Today in Theatre and Film History
+ The Details Your College Professor Left Out
June 26, 1483
1/6

Richard III is coronated King of England.
2/6
Richard III had mild scoliosis, but was famously depicted by Shakespeare as an ugly hunchback, "rudely stamp'd", "deformed, unfinish'd." Correspondingly, The Bard depeicted his soul as that of a "child killer," "murderer," "usurper." His hunch was an easy signifier of his
3/6 rotten soul in Shakespeare’s play. Shakespeare's political depiction of Richard was false and harsh in order to appease and ingratiate himself to the current Tudor monarch, Elizabeth I whose grandfather was responsible for Richard's defeat, and Shakespeare's false physical
4/6 depiction helped to dramaturgically solidify this.

To this day, the “twisted body, twisted mind” trope serves as a shortcut to character and narrative. Disability performance scholar Victoria Anne Lewis writes in “The Dramaturgy of Disability,” that the stereotype of
5/6 physical difference as a signifier of evil is so ingrained, that screenwriting manuals suggest rookie writers give their villains a limp or amputated limb as a way to instantly signify their dangerousness.
6/6 If you are curious to know more, Victoria Lewis' "The Dramaturgy of Disability" is a great starting point http://hdl.handle.net/2027/spo.act2080.0037.318
You can follow @HamOnWheels.
Tip: mention @twtextapp on a Twitter thread with the keyword “unroll” to get a link to it.

Latest Threads Unrolled:

By continuing to use the site, you are consenting to the use of cookies as explained in our Cookie Policy to improve your experience.