Monday 17 December 2007

Bad boy vs. Good boy

George Bernard Shaw wrote the ultimate bad boy. Rex Harrison played him most delightfully. And there was a good boy too. Poor Freddy. But we all wanted Eliza Doolittle to get the bad boy. She did and she didn't. But look at how both writers handled their endings. Mitchell ended by implication. George B carefully added an addendum to his play by assuring us that Freddy got the girl. Spoiled the dream.

There is something about bad boys that attract us in fiction. Good guys don't make it. That's why the writers struggle with Robin Hood. We all have a fascination with bad boys. Of course I'm not mixing up bad boys with evil boys. Evil boys in fiction were designed to be caught and killed. Which satisfies the lust for blood.

Bad boys are bad but slightly redeemable. Fiction thrives on bad boys. Writers thrive on bad boys. Drama thrives on bad boys.

But good boys get the comedy.

Comedy loves good guys. George in Seinfeld. Everybody Loves Raymond... Frasier

Robin Hood struggles with one dimensionalism. He's like a flat diamond. All glass and no reflection. Maid Marion is left with a tragedy of 'why the hellism' and Sir Guy gets to go deeper and deeper - he's the diamond - multi faceted with lots of color to explore, shines in the dark.

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