logo
logo
Sign in

Analysis of a Play

avatar
Terry Brown
Analysis of a Play


The work of art under consideration is a play by Ted Tally titled Terra Nova. The play incorporates the elements of a science fiction story. The piece is an artistic reflection of the events that have initiated and paved the way for further exploration of the South Pole. Specifically, the plot of the play revolves around the fate of the members of the two opposing groups of travelers who set out on a quest of exploring the South Pole. By and large, the play gives insight into the very essence of the British national character, the distinctive features of which are loyalty, dignity, honor, bravery, sacrifice, sense of duty, and heroism as opposed to pride and competitiveness; the latter two lead to a tragic end of the play’s protagonist, Captain Scott.

Ted Tally’s Terra Nova is a 2-act play. Terra Nova would be a reference to a steamship the company of Captain Scott undertakes their trip on. The group of travelers led by Captain Robert Falcon Scott set off to explore Antarctica. The group of British explorers is confronted by a group of Norwegian geographers led by Roald Amundsen. The ordeal both groups of travelers have in mind requires significant courage and endurance. The readers of the play get acquainted with its characters through their actions and attitudes towards one another during the ordeal itself. Apart from that, the playwright tries to reflect on the purpose of life. The reflection manifests itself through characters’ remarks and the way they interact with one another and everyone and everything that accompanies them in their journey. On the other hand, the play can be defined as transcendental to a certain extent for it abounds with the protagonists’ reminiscences. With regard to this, it is essential to point out the following. The playwright employs the technique of reversed narration to place emphasis on the exact moments, the specific episodes of the play where the protagonist recalls his wife attempting to reason with him. As the members of the expedition die one by one, those that stay alive realize that they are doomed. In this respect, one cannot help but admit that nearly all members of the company of British explorers have a strong belief in destiny. Thus, it happens that the main characters of the play pay with their lives for the eternal glory the ordeal has earned them. Lastly, it seems that the playwright purposely imbues the piece with the anticipation of full-scale warfare that may have involved countries from all over the world.

It is one of Ted Tally’s creative principles that fact and fiction should be intertwined in the work. Therefore, his Terra Nova can be viewed as some sort of an admonition. The playwright’s intention can be interpreted as follows. Above all else, the author of the play argues that life is inestimable and the life of any person is meaningful. At the same time, the author assumes that a person can be judged by the ways they treat their loved ones, their mates, and all those they might encounter in their lifetime. Apart from that, Tally shows that what defines a person is the way they interact with the environment and the tools they use. The playwright argues that the experience of previous generations should always be taken into account and never forgotten. Only then, a peaceful life is possible. Finally, one of the key statements Ted Tally makes is that leading the life of virtue should be a priority, and thus, a person should act responsibly and wisely.


Resources:


https://advanced-writer.com/hire-a-letter-writer

collect
0
avatar
Terry Brown
guide
Zupyak is the world’s largest content marketing community, with over 400 000 members and 3 million articles. Explore and get your content discovered.
Read more