Appearance Vs. Reality
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The Point of Ritual Death is important to comedy, as it is when the reader experiences a brief moment of tragedy and is not so sure that the laughter previously enjoyed will continue. Northrop Fryes Anatomy of Criticisms essay on comedy briefly discusses the different faces of this turning point in the plot. In Much Ado About Nothing and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, both plays follow the typical script of comedy and yet deal with the Point of Ritual Death in unique ways. The similarities that link the two stays true to the genre, while the differences open up doors to interesting and exciting possibilities within the comedy plot. Exploring these similarities, differences and the treatment of ritual death, will explain the techniques used to entice the reader and keep them wanting more. Slight changes in tone are what strike me as most important in the plot, and how the characters react to the change is what makes for an interesting story.
In Much Ado About Nothing and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, both follow the boy gets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back plot and both deal with the Point of Ritual Death in ways that are typical of a comedy genre. In Northrop Fryes section on comedy in the “Third Essay”, he describes the point of ritual death as “a potentially tragic crisis near the end”. This ritual death is what usually causes the audience to speculate as to how the hero will win her back. In both plays, I believe that there are at two kinds of ritual death played out throughout the story. One that the audience is made aware of before it develops with the characters, and the other as it develops in the play with everyone involved.
The first moment of ritual death in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is when Hero realizes that the woman he loves is promised to another man. Philia is one of Lycus girls and was sold to a violent warrior named Miles Gloriosus. She will not break her word to marry him. She holds the contract in as high regard as she does her virginity. Both are a matter of honour. As in Much Ado About Nothing, only a select few know about the love affair between Hero and Philia. The only people who know about the young lovers are those who can somehow hope to help them in being together. The point of ritual death appears because the blocking character of Miles is made aware to the audience and a few of the cast members, while the affair between Hero and Philia must be kept secret to protect their future. Pseudolys takes matters into his own hands and pretends to be Lycus in hopes of freeing Philia from Miles grasp. He puts his life in danger to potentially gain his freedom from slavery. This first point sets the characters up for turmoil, as their secrets cannot be kept as such for long due to the comedic nature of the play.
The second point of ritual death occurs when Miles finds out that Pseudolys is not Lycus as he says he is and is ordered to die for his lie. Although one of the secrets in the plot is revealed, Philia is now unaware of the action, as she believes that her captain has come and is preparing for her. She has mistaken Sennex, Heros father, for the Captain and now awaits his knock. Miles know knows that Pseudolys is not Lycus and demands to see Philia. Coming up with yet another plot to keep the captain from claiming his prize, he is told that Philia has died and will not be made available for the Captain. The audience knows the truth, but the characters involved do not, which is what leads to tension and conflict within the plot of the story. This is similar to Fryes point of the hero or heroine being given a mortal illness before a happy ending. Of course, as Philia is unaware of what is happening in her ignorant absence, Hysterium gets roped into dressing up like Philia and pretending to be dead in hope of satisfying the Captains urge to give Philia a proper send off. This further emphasizes the point of ritual death as the audience expects that there will be some sort of mishap with the plan to once again fool the Captain. The discovery of Hysterium as Philia is the third moment of ritual death as the cast and audience are now both aware that Philia is very much alive and that the Captain has been duped by a bunch of buffoons. This again correlate with Fryes variation of the device in which “a clown will make a speech near the end in which the buffoons mask suddenly falls off and we look straight into the face of a beaten and ridiculed slave” (Frye, 179). The buffoons in this case are Pseudolys and Hysterium as both their true identities are revealed. All secrets are in the open and the plot can continue true to the genre of comedy with a happy ending and the boy reunited with the girl.
In Much Ado About Nothing, the first point of ritual death is when we learn of Don Johns plan to destroy the love between Hero and Claudio for no other reason other than his despicable character. Don John does not get along with people and is known for his mean demeanour. Instead of trying to change, he lives up to the public image of him, and plots to destroy the happiness around him. He plays the role of the Allazon perfectly in blocking Hero and Claudio from living happily after. He lures Claudio into his trap by telling him: “I come hither to tell you, and circumstances shortened (for she has been too long-a talking of), the lady is disloyal” (III.2.98-100). This sets the notion of doubt in Claudios mind. He has no reason not to trust Don John, as despite his reputation, he is one of his very good friends (Don Pedro) brother. Further tempting Claudio and planting the seed of doubt in his mind, Don John says: “If you dare not trust that you see, confess not that you know. If you will follow me, I will show you enough; and when you have seen more and heard more, proceed accordingly”(III.2.115-118). Don John makes sure that appearance and reality do not come to a head and that Claudio will not lose his temper and attempt to confront the situation which would not allow for the plot to continue along its set path. Being aware of Don Johns plan, the audience knows what a treacherous schemer he is and braces for what Claudio is about to bear witness to.
Don Pedro, also unaware of his brothers mischief, attempts to console Claudio: “And as I wooed for thee to obtain her, I will join with thee to disgrace her”(III.2.22-23). The audience is now realizing the damage that is about to occur and this is where we are first exposed to Fryes idea of the Point of Ritual Death. It also has the audience questioning both Claudio and Don Pedros character for so quickly believing Don Johns words, without even witnessing any betrayal by Hero. “If I see anything tonight