The Impossibility in the Quest for Adventure
The Impossibility in the Quest for Adventure Growing up in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, James Joyce experienced the hardships plaguing Irish society first-hand. Born just forty years after the Great Famine, he frequently heard about the mass suffering that killed over a million of the Irish people. This suffering continued even decades later as his family lived in dire poverty and constant struggle. To escape such harsh and stifling conditions, Joyce spent much of his youth wandering the streets of Dublin. As a result, many of his struggles and realizations mirror the struggles and realizations of the characters in his short stories. In "Eveline" and "A Little Cloud," Joyce emphasizes the futility he found in the quest for adventure in order to escape reality. In his short story "Eveline," Joyce illustrates the impossibility of escaping from the harsh realities of a difficult home situation and an abusive father. Joyce describes how even though Eveline was nineteen, she "sometimes felt herself in danger of her father's violence"(33). However, not only is she physically in danger but she is also emotionally suffocated by her difficult and restricted life. For example, she has to give all of her wages to her father, keep the house together, and watch over her two younger siblings. This suffocation exists throughout the story, through the image of the dusty
Betrayal and Revenge in Medea
Betrayal and Revenge In his quest for the Golden Fleece, Jason elicits Medea, a women known for her supernatural powers. Shortly after, they marry. Yet, after all Medea does for Jason-including killing her own brother-he decides to leave her and marry the Corinthian Princess to increase his own wealth and status. Thus, to avenge her husband for his betrayal, Medea kills the princess and the children she herself had with Jason, thus ensuring his complete downfall. Upon hearing of the sacrifice of the children and the murder of his bride-to-be, Jason expresses the extent of his devastation and hatred towards Medea. In this passage from Euripides's Medea, Euripides reveals both Medea's cruelty and ruthlessness and the effect of her revenge on Jason-his complete destruction. In addition, Jason's reference to Medea's earlier transgressions reveals that he doesn't fully grasp what Medea gave up for him. Although Medea's actions will never be justified, Jason's reaction throughout the play, and specifically in this passage, allows the reader to feel some small measure of sympathy towards Medea. Throughout the play, Jason characterizes Medea as cruel and merciless. This is ironic because these are the same traits that made life and success possible for Jason when he first met Medea. Yet, throughout the passage, Jason characterizes Medea as less than human. For example, he refers to
Othellos Downfall
Othello's Downfall In the play, Othello, by William Shakespeare the tragic Othello is manipulated by the deceptive Iago. Othello's destructive state reaches its climax when he smothers Desdemona to death, and subsequently ends his own life. While Othello's actions are driven by Iago's evil scheme, Iago's actions cloud Othello's ability to think clearly and to make wise decisions. Othello's downfall is caused by the ruinous effects of jealousy, and this is shown in Othello's refusal to trust Emilia, Cassio, and Desdemona. As Othello is unwittingly drawn into Iago's scheme, he loses his ability to trust others, even when he has little reason not to. Othello's anxiety causes him to question Emilia regarding his wife's fidelity, and he asks her, "'You have seen nothing then?'" (IV.ii.1). Despite Emilia's denial of Desdemona's infidelity, Othello is doubtful of Emilia's defense of Desdemona. Even Emilia's sincere request to Othello to "remove your thought" (IV.ii.15) does not persuade Othello that Desdemona's love for him is steadfast and sincere. As Othello is blindly manipulated by Iago's persuasive reasoning, he does not believe the truths told by Emilia. Despite Othello's knowledge that Emilia is Desdemona's closest friend and companion, his faith in the words of Iago eventually lead to his demise. Furthermore, Othello's failure to trust Cassio gradually escalates and
Theme of Phoenix in Fahrenheit 451
Fahrenheit 451, written by Ray Bradbury during the Second World War, is a futuristic novel about a paradoxical society in which it is the job of firemen to set fires rather than to put them out. The firemen are explicitly charged with seeking out and burning any books they find in the city. Amidst the chaos of this backwards-thinking society, the symbol of a phoenix emerges as a representation of the protagonist Montag's transformation and development. The phoenix is a prominent figure in Greek mythology and represents rebirth and immortality. In Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury uses a phoenix to illustrate how Montag consciously undergoes a series of changes in his desire to fight against an unjust and acquiescent society. At the end of its life, the phoenix carefully constructs a pyre of wood and sets it ablaze. The bird then falls upon the pyre and allows itself deliberately to be consumed by the hot flames it has created. Soon, it emerges from the ashes as a new phoenix, stronger and more beautiful than ever. Montag's disillusionment with society causes him to undergo a radical and liberating transformation, much like the phoenix itself. Like the phoenix that desires a new beginning, Montag realizes the destructive nature of his old beliefs and longs to liberate himself from the narrow views society holds. Returning to his home one day after work, Montag meets Clarisse, an
Oediups: An Analysis of Literary Devices
Literary Device Quote Analysis Tone Diction Irony "I come to see it with my eyes, no messenger's." (Roche 5) Oedipus cannot see the truth with his own eyes Oedipus thinks he is superior to suppliants Oedipus is honorable "We know you are no god, omnipotent with gods." (Roche 6) Priest and suppliants do not know Oedipus is powerless against fate Reverence Not god, powerless "So, go, you best of men." (Roche 6) Oedipus not best of men. Patricide & incest. A plea to the hero Best of men, not on par with gods "Your old devotion celebrates you still/as Defender of the State." (Roche 6) Not defender, because of Oedipus that Thebes goes to ruins now (Laius must be avenged) "I know too well, you all are sick, yet sick, /not one so sick as I" (Roche 7) Oedipus does not know how "sick" he is, in that he is double cursed Oedipus more important, above suppliants Sick (fate) "whatsoever he shall tell me from the god, /that to the hilt I'll do - or I am damned." (Roche 7) Oedipus already damned (and damning himself) Full of promise and honor Risk his own for others, overconfidence "So I've heard... A man I never saw." (Roche 9) No self-knowledge that he killed Laius. "Then I'll go back and drag that shadowed past to light." (Roche 11) Oedipus is in the dark, he is the one to be cursed when it's dragged to light Confidence Drag: unwanted truth Shadowed past:
Edgar Allan Poe- explanation to his poems
In this poem, one is struck with a sense of instability throughout. Poe is writing of how quickly things pass, and how hard it is to hold on to them. In one line he says "Can I not grasp them with a tighter clasp?" Here he implies how he cannot hold onto anything good or bad, because it slips away no matter what. It is not written with sadness, but more of a frustration, not quite a lament. He says "my days have been a dream," meaning everything passes with little or no reality. This poem is rather short, with a simple rhyme and meter of AABBCCDD...etc. The language is a bit flowery, but appropriate for the time and it still brings across the intended message of nothing with substance. The tone or author's attitude in this poem is despair, and he conveys despair not only with the meaning of his words but with the means of expression. The poem is spattered inconsistently with lines of trochaic tetrameter/trimeter, and the inconsistency in meter seems to suggests that the essence of his life is eroding into chaos. The poet experiences and/or empathizes with torment, weeping, and cruelty. Some of the language imputing despair includes "surf-tormented shore" "While I weep" "Pitiless wave" The phrases about shore and wave are metaphorical, representing the forces of life, while"few" "grains" of "golden sand" that "creep through" the poet's "fingers" represent beautiful moments
William Shakespeare's Hamlet Hamlets disregard of his friends advice and the truth of Hamlets characteristics.
William Shakespeare's Hamlet Hamlet's disregard of his friend's advice and the truth of Hamlet's characteristics. Ravee Chen S2 English H Dr. Freisen September 21st, 2009 Hamlet, the late king of Denmark, has risen again in Shakespeare's play Hamlet. He appears in the first scene of the play to Horatio, Bernardo and Marcellus. Being very scared and confused, they decide to tell the Prince of Denmark, Hamlet, about this strange occurrence. They thought that the spirit, being an apparition of high rank and a relative to Hamlet, would speak to him though it would not speak to them. Hamlet, upon hearing their story, decides to go see the ghost with his own eyes. When the ghost reappears the following night, Hamlet goes to speak with it and it motions for him to come with it alone. Hamlet's friends, Horatio and Marcellus, do not trust the ghost; they believe the ghost might be a demon in disguise, or have ill intentions. However, the way in which Hamlet responds to the ghost by going with it demonstrates his courage and sense of independence. Horatio and Marcellus try to stop Hamlet from following his father's ghost which could actually be the devil in disguise. During the Elizabethan period, people believed that whenever a ghost appeared it could either be a soul that returned from the dead because of unfinished business or one of Satan's minions in disguise. Even
Stanislavski Essay
Words: 1566 Essay Question: How did Stanislavski contribute to the development of realism in theatre? Konstantin Stanislavski1 was a wealthy Muscovite man born in the early 19th century. He is who is responsible for creating the method of acting called realism. Stanislavski as a director during the late 19th century disliked the idea of the costumes and the general genre of acting. He therefore experimented with methods and created his own system. The system entailed the actor grabbing a hold of the emotive side of their character then expressing it within their performance. This created a lot of work for the actors in order for them to imitate the role of their character in a correct realistic manner. This system consists of three parts to create a final role. Konstantin Stanislavski c during the early parts of the 20th century not too long ago created three books2 explaining the three different parts of the system. This method of acting has affected many people whom are involved with theatre and acting. It has changed the way some communities look at a piece of theatre as this system creates another type of genre called realism. The historical context of the realism within theatre is very important. Within the 19th century a period broke out in theatre when experiments were done with realism and naturalism. Not only Konstantin Stanislavski experimented with this genre
Le panoramique assimilateur dans Windtalkers (2002)
Le panoramique assimilateur dans Windtalkers (2002) Par Elie Yazbek Le rapport à l'idéologie (ce mot se comprend ici dans son sens le plus large et non pas dans une optique politicienne ou partisane) s'établit dans Windtalkers à partir de l'image elle-même, dans l'image. Au fait, l'introduction de Windtalkers, réalisé par John Woo, se confine au domaine de la fiction, à la différence d'autres films qui utilisent l'artifice du noir et blanc ou des images d'archives, tout en établissant un rapport tangible avec la pensée assimilatrice (l'idéologie dominante concernant les indiens aux USA) qui domine certains courant de pensée aux Etats-Unis. Plusieurs panoramiques et travelling sur le désert ouest américain se succèdent en fondu enchaîné et forment un fond d'image au générique début de Windtalkers. L'image d'un enfant aux traits indiens, porté par son père, filmé en forte contre plongée devant un drapeau américain qui le surplombe succède lui aussi en fondu enchaîné aux paysages mythiques sauvages et reconnaissables quasiment partout grâce aux westerns hollywoodiens. Filmé en panoramique vertical descendant, ce plan emblématique de l'enfant dominé par l'étendard aux multiples étoiles donne le ton du film : la communauté indienne, symbolisée par l'enfant, se place sous l'emblème le plus représentatif du conquérant et accepte donc cette
In this portfolio I will take you on the journey which I myself have travelled on throughout my IB theatre programme. Within this portfolio I will portray the processes which we as a group went through in order to create our devised piece
In this portfolio I will take you on the journey which I myself have travelled on throughout my IB theatre programme. Within this portfolio I will portray the processes which we as a group went through in order to create our devised piece as well as how we applied our knowledge and understanding from our experiences into our performance design. The Stimuli Our production began with each member of the group producing a stimulus. Before presenting their ideas we decided that we should individually analyse the stimuli and see what we as individuals could come up with. We did this before the member of the group voiced their ideas on their chosen stimulus so that we had the opportunity to take the stimulus along different paths and elaborate different ideas and amalgamate them together. Belo is our stimulus' and our ideas which we had on each. After having discussed the available options which included images, music and objects of sentimental value we decided to use my stimuli. My stimulus was of a newspaper article that had been widely distributed throughout the UK. We then discussed the direction we wished to take with our chosen stimuli. We again split into different areas of the room to individually assess our dilemma. Below is the mind map which I created at this time. After thorough discussion we agreed upon the concept of using a 'current affairs dilemma' in order to