Poor Grendel :(

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grendel

      Okay so recently, class 12S read excerpts from Beowulf. A great story of a hero named Beowulf, who defeats a horrendous monster named Grendel, and saves a group of people from him, as he had been attacking them every night and eating them alive. Pretty gruesome right? But I'm not going to talk about Beowulf's heroism... instead, I choose to focus on Grendel. Despite his horrible acts of violence, I can't help but feel sorry for him! Why? Well first off, he is a descendant of Cain, and as a punishment for Cain's sin, his descendants were all cursed, and "all kinds misbegotten". (Alexander. 110.7) So basically, he was born into a horrible life as an ugly monster simply because his great great great grandfather killed his brother! So unfair, right? Punished for someone else's sin! And just because he's a monster doesn't mean he is emotionless! He spent his entire life living in a dark cave, hearing the celebrations of Heorot Hall, never able to participate. " He found in Heorot the forces of nobles slept after supper, sorrow forgotten, the condition of men. Maddening with rage, he struck quickly, creature of evil..." (Alexander.117-120. 7) Now let try to imagine ourselves in his position... you live in a dark cave with your mother, (who also happens to be an evil disgusting monster), lonely, never having a friend of any kind, spending your entire life listening to happiness and grand celebrations that you can never be a part of. And why can't you be a part of it? Why can't you be accepted, loved, and happy? Because you happened to be born as a monster. Why were you born a monster? Because you are the descendant of a man that killed his brother, a decision he made before you were even thought of, and yet, your life is part of his punishment! Shunned and cursed for things completely out of your own control. Who wouldn't be angry? Who wouldn't lash out in some way? Granted, creeping into a castle in the middle of the night to massacre people who have nothing to do with your life situation isn't really the best way to handle things.. but hey, everyone handles their issues differently right?... But seriously, when reading stories, it is always important, and honestly a lot more interesting to consider the motivations of the antagonist. Put yourself in their shoes! And then decide if they are still as horrible as they initially may seem. So, in my case, I feel bad for the poor fellow! He did make some questionable decisions, but hey, who doesn't? What do you guys think? You have sympathy for him like me, or think him to be a monster that deserved everything he got? 

Power of Language

          "The Apology" by Plato is meant to be a dramatic recreation of Socrates' testimony in court. While in class, we discussed how the tone he spoke in and words he used affected his audience. The next work we read was "Beowulf", which was a story used to convert pagans to Catholics. The story emulates the rewards that come with following the Lord while also emphasizing the sinful nature of the pagans. 

 
*Socrates in court                                                     *Beowulf vs. the dragon

          These two seemingly unrelated works use the same method to get their point across. The word choice and tone is specifically used to influence the audience. While discussing these is class, I realized that most authors use the same method. For example, most allegories are used to show what was happening at a certain point in history, but even these tend to use their language and tone to create the portrait they want the audience to see. 
          We are always told that words are powerful, and "The Apology" along with "Beowulf" are perfect examples of how influential words can be.

For Better For Worse

In beginning of The Lay of the Werewolf  I assumed that the baron who transformed into the werewolf would turn out to be the bad guy. But after reading further, the baron's wife and the knight proved me wrong. Rather than sticking by her husband side she betrays him and marries the knight.   

The Beauty and the Beast is such a great connection to this story. Princess Bella is forced to live with the beast. Of course at first she is fearful. But after getting to know the beast she grows closer to him and falls in love. Bella could have left the beast or treated him the same way everyone else did but she decides not to.

The traditional vows are: To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, 'till death do us part. All together this means that no matter what this couple will stick by each others side; through the good and the bad. The wife in the Lay of the Werewolf allowed her fears to overtake her rather than realizing that even though husband was transformed, underneath his appearance he is still the same loving husband she married. But she failed to realize that. 

 To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, 'till death do us part.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgYEJHJXFB4

Isn't Love

    


 In Canto V of Dante Inferno  Francesca say's "love, which permits no loved one not love, took me so strongly with delight in him." In this quote she is blaming love for her actions. The idea of you can't help who you love came to mind. I believe that it is true that you can't help who you love.In the dictionary the meaning of love is a deep ineffable feeling of affection and solicitude towards a person. For example, in Romeo and Juliet Romeo fell in love with Juliet the moment he saw her at the Capulet's ball. Romeo was willing to do anything just to be with the one he loved. Another example will be how Aria Montgomery from Pretty Little Liars fell in the with her English teacher Ezra Fitz, and now struggles to get over him. Love is something you can't avoid this is why I believe that you can't help who you love.

Getting Through the Struggle

The narrative Dante's Inferno uses the literacy device of an allegory. An allegory is a story with two levels of meaning one symbolic and one literal. The literal aspect of the narrative is that Dante does journey through hell, purgatory and heaven. The symbolic meaning of it is that a man must go through the worst of times to get to the best of times or real happens. I connected the symbolic meaning to a strong belief that I have. I believe that you must go through a struggle to receive your blessing and that what you've been through makes you the person you are.

I have realized that the people who have things handed to them without having to work for them appreciate very little. Then the start to believe that the world owes them something. However, the people who have had been at rock bottom, I mean almost losing everything but, hold on to faith are the ones who make the biggest come up. These people tend to make the biggest come up after going through because they have experienced not having anything. Not having anything and being at the lowest part of your life makes you stronger and more able to make it out of  the situation. And they must have that they will get through, just how Dante was brought the deepest parts of hell on faith. If he can be brought the deepest ends of hell, than getting through any struggle is possible. 

Who lives? Who dies?

Who lives? Who dies?

When reading The Odyssey  by Homer, the book shows a special case of disloyalty and loyalty shown by many characters. Only a few were loyal and they received their reward. Many were quick to turn on the King of Ithaca, and there was a special consequence given to them. The country of Ithaca reminds me of a specific country. The country of The United States of America. Throughout the American history people have suffered a great consequence of death or prison for committing any form of treason against the country. In other words, if you were disloyal to your government in any way you were punished for it.

During World War I, there was a law passed by the name of Espionage Act. This law defended the U.S government, if any citizen was to speak against the great throne of our President and his decisions, would be sentence to prison or fined. Ithaca citizens were in Odysseus’s home speaking terrible about him and his family, trying to take his wife’s hand in marriage, and more. It was a simple judgement for them, death.

Today the Espionage Act still continues. The United States can be considered the country of Ithaca. If you speak out or act in anyway that is against the throne of the United States you will suffer in some way. Being in prison is a form of death because one is not allowed to do whatever one pleases. Might have thought you were free from the wrath of Ithaca, but you live in Ithaca(U.S) even now. So, who lives and who dies? Remain loyal, and mercy will be shown unto you. Show disloyalty,and we all know what will happen…….

Reflection

During class Mrs.Whitley was discussing with 12N about Oedipus fulfilling the prophecy without even knowing. At that moment, Macbeth came to my head as clear as day when Macbeth first met the witches. The witches told Macbeth he was going to be king and if I can recall correctly how he was going to die. Between these two men, the late king Laius and Macbeth, they sealed their faiths once they let the fear of dying get a hold of them. Self fulfilling prophecy is "any expectation, positive or negative, about a situation or event that affects an individual behavior in such a manner that it causes that expectation to be fulfilled."Apollo and the witches did not have to do anything for Macbeth and the late king Laius to really destroy themselves.

Also, Mrs.Whitley brought up her favorite part in The Odyssey with Odysseus's dog dying after he saw his owner that one final time. I took that scene as the dog's final wish before he could actually move on in peace. It reminded me of many movies with similar situations, such as newly mother passing away after she hears her baby cry and knowing her baby is healthy. "You have everything you need for complete peace and total happiness right now."

Wayne W. Dyer

Penelope, Strong or Nahhh? (The Odyssey)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/buenosaurus/3584159555/

PENELOPE, STRONG OR NAHHH?

   That picture up there, yeah that is how I am seeing Penelope right now, as a damsel in distress. In the beginning, Penelope was this strong and smart lady who stayed loyal to her husband, whose been gone, for twenty years. I am pretty sure it's really difficult to be away from your hubby for that long, while living with a whole bunch a men who desperately want you. So why crack under pressure now? 

   I was rooting for Penelope to keep doing her thing, I thought she didn't need a man; until she turned herself into a grand prize. She says to the suitors:

"... suitors indeed, you commandeered this house to feast and drink in, day and night, my husband being long gone, long out of mind. You found no justification for yourselves- none except your lust to marry me. Stand up then: we now declare a contest for that prize." (393: 70-75)

There were also many episodes of Penelope continually crying for her husband or just very depressed. Don't get me wrong, I am not blaming Penelope. From what we know about Greek mythology, women always manage to turn into weak, needy women. Penelope represents what most men thought about women in that time period (and today); that woman can't survive without men, or that women are depressed when they are destitute of a man. Even worse, they think women throw themselves unto another man if their husband is away for too long. THIS IS NOT TRUE... well at least not for some of us. Penelope turned into a damsel in distress; she loses herself worth by turning herself into an object to be won by these disgusting men that did nothing but disrespect her in her home. WHY can't a woman in Greek mythology remain a strong, normal woman without falling into these stereotypes.

Poor Penelope

No 20/20 Vision

While reading the different mythology plays I have noticed that selective blindness has been an important theme all throughout. In the story, Oedipus the King, Oedipus isn't literary blind, until he stabs his eyes, of course. In the beginning of the play, he is told by Teieisias that though he can see he cannot fully see. He blinds himself from the truth and only sees what benefits him. Just like Oedipus, we also have selective blindness. I have found myself doing it quiet often as well. We only focus on what we want to be true, however, we don't look at the whole truth of it. For example, I have a friend in which I have known since 6th grade. Lately, I have noticed how much she has changed but as stubborn as I am, I denied she had changed. I thought maybe it was just me, and so I pretended everything was fine. I didn't want to think that maybe our long term friendship might be coming to an end, for no apparent reason. However, I now noticed that everything happens for a reason, we must always have our eyes open and look at the whole aspect, not only what we want to believe.

https://lh5.ggpht.com/FwhQPSh8FikcG9WyvN3-7pNMHv55EBjsiRPEE9VW2C7Y_FXA07Cg4ySopxz36XYydqpC=s170

Selective Blindness: Detrimental or Beneficial?

     

http://1boringoldman.com/images/hide-seek.jpg

  I'm sure by now we all should have at least a clue about what selective blindness is, but for those of you who may have missed it; selective blindness is choosing not to see the things in life that aren't in your favor. Let's be clear, it doesn't mean you are actually blind just choosing to avoid the undesirable. Through out the course of the week we have been talking about Oedipus and it is clear that he is very keen on using his selective blindness. In part one of Oedipus The King, Oedipus seems to be blatantly unaware of anything going on around him even though the obvious was right in front of him. We were all sitting there reading like, "Hello man! Don't you know that you're the problem?!" Well at first no, he didn't; and even if he did he was suppressing the knowledge. In Oedipus' case the selective blindness was not the best choice and was clearly detrimental, not only toward him but to the entire kingdom who continued to suffer from the plague. 
        The real question is, is selective blindness ever really the answer? In my opinion, no. Now am I saying that we haven't avoided things from time to time? Absolutely not. I think that it is in our human nature to try and avoid the things we can't seem to handle (or do not want to handle), but it's not a solution for any problem. When we choose to be blind to something, it seems like we've solved the problem but in reality we probably have made it worse. In studying Oedipus I think we can see that if we are faced with a problem or issue that seems difficult, we should face it head on. Ignoring things does not make them go away and the moral of the story is, ignorance is not bliss.