• Cross-Cultural Studies
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• v.27
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• pp.225-253
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• 2012

Mikhail Vrubel' has written three Hamlet paintings in his extraordinary tragic lifetime. The first watercolor painting , which he has written in 1883, remained unfinished. He could not complete the second version of , which he painted in oil in the next year, neither. Finally, he has completed the third version of in 1888. As is generally known, is not widely known Vrubel's work. This work is mainly mentioned from the point of view that it is the first literary hero whom Vrubel' has created in his literatureoriented art world, and it is a presage of the Demon, Vrubel's central hero's advent. In this paper, we analyzed Vrubel's three from a different angle, nothing but from the angle of Russian Hamletism. For this, in the second chapter, we've researched Vrubel's main artistic credo. In the next chapter, we've analyzed Vrubel's three in detail from the view of Russian Hamletism.

• Journal of Popular Narrative
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.217-247
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• 2019

This research paper intends to examine the intertextuality of Klaus Mann's novel Mephisto (1936) and István Szabó's film Mephisto (1981) and how the derivative contents (i.e., film) accepted and improved the schematic aesthetics of conviction in original contents (i.e., novel). In general, the aesthetics of conviction is applied to criticize the state socialism of the artists of the Third Reich or the ideology of the artists of East Germany from a biased ethical perspective. Mephisto is also based on the aesthetics of conviction. Thus, it would be meaningful to examine the characteristic similarity and difference between Klaus Mann's real antagonist (i.e., Gustaf Gründgens) and fictional antagonist (i.e., Hendrik Höfgen) from a historical critical perspective. In this process, an aesthetic distance between the real and fictional antagonists would be secured through the internal criticism in terms of intertextuality. In this respect, the film aesthetics of István Szabó are deemed to overcome the schematic limit of the original novel. The conviction in both the novel and film of Mephisto pertains to the belief and stance of a person who compromised with the state socialism of Nazi Germany, i.e., succumbed to the irresistible history. Klaus Mann denounced Mephisto's character Höfgen (i.e., Gründgens in reality) as an "Mephisto with evil spirits" from the perspective of exile literature. For such denunciation, Klaus Mann used various means such as satire, caricature, sarcasm, parody and irony. However, his novel is devoid of introspection and "utopianism", and thus could be considered to allow personal rights to be disregarded by the freedom of art. On the contrary, István Szabó employed the two different types of evil (evil of Mephisto and evil of Faust) from a dualistic perspective (instead of a dichotomous perspective of good and evil) by expressing the character of Höfgen like both Mephisto and Hamlet (i.e., "Faust with both good and evil spirits). However, Szabó did not present the mixed character of "Mephisto and Hamlet (Faust)" only as an object of pity. Rather, Szabó called for social responsibility by showing a much more tragic end. As such, the novel Mephisto is more like the biography of an individual, and the film Mephisto is more like the biography of a generation. The aesthetics of conviction of Mephisto appears to overcome biased historical and textual perspectives through the irony of intertextuality between the novel and the film. Even if history is an irresistible "fate" to an individual, human dignity cannot be denied because it is the "value of life". The issue of conviction is not only limited to the times of Nazi Germany. It can also be raised with the ideology of the modern and contemporary history of Korea. History is so deeply rooted that it should not be criticized merely from a dichotomous perspective. When it comes to the relationship between history and individual life, a neutral point of view is required. Hopefully, this research paper will provide readers with a significant opportunity for finding out their "inner Mephisto" and "inner Hamlet."

• Journal of Korean Theatre Studies Association
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• no.52
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• pp.229-270
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• 2014

Ostermeier's Hamlet has no particular contemporary reinterpretation. Alternately devoting to show retrospect in illusion and existence through revenging actions. However, Shakespeare's metaphorical and implicative language is dissipated and the style of the play is not an illusive space-time, but a tragic theatrical production that uses rough language to express the depth of the story. The Perfomance of Hamlet is a sensuous jumble up of a diverse range of mass media. The double roles that the actors carry out give an affect of isolation between the audience and the play itself showing both empathy and liberty. Ostermeier's Hamlet distinctively shows a post-modern performance through the prominent elements of dirt, the use of mixed genre, theatric emphasis, making an image and the fulfillment of acting. Nonetheless, Ostermeier's performance stays off the point on the breakup strategy of the post-modern drama without suspending the narrative of Shakespeare's Hamlet. Besides aiming to show a performance centered by the imagery of physical expression, his performance shows New Realism in the 1960's, showing everyday life. Ostermeier thinks, that theatre helps give contemporary people an accurate reality check in the constant unstable periods of time. Therefore, Hamlet shows post-modern physical expression and outspoken dramaturgy using the effects of mass media in New Realism without breaking up realistic narration. With being the aberration of the Castle Helsingor, the main character Hamlet, expresses lunacy and can be considered as metaphor for young adults whom are broken down and isolated from the economic system. He is a substitute for those who experience agony, anger, torment, etc. and other suppressed emotions in everyday life. With the method of direction in the portrayal of Hamlet show signs of succession in the abundant popularization of the classics by communicating with the audience by following the trend of modern mass media and audio-visual perception; emphasizing the point of the philosophical topic 'life and death,' 'life and theatre,' and 'illusion and reality.'