2. In his Second Manifesto, Artaud describes the themes for the Theater of Cruelty as based on the ________ of ancient civilizations from all over the world.

3. What is the title of the first act of Artaud's proposed production for the Theater of Cruelty?

4. What is the name of the final act of Artaud's proposed production?

5. The first line of Artaud's Second Manifesto, states, "Admittedly or not, conscious or unconscious, _________, a transcendent experience of life, is what the public is fundamentally seeking through love, crime, drugs, war, or insurrection."

Short Essay Questions

1. What are the differences the author notes between the athlete and the actor?

2. How does Artaud describe the correlation between actions and language in his "Letters on Language"?

3. What does Artaud write in his "Letters on Language" regarding the psychology of characters?

4. What is Artaud's approach to the audience in the theater of cruelty?

5. What are the different types of breathing the author refers to?

6. In Artaud's "Letters on Language," he insists that the task of "mise en scène" must not be subordinated to spoken or written words as if this task was simply an accessory to theater. What does this mean?

7. Discuss and describe Artaud's depiction of lighting for the Theater of Cruelty in the First Manifesto.

8. Describe the events of the last two acts of "The Conquest of Mexico."

9. What must the actor control in order to relate emotions he wants to convey?

10. Discuss the use of masks and accessories as described in the First Manifesto.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the significance of Artaud's time and place in regard to his vision of humanity and the world. How might the political and social climate affected his theories? How might his own personal struggles and demons?