Arcadia Group

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fairplay
fairplay

What is the point/purpose of the juxtaposition of the two historical periods in "Arcadia"?

I need some help with why Stoppard flips from one historical period to another in Arcadia

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Posted by fairplay on Saturday November 8, 2008 at 9:51 PM and tagged with arcadia, historical periods, style, summary, themes.

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  1. ladyvols1 Teacher
    High School - 9th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    As you read the play, or see it performed the purpose of the juxtaposition is to compare the two time periods.  Stoppard uses this style of writing so the reader will know things about the past that the characters in the present don't know. "When contemporary scenes are juxtaposed on the scenes of the past, the guessing-game nature of historical studies is highlighted. The audience gets to watch Bernard and Hannah try to piece together the clues, repeatedly coming up with the wrong answers. From this, they can assume that history is often put together through such lucky (and unlucky) guesses, and that at best it is, like Thomasina's formula for chaos, only a theory."

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/arcadia/critical-overview
    http://www.enotes.com/arcadia/style

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    Posted by ladyvols1 on Saturday November 8, 2008 at 10:10 PM