The Sonnet, The Tempest and the movie...
Posted by Bonny on January 11, 1998 at 06:42:42:
In response to #116, written by Emmy on January 05, 1998 at 18:36:09
Hi, Emmy!
] (back to that Tempest thing?),
]
] Yes, the tempest thing. I was just reading it over in my english lit text, and thinkng to myself, what an appropriate poem. Did JA put it in the book, or was it ET who saw how well it fits?
No, it's not in the book, it was ET, I think, on my now hazy memory of the Diaries, who inserted the sonnet to such effect, after consultation with an old English Prof. of hers. In the book there are references to Cowper(1.), Scott, and other Shakespeares: Hamlet(2.), Romeo and Juliet(3.) and The Tempest(4.)(I think, but am now unsure ). ET was obviously well aware of all these references, and used the knowledge for adapting the film from the book:
The Shakespeare element in the novel, I think allowed for the use of the Sonnets, and furthermore; 1.Cowper, Marianne's favourite poet, was read by her and Edward. "No voice divine the storm allayed/
No light propitious shone.."; 2 That the Dashwoods were reading Hamlet with Willoughby in the book became the cue for him to adapt a Hamlet quote to his own mischievous purposes "Frailty thy name is Brandon." ; 3.In the book, Willoughby wants to give Marianne a horse, which he has named "Queen Mab" an allusion to Romeo and Juliet, showing Ma. and Will.s familiarity with this play - in the film ET has Ma. say " To love is to burn, to be on fire, like ... Juliet .."(besides the obvious reference to doomed lovers); The Tempest, if really mentioned, ties in with the two poems, #116 ," but looks on tempests and is never shaken" and the line of the Cowper poem quoted above. As someone has said, Ma. is tempest uous. And a major theme of the Tempest is acceptance, and healing the wrongs of the past, redemption thru love.
I have gotten rather carried away but we can talk more about this if you want, anyway, it's attention to detail which makes one appreciate S&S2, a wonderful film for so many reasons!
Bonny
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