#extended macbeth

[thealogie]

Sorry but as a revenge against the English being annoying in my asks: Macbeth night 3

[kevin-pls-come-over-for-gay-sex]

forever mad that the question for macbeth was “how does shakespeare present banquo and macbeth’s attitudes to the supernatural” while the frankenstein question was “how far does shelley present the monster as a victim”

[unproduciblesmackdown]

The scripted villains weren't always the hated in The Mysteries, specifically in regards to Lucifer and Judas. Asia Kate Dillon's take on Lucifer was fresh, dominating their moments on stage. Their portrayal of Lucifer as the occasional voice of reason, allowed them to bring incredible depth to the infamous fallen angel. If you had empathy for Dillon's Lucifer, it wasn't accidental.

Review: A Triumph of Biblical Proportions

[kiwiorcore]

tomii hi!! hope you're good and i just wanted to know what you thought about the whole hamilton to ferrari thing? i still don't know much about f1 but even i felt like this was really important 😭 and i love reading anything you say too lol so it's better from you than anyone else 🫶🏽🫶🏽 also unrelated but please talk about tennant's macbeth i'll send another ask if i have to, i'm so curious!! love you and i hope you're doing well!!

hii! sorry for the late response

honestly i don’t think the reality of lewis moving to ferrari has well and truly set in. it’s just a bit confusing for me why he’s doing it cause merc doesn’t stink that badly and ferrari isn’t that good either. i don’t have anything insightful to say it’s just kinda like ‘wait is this seriously happening?’

spoilers for david tennant’s macbeth under the cut i guess??? can you really spoil macbeth?

so my drama teacher chose this production for out live performance review and oh my god was it good. like where do i even start

the staging was so good i loved it so much. i liked the like glass enclosure they had behind the stage. it was such an interesting staging decision. the lighting as well was sooo good. it’s such a joy to analyse. the live music they had added so much to the production it would have not been the same without it

someday i wish to be like max webster because only he could’ve come up with the idea to use binaural sound for the whole production. the witches at the beginning??? i jumped i loved them so much

david tennant was so good for the role of macbeth. he’s got a very insane look about him and he plays macbeth really well

on the topic of macbeth, cush jumbo played lady macbeth so well. i loved lady macbeth in this actually. everything about her made her feel like and outsider from her northern accent when the others had scottish accents and the fact she was the only one wearing white. just ugh i love it

malcolm and macduff had bigger roles in this production than others. i wish ross did as well because i love moyo akande but oh well. the time she was on she was really good she’s literally my idol

the actors playing malcolm and macduff must have had bills due during the scene ross comes and tells macduff his wife and kids are dead because that was the make gut wrenching thing i’ve ever watched. noof ousellam (macduff) portrayed macduff’s emotions so well and ros watt (malcolm) really convincingly made himself seem as if he was on the brink of tears

speaking of ros watt, omg ros watt. i loved everything about him. his physicality during the 2nd prophecy, his pleading with macduff, god everything was perfect. ros watt was perfect to play malcolm especially considering he’s smaller than the rest of the cast. just delicious. he’s got those big sad eyes that i love

noof ousellam as well. big massive sad eyes like that’s baby girl (he’s over six feet tall). when he was all up in malcolm’s face shouting, dear god i loved it. my little pea brain starting whirring. something about their height difference does it for me.

this is getting long so let me finish quickly. lady macduff, her screams were fucking bone chilling. the porter was so funny. his actor does really well in comedies. banquo was so fit omg. the child actor they had playing like all the children (and he died so many times poor kid) was surprisingly good as well

i desperately want to write about this version of macbeth/the cast (the guy playing donalbain has a podcast called putting it together and his interviews with the other cast members are really good) but i fear no one actually gives a shit

[ataraxiaspainting]

The End.

Yan Kafka x F Reader.

Synopsis: Kafka always sits in the front row, despite being part of the show herself.

Warnings: Yandere themes, stalking, thoughts of violence, manipulation, and unhealthy relationships.

Word Count: 1k.

Ten Songs Like This Piece:

Breezeblocks by alt-J

Waltz No. 2 by Dmitri Shostakovich (feat. The Dixie String Quartet)

Swan Lake by HAUSER

Claus by Los Tres

Doin’ Time by Lana Del Ray

Lie by BTS

She’s My Collar by Gorillaz (feat. Kali Uchis)

Cha Cha by Freddie Dredd

Michelle by Sir Chloe

MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name) - SATAN’S EXTENDED VERSION by Lil Nas X

*~*~*~*

The roses are wilting.

It was destiny, fate. Such pretty things never last forever, after all, even if the entire universe wished otherwise. One way or another, they are meant to fall, like how the sun drops below where anyone can see it, being replaced with the moon, and vice versa. They fall deep, deeper than hell itself, and no one can pick them back up, unless one would be inclined to make a pact with the devil himself, doing horrendous things in his name. But Kafka has already committed such sins, so why deny doing so any longer? It is who she is. It is who you are, to be entangled in her lies and be forced to dance and to sing and to act.

With two gloved hands, she picks up the vase, spilling out the moldy water and the dying roses, the roses she got for you after you sang so well at the opera house, looking so beautiful, into the trash can underneath your makeup vanity, where little clumps of hair and emptied products always meet their end.

She’ll get you a new bouquet later. A new vase too. Perhaps instead of white roses you would like red ones instead? Kafka knows that this vase is cheap too, from one of your fellow divas, whose high notes are not as high as yours and her costumes not as elaborate or as elegant as yours.

“I honestly don’t see why you even try to befriend any of them, darling. They are all envious harpies. They can’t hold a candle to anything you do.”

You are not here, but Kafka’s mouth always has a mind of its own, so it spins lies even when your delicate, lovely ears are not in the general vicinity. Not that she minds it. But yours is what she is quite more so than trifles with, because yours is carefully controlled by her and her alone, and you, as always, don’t get a say. It’s a sort of hypocrisy, Kafka thinks, but she doesn't mind that either.

If she has to, she’ll even sew your mouth shut, your ears shut, your eyes shut, if that is what it takes for you to stay with her. She doubts it would ever come to that, though, because you are always too fragile and too trusting to tell the difference between an Iago and a Desdemona. But the latter role would much better suit you, her little flower, her princess.

You are so precious, but also a treasure prying eyes will always want to touch and see and hear. Kafka would, in all honesty, love to cut their hands and tongues off, if it did not ruin the carefully crafted image she made just for you. Maybe later, though, when all the stage lights are off.

“Lady Macbeth, hmm?” She murmurs.

She disagrees with the role you were given entirely. But, you were not one to stand up for yourself, so Kafka let it go. 

“You really ought to leave this business soon, dearest.” Kafka looks around, her arms crossed, not impressed with the room you were given in the slightest. “You can always just come with me.” She meant it. “Imagine all the sights you would see. All the food you would eat. All the gifts I would be so happy to give you. All the hugs and kisses you would receive from me. Everything… just think about it.”

She could imagine it herself. It is not hard, really, for the mind to reject all sense of logic and bow down to the whim of what is known as human emotions, mortal joys, woes, desires, wants, and needs. She could imagine sitting you on her lap as the ship jumps to the next world she will have to visit, telling you stories of the past, present, and future, as you look on with amazement. You don’t do that anymore, now. She would do anything to see it come back. She would steal a crown and place it on your head, though you having the genuine article does not make you any stronger. If anything, perhaps it would make you weaker to her whims.

“Imagine that…” She sighs, closing her eyes as she smiles. “We can go to Penacony. Your dreams would come true there if I cannot make them true myself. You can sleep on beds worth more than this entire opera house. If only you would let me. I know it would make you happy. I know it would make me happy. So why wouldn’t it make you?”

She would listen to your ultimate pains, and your ultimate wishes, and act accordingly. She loved you. You will too, again. It is only a matter of time, isn’t it? Yes, Kafka thinks, it is fate. 

…

Kafka always sits in the front row of the theater.

It does not matter whether or not she purchased the tickets for it, the seat, or the show soon to come to fruition. No one dares talk back to her, even security. She finds comfort in that. No one gets in the way of her having the chance to see you. Better yet, no one else sits in the front row when she is present.

So, she watches, one of her legs crossed over the other, her eyes never blinking. During interludes she likes to adjust her makeup accordingly, painting on another shade of crimson to her lips. Art comes in many forms, after all.

Kafka told you that once. As always, you listened dutifully as she taught you to be.

She taught you many things, not just that. She taught you how to read constellations. She helped you learn her vocabulary in the books she gave you, often long fairytales or poems. She preferred it that way when you used to be so eager to have someone be friendly to you and not want to simply use you for their own amusement, not wanting to throw you out of the opera house altogether.

The opera house may rot after it goes up in flames, in the future, if things go her way as it always does, but she’ll stay to watch it all, to take you in as you cry and as she shushes you. She’ll be happy. Maybe you will be too, for her. It matters how good your performance is, if you even want to act anymore, after all.

The lights dim, and she shows her pearl-white teeth as she grins.

[cantheykillmacbeth]

Could a Dalek from Doctor Who kill MacBeth?

(If you’ve already done this one, just put the link in your answer please)

Yes, a Dalek from Doctor Who could kill Macbeth!

Their robotic appearance is actually just a mobility vehicle that Daleks utilize at all times, but they still apply for the Unconventional Birth Clause for other reasons, as the creatures within them are initially grown in incubation chambers and are then manually removed and given their own mobility casing when they are ready.

As for the Gender Clause, Daleks are most often referred to with neutral pronouns and implied to be sexless, though a few specific Daleks (typically ones of higher importance in their society) have been referred to with masculine pronouns. For our purposes, we will assume that Daleks are genderless by default, with a few exceptions that would become relevant in a case-by-case basis, so Daleks generally apply for the Gender Clause. This also somewhat extends to the Birth Parent Clause, though since no female Dalek has been shown to my knowledge, the BPC is much more certain to apply to all of them.

Thank you for your submission!

[hotdaemondtargaryen]

TOM GLYNN-CARNEY INTERVIEWED FOR VESTAL MAGAZINE.

REFLECTING ON YOUR JOURNEY IN THE ACTING INDUSTRY, DO YOU REMEMBER THE MOMENT YOU REALIZED YOU REALIZED YOU WANTED TO PURSUE ACTING?

"The moment I realized I wanted to pursue acting was probably when I was around 12 years old, in high school."

"I was performing in a production of Shakespeare's Macbeth at the Royal Exchange in Manchester."

"I saw older actors and wondered what their "proper" jobs were outside of the theater."

'When I asked one of them, they said': — "No, this is my proper job. This is what I do."

"I didn’t know people could do that."

"From that moment on, I knew that this is what I wanted to do as a career."

YOU'VE DONE MULTIPLE SHOWS AND MOVIES IN THE DRAMATIC GENRE. WOULD YOU EVER BE OPEN TO DOING OTHER GENRES?

"Absolutely, I'd love to explore new genres in the future."

"I'd love to give comedy a go."

"I think that would be a good challenge."

"It’s difficult because timing is crucial delivering a joke at the right time can feel almost mathematical."

"But I think that good comedy actors don't see it that way at all."

"It just comes naturally to them."

"I'd love to give it a shot."

"I'm also interested in doing biopics, bringing real-life stories to life."

"Chet Baker and Gene Kelly, in particular, would be fascinating characters to portray."

"But I'm open to any interesting projects that come my way."

HOW DO YOU CHOOSE THE ROLES YOU TAKE ON? ARE YOU DRAWN TO A PARTICULAR TYPE OF CHARACTER OR STORY?

"Honestly, I'm drawn to anything that makes me feel uncomfortable and pushes me out of my comfort zone."

"I seek out roles where the character feels distant and challenging."

"I like to test myself and see if I can bring such characters to life."

"If a role feels like something I might struggle with, that's exactly what I want to tackle."

"I often joke that these challenging roles might be my downfall someday." [laughs]

CAN YOU SHARE ANY INSIGHTS INTO HOW YOUR CHARACTER, AEGON II TARGARYEN, ENVOLVES IN THE UPCOMING SEASON?

"I found it fascinating to delve deeper into Aegon this season because there's so much more to uncover about him."

"In the first season, we saw quite a two-dimensional view of Aegon—not due to Ty Tennant's portrayal, which I thought was fantastic, bringing a lot of vulnerability and teenage angst to the character."

"When I took over, the time frame was too short to really explore Aegon's complexities."

"This time, I've had an extended period to sit with the character and dig into his deeper layers."

"Playing a character experiencing profound grief is always a challenge."

"I'm lucky enough that I've never gone through anything like that myself, so I had to imagine it as vividly as possible."

"This season, Aegon is shown as more of an empath than a psychopath."

"It becomes clear that he has the capacity to love, feel, and grieve."

"There are so many comparisons between Aegon and Richard II."

"People are saying Aegon is cold, calculated, and evil, and while he's certainly done horrible things—I'm not justifying any of those—it's important to note that, rather than being a straightforward villain, he's a crumbling tragedy."

HOW HAS YOUR APPROACH TO PORTRAYING AEGON II CHANGED FROM THE PREVIOUS SEASON TO THE NEW ONE?

"There’s definitely a continuation of the drama and theatricality from season one."

"It's huge, rousing, and intense."

"I've seen episodes one to four, and they are just unbelievable, especially the battle scenes — you can't get any bigger than that."

"This season, though, there’s also an element of humor."

"At some point, they called Aegon 'the Magnanimous,' and it was important to bring some levity to his character."

"Aegon has just stepped into the role of King and is trying to figure it all out."

"We're at a point where he’s found a spring in his step, enjoying this new responsibility and purpose."

"He’s also got a lot of power now."

"Power can go to people's heads and make them crazy."

"It was nice to explore his boyishness and playfulness, as it gives his character more depth and leaves room for growth."

WHAT WOULD YOU TELL PEOPLE TO GET THEM ON TEAM GREEN?

"I don’t think I need to persuade them—obviously, we’re the best."

"But if you really want to see why, this season is packed with surprises that will make it clear."

SINCE THE SHOW IS BASED ORIGINALLY ON BOOKS, IS THERE A SPECIFIC BOOK YOU'D LIKE TO SEE BROUGHT TO THE SCREEN AND FOR YOU TO BE A PART OF?

"I'd love to see a film adaptation of Douglas Stuart's book Shuggie Bain."

"Another great choice would be The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell."

"It’s a collection of beautiful and heart-wrenching short stories, and each one could make a compelling film."

"Looking at my bookshelf now, I see a lot of books on Bob Dylan, David Bowie, and Paul McCartney—mostly singer-songwriters."

"I also have a lot of poetry. I'd love to see a biopic of Patti Smith."

"That would be incredible."

YOUR CAREER HAS TAKEN YOU TO VARIOUS FILMING LOCATIONS AROUND THE WORLD. IS THERE A SPECIFIC LOCATION YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TO YET AND WOULD LOVE TO BE THE BACKDROP FOR A POTENTIAL FUTURE PROYECT?

"Oh, that's a good question."

"I think somewhere that’s a hybrid between beautiful rolling countryside and the coast."

"A place that offers both stunning landscapes and the sea."

"On your days off, you could go for a swim or hike through the mountains."

"I’d love to work in a scenic and peaceful location like that."

SOMETIMES, ACTORS WHO PLAY 'VILLAINS' CAN GET AN ADVERSE REACTION FROM SOME FANS OF A SHOW. WHAT HAVE YOUR INTERACTIONS BEEN LIKE?

"I've been very lucky."

"Many people have approached me with kind words about my portrayal of Aegon."

"It's a challenging task to humanize someone so seemingly poisonous."

"Fortunately, I haven't had negative encounters with fans who can't differentiate between the character and the actor."

"I think we're in a different phase in society now."

"When Jack Gleeson played Joffrey, there was less social media presence, making it harder for audiences to separate the actor from the character."

"Today I think we are a more technologically advanced community, with more behind-the-scenes and a better understanding of the distinction between actor and character."

"I think people have copped on. I hope that's the case, anyway."

YOU'VE COLLABORATED WITH RENOWNED DIRECTORS LIKE CHRISTOPHER NOLAN. WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM THESE EXPERIENCES?

"Doing Dunkirk was my first significant experience on a film set."

"I really didn't know where to start."

"The canvas was completely blank."

"And it was just such a gift, a pinch me moment that I was able to learn from some of, if not the best filmmaker in the world."

"It was overwhelming."

"And I had to remind myself to be present and soak in everything like a sponge."

"Chris's patience and the support from the rest of the cast were invaluable throughout."

"We were all in it together, especially us young lads who were new to such a big production."

"We learned and grew together during that incredible experience."

IN THE KING, YOU PORTRAYED A HISTORICAL FIGURE. HOW DID YOU APPROACH BRINGING THIS CHARACTER TO LIFE?

"When portraying a fictional character, there's often more freedom because there's no definitive blueprint to follow—even if they're written in a book, they're still fictional."

"You can infuse your own understanding and personality into the role."

"However, there’s added pressure when it comes to a historical figure because you're portraying someone real."

"I never let that pressure overwhelm or hinder the process."

"Instead, I took the character as presented and focused on doing my best with the role."

A NEW HUNGER GAMES MOVIE WAS JUST ANNOUNCED, SPECIFICALLY A PREQUEL FOCUSING ON HAYMITCH'S STORY, AND MANY FANS ARE EAGER TO SEE YOU IN THAT ROLE. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT?

"No way, that’s the first I’ve heard of it! But I'm incredibly flattered that people would like to see me on screen again."

"If all goes well, I'll fight for my life in the Hunger Games!" [laugh]

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE SHOWS DURING YOUR DOWNTIME?

"One show I watch repeatedly, and it never gets old for me, is the UK version of The Office."

"The humor is very relatable and comforting to me."

"I even laugh just thinking about it. It's one of those TV shows when it finishes, you're like: — “Oh no! What do I do with my life? I miss the characters already.” [laugh]

"I also enjoy the US version of The Office."

"Besides that, I'm fascinated by farming documentaries."

"Shows like This Farming Life on BBC are incredibly calming for me."

"And I have to mention The Great Pottery Throwdown — I'm a bit of a pottery nerd, and that show is brilliant!

WHO ARE SOME CREATIVES YOU WOULD LOVE TO WORK WITH IN THE FUTURE?

"The list is long."

"Firstly, there are directors I'd love to collaborate with again, like Chris Nolan and Sam Mendes, with whom I've had some of my best experiences and whom I consider friends."

"I'm eager to work with them again."

"Then there are filmmakers like Andrea Arnold, Yorgos Lanthimos, Greta Gerwig, Paul Thomas Anderson, and Ruben Ostlund, all of whom I admire and would love to collaborate with."

"When it comes to actors, there are many I admire as well."

"I plan to work with individuals who challenge me, from whom I can learn, and who are dedicated to their craft."

"I appreciate those who find joy and humor in their work because life is short, and it’s important to enjoy what you do."

LASTLY, WHERE DO YOU HOPE YOUR CAREER WILL HEAD INTO THE FUTURE?

"It’s more of a feeling than a checklist of achievements that I aim for."

"I understand that feeling because I can almost sense it in advance."

"It’s difficult to articulate—it’s a mix of happiness, creative fulfillment, diversity in roles, consistent challenge, and pushing boundaries."

"I aspire to transform and lose myself in characters."

"Equally important to me is collaborating with inspiring individuals whom I can learn from and grow with."

"I also value the freedom to select projects that resonate with me personally."

[cha-melodius]

Do you have a fic (either yours or someone else’s) that you just always go back to, that you love every single word of, that lives rent free in your head?

(Trying to get more rwrb fic recs)

I sat on this a few days to think about it, because this is so tough to narrow down. Little bits of lots of fics live in my head, but I'm going to be honest and say I haven't reread many RWRB fics because the fandom is just so active (even before the movie), there are tons of new fics coming out all the time. That said, here's a few that have definitely stuck with me. Also I'm trying not to rec fics I've seen repeatedly mention as must-reads for people new to the fandom. Very non-comprehensive, and I had to cut myself off.

Before I do my list, here is my fic rec tag on my blog (also 'fic recs' because apparently I'm inconsistent), which lately is mostly RWRB fics. Also, check out the @rwrbficrecs blog, which is full of great lists!

to the victor, the spoils by @rmd-writes Lawyer AU, this was the fic I thought of first because I think, of all RWRB fics, this one lives rent free in my head the most.

Screw Your Courage to the Sticking Place (and forget macbeth is a fucking tragedy) by @celaestis1 Canon-divergent, they break up at Kensington, hurts-so-good angst. The end of chapter 11 still haunts me.

Déjame Ver Cómo Es Que Floreces by @14carrotghoul Post-canon, Henry meets Alex's extended family, just pure joy. Also includes my favorite food-as-a-metaphor-for-love trope.

The Perils of Midsomer Residency by @clottedcreamfudge Murder mystery AU, Alex as a detective, hits every beat (when does Hattie not?).

Down For the Count by @welcometololaland Ok this is a deeper cut for sure, but I think about this unusual AU (card counter Alex and poker player Henry in Vegas) a lot.

We’ll Invite Something In by @smc-27 Canon-divergent future fic feat. President Alex and Prince Henry, the buildup of their relationship is so delicious.

Let Loose Your Glow by @athousandrooms College AU, sweet and soft and utterly delightful.

[sixty-silver-wishes]

Okay I Could do work but instead I'm going to write about the time shostakovich had the worst time in america

(So, despite the clickbaity title, this will be more of a serious post. I wrote about the topic a few years ago on Reddit , and I'll be citing a lot of the same sources as I cited there, because there are some good ones, along with some new information I've gathered over the years. This was going to be a video essay on my youtube channel, but I sort of kept putting it off.)

The Scientific and Cultural Congress for World Peace, held in New York in 1949, is a particularly fascinating event to study when it comes to researching Shostakovich because of just how divisive it was. True, the event itself, which only lasted a few days, doesn’t get as much spotlight as the Lady Macbeth scandal or the posthumous “Shostakovich Wars,” but you’ll find that when reading about the Peace Conference, as I’ll be referring to it here for the sake of brevity, many of the primary accounts of it never quite tell the full story. The Peace Conference was held during a volatile time, both in Soviet and American politics, as Cold War tensions were on the rise and an ideological debate between capitalism and communism gradually extended to become the focus of seemingly every factor of life- not just politics and economics, but also the sciences, culture, and the arts.

While artists on both sides were frequently cast in different roles in order to create or destroy the image of Soviet or American cultural and ideological superiority, the image either government sought to cast was sometimes contradictory with the sentiments of the artists themselves. For instance, while the CIA-founded Congress of Cultural Freedom (CCF) sent African American jazz musician Louis Armstrong on various tours around the world to promote jazz as American culture and dispel perceptions of racism in America, Armstrong canceled a trip to the Soviet Union in order to protest the use of armed guards against the integration of Black students at Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1957. Meanwhile, the Soviet government’s use of international diplomatic missions by artists as cultural warfare also reflected a desire to portray themselves as the dominant culture, despite the tensions and complications that existed for artists at home. When the Soviet Union sent Dmitri Shostakovich to New York in March 1949 for the Peace Conference, such cultural contradictions are why the conference occurred the way it did, and why Shostakovich’s image has received so much controversy, both in Russia and in the west.

If you’re familiar with Soviet history, you may be familiar with the term Zhdanovshchina, which refers to a period of time between 1946 and 1948 in which Andrei Zhdanov, the Central Committee Secretary of the Soviet Union, headed a number of denunciations against prominent figures in the arts and sciences. Among musicians, Shostakovich was one of the most heavily attacked, likely due to his cultural standing, with many of his pieces censored and referred to as “formalist,” along with his expulsion from his teaching positions at the Moscow and Leningrad conservatories. During this time, Shostakovich often resorted to writing film and ideological music in order to make an income.

Meanwhile, in the United States, as fears of nuclear war began accumulating, peace movements between the two superpowers were regarded more and more as pro-Communist, an opinion backed by the House Committee of Un-American Activities (HUAC). The Waldorf-Astoria Peace Conference, to be held from March 25-27th 1949, was organized by the National Council of Arts, Sciences, and Professions, a progressive American organization, and was to feature speeches held by representatives of both American and Soviet science and culture. Harlow Shapely, one of the conference’s organizers, stated that he intended for the conference to be “non-partisan” and focused on American and Soviet cooperation.

On the 16th of February, 1949, Shostakovich was chosen to be one of the six Soviet delegates to speak at the conference. This was largely due to his fame in the west, where both his Seventh and Eighth Symphonies met a mostly positive reception. Shostakovich initially did not want to go to the conference, stating in a letter to the Agitprop leader Leonid Ilichev that he was suffering from poor health at the time and wasn’t feeling up to international travel and performances. He also said that if he were to go, he wanted his wife Nina to be able to accompany him, but he ended up being sent to New York without any members of his family- perhaps to quell concerns of defection (recall the amount of artists who defected around the time of the 1917 revolution, including notable names such as Rachmaninov and Heifetz).

Stalin famously called Shostakovich on the phone that same day to address the conference, and again, Shostakovich told him he couldn’t go, as he was feeling unwell. Sofia Khentova’s biography even states that Shostakovich actually did undergo medical examinations and was found to be sick at the time, but Stalin's personal secretary refused to relay this information. Shostakovich's close friend Yuri Levitin recalls that when Stalin called Shostakovich on the phone to ask him to go to the conference (despite the fact he had been chosen to go in advance), Shostakovich offered two reasons as to why he couldn't go- in addition to his health, Levitin claims that Shostakovich also cited the fact that his works were currently banned in the Soviet Union due to the Zhdanov decree, and that he could not represent the USSR to the west if his works were banned. While accounts of the phone call vary, the ban on Shostakovich's works was indeed lifted by the time he went to New York for the conference.

When Shostakovich arrived in New York, general anti-Communist sentiment from both Americans and Soviet expatriates, as well as media excitement, resulted in a series of protests in front of the Waldorf Astoria hotel where the conference was to be held, with some of the protesters directly referencing Shostakovich himself, as he was the most well-known Soviet delegate on the trip. In 1942, Shostakovich's 7th ("Leningrad") Symphony was performed in the United States under Toscanini and the NBC Symphony Orchestra to high acclaim, helping to promote the idea of allyship with the Soviet Union in the US during the war, and Americans were aware of the Zhdanov denunciations in 1948, as well as the previous denunciations that Shostakovich had suffered in 1936 as a result of the scandal surrounding his opera "Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District." So by 1949, many people in American artistic circles had a sympathetic, if not completely understanding, view of Shostakovich during the birth of the Cold War. They viewed him as a victim of Communism and the Soviet state, who was forced to appease it in order to stay in favor, and as a result, could potentially voice his dissent with the system once in the west. Pickets visible in footage from the protests outside the Waldorf Astoria carried slogans such as "Shostakovich, jump thru [sic] the window," a likely reference to Oksana Kosyankina, a Soviet schoolteacher who had reportedly jumped out of a window in protest (although the details of this story would be found to be highly dubious). Meanwhile, another sign read "Shostakovich, we understand!," a statement that would prove to be deeply ironic. At the conference itself, Shostakovich did not jump through the window, nor did he attempt any form of dissent. Instead, an interpreter read through a prepared speech as he sat on stage in front of a crowd of about 800. The speech praised Soviet music, denounced American "warmongering," and claimed that Shostakovich had accepted the criticism of 1948, saying it "brought his music forward." Many in the audience could see that Shostakovich was visibly nervous- he was "painfully ill at ease," and Nicholas Nabokov (brother of the writer Vladimir Nabokov) remarked that he looked like a "trapped man." Arthur Miller recalled he appeared "so scared." As they noticed how nervous he looked, some of those in attendance sought to make a demonstration of him in order to illustrate Soviet oppression in contrast to the freedoms supposedly enjoyed by American artists, asking him intentionally provocative questions that they knew he would not be able to answer truthfully. From Nicholas Nabokov:

After his speech I felt I had to ask him publicly a few questions. I had to do it, not in order to embarrass a wretched human being who had just given me the most flagrant example of what it is to be a composer in the Soviet Union, but because of the several thousand people that sat in the hall, because of those that perhaps still could not or did not wish to understand the sinister game that was being played before their eyes. I asked him simple factual questions concerning modern music, questions that should be of interest to all musicians. I asked him whether he, personally, the composer Shostakovich, not the delegate of Stalin’s Government, subscribed to the wholesale condemnation of Western music as it had been expounded daily by the Soviet Press and as it appeared in the official pronouncements of the Soviet Government. I asked him whether he, personally, agreed with the condemnation of the music of Stravinsky, Schoenberg, and Hindemith. To these questions he acquiesced: ‘Yes,’ he said, ‘I completely subscribe to the views as expressed by … etc….’ When he finished answering my questions the dupes in the audience gave him a new and prolonged ovation.

During the discussion panel on March 26th, music critic Olin Downes delivered yet another provocative statement towards Shostakovich:

I found both of your works [the 7th and 8th Symphonies] too long, and I strongly suspected in them the presence of a subversive influence—that of the music of Gustav Mahler.

For Shostakovich, and anyone knowledgeable of Soviet politics and music at the time, it's not hard to see why Downes had explicitly mentioned Mahler. Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) was a highly influential composer when it came to 20th century western music, particularly with regards to the avant-garde movement pioneered by the Second Viennese School- Arnold Schoenberg, Anton Webern, and Alban Berg. Shostakovich was also heavily influenced by Mahler, but such influences were frowned upon in the mid-30s to 50s Soviet Union. Mahler's style was decidedly more "western," and it's potentially for this reason that Shostakovich's 4th Symphony- perhaps his most "Mahlerian," was withdrawn from performance before its premiere in 1936, having followed the "Lady Macbeth" denunciations. To tie Shostakovich to Mahler would be to point out his direct western influences, while he was being made to issue statements that rejected them. During his speech, Shostakovich made statements criticizing Stravinsky and Prokofiev- two composers who had emigrated and adopted western-inspired neoclassical styles (although Prokofiev returned to the Soviet Union in 1936). Stravinsky had taken insult to Shostakovich's comments against him, and carried an animosity towards Shostakovich that appeared once again in their meeting in 1962, according to the composer Karen Khachaturian.

On the last day of the conference, March 27th, Shostakovich performed the second movement of his Fifth Symphony on piano at Madison Square Garden to an audience of about 18,000, and had received a massive ovation, as well as a declaration of friendship signed by American composers such as Bernstein, Copland, Koussevitzky, and Ormandy. He returned to the Soviet Union on April 3.

In addition to the 1948 denunciations, in which Shostakovich was pressured to make public statements against his own works, the likely humiliation he endured at the 1949 conference played a role in cementing his dual "public" and "private" personas. For the rest of his life, Shostakovich displayed mannerisms and characteristics at official events that were reportedly much different from those he displayed among friends and family. For the public, and for researchers after his death, it became difficult to determine which statements from him reflected his genuine sentiments, and which ones were made to appease a wider political or social system.

Both the Soviet Union and the west had treated Shostakovich as a means of legitimizing their respective ideologies against one another, a trend that continued long after his death in 1975 and the fall of the USSR in 1991. The publication of his purported memoirs, "Testimony," allegedly transcribed by Solomon Volkov, fueled this debate among academics and artists, becoming known as the "Shostakovich wars." The feud over the legitimacy of "Testimony," however, stood for something much larger than the credibility of an alleged historical document- as historians and musicologists debated whether or not it was comprised of Shostakovich's own words and sentiments towards the Soviet Union, its political systems, and its artistic spheres, they were largely seeking to prove the credibility of their stances for or against Soviet or western superiority. "Testimony" helped evolve the popular western view of Shostakovich as well, from a talented but helpless puppet at the hands of the regime, to a secret dissident bravely rebelling against the system from inside.

Modern Shostakovich scholars, however, will argue that neither of these views are quite true- as more correspondence and documents come to light, and more research is conducted, a more complete view of Shostakovich has been coming into focus over the past decade or so. Today, many academics tend to view Shostakovich and the debate over his ideology with far more nuance- not as a cowardly government mouthpiece or as an embittered undercover rebel, but as a multifaceted person who made difficult decisions, shaped by the varying time periods he lived in, whose actions were often determined by the shifting cultural atmospheres of those time periods, along with his own relationships with others and the evolution of his art. We can be certain Shostakovich did not approve of Stalin's restrictions on the arts- his posthumous work "Antiformalist Rayok," among other pieces of evidence from people he knew, makes that very clear- but many nuances of his beliefs are still very much debated. There has also been a shift away from judging Shostakovich's music based on its merit as evidence in the ideological dispute, and rather for its quality as artwork (something I'm sure he would appreciate!). As expansive as Shostakovich research has become, one thing has become abundantly clear- none of us can hope to truthfully make the statement, "Shostakovich, we understand."

Sources for further reading:

Articles:

Shostakovich and the Peace Conference (umich.edu)

Louis Armstrong Plays Historic Cold War Concerts in East Berlin & Budapest (1965) | Open Culture

Biographical and Primary Sources:

Laurel Fay, "Shostakovich, a Life"

Pauline Fairclough, "Critical Lives: Dmitry Shostakovich"

Elizabeth Wilson, "Shostakovich, a Life Remembered"

Mikhail Ardov, "Memories of Shostakovich"

HUAC Report on Peace Conference

Video Sources and Historic Footage:

Arthur Miller on the Conference

"New York Greets Mr. Bevin and Peace Conference Delegates"

"Shostakovich at the Waldorf"

"1949 Anti Communism Protest"

"Battle of the Pickets"

[plantcrazy]

Sven Svensson - Head of Strategy [Left Hand] (2014 - 2018)

Toppat Clan Leader (2018 -)

Extended Bio: Son of the famous Swedish inventor Nils Svensson, raised a Toppat. For one reason or another, he's now the Toppat Clan's leader and is eager to get into space, rescue the old leader, and give the position back.

Despite his physical weakness, similar to the current Clan leader, he is a fast thinker and skilled problem solver. Like his father before him, he is skilled with electronics, however, chose the Clan's strategy pathway over engineering.

He was brought into the Clan at 14 and Mr Macbeth became his unofficial-guardian. Little is known about his life before the incident which led Terrence Suave to bringing him into the Toppat Clan. Although, rumour has it he was the one to kill Nils Svensson, not Terrence Suave...

- - -

I had a pretty stressful and miserable day today and I wanted to get some of that stress out. So I asked my little sister for a character to draw, and she said Macbeth son. (She only really knows about the characters from what I've read her of my fic, so hearing her call him that like it's official was quiet hilarious).

He doesn't normally have the hoodie, but I threw it on because it looked cool and needed something to exaggerate the movement :P

I'm thinking I'll do a series of these for all the main characters (instead of bio's maybe, these illustrations are very quick and fun ^^ ).

Time Taken: 2.5 Hours

Speedpaint below ⬇️ :

[ingravinoveritas]

Hi! Just a thought about the post you made about the Sheenbergnants being neighbours … is it possible that they’re neighbours temporarily while Michael was/is rehearsing and appearing in Nye?

Hi there! Yes, to be clear, I do think that is exactly the case, and apologies if that was not conveyed in my other post. Michael is in London at the moment rehearsing/appearing in Nye, so that is why/how they would all would be neighbors. It stands to reason as well that that is Michael's home whenever he is in London, so we can infer that they are neighbors just when Michael is in London, for any extended period of time (and not when he is in Wales).

Such a wonderful thought, though. I can so easily picture David having a lot of pre-show anxiety leading up to Macbeth and going over to Michael's for reassurance and comfort (and lots of cuddling, of course). I can also see Michael being stressed out over the premiere of The Way and his role in Nye and David coming over to give him a soothing massage, or even drawing Michael a hot bath (and perhaps joining him for a soak, glasses of red wine in hand). There really are so many possibilities. I have a lot of other Asks in my inbox to get back to, so I won't take up much more space here, but I hope I have helped to answer your question. Thanks for writing in! x

[thealogie]

macbeth day 3, final report:

absolutely insane range of emotions in the queue last night. most of us had been there for 12+ hours with little hope of getting in. screaming crying hugging cheering as each person was admitted.

energy of the performance was turned up to 11. every shout was shouted every pause extended. best crowd by far of the 3 shows i saw, big laughs at “why did you bring these daggers from the place ?” and “…you have displaced the mirth” which wrongfully never got laughs before! hooting and hollering internally when DT took the time to really milk “i am in blood, stepped in so far…” like yeah get it girl!! the absolute most tender raw tomorrow and tomorrow, he was getting more choked up than usual and wiped tears from his eyes before the fight scene. cush with the blood at the curtain call 🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠

anyway the past few days have been unreal, shout out to all the peanuts in the queue! several people including myself came back to visit the queue for hours at a time on days we weren’t even seeing the show just to absorb the vibes and cheer on everyone else. i’ve never felt such an immediate and intense sense of community between strangers before it was truly something special.

begging and pleading with everyone who didn’t get to see it this round to do anything and everything within reason to go in the fall.

and now i’ll willingly submit to being hunted for sport-i deserve it after being gifted a lifetime’s worth of luck in a single week

peanut #3 signing off 🫡🫡🫡

I’m vibrating. Even i want to hunt you all for sport and I am already in the “deserves to be hunted for sport” club. I love that queue! I love everyone in this bar! Also those are such good lines - you have displaced the mirth got a laugh every single time I went but the daggers line barely got one so I’m glad it’s getting its day in the sun now.

[writing-and-rebloging]

Macbeth, Jellal and parallels.

Quick preface, I'm taking the Anime add ons in the Oracion Seis arc and the Starry Sky filler as canon, because they give a lot more substance and treat the Seis nicely enough (and much better than the manga), respectively.

Acknowledgement

In a way. It's what all of this hinges upon. In a turn of events, Macbeth recognizes the darkness and cruelty simmering in Jellal's head, compares them to his own, and says that due to that, Jellal would fit perfectly in Oracion Seis. Morally corrupt, cruel and powerful... Jellal is just like them, isn't he? In the anime, the vibes of condescendingly saying "can't you see you're just like me? No matter how much you deny it. No matter how much you say you're disgusted by my actions, you're just as bad." are simply immaculate.

Past

While they share this with other characters, they were both enslaved children in the tower of Heaven. A past neither of them like to talk about. They were weak, helpless, and it fucked them up (Jellal was tortured to insanity, Macbeth has night terrors and several dealer's choice sleep issues thanks to the tower) majorly. Jellal barely talks about the tower in general unless it's to make a point of his atonement, and Macbeth only mentions it three time, two while throwing what he did to Jellal's face and one while lashing out at Erza for not going back to save anyone from her boyfriend's cruelty.

The fact that they couldn't do anything to defend themselves while other people kicked them around eats at them, and while we know they were kids, it's not something they consider in the equation at all. They're ashamed of it, unlike Erza or Milliana, and it leads to the second and third points.

Manipulation.

After being tortured for hours, "Zeref" (who was just Ultear. Who interestingly enough also gets tortured within an inch of her life by Brain, but that's for another post) reaches out to Jellal and gives him the power to take over the Tower of Heaven, while weeks or months later Brain "adopts" Macbeth and the other four members of Oracion Seis, and teaches them how to use a wide variety of magic.

They both end up on positions of power. Jellal as the ruler of the Tower of Heaven. Macbeth as the favorite son, with all that implies. And while they gain something (safety, for starters) out of it, they're also at someone else's mercy. Jellal is being manipulated by "Zeref" into completing the Tower to bring him back, while Macbeth is in turn groomed by Brain into being the perfect soldier to maintain the magic link keeping Zero at bay, and carry out his plans so that he can hide away.

Drunk on power.

They embody this more than any of the other Tower kids that became villains. They're given power, both raw in the form of incredible magical abilities and over other people (albeit in different ways). And they get drunk on it.

Jellal runs the tower like a tyrant, ordering and bullying people around. He threatens his friends, murders one of them, and even almost sacrifices Erza, who he held dear above anyone else.

Macbeth on the other hand, we can assume is encouraged to hurt people as much as he pleases, as long as he gets the job done. We see that when he tortures Eve, and when he says he wants to see Erza and Jellal in pain. 

Both of them use that power to inflict pain, and that pain to soothe the wound of having been taken advantage of when they were vulnerable. It makes them feel safe, being above other people.

Magic

While this is anime only, as we never see him use it again, Macbeth ends up using the same dark magic as Brain, and, if we look at some spells that Jellal uses back in the tower... The resemblance is enough to assume it's the same kind of magic. And while not immensely relevant, it sure is fun that they would use the same magic, all things considered.

Extending a hand to each other in the worst way possible (while mocking Jellal's worst insecurity vs after beating the crap out of Macbeth) should also be listed, tbh. But this is long enough.

These similarities, however, would make them want to throw up if pointed out rather than bring them closer.

Anyways. Thank you for coming to my ted talk.

[historiavn]

ASSORTED HEADCANONS: Ophelia Chronsturn

She began playing the violin when she was three years old, and the piano when she was seven years old.

Although she was reluctant to begin learning the piano, her father insisted — knowing that ultimately, it would be a major asset if Ophelia ever shifted to Regency England.

It is difficult for Ophelia to sit still for extended periods of time. When she is restless, she will either fidget in her chair or, if possible, pace around the room.

Her favorite Shakespeare plays are Macbeth and Much Ado About Nothing.

Any skills that Ophelia picks up while time traveling or multiuniverse traveling will be retained when she is in the waking world. The curse will also sometimes provide her with a certain skill if it enables her to witness a particular historical event, such as new languages or etiquette. However, sometimes the curse will also “throw her to the wolves” and not give her any prior skills at all.

Her favorite historical fashion is the Mid-Victorian Era (1860’s-1880’s), though the fashion of the 1940’s comes as a close second.

Per plotting with @audaciiae, Ophelia is the only living direct descendant of Julius Caesar (yes, that Caesar)

She’s also directly descended from the philosopher Socrates on her father’s side of the family. In fact, it is the Socratic branch of the family that is responsible for the Chronsturn Curse. Socrates’ lineage was cursed shortly before his execution by a witch who was angry at the role that he had played in “corrupting the youth” of Athens.

Sometimes, if Ophelia draws a sketch of some sort of clothing, it will appear in her wardrobe during one of her Chronsturn Curse shifts.

In threads where Ophelia is in her early twenties, she is a member of Gen Z. She’ll be prone to utilizing modern slang terms and referencing trends during interactions, with no regard for whether this might be “cringe” or strange for the given universe. The older that she is, the less likely that this becomes.

Ophelia has spent an extraordinary amount of time attempting to find loopholes in the curse’s laws — particularly the caveat that she is not allowed to speak of her bizarre origins. The loopholes that she has found include the ability to discuss the curse in writing and the ability to allude to her origins through vague statements that indicate she knows more than she is allowed to share. The sole criteria is that she is forbidden from speaking the word “curse” out loud.

When Ophelia attended Georgetown University, she was active in the theatre department as one of her numerous extracurriculars. She would often act in musicals and plays, and even was the student director of several Shakespeare productions.

Swordsmanship is another strange hobby that Ophelia has picked up as a result of the Chronsturn Curse; she learnt to wield a sword while still a teenager, and was on the fencing team at Georgetown.

She is a gifted equestrian, and began riding horses at her father’s insistence when she was five years old.

Ophelia swears like a sailor in numerous languages, no matter the time period or universe she’s shifting to.

In her Percy Jackson universe, she is the daughter of the titan Cronus, and Cronus bestowed multiuniversal travel abilities upon Socrates’ lineage not as a curse, but as a blessing. However, this knowledge has long since been lost, leading to the widespread belief that their reality shifting is a curse. Ophelia is the first demigod child that Cronus has fathered in centuries, if not ever.

She is force sensitive in her Star Wars universe, and has a strong affinity for the dark side of the force.

[jasminewalkerauthor]

Trope chats: Curses

Curses, a literary device steeped in mysticism and consequences, have woven a captivating thread through the fabric of storytelling across cultures and epochs. This essay delves into the evolution of curses in literature, exploring their multifaceted appeal, potential pitfalls, societal influence, and the lasting impact they wield on the human imagination.

The roots of curses in literature trace back to ancient myths and epics, where gods and mortals alike invoked divine wrath upon their adversaries. From the epic of Gilgamesh to Greek tragedies like Oedipus Rex, curses were early tools used by storytellers to explore themes of fate, morality, and the consequences of human actions.

Greek Tragedy:

In Greek tragedies, curses often served as inexorable forces, shaping the destinies of characters. Oedipus' tragic fate, a result of a familial curse, exemplifies the enduring power of curses as narrative devices that drive the plot and illuminate moral quandaries.

Shakespearean Drama:

William Shakespeare's plays, such as "Macbeth" and "Hamlet," are replete with curses that foreshadow doom and evoke a sense of cosmic justice. The witches' curse in "Macbeth" and Hamlet's quest for revenge both showcase the enduring use of curses in exploring the darker recesses of the human psyche.

Folklore and Fairy Tales:

Folklore and fairy tales further expanded the use of curses as cautionary elements. From Sleeping Beauty to Rumpelstiltskin, curses became symbolic representations of moral lessons, emphasizing the consequences of transgressions.

The enduring appeal of curses in literature lies in their ability to add layers of complexity to narratives, evoking suspense, tragedy, and moral introspection.

Dramatic Tension:

Curses introduce a palpable sense of tension and impending doom, propelling the narrative forward. Whether through a witch's hex or a divine malediction, the anticipation of the curse's fulfillment engages readers and viewers alike.

Moral Dilemmas:

Curses often serve as conduits for exploring profound moral dilemmas. Characters grappling with the consequences of curses navigate the intricacies of right and wrong, free will, and the inexorable pull of destiny.

Symbolism and Allegory:

Curses, laden with symbolism, often serve as allegorical devices reflecting societal fears, taboos, or ethical quandaries. They become potent metaphors for the unseen forces shaping human existence.

While curses enrich narratives, they can pose challenges, such as the risk of becoming clichéd or contributing to one-dimensional characterizations.

Clichéd Tropes:

Overuse of curses without thoughtful development can lead to clichéd storytelling, diluting the impact and diminishing the novelty of the narrative device.

Stereotyping:

Curses sometimes perpetuate stereotypes, especially when tied to cultural or ethnic backgrounds. Care must be taken to avoid reinforcing harmful clichés and biases.

Curses in literature extend beyond mere storytelling; they shape and are shaped by societal attitudes, reflecting cultural fears, aspirations, and ethical considerations.

Cultural Perspectives:

The portrayal of curses often reflects cultural beliefs and societal values. Whether seen as divine retribution or the consequences of moral transgressions, curses mirror the cultural lens through which stories are told.

Societal Reflection:

Curses can serve as a mirror reflecting societal anxieties, offering a lens through which to explore collective fears, morality, and the intricate dance between fate and free will.

In conclusion, the use of curses in literature is a timeless and dynamic exploration of the human condition. From ancient myths to contemporary novels, curses have provided storytellers with a potent tool to weave tales of tragedy, morality, and destiny. The enduring appeal of curses lies in their ability to engage readers emotionally, prompt moral introspection, and reflect the cultural undercurrents that shape the narratives we create. As literature evolves, the power and symbolism of curses continue to resonate, echoing through the corridors of human imagination and inviting readers to ponder the profound mysteries of fate and consequence.

[dangermousie]

Pusher post for Ja Myung Go (2009) - best period kdrama you've never heard of

It got zero votes on my poll probably because nobody has watched it, and it must be remedied.

In 2009, during the ratings reign of legendary Queen Seon Deok, another woman-centric period drama made its debut - Ja Myung Go starring Jung Ryo Won, Jung Kyung Ho, and Park Min Young back before she was a leading lady. Unlike QSD which became a huge success and extended its run, JMG had abysmal ratings throughout and ended up being only 39 episodes (a large number in abstract but a cut from the originally planned 50). Ja Myung Go took a traditional narrative - the forbidden and doomed love of Prince Hodong and Princess La Hee, heirs to enemy kingdoms, and disassembled it supposing what the story would have been like if Hodong had been in love with La Hee's sister Ja Myung instead.

Even though JMG is one of my favorites, its single-digit ratings (back when single digit ratings were baaaaad!) were no surprise - it took most period drama conventions of the time and even now and upended them. Proper royalty-based sageuks at the time after all centered around the progress and triumph of its protagonist - he or she may pay a great personal price but will triumph over rival factions/own shortcomings/bad background and emerge politically victorious - a great ruler to be remembered by future generations. JMG's rival Queen Seon Deok expemplifies that kind of narrative - Deokman is an outcast who, at the end, has lost the man she loved, but is a great ruler to be remembered forever and full of achievements. Yi San, Kingdom of the Winds, Jumong, etc - all follow this formula more or less. This is still the case when they make them nowadays, sadly rarer than they used to - GK War comes to mind. (Fusion-style sageuks which usually deal with 'common' people sometimes choose hopelessness as a theme - see Damo - but they have a different narrative thrust and vibe and we are not even getting into fluffiness of youth sageuks. People of JMG are miles away from that.)

But this is not the story of JMG. From the first episode it is clear that there will be no triumphant narrative. This is a story of the defeated - defeated Kingdom of Nakrang, defeated people. And, except for Ja Myung herself (cast in a traditionally heroic mold even if with enough flaws to make her interesting), her mother (a very minor character) and a few other other characters, most of the characters are not heroic either. They are either fascinating monsters (Muhyul, Wang Jashi (Ja Myung's stepmother), Muhyul's Queen) or people damaged beyond repair by their surroundings (Hodong, La Hee).

(Man is known as God of Battles, and not for no reason)

And even though I like Ja Myung, I confess that for me the drama is made by the clever, fascinating, monstrous Wang Jashi and Muhyul. Wang Jashi is a Korean Lady Macbeth - she is someone who is capable of poisoning her brother in order to protect her husband and her own power, but she is also someone who genuinely grieves over him. She is a wicked woman, but she is strong and irresistable. Muhyul (or King Daemushin, if we go by his throne name) is a counterpart for her (he rules a different kingdom, but I confess throughout the drama, I kept wondering what it would be like if they were married - they would rule the world). He is a capable, fierce ruler who has traded his humanity for success and rule - you see any remaining feelings leach out of him slowly during the course of the drama.

And so much of the drama is shaped by those two irresistible monsters - all the younger characters except Ja Myung are trapped and shaped and deformed by them. Princess La Hee, Wang Jashi's daughter, is not capable of truly functionally expressing her feelings - even though she likes Hodong, throughout their early meetings, she lashes at him over and over because brought up the way she was, she has no idea how express herself. And Hodong, Muhyul's son, is even worse off - at least La Hee had her saintly stepmother to love her growing up. Hodong has had his poisonous stepmother who desires his death (yet another amazing character - she is a horrible person but you understand and even sympathize with her) and Muhyul as a father (there is a scene later on where Muhyul gives an order that if Nakrang does not fall, Hodong is to be executed. Father of the year he is not).

In a way, that is why if it wasn't for his seduction-to-victory plan, Hodong would have never gotten together with La Hee even if Ja Myung did not exist - they are both emotional cripples and Hodong, at least, is smart enough to recognize that. I think that is a huge part of his attraction to Ja Myung - she is a breath of sane air (significantly she has been brought up outside palace environment). When I think of Hodong, it's the same emotion I get when I think of Jang Jae Min from Bali - he is twisted and deeply flawed but the wonder and the tragedy of it is that for his family he is not flawed and twisted enough. One of the last things Ja Myung tells him is that in their next life she wishes she would be his mother. I remember people thinking WTF but it made perfect sense to me - the thing Hodong lacked most and needed most was a loving parent - it is something he never got. (And of course it's also a show of love towards her sister - this way La Hee can have Hodong as a lover).

And this brings me to gender dynamics. Except for Muhyul, all the true movers and shakers in the story, every catalyst is a woman. Nowhere it is as evident as with Ja Myung and Hodong. I remember reading that Jung Kyung Ho was cast as Hodong and being genuinely puzzled. He has since gone on to be one of my favorite leading men and certainly terrifying and violent and feral enough in Cruel City to play the scariest warlord of them all if necessary but that wasn't the case at the time. I thought of him as the spoiled little brother to the angsty vengeance seeker of Sorry I Love You, or as a smart little brother to the amnesiac mob assassin in Time Between Dog and Wolf. Or, more likely, in his big break-out role as the male lead of Smile You. The thing is, in all of these, even Smile You, he is the quintessential nice guy (or as the term is in certain circles, "beta male.") He was about the last person I'd normally envision as a male lead in a period drama about war. But once I saw the drama, it all made sense and not because he was bringing his later Cruel City persona.

Because despite his undoubted ability to fight in battle, Ja Myung and Hodong are all about gender reversal - at one point she even becomes his bodyguard! If you think about it, they take gender roles usually reserved for the opposite gender - she is the proactive one, who sets the story in motion, the rebel leader. He is the one who conquered Nakrang through seduction of La Hee, something seen as a typically female method. His seducing La Hee into destroying the protective drum is a far cry from Jumong fighting through hordes single-handed or Dam Duk in The Legend taking on an army with a small unit armed with nothing but grit or even the Prince in Haechi or King in GK War outwitting his court enemies with balls and brains. And, as a typically female method, his way of victory gets him nothing but scorn - in the first episode, his stepmother calls him a whore to his face. It's the same with the relationship - Ja Myung can let go of him, but he cannot let go of her.

The women are uniformly fascinating and complex in this - even someone like La Hee does not just give in to Hodong's false sweet words - she genuinely believes surrender would save her country. The drama's respect for its female characters is summed up in a single scene - one of the characters is a widow of Wang Jashi's brother (the one she poisoned). Her 10-year-old brother-in-law marries her to save her from execution. 10 years later, they are still married and when she is doing the proper thing and helping him bathe, you see her experience and suppress her desire - because her husband is now a gorgeous gorgeous man. It could be a ludicrous situation - she changed the guy's diapers and she is not what you'd consider traditionally good-looking. But instead drama treats her feeling with respect and understanding. I loved it for that.

Oh, and I am just gonna leave this little father-son convo here:

Hodong: Your Majesty, what did you tell me before? You said if only you gain Nakrang without any blood being spilt, you would bestow leniency on them. Take pity on them. The other way there will be no end to rebellion and we will all die. Daemushin: Your own grandfather, King Yuri, killed his own two sons. I was young and I could not understand that. How could he? How can a father kill his own child. Unless he was crazy, how could he kill his sons? I finally understand him today. For a King, a son with other intentions is nothing but a political enemy. A political enemy that must be killed and gotten rid of. Hodong: Do you wish to kill me? Daemushin: [throws down a puppet of a woman] You must know who this wench is. Who is she? Hodong: It is Emperor Choi Ri's unknown daughter, Princess Ja Myung. Daemushin: Find her and kill her. Hodong: Father, I cannot do that! I...I...that woman... Daemushin: When you chop off the head of that woman Jae Myung, I will make you the Crown Prince. If your father is King Daemushin, who has expanded his kingdom, then you must survive and show all other nations how to rule that kingdom. Hodong: Your subject Hodong accepts Your Highness' command.

Parent of the Year indeed!

PS If you've watched enough sageuks, you will recognize that wily old monster Daemushin is actually the protag of The Kingdom of the Winds where he looked like this:

(I did a pusher post for TKotW before so won't repeat.) The funny thing is much as I adored the ML of TKotW, I can totally see him progress into that monster here. It would be logical.

Anyway, digression over, go watch JMG!