, crouching down for what seemed like an eternity, and opened the lantern to shine light on his victim, showing his vulture-eye, therefore giving the narrator the motivation to kill him and giving the audience an uneasy feeling. The narrator's body language showed tension as he was anticipating the right moment to kill the old man and as he was lightly conversing with the police officer. During the majority of the play, the narrator would laggardly ascend and descend the stairs which captured his increasing uneasiness. The actor's true skill in portraying his character was most perceptible as he carried out the murder of the old man. He kills and dismembers him happily, clearly showing the audience that the character is in an unhealthy mental state. Additionally, the narrator continually explains to the audience that he is not insane and attempts to prove it by explaining his master plan of murdering and hiding the old man. However, the more the narrator explains to us how sane he believes himself to be, the more we believe he is not. To represent a change in setting, the narrator opens an imaginary door and paces up and down the stairs. To show time progressing, the narrator

2. How does Shakespeare’s use of imagery and recurring symbols add depth and meaning to the plot and characters in the play?

In Barthes’ “Rhetoric of The Image” he writes about image semiotics and the approach to images, the way they are presented and perceived. He begins with giving us the origins of the word “Image”, and it is of Greek origin meaning “Imitation”. And so he continues to propose two main important questions: “can analogical representation (the "copy") produce true systems of signs and not merely simple agglutinations of symbols? (Barthes 32)” And also: “Is it possible to conceive of an analogical "code"(as opposed to a digital one)? (Barthes 32)”