Alienation and Redemption in Eraserhead
Myo Kyaw Min Surrealism and Film 2/6/2001 Alienation and Redemption in Eraserhead David Lynch's Eraserhead can be seen as an expression of the pervading sense of alienation in modern society. Lynch's protagonist, Henry, lives in a bizarre and frightening industrial wasteland that is both a cause and a product of the alienation of its inhabitants. When exploring the alienating forces in Henry's world, the viewer gains a sense of disillusionment with modernity, and a hope that humanity will one day have the will to redeem itself. A discerning viewer will notice two forms of alienation: external and internal. In the external world, the major alienating element is artificiality. The manmade wasteland drones intermittently, cold and unnerving. Large metal pipes congest the already narrow spaces, creating an even more ominous atmosphere. In a futile attempt to cloak the bleakness of Henry's world with false cheer, pleasant music sometimes plays in the background, distant and weak. In such an alienating environment, the inhabitants alienate each other even more through their insincere and superficial conventions. During Henry's dinner with the X's, Henry's dialogue with Mrs. X is strained and shallow; the two merely follow the conventions of polite conversation. Mrs. X also creates a façade of familial integration for the vegetating grandmother by letting her "help" toss the
To What Extent Did Thomas Cromwell Shape The English Reformation?
To What Extent Did Thomas Cromwell Shape The English Reformation? The nature of the English Reformation has generated fierce debate among scholars since writing began on the subject. Assumptions have changed and opinions have varied, but from Elton and Dickens to the 'revisionists' the prominent historians of the 20th Century have all agreed that Thomas Cromwell played a significant role in the tumultuous events of the 1530's. However, it is disputed whether it was King or Minister who orchestrated the reforms of the Reformation Parliament. Did Cromwell merely respond to the opportunities Henry VIII presented him with, or would events have differed considerably without Cromwell's presence? Cromwell's administrative genius made him a truly exceptional statesman; arguably as effective and capable as England has ever seen. It could be said that in just a decade of power he permanently changed the course of English history, laying the first steps of religious reform on which Protestantism climbed its way to state religion. This of course is the central dispute here, but what is clear is that as Chief Minister he was blessed with a logical and efficient mind in an age all too devoid of them. Cromwell was determined to empower the machinery of state and in the process made statute law the 16th century's greatest weapon. He used Johann Gutenberg's invention of printing press to
Shakespeare - King Henry V.
Shakespeare King Henry V In Henry V, Shakespeare gives us many different views of Henry V, both as a man and as a king. Choose two contrasting scenes and explore the ways in which Shakespeare brings out these differences in his play. King 'Henry V' is just one out of the five Shakespeare's English history plays, most of the audience would have seen the other two plays such as Richard II and Henry IV. It was written in 1599, very near end of Queen Elizabeth I 's reign, last tutors monarch descended from Lancastrian lines and Henry V is the great early Lancastrian king. This is probably why William Shakespeare choose Henry or Hal, because Shakespeare does seem to be responding to popular interest in young male heroes, an example would be Earl of Essex, his possession of wit, being able to handle puns, metaphors, similes, showing us how good he is. Shakespeare got his story from Holished's chronicles of England, Scotland and Anon; the famous Victories of Henry V containing the honorable buttell of Agincourt (1594). In Richard II, it tells how Henry's father, Bullingbrook, deposes King Richard and is crowned King Henry IV. Henry IV Parts1 & 2 tells of the young manhood of Henry (Hal). As Prince of Wales, 'he frequents the Boar's Head Tavern, Eastcheap, and learns much from Falstaff, his alternative father-figure. He rejects Falstaff on becoming king.' And finally Henry V
Within the framework of Montague semantics - draw an analysis tree showing the syntactic derivation
Within the framework of Montague semantics - draw an analysis tree showing the syntactic derivation Within the framework of Montague semantics: (a) Draw an analysis tree showing the syntactic derivation of the following English sentence (on the reading that the pronoun he is bound by every man) Every man asserts that he likes Mary every man asserts that he likes Mary t, 10, 0 every man he0 asserts that he0 likes Mary t/(t/e), 2 t, 4 he0 asserts that he0 likes Mary t/(t/e) (t/e), 6 assert that he0 likes Mary (t/e)/t t, 4 he0 like Mary t/(t/e) t/e, 5 like Mary (t/e)/(t/(t/e)) t/(t/e) Every man can be analysed further: every man t/(t/e), 6 every man (t/(t/e))/(t//e) t//e (b) Translate the sentence in (a) into an expression of intensional logic, and show that the translation algorithm for mapping categories of English into types of intensional logic has been adhered to. every man = P "x [man'(x) (r) P(x)] he0 asserts that he0 likes Mary = PP{x0} (_assert-that' (_PP{x0} (_like' (_m*)))) Substitute every man into he0: P "x [man'(x) (r) P(x)] _x0 [PP{x0} (_assert-that' (_PP{x0} (_like' (_m*))))] This translation is easier to follow in the form of a tree as demonstrated on the next page. every man asserts that he likes Mary P "x [man'(x) (r) P(x)] _x0 [PP{x0} (_assert-that' (_PP{x0} (_like' (_m*))))] every man he0 asserts that he0 likes Mary P "x
How does Shakespeare shape the audience's response to Henry V?
Dan Dowling 10N Wednesday 8th Dec 04 Shakespeare Coursework How does Shakespeare shape the audience's response to Henry V? We have read Shakespeare's Henry V and will be exploring how Shakespeare presents Henry's character, and how an audience would react to the ambiguity in his characterisation. Henry V was a king in Henry V, the eldest son of Henry IV and Mary Bohun, was born in 1387. His only child, the future Henry VI, was born in 1421. Henry proposed to marry Catherine in 1415.Catherine was the French princess at the time, Catherine's father, Charles VI refused and Henry declared war, opening yet another chapter in the Hundred Years' War. The French war served two purposes - to gain lands lost in previous battles and to focus attention away from any of his cousins' royal ambitions. Henry, possessed a masterful military mind and defeated the French at the Battle of Agincourt in October 1415, and by 1419 had captured Normandy. Had Henry lived a mere two months longer, he would have been king of both England and France. The first description of Henry shows his strength. Henry is described as an angry person, who thinks the world is at his feet, the Bishops want him to take over France, and this suggests that he is fierce and powerful. Henry is compared to Mars - the god of war; this makes him sound fierce and powerful. At this point the audiences overall appearance
Aeschylus' Agamemnon does not show men in a good light. To what extent do you agree with this statement?
Aeschylus' Agamemnon does not show men in a good light. To what extent do you agree with this statement? The men in this play are Agamemnon, Aegisthus; the chorus made up by the elders left behind from Troy, the watchman and a leader. The chorus have the biggest role out of the men during the play, as important as they are for acting as *********** Agamemnon is possibly the most important character before Clytemnestra. However he does not show himself for very long as dies before the end. Agamemnon is introduced through the chorus, straight away he is portrayed as impulsive, loyal (but only to his oaths), and not hugely sincere. The first we know about him is that he murdered his daughter, just so he could go to war and bring back his brother's wife who had run away with another man. From this our first impression of the man are unpleasant, Aeschylus has managed to already condemn us against Agamemnon before we even meet him. When he does come on stage he does not improve himself. He shows no compassion to his wife displaying no emotion as husband, especially one who had been away for ten years. His character profile deteriates further as we see his easy manipulation by Clytemnestra who encourages to act hubristic and walk across sacred red carpet. He shows his aragance and pride, and weakness. The watchman who opens the play shows himself to be quite pathetic.
A poetics of the Elizabethan theatre is inseparable, in crucial respects, from a poetics of power.
A poetics of the Elizabethan theatre is inseparable, in crucial respects, from a poetics of power. To approach the above discussion it must first be made clear what is meant by "poetics." Todorov, in his book "Introduction to Poetics" (pg.7) defines poetics as a "name for everything that bears on the creation or composition of works having language at once as their substance and as their instrument." This helps us to understand what is meant by "A poetics of the Elizabethan Theatre" - an exploration of all the external and internal influences that shaped and made the said theatre what it was - but it is less helpful in trying to assess what is meant by "a poetics of power." However, with more thought, we can see that the above definition can be easily adapted to enable an interpretation of the meaning of this phrase to be made. "A poetics of power" will be taken to mean an inquiry, essentially, into the nature of power and its causes and effects, along with the inevitable moral questions which accompany it. More specifically it could be taken to mean an investigation into the factors influencing perceptions of power in Elizabethan times. To begin to examine whether a poetics of the theatre is inseparable in any respect from a poetics of power it is helpful to look at the mood and society of Elizabeth I's reign and the creative period of
How does Wilkie Collins explore the character of Count Fosco in The Women in White? In your answer you must comment on: The writers narrative craft and appeal to the reader
How dose Wilkie Collins explore the character of Count Fosco in The Women in White? In your answer you must comment on: * The writers narrative craft and appeal to the reader * The writers exploration of language for emotive effect This essay intends to look at how Victorian novelist Wilkie Collins expresses the character of Count Fosco in The Women in White. This essay will look at firstly Collins background and look at the main themes of the novel and what character Fosco plays. This essay will also look at how Wilkie Collins describes Fosco's Figure and his title paying particular notice to Collins' narrative craft and use of language. Finally this essay will look at Fosco's wealth and power over women and how this compares to that of Henry VIII. Wilkie Collins, of all the novelists of the Victorian time, is probably best described as the craftiest. Born in 1824 his work has only recently come into fashion due to his unconventional lifestyle. His reputation has probably come from his well known addiction to opium and his way with women. However he was good friends with Charles Dickens. Collins' work is classically Victorian detective fiction and one of his greatest masterpieces, The Woman in White (1860) is no exception. The novel is about the love between a young man and a beautiful young woman, Walter Hartright and Laura Fairline. However Laura is engaged to Sir
Both Henry V and The Rover subject their male protagonists to intense critical scrutiny.
'Both Henry V and The Rover subject their male protagonists to intense critical scrutiny.' Discuss this statement in an essay of 1500 words. Whilst Shakespeare's Henry V and Aphra Behn's The Rover were both written for an Elizabethan audience, the leading men in each play couldn't be more different. Additionally, an audience would view both plays and their characters very differently today. Shakespeare does subject his Henry to intense scrutiny but he does not show him in an overly critical light. He presents a man with all the qualities a King of that era needed - "the mirror of all Christian kings"1. Nevertheless, Henry is only human and he does have faults but these do not detract from his attributes as King. Despite his reckless youth, "His companies were unlettered, rude and shallow, His hours filled up with riots, banquets, sports"2, Henry has matured into his role as king. Shakespeare gives Henry a dramatic entrance. The Archbishop of Canterbury and Bishop of Ely set the scene, discussing Henry's commitment to his people and country. "The King is full of grace and fair regard", says Canterbury3. "And a true lover of the holy Church", replies Ely4, immediately showing qualities expected of a noble and honourable king. However Canterbury reminds the audience that this was not always the case, "The breath no sooner left his father's body, But that
William of Malmesbury is touted as one of the greatest historians of his time.
At the time of William of Malmesbury's birth in Wiltshire, England, Norman rule had reined for approximately 30 years and it was evident that England was "well along the path of recovery from the chaos which followed the Norman Conquest" (Thompson, p.1). The exact date of William's birth is still debated, with most historians placing it around the year 1095. For a man that was well known for his meticulous nature and his desire for accurate and thorough research in his historical writings, he "left few facts of a personal nature to be recorded of him; and even these can be casually gleaned from his own writings" (Chronicle, p.vi). It is evident in his preface to Book III of The History of the Kings of England that he was of Norman and English decent, referring to both and stating that "the blood of either people flows through my veins"(Chronicle, p.258). William is touted as one of the most important writers of his time. His work has been criticized by some, more often than not for his style and few historical inaccuracies (criticisms that will be addressed later on), however, most modern historians see him as "unquestionably the greatest of the twelfth century historians" (Golding, p.8) and saw the abbey of Malmesbury as having "an undistinguished history except for a brief period of fame, roughly the first half of the twelfth century, during which William of Malmesbury was