So, I've been on a writing kick recently! And New Play Project just advertised for a new upcoming show, Bad Play Project! They were asking for bad play submissions. I thought, that sounds like fun, I'm sure that I can write a bad play. But it's harder than it looks. What constitutes a bad play? No plot? Poor characterization? Lousy dialog? Then why would someone want to see this play? It seems to me then, that to write a purposely bad play one must write a good play but in a bad way.
So, I wrote a play. It is mostly inspired by a line in the email that New Play Project sent out advertising this event. " All the plays chosen will be performed as a staged reading, so crazy stage directions (man explodes) are entirely possible." In my Shakespeare class earlier that week, we had been discussing the play The Winter's Tale, and how it contains one of the most famous stage directions Shakespeare ever wrote, "Exit, pursued by a bear." We watched a film clip of the director for the Royal Shakespeare Company talking about how hard it is to stage this, as he said "The problem is not 'exit, pursued by a bear' the problem is 'enter bear'!" How do you get a bear to enter?
And this led me to thinking. And I wrote a play, "Pursued by a bear"

Let me know what you think!

SCHOLAR

Good evening and welcome to tonight's scholarly look at The Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare. I'll be your scholar and host, Professor Geoffrey Spencer Hall. We begin tonight where we left off yesterday, with Act III, Scene 3, the sea coast of Bohemia, a shipwreck.
This scene is possibly one of the more famous of this somewhat less than famous work by the Bard. Here we met Antigonus, a lord of Sicilia, carrying the infant daughter of King Leontes, who has been banished by the mad king who suspects the child of being the issue and evidence of adultery on the part of his wife and queen. Antigonus cannot bear to see the young innocent child killed, so he has a plan: he will leave her on the shore in the hopes that someone will find her. And just as he is abandoning her we have the most famous stage direction ever written: "Exit, pursued by a bear."

(Enter Antigonus, running, pursued by a bear)

ANTIGONUS

Aaaaaah! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Bear! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

SCHOLAR

There actually is no bear.

ANTIGONUS

Wha? But I'm being pursued by a bear.

SCHOLAR

No, you're not.

ANTIGONUS

Yes, I am. It says right there in the script, "Exit, pursued by a bear." !

SCHOLAR

Yes, that's what the script says, but there is no actual bear.

ANTIGONUS

Then what's that pursuing me?

SCHOLAR

The bear is merely a symbol, it never actually existed. Shakespeare uses the bear as a symbol of Mother Nature, of nature, and of mothers in general. It is a well known adage that one must never come between a mother bear and her cubs; her rage at anyone seen to be meddling with her offspring is legendary. And here Shakespeare uses a bear to exact Nature's revenge upon the character of Antigonus, who is in the very act of exposing a child to the elements.

ANTIGONUS

I didn't mean to, I am bound to serve my king! I wasn't going to kill her, I swear!

SCHOLAR

Of course you weren't! Not after that dream you had last night.

ANTIGONUS

How do you know about my dream?

SCHOLAR

It's in the script, you give a big long monologue about it, describing how Hermoine, the queen and mother to this child, appeared to you in a vision. How you know by this apparition that she has died, most likely from grief at being spurned by her husband, labeled adulteress and traitor by her king, and having her newborn daughter ripped from her to be disposed of. She threatened you for undertaking this act, the will of your mad king, her husband, and swore in her wrath that you would never again see your own wife.

ANTIGONUS

Wow! That's exactly what happened! You're good.

SCHOLAR

Four centuries of scholars have debated on this subject. In your dream you saw the mother of the child you intended to kill come to avenge the wrongs done against her, and when you were about to leave her child to be exposed and die of the elements, the ultimate angry mother figure, the bear, appears to pursue and devour you.

ANTIGONUS

You mean I'm going to get eaten, too? That sucks! I'm just doing what I'm told.

SCHOLAR

Indeed you are. It seems Shakespeare is making a point here that was way ahead of its time, and would not become official until the Geneva Convention: that soldiers are not exempt from warcrimes or crimes against humanity simply because they were following orders. You were expected to disobey inhumane orders. What are you, a Nazi?

ANTIGONUS

What's a Nazi?

SCHOLAR

Never mind.

(Sound cue: Bear roar and crashing through trees)

ANTIGONUS

What was that?

SCHOLAR

What was what?

ANTIGONUS

That roaring and crashing sound I just heard? Is that the bear coming to get me?

SCHOLAR

Don't be ridiculous! I've told you there is no bear.

ANTIGONUS

I know, I know. It's a symbol. But I'm pretty sure I just heard a bear.

SCHOLAR

No, you didn't. But even if you did, I mean, even if there was an actual bear in the play, it is not pursuing you as much as it is being pursued.

ANTIGONUS

What does that mean?

SCHOLAR

Bear-baiting was a very popular form of public entertainment in Shakespeare's day. Bears would be brought in and chained to a stake in the middle of a pit or theatre-like arena called a bear garden, and then trained hunting dogs would be loosed upon it until either the bear or the dogs were dead. And people would take bets on which would win the fight.

ANTIGONUS

That's cruel!

SCHOLAR

Not in Shakespeare's day, which is also yours, so shut up! It was much enjoyed by royalty and commoners alike. The only evidence we have of people disapproving of the sport in Shakespeare's time only complained that it was being performed on Sundays, which the Puritans saw as 'breaking the Sabbath'.

ANTIGONUS

And what does that have to do with me, and my imminent doom?

SCHOLAR

There is no doom! That bear in the play is not pursuing you, it is being pursued by dogs for sport! Shakespeare has written this bear into the play as either a clever social commentary or a cheap appeal to the audience's baser pleasures.

ANTIGONUS

You mean, that this bear is chasing me because it is trying to exact revenge upon an Elizabethan society which revels in bear-baiting? It's gonna eat me to stop me from siccing my dogs upon it and killing it?

SCHOLAR

That's one theory, yeah. The other is that Shakespeare knew that bear-baiting was so popular and sought to give his public what they wanted: cheap entertainment in the form of a bear attack.

ANTIGONUS

A bear attacking me is entertainment?!

SCHOLAR

Sure, it's funny! In a morbid, schadenfreude sort of way.

ANTIGONUS

Taking pleasure in my pain? Is that what Nazi is?

SCHOLAR

Close enough. Anyway, are we clear now that the bear is simply a symbol, or a figment of the mind? Something meant to encourage scholarly debate?

ANTIGONUS

If you say so. Though it sounds to me like scholars are kinda grasping at straws, here.

SCHOLAR

What do you mean by that?

ANTIGONUS

Well, it's been four hundred years since these plays were written, right?

SCHOLAR

Yeah ...

ANTIGONUS

And there has been this 'scholarly debate' since pretty much the beginning, right?

SCHOLAR

Yes. Learned men have been discussing the deeper themes and meanings ever since the first performance of William Shakespeare's first play.

ANTIGONUS

Which means, that by now, you've probably run out of new intelligent things to say about them.

SCHOLAR

Wait a minute. These works are so universal, so wonderful-

ANTIGONUS

That there will always be new things to discuss? Do you really believe that? Or are you just trying to justify your career?

SCHOLAR

Well, maybe you've got a point. But it doesn't change the fact that scholars agree that the bear in this play is not an actual bear but a symbol of something much more important!

(Bear growls and tree branch breaking sounds get louder)

ANTIGONUS

Oh, you mean that bear? That bear getting very dangerously close here, is just a symbol? A symbol of what?

SCHOLAR

Of ... Of .... Of deeper themes. Of deep intellectual meaning. Of ... Of irony and wit and scholarly stuff!

ANTIGONUS

Right. It looks to me like it's just a hungry bear.

SCHOLAR

Which is exactly what it is! But it's only hungry because it's been starved to make it more aggressive when they send the dogs at it. It is a SYMBOL!

(Enter Bear, growling.)

SCHOLAR

Bear! Aaaaaah! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Bear! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

(Exit. Pursued by a bear.)

On Writing

Haven't written in a long time. And i guess that's really my problem. I should write more. Not necessarily here on the blog, but in general. Lately i've had this desire to write. I have these ideas, i need to put down on paper, but then i'm just a little lazy. I don't take the time or make the effort to write. But i need to.

That being said, here's a new short play that i'm working on.

I call it "Don't Jump!"

Don't Jump

(2 is standing on a bridge, looking out, leaning over the railing. 1 walks by)

1- Don't jump!

2- What!?

1- What?

2- What did you say?

1- I said ... (sheepishly) Don't jump.

2- Why would you say that?

1- I don't know. It was a joke. I thought it'd be funny. You were standing there at the railing and ... (trails off pathetically) (pause) Sorry. Have a nice day!

2- No.

1- No?

2- No. I'm not having a nice day. This is not a nice day. And I don't think it's going to be a nice day!

1- I'm ... sorry.

(pause)

1- Is there anything I can do?

2- No. Just go ... go.

(1 turns to leave)

2- Wait! (1 turns back) There is something you can do, if you still want to.

1- Sure, what do you need?

2- (pause) Push me.

1- What!?

2- I need you to push me.

1- Why should I do that!?

2- I had it all planned. All decided. This needed to happen, it needs to happen. But now that I'm standing here ... I can't do it. I need you to push me.

1- No! I can't. That's considered murder, or at least assisted suicide, which is illegal in most states!

2- Fine then! Just go. Turn around, walk off there. I'll figure something out on my own. (muttering - I always have to figure things out on my own. No one ever wants to help me.
something like that)

(pause)

1- (stands there uncomfortably, wants to leave, but doesn't want to leave 2 there alone) Um .... why?

2- Why what!?

1- Why are you doing this? What could drive you to such an extreme?

2-Why do you care? Do you really want to know, or are you just morbidly curious?

1-I'm ... um ... Well, to be honest, I am a little curious. What drives a person to do contemplate such a thing?

2- Why should I tell you. You don't know me. I'm nobody to you, I'm nobody to anybody.

1- No, no. You are. Sure, I guess I don't know you. I mean, we've never met, I don't know your name . . . I'm John. (extends hand)

2- I'm ... Gary. (shakes hand)

1- Well then, now I know you!

2- (chuckles) Yeah. now you do.



And that's what i've got so far. I just don't know where to take this play, what i want it to say. I don't want it to be easy, i don't want to solve all the problems. I want to leave it sort of "up in the air" so that maybe i can submit it to New Play Project's festival in June.

We'll see what happens.

On Villainy

So, it's November, and that means NaNoWriMo! National Novel Writing Month. It's a crazy concept: you have a month to write a 55,000 word novel start to finish. Sounds kinda fun, and i tried last year and fizzled out.
The thing i've realized is that i am much more of a rewriter than i am a writer. It is so much easier to go back and edit and rework something i've already written than to sit down and write it for the first time. I find that as i write, i try to edit as i go and so i get hung up on trying to find the exact right word, or whatever and i lose the whole train of thought and stop writing. I saw this with a play that i wrote. It took me over a year to get it to a point where i liked it, and it's only a ten-minute play! But i actually sat down one day and wrote it out, no matter how orrible i thought it was as i was writing it, i just kept going to the end. And then i spent months going back rereading it a thousand times, changing this word, that period, etc. until i really like it.
And so that is what i must do with my novel. I have been kicking around a couple of novel ideas (yes, that was a pun) for a while now and i just need to sit down and actually start writing, and keep writing. When it's done i can go back and make it amazing, i just need to get it down on paper!
And i'm hoping that NaNoWriMo will help motivate me! I know i'm starting late, ut let's celebrate the fact that i'm even coming to the party at all!

And so, i want to talk about Villainy! I mean, in my opinon a good villain is what makes a good book. I have always been drawn to those villains that i can relate to, they often make the creepiest bad guys. Villains who aren't just evil for the sake of being evil, but who have real motivating factors that the audience can understand. I love Richard III, who "since I cannot play a lover, i am determined to be a villain", he was never loved because of his deformities and so turned to evilness. Or Frankenstein's monster, same case, he was never shown affection or love by his creator and so he was only able to repay in kind, in villainy, in rampaging. He is a tragic figure and i pity him as much as i fear him.
That's the kind of villain i want to create. And i have thought long and hard about my villain and how to create him, why he went bad and so on. And i think i want to explore the villain as the direct opposite of the good guy.In German all evil words, like temptation, start with a prefix "ver" which means twisted or bad, it has connotations of being evil, and can be added to almost any verb or noun to make that word evil. "Leiten" is to lead, but "verleiten" is to lead astray, to tempt. "Achten" is to admire, respect, but "verachten" is to despise, scorn. You get the idea? And i want to creat a villain who is simply the good guy, but evil.
And how did he become evil? I really loved the play i saw a couple weeks ago about Lucifer before e fell and became the Devil, it portrayed him as an honest character, as a man with whom one could relate. And his reasons for falling, for rejecting God, were very understandable. I want to do that. I want a villain who maybe studied too much, learned too much and decided that Evil had to exist in this world in order for Good to exist. Without one there is no other, and so he decided in his twisted way, to become the Evil that needs to exist.

I don't know where else to go from there. But i think i wil simply start writing, now that i have some character ideas fleshed out a bit and i'll let them tell me wat happens next.

Stay tuned and i may post a few passages here!


Keep an eye out for my smashing Bestseller, The Twisted King. (title subject to change)


-Teeps

Conversation

Yet another play i'm working on.

Conversation

Games we Play

Guy and Girl sitting on a bench, or maybe a couch.

Guy: (long pause) Um… I had an interesting conversation with Bishop the other day at church.

Girl: Oh?

Guy: Yeah … it was kinda funny really. He came up to me in Priesthood and looks at me and says, “Will, I’m just wondering. I noticed you and Katie sitting together in Sacrament meeting, and last week at Institute as well. Are you and our friend an “item” now? He said “she’s a very nice girl, you should look into that. You have my blessing”. He really said that! We have his blessing! (chuckles slightly)

Girl: So, what did you say?

Guy: What?

Girl: When he asked if we were an item, what did you tell him?

Guy: Um … I told him that we spend a lot of time together, we do things together you know … and … (trails off)

(pause)

Guy: So … are we dating?

Girl: What?

Guy: I mean, we’re pretty good friends, right? And we do do a bunch of stuff together, hang out and, and such, yeah? But are we dating? I think we’ve gone on a couple dates, we saw that movie, remember, and we went to that play, that was fun, but were those dates? Did those count? Are we dating?

Girl: (pause) Do you want to be?

Guy: Yeah, sure! I mean … I’m not just saying sure because I’ve got noting else, I really do like you, we have been spending a lot of time with each other and it has been a lot of fun, don’t you think?

Girl: Yeah, it’s been great. (pause) We’re dating.

(pause)

Guy: So …

Girl: So … (pause) So, we’re official now?

Guy: Official? Like we have to fill out forms or something?

Girl: No, I just meant, we’re ‘official’, like ….

Guy: I knew what you meant, I was just teasing, giving you a hard time. I’m allowed to do that now, we’re ‘official’!

Girl: Are you making fun of me?

Guy: No! Well, yes. But that’s all part and parcel of the whole ‘official’ thing. I’m finally able to relax a bit around you, I feel as if some of the pressure has been lifted.

Girl: Pressure?

Guy: Yeah, you didn’t feel it? We would spend so much time sitting next to each other on the couch watching TV or a movie, and I really kinda wanted to reach over and hold your hand or put my arm around you, but I was so nervous, I didn’t know how you would react. But now we’re dating, and I feel great!

Girl: Oh.

I'm still writing..... more to come when i get it written.

Play II

Nobler in the Mind

(Setting: Inside a small church. The audience should feel that they are sitting in the back of the church, as part of the congregation.)

Preacher

Dear friends and family, relatives and loved ones, today we remember and respect our dearly departed Justin Peters. This athlete, musician, friend, brother, son meant so much to each of us. His life has influenced each of ours in such a way, like no one else’s could. He was, unfortunately, taken from us all too soon. His life was short, but his soul was big, and his impact on the world, on our world, even greater. He will be sorely missed.

But we who remain, we who are left now find ourselves facing a dilemma. We must ask ourselves some very difficult questions. What is life? Why must young men die? Is there a God, and does He really care? But we are not alone in asking these questions. Mankind has asked himself these questions and similar ones since the beginning of time. And must we remain without answer? Are the Heavens silent on this subject? Will God not reveal Himself and His plan to men??

The answer is … He will and He does. We have the words of Holy Prophets, written in scripture to comfort our souls in such troubled and troubling times. From Isaiah we learn ….

(While preacher continues to mouth a few words, a woman stands up from her seat, turns and walks downstage. The curtain closes behind her.)

Mother

I loved that boy. Even with everything he did, I loved him. And now he’s gone. (Pause) They say your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. And I don’t know if that happened to my Justin, but it certainly happened to me. He’s gone, but I see his life flashing before me. I remember him.

(Enter Father, as if holding a new-born child, crosses to mother)

Father

Look, honey, isn’t he beautiful? Look at our son!

Mother

I’m sure he’ll grow up to be big and tall, just like his father.

Father

Just as long as he’s as smart as his mother!

(Exits stage R, A tricycle is pushed and rolls across the stage from Stage R to Stage L, Father enters following it)

Father

Look at our little speed demon go! He’s growing up so fast!

(Exits Stage L, reenters with a baseball glove, crosses to center stage where he catches a baseball thrown from off stage)

Father

Quite an arm that kid has! Catch this one, son!

(Throws the ball back, and exits, following it. Reenters, crosses to Mother, standing next to her)

Father

Well, I gave him the car keys, and he took off with some friends. They’ll be back later.

Mother

Will they be all right?

Father

It’s his birthday; let him have some fun with his friends. They’ll be fine.

(Exits Stage R, reenters with a camera)

Father

So, our little boy is graduating today. He looks so grown up in his cap and gown. Come over here son, and stand next to your mother.

(Mother puts her arm around her “son”, and smiles as Father takes a picture, perhaps saying something like “Smile” or “Say cheese!”. Father then puts his arm around his “son” and exits Stage L. Reenters, crosses slowly to Mother, and puts his arm around her.)

Father

He’s gone. The doctors did all they could to help him, but there wasn’t much that they could do. He’s gone. Our boy is gone.

(Exits Stage L slowly,)

(Mother steps forward)

Mother

Our boy is gone. (Pause) But I’m still remembering.

(Curtain opens, and she returns to her seat.

Matt

(Stands up, walks downstage) I didn’t really know him, not really. I mean, sure, we hung out together some, played some video games together, were on the same team at school. But, he was always more a friend of a friend than actually a friend of mine, know what I mean? But still, I knew him, even if we hadn’t seen each other since we graduated. (Pause)

I still can’t believe he’s gone. It happened so suddenly, none of us expected it. But then, it wasn’t really all that surprising, either. I mean, the way he died. I think Barnes said it best, - When Justin died, the newspaper talked to all his old running buddies from high school, and Barnes told them he was so shocked to hear that he had died, but not so shocked to hear how he died, in an accident like that. Pete was always so full of life, trying to do a little bit more, go a little bit further, have a little bit more fun.

Having fun and pushing limits like that – it’s probably exactly how Justin wanted to go. (Pause) But definitely not when. (Walks to Stage Left)

Louisa

(Stands, walks downstage) So many memories. Coming back here, seeing everybody again. I wish we could all just sit around and talk about the old days forever. But it kinda seems wrong, though, laughing at the old stories when we’re here for Justin’s funeral. Everybody’s walking around so somber, they seem so depressed, and here we are laughing our heads off at Jimmy’s classic penguin impression! (Laughs slightly)

You know, we’ve known each other since elementary school, Justin and I. We even dated. I had a great time whenever I was with him. He never failed to make me smile. He was just so much fun to be with. That’s why I don’t think it’s all that bad that we laugh and have a good time at his funeral. I’m sure he would have wanted it that way. Heck, if he were here, he’d probably be making the most jokes, and definitely the most vulgar ones.

Funerals are funny in that regard. I mean, sure we’re sad that he’s dead, that we won’t get to hear any of his jokes again, won’t get to talk with him, but aren’t we supposed to be here to remember him? And remembering him makes me laugh, is there anything wrong with that? I don’t think so. I think the best tribute I can give to my dear old friend and the boy that I loved is to laugh for him. To remember his jokes and laugh for him. So, Justin, if you’re listening, this one’s for you. (Laughs)

Matt

All in all, it was a nice weekend, considering the circumstances. It was kinda nice to see everyone again, to catch up, and remember the old times. It was great to see how much some friends had changed, and to see that certain friends hadn’t changed at all.

But we were all there to mourn Justin, to pay our respects, as they say. It was a sobering experience. To think that one of our friends was dead, and at such a young age, too. That’s life, I guess. The same moment can be filled with a million different emotions. How do we deal with it? How do we keep from exploding with all of these simultaneous emotions inside? (Pause) I honestly don’t know.

(scene between Matt and Louisa)

Justin Peters

(Enters from upstage R)

It’s a really unique experience – being at your own funeral. You should try it some time. It’s odd, though, to hear so many good things said about me. I’m pretty sure half of that wasn’t true; I’m not that good am I? But I guess it makes them feel better to eulogize me like that. And that’s a funny word, eulogy – from the Greek “to speak well”, well, they certainly spoke well of me. (Pause)

And I still don’t think I was really that good. I’ve had some time to think about that lately. I remember what I learned in Sunday School: that when you die, you stand before God to be judged. Well, obviously I’m still alive – or maybe alive isn’t the right word – awake? Aware? Yeah, I’m still conscious and aware of what’s going on, here. Is that what it is to be dead? Do I still have time? Time for repentance, or forgiveness, or … or anything? I don’t know, but I guess I have some time to find out.

(Enter Angelos from Stage L)

Angelos

So, Justin, are you ready to go now?

Justin

What do you mean?

Angelos

Well, you got to see your funeral. You’ve hung around long enough. It’s time to go.

Justin

Who are you?

Angelos

Call me Angelos; I’m here to show you where to go.

Justin

Oh. Are you an angel then?

Angelos

More of a messenger, really.

Justin

(Pause) So, is there a God?

Angelos

I can’t tell you that. You have to decide for yourself.

Justin

What do you mean? I’m dead now, aren’t I?

Angelos

Given the fact that we just witnessed your funeral, I’d say the chances are pretty good.

Justin

So, don’t I get to find out now if there’s a God or not?

Angelos

Is knowing whether or not there’s a God going to change your belief in him? Is knowing going to affect how you lived your life? (Pause) Honestly, knowing has very little to do with faith.

Justin

Yeah, I know. I just wanted to know, you know?

(Starts to exit Stage L, following Angelos. Stops as he sees Louisa.)

Look at her. I loved her, you know. I really loved her. And now I’ll never see her again. I’ll never hear her sing again, or sit next to her late at night and simply watch the stars and the lights across the lake.

Angelos

Come on, Justin. Let’s go.

Justin

Louisa, I hope you have a great life. I hope you have fun. Please, remember the times we had, and not the times we won’t.

Angelos

That was beautiful. Well spoken.

Justin

Well, I guess I’m ready now. (Exits Stage L, just before exiting, stops and looks back) You know, I guess the Beatles were right. “Obladi, Oblada, Life goes on.” (Exits. Lights out.)

END

On Democratic Stability

On Democratic Stability

David Tertipes

Prof. Patterson, PL SCI 110

Ashley Burton

Since Ancient Greece there have been numerous attempts at creating stable, long-lasting democracies. Men have tried to organize government in such a way so as to guarantee to all men equal treatment under the law and an equal right to create the law. As we study the history of civilizations we see that some have been successful, while others have failed. One of the chief concerns facing both the Americans and the French during their respective revolutions was what to do after the revolution had been won. What sort of government were these nations going to set up and how could they insure that this new government, too, would not become as corrupt as the one they sought to overthrow and separate from?

These same questions face us today, as modern Americans, as well. We have now been a democratic nation for over 200 years and we have tried in the last century to establish an American-like democracy in several other nations throughout the world; in Germany and Japan after World War II, in Korea, in Viet Nam, and currently in Afghanistan and Iraq. But do we as a people, as we continue to grow and accept immigrants from all over the world, believe that our democracy is stable? Do we believe that it is the best system of government, good enough to be used as a model for the rest of the world? And what factors, specifically, lead to this belief?

The examples we have of democracies which have been established in the past and the writings and philosophies of great thinkers help us to answer these questions. We must take into account as well what we know and understand about how man goes about instituting these social contracts. With all of this we recognize that a proper understanding of human nature by those involved in creating and running the government, an encouragement of the proliferation of factions and difference of opinions and ideas, and just and decent men to set a precedence in the shape and form of government are vital factors in the establishment of an enduring, stable democracy.

One of the most important factors in creating a stable democracy is an understanding of human nature and how peoples and societies think and behave. The word democracy itself comes from Greek and means, literally, rule of the people. Thus a rule of the people must of necessity know the people and how people are generally going to behave in certain situations and under certain governments. A society wishing to establish a government that rules by the will of the people must first ask itself if it believes that people are generally innately good, virtuous citizens, or if those citizens would much rather seek their own personal interest. If we set up a government and we expect each person to act for the greater good, and instead our citizens act entirely out their own self interest, then that government will not last very long at all; laws that are based upon the people obeying them without much coercion set up among people who only do what is best for themselves will be ignored or disregarded. But on the other hand a government that heavily enforces its laws with an iron fist among a people who are mostly law-abiding will be soon revolted against by the freedom loving people.

It is not such an easy thing, though, to accurately analyze and predict human nature. There are many differing philosophical views, but that does not necessarily mean that they are wrong. History teaches us that people are very different. Societies differ in what views and virtues they hold most important and what they expect of their citizens. In old Germanic tribes the three virtues extolled above all others were honor, loyalty, and hospitality. A German would much rather have lost his life than lose his honor by being disloyal or allowing harm to come to a guest lodged in his house, but other cultures do not hold these virtues as high in regard. Thus we see that not only must we have an understanding of human nature in general in order to set up a government to rule and be ruled by the people, we need to understand the specific society or culture among whom we wish to set up this government.

We can see this in action as we study the similarities and especially the differences between the American and French Revolutions of the late 18^th Century. More specifically, when we look at the French document The Declaration of the Rights of Man and compare it with the American Bill of Rights we can see the different views these two nations had on human nature and what virtues and qualities they revered. In the French Declaration of the Rights of Man we see a greater focus on what duties are placed upon the individual citizens and how they are expected to contribute to the greater good. The American Bill of Rights, on the other hand, is much more focused on what rights the individual has and places strict limitations on what the government can do. The French people created a democracy that held the greater good in higher esteem than individual good, but just the opposite was the case in America. The American Constitution declares that the government only has those rights specifically enumerated and no other rights, thus preserving the individual rights of the people.

An understanding of human nature will also teach us another important factor leading to stability within democratic governments: the existence and encouragement of political factions and of differing opinions. James Madison, the chief architect of the American Constitution, strongly believed that most men would tend to seek their own personal interest and gain. As a result of this, any man given some small amount of political power would, by nature, seek even greater political power or influence. If this were left unchecked it would eventually lead one man or political entity assuming complete control of the entire government and instituting instead of a democracy, a tyrannical form of government. To guard against this Madison sought to divide the powers given to government among several different branches and rely on this very same desire for power, which would exist among all branches of government, to check and balance the power each individual branch could acquire or hold.

The best way, according to Madison, to protect against tyranny is to not only encourage differing opinions and factions, but provide them with the ability to compete. In the Federalist Papers, he wrote, “The great security against the gradual concentration of the several powers in the same department consists in giving to those who administer each department the necessary constitutional means, and personal motives, to resist the encroachment of others. (Federalist Papers, # 51)” To stop one branch of government from accumulating too much power, the other branches of government must be constitutionally allowed to compete for power. And as we allow this competition the branches of government will be contending and no one can seize all power for itself, which will protect the stability of the democracy and rights of the citizens.

But it is not enough to simply understand human nature and allow it to work to keep government balanced. Once a government has been set up that takes into consideration these traits innate in the populous it governs leaders are then needed who also understand these characteristics of society and who will set a precedent for future generations to follow. In the United States of America we were fortunate to have General George Washington as our first president. President Washington was not a man who sought for power; in fact, at the Constitutional Convention where he was elected president he spoke very little and took a more behind the scenes approach to leading. We can also see that President Washington was not very much concerned with the office of president by the fact that he stepped down after only two terms, thus setting a precedent that would be followed for the next 150 years until Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected to a third term, and would later be passed into law. Historian Joseph Ellis described the importance of this precedence which Washington set “that the office would routinely outlive the occupant, that the American presidency was fundamentally different from a European monarchy, that presidents, no matter how indispensable, were inherently disposable.”

That George Washington was willing to step down from the presidency is remarkable and tells us a great deal about his character. It would have been very easy for him to remain the chief executive of this new nation, accruing vast amounts of political power and influence, becoming almost as the monarchs and tyrants of Europe. It was even suggested once that he become a king of America, a position which he declined. Another man faced with such an offer might not have sought the greater good, but rather to further his own political aims. Another man might have remained president for years, gaining political allies and friends who would all have supported each other, all under the guise of a democracy yet with little actual resemblance to a government ruled by the consent of the governed. This strong, charismatic general was exactly the right man to be the first President of the United States of America, because he understood men well enough to govern them well and because he had the presence of mind to know when to hand the reigns of government back over to the people to elect a new president.

And today, more than 200 years later, we can see that these elements which exist in the government of the United States are still at work, helping us to continue to govern ourselves. The way in which the first few leaders of this nation governed led to precedents which help guide national policy even today. As Madison believed, a larger republic, with many differing factions and opinions is the only way to create a stable, enduring democratic government. And we also see that an understanding of the way in which people will think and act are all essential in creating government which can survive and still protect citizens’ rights.

New Play Project presents AMERICA!!!

You've waited for it, and now it's here!! This weekend the New Play Project presents AMERICA: six attempts to define her good, her bad and her silly. Performing at the Provo Theatre Company ( 105 N 100 E) this Friday at 7:oo pm and Saturday at 3:30 and 7:oo pm. Tickets are only $5.

I've got to tell you, this set of plays will be amazing! And I'm only slightly biased. We've got four plays that are just hilarious, from one about a Slow News Day to one featuring psychologically flawed Superheroes. But the evening is not all fun and games, we do have two serious plays, two plays written about September 11th. One is written by a man who grew up in the Bronx, about his family's experiences on that day, and the other is about the Survivor's Guild founded after the attacks, but with a very interesting twist at the end.


For our last play festival of the year, in our first play festival taking place in the Provo Theatre Company, these are some of our best plays. I, for one, am very excited. Tell all your friends to be there, you won't regret it!!