Check out this link to peruse some well-known statements about poetry: (http://www.gardendigest.com/poetry/quoap1.htm).
Now that you're sufficiently inspired, come up with your own original definition what poetry is ...
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Hedda the Class
Respond to any of the following critical commentaries on Ibsen's Hedda Gabler:
A. “Hedda is neither a monster or a saint … simply a tragic character who is destroyed by the unharmonious and irreconcilable contrasts in her own character.”
B. “Hedda is not a vampire-woman. If she is dangerous, it is because she stands at bay. She is frustrated at every turn. Her plight is desperate. All her aggressions are aroused; she is defending her inmost life.”
C. “Hedda has no source of richness in herself and must constantly seek it in others, so that her life becomes a pursuit of sensation and experiment; and her hatred of bearing a child is the ultimate expression of her egotism, the sickness that brings death.”
D. “Bound in as Hedda is by the literal and figurative corsets of the day, it’s easy to understand how, years before, she had been eager to live vicariously, channeling her libido into listening to Lovborg’s tales of his debaucheries, while at the same time too terrified of her own sexual desires to respond to his overtures.”
B. “Hedda is not a vampire-woman. If she is dangerous, it is because she stands at bay. She is frustrated at every turn. Her plight is desperate. All her aggressions are aroused; she is defending her inmost life.”
C. “Hedda has no source of richness in herself and must constantly seek it in others, so that her life becomes a pursuit of sensation and experiment; and her hatred of bearing a child is the ultimate expression of her egotism, the sickness that brings death.”
D. “Bound in as Hedda is by the literal and figurative corsets of the day, it’s easy to understand how, years before, she had been eager to live vicariously, channeling her libido into listening to Lovborg’s tales of his debaucheries, while at the same time too terrified of her own sexual desires to respond to his overtures.”
Friday, February 20, 2009
That Four-Letter Word
In honor of the upcoming CAPT . . .
What does this play say about people in general? In what ways does it remind you of people you have known or experiences you have had? You may also write about stories or books you have read, or movies, works of art, or television programs you have seen. Use examples from the play to explain your thinking.
(You may adapt this to either of the Ibsen plays. Also, please don't feel the need to write a page-long response. Make your point(s) clearly and succinctly.)
The Write Stuff
It's always beneficial to take a moment and reflect on your writing. What do you see as your major strengths and/or weaknesses as a writer? What aspects of your writing are you most proud of? What would you like to work on as you head off towards college? (Feel free to think in either large or small terms ...)
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
A Doll House - General Reaction
Please provide some general commentary/reaction on Ibsen's A Doll House as a whole. You might comment on the play's overall theme, including whether or not its status as a "feminist play" is justified or serves to limit the play's scope, appeal, and/or effectiveness. You might also choose to discuss the play's relevance to today. That is, does the ending of the play still hold the shock value that it did over 100 years ago? Why or why not?
IMPORTANT: Since I'd like to use your comments in class discussion on Monday 2/23, this blog entry MUST be submitted by or on Sunday 2/22 in order to receive credit.
A Doll House - Specific Analysis
Please offer analysis with respect to some particular aspect of Ibsen's A Doll House. You might choose to explore a significant symbol in the novel, a particular quotation, or a specific scene or action. Also, you might choose to comment on the issue surrounding the correct translation of the play's title (A Doll's House vs. A Doll House), or on the alternate ending written by Ibsen (http://ibsen.net/index.gan?id=11111794&subid=0). Please limit your discussion to ONE point in conjunction with any one of the above topics in order to ensure that other students have opportunities to provide commentary.
IMPORTANT: Since I'd like to use your comments in class discussion on Monday 2/23, this blog entry MUST be submitted by or on Sunday 2/22 in order to receive credit.
2008 A.P. Free-Response
In some works of literature, childhood and adolescence are portrayed as times graced by innocence and a sense of wonder; in other works, they are depicted as times of tribulation and terror. Focusing on a single novel or play, explain how its representation of childhood or adolescence shapes the meaning of the work as a whole.
What work of literature would you select? Briefly sketch out your main argument.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
People Are Strange, When You're a Stranger ...
Love? Gentle indifference? Cries of hate? Just what are your lingering thoughts concerning Camus's The Stranger? You might address something covered in class that was particularly striking or an issue that wasn't addressed in class discussion. You might choose to discuss style, characters, plot, or philosophical implications of the novel.
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