'Tis a Pity She's A Blog! 6

John Ford was a contemporary of shakespeare and wrote in a similar style. Most of 'Tis A Pity She's A Whore is written in Iambic Pentameter.

"Two syllables together, or three if it’s a three-syllable construction, is known as a foot. So in a line of poetry the cow would be considered one foot. Because when you say the words, the is unstressed and cow is stressed, it can be represented as da DUM. An unstressed/stressed foot is known as an iamb. That’s where the term iambic comes from.

Pentameter is simply penta, which means 5, meters. So a line of poetry written in pentameter has 5 feet, or 5 sets of stressed and unstressed syllables. In basic iambic pentameter, a line would have 5 feet of iambs, which is an unstressed and then a stressed syllable. For example:

If you would put the key inside the lock

This line has 5 feet, so it’s written in pentameter. And the stressing pattern is all iambs:

if YOU | would PUT | the KEY | inSIDE | the LOCK

da DUM | da DUM | da DUM | da DUM | da DUM"

"Definition." Iambic Pentameter. Web. 08 Mar. 2011. <http://iambicpentameter.net/iambic-pentameter-definition/>.

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Not only will we be doing the show in period dress but also with a period realistic set.

Some examples of period furniture that could be found in FLORIO's House.

category. "Antiques.com | Classifieds| Antiques » Antique Furniture For Sale Catalog 70."Antiques.com | Antiques, Art and Collectibles. Web. 09 Mar. 2011. <http://www.antiques.com/classified_items.php?SeArChItEmS=&startrage=&endrange=&catid=2&GoPageNo=70>.

Stajda,, Sharon. "Jacobean Style - Furniture And Decor." Squidoo : Welcome to Squidoo. Web. 09 Mar. 2011. <http://www.squidoo.com/jacobeanantique>.

"Jacobean Furniture. Part 3." ChestofBooks.com: Read Books Online for Free. Web. 09 Mar. 2011. <http://chestofbooks.com/home-improvement/furniture/How-To-Collect-Old-Furniture/Jacobean-Furniture-Part-3.html>.

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This is the trailer for American Conservatory Theatre's production of the show.


This trailer strongly captures the tone and imagery for the show.

'Tis a Pity She's A Blog! 3

You can see here a contemporary staging in period dress... This is the scene where Giovanni confesses his love to Annabella. 

Act 1 Scene 3

Annabella . On my knees, [She kneels.
Brother, even by our mother’s dust, I charge you,
Do not betray me to your mirth or hate;
Love me, or kill me, brother.

Giovanni . On my knees, [He kneels.
Sister, even by my mother’s dust I charge you,
Do not betray me to your mirth or hate;
Love me, or kill me, sister.

Annabella . You mean good sooth, then?

Giovanni . In good troth, I do;
And so do you, I hope: say, I’m in earnest.

Annabella . I’ll swear it, I.¹⁷

Giovanni . And I; and by this kiss, [Kisses her.
(Once more, yet once more; now let’s rise) [they rise] by this,
I would not change this minute for Elysium.
What must we now do ?

Annabella . What you will.

Giovanni . Come then;
After so many tears as we have wept,
Let’s learn to court in smiles, to kiss, and sleep.

"Tis a Pity Shes a Whore Image by Cjonesang on Photobucket."

Web. 08 Mar. 2011. <http://media.photobucket.com/image/Tis a pity shes a whore/cjonesang/Whore1.jpg>.

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Some history on the playwright JOHN FORD.

Jonathan Ford was an English Dramatist. 'Tis A Pity She's A Whore is his best known work. He wrote during the Jacobean(1603–25) and Caroline(1625 – 49) eras. Surprisingly enough Incest is not an uncommon theme in his plays.
Some of his other shows include:
The Lover's Melancholy
The Broken Heart 
Love's Sacrifice 
The Fancies Chaste and Noble 
The Lady's Trial





"John Ford (dramatist)." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 08 Mar. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ford_(dramatist)#The_canon_of_Ford.27s_plays>.


"Ford, John"  World Encyclopedia. Philip's, 2008. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press.  Central Washington University.  9 March 2011  <http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t142.e4224>
"Shakespeare's Contemporaries." Mr. William Shakespeare and the Internet. Web. 08 Mar. 2011. <http://shakespeare.palomar.edu/contemporaries.htm#Ford>.


"Caroline"  The Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms. Chris Baldick. Oxford University Press, 2008. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press.  Central Washington University.  9 March 2011  <http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t56.e170>


"Jacobean"  World Encyclopedia. Philip's, 2008. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press.  Central Washington University.  9 March 2011  <http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t142.e5936>

'Tis a Pity She's A Blog! 1

'Tis A Pity She's A Whore by John Ford

The script we will be using can be found by following the link 

Script ('Tis A Pity She's A Whore)

This translation in the public domain, that is fairly complete. 

but one that is easier to read on your computer can be found by following this link.

SECOND QUARTER

ALL POSTS FOLLOWING THIS ONE WILL BE FOR WINTER 2011