Analysis Statement: When staged in its original setting, Mozart’s Don Giovanni poses no potential problems/controversies for American opera audiences in 2019.
The essay strongly refutes the above statement and its application as a viable show the American opera audience. The contemporary era depicts enormous differences and extensive transformation from the disparities presented in Don Giovanni’s character. The character expanded and celebrated in Don Giovanni’s Mozart plays presents extensive controversies to the American society that has persevered in attaining gender equality and respect for all across different demographics. The essay analyzes the aspect of ethical criticism to refute the aforementioned statement, Don Giovanni’s sexual assault and coercion, money and power in justice processes, as well as, the transformations of the American society. Thus, it provides extensive evidence to support the refutation of the statement that augers the viability of Mozart’s Don Giovanni character among the American opera audience in 2019.
Ethical Criticism
Brown-Montesano (n.d.) expounds the ethical criticism portrayed in Mozart’s Don Giovanni play as a primary aspect to refute the importance and essence of playing it in Opera concerts. The character Don Giovanni is portrayed as a liar, manipulator, murderer, sex offender, among other negative tenets cannot be celebrated as a hero at our time. The aspects of the play are profoundly offensive and lack the ethical standards to receive the vast popularity accorded to the play. Gibbons (2018) argues that Don Giovanni is “the villain at the heart of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s celebrated opera” giving the show more value and unstoppable characteristics. In many aspects, the continuation of the play in opera concerts is an insult to the gains made in promoting human rights and civil liberties for all Americans and human beings.
The capacity to promote negative values in society is wrong and lacks merit in the 2019 era. The views of individuals such as Rose McGowan tweet, October 10, 2017, “Now am I allowed to say rapist” refer to Don Giovanni to what he was without sugarcoating male chauvinism of the 1780s (Brown-Montesano n.d.). These conceptions present popularity of values and practices that have been outdated by time and hold no part in contemporary American history. Thus, the aspects raised in Don Giovanni Mozart’s opera pose extensive problems/controversies for the American audience.
Don Giovanni’s Sexual Assault and Coercion
The play illustrates the numerous women who have been victimized by Don Giovanni and fail to be accountable for his actions until the very end. Gibbons notes that “despite the meticulously documented trail left by the women Don Giovanni victimized, he is not held accountable” (Gibbons 2018). Also, the celebration of the Mozart opera attracting high viewership questions the aspect of glamorizing a serial rapist. Such actions cannot be condoned or tolerated in the era of 2019 society. The American opera audience depicts the values of society and sexual assault, coercion, and serial rapping is not one of the social ethos, norm, or acceptable practice. The attempt of Don Giovanni to drag Zerlina into the adjoining room must not be a culture that as a society we ought to promote (Metropolitan Opera n.d.). The ill doings promoted in the play have been surpassed by time and every individual with such offenses must be held accountable and receive maximum punishment.
Money and Power in Justice Process
Don Giovanni as a wealthy individual has the power and resources to shield himself from being held accountable. Contemporary American society must hold every individual accountable for their actions. Under the rule of law, money or power must not be tools to be used in further condoning criminal offenses. The sexual offense is a major crime in the society. There is no to promote such cultures in contemporary society where one may attempt to shield oneself from the law. The justice process must be equal to all and apply without limitation of the individual’s power and wealth. The use of money and power should be construed as an advancement of crime in itself. Thus, the American opera audience in the contemporary era must question the essence of such tendencies that have been surpassed by time and norm.
The Transformation of the American Society
Over the years, American society has made tremendous progress throughout history. The advancement of human rights gives women equal rights as their male counterparts. The tendencies of promoting serial rapists and racist are unacceptable in contemporary American society. Figures such as Don Giovanni, Silent Sam – the Civil War specter, among others lack space to promote their controversial views in society (Gibbons). The figures presented as symbols of historical racism and sexual offenders cannot stand in the current era. Such practices must be abandoned and brought down with no further celebration of cruelty inflicted by their actions and practices in society.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I strongly refute the statement and find it to be highly controversial to even suggest the value of such adverse traits. Don Giovanni as a murderer, serial rapist, sexual offender, among others presents the worst in society. Don Giovanni in whose hands countless women have been victimized should no further be celebrated as a masterwork. The practices that may have gone unpunished and unaccounted should not be promoted in an equal and just society as the 2019 era. The practice should be held viewed with contempt it deserves and eliminated in contemporary society. The significance of Don Giovanni Mozart’s opera has been surpassed by time and the current society has no place for such practices to be viewed as ‘heroic’.
