Sonnet

There once was a boy from the Upper East Side
He was raised in an Empire, had a stature to hold
With purpose he walked, confidence in his stride
His pockets quite deep, his suits rather bold

There once was a girl from a few blocks away
The queen of the island with minions a plenty
The steps at the MET is where her legacy lay
She schemed more than breathed, payback never came gently

When the two would join forces, no one stood a chance
Manhattan was small, full of lovers and friends
The non- judging breakfast club, a wicked romance
Outsiders were banished, no chance for amends

And with parties and trust funds, their lives wouldn’t unfurl
Until she came along… XOXO, Gossip Girl

Image from We Heart It 

Shakespeare and the Upper East Side

The CW hit T.V. series Gossip Girl (which will sadly be coming to a close on Monday, December 17th…shed a tear and stay tuned for a GG blog post next week) centers itself on three things: sex, style, and most importantly, power. Now, some may say that good things come to those who wait, however the past six years have taught us that on the Upper East Side, waiting is not an option.

Whether it’s Blair Waldorf, classy yet conniving, in her sky high Louboutin’s, or Chuck Bass, crude and clad in his Brioni suit, power is graced only upon those gruesome enough to grab it. Queen B didn’t get her title for being beautiful, bright, or bubbly. Oh no, Blair Waldorf, the queen of scheme, earned her reputation through dirty deeds and backdoor deals, and although many tried, everyone failed when their positive personalities and good hearted goals were put up against secretive seductress, Queen B. The classic tale states that the pen is mightier than the sword, but on the Upper East Side it’s a blog blast that’s mightier than a bomb, and even with their closets full of Barney’s, Bendel’s, Bergdorf’s and Birkins, everyone knows that power itself is the most coveted accessory.

The gossiping guru herself said it best: “On the Upper East Side, the rules of battle are simple: there are no rules,” and, as in Gossip Girl, the same holds true in The Tempest by William Shakespeare. In our society today, as in the societies of the past, it has been taught to us that hard work and honesty is what will get to you to the top. However, the unspoken rule as portrayed in Act Two of the The Tempest is that it is not always truth and skill that gives you power, but rather the ability to not let anything, or anyone stand in your way, regardless of the repercussions.

In Act Two, it is both Antonio and Stephano who showcase this knowledge of power and how ruthless one needs to be to obtain and then maintain it. Gossip Girl once said that “our most dangerous enemies are the ones we never knew we had” which in the case of Alonso, may very well be his own brother, Sebastian. Once all the men fall asleep, Antonio is left to conspire with and convince Sebastian to kill his own brother in order to gain power. Although Sebastian does not follow through with this plan, Antonio’s method of deceit to gain dominance demonstrated that he has what it takes to gain the ultimate control.

Similarly, Stephano exploits his power through manipulation and deceit. By inebriating the mind of another, Stephano can gain control more easily and with a lesser chance of having his subject question his motives. Although in a perfect world Sebastian, the one too loyal to kill his own brother for power, would be king, as is on the Upper East side power is given to those willing to use any means necessary.

After all……

Images From We Heart It

 

Power

Act 1, of the play The Tempest, by William Shakespeare utilizes “power” as a central theme. The play begins in the midst of a storm where the audience is introduced to many aristocrats and the boatswain, all of whom are aboard a ship. Act 1, Scene 1 discusses a power struggle between the Boatswain and the other gentlemen. Although in most circumstances the aristocrats would have authority over the boatswain, they find it difficult understand that in this situation, it is in fact the boatswain who holds the power. On land, Alonso, Antonio, and Gonzalo may be kings, however, at sea and on the ship, the boatswain is the King. Consequently, unlike the other men, he is trained and knowledgeable in steering the ship clear of the storm, and has the right to ask them to return to their rooms.

Power continues to be a central theme in Act 1, Scene 2 when the audience is introduced to Prospero and his daughter Miranda. All through her youth, Miranda had not been told the true story of her mother and why it is she lives alone with her father. The scene begins with her worrying about the storm, which it is later discovered Prospero is behind. Prospero, although physically powerless himself, is still capable of controlling Ariel, his spirt servant, and forcing him to perform acts of magic on many of the characters.  Not only does Prospero demonstrate power over both Ariel and Miranda, but he utilizes his powers over Ferdinand, by restricting him from falling in love with Miranda too quickly.