COSI ESSAY

How is Cosi made memorable through the interaction of ideas and the way these ideas have been represented? Cosi, written by Louis Nowra is made memorable through the interaction of ideas and themes such as love and fidelity, Reality and Illusion, Madness and normality and Self growth/Personal values. Nowra represents these ideas through various language and theatrical techniques/devices such as farcial humour, dramatic irony, dialogue, symbolism and the use of a play within a play. Love and fidelity is the most prominent theme throughout the play. It is represented in the play Cosi Fan Tutte (women are like that) and through the betrayal of the characters: Don Alfonso, Dorabella, Fiordilligy and Guglielmo. It is not only represented through the characters in Mozarts play, but it is paralleled through the patients and other characters involved in the production of the play itself. The idea of fidelity and infidelity is tested through Nick and Lucy having an affair behind Lewis back, Lewis and Julia kissing during the blackout and Dougs rather vulgar thoughts about women e.g. keen for a root, and women like to think they dont play around, theyre just more secretive about it. Cherry is almost desperate for love, which is shown by her behaviour of smothering Lewis with food, and her jealousy towards Julie and Lewis kiss which is shown by the quote Kiss him again and Ill break your fuckin arm. Many of the characters change and mature as the play progresses. Lewiss views on Love and Fidelity change as the play progresses e.g. Love isnt so important nowadays to without love, the world wouldnt mean much. This links to the theme of self growth/personal values as Lewis changes from the shy, politically active student, to an evolved director. He changes his priorities from participating in the Moratorium movement with Nick and Lucy, to focusing completely on the production of Cosi Fan Tutte. The idea of self growth is also shown by Henry becoming more outgoing towards the end of the play. Henry sang his part he was supposed to mime when the music stopped due to Zac entering a comatose, when at the start of the play, he barely spoke. The theme of Madness and normality is another of the plays prominent ideas. Nowra examines the difference between sanity and insanity between the patients and the normal people such as Nick, Justin and Lucy; who are shown to not be of much difference. Nick and Lucys obsession with the Moratorium movement has almost void them of all values and kindness, whereas the patients are seen as creative, friendly people with real goals, values and aspirations. Justins quote they are people who have done extraordinary things, thought extraordinary thoughts outlines the way the patients arent exactly mad and makes the audience evaluate what we consider as being sane and insane.

The idea of Reality and illusion is put forth by the idea of a play within a play. This represents the concept between reality and illusion that interfere with the lives of the patients from day to day. The patients have defense mechanisms on how to cope with reality. Julie and Zac turn to drugs e.g. Zacs quote if I could handle reality, I wouldnt be here. Roy uses denial to help him through times of too greater reality, e.g. him lying about his childhood, saying he lived on a farm listening to Mozart, when really he spent most of his childhood in and out of orphanages. Ruth states that she can handle something being real and fake, but not at the same time as seen in the coffee scene in Cosi Fan Tutte. Ruths obsessive compulsive view on reality and illusion is ironic as it is later revealed that she becomes a time and motion expert. Nowra employs the use of many techniques to create such ideas. Nowra makes use of symbolism to represent ideas about the patients. The burnt out theatre at the beginning of the play is symbolic of the denatured lives of the patients. However, as the play progresses, the theatre is renovated, which parallels to the characters changing and maturing this links to the theme of self growth. At the very end of the play when Lewis is used as a soliloquy, the lights go out, to add to the negativity of some of the patients passing away as revealed by Lewis. The soliloquy of Lewis adds meaning to the dramatic action of the play, it amplifies themes and provides dramatic irony e.g. Lewis states that Ruth becomes a time and motion expert, which is so different from the obsessive-compulsive character she was. Humour is created through dialogue by characters such as Doug and Cherry. Dougs controversial views and his foul language create this humour e.g. Bye fat dog, and also his farcical anecdote about him burning his mothers cats. Cherrys aggressive behaviour also creates strong humour. Her aggression towards Doug and her story about duck hunting all create humour throughout the play. Nowra examined a variety of memorable ideas throughout the play such as what the audience considers as mad and normal, how love and fidelity is portrayed and what is reality and what is an illusion. The play examines the human condition and touches on other important ideas that are of great relevance to the human race.

Harrison Spicer