SIMPLY ANOTHER AMERICAN MYTH REVISITED* Chalermsri
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SIMPLY ANOTHER an Americanized story written for an American public. The response from its AMERICAN MYTH audiences over time confirms its social REVISITED* significance in American society. In its first production, this musical ran for 1,246 shows (03/29/50-03/20/54, St Chalermsri Chantasingh ** James Theatre). In comparison, Guys and Dolls, which received the Critics Introduction Circle Award for the best play of the season, opened earlier in the same In his article on the relationships among season (11124/50-11/25/53, 46th St. literature, culture, and the history of a Theatre), and lasted for 1,200 people, "Literature and the Historian," performances. Both musicals were R. 9ordon Kelly discusses the revived for the 1976-1977 season. Guys legitimacy and validity of using literary and Dolls ran for only 239 shows (07/ texts as historical evidence. He states 21/76-02/13/77, Broadway Theatre) and that a literary text can serve as indicator was declared a flop. The revival of The of several social parameters of a culture King and I, on the other hand, ran for and of a people who produce and 719 shows (05/02177 -1 2/30178, Uris selectively preserve it. Because literary Playhouse) and was declared a hit works are cultural products, they should, (Rosenberg and Harburg; 1993: 324). In therefore, be understood in the context 1985 it was revived again and ran for of the cultures for which they are 191 shows (01 /07/85-06/30/85, intended. Broadway). Of the nine musicals in the 1985 season, it was the only revival Literary works as a class of declared a hit. Evidently The King and cultural artifacts must be I contains something that was understood historically (as extraordinarily appealing to American opposed to critically) in the audiences over time. context of the groups which produced them and responded This paper attempts to trace the four to them. "cultural propensities" which ensure the (Kelly in American Quarterly, popularity of The King and I ( 1951) and Vol. 26:2, 149). its 'progenitors' in American society. It will also discuss the role of the entertainment industry in the propagation Within the above paradigm, The King of the Anna myth and legend. and I can then be classified as an American cultural artifact. It is evidently Four Cultural Propensities • This paper is an adaptation of part of the Kelly's paradigm that a literary piece author's study entitled "The should be understood historically in the Americanization of THE KING AND I" context of the groups that produce and (1999) respond to it asserts the inter-relatedness •· Ph. D. Lecturer, English Department, between a literary piece and the Faculty of Arts, Silpakorn University, contextual audiences to which it has Nakom Pathom, Thailand. Downloaded from Brill.com10/06/2021 06:54:03AM via free access MANUSYA: Journal ofHumanities (Speciallssue. No.5.2003) been directed. In reverse, what can this Hero worship is not alien to the literary piece tell us about the American American people either. There exist people and its society? What are the several historical and national heroes, underlying aspects in this narrative that such as George Washington, Thomas make it appealing to the American public Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and Martin over time? Luther King, Jr. There also exist "mythical" heroes, such as Davy To search for the answer to the above Crockett, Kit Carson, and Buffalo Bill. query, we need to look, on the one hand, These figures are a creative blend of into the interplay ofthe narrative, theme, fact and imagination, whose life stories and characterization and the audiences' survive by means ofliterary works about reception of them, and, on the other them. hand, how those narrative characteristics affect their audiences. What purpose do these heroes, either Then we can perceive the "cultural dead or alive, serve in a community? propensities" of this story that are Theodore L. Gross in his enlightening congruent with the underlying or book, The Heroic Ideal in American unspoken American sentiments. In the Literature ( I977), maintains that literary case of the musical The King and I, heroes "dramatize the moral texture" of there are four predominant cultural a nation. Although they are merely propensities that work effectively with artistic creations ofthe imagination, these the American audiences. heroes embody "the unspoken ideals, the undesired terrors, the dream life and the Heroism and hero worship mundane existence of their readers." Gross also contends that by discovering People's love for heroism and hero the meaning of their characters, by worship is not anything new. Thomas analyzing the roots of their behavior, we Carlyle in his compilation ofessays, "On can discern the moral fabric of a nation Heroes, Hero-Worship, and the Heroic (Gross, I977: v). Gross explains that in History" (1993), states that American social heroes are usually "[w ]orship of a hero is transcendent exceptionally courageous and active men admiration of a Great Man" (Carlyle, who seek to realize an ideal, with II). He contends that "heroes" in passions more intense than those of the numerous societies have been people whom they represent (Gross, 8 transformed into objects ofworship . For and 34). example, the Norse made the god Odin from their national hero, in the similar The hero of American literature manner that Napoleon, the French must certainly struggle and view military hero, was made emperor for his his experience with perception; people from the ashes of the French but he must, in some sense, be Revolution (Goldberg, 1993: lx-lxi; and extraordinary, and he must Carlyle, 22-23). Michael Goldberg, pursue an ideal-in protest or Cariyle's editor, agrees with him that in accommodation to some form hero worship was "an ultimate creed of of authority (Gross, viii). mankind" (Goldberg, I993: lxi). The exemplification of this idea is available in several pieces of popular 2 Downloaded from Brill.com10/06/2021 06:54:03AM via free access Simply Another American Myth Revisited entertainment, from the animated distrust and fear of the king's power is cartoon character, Mickey Mouse, to the evident at her first landing in Bangkok loner-hero in such movies like Mr. Smith ([he King and I, act 1, sc. 1). In order Goes to Washington (1939), Sergeant to reassure herself, she sings a make York (1941), Shane (1953), Superman believe song, "I Whistle a Happy Tune," (1978), and Forrest Gump (1994). in order that she has something to These are archetypal Hollywood console her. Even in Landon's book, the creations of heroes. They have to battle portrait of Anna as a "little person" the odds, overcome forces of evil fighting an imposing adversary is either within or without-and reaffirm designed to elicit sympathy among the spirit of the American dream. More readers. importantly, such movies "testify to the significant affinity between the [T]he slim figure of Anna American audience and such Leonowens seems a little rigid as characters" (Scott, 1996: 232). she moves between these flashing, colorful folk, we need The American love for heroes and hero only remember her constant need worship has been manipulated for courage and the strong sense successfully in other areas in the society of duty which gives her steel as well. In athletics, for example, when it is necessary (E.M.B., American sentiments for heroism and Springfield Republican, February, hero-worship is manifested in the 1944: 4d, emphasis added). industry's creation of the star-system, focusing on particular star athletes even And yet Anna still puts up a brave front in team sports like basketball or football, and courageously challenges the king as instead of emphasizing team effort and well as traditional Siamese practices sportsmanship as desirable values. that contradict American ideals of freedom. This is a reaction with which This emphasis on the heroes is one the American audience can identify "cultural propensity" in the narrative of itself. At the same time, they admire The King and I. This story responds to Anna in so doing. When she clashes the innate love of heroes and hero with the king on the housing issue (which worship in the American people. Since carries through the end of act I in the itsoriginall870booktoits 1956musical musical), Anna firmly stands her ground, incarnation, Anna is made to embody admirably proclaiming that she cannot the above-mentioned characteristics of live in the country "where a promise has an American hero (Gross, v, 8, 34). In no meaning" (The King and I , act 1, her dealing with the powers-that-be, sc.4). Like the hero of American namely the king in the story, Anna Western mythology, she is portrayed as answers to her impulse to stand up for a strong, independent character, seeking the ideals in which she believes. It is fairness and decency, and protecting easy for the American audience to freedom and liberty in a time and place associate itself with her because, in which there allegedly is no honor. compared to the autocratic king, she is one of"the little people" like themselves. In comparison to her adversaries, she A more subtle ideological battle ofthese would appear to be powerless. Her two opposing personalities later emerges 3 Downloaded from Brill.com10/06/2021 06:54:03AM via free access MANUSYA: Journal of Humanities (Special Issue. No.5.2003) over the issue of slavery, which is slavery sentiments. By associating portrayed in the oppression of Tuptim Siamese slavery with American slavery, and the king's cruel persistence in the musical draws the audience's pursuing the fleeing woman and attention to the horror and cruelty that eventually punishing her. Anna's has been associated with American principled stance on this issue slavery.