"Happily Ever Afters" end of Twelfth Night

So what did you all think of the ending of twelfth Night? To me it was all about everyone living Happily ever after except for a couple. Malvolio did not get his Olivia and is thought of as the crazy man says he will seek his revenge. poor Antonio gets no one as well. Homosexuality was represented in Shakespeare writings; and we see that Antonio was in love with Sebastian, but to keep the moral values of the play and of that time period Antonio's love can not be revealed.

I was shocked at who ended up with who. Olivia with Sebastian; She got her Cesario in a sense.. with Cesario really being Viola who's twin is Sebastian. So Olivia has the same looks to admire!!

I wasn't expecting Maria to end up with Sir Toby. I should have known b/c throughout the play they had the same ambitions and ways of thinking. They were meant to be.

Then the best of all Viola and The Duke Orsino. The entire play Orsino has been so love stricken. First in love with Olivia. He keeps sending Cesario (really Viloa) to confess Orsino's love to Olivia, but yet at the end when he finds at the truth that Olivia has married Sebastian and Viola is really a women he doesn't think anymore of Olivia and instantly loves Viola. Throughout the play Viola has been confessing her love to him but just under cover. I still find it interesting in how Orsino still calls her "BOY" as if he were still in love with the man Cesario. (Another Homosexual idea) So they fall in love and live Happily Ever After.. With all the very active Character changes at the end all order was restored.

Feste's song at the end was a sorrowful song but with great meaning. He sings of growing up and growing old while still letting the audience know that it is a play and they will be there to entertain every day. LINE 402 "But that's all one, our play is done, And we'll strive to please you every day."

This was the first time reading Shakespeare Twelfth Night and I really enjoyed it.

A Married State

This poem by Katherine Philips is quite awakening. It brings out alot about women and Philips' expectations of them. When I read this poem, I thought that she was trying to send a message to all married/non-married women. I also think that she's telling single women not to get married as well. On lines 1-2 it states,” A married state affords but little ease
The best of husbands are so hard to please."
So I'm guessing that from her point of view those women that are married have to worry about pleasing their husbands because of certain things. If that's the case, husbands have to worry about pleasing their wives too. Is it the fact that women don't want their husbands to leave if they don't try hard enough? To me, in reality it does happen to most women that are married and those that are single. Women that are married worries about doing what they can for their husband, keeping things tidy around the house, and have to listen to kids crying. Single ladies on the other hand, is either looking for a guy or living their on lives. I think that that was her whole argument. Anyways, if you read carefully, then you can see that each line rhymes. So it's easier to catch on to how she's Philips' feeling. Lines 7-9 states,” No blustering husbands to create your fears;
No pangs of childbirth to extort your tears;
No children's cries for to offend your ears;"
She's making it clear to single women that you don't have to go through alot of trouble of getting married because you don't have to have no man starting any trouble, you don't have to cry because you are giving birth , and your ears don't have to be ringing because of the children's cries. I think she was married and if she was, she probably would call it a "mistake," and not want anyone to be caught in. I wonder did she gave single women to much credit....

Song: To Celia

Song: To Celia
So Wednesday in class, we heard a couple of recordings of the song. One was from Ben Jonson, another recording from Johny Cash, and a video from a duke special. Not to be off topic or anything but there's a huge difference of how's the song is being sung. Johnny Cash sung the song with a western tone of voice, to me, Ben Jonson sung the song like in an opera tone. Anyways, there was a discussion about tthe song and how it has a meaning. Dr. K explained that when you sing it, it makes you want to come together and enjoy life. I had a different thought when I had first read it. I thought it was all about "Celia" and getting her attention since the song is to her. On line 1-2 it says,” Drink to me only with thine eyes, And I will pledge with mine;"I referred to that as saying that he wanted her to look straight through his eyes and he will assure her to do the same. It's like saying,” Don’t stop staring into my eyes." Reading and understand this can make you wonder about what's going on.

Feste's Song at the end of 12th Night

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMH1A-_DgqU

The Twelfth Night

I love and enjoy reading this play!!! There's deceiveness, changing disguises, arguments, the dramatics, and there's secrets revealed. There's also this love thing going on where certain people starts to fall in love with "certain people"....Ohhhh the irony!!! So there's this love triangle: Viola loves Orsino, Orsino loves Olivia, Olivia loves Cesario (disguised as Viola). The thing is Olivia doesn't love Orsino because she feels miserable of her dear brother. You also have in the play Sir Andrew, who has this thing for Olivia but everyone knows that she doesn't want him. I think he tries too hard. The best part of the play was when Sir Toby and Sir Andrew was ganging up on Sebastian because they thought that he was Cesario. Only jealousy would lead them to things like that. And what messed up about it was that Antonio had to get arrested for it!!! At the end, Orsino got mad because Olivia married Cesario (even though it were Sebastian), and he felt that his true heart was with Viola after Viola showed her true colors. I don't see how Sir Toby and Maria got married. Like how did that happened?!? Everything seems to reveal itself but looks like everyone was happy with who they were with. As for Malvolio, he was locked up for some reason and now he's out and nobody cares.

Shakespeare: Twelfth Night

This picture is of Olivia and Orsino. I find this play rather humoring even after 400 years that it was popular. I ask myself was Shakespeare a gay man or did he have gay tendencies due to the infatuation of Antonio toward Sebastian? Or was he just playing on the fact that love is not clearly defined and changes often in this play. I am not saying that this famous playwright was gay; I just find it rather interesting that he not only plays on transvestites or heterosexual relationships, but he also incorporates a homosexual infatuation. I found this play hillarious but rather slow at times and I often find myself distraught by the humiliation of Malvolio. I wonder if these love triangles and lack of identity were themes in the 1600s? For instance, the protagonist, Viola, does not necessarily even have to dress as a man to get a job considering she does not have to work for Olivia but rather she could find a job elsewhere, but Shakepeare still has her dress as a young man but with female attributes which Orsino sees. This attraction between Orsino and Cesario also hints to homosexuality. Is this the purpose? This play confuses me in the fact it has a lot of sexual overtones that I do not quite understand. However, this love triangle between viola, Orsino, and Olivia is rather humorous to watch unfold. For instance, at the end Orsino does not even seem to care whether or not Viola is a man or female but since she is a woman he automatically "loves" her and they wed. Olivia marries Sebastian, Viola's long lost twin brother, and she does not protest even when she finds out that he is not really Cesario. Also, Viola mistakenly betrays Antonio who is rather heartbreaking since you know he is not going to live happily ever after in this madness of love, but rather I find his infatuation the only one to bare truth; it never changes like the others. I find this play using the insanity of love and how it controls you or even leads you astray at times, but how if you do not love "true" then it can change often. This play also uses homosexuality and heterosexuality to explain attraction and misinterpretation of identity. I am just floored of all of the characters and how they fit into this play not so much the main roles but the other ones also. For instance, the clown, Feste is actually the most intelligent character of them all, but he hides his intelligence behind an entertainer. This play is all about deceit but somehow it all works out in the end. This link below is a website that describes this play in detail and how readers can enjoy this play: http://www.pathguy.com/12n.htm

The Love Triangle

Shakespeare. What a man.. I'm just sitting here thinking to myself, what type of lifestyle did he have that made him write such a comedic story such as the Twelfth Night. If only I were able to be there sitting in the theater as this was being performed. Then only men could perform so there on stage are men playing female roles. In The Twelfth Night you have men playing Women playing men.. What a sight! LOL If only I could have been there.
As for the actors playing the characters I wonder what there sexuality was. Did they have a hetero/homo state of mind at all while performing such work.. If they were straight how were they able to keep a straight face while watching men dressed as women. I find The Twelfth Night to be full of comedy.
As for the plot why did Shakespeare have the names to be so close in lettering and almost sound the same. Olivia, Viola, Malvolio. Makes for a quite misunderstanding of who is who. I had to reread a couple of times to make sure I had it right..
As for the story thus far. I'm enjoying it. It brings a different atmosphere of writing. The main theme I see is everyone is so bound to LOVE. They fascinate themselves over Love. Is it lust or love the characters possess. Viola is so desperate to make a status and name for herself she goes as far as to dress as a man to get in with Olivia. While this is happening she is falling for Orsino, Orsino is in love with Olivia, and Olivia is falling for Cesario who is not a man but Viola. What a confusing scene. They are so blinded with love that they do not even realize what is happening around them.
Why did Shakespeare write such a story. Was he so turned on by a woman falling for a woman and man a man. Or did he write it to get readers attention and have a funny story.
I'm anxious to see how this is going to end. Its just a big triangle of love. Sir Toby and Andrew keep it interesting by there drunkenness and pissing of Mavolia. It keeps the story going from another perspective besides everyone loving one another. Another amusement is the scene where Maria, Toby, and Andrew play the joke on Malvolio. (who is also in love with Olivia) Poor thing is supposed to be smart but yet gets fooled and now is going to try everything for Olivia to notice him more.
The only one who seems smart and catching on to the scheme is the Fool (Feste the clown) He is not worried about love he is just there to listen, sing and get paid!!
OK this is all until I finish reading!

Sir Gawain Part 4

Getting back on track...This is where it gets heated. In a way, I feel that Gawain felt scared back and forth towards going against the Green Knight. I understand that you have a promise you have to fulfill, but if you not up to it, then as a man, accept it. Gawain lefted the castle trying to feel confident and everything, while his guide (who was feeling concerned), told him that if he faced the Green Knight, he would not come back alive. I would be concerned too if I found out that he or somebody else would to face him. My thing is why didn't he take it upon his offer if he know how powerful he is? It's nice to know that want to prove that you're not a punk and everything. I thought it funny when Gawain called the knight out at the cave to get it over with. Like come on!!! That's like asking for a deathwish!!! I also think that he is not as confident as he sees himself because of how he got ready for the blow. I also found him pathetic because he twitched when the knight was getting ready to drop his axe. The second time, I guess there was no choice and stood like a man. (Wow!!) It was pitiful to see that it was only just a scratch when the knight had hit him. To think an axe can cause that much damage, unless he was holding back. Surprisingly, the knight gave him kudos for courage and spared him. So basically, the whole thing was just to see if he he could stand on his own???

Sir Gawain Part 3

I can't believe I forgot to do Sir Gawain 3 & 4!!! I had to reread both parts to do the blog but it's ok. Thanks to the Blog Midterm Assessment Dr. K gave me to remind me!!! Ok...where to start...Part 3 to me has some sneakiness and some deception had come into play. The host' wife, as sneaky as she could be, snuck his room to sit beside him on his beside. She didn't noticed that Gawain can play smart. He even pretended to go to sleep just see what her intention was. The saying goes, "If you play with me, I will play you 10x's harder." It gets crazier when the wife is telling him that she got him where she wants him, making threats, and even laughed at him like she's taunting him. Nothing's funny until it bites you on the butt!!! What I thought was rude was when she didnt give him a chance to to put on his clothes when he asked. Now I thought a host' wife suppose to help someone in need not make them feel that they have no chance in anything. I guess I was wrong...So there were events that were taken place:the lord and his guys were hunting, the host told Gawain that he won that hunt and for that gets a kiss from the wife. That's odd because it was already arranged and why would you want to make that type of agreement? I don't see what would she benefit from getting just a kiss....

clips from the Twelfth Night

Here are a couple of video clips that i found from the twelfth night. act 1
http://video.yahoo.com/watch/2488986/7605717
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXCWc5KT40w
http://revver.com/video/851201/twelfth-night-dvd-clip-malvolio-and-the-fool/

Utopia 2

The entire scene of Utopia is written as to be a real place but truly is not. When asked the question is Utopia a place I could live I would have to say no.
I have some likes but for the most part I would not agree on many of there laws.

Working only 6 hours a day: I do like this law and I could see where many people would as well. As for myself in our world today I have my own business and I set my own hours. I would much rather do what I do than there 6 hours. That is law and mandatory whereas for myself I may work 3 hours a day for 4 days then have the other 3 off.

I believe in being an individual and having your own thoughts own characteristics, and personality. So to have to be a women wearing the same clothes as everyone, no makeup, and do the same things. This would not work for me. There is no line separating one person from the next. You dress the same therefore you look the same and for me that is no way to live your life. I like being able to express myself anyway I want. From the way I dress to how I am a parent to my child. You need to be able to be who you are not who someone is making you become.

Having a peek before marriag!!. seeing the other person naked should not make a difference if you like the person you are with. I believe you shoud love a person for who they really are not just there looks. I know even in out life and worldthat this isnt always the case but to me its wrong. On another aspect how emabarrising is this. Here is a man and women seeing one another naked for the first time but only under supervision. Where is the privacy!! I can't even imagine having to live back then when people had sex in front of everyone or had to show the bloody sheet to the entire town.. Just doesn't seem right. LOL

Another law I do not agree with is having to move to another family or district just because of population difference. They want Utopia to always be in balance and have the same number of people and it doesn't matter. I like a big family but to have to live in a household with 10-16 people is too much. Once again I like my privacy and do things when i want. Not only are the households huge but you the eldest man is the leader or syphogrant.

Also I feel women and children are not looked as highly opun as men. Men are the ones who become kings, head of the government, but not women. While at dinner women must set on the outsides of the tables. Heaven forbid they made a disturbence because pregnancy or have to leave to take care of there children. As for the boys and girls over 5 they must wait on a table and if not available stand there in absolute silence while there elders eat. My child comes first and foremost in everything I do. I would rather have the children fed before myself.

To me Utopia is not my lifestyle of how I want to live. I'll enjoy how I live my life here in this world..

Utopia Book 2

Utopia is making it seem like its a "perfect" place with its laws, how people farm, their lifestyles, how people treat their money, etc.

Houses: There are alot of houses in which they all look the same. There are like tenants who really take good care of their gardens like its their own. Plus, any person can walk to any house whenever they please since nobody owns them. Thats so cool!!!

The children, the women, and men: Children go to school to read and learn. When it comes down to clothing, every person wears the same materials. The fabric never changes, and the only way you can tell them apart is men from women. But seriously, the same clothes, I wonder if they washed them everyday. Women have to deal with the wool and flax to support the family.

The Six-hour Work Day Period: I really don't have a problem with the number of hours they're really working because for one, that's not alot of hours, and it gives them time afterward to eat, sleep, and hae some time to themselves. I'm only working 5 hours and I feel that I have enough time for the things that I want to do.

Transportation: Why would you want to keep tabs on those who want leave outside of your home? It's not like they're going to live somewhere else!!! They need a kind of passport from the Prince that tells them where they are only allowed to go. But there are consequences: if by chance a person(s) is caught leaving without a passport at least more than one day, then they are forced as slaves. To me, that's like calling them a terroist if you don't have some sort of information.

Marriage: I agree that women are not to be married before they are 18, and men are not to be married before 22. In this century, couples get married around that age because they feel that they feel that they are ready and that they love each other. What I want to know is why men and women have to see each other naked before getting married? This reminds me of Adam and Eve from the Book of Genesis.

On War: I like how the Utopians think about war. It's like we're close relatives...lol. They hate war and the only time they would have to fight is when they have to defend themselves, and/or any of their people are killed or hurt at the process. But the Utopians did hired most of the soldiers from a country that loves to fight and doesn't care about anything else. Why would they be going against their own families? Are they there just to get paid?

Utopia Book 1 and 2

Sir Thomas More wrote "Utopia" right before the Reformation. I thought this reading was hard for the fact that it talks about a lot of information, and I seem to get it all confused in my brain. Book 1 of "Utopia" sets up Book 2 and leads readers into the justice system of England at the time under King Henry VIII by desribing "Utopia," an imaginary place, with imaginary characters within a story of a story. The main characters, Morton, Giles, and More and of course Hythloday, all meet and talk about Hythloday's travels inparticular his "mistaken" discovery of Utopia. Utopia sounds like an ideal place to settle and has rules that seem too perfect. More, the author, brings about the issues of capital punishment and thieves due to enclosure in Book 1, which are governmental issues that are controversial at this time in England. In class, Dr. Kilgore explains that the main point of the story is to try and influence by telling stories to a person who is of higher rank, the king, being unjust. However, More also approached the issues that if he could by chance influence the king or someone who can speak to the king such as the cardinal then maybe other people will agree with him too. Hythloday then tries to make a point that no matter how good a proposed policy is or his ideas, it will seem insane to people or a person (king) who are used to a different way of seeing the world. Therefore, he uses his knowledge and education to try and get to people through text. Book 2 goes on to explain these controversial issues of the government, war, religion, slavery, education, etc. in Utopia everything seems perfect, but would this really work or would it cause chaos? For instance, most of the rules in Utopia I believe exist today. Such as freedom of religion, even though, today, people are atheist and they believe in evolution and science instead of in a particular God. Even today, we have class distinctions, they are not as prominent as in the 15th century, but they do still exist. You have the rich the poor and the middle class. But we are not necessarily governed by the rich or royal, but by the President, who far-stretched, could resemble the King, considering he makes all of the final decisions. Also, even today, not everyone works, such as he promotes in Utopia. There are still thieves, but in Utopia these thieves were given second chances since their reason for stealing was justified in order to feed their families. More brings up in Book 1 that thieves are tried in England similar to murderers, so they might as well murder the people they are stealing from; however in Utopia they are supposed to give back what they stole and if they do it again then they can be hung. Also, war in Utopia is rather non-existent for the fact that they try everything they can to avoid it; however, they still train for it just incase. In issues of war they use cunning rather than brute strength. Sounds ideal right? Education in Utopia is in high demand and very crucial; America today is the same I believe you have to start from the beginning with education.

With all this said, I still dont see why he just didnt write this all himself in a biographical text? Why did he have to make a place up? Turn real people into fictional characters? Is this because he wanted the King to hear his thoughts and cause controversy amongst the people, but still being able to express his ideas in a distant fashion, considering he knows that the people are going to think his ideas are ridiculous anyway because they are so far-fetched and out of the norm. Maybe he uses this text to have England compare themselves to this ideal place?

Would you want to live here? Is a question that Dr. Kilgore asked us at the end of class on Monday. So would you? I think that everything seems to sound perfect, but maybe too perfect. Something has to go wrong. There always has to be war and conflicting ideas or everyone is going to seem programmed and robotic in their actions. If thieves are not stealing for food then what would they start stealing? Money, gold, property? No offense, and it may sound cynnacle but nothing is perfect; even today, we are governed by some of Hythloday's desriptions of Utopia, but our world seems to be getting worse as the days go by. Prisioners and corrupt people I believe will always exist. I find it hard to run an "ideal" country that follows both laws and religion completely.

Book 1 of Utopia/ideas and debates

I have to admit when I first began reading this it was quite boring. After discussing it in class and getting a better view and understanding of Utopia I'm beginning to like it more. This is totally different from what we have been reading or anything I have read it takes a while to enjoy it.


Utopia is a fictional place.Book 1 is basically a preface before going into Book 2. It gives you a sense of the characters and views. More so I feel the entire first book is each persons ideas and then they go through many debates such as theft and being king then they discuss back and forth over who's ideas are right or wrong.
Thomas More is the one meeting all of the men. Peter Giles he considers to be his good friend and can trust him. More idolizes Rapheal and sees him as a very wise and witty man. He is very intrigued and amazed at everything he has to say. Rapheal being the man who lived in Utopia and tells them what the lifestyle is like there. I fell that Raphaeal's main goal is to spread the word of this new World Utopia and introduce its laws, way of life and government to all he can.
As for Peter Giles on page 527 he tells Rapheal "that I'm surprised you don't enter some king's service; for I don't know of a single prince who wouldnt be eager to employ you."
I have to agree how Rapheal replies of how he is concerned more about his self and his self pride that what others think of him. For if Rapheal were to enter a King's service and put forth his ideas more than likely his ideas would just be taken and he would receive no credit for his actions.
Book 1 was a little slow but it gave you a good awareness of each person so you have a better understanding when you read book 2

Utopia: Book 1

Book 1 was pretty interesting to read. I'm glad that it wasn't a sonnet...lol. But in this reading, you have Thomas More, Peter, and Raphael who's traveling to alot places, while Raphael was telling them stories of his journeys and what he has discovered when he went across the countries. Even though Peter was excited about his stories, he asked him why is not in the council where he would useful. Well of course Raphael told him that he will not bow down to no king!!! I think that that’s the type of person Raphael is. I think he's a man who knows right from wrong, knows good values, and knows how to stand up for him and for others. So we get to the part where there's an argument that took place at the Cardinal's house. Raphael argued about how the execution of the thieves was done and he felt that it wasn't appropriate. He said that they would steal because were driven to it; they have to feed and put clothes on their and their families. If that’s the case, why didn't they work so they wouldn't have to steal? It's bad enough in this century that people are stealing already!!! Anyway, I understood how Raphael feels he's speaking to the Cardinal. He feels that a person's life is much more valuable that some chump change. He also stated on pg. 533,"Thou shalt not kill." THAT IS PART OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS!!! The Cardinal goes by saying that it’s a process of how it was done. If the thieves are caught, they are to be hung. What I also like about Raphael is that he would try to find a way to work things out so that everything would turn out the way it should be. Towards the end of Book 1, Raphael explained to Peter and Thomas More about Utopia, and how it had few laws that they would have to follow. He also bragged that they are quite wealthy too. Once I get into Book 2, I'll explain more about Utopia.

Thomas More

Thomas More (1478-1535)

Before i write anything on Utopia I just wanted to evaluate Thomas More's views on writing this book. I still do not understand why he writes the book as if it actually occured. Maybe this is the way writing occured during the Renaissance or could it be to attract more readers to his work. Then I think maybe this was his way of getting his own personal views out there. By using his own name as a character is he using the book as an influential tool for readers? Utopia is not real but if it were would this be how More would want a commenwealth run. I believe maybe more did not like the way things were run by the King in real life therefore he wrote Utopia for his own satisfaction. He seems to be a very interesting man. He is described as brilliant but aslo disturbing.

here are links of his bio

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

http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/morebio.htm

" I Find No Peace"

Sir Thomas Wyatt seems to like to write about love and life. In his poem " I Find No Peace" I can not help to wonder if that is what all of the current soldiers getting back from War still feel. I find line 3 to be rather oppressed: "I fly above the wind, yet can I not arise" the speaker of this poem seems to be questioning his abilities Can I not arise, above the wind? Even if he does everything right and flys high will he still survive? However, I also believe that maybe this poem has nothing to do with war, but rather the war and fight in his life. Maybe he is fighting an illness or maybe he is battling love. Or maybe he just hates himself for something he did: "I love another, and thus I hate myself" (line 11) therefore, was he married and maybe committed adultry but can not live with himself or his guilt for doing this. Poems can be interpreted many different ways and because of this I can not seem to only come up with one answer.

Farewell, Love

After reading some of Thomas Wyatt's poem's, this poem is by my favorite. I'm still getting use to reading and understanding the sonnets as well. After reading this poem, I noticed that this speaker have been going through hard times with love. I think that he wants to take himself away from everything that was brought at him. That's why the statement was made on line 2," Thy baited hooks, shall tangle me no more." Anyway, I feel that he doesn't want to put up with love anymore because how he was treated. On line 9, it says,"Therefore farewell, go trougble younger hearts,
And in me claim no more authority."
Did he felt insecure about himself? To me, it looked like the speaker is making it seem like he sees himself too old, and feels that love has turn against him. (in other words....rejection!!!). He also feels that he's being used by love and wants no part of it. Poor guy. It's good that love can lead you to great things, but it can also hurt you at the process. On lines 13-14, it says,"For hitherto though I have lost all my time,
Me lusteth no longer rotten boughs."
It took me a few minutes to understand it, but I'm guessing that he was making attempts to make love work, but after having love treating him wrong, he decided to give up.

My Galley

I really don't get this poem!!! I understand that it's a sonnet and all, but to me its confusing. Ok...so I'm guessing that this lover is all wth his lover so much that he forgets about everything else. So everybody that are on the ship are going through rocky areas in the sea to get where they are going, but I don't think that the lover knew about that because of the fact that he's mostly with this lover of his and that's all he thinks about. He also sees his lord as his enemy. My question is does him and the lord had something against each other for him to call him his enemy? On line 7, it says," An endless wind oath tear the sail apace." I'm wondering if it meant that the winds had certain feelings that made certain effects towards the sailing? I really don't understand lines 12-14. I want to know if the stars that he was talking about that was giving him pain was his lover, or by somebody else?