Blog Assigment #6

Prompt #1 (Due 11/17 by 5PM): Identify one "Round Character" (defined on pp. 17 of the reader) in James Joyce's "The Dead" and, citing specific lines or passages from the story, explain how Joyce makes them "round" as opposed to "flat." Do we hear about the character from other characters? From the narrator? From the action? From the character his/herself?

In James Joyce's "The Dead" a character that I identified as a "Round Character" is Gabriel Conroy. A round character is a complex character that has some depth and major personality traits. Round characters sometimes have contradictory traits. Flat characters, on the other hand, are not fully developed. In the story, Gabriel is represented as haughty yet very self-conscious when faced with circumstances that he did not foresee. He is never quick to speak, and studies his surroundings before interacting with those in it. This then, makes him a "Round Character".

Gabriel doesn't think too highly of women. He feels great superiority over them. For example when he was speaking to Lily in the kitchen he finds humor in the fact that she pronounced his last name with "three syllables". He feels that he is more educated than her and even jokingly comments on the fact that she is no longer in school and should marry soon. At this Lily becomes angry. Gabriel senses her anger with her quick witted response of "The men that is now is only the palaver and what they can get out of you." At this Gabriel is thrown off. He then moves on to the subject of Christmas and while stuttering tries to make himself feel better about his faux pas by offering Lily money so that she will dismiss her anger. This shows that how little he thinks of people, especially women because it shows that he thought he could rectify his social error by throwing his money around.

Gabriel is again caught off guard by a woman later in the story when he is dancing with Molly Ivors. They are laughing and talking and during conversation she teases him by saying he is unfaithful to his country. He is then unsure of how to react so he just stands "blinking his eyes and trying to smile". She then asks him why he does not want to stay in Ireland. Once he formulates his thoughts he reacts to the situation, although he is still not quite sure what she wants to hear. He says, "I'm sick of my own country." Realizing that his attempt to show off had backfired, he becomes embarrassed, especially because he has no reasoning behind the outburst he just made. Afraid of further embarrassment he runs away from the situation the same as he had done before with Lily.

Gabriel's attempt at being confident and aloof is over shadowed by his lack of social skills and awkward nature when situations do not go as he planned. These conflicting traits add depth to his character. This makes him a good representation as a "Round Character".

Blog Assignment #5

Prompt #2 (due 10/27 by 5PM): In terms of structure, what do you think is the function of an epilogue? In other words, based on either the definition of an epilogue in your reader or prior expectations/experiences with works containing epilogues, what is an epilogue "supposed" to accomplish? Citing specific aspects and lines from the play, does Prospero's speech fulfill expectations for an epilogue? Why or why not?

I think that an epilogue is "supposed" to bring closure to a play, however they can also appear after the main plot is over. It is typically the main character that gives the epilogue, in verse, and their speech is filled with their own thoughts on how the major conflict was resolved. The speech is given in a similar fashion as a soliloquy, a tool used in plays to provide more in depth information about a character or situation by a person who is talking while or as if alone, wherein both methods are spoken to the audience. In which case an epilogue could also be used to suggest a future event, that may occur in the sub-plot. In The Tempest the epilogue seems like a speech that has some closure but is more like a clever way of letting the audience know that the play has concluded and asks them for an applause to mark that it is over.

From the definition of an epilogue, it could be concluded that Prospero's speech is in fact an epilogue. Firstly, the speech is written in rhymed verse, a signature feature in epilogues. Despite the fact that he does not clearly provide us with the fate of the other characters, Prospero does reveal his own destiny. He discloses that he no longer blessed with divine powers, " Now my charms are all o'erthrown,/ And what strength I have's mine own,/ Which is most faint."(V.i.1-3). He has lost his ability to perform his art, his cloak therefore useless, as is his knowledge of said craft. He continues with this sense of helplessness by addressing the audience. He says, " I must be here confined by you,/ Or sent to Naples." (V.i.4-5). By "you" he is referring to the audience, informing them that they now how the power to control his destiny. He tells the audience that they are the only thing keeping him from getting to his desired destination of Naples. He goes on to say, "But release me from my bands/ With the help of you good hand." (V.i.9-10). This is where he gives the audience their cue to clap. By asking the audience to release him with their hands he implies that if they only clap, he will be free to go to Naples. As if not sure that the audience will respond to his request, he tries to be charming in his final plee for freedom. He says, "As you from crimes would pardoned be,/ Let your indulgence set me free." (V.i.19-20). By this he is implying that if the situation was reversed, he would surely free the audience and that they should do the same for him as a sign of respect or appreciation for what he would have done for them. By clapping the audience not only shows that they have grown fond of Prospero and wish to set him but they also give the actors and the playwright assurance that they had put on a good show. With all these facts considered, one could conclude that this does a decent job of doing what a epilogue is "supposed" to do.

Blog Assignment #4

Prompt #2: Choose one element of Scene I.i. of The Tempest that contributes to the mise-en-scéne (for a definition of mise-en-scéne, see pg. 16 of your course reader) and, tracking this element throughout the scene, suggest how it contributes to the atmosphere or mood of the scene. Does this atmosphere lead you to believe the play will consider any particular issues? Why or why not?

In The Tempest by William Shakespeare, Shakespeare use of mise-en-scéne in I.i. greatly contributes to the frustration of the characters, using the weather to set the tone of the scene. The scene opens with an intense storm, filled with thunder and lighting while a clearly worried boatswain and the boat master discuss the best plan of action to keep their little ship afloat. The ship contains not only its main personnel but royalty as well. The boatswain who appears to be in charge of the ship upright, goes about the ship yelling orders to the crew. While directing his men he is interrupted by King Alonzo and his clan who insist that they must find the shipmaster. Clearly annoyed, the boatswain scolds the royal bunch for not being in their cabin like the other people who were not helping on the deck to keep the boat steady. He makes it clear to them that they are in the way and reiterates that they should really be in their cabin. Taking the boatswains lack of respect toward him, the King does as any noble would and quickly reminds the boatswain of his place. Realizing that the storm is still a threat the boatswain tries to get rid of the King and his men by audaciously telling the King's councillor to calm the storm if they are all so high and mighty. With this all the men exchange a few insults and the King and his men storm off bitterly to their cabin as the storm rages on. The scene ends with all the passengers, staff or otherwise, praying to make it out alive. As the tensions grow on the small vessel, the storm grows stronger. Shakespeare uses the storm as a way to accompany the angry spirits on the ship, the angrier the passengers get ,the worse the storm gets.

The atmosphere of this opening scene could lead me to believe that an issue in the play could be that those who are royal think very highly of themselves and the class system. The way they reacted to the boatswains somewhat scolding them for getting in the way of the crew it made it quite clear that were offended and by requesting to then speak to his superior suggested that they could get him in trouble for messing up the natural order of things. The royal crew is quick to throw out their status to keep control whether they are right or not. They will not tolerate disrespect of any kind, especially from people they consider to be lesser than they are. I am not sure if the boatswain will be a vital character, seeing as he doesn't have a name, but just from their interactions with him, I could foresee problems in the future with King Alonzo and his men and those who disrespect them.

Blog Assignment #3

Prompt #2: Both “My Last Duchess” and “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” are dramatic monologues (for a definition, see pg. 13 of your reader). Citing specific details from the poem, if you could choose an actor to read/play the part of either Ferrara or Prufrock, who would you choose? Have fun with this, but remember that your reasoning needs to be grounded in the events, descriptions, tone, etc…of the poem. An answer such as “I think Keanu Reeves is great in everything, of course he would be a great Prufrock!” is not what I’m looking for here.

"My Last Duchess" by Robert Browning If I could chose one actor to play or read as Ferrara I would choose Johnny Depp. I feel that he would be able to use his natural tone of egocentricity to bring the monologue to life. In this monologue Ferrara discusses the relationship he had with his late wife, and that she was not the best wife while wondering why she looks so lovely and perfect in a painting but was not so when she was alive. In this, he reveals that he was a quite controlling and quick to judge. Depp could easily convey the emotions of this conceited, judgemental man.

Used to playing roles in which his character is self centered, crazy, yet still suave, Depp is no stranger to conveying a wide array of emotions in one scene. As Captain Jack Sparrow in The Pirates of the Caribbean, he played a slightly off-kilter pirate, that was smooth enough to get the ladies but too full with his dreams of getting back his stolen ship from his former pirate comrades to care about much else. He even is disappointed and hurt that his beloved ship would even work so well for anyone but him. He will stop at no end to get back what is rightfully his, and keep it all to himself.

One could equate Sparrow's love for his ship to Duke's feelings toward the Duchess. Both characters want sole control over their loved one and do not appreciate when others even look at them. The Duke sees the Duchess as one of his posses ions, like a ship, that no one else is supposed to use. They can be jealous or appreciate her from afar but she cannot return such signs of affection in return. The Duke implies that such returns of affection were too easily given; "Too easily impressed; she liked whate'er/ She looked on, and her looks went everywhere." He felt that he was the only person she should be looking at and in reflecting upon her wondering where she had gone wrong. He feels that he was nothing but good to her and cannot understand why she felt the need to look around at others; "My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name/ With anybody's gift. Who'd stoop to blame/ This sort of trifling?" He felt that he had given her the world, him, and she was not grateful enough to see or appreciate that. From this sparked the Duke's envious streak. According to Ferrara the Duchess had eyes for everyone, something he did not like, "'t was not/ Her husband's presence only, called that spot/ Of joy into the Duchess' cheek." In the end he "commands" her to stop with all her flirting to make sure that no one else could have her or would even think about it. This is related to Sparrow, who in the end, went down with his ship to ensure that no one took her in "Davey Jones locker."

Due to these similarities, I think that Johnny Depp would do a good job playing this character.

Blog Assignment #2 Washing Day

1. Are there clusters or patterns of imagery, for instance religious images, economic images, or images drawn from nature (note that this list is only examples--there may be other patterns in the poem)? If so, how do they contribute to the meaning of the poem?

In "Washing-Day" by Anna Barbauld a major comparison is made between how things are viewed from a child's perspective and how they are viewed from an adult's perspective. The poem begins with the image of women, going through the weekly chore, laundry. They come to do this without a "pleasant smile, nor quaint device of mirth," unhappy to do this tedious chore. The first scene with the women or "Muses" is one of misery, opposed to the monotonous chore while in the second scene the monotony is seen as something comforting or even amusing to a young boy. Washing gave him a chance to explore and "ponder much" his own imagination.

This poem then, could be said to be about how as we get older, we lose our sense of imagination and forget about the things we once thought were fun. The responsibilities of adults, in this case women doing the laundry, puts a damper in their day turning their sky gray, "For should the skies pour down, adieu to all/ Remains of quiet." To them, this task is all too much. For the boy however, without many other worries in life, it gives him time to think outside the box. She contrasts the more carefree nature of children to the over worked and worried women.

Along with her contrast of the attitudes of adults and children, her dark imagery also gives a good picture of the day that the women are having as they wash and in general how they feel about chores. Sentences like"But never yet did housewife notable/ Greet with a smile a rainy washing-day." or " dirt and gravel stains/ Hard to efface" paint a picture of a terribly long and hard day at the wash for the women. For the child however, phrases like " The floating bubbles" gives the wash a sense of fun and adventure. It paints a picture of happiness. Here Barbaulds use of imagery gives a good contrast from the bleak view that the women have about the laundry to the cheerful view of the children.

Blog Assignment #1

My blog is entitled "Lions, and Tigers, and English OH MY!" because it is a play on words from a famous song "Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!" from the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. I thought that changing "Bears" to "English" was a clever way of tying the subject of the course into something totally irrelevant that I happen to like. I also thought it'd be an easy title to remember for later because I tend to forget things like e-mail addresses or other on-line accounts that I've created if their names are too generic or boring. Furthermore the title connects to the fact that I like musicals because of the fact that they break away from the normality of everyday life by explaining their emotions through song and dance. I always found that amusing, whether it was cheerful like most of the songs in The Wizard of Oz or dark and sinister like most of the songs in the film Sweeney Todd. Since this class is largely about poetry I saw the relationship between music and poetry and put it all together. I find poetry to be a form of music for those who aren't musically or vocally inclined, giving words complexity and rhythm without distracting its audience with lack of talent. I also really appreciate strong and abstract metaphors; ones that make complete sense once they are said, but they are also I would have never come up with on my own. I find those to be really interesting especially when the metaphors are rhymed and create a very clear picture of the things being compared. Unlike my need for excitement and complexity in poetry, I found that it would be best to keep my page design/layout simple. When a web page is too complicated it can take away from what the creator really wants to share with people. I just used my favorite colors: purple, green, and blue. I find that these are all colors people can relate to and are used to seeing in their everyday life. I think that the more simple the layout is, the more content and information your page can contain because people won't get distracted by flashy signs and big bold prints. I was always taught that "less is more" and however cliche this phrase is, I think that it applies here. I feel that simple structure and complex thoughts not only make good poetry, but good blogs too.