requested post #3
Oct. 3rd, 2007 11:31 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
drydemRed Dwarf as Shakespeare requested by dyrecorn
Now...
With that famous excerpt from Richard III as quoted in season 3, I begin my discussion of Red Dwarf's Shakespearean connections. Fundamentally, I would say that each of the main Red Dwarf characters fulfill certain Shakespearean archetypes. Lister is the Falstaff or Toby Belch archetype, the somewhat slovenly knight. Rimmer is the Don John or Malvolio archetype, the prim and proper social climber who seethes with bitterness over minor slights. The Cat is the Orlando or Benedict archetype, dashing but quite self centered, though in later seasons he becomes more of the Dogberry or Touchstone archetype, playing the undereducated fool who gets people into trouble. Finally, Kryten is the Camillo or Maria, the cunning servant who while bound to serve gets the master out of trouble.
In many ways, the interactions of these characters mirror the potential interactions of their archetypes. Put Toby Belch and Malvolio together for too long and you get Twelfth Night.
As a Shakespearean tragedy, the show is very interesting because of the combined tragic flaws of Rimmer and Lister. As the main characters of the show(I've always considered Kryten and Cat as more supporting) the two of them, interestingly enough have the same tragic flaw in different directions, ambition. For Lister, ambition is something he lacks, he never lives up to his potential and fails because of it. For Rimmer, ambition is something he has too much of. He cannot accept his position in life and make the best of it, he must strive beyond his capability for an unattainable ideal rather than enjoying life. This shared flaw is the tragedian impulse of the show.
Fundamentally, I believe that Red Dwarf, like much post-elizabethan British drama and comedy, owes a lot to Shakespeare, who owes a lot to all the authors he stole from.
Now...
With that famous excerpt from Richard III as quoted in season 3, I begin my discussion of Red Dwarf's Shakespearean connections. Fundamentally, I would say that each of the main Red Dwarf characters fulfill certain Shakespearean archetypes. Lister is the Falstaff or Toby Belch archetype, the somewhat slovenly knight. Rimmer is the Don John or Malvolio archetype, the prim and proper social climber who seethes with bitterness over minor slights. The Cat is the Orlando or Benedict archetype, dashing but quite self centered, though in later seasons he becomes more of the Dogberry or Touchstone archetype, playing the undereducated fool who gets people into trouble. Finally, Kryten is the Camillo or Maria, the cunning servant who while bound to serve gets the master out of trouble.
In many ways, the interactions of these characters mirror the potential interactions of their archetypes. Put Toby Belch and Malvolio together for too long and you get Twelfth Night.
As a Shakespearean tragedy, the show is very interesting because of the combined tragic flaws of Rimmer and Lister. As the main characters of the show(I've always considered Kryten and Cat as more supporting) the two of them, interestingly enough have the same tragic flaw in different directions, ambition. For Lister, ambition is something he lacks, he never lives up to his potential and fails because of it. For Rimmer, ambition is something he has too much of. He cannot accept his position in life and make the best of it, he must strive beyond his capability for an unattainable ideal rather than enjoying life. This shared flaw is the tragedian impulse of the show.
Fundamentally, I believe that Red Dwarf, like much post-elizabethan British drama and comedy, owes a lot to Shakespeare, who owes a lot to all the authors he stole from.
