How does Shakespeare present the world of Venice in the first act, and how does he construct the interactions of his central characters (Iago, Othello, and Desdemona) with that Venetian world and with each other. How are these interactions complicated by the fact that Othello is a Moor and that Desdemona is a young women?
In the first act Shakespeare presents the world of Venice is shown to be an orderly and relatively quiet place. At one point Barbantio is asked if he has been robbed and he answers,"What tellâst thou me of robbing? This is Venice; My house is not a grange." This shows that Venice is a good place where rich people go and there is never any crime there, due to all of the people being rich there. It is also a military place in which they had success. Venice is also shows as a place of love and hate which is how the three main characters are interacted and constructed. Othello is black and in that time period there was a lot of racism therefore people would interact differently with Othello. Then Desdemona is a female and also in that time period females were treated differently and they did not have any rights. Therefore people would interact differently with Desdemona.
What sort of person is Iago, as he appears in act 1? Are you satisfied by the reasons he gives for hating Othello? What is Iago's relationship with Roderigo?
Iago is very manipulative. Iago uses this nature to cause havoc. We also learn from the first act that Iago is a very kind person and he is caring. Although that soon switches as he goes against Othello as he does not like him as he is jealous of him and his power. He is also jealous of Othello as he is an army man and has fought but Iago is seen as weak. I do not agree that Iago should hate Othello because of this reason as it is pathetic and he should not hate him because he is jealous of what he has got and the power that he has. Iagos relationship with Roderigo is very complicated as we can see that Iago uses Roderigo rather than being friends. He also gets Roderigo to take the blame for the horrible things that Iago says therefore this shows that he is using him to back Iago up so that he does not get into trouble.
What sort of language does Iago use? What sort of language does Othello use? What might be the significance of this difference?
The language that Iago uses in act 1 is very angry language. He uses aggressive language that comes across to the audience as violent. This means that the audience can see him as a horrible character as he has a nasty, angry tone of voice. The language that Othello uses is soft, gentle and calm. He does not speak aggressively and he is very calm. Therefore it is a countertype to what people may think he would speak like due to the stereotype and racism that he gets from other characters. His language also shows that he is well educated. The significant difference of this shows the difference of social statures in Venice.
Wednesday, 27 January 2016
Sunday, 10 January 2016
Tragedy Research
- What is the definition of Classical Tragedy?Tragedy is a form of drama based on human suffering that invokes an accompanying catharsis or pleasure in audiences.
- Where and when did the concept of Classical Tragedy originate?From its origins in the theatre of ancient Greece 2500 years ago.
- What are some of the earliest examples of classical tragedies, and when were they written? Oedipus Rex- performed 429 BCE, The Orestia- performed 458 BCE and Prometheus bound performed 430 BCE.
- Who was Aristotle, what was he known for, and when was he alive?Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle was born circa 384 B.C. in Stagira, Greece. When he turned 17, he enrolled in Plato’s Academy. In 338, he began tutoring Alexander the Great. In 335, Aristotle founded his own school, the Lyceum, in Athens, where he spent most of the rest of his life studying, teaching and writing. Aristotle died in 322 B.C., after he left Athens and fled to Chalcis.
- When did Aristotle write his study of tragedy, entitled Poetics? 330 BCE
- What, according to Aristotle, is the aim of tragedy?The aim of tragedy, Aristotle writes, is to bring about a "catharsis" of the spectators — to arouse in them sensations of pity and fear, and to purge them of these emotions so that they leave the theatre feeling cleansed and uplifted, with a heightened understanding of the ways of gods and men.
- What are the 6 component parts of tragedy, according to Aristotle? List them in order of importance. these were: plot, character, diction, reasoning, spectacle and lyric poetry.
- What is the role of the tragic hero in Aristotle's theory of tragedy, and how important is the tragic hero in Classical Tragedy? They must suffer in their lives which then creates fear and pity through there suffering. One of them will have a catastrophe which is usually a reverse of fortune.
- Define the following elements/ingredients of Classical Tragedy:
- Hamartia- An offence committed in ignorance of some material fact; a great mistake made as a result of an error by a morally good person.
- Tragic flaw-A fatal weakness or moral flaw in the protagonist that brings him or her to a bad end.
- Hubris-Excessive pride or self-confidence.
- Peripeteia-is a reversal of circumstances, or turning point.
- Anagnorisis (recognition)-is a moment in a play or other work when a character makes a critical discovery. Anagnorisis originally meant recognition in its Greek context, not only of a person but also of what that person stood for.
- Catharsis-the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions.
Monday, 14 December 2015
Planning marxist question
H.Bertens suggests that "capitalists grow rich and shareholders do well because the labourers that work for them and actually produce goods (including services) get less- and often a good deal less- for their efforts than their labour is actually worth." Looking closely at 'The Large Cool Store' by Philip Larkin and the critical anthology. How far do you agree with this?
Is there an outright rejection of socialism in the work?
Larkin shows no out right rejection to socialism in his work.
Does the text raise fundamental criticism about the emptiness of life in bourgeoisie society? (a society where the bourgeoisie is in charge of the proletariats)
in Larkins collection Whitsun weddings some of his poems do show the emptiness of living for example in the large cool store, this was because they are already planned out and have false consciousness which shows the emptiness. This also happens in Mr Bleaney when his flat is referred to as a coffin and he is living in a box.
In portraying society, what approximation of totality does the author achieve? What is emphasized, what is ignored? Why? (what society he focuses on and what part of there life does he focus on)
He focuses on a capitalist society
Is there an outright rejection of socialism in the work?
Larkin shows no out right rejection to socialism in his work.
Does the text raise fundamental criticism about the emptiness of life in bourgeoisie society? (a society where the bourgeoisie is in charge of the proletariats)
in Larkins collection Whitsun weddings some of his poems do show the emptiness of living for example in the large cool store, this was because they are already planned out and have false consciousness which shows the emptiness. This also happens in Mr Bleaney when his flat is referred to as a coffin and he is living in a box.
In portraying society, what approximation of totality does the author achieve? What is emphasized, what is ignored? Why? (what society he focuses on and what part of there life does he focus on)
He focuses on a capitalist society
Wednesday, 9 December 2015
Preparing essay
Researching the writer you have chosen’s autobiography – what events from his/her life may have affected their work?
Larkin survived the bombings in the second world war. His mother was also a nervous and passive women. His mother liked being dominated by her husband. His father loved literature.
What society is the text set in?
The society that Philip Larkin writes Whitsun weddings is a patriarchal society.
What society is the text written for?
The society that this is written for is
Larkin survived the bombings in the second world war. His mother was also a nervous and passive women. His mother liked being dominated by her husband. His father loved literature.
What society is the text set in?
The society that Philip Larkin writes Whitsun weddings is a patriarchal society.
What society is the text written for?
The society that this is written for is
Monday, 7 December 2015
Dreams Hopes and Plans for Hollow Men
What does the last stanza mean to you? Is the poem really describing the end of the world, or do the lines merely express a belief held by Hollow men?
The last stanza suggests that the world is slowly ending and the last stanza shows that there is nothing left in the world. This is because throughout the poem T.S Elliot is always talking about how the world is slowly degrading. " This broken jaw of our lost kingdoms". This shows that the world is slowly disappearing. It also shows that T.S Elliot's plans are working as he wants the reader to feel miserable. We can also see that everyone in the poem is boring and has a dull life. " Not with a bang but a whimper". This shows how boring their lives are. This also shows that the world does not end suddenly and it usually slowly fades away.But you can also see as the poem goes on and further towards the end the more miserable and boring the poem and there lives get. This shows that the world is ending slowly as there is eventually nothing left. The hollow men are also described as passive and pathetic as they are described by a "whimper". This shows that they are described as pathetic men as they are seen as small things and boring things.
The last stanza suggests that the world is slowly ending and the last stanza shows that there is nothing left in the world. This is because throughout the poem T.S Elliot is always talking about how the world is slowly degrading. " This broken jaw of our lost kingdoms". This shows that the world is slowly disappearing. It also shows that T.S Elliot's plans are working as he wants the reader to feel miserable. We can also see that everyone in the poem is boring and has a dull life. " Not with a bang but a whimper". This shows how boring their lives are. This also shows that the world does not end suddenly and it usually slowly fades away.But you can also see as the poem goes on and further towards the end the more miserable and boring the poem and there lives get. This shows that the world is ending slowly as there is eventually nothing left. The hollow men are also described as passive and pathetic as they are described by a "whimper". This shows that they are described as pathetic men as they are seen as small things and boring things.
Friday, 4 December 2015
Possible questions for my marxist essay.
The Times literary supplement argue that Larkins poems portray "a sense of order and a sense of waste." To what extent does Philip Larkin resemble this in his poetry collection 'Whitsun Weddings', using the critical anthology to inform your argument. To what extent do you agree with this view?
H.Bertens suggests that "capitalists grow rich and shareholders do well because the labourers that work for them and actually produce goods (including services) get less- and often a good deal less- for their efforts than their labour is actually worth." Looking closely at 'The Large Cool Store' by Philip Larkin and the critical anthology. How far do you agree with this?
P.Barry believes "a writers social class, and its prevailing 'ideology' have a major bearing on what is written by a member of that class." To what extent is this true when looking at Philip Larkins poetry work.
I am unsure which question i prefer between question one and two.
H.Bertens suggests that "capitalists grow rich and shareholders do well because the labourers that work for them and actually produce goods (including services) get less- and often a good deal less- for their efforts than their labour is actually worth." Looking closely at 'The Large Cool Store' by Philip Larkin and the critical anthology. How far do you agree with this?
P.Barry believes "a writers social class, and its prevailing 'ideology' have a major bearing on what is written by a member of that class." To what extent is this true when looking at Philip Larkins poetry work.
I am unsure which question i prefer between question one and two.
Wednesday, 25 November 2015
Larkins poems
Larkin's poetry cynically portrays a society in which the proletariat "are deluding themselves" rather than presenting a hopeful picture of a society where "they [go] beyond the limits which society sets for them" To what extent do you agree with this statement? Make close reference to FOUR Larkin poems.
Philip Larkin presents a society where the proletariats are deluding themselves by writing his poems in a way which shows that he is looking down on the proletariats for who they are due to there social class. He suggests that the proletariats are deluding themselves into a sense of false consciousness. This is presented throughout Larkin's poetry through the monotonous tone he uses, which reflects the proletariat lifestyle. The proletariats never go beyond their limits, this is shown this by them being alienated and because they are the working class they have no power to change their social situation.
In four of Larkins poems from the Whitsun weddings collection you can see that he writes all of his poems in a way that suggests the proletariats are deluding themselves. The four poems that I have chosen are 'The Large cool store', 'Here', 'Mr Bleaney' and 'The Whitsun Weddings.' The way that Philip Larkin shows that they are deluding themselves is by showing the monotony of their lives. He does this through the tone he uses in his poems as they are more like stories which makes the poem dull and boring to read. He also makes them seem as if the proletariats are deluding themselves by the language that he uses. For example in 'Here' you can see that he says "workmen at dawn." This suggests that the proletariats are stuck in the cyclical structure of society and are in a constant loop of working and spending. In this same poem it also suggested that they are the working class as he starts his poem of by saying "swerving east, from rich industrial shadows". This presents the idea that the proletariats are exploited by the bourgeoisie, due to capitalism. This also means that they are the base of the superstructure as they are the sense of means of production. He also uses terms such as these in his other poems. Another example is in 'Mr Bleaney,' he says "one hired box." In this poem Mr bleany has just died and Larkin is moving into his utilitarian room as he has power over Mr bleaney as he is the working class. But with him using one hired box it shows that it is all he has to show for his life showing how boring his life is and how miserable he must be. We also see the working class going to work in the morning in 'The Large cool Store.' The line "who leave at dawn", suggests that they are getting up ready to go to work for there unskilled labour as they are the proletariats. Finally we can also see that in ' Whitsun Weddings' they are the working class and they are deluding themselves; this is suggested by "did my three quarter empty train pull out". This demonstrates that they are off to work. With Larkin saying these in his poems it shows how monotonous the proletariats life is and they have it all ordered as they know no different.
From Larkins poems you can also see that the proletariats are deluding themselves and not going beyond there limits because they are not used to anything different and they do not portray what they do. No one argues that they have to go tot work. I believe that they endure their lives and they are passive as they do nothing about it. This is because there life is all set it for them and it is ordered. They have to go to work and then they can go out at in the evenings and at the weekend. Larkin tries to make there life sound much more exciting when it comes to the proletariats going out but it only sounds more exciting than there working day. You can see this in his poem 'whitsun weddings.' He says ' coach party annexes, the wedding days" this shows that the days out that they have are still boring as there still seems to be no happiness that they are going out. But this is also not a very exciting description of them all going out.
Another reason why I believe that all of Larkins poems are bleak and miserable is because he has no real rhythm in his poems. The only rhythm that he has is his rhyming couplets. For example " across and moss." Even these rhyming couplets don't give the poem any rhythm. With his poems having no rhythm it makes it seem like a story and is very boring. The times literary supplement said something about Larkins collection. They said " a sense of order and a sense of waste." This shows that the proletariats have order in there life and that there life's are boring and repetitive.
Larkin shows that the proletariats have a sense of order in there life's. This is shown in ' The Large Cool Store.' Larkin says " set out in simple sizes plainly." This shows that there life is ordered as they have to go to work and then they come back from work with a bit of money and then they can go out in the evening and the weekends and there life is planned.
From analysing and reading Larkins poems I can see that all of his poems are set out all the same as they are just shows to be repetitive and boring life's. But Larkin also shows the working class to be miserable and deluding themselves as Larkin show boring there life is as it is already ordered for them and they have no other choice that working. A Marxist critic may think that the poems are showing a really bad patriarchy society and they will aim to get rid of capitalists. Overall I think that Larkin does represent the proletariats to be boring as all they do is go to work and go out. But I also believe that none of the proletariats bother to go beyond there limits as thy just get on with there life's and do not resist doing something else they just do what they are told and work for the bourgeoisie.
Philip Larkin presents a society where the proletariats are deluding themselves by writing his poems in a way which shows that he is looking down on the proletariats for who they are due to there social class. He suggests that the proletariats are deluding themselves into a sense of false consciousness. This is presented throughout Larkin's poetry through the monotonous tone he uses, which reflects the proletariat lifestyle. The proletariats never go beyond their limits, this is shown this by them being alienated and because they are the working class they have no power to change their social situation.
In four of Larkins poems from the Whitsun weddings collection you can see that he writes all of his poems in a way that suggests the proletariats are deluding themselves. The four poems that I have chosen are 'The Large cool store', 'Here', 'Mr Bleaney' and 'The Whitsun Weddings.' The way that Philip Larkin shows that they are deluding themselves is by showing the monotony of their lives. He does this through the tone he uses in his poems as they are more like stories which makes the poem dull and boring to read. He also makes them seem as if the proletariats are deluding themselves by the language that he uses. For example in 'Here' you can see that he says "workmen at dawn." This suggests that the proletariats are stuck in the cyclical structure of society and are in a constant loop of working and spending. In this same poem it also suggested that they are the working class as he starts his poem of by saying "swerving east, from rich industrial shadows". This presents the idea that the proletariats are exploited by the bourgeoisie, due to capitalism. This also means that they are the base of the superstructure as they are the sense of means of production. He also uses terms such as these in his other poems. Another example is in 'Mr Bleaney,' he says "one hired box." In this poem Mr bleany has just died and Larkin is moving into his utilitarian room as he has power over Mr bleaney as he is the working class. But with him using one hired box it shows that it is all he has to show for his life showing how boring his life is and how miserable he must be. We also see the working class going to work in the morning in 'The Large cool Store.' The line "who leave at dawn", suggests that they are getting up ready to go to work for there unskilled labour as they are the proletariats. Finally we can also see that in ' Whitsun Weddings' they are the working class and they are deluding themselves; this is suggested by "did my three quarter empty train pull out". This demonstrates that they are off to work. With Larkin saying these in his poems it shows how monotonous the proletariats life is and they have it all ordered as they know no different.
From Larkins poems you can also see that the proletariats are deluding themselves and not going beyond there limits because they are not used to anything different and they do not portray what they do. No one argues that they have to go tot work. I believe that they endure their lives and they are passive as they do nothing about it. This is because there life is all set it for them and it is ordered. They have to go to work and then they can go out at in the evenings and at the weekend. Larkin tries to make there life sound much more exciting when it comes to the proletariats going out but it only sounds more exciting than there working day. You can see this in his poem 'whitsun weddings.' He says ' coach party annexes, the wedding days" this shows that the days out that they have are still boring as there still seems to be no happiness that they are going out. But this is also not a very exciting description of them all going out.
Another reason why I believe that all of Larkins poems are bleak and miserable is because he has no real rhythm in his poems. The only rhythm that he has is his rhyming couplets. For example " across and moss." Even these rhyming couplets don't give the poem any rhythm. With his poems having no rhythm it makes it seem like a story and is very boring. The times literary supplement said something about Larkins collection. They said " a sense of order and a sense of waste." This shows that the proletariats have order in there life and that there life's are boring and repetitive.
Larkin shows that the proletariats have a sense of order in there life's. This is shown in ' The Large Cool Store.' Larkin says " set out in simple sizes plainly." This shows that there life is ordered as they have to go to work and then they come back from work with a bit of money and then they can go out in the evening and the weekends and there life is planned.
From analysing and reading Larkins poems I can see that all of his poems are set out all the same as they are just shows to be repetitive and boring life's. But Larkin also shows the working class to be miserable and deluding themselves as Larkin show boring there life is as it is already ordered for them and they have no other choice that working. A Marxist critic may think that the poems are showing a really bad patriarchy society and they will aim to get rid of capitalists. Overall I think that Larkin does represent the proletariats to be boring as all they do is go to work and go out. But I also believe that none of the proletariats bother to go beyond there limits as thy just get on with there life's and do not resist doing something else they just do what they are told and work for the bourgeoisie.
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