The Cenci Adaptation: Explanation of Artistic Intent

The Cenci Adaptation: Explanation of Artistic Intent

Our group chose to essentially write Act Six of the Cenci and expand upon the themes present in the existing play while incorporating our own interpretations of the characters. I saw the further development and exploration of Beatrice, Orsino, and Bernardo as the primary purpose of our adaptation. 

The development of Beatrice’s character is based primarily on the themes of complicated morality, cosmic justice, and internal struggle. The conundrum of whether Beatrice’s act of patricide was morally justified is explored through the juxtaposition of Beatrice and Orsino lamenting that people should “take justice into [their] own hands,” with the assassin’s argument that “it was not Beatrice’s job to take away his life.” To atone for the problematic ethics of Beatrice as a protagonist, we decided she should have a second chance at life. However, we wrote her a life of loneliness by removing the one source of love she had left by making her brother commit against Orsino the same sin she had committed against her father. In the end, Beatrice is essentially dealt a life of eternal internal struggle, demonstrating that the Gothic theme of cosmic justice prevails over even the main protagonist. Through the use of white clothing and feminine gestures, Beatrice is established as a tragic and righteous heroine. Her dialogues utilize weaker diction than that of the original in order to show her increasing vulnerability in the face of death and the loss of family. The assassin’s action of taking out her hair tie symbolizes the absolute debasement and humiliation of her character and underlies Gothic ideals of female chastity.

The fully realized Orsino in our adaptation is based on the characteristics of power-hungriness and cunning intelligence that were alluded to in the original play. In our adaptation, this furtive side to Orsino’s character is revealed and he rises to the position of the villain of the play in the Cenci’s absence. Orsino’s ability to use his position in the Church to save Beatrice while simultaneously using Beatrice’s vulnerability to win her affection is a mark of the intelligence of his emotional manipulation. Our use of asides allows the audience to more clearly understand that all his actions are motivated by power rather than genuine love. The mystery surrounding his intentions, Beatrice’s gradual discovery of his nature, and Bernardo’s vengeful hatred of his character all build the rising action and lead the audience to the primary narrative conflict that connects the three characters in the climax. At the end of the play, Orsino lies in a fetal position that mimics that of the statue next to him and symbolizes the idea that even the most cunning deceivers will face defeat when the truth is discovered.

The rise of Bernardo as a powerful figure in our adaptation is representative of Gothic themes of patriarchal power, inner demons, and revenge. As the forgotten youngest son, Bernardo is the perfect underdog. His rise in masculinity, maturity, and familial responsibility is justified by the transformative power of the immense trauma he has had to bear at such a young age. Bernardo’s troubled childhood results in his twisted relationship with powerful male figures. His sense of urgency in killing Orsino may stem from his negative experience with his father, another dominant male who wrecked havoc in his life. In scene one, Bernardo displays a continuation of his past childish behavior and sets a tragic tone for the play, aided by the use of the “All by Myself” chorus as the soundtrack. As the adapted play progresses, the diction in Bernardo’s dialogues becomes vivid, passionate, and aggressive. While he was a relatively underdeveloped and powerless character in the play, our adaptation allows Bernardo to emerge as a character capable of exacting revenge and delivering justice due to the absence of his dominating father and the creation of circumstances that require him to be a hero.

The opportunity to extend the play beyond the timeframe of the original required an in-depth analysis of the play’s characters but allowed us the creative ability to further develop these characters in directions that are surprising, yet justified by the text. While there were differing opinions on the interpretations of these characters, strong text-based justifications were usually enough to persuade the other team members that an idea for a character or plot development was rational. After having written an adaptation where we explored the potential futures of these characters, I found myself leaving with a greater understanding of their pasts.