Wild Duck: Journal #2

A dramatist often creates 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 Oedipus the author (or dramatist) creates a gap between what the audience knows and what the characters know, through dramatic irony. A some points the Chorus would say things while certain characters were not in the scene and then another time the blind prophet said something important while Oedipus was not listening. The purpose of doing this was to create suspense for the reader as to when the other characters will figure out the mystery and to keep the dramatic irony going. An example of this would be when Tiresias was talking to Oedipus about the mystery of who killed Lauis but Oedipus was not listening: "Turning his back on Tiresias, moving toward the palace. Tiresias: 'I will go, once I have said what I came here to say [...]' Oedipus enters the palace. 'Revealed at last, brother and father both to the children he embraces, to his mother son and husband both [...]'" (185). After Tiresias explains the situation the audience has full understanding for what is going on but Oedipus, since he left, knows nothing. This occurrence creates the dramatic irony the author was wishing to convey.

In Wild Duck the author creates a gap between what the audience knows and what the characters know through suspense. This suspense is towards the audience as well as some of the characters. One example is when Ekdal wants to show something to Gregers but asks Hjalmar first if he should. When Hjalmar says no, this is where the suspense comes in. "Ekdal: 'Hjalmar, should we show him?' Hjalmar: 'No, no, Father, not tonight.'" (150). This secret knowledge between these two characters goes on for a while until they finally break it to Gregers. But even then when we know what the object is (the duck), we don't know why it is so important to them. There are quite a few of these little suspense's throughout the first 3 acts, but the are all resolved and answered within a few pages.

Sophocles's dramatic irony is used to develop the story, whereas Ibsen's use of suspense is to keep the reader interested. Though they are both using the same technique of having a gap between how much each party knows (audience and characters) they are achieving this goal in two different, yet equally effective ways.