English 144: King Lear

Whoa... What a way to end a play. No happiness whatsoever.

It is sad how there never seems to be any true, pure happiness/ love throughout the play. Love is seen as a way to betray someone... From the very beginning people (Regan, Goneril, and Edmund) confess to their father how it is them who love their father the most. They use the human emotion of wanting to be loved and feel like you are the greatest thing, to destroy their fathers. Now these two fathers (Lear and Gloucester) other children also show their love, but in a way that is down played from their siblings. Cordelia who tells her father she loves him but that half her love will go to her husband, once married, is punished for not claiming to love her fahter above everything. Same goes for Gloucester's other son, Edgar, who truly loves his father but is made out as the bad guy because Edmund sets him up.

In the end it is Cordelia and Edgar that end up being the faithful and loving children that both fathers had truly longed for. Goneril, Regan, and Edmund only wanted to get more powerful and rich... so they lied about their love in order to impress their father which then allowed them to be able to betray him more easily. The whole play is very weird and messed up.

There is no real love that survivies... Everyone seems to use love as a way to gain more power and control--> which in the end doesn't matter because everyone dies who was trying to betray each other. Actually, even the good ones die too. I don't know... This play has too many turns and twists. At first you think it is about love but then it turns into betrayal and hate. However, I still enjoyed the play and thought it was interesting that Shakespeare took this direction in the play...

English 174: Invisible Man

It is interesting how after the narrator finds out that Dr. Bledsoe has screwed him over and that he has really nothing to look forward too, he is still hopeful. Of course he does meet some nice people along the way that seem to really help him, like Mary. Mary seemed legit, just out to help not trying to screw people over to make sure she got ahead of them. I am sad that the narrator left her place to join this "Brotherhood" Jack has created.

I don't trust Jack. There is something about him I can't really describe, but I feel like the narrator is going to end up getting screwed over. Jack starts by complimenting the narrator and telling him that this "brotherhood" he has created is used to help fight for the people whose heritages have been dispossessed of. Why the narrator joins is beyond me, especially after Jack has him change is name and housing. Seems a bit weird that you have to leave everything behind, find a new place to live, get a new name, and create a new identity to be in this brotherhood. I think it is a way for Jack to have control over people... Interesting how the narrator's name is changed, along with his identity, and the reader still has no name for him. I think this helps with the whole idea that the narrator doesn't know who he is yet, and so the reader isn't supposed to know either. And once you give someone a name, you begin to identify them as someone... you know? Also, how does this group get money? When the narrator first joins, they just give him $300 to pay off debt and then some more to buy new clothes. On top of all that, they are going to pay him $60 a week. This whole thing just seems a bit shady.

I can't wait to see how this situation turns out... not good I know because we already know how bitter the narrator turns out.

English 144: King Lear

So King Lear's daughters Goneril and Regan are the definition of evil, yes? I cannot believe all the bad and evil things that the children do in these two acts. Goneril and Regan throw their father out into the storm when he refuses to give up everything... They are first evil for trying to make him give up everything and become nothing, but then they take it to the next step by basically disowning him. They do not care if he lives or dies, as long as they get all the power and kingdom for themselves. How can someone have such hate for their parent? Family betrayal seems to be the key in this play though.

Gloucester is also betrayed by a child, his illegitimate son Edmund. Thanks to Edmund, Gloucester gets tied up by Regan and Cornwall and tortured. In the end, Gloucester's eyes are ripped out by Cornwall. Thankfully Cornwall gets stabbed and is wounded so him and Regan leave, allowing the servants to help clean Gloucester's face and send him away. Some of the things these children do to their parents... how do they live with that?

It seems like the children that proclaim their love to be the greatest for their parent are the ones that betray them. Is that part of the moral of this play- don't trust children that claim to love you the most? What the heck?! Full on evil right there.... I hope those three characters (Goneril, Regan, and Edmund) all get punished and fully pay for their betrayals.

English 174: Invisible Man

What is up with this Dr. Bledsoe guy? He is supposed to be the president of the university, which to me means he is supposed to look out for each student. At the beginning he seemed to really care about students getting a great education but then as "punishment" he expels the narrator. I understand that Dr. Bledsoe believes the narrator has ruined the school and disgraced the African-American race, but he doesn't even try to make something work so that the boy can continue to learn and become better. In my opinion, Dr. Bledsoe is worse than the white men are. He may know how the system works, but he is careful to make sure he has all power (or at least he thinks he has more power than whites). Really he is just like the narrator by trying to fit in and become better than what society tells them they are. Only thing is that Dr. Bledsoe has the power to ruin the narrator's life whereas the narrator is still naive and trying to just fit in with society.

The narrator's desire to belong is very strong. He so badly wants to fit in and become better than he is that, like Dr. Bledsoe, he will step on fellow African-Americans to do so. When the farmer gets money from Mr. Norton, the narrator gets upset. He believe he should deserve that money because he actually goes to school and is making a difference with his life, unlike the farmer. Again, there is this hatred for fellow African-Americans when the narrator goes to this bar called Golden Day. When any of the others pose a threat to his future, he becomes filled with hate for them. In the end, I guess his reasons were valid since he then gets expelled for everything that happened to Mr. Norton on that day. Which I still don't see how Dr. Bledsoe can blame all on the narrator. He (the narrator) was only doing what Mr. Norton asked him to do, and yet Dr. Bledsoe says that white men should never be listened too. It is all rather confusing.

*Anyone else find it interesting how our narrator has no name? I think it helps with the whole invisible feeling. If someone is invisible to the world, certainly no one will no their name, right? When you never see someone nor never think of them, to you they have no name... I wonder what Ellison's real reason for it is.

English 144: King Lear

I think I have read this play before because I remember the beginning with the father asking for all of his daughters to praise him with their love in order to get their third of the kingdom. Now Cordelia does not do the same as her sisters but says that she loves him, obeys him, and cares for him BUT can only half give herself to her father for if she marries then half of herself becomes her husband’s. Was she just trying to be smart in this speech or did she truly mean it and did not want to lie like her sister’s were? I mean, by doing this her father disowned her but by losing everything she gets the King of France who still wants her. So I mean, in a way she got someone who will love her when she has nothing at all, unlike her sister’s who will marry because of the land they got. To me, Cordelia comes off as the smart, real, and true character. She is not going to lie to saver herself or to get rich. She tells her father how she honestly feels and accepts full punishment for it. Also, she does not seem to want to marry for money and power. When the Duke of Burgundy no longer wants her because she is nothing to the kingdom of Britain, she is happy and say how she will never be his wife. That is when the King of France says he still wants her, so she ends up with a man who is not completely centered on power and moneyà or so I hope. I do not remember how the play ends, but I am very interested to see what happens. I still cannot believe that King Lear disowned his favorite daughter for her being honest that half her love, care, and duty will go to her husband. Oh man… he sounds like a self centered man.

English 174: Invisible Man

WHOA! I am really enjoying this book. I have only gotten to chapter six so far but I am liking it a lot. I decided that I should just jump ahead to this novel if we were going to be spending more time talking about it. I am really glad I did too. I mean, the book is great although it has taken be a bit of time to get through these first chapters. Ellison's writing is just so easy to read and he paints a picture for the reader that is amazing. I think it is so interesting how he feels invisible. The way he describes his (the main character's) life makes everything seem so unreal in a setting and time when feelings like that were so real. That probably makes no sense... What I mean is that the main character talks of himself as being invisible to the world--> as if he truly is invisible and no one can see him. That isn't the case though, it isn't that the world can't see him but the fact that the world chooses not to see him. Yeah? It is so true though. People, in my opinion, only see what they want to see. Right after slavery, many whites still thought of African-Americans as nothing, for sure not humans with equal rights. That is exactly what Ellison captures, that emotion of being looked past because people did not want to see. Like I said, I am really enjoying this book and am actually really excited to see where this ends as well as where our class conversations go!

English 117: Elizabeth I and Her Age

Both the readings, “Epigram on the Earl of Essex” and “Letter to Essex in Ireland,” seem to be about Essex leading Queen Elizabeth’s army in Ireland. In the letter that Elizabeth writes to Essex, she comes across as upset. Yet she never comes out and straight up tells him that he has distanced the army from the council, that he has not been successful in the battles, and that he needs to be taking the army in a different direction. What she does is beat around the bush about it. She starts off telling him something, then goes into a huge explanation about it, and then finally is like—oh yeah; by the way… you fail. At least this is the impression I got from the letter. If I was Essex, reading this letter would not motivate me to do anything. The letter could have been more direct and to the point, especially if she wants him to do more with the army.

As for the poem, it is like the letter. The poem just sums up the letter, which if the poem was that short and got the point across, the letter could have been way shorter and the same message would have been conveyed. The poem talks about how the Queen sends Essex to war because of “her wrath.” She wanted him to go north, but he wanted to go south… However, the Queen’s will is what matters in the end, so he had to go north. At least that is what I got from this poem.

I don’t know. It will be interesting to discuss these two in class and get everyone’s opinion on them.

English 144: King Henry V

I find the prologue of each act very helpful in understanding the truth of things. The prologue gives the full view of what is truly happening. I think without the prologue, everything would be lost and the true intentions of characters unknown. This might make things more interesting or it could just upset the audience. This is why I found it so interesting when in class Andy said that versions of this play have been printed without the prologue. I wonder if the audience gets lost, do they find everything more confusing or interesting, is there any affect at all? So much changes without the prologue though. Take the first act for example. Because of the prologue, we know the churchmen’s true intentions for trying to get King Henry V to go to war with France. Without it, all background information is taken away from us. The audience will be led to believe something completely different, that the bishop is truly trying to help King Henry V stay in power by going to war. It is interesting how something not much thought of can change so much. I would like to see how the audience took in the same play but without the prologues and compare that to the audience who saw the play with the prologue. Maybe there is no real difference, maybe the same message gets across in the end. I do not know.

English 174: This Side of Paradise

What is Amory’s deal?! Like honestly… He goes from person to person. It is as if he needs a woman in his life to complete himself. In a way, he is doesn’t know who he is or what he wants. He just likes the feeling he gets when he is with others. This whole Rosalind thing is upsetting too. Well first off, like after a few minutes of talking to each other for the first time ever, Amory falls for her. I’m sure the kiss did not help, but even when she refuses him another kiss, he still wants her. Luckily, things work out for them for a few months. Of course, because everything seems so great and the main character is finally happy, something has to go wrong. I know Rosalind wants money and everything, but come on. Amory is bringing home money, and everything was great until her mom tells her she could get someone wealthier. Money in all these novels ruins like EVERY relationship. I guess that is true though. Everyone wants money; some want it so much that they are willing to give up other things to get it. That is shown here when Rosalind gives up on love in order to have a chance at a wealthier life. Yet the book describes Rosalind as being so hurt when she calls things off with Amory; like she didn’t want to give him up but still did. Maybe she really meant what she said when she told him that later on in life she would lose the part of her that Amory loved so much if the money was to ever run out. So maybe she was really trying to prevent Amory from hurting later. I don’t know. Things are taking interesting turns, unfortunately, Amory is being hit on every side with bad events. Looking forward to see how this ends!

English 117: Elizabeth I

I have to admit, it is really hard for me to get into the readings for this class. They all seem so much alike. The earlier readings were all about Elizabeth being sexual and more about her personal life than her as a queen. So of course, our readings now (written in her time) are exactly the opposite. All about her as a queen and how amazing she was. There are different opinions on how she ruled of course... but the point is that there is no excitement in these readings anymore. It is sad that Elizabeth is only seen in two ways, which is why I guess we can only read about her in two ways.
Maybe it is true, that in order to sell things there has to be reference to sex and personal events. I mean, it was so easy to read and connect to the earlier Elizabeth readings. They were personal (fake) events that portrayed Elizabeth as more of a woman who was just human. A human that made mistakes just like the rest of us. When I read, I like to find ways to connect to a character because it makes the story more interesting. These later readings are all about this amazing queen that did no wrong, making it harder to relate. I get over this image of Elizabeth so much faster--> I don't want to read about a woman who did no wrong and was so amazing all the time. I know she wasn't perfect, no one has/ is / or will be...

English 144: King Henry V

Oh whoa... I think I am REALLY going to enjoy this play. So far the plays have been good. My favorite was "A Midsummer Night's Dream" because of the chaos that happens. There is so much happening in the play that there is no where to take time and be bored. I'm hoping this play will be like that!
I like how in the very first act there is already so much going on. We have the bishop talking to other churchmen about how they can get Henry to start war with France. Then in the next scene, Henry does start war with France. Everything seems fast paced--> LOVE IT! I don't like it when things take awhile to start, it loses my interest.
Also, I want to see what happens with this war and with the bishop. Will the bishop ever get caught? I mean, he is supposed to be for the people. He is God's chosen person to lead their souls to heaven... yet all he cares about is his own wealth! Be interesting to see if this whole plan to get England and France in war to save his land will backfire in his face.

I am looking forward to seeing how this play develops!

English 174: This Side of Paradise

This book so far is not too bad. It is harder for me to start reading though. I don't know if it is because of personal reasons or if I just feel like all these books we are reading in class are SO much alike. At least there is a common theme I guess. But in a way, it gets boring. You know? I think I have found interesting though with these readings is that 1. It is always about society trying to change the main character. What does this say about society, especially American society?
Every theme so far has to do with society making someone conform. Is this how American society is portrayed? America claims to be THE land of free and individualism. Yet, those who stand out are always criticized and never make it far in society's eyes. In a way, the theme of society getting these characters from the book to conform is a story for everyone. Does that make sense? I'm pretty sure that everyone suffers and struggles with society and conforming. Sometimes people give in right away, but other times people spend a lifetime fighting it. Really, you learn what society wants and then have to choose if it is what you want. Do you want to be yourself and stick out? Or is it better to lose yourself in order to fit in with everyone else? Either way, I believe that you lose. You are either giving in and losing yourself or you lose out on the acceptance of others... two things many crave.
Another thing I saw interesting is how when a man is the main character of the novel, he is portrayed as naive and innocent. With both Jude and Amory, they are naive and inexperienced with many things- especially with girls! It is just funny because today it is always men that are known for having TONS experience. Like if they haven't had sex by their teens, they aren't cool. So it is interesting to see how in these books (granted they are from the early 1900s) that the men have no idea what to do, and that the girls are the ones with experience.

Very interesting...

English 117: Elizabeth

I do not like the readings for this week. I feel lost in each one I read. I do not think I like the writing of people from the past. For me it lacks any action. Most of the writing is describing Queen Elizabeth in one way. No one ever seems to be able to highlight both sides of her. What the heck are these readings try to get across to the readers anyways? I think I just must be thinking about too much and trying to see a deeper meaning in these writings for none of it is making sense.

In the first one, is Francis Bacon saying that her religion was an issue? I feel like he is talking of her religious belief and behavior as something that was overdone. She is also described totally differently from what I thought. In the reading it talks of how she did speak of age and even death. She talked about how on her tombstone she wanted something simple and quick. She just wanted her name linked with virginity, talk of her success, and how she brought religion back. I do not think any normal queen or king would be fine with just that. Plus I though Elizabeth hated talking about age and always wanted to be remembered as young and beautiful. Maybe I was wrong.

These readings are just hard for me to get into. I think there is too much running through my mind right now. I am going to try to reread them and grasp the meanings behind them so I can have something to talk about in class. These so far are the hardest for me, besides the earlier play with all the weird typing. That was probably the worst for me to get through! Hopefully it gets better though!

English 144: Tempest

What a start of the play! Nothing grabs attention like total chaos. I thought it was really interesting how Shakespeare chose to have the play begin with a storm. People are running around shouting, things are shifting about on board the ship, and there is a huge storm happening. Then the crashing of the ship, in which people are separated into different groups as they drift ashore to this island. That is when it gets even crazier!

Even though the next scene is calm and quiet, there is a lot happening in this scene. We learn of a magician named Prospero, who was the one who actually created the storm. He purposely brought the people from the ship to the island where he and his daughter have been for years. We also learn about why and how Prospero and his daughter got to the island and the “creatures” they met there. I am not like Caliban so far. He is just a creeper to me, and I do not think he will get better throughout the play. I like Ariel though, reminds me of a fairy for some reason- because he/she is a spirit probably. I do feel bad for both Ariel and Caliban though. Both were on this island before Prospero came. Granted that Ariel was trapped in a tree, but still once Prospero comes, both get enslaved! What is that about? Dumb! Prospero had no right to do that, even though Caliban tried to rape his daughter. You would think that after that he would kill Caliban or at least get him away from his family.

This play was off to a crazy start and I fear that it will only get crazier. I do not think that it will be “Midsummer Night’s Dream” crazy, but possibly around that area. It will be interesting to find out what happens in the end. I am sad that his play will be so rushed, to fit it in to our schedule. But it does seem like a great play and maybe easier to get into, with all the action. I am excited for it!

English 174: Passing

I really enjoined the “Passing.” I loved how it is filled with emotion and detail. This is the type of writing that I love to read. I need action in order to keep my attention on it. I also find the characters very interesting. There is Irene who now at the end of the story is shady. There is Clare who is the friend you can never seem to get rid of, but at the same time don’t want to let go of. And of course there are others, but mainly these two make up the story.

I just cannot believe how Clare betrayed Irene at the end. I mean, the story only suggests that Clare and Brain were having an affair, but it probably really happened. How could Clare cheat with Irene’s husband?! What a beezy! No joke. Irene keeps giving Clare chances to redeem herself, and then she goes and crashes Irene’s world. This is why Irene should have gotten over her loyalty to race and just leave Clare in her past. If she would not have cared so much about Clare then she would have never been betrayed.

In the introduction of the book, it suggests that the story actually underlines a sexuality conflict. Is the relationship between Clare and Irene supposed to be more than just friends? I felt so a lot of time while reading it. The way Irene would describe Clare and how both made each other so happy when with the other. Yet at the end, Irene seems to loathe Clare. There is no longer that “love” for her there. When it comes to Brian, she wants Clare gone forever. She even thinks about the death of Clare if it meant that her safety with Brian would secure. Which in the end, she does kill Clare, or so the book suggests. Irene had her hand on Clare and then the next moment Clare was out the window… I say she pushed her but blocked it from her mind.

Maybe Irene did love Clare, as a friend or more, but the love was not enough to risk her safety in society. Irene went from a passive, quiet character to a more outspoken and action taking character. It was interesting to see how it all ended. I wish that there was a different ending then leaving off on her fainting after the death of Clare. Otherwise I really enjoyed reading this a lot!

English 174: Elizabeth I and Her Age

I really like reading what Queen Elizabeth I wrote and/ or said during her reign. We hear so many stories about whom she was and how she acted, but there is something different about reading what she actually wrote. In this piece, “Speech to the Troops at Tilbury,” she talked about how her people were the most important thing to her. She only acts the way she does to serve her people better. Which I think is totally true. I believe Elizabeth was all about England and put her people before herself. A true leader is able to do that, put their people before him/herself. I like learning about Elizabeth through so many different perspectives. That way you are able to see so many different views of her and what seems to cross with other perspectives, and which are just totally out there. To really understand something, and the way it is judged, one does have to look at it from many different angles. I feel that in this class we are doing just that, looking at Elizabeth from every angle. I am really enjoying it and loving some of the things I find out!

English 117: Passing

I am actually really enjoying this short story. I find it very interesting. I thought that it was interesting how in the introduction of the actual book, it talks about how one can interpret a lesbian relationship from the story. I have to admit, at first I did get that impression (even before I read the introduction). I read the introduction after I read the first part of the book. However, the way that things are worded have made we wonder if there was some type of relationship that existed or was forming. I don’t know if anyone else got that feeling. Just with some of the areas, like when Irene describes Clare sometimes. Irene is always talking about how Clare is so charming, she smiles and Irene forgets that she was ever mad at Clare. Or that Irene finds herself hanging out with Clare, even though she supposedly dislikes Clare. I don’t know. The way things are worded paint a certain picture, that if altered, then the picture would too change. I am really enjoying this reading though! I want to finish it!

English 144: Othello

I really just do not like Iago! He seems to enjoy the pain of others. Plus, the way he treats women! Oh my! That is why I did not like Taming of the Shrew; Katherina was treated horribly in that. Some might say she deserved it, but I still do not like to see people misused at all. Anyhow, back to Othello. I find it so dumb that Othello would believe Iago in the matter of love. Why would Iago know anything about Othello and Desdemona‘s love? Othello did not find Iago to be capable of a higher position, why should he begin to think Iago as worthy now? Shakespeare sure liked this deceiving nature of humans. Every play we have read so far, someone is being deceived. All these characters being tricked, so someone else can have what they want. I don’t know. I just hope that something bad happens to Iago in the end. He needs to get his own in the end, after everything he puts everyone through! He just upsets me.

English 117: Crouse-pack Reading

I really enjoyed the “Young Elizabeth in Peril” piece we had to read over the weekend. At first it reminded me of the paper we had to work on. I love how it starts out by talking about the different depictions of Elizabeth that have occurred over time. It is rather interesting to look back and see how everyone does portray Elizabeth in a different light compared to another author/ director. I also like how the article goes from describing the different portrayals of Elizabeth to actually going into detail (what can be proven at least) how what Elizabeth’s life was really like. After all, Elizabeth was a human just like rest of us- surely made mistakes. I see the points they make, but at the end when it is said, “[m]odern film representation… do not offer us a princess credited with wisdom and judgment, nor do we have depiction of a successful queen who could entertain both a rich private life as well as a publicly successful one,” (Levin and Carney, 234). I do not feel this is true. Yeah modern representations are going to focus on points that will draw an audience in, but I still feel that the message of Elizabeth being a powerful and smart queen who led her people into success is brought across in the end. I know that a lot of the readings and films we have been watching are focused on her sexuality and relationships with men, however, she still finds herself facing issues and having to make difficult decisions that are in her country’s best interest. It would be great to have a film that focused on Elizabeth as she truly was, a great queen devoted to her country but also human, but until someone steps up to do so, we are left with interpretations. Interpretations from reading pieces of writing from her and to her, the interpretations that directors/ authors view Elizabeth as, and the stories we hear about her.

English 144: Othello

I do not know about Othello yet. I am not very excited about reading this play. I think I feel this because I have no idea about what it is. With "A Midsummer Night’s Dream" and "The Taming of the Shrew," I had knowledge of what the plays were. I had seen movies that were based on those two plays, so I was am imagine ways in which each character presented themselves. With Othello, I have no idea what I am to expect. I find it interesting that Othello starts with the audience knowing nothing, and Roderigo coming onto stage in what seems to be in the middle of a conversation.
I think after "The Taming of the Shrew", I am just over Shakespeare plays for now. I am still upset about the way Petruchio treated Katherina. Maybe he was just playing a role all along, in order to tame her, but I feel he just took it over board. And so far this play, Othello, begins with the first scene having someone dislike on another person because of their race. I understand that back then it was not thought of as rude to do half, if not all, the things that are written in these plays but for today it is wrong. I just cannot find it within myself to continuously repeat that these are just plays. Anything where people are being put down because of their sex, race, class, etc, I get upset. I don’t know. I am hoping that by having no background information on this play that things get better and that it is an interesting read.

English 174: House of Mirth

Oh this Lily Bart is quite the character. I find myself imagining characters from a television show called Gossip Girl. It has the same plot as in this book really, the mixture between upper class and lower class. To me, Lily seems like such a snob. She knows that she longs for Selden, but because he cannot offer the type of life she wants, she gets these rich men to fall for her. Yet at the same time, when Selden decides he cannot be around her, for he has fallen for her, she gets upset. She wants to confine in him, but not really have a future. I don’t know. I just feel annoyed by her I guess. I think she needs to forget about society and go after love. It is not like Selden is living in a box on the side of the street. I mean, when she thinks of Selden she is happy and feels safe, yet with other men she has an uneasy emotion. I am just not the type of person who can get into the chase. Like with Persuasion, I just want the main characters to either get together or move on. I am liking this book a lot more than the others we have read though. I just find it easier to read, I do not feel like I have to reread everything twice or more before actually getting its true meaning.

English 174: Jude the Obscure

Whoa… What is there to even say about this book? It seems to be filled with disappointing outcomes. I do not like it all. I would rather read Persuasion then this book! I mean, poor Jude who can never get a true break. He finally gets Sue, but then the children commit suicide. Again he is thrown back into a relationship with Arabella. I do not understand how he even goes on throughout the whole entire book. I guess the good thing about this book is that it makes your own life seem so much better and easier to deal with. At least that is what it seems like to me. I know there is no fairytale endings in real life, but why make a story where nothing can end happy for anyone? I just think this book is a way to depress people. Yeah life is hard and people have lots of trouble struggling to make it, but good things happen as well. I guess that is shown though through the short times with Sue or when he has kids. There are a lot of people out there who do struggle and probably have a life similar to Jude’s. I just cannot get into stories like that, especially when I was told how depressing it is. I struggled to get through the book and to truly understand what was going on. I am thankful that we discuss the books in class and have spark notes so that when things do not make sense you are able to get more help.

English 117: Elizabeth I and Her Age

As I read the poem by Elizabeth,” When I Was Fair and Young,” and then some of the poems by others to her, I found them rather funny. Funny in the sense that Elizabeth is known for this woman who never married, turned so many suitors away, and lived “alone.” Yet in her poem, it is like she regrets it all. Maybe not regrets, for she saved her people which meant the most to her. I think she wished she could have had somebody by her side though. After readying some of the love poems written to Elizabeth, I think she was flattered a lot, which probably helped subdue the loneness, if she ever read them. That is when I thought of people reading them to her. For over the weekend in London, I read to Jenene. I started to read her, “When I Was Fair and Young” late one night. Jenene was not found of the poetry that was being read. I wonder if Elizabeth liked poetry read to her or was it more of a thing she liked write but nor read. Poetry can have so many meanings. I think it is a way to allow the writer to express their true emotions in maybe a way that is subtle. I could be wrong, but I think a lot of poetry is written in a way to convey a message, not just to have the words be read.

English 144: The Taming of the Shrew

I have not finished the play yet, however, after seeing the performance I do not like this play. I mean, even reading it so far, I have not liked the play. I thought Midsummer Night’s Dream was much better. I mean, since I have not finished the play I am not sure how it ends. In the performance, I liked how the evil Petruchio was really Sly and how he ended up back on the street with nothing! I know that sounds horrible. Let me explain. Sly, this guy who goes from nothing to everything begins to act like her is all the sudden better than everything. In the performance, he becomes or also acts as Petruchio who also is a jerk. I understand that Katherina was rude and a shrew. Lol. Yet, her fate was not what she deserved. Petruchio ruined her, at least at the performance. Making her act mad, not letting her sleep or eat, and basically treating her like a slave. I have a problem with things like that. I do not like when justice is not paid to the “bad guy.” I wanted Petruchio to be punched! I was really upset that in the end, Katherina conformed. Yes, I also now this was all just a play inside a play, but it is still upsetting. I just like the movie 10 Things I Hate About You, which had a good ending. Oh well. I am not looking forward to reading the rest of this play after seeing it.

English 174: Elizabeth I and Her Age

It is interesting to go from books and movies about Queen Elizabeth, to actually reading pieces of work she herself wrote or said. I think her speech about marriage is one that ties everything together. I mean, in everything we have seen or read about Elizabeth in class so far, the main topic is her marriage. Whether her counsel is telling her to marry, she is using the marriage card to play suitors against each other, how she cannot marry Robert, how she does not need to marry, or when she finally declares she is married to England. After all, Elizabeth was known as the “Virgin Queen” who never married. So it is interesting to see how she used the words to basically tell her counsel that she is in no rush to marry. She talks about how God put her on the throne right now, that it must be his plan to make a woman England’s monarch. Then she says how it is not that she objects to marriage, but that right now the time is not right for her to marry. Right now, it is her people she cares most about… It is her people that give her the strength to fight illness, to not fear the threats on her life, and to be the best Queen she can for them. I just like how we are able to see what has really happened in Elizabeth’s life, instead of trying to sort out truth from lies (to sell more products).

English 144: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

I know what I am about to say is from Act Three, but I keep thinking about it throughout the rest of the play. I find it so odd that Helena, who first had no one interested in her and was all sad about it, turns into such a mean girl once both boys are after her. I mean, when both Lysander and Demetrius were after Hermia she was not rude to Helena. Now I get that Helena at first thinks she is being made a fool, with everyone pulling a joke on her. However, when she begins to insult Hermia and Hermia gets ready to fight her, she uses the boys’ affection to protect herself! What kind of nonsense is that?! I’m just glad that at the end everyone is back with who they should be with, even the fairies. Although I still think Oberon should have never had Puck get into the middle, for it only made everything worse. Without Puck though, there would not be much of a play, so it was necessary. After all that crazy stuff, it is hard to believe that it actually has a happy ending! I like happy endings, so it made this play that much better.

English 174: Jude the Obscure

I am honestly having a lot of trouble with this book. I do not get what the point is at all. Granted I have no read much of it, only a few chapters so far. However, the language just seems odd to me. Plus this Jude character… why does he not belong? He is like living with his aunt right now because his parents died, but his aunt seems to treat him like a servant. He does not seem to talk at all. Is he into books? Was it him that they were talking about who reads whenever he can? For they wanted him to leave with the teacher, yet when he wants to go on his own his aunt won’t let him because of the city. I thought it was sad how he felt like he was like the birds, not wanted. I do not get why if he is unwanted and everyone acts like he is such a burden, why can’t he just go and be with the teacher? He would be better off, and possibly his aunt. The whole thing seems very odd. I’m not sure how much of the book I will really understand, so I hope that we will be having lots of discussions in class!

English 117: The Virgin’s Lover

What are the major differences between the movie story of Elizabeth’s life and a fictional book point of view?

I find the differences between the two very fascinating. Elizabeth, in my opinion, is portrayed as two very different people when comparing the movie “Elizabeth” to the book The Virgin’s Lover by Philippa Gregory. In the movie, Elizabeth seems to be a very young and naive girl. She acts of like a child when the country needed a leader. She publicly displayed her love for Sir Robert by meeting with him in private, dancing, constantly touching, and whispering to one another. She took the advice given to her without real question, until the end when she finally followed her own beliefs. It seemed as if she had to be betrayed before she could become the woman that history knows her for.

In The Virgin’s Lover however, Elizabeth seems much more aware of her surroundings. She makes difficult choices from the beginning, is clever, and knows how to play the system so that her country will benefit. Her relationship with Sir Robert is different in the book. Even though she knows of his marriage to another, she finds herself falling in love with him. An intimate relationship is formed between the two, but in a much more respectable way. They don’t publicly display their love for everyone to see, but act in secret.

I feel like the book version of Elizabeth is more like how a new Queen would have acted with politics, romance, and danger. Elizabeth, in my point of view, was a clever woman who at first might have stumbled but for the most part knew how to work a crowd. I find it so interesting reading the story of Elizabeth in a fictional way (however it seems more real) and also seeing a movie based on her (which seems more fictional).

English 144: A Midsummer-Night’s Dream

What was Shakespeare thinking when he came up with such a play? Or was it really Elizabeth who wrote these plays?

As I read A Midsummer-Night’s Dream, I cannot help but wonder what was happening to Shakespeare at this time in his life. For what made him think of lovers running away because of a father’s hate, to be part of a game in the fairies’ world. It seems too that in each world there is at least one couple that faces challenges. We have Lysander, Hermia, Helena, and Demetrius in the human world. Lysander and Hermia love one another but are driven to flee their homes because Hermia’s father does not approve. Demetrius, for some reason, has stopped wooing Helena and has turned his affection to Hermia. This leaves Helena hurt and jealous for no one loves her. At the same time, we have actors for a play trying to figure out where to rehearse and if everything is ready for their practice of a play. Then we have the fairies. The queen (Titania) and king (Oberon) face a problem. Oberon is jealous of Titania’s attention to this “changeling boy.” As Oberon tries to have Titania give him up but fails, all three worlds get ready to crash into one.

There is so much going on at once! What was going in Shakespeare’s life that would allow him to create such a complex and creative story? In a way it reminds me much of Queen Elizabeth’s life (so the whole conspiracy of Shakespeare being fake would almost seem real). Elizabeth has everyone waiting for her hand in marriage, that she plays them around in order to successfully get what she wants. Much like Titania, she will not give up what she wants because a man requests her to do so. Or if you look at it from Hermia, with both men wanting her, you could see Elizabeth as the desired one. Every man wanting her, leaving other women (Helena) scornful and jealous, just as Amy felt when Robert choose the Queen over her.

There is so much going on in this one play, that it is hard to believe that something did not influence or spark the idea for it. I do not doubt that Shakespeare was real; however the idea of it being like Queen Elizabeth’s life is most enticing to me. Though Andy made a lot of sense on how Elizabeth could not have been the pen behind the mask. I am left to wonder though want mayhem was happening back then or if Shakespeare was am to jest create such a marvelous story all in his head.

English 174: Persuasion

Why does Jane Austen make Anne face so many different situations and not seem to improve/ learn from any?

In Persuasion, I feel that Jane Austen has Anne constantly facing some new situation, like being left while her family moves to Bath, being a “therapist” to her friends at Uppercross, and then having to be in the same social group as her former fiancé (whom she still loves). There are all these situations Anne has to go through, yet her character does not seem to change to me.

When her family moves to Bath and she is left with her sister and his husband, she begins to get caught up in their marriage as long as their social life. Her sister and brother-in-law do not have the best marriage, and while Anne is there she gets caught in the middle. Both turn to Anne to have her convince the other. They complain about how and what the other does. Anne knows she cannot win either way, so seems to stay quiet and just try to push it off. However, her brother-in-law’s family turns to Anne too, complaining about Mary (Anne’s sister). Again Anne is caught in the middle, but does nothing. I understand she cannot be rude and tell them to shut up or talk to one another. However, at the same time I feel like there must be something the character can do to move on from that.

Her former relationship with Fredrick Wentworth frustrates me as well, for she is not able to move on with him there. When Fredrick enters the picture once more, it is like her world stops. However, both try to act like nothing has ever happened between them. Which is one way to try to move on, but that is not case here. By acting like their past never existed, Anne goes out of her way to avoid him and try to make sure no one else can suspect a thing. This only keeps Anne trapped. She needs to either move on from him or find a way to get him back. It must be hard watching him with other girls and be treated like a no one, but I see this as a way for her to escape her past.

I just do not see where Jane Austen wants to take Anne. She keeps Anne constantly caught in the middle of some problem or situation, and before Anne can move on from it she is already in another issue. I want to see Anne move on from where she is at. I just do not understand the purpose of Anne if she is meant to never grow. Hopefully that changes soon though.