The Comparison of Narrative, Intertextuality and Context between Original Novel, Television Series and Film: The Case Study of Siam Renaissance (Tawipob)

Abstract

This research has proposed to study 1) the elements in comparison between the “Tawipob” novel, television series, and film, 2) the intertextual comparison between the “Tawipob” novel, television series, and film, and 3) the context comparison of Thai society by selecting “Tawipob” as a case study, and its details were as follows:. the “Tawipob” novel published by Thommayanti Publishing House, at the Literature Publishing House, 13th edition, 2008, for 2 books, the “Tawipob” DVDs recording the version that was broadcasted on Channel 7 television in 1994 and 2011, and the “Tawipob” DVDs recording the movies that were released in theaters in the years 1990 and 2004. Specifically storyline, theme, character, language use, storytelling strategy, period of time / location, and song were considered. A qualitative research method was used in this research by using purposive sampling because a well-accepted, famous, and popular reproduced case study via three media forms, i.e. novels, television series, and films was of high concern. The research found that there were not much differences in the narratives of the “Tawipob” novel between the television series and films because both of the television series and the 1990 film were produced mostly based upon the novels. However, the film that was made in 2004 had some different contents. It was produced in the late reign of King Rama IV and the beginning of the reign of King Rama V, whereby the content would rather focus on politics than love affair. It was also found that both of the television series and the films maintained the ideas of the original novel. Nevertheless, the television series showed the characters’ actions via scenes, perspectives, dialogues, and so forth in different eras through the television screen. Thus, it could be expanded or modified from the original novel in an appropriate way. The research, furthermore, revealed that there was a contextual difference between the 2004 film and the others because it was presented in different contexts. That was to say, the story told about the reign of King Rama IV and the people who lived in the reign of King Rama IV who were added into the storyline. All the residences and rankings in the reign of King Rama IV were also set in this version. Social, cultural, political, and economic factors were, therefore, found different.