Continued adventures of Cygna Bitches About French.
YOUR ANALYSIS IS BAD AND YOU SHOULD FEEL BAD. And by this, I mostly mean that this (Marivaux's Arlequin Poli Par L'amour) is not a piece of which I find the analysis rewarding. I like to analyze two types of things: things which I really like, in which case I enjoy exploring in more detail the world that pleases me; and things which I loathe, in which case I enjoy pulling it to pieces as punishment for its fail. This is neither. It's a mildly-amusing comedy-ette, probably much more so on stage than in text, which takes its subject matter from fairy tales, myths, and commedia dell'arte. The problem? I can just as easily play Trope Bingo with this piece, as I am already quite familiar with every last thing he appropriated. It's not like he put a new spin on it either. Supernatural being sees young man asleep, falls in love--check. Abduction of young man by fae--check. Shepherdess-check. Magic wand that must be stolen--check. *Yawn* Been here, done this, enjoyed it more then.
And also, analysis was tiresome, because it was all drearily Freudian, about the fairy queen as mother/lover and such, which annoys me and makes me cranky. Partly because it reduces the stories quite thoroughly to revolving around the male lead. Incredibly self-centered, really. And also because it's...just cranky-making. Perhaps my family is too functional to appreciate it, or maybe just too female-ridden to worship the power of the Magic Phallus. Because seriously, that's how I felt it was being presented. The fae's magic wand is representative of masculine power which the male lead steals from her in order to become a man, and obviously as soon as he has his Magic Phallus all will be well. Rrrgh.
Finally, I'm sick and tired of such shoddy characterization. It's all very well to say that the male lead is being shown going from mental/emotional/sexual infancy to puberty to adulthood, but where's the part where he becomes a person? Great, he's a fully sexual being now, but when did he acquire a personality?
RRRRRRRRGH. *gnaws scenery* (I'm turning into one of those feminists who bitch about phallocentrism all the time, aren't I? In my own defense, I wouldn't bitch so much if they didn't fail so much. I mean, a lot of *fanfic* is better, and not even very *good* fanfic. I realize this stuff was written in the olden days, but characterization was not a recent invention.)
And also, analysis was tiresome, because it was all drearily Freudian, about the fairy queen as mother/lover and such, which annoys me and makes me cranky. Partly because it reduces the stories quite thoroughly to revolving around the male lead. Incredibly self-centered, really. And also because it's...just cranky-making. Perhaps my family is too functional to appreciate it, or maybe just too female-ridden to worship the power of the Magic Phallus. Because seriously, that's how I felt it was being presented. The fae's magic wand is representative of masculine power which the male lead steals from her in order to become a man, and obviously as soon as he has his Magic Phallus all will be well. Rrrgh.
Finally, I'm sick and tired of such shoddy characterization. It's all very well to say that the male lead is being shown going from mental/emotional/sexual infancy to puberty to adulthood, but where's the part where he becomes a person? Great, he's a fully sexual being now, but when did he acquire a personality?
RRRRRRRRGH. *gnaws scenery* (I'm turning into one of those feminists who bitch about phallocentrism all the time, aren't I? In my own defense, I wouldn't bitch so much if they didn't fail so much. I mean, a lot of *fanfic* is better, and not even very *good* fanfic. I realize this stuff was written in the olden days, but characterization was not a recent invention.)