Tone/Mood

The tone of a poem, novel, or play is essential to the profound impact it has on the reader. Tone has a deep-seated connection to the theme of the poems "To an Athlete Dying Young" by A.E. Housman and "Ulysses" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. While the tone of the first shifts from celebratory to melancholy, the mood of the latter contains an unchanging lament.
In the first stanza of A.E. Housman's poem, the reader can sense a freshly victorious tone that screams of merriment, and suddenly it shifts to a gloomy disposition. Even with the use of similar wording, Housman is able to convey the tonal shift that occurs between the peak of the athlete's career and his death. Through the rest of the poem, though the tone remains mournful of the athlete, it also has the aura of admiration toward the young man. "Smart lad, to slip betimes away..." (Housman 9). The author communicates a complex tone in that the young athlete is appreciated for all he did for the duration of his life while it also comes to light that he is no more.
Similarly, but in thematic opposition, "Ulysses" by Tennyson highlights the problems of an old man who is grieving the lengthiness of his life. The entire poem carries a heavy disappointed and almost tired mood in describing the life of an old man. "It little profits that an idle king...Matched with an aged wife, I mete and dole" (Tennyson 1-3). The narrator's seems to be almost desperate for relief and ultimately, death. With this, Tennyson projects the effects of tone onto the reader as ideal to the revelation of theme.
Both authors use tone as a steady means of disclosure to the reader in terms of the overall theme. Mood can give the poem an emotional touch that is necessary to actually feel the depth of each word.

Diction

Diction is very integral part of poetry and writing in general. The quality and meaning of the words one chooses ultimately determines the poems effectivity. Word choice is the core of a piece of writing and establishes the literal and to some extent figurative interpretations. Two very contrarily written poems: "The Love Song of Alfred J. Prufrock" by T.S. Eliot and "Coy Mistress" by Andrew Marvell enhance the variety of effects that diction has on poetry. While Eliot remains vivid and modernistic in his word choice, Marvell tends to use diction that is more traditionally striking in his writing.
"Coy Mistress" is a very conventional use of diction. Marvell tends to tell a story and reveal his deeper meaning through a simpler word choice. Since the syntax falls into a comprehensive pattern, the reader is able to understand each figurative reference and even literal mention throughout the poem. Rather than being a mixture of words and thus a muddle of thoughts, Marvell uses his diction to cohesively communicate a certain overlaying theme; in this case, the limitations of time. With such word choice, there is no way the reader can go wrong. The author begins his poem with an apostrophe, letting the reader know the intention of the narrator way before any interpretation takes place. "Had we but world enough, and time, This coyness, Lady, were no crime..."(Marvell 2). This very phrase creates an understandable world for the reader in which the diction is merely a helping hand into the deep end of the poem. Marvell, with a traditional approach to poetry, uses a very classic diction to generate a simpler access to mind of the narrator.
On the other hand, T.S. Eliot adopts a very modern style of diction to his poetry. In “The Love Song of Alfred J. Prufrock” the narrator’s thoughts seem to be splashed onto a blank page. The diction shows no sense of organization or understandable quality. Eliot’s word choice seems to be more emotion based than logic based as he radically changes scenarios. The diction and syntax are very haphazard, which contributes to the ambiguous blanket thrown over the poem. The narrator does not seem to have any real opinion or issue to be dealt with but rather the words have no connection to one another. The words with harsh definitions follow those with soft meanings and thus the poem becomes a puzzle. “When the evening is spread out against the sky Like a patient etherised upon a table;…” (Eliot 2-3). At first, words like “evening,” “spread,” and “sky” all give the reader a tranquil image, and then suddenly, words like “patient,” and “etherised” spark confusion. The diction is contradictory at many points in Eliot’s poetry and hence gives the poem its uniqueness.

Figurative Language (Graded)

Figurative language is imperative to producing relatable poetry. Without over-simplifying the meaning of each detail, the author is able to give the reader a great picture of the scene explained. Figurative language is the use of subtle comparison to reveal a greater significance of the incident or thought at hand. In the poem "Fast Break" by Edward Hirsch, there are many uses of figurative language through similes, metaphors, imagery, and personification. At the very commencement of the poem, Hirsch describes the basketball as "kissing" the hoop and "helplessly" hanging, giving it personified traits. With this, Hirsch is able to communicate to the audience the emotion invested in the path of the basketball in a tense game. His use of figurative language continues as he employs various metaphors and similes, sometimes intertwined. For example, he describes the basketball as "orange leather," metaphorically, and then compares it to a "cherished possession." This demonstrates the mixed use of metaphor and simile. Moreover, Hirsch continues to use an abundance of similes to describe the intense moments on the court. "in slow motion, almost exactly like a coach's drawing on the blackboard." (Hirsch 16). The comparison to writing on a blackboard displays the simplicity of the game, yet the overwhelming expectations of victory. Hirsch also uses auditory imagery to give the reader a sense of being at the game. With references to dribbling and "a single bounce hitting the hardwood..." the author places the reader, mentally, in an anxious moment at a basketball game with very real and imaginable sounds. Overall, Hirsch, with a good variety of figurative language, is able to pull the reader in to his story, which essentially, shows us the success of using suggestive diction rather than applying literal statements.

Sounds of Poetry

The sounds of a poem are very important in conveying emotion effectively. The use of clever diction goes a long way for the reader in understanding the major theme of the poem. In Robert Frost's “Out, Out-”, the use of consistent sibilance and alliteration gives an overriding sinister effect to the meaning of the poem. When read aloud, this diction contributes to the personified evil nature of the “buzz-saw” that cuts off the young boy’s arm. Frost also uses plosives such as “puffed” and “pulse” to enhance the sorrowful moment of the boy’s last breaths and he employs aggressive words such as: “snarl” and “rattle" to further the animalistic traits of the saw. Furthermore, Frost uses repetition of words such as: "supper," "hand," "leap," and the phrase "snarled and rattled." The redundant words catch the reader's attention and their meaning becomes increasingly eminent. Overall, the sounds creating when reading "Out, Out-" due to sibilance, alliteration, and repetition contribute to the at times intense, and at times melancholy theme of this piece of writing.

Symbols

Symbolism is the amount of objectivity that the writer prefers for his work. With the use of metaphors that depict his or her ideas and theme, the author is able to control, even the smallest amount, the reader's interpretation of their piece. The use of symbolism in poetry is paramount to revealing what that author is trying to convey while simultaneously allowing the reader to form their own take on the poem. "Traveling through the Dark" by William Stafford and "Woodchucks" by Maxine Kumin are similar in that both their poems are based on animals; however, while Stafford uses cars as a symbolism for the greater evil that destroys nature, Kumin uses the symbolism of the cyanide gas to express the inborn and unidentifiable evil within human beings themselves.

In "Traveling through the Dark" by William Stafford, the use of one powerful symbol establishes the main idea of the poem; the destruction of nature by material objects. His description of his car as he stands by the dead deer is almost predatory. The car stands for the bigger meaning of a destructive creation towards nature and wildlife. The scene where he is touching the deer's stomach and sees his car further demonstrates the predaciousness of the machine."The car aimed ahead its lowered parking lights; under the hood purred the steady engine." With the car, Stafford symbolizes the harmful characteristics of man-made machinery.

In "Woodchucks" by Maxine Kumin, while also using the theme of animals, uses the symbol of cyanide gas to reveal her thoughts of the inherent malevolence of humans. Her approach to exterminating the woodchucks by gassing them instantly uncovers her malicious intentions. As the poem progresses the narrator becomes more and more irritated and consequentially more evil-natured and serious toward the death of each woodchuck. Nearing the end, after she has killed them all, we see a more regretful nature of her, though disturbing. "If only they'd all consented to die unseen gassed underground the quiet Nazi way." This ending statement signifies the connection the narrator is making between the effects of the Holocaust and the termination of the small woodchucks. The reader can see her true intentions as, explaining the inceptive immoral streak each human carries within them toward living things and nature overall.

Both these poems, with their respective symbols, explicate what they want the reader to take away from their poems.

Setting

Setting holds a very important role in connecting the reader to the time period, environment, and ambiance in a novel such as Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen or a tragedy such as Hamlet by William Shakespeare. The setting provides the thread that runs through the characters and plot. Without the giving the setting of a novel or play importance, the reader loses attachment to the characters and the ability of being immersed in the plot.
In Pride and Prejudice by Austen, the setting gives the reader environment and time period. With the information that the novel takes place in early England, the reader can make conclusions about the societal norms, giving the plot a more profound effect. With the knowledge of time period, the characters, story and dialogue are all put in context. Furthermore, Austen's use of house and ambiance descriptions all play into the overall effect of the setting. While conversations in the Bennet house seem to supported by tight spaces and a cozy household, places like the Bingley house and Pemberly place regular dialogue in a more regal environment. Through this, Austen emphasizes the importance of fiscal status in the early English society.
Similarly, in Hamlet by Shakespeare, the surroundings during each conversation hold the utmost importance in revealing the meaning behind each interaction. However, Shakespeare, to some extent leaves the structure of the castle and rooms up to interpretation such as the presence of the ghost, the play within a play, and Claudius' speeches. In other cases, the author makes sure a very claustrophobic setting is portrayed. Every time there is a conflict involving Hamlet, Shakespeare tends to use a smaller room to set the diaglogue or manic outburst in. For example, when Hamlet is having a conversation with his mother about her actions, Shakespeare sets it in the Queen's bedchamber, giving it a very small and tight feeling.
Overall, setting is a very important aspect in any novel or play to create the thread that connects character and plot. Without the setting, the reader would not be able to grasp the context of conversation.

Character

Character is, to me, the most important part of a story. With the employment of flat and multi dimensional characters within the same story line, the reader or audience is able to relate with at least one person in the tale.

In Pride and Prejudice, Austen uses multi-dimensional characters such as Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy to embody a realistic and relatable representation of a true human being while using flat characters such as Mrs. Bennet, Lydia, and Lady Catherine De Burgh for either comic relief or conflict. Elizabeth, the protagonist, is given conflicting and emotions and difficult situations to deal with, thus revealing her personality and ability to formulate opinion. This rounded quality gives the reader a multi-dimensional character of interest. Similarly, Mr. Darcy is given the same ability to have a variety of traits to her character, consequentially allowing his persona the quality of being relatable in his decisions. On the contrary, characters such as Mrs. Bennet and Lydia give the reader a comic relief to all the drama that happens in the story. Their one-dimensional view toward life and society makes them good models of stupidity and portrays them as laughable personas. Another flat character, though used for a more serious reason, adds to the seriously problematic social hierarchy of the early English society that Austen makes her backdrop. Lady Catherine De Burgh gives the reader a villain to dislike because of her dialogue of consistent judgment and condescension. Through these two kinds of characters, Austen is able to make her story relatable and enjoyable to each reader.

In Hamlet, Shakespeare employs the same technique of character personalities to make the tragedy believable. Hamlet, the protagonist, and Horatio are probably the most multi-dimensional characters throughout the entire play. Their ability to change views based on situation is vastly different than any other character. Furthermore, Hamlet's continuous inner conflicts are also a reflection of his multi-dimensional persona. The flat characters Shakespeare tends to use are: Polonius and Ophelia. These two characters appear to be the representation of unintelligent views in the play. Both Polonius and Ophelia have their distinct, unchanging, perspectives on every situation in the entire play. Ophelia, a mostly passive and obedient character, and Polonius, a mostly doubtful and "know-it-all" character.

Plot

Though plot can commonly be understood through the very simple definition of story line, there are many specific and important aspects of understanding a plot in its entirety, including: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and finally the denouement. The importance of conflict in triggering the rising action is equally important in creating an interesting and effective story for the audience or reader. Both Jane Austen as an author of fiction, and William Shakespeare as a playwright of drama successfully use the complexity of plot to their advantage in portraying their respective tales.

Austen mainly uses plot in a rather indirect and narrative way; the exposition begins in describing a very typical early English family and their issue in dealing with the marriages of their many daughters, thus implementing the basis of her plot. Austen establishes an overriding conflict between Elizabeth and her society to initiate the rising action. The support for this larger conflict comes from two others: the subtle disputes between the protagonist, Elizabeth, and her mother Mrs. Bennet and a quarrelsome relationship between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy which, in turn, becomes the main idea of the novel. Finally, the climax is reached as Mr. Darcy proposes to Elizabeth and is sternly rejected. Continuing on, the climax and falling action are connected with Elizabeth's reading of Mr. Darcy's letters after which she at first becomes innerly conflicted, and then achieves the resolution that is love. Austen's skillful use of a complicated story to enhance each aspect of the plot is uncanny. Additionally, her ability to tell a fluid tale with a multi-dimensional woman as her protagonist gives the plot even more depth.

Shakespeare uses the plot equally as brilliantly while he seems to be more direct and upfront with his approach; placing the audience in the middle of the action. the exposition commences almost on the same lines as a rising action: the death of Hamlet Sr., the simultaneous wedding of Claudius to the Queen, the initiation of Hamlet's grueling anger, and the appearance of the ghost. This throws the audience right into the center of the tragedy. The rising action continues with Hamlet's constant affliction from his surrounding events and conflicting emotion toward the murder he believes he must commit. The climax is most likely reached during the play within a play that Hamlet organizes to complete a task given by his father: the murder of Claudius. With this, Shakespeare gives the audience a satisfying yet riveting scene to focus upon. Finally, it is difficult to say whether a falling action even exists in Hamlet. It can be said that it mixes in, similar to the rising action and exposition, with the resolution. After the deaths of Claudius, Laertes, Gertrude, and Hamlet, the denouement is achieved with an extravagant funeral for the protagonist. Shakespeare allows the audience a chance to take in the story and understand the plot fully with his interesting approach.

Both authors use a fantastic and complex plot to reveal their individual stories. Austen and Shakespeare use complexity within the outer relationships of the protagonists and their inner conflicts as well. The only difference between the two is that Austen's plot follows a more narrative way of delivery, Shakespeare predominantly, uses an interactive technique of plot to convey each piece of his story.

Essay Review #2

After reading the comments on my essay on the speech patterns of Ophelia and Horatio, I believe that I have improved in the areas I had previously shown weakness in. I feel as though my structure, idea and topic sentences were much better than before; however, I still think I need to continue to work on these three areas as well as focus on broadening my vocabulary and diction. Furthermore, I learned that my essay should start off with a more direct approach and that I should not generalize my ideas at any point in my writing. Also, I should answer every question I raise in my essay to lessen the confusion or dissatisfaction of the reader.

The Perception of Time: Youth versus Decrepitude

The idea of time is readily articulated in both "To an Athlete Dying Young" by Housman and "Ulysses" by Tennyson, however, through structure and perception, differ quite a bit. While "To an Athlete Dying Young" seems to contain short, succinct sentences that get directly to the point of acknowledging the death of a young man, "Ulysses" has a general use of long and draggy sentences that reflect the over-extended life of an old man. Housman expresses the idea of time to be unpredictable and in many cases, severely limiting to a young life. His perception of how time affects humanity shows some glimpses of admiration as he morbidly jokes about the fact that the athlete died when he was at the peak of his career, giving him pride in death. Though this may be the case, Housman also does not falter in creating a melancholy aura about his poem, when he demonstrates the unfortunate uncertainty of placing trust in time. Similarly, Tennyson indirectly discusses the effects of time on humanity, although his perception seems to be opposed to that of Housman. In "Ulysses," the reader experiences the life of an old man who has out lived his welcome and begins to feel the burden of time weighing down on him. In complete opposition to the previous poem, this piece of writing focuses on what negatives time can bring if one is given too much of it. The man in the poem has become exceedingly old and lost his interest, and fame in the process. With long sentences and a long poem, Tennyson gives the reader a good sense of the consequences that an extreme amount of time can bring. Both these poems by Housman and Tennyson exhibit a view into two extremes of the role of time in human life: dying young and living for too long. In both, "To an Athlete Dying Young" and "Ulysses," the reader can see the two opposing perceptions and approaches to a common theme with respect to oppositional structure and differing perception.

"To an Athlete Dying Young" by A.E. Housman v. "Ulysses" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

The idea of time is readily articulated in both "To an Athlete Dying Young" by Housman and "Ulysses" by Tennyson, however, through structure and perception, differ quite a bit. While "To an Athlete Dying Young" seems to contain short, succinct sentences that get directly to the point of acknowledging the death of a young man, "Ulysses" has a general use of long and draggy sentences that reflect the over-extended life of an old man. Housman expresses the idea of time to be unpredictable and in many cases, severely limiting to a young life. His perception of how time affects humanity shows some glimpses of admiration as he morbidly jokes about the fact that the athlete died when he was at the peak of his career, giving him pride in death. Though this may be the case, Housman also does not falter in creating a melancholy aura about his poem, when he demonstrates the unfortunate uncertainty of placing trust in time. Similarly, Tennyson indirectly discusses the effects of time on humanity, although his perception seems to be opposed to that of Housman. In "Ulysses," the reader experiences the life of an old man who has out lived his welcome and begins to feel the burden of time weighing down on him. In complete opposition to the previous poem, this piece of writing focuses on what negatives time can bring if one is given too much of it. The man in the poem has become exceedingly old and lost his interest, and fame in the process. With long sentences and a long poem, Tennyson gives the reader a good sense of the consequences that an extreme amount of time can bring. Both these poems by Housman and Tennyson exhibit a view into two extremes of the role of time in human life: dying young and living for too long. In both, "To an Athlete Dying Young" and "Ulysses," the reader can see the two opposing perceptions and approaches to a common theme.

Ozymandias by Percy Shelley v. Ponder by E.E. Cummings

While both poems, "Ozymandias" and "Ponder" speak about the idea of time and how fast it seems to run out, their approaches are vastly different. Percy Shelley seems to address the destructive quality of time, in which it destroys everything, and seems to leave behind and trample over anything or anyone that once was even slightly important. Shelley uses a very fluid and direct way of conveying what he considers to be the harsh reality of time. Using one long sentence from lines 3 through 8, Shelley adds a final touch with the words of an ancient authoritative "King Ozymandias" following it with a simple statement: "Nothing beside remains."With this structure, Shelley is able to give the reader a straight-forward and hopeless view of how time will eventually turn everything into dust, no matter how mighty or great it once was. Contrarily, E.E. Cummings focuses more on his lustful desires to substantiate his view that time runs out way too soon. Almost like a parody of 'Coy Mistress' by Andrew Marvell, Cummings uses interesting typography, structure, and grammar to get his point across. Completely opposite from Shelley,"Ponder" has multiple awkwardly placed caesuras and parenthesis. The main objective of Cummings' poem is to convince the woman to take advantage of the time she has and engage in sexual intercourse with the narrator, while Shelley simply describes the destructiveness of time with no ulterior motives.

Performance Choices

My partner in this assignment, Brynn, and I acted out the scene between Ophelia and Polonius on page 749, Act 2, Scene 1, lines 72-84. We decided to choose this scene because of the dynamics presented between father and daughter.My role was of Polonius' daughter Ophelia. I decided to portray this character as a genuine, submissive, and truly frightened daughter. In this particular scene, Ophelia is expressing her concern and worry for Hamlet to her father, who is attempting, as we interpreted, to extract any information he can instead of supporting his daughter's emotional breakdown. In my approach to Ophelia's character, I realized that she is a very naive and innocent girl, who simply needs some kind of a support system, which she is not able to get. Because of this, I thought it best to play her exactly how her words came across in the text, with no expression of an ulterior motive. Alternative to this choice was to show Ophelia as a slightly more critical or "street-smart" personality when speaking to her father. Instead of playing the role as genuine, I could have played the role as an inquisitive Ophelia, critical of her father in the results of his decision to tell his daughter not to speak to Hamlet ever again.

Hamlet's Soliloquies and Conflict in Shakespeare's play; Page 832, #9 & Page 833 #7

9.) Hamlets four soliloquies (I.ii) (II.ii) (III.i) (IV.iv) are remarkable for their style as well as their substance. Choose one of these monologues and discuss how its diction, figurative language, imagery contribute to Hamlet's meaning and purpose.

In this tragedy by William Shakespeare, though Hamlet has many significant soliloquies, his first one in Act 1 Scene II holds the most importance in establishing his meaning and purpose. The protagonist's diction is very aggressive and sad all at the same time which represents the constant inner conflict Hamlet feels throughout the story. His anger toward Claudius' kingship and his mother's new relationship with her brother-in-law is able to create a permanent foundation for how the reader continues to perceive Hamlet's behavior and personality. The most paramount effect of this first soliloquy is the blunt and straight-forward language Hamlet uses. His repetition of the phrase "two months dead!" displays an inner dissatisfaction of his father's sudden death, which we see the protagonist struggle with throughout the play. Furthermore, we can see the amount of hatred he harbors for his uncle, the new king, as he derogatorily attacks his character: "My father’s brother; but no more like my father." Moreover, his disgust for the relationship between Claudius, his uncle and Gertrude, his mother comes into play. He attacks the "incestuous" relation they have with unharnessed anger, very clearly. The audience can see the pain and anguish that is being only halfway expressed by Hamlet in his first soliloquy as it comes to a rushing halt; "But break my heart,—for I must hold my tongue." From there on, the reader and audience can conclude that a brutal emotional conflict within the protagonist will ensue and become the backbone of the entire tragedy.


7.) Consider many conflicts in the play- for example, those between reason and passion, order and chaos, concealing and revealing, write an essay explaining how that conflict reveals a dominant theme of the play

A very dominant theme of the play lies in the mind of the protagonist, Hamlet. While this seemingly may be a very simple and obvious conflict to assess, there is a depth of complexities associated with the inner working of this character. The conflict Hamlet deals with is within himself as he begins to blur the line between reason and passion. While his plan of revenge on Claudius is very passionate and comes from love for this own father, we can see that the reasoning behind it tends to be rather unclear. On several occasions the reader experiences Hamlet questioning his own intentions to avenge the death of his father; as the play carries on, reason and passion seem to intersect for the protagonist. This inner conflict for Hamlet makes the chassis of the entire tragedy. His madness and calmness counteract to create a dual perspective on the plan he has to kill Claudius, his uncle and the king. In Hamlet's consistent confusion between reason and passion, the audience and reader grasp the true idea of the emotional clash that takes place inside the very disturbed protagonist's mind.

Hamlet's 'Antic Disposition': Page 830, #7,14

7. Why do you think Hamlet tells his companions he is likely to put on an "antic disposition" (1.v.172)? Is his behavior a deliberate strategy or a natural reaction to his anger and grief? Explain

Hamlet declares his use of an "antic disposition" probably due to his desire to expose his true anger and emotion without being completely judged for his behavior.His behavior seems to be a mixture of both deliberate strategy and natural reaction to his anger and grief. While his plan for avenging the death of his father includes his bizarre behavior throughout the play, the audience cannot help but wonder if his disposition reflects his true emotions in some way. His deliberate strategy can only take him so far, but at some scenes in the tragedy, Hamlet is seen expressing his deep anger and frustration in solitude. The dense similarities between his diction in his soliloquies and that of his behavior in public situations further proves a slight realness in his "antic disposition." In order to vent his anger and grief, which he is definitely filled up to the brim with AND as a deliberate strategy to attain success in his revenge on King Claudius, Hamlet puts on half a facade and half an emotional truth on his face, signifying his "antic disposition."


14. In Act 2 Scene 2, lines 236-37, Hamlet says "Why, then, 'tis none to you; for there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so." What assumptions underline Hamlet's response? What does he mean? Do you agree with what he says? he then says to his old friends, "I am but mad north-north west: when the wind is southerly I know a hawk from a handsaw" (II.ii.330-31). What does this remark suggest about Hamlet's madness, about his antic disposition? is he mad, or is he acting? Explain

In Hamlet's response to Rosencrantz as he says "Why, then, 'tis none to you; for there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so..."(2,2,236-237), his comic anger is in its transition to seriousness. The protagonist's main goal shifts to finding out if Guildenstein and Rosencrantz have been sent to spy on him. By beginning to force the two men into discomfort, Hamlet is determined to get the truth out of them. In his statement addressing his old friends: "I am but mad north-north west; when the wind is southerly I know a hawk from a handsaw."(2,2,330-31), Hamlet almost clearly expresses his knowledge of his own insane behavior. While his behavior does represent both an act and his true emotions, Hamlet is sure to articulate that while he does, at times, let his anger carry him away, his friends can trust that he is mainly, only putting on an act.

Laertes and Polonius in connection to Ophelia; Page 830, #4

4. What is the basis for both Laertes' and Polonius' objections to Ophelia's relationship with Hamlet? Which of their arguments seems most and least persuasive or fair? What does their treatment of Ophelia in act 1 scene 2 reveal about their motivations? What does it suggest about their attitude toward Ophelia and toward women in general? How does class or station function in their arguments?

The fundamental reasoning behind Laertes' objections to Ophelia's relationship with Hamlet mainly lies in true care and concern for his sister while Polonius' objections lie mainly in his concern for his image and his power. Laertes' advice can be seen as a true desire for the well being of his younger sister. As he addresses the possibilities of heartbreak for Ophelia if she does engage in a further relationship with Hamlet, his intentions are clear. Though the reader can also conclude his fondness of authoritativeness in undermining a woman, we can mainly see that the emotional and physical well being of his sister matters to him. In opposition, Polonius shows the readers and audience the extensive power trip that he is on as he takes advantage of his obedient daughter. More than anything, Polonius desires the best for himself at the cost of any of this children. This is clearly seen as Polonius objects to Ophelia's relationship with Hamlet initially, but over time, as he realizes his own benefits in the relationship, decides to "loose" his daughter unto the protagonist. The only reason for Polonius' original problems with the relation between Hamlet and Ophelia was only for the sake of his own ego and authoritative persona. The selfishness and unnecessarily controlling basis of Polonius' advice to Ophelia is evident through his actions before, during, and after the "advice" he provides his daughter, thus making his argument wholly, less fair, reasonable, and persuasive.

Both the men's treatment of Ophelia in Act 1 Scene 2 demonstrate the inferiority of women to men in early English society. Both father and son expect Ophelia to follow their "more expert" advice. Also, Polonius' controlling diction gives the reader the clear idea that he enjoys his daughters obedience to his every command while Laertes' seems more mellow of his advice, yet still exhibits a good amount of superiority in his desires than those of his sister.

Overall, Polonius and Laertes both reveal sufficient evidence to conclude their view of women and the basis of their objections to the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia. As overpowering men, they are quick to demand Ophelia's subordination to their advice. However, while Laertes' motivation is more pure, Polonius illustrates a rather convoluted motive.

Horatio vs. Ophelia: Who's the Better Friend?

In the famous play "Hamlet" by Shakespeare, the dynamics between many relationships are revealed through the speech patterns of each character. The most crucial relationships to understand are those that are connected closely to Hamlet, highlighting his interaction with his two closest friends: Horatio and Ophelia. Shakespeare indirectly demonstrates the relationships of Horatio and Ophelia with the protagonist, focusing primarily on what the two characters say and how they phrase their words. By creating two characters who have close relationships to Hamlet, Shakespeare is able to offer the audience a deeper view into the differences generated by contrasting speech patterns. Both Ophelia and Horatio's speeches expose a deep care and compassion for Hamlet, while at the same time exhibiting a conflict in terms of how they deal with the protagonist in his manic outbursts. Horatio's spoken pattern seems to question the insanity of his best friend, while Ophelia's words seem to primarily offer a sympathetic expression for her lover. Horatio and Ophelia's discrete relationships with Hamlet are readily reflected upon in their speech patterns: Horatio's curious, yet supportive diction and Ophelia's naive, yet understanding locution.

The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock - One Line Analysis

"We have lingered in the chambers of the sea 
By sea-girls wreathed in seaweed red and brown 
Till human voices wake us, and we drown." (Line 129-131)


In "The Love Song of  J. Alfred Prufrock," a modern poem by T.S. Eliot, the insecurities of a man are exposed to the reader. The author uses such diction in which he can create imaginable circumstances, "We have lingered in the chambers of the sea By sea-girls wreathed in seaweed red and brown Till human voices wake us, and we drown." (Line 129-131). Through this fantasy-like vision of mermaids and the sea, Eliot is allowing the reader to identify with Prufrock's emotions. The feeling of needing to be in a different, mythical world for the comfort of oneself is explored through the diction employed. Describing his presence in "chambers of the sea" gives the reader a sense of his desire to hide his insecurities due to others judging him. Prufrock seems to remain peaceful as himself in another world. The "sea-girls" embody the desirous vision of an interaction with women. The mention of the girls demonstrates Prufrock's comfort around females in a fantastic scenario. The narrator's connection between "human voices" and drowning is further explicatory of his inferior feelings toward society. Prufrock's ease in another world is suddenly destroyed as he brings the negativity of human voice into the poem. The presence of human judgement is almost degrading to his personality. The drowning can be associated with his feeling of constantly being judged by those around him, while also insinuating that  in the alternate universe, he was more likely to float in the sea, free of insecurities.  Finally, the author's choice to use the pronouns "us" and "we" rather than "I" gives the reader a feeling of really getting into Prufrock's mind as he experiences social abnormality. We feel as though Prufrock has integrated the reader into his fantasy; and somewhere inside, we open ourselves to the reality that is the selectivity of society.

Mini-Essay: "To His Coy Mistress"

In the poem "To His Coy Mistress" by Andrew Marvell, written in the early 1650s, a man attempts to persuade a young woman to engage in a physical relationship with him. The man's argument is supported with a blanketing statement of "carpe diem" or "seize the day." Through this process, the narrator emphasizes the woman's superficial qualities such as: beauty and youth, while he neglects to accentuate the woman's personality and emotions. The importance given to the transient, physical traits of the woman manifest themselves in Marvell's diction. "For, lady, you deserve this state, Nor would I love at lower rate." (Line 19,20). The narrator's shallow attitude toward the relationship between man and woman is clear. The only goal the man exhibits is his undying lust for a young, beautiful woman. No depth in relationship is expressed through his persuasion. Rather than enforcing an emotional connection with this woman, the narrator is concentrating on the loss of a youthful physicality. Also, the narrator is placing the brunt of his argument on the idea of his romantic necessities rather than that of the woman. Overall, the speaker of the poem does not take into account a deep approach to a relationship, however, adds an unnecessary importance to the woman's beauty.

"To His Coy Mistress" by Andrew Marvell

Line 1
"Had we but world enough, and time..." 

The narrator of this poem attempts to manipulate a woman toward a physical relationship through his conditional diction. "To His Coy Mistress" begins on a conditional note, "Had we but world enough, and time..." (Line 1) that carries through the entirety of the piece. The essence of the poem is based on "carpe diem" or "seize the day" in latin. The words in the commencement of the poem give the reader a scenario to envision: the idea that an entire lifetime is no where near enough to complete desired activities. The narrator's manipulation of the woman is recognizable through his portrayal of the world as an unfathomably large place with insufficient time to discover. Basically, the narrator argues that life does not give one enough time for second chances and if an opportunity is not snagged as soon as it appears, then one will ultimately die unaccomplished. The use of the conditional is effective in the sense that the reader is able to feel the urgency of any eventual ambitions. The first line solidifies and strongly begins in emphasizing the very core of the phrase "carpe diem" and is paramount in understanding and interpreting the rest of the poem.

Mr. Collins: A Comedic Character

While D.W. Harding mentions both the comedic side and nightmarish side of Mr. Collins, the reader may predominantly look at Mr. Collins as a character to laugh at. The exaggeration of his personality and the absurdities he embodies allow the reader a sense of comic relief. Though Mr. Collins is a true nightmare to some of his co-characters, such as Elizabeth, the arrogance, ignorance, and dumbness in his remarks give the reader a reason to laugh at his self-absorbed demeanor. Jane Austen uses Mr. Collins as a humorous but sadly true vision of the superficial society the novel is based in. The comedy of Mr. Collins lies in his unnecessary overconfidence in himself ; the reader accompanies Elizabeth in making fun of the character rather than taking his pompous words to heart. Mr. Collins, in his exaggerated obnoxious behavior and obliviousness to the emotions of the people that surround him tells the reader that he is meant to be a funny yet didactic character in the novel.

Essay Review #1

After reading the comments on my essay, I realized that I need to work on three major aspects: structure, idea, and topic sentences.
Firstly, to make my essay more understandable, I need to cut down on the length of my paragraphs, allowing the reader to be well focused all throughout my writing. Shorter paragraphs would have made for a better grasp of the idea being discussed, enhancing the entire essay's clarity.
Secondly, my idea should have been better developed. The depth of the essay depends upon the idea being discussed and whether it is intriguing to the reader or not. I learned that my creativity is still underway and I need to brainstorm more extensively on my essays to come up with more innovative ideas to write about.
Thirdly, I learned that a detailed topic sentence lays out an overview of the paragraph much like the thesis does of the essay. Next time, I will be sure to make my topic sentences more specific, thus reflective of a particular claim.
I am proud of my improvement in clarity on my essay and of not straying off the topic at hand.

The Most Important Aspect of a Strong Essay

The most important aspect of a strong essay for me, is clarity. Though a title may be the aspect that causes me to even begin reading an essay, clarity and flow are what keep me reading it. One essay in the Red Reader that embodied clarity for me was C2 Mrs. Bennet: Austen's Punching Bag. This essay was superbly written. Not only did the title hook me as I was flipping through the pages deciding what to read, but the simplicity of the essay allowed me to really enjoy it. As a reader, I want to be able to understand ideas thoroughly and make my own opinions based upon them. In the essay by C2, the author's writing, because of its clarity, flows like a song. Each body paragraph is clear and impacts the reader in a new way, connecting back to the thesis, much like every stanza in a song connects back to its chorus. Introducing a new and intriguing idea can be quite difficult to put into writing, however, this essay is able to use simplicity to its advantage and clearly communicate complex ideas to the reader. Overall, this essay was my most favorite piece of reading in the Red Reader because of its unique idea and above all, ability to keep the reader involved until the end due to its clear statements.

Analyzing 3 Essays (3)

This time, I read An Examination of Class and Economy: Austen's Molding of Mr. Hurst by D2, Are humans capable of change? How Austen makes cynics into believers by E2 and Bennet: Greek Chorus, Thoroughly Lovable Bully by F2.

D2's essay had a very effective idea in focusing on how Austen introduces a very minor character, Mr. Hurst. The entire essay was well structured and her ideas came through very well. Her mention of how Mr. Hurst foils Austen's more major characters substantiated her idea of what a significant role Mr. Hurst really had in the novel.

E2's essay was somewhat redundant and at times very unclear. The paragraph structure was confusing and the author would often end a paragraph with a quote, missing the analysis. I found myself wondering at various times in the essay what the author was trying to say. Eventually I found the idea, but I felt as though it could have been developed more extensively. In the end, the author simply repeated what he or she had said in their introduction, allowing the reader to come to no new conclusion.

Finally, I really enjoyed the idea of F2's essay. This was my favorite essay of the three. The author hooks the reader with the title and first sentence of his/her introductory paragraph. The succinct examples used to further support his claim of Mr. Bennet being a lovable bully was a good way to clarify the reader with the author's thoughts. However, I felt as though some of the quotes were too close together and the reader did not get a chance to read the analysis on each example.

Analyzing 3 essays (2)

The next three essays I read were: Control: How Jane Austen forces us to agree with Elizabeth's decisions by I for Imelda, The Ball's latest Gossip: Austen's use of Rumor as a Tool for Character Introduction and Development by O for Orlando, and finally Mrs. Bennet: Austen's Punching Bag by C2.

I for Imelda could have used better organization and structure in her introductory paragraph to set the reader up for what was to come. The topic sentences were a bit too sudden- which could be because the thesis was not clear enough. However, I for Imelda does not lack clarity. I was able to understand her ideas throughout the essay.

O for Orlando's introduction was a bit too wordy and a little difficult to follow. Though it was concise, he could have used much more powerful sentences to get his idea thoroughly across to the reader. Otherwise, I enjoyed reading this essay.

C2 was my favorite essay out of the three. The writing was clear, interesting, and structured well. It kept me interested throughout the entire essay.

Analyzing 3 essays

The three essays I read were: Faulty First Impressions by D for Danforth, Contradiction or Conformity: How Austen shapes our opinions of characters by F for Foxglove, and Risky Writing: Style Successes by N for Natasha.

D for Danford seemed to have a good idea to write about, however at certain points lacked clarity. The investigation into how Graham Greene surprises the reader with "faulty first impressions" is very deep, however, there seems to be a lot of redundancy. At times the writing seems to be confusing; I had to go back and read a few sentences to get a clearer idea of what point the author was trying to make.

F for Foxglove also had a problem with repetitiveness. The introduction could have been structured differently in order to give the reader a clearer understanding of what the author would want to talk about in each paragraph. After the introduction, the essay is structured very well, analyzing two characters at a time with relevant quotes. Overall this essay was my favorite out of the three.

Third, N for Natasha demonstrated very random and almost unnecessary analogy in the introduction paragraph, which, as a reader, did not appeal to me. Instead of clearly and directly stating her position and claim, her gambling analogies confuse the reader. The organization in the essay could have definitely been better. This essay was my least favorite out of the three.

Elizabeth Bennet: Into the Mind of the Protagonist

Austen uses her protagonist Elizabeth Bennet as an opposing viewpoint on the superficial attitudes of the early English society in which she lives; Elizabeth's interactions with her sister Jane, friend Charlotte, and rival Caroline demonstrate her character's sarcastic and disapproving perceptions of the ignorant and typical socioeconomically obsessed community of early England.