paintings

Glossary

Glossary:

• Metaphor- the transference of a quality from one thing to another.

• Simile- comparison between two things using like/ as

• Analogy- a relationship of resemblance or equivalence between two situations  

• Conceits- comparison and contrast between a metaphysical quality and a tangible object

• Alliteration- refers to the repetition of a particular sound in the first syllables of a series of words and/or phrases.

• Assonance- is the refrain of vowel sounds to create internal rhyming within phrases or sentences

• Consonance- repetition of the same consonant two or more times in short succession.

• Onomatopoeia- the formation of a word, as cuckoo  or boom,  by imitation of a sound made by or associated with its referent.
• Anaphora- repetition of a word or words at the beginning of two or more successive verses, clauses, or sentences.
• Caesera- a break, especially a sense pause, usually near the middle of a verse.
• Oxymoron- a figure of speech by which a locution produces an incongruous, seemingly self-contradictory effect.

metaphysical poetry (page 4)

Metaphysical Poetry: Page 4

·         17^th century English writers

·         Ex- Abraham Cowley, Richard Crashaw, John Donne, George Herbert, Andrew Marvell and Henry Vaughan

·         Used simple events and expanded them into broad abstract ideas

·         Unusual/ paradoxical images

·         Writers were intellectual

·         Wrote against the backdrop of revolutionary political developments:

o   Continuous internal conflict

o   The impeachment and beheading (1649) of King Charles I

o   The Civil War which followed this

·         Self-conscious/ self-questioning

·         Usage of metaphors

·         Abrupt opening

·         Witty

·         Conceits

jackson pollock

Jackson Pollock:

·         American painter

·         Major figure in the abstract expressionist movement

·         Struggled with alcoholism for most of his life

·         Best known for dripping and throwing paint

·         Would place the canvas on the floor since he believed that “paint has a life of its own” (would use sand and broken glass to do this) and he wanted to “engage the painting while in the thought process”

·         Would use “sticks, towels and knives” to apply the paint onto the canvas

claudius speech commentary notes

Hamlet is one of the great tragedy themed plays by William Shakespeare. The themes of the plot cover indecision, revenge and retribution. Prince Hamlet mourns both his father's death and his mother, Queen Gertrude's remarriage to Claudius. As a result King Claudius is forced to react to the situation in his inauguration.

Throughout history numerous kings and leaders adopt their appearance to suit their public. Either they exaggerate their abilities or they create new characteristics for their character. In act 1 scene 2 Shakespeare forces King Claudius to explain himself to the people of Denmark in order to seem as a better leader. This essay will discuss how Shakespeare manipulates his audience through language choices in the speech of King Claudius.

                By splitting the speech into 3 main parts, each with its own idea, it is easier for us to analyze this extract. The first part of the speech is from lines 1-7, and the main focus here is the death of King Hamlet. The second part begins right after on line 8 and ends in line 16. Here the subject is the marriage of King Claudius with Queen Gertrude. The last part of the speech, also the longest, talks about the politics with Norway. This begins in line 17 and ends in line 36.

Shakespeare ensures that King Claudius explains all the problems leading to his inauguration. First there is King Hamlet’s death. Towards this issue Shakespeare makes certain that King Claudius is seen as caring and sensitive by diverting the attention of the death of King Hamlet to Claudius’ reaction to the death. Shakespeare does not actually describe the death of King Hamlet or shows in any way Claudius’ point of view on the matter. Instead Shakespeare only illustrates what the public want to hear through King Claudius. This is proven by the 3^rd person point of view and the use of plural pronouns such as ‘us’, ‘we’ and ‘our’. Throughout the first 7 lines Shakespeare constantly uses “our dear brother’s death”, “it us befitted to bear our hearts in grief”. This shows how Claudius is manipulating the public into thinking he is remorseful towards his brother’s death by generalizing the ideas to suit the public. At this point in the story Hamlet still has no idea of the guilty King Claudius so is also fooled by his words. However he is still angry at his father’s death and his mother’s remarriage.

-King Claudius marriage to Queen Gertrude

-Claudius touches on the sensitive topic of incest “Therefore our sometime sister, now our queen, taken to wife.”

-Shakespeare makes Claudius seem forceful and threateningà “Nor have we herein barred Your better wisdoms,” Here he is basically saying, “you are lucky you decided to accept this marriage or else…”

                     -Politics with Norway

-He is addressing the court because the king of Norway has a nephew named Fortinbras who wants the new King Claudius to return certain lands formerly given to Hamlet the Elder and now devoid of a pact any longer since the elder has died and Fortinbras is to be the new ruler and not bound by promises and treaties made by others. Claudius refuses to give in and makes the choice public with this court appearance as well as sending Cornelius and Voltimand with a letter to the old king to let him know what the nephew is doing while he is sick and old. The two courtiers have no power to negotiate, only to inform and their presence at the court of Norway will indeed require something to be done or discussed.

3rd soliloquy

·         Hamlet contemplates whether or not he should take it upon himself to act accordingly against his uncle’s crime against his own father

·         Hamlet ponders whether he should take action against his "sea of troubles" and seek revenge for his father's death or live with the pain of his father's murder

·         He also contemplates whether it is better to stay alive or commit suicide. "To die, to sleep--/No more--and by a sleep to say we end/The heartache and the thousand natural shocks/That flash is heir to--'tis a consummation/Devoutly to be wished

·         Portrays Hamlet as a sort of coward because he cannot act upon his own emotions and desires. In order to escape his heartache, he cowardly thinks about killing himself

• Line 55 - To be or not to be is an example of antithesis, a rhetorical device containing a contrast of ideas in a balanced parallel construction. The use of antithesis draws attention to the first line of the soliloquy and focuses the reader on one of the play's prominent themes.

·         Lines 59, 60, 61 - Hamlet uses metonymy, a special type of metaphor that substitutes the name of one thing with something it is closely associated with. In these examples sleep represents death.

·         Lines 57, 69 - Hamlet uses a metaphor, comparing slings and arrows and the whips and scorns of time to life's problems.

·         Lines 69-73 - Hamlet uses parallel structure, a rhetorical device comprised of phrases with like grammatical structure, to create rhythm and draw attention to life's woes.

·         Line 79 - Hamlet uses a metaphor, calling death "the undiscovered country, from whose bourne no traveller returns."

·         Lines 83-84 - Suicide is referred to as "the native hue of resolution," a metaphor; the fear of death is referred to as the "pale cast of thought."

“The text coloured in red is an extract from this site”: http://www.brighthub.com/education/homework-tips/articles/58444.aspx?p=2#ixzz1H8lf91S4

nunnery scene

Nunnery Scene Notes

·         Act 3, scene 1

·         Ophelia is sent by Claudius and Polonius to check on the condition of Hamlet. 

·         Hamlet demanded Ophelia to go to a nunnery in sense of protection

·         Repetition of the instruction:

o   “Get thee to a nunnery” (1) “Go thy ways to a nunnery” (10) “to a nunnery, go” (21)

§  Thee refers to Ophelia

§  This phrase is used numerous times to illustrate that Hamlet is playing antic-disposition, as he adheres to his sense of protection (over Ophelia)  

·         Rhetorical questions:

o    “Why wouldst thou be a breeder of sinners?” (1)

§  Taking a Christian slant – everybody is born a sinner, therefore, he tries to protect Ophelia from giving birth to sinners (which will make her a sinner) by sending her to a nunnery

§  This rhetorical question is used to illustrate that Hamlet does care for Ophelia and that he is not mad

§  Hamlet is directly stating that Ophelia is a sinner and making her feel guilty  

·         “What should such fellows as I do crawling between earth and heaven?” (8)

·         “Between earth and heaven” refers to Purgatory

·         Hamlet criticizes himself purposely saying “ What should such fellows as I”

·         This device is used to show that Hamlet is playing antic-disposition because he exaggerates the fact that he is not well 

·         Listing:

o   “I am very proud, revengeful, ambitious,” (5)

§  Shakespeare used listing to emphasize that Hamlet is mad as a result of his father’s murder and his uncle taking over his position

§  As he uses the three descriptive characteristics which symbolize

·         Proud: education

·         Revengeful: father’s death

·         Ambitious: to take the throne    

·         Simile:

o   “As chaste as ice, as pure as snow” (17)

§   Hamlet is saying to Ophelia that if she does get married she should not engage in sexual acts

§  Ophelia’s beauty overpowers honesty when looking for a guy – therefore, Ophelia needs to be careful (this causes Hamlets paranoia, demanding her to go to a nunnery)   

·         Caesuras:

o   “Get thee to a nunnery, go; farewell.”

o   Shakespeare wanted to show a sense of haste – showing true madness

·         Metaphor:

o   “What monsters you make of them”

§  Hamlet is criticizing not only Ophelia, but the woman race (misogyny) as a whole – saying that she will make her groom a ‘monster’

§  Hamlet is pretending to be mad

·         Biblical Reference:

o   “God has given you one face, and you make yourself another” (25) and “God’s creatures” (27)

§  Shakespeare uses biblical references to highlight Hamlets misogyny and his true madness

§  Hamlet is mad at Ophelia and the woman race; accusing ‘them’ that they change their personality and behavior to please others

·         Personification:

o   “Noble mind”

§  Part of Ophelia’s soliloquy

§  She is showing respect for Hamlet, however, she does believe that he has is truly mad