The Role of Women -- DKH

In Death and the King's Horseman, Wole Soyinka makes a comment on the role of women in Nigeria during the 1940s -- or rather, he doesn't. In the play, although there are a few female characters, Soyinka points out the overt sexism happening at the time. First off, Elesin just "chooses" a girl in the market whom he'd like to take as his wife -- also meaning that this would make her unfit to marry any other man. Also, once Elesin commits the ritual suicide, she will be widowed. Furthermore, the woman's name is never mentioned in the play. Then, later in the play in response to Jane Pilking's involvement in the conversation between Pilkings and Elesin, Elesin states "That is my wife sitting down there. You notice how still and silent she sits? My business is with your husband" (54). In Death and The King's Horseman, Soyinka is attempting to point out the customs of the time, but I do not believe he genuinely thinks this way about women.

Interpretation of DKH

When we first started reading Death and the King's Horseman, we discussed the author's intent of the message of the play. Although in the West it is interpreted as a commentary on ignorance and entitlement of white people, it was not Wole Soyinka's initial message. In the article we had to read for class "Wole Soyinka on how he came to write Death and the King's Horseman" Soyinka says that to Western people, it is "understandable only as a 'clash of cultures.'" Instead, he was commenting on failure of following tradition. In the play, Elesin fails to complete the ceremony because he spends the night with the market girl after the marriage ceremony. However, this does not stop the people in the west from understanding his play, Soyinka deeming this "analytical laziness." With the spike in suicide bombings across the world and the war on terror, the ritual suicide is interpreted as a barbaric act. Nonetheless, Soyinka does not take this interpretation as an insult, but rather a message about the importance to find a mutual understanding between cultures. From reading this play, I've learned more about the importance of perspective when analyzing literature.

The Most Beautiful words

After having read "The Most Beautiful Words" by Hugh A. Mulligan, I've realized all of the words or phrases he listed evoked an emotion. "Summer afternoon" evokes a feeling of happiness, simplicity, and of serendipity. "Enclosed check" evokes a feeling of excitement. "Free lunch" during the Great Depression evoked a feeling of hope and relief. For me, my favorite words evoke a feeling of ambiguity, yet also a feeling of possibility and greatness.
In the English language, words are carefully picked to express different things, however, sometimes we stumble to find the right word to use in the context. This is why one of my favorite words is "ineffable", meaning too great or extreme to be expressed or described in words. "Ineffable" replaces those words that we stumble to find, while also expressing that something is too great or too strong to be expressed in the words -- essentially defeating the entire English language. "Ineffable" also evokes a feeling of grandeur, accomplishment, and honorability. When we use "ineffable" in a sentence, although there is a profuse amount of words to use, we are saying that there is absolutely no words to either honor or truly reach the extent of what we are trying to convey.
My second favorite word is "tomorrow." "Tomorrow" brings possibility; "tomorrow" brings hope; "tomorrow" brings new and fresh beginnings. Though the future is ambiguous, we can always expect the sun to rise and the East and set in the West. "Tomorrow" also evokes a feeling of hope. Although I have bad days, when I wake in the morning, I realize that a new day has come and things aren't as bad as they might've seemed. Finally, if we dwell on the past, or "yesterday," we cannot grow as people, but "tomorrow" gives us a chance to make what we want of our lives. Although we cannot be certain about what may happen tomorrow, "tomorrow" brings so many possibilities.

Setting in "The Tempest"

A driving question that we have had in class recently is whether or not setting is important in The Tempest. Although we have a rough understanding of the setting -- a secluded island with berries and such -- we are unsure of the exact location of the island. In this way, Shakespeare avoids having his play being associated with colonialism. However, setting can also be important in some cases because it provides a basis of historical context, and without it readers might struggle in finding a multi-dimensional understanding of the text. Although this can be true, in The Tempest and other works of Shakespeare, the setting's one-dimensional context makes it applicable to other time periods. Without this context, readers may interpret the play more fully and individually, rather than taking it as a historical commentary. Furthermore, it allows for more diverse productions of the play.

Prospero's Power - "The Tempest"

Throughout Prospero's life, his power fluctuates greatly. As the Duke of Milan, he had great monarchial control, yet as his skills in sorcery were augmented, he gave Antonio the opportunity to usurp his political control. On the island, Prospero's magical power makes him an autocratic ruler of Caliban and Ariel. His harsh treatment of the island natives characterizes him as cruel, relentless, and manipulative. Prospero's power is also used to demonstrate his development as a character. When he loses his monarchial power, he uses his magic to seek vengeance on the people who have wronged him in the past. However, as he watches his daughter fall in love and directly encounters the people of his past, he realizes that his possession of magical power has only inflicted harm upon himself. In the end, he becomes merciful and decides to return to normalcy, thus giving up his magic. Prospero's magical power, although his strongest attribute, was also his biggest weakness and catalyzes his downfall as a ruler, along with his moral downfall.

"Travel" by Edna St. Vincent Millay

Travel

Edna St. Vincent Millay

The railroad track is miles away, 

    And the day is loud with voices speaking, 

Yet there isn’t a train goes by all day 

    But I hear its whistle shrieking.

All night there isn’t a train goes by, 

    Though the night is still for sleep and dreaming, 

But I see its cinders red on the sky, 

    And hear its engine steaming.

My heart is warm with friends I make, 

    And better friends I’ll not be knowing; 

Yet there isn’t a train I wouldn’t take, 

    No matter where it’s going.

The poem that I chose for the poetry project is "Travel" by Edna St. Vincent Millay. When I first read "Travel" I found that it flowed extremely well and really liked the imagery. Then, as I read it over again I started to understand the deeper meaning of the poem.

In this poem, Millay repeats the phrase "there isn't a train goes by," however she can hear and see trains passing. She claims to be willing to take any train, regardless of its destination. I think that in this poem, the train is symbolic of paths of life and opportunities. Millay sees life paths and possibilities passing her by, yet these opportunities are intangible. Instead, she hopes for a train to eventually pass by so she can experience the world in a broader sense. She also makes a comment on people and how they influence her life: "My heart is warms with friends I make, and better friends I'll not be knowing." To me, this means that although she is content with her friends, she yearns to encounter new people and get new perspectives. I really love the imagery in the second stanza with the imaginary train passing by, spitting out "red cinders" into the night sky. This poem is also very relevant to a young person's life as they can see opportunities arising, yet things seem intangible.