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A Comparative Analysis of 'Snow in Midsummer' and 'Everyman'"
"Snow in Midsummer" and "Everyman" present us with two compelling narratives which grapple with the intricacies of the human condition. Still, they do so with their own distinct cultural and historical connotations. The Chinese background of the play is revealed in the use of tricks of classical Chinese drama and the modern theatre direction that argues justice, revenge, and supernatural forces primarily. The whole story progresses, showing a linear structure; in fact, it is a long journey of a wrong witch punishing the evildoers who executed her unduly. This storyline method lets us be able to not only illustrate the clashing but also build tension progressively towards the culmination of justice that sadly comes at the price of the characters' souls.
On the contrary, "Everyman" belongs to the category of medieval morality plays that serve for religious and moral themes of their epoch. The play relies on allegory and symbolism to convey an ethical claim that death is an undeniable reality and that preparing spiritually for death is beyond the question of importance. "In its focus on mortality, Everyman reflects a broader literary and social pre-occupation with death in the fifteenth century." pg 292 In contrast to "Snow in Midsummer", the continuing structure extended to each scene represents a different facet of the protagonist's struggle to judgment and eventual redemption. This is made even more evident through interactions of Everyman with personified figures such as Death and Fellowship that remind Everyman about the futility of worldly possessions and the need for conversion to surpass worldly shortcomings.
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As a tragedy, "Snow in Midsummer" involves notions of tragedy complicated by the consequences of injustice and suffering imposed on the innocent characters pg 297.
130 MRS. CAI (weeping): Don't worry. Ah, this will be the death for me!
135 DOU E. Burn some paper coins to my headless corpse For the sake of your dead son. There is no justice! Dou E is wrongly slain!
Nevertheless, it also has its turning point as well as the chance of redemption and resolution, leading to the final hope in the darkness. Although "Everyman" is not a mythological tragedy by definition, but just a paradigm of morality which concentrates on the opportunity of each individual individually to be saved and turned into a better person altogether. It considers the deeds that bother us and strives to enlighten us even when the theme is darkness. These plays combine different discoveries in performance and theatrical techniques to articulate their ideas. "Snow in Midsummer" exemplifies the Chinese folk superstitious beliefs of the past and portrays the dangers of self-seeking and corruption; on the other hand, within "Everyman", the art of allegory and symbolism will be used to impact the teachings of morality. These two plays might have fewer things in common. Still, they have some major common themes such as the immortality, morality, and redemption of the human, which evidence the "eternal" essence of living.
In a nutshell, "Snow in Midsummer" and "Everyman" are both valuable explorations of human nature, looking from different perspectives of culture and time. While "Snow in Midsummer" deals with issues pertaining to fairness and revenge from a Chinese perspective, "Everyman" discusses the unavoidability of passing by and the importance of religious or spiritual preparation from a medieval Christian point of view. Through their living stories with combined thought-provoking topics and themes, both plays still have reflection value to their audiences on the realities of a life marked by pain and death.
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Work Cited
Freeman, Arthur. "Everyman and Others, Part II: The Bandinel Fragments." Library 9.4 (2008): 397-427.
Hanquing, Guan. Snow in Midsummer. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2017.