The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui Literary Elements

The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui Literary Elements

Genre

Satire, Epic Theatre

Language

German

Setting and Context

1930s Chicago and Cicero

Narrator and Point of View

POV is that of the Cauliflower Trust and Ui

Tone and Mood

Satirical, Farce, Dramatic

Protagonist and Antagonist

Protagonists are the grocers. Antagonists are Ui, The Cauliflower Trust, Dogsborough, Roma, Giri and Givola

Major Conflict

Arturo Ui covers up a conspiracy involving the Cauliflower Trust and Dogsborough which he uses as leverage to gain power in Chicago.

Climax

Ui takes complete control of Chicago and then claims Cicero for his own, extorting each city and taking what he wants for his own.

Foreshadowing

Ui walking by characters early in the play without saying anything foreshadows that he is looking for a way into their business to gain power.

Understatement

The fate of the Cauliflower Trust is understated.

Allusions

The play is alludes to Adolf Hitler's rise to power in Germany and Europe in the 1930s

Imagery

Roma's haunting Ui just as Macbeth is haunted.

Bowl being gunned down on the steps of the courthouse during the trial.

Paradox

Roma is Ui's best friend; paradoxically, Ui orders his death to gain more power.

Parallelism

The Barker at the beginning of the play in the prologue is paralleled by the actor playing Arturo Ui removing his mustache and addressing the audience directly in the Epilogue at the end of the play. Both of these features of the drama break the fourth wall.

Personification

Ui becomes the personification of betrayal when he orders Roma's death. He is willing to pay any price to rise in power.

Use of Dramatic Devices

Signs that appear stating historical events leading to Hitler's rise in power in the 1930s.

The Barker and actor playing Ui breaking the fourth wall to begin and end the play.

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