Monday, March 16, 2009

As You Like It LRJ 5

In this final act there was realization between the rich and the poor. Unlike all the previous acts this one has the least amount of rivalry against the country versus the court theme. The act starts off by Touchstone and William and their conversation. Touchstone then asks William whether he was born in the forest. This illusion was thought to be Touchstone bad mouthing him but actually turned out to be sincere this means a balance between the country and the court. Also the two, court and court, starts to mesh together and the theme of country vs. court goes away because they have heard the stories of each other and now think themselves as people just trying to live their own lives. From then on you can tell that the people living in the are more accepting of the people living in the country. Touchstone himself has changed. He doesn't see them as he did in act 3 or previous chapters where he thought that were close to savages and uneducated. Now he sees that they are people just like him and people living at the court. "But, my good lord, this boy is forest- born And hath been tutored in the rudiments Of many desperate studies by his uncle"(5.4.31-33). Orland says this to Duke Senior explaining that even though that guy is forest born he is amazed to find out the amount of knowledge that boy knows. In the end it all works out perfectly. Court versus isn't as big of a problem as it was before and there is a happy ending to this book afterall.

As You Like It LRJ 4

Act 4 of the book doesn't seem to have a lot of Court versus Country as the previous acts did. In this act it seems as throughout the book its been talking more about rivalry in this certain act it seems to be more emotional and bonding relations. As the act starts out Jacques, the traveler, starts talking about how he is ashamed to be living in the forest. Rosalind disguised as Ganymede says to him "I fear you have sold other men's to see others"(4.1.24-25). Basically what she is saying is that even though Jacques if a traveler he has tried too hard to see how other people have lived when he himself should live the life he has and should be happy of it. "disable all the benefits of your own country, be out of love your nativity"(4.1.37). Rosalind is saying that Jacques has tried too hard and should think about what the country actually has to offer for him and he should think about the positives instead of the negatives. He should also show a sense of pride and courage that living in the country is the only way to go. In scene 3 of this act and lords accompanied by Jacques seem to be mocking people of the country because they like acting like foresters and starts singing a song. "'Tis no matter how it be in tune,so it make noise enough"(4.3.9) The meaning of this mockery is saying that people in the country like to sing silly songs that doesn't seem to even rhyme or e sung in tune. It shows how much the court mocks the country.

Even though there was little revealing of the theme country vs court he still brings up few detail. He wants to get his message across about how like the sophisticated has rivalry against those who work hard and live simple lives. It could be seen throughout history like when Columbus first saw when natives but its only a comparison.

As You Like It LRJ 3

This act puts a lot of emphasis on the difference between country versus court. As like the previous acts the court believe that the country is a place where there are savages and they pretty much do whatever they feel like. Court feel as though the forest is a scary place and if you were to join them you wouldn't ever feel like coming back. Another thing it brings up is the loyalty that the court shares and also their corruption. "I never loved my brother in my life"(3.1.14). This was said by Oliver saying the he never loved his brother which shows that the higher class people seem to not care about family as much and are a tyrant just trying to reach for more power. People in the country on the other hand are like one big family who care for each other and very loving. One quote said by Corin "he wants money,means, and content is without three good friends"(3.2.25), what he says here is that people in the court seem to prefer money and greed over friends, which was said earlier. Touchstone admires that about Corin that in the fields there is a lot more respect then get gets at the court. Also the argument goes on with Corin and Touchstone about the differences in the court and in the country. Touchstone says "is thou never saw-st good manners,then thy must be wicked,and wickedness is sin"(3.2.40-44). Touchstone says that if people in the country were to go to the court the people would think of them as ill-mannered and since they are ill mannered it would lead to something else which could be close to sin. Corin argues with Touchstone the same concept that if people of the court would come to the country they would think of us differently and the country would think of them as a person without freedom. Between the two of them it shows a lot about how the differences of the two compare with each other.

As You Like It lRJ 2

In act two there is a big point of view about country versus court. In the court they believe that the country dwellers are those of savages. Those living in the country seem to think differently as well. "More free from peril then the envious court"(2.1.4) this was said by Duke Senior who was usurped and doesn't seem to mind at all. He enjoys being in the country he says it more free and to them the court is just to complicated and confusing. Though they have been banished unharmed they are and living their life free as they desire.
Also in the act Orland and Adam go into the woods and starts to crave crazily for food. Soon they are given food by Duke Senior and his men and it shows that the side of the country being a place where help was a necessity to keep their society was alive. Throughout the book the court always think themselves as a place of higher being as in being more sophisticated and intellectual. But that is not that idea that Amiens believes he says "And this our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in trees, books, in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything"(2.1. 15-16)what he says here is that even though they are not allowed back to the court they found nature to be as educational as books and they use sermons in stones. Simply Shakespeare is saying that brains doesn't come from books itself because books come from people who usually write stuff down from their observations in nature. The court versus country seems to get more in dept now as the story goes on it could mean an allusion to how story progresses in the end.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

As You Like It LRJ #1

In As You Like It there are a lot of corruption in the court. Which brings up the themes court vs. country and City vs. Country. It is plainly written in the text saying the city life was a place where there was much corruption. The story does go into detail of that quickly. One place where there was corruption in the city was with Oliver. Oliver doesn't want to give his younger brother education on being a gentlemen. "I,his brother, gain nothing under him but growth"(Act 1,Scene 1,13-14), Orland says this to Adam in the first page of the book. It already talks about how corrupt his brother is in not letting him have the gentleman's education which he deserves. Orland mentions to Adam about how he is treated like a dog and also says Oliver's horses are bred better and have more education. Orland then threatens Oliver by holding his neck "allow me such exercises as may become a gentleman, or give me poor allottery my father left me"(Act1,Scene 1, 70-73) Orland demands one of the two choices be made. Either he gets proper education or he gets his father's money, a little amount that has been left to him. And they exit. Another place where corruption is found is at the court of Duke Frederick where the throne of Duke Senior was usurped. It shows that people who live in the court seem to be more sophisticated then those living in the country. The lives of those are more complex and problems seem to occur more. Those who live in the country believe that the court is a savage land and the court believes likewise for the others. Those who go to the other place actually live a pretty happy life there. People go from the city to the country to free themselves but actually enjoys them self there.This theme is reoccurring throughout the story

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Macbeth LRJ#6

1)Shakespeare asks us to consider after reading Macbeth is to think about our lives and how we shouldn't take it for granted if someone told that you are invincible. You should live your own life according to your free will and not listen to people that tell you about your future.He wants us to consider questions like "Is it worth it to kill just for selfish reasons?"."During that time period were women equal as men or why did lady Macbeth have such man-like qualities, is it the ideal woman of that time?" According to Christianity god gave men and women free will so they could live their lives and following what others tell you to do is going against God's will. Another thing he wants us to consider is overconfidence only leads to destruction of self, like Macbeth who thought himself has invincible just because the witches. Another obvious thing Shakespeare is trying to tell us is to not kill just to try to get to an upper class. Murder is not the answer and only leads to guilt and destruction of yourself."Look like th'innocent flower, But to be the serpent under't"(1.6.Shakespeare65-66). Lady Macbeth wanted Macbeth who listened to his wife about killing Banquo. Macbeth though feeling guilt. His wife in the story is like his conscience the evil sided one. She wants him to get to the top but in the quickest way possible which was murdering the line of Banquo."Out, damned spot!Out,I Say"(Shakespeare,5.1,36). According to Dante's Inferno he would go to the deepest circle of hell to violence against neighbors,friends, and country. The place Macbeth is going is not a good one and Shakespeare wants us all to know that life is hard but cheating is not the way to get through life in the end it would all be worth for nothing. Shakespeare does answer a lot of the questions.

Macbeth LRJ#5

1) The main theme of this last Act was Fall of the hero. Other themes that are related to the fall of the hero include lost of hope and total fear. Macbeth in this chapter is very self confident in the beginning of the Act. He fears nothing and says that "none of woman born" could possibly destroy him. The fall of the hero is prepared throughout the play and the audience expects Macbeth to die so that there would be a happy ending. Macbeth must die which causes the fall of the hero to come in play. The fall of Macbeth actually starts to happen after Lady Macbeth's death. The doctors trying to cure her could do nothing. "This disease is beyond my practice...I have known those which had walked in their sleep who have died holiholy in their beds.(Shakespeare,5.1,59-61)The doctor's practices are way beyond the help that Lady Macbeth needs. There is no more hope for her. The theme of fall of the hero shows her personality the most. She is trying to wash off blood that isn't there. She has totally lost her mind. Once the great Lady Macbeth, the boldest in the story now is nothing she used to be.

2)The image patterns in this was blood. Blood if shown everywhere throughout the whole book but many important characters seem to die here. The main image pattern of blood goes for Lady Macbeth who has helped many people. Shakespeare introduces females as fragile and emotional minded persons. Lady Macbeth has gone crazy by now."Out, damned spot!Out,I Say"(Shakespeare,5.1,36). In here by spot she means to get the blood stains out because she has killed so many. She was the cause of Banquo's death and of many others. Macbeth told the doctors to cure her but there is nothing the doctors could do. No medicine has cure for her. Too much blood has been shed on her hands.

LRJ #4 Macbeth

1) In Act 4 Macduff leaves his family behind, his wife and his son. He thought that leaving his family would stop Macbeth from killing him and his family but actually the opposite happened. This scene was really important to the play because it shows the side of Lady MacDuff that you wouldn't really thought to see. Lady MacDuff is different to Lady Macbeth because Lady MacDuff is a much more gentle person but Lady Macbeth cares about her husband. Lady MacDuff says that her husband as left her and he is like betraying the family pretty much."Wisdom? To leave his wife, to leave his babes"(Shakespeare,4.2,6). Lady MacDuff doesn't want to think otherwise then to think that MacDuff left the family for a reason that doesn't make sense. MacDuff had everything a mansion, wife, and a son. Ross was willing to put his life on the line to tell Lady Macduff that that MacDuff could possibly only leave for a reason that was smart nothing something stupid. "You know not Whether it was his wisdom or his fears"(Shakespeare,4.2,4-5). This helps the development of drama. Then the son also comes in to protect his father. He knows that his father is not a bad person and would never leave for an unreasonable reason. The son says that Lady MacDuff does miss MacDuff because if she didn't she would have moved on to another wife. The son is obviously very smart and when you see them get killed by the murders it an illusion to what is going to happen in the future Act. It shows that there will be more murdering and the downfall of Macbeth is close.

2)From this act you learn that MacDuff is a very noble man. He would leave the people he loved most just to protect them. He ran away so that his wife and son would be able to live and stand out of the way of Macbeth's wrath. However, they were killed in this chapter. Malcolm was also in this chapter who went to talk to Macduff about why he would make a horrible king. The test of loyalty was important to see if MacDuff was innocent and loyal. (Shakespeare,4.3,103-104). MacDuff says that he would make a horrible king that he not even fit to live.

3)Macbeth has changed a lot in this scene. His heroism and nobleness is at the pit of extinction. He seems to rely on the witches and after Hecate already talked to them about making their predictions confusing and making him seem almost invincible. The apparitions also appear saying how he cannot be killed by anyone born from a woman. Macbeth thinking he cannot no longer be killed he would try to take advantage of this which is part of human nature because if one knows that they cannot be destroyed they would do anything they wanted. When Macbeth sees the ghost of Banquo he seems to freak out. He is wondering what he was doing in his prediction done by the witches. His answer never gets answered because the witches disappear. The witches provided his with a sense of false courage and the ghost which scares him. At this moment Macbeth is pretty messed up.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Macbeth LRJ #3

1) In Act 3 Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are changing dramatically. What happens in this Act is that Macbeth who in the previous Acts was a coward when it came to killing friends and nobles. His wife, Lady Macbeth actually assisted Macbeth in killing in order to become the King. Now difference in this act and Macbeth is finally getting the courage to actually do more killing. He wants to murder Banquo so he could become that closer to becoming king of Cawdor. "Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown and put a barren scepter in my grip"(Shakespeare,3.1) From here you ca still see that he feels guilt because a fruitless crown means that he didn't really earn it by himself. From there he feels the need to kill Banquo. The way in the Act that lady Macbeth seems to be different is that she feels a lot of guilt and how much bloodshed she has caused;she goes through this paranoia stage and starts to feel a little bit more freaked out. She says "What’s done is done" (Shakespeare 3.2.14). She regrets it but there is nothing much Macbeth and Lazy Macbeth could really do.

2)the image pattern of this Act is a little more different then the other Acts because in this act you have something like Macbeth and Lady Macbeth changing sides pretty much. Macbeth going towards the bad side where hes murderous and he keeps doing it until he actually get killed. He even feels guilt when he does it also. He wants to feel like he could turn back time and now do it but like his wife said there is no turning back as much as they want it. So there is actually nothing being done. the image pattern of this seems really gloomy like the last Act but a bit more gloomier because of how Lady Macbeth such a dangerous and courageous woman now wants to stop all of this because shes about to go crazy. Macbeth on the other hand his image pattern is like dim light just about to go out. Hes at the verge of killing more people but at the same time there is still guild inside of him. That little hope can mean a lot.

3) The theme of this act was lust for power and fall of honor. Macbeth through this chapter is very greedy-like and wants more power. His wife doesn't seem to care as much anymore about it because shes having stress over the problem. "Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown and put a barren scepter in my grip"(Shakespeare,3.1) which is saying that Macbeth even though Macbeth is finally king there is no fruit for his crown ,the honor is also gone. There is no honor and point in getting the crown because cheating through something only gives misery and a sense of lost. Macbeth lost a lot especially his noblemen.

Macbeth LRJ #2

1) Macbeth in this act has many good qualities. He a man of great honor and a noble warrior. As the story progresses through at act he seems to start to change. His qualities of bad qualities seem to overpower the good. "I have done the deed.Didst thou not hear a noise?"(Shakespeare,2.2,15). Macbeth has done the deed that his wife, Lady Macbeth had asked him to do. This show a good quality shown by Macbeth. Macbeth really loves his wife. Even thorough though times when he doesn't want to kill someone he still does it. "Macbeth does murder sleep,"(Shakespeare,2.2,40). Another one of his good qualities is guilt. Though it is considered bad that he feels it. He murdered Duncan and he knows the consequences of the murder but he does it anyways. Some bad qualities of Macbeth include his weak will. He does what his wife wants him to do pretty much, when he should be listening to himself. If the first thing that the Witches said came true by itself then he should just wait for the prophecy to become true. he doesn't have the patience to wait so he listens to other people instead.

2)Lady Macbeth is a very strong person inside. She is willing to do anything after hearing about the witches prophecy that Macbeth will someday become the Thane of Cawdor. She is also willing to force it on Macbeth making him murder Duncan."You do unbend your noble strength to think So brainsickily things"(Shakespeare,2.2,49-50"
What she is doing here is trying to make her husband be encouraged that the deed he has done is not wrong but necessary to become king. That describes one of her good traits which is Manipulation and control. Throughout the play she has control over her husband until lastly near the end when she gets a breakdown from too much blood she has killed. Overall Lady Macbeth is a lot more sick and twisted then Macbeth. She if were a man would rather killed them.

3) There were a couple image patterns through out the play of Macbeth. In this chapter the image pattern was dark and light. This is described to both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. As a woman during that period of time men thought women as fragile. Lady Macbeth is at the same time fragile and very dangerous. She is murderous and willing to kill anyone just so that her husband could become king. The light side of her is she wants her husband to become a very strong king and tries making him bolder, But her dark side overwhelms the light become she becomes more like a crook. She is the main murderer. If she were a guy she said he would've done the crimes herself, which then Macbeth feels like a horrible husband so he has to prove himself by killing Duncan in this Act. The dark and light side of Macbeth is also shown. He feels extremely guilty that he has to murder but his wife pretty much forces it on him."'Sleep no more!Macbeth does murder sleep,'"(Shakespeare,2.2,39-40). Right there in the quote Macbeth feels extremely guilty that he has done the crime but his strong and courageous wife makes him feel better.

Monday, March 2, 2009

Macbeth LRJ #1

1)In the story Macbeth, Macbeth as a high level man of his society. He is very well respected and honorable. On the battlefield he is a warrior who if fear-less and also feared by others. Killing anyone in his way was the tactics of this man, Macbeth. At this point Macbeth was confronted by the witches saying that he was the thane of Cawdor. Macbeth questions this but he seems from this point he has to do nothing to make this come true. Banquo is also said to be the lesser of Macbeth and also the greater which is a great illusion to whats to happen "Lesser than Macbeth, and greater."(1.3.Shakespeare.65-65). This is a possible to illusion to how Banquo's sons will be the succeeders of the throne than Macbeth's sonns or children. Macbeth is a smart man also he seems to question and think things around him. He doesn't seen very optimistic about the Witches' prophecies. He thought that he might handle the problem himself.
Lady Macbeth is a very strong person. She is considered to be a lot more brave and courageous than Macbeth will ever be. She's that one that helps Macbeth murder both Duncan and Macbeth. He tells Macbeth to "Look like th'innocent flower, But to be the serpent under't"(1.6.Shakespeare65-66). This quote explains a lot about her personality. She is a very mischievous woman whom herself would do the murdering if given the chance to become a man. From here women during the time of Shakespeare age were considered to be very fragile. Lady Macbeth doesn't seem lady-like at all. This gives an illusion about what might happen to Lazy Macbeth further into the story. Something like her being murdered or nervous breakdown.

2)The theme of the story chapter was the beginning fall of the Hero, Macbeth. If Macbeth wasn't told by the witches that he would become Thane of Cawdor then he wouldn't have thought about murdering Banquo and Duncan. The beginning fall of Macbeth starts to happen here. With the help of his wife he gets the courage to murder Duncan and Banquo, his wife who is devious indeed causes the downfall of Macbeth as well. Because of her brave personality Macbeth is forced into doing these murders just so he could prove himself saying that he is a man and for a woman like Lazy Macbeth is will have to do it for his manliness. Though Macbeth only starts to lose his honor in this Act he begins to gain guilt for his crimes. The main reason he keeps at it is because of his wife. Without her he would have done nothing.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Sonnet 55

Aung Oo
Ms. Peifer
English 10 Pre-IB
February 22 2009
Forever Love Sonnet 55
The main theme of this sonnet was how love is eternally beautiful. How love can never be destroyed or wear out over time. Love is something that is not materialized and lives forever or according to Shakespeare until the end of mankind is destroyed. Shakespeare also uses the literary devices like rhyme, mood. Shakespeare also talks about his idea of love itself. Time will never effect how love feels to Shakespeare.
In this sonnet the main theme itself was love. Shakespeare says love if eternally beautiful and can never be destroyed. Shakespeare introduces the sonnet by "Not marble, nor the gilded monuments Of Princes, shall outlive this powerful rhyme;".(Shakespeare 1-2). Basically Shakespeare saying that no marble or monuments can outlive this sonnet which is about love because his main theme is love materialized things won't last as long as this. "So, till the judgment that yourself arise, You live in this, and dwell in lover's eyes."(Shakespeare 13-14). In this line Shakespeare is saying that love if something only you can gain. No one can control who the person loves. Even until the end of time love lives in people who love each other and will stay like that until the end of time. This is also the last two lines of the sonnet which is supposed to wrap up the sonnet and Shakespeare purpose in ending this way was to inform people to keep loving because love is eternal.
Shakespeare uses many literary such as rhyme and mood to bring out the emotion of love and the rhyme makes the reader want to read more. Rhyme also makes Shakespeare's sonnets sounds a lot smoother and easy to read. The rhyme scheme is AB,AB,CD,CD,DF,GG, and his purpose for writing a rhyme scheme is because it's a sonnet. "So, till the judgment that yourself arise, You live in this, and dwell in lover's eyes."(Shakespeare 13-14). These were the last two lines it Shakespeare makes it rhyme because of it ending and the purpose was to stress certain lines and keep the reader thinking about his last words after reading the whole sonnet. Throughout the sonnet the mood was fairly happy giving hope to the reader saying that love is forever nothing can ever destroy. Even through end of time love will still live. Which brings back Shakespeare's main theme which was love is eternally beautiful.
Lastly Shakespeare talks about his idea of love. To Shakespeare his idea of love is that love is forever. Love can neither be destroyed or controlled like material objects that are made to stand forever, but in the end those materials end of falling. "Nor Mars his sword nor war's quick fire shall burn The living record of your memory."(Shakespeare 7-8). Shakespeare is saying that Mars his sword which means Ares', who is the God of War, not even his sword could destroy the memory of love. Shakespeare could possibly be talking about someone he loves and saying that he will never forget her even if she is wiped off the face of the earth.
Overall the main theme of this whole sonnet was love. Shakespeare says that love is eternally beautiful. Even wars and destruction can bring an end to monuments but love is unaffected. Love cannot be controlled because it's a special feeling that only lovers share. Shakespeare's true idea of love is that love will exist until the end of time. Since there is no end to time love is everlasting.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Does Studying Actually Help?

Studying should be done in school because there is absolutely no time at home.For almost all my life, during school I mean, I have never actually studied for a test or quiz. Many may ask "Why?" or "Why Not?" well simply because I personally believe that studying is a waste of time. At home there is no way that I can actually study. There are way too many things that needs handling at home. Studying should be done in school. Well actually its called review but not all teachers do it. That is the only problem. Studying in school right before a final is a necessity because at home during the day of the final I had so much freaking homework. I was about to cry to death, I had math, Chinese , and history. My brain was so confused and dizzy this was way too much to handle. During the day of the finals I was in extreme distress! Overall I believe that studying should only be done at school.