Wild Duck Journal # 3

Dramatists often create a gap between what the audience knows and what the characters know. With reference to at least two plays, discuss how and to what effect dramatists have used this technique.

In Wild Duck the audience is left out of the conversations that reveal the characters motivations for certain actions. When Gregers and Edkal go out for a walk, the audience is left inside the house. When they return Hjalmar is very upset and it bent on changing his life in a very dramatic way. The audience is left questioning why this sudden conviction has occurred and what sparked it. We believe that Gregers put him up to it because soon after Gregers returns and asks if he has done it. This shows that Gregers desired Hjalmar to perform some task that is now complete. However the audience still does not know what went on during their conversation and is forced to piece together information using hints and actions taken by the characters. By leaving the audience out of the motives of the characters it portrays a sense of realism, for in real life if you were observing a family conversation all details would not be known. This is also done to create an effect of suspense and mystery, the audience is left asking themselves, Why is this happening? How did this happen? Whats the point? It brings the audience in and forces them to analyze the situation, and there by they must look into their own life to see if the events are occurring within their own family.
In Oedipus the opposite technique is used, the audience knows everything. The story is well known and so the audience does not need to worry about guessing at what will happen. However the characters know nothing. It is a struggle they have to go through to gain knowledge and learn the outcome of their destiny. Oedipus seeks for knowledge but is denied it until the very end, whereas the audience knows everything from the beginning. This is done to create a sense of suspense, for the outcome is already known, but how will it happen. And even though the actions and events are well known it still comes as a surprise when Oedipus gouges out his eyes. There is something within human beings that loves the expected surprise of plays. This sort of audience involvement/knowledge keeps people coming back. They yearn to understand the play and to feel apart of it. Also, the plays were performed at festivals as competitions and if the audience is worry about why a character did something and worrying over the plot, they will lose focus on how the play was performed. It is a great tactic to use because if the audience is well informed of the play then they are able to be more critical and appreciative of the acting and the setting, thus insuring a win for Sophocles.