All is Illusion

Last day of class: Critical Theory

Our final assignment was a choice between doing a compare/contrast essay on four critical essays we'd read over the course of the semester, or do a creative re-write, using what we'd learned of critical theory, to put a different spin on either The Tempest or Heart of Darkness. I chose the creative re-write assignment, and I picked The Tempest.

Or rather, The Tempest picked me. This happens when I get creative. I experienced, too, a kind of synergy between my two classes. I had done my final paper for 20th Century Poetry on T.S. Eliot, so The Waste Land was foremost in my mind. And I was thinking about Sycorax, the witch-mother of Caliban, who appears only in name in The Tempest, and suddenly, I could hear her voice intoning the words of The Waste Land, the words out of the storm. And just as suddenly I knew whose story I needed to write, and what form I needed to write it in. So using The Waste Land as a template, I wrote Sycorax's story, and I'm telling you, it's brilliant. ;-)

Actually, much of the verse, I'm sure, is bloody awful, but I made a brave attempt. I have to say, though, the idea is one of my best. My story functions as a prelude to The Tempest: Sycorax tells her story, and casts her spell. The result is irony. Everything that happens thereafter becomes caught up in her spell. She is in full control. All of the magic is hers. No one ever actually leaves the island. All is illusion.

A friend of mine in class chose to tell the story of Miranda's mother, who also is only mentioned in the play and not even by name. I thought her story and mine would work together well. We've promised to swap stories via email.

Another friend also chose The Tempest, but chose to make it a science fiction story. She set it on a ship: Prospero is a scientist, Miranda is his android, Ariel is a computer program, Caliban is an alien. Very clever stuff. I want to read this one, too.

I really enjoyed this assignment. It reminded me of what I do best: write stories. I need to make more time for this.