Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew is centered on the story of how Petruccio turns Kate into his ideal housewife but the other story that develops is that of Lucentio and Bianca. Kate’s story is much more interesting when compared to someone that is the polar opposite of her—Bianca. Bianca’s role in the play is that of a foil that serves as a point of reference, which can be used to compare how two women act.
Bianca’s character goes through a transformation from the beginning of the book to the end that shows her to be a dynamic. Although this transformation is hardly as obvious and drastic as Kate’s it is very important. In the opening act of the play Bianca appeals to Lucentio because she is quiet and obedient. Although she wishes to marry she does not complain at having to wait until her sister is first wed. When her father declares that he will not open Bianca to suitors until Kate has been paired she states, “Sir, I will humbly obey you.” However, this is not the Bianca that is seen after Lucentio marries her. When she is no longer under her father’s control she is unwilling to obey her husband. When Lucentio sends for her Bianca states that she cannot come because she is busy when, in reality, she is “chatting by the parlor fire” according to Kate who comes the instant she is called for. This serves as an example of her change from obedient daughter to an “improper” wife (or so considered by the audience of the time). This is a contradiction to Kate’s becoming submissive wife despite beginning as an aggressive and defiant woman.
Bianca’s character is not an aid to the main plot and does not further it but is part of contrasting plot that shows an alternative to how Kate changes through marriage. Bianca is a foil to Kate and represents what would be considered by Shakespeare’s audience as a character regression.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Monday, December 1, 2008
Shakespeare's Use of Speech
In the mid-16th to late-17th centuries, when Shakespeare wrote his plays, the technology available for changing the stage to accommodate various settings was nothing like today. There was no curtain to shield the stage from the audience in order to rearrange sets so everything was to be done in front of the live audience. As a result, the sets included only minor changes and often did not include anything to hint to the audience what time of the day the scene took place. In order to make the setting obvious, Shakespeare would often include hints in the characters’ dialogue. In addition, he used speech to set the scene, giving names and backgrounds for the characters, a storyline, and their purposes in the play all within the first few lines of their entrance. There are various examples of this throughout The Taming of the Shrew but it is very obvious in Act 1 Scene i.
In Act 1 Scene i, Lucentio and Tranio are entering Padua after journeying from Pisa. In the very first lines of the play, Lucentio sums up a great deal of information such as the man that he is speaking to, Tranio, is his “trusty servant” and that he has been sent by his father, who is a wealthy merchant. Moreover, Lucentio states, “I have Pisa left / and am to Padua come…” which informs the audience that the scene, and most of the play, will be set in Padua and that Lucentio is from Pisa. Further evidence of Shakespeare using dialogue to give information is apparent when, in his first lines of the play, Baptista explains a major part of the plot of the play by stating that his youngest daughter shall not be wed until his eldest daughter is first married. Furthermore, Katherine’s “shrew-like” nature is commented on very early and is demonstrated in her conversation with the would-be Bianca suitors. Bianca has no stage directions but it is obvious through Lucentio’s mention of her “mild behavior and sobriety” that she acts politely and is restrained.
As more characters are introduced in the play in later scenes and their purposes are also described similarly in their opening lines. This becomes a very important tool for Shakespeare to use in his plays because of the lack of set diversity. He uses speech as a means not only of describing the setting but also of describing conflicts quickly for the audience.
In Act 1 Scene i, Lucentio and Tranio are entering Padua after journeying from Pisa. In the very first lines of the play, Lucentio sums up a great deal of information such as the man that he is speaking to, Tranio, is his “trusty servant” and that he has been sent by his father, who is a wealthy merchant. Moreover, Lucentio states, “I have Pisa left / and am to Padua come…” which informs the audience that the scene, and most of the play, will be set in Padua and that Lucentio is from Pisa. Further evidence of Shakespeare using dialogue to give information is apparent when, in his first lines of the play, Baptista explains a major part of the plot of the play by stating that his youngest daughter shall not be wed until his eldest daughter is first married. Furthermore, Katherine’s “shrew-like” nature is commented on very early and is demonstrated in her conversation with the would-be Bianca suitors. Bianca has no stage directions but it is obvious through Lucentio’s mention of her “mild behavior and sobriety” that she acts politely and is restrained.
As more characters are introduced in the play in later scenes and their purposes are also described similarly in their opening lines. This becomes a very important tool for Shakespeare to use in his plays because of the lack of set diversity. He uses speech as a means not only of describing the setting but also of describing conflicts quickly for the audience.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Eveline's Epiphany
The Joycean epiphany is a realization by a character that has negative results and is usually disappointing. Joyce uses his common literary tool when, in the short story “Eveline,” Eveline is about to embark on a journey with a man she adores in order to leave a life in which she is unappreciated and unhappy. Her epiphany is that she belongs at home because it is her duty to be there.
Until the point when she is about to leave Eveline is considering all her past memories with her family and where she lived. When she is about to depart she realizes that she must abandon this attempt at reaching her dream because Buenos Aires is not where she belongs. Instead she realizes that she needs to do her duty to her father despite the abuse she faces from him. When she asks God for guidance she does not ask him to guide her to do what is best for her. Instead, “She prayed to God to direct her, to show her what was her duty.” The author using the word “duty” here is important because it shows that she asks the unselfish question of what she should do as opposed to what would make her most happy. She comes to realize that although going to Buenos Aires with Frank may be what she wants to do, what she really needs to do is be with her father and stay in the town in which she was raised.
Eveline’s realization embodies a Joycean epiphany because it is disappointing to the character and it is an understanding that she did not grasp until this point. The point at which she chooses not to go chasing her dreams is the point where the audience is disappointed that the protagonist has not chosen to improve her life.
Until the point when she is about to leave Eveline is considering all her past memories with her family and where she lived. When she is about to depart she realizes that she must abandon this attempt at reaching her dream because Buenos Aires is not where she belongs. Instead she realizes that she needs to do her duty to her father despite the abuse she faces from him. When she asks God for guidance she does not ask him to guide her to do what is best for her. Instead, “She prayed to God to direct her, to show her what was her duty.” The author using the word “duty” here is important because it shows that she asks the unselfish question of what she should do as opposed to what would make her most happy. She comes to realize that although going to Buenos Aires with Frank may be what she wants to do, what she really needs to do is be with her father and stay in the town in which she was raised.
Eveline’s realization embodies a Joycean epiphany because it is disappointing to the character and it is an understanding that she did not grasp until this point. The point at which she chooses not to go chasing her dreams is the point where the audience is disappointed that the protagonist has not chosen to improve her life.
Gaps or Invitations for Imagination?
Humans have always had a fascination with the unknown from guessing what creatures dwell on other planets to worrying about the “boogey monster” in the closet. In James Joyce’s The Dubliners, a collection of short stories, “Araby” and “The Sisters” all provide certain unknown aspects in order to let the audience use its imagination and make its own assumptions so that the stories have a variety of meanings. These gaps are seen in the form of unmentioned characters, unspecific information and the use of ellipses.
Joyce’s element of mystery is most prevalent in “The Sisters” in which a boy, whose name is not specified deals with the death of a priest who was a mentor to him. The protagonist and narrator of this story having no name is an example of Joyce’s attempt to avoid specifics. In doing so, this provides the audience a chance to give him the identity that the author never did. Moreover, this story has many instances in which the author uses ellipses to give the reader a chance to expand. This often appears in important situations that give key glimpses into characters and their feelings toward others such as when old Cotter says, “No, I wouldn’t say he was exactly . . . but there was something queer . . . there was something uncanny about him. I’ll tell you my opinion.” This gives the reader the ability to elaborate upon what the character’s meaning is. Further use of Joyce’s gap in details is seen in “Araby” where the closest Joyce comes to revealing an important character’s name is “Mangan’s sister.” Once again Joyce gives the reader an opportunity to give the character more details using the imagination as he fails to go into detail. In both of these stories the protagonist is a boy who is being raised by his aunt and uncle but neither give any explanation as to why their parents are not present. Though this seems like this would be important to the story it is not explained which gives the story flexibility for the reader.
Whereas details can captivate a reader by giving him or her a mental image, a lack of details invites the reader to create a unique and individual image. This gives the reader a way to make the story his or her own. By leaving gaps in dialogue, by leaving out names and by not declaring why either protagonist has parents the author is leaving the story open to have a different meaning for each reader.
Joyce’s element of mystery is most prevalent in “The Sisters” in which a boy, whose name is not specified deals with the death of a priest who was a mentor to him. The protagonist and narrator of this story having no name is an example of Joyce’s attempt to avoid specifics. In doing so, this provides the audience a chance to give him the identity that the author never did. Moreover, this story has many instances in which the author uses ellipses to give the reader a chance to expand. This often appears in important situations that give key glimpses into characters and their feelings toward others such as when old Cotter says, “No, I wouldn’t say he was exactly . . . but there was something queer . . . there was something uncanny about him. I’ll tell you my opinion.” This gives the reader the ability to elaborate upon what the character’s meaning is. Further use of Joyce’s gap in details is seen in “Araby” where the closest Joyce comes to revealing an important character’s name is “Mangan’s sister.” Once again Joyce gives the reader an opportunity to give the character more details using the imagination as he fails to go into detail. In both of these stories the protagonist is a boy who is being raised by his aunt and uncle but neither give any explanation as to why their parents are not present. Though this seems like this would be important to the story it is not explained which gives the story flexibility for the reader.
Whereas details can captivate a reader by giving him or her a mental image, a lack of details invites the reader to create a unique and individual image. This gives the reader a way to make the story his or her own. By leaving gaps in dialogue, by leaving out names and by not declaring why either protagonist has parents the author is leaving the story open to have a different meaning for each reader.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
The Creature of Metamorphosis
Readers of Kafka’s Metamorphosis have many views with regards to various aspects of the novella. Many different meanings have been attached to Gregor’s transformation into some type of vermin. Some suggest that he is a sexual deviant in some way and the transformation was simply metaphorical. Another interpretation is that he literally changes into another creature because he embodies an overworked slave to industry. While these are warranted arguments that are important to the story, the argument over what type of creature he becomes is unnecessary and pointless.
It was no accident that Kafka ignored details such as what creature Gregor became. It is without any purpose that many scholars argue whether Gregor is a centipede or a rat or a cockroach. The point is that he is repulsive and disgusting and there is no need to guess the details of the author’s intentional general statements. If Kafka had found it important to his central theme or to the story that the audience knew what the actual creature is, the first sentence would have been more descriptive, something like:
“As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic centipede, about six feet in length and roughly three feet in width…”
Kafka gives hints as to the creatures appearance only to advance the story, not to help the audience understand just what Gregor looks like. For Kafka writes, “His sister noticed immediately the new amusement which Gregor had found for himself—for as he crept around he left behind here and there traces of his sticky stuff.” This passage is not meant to make the reader ponder what creature would leave behind “sticking stuff.” It’s only purpose is to show that Gregor has been all around the room. However, some people read it like a clue to a mystery, only the mystery is never meant to be solved.
What should in fact be argued is what relevance the story held in Kafka’s age and what relevance it holds now. Kafka is obviously trying to give his novella meaning beyond a certain period in time. As time changes so will our conception of what is disgusting and disturbing. As Kafka designed it to, the story will adapt and take on different meanings. Therefore, although it may be interesting what Kafka had envisioned while writing this it really holds no literary significance.
It was no accident that Kafka ignored details such as what creature Gregor became. It is without any purpose that many scholars argue whether Gregor is a centipede or a rat or a cockroach. The point is that he is repulsive and disgusting and there is no need to guess the details of the author’s intentional general statements. If Kafka had found it important to his central theme or to the story that the audience knew what the actual creature is, the first sentence would have been more descriptive, something like:
“As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic centipede, about six feet in length and roughly three feet in width…”
Kafka gives hints as to the creatures appearance only to advance the story, not to help the audience understand just what Gregor looks like. For Kafka writes, “His sister noticed immediately the new amusement which Gregor had found for himself—for as he crept around he left behind here and there traces of his sticky stuff.” This passage is not meant to make the reader ponder what creature would leave behind “sticking stuff.” It’s only purpose is to show that Gregor has been all around the room. However, some people read it like a clue to a mystery, only the mystery is never meant to be solved.
What should in fact be argued is what relevance the story held in Kafka’s age and what relevance it holds now. Kafka is obviously trying to give his novella meaning beyond a certain period in time. As time changes so will our conception of what is disgusting and disturbing. As Kafka designed it to, the story will adapt and take on different meanings. Therefore, although it may be interesting what Kafka had envisioned while writing this it really holds no literary significance.
Elation with Citation!
"What an exhausting job I've picked on! Traveling about day in, day out... there's the trouble of constant traveling, of worrying about train connections, the bed and the irregular meals..."In the first chapter of Kafka's novella, The Metamorphosis Gregor Samsa wakes up to find himself turned into a giant insect. Instantly, the reader is plunged into Kafka's bizarre world where fantasy and reality are one. In doing so, Kafka warns us to find meaning (in our lives) aside from work.
Gregor has been a traveling salesman living with his parents and younger sister, and has been their sole source of support. He ran too hard to meet the demands of business and ultimately, by overworking, he resembles a parasite. He is transformed, through workaholism, to embody the popular notion that a salesman is a scurrying bug. The young traveling salesman who was pushed around and looked down on by his boss turns into the beetle he feels himself to really be.
Exhausting himself as a provider, Gregor becomes a non-entity. The Samsas all scurry with the ambition that Gregor formerly displayed, but Gregor can now scurry only across the floor. At the beginning of the third chapter, Gregor's parents and sister are paying less and less attention to him and more and more to their own misfortune. At the end of the story a charwoman removes the flat husk of Gregor's body after his death. His family members, rejuvenated by their release from him, look forward to their new lives.
While the Samsa's depended on Gregor as sole support, they trapped him into workaholism, through which he succumbed to an irreversible illness. He worked like an unconscious bug for his family (this wouldn't link for some reason: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/191095/kafkas_metamorphosis_resonates_90_years.html?cat=38), and eventually became just that.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Real or Imagined?
There are many stories that conclude with the protagonist awaking from a dream to find that all that had just happened was simply a dream. Similarly, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story “Young Goodman Brown” ends by having the audience question whether everything that took place in the story actually happened or whether goodman Brown simply dreamt of his venture into the forest. However, this must be a dream because it is simply too far-fetched to be reality.
Hawthorne’s ending leaves the audience wondering whether all of the town’s people are consciously or unconsciously hiding their true selves from one another. For the protagonist, goodman Brown, the question of whether this is a dream or not is irrelevant because he can never see the town’s people nor his family in the same light he saw them before this incident. However, it is important to the story because it determines whether it is goodman Brown or the people of his town that are insane.
After this night, goodman Brown never acts the same towards others. His life is ruined by what is evidently a dream of some sort. What makes this a dream is the fantastical elements of the tale. Many of his acquaintances make the same venture as he does into a dark forest to witness a wedding-like ceremony to welcome goodman Brown and his wife into a life of sin. Although this may be what he feels it is like to ignore his faith this cannot be a real event. It is also important that none of the people who come to witness recall the event or mention it afterward. Every other event in the story outside of this night could happen in reality but all that occurs on goodman Brown’s venture into the forest is surreal.
After this night goodman Brown is unable to see people as he did before and so this dream has as much effect upon him as any real life event. Therefore, to goodman Brown this is as real as anything in his life. For him this is reality. For the reader this is an impossible event. Therefore, goodman Brown loses his healthy mental state to nothing more than a vision.
Hawthorne’s ending leaves the audience wondering whether all of the town’s people are consciously or unconsciously hiding their true selves from one another. For the protagonist, goodman Brown, the question of whether this is a dream or not is irrelevant because he can never see the town’s people nor his family in the same light he saw them before this incident. However, it is important to the story because it determines whether it is goodman Brown or the people of his town that are insane.
After this night, goodman Brown never acts the same towards others. His life is ruined by what is evidently a dream of some sort. What makes this a dream is the fantastical elements of the tale. Many of his acquaintances make the same venture as he does into a dark forest to witness a wedding-like ceremony to welcome goodman Brown and his wife into a life of sin. Although this may be what he feels it is like to ignore his faith this cannot be a real event. It is also important that none of the people who come to witness recall the event or mention it afterward. Every other event in the story outside of this night could happen in reality but all that occurs on goodman Brown’s venture into the forest is surreal.
After this night goodman Brown is unable to see people as he did before and so this dream has as much effect upon him as any real life event. Therefore, to goodman Brown this is as real as anything in his life. For him this is reality. For the reader this is an impossible event. Therefore, goodman Brown loses his healthy mental state to nothing more than a vision.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Revised Paragraph
This is a revised version of my first paragraph. I made very few changes because I thought that I argued my point well. However, I was a bit verbose so I tried to make the paragraph more concise. My topic and concluding sentences match well with each other but are not extremely relevant to the argument presented. I had trouble creating a topic sentence that was both broad and pertinent to the topic. I attempted to change this in my revised paragraph but ended up leaving it. This might work for a paragraph by itself but certainly not a body paragraph of an essay. I did not relate some of my points back to my main argument so in the revised paragraph I added how the points furthered my thesis. Overall, the paragraph has the same ideas but is more focused in thought.
Historically, women were expected to be little more than servants to their husbands. Women who strayed from this social norm often faced dire consequences. In Robert Browning’s poem “My Last Duchess,” the Duke of Ferrara speaks of his first wife and the devotion and obedience he expected from her. Despite some evidence to the contrary it becomes obvious, through certain hints from Ferrara that her unwillingness to bend to his will resulted in her death. The Duke is not shy in telling the emissary details about his relationship with his first wife. The Duke was upset that she was, “too soon made glad, / Too easily impressed…” suggesting that she was disloyal. Ferrara continues to mention those things that angered him about his wife: her discontent at being married to someone with such a valued bloodline, her pleasure at others’ gifts, and even her happiness. These are all hints at the frustration that he felt during their relationship. He concludes this by saying, “I gave commands; / Then all smiles stopped together,” which makes it obvious to the reader that the Duke has played some part in her demise, whether he killed her or had her killed. Moreover, the Duke has moved on and is courting another mistress hoping to find one that is more obedient. Also, instead of him showing the sorrow and hurt one would expect from seeing a painting of the wife he lost, he focuses on her faults, not hesitating to list them to a perfect stranger. The Duke acts as though he is not sad about the loss of his wife and more or less confesses to having her murdered. The justification he has for this is that she does not act as a wife should--submissive and docile. Like many men of the era, he thinks of women as a lesser gender that should play their role in society by obeying men.
Historically, women were expected to be little more than servants to their husbands. Women who strayed from this social norm often faced dire consequences. In Robert Browning’s poem “My Last Duchess,” the Duke of Ferrara speaks of his first wife and the devotion and obedience he expected from her. Despite some evidence to the contrary it becomes obvious, through certain hints from Ferrara that her unwillingness to bend to his will resulted in her death. The Duke is not shy in telling the emissary details about his relationship with his first wife. The Duke was upset that she was, “too soon made glad, / Too easily impressed…” suggesting that she was disloyal. Ferrara continues to mention those things that angered him about his wife: her discontent at being married to someone with such a valued bloodline, her pleasure at others’ gifts, and even her happiness. These are all hints at the frustration that he felt during their relationship. He concludes this by saying, “I gave commands; / Then all smiles stopped together,” which makes it obvious to the reader that the Duke has played some part in her demise, whether he killed her or had her killed. Moreover, the Duke has moved on and is courting another mistress hoping to find one that is more obedient. Also, instead of him showing the sorrow and hurt one would expect from seeing a painting of the wife he lost, he focuses on her faults, not hesitating to list them to a perfect stranger. The Duke acts as though he is not sad about the loss of his wife and more or less confesses to having her murdered. The justification he has for this is that she does not act as a wife should--submissive and docile. Like many men of the era, he thinks of women as a lesser gender that should play their role in society by obeying men.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Original Paragraph
Historically, women were expected to be little more than servants to their husbands. Women who strayed from this social norm often faced dire consequences. In “My Last Duchess,” a poem by Robert Browning, Ferrara speaks of his first wife and the devotion and obedience he expected from her. Despite some evidence to the contrary it becomes obvious, through certain hints from Ferrara her unwillingness to bend to his will resulted in her death. The Duke is not shy in telling the emissary details about his first wife but at times, goes a little too in depth about their relationship. The Duke was upset that she was, “too soon made glad, / Too easily impressed…” suggesting that she was disloyal. Ferrara continues to mention those things that angered him about his wife: her discontent at being married to someone with such a valued bloodline, her pleasure at others’ gifts, and even her happiness. He concludes this by saying, “I gave commands; / Then all smiles stopped together,” which makes it obvious to the reader that the Duke has played some part in her demise, whether he killed her or had her killed. Moreover, the Duke has moved on and is courting another mistress hoping to find one that is more obedient. Also, instead of the sorrow and hurt one would expect from seeing a painting of the wife he lost, he focuses on her faults, not hesitating to list them to a perfect stranger. The Duke acts as though he is not sad about the loss of his wife and more or less confesses to having her murdered. The justification he has for this is that she does not act as a wife should--submissive and docile. Like many men of the era, he thinks of women as a lesser gender that should play their role in society by obeying men.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
"My Last Duchess" Thesis
My thesis for "My Last Duchess":
In “My Last Duchess,” a poem by Robert Browning, Ferrara speaks of his first wife and the devotion and obedience he expected from her. Despite some evidence to the contrary it becomes obvious, through certain hints from Ferrara that he has killed his wife.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings
In "A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings,” author Gabriel Garcia Marquez calls into question the typical idea of what an angel should be. When a very old man is found laying in the mud of the courtyard of Pelayo and Elisenda they take him to be nothing more than a ship wrecked sailor despite the vulture-like wings upon his back. Their neighbor, however, is quick to tell them that he is in fact an angel. When word spreads, curious people surround the “angel.”
The angel, however, is nothing like what the people would expect from a heavenly being. The conventional angel has wings that are white and majestic, is young and beautiful, speaks Latin and is to be held in awe. This poor sight is nothing like what an angel ought to be.
The reason for Marquez’s altered angel is to make the reader wonder why an angel must be so majestic. People have a mental picture of what an angel should look like but would they think anything less of a being if it did not have this conventional beauty? References to Jesus, thought by many to be the Son of God, show him as looking like nothing more than a man when he was on earth. He did not have a magnificent outward appearance that left people astonished.
Beauty holds great importance to people only when it is seen on the outside. People magazine wouldn’t top a list of the world’s most beautiful people with Mother Theresa. We value that which captures our eye like the maiden that was turned into a spider in the story.
Marquez is making the point that if angels are not that which we imagine them to be we will not hold them in such high regard. Similarly, the conventional appearance of an alien is a “little green man.” Since we assume this is what they look like, if we were to find a meteor that held an alien that looked just like a mosquito we would be disappointed. Perhaps, as Marquez suggests angels are much closer in appearance to ourselves than we would like to know.
The subtitle “A Tale for Children” is very important in showing what Marquez means to reflect in his story. Parents give their children a sugar-coated view on what the world is and so they picture the world as a generally happy and loving place. Only when they grow up do these children see the painful, harsh world as it is. Marquez is suggesting that we have a sugar-coated view of angels and we would be unwilling to see them as anything less than beautiful godly creatures. Without the beautiful outward appearance that we hope for they may become nothing more than a short-lived circus act.
The angel, however, is nothing like what the people would expect from a heavenly being. The conventional angel has wings that are white and majestic, is young and beautiful, speaks Latin and is to be held in awe. This poor sight is nothing like what an angel ought to be.
The reason for Marquez’s altered angel is to make the reader wonder why an angel must be so majestic. People have a mental picture of what an angel should look like but would they think anything less of a being if it did not have this conventional beauty? References to Jesus, thought by many to be the Son of God, show him as looking like nothing more than a man when he was on earth. He did not have a magnificent outward appearance that left people astonished.
Beauty holds great importance to people only when it is seen on the outside. People magazine wouldn’t top a list of the world’s most beautiful people with Mother Theresa. We value that which captures our eye like the maiden that was turned into a spider in the story.
Marquez is making the point that if angels are not that which we imagine them to be we will not hold them in such high regard. Similarly, the conventional appearance of an alien is a “little green man.” Since we assume this is what they look like, if we were to find a meteor that held an alien that looked just like a mosquito we would be disappointed. Perhaps, as Marquez suggests angels are much closer in appearance to ourselves than we would like to know.
The subtitle “A Tale for Children” is very important in showing what Marquez means to reflect in his story. Parents give their children a sugar-coated view on what the world is and so they picture the world as a generally happy and loving place. Only when they grow up do these children see the painful, harsh world as it is. Marquez is suggesting that we have a sugar-coated view of angels and we would be unwilling to see them as anything less than beautiful godly creatures. Without the beautiful outward appearance that we hope for they may become nothing more than a short-lived circus act.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
We Real Cool
We Real Cool
THE POOL PLAYERS.
SEVEN AT THE GOLDEN SHOVEL.
We real cool. We
Left school. We
Lurk late. We
Strike straight. We
Sing sin. We
Thin gin. We
Jazz June. We
Die soon.
Even though all of you now reading my blog could quite easily open your reader to see this poem I just had to post it on my blog again because I just love how it looks, I love how it sounds, and I love how it reads. I’m not sure I can explain why but this poem is extremely appealing to me.
I mentioned in class how I relate it to “Only the Good Die Young,” by Billy Joel. At first, this may sound a bit peculiar, as these “bad boys” are obviously certain that they will die soon but this is not the main point. This group of guys, much like the character in the song has their way of doing things and is more concerned about fun than what others think and both are rebelling against the system.
These guys are, in fact, “sticking it to the man.” These guys are the true “American Dream.” Everyone wants to have fun but they are just too afraid of the consequences. People are afraid of sinning for fear of what the afterlife might bring. These guys are like James Dean, like the Rat Pack, like the Greasers in The Outsiders, and many other American “tough guys.” This is, perhaps, why I like it so much.
We all go to school and live our “proper” lives because that’s the way you are supposed to do it. These guys, the pool players, are not afraid to break the norm and do what they want to do. Why should they put themselves through the pain of school when they can just shoot pool with the guys instead? This poem embodies the people that people in the dominant culture secretly envy--the counterculture.
By the Way
By the Way
I borrowed
your trust
which I did
not earn
knowing that
you probably
wanted
some back
I’m sorry
that I
destroyed it
on accident
In my parody of “This is Just to Say” by William Carlos Williams I mimicked the structure that he used. My poem consisted of very short lines with four lines in each stanza. The style is similar in that it is very straightforward and simply put. In the original poem the speaker is apologizing to a significant other for eating his or her plums. The style is very similar to a note one would leave as an apology on a simple piece of paper. However, one of the most intriguing parts of the poem is that the speaker does not simply stop at the apology but continues by telling the owner of the plums that they were delicious, almost in a mocking way.
In my poem, instead of something trivial, such as plums I used something that holds great significance in a relationship: trust. However, I maintain the simple, straightforward approach of the poem. The speaker in my poem shows little emotional regret at having destroyed someone’s trust. Moreover, the title of the poem is meant to suggest that the speaker finds trust to be trivial and his destruction of it to be nothing but a minor problem that can be solved simply using a note.
I borrowed
your trust
which I did
not earn
knowing that
you probably
wanted
some back
I’m sorry
that I
destroyed it
on accident
In my parody of “This is Just to Say” by William Carlos Williams I mimicked the structure that he used. My poem consisted of very short lines with four lines in each stanza. The style is similar in that it is very straightforward and simply put. In the original poem the speaker is apologizing to a significant other for eating his or her plums. The style is very similar to a note one would leave as an apology on a simple piece of paper. However, one of the most intriguing parts of the poem is that the speaker does not simply stop at the apology but continues by telling the owner of the plums that they were delicious, almost in a mocking way.
In my poem, instead of something trivial, such as plums I used something that holds great significance in a relationship: trust. However, I maintain the simple, straightforward approach of the poem. The speaker in my poem shows little emotional regret at having destroyed someone’s trust. Moreover, the title of the poem is meant to suggest that the speaker finds trust to be trivial and his destruction of it to be nothing but a minor problem that can be solved simply using a note.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
The Spade and the Pen
Imagery is one of the most powerful tools a poet has. With imagery a poet can paint the picture of his or her emotions. Poets can use something that holds relevance in the lives of many to convey something much more abstract. Without this tool, it would be much more difficult to illustrate to the reader what love feels like or to describe places that many have never even seen. In many poems there are often multiple images but one that is especially important to the meaning of the poem. This image can be used to show the theme and to give meaning to the reader.
There are two main images that are used as two tools with the same purpose in the poem Digging by Seamus Heaney. At the beginning of the poem, Heaney uses the shovel to exemplify hard manual labor. The “spade,” as he calls it, is used by his father to plant potatoes and by his grandfather to dig down to the retrieve the best peat.
The image I used to represent th
is is a painting by Van Gogh that shows a man, back hunched, surrounded by bare earth. This is how I envision the speaker's father and grandfather, heavily concentrated on their work and their bodies suffering from their devotion to farming.
The way that both his father and his grandfather use the shovel leaves the speaker in awe of their skill. The speaker however, does not possess equal skill with the spade. He does his work with a pen. However, much like his grandfather used the spade for digging down to get the best peat the speaker uses his pen to dig down to express emotions through his writing. Not only this but the pen also acts as a way to plant things much like the shovel. Unlike the shovel, however, the pen will plant ideas rather than crops.
The image I used to show the author's use of the pen is one of a hand, armed with a pen, drawing itself. T
his image shows how the speaker wants to write about his heritage and his family. In addition, this image shows how the speaker will be digging deep within himself to show his own emotions.
These connected images are heavily used throughout the poem to reflect the author’s point that people can use different tools to make an impact on the world. Whereas the speaker’s family has, in the past, used farming as a way to feed and warm people and to make a living, the speaker, himself will use his pen to reach out to people and to express his own emotions. The pen in this poem acts as the speaker’s shovel, capable of piercing the surface level to get to something deeper. He describes his grandfather as “going down, down/For the good turf. Digging.” This is exactly what the speaker hopes to do with the pen that acts as his shovel. He wants to get to the best emotions, the best feelings in order to make his work better.
There are two main images that are used as two tools with the same purpose in the poem Digging by Seamus Heaney. At the beginning of the poem, Heaney uses the shovel to exemplify hard manual labor. The “spade,” as he calls it, is used by his father to plant potatoes and by his grandfather to dig down to the retrieve the best peat.
The image I used to represent th
is is a painting by Van Gogh that shows a man, back hunched, surrounded by bare earth. This is how I envision the speaker's father and grandfather, heavily concentrated on their work and their bodies suffering from their devotion to farming.The way that both his father and his grandfather use the shovel leaves the speaker in awe of their skill. The speaker however, does not possess equal skill with the spade. He does his work with a pen. However, much like his grandfather used the spade for digging down to get the best peat the speaker uses his pen to dig down to express emotions through his writing. Not only this but the pen also acts as a way to plant things much like the shovel. Unlike the shovel, however, the pen will plant ideas rather than crops.
The image I used to show the author's use of the pen is one of a hand, armed with a pen, drawing itself. T
his image shows how the speaker wants to write about his heritage and his family. In addition, this image shows how the speaker will be digging deep within himself to show his own emotions.These connected images are heavily used throughout the poem to reflect the author’s point that people can use different tools to make an impact on the world. Whereas the speaker’s family has, in the past, used farming as a way to feed and warm people and to make a living, the speaker, himself will use his pen to reach out to people and to express his own emotions. The pen in this poem acts as the speaker’s shovel, capable of piercing the surface level to get to something deeper. He describes his grandfather as “going down, down/For the good turf. Digging.” This is exactly what the speaker hopes to do with the pen that acts as his shovel. He wants to get to the best emotions, the best feelings in order to make his work better.
Friday, October 3, 2008
My Last Duchess Blog
In reading My Last Duchess there are a few things that the speaker says that might shock the reader. For example, he all but confesses to having his wife killed and despite being considerably wealthy the obvious object of his courtship of another young lady is for yet more money. However, the most shocking part of Ferrara’s tale is his attitude towards women. It is so disconcerting that it leaves the reader feeling nothing but disgust and disdain for this man.
One of the most evident character flaws in Ferrara is his love for objects. This becomes apparent early in the poem when he shows the envoy the painting of his first wife. He begins by discussing not the woman whose death ought to have had a large impact upon his life but the painter and the painting’s detail. Only after this does he go into detail about his first wife. This gives the reader an insight into the man’s priorities. This shows how the man is more interested in the monetary value of objects rather than the emotional value.
Further into the poem Ferrara begins to discuss what bothers him most about the woman. He says that she was overly joyful and, “too soon made glad.” He hints that she may have had other lovers but continues that she also enjoyed sunsets and cherries and other such pleasures. Somehow, he finds this to be offensive and rather than appreciating her warm-heartedness he detests it. Knowing this makes the reader almost understand her unfaithful ways as any man should seem to appear more appealing than a man whose most prized possession is his “nine-hundred-years-old name.” From this section one can deduce that the speaker believes that simple pleasures should not contend with the happiness that a good social standing provides.
Also, Ferrara shares his view on a woman’s position in a marriage. She is to obey her husband and to be pleased to share his name. His digression to his statue of Neptune taming a seahorse is important in showing his feelings towards what an ideal relationship ought to be. The man, in Ferrara’s mind, is to be the god and the one with all the authority whereas the woman needs to act as his obedient and tamed pet. He should be the only one to make her smile, he should be the only pleasure in her life and he should be obeyed at all times. His wife’s failure to comply with what he deemed to be proper was enough to anger him to the point of having her killed.
This stance, that men are the predominant gender and that women should obey, is shocking to the modern audience that lives in a time when equality is increasingly important. Moreover, Ferrara’s belief that women should only show happiness in the presence of their husbands is ludicrous and selfish. The speaker in Browning’s poem is shockingly heartless and his views on women and their “place” in a relationship are offensive.
One of the most evident character flaws in Ferrara is his love for objects. This becomes apparent early in the poem when he shows the envoy the painting of his first wife. He begins by discussing not the woman whose death ought to have had a large impact upon his life but the painter and the painting’s detail. Only after this does he go into detail about his first wife. This gives the reader an insight into the man’s priorities. This shows how the man is more interested in the monetary value of objects rather than the emotional value.
Further into the poem Ferrara begins to discuss what bothers him most about the woman. He says that she was overly joyful and, “too soon made glad.” He hints that she may have had other lovers but continues that she also enjoyed sunsets and cherries and other such pleasures. Somehow, he finds this to be offensive and rather than appreciating her warm-heartedness he detests it. Knowing this makes the reader almost understand her unfaithful ways as any man should seem to appear more appealing than a man whose most prized possession is his “nine-hundred-years-old name.” From this section one can deduce that the speaker believes that simple pleasures should not contend with the happiness that a good social standing provides.
Also, Ferrara shares his view on a woman’s position in a marriage. She is to obey her husband and to be pleased to share his name. His digression to his statue of Neptune taming a seahorse is important in showing his feelings towards what an ideal relationship ought to be. The man, in Ferrara’s mind, is to be the god and the one with all the authority whereas the woman needs to act as his obedient and tamed pet. He should be the only one to make her smile, he should be the only pleasure in her life and he should be obeyed at all times. His wife’s failure to comply with what he deemed to be proper was enough to anger him to the point of having her killed.
This stance, that men are the predominant gender and that women should obey, is shocking to the modern audience that lives in a time when equality is increasingly important. Moreover, Ferrara’s belief that women should only show happiness in the presence of their husbands is ludicrous and selfish. The speaker in Browning’s poem is shockingly heartless and his views on women and their “place” in a relationship are offensive.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
The importance of form in Sonnet 73
Form is something that is heavily played with in various types of poetry. However, sonnets, more so than many other types of poetry, is often heavily bound to its restrictions. This is especially true in the rhyme scheme for Shakespearean sonnets. Moreover, all of Shakespeare’s sonnets are written in iambic pentameter, which further prevents deviation from form.
Shakespeare’s Sonnet 73 stays true to this common meter and rhyme scheme. Even though there are many restrictions upon Shakespeare’s poetic form he is able to creatively convey his ideas using the colorful vocabulary and imagery for which he was famous. In this particular sonnet, Shakespeare compares the human body to the fading seasons, the departing day and a vanishing fire. He sums up the poem with a concluding heroic couplet. This couplet is used to demonstrate the message that the author means to portray in his poem. In Sonnet 73, Shakespeare closes with this couplet:
“This thou perceiv’st, which makes thy love more strong,
To love that well which thou must leave ere long.”
In order to understand the poem it is crucial to comprehend these last two lines. The lines reflect a carpe diem theme, telling the person to whom the speaker is writing that seeing the nearness of death will make one’s love for life stronger. The speaker states that it is best to “seize the day” and love life and all its pleasures because it will end very soon.
By using the form typical of Shakespearean sonnets the author can use imagery to exemplify a point and end by stating it in a way that is more obvious to the reader. Structured form can serve as a palette for any poet to paint any masterpiece, however with a more free form, artists are able to leave the two dimensional canvas and create not just a painting but anything one could imagine. Therefore, the structure and restrictions set up sonnets stifles creativity to some degree. In a sonnet there are infinite things one could discuss but only a limited way to discuss them.
With that said, the form that an author uses can shape his or her poetry. When one gets beyond Shakespeare’s wonderful way with words his monotonous formula for poetry stifles the way that he could express himself. Form is important in showing what an author means to say and to use a form that is rarely changing suppresses what a reader can gain from a poem.
Shakespeare’s Sonnet 73 stays true to this common meter and rhyme scheme. Even though there are many restrictions upon Shakespeare’s poetic form he is able to creatively convey his ideas using the colorful vocabulary and imagery for which he was famous. In this particular sonnet, Shakespeare compares the human body to the fading seasons, the departing day and a vanishing fire. He sums up the poem with a concluding heroic couplet. This couplet is used to demonstrate the message that the author means to portray in his poem. In Sonnet 73, Shakespeare closes with this couplet:
“This thou perceiv’st, which makes thy love more strong,
To love that well which thou must leave ere long.”
In order to understand the poem it is crucial to comprehend these last two lines. The lines reflect a carpe diem theme, telling the person to whom the speaker is writing that seeing the nearness of death will make one’s love for life stronger. The speaker states that it is best to “seize the day” and love life and all its pleasures because it will end very soon.
By using the form typical of Shakespearean sonnets the author can use imagery to exemplify a point and end by stating it in a way that is more obvious to the reader. Structured form can serve as a palette for any poet to paint any masterpiece, however with a more free form, artists are able to leave the two dimensional canvas and create not just a painting but anything one could imagine. Therefore, the structure and restrictions set up sonnets stifles creativity to some degree. In a sonnet there are infinite things one could discuss but only a limited way to discuss them.
With that said, the form that an author uses can shape his or her poetry. When one gets beyond Shakespeare’s wonderful way with words his monotonous formula for poetry stifles the way that he could express himself. Form is important in showing what an author means to say and to use a form that is rarely changing suppresses what a reader can gain from a poem.
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