Blog Post #20 TEWWG Socratic Seminar Part 2

Task #1

Janie sees maturity

Janie seeks reason

Janie finds meaning

Task #2

TEWWG is a novel about the statures of growth. As part of the growing experience, acceptance is a needed virtue. The idea of growth also parallels with the other texts that we have read from the beginning of the school year. First of all, the novel parallels with the poem “The Poison Tree” by William Blake. “And it grew both day and night. Till it bore an apple bright.”(Blake) is a line that shows in which the growing process is a slow and steady ideal. However, the novel also manages to say that the growing process can bring in meanings which are bright as that of the apple. Therefore, it can be seen that life is a system in which an ideal is searched for. For a more darker connection, “The Black Walnut Tree,” by Mary Oliver along with the TEWWG novel shows that the power of growing involves very darker times. For example, Janie underwent many dark times with Logan Killicks and Jody Stark, before she found the perfect soul mate, Tea Cake. The poem itself only takes a small section of the growth process where the struggling occurs, which is battle against the mortgage. In addition, the novel and poem both connect at an instant in which there are sacrifices. The main narrator of the poem is in the debate of sacrificing the Black Walnut Tree, while Janie, in some instances, sacrificed her personal independence for the sake of love. As said by Janie “she saw her life like a great tree in life with things suffered, things enjoyed, things done and undone,” (Hurston 8).

Task #3

Both the play of Hamlet and the novel of TEWWG, parallel with the idea of destruction caused by the emotion of love. Janie and Ophelia both care the tender and innocent nature of being submissive. As Hamlet was to Ophelia, Janie had her two husbands similar to the characteristics of Hamlet. They wanted Janie to abide by their rules, which Janie did without question. In addition, they would psychologically abuse her similar to how Hamlet did to Ophelia. Hamlet says “get thee to the nunnery,” (3.1.119), which is similar to the idea of how Jody Starks insults Janie with his speech about her social stature and age. There comes a time in which these characters start to fight back directly or indirectly. Their moves trigger the male to step down from his domination. It comes to the scenario in which the male must now depend on the female. In Hamlet, the death of Ophelia strikes him emotionally, in which he starts to confess about his love for her. He sees that his love for Ophelia to be more emotionally striking than of the death of his father. In Janie’s instance, she talks back at Jody Starks which immediately triggers a sense of insecurity within the male. Janie says to her husband, “you have tuh have power tuh free things and dat makes you lak un king uh something ,” (Hurston 57). This immediately causes for the male to step down and ask for mercy. Therefore, both the novel and play talk about the destruction of the male when he falls into the contraption of love.   

Blog Post #19 Socratic Seminar Their Eyes were watching God

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Blog Post #18 Hamlet Final Essay

Blog Post #17 Hamlet Act #5

Blog Post #17 Hamlet Act 5

Why dear lord, I cannot hang on to this grief any further. There is a justification for the bad to be buried in hell, but why must the good not prevail? My dear Lord Hamlet let your soul feel no more turmoil or confusion. “Now cracks a noble heart. Good night, sweet prince!” (5.2.323). As you are gone “the rest is silence,” (5.2.322). For your funeral, I must put a on a song to commemorate our friendship. This song is known as “Count on me” by Bruno Mars. Why, this is the only song he has sung about friendship, while the others simply dealt with young romance. If you are in heaven, I will reach out to touch your soul when you need a simple friend to comfort you. For I will remember, when you said “O God! Horatio, what a wounded name,” (5.2.309). For I am heavily wounded. This song is especially suitable as it makes references to a friend’s companionship to help guide a friend’s tormented soul.  “And let me speak to th’ yet unknowing world,” (5.2.344). I was the light that guided you through this unknown world of corruption. From King Claudius to your friend Rosencratz, none of them carried a single bit of loyalty towards you. They were simply involved in “carnal, bloody, and unnatural acts,” (5.2.345) which cannot be explained, but only seen.  As the song implies, “You’ll always have my shoulder when you cry” (Mars), regardless of the burial of your body.   

I feel this song evokes the mood of hopelessness, but with a little hope. As ironic as my explanation, “Fall ‘n on th’inventors’ heads : all this can I Truly deliver,” (5.2.349-350). Meanwhile, the tone that Bruno Mars evokes is a feeling of hope even during the darkest of times. I feel that throughout our moments of friendship, we were stuck in very dark times with dark people bidding on your being. Why, in such moments when Claudius was gambling your life with Laertes. Simply Wretched! From here on out, “with sorrow I embrace my fortune,” (5.2.353). This song will represent that despite dark times, our moments were the only sense of light within the kingdom of Denmark. Your trust in me was your only lightness, I could feel very well. I was that friend who embraced your anger and spied against your very enemies. I will spread your legacy despite the capture of Denmark by Fortinbra’s. About Hamlet, the kingdom will say Horatio “his mouth whose voice will draw on more,” (5.2.356). Today, friends and enemies “bear, Hamlet, like a soldier, to the stage,” (5.2.361). As the song finally says, I am the light to guide your boat. I will be there for you, Lord Hamlet, whether it is heaven or hell. When you are in need remember me. When people say there is no true friendship “never believe it,” (5.2.305).

Blog Post #15 Extra Credit

                                                                          #The Shakespearean James Bond  

                                                                          Horatio: Having a nice time listening to my Friend

                                                                          Rozencratz: Who?

                                                                          Horatio: For Hamlet of course

                                                                          Rozencratz: But why?

                                                                          Horatio: That is a secret.

The selfie picture is shown as Horatio posing for a selfie pose, as he is spying on the King and Queen during the play. Horatio simply exemplifies the virtue of “anger.” Horatio as a character is very loyal to Hamlet; simply he feels the same emotions as that of Hamlet. Simply, Horatio is also committing a crime due to the unbearable “whips and scorns of time (3.1.70). Horatio commits a crime of spying on the king and queen due to the lawfulness of the kingdom. As a character, his flaw contemplates him to do deeds that Hamlet’s enemy is also committing to, espionage. Hamlet’s uncle, Claudius, sends Rosencratz and Guildenstern in order spy on Hamlet. For the duty of loyalty and anger on Hamlets behalf, he listens to all of Hamlet’s instruction without question. He simply abides by Hamlets saying “Why, any thing, but to the purpose,” (2.2.259). Therefore, Horatio’s flaw “anger” seems to carry a blind purpose to the orders of that of Hamlet. 

Blog Post #15

Why Hamlet has said some forbidden words which are famous in today’s odd world. With the “to be or not be” soliloquy, Hamlet uses many negative connotations of his current situation. Most of these connotations arise from imagery that he proposes. Some examples of this imagery are such as “the slings and arrows of outrageous fortunes,” (3.1.58)  and “For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,” (3.1.70). These were two images that he painted within my ringing mind as he uttered forbidden words of death. Hamlet mainly appealed to the logos and pathos aspect. The logos aspect mainly stems from my friends logic that “no traveller returns , puzzles the will,” (3.1.80). Hamlet very sure is using mind when judging the intricacies of heaven. However, he appeals to the emotions through the aspect of pathos when he states outrightly “Whether’ tis nobler in the mind to suffer,” (3.1.56). He shows mankind that his situation is the most desperate of such. Why everyone hearing his statement will string a tear. My dear friend represents his paradox through the first line he says in the room “to be or not to be,” (3.1.55). This line shows that he himself contradicts within his mind. An idea of parallelism can be seen in his noble structure of english, in which he states “To die, to sleep, to die,” (3.1.64-65). The very words of “to” are stated without any impending doom. Why this also shows the concept of the infinitive within the english language. The tone and diction within my friends statements are simply casual for our times. Why Shakespeare presents us in the most commercial of manners. However, through the shadows of time, this diction can be seen as highly complex to many english scholars. The tone is simply treacherous as it shows Hamlet suffering from the very dark of times. An idea of synecdoche can be seen when Hamlet states “No traveler returns,” (3.1.80). By this, he means that no dead person has come back alive into this world; which is definitely cryptic when said as a statement. Hamlet makes his assumptions that life on earth takes a very predictable stance; meanwhile, the futures of the afterlife cannot be predicted. It cannot be simply said that this lad will make it to heaven, while other will make it to hell. Furthermore, my dear friend points out the truth that a humans restricted thinking brings in lawfulness which therefore can cause for justice to be not served in the case of death. My friend makes the awful decision of facing death, as he is intolerable to the lawfulness around him. The major opposition seen within my friends argument is the idea of contemplating death. He first accepts it with outright passion, however towards the end he rejects it for the purpose of revenge. Another opposition seen within the statement is idea of thought. Firstly, with the first half of the statement, Hamlet appeals mostly to the pathos aspect of the audience. However, towards the second half of the statement, Hamlet uses intuition in order to state his views to audience. The third opposition is seen within the Hamlet’s criticism of his consciousness. Upon entering the room, Hamlet listens to his conscious mind very obediently. However, towards the end of the speech, he simply ridicules his conscience by stating “thus conscience does make a cowards of us all,” (3.1.82). Hamlet simply concludes the his internal philosophy states that contemplating death is a risky ideal, which he thankfully thought over.

I have observed many actings of my friends statement, however there is one of such that captivated me the most. Laurence Olivier. Why god bless his soul. The statement was shown mainly through a close-up shot, in order provide intimacy with the audience. The shot provided clear emotions from Olivier, which in return allowed for audiences to observe the feelings more clearly. The editing was done in such a manner as in which the act transitioned continuously between the waves and Hamlet’s face. This allows for tense movement to build up within the fearful audience. The only sense of the diegetic sound was the spiraling waves of the water, with non-diegetic music occasionally flashing through the ears of the audience, this allowed for audiences to be unpredictable as to what the next act might be. Meanwhile, the setting was shown as cliff with an ocean underneath it. This creates a sense of a possible area for death to be contemplated. The costume is very light on Hamlet, in order to show a sense of loss within his life. It creates simply a sense of emptiness. However, Hamlet has a lot of makeup on himself in order to show that he is a lad in line for the royal throne. All in all, he is depicted as a royal character with a very dark life.

Meanwhile, the other two lads were not up to the mark. I rank Laurence Olivier’s depiction first; next, I believe Mel Gibsons depiction is next best; meanwhile, Branagh’s depiction was marked as third place in my sincere opinion. Gibson’s and Branagh’s depiction are simply very too dark or light based within the context. Only Laurence Olivier obtains the right equilibrium.