I really enjoyed watching Shakespeare's Behind Bars and found the point of view in which the documentary portrayed the inmates interesting. From reading other ruminations, I found that many of our classmates thought differently about criminals after watching the documentary and had more compassion for their situations. I; however, disagree with this point.
Don't get me wrong...I think it is great that programs like the Shakespeare one occur in prison. I think the inmates should use their time locked up constructively and try to improve themselves or make themselves content. I also think that the inmates probably learn a lot about themselves and about life through programs like the Shakespeare one. Perhaps working through their frustrations through acting may help them with their struggle to forgive themselves for their crimes. I do agree that the inmates should try to find personal forgiveness within themselves because this is the only way that they will be able to become better individuals and try to live in a new way. Everyone deserves personal happiness/contentment/fulfillment, even inmates who have committed terrible crimes. On the other hand, when it comes to society as a whole, I do not think these people should be forgiven and released back into the general public.
In Shakespeare Behind Bars, most of the inmates had committed murder. Many of them killed someone who they were close with or loved. Others raped or sexually assaulted other individuals. I don't care what type of circumstances you grew up in or were exposed to as a child, everyone knows that killing someone or making someone do something against their will is wrong. These are serious crimes and have effected these victims families tremendously. I cannot have compassion for someone who has made someone's family loose someone that they cared about dearly. It is true many of the inmates felt that they were changed men after being in prison. However, even Sammie said that he was worried about how he would act/feel emotionally if he were released. In my opinion, you have to have something mentally unstable or wrong to commit these types of crimes. These people do deserve help from our society; however, they shouldn't be given the chance to effect another person or family in a negative way.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Who would I cast in Volpone?
When reading Volpone I tried to focus on the questions that were posted as suggestions to ruminate about, specifically who would I cast for each role. I actually had a lot more fun reading the play because I was thinking about which actors and actresses would be perfect for each role. Here are a couple of things I came up with.
First of all, I pictured this whole play as an Italian mafia scene, which probably seems out there to most people but the movie Goodfellas is a personal favorite of mine, I'm Italian, and the whole thing is sneaky and manipulative like the Italian mob. I pictured Volpone as a kind of godfather figure, who was in charge, scheming everyone through manipulation and deals. Therefore, I pictured the character of Volpone being played by Paul Sorvino!
Then, I pictured Mosca as Ray Liotta because for most of Goodfellas he is running around after Sorvino doing favors, helping him in his schemes, and trying to make sure he is happy. This behavior of "being attached at his boss's hip" made me think of how Mosca is called Volpone's parasite and seemed to fit the character.
For the character of Celia, I tried to think of an actress that was attractive and Italian (to go with the Goodfellas theme!) At first, I thought of actress Elizabetta Canalis because she is smoking hot and then I remembered I was pairing her up with Paul Sorvino and those two just did not mix. Plus, Celia's character is very religious and moral- and Canalis is too sexy to represent that! So I decided on Sophia Loren (but back in the day!) because she is age appropriate, still an Italian beauty but in a more classy and reverent way.
To play Voltore I thought Deniro; for Corvino I thought Pesci. Because Corbaccio is supposed to be older I pictured him as Charles Scorsese and his son Bonario as Martin, which worked out perfectly in my mind because they are already father and son.
For everyone else I did not have specific actors/actresses in mind, just a general, overall Italian mob/the movie Goodfellas theme. Obviously, this interpretation does not fit in the 17th century. However, if we were going to rework this play into a more modern version with up to date situations I think the whole Italian mafia theme could be pretty funny and present the overall themes in a new light.
First of all, I pictured this whole play as an Italian mafia scene, which probably seems out there to most people but the movie Goodfellas is a personal favorite of mine, I'm Italian, and the whole thing is sneaky and manipulative like the Italian mob. I pictured Volpone as a kind of godfather figure, who was in charge, scheming everyone through manipulation and deals. Therefore, I pictured the character of Volpone being played by Paul Sorvino!
Then, I pictured Mosca as Ray Liotta because for most of Goodfellas he is running around after Sorvino doing favors, helping him in his schemes, and trying to make sure he is happy. This behavior of "being attached at his boss's hip" made me think of how Mosca is called Volpone's parasite and seemed to fit the character.
For the character of Celia, I tried to think of an actress that was attractive and Italian (to go with the Goodfellas theme!) At first, I thought of actress Elizabetta Canalis because she is smoking hot and then I remembered I was pairing her up with Paul Sorvino and those two just did not mix. Plus, Celia's character is very religious and moral- and Canalis is too sexy to represent that! So I decided on Sophia Loren (but back in the day!) because she is age appropriate, still an Italian beauty but in a more classy and reverent way.
To play Voltore I thought Deniro; for Corvino I thought Pesci. Because Corbaccio is supposed to be older I pictured him as Charles Scorsese and his son Bonario as Martin, which worked out perfectly in my mind because they are already father and son.
For everyone else I did not have specific actors/actresses in mind, just a general, overall Italian mob/the movie Goodfellas theme. Obviously, this interpretation does not fit in the 17th century. However, if we were going to rework this play into a more modern version with up to date situations I think the whole Italian mafia theme could be pretty funny and present the overall themes in a new light.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Utopia
At first glance, Utopia seems like a great place to live. Everything is “fair”- everyone learns the same things, practices agriculture, lives in the same houses, practices the same religion, follows in their families’ footsteps for their professions, trades goods and services with each other without the use of money, etc. Everyone is actively participating in an activity that will better them or their communities- idle time is not allowed. Everyone knows their role in their family and follows the traditions set by the founders of the land. There are minimal clothes and everyone wears the same thing; therefore, there is no prejudice or social status according to material items. Basically, everything in every city is “identical in language, customs, institutions, and laws.”
However, there is little to no representation of individuality in Utopia. This is so completely different than the type of society we live in today where people have different lifestyles and opinions, and for the most part, society accepts these differences. In Utopia, one cannot express themselves through their lifestyle. You can’t choose how you spend your time, what you wear, how you want to run your family, and where you want to travel. The idea of challenging authority is unacceptable and virtually nonexistent. With all this considered, one would be foolish to choose to live in a society like Utopia over the United States, which is founded on freedom and individual choice.
Another aspect of Utopia that really intrigued me was the different customs and feelings of their culture than we are used to as a society. For example, they did not value gold or silver. Because everyone works to provide for everyone and they essentially use a bartering system, these elements have no value for the Utopians. I think it’s interesting to consider how different countries have unique customs and traditions. What is ordinary to you, may seem unusual or rude to someone else. When the ambassadors from another country came to Utopia, they wore their finest gold, gems, and silk; however, according to More “they were decked out in all the articles which in Utopia are used to punish slaves, shame wrongdoers, or pacify infants.”
This concept made me interested in the customs and traditions of other countries today that are different than the United States. Here’s a couple that I found particularly interesting: Enjoy!
- Americans prefer showers, the English prefer baths
- In Australia, the light switch is turned down to turn the light on; in America, we turn it up
- In Thailand, it is considered rude to walk into someone’s house with shoes on
- In America, we get our own plate of food; in Asia people normally share; in Europe, sharing food is considered unsanitary.
- In Asia for Valentine’s Day the women give the men presents/chocolate
- In Africa, a bride wears a veil made of hair
- In Beligum, Saint Nicholas is celebrated on December 6th and this is considered a different holiday than Christmas.
If anyone know if any interesting customs or traditions of other countries I encourage you to comment and share them too!
However, there is little to no representation of individuality in Utopia. This is so completely different than the type of society we live in today where people have different lifestyles and opinions, and for the most part, society accepts these differences. In Utopia, one cannot express themselves through their lifestyle. You can’t choose how you spend your time, what you wear, how you want to run your family, and where you want to travel. The idea of challenging authority is unacceptable and virtually nonexistent. With all this considered, one would be foolish to choose to live in a society like Utopia over the United States, which is founded on freedom and individual choice.
Another aspect of Utopia that really intrigued me was the different customs and feelings of their culture than we are used to as a society. For example, they did not value gold or silver. Because everyone works to provide for everyone and they essentially use a bartering system, these elements have no value for the Utopians. I think it’s interesting to consider how different countries have unique customs and traditions. What is ordinary to you, may seem unusual or rude to someone else. When the ambassadors from another country came to Utopia, they wore their finest gold, gems, and silk; however, according to More “they were decked out in all the articles which in Utopia are used to punish slaves, shame wrongdoers, or pacify infants.”
This concept made me interested in the customs and traditions of other countries today that are different than the United States. Here’s a couple that I found particularly interesting: Enjoy!
- Americans prefer showers, the English prefer baths
- In Australia, the light switch is turned down to turn the light on; in America, we turn it up
- In Thailand, it is considered rude to walk into someone’s house with shoes on
- In America, we get our own plate of food; in Asia people normally share; in Europe, sharing food is considered unsanitary.
- In Asia for Valentine’s Day the women give the men presents/chocolate
- In Africa, a bride wears a veil made of hair
- In Beligum, Saint Nicholas is celebrated on December 6th and this is considered a different holiday than Christmas.
If anyone know if any interesting customs or traditions of other countries I encourage you to comment and share them too!
Monday, April 11, 2011
Contradicting opinions on the kingly power
After reading Crisis of Authority for this week, it is evident how much the civil war in England affected it's society. I was surprised by the strong opinions of the authors of this time. I especially enjoyed the contrast between the political writings by Filmer, Milton, and Winstanley. Each of these authors had a different point of view on the king, his kingly powers, and the use of government in general. In my opinion, they all had strong arguments and made solid points.
Filmer believed in royal absolutism and referred to the bible to support his argument. He believes God appointed kings' authority and that kings should rule over their people as they are their children, just like everyone in the human race, in general, is a child of God. He says that both the kings and people should know and accept their role in this relationship. He refers to Adam and Eve saying "the desire of liberty was first cause of the fall of Adam" meaning because Adam didn't just accept what God told him and his rules about what he was and was not to eat in the garden of Eden, he ruined the life of happiness and pleasure that God had in store for him. In the same way, Filmer is telling the people to trust the king's authority and good intention, and telling the king he should act with fatherly caution when it comes to his people.
Milton takes a completely opposite view saying that there would be no authority/ government leaders if it weren't for the people. The people allow themselves to be governed by these rulers- it is their choice and their decision. This contradicts Filmer because he believes the absolute authority is the king, while Milton is saying that in actuality, it is the people. Milton says that since the beginning of government, authority was put in place in order to maintain order in the country for everyone's benefit. Authority never had the purpose of granting someone (a king) power to benefit themselves more so than the general population because it was the people that appointed their leader in the first place. If a king is not using his power for the good of the people, the people have the power to overthrow him.
Winstanley is less concerned about who is the absolute power and more concerned with the distribution of wealth. This mainly concerns the distribution of land to commoners versus royals. He challenges the private ownership of common land by the royals saying that anyone has a right to this land and it should be divided up equally among all. He brings up the point that they all worked together to overthrow the king, and the Parliament would not have been able to conquer him if it were not for the help of the commoners and therefore everyone should reap the benefits of the king's defeat.
Filmer believed in royal absolutism and referred to the bible to support his argument. He believes God appointed kings' authority and that kings should rule over their people as they are their children, just like everyone in the human race, in general, is a child of God. He says that both the kings and people should know and accept their role in this relationship. He refers to Adam and Eve saying "the desire of liberty was first cause of the fall of Adam" meaning because Adam didn't just accept what God told him and his rules about what he was and was not to eat in the garden of Eden, he ruined the life of happiness and pleasure that God had in store for him. In the same way, Filmer is telling the people to trust the king's authority and good intention, and telling the king he should act with fatherly caution when it comes to his people.
Milton takes a completely opposite view saying that there would be no authority/ government leaders if it weren't for the people. The people allow themselves to be governed by these rulers- it is their choice and their decision. This contradicts Filmer because he believes the absolute authority is the king, while Milton is saying that in actuality, it is the people. Milton says that since the beginning of government, authority was put in place in order to maintain order in the country for everyone's benefit. Authority never had the purpose of granting someone (a king) power to benefit themselves more so than the general population because it was the people that appointed their leader in the first place. If a king is not using his power for the good of the people, the people have the power to overthrow him.
Winstanley is less concerned about who is the absolute power and more concerned with the distribution of wealth. This mainly concerns the distribution of land to commoners versus royals. He challenges the private ownership of common land by the royals saying that anyone has a right to this land and it should be divided up equally among all. He brings up the point that they all worked together to overthrow the king, and the Parliament would not have been able to conquer him if it were not for the help of the commoners and therefore everyone should reap the benefits of the king's defeat.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Wild Card- Letter
Dear Sam,
Just wanted to pop in and say hello, give you an update on my life, and see how the move went. I hope you and Alex are settled in, enjoying the new apartment and all DC has to offer!
My life is very chaotic with graduation approaching. (Too quickly!) I'm finishing up a couple classes, participating in my last dance company show, and trying to work two jobs all at once. I'm also seeing a new guy, which is exciting!
The biggest stressor though is the upcoming Job Fair and applying for teaching positions. There are two job fairs next week in which districts from the surrounding states come to UD and set up interviews with teacher candidates. I've been applying to a bunch of school districts and am open to relocating, but I am still worried because there are not many job openings. I may end up back home with mom and dad after all. (Nooooooo!)
Anyway, I miss you and hope your new job is going well. Talk to you soon!
Jennie
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Audience for Elegy 19??
After watching the video preview of the week's work I tried to keep audience in mind while doing the readings. I think it is pretty clear that in "Ode to Virginian Voyage" that the audience would be the soldiers and sailors who are setting out as discoverers for their country. The author is writing this because he has confidence in these peoples' abilities, he "knows" what a wonderful discovery Virginia will be, and he wants to keep these soldiers and sailors positive and optimistic. For me, this was pretty easy to see when reading the text.
However, I'm not so sure of the audience that Donne is trying to target with Elegy 19. In my opinion the poem is pretty racy. I see how he is comparing discovering the newfoundland of America to discovering a woman's body through sex. But why is this comparison being made? And for what purpose? Am I missing the bigger picture? Help!
However, I'm not so sure of the audience that Donne is trying to target with Elegy 19. In my opinion the poem is pretty racy. I see how he is comparing discovering the newfoundland of America to discovering a woman's body through sex. But why is this comparison being made? And for what purpose? Am I missing the bigger picture? Help!
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Morning Greeting
I really enjoyed Donne's "The Good Morrow" which you can see in the translation on the side, means "Morning Greeting." I probably liked this poem so much because it is about two lovers and how strong their love for each other is. When reading this poem for the first time, I got a romantic, almost whimsical feeling from it. In the first couple lines the narrator says " I wonder, by my troth, what thou and I did, till we loved?" The narrator is saying his and his lover's lives are so wrapped up in each other and so intertwined that he cannot even remember what it was like before they had each other. He may also be saying that his life begin when he met this lover; that is how much she means to him or has changed him.
The line "and makes one little room an everywhere" also seemed important to me because I pictured a couple in bed together, not wanting to leave this little room because their world's revolved only around each other and their feelings. Nothing else mattered to this couple- not food, shelter, money- all they needed was their love to keep them happy and satisfied.
The last two lines sum up the poem and summarize the main idea that Donne was trying to convey through his work. He's saying that as long as these people have their love or got to experience this type of unconditional connection for someone else in their life that physical death isn't scary, and that they are content and fulfilled. I also feel like he is saying that death doesn't really exist because this love deep in their souls can never die and will live on forever.
Trying to analyze the punctuation a little closer, commas, semi colons, and colons are used frequently and I feel like they are used appropriately. Because the poem seems romantic and whimsical it needs to flow, not abruptly stop and go with ending punctuation. I think the punctuation goes with the feeling of being giddy about your feelings for someone and being wrapped up in someone else.
The line "and makes one little room an everywhere" also seemed important to me because I pictured a couple in bed together, not wanting to leave this little room because their world's revolved only around each other and their feelings. Nothing else mattered to this couple- not food, shelter, money- all they needed was their love to keep them happy and satisfied.
The last two lines sum up the poem and summarize the main idea that Donne was trying to convey through his work. He's saying that as long as these people have their love or got to experience this type of unconditional connection for someone else in their life that physical death isn't scary, and that they are content and fulfilled. I also feel like he is saying that death doesn't really exist because this love deep in their souls can never die and will live on forever.
Trying to analyze the punctuation a little closer, commas, semi colons, and colons are used frequently and I feel like they are used appropriately. Because the poem seems romantic and whimsical it needs to flow, not abruptly stop and go with ending punctuation. I think the punctuation goes with the feeling of being giddy about your feelings for someone and being wrapped up in someone else.
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