Shakespeare in Parts by Simon Palfrey & Tiffany Stern

Author:Simon Palfrey & Tiffany Stern
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Published: 2007-02-25T05:00:00+00:00

Miranda

We have seen how a part’s inaugurating cues, or those that mark an important transition in its orientation, are often very specifically for the actor, who can shore up his own role ‘against’ that of the larger play. Repeated cues, meanwhile, involve the creation of space in which the actor can make his own mind up, whilst dealing with (or ignoring) the surprising irruption of others into this space. Where The Tempest is unusual is in joining the self-possessing intensities of entrance/transitional cues with those of repeated cues. By joining together these two types of cue, Shakespeare gives to the characters’ inceptive moments—entering upon stage for the first time, or for the first time alone; emerging out of consciousness into sleep, or sleep into consciousness; discovering some radically promising novelty—a truly seed-like, even foetal suggestibility.

We find a fascinating example of this with the first major transition in the part of Miranda—here ‘cued’ by Prospero from waking into sleep:

…my fortunes

Will ever after droope: Heare cease more questions,

Thou art inclinde to sleepe:’tis a good dulnesse,

And give it way: I know thou canst not chuse.

(TLN 294–7)

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