Author Topic: Sarah Kane - Autobiographical- Ben Field  (Read 10314 times)

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Offline Fondue

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Re: Sarah Kane - Autobiographical
« Reply #7 on: January 07, 2008, 03:09:18 PM »
Sarah Kane's work goes over some themes again and again. This "particular iconography", as said in Crave, is a reflex (probably) of her life and influences, literary or otherwise.
But her plays seem to get more personal towards the end, culminating in Psychosis 4.48. Why is that so? In my opinion, her work goes through a process of "undoing". Undoing of the society (Blasted), the family(Phaedra's Love), the couple (Cleansed), the individual (Crave), and finally the undoing of the dicotomy me/you, or maybe of the triad of Victim, Perpetrator and Bystander (Psychosis 4.48).
I am not denying the other huge amout of information and feeling there is in her plays, but I see this line going through all of them, ending in Psychosis 4.48.
By that, I mean she tried to destroy all barriers in Psychosis. Be it character/actor, author/work, stage/audience. There is nothing left, there are just pieces, fragments. This is the process of a psychotic mind, seeing no spaces in the "Other" to infiltrate his self. Perhaps she achieved what Beckett wished to do: "A play with no actors, just the text."

These ideas of mine are still in early stages, though.

And is Hemingway beyond that comparison now, Iain? Why? I don't see the differences between him and Sylvia Plath, for example.

Offline Iain Fisher

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Re: Mishima
« Reply #6 on: January 01, 2008, 07:25:00 PM »
The short version: Yukio Mishima was one of the most Japanese writers of the 20th century. He identified very strongly with the Samurai of imperial Japan, and committed seppuku after a failed attempt at a coup to restore power to the Emperor of Japan.

One of my favourite writers.  The Sailor Who Fell From Grace with the Sea is a good one to begin with.

Iain

Offline ksheets

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Re: Mishima
« Reply #5 on: December 31, 2007, 05:50:57 AM »
The short version: Yukio Mishima was one of the most Japanese writers of the 20th century. He identified very strongly with the Samurai of imperial Japan, and committed seppuku after a failed attempt at a coup to restore power to the Emperor of Japan.

More at Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yukio_Mishima

Offline archive

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Re: Sarah Kane - Autobiographical- Ben
« Reply #4 on: August 23, 2007, 07:22:39 PM »
Thanks for that. One question though, who is Mishima? I have information on Plath and i'm currently busying myself in the depths of Libraries trying to stop myself going completely insane so anymore info you give me on anything to do with Ms Kane's life would be great. Thanks again.

Ben

Archive 7-4-2003
« Last Edit: September 14, 2007, 10:39:59 AM by Iain Fisher »

Offline archive

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Re: Sarah Kane - Autobiographical- Iain
« Reply #3 on: August 23, 2007, 07:21:36 PM »
Interesting points!!

Generally I donĀ“t like the "it must be autobiographical" approach to plays. I think the best writing makes use of personal experience but adds intelligence,insight and hindsight to create something extra.

But for me with 4.48 Psychosis it is difficult. I think because the pain that the characters express is so vivid that it clearly comes from the heart, that it is hard to see the play without being sad for Kane. The fact that the play contains some superb jokes makes the sadness even sharper. The laughter is inner, a hint of what could have been.

Time will tell. Mishima and Plath still suffer from the comparison with their life. Hemmingway is now beyond it.

Iain

Archive 19-3-2003
« Last Edit: September 14, 2007, 10:39:37 AM by Iain Fisher »

Offline archive

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Re: Sarah Kane - Autobiographical- hazel
« Reply #2 on: August 23, 2007, 07:20:41 PM »
i think it's difficult to distance yourself from the circumstances surrounding the writing of 4.48. I don't think you can just look at it like that though...the play is a work of art in its own right. as regards it being from 'the core of her being', surely any really meaningful piece of writing will be written with the heart and soul of the author behind it. the writer has to feel and believe in what they say in order to write meaningfully. I don't, i think, really understand what the person you're quoting really means by saying that. anyway. my thoughts!

Archive 17-3-2003
« Last Edit: September 14, 2007, 10:39:08 AM by Iain Fisher »

Offline archive

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Sarah Kane - Autobiographical- Ben Field
« Reply #1 on: August 23, 2007, 07:20:04 PM »
This is a question to which i would love a response from Simon Kane, but i would love to hear views from everybody. Charles Spencer is quoted to have said, "[4.48 Psychosis] is impossible not view as a personal howl of pain, a work ripped not just from its authors churning brain, but from the core of her being" Do we agree or disagree with this? And if you have time - Why?

Archive 12-3-2003
« Last Edit: September 14, 2007, 10:38:48 AM by Iain Fisher »