Since a blog has not been done yet about Tragedy, I am going to do it. William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a perfect example of a tragedy. I used to think that a tragedy had only to do with the end being sad. Little did I know that there was more to it! A tragedy has to have a main character who is at a royal status, or at least pretty high up there. Hamlet happens to be a prince, so that works out perfectly. He has a long ways to fall during his tragic downfall. Basically everyone in a tragedy dies and so far in Hamlet we have seen the death of Old Hamlet, Polonius, and Ophelia. A tragedy also is a house for supernatural incidents. At the beginning of the play, Hamlet sees a ghost of his late father, who tells Hamlet to avenge him. Revenge, not surprisingly, is also a common element among tragedies.
In class these past few days we have been in the midst of reading one of Shakespeare's most famous tragedies, Hamlet. Since the last blogger wrote, we haven't learned much additional information in class. Today we talked a bit about theme and what the theme is in Hamlet. Theme is expressible in the form of a statement, and should have a subject. Theme is also a generalization about life and should not generalize life outside of the story. And under no circumstances should theme be a cliché. Common themes in Hamlet are death, revenge and madness/insanity.
The reader can pick up some of the major themes in Hamlet by the poetic structures that Shakespeare uses. He ends most scenes or soliloquies with a heroic couplet, which signals to the reader that it is an important part. At the end of scene 3 act 1, Hamlet uses a heroic couplet to talk about his revenge that he is to take on his uncle. "Foul deeds will rise, Though all the earth o'erwhelm them, to men's eyes." Revenge happens to be a major theme throughout Hamlet.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Guest Blogger: Cadie E.
Currently in class we are studying poetic structure and how deeply it can affect literature. We have been looking at examples of prose and poetry to understand the contrast between them. Prose is an ordinary form of language, it’s more straightforward, and poetry’s language is more artistic. William Shakespeare has a unique way of writing, everything he writes has a meaning to it, and some may be hard to define.
For example, he often times writes Shakespearean sonnets with heroic couplets. Sonnets are fourteen lines long with the first twelve having a pattern and the last two being heroic couplets. The pattern is A B A B C D C D E F E F, and the heroic couplet is G G, meaning the last words of A and A rhyme, B and B rhyme and so on. But, when you get to the last two lines of G and G, they rhyme together, rather than rhyming with every other line. It seems as though he uses the last two lines of sonnet as heroic couplets to give a greater impact or to end the poem with a bang. William Shakespeare may also use this technique to show an evident ending to the writing or to emphasize it.
Hamlet frequently changes his poetic structure from prose to poetry depending whom he is talking with are what he is speaking of. When speaking to peasants or people under him, he usually speaks in prose but when speaking romantically, thoughtfully or in his soliloquy he is much more poetic. Prince Hamlet is short speaking and does not reveal much of his feelings to others. However, when he has his soliloquy it reaches into his emotions and his truest thoughts, which is why it may be more sensitive and poetic. Some readers ponder whether Hamlet has honestly gone mad, or if it’s all for show. The audience needs to see this side of Hamlet to try to comprehend and analyze his thought process, which even with the soliloquy may still be unclear.
For example, he often times writes Shakespearean sonnets with heroic couplets. Sonnets are fourteen lines long with the first twelve having a pattern and the last two being heroic couplets. The pattern is A B A B C D C D E F E F, and the heroic couplet is G G, meaning the last words of A and A rhyme, B and B rhyme and so on. But, when you get to the last two lines of G and G, they rhyme together, rather than rhyming with every other line. It seems as though he uses the last two lines of sonnet as heroic couplets to give a greater impact or to end the poem with a bang. William Shakespeare may also use this technique to show an evident ending to the writing or to emphasize it.
Hamlet frequently changes his poetic structure from prose to poetry depending whom he is talking with are what he is speaking of. When speaking to peasants or people under him, he usually speaks in prose but when speaking romantically, thoughtfully or in his soliloquy he is much more poetic. Prince Hamlet is short speaking and does not reveal much of his feelings to others. However, when he has his soliloquy it reaches into his emotions and his truest thoughts, which is why it may be more sensitive and poetic. Some readers ponder whether Hamlet has honestly gone mad, or if it’s all for show. The audience needs to see this side of Hamlet to try to comprehend and analyze his thought process, which even with the soliloquy may still be unclear.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Guest Blogger: Elizabeth P.
In class we have recently begun to read William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” now that our study of poetry is over. I was faintly surprised to find that certain literary devices, namely connotation and denotation, from poetry are still applicable to “Hamlet.” According to Perrine’s Sound and Sense: An Introduction to Poetry, denotation is, “the dictionary meaning or meanings of the word” whereas connotation is what a word, “suggests beyond what it expresses: its overtones of meaning … acquire[d] … from its past history and associations, from the way and the circumstances in which it has been used.” More simply put, connotation is what we believe the word to mean or represent despite the fact that our supposed definition of the word is unlike anything in its actual definition. Take the word ‘home’ for example. Its dictionary definition is a building in which people live, but its connotation to most people is along the lines of love, comfort, and security.
In poetry the reader must distinguish whether the author intended the denotation, connotation, or both to be used and then understand why and how it contributes to the author’s central purpose. The use of the word frigate in the poem “There is no Frigate like a Book” by Emily Dickenson is one example. A frigate is a type of ship, but its connotation suggests exploration and adventure. Imagine if in place of the word frigate, Dickenson used the word steamship or boat; either of these choices do not supply the same connotative purpose that frigate does.
In “Hamlet,” the denotative and connotative purposes are used slightly differently than they are in poetry. The character Hamlet often makes jests, relying on the multiple denotative or connotative definitions words have. In the first scene Gertrude, the queen and Hamlet’s mother, is speaking with Hamlet on his father’s death. She is attempting to explain to him that it is common, usual, that people die; everyone will eventually. Hamlet replies by saying that it is common, but uses the word in such a way that common in this instance means those of the lower class. In the next line Gertrude uses the word ‘seems’ to ask Hamlet why he is acting as if his father’s death is a particularly awful occurrence. However, Hamlet twists the meaning to make it seem as if she is asking him why he is putting on an act of grief; he then replies that he is not acting, answering his own twisted question. Before the above conversation Hamlet, calls Claudius, “A little more than kin and less than kind.” Because it is Hamlet the word ‘kind’ has a double meaning. It could have the meaning of being one of Hamlet’s kindred, which is also implied by the statement, “A little more than kin.” It could also mean, when paired with less than, that Hamlet is referring to Claudius as one who is heartless and ruthless. The way that Hamlet uses both the denotative and connotative meanings of certain words help to make clear a portion of Hamlet’s character: that he likes to jest, has an education, and frowns upon his stepfather.
In poetry the reader must distinguish whether the author intended the denotation, connotation, or both to be used and then understand why and how it contributes to the author’s central purpose. The use of the word frigate in the poem “There is no Frigate like a Book” by Emily Dickenson is one example. A frigate is a type of ship, but its connotation suggests exploration and adventure. Imagine if in place of the word frigate, Dickenson used the word steamship or boat; either of these choices do not supply the same connotative purpose that frigate does.
In “Hamlet,” the denotative and connotative purposes are used slightly differently than they are in poetry. The character Hamlet often makes jests, relying on the multiple denotative or connotative definitions words have. In the first scene Gertrude, the queen and Hamlet’s mother, is speaking with Hamlet on his father’s death. She is attempting to explain to him that it is common, usual, that people die; everyone will eventually. Hamlet replies by saying that it is common, but uses the word in such a way that common in this instance means those of the lower class. In the next line Gertrude uses the word ‘seems’ to ask Hamlet why he is acting as if his father’s death is a particularly awful occurrence. However, Hamlet twists the meaning to make it seem as if she is asking him why he is putting on an act of grief; he then replies that he is not acting, answering his own twisted question. Before the above conversation Hamlet, calls Claudius, “A little more than kin and less than kind.” Because it is Hamlet the word ‘kind’ has a double meaning. It could have the meaning of being one of Hamlet’s kindred, which is also implied by the statement, “A little more than kin.” It could also mean, when paired with less than, that Hamlet is referring to Claudius as one who is heartless and ruthless. The way that Hamlet uses both the denotative and connotative meanings of certain words help to make clear a portion of Hamlet’s character: that he likes to jest, has an education, and frowns upon his stepfather.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Brian R.
The last week of AP Literature has been dedicated to the exploration of poetry. It is no secret that many of us detest this form of literature, perhaps because many of us do not know how to attack a poem, and therefore are left for dead from the get-go. So, in class, we have looked at how to find a way in, to have a way of getting to the core of what the poem really means. So in my blog post I will explore these methods and how I attempt to make them successful.
The first thing we learned to do after reading a poem is try to answer four essential questions, which were presented in Perrine’s “Sound and Sense”. The questions are: Who is the speaker? What is the occasion? What is the Central Purpose of the Poem? How does the author portray that purpose? These questions provide the reader with a few main topics to get to the main point of a poem. So let’s take a closer look.
The first question, “Who is the Speaker?” gives us a few important things, among them perspective in the poem, the tone, the mood, and the diction. Understanding the perspective in the poem is very important in gaining an understanding of the poem. Understanding the speaker’s background, personality, and beliefs allow the reader to make inferences about the character’s actions. Next, by understanding the occasion of the poem, a reader can gain further understanding of why the speaker says what he says or does what he does in a poem (or she, I just used he for convenience). For example, in the poem “The History Teacher” the occasion is that a teacher is trying to shield his students from the harsh realities of history. If one didn’t understand this, the poem would be a complete blur and would not be enjoyable to read whatsoever. Finally, the last two questions are related but are very important. The third question, “What is the central purpose?” is vital in understanding a poem. This question can often have several answers, which in my opinion is one of poetry’s redeeming qualities. It is up to the reader to decide what the purpose is, and answering the fourth question can often help find that answer. By looking at how the author conveys his or her purpose through the usage of literary techniques, a reader can see symbols, motifs, and finally, discover the poems central purpose, and with that can conquer any poem they are faced with.
Understanding poetry is a difficult task, but by answering the four essential questions it can be made much less difficult.
The first thing we learned to do after reading a poem is try to answer four essential questions, which were presented in Perrine’s “Sound and Sense”. The questions are: Who is the speaker? What is the occasion? What is the Central Purpose of the Poem? How does the author portray that purpose? These questions provide the reader with a few main topics to get to the main point of a poem. So let’s take a closer look.
The first question, “Who is the Speaker?” gives us a few important things, among them perspective in the poem, the tone, the mood, and the diction. Understanding the perspective in the poem is very important in gaining an understanding of the poem. Understanding the speaker’s background, personality, and beliefs allow the reader to make inferences about the character’s actions. Next, by understanding the occasion of the poem, a reader can gain further understanding of why the speaker says what he says or does what he does in a poem (or she, I just used he for convenience). For example, in the poem “The History Teacher” the occasion is that a teacher is trying to shield his students from the harsh realities of history. If one didn’t understand this, the poem would be a complete blur and would not be enjoyable to read whatsoever. Finally, the last two questions are related but are very important. The third question, “What is the central purpose?” is vital in understanding a poem. This question can often have several answers, which in my opinion is one of poetry’s redeeming qualities. It is up to the reader to decide what the purpose is, and answering the fourth question can often help find that answer. By looking at how the author conveys his or her purpose through the usage of literary techniques, a reader can see symbols, motifs, and finally, discover the poems central purpose, and with that can conquer any poem they are faced with.
Understanding poetry is a difficult task, but by answering the four essential questions it can be made much less difficult.
Guest Blogger: Asel K.
Asel Kul.
Finally the dreaded poetry unit has arrived. Every student’s eyes widen and the room fills with heavy sighs at the thought of diving into such dense literature. It’s quite hard to find a student who loves and is eager to analyze poetry, but everyone has to learn the basic tools to understand poetry because it will come in handy in the future… eventually.
Poetry is a condensed and enhanced literature which may depict a story, an image, or emotion. Now there are several ways you can better understand poetry. There are the basic literal devices which we have already learned like imagery, syntax, personification, etc. The poem “Ballad of Birmingham” uses diction, imagery, and paradox to share one of the tragic stories of the freedom march. The author’s word choices are very simple and yet they hold a great meaning. The little girl may not understand the way the real world works yet when her mother says “For the dogs are fierce and wild,/ And clubs and hoses, guns and jails/ Aren’t good for a little child”, meaning that she wouldn’t be safe out there because white men will punish her for her skin color. Imagery is used when describing the innocence of the daughter before she leaves for church and the wildness of the mother when she has heard the explosion. The paradox of the story is that the daughter would have been better off marching into danger than going to the sacred church in which she perished.
One of the most important literal devices used in poetry is diction. A great tip learned from reading Sound and sense, which I’m sure will help all of us, is to always have a dictionary nearby when reading poetry. Mr.Decker used a great example of the word sleazy because it has a different definition than the modern meaning. These two different definitions are called denotation and connotation. Denotation is the dictionary meaning of the word while connotation is the emotional attachment to the word or a meaning that is implied. The denotation of the word “sleazy” is lacking firmness of texture and carelessly made of inferior materials, but over time the connotation has meant to mean a promiscuous cheap woman. However, some connotations may become denotations overtime like the word “cool”.
Finally the dreaded poetry unit has arrived. Every student’s eyes widen and the room fills with heavy sighs at the thought of diving into such dense literature. It’s quite hard to find a student who loves and is eager to analyze poetry, but everyone has to learn the basic tools to understand poetry because it will come in handy in the future… eventually.
Poetry is a condensed and enhanced literature which may depict a story, an image, or emotion. Now there are several ways you can better understand poetry. There are the basic literal devices which we have already learned like imagery, syntax, personification, etc. The poem “Ballad of Birmingham” uses diction, imagery, and paradox to share one of the tragic stories of the freedom march. The author’s word choices are very simple and yet they hold a great meaning. The little girl may not understand the way the real world works yet when her mother says “For the dogs are fierce and wild,/ And clubs and hoses, guns and jails/ Aren’t good for a little child”, meaning that she wouldn’t be safe out there because white men will punish her for her skin color. Imagery is used when describing the innocence of the daughter before she leaves for church and the wildness of the mother when she has heard the explosion. The paradox of the story is that the daughter would have been better off marching into danger than going to the sacred church in which she perished.
One of the most important literal devices used in poetry is diction. A great tip learned from reading Sound and sense, which I’m sure will help all of us, is to always have a dictionary nearby when reading poetry. Mr.Decker used a great example of the word sleazy because it has a different definition than the modern meaning. These two different definitions are called denotation and connotation. Denotation is the dictionary meaning of the word while connotation is the emotional attachment to the word or a meaning that is implied. The denotation of the word “sleazy” is lacking firmness of texture and carelessly made of inferior materials, but over time the connotation has meant to mean a promiscuous cheap woman. However, some connotations may become denotations overtime like the word “cool”.
Guest Blogger: Kristine B.
Response for the Prompt from Feasting, Fasting
Sometimes when two people from different cultures interact with one another, cultural differences cause conflict. The passage from Anita Desai’s Feasting, Fasting is a perfect example of a cultural clash. Arun, the main character, is a foreign exchange student living in America with his host family. In this passage the host family decides to go to the beach. Several literary techniques are used to show how this experience is awkward for Arun as he struggles with the unfamiliar American customs.
To start with, the third person limited point of view used mostly throughout the novel shows how Arun is clearly not comfortable going to the beach. The first two lines are, “It is Saturday. Arun cannot plead work.” (Line 1) The short syntax and simple diction used in these two sentences gives a sense of the hopelessness that Arun feels as he struggles to find a way not to go to the beach. He wildly tries to find excuses (Line 5) not to go when he sees Melanie, a member in his host family, dressed only in her bathing suit and a large shirt. Arun feels awkward with Melanie’s American way of dressing. Later while walking in the forest to the beach readers are let into Arun’s mind to find that he dreads going to the beach so much that he and Melanie are competing on whom can lag behind better. The fact he is trying to delay the arrival to the beach clearly shows that the going to the beach is an uncomfortable situation for Arun. Finally, readers find out that Arun does not understand, “Why must people live in the vicinity of such benighted wilderness and become a part of it,” (Lines 46-47). Arun states that he prefers the small town and the shops that probably remind him of his home back in India. The third person point of view used in the passage allows readers to see that Arun is obviously uncomfortable with going to the beach by allowing readers to see what Arun is thinking throughout the whole experience.
Vivid imagery combined with negative connotation shows what Arun thinks of his surroundings and adds to his negative experience. While preparing to leave for the beach Mrs. Patton packs “equipment” (Line 15) for the trip. The use of the word equipment gives the sense of Arun getting ready for battle instead of a pleasant trip to the beach, demonstrating Arun’s reluctance for the beach trip. Later, one typically pictures a walk though a forest as peaceful and relaxing, Arun only hears the shrilling of cicadas and the shrieking of birds, “… the ugly jarring note that does not vary.” (Line 37). The houses in the woods “intrude” and, “… the hair on the back of his neck begins to prickle,” (lines 43-44). The negative use of speech paints the gloomy image that Arun sees further exemplifying his treacherous experience of going to the beach.
A trip to the beach is typically thought as a fun and relaxing experience in America. However, for Arun and his cultural back ground, a trip to the beach is an awkward experience for him. Desai uses many literary techniques throughout the whole passage to characterize Arun’s overwhelming experience of going to the beach, as he steps out of his comfort zone and tries to involve himself in American customs.
Sometimes when two people from different cultures interact with one another, cultural differences cause conflict. The passage from Anita Desai’s Feasting, Fasting is a perfect example of a cultural clash. Arun, the main character, is a foreign exchange student living in America with his host family. In this passage the host family decides to go to the beach. Several literary techniques are used to show how this experience is awkward for Arun as he struggles with the unfamiliar American customs.
To start with, the third person limited point of view used mostly throughout the novel shows how Arun is clearly not comfortable going to the beach. The first two lines are, “It is Saturday. Arun cannot plead work.” (Line 1) The short syntax and simple diction used in these two sentences gives a sense of the hopelessness that Arun feels as he struggles to find a way not to go to the beach. He wildly tries to find excuses (Line 5) not to go when he sees Melanie, a member in his host family, dressed only in her bathing suit and a large shirt. Arun feels awkward with Melanie’s American way of dressing. Later while walking in the forest to the beach readers are let into Arun’s mind to find that he dreads going to the beach so much that he and Melanie are competing on whom can lag behind better. The fact he is trying to delay the arrival to the beach clearly shows that the going to the beach is an uncomfortable situation for Arun. Finally, readers find out that Arun does not understand, “Why must people live in the vicinity of such benighted wilderness and become a part of it,” (Lines 46-47). Arun states that he prefers the small town and the shops that probably remind him of his home back in India. The third person point of view used in the passage allows readers to see that Arun is obviously uncomfortable with going to the beach by allowing readers to see what Arun is thinking throughout the whole experience.
Vivid imagery combined with negative connotation shows what Arun thinks of his surroundings and adds to his negative experience. While preparing to leave for the beach Mrs. Patton packs “equipment” (Line 15) for the trip. The use of the word equipment gives the sense of Arun getting ready for battle instead of a pleasant trip to the beach, demonstrating Arun’s reluctance for the beach trip. Later, one typically pictures a walk though a forest as peaceful and relaxing, Arun only hears the shrilling of cicadas and the shrieking of birds, “… the ugly jarring note that does not vary.” (Line 37). The houses in the woods “intrude” and, “… the hair on the back of his neck begins to prickle,” (lines 43-44). The negative use of speech paints the gloomy image that Arun sees further exemplifying his treacherous experience of going to the beach.
A trip to the beach is typically thought as a fun and relaxing experience in America. However, for Arun and his cultural back ground, a trip to the beach is an awkward experience for him. Desai uses many literary techniques throughout the whole passage to characterize Arun’s overwhelming experience of going to the beach, as he steps out of his comfort zone and tries to involve himself in American customs.
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