Tag: short essays

Introduction to Chorus in Antigone

This choral ode falls after the second episode and is full of praise for human beings when it comes to analyzing the role of the chorus in Antigone. It dilates upon the achievements of human beings saying that man has tamed everything that nature has offered to him, everything is in reference to Antigone by Sophocles. However, the point of contention is between different translators, as far as I can see, for some have used the word “strangest” such as Fitzgerald, some others as “frightful or terrible” and George Theodoridis has used “wonder” but coming out of this polemics, the play Antigone supports all the reasons given in the ode even the last one that is the opinion of the democratically minded public of the city of Thebes. The points that the play supports through this chorus in Antigone are the inventiveness of human wisdom and language, his growth as a social animal, and his capricious nature of having the ability to commit both good and evil acts.

Wisdom and Chorus in Antigone

The ode dilates upon the wisdom of man starting from “Wonders abound in this world yet no wonder is greater than man.  None! / Through the wild white of a frenzied sea and through the screaming northerlies beneath him and through all the furious storms around him, through all this, man can pass!” (Antigone 332-335) that enumerates further how he has harvested the sea, catches the net and this is only because of the skillfulness of man. It further elaborates how man’s wisdom have done wonders in this world and this is what the blind seer Tiresias supports “What I’m trying to tell you, Creon, is that man’s best endowment is wisdom” (1042) at the end when he asks Creon to be reasonable and control his emotions under his intellectual capability so that he could be inventive about his own nature. Chorus also supports this point presented by Tiresias that we should use wisdom in these arguments. Above all it is the speech and thought that the man has learnt to use in each case. For example, just see how Creon has changed from Oedipus the King to Antigone. In Oedipus the King, he is patient. He uses every word not before carefully weighing the implications they might have. However, here he is not only rash but also impatient and uses whatever he wants to say not considering the height of his emotions. Just see his inventiveness in that he gives his own command respect that should be given to divine laws and he calls his command a divine law and consent of the gods that Antigone is not ready to accept as she states “Hades, however seeks similar laws for all” (529) where she wants equal laws in this world as well and he very masterly amalgamates it within the divine ambit saying “Whereas he who violates the laws of the gods and his city, or wants to command its leaders, will never gain my respect” (666) which is a sign of his wisdom that according to the chorus in Antigone he has achieved as it says;

“And man has learnt speech and thought, swifter than the wind he mastered

And learnt to govern his cities well.”

And the laughing matter is that he does not care who violates the law though he himself is violating the golden principle of moderation. He is going to the extremes in both ways in reasoning as well as in using his own speech to attribute it to the god. This he is doing to avoid death of his son, his own downfall in the city. Hence, he turns against Antigone but when Chorus also sides her argument, how cunningly comes to the point to save his son as ode points it out;

“And though his wisdom is great in discovery -wisdom beyond all imaginings!

Yet one minute it turns to ill the next again to good.” (352-354)

And this is the view of the populace to which the chorus is representing here.

Social Growth of Mankind and Chorus in Antigone

The next argument is human social growth as how the city of Thebes has turned into a civic society with divine laws at work as given in the chorus in Antigone. The word law has been repeated several times with different connotations. The command Creon issues to put Antigone to death and refuses for the burial rights to her brother that the ode refers to “But whoever honors the laws of his land and his sworn oaths to the gods, he’ll bring glory to his city” 374) also becomes law. This is the right path that he insists he is on until the end when he says “I am afraid!  It’s best to live by ancient laws, the laws which apply to all!” (1115) Although there is a difference in interpretations that he makes and Antigone and the chorus makes. The choral ode does not accept his interpretation here as claims by Creon and this is the same point that Antigone insists on when she states that “These are the laws our Lord Creon has decreed for us two, Ismene! “ (32). She carries on; “Yes, because this was not a law decreed by Zeus, nor by Zeus’ daughter, Justice, who rules with the gods of the Underworld.  Nor do I believe that your decrees have the power to override those unwritten and immutable laws decreed by the gods. These are laws which were decreed neither yesterday nor today but from a time when no man saw their birth;  they are eternal!  How could I be afraid to disobey laws decreed by any man when I know that I’d have to answer to the gods below if I had disobeyed the laws written by the gods after I died? I knew that my death was imminent, of course I did and even if it came sooner, I would still think it a good thing because when one lives in such a dreadful misery why should he not think death to be a good thing?” (449-463). Even she is not alone in thinking this. The chorus is afraid of the commands of the king and that is why does not say explicitly what she is saying but says it in the ode clearly. This is the same arrogance that led Oedipus to devastation and this is the same path that Creon has chosen here which is quite contrary to the social evolution of the society but of course, it is the ingenuity of the human mind that he mixes it up into the divine laws. The glory does not lie in obeying the king the chorus in Antigone says, but evolution and progressing evolution lie in the laws inherent in the holiness of the divine blessings.

Human Nature and Chorus in Antigone

The third point is the capriciousness of human nature that has both abilities to commit errors. First, there is a clear reference to Oedipus when Tiresias comes and he points out the mistake committed by Creon who berates him for behaving in an arrogant manner. The chorus comments on this by saying “The arrogant man, on the other hand, the man who strays from the righteous path is lost to his city. / Let that man never stay under the same roof as me or even be acquainted by me!” (370-372). The veiled reference is to the arrogance of Creon in insisting that what he says has divine blessings. It is what the laws of the land say. He states, “We must obey those whom the city has ordained to be its leaders. / We should obey them, unquestioningly, in all things, minor or great, those we agree with and those we oppose” (668-670) and again states the same thing “Yet, it’s impossible to understand the soul, the mind, the wisdom of any man before he’s tested by the great power and laws” (181-183). However, it does not mean that there is no evolution in the common man as the chorus states again “You said it yourself quite rightly: he who thinks that he’s the only one with a brain or a tongue or a soul, if you open him up you’ll find that he’s a hollow man. On the contrary, it is no shame for even a wise man to continue learning” (694-697) using words cautiously that a man is in the process of learning despite making so much progress and there is no shame in it but this is the arrogance and the pride in having power that obstructs this learning. This is an endorsement of the theory by Sophocles that man has found ways to defy gods through amalgamating his own words within the divine laws and interfering with the holiness of the laws. However, it could also be interpreted as free will by which a man comes to his own downfall like Creon whose arrogance in stating that what he says is good and not evil leads to his own downfall, death of his son and his wife. He has done the same as Oedipus has done after reaching the zenith. In one way, this is also a critique of human life that could go up by good deeds and come to downfall by the evil deed committed by the same person. In fact, chorus is also witness to the downfall of Oedipus from such a great height and now of Creon for the same reason. Hence, the ode is a sequel to the final ode of Oedipus the King exactly a la chorus in Antigone.

Works Cited

1. Sophocles. Antigone. Trans. George Theodoridis.  2004. Web. 19 April 2014 < http://www.poetryintranslation.com/PITBR/Greek/Antigone.htm>

Relevant Questions about the Chorus in Antigone

1. What is the role and function of the chorus in “Antigone,” and how does it contribute to the overall structure and dramatic impact of the play?
2. How does the chorus’s perspective on the events and characters in “Antigone” evolve throughout the play, and what does this evolution reveal about the shifting moral and political dynamics in the story?
3. Can you identify any specific choral odes or moments in “Antigone” where the chorus’s commentary or reflections on the actions of the characters provide insight into the deeper themes and conflicts of the play?

Introduction to Candide

Candide by Voltaire is a typical fictional work having elemental value on the basis of thematic strands that seem to have surpassed generations and civilizations. This fiction written during the eighteenth century not only shows the importance of wealth in social relations and social setups but also shows the work of religion, human desires, and civilizational clashes through its protagonist Candide, and other characters associated with him. The ancient controversies and dialectics about the existence of God, the creation of the world, the role of power and money, and religious dogmas in shaping human lives and cultures have been kept engaged not only by philosophers like Voltaire but also by other figures. Shown through his character such as Pangloss whose mantra of “For, everything having been made for a purpose, everything is necessarily for the best purpose” (Voltaire 4) to complete pessimism of Martin that he has never met goodness (53) when replying to Candide, Voltaire has touched upon the fundamental issues concerning human life. In fact, comprises how religion sometimes becomes a source of solace and at other times a source of persecution for those who hold different views. Therefore, some of the themes about the role of wealth, human lust and love, religion and its misuse, and civilizational clash are elements that can resonate with contemporary audiences.

Wealth in Candide

As far as the role of wealth in concerned, the initial chapter about Baron Thunder-ten-trenconckh and the description of his castle, his farmyard, and his living style show that he is called “Your Lordship” on account of his wealth (03). Candide soon comes to know that he has no means to pay his corner (05). Ken Ewell in his book, Travelling with Philosophes, says that Candide gets a lot of wealth from El Dorado but when he sees that it is all lost, he is unable to locate Cunegonde and his associate as he has no means to bribe the officials in Turkish land (252). It means that he has pointed out the importance of wealth. In fact, wealth plays an important part in the officials as well as the private world. In the official world, it works when Candide thinks of meeting the governor to buy Cunegonde, his former beloved (252). Although Ken Ewell has associated it with his philosophy that he learns from Pangloss the mention of wealth is very much there, as it makes him easy to travel and buy freedom for his mentor and beloved. In other words, wealth still has a significant role in the lives of people for traveling, purchasing amenities of life, and even buying officials to freedom. It even works when an individual wants to fulfill his desires.

Human Desire in Candide

In fact, human desires, in Candide, have been shown responsible for bringing trouble as well as showing the future of the characters. Candide is forced to leave the castle of Baron when he is caught flirting with Cunegonde (Voltaire 05). Desires may comprise lust or love or simply love for wealth as has been shown above, they drive the people away. Although Candide is forced to leave the castle, his heart is with Cunegonde. He is always after her when he is all right and has enough wealth to pursue his desire even if to go to Turkey(80-81). A desire-satisfaction theoretical perspective by Dale Dorsey highlights that although desires lead to temporal welfare or satisfaction, they hardly fulfill permanent satisfaction level (152-153) for it depends on the time, context, and various other factors springing up in the new research (152). Perhaps that is the very reason that the lust or desire for sex of Candide ends by the end of the novel when he sees ugly Cunegonde in Turkey and does not marry her though he does not budge from his earlier stand of marrying her. The same goes for human desires and emotions with the contemporary audience when they see the same things happening with characters on the screen in front of them.

Religion in Candide

Whereas religion is concerned, it has always led to wider fissures among human beings rather than filling the existing gaps. The whole episode of Candide with the Jesuits and his flip-flop to prove that he is with his captors (Voltaire 214) show that religious creed, indeed, plays an important part in the life of human beings, and it is still important in that every religious person holds that his religious is as true as the old man in El Dorado who speaks to Candide about it (Voltaire 44). However, the interesting thing about Candide coming to know such religious beliefs is that it forces one to reflect on his religious ideas which is metacognition as Mark Bracher has asserted with reference to Candide (73). It means that a person meets followers of other religions and comes to know about shortcomings in his own beliefs. The same goes for either acceptance or resistance of religious ideas and beliefs which show the clash of civilizations as is happening notoriously between Christianity and Islam in the Middle East though both sides are engaged in rapprochement in one or the other way.

Conclusion

All of these thematic strands, elements and events in Candide by Voltaire seem quite relevant to contemporary readers and audiences. They find relevant elements in them to think solutions to the problems they face and resolve them accordingly. That is why Candide is still popular among the masses as they see their fundamental desires, petty religious disputes, and civilizational clashes at work in the text and its presentation on the stage.

Works Cited

1. Bracher, Mark. Educating for Cosmopolitanism: Lessons from Cognitive Science and Literature. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013.
2. Dorsey, Dale. “Desire-satisfaction and Welfare as Temporal.” Ethical Theory and Moral Practice, vol, 16. no. 1 (2013): 151-171.
3. Ewell, Ken. Traveling with Philosophes. New York: iUniverse Inc. 2006.
4. Voltaire, Francoise. Candide and Other Stories. Trans. by Roger Pearson. New York: Oxford University Press, 2006.

Relevant Questions about Candide: Themes, Elements, Or Issues

1. How does Voltaire use satire and irony in Candide to critique and comment on the philosophical optimism of the Enlightenment era, and what is the impact of this critique on the overall themes of the novella?
2. In Candide, the character Pangloss embodies the idea that “all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds.” How does Pangloss’s philosophy evolve or change throughout the story, and what does this transformation reveal about the novel’s exploration of optimism and reality?
3. Voltaire tackles numerous societal issues in Candide, including religious hypocrisy, the nature of evil, and the corrupting influence of power. Can you provide examples from the text that illustrate Voltaire’s commentary on these issues and explain how they contribute to the novel’s overall message and themes?

Introduction to Part of The Book of the Dead

This beautiful short excerpt has been taken from Ibrahim al-Faqih’s book, The Book of the Dead, in which he presents the mental predicament of a Libyan school teacher, Abd al-Hafiz, which not only presents the whole Libyan patriarchal thinking, but also the status of women and role of men as custodian of the social norms and customs. Abd al-Hafiz is a primary school teacher in a some remote Libyan village. The Book of the Dead shows the school management appoints him as a religious education teacher to teach the students in a local school in this remote area, where there is no girls’ school. The girls are sent to their exclusive girl’s school in Libya. It happens that one day he enters the school, but does not meet the usual humdrum that he used to find the past. The students used to fight, and show vulgarity and bad manners whenever he used to enter the school. However, this time, there is no such humdrum and vulgarity. He is rather surprised at this queer silence. The first thinking that enters his mind is that the students are absent, but when he glances inside the classroom, he sees nothing. His second glance makes him wonder struck, as there is a young girl sitting with the boys whom he thinks is surely a demon. The most surprising thing is that the entire class is sitting in silence, as if nothing has happened to them. He considers it a conspiracy against him from the management to force him to resign, but he decides otherwise. The presence of the girl first makes him turn against her to provoke her through several tricks, but then one day she is absent, which gives him a feeling of remorse. When she comes again, he instantly falls in love with her despite being a married person, and a religious teacher. This situation of passionate love, however, conflicts with his ingrained religious and traditional ideas. He feels that somebody has done black magic on him and becomes hysterical by the end of the story. Through this story from The Book of the Dead, Ibrahim al-Faqih beautifully presents the improvement in the class situation by placing a female student among the unruly boys, the mental conflict that ensues in the religious teacher, and the local cultural setting that makes the religious teacher almost mad with agony.

Classroom Presentation from The Book of the Dead

Whereas the improvement in the classroom environment as presented in this part of The Book of the Dead is concerned, it is sure that it has improved except a first hiccup. The first sign of this improvement is witnessed when Abd al-Hafiz enters the school and walks toward his class. It is because his first glance returns empty. He is surprised that there is silence, and nobody is in the class. When he glances again, “much to his surprise, he discovered that they were all three…sitting properly in their seats” and “They behaved as if they had suddenly transformed into grown men” (al-Hafiz 43). This is not all. There is change in their manners, in their clothes, in their speaking and working style. They are sitting at the same place they have been made to sit since the first day of the year. Although they are the same students that al-Hafiz used to see every day, but today they are different. First, he attributes this eerie silence to the inspection team that used to come to check the teachers for coming late. He discovers immediately that this is not the case. The wall clock tells him that he has come on time. He checks the blackboard, the desk, and everything to see what is wrong with the classroom today. It then occurs to him that this is only because a girl is present over there in the classroom. It is another thing that he first considers it some spirit or a demon, and prays that it should not be so. But it is a fact that there is a girl sitting in the classroom, whose presence has made the classroom silent. Her presence has also impacted the students.

Abd al-Hafiz and The Book of the Dead

Despite this visible improvement that he has acknowledged with his first entry, he still does not like her presence as shown by this part of The Book of the Dead. His first thinking is that she should have been in the girls’ school which the place of “mystery and secrecy” (76). Despite being a father of some children and a husband of a wife, he does not consider it appropriate that a girl should be sitting among the boys. As he is a religious teacher, he thinks in the same way. This is against the “principles of decency and modesty” which in his views reflect a total lack of “shame and morals” (76). With these thoughts in his mind, he thinks this a ploy against him, so that he could resign. His first thought is to resign immediately, but then he sticks to his decision of not resigning and making life hell for the girl in the class, so that she could leave. However, another very strange thing happens in his mind too with this improvement in the class. It is perversion of his piety. He glances at her breasts and long hair and thinks her of a blossomed woman of married age. This perversion in his thinking is entirely against the silence and improvement in the classroom environment, but it is this mental conflict in him, which is present in the background of peace and calmness of the class.

The Mental Conflict in The Book of the Dead

This mental conflict rather makes a hell of noise in the mind of Abd al-Hafiz, instead of making him comfortable and peaceful in this part of The Book of the Dead. His first though is that it is a demon or some satanic spirit. It is because he is a religious teacher and his mental makeup does not allow him to let girls mix with the boys. He does not imagine that a girl can enter the school exclusively reserved for boys. In the Libyan educational system, girls have separate schools, while boys have separate school. He starts questioning himself how this girl has entered the school and sat with the boys defiantly despite restrictions on the girls’ entry. Her presence among the boys have made him wonderstruck and speechless. However, when he realizes the presence of the boys, he gathers himself and starts asking her name. His second thought about the girl is that the management is conspiring against him. He is of the view that the management and inspectors are against him. As they have already blocked his promotion and transfer, this is a new ploy from their side to trap him. This thinking takes hold of him so much so that he forgets what he is going to teach. He feels exhausted and weak. This mental consternation sends him into internal mental conflict. He thinks about his whole life that he has spent in piety. He thinks that he has always obeyed the decrees of God. He believes that women are “inviolable and must be protected, and that their place is in the home, far from the gaze of men” (81). However, there is a young and beautiful Zahra sitting among the boys in front of him, which means that Satan is also there, and if there is a majority of men, it means some catastrophe is at hand, “while the Judgement Day will be nigh.” (82).

Transformation in The Book of the Dead

A third transformation in his thoughts takes place that he tortures her in every way. He decides that she is obstinate and defiant. Therefore, he will be playing tricks on her, so that she should leave the class. Despite his animosity towards her, she is always calm and peaceful and never shows that he is unjust in his marking. Even this makes him feel consternation even more. In fact, this internal animosity in him is due to this feeling of patriarchal thinking that men are always superior, and they have every right to treat women in a way they think fit. He thinks that “He would neither yield nor scold, as the question was one of principle and dignity, life or death” (90). Despite his animosity and mental consternation, she takes a deep interest in lessons. She does her homework regularly and beautifully. She does not give al-Hafiz any opportunity to mistreat her, but he is always on the forefront in humiliating her. It is her calmness that makes him feel that she is also against him. He waits for that supposed catastrophe that never befalls on him or on the school, and he always finds her sitting in front of him with the boys. A fourth mental transformation takes place when one day she becomes absent. This is the first time that Abd al-Hafiz finds himself reflecting on his actions. He thinks that this is not a victory; rather it is unjust. He thinks that he has been mean in his treatment toward her. His thoughts about her as a demon, or Satan or a dragon are totally baseless, as “she was only a small, innocent child,” who has become a victim of his traditional thinking about women and girls (92). It makes him think that had he a girl, he would not have mistreated her. Now he turns to think positively. He realizes that her presence has made the class behave well and orderly. However, without her, it wears a deserted look and seems as if some spirit has haunted the boys. This makes him think that if she has left, he will visit her father and request him to send her again as shown in this excerpt from The Book of the Dead.

Love and The Book of the Dead

However, this absence of the girl makes him fall in love with her, a strange feeling for him in this excerpt from The Book of the Dead. He imagines her meeting at odd places. This further complicates his mental thinking, because he has never imagined to meet such a young girl even in his wild dreams. One the one hand, there is a young and beautiful girl to whom he loves, and on the other hand, he is a pious religious teacher who cannot imagine to think in such a way about a girl who is the age of his daughter. This situation ensues a battle of ideas in his mind. On the one side is his “inflamed passion”, while on the other side are his religious ideas (92). He thinks in a strange way about her, as if they are Adam and Eve, and have fallen on the earth, but then this thinking makes him ashamed of himself. Even his dreams are full of the meetings between Zahra and al-Hafiz which seem to him, “terrifying, sweet, horrible, beautiful and loathsome clash” (96). In fact, this is a clash in his ideas between what he has been harboring since childhood and the new situation in which he is placed. Therefore, this mental clash continues torturing him until the end of the story.

Cultural Setting in The Book of the Dead

The theme of the cultural setting has been beautifully woven in this part of the excerpt. This is the traditional Libyan cultural setting which is witnessing some transformation in which he Abd al-Hafiz is also entangled somehow. As Libya is an Islamic country, religion holds supreme over everything including education and educational administration. Boys and girls and men and women are not allowed to intermingle. If this happens, according to the strict religious teachings, Satan enters that place, and it means that some catastrophe is about to take place. That is why when he sees the girl in the class sitting with the boys, his first thought is that she is not a girl, but a demon, and he immediately senses some danger. His second thought is that it is a conspiracy, because traditionally women or girls are not allowed in the schools reserved only for boys. It is because girls have always separate schools in Libya. Therefore, this is against the traditional setup that a girl is sent to a school where only boys study. It is also a traditional patriarchal thought that he sees defiance on the face of Zahra and thinks of mistreating her to show her status she holds in the society, but then his reflection on his action makes him think about his unjust behavior. This is a sort of rebellion against the traditions, but the traditional thinking mixed up with religious ideas make him almost go mad. It is because he is already in an agony and to top it all, he falls in love with her. This is even torturing, because then he thinks that he is quite old, almost the age of his father. It is because in Libyan culture it never happens that such a man of more than forty years start loving a young girl, who is half of his age and that person is religious too. Therefore, these cultural customs, traditions and religions ideas put Abd al-Hafiz on the pedestal of mental agony in this excerpt from The Book of the Dead.

Conclusion

Concluding the analysis, it becomes clear that this story reflects the original cultural setting of the Libyan society where women are given a status lower than men in every way, even if it is an educational setting. Although this girl has been sent to this school of boys on the recommendation of the higher authorities, the religious faces not only mental dilemma but also physical shock over her presence in the class. He faces a mental agony where he displays contradictory feelings of hate, love, torture, religious fervor, piety and then hysteria. In fact, Ibrahim al-Faqih got his education in the United Kingdom and saw gender equality in the western society. He is fully aware of this fact that such things will create such a feeling of shock and mental conflict among the native Libyans. He has successfully portrayed such a character by placing a girl in the boys’ classroom.

Works Cited

1. al-Faqih, Ibrahim.”Excerpt from the Book of Dead.” Editors. Husni, Ronak & Daniel L. Newman. Modern Arabic Short Stories: A Bilingual Reader. SAQI. London. 2008. Print. 70-144.

Relevant Questions about “Excerpt from the Book of Dead”

1. What literary techniques or stylistic elements are prominent in the analyzed excerpt from “The Book of the Dead” by Ibrahim al-Faqih, and how do they contribute to the overall tone and theme of the work?
2. Could you provide insights into the historical and cultural context surrounding Ibrahim al-Faqih’s writing of “The Book of the Dead,” and how this context might influence the interpretation of the analyzed excerpt?
3. In the analysis of the excerpt from “The Book of the Dead” by Ibrahim al-Faqih, were there any specific symbols, motifs, or recurring themes that stood out, and how do they relate to the broader narrative or message of the book?

Introduction to Body Image in The Realm of Possibility

Each person has a different experience with growing up and becoming the person they are meant to be as shown by David Levithan in The Realm of Possibility.  Many times, childhood experiences shape and define how we view the world and interpret our experiences.  The Realm of Possibility, the book by David Levithan, shows the experiences of childhood and young adulthood are combined into a beautiful and descriptive work of poetry that demonstrates the experiences of young adults from many different backgrounds whose experiences are different in and of themselves and which all show a different side of the individual struggle to find oneself.  Throughout childhood, images and ideas of physical perfection come at children and young adults from every angle.  Through this, individuals are able to create an idea of how it is socially acceptable to look and what images and representations of physical characteristics should be followed and emulated.  These images and interpretations of how one should look are often confusing and frustrating, leading many to be unsatisfied with themselves and their bodies, constantly striving for perfection that they will never be able to obtain.  In this book The Realm of Possibility, Levithan addresses these issues and pressures head-on in three of his poems entitled “Tinder Heart”, “Suburban Myths” and “Strong”.

The Realm of Possibility and “Tinder Heart”

“Tinder Heart” in The Realm of Possibility is a poem dedicated to the fragility of the heart and how closely this relates to body image, specifically the development of an eating disorder.  The poem begins with Mary who does not allow herself to love a boy.  This comes from her dissatisfaction with herself and her body.  Throughout the poem, Mary is constantly observing the bodies of others, both men and women.  She notices her friend Elizabeth and how she does not worry herself about how she looks.  It seems as if Mary cannot comprehend this, but is still a little jealous.  She is constantly in denial of her problem, despite her friends and the boy that she loves telling her that they are worried about her.  At one point in the poem, she begins to realize the extent of her obsession when she questions the meaning behind size zero. She says, “Who was it who invented size zero?” adding “Who was it who promised that if you got to a certain point you would no longer be there?” (Levithan). In this moment of self-realization, she seems to be both hopeful and disgusted; hoping for a size zero herself, yet disgusted by the fact that someone could decide on a size that would mean that you no longer existed on that scale.  The poem ends with her looking into the refrigerator and breaking down.  She then goes to the boy who loves her and says “I need help”.  Her opinion of herself was created by what she wanted to be but could never achieve.  Because she would never be able to achieve her goal of size zero, she deprived herself of everything good to the point of even depriving herself of human interaction.

“Suburban Myths” in The Realm of Possibility

“Suburban Myths” in The Realm of Possibility is a mixture of very short stories, each telling their own story of a certain aspect of society that has been perpetuated.  One such story in this collection is of a woman who would never leave her house.  The only people seen going to and from her door were those who would bring her food, such as the pizza delivery man or the Chinese food delivery man.   Those on the outside judged her and would make comments about this fact, despite not knowing her actual situation and what had driven her to become this way.  They assumed she was lazy and that she was stupid for staying that way all day.  They also assumed the obvious, that she was very large.  Although they knew little about her, the people in the neighborhood knew that she loved to eat.  When some young boys decided to break into her house as a prank, she played the ultimate prank on them by being dead.  The boys noticed that the woman had brought her bed into the kitchen, therefore dying surrounded by the things she loved.  The lifestyle of this woman was stigmatized due to the seeming non-conformity of her choices with what society valued.  It is clear from her conversation that she was capable of love and any other human emotion, but was confined to her house by her own decisions, which eventually resulted in her inability to leave her house, as is clear from her behavior shown in the first story.  However, society plays an important role and further stigmatizes this woman. It made her a victim of its customs, norms, and traditions and ultimately she succumbed due to being of a weaker nature. Hence her life was deeply affected, which resulted in her death.

“Strong” in The Realm of Possibility

Although young women are pressured to look a certain way, so are young men.  In the poem “Strong” in The Realm of Possibility, a boy recounts his story of how his quest for strength and physical perfection changed his life.  From a young age, the boy had decided that he wanted to be the apex of physical perfection.  In his mind, a boy without a strong body, one that was “well-defined” was “nothing”.  The boy was complimented on his physique and rewarded for his hard work, often being rewarded because of it and envied by both men and women.  One day he sees Mary and falls in love with her.  In line with society’s expectations, Mary is thin as a rail and seems as if she is ready to break, fragile in every way.  The boy comes to the realization that Mary and the human relation is more important than the strength of his body and the way he looks.  “To get something, you must give something away,” he says in realization at the end of the poem.

Conclusion

In the collection of stories The Realm of Possibility, author David Levithan explored the role of body image in defining the lives of young adults.  He examines the pain and inadequacy they can feel, as well as the advantages physical perfection can bring.  Through the lives of three young people, Levithan explores all of these things and more.  This book accurately depicts the conflicted nature of growing up in modern society, where physical perfection is demanded, but role models are created by Photoshop.

Works Cited

1. Levithan, David. The Realm of the Possibility. Random House. 2004. Print.

1. How does David Levithan, in his book “The Realm of Possibility,” address the issues and pressures faced by young people in today’s world through the poems “Tinder Heart,” “Suburban Myths,” and “Strong”?
2. What themes and messages does Levithan convey in the poems “Tinder Heart,” “Suburban Myths,” and “Strong” from his book “The Realm of Possibility” regarding the challenges and dilemmas young individuals encounter?
3. In “The Realm of Possibility” by David Levithan, how do the poems “Tinder Heart,” “Suburban Myths,” and “Strong” contribute to the exploration and discussion of contemporary issues and pressures facing the characters and their generation?

Introduction to Beowulf as an Epic

Generally, an epic is a long narrative poem, a la Beowulf as an epic,  written about the journey or adventures of a hero, in dactylic hexameter and spanned over twelve or more books. The hero is often a larger-than-life figure who comes out victorious in every sort of expedition, more than often aided by gods and fate but has human qualities. The events relate to the history and society in which they are set. If judged on these yards sticks, it seems that at least in some respects, Beowulf comes up to the standard of an epic. As it is one of the oldest surviving pieces in English Literature, it seems that it has some of the basic qualities that an epic should have in English according to the yardsticks of definition, conventions, qualities of a hero, and social climate that an epic should have.

Oral Traditions in the Making of Beowulf as an Epic

As far as Beowulf as an epic is concerned, it has come to us in oral traditions with having the hands of several writers in writing it. The objective of these oral traditions jotted down together into a story is to narrate and record the events, exploits, and adventures of the old Anglo-Saxon heroes specifically Beowulf and others who joined the national ideals through several strains used in it. It is a long narrative poem having 3,182 lines with several portions missing which shows that it must have been long enough to be called an epic. It has a grand style and extended similes that an epic should have such as the comparison of the feelings of King Hrethel with a father whose son is about to be hanged and melting of the way like that of ice. The other Aristotelian requirements of unity and the entirety of action and its grandeur are also present in it but not as Aristotle demands. For example, there is a unity of action but somewhere the action goes in some other direction with two separate narratives such as that of King Horathghar’s and Beowulf’s who is a young prince of Geats. The second is entirety which means that this Beowulf as an epic does not start from the in medias res as other epics do and also that the story does not have a proper beginning, a middle, and an end like other epics as Odyssey and Aeneid have. It is also that although the action is somewhat grand but not like that of Paradise Lost and Odyssey, for the hero loses his life at the end.

Hero in Beowulf as an Epic

The second point is the qualities of a hero and in this respect, this comes up to the standard of an epic hero. The hero of an epic is a larger than life figure or a great legend when reading Beowulf as an epic. He shows unusual courage and power and Beowulf fits into this category. A hero must be aided by deus ex machina and it is also that Beowulf is helped in several ways at several places. His physical courage, strength, and far superior acumen make him a perfect hero but not that of the category of Odysseus and Aeneas. It is also that he dies at the end in his fight against a dragon after living and ruling for several years. This makes him a lesser than a hero, but still, he retains some of the qualities of legends.

Epic Conventions in Beowulf as an Epic

The claim of Beowulf as an epic is not short of examples in several other ways such as epic conventions. Epics display a good use of war vocabulary and Beowulf is rich in it. Its best instance is when Beowulf fights against Grendel and his mother. His sabers, armor, and helmets have specific names. His sword Hrunting does well in his fight against Grendal’s mother and their fight in the boiling lake water and then in the swampy jungle is also a reminder of the great fights of great epics. The journey that the prince takes from Geats to Denmark is a long one and then his fights over there to assist King Horathghar are also legendary.

Conclusion

As far as the culture and social context of Beowulf as an Epic are concerned, Beowulf is full of themes regarding Anglo-Saxon culture, beliefs, and codes. It was a traditional theme to help good versus evil and Beowulf commits himself to help good and fight evil such as demons, dragons, and monsters. Other important themes are reputation and heroism.  Beowulf commits himself to fight the monster Grendel and he does so at every peril even to his own life. The second one is that he fights like a hero with passion and courage even at the risk of death. Other such themes as loyalty and the elegiac nature of human beings are also tied to Anglo-Saxon period. Other female characters such as Wealhtheow and Hildeburgh also demonstrate that hospitality, honor, and importance of female figures in society were given much importance.

Works Cited

1. Lawrence, William Witherle. Beowulf and Epic Tradition. Harvard University Press, 1928.

Relevant Questions about Beowulf as an Epic  

1. How does Beowulf as an epic reflect the values and heroic code of its time?
2. In what ways do the supernatural battles in Beowulf contribute to its epic quality?
3. How does the unique poetic structure of Beowulf as an epic enhance its literary significance?

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Introduction Characters in “Where are You Going …”

Characters in “Where are You Going …” are not only interesting and eccentric but also human-like. Foster claims that Characters have goals yet sometimes even living characters have no goals at all. They just carry on living their lives. However, they have personal wishes and desires on the basis of which they prefer their family members or loved ones and demonstrate their love or hate likewise. Connie is the central character of this story of Joyce Carol Oates. She is in her teens. The problem with Connie is she wants independence to enjoy her life for “her mind was filled with trashy daydreams” (Oates 589). However, her mother was an obstacle in way to fulfilling her dreams due to which she “wished that her moth was death and she herself was dead” (589). She satisfies her carnal desires by hook or by crook by going out with her sister to meet her boyfriends or with other friends that according to her was “not even a face but an idea” (592) in which she was fully engrossed. Therefore, these are not only the wishes Connie harbors, but also her nature coupled with the deceit of Arnold Friend whom Oates has created from her inspiration of living characters in “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”

Connie and Other Characters in “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”

Connie is a teenager who wishes like all other teenagers to enjoy life with her boyfriend and have a good time. However, her mother wants her to be responsible and often taunts her with sentences like “you think you’‘re so pretty?” (589). Despite this, she does not forget what she wants to have, as she has several types of daydreams. She considers her mother “so simple” because she does not understand her and always draws a line between other girls and her daughters. June is there for her as a model to follow. However, she always tries to deceive her mother because as stated in the lecturer, “A wish combined with deceit often leads to certain doom” (Lecturer 1). She was going to her doom, as she does not agree with her mother and always tries to deceive not only her mother but also herself. It is because even when the strange boy stares at her by showing his grin, she does not stop f looking back at her that she listens to him saying “Gonna get you, baby” to which she does not respond (592). She is often found “dreaming about the boys she met”, while her mother is always there to bring her back to the world of reality (592). However, as is the case that deceit meets with deceit, same happens with these characters in “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”.

Deceiving Characters in “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”

The reason is that she is deceiving her mother whom she considers a simpleton. The sentence that “her mother was so simply” is actually very ironic having multiple meanings of utterances spoken by characters in “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”. It is because she after takes after her mother and is absolutely simple like her – the reason that Arnold Friend knows all about her and comes to see her (592).  He exactly echoes her words when talking to her mother about some other girls “Oh, her. That dope” (592). He talks about his friend in the same way, “You dope. You miserable creepy dope” (593). It means both are of the same type. And they are on the lookout to deceive somebody but come in front of each other. Here Arnold Friend proves more dexterous and tries to convey his message through different means such as his words “My sweet” then “honey” and then “blue-eyed” (596), demonstrates. It is something “that signifies a message” (Foster 147) but she does not give approval which means that the meanings “can be deflected from the expected meaning” (147). However, it is another point that she becomes a victim instead of making somebody a victim. And it is because when he comes at the end, she has become obedient and in a sense has accepted her role as Neslihan Guler Ugur states that “the characters Connie and Arnold symbolize the roles women and men have in patriarchy” (Ugur 35-39). He means that these are self-destructive forces in the women that force them to submit to men Patrick Paul Christle has also quoted the same words referring to Luce Irigaray that a woman is a character that acts on the fantasies of man, because she is ultimately to please him (Christle).

Adult Characters in “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”

It is also because it is the nature of Connie or at least she has become like that, who is among good adult characters in “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”. Otherwise, her sister June is always with her. She is often quoted as an example that “Why don’‘t you keep your room clean like your sister?” and like that (589). However, her nature was similar to her mother’‘s. She was as pretty as her mother used to be in her teens. It is certain that “her mother had been pretty once too” (589). That is why she knows that her daughter is not sensible but is exactly like her as she was in her teens. It is also clear what she thinks about her mother but she at least acts in some instances sensibly even at the end when Arnold Friend coaxes her into his car for a ride, and she resists it fiercely. Interestingly, it is unclear what makes her accept his offer and move on though she first threatens him to call the police. In this connection, the character of Arnold is very important. He acts like a “Great Fiend” and succeeds, or at least seems to have succeeded. In fact, it is the creativity of Oates that after having been inspired, she creates a character like this one.

Critics about Characters in “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”

Talking about the story in the book, Women Writers: Texts and Contexts, Tom Quirk explores the inspiration. He is of the view that it is not difficult to trace the inspiration Oates has used to create the character of Arnold. At that time, Time, Life, and Newsweek used to publish several stories and reports of such characters during the decade of 70s. Such a story of the criminal from Tucson, Arizona, Charles Howard Schmid who used to tempt girls and killed them, also appeared in Newsweek. As he grew older, the disguised himself and became a serial killer who used to coax teenagers. Not only by his behavior but also by his appearance and audacity he seems similar to Arnold. He is of the view that perhaps Oates saw his photograph published in the newspapers and got a clue about him. Therefore, she has painted his character like Schmid (Schowalter 82-85) and made him merge with other characters in “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”.

Conclusion

Briefly, Connie has desires and wishes like her mother but she disobeys and deceives her. That is why she is deceived in the end and becomes a victim of an archfiend in this skill in which she considers her mother a simple woman. She is led by Arnold Friend to where he wants to take as is clear from her walk and feelings. However, it happens to her because she has the thinking to go on that way and Arnold Friend instantly recognizes the prey who wants to have a good life. It shows how Oats has presented different characters in “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”.

Works Cited

1. Christle, Patrick Paul. “The Horror of Connie’‘s Story and Ours: A Feminist Analysis of Oates’‘s “Where Are  You Going, Where Have You Been.” Freeshell. N. d. Web. 23 July 2015.
2. Oates, Joyce Carol. “ Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” Charters, Anne. The Story and Its Writer. New York: Bedford /St. Martins, 2014. 575-591.
3. Schowalter, Elaine. Women Writers: Texts and Contexts “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? Rutgers. New York. 2002. Print.
4. Ugur, Neslihan Guler. “Self-Destructive Forces in Oates’‘ Women.” Studies in Literature and Language 4.3 (2012): 35-39.

Relevant Questions about Characters in “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”

1. How does the character of Connie in “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” evolve throughout the story, and what does her transformation of persona reveal about the themes of innocence and vulnerability?
2. What motivates Arnold Friend’‘s character in “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been,” and how does his presence challenge Connie’‘s understanding of the world and her own identity?
3. In “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been,” how do Connie’‘s family members, such as her mother and sister, contribute to the development of her character and the story’‘s exploration of adolescence and rebellion?

Historical Background to A Lesson Before Dying

Written by Ernest J. Gaines, A Lesson Before Dying, is a lengthy historical novel. The novel deals with racial discrimination, a grave problem in the United States of 40’s when Jim Crow Laws and segregation movements were ripping apart the American society specifically in the South where most of the events of the novel took place. The World War II started at the same time when the African-Americans were given a word that they would be equal to the whites in the post war period, while they were still considered second-class citizens. Segregation drives by the whites and the Ku Klux Klan were making the mess of things. Set in the Creole Louisianan background of that time, A Lesson Before Dying, presents a real picture of the Louisianan Creole society of the 40’s when segregation laws were gnawing at the very social fabric of that local community. The novel not only mentions several historical places but also very popular figures of the time such as Jackie Robinson, who was the first African American to play the Major League Baseball, and Joe Louis, a great African American boxer.

 Summary of A Lesson Before Dying

The novel, A Lesson Before Dying, revolves around the execution of a black young man, Jefferson, who is charged for murdering a storekeeper, Alcee Grope. The narrator, Grant Wiggins, who happens to be his friend, tells that the evidences also point to Jefferson as the killer, though he has not committed the murder. The white jury turns against him and convicts him for murder and orders his death sentence through electrocution. It happens that Jefferson is insulted none other than this his own defense lawyer who terms him a hog, pleading that nothing good could be expected of him in such cases. This sort of plea was bound to backfire and it did.

Emma, the godmother of Jefferson meets Jeffrson’s friend Grant with his aunt Tante Lous to persuade him to teach Jefferson to be a good man in the jail, for he is working as a teacher. However, as African Americans, it is not easy for them to visit Jefferson in the jail. In this connection, Emma meets brother-in-law of the local sheriff, Henri Pichot, to get permission for Grant to meet Jefferson in the prison. Although several other happenings make the novel something interesting to read such as Grant’s meeting with his beloved, Vivian, the visit of his school superintendent and his advice, and the reminiscences of Grant, yet his own major preoccupation is meeting with Jefferson and teach him how to die with dignity.

During next few visits, Grant finds out that Jefferson is uncooperative, while living conditions also are not respectable. Jefferson really shows that he is a hog by crawling on his four legs in these worse conditions. When coming back, Grant hears about Jackie Robins and Joe Louis from some people. He immediately reaches the point that the people need heroes to keep their spirits high.

Meanwhile, Grant is accused by Tante Lou, Emma and Reverend Ambrose for lying about Jefferson. Therefore, on his next visit Grant is determined to teach Jefferson to live and die with dignity and honor. He meets deputy Paul who is somewhat sympathetic to Jefferson. When Grant meets Jefferson following this, he becomes highly rude and furious. Grant and Emma manages to meet Jefferson in a dayroom after the permission instead of the cell which has degrading conditions. Grant and Vivian continues making progress with the behavior of Jefferson, and he improves a bit with these efforts. Jefferson now asks Grant for ice cream, and radio which he brings in their next meeting. Although Tante Lou and Reverend Ambrose taunts Grant for giving Jefferson a radio, he defends his decision that Jefferson is learning civilized manners. Grant soon tries to put hero worship idea in the mind of Jefferson, explaining that hero is a person who thinks about his community first, saying that Jefferson should become a hero by keeping himself upright in the face of death. Jefferson takes his point and behaves civilly to them next time. Then Grant gives him a note book that Jefferson uses to record his thoughts though in clumsy writing. On the execution day, Grant goes to school while Reverend Ambrose goes to see the execution, who later informs others that Jefferson went to the electric chair with dignity and strength, a hero’s departure.

Author’s Message in A Lesson Before Dying

Through this historical novel, A Lesson Before Dying, the author Ernest J. Gaines, conveys a very important message that even if heaven falls, we should stick to our self-respect and dignity. Facing injustice with upright head and standing gait is not an insult, but a great way to show the world that despite injustice you have not lost to live in dignity. The last message of the Jefferson, that he has been shaking but has become strong despite going to the execution chair, shows that a person should not face or tolerate dehumanization of his soul and body through injustice. The implicit message is that African Americans also deserve better treatment by the public institutions.

Author’s Sources of Historical Information for A Lesson Before Dying

The author has taken historical information for A Lesson Before Dying from the 40’s when Jim Crow Laws were being implemented. The parks, shopping malls, hotels and restaurant were labelled with ‘Whites Only” or ‘Not for Colored People’. Marriages between the white and the blacks were declared illegal. Even the Jim Crow Laws were not consistent in their application. However, the story has its own sources. Gaines stated that his colleague had a young man as his client, and he was on the death row. Gaines instantly started making plans to portray that young man in his stories after his execution, which he told during his interview with Dan Stone, on August 2007. Dan Stone was working with National Endowment for the Arts.      

Works Cited

1. Gaines, Ernest J. A Lesson Before Dying: A Novel. Vintage, 1997.  

Three Relevant Questions about A Lesson Before Dying: Historical Analysis

1. In A Lesson Before Dying, how does the historical backdrop of the Jim Crow South during the 1940s impact the characters’ lives and decisions, and how does the title of the novel relate to the historical context presented in the story?
2. What role does the concept of racial injustice and systemic racism play in A Lesson Before Dying, and how does the novel’s title allude to the broader historical struggles and lessons faced by African Americans during this period?
3. Within the framework of A Lesson Before Dying, how does the novel explore the historical and cultural significance of education and literacy, particularly for African American communities in the segregated South, and how is this theme tied to the titular lesson presented in the story?

Introduction to Aristotle’s Three Unities

Poetics is a remarkable critique about Aristotle’s three unities on the contemporary poetry, tragedy and epic of the Greek time and all the times to come. He defines poetry as the imitative and mimetic use of language. He calls it a representation and reflection of ideas. In the same vein, Aristotle defines tragedy as the most refined interpretation and version of poetry. He says, “Tragedy is an imitation not of men but of actions”.  This is the reason why it attracts audience and is most appealing to the senses. He also says that it is imperative for a tragedy to observe three unities namely, unity of time, place and action which means that the tragedy should have continuity of time and action and its place should not be shifted in order to keep the audience in control. These are called Aristotle’s three unities. Its action must also follow cause and effect. He regarded Euripides, Aeschylus and Sophocles as the great playwrights who tried to follow the rules of Greek tragedy. But according to him the coming tragedians paid more emphasis on characters than on plot itself. So for him these two and Sophocles were the tragedians who tried to observe the tradition of three unities which to him was the essence of a tragedy. Aristotle defined poetry in general; epic and tragedy in particular and also underlined the necessity to use the three unities in the tragedies as was used by Aeschylus, Euripides and Sophocles in their works to make them comprehensive units for the understanding and entertainment of their audience.

Oedipus, Agamemnon and Aristotle’s Three Unities

In Oedipus the whole action takes place in twenty four hours. The unity of time is strictly observed by the writer. The action does not exceed twenty four hours. Most of the action takes place just before the mansion of Oedipus. Some of the action is already supposed to be understood by the audience and that is not acted upon on the stage thus it saves the time. In Agamemnon, the tragedy by Aeschylus, the action also takes less than twenty four hours because the time starts when he comes back from the war and is received by his wife who wants to kill him. So within a span of one night the things come to an end. So in both these plays we find the unity of time which does not let the audience deviate their attention. This is one of the unities of Aristotle’s three unities.

Oedipus and Unity of Place

Among Aristotle’s three unities, the tragedy of Oedipus also observes the unity of place. The action does not move from one place to another. It remains within the residence of Oedipus. So the locale of the action does not shift or change. In the tragedy of Aeschylus Agamemnon, the action takes place just before the palace of the king Agamemnon. The previous action of war and Agamemnon’s adventure of ten years has not been shown on the stage. The story starts when he is back and is received by his wife with a malicious intent.

Unity of Action in Oedipus and Agamemnon

Among Aristotle’s three unities , unity of action also plays an important role in Greek tragedy. Unity of action means the flow of action without any break. There is a cause and effect relationship with all the actions.  In the play Oedipus, we see all the evens are intertwined with each other. Nothing is superfluous. He is being chased by fate and he is running away from it. However, with his own error of judgment he brings about his own downfall. In the same way, in Agamemnon, the action or events follow each other. Agamemnon remains away for ten years which give an opportunity to his wife to find another man. Moreover, he kills his daughter, Iphigenia and in response he is going to be avenged by his wife. In both these plays action begets action and there is a chain of actions.

In short, Poetics is a book which studies poetry in all its forms such as epic and tragedy. To him tragedy is an imitation of action and it is a part of epic tradition. It clearly mentions Aristotle’s three unities. He says that poetry represents ideas while philosophy gives ideas. In this sense, poetry is more appealing to the senses as tragedy is. He appreciates some old playwrights like Euripides, Aeschylus and Sophocles because they followed all the rules and regulations in writing their tragedies.  He lays down certain rules for a good piece of tragedy. It should have a good plot. He complains that new tragedians were focusing their attention on characters rather than their plots. There should be a good protagonist, an environment arousing pity and fear and then the catharsis of those emotions. Moreover, a tragedy should have three unities—unity of time, unity of action and unity of place. Without these unities, the tragedy loses its exaltation and grandeur.

Works Cited

1. Aristotle. Poetics. Translated by Malcolm Heath, Penguin Classics, 1996.

Relevant Questions about Aristotle’s Three Unities

1. How do Aristotle’s Three Unities of time, place, and action influence the structure and presentation of a dramatic work? What are the benefits and limitations of adhering to these unities in terms of storytelling and audience engagement?
2. Can you provide examples from classical Greek plays that effectively demonstrate the application of Aristotle’s Three Unities? How do these examples showcase the unity of action, the unity of time, and the unity of place, and how do they contribute to the overall impact of the drama?
3. In what ways have playwrights and theater practitioners throughout history embraced or deviated from Aristotle’s Three Unities in their works? How does the evolution of theater and storytelling techniques impact the relevance of these unities in contemporary drama?

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Introduction to Creon’s Speech in Antigone

In Sophocles’ play, Antigone, the chorus of the Theban elders speaks these lines in the praise of man defying Creon’s speech in Antigone. These lines explain the wonders achieved by human beings. It states, “Many things cause terror and wonder, yet nothing / is more terrifying and wonderful than man” (Sophocles 332-333). This ode explains further that man has conquered not only beasts but also the forces of nature, praising his wisdom and power, and adding that “He has power through his ways over the beast who traverses / the mountains and haunts the open sky” (348-350). This is a very important ode that comes after the second episode, summing up the whole argument of the play. The analysis of the play in terms of this ode shows Creon’s speech in Antigone and how he becomes clever in the use of language by mixing religion with laws, terming his own commands as divine fiats.

Wisdom and Creon’s Speech in Antigone

The reference to wisdom in the ode actually points towards the ingenuity of Creon. Although at first, it refers to human beings in general as how he has conquered the seas and faced, it refers to the wisdom that he must learn after Creon’s speech in Antigone. Tiresias clearly supports the Chorus after this ode when he says, “I give you sound advice. / It is best to learn from a good adviser” (1140-1141). His point is clear that Creon is going out of the control of his patience. Therefore, he should be reasonable as he is not only threatening Antigone, but also not letting her brother to have a proper burial. On the top of it, he is making his common threats as commands. In fact, this is his ingenuity of making his command as respectful as divine laws though they are not accepted and questioned constantly. However, his cleverness in turning blind eyes to Chorus and Tiresias further exacerbates his situation when Antigone also steps forward saying “These laws – I am not about to break them” (509). Ode clearly voices this, “And speech and thought, quick as the wind.” (395-396) as Creon reacts at Antigone’s charge. The Chorus comments on it further “Man the master, ingenious past all measure / past all dreams, the skills within his grasp—“ (405-406) to show a way out after Creon’s speech in Antigone.

Laws and Creon’s Speech in Antigone

The law has been repeated several times by Creon at several different places. However, it is his ingenuity that he has given it different connotations and different shades of meanings, insisting that what he says is law while others must obey him. The ode beautifully refers to his ingenuity saying that only having laws in his hands can bring glory to the city. Creon is insisting that what he says is law whether he says right or wrong but the Chorus denies this declaring that he should live by the divine laws that are eternal and old, although there is difference in their opinions. It is because Antigone has put up resistance before his ingenuity of inventing his own interpretations. She says, “Such, I hear, is the martial law our good Creon / lays down for you and me” (36-37). If Creon is a master in the use of language, she is equally master. She is also ingenuous as she says “It was not Zeus, not in the least, /  who made this proclamation – not to me. / Nor did that justice, dwelling with gods / beneath the earth, ordain such laws for men.” (449-451). When she puts up resistance after such a long argument, the Chorus also sides with her saying that commands of the king are to be respected but not in case they are doubtful. That is why the Chorus casts doubt on his ingenuity of mixing religion with his own sayings, stating that it is law that he is dictating to others. Therefore, the Chorus states that this is not the case and that Creon must abide by the divine laws ordained by Zeus and his daughters.

Personal Commands and Creon’s Speech in Antigone

When he terms his own commands as divine fiats, Creon’s speech in Antigone shows clear arrogance that the Chorus has pointed out in the ode as a “wonderful” thing. This is a reference to Oedipus and his arrogance that led to his downfall. Tiresias points out to this fault of Creon at which the Chorus comments on it saying that haughty and arrogant lose the right path. The reference is very much clear. It is the arrogance of Creon, who is terming his own commands as divine fiats in order to force Antigone to surrender her every right of burying her brother. When Creon asserts his authority, “But that man / the city places in authority, his orders / must be obeyed, large and small / right and wrong.” (748-751), he is clearly saying it as himself that it is his right to government the land as he wants and what he says is law. However, on the contrary, the sane voice of the Chorus points out that a wise man continues learning and does not assert his wisdom. The point is to use language or words cautiously. In fact, this is appraisal of the Sophoclean idea that man has found out language to defy divinely ordained laws and he should not defy gods by making his own words supreme instead of the divine words. However, the reference is clear to the ode after having Creon’s speech in Antigone as how ingenuous has he become.

Conclusion

 In a nutshell, his character in the light of this ode becomes very much clear after Creon’s speech in Antigone in that he asserts his right to government through his ingenuity of using the language. He makes his words as divine laws and asks others to accept what he sees, though the Chorus does not agree with him or his interpretation. Although he tries very much that his words, if lost on deaf ears, would create chaos and disorder in the city as he is ordained by gods to rule the land, this does not make any difference. In fact, his ingenuity of using the language backfires and he loses his worth in the face of the sanguine thinking of the Chorus and the resistance of Antigone.

Works Cited

1. Robert Fagles, trans. The Three Theban Plays: Antigone; Oedipus the King; Oedipus at Colonus by Sophocles. New York: Penguin, 1984. Print.

Relevant Questions about Creon’s Speech in Antigone

1. How does Creon’s speech in Antigone shape the central arguments and justifications for his decision to prohibit the burial of Polynices? How do these arguments reflect his beliefs and values as a ruler?
2. Within the context of the play, how does Creon’s speech in Creaon, its rhetorical tone and style during his speech about the burial prohibition convey his authority and unwavering resolve as the king of Thebes? Are there moments in Creon’s speech where his language becomes more emotional or less authoritative, and what might these moments reveal about his character?
3. What is the dramatic impact of Creon’s speech in Antigone on the other characters in the play, particularly Antigone and Haemon? How does Creon’s speech contribute to the escalating conflict and tragic events that unfold in the play?

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Introduction

When the author “David Sedaris” moved to Normandy, France, he wrote a number of essays among which “Jesus Shaves” is one in his compilation Me Talk Pretty One Day. From the essay “Jesus Shaves”, it can be easily gathered that the knowledge of all characters is based upon their personal beliefs, cultures and their experiences. However, due to the obvious language barrier, the students within the classroom are unable to transfer their knowledge to others. It gets hard for them to explain their exact thoughts and what comes out in speech seems far too ambiguous for the rest of the classroom. It cannot be denied that the language barrier was one of the reasons why the Moroccan woman could not understand the significance of Easter. However, what Sedaris fails to understand in “Jesus Shaves” is that the different cultural beliefs and religious views and the lack of their complete knowledge were also contributing factors to the entire story.

Assumptions of David in “Jesus Shaves”

When the topic of Easter was touched in the classroom, a Muslim Moroccan woman had no idea about what Easter really was. David assumed in “Jesus Shaves” that “Despite her having grown up in a Muslim country, it seemed she might have heard it mentioned once or twice”, but she really had no idea about what this occasion really was (Sedaris). This is when “The rest of the class jumped in, offering bits of information that would have given the pope an aneurysm” (Sedaris). The language barrier was indeed a barrier. The students tried to explain what this day really was based on their own cultural knowledge such as according to the Poles, “”It is a party for the little boy of God who call his-self Jesus” while the other one added “He call his self-Jesus, and then he be die one day on two morsels of lumber” (Sedaris). The other students then continued to deliver their knowledge based on the culture they were brought up in but the Moroccan Muslims woman was still very confused and did not really understand the true meaning and the significance of Easter in Christianity. When everyone was unable to explain the actual importance of Easter and why it is celebrated, the class did “what any self-respecting group of people might do. We talked about food instead” (Sedaris). The discussion in “Jesus Shaves” then led to the dinner parties and the celebration of Easter rather than focusing on the exact impact or importance of this day in Christianity.

Discussion of Easter in “Jesus Shaves”

While this discussion was going on, the Italian woman claimed that “Easter is a party for to eat of the lamb. One, too, may eat of the chocolate” (Sedaris). This is where the argument between the teacher and Sedaris started off. The teacher asked the class where does that chocolate come from and to which Sedaris responded “The Rabbit of Easter. He bring of the chocolate” (Sedaris). However, David’s response was welcomed with shock and astonishment by not only the teacher but the entire classroom. Even though majority of the classroom belonged to Christianity, their cultural beliefs and knowledge was the major barrier to their understanding and not the fact that they all did not speak the same language. Even the teacher was not open to the idea of accepting knowledge of different cultures and countries and that can be seen when she asked David about the rabbit: “”A rabbit?” The teacher, assuming I’d used the wrong word, positioned her index fingers on top of her head, wiggling them as though they were ears. “You mean one of these? A rabbit rabbit?”” (Sedaris). The teacher was clearly disappointed with what David had tried to deliver in the class and claimed that in France it is actually the Easter Bell that brings the chocolate. Instead of respecting the different cultural beliefs, the essay portrays how every individual believed that their culture was perfect and what their country follows is the perfect ritual. A simple question asked by a woman who did not even belong to the same religion made it very obvious how people cannot communicate their knowledge only because of their difference in cultural beliefs and rituals. The factor of language barrier also played some role, but the arrogance of not accepting each other’s culture was the major obstacle in delivering the knowledge to the Muslim woman.

Ideas in “Jesus Shaves”

            Another aspect in “Jesus Shaves” that was clear was that even though the students and the teachers had different ideas, concepts and beliefs about Easter, not a single person had the clear and exact knowledge of what their culture really was. It might be that they were unable to explain the exact matters due to the language barrier but the fact that their own knowledge was not clear is also very evident from the essay. The teacher only explained that the chocolates are brought by the Easter Bell in France but she did not give any information regarding the entire history of the Easter Bell or how exactly was it that people started believing in this? David and the teacher were both pretty confident that their culture is the right one and the Muslim woman should know about their culture rather than the other one. It is very evident because when the teacher said that how can a rabbit know where one lives, to that David writes in his essay that “but at least a rabbit has eyes. That’s a start. Rabbits move from place to place, while most bells can only go back and forth–and they can’t even do that on their own power. On top of that, the Easter Bunny has character; he’s someone you’d like to meet and shake hands with. A bell has all the personality of a cast-iron skillet. It’s like saying that come Christmas; a magic dustpan flies in from the North Pole, led by eight flying cinder blocks” (Sedaris). From these lines of “Jesus Shaves”, it is pretty evident that David could not even think that his culture was wrong and the teacher believed that the culture and beliefs followed in France or what was taught to her was right. However, none of them were able to explain their point precisely, not because of the language barrier but because of their lack of knowledge with regard to the Easter Bunny and the Easter Bell.

Language Barrier in “Jesus Shaves”

            What started off as a mundane and usual class of learning about the French culture and the language in “Jesus Shaves”, it turned to be rather unusual that day; when people were asked to explain about Easter, they were unable to do so because of the language barrier and their lack of knowledge as well? Every individual in the classroom believed that their culture and knowledge was the correct one. However, the Muslim woman was still very ambiguous about the Easter day and the author believes that it is due to the language barrier and his classmates and he were unable to deliver their knowledge to their class fellow. However, the major problem behind this entire scene was that nobody had complete and solid knowledge about the Easter Rabbit or the Easter Bell and hence they were unable to explain this concept to the Muslim woman.

Works Cited

1. Sedaris, David. “Jesus Shaves.” Seattle Central. Seattle Central. n. d. Web. 04 Feb. 2016.

Relevant Questions about “Jesus Shaves” by David Sedaris: Analysis

1. How does David Sedaris use humor in “Jesus Shaves” to highlight the challenges of language and cultural differences? What specific comedic techniques or anecdotes contribute to the essay’s humor?
2. What does the essay reveal about the complexities and misunderstandings that can arise when individuals from different cultural backgrounds attempt to communicate? Are there any moments in the essay where cultural stereotypes or assumptions play a role in these misunderstandings?
3. In “Jesus Shaves,” Sedaris and his classmates are attempting to explain the concept of Easter to their French teacher. What does this exchange reveal about the cultural significance of holidays and rituals, and how does it illustrate the difficulties in translating such concepts across languages and culture

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