Vocab #9

aficionado (noun): a person who likes and usually pursued interest or activity
I am an aficionado for soccer.

browbeat (verb): to intimidate by overbearing looks or words
The class browbeat him into agreeing.

commensurate (adj): having the same measure, equal
Pay would commensurate with how hard we worked.

diaphanous (adj): very sheer and light; almost transparent
The fabric she picked out for her curtains were diaphanous

emolument (noun): profit, salary
She earned $65 for emolument in tips.
foray (noun): a quick, sudden attack
The team planned a foray against their opponents.
genre (noun): a category of artistic endeavor having a particular form
She preferred to read books that fit the horror genre.

homily (noun): a sermon, and inspirational saying or cliché.
The pastor's homily inspired many from the crowd.

immure (verb): to enclose, shut in
The man immured the child in the basement.

insouciant (adj): free from concern, worry
Her insouciant attitude disappeared when she learned of the paper she had to write.
matrix (noun): something that constitutes the place or point which something else originates
The Continental Congress was a matrix for the Declaration of Independence.

obsequies (noun): a funeral rite or ceremony
The obsequies was held in the church down the street.

panache (noun): a grand or flamboyant manner.
She was told that her story must have panache.
persona (noun): a person, character in the story
The story began by describing the persona involved.
philippic (noun): any speech of bitter denunciation
The curmudgeon's speech was philippic and not heart felt.

prurient (adj): having restless desire or longing
The prurient child finally got the toy.
sacrosanct (adj): not to be entered or trespassed on
He considered his land to be sacrosanct.

systemic (adj): of or pertaining to a system
Systemic factors have labeled these people as bipolar.

tendentious (adj): showing a definite tendancy, bias
The book she was reading was tendentious towards gay rights.

vicissitude (noun): a change occurring in the course of something
After every possible vicissitude, they finally made a decision.

The Performance of Utterance in Shakespeare

Not a play about a man who can't make up his mind, but a play about a man who could not make real what was found in his mind

Austin divided the performative ability of language into three main forces:
*the locutionary force:  the ability of language to deliver a message
*the illocutionaryforce: what is done in being said, such as denying a request, giving an order, etc.; *the perlocutionary force: what is achieved by being said, the consequences of one's utterance, such as an order being followed (or refused)

Shakespeare's characters frequently develop through "self-overhearing." This is considered the "road to individuation", a process which allows the character to realize their own utterances and then hopefully realize themselves.

Theory of performativity: sentences which are not only passively describing a given reality, but they are changing the (social) reality they are describing. Or  an antithesis for "sticks and stones may break my bones but words may never hurt me."

Shakespeare's characters have the opportunity to self-overhear through the required soliloquys needed to deliver necessary information about what the character is thinking.

The most important scene where performance utterance is relevant is the conversation between Hamlet and the ghost of his father.

If the person who has sworn to do something does that something, that is a perlocutionary effect of his utterance,  the illocutionary force of having sworn has compelled him to that action.

 The emphasis on the emotional contexts of utterances is important for those trying to understand Hamlet and Austin's philosophy for that matter.

Hamlet's evolution is an evolution towards faith, closure, and acceptance not action

Fredrik deBoer wrote the paper to determine how performative utterance could pertain to Hamlet but instead, learned that Hamlet is a man who uses that performative power in the unending task of the realization of the self

Thoughts on Hamlet (In Progress)

After watching the video of Act 1 scene I and reading it as a class, my first interpretation was that this was going to be a creepy and dark horror story of some sort. However, it as not as melancholy as I first thought, it isn't a happy cheerful story. It is sprinkled with sadness, murder and revenge. In Act 1, you are introduced to Hamlet while he is mourning over the loss of his father and the fact that his mother just married his father's brother. But, by Act 3, he is completely different character plotting revenge for his father's death against his uncle. The last noticeable difference I picked up on was his careful planning of plotting how he would kill his uncle. By preparing a play in act 2 and choosing not to kill his uncle in the middle of prayer, to how quickly he reacted when he assumed that it was Claudius behind the curtain and took a sword to Polonius.

What I think about when i think about act 3

Hamlet's decision to reenact his father's murder is brilliant. It is sneaky yet open where everyone sees but only Hamlet and Claudius really know what it is. Before hand, I had guessed Claudius would react to where Hamlet would notice but I did expect him to cry and run out of the room and feel as much remorse as he showed. It was also shocking for me to read that Hamlet found his uncle kneeling asking for forgiveness in his room. Another event that was an upset for me, was that Hamlet was so careful before act 3 on how to kill Claudius and restrained himself when he saw his uncle praying but as soon as he heard a shuffle behind the curtains when talking to his mother, he instantly killed the person with his sword certain that it was his uncle but in fact was Polonius.

Literature Analysis #3: The Sun Also Rises

Plot:

The novel begins with Jake Barnes, an American journalist, going about his everyday life in Paris. In the beginning stages of the novel, we see many references to when Jake was in the military during World War 1.  Jake gives a background story of his friend, Robert Cohn, who is also a veteran. Following, Jake takes a date to the dance club where he sees Lady Brett Ashley. They met when she was treating him for an injury during the war, which left him sterile. Even though they both love each other, she will not commit to a relationship because of this. Brett leaves for Spain, thinking it will be better for the both of them. Jake and Bill, a friend, decide to leave for Spain and do some fishing, and then plan to meet Cohn on the way to Pamplona, where there is a fiesta. The three guys meet up with Brett and Mike and at the fiesta Brett falls “in love” with a guy named Romero and Mike keeps messing with Cohn and accuses him of following Brett around. Cohn reaches his breaking point and attacks both Mike and Jake then goes on to find Brett. He then walks in on Brett and Romero and beats Romero almost into unconsciousness. Fortunately, Romero was able to continue to compete and when the fiesta ended, him and Brett went to Madrid. While in San Sebastian, Jake receives a telegram from Brett asking him to meet her in Madrid. She tells him that she is over with Romero and wants to return to Mike. In the taxi, they are both sad because they know they good have a good time together.

 

Theme:

Lost Generation: World War I challenged the idea of faith, making it hard for the characters to follow the traditional beliefs that gave life meaning. Jake, Brett and their friends are lost and wandering in a “meaningless world.” This is why they are constantly seen drinking, dancing and not really doing anything productive with their lives.

 

Tone:

The author’s tone is quite dark and subdued. The character’s prove this when they talk about how they continue to drink until they forget their problems. This shows what the trauma of the war did to their emotional and mental health.

Examples:

“I can't stand it to think my life is going so fast and I'm not really living it.”

“This is a hell of dull talk...How about some of that champagne?”

 

Literary Techniques:

1.       Irony: The tone is dark and gloomy yet the title of the novel is very optimistic; even though the sun sets, the sun also rises meaning that things will always get better.

2.       Symbolism: The bulls symbolize passion and energy.

3.       Diction: The first person narrative structure is typical but he has an “almost poetic” style that is intense and unique. The author uses short sentences and avoids adverbs and adjectives.

“You’re going to work today?”

He nodded his head. “They start now, at 10:30.” (pg.92)

4.       Imagery: Hemingway uses this to describe the fiesta.

“There were pigeons out in the square, and the houses were a yellow, sun-baked color.”

5.       Allusion: There are allusions throughout the novel referring to World War I.

"When did she marry Ashley?"
"During the war. Her own true love had just kicked off with the dysentery."
"You talk sort of bitter."
"Sorry. I didn’t mean to. I was just trying to give you the facts." (pg. 46)

6.       Similes: " He looked a great deal as his compatriot must have looked when he saw the promised land,” (pg. 29)

7.       Indirect Characterization: Jake’s view of Cohn indirectly reveals aspects of Jake’s personality that he does not mention straight out.

8.       Dialogue: The dialogue is very brief; characters rarely speak more than two sentences at a time.

“You’re sure this thing has trout in it?” Bill asked

“It’s full of them.”

“I’m going to fish a fly. You got any McGintys?”

“There’s some in there.” (pg. 123)

9.       Verbal Irony: "Besides, what happened to me is supposed to be funny. I never think about it." (pg.19)

10.   Hyperbole: "It's enough to make a man join the Klan," (pg. 93)

 

Characterization:

1.       Direct:

·         “, but he learned it painfully and thoroughly to counteract the feeling of inferiority  and shyness he had felt on being treated as a Jew at Princeton.” (pg.1)

·         “Brett was damned good-looking. She wore a slipover jersey sweater and a tweed skirt, and her hair was brushed back like a boy's. She started all that. She was built with curves like the hull of a racing yacht...” (pg. 29)

                Indirect

·         “He was not in love yet but he realized that he was an attractive quantity to women.” (pg. 16) Cohn married the first woman who paid him any attention says something about his character. And his reaction towards her leaving him showed that he does not really see himself clearly or realistically.

·         While fishing, Bill asked Jakes if he ever loved Brett. Jake tries to avoid the questions but eventually gives in and admits he did. This shows that Jake is quiet and likes to keep things to himself.

2.       The author’s diction does not change when he describes the characters. He focuses on their relationships with others and their conversations to develop each character. When introducing new characters, he gives a brief two sentence introduction and then has them start conversing with one another.

3.       Jake Barnes, the main character in the novel is both a round and dynamic character. In the beginning of the novel he is fine just floating through life doing nothing productive after leaving the army. But as the novel progresses, with the introduction of Brett, the reader can see Jake changing emotionally and starting to care.

4.       Compared to other novels, I didn’t enjoy this book as much. I still liked it, but if I can’t connect and really get into a book, it is hard for me to get a lot out of it. By saying that, I don’t think I met a character but I did read one, they just didn’t grab my attention like other characters have in other novels.

“Would you like to go to South America, Jake?” he asked.

“No.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t know. I never wanted to go. Too expensive. You can see all the South Americans you want in Paris anyway.”

I can relate to Jake in this, because he didn’t want change. He liked just floating around in his day to day life. It easier as humans to stay in the same routine rather than do something different.

Vocab #8

abase: to reduce or lower
The judge abased her punishments.

 abdicate: relinquish a throne
Hamlet's father abdicated the throne when he died.

abomination: a vile or disliked action
The marriage of Claudius to Hamlet's mother was an abomination.

brusque: abrupt in manner
Claudius was brusque toward Hamlet.

 saboteur: a person who commits sabotage
Claudius is considered a saboteur in "Hamlet."

debauchery: excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures
Claudius' mind was filled with debauchery.

 proliferate: to increase in number
His army proliferated after his speech.

anachronism: a thing belonging to a period other than which it exists
She was proud to be an anachronism walking down the street in a poodle skirt.

nomenclature: a set of names or terms
Claudius, Hamlet, and Bernado are terms of nomenclature in "Hamlet."

expurgate: to amend by removing words
The teacher expurgated words so the class could understand better.

 bellicose: eager to fight
He was described as bellicose.

gauche: lacking social grace
Claudius was gauche in act 1 scene 2.

 rapacious: inordinately greedy
Claudius is considered rapacious in Hamlet.

 paradox: a self-contradicting proposition
Claudius' speech is a popular paradox in "Hamlet."

 conundrum: anything that puzzles
"Hamlet" can be a conundrum unless elaborated on.

 anomaly: a deviation from the common rule
Marrying a brother's wife is an anomaly in our society.

 ephemeral: lasting a short time
The ghost was ephemeral.

rancorous: full of bitterness
Hamlet is rancorous towards Claudius.

 churlish: mean or rude
Claudius was churlish towards Hamlet.

 precipitous: extremely steep
The hill to the castle was precipitous.

Dear Ophelia

Dear O,
This does seem like a complicated situation. Since I don't have all the information, the first thing I'd say to do it determine why your brother and father hate the prince so much. If they do have a logical answer, I would recommend following their advice because their job is to protect and they want to keep you safe. However, I do understand that you cannot just leave the one you love. I would fine someone who is very close to the prince and ask them what they think about the prince's feeling towards you, if they seem genuine or not.  But at the end of the day, go with what you feel. And if it doesn't go right, just shake it off and move on. Everyone makes mistakes but that is how they grow and become a better person.
-Advice Column