Ariel and Tempest

I am going to talk about nationalism.

You may be saying, "Calla, if you were going to write about nationalism, then why did you title your post in reference to your play?"

But it makes sense. Trust me.

So anyway, in my Social 20 book, they talk about nationalism, and what nationalism is. Of course, to define nationalism, one must first define a nation. My Social 20 book has many definitions of a nation (a nation is not a country. A nation-*state* is a country.) and my favorite is: A nation is a group of people who have shared history and who identify as a nation. And nationalism, by extension, is a feeling of pride and love towards your nation and the members of your nation, even if you don't actually know all the members of your nation all that well.

Well, we don't identify as a nation - and to define us as a nation is a stretch, as it would be a very small nation indeed - but I can think of no other word to describe my feelings for the cast of the Tempest but nationalism. (it is this way with most plays - I'm just using the Tempest as an example)

After the play we are exhausted. My head hurts and I can barely keep my eyes open. I left all my energy on the stage, and now I’m drained.
I don’t want to leave, though. Even considering my exhaustion, I would infinitely rather sleep here than go home, than leave these people that I have shared rehearsals and laughter and the nervousness backstage. I know I will see them again – there will be other performances. But it feels as though leaving now, we will be breaking some sort of thread, taking away a secret.

And even if I never see some of you again, we will always have this bond - we have all been a part of something really special.

Now that my serious soul-exposing is over, and now that I have embarrassed you all thoroughly, I will turn to lighter things.

Okay.
I've wanted to do this for a VERY long time, but never really got around to it (because who has time for writing when you're in a play?)

So. When in a play, I tend to create LOTS OF BACKSTORY. LOTS. (Because it's so freaking fun. This isn't thoroughness, trust me - it's just selfishness on my part.)

So I am FINALLY writing it down. But goodness gracious me - in my backstory Caliban is horrible. He's really quite horrible. And Brendan says to me that it's just Ariel's point of view, and in Caliban's backstory Ariel is the horrible one, but I would really like to hear his point of view, because it will take rather a lot of turning around to make Caliban a moral person.

But I'm not an ENTIRELY biased person, because Ariel can be horrible as well. She's amazingly self centered - not arrogant, per se, but she thinks of nothing and no one except as they pertain to her. She has no feeling for Alonso's sadness. She has no opinion of Miranda and Ferdinand's love. She just doesn't think about it, because it does not affect her directly.

So yeah. Ariel hasn't got the greatest moral compass either. I think that the only truly 'good' people in the Tempest are Miranda and Ferdinand and Gonzalo. And possibly the Boatswain. Everyone else does nasty things at some point.

But everyone in the play did a WONDERFUL job!! You all were sooooooo fantastic, and hardworking and dedicated. And all parents get MASSIVE thank yous as well. Thanks SO much for all your help.