Chloe Gard
Acting II: Methods and Theories
Tracy Manning
May 19th, 2023
“The Good Life”
"Theatre as Life" by Paul Marcus is a thought-provoking book that explores the profound connection between theater and the human experience. In Chapter 12, titled "The Good Life," Marcus delves into the concept of the good life and its relationship to theater and performance. This chapter offers a unique perspective on how the pursuit of the good life can be understood through the lens of theatricality and the transformative power of the stage. In this paper, we will reflect upon the key concepts and ideas presented in Chapter 12, examining the author's insights and analyzing their implications.
The primary focus of Chapter 12 is to define and explore the
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The good life is not solely determined by external circumstances or material possessions but is deeply intertwined with one's character and actions. It involves making choices that align with one's values, principles, and sense of what is right and just. Ethical behavior and virtuous living are essential components of the good life as they foster personal integrity, build strong relationships, and contribute to the well-being of oneself and others. By adhering to moral values such as honesty, compassion, fairness, and respect, individuals create a solid foundation for leading a meaningful and fulfilling life. Moreover, ethics guide decision-making, helping individuals navigate moral dilemmas and make choices that reflect their commitment to living in accordance with their values. The pursuit of the good life, therefore, necessitates a conscious cultivation of ethical awareness and a commitment to living a life guided by moral principles. By examining the role of ethics and moral values, one can better understand the profound impact they have on shaping the path towards the good …show more content…
The chapter underscores that the good life encompasses not only external circumstances but also personal character, ethical behavior, and the alignment of one's actions with virtuous principles. By engaging with theater as an art form, individuals gain opportunities for self-reflection, exploration, and personal transformation. Through the portrayal of diverse characters and their journeys, theater becomes a catalyst for contemplating alternative perspectives and potential paths towards the good life. Through an analysis of the key concepts presented in the chapter, including the definition and interpretation of the good life, the role of theater as a microcosm of life, the significance of ethics and moral values, and the relationship between happiness, fulfillment, and the good life, Marcus offers valuable insights into the intersections between theater and the pursuit of a meaningful
“Morality is not properly the doctrine of how we may make ourselves happy, but how we may make ourselves worthy of happiness” (Immanuel Kant). Morality is the divergence between right and wrong in every aspect of life. The history of the world has demonstrated human need to attain sovereignty. In the journey to achieve this goal, people have forgotten the gravity of the steps taken to complete an ideal and have only focused on the result. There have been several examples where detrimental actions have been taken by fortunate people to accomplish their goals.
Theatre 115 Response One Chapter 10 highlights the importance of the interaction between the audience and the performers. If the audience on a given night is altogether apathetic in regards to the performance they have gone to see, then it will serve as a negative impact on the overall confidence of the actors once they pick up on it. Theatre is often used to provide an insightful reflection of the way in which society is functioning at a given time. One example that was not listed in the book is Hair, which goes well with the other listed works critiquing the Vietnam War. Certainly, it is a piece that is capable, even today, of stirring up certain sentiments within an audience, even if the audience was not necessarily alive during the original
In the real world when people are faced with choices these choices have consequences and deeply impact our loved ones, whether we intend them to or not. By challenging any set of beliefs, standards or ideals can be difficult, but one must be aware of those consequences and how they will alter the course of our life. Morality is a strong guiding compass in making difficult decisions, and is often the one that is most difficult to follow when put against the will of
Ethics, virtue, justice and morality all stem from what Socrates calls the examined life, in which philosophy is used as a means to gain wisdom and knowledge which act as the basis for these values. Philosophy then, is not just an occupation, but rather an integral part of life, and a necessary component of what it means to
All through history, notable figures have endeavored to characterize or order moral conduct. Similarly, in life, we endeavor to gauge ourselves against what is good and bad. To makes these judgments, we use our experience, elements of our faith in the divine, what we take in from notable public voices, what we have learned from society, from mentors, and from our parents. Since, no has ultimately circumscribed what genuinely moral and what isn't, we each have to make the best choices available.
Medical Daily, 14 May 2012, www.medicaldaily.com/psychologists-discover-how-people-subconsciously-become-their-favorite-fictional-characters-240435. Johnson, Todd Eric, and Dale Savidge. Performing the Sacred: Theology and Theatre in Dialogue. Baker Academic, 2009. Leeds, Josiah W. “The Theatre: An Essay Upon the Non-Accordancy of Stage-Plays with the Christian Profession”.
Morality is a set of values held by a person in making when judging and evaluating what is deemed right or wrong, good or bad (Brandt, 1959). When we talk about morality in counseling it’s about the reasoning by the counselor that has four levels. They are, personal intuition, ethical guidelines established by professional organizations, ethical principles and general theories of moral action (Kitchener, 1984). Ethics is described as adopted principles that has relations to man’s behavior and moral decision making (Van Hoose & Kottler, 1985). Ethics is often thought as a synonym to morality.
Henry Kravis once said,”If you don 't have integrity, you have nothing. You can 't buy it. You can have all the money in the world, but if you are not a moral and ethical person, you really have nothing. Morals are the principles on which one 's judgments of right and wrong are based. The morality of a person define what a person’s decisions will be, or could this be influenced by other things.
2015, 129). Each performer acquires roles which contain expected behaviours that are appropriate to the performance of that role (Willmott, 2018). When we perform our roles to other actors and to our audience, we view them as theatrical productions. Our performance displays
The field of theater and the arts holistically present audiences with of a dilemma. These works of art and expression often find themselves grounded in the reality we know, the one that exists beyond the stage or screen and yet is not an exact copy. The reality of the film, play, or show takes liberties with reality, asking the viewer to put on hold certain understandings and beliefs in order to allow the events of the work to unfold or to advance the plot. In doing so the creators of these works of art ask audiences to partake in the “suspension of disbelief.” This concept can best be defined as the act of an audience putting preconceived knowledge regarding the fundamentals of reality on hold while consuming some form of performance art,
Generally, ethics is defined as the rule for carrying out certain behaviors by distinguishing between acceptable and unacceptable behavior (Resnik, 2015). In other words, ethics assists in determining whether a decision is right or wrong when given a choice. As a matter of course, decision-making is first predisposed by personal ethic that is constructed on personal experience and conscience (Fritzsche & Oz, 2007) . It tends to be affected by family and friends (Ferrell & Gresham, 1985). Not only does personal ethics guide human behavior but also social ethics (Shaw, 2002).
To add on, some people might say “theater is not a necessity in life”. So what? Theater just gets taken away, which is too heartbreaking to understand when it’s not within people’s grasps. Theater might not be an essential for survival, but the importance of this argument is that it can improve in the educational system. And isn’t that what it is all about?
After taking this class I would define a good life as making a positive difference in someone else’s life. It could be that throughout life you did simple gestures as saying hi or holding a door open to a grand gesture of saving a life, I believe if you made a positive difference and you feel good about the life you lived then it was a good life. A good death as someone being at peace with who they are and what they have done. I think it’s important that the dying person have no regrets in their life and that when they lay on their death bed they are comfortable with the life they have lived.
As children, we were taught by our parents that it is wrong to lie, cheat, and steal. As we grow up and enter into the real world with some knowledge of right and wrong, we see, first hand, the importance of ethics as well as its complexity. The role of ethics in our society and in an individual’s life is very necessary because it has a large influence on today, as well as the future. We need to learn about good ethics because they guide our decisions, make us who we are, and determine our future.
In other words, the good life means to me when life looks like a blessing than a burden. This essay aims to provide more than one answers about what makes people live a good life mean. Human beings, since their apparition is often misleading, what it is really mean a good life. We have been seen on the television or magazines that having a good life means being rich or famous when many of them, in reality, are miserable by a problem that wouldn’t affect ordinary people. Personally, I believe that there are many factors that should be considered when it comes to a good life.