Ghost character

Last updated

A ghost character, in the bibliographic or scholarly study of texts of dramatic literature, is a term for an inadvertent error committed by the playwright in the act of writing. It is a character who is mentioned as appearing on stage, but who does not do anything, and who seems to have no purpose. As Kristian Smidt put it, they are characters that are "introduced in stage directions or briefly mentioned in dialogue who have no speaking parts and do not otherwise manifest their presence". [1] It is generally interpreted as an author's mistake, indicative of an unresolved revision to the text. If the character was intended to appear and say nothing, it is assumed this would be made clear in the playscript. [2]

Contents

The term is used in regard to Elizabethan and Jacobean plays, including the works of William Shakespeare, all of which may have existed in different revisions leading to publication. The occurrence of a ghost character in a manuscript may be evidence that the published version of a play was taken by the printer directly from an author's foul papers. [3]

A ghost character should not be confused with an unseen character, a character who is not portrayed but who is relevant to the plot and to whom the play intentionally makes reference, e.g. Godot from Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot .

Shakespeare's ghost characters

Innogen (Much Ado About Nothing)

Modern versions of Much Ado About Nothing open act 1, scene 1 with the stage direction "Enter Leonato, Governor of Messina, Hero his daughter, and Beatrice his niece, with a Messenger." [4] In the first quarto edition (Q1, 1600) however, the stage direction includes, after Leonato, "Innogen his wife". Similarly, in the stage directions for act 2, scene 1, Leonato is followed by "his wife". [5] {{efn|1=In the stage directions for act 2, scene 1, there is also "a kinsman" that has no other apparent role in the play. Claire McEachern, in The Arden Shakespeare third series edition of the play, speculates that this "kinsman" might be the same person Leonato mentions to Antonio in act 1, scene 2: "where is my cousin your son? Hath he provided this music?" [6] However, by act 5, scene 1 Leonato claims that "My brother hath a daughter, ... And she alone is heir to both of us." [7] and in act 4, scene 1, when Benedick has refused to kill Claudio, Beatrice makes no mention of a brother or cousin that might take up the task. [8] [5] This "Innogen" is mentioned nowhere else in the play, and during Leonato's denunciation of Hero in act 4, scene 1, [9] where it would be natural for her mother to speak or act in some fashion, Shakespeare appears to either have forgotten about her or decided that a father–motherless daughter dyad worked better dramatically. [5] As the editors of The Cambridge Shakespeare (1863) put it: "It is impossible to conceive that Hero's mother should have been present during the scenes in which the happiness and honour of her daughter were at issue, without taking a part, or being once referred to." [10] Some productions restore the character of Imogen, e.g. the Wyndham's Theatre's 2011 production, [11] giving her many of the lines of Hero's uncle Antonio. In 2017 playwright Aditi Brennan Kapil wrote the play Imogen Says Nothing: The Annotated Life of Imogen of Messina, last sighted in the First Folio of William Shakespeare's Much Adoe About Nothing which explores the reasons why Imogen may have been included in Much Ado About Nothing.

Valentine (Romeo and Juliet)

Valentine is a ghost character in Romeo and Juliet . [12] In act 1, scene 2, Romeo assists an illiterate Capulet servant by reading the list of guests for Lord Capulet's feast, and among the "dozen or so named guests with their unnamed but listed daughters, beauteous sisters, and lovely nieces" [13] is listed "Mercutio and his brother Valentine". [14] [13] Mercutio appears on stage regularly until his death in act 3, scene 1 [15] and is "almost as central a character as Juliet or Romeo, for his death is the keystone of the plot's structure", [16] but Valentine is only mentioned the once in the guest list. The only time it is possible for the character to appear on stage is as one of the crowd of guests at the feast in act 1, scene 5, [17] but if he is, there is nothing in the text to suggest his presence. [13]

While not mentioned in a stage direction as such, Joseph A. Porter considers him to be "a kind of ghost character" [13] like others in Shakespeare's plays, due to his strong connection with Mercutio that differentiates him from the other people mentioned in the guest list, and a possible significance to the plot and characters that is greater than superficially apparent. Shakespeare's immediate source in writing Romeo and Juliet was the narrative poem The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet (1562) by Arthur Brooke, and here Mercutio is a very minor character and is presented as a competitor to Romeus (Romeo) for Juliet's affection, rather than as his friend. Porter argues that when Shakespeare dramatised the poem and expanded Mercutio's role, he introduced a brother for him in order to suggest a more fraternal character. Shakespeare appears to be the first dramatist to have used the name Valentine prior to Romeo and Juliet, but he himself had actually used the name previously. [lower-alpha 1] [lower-alpha 2] In The Two Gentlemen of Verona , a play about two brothers and also set in Verona, Valentine is a true and constant lover and Proteus is a fickle one. [20] While not primarily based on it, The Two Gentlemen of Verona adapts several incidents from Brooke's poem, and in all these instances Valentine's role is based on Romeus'. Thus, when adapting the Mercutio–Juliet–Romeus constellation from Brooke, by changing Mercutio from an amorous rival into a friend–brother to Romeo and a "scoffer at love", [21] Shakespeare also rearranged the relationships into Mercutio–Romeo–Juliet, making Romeo the focus and removing Mercutio as a threat to his courtship of Juliet. [22]

Other authors

Four characters in John Webster's The White Devil , Christophero, Farnese, Guid-Antonio, and Little Jaques the Moor, have sometimes been referred to as ghost characters because they have no lines in the play. [23]

George Peele's The Famous Chronicle of King Edward the First (1593) includes four characters mentioned in stage directions but not given any lines: Signor de Montfort, Earl of Leicester (l. 40), Charles de Montfort (l. 40), a nonexistent brother, Potter (l. 2247), and Mary, Duchess of Lancaster (l. 1453), another non-existent historical figure. [24]

In the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical The Phantom of the Opera , the character of Mme. Firmin appears once, has one line consisting of one word, does not appear again, and has no effect on the plot.

Notes and references

Notes

  1. Twice, but the first was a kinsman of Titus with a single non-speaking appearance in Titus Andronicus . [18]
  2. Shakespeare may have picked up the name from Valentine and Orson , a romance associated with the Matter of France and the, now lost, 14th-century chanson de geste Valentin et Sansnom. Porter finds some similarities between Orson, Valentine's lost brother that has been raised by a bear, and Shakespeare's Mercutio, suggesting possible mirroring between the Orson–Valentine and Mercutio–Valentine dyads. This association of the name with brotherhood may also have been strengthened by Valentinian I (321–375) and Valens (328–378), brothers who concurrently ruled the Western and Eastern Roman Empire and frequently issued joint edicts. [19]

Related Research Articles

<i>Romeo and Juliet</i> Tragedy by William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about the romance between two Italian youths from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetime and, along with Hamlet, is one of his most frequently performed. Today, the title characters are regarded as archetypal young lovers.

<i>Romeo and Juliet</i> (1936 film) 1936 film by George Cukor

Romeo and Juliet is a 1936 American film adapted from the play by William Shakespeare, directed by George Cukor from a screenplay by Talbot Jennings. The film stars Leslie Howard as Romeo and Norma Shearer as Juliet, and the supporting cast features John Barrymore, Basil Rathbone, and Andy Devine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tybalt</span> Character in Romeo and Juliet

Tybalt is a character in William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet. He is the son of Lady Capulet's brother, Juliet's short-tempered first cousin, and Romeo's rival. Tybalt shares the same name as the character Tibert / Tybalt "the prince of cats" in the popular story Reynard the Fox, a point of mockery in the play. Mercutio repeatedly calls Tybalt "prince of cats", in reference to his sleek, yet violent manner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercutio</span> Character in Romeo and Juliet

Mercutio is a fictional character in William Shakespeare's 1597 tragedy, Romeo and Juliet. He is a close friend to Romeo and a blood relative to Prince Escalus and Count Paris. As such, Mercutio is one of the named characters in the play with the ability to mingle around those of both houses. The invitation to Lord Capulet's party states that he has a brother named Valentine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Benvolio</span> Character in Romeo and Juliet

Benvolio Montague is a fictional character in William Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet. He is Lord Montague's nephew and Romeo's cousin. Benvolio serves as an unsuccessful peacemaker in the play, attempting to prevent violence between the Capulet and Montague families.

<i>Roméo et Juliette</i> 1867 opera by Charles Gounod

Roméo et Juliette is an opera in five acts by Charles Gounod to a French libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré, based on Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. It was first performed at the Théâtre Lyrique, Paris on 27 April 1867. This opera is notable for the series of four duets for the main characters and the waltz song "Je veux vivre" for the soprano.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juliet</span> Character in Romeo and Juliet

Juliet Capulet is the female protagonist in William Shakespeare's romantic tragedy Romeo and Juliet. A 13-year-old girl, Juliet is the only daughter of the patriarch of the House of Capulet. She falls in love with the male protagonist Romeo, a member of the House of Montague, with which the Capulets have a blood feud. The story has a long history that precedes Shakespeare himself.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Count Paris</span> Character in Romeo and Juliet

Count Paris or County Paris is a fictional character in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. He is a suitor of Juliet. He is handsome, wealthy, and a kinsman to Prince Escalus.

After Juliet is a play written by Scottish playwright Sharman Macdonald. It was commissioned for the 2000 Connections programme, in which regional youth theatre groups compete to stage short plays by established playwrights.

<i>Much Ado About Nothing</i> Comedy play by William Shakespeare

Much Ado About Nothing is a comedy by William Shakespeare thought to have been written in 1598 and 1599. The play was included in the First Folio, published in 1623.

<i>Romeo and Juliet</i> (1954 film) 1954 film by Renato Castellani

Romeo and Juliet is a 1954 film adaptation of the Shakespearean tragedy of the same name. It is directed and written for the screen by Renato Castellani, and stars Laurence Harvey as Romeo and newcomer Susan Shentall as Juliet, with Flora Robson, Mervyn Johns, Bill Travers, Sebastian Cabot, Enzo Fiermonte and John Gielgud. A British and Italian co-production, it was released in the United Kingdom by General Film Distributors on September 1, 1954.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rosaline</span> Character in Romeo and Juliet

Rosaline is a fictional character mentioned in William Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet. She is the niece of Lord Capulet. Although an unseen character, her role is important: Romeo's unrequited love for Rosaline leads him to try to catch a glimpse of her at a gathering hosted by the Capulet family, during which he first spots her cousin, Juliet.

<i>Romeo and Juliet</i> on screen Adaptations of Shakespeares play

William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet may be one of the most-screened plays of all time. The most notable theatrical releases were George Cukor's multi-Oscar-nominated 1936 production Romeo and Juliet, Franco Zeffirelli's 1968 film Romeo and Juliet, and Baz Luhrmann's 1996 MTV-inspired Romeo + Juliet. The latter two were both, at the time, the highest-grossing Shakespeare films. Cukor featured the mature actors Norma Shearer and Leslie Howard as the teenage lovers while Zeffirelli populated his film with beautiful young people, and Baz Luhrmann produced a heavily cut fast-paced version aimed at teenage audiences.

Nurse (<i>Romeo and Juliet</i>) Character in Romeo and Juliet

The Nurse is a character in William Shakespeare's classic drama Romeo and Juliet. She is the personal servant, guardian, and former wet nurse of Juliet Capulet, and has been since Juliet was born. She had a daughter named Susan who died in infancy, before she became the wet nurse to Juliet. The Nurse is Juliet's foremost confidante, and consequently very important to Juliet's life.

William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet, set in Verona, Italy, features the eponymous protagonists Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet. The cast of characters also includes members of their respective families and households; Prince Escalus, the city's ruler, and his kinsman, Count Paris; and various unaffiliated characters such as Friar Laurence and the Chorus. In addition, the play contains two ghost characters and an unseen character (Rosaline).

<i>Mônica e Cebolinha: No Mundo de Romeu e Julieta</i> 1979 film directed by José Amâncio

Mônica e Cebolinha: No Mundo de Romeu e Julieta is a film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, starring Monica's Gang. It was originally staged at theater in 1978 with a comic and LP adaptation out in the same year. In 1979 the feature film adaptation of the play was released, filmed in Ouro Preto, as a special for the Children's Day on Rede Bandeirantes. Along with A Rádio do Chico Bento, is one of the two films inspired by Mauricio de Sousa characters completely done in live-action.

Imogen Says Nothing: The Annotated Life of Imogen of Messina, last sighted in the First Folio of William Shakespeare's Much Adoe About Nothing is a three-act play by Aditi Brennan Kapil inspired by a ghost character in Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. The play premiered on January 20, 2017 at the Yale Repertory Theatre.

References

  1. Smidt 1980.
  2. Boyce 1990.
  3. Wells 1980, p. 1.
  4. Much Ado About Nothing1.1/0 , Folger Shakespeare Library
  5. 1 2 3 McEachern 2007, pp. 138–140.
  6. Much Ado About Nothing1.2/1–2 , Folger Shakespeare Library|bare=true}}
  7. Much Ado About Nothing5.1/301–303
  8. Much Ado About Nothing4.1/0
  9. Much Ado About Nothing4.1/0
  10. Clark & Wright 1863, p. 89, note 1.
  11. Digital Theatre. "Much Ado About Nothing". The Internet Archive. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  12. Weis 2012, p. 156, note 0.1–2.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Porter 1984, p. 31.
  14. Romeo and Juliet1.2/73
  15. Romeo and Juliet3.1/74–113
  16. Hosley 1954, p. 171.
  17. Romeo and Juliet1.5/0
  18. Porter 1984, p. 34.
  19. Porter 1984, p. 35–36.
  20. Bloom 2000, p. 158.
  21. Porter 1984, p. 37.
  22. Porter 1984, p. 36–38.
  23. Wiggins 1997, p. 448.
  24. George Peele. The Famous Chronicle of King Edward the First . edited by Frank S. Hook. Yale University Press, 1961, p. 71.

Sources