https://blogs.baruch.cuny.edu/eng2800finalproject/

I remember the first time I read Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, I was especially intrigued because I had only known the story of King Arthur’s sword and his Knights of the Round Table as classic stories beforehand. To read an extension of it was comparable to reading Wicked, the story derived from the Wizard of Oz, because it’s strange to see such a popular and familiar story from a different perspective in a new setting.

Although the beginning of the story focused a great deal on the festivities of Camelot and focused heavily on the image of people drinking, dancing, celebrating, and having an enjoyable time overall, there was something off about it; the description wasn’t exactly painting it in a positive and elegant light. The people were described as naive and unaware in their almost child-like ways of not having any other care in the world. Maybe this was a way for the author to foreshadow the coming of the Green Knight. They also placed emphasis on describing Queen Guinevere and her striking beauty, but she didn’t end up playing a major role in the correspondence between King Arthur and the Green Knight. I wonder why that was.

Throughout the story, another question that lingered in my mind was the underlying reason for the Green Knight’s actions in seeking out King Arthur’s knights and challenging them to his game. I wondered if, like us, the Green Knight was simply curious about the prestige that surrounded King Arthur’s court in Camelot, and therefore wanted them to prove their worth. He wanted to see the bravery for himself or perhaps even prove it wrong, if given the chance.

1. Why is the Green Knight green and gold? What is the significance of these two particular colors?
2. What is the Green Knight and why is he immune to death?
3. What is the Green Knight’s ultimate purpose in using the game to test King Arthur’s knights? What is the end goal in proving them to be as righteous and courageous as they are rumored to be?
4. Why was there a heavy focus on Queen Guinevere’s appearance and beauty?

A mesmerizing tale of forbidden love that rather swiftly unfolds into a nightmare, Miss Julie written by August Strindberg is a play set on Midsummer’s Eve on the estate of a Swedish Count in the 1880s. Specifically taking place on the longest day of the year, the festivities reflect on Julie’s upbringing as a child while taking into consideration the beliefs instilled in her, all of which come together to ultimately lead to her demise. Richard Prioleau portrays the character of Jean beautifully, as he laments about “the gulf between what I wanted and what I was.” He emphasizes on the point that once given the lowest branch, he would climb relentlessly to the top.

The celebrations are reminiscent of those held at a mansion from The Great Gatsby, while Julie is initially an elusive character similar to Jay Gatsby. We only know of her through what other characters say about her and she seems to have a larger-than-life personality. At the beginning of the play, we learn of the reputation that Julie has established for herself amongst the farmhands through the heated conversation between Kristin and Jean. Several parallels are drawn as the description given prior to the start of the play provides insight into the aesthetics of the setting. For example, cutouts of phalluses, an abundance of dancing, and this once-a-year casual mixing of social classes made it out to sound very much like a bachelorette party.

While occasionally heart-wrenching and emotional, the dialogue between Julie and Jean fell flat occasionally. At times, it seems that Julie would never be able to make a decision. We watch as “Her Ladyship” gradually transforms into Julie, a broken girl whose issues begin with the opposing views that her parents raised her with. For all the trouble she goes through in order to rise up as a dominant woman against societal norms, she makes an awful lot of commotion insisting on taking orders from a man. Yet, the imagery of her father’s boots subtly on the side of the stage, while ignored for the most part, serve as a powerful reminder that his presence constantly lingers. His ideas and convictions live on through Julie’s actions towards Jean, no matter how much she claims to dislike men. Mikaela Feely-Lehmann effectively takes on Julie’s character development and puts her heart into displaying the confusion and complexity of the character. Meanwhile, Melissa House wonderfully depicts the character of Kristin, who is the epitome of a respectful and religious woman adamant in conforming to the traditions and societal norms of that time period.

Overall, Miss Julie can be intriguing in certain moments and repetitive in dialogue. Still, while it may be difficult to be fully immersed for the entire duration of the show, Strindberg does a terrific job in bringing the social conflicts of the 1880s to the present world and ended the play perfectly with Julie finally getting peace, although not in the best way.