Presentation to King Mongkut · Presentation&to&King&Mongkut&!!! Timing:!00:11:07–00:19:37!!...
Transcript of Presentation to King Mongkut · Presentation&to&King&Mongkut&!!! Timing:!00:11:07–00:19:37!!...
N a m e : F a t i m a K h a l i d A l h o s a n i I D : H 0 0 2 9 3 0 6 6 S e c t i o n : B U S 2 1 I n s t r u c t o r : M a r k A l e x a n d e r W a r n e
Film Project Anna and the King LSS2113 Intercultural Studies
March 9
08 Fall
Presentation to King Mongkut
Timing: 00:11:07 –00:19:37 The Prime Minister accompanies Anna to an audience with the King, giving her instruction about protocol in the royal presence. The first culture clash in this scene is when he told her that she have to touch her forehead on floor to great him but she refused and said that she will greet him with respect. The second cultural clash is when the King decides to end the audience before listening to Anna's request so the prime minister told Anna that she will have to come tomorrow. She ignores the Siamese protocol and addresses the King directly. The third culture clash in this scene is when Anna introduces herself as the requested teacher the King treats her with restraint because in Siamese culture wisdom is connected with (old) age and (male) gender. While in English, culture wisdom is not related to the age and gender. One of the cultural dimensions present in this scene is power distance as the Siamese culture Authority isn’t questioned, so people lower down in the hierarchy are expected to accept the way things are done without question. In British society, people question authority because they have a much lower score on the Power/Distance dimension. (National Culture) On the other hand Siam is a high context country as gender roles are clearly defined as the king mentioned that woman are not expected to be teachers while England is a low context country and Gender roles are equal. (High Context and Low Context)
First day of royal School
Timing: 00:21:30–00:23:40 On Anna’s first day of teaching the royal children Prince Chulalongkorn gave her a gift and compliment his father’s kingdom exaggeratedly Anna’s son (Louis) makes fun of him. The prince feels superior to Louis as he is the son of the King and not just the teacher's son, and he believes that his status includes the right not to be interrupted and not to be touched by inferiors. But Louis point of view was that Prince Chulalongkorn is just another boy, equal to him. After that Louis tells his mother that he is sorry. The Prince then lectures him that a man should under no circumstances apologize to a woman and the two boys get into a fight. In this scene masculinity/femininity cultural dimensions are presented when the prince said to Louis that he should never apologize to a woman which means that Siam is a Masculine society where manpower are supposed to be tough, power and focused on material success while England is a Feminine society as the controlling values for them are caring for others and quality of life. (National Culture) Also, this scene has shown power distance cultural dimension as Siam has a high power distance score where individuals are not treated equally as the prince believes that he has a higher status than Louis. While England has a lower power distance score where people are treated equally. (National Culture)
Slavery
Timing: 00:27:00–00:35:10 Anna discovers a chained slave in the backyard of a noblewoman's house. She complains to the Prime Minister about this issue and then buys the slave's freedom with her wedding ring. At a meeting with the King the noblewoman accuses Anna of tricking her and that she wants her slave back. In the Siamese system shows that noblemen have more rights than the lower classes. Slaves seem to have almost no rights at all. But the king reaction was telling the noblewomen that the law in Siam says that slaves have the right to buy their freedom. But this right has probably never been respected in Siam. Siam is a high context culture country, as the individual freedom is not valued in Siam as in the scene the noblewoman keep her slave chained and working. While England is a low context culture country as Anna gave up on her wedding ring just to buy the slave’s freedom which means that Individual freedom is valued. (High Context and Low Context)
The dinner
Timing: 00:53:57–00:55:43 Anna is asked to organize a Western dinner to improve Siam's relations with the British. While Anna is teaching the servants to serve drinks, the King appears and the slaves fall to their knees and drop the glasses. Anna told the king that this cannot happen at the dinner and asked him to let the servants stand while he’s presence at the dinner and he said “Just for one night”. The Siamese translator tells one of the British that this is the first time in Siamese history that everyone has been allowed to stand in the presence of the King. He is extremely uncomfortable with this change in power distribution and seems relieved that it is only for one night. Power distance cultural dimension is in the scene as servants has to fall to their knees while the king’s presence and no one should have a direct eye contact with the king because it’s considered as disrespecting the king. Which means that Siam has a high power distance score. On the other hand England culture doesn’t except any one to knee on the head for someone as respect and finds talking to someone without direct eye contact rude and disrespectful Reverse Siam. (National Culture)
The trial
Timing: 1:33:30–1:43:30 Tuptim has disguised herself as a monk to escape from the palace. She was caught and brought before a court, where she is accused of high treason as her action is considered as an insulation for the king. The judges didn’t listen to her explanations and did’nt believe her and gave an order to cane her but then Anna intervenes when Tuptim is caned. Anna goes to talk to King Mongkut, who is furious about her interfering. After that Tuptim and her lover (Balat) were executed. Siam is a High context culture country as people are concerned about losing face as in the scene the king didn’t prevent the execution because he’s concerned in losing face as Tuptim has damaged his honor and she has to die. Also, there is a strong sense of respect and honor in high context culture countries but Tuptim didn’t respect the king and his honor. On the other hand, Anna believes that Tuptim didn’t do any thing wrong and she doesn’t deserve to be killed and she deserve to be happy and have the right to be with her lover. (High Context and Low Context) Power distance cultural dimension appeared in this scene as people not in power accept and expect that power is spread unequally as in the scene judges did’nt listen to Tuptim explanation and then she was executed with her lover by the king’s order and they has to do nothing about it but to accept it. While in England power is kind of distributed equally and every one have the right to be listened. (National Culture)
References High Context and Low Context. (n.d.). Retrieved March 8, 2016, from Culture at Work: commuicating across cultures: http://www.culture-‐at-‐work.com/highlow.html
National Culture. (n.d.). Retrieved March 8, 2016, from The Hofstede Centre: http://geert-‐hofstede.com/national-‐culture.html