The Prevalence of Theme

The theme of every piece of work is of the utmost importance. For without a stable and consistent theme the reader could easily stray away from the main idea or objective of the author. Whether the theme takes the form of a color or an emotion a proper theme allows an author to expand on numerous idas while still keeping the reader engaged and on-track. Moreover, a proper theme makes for an excellent read for everything seems to connect in a seamless way such as in Austen's Pride and Prejudice. The themes of the entire novel can be said to have emerged within the first few pages of Pride and Prejudice, during the conversation between Mr. and Mrs. Bennet. For they discussed such topics as marriage and social status, which are exceedingly prevalent throughout the rest of the novel. Moroever it is Austen's ability to set a theme with such efficiency and swiftness and then have that theme carry on through nearly every conversation in the rest of the novel that reveals her brilliance.Though Austen's use of theme is very masterful, Shakeaspeare's plays shine with exceptionality as each play explores numerous themes in a most didactic, emphatic, and purposeful manner. Take for instance, Hamlet's unforgettable scene with the skull of Yorick. Within his soliloquoy he contemplates the devasting effects of death which is of course a most prevalent theme throughout Hamlet. And there are numerous additional scenes just like this one where a simple speech can speak to the over-arching theme of the entire play. Moreover, Shakespearrean plays exhibit how characters can be effectivley used to introduce and carry themes throughout books of drama and fiction.

Setting is Everything in Shakespeare

         When one talks about setting there is no author or artist who cherishes it more than William Shakespeare. Every play is laden with lengthy and detailed introductions of time, place and even mood. One must only look so far as Hamlet to understand the importance of setting in a Shakespearean play. Every single act in Hamlet is initiated by quick statement of which characters are in the this act and where they all are. What is even more unique to Shakespearean plays is the way Shakespeare uses the characters to actually aid the audience in viewing the setting. For example, when Ophelia dies and Gertrude comes to tell Laertes, Claudius, and indirectly the audience of how she did die, she had to give a detailed soliloquy of where she was and everything that she was doing. It is this use of the characters to convey setting that sets Shakespearean plays apart.
           Austen also has her characters play apart in the setting of the play. For Austen uses her characters to reveal the cultural setting of the play, the setting which Elizabeth grapples with throughout the play. Take for instance the first few pages of the play. Mr and Mrs. Bennett converse on the numerous topics that their society is engrossed in i.e social status and marriage. The first ball can also be considered a employment of cultural setting through the conversation of the characters.   
          Essentially, the setting of the play can be revealed in numerous ways. It can be blatantly listed and stated or it can be implied through the characters. 

Character BLOG #2

      Though the plot setup and structure of each are much different, the main protagonists in Hamlet and Pride and Prejudice are actually quite similar. Their both seemingly the most educated characters in their respective roles. Hamlet is very philosphical and relfective and seems to understand the workings of the world better than his counterparts while Elizabeth also possess a sort of intellectual curiosity that puts her above hers sisters, mothers, and friends. But let me expand on the reflectiveness of both characters for I believe that this trait is clear demonstrated in both characters. When Elizabeth recieved the love letter from Darcy, she went into a deep period of reflection where she contemplated all her views and morals. Likewise when Hamlet witnessed an actor cry with a very real and sincere emotion he too contemplated his worth and on numerous occasion Hamlet relfected on such topics as suicide. However, in a drama such as Hamlet, the characters are used as tools to propel the ongoing themes of the story. In that, Hamlet is simply a a representaion of one's struggle between revenge and familial duty. While in a comedy such as Pride and Prejudice, the characters themselves are the subject of the story and the source of laughter. The long descreptions and dialogues between the characters creates the comedy for the reader. Moreover, characters in drama are more theme oriented while comdedic characters are more or less in and of themsleves.

PLOT BLOG #1

               Hamlet and Pride and Prejudice are two great plays that are nearly polar opposites. Therefore, there is a great deal that can be compared and contrasted between them.

              Firslty, Shakespeare goes about his exposition through a very indirect means. He never directly tells the audience who each character is and give a list of their traits; however, I believe the audience may have previously known all the players in the play through some sort of introductory pamphlet. But primarily Shakespeare employs an indirect means of describing the back story and the situation the characters are in through speeches such as that of King Claudius when he famously states, "with mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage....Taken to wife". From King Claudius' speech the audience learns of what he has previously done. This is in stark contrast to Austen's manner of introduction. As we all know, Austen is direct and economical in her way of introducing characters. The plot of Pride and Prejudice stems from the characters interaction with each other unlike Hamlet where the plot stems from past experiences. 

           Secondly, the rising and falling action is much more dynamic in Hamlet than in Pride and Prejudice. For in Hamlet it is clear that the rising action begins when Hamlet begins to comtemplate killing Claudius while Claudius and Laertes begin to contemplate killing Hamlet. Moreover it is very clear when this play reaches its climax; the death of Polonius and this extends on to the death of Hamlet. This is then followed by a few lines for falling action and then the denouement. This is in deep contrast to Pride and Prejudice where the rising action and climax are much more subtle and could be easily skipped by the reader.  Moreover, Austen's structure simply is not as rigid and as clear cut as Shakespeare. For the flow of a story like Austen's is constanlty shifting with the introduction of new characters and issues.

Hamlet Essay Revisions...

The main issue that I found when going over my essay again was the plethora of grammatical errors. From numerous sentence fragments to misspelled words, my essay could have been improved if I had put in the proper amount to proofread. However, besides proofreading, I believe I will hold on to the techniques I used in this essay and continue on in the same theoretical fashion as I compose future papers.

To Ozymandias Dying Young....

Time waits for no man. Thus, it's constant and relentless motion through nature has led many poets to question and even challenge it's power over all. Why must time wither away greatness?  Why must it quickly pass through times of joy? How can I become it's master? These are just a few of the questions that are posed and somewhat answered in Ozymandias, by Percy Shelley, and To An Athlete Dying Young, by A. E. Houseman. One reflects on time's amazing destructive power and how no object, idea, or person can escape it's horrific aging process. While the other praises an athlete who seems to have truly mastered time only by merely escaping it through death. Therefore, it can be said that Shelley reveals the terrible strength of time and Houseman poses a solution to it's seemingly omnipotent force on mankind. For just like Ozymandias, the Athlete was all-powerful too. In fact, there is a point when they were both at the peak of their greatness and prowess. A point when nothing but time held any sway over them. However, this is where Houseman comes to the somber conclusion that the only way to live everlasting and be immortal in this state of euphoria and ultimate power is to die or, in Ozymandias' case, disappear at that very moment. Therefore, it is quite obvious that these two poems complement each other. For though they reflect on entirely different subjects, the underlying themes are one in the same. The case proposed by Shelley is answered by the bleak realization of Houseman.

Imagery in Stafford and Kumin

The purpose of imagery in a poem is not merely to create a picture in the reader's mind but to also create a feeling or vibe for the entire poem. Essentially, imagery serves to stimulate the mind's senses. A poet has the power to be gloomy and depressed, or boisterous and jovial simply by employing specific images that connote those feelings. Moreover, Stafford and Kumin masterfully display the power of imagery as they pontificate on the death of animals and what those deaths mean to each of them individually. Firstly, Staffords general mood towards the dead dear in "Traveling through the Dark" is one of deep regret and emotional pain. Moreover this mood is effectively captured immediately in the title.  "Dark" serves to set the stage for the somber happenings that are to take place throughout the rest of the poem. The second stanza Stafford makes use of words such as "cold" and "stiffened". Additionally, a more subtle form of imagery can be found within the syntax of the poem. The sentence structure is choppy and new worries and concerns are constantly coming onto the scene. This creates an image of man who is somewhat confused and bewildered by this sudden death of nature. Likewise, in "Wood Chucks", Kumin uses imagery to convey the joy and thrill he gets from hunting down animals. He constanly refers to specific images of the tools he uses to hunt such as "cyanide" and "knockout bomb". His eagerness to desctibe these images reveals his own joy in using them.

Ozymadias and "Ponder..."

Both poems attempt to reconcile the idea of "carpe diem" but Shelley does so in a more sophisticated and universal manner than Cummings does. For instance, Shelley speaks of a once colossal statue that stood over the entire desert. And how time had slowly decayed such a mighty entity into mere rubble in the desert, a mere shadow of its past greatness. Further, Shelley reflects on how so much passion and truth can be put into something at any given moment but like all things in life, time will slowly but surely reduce it to nothing. In contrast, Cummings made light of this seemingly daunting revelation, as he mocked and used time for his own personal gain. Though this gain is simply sexual, his reason for acting in the present stems from time's consistent motion and it's decaying of all. Thus the underlying theme of these two poems is indeed "Carpe Diem".