Substance Abuse and Family Relationships

Addiction is a disease of the mind and body that can complicate relationships between family members. Eugene O’Neill’s autobiographical play “Long Day’s Journey Into Night” tells the story of a family that experiences these relationships. The mother, Mary, has recently relapsed back into her morphine addiction that began after giving birth to her youngest son, Edmund. Mary’s use of morphine is used as an escape from her miserable reality and allows her to dwell on happy memories of the past. Throughout the play, she becomes increasingly inebriated, ending the play in a completely delusional state. She uses blame to deflect suspicion, and the other family members blame each other for her illness. This causes relationships in this family to be strained, as it does for many families who experience similar things.

Marriage is one of the most complex, fulfilling relationships one can create. Mary and Tyrone’s marriage has become strained over the years, partially due to her addiction. This is the cause of some fighting between them. For example, Mary tries to go upstairs during an argument and Tyrone says, “Up to take more of that God-damned poison, is that it? You’ll be like a mad ghost before the night’s over!” This also foreshadows the end of the play. In response Mary denies this, saying, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, James. You say such mean, bitter things when you’ve drunk too much. You’re as bad as Jamie or Edmund.” Here, we see Mary switching the focus of the conversation to how much Tyrone and the boys drink. She blames his cruel words on the use of his substance of choice: alcohol. This example of the ‘blame game’ is one of many that shows how much tension is created within a couple as a result of addiction. Along with this, Tyrone says to Mary, “When you have the poison in you, you want to blame everyone but yourself.” Again, emphasizing how blame is transferred from one person to another in this family.

The children, Edmund and Jamie, have a complex relationship with each other because of Mary’s addiction. Jamie is the oldest, making this dynamic interesting. He says to Edmund, “I’ve had more to do with bringing you up than anyone.” Being the older brother, Jamie probably felt some kind of obligation to protect Edmund from the knowledge of Mary’s substance usage. But at this moment he’s drunk, so he just spews out the truth. Mary started taking morphine after Edmund was born, and this made Jamie slowly resent Edmund. He says to Edmund, “Always jealous of you. Mama’s baby, Papa’s pet! And it was your being born that started Mama on dope. I know that’s not your fault, but all the same, God damn you, I can’t help hating your guts!” Jamie’s strong feelings about Edmund originate around blame. He blames Edmund for Mary’s behavior and her illness. In a way, Jamie could also feel bitter for having to be the first to know about her usage. Knowing and trying to keep such a secret can take a toll on anyone.

Tyrone’s relationships with his sons are also complex. The three of them argue the most throughout the script. One argument between Tyrone and Edmund begins when Tyrone says, “Remember she’s not responsible. Once that cursed poison gets a hold on anyone -” and he’s cut off when Edmund responds, “It never should have gotten a hold on her! I know damned well she’s not to blame! And I know who is! You are! Your damned stinginess! If you’d spent money for a decent doctor when she was so sick after I was born, she’d never have known morphine existed!” One can assume that Edmund feels slightly responsible for Mary’s morphine usage since she started using after he was born. So here, he’s deflecting those feelings of guilt onto Tyrone by saying he should have hired a better doctor. He continues to express this anger by saying, “After you found out she’d been made a morphine addict, why didn’t you send her to a cure then, at the start, while she still had a chance?” Edmund feels that Tyrone is responsible because he didn’t do enough to help treat Mary early on in her substance abuse. Finally, to top it all off, Edmund tells Tyrone, “Jesus, when I think of it I hate your guts!” These arguments between them are a reality for those who have family members who struggle with addiction. Tyrone is likely the person Edmund would expect to take the best care of his mother, and as a son, he probably feels like he doesn’t have as much power or control over the situation as his father does. His frustration comes from him wanting to do more to reverse what he believes he started, but he feels like Tyrone should have been the one to help the most.

Mary’s relationship with her sons has also changed since her relapse. Addiction can violate the trust that people once had with each other. Mary’s use of morphine has compromised Jamie’s ability to trust her. He says, “Because this time Mam had me fooled. I really believed she had it licked. She thinks I always believe the worst, but this time I believed the best. I suppose I can’t forgive her - yet.” Jamie believed she was recovering, but she just masked it really well. This has broken the trust they once had, and will now leave Jamie wondering if she’s actually getting better or if she’s hiding it again. Nothing strains family relationships more than secrets, and typically people who struggle with addiction are quite secretive.

Edmund’s relationship with Mary is also affected in the play. Edmund is diagnosed with Consumption, or Tuberculosis, and tries to tell her about it multiple times. Mary is in denial of his illness and insists that he has a bad cold. When Edmund finally tells Mary about his diagnosis, she is far too delusional to understand or accept what he’s saying. In the stage directions at this moment, O’Neill writes, “(for a second he seems to have broken through to her. She trembles and her expression becomes terrified. She calls distractedly as if giving a command to herself). No! (And instantly she is far away again...)” For just a moment Edmund brings Mary back to reality, but quickly she is back under the grasp of the morphine. Edmund might feel like Mary doesn’t even care about his health issues at all. When a child is sick, the comfort and reassurance of a mother can help them get through it, but Edmund doesn’t receive this. Instead, drugs dictate Mary’s response to this news, which is essentially to ignore that she even heard it.

Morphine is a way for Mary to escape her regrets and her current reality. This is one way that people who experience substance abuse justify their usage. Mary had dreams of becoming a concert pianist or becoming a nun, but instead, she married James Tyrone. She’s experienced trauma in her life, like the death of her second son, Eugene. She also denies Edmund’s illness. In the last scene of the play, she is the most inebriated by the drugs and reminisces heavily on the past, longing for feelings of happiness. She says, “Then in the spring something happened to me. Yes, I remember. I fell in love with James Tyrone and was so happy for a time.” Substances can cause an addict to reminisce and wish their life was different, and in a twisted cycle, reminiscing on the past and regret causes an addict to reach for more of their vice. Morphine allows Mary to experience the last happy memories she had. Her experience is unfortunately not a unique one, and neither are the experiences of her family members.

Long Day’s Journey Into Night explores these familial relationships that become complex as a result of substance use and addiction. We see each family member blaming others for this disease that has afflicted Mary’s life for so long. With all the blame being thrown around, one is left to wonder, who is to blame? Is it the spouse of the addict, who could have helped find the best medical care? Is it the child of the addict, whose birth was the start of the addiction? Or is it the addicts themselves? These questions are not answered in this play, nor can they be answered simply. Addiction is not a simple issue. Many complexities plague the addict and their family. One thing is for certain, passing around blame did nothing to help Mary’s addiction. If anything, it strained the family’s relationship that much more. Love, support, and kindness are some of the only remedies that families can provide to their loved ones struggling with addiction. 

Machinal: Specific Sound, Set, and Stage Directions

Machinal is a play that demonstrates very well what it feels like to be trapped in a cycle or a ‘machine’. The play describes many machines, such as patriarchy, religion, prison, marriage, working, and more. The main character is a young woman, and we learn late in the play that her name is Helen. Helen’s experience helps the audience experience a woman’s point of view in the machines of life. The unique nature of this play would make it difficult to direct. However, the playwright, Sophie Treadwell, gives us many tools and specific stage directions to help. With these specific instructions, there are ways to overcome these challenges and produce a play that anyone can enjoy and understand.

One unique thing about this play is that Treadwell wrote very specific directions for the play at the beginning of the script. She tells us the plot, the plan, and the hope of the play, as well as instructions on how to light and stage it. This gives us great insight into what the play is meant to accomplish. In the paragraph titled ‘The Plan’, she writes, “The Plan is to tell this story by showing the different phases of life that the woman comes in contact with, and in none of which she finds any place, any peace... Business, home, marriage, having a child, seeking pleasure - all are difficult for her - mechanical, nerve-nagging.” We know from this introductory paragraph that she wants the audience to see and understand the life of a woman stuck in the machinery of life and that she doesn’t find any peace. She also says, “The Plot is the story of a woman who murders her husband - an ordinary young woman, any woman.” It’s interesting that she specifies that the plot of this story is meant to portray “any woman.” This makes it easy to cast, and all of these instructions would help the actor who plays the young woman know how to portray her.

One interesting, but crucial part of this play is the various and overlapping sounds throughout the show. Many scenes have confusing dialogue, lines spoken from offstage, sound effects, and music. But Treadwell gives us specific instructions on how to do this logistically and the reasoning for it. She says, “Then there is, also, the use of many different sounds chosen primarily for their inherent emotional effect... but contributing also to the creation of a background, an atmosphere.” From this direction, we know that these sounds are part of the world in which this story takes place. The sounds are also meant to envelop the audience in the story. One example of this is in Episode One: To Business. The directions at the beginning of the scene say, “Sounds: office machines: typewriters, adding machine, manifold, telephone bells, buzzers.” This opening scene can leave the audience surrounded by sounds, but this is exactly what Treadwell wants. The many sounds leave us confused and overwhelmed, much like the Young Woman feels at the end of the scene, which we see from her monologue that finishes the scene.

Because of the expressionistic nature of the play, the sets and lighting are a big part of how we tell the story. Treadwell writes, “Scenically this play is planned to be handled in two basic sets,” and she goes on to describe the sets. These descriptions are very specific and helpful to us in how the sets are made and how the actors will enter and exit from the stage. It also paints a picture in our minds of how it should look. In regards to props, she says, “There is a change of furniture, and props for each episode - only essential things, full of character.” From this, we know that few props are used in the show and that every prop is essential to the story. Logistically this is helpful because we have few props to keep track of and to get on and offstage. Treadwell also writes which props are used at the beginning of each scene. The lighting is described as “concentrated and intense. - Light and shadow - bright light and darkness.” The lighting adds so much to the story because of the simple nature of the set and props. As an audience member, being in the darkness during the transitions and hearing the changes in music or sounds enhances the feelings of confusion and helps us get into the mindset of the young woman.

The specific instructions that Treadwell gives us help us tell the story. She even tells us what the hope of Machinal is. She says, “The Hope is to create a stage production that will have ‘style,’ and at the same time, by the story’s own innate drama, by the directness of its telling, by the variety and quick changingness of its scenes, and the excitement of its sounds, to create an interesting play.” If I were to direct this show, I’d hope the audience experiences more than ‘an interesting play’. I’d hope for the audience to leave feeling the effects of the machine(s) described: the expectation for women to be perfect homemakers, the pressure involved in sexual relationships, religious machines that claim to only want what’s best for you, and more. More than anything, I would hope that the people in the audience feel seen, especially women, and that they feel empowered to leave the machines they feel trapped in (without committing violent crimes of course). I hope all audience members leave with a better understanding of the machine and how to end cycles in their own lives.

Twenty Four Hours, No TikTok

Social media is a big part of my life. Being in my generation, Gen Z, I've grown up surrounded by many media types, but social media has slowly taken over my teenage and young adult life. I've had phases of my life where I've been caught in the comparison trap of social media. I've had phases where social media has just wasted my time in general. I would argue that the most time-wasting platform for social media is TikTok. 

I remember when TikTok first emerged in the social media realm. It was a dancing app. It was almost laughable if you had the app downloaded on your phone. During the COVID-19 pandemic, TikTok especially blew up. Everyone was on it trying to feel a sense of community. We did TikTok dances to ignore the chaos of the world around us. TikTok has taken the world, and myself, by storm ever since. 

I'm not sure when, but at some point, TikTok became part of my daily routine. I'd watch TikTok videos while I got ready in the morning, while I'd eat meals, on every 10-minute work break, even waiting for two minutes for my food to come out of the microwave. TikTok has consumed my life. So, I decided to take 24 hours away from TikTok. 

At first, during this challenge, I just told myself I would just not open the app. I'd ignore it for the entire 24 hours. But I quickly realized that wouldn't work. Reflexively, my thumb would reach for the TikTok app anytime I opened my phone. I would watch a few seconds of a video before I remembered my challenge and I'd exit the app. Deleting the app from my phone was the only way to truly get a break. 

The next challenge I came across was finding myself just getting on other apps to fill my time, specifically Instagram. I'd watch Instagram reels, which is basically the same as TikTok. I realized just how much my brain craves dopamine and serotonin, and how addicted to my phone I've become. 

When nighttime came, I found myself not knowing what to do before bed. I've become so accustomed to watching TikTok videos until I fall asleep at night. I pondered a lot about my phone usage, especially TikTok. Laying in bed staring at the ceiling, I realized I needed to make a change. I need to get my brain back to normal. No more short attention span, no more craving for short-form content that brings a rush of dopamine, and no more wasting time. 

Once the challenge was over, I didn't re-download TikTok on my phone right away. I took some time to figure out what else I could do with the spare time I was spending on TikTok before. I tried reading a book, but reading isn't my thing. I watched some TV shows I've been hearing about and have wanted to watch but never did because I was spending my time on TikTok. I also went back to the gym for the first time in a while because I woke up earlier. It turns out I sleep better without watching TikTok before bed, who would've thought! 

Yes, after a couple of days, I re-downloaded the app. I'll explain why. One of my favorite things about TikTok is people reviewing or recommending certain things or products. Granted, sometimes you have to take these with a grain of salt, especially if this person is being sponsored by the company that makes the product. But if there's a product or service I'm thinking about trying, sometimes I'll search it on TikTok before I buy it to see people's reviews and if it's worth it. This of course isn't a necessary thing to have in my life, but it is nice to see normal people like me talking about things that are helpful to me. 

Overall, TikTok is a time-wasting, brain-rotting app. Do I still have it on my phone? Yes. Will I delete it again? Also probably yes. Now that I've seen what it's like not to have it, I will likely delete it again in the future, and try to get rid of it for good. But for now, the recommendations and entertainment are enough for me to keep it on my phone. 

Questions and Answers from Shakespeare's Hamlet

Hamlet
Hamlet is a play that provokes questions in the minds of its audience members and readers. Some are answered explicitly in the text, and some go unanswered, leaving the audience to ponder the true meaning for themselves. Some questions, however, have implicit answers in the text, left up for a bit of interpretation. These questions and answers will be explored here.

Question One
Does Hamlet go mad, or is he faking the entire time?

In Act 1, Scene 5, Hamlet first encounters the ghost. The ghost claims to be his father, who has been killed by his brother Claudius. He tells Hamlet to avenge his death by killing Claudius himself. Immediately after this encounter, Hamlet sees his friends Horatio and Marcellus. After just a few words are exchanged between them, Horatio says to Hamlet, “These are but wild and whirling words, my lord.” Horatio and Hamlet are close friends, so it’s interesting that Horatio would immediately be concerned by how ‘wild’ he may be acting. If anyone were to pick up on that vibe, it would be Horatio. It could be argued that anyone who has experienced what Hamlet experiences would be acting the same. Hamlet then explains to his friends not to worry about him, and that he’ll only act crazy, not actually go crazy. But his initial behavior in this scene can lead us to believe that he is mad right away. He doesn’t have to act crazy because he actually is.

Question Two
Is Hamlet a coward?

Hamlet asks himself this question in Act 2, Scene 2, “Am I a coward?” Throughout the play, we see Hamlet talk a lot about what he wants to do, which is to kill King Claudius. He has the opportunity to do this in Act 3, Scene 3 while Claudius is praying, but he doesn’t do it because he doesn’t want Claudius to go to heaven. Some could argue that this was just an excuse from Hamlet, and he was afraid to do it. 

But the biggest piece of evidence to show that Hamlet is a coward is the time at which he kills Claudius. In Act 5, Scene 2, Gertrude dies during the duel because she drinks the poisoned cup. She says, “O, my dear Hamlet! The drink, the drink, I am poisoned,” and then she dies. After this, Laertes tells Hamlet to take the envenomed sword and stab the king. Hamlet does and then forces the king to drink the poison, and then Claudius is dead. Hamlet only killed Claudius after his mother died. This could show that Hamlet is a coward because even when he had the opportunity to kill Claudius in private, he wouldn’t. He never tried again or devised a plan to kill Claudius until the last moments of his life when the opportunity presented itself and his mom was dead.

Question Three
In Act 1, why does the ghost tell the guys to swear on Hamlet’s sword?

After Hamlet’s encounter with the ghost in Act 1, he tells the other guys to swear on his sword that they will never reveal the things Hamlet has told them. He says, “Swear by my sword.” Then, there’s a pause because the guys don’t do anything right away. So, the ghost says,

“Swear... Swear by his sword.” This is what makes the guys swear. The ghost tells them to swear because he knows that if he scares these guys into it, they will swear on Hamlet’s sword. It also benefits the ghost if these men keep their word and don’t say anything because it means that Hamlet will have a chance to kill the King. If the wrong person were to find out about Hamlet’s plan, he could be killed before he has the chance to avenge the death of the ghost. So of course, the ghost doesn’t want this information to get out.

Question Four
Does Hamlet love Ophelia?

Hamlet and Ophelia exchange a lot of flirty lines throughout the play. It’s implied that they have a sexual relationship as well. They spend so much time together that even Ophelia’s brother Laertes is concerned for her, and he warns her to be careful and not to sleep with Hamlet. As the play progresses and Hamlet starts to act crazy, he tells Ophelia that he never loved her. He says “You should not have believed me... I loved you not.” In this scene, Hamlet is driven so mad by his encounter with the ghost and his emotions about Claudius and Gertrude being together, that he takes out these feelings on Ophelia.

After Hamlet kills Polonius, Ophelia also goes mad and ends up dying by drowning in a river. At this point, Hamlet has been sent to England and doesn’t know that she died. He comes back during her funeral, and when it is revealed to him that Ophelia has died, Hamlet emotionally professes his love. He says, “I loved Ophelia. Forty thousand brothers could not with all their quantity of love make up my sum. What wilt thou do for her?” One can believe that Hamlet didn’t love Ophelia, he loved the idea of her. He loved having her there for support during this challenging time. He also was able to use her to get his emotions out. One could argue that he acted most insane around her. This was because, to him, Ophelia was just someone to use for pleasure and as an outlet for his emotions.

Question Five
Were Claudius and Gertrude having an affair before Old Hamlet’s death?

It’s never explicitly said in the text whether or not an affair was taking place before the death of Old Hamlet. However, many instances imply that this was the case. For example, during Hamlet’s first interaction with the ghost in Act 1, the ghost refers to Claudius as “that incestuous, that adulterate beast.” The use of the word “adulterate” implies adultery, which means to have an affair. If the ghost is calling Claudius “adulterate” one can assume that there was an affair happening, and even that Old Hamlet knew about it.

The other biggest implication of an affair happens in Act 3 when Hamlet has his intense interaction with Gertrude. Hamlet is angry with his mother for her very fast marriage to Claudius after Old Hamlet was killed. He describes very intimate details about their relationship and shames her for them. In response to these things, Gertrude says, “I see such black and grained spots as will not leave their tinct. O, speak to me no more! These words like daggers enter my ears.” The guilt that Gertrude appears to feel is so strong that she describes it like black spots on her soul and daggers in her ears. This kind of guilt would only come with the guilt of something like an affair.

Question Six
Is Polonius abusive towards Ophelia? If so, in what way(s)?

Polonius and Ophelia’s relationship is complex. Some may observe this behavior and simply say that Polonius is a protective father. However, the way he speaks to Ophelia and interferes with her relationship with Hamlet suggests emotional abuse. The most evidence of this is found in Act 1, Scene 3. In her conversation with Laertes, Ophelia is very open about how she feels about Hamlet. But once Laertes leaves and she is alone with Polonius, she’s more hesitant to share things.

She tells Polonius that Hamlet is being affectionate towards her and she thinks he cares about her. In response to this, Polonius says, “Affection, puh! You speak like a green girl unsifted in such perilous circumstance.” He’s saying that Ophelia is just a child who doesn’t understand the world. He continues with this when he says, “Think yourself a baby that you have ta’en these tenders for true pay.” The argument that he is being protective is understandable here, but the way he talks down to her could be seen as emotional and verbal abuse. Especially when we see her submissive response, “I shall obey, my lord.”

Question Seven
Was Gertrude involved in the murder of Old Hamlet?

The audience knows that Claudius is the one who killed Old Hamlet. However, it is never explicitly said if Gertrude was involved, or even knew about the murder. Some may assume that because they may have been sleeping together before the death of Old Hamlet, this means they were involved together in the murder. But when the ghost is talking to Hamlet, he says this about Gertrude, “Taint not thy mind, nor let thy soul contrive Against thy mother aught. Leave her to heaven And to those thorns that in her bosom lodge to prick and sting her.” The ghost tells Hamlet to leave his mother alone. He doesn’t want to get any revenge on Gertrude, thus implying that she is innocent of the murder. When he talks about the thorns in her bosom, he could be referring to the guilt she potentially feels because of the incest and potential infidelity before his death, not his murder.

Question Eight
Why doesn’t the ghost want Gertrude to see him?

The ghost allows Hamlet to see him, as well as Horatio, Marcellus, and Barnardo. The ghost speaks to Hamlet face to face, and he tells the other guys to swear on Hamlet’s sword not to reveal what they’ve seen. But when the ghost appears to Hamlet during his altercation with Gertrude, she can’t see or hear the ghost. One can assume that this is because the ghost is trying to protect Gertrude. During Hamlet’s initial interaction with the ghost, he says this about Gertrude, “Taint not thy mind, nor let thy soul contrive against thy mother aught. Leave her to heaven and to those thorns that in her bosom lodge to prick and sting her.” The ghost wants Hamlet to leave Gertrude alone, and to focus on avenging his death by killing Claudius.

This is also apparent when the ghost appears to Hamlet during Act 3 when he’s talking to Gertrude. He tells Hamlet, “Do not forget. This visitation is but to whet thy almost blunted purpose. But look, amazement on thy mother sits. O, step between her and her fighting soul.” The ghost seems to be trying to project Gertrude here. It’s almost like he’s telling Hamlet to stop scaring her. He also tells Hamlet to ‘not forget.’ The ghost's goal is not to threaten or harm Gertrude, he just wants Hamlet to avenge his death and kill Claudius. He can accomplish this without Gertrude seeing him.

The many questions that Hamlet provokes cannot be answered simply. Some require further analysis of the text, and some don’t have a certain answer. As we read or watch Hamlet, we must question everything. We must question people’s motives, behavior, and what they say. As we do this, we understand each character more. Questioning helps us gain more from our experience with the play, even though there are some things we will never know for certain. In the mind of Shakespeare, anything is possible. 

Analyzing Antigone Using Aristotle's Poetics

Antigone

Sophocles’ Antigone is a Greek tragedy that explores many themes. Two of these themes are the meaning of life and death, and loyalty. Each character in this play has their motivations based on how they view their life, how they feel about death, and where their loyalties lie. We see Antigone loyal to the gods' laws, so much so that she ultimately gives her life to fulfill their wishes. On the contrary, we see Creon hungry for power, and the laws of the land and man are more important to him. Each supporting character is loyal to one or the other, and some of them even change their actions as the play progresses based on the actions and fate of others. This play makes the audience question the character's motives, and wonder who is right and who is wrong. We also see each of Aristotle’s poetics throughout the play: spectacle, song, diction, plot, character, and theme.

Aristotle may not view Antigone as the perfect tragedy, but he would consider it a tragedy nonetheless. His definition of a tragedy is “an imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude, in language embellished with each kind of artistic ornament, through pity and fear affecting the proper purgation of these emotions.” This play is about the characters, the actions they take, and the consequences of those actions. Aristotle says that for a story to be tragic, the good people must have a sad ending, and the bad people must not have a sad ending. The antagonist doesn’t meet a bad fate in this story, but the protagonists all die. Creon is seen as the antagonist because he doesn’t follow the gods’ laws. He causes one death which inadvertantly leads to two others. He does whatever he feels necessary to lead the city and further his own agenda. Above all other character’s deaths, Haemon’s death is the most tragic. In this play, Haemon is completely innocent. He isn’t the traitor, Antigone is. But because he loves Antigone he decides to join her in death. Creon’s response to Haemon’s death is, “Dead, dead—and the living are guilty of their death!... Haemon’s gone, his blood spilled by the very hand—His own...raging mad with his father for the death [of Antigone].” Haemon’s death was no one’s fault but Creon’s own, but Creon is still alive at the end of the play. These actions also invite catharsis for the audience, making us feel sad for Haemon and Antigone, and even pity Creon a little. Aristotle’s definition of tragedy is apparent in this play, and all six of Aristotle’s poetics are used heavily throughout the play.

One of the least prioritized of Aristotle’s poetics in this play is spectacle. One use of spectacle in Antigone is the dead bodies onstage at the end. Towards the end of the play, Haemon and Eurydice’s bodies are on the stage. Seeing these bodies on the stage causes catharsis for the audience and is something spectacular to see. The other use of spectacle would be the description of the deaths, especially Haemon’s graphic death. When the messenger comes to tell of Haemon’s death, he describes it as follows, “Haemon lunged and missed!--- and then, doomed, desperate with himself, suddenly leaning his full weight on the blade, he buried it in his body, halfway to the hilt. And still in his senses, pouring his arms around her, he embraced the girl and breathing hard, released a quick rush of blood, bright red on her cheek glistening white.” Though the audience doesn’t see the death take place, reading or listening to the description of Haemon’s death makes the reader or watcher picture what this would look like. The picture that is created in one's mind could be seen as spectacle because each audience member or reader imagines the blood, the sword, and the graphic nature of it all.

Aristotle’s poetic, song, also plays a role in Antigone. The chorus is integral to the play, and the words they speak and sing help the story move along and bring the audience into the play even more. However, the way they sing it or the melodies themselves aren’t prioritized. Their reactions to the events make the audience think and imagine what these events would be like. One of the chorus’ best lines is the very last stanza of the play. They say, “Wisdom is by far the greatest part of joy, and reverence toward the gods must be safeguarded. The mighty words of the proud are paid in full with mighty blows of fate, and at long last those blows will teach us wisdom.” These final words summarize one of the themes of this play: reverence towards the gods is more important than the laws of the city, and wisdom is a gift of life. We must learn from our experiences and mistakes. This line, among others, demonstrates the role that song plays in Antigone.

Diction is even more apparent than the previously discussed poetics in this play. The way that each line is delivered is important to the story and draws emotions out of the readers. There are also some idioms in the play that help the audience understand the characters and what they actually mean by the things they say. One example of this is something that Antigone says to Creon when she is confronted for burying Polynices. Creon says that the citizens wouldn’t support her actions, but in response, she says, “They see it that just that way but defer to you and keep their tongues in leash.” The idiom here is ‘keep their tongues in leash.’ This clearly shows that the members of this city feel trapped by Creon, and that they can’t express their true feelings. They feel held back and stuck, in the way that a leash makes a dog feel. Diction is also very important in the scene between Creon and Haemon when Haemon finds out what Creon has done to Antigone. At the beginning of this interaction, Haemon declares his loyalty to his father by saying “I obey you. No marriage could ever mean more to me than you.” But as the conversation progresses, Haemon gets increasingly angry, and towards the end, he says “If you weren’t my father, I’d say you were insane.” Haemon doesn’t agree with his father’s actions, and the way these lines slowly transition from respect to anger shows the effect that Creon has on the people around him. The actor who plays Haemon must deliver these lines in such a way that the audience sees this slow transition. That is where diction comes into play in Antigone.

The next most prioritized of Aristotle’s poetics in Antigone is the plot. The story has an obvious beginning, middle, and end. In Backwards and Forwards, David Ball writes, “Only when we look at events in reverse order can we see, with certainty, how the dominoes fell, which fell against which.” In this play, it’s very obvious which events lead to the next, especially as we analyze the events in reverse order. For example, Antigone kills herself. This happens as a result of Creon placing her in the cave to die. Creon places her in the cave because Antigone breaks the law by burying her brother Polynices. She buries him because she believes in the laws of the gods and wants to give her brother the proper and respectful burial she thinks he deserves. We can see exactly which actions happen and what action precedes it to make it happen. Another element of the plot is the fact that the play takes place over one day, creating the dramatic unity and flow that Aristotle appreciated.

Character plays a huge role in Antigone. Two of the main characters, Antigone and Creon, are essential to the story. One trait that Antigone possesses is bravery. She displayed this bravery because she will do whatever it takes to do what she believes is right. The most apparent example of just how brave Antigone proves to be is in the scene where she is

confronted by Creon. When he gives her the chance to deny what she’s done and save herself she says, “I did it. I don’t deny a thing.” She even says to Creon later on, “If my present actions strike you as foolish, let’s just say I’ve been accused of folly by a fool.” Antigone’s words result in her death, but she’s brave. She’s especially brave considering the time that this play was written. A woman saying these things to a man during this period in time is significant to the story. Some may argue that Antigone isn’t brave, that she’s just stupid. But seeing her as the brave protagonist makes her death even more tragic, especially because her death leads to two more. Antigone’s character is so important to the play that it’s named after her.

Creon’s character is endlessly interesting. He values money and power, he has poor judgment, and he is prideful. Referring to his lack of judgment, the Sentry says “Oh it’s terrible when the one who does the judging judges things all wrong.” Regarding Creon’s poor judgment the messenger comments “Creon shows the world that of all the ills afflicting men the worst is lack of judgment.” We see Creon’s poor judgment throughout Antigone, and this is ultimately what leads to the deaths in the play. Another interesting thing about Creon is that he only takes advice from others, or follows the laws of the gods when it aligns with his agenda. We see this when Tiresias comes in and tries to talk Creon out of these decisions he’s making. When their conversation first starts, Creon says to Tiresias, “I’ve never wavered from your advice before.” But by the end of the conversation he says, “This slander of yours–are you aware you’re speaking to the king?... You–you have your skills, old seer, but you lust for injustice.” Creon doesn’t like to be told that he’s doing something wrong, no matter who corrects him. However, we see Creon slightly develop as a character as he humbles himself just enough to decide to let Antigone out of the cave. He initially is very reluctant to consider releasing Antigone, and when contemplating what he should do about her he says, “It’s a dreadful thing to yield...but resist now? Lay my pride bare to the blows of ruin? That’s dreadful too.” He doesn’t want to give up his pride and admit that he may have been wrong. But after a little more time, he decides to release Antigone. About this decision he says, “Oh it’s hard, giving up the heart’s desire... but I will do it–no more fighting a losing battle with necessity.” Creon gives up his desire to keep Antigone locked away and ends the losing battle he is fighting. But when he arrives at the cave, he finds his son also dead with Antigone and he exclaims, “Ohhh, my crimes, so senseless, so insane, my stubborn, deadly–Look at us, the killer, the killed, father and son, the same blood–the misery!” Creon finally admits that he is in the wrong because he realizes the magnitude of his decisions.

Through the actions of the characters, we see the most prioritized of Aristotle’s poetics in Antigone, and that is theme. Among many themes, the overall theme of this play is loyalty. It begs the question, where do our loyalties lie? It shows us what happens when we are too loyal to one entity, or not loyal enough to another. Each character makes certain decisions based on where their own loyalties lie. Creon is loyal to himself and the city he leads. The choices he makes are based on how the result will benefit him and his city. There’s a moment in the play when Creon talks to Haemon about Antigone and how he thinks people would view him if he made a certain choice. He says, “I caught her in naked rebellion, the traitor, the only one in the whole city. I’m not about to prove myself a liar, not to my people, no, I’m going to kill her!” Creon fears that if he doesn’t kill Antigone, his citizens will view him as a liar. So to avoid this, he decides to kill her.

Haemon on the other hand, is loyal to Antigone, and by default, he’s loyal to the gods because that’s who Antigone is most loyal to. Ismene is also loyal to Antigone, but she still fears authority and the possibility of punishment. To Antigone, she says, “Remember, we are women, we’re not born to contend with men...I must obey the ones who stand in power. Why rush to extremes? It’s madness, madness.” Ismene doesn’t want to cause any trouble. She is more loyal to herself in this way, worried about potential consequences, and loyal to man’s law and the way their society functions. But later in the play, she volunteers to die with Antigone even though she had nothing to do with the burial of Polynices. Antigone is loyal to the gods, so much so that she breaks man’s law to keep the laws of the gods. Before she buries Polynices, she says to Ismene, “I will bury him myself. And even if I die in the act, that death will be a glory. I will lie with the one I love and loved by him–an outrage sacred to the gods! I have longer to please the dead than please the living here: in the kingdom down below I’ll lie forever. Do as you like, dishonor the laws the gods hold in honor.” Antigone is loyal to the gods because she views her current life as something temporary, but she knows that she will be with the gods forever when she dies. So to her, pleasing the gods is more important than pleasing man. Each of these characters shows us to whom they are most loyal.

Antigone ends with this line from the chorus, “We must deal with all that lies before us. The future rests with the ones who tend the future.” Creon has the power to ‘tend the future’ of the city. He can change the way that people are treated and how the laws of the gods are viewed and upheld. The chorus also says “The mighty words of the proud are paid in full with mighty blows of fate, and at long last those blows will teach us wisdom.” These phrases from the chorus sum up the play beautifully. Creon’s pride and lack of judgment cost him three lives of citizens of his city, two of which were his own family. But hopefully, Creon learns from these experiences, gains wisdom, and leads his city to be more loyal to god’s laws than man’s. Seeing these characters' actions and their consequence should give the audience the idea that the decisions they make and the consequences that follow are directly tied to whomever or whatever they are most loyal to. So we must be careful in deciding where to place our own loyalty. 

The Greatest Story Ever Told: Top Gun & Top Gun: Maverick

This essay is one that I wrote for a script analysis class I am currently taking. The assignment was to write about what we believed to be the greatest story ever told and explain why we love it. We also had to tie in Aristotle's poetics and explain which ones the story prioritizes. 

Enjoy!

The continuous story told through the two scripts Top Gun (1986) and Top Gun: Maverick (2022) is the greatest story ever told. This story has become an iconic American classic, and for good reason. The overarching themes of bravery, relationships, and humanity tell a story that moves the audience, being a means of catharsis for its viewers. Viewers follow the main character, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise), through his experiences in the Navy. With him, the audience experiences fear, loss, and in the midst of that, hope. This story brings its consumers full circle as they experience the highs and lows of the Navy.

In the 1986 script for Top Gun, we are introduced to a handful of Navy pilots, two of which are established as main characters in the opening scene: Pete “Maverick” Mitchell and Nick “Goose” Bradshaw. During the opening scene, we understand the dynamic between the two. Maverick is a Luitenant flight officer. He is a quick-witted, cocky, risk-taking pilot, but he will do whatever is in his power to help out his fellow pilots. Goose is his Radar Intercept Officer (or RIO). He is more level-headed than Maverick, but is still fun and can keep up with Maverick’s jokes. Goose is also married and has a child named Bradley.

Maverick and Goose are not only partners but close friends. They are sent to the Top Gun Naval Fighter Weapons School. Their training begins, and it is clear that they are training with the best of the best. As they are flying in the school, tragedy strikes. During an intense flying and fighting scene, Goose dies. As the script goes on, we see how much this death affected Maverick. The script describes him this way in the hospital afterward: “He is emotionless. His eyes are flat and absolutely without expression.” But as the script progresses, others help him realize that Goose’s death was not his fault, and his life continues to go on. During one of the final flight scenes, he pulls through and says the iconic line, “talk to me Goose” as he’s flying. He continues flying and all ends well for Maverick.

This brings us to the sequel to this film, Top Gun: Maverick. In this script, Maverick is training graduates of Top Gun for a specific and nearly impossible mission. One of these graduates is Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw, Goose’s son. It is revealed that Maverick pulled Rooster’s papers from the Naval Academy, setting his career back by many years. Maverick does this to protect Rooster from the fate his father met, but Rooster still resents Maverick for it. This tension between them builds throughout the script until the pilots fly the mission. Maverick chooses Rooster as his wingman and they both end up nearly losing their lives. Maverick ends up trying to sacrifice himself to save Rooster, crashing his plane, but Rooster also sacrifices himself to save Maverick, crashing his plane as well. They both survive these crashes though, and then are left to figure out a way back to the aircraft carrier. They end up stealing a plane from the enemy and flying it back to sea. When they make it back, Rooster and Maverick share a hug and a few kind words that make it clear to the audience that Rooster has forgiven Maverick, and they are now friends.

Together, these two scripts prioritize Aristotle’s element of Plot, and more specifically the continuation of the plot between both movies. Many scenes are written almost identically from the first movie compared to the second, and these scenes continue the plot. For example, in the first film Top Gun, Maverick does some dangerous things in an airplane that could have had him thrown out of the Navy, but instead he is sent to Top Gun to train. In the second film Top Gun: Maverick, Maverick once again does dangerous things in an airplane that could have had him thrown out of the Navy and fired as a trial pilot, but instead he is sent back to Top Gun, this time as an instructor for other pilots. This parallel shows how much he has grown as a pilot and as a person, but also shows how he is still a little irresponsible, and excited by taking risks. This is a means of catharsis for the viewers and especially fans of the franchise, and furthers the plot between both movies.

This script prioritizes the element of Theme. A couple of main themes in the script are bravery and sacrifice. We see Maverick many times sacrificing his career or his life in an attempt to save someone else. Rooster also does this in the second film. These scripts give us a glimpse into the life of a Navy pilot and the sacrifices they and their families make. Along with the themes of sacrifice, the scripts demonstrate the themes of relationships and love. Maverick shows us again and again the sacrifices he’s willing to make for the people he cares about. He risks his life for Rooster and other pilots in both scripts. The strength of these thoughts show that the theme is a priority for this script.

Lastly, the element of Spectacle is prioritized in both scripts. The intense flying scenes are described in the scripts in such vivid detail that readers just imagine the scene in their head. This translates very well to the screen, and shows that with the planes and visual effects, the story is more intense and real. For example, the scene leading up to the climax is described as follows:

“They shoot into an ever-compressing canyon, hauling ass over the broken landscape, snowy trees flashing just beneath... Training times ten. The valley walls are tight, the high speed and sharp turns resulting in higher Gs. The physical pressure on the team alone is intense, requiring every ounce of concentration, skill and endurance. Each of the pilots contends with the intensity in their own way. Training was nothing compared to this. They are all feeling it - Rooster most of all.”

This description makes the audience feel the pressure that the characters are feeling in these moments leading up to the highly anticipated nearly impossible mission. The visual of watching the planes “haul ass” and the high valley walls make this scene much more intense. This scene and many others show how the element of spectacle is displayed throughout the film.

I think the continuation of Top Gun and Top Gun: Maverick is the greatest story ever told because of the way the two movies add to each other so well. The main plot of Maverick dealing with the loss of Goose, and being forced to revisit this loss with Rooster is devastating and touching. The subplot of Iceman and Maverick’s rivalry in the first script, and later their friendship in the second script and the death of Iceman further show the themes of comradery and what we can accomplish when we learn to get along with our enemies. The romantic aspects of both movies enhance the story and make it even more enticing and exciting to consumers. The way the visuals are described in the script, and then the way they are translated on screen bring more intensity to the story. For all of these reasons, and more, Top Gun and Top Gun: Maverick is, collectively, the greatest story ever told.