Verbal cues to construct space in the plays Everyman and Oed essays

Verbal cues to construct space in the plays Everyman and Oed essays The medium of expression, also known as the marriage of language and action is theaters most impressive mechanism. It is through this medium that theater is capable of creating a world both on stage and in the imagination. Verbal cues are a significant component in constructing this space. Everyman and Oedipus Tyrannos are no exceptions to this phenomenon as they exhibit minimalist settings and highly intangible personas, therefore, are highly dependent on verbal cues. In the following essay these plays will be used to demonstrate, how verbal cues such as metonymy, chorus, character names and descriptive conversations, are essential in constructing space. Everyman and Oedipus Tyrannos use very contrasting as well as similar means of verbal cues. One type of verbal cue used in Oedipus Tyrannos is metonymy. In the play Oedipus Tyrannos, the audience is transported into the space of Thebes, through dialogue. In the following example we see how space is created by both Oedipus and the priest indirectly. Oedipus My Children, ancient Cadmus newest care... ( Line 1 pg 70 Broadview) Priest You came to Cadmus city and unbound... (Line 35 pg 71 Broadview) By mentioning Cadmus the king, the audience is aware that they are in Thebes the palaces location. This form of indirect address, known as metonymy, is not the only technique used in the play to establish space. Another verbal cue used to establish space within Oedipus Tyrannos is in the form of the Chorus. The Chorus in a direct manner, is there to inform audiences of what happens "off stage." (I.e., no murders or suicides were shown; instead, a messenger would inform the characters of the news) The Chorus is also vital in constructing space, by informing the audience where the conversation is being held, or where the actors are coming from. True to tradition, all ancient Greek theaters were open-air auditorium and, due to the lack ...