Victorian Stoicism: Charge of the Light Brigade and Invictus

Consider these two poems as representations of the stoicism that marked much of British Victorian work.  How does this concept play out in Tennyson's piece? (You may need to research the event that inspired the poem to gain a better understanding of tension and context of the piece.) 
Then, we have the perennial favorite, "Invictus." Discuss the beliefs expressed in this poem and probe its emotional resonance.

Flower in the crannied wall

Please read Tennyson's "Flower in the crannied wall" (copied below).  According to this poem, what is the essence of all things? FLOWER in the crannied wall,
I pluck you out of the crannies;—
Hold you here, root and all, in my hand,
Little flower—but if I could understand
What you are, root and all, and all in all,	5
I should know what God and man is.

#5 William Blake: The Arist, The Poet

After you read "Lamb" and "Tyger" a few times, take a some minutes and look at the artwork by William Blake.  http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/william-blake-39

Consider his written and visual art, What characterizes Blake's work? What topics and spiritual/soulful questions does he explore in his work?  What do you get out of his poems and art? Pls cite a specific poem or piece of art that touched you.

#4 Ah, Keats!

Ok, Keats is tough for many.  The reward for making it through one of these three poems is to reach the depths of understanding, of universal truth, of angst, longing, loss, and connection between truth and beauty.  You read "When I have fears," "Grecian Urn," and "To Autumn."

So, my question to you is: which one of the three spoke to you? What did you hear? Was it the word choice used? The phrasing? The subtle images? The underlying meaning? Also, please write about what the process of understanding this poem was like for you. How many times did you have to read the poem before you really got it? How did you gain an understanding?

Blog #3: The Women of Shelley and Byron

Reflect on Shelley's "Waning Moon" and Byron's "She walks in beauty."  Do any words or phrases stick out to you?  What vision and image is presented in each poem? Consider the physical descriptions given, the author's feelings toward his subject, and what each may be saying about the women on whom they are musing.  Are there any similarities in the two images portrayed in these two poems? 

The world is too much with us

Remember that this famous sonnet was written in 1806.  Think about what Monsieur Coyle spoke about yesterday in terms of the historical context of the time and thoughts that were heavy on the minds of European artists like Wordsworth.  It seems, according to Wordsworth, that man's relation to nature at this time is off kilter.  Please comment on the historical context of this poem: to what is Wordsworth referring? What is wrong? Next, consider what is applicable to us today: how/why would it behoove us to take a look at ourselves, our lifestyle choices, our relation to nature?  Is the turn of this century anything like the turn of Wordsworth century?

Ah, Spring!

Welcome back to campus and the blustery spring of New England.  Last week was warm and invigorating; folks were out and about tidying up lawns, readying planting beds, soaking up the early sun of the season. Yesterday turned cold, wet, and fierce. Spring in New England is a known unknown, and by that I mean that we are aware that each day may bring something completely unexpected (joyously wonderful or simply to be endured).  This is much like poetry for many.

Please share your thoughts and experience with poetry thus far in your life. Does it make you raise your face to its sunny warmth or make you want to hunker down to Hemingway's mantra, il faut d'abord durer"? Perhaps somewhere in between? 
Which poets do you know and appreciate? Who are the favorite poets of your parents, grandparents?  What are you thinking as we enter into a time together with British Romantic and Victorian Era poets?

Vocab Vids #2

1.     Facetious  (Steph)

2.     Idiosyncrasy (Sam)

3.     Malleable (Mall)

4.     Belie (Madyson)

5.     Nuance (Gemma)

6.     Conundrum (Erin)

7.    Pensive (Mariah)

8.     Prevaricate (Shaylah)

9.     Rescind (Luke)

10. Diatribe(Laura)

11. Guile(DP)

12. Insinuate (Mich)

13. Obdurate(Jennie)

14. Germane (Nessa)

15. Loquacious  (Taylor)

16. Implacable(Keeley)

Tenebrous

Hamlet Acts 1-3.2- Laura

Hamlet’s encounter in the woods reveals a new side to his character. Hamlet’s meeting with his father’s ghost leaves him unsettled and troubled. He is shocked by what his “father’s” ghost tells him of, and instantly Hamlet feels a desire to avenge his father’s death. Hamlet then behaves in a manner contrary to his usual demeanor. Those who surround him become concerned with his thought to be insanity. They make a plan to discover the meaning behind his cryptic behavior. I think that Hamlet’s madness is a cover for his desire to reveal the truth of his father’s death. I do not understand though why he would want to be perceived as if he had lost his mind to the people closest to him. I think it is just a plan to reveal his uncle's true intentions.

Acts 1-3

Hamlet's internal life seems to be a struggle with himself. He is acting totally out of character to others when he is around them, but then behind closed doors he is dealing with his mental demons. When he is around Ophelia, Horatio, Gertrude, Claudius, and the general public he acts like a madman, and it almost seems like it's an act. However, when he is alone with his thoughts he can barely keep composure. I think that Shakespeare is eluding to a bigger scene later on in the play when he contrasts both of Hamlet's personalities. He might have to make a decision and choose between which of the two personalities he is going to follow- the one putting on an act, or the one who longs for revenge against his fathers death. Whichever one is chosen will be the deciding factor in how the rest of the play falls into place.

I think that Hamlet is acting wierd because it is part of his plan to get revenge. He is planning to put on a play infront of the king, a play replaying his fathers death. He is going to to watch his uncle and see his reaction. He wants further proof that the ghost isnt the devil and that his uncle did kill his father. I think that they way he acts aroiund people is just an act to go along with his plan to get revenge. Although he is upset about his fathers death he channels that anger into rgetting even. I think that when he is by himself he is more relaxed and isnt as crazy, He reflects on himself when he is alone. I think that we are going to see that his acting crazy is all an act to get revenge on his uncle.

Hamlet acts 1 and 2

In the last acts of Hamlet, Hamlet starts acting strange. This may be a part of his plan to get revenge on his uncle. This also might be because the news of his father being murdered has struck him very deeply because he loved his father so dearly and to know that he was brutally killed though he did nothing wrong, makes Hamlet very angry. Hamlet comes up with the plan that he will have people act out a play where his "father" gets murdered. He is hoping for a reaction out of his uncle which will show that he is guilty of murdering Hamlet's father. The fact that he is going crazy may be because he truly is crazy or it might be part of his plan for revenge. When making the guards promise not to tell anyone about the ghost, he also made them promise not to say anything if he started to act strange. I think this is part of his plan because he wouldn't have known to tell them not to worry about him acting strange because he wouldn't have known that he would eventually start acting different. But since he told them, it indicates that he knew something would change.

Hamlet Blog 2

As the story of Hamlet continues, we know now that the ghost of Hamlet's father (so we believe) has told Hamlet to seek revenge upon his killer, Hamlet's uncle. After this, we see Hamlet acting rather strange and different in public then when he is by himself, and we as readers and watchers must ask the question, is he really going nuts, or is it all part of the plans for revenge? When Hamlet is alone he does seem depressed about the marriage situation, but he seems far more sane and happier when he is alone. I think it is part of the revenge, and thus how the plot carries on. The way he asks to others when he is pretending to be crazy creates conflict as well. The universal truths that are being shown here are that if he sulked all the time, he would have no fun with life. That he needs to look on the bright side, and that revenge is a platter best served cold.

My Reaction to the First Scenes

The first scenes of Hamlet were enthralling ones that captured your attention. Seeing the ghost made we wonder what message he was trying to convey. The madness that goes around Hamlet must be pure torture for him, seeing his innocent mother marry someone who he can sense is only it it for the money and power. Hamlet's first soliloquy was a hard one to understand, but it was telling of the turmoil and distress he is going through. You could see the anger he portrayed so clearly. He had a right to be angry too. The ghost character enthralls me, and I was excited to see in future scenes what would happen about it (what it might tell Hamlet) and whether or not the new king will actually rule like a proper king.

Class Blog #2

Now that the story has really started to progress, we know a lot about Hamlet and how he acts in front of others and when he is alone.  When Hamlet is alone, he is usually very upset, depressed and angry, or a mixture of the three.  When he is alone, he sits with the thoughts in his own head and speaks of his hardships.  He even begins to ponder the meaning of life and why he is even on earth. As Hamlet is alone, the reality of his life kicks in and sadness pours out of him like the blood poured from his father's ears.  When Hamlet is with Ophelia, Gertrude, Horatio, and Claudius, he appears to be a bit of a different person.  It's almost as if he goes with the flow of life as he is with these people.  As his mother is spending her life with the man that murdered his father, he says nothing and keeps quiet.  As he is in love with Ophelia, he goes along with it, tells her that he loves her, and doesn't seem to display his true depression.  I believe that Shakespeare creates Hamlet's character as so because if he dwelled on the depressed Hamlet who sulks over his messed up family, then the plot would go nowhere and we wouldn't be able to see the character that Hamlet develops into by the end of the play.

My Reaction to 1.1-2/Hamlet's 1st soliloquy

In Act 1, Scenes 1 and 2, I was drawn into the play very quickly.  As the story began, and we learned about the mysterious ghost which almost forced you to wonder who the ghost was and why it was there.  Also, it was  interesting to read and watch about Hamlet's story and how his father died and his uncle then married his mother.  Although I've never been in this type of situation, I couldn't help but to sympathize for Hamlet's utter heart ache for how dysfunctional his family has become.  His pain is showed clearly as he says his first soliloquy after his uncle convinces him to stay in Denmark.  As he talks to himself about the ridiculousness of his mother remarrying after only two month after his fathers death.  He talks about how great his father was - a king to his people, a loving husband and father, and an overall good man. He says that he was someone that his uncle could never compare to.  Hamlet pours his heart and soul out to himself and then finishes with the fact that he must keep his mouth closed and not say anything.  I find this a little strange because usually when people are very upset about a situation or circumstance that happened, they vent and then create a plan.  But Hamlet proposes to do nothing regarding the matter and it sort of makes me feel as if he is admitting defeat to his uncle and his mother.

Acts 1-3.2

Hamlet is struggling with the death of a Father and a Mother who was quick to move on. He recently came across a ghost that has exposed his uncle as the murderer of his Father. Beyond that that he believes the ghost is the "devil", and has devised a plan to prove to "himself" that what the ghost told him is true. He is going to provide a play that encompasses the same scene as portrayed by the ghost, and see not only the reaction of his Uncle but his Mother too, so he can find out if she was a part of this evil scheme also. Ophelia, the "love of his life" has recently and for "no reason" at all severed her relationship with Hamlet. Hamlet is fighting a battle within. Is revenge the answer? Is he a coward for thinking that way? Deception, anger, and heartache flow within him coinciding with the fact that he is unsure of his purpose at this point in his life, he's the only one who can sort all of it out. He takes on the role of a lunatic when dealing with Horation, Ophelia, Gertrude, and Cladius. This is most appropriately depicted when Hamlet climbs into Ohelia's window and seemingly grabs her wrist and simply stares into her eyes. This was the catalyst for his madness, as assumed by others. This differs from the "real" Hamlet because he really isn't a lunatic at all. He is only doing this because of the deal he made with Horatio. Two of the major noble truths that stuck out to me were the ideas of moral truth and moral validity. Hamlet believes the world is a terrible place to live in, he often contemplates suicide. The Christan background of the story makes this very hard for him to accomplish, because if one commits suicide, one has guaranteed his ticket to hell. Hamlet is also unsure of what's real or rather true. The reappearance of the ghost brings a sense of uncertainty because he does not know what lies beyond death, and thus is not sure if he can believe what is happening.

Hamlet Acts 1.3-2.2

These couple of acts show key plot points. Horatio tells Hamlet that he has seen the ghost of Hamlet's father for a couple of nights, and Hamlet demands that they go so that he can see his father. That night he see's his father, and while they are alone in the woods, the King tells Hamlet about how he was murdered by his Brother, and that Hamlet show avenge his father's loss, by pouring a big bowl of karma to his uncle. Then the ghost is gone and Horatio finds Hamlet where they swear to never say anything about that night, and if Hamlet is acting strange to think nothing of it. A while goes by, and the everyone is noticing why Hamlet's being so strange. Polonius thinks it's because he forbid his daughter to see him, but really it is because of his father's wishes. Hamlet literally can just not even bare to look at his uncle because of what he did, but also, he is starting to question life itself. Hamlet starts to think that the ghost might be the devil instead of his father. That's how insane he has become. His idea where he tells the jesters to re-make his father's death to see if humanity is basically real by his uncles reaction to it.

Class Blog #2

In the play, Hamlet portrays himself to others in a way that differs from what he feels inside. Ever since his father died and his mother married his uncle after a few short months, he has felt empty, but also disappointed that his mother would so such a thing. When the ghost of his deceased father came to tell him the real story of his death, Hamlet knew that there was something he had to do. He started acting strange around everyone, including Ophelia, the one he was in love with. Ophelia and her father were both concerned that they caused Hamlet's grief, even though it had nothing to do with them. Hamlet's plan all along was to pretend that he went crazy to attract attention. The King began to organize a group of followers and spies, all of which Hamlet figured out about on his own. He wrote a play that clearly stated everything that had happened in the last 2 months, without using anyone's names to keep it anonymous. Because only he and his uncle Claudius, know the truth about Hamlet's father's death, it was an ingenious plan. Hamlet was aware of his actions the whole time; he portrayed himself as someone far dumber than he really was. Every event in the plot, from the time he started acting psychotic to his play, was only to move the plot along. Hamlet led the audience as well as the other characters on in order to expose the truth about himself, that he was the smartest one after all.

Hamlet acts 1-3.2

In Hamlet so far there are a lot of unanswered questions, one of the scenes that opens the most questions for me is the scene when Hamlet's father reappears as
a ghost. Their conversation in the woods is very interesting, we learn that Hamlet wants to get revenge on his uncle, but we don't know how. Afterwards Hamlet warns a few others that he may be acted strange. His comment seems out of place of unnesasary, but Shakespeare does this to move the plot along. Shortly after this comment Shakespeare does just as he warned he would, he acts very strange. His family and Ophelia are of the few that know him on a personal level, especially after his father's death, and they begin to notice changes in his attitude. His mother and uncle hire spies and Ophelia and his father agree to this plot cause they all believe Hamlets gone mad, but Hamlet's soliloquies lead me to believe he could be up to something...

Reaction to Hamlet

Our class is not very far into Hamlet, but I already enjoy it! After reading the first two scenes I could understand the general idea of an apparition that was a king, also that the kings son was unhappy due to his fathers deaths and a marriage. It wasn't until our class watched the play that I began to understand almost completely what was going on, and I'm happy that I read before because I think that helped me to better understand the play. I'm very excited to see what happens and I think the king will begin to speak soon or at least find some way to get his message across.

Hamlet Scenes 1 and 2- Laura

In the first two scenes of Hamlet, Hamlet's situation is explained. He is mourning the loss of his father who passed away no more than two months ago. He saw his father as such an important part of his life, and looked up to him. Hamlet is seen to be in very low spirits. His mother's marriage to his uncle completely bewildered him. His parents had been so in love, he could not understand why his mother had gotten over her husband's death like it was nothing. He feels as if he wants to die, because his life has become progressively worse. I am not quite sure why his mother would so willingly marry her deceased husband's brother so quickly. She seems very inconsiderate to how her son must feel. If anyone was put in that situation, they would feel the grief that Hamlet does.

Hamlet Scene 1+2

In reaction to Hamlet's first soliloquy, I believe that his actions are normal for one who is mourning their Father's death. Now, his overall view on life at this point is bleak and it seems as if his Father's passing made it worse. He was obviously very close and fond of his Father, he looked up to him. His Father was the one person that could brighten up this day, he felt safe around him. Somehow, as long as his Father was there by his side nothing could go wrong. The one person that could save Hamlet from being swallowed up by this world was his Father and without him he has nothing to live for. That being said, his emotions are at there pinnacle right now, and will only ease down. It's also very apparent that he dislikes his Uncle, and it has become quite clear that he thinks he's a phony. He is also very upset with his Mother, who is quickly taking on the role of a "Single Mother" who desperately needs love and affection.

Hamlet's First Soliloquy

In response to the reading, I get the feeling that Hamlet is struggling with a severe form of depression. He is wishing that he were dead and that his physical self could just melt if only suicide was not forbidden by God. Hamlet is in despair and has lost faith in all those who is related to and all he wants is to die. I think that Hamlet is going to loose faith in women after seeing that his mother married his uncle so soon after his father's death. I think that how he is feeling is very believable because, though I have never experienced a loss like my parents, I know people who have. And the amount of suffering they dealt with is so hard to imagine anyone going through. You hear stories about people committing suicide and nobody ever really knows how that person felt while they were considering it, but Hamlet is giving one of the closest interpretations I've seen about getting into the mind of one who is suffering. This is the first real look into Hamlets character and I am very interested to see where is goes from here.

Hamlet: Scenes 1 and 2

The first two scenes of Hamlet is mostly just about setting up the plot. We learn that Hamlet's father has just died and now his mother is marrying his uncle. This makes him very emotional because he misses his dad and it hurts to see him his mother with another man. Especially one that was so close to his father, his own brother. In his first soliloquy, he shows how sad and frustrated he is. He is letting the audience know that he is really upset, but there is nothing he can or will do about this. This is very believable because I feel that every person would be not only sad if their father had just passed away, but it would add to the rush of emotions he would have already been feeling if his mother pretty much immediately married someone else. It would also add to the sadness if the person he was marrying was his own uncle and his father's own brother. I'm sure he would be feeling like his uncle was taking everything from his father because now, his uncle has his father's wife, throne, job, and basically his whole life.

Hamlet Acts 1 &2

In Hamlet's First Soliloquy, he is extremely emotional. He is mourning his father's death, and also lashing out feelings against his mother. He is mad at her, but not only that, he is disappointed in her. She goes from being this loving wife to his father, to when he dies, she marries his brother literally a month or two later. He feels a little betrayed for his Father's sake. He does not want to say anything because he knows it will lead him into some trouble. It will show the people of their country that the royal family is bickering. In a way this is believable because what kid wants to go threw a parents death and instantly see their widowed parent marry again within a couple months? Yes, probably everyone in their lifetime has felt like this. I mean if someone hasn't ever felt like this, then i praise them and want to know how they do it. It's normal and something that people shouldn't be ashamed of, it's just a natural part of life.

Vocab Videos #1

extant       http://animoto.com/play/DVKud34SAWK2fKqmeBUzfQ

proselytize    http://animoto.com/play/bOOzM1bjVwlRc4FAoFIfwQ  

  

entreat      http://www.youtube.com/user/JennieEONeill?feature=watch

Class Blog Writing #1: Hamlet 1.1-1.2

Write your reaction to the beginning of Hamlet, focusing on Act 1, Scenes 1 and 2 and especially on Hamlet's first soliloquy, "O, that this too too sullied flesh would melt..." (1.2.129-159).  What is Hamlet feeling here? What are the causes of his strong emotions? Is this believable? Have you or someone you know ever felt like this?  (Write minimum of 4-5 sentences, pls.)

Welcome to Winter

Hello, Happy New Year, and welcome back!
Hope you all had a marvelous break and return rested and ready for the literary adventures to continue.  This winter we move up the chronological ladder; we will focus on the time of Shakespeare and the Victorians.  In addition, we will develop vocabulary and work on becoming fine orators with regular public speaking practice.  Please visit my office often throughout the winter!