A Review of the Tenth Muse

A Review of the Tenth Muse

A Plot Summary and Description of Setting and Style

Tenth Muse, written by Catherine Chung, revolves around the author’s life right from her childhood. Katherine, a mathematician, is on a quest to solve the Riemann hypothesis, which is a mathematical problem that has been a concern to the entire world. Catherine, in the 1950s, is raised by a distant mother and a father who is a war hero and encourages her to continue with her ambitions thinking outside the box (Chung). It was after the death of her mother that she developed an obsession in Mathematics ending up becoming a world’s renowned mathematician and later solved the greatest mathematical problem of her time. Despite her academic success, the narrator, being an Asian woman, is subjected to numerous prejudices. For instance, at one point, a male peer copies her notes and without being punished just because he is a man. Catherine goes through various hurdles and makes numerous sacrifices to become a renowned mathematician of her time. Generally, the novel adopts a setting of a male-dominated world where women find it hard to thrive and is built on a figurative style.

The Acting Choices

The author is keen when choosing her actors. The play is highly dominated by women who take a central role as the main characters. She recognizes female mathematicians such as Hypatia, Sofia Kovalevskaya, Emmy Noether, and Maria Mayer discussing the challenges they went through and sacrifices they made to become significant figures in the field of mathematics (Chung). The novel begins with female actors who, in their caring nature, take care of each other. The perfect choice of actors played a central role in effectively picturing women’s rights, roles as perceived by society, and how factors such as religion and racism are impacting their development. Chung persuasively knits together real-world stories as well as myths and legends to provide a perfect reflection of the plights and abilities of women while holding to European and Asian fronts.

The Directing Choices

As previously noted, the storyline of the Tenth Muse is motivated by the life of the author, who recognizes women’s plights and struggles in society. The author is keen at creating female heroes who, in their journey to become great, makes effective choices on what matters most to them and pursue them notwithstanding the challenges that arise. In the process of effectively reflecting on a male-dominated society, the play director is keen to ensure clarity, epic feeling, and relevant language. For instance, she uses history and language of mathematics to effectively create a setting for the mathematical problem that the protagonist struggled with.

Design Choices

The play resonates high-level of planning and organization from the use of language, the selection of setting, and the choice of attire. Generally, the author maintains scenes which are poetically, musically, emotionally, and visually beautiful and corresponds to the pending situations. For instance, she receives a sexist sentiment when admitted to the Math University, “If you were a man, you’d have a brilliant future ahead of you” (Chung). The words were well designed to mirror a woman as an inferior being irrespective of the level of her intellectuality. Generally, the author designs the play in a manner that sets a ceiling for elite women, while men seem to have no limits.

Why the Play is Relevant Today

The play’s relevance in the contemporary world is seen in its overemphasis on the plight of women and the need to create room for women to thrive, both intellectually and socially. Despite her success in the field of mathematics, Katherine is still struggling to be heard ad hoping to be included in conversations. The play depicts that while some countries have fostered gender equality and inclusivity, some are nevertheless oppressive. She says, “The truth is I feel freer here in Germany than I ever did back home” (Chung). Like Catherine, numerous women are still struggling today in an attempt to establish their personal and social identity. Thus the play sets the pace for the need to reconsider women’s rights.

The Audience

Given the reference to Mathematicians and complex mathematical terms, it would seem that the author targeted an audience with some mathematics background. However, looking deeper into the main objective of the author, it becomes clearer that the play is meant for the lay audience who are concerned about social equity and gender equality. Catherine wants the audience to realize the problems that women go through in their attempt to succeed in life. With such information, the audience can make better choices not only to fight for human rights but also to stay committed to one’s goals despite the challenges that might arise.

Personal Take on the Show

Generally, the Tenth Muse by Catherine Chung is an excellent and satisfying play that showcases a rare talent and a commitment of the protagonist to ensure that the talent comes to fruition despite the imminent challenges. It inspires the audience to pursue their goals and learn to overcome the encounters that come their way. It encourages women to remain ambitious and be prepared to deal with the problems in the male-dominated world. Additionally, the play is a perfect epitome of a society dominated by males and the great injustices it generated for the females sending a critical message for the need intensify efforts towards gender equality.