Thinking activity

Monday 26 August 2019

Nishtha Makwana

THINKING ACTIVITY

In the 14th of August we had a screening of movie Hamlet, play by Shakespeare. And for the part of thinking activity we have a task given by Dr. Pro. Dilip Barad - the head of the English department, Bhavnagar.

Hamlet

Hamlet is one of Shakespeare's most famous dramas. And it is filmised by many director. But Kenneth Branagh made an amazing movie of Hamlet and it is appropriate to the play.

● How faithful is the movie to the original play?

The movie Hamlet is much faithful to the original play by Shakespeare. The movie is appropriate to the play. He used every dialogues of the play so one can relate the play. And specially who studied literature or Hamlet it it very useful for them to understand the concept and theme of the play.

● After watching the movie, have your perception about play, characters or situations changed?

After watching the movie my perception about play and character is that there is no largely changes in the movie. But the play is too old and movie is not so old, so we can find that changes. In the play Hamlet is not very old but in the movie Kenneth presents an old Hamlet. And some scenes are also added like the falling of King Hamlet's statue.

● Do you feel ‘aesthetic delight’ while watching the movie? If yes, exactly when did it happen? If no, can you explain with reasons?

Yes, in the movie I feel the aesthetic delight. This is a tragic play and there are some scene which provides us aesthetic delight. Some scenes like when Hamlet and Ophelia met and when Hamlet saw his father's ghost and also talked with him.

● Do you feel ‘catharsis’ while or after watching movie? If yes, exactly when did it happen? If no, can you explain with reasons?

Yes, I felt Catharsis when Hamlet came to know that his father is dead. And when he saw his mother happy with his uncle. When his father's ghost came and told him to take revenge because his uncle killed his father. And also when his mother married to his uncle suddenly.

● Does screening of movie help you in better understanding of the play?

Yes, the screening of the movie is very helpful to understanding the play in a better way. Kenneth Branagh is very faithful to the play and took every dialogues, so one can easily connect the play with movie.

● Was there any particular scene or moment in the movie that you will cherish lifetime?

Every scenes are beautifully designed by the director. One scene I will cherish lifetime the character of Ophelia and Hamlet. And the one scene when Hanlet talked with his father.

● If you are director, what changes would you like to make in the remaking of movie on Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’?

If I am a director, I make one change, and it is that at the end of the movie Hamlet will forgive his uncle and will give a moral lesson that...

"Forgiveness is better than revenge "

There is nothing left after revenge. Everybody lost their lives. So better human lives forgiveness is higher than anything.

● In the beginning of the movie, camera rolls over the statue of King Hamlet out side the Elsinore castle. The movie ends with the similar sequence wherein the statue of the King Hamlet is hammered down to the dust. What sort of symbolism do you read in this?

The movie ends with the similar sequence wherein the statue of the King Hamlet is hammered down to the dust. It shows that after revenge nothing will remain. Everything and everybody will burning in the fire of revenge.

Falling is also a symbol of taking revenge.

● While studying the play through movie, which approach do you find more applicable to the play? Why? Give reasons with illustrations.

While studying the play Hanlet through the movie the psychological and philosophical approaches I find more in the character of Hamlet. He saw his father's ghost and also talked with him. And when he wanted to take revenge he his confusion and very famous dialogue delivered by him

" To be or not to be
that is the question "

We can find Cultural studies approach when two characters of the play

Rosencrantz
Guildenstern

Are dead but no one noticed his death. The power conflict and center periphery concept we can find here.

Tuesday 6 August 2019

Nishtha Makwana

Think and write

Hey guys, so here we have again a task by our H.O.D Dilip Barad sir. He suggests us to think in a different way. And it's really useful for all students of literature.

Doctor Faustus

Doctor Faustus is a tragedy written by Christopher Marlowe, who was the greatest dramatist among Elizabethan Era.The tragedy is based on German stories. The tragic story of a renaissance man.

1. The play directed by Matthew Dunster for Globe theatre ends with this scene (see the image of Lucifer). What does it signify?

This picture significant the end of the play directed by Mathew Dunster for globe theatre. The last scene is looking horrible and terrible. It's also shows the harsh reality of human nature. The framing character is Lucifer, who was the prince of hell. And this is also a myth but through this element of hell and devil Marlow criticised the human nature.

In the picture we also see that the devil expression of Lucifer.The attitude to defeat the God. Wings also shows here the victory as flying up side and also the myth of Daedalus and Icarus.

2. Is God present in the play? If yes, where and how? If No, why?

As we know that this is an Elizabethan Tragedy. Sometime between 1589 or 1592. In this time Religion has a strong existence, but although we can't find the presence of God. Doctor Faustus was a German scholar and he has too much knowledge about everything. And the quest for knowledge made him crazy and took him to the downfall. He believes that there is God but where is he and Faustus also wants to be like him. But in any scene we are Anable to find the presence of God. James Sims remarks that….

"Dr. Faustus even becomes a kind of perverted Christ who sheds his blood not to save the souls of others but to damn his own soul and then appreciates the death cry of the biblical Christ to emphasize his own blasphemy"

We can't find the element of God even in the end of the play when Doctor Faustus begd him for his life.

3. What reading and interpretation can be given to this image (see the image of Daedalus and Icarus) with reference to central theme of the play Dr. Faustus?

Daedalus and Icarus is a most famous Greek mythology. And we can compare it with the central theme of Doctor Faustus. As we know that Doctor Faustus was a German scholar and has to much knowledge and on the other side Daedalus was a skillful craftsman and artist and was seen as a symbol of wisdom, knowledge and power. He is the father of Icarus. Now he and his son made a plan to escape by using wings made of wax that Daedalus has invented.

Icarus felt that now he has a power and can fly higher and anywhere. But his father warn him to not fly close to the sun because the wings made of wax. But sadly Icarus didn't heard his father's warning and flew to close to the sun. The wax Melted and Icarus fell to his death.

And as like this Doctor Faustus represents the character of Icarus. For the quest of knowledge and wisdom he met to his downfall. And here the old man and the Good angle represent the character of Daedalus. They told him to not go on that path but Faustus refused their warning and at the end his overness of knowledge led him to his downfall.

So can say that the myth Daedalus and Icarus and Doctor Faustus has similarity in the theme.

4. How do you interpret this painting ?

When one first see this painting, one can say that this is a natural painting. But if we see the painting in the literary way we can find the Main theme of the painting. The painting is about the famous Greek myth Daedalus and Icarus. But the painting is not follow the original theme. The painting is about modern time, where people don't care about anyone or anything around them. They just live their lives in their own way. In the modern time no one has time or care about anything except him or her self. The world became more selfish than before. Everyone is busy in their work.

5. Read this article by Bhagat Singh. In light of the arguments made by Bhagat Singh(Bhagat Singh article) this article, can you re-write last monologue of Doctor Faustus?

Bhagat Singh and Doctor Faustus these two characters are totally different from each other.on the one side Bhagat Singh is a legend and a brave character in the history and never afraid from death. And he was atheist. But on the other side Doctor Faustus is a German scholar. He wanted to gain power and wisdom but at the end he begs to the god for his life.

If there was Bhagat Singh on the place of Doctor Faustus he never prayed to God for his life. Bhagat Singh says in his article that

"Religion is the outcome of

human weakness or the

limitation of human knowledge"

If there was his death he warmly welcomed it. And felt every last moment of life.

6. Summarise articles discussed in the class:

We have discussed two articles in our class. The one is….

Marlow and God : Tragic Theology of Dr. Faustus

This article Marlowe and God : Tragic Theology of Doctor Faustus is written by Robert Ornstain. In this article he talks about Marlowe's style of writing. Marlowe was an anti God writer. The experiment of black magic and sells Faustus soul are his disaster. His plays as in source the hero's defiant is his final moment of dread.

Myth, Psychology and Marlowe's Doctor Faustus

This article Myth, psychology and Marlowe's doctor Faustus is written by Kenneth L. Golden. An article on mentality of human mind and mythology. The article is based on a theory which include a human fall by his desire or over smartness. This theory also related with the myth of Daedalus and Icarus. In Doctor Faustus for gain more power and knowledge doctor Faustus at the end himself invite his downfall.

Nishtha Makwana

Thinking Activity

Here I'm sharing my presentation or task given by our Sir Dilip Barad.

Doctor Faustus

Doctor Faustus is a tragedy written by Christopher Marlowe, who was the greatest dramatist among Elizabethan Era.The tragedy is based on German stories. The tragic story of a renaissance man.

1.The play directed by Matthew Dunster for Globe theatre ends with this scene (see the image of Lucifer). What does it signify?

This picture significantly the end of the play directed by Mathew Dunster for globe theatre. The last scene is looking horrible and terrible. It's also shows the harsh reality of human nature. The framing character is Lucifer, who was the prince of hell. And this is also a myth but through this element of hell and devil Marlow criticised the human nature.

In the picture we also see that the devil expression of Lucifer.The attitude to defeat the God. Wings also shows here the victory as flying up side and also the myth of Daedalus and Icarus.

2. Is God present in the play? If yes, where and how? If No, why?

We can't find the element of God even in the end of the play when Doctor Faustus begd him for his life.

3. What reading and interpretation can be given to this image (see the image of Daedalus and Icarus) with reference to central theme of the play Dr. Faustus?

So can say that the myth Daedalus and Icarus and Doctor Faustus has similarity in the theme.

4. How do you interpret this painting ?

5. Read this article by Bhagat Singh. In light of the arguments made by Bhagat Singh(Bhagat Singh article) this article, can you re-write last monologue of Doctor Faustus?

If there was Bhagat Singh on the place of Doctor Faustus he never prayed to God for his life. Bhagat Singh says in his article that

"Religion is the outcome of

human weakness or the

limitation of human knowledge"

If there was his death he warmly welcomed it. And felt every last moment of life.

6. Summarise articles discussed in the class:

We have discussed two articles in our class. The one is….

Marlow and God : Tragic Theology of Dr. Faustus

Myth, Psychology and Marlowe's Doctor Faustus

Monday 29 July 2019

Renaissance age and others age

Comparison of Elizabethan age with other ages of literature :

:Lierature:

All art is the expression of life in forms of truth and beauty......

W. J. Long

Elizabethan age - the age of Renaissance:

Renaissance means rebirth or reawakening from darkness. In England the Renaissance takes place from the 14th century to the 17th century. The Renaissance promoted the rediscovery of classical philosophy , literature and art.

The Renaissance age with the Puritan age :~

The Elizabethan age also known as the Renaissance age. This age begun during 1558 and end up with the year 1603. In this age the Queen was Elizabeth.

Where the Puritan age begun during 1625 to 1660. After James 1 death. The age is also known as the age of Milton.

Comparison:

The Elizabethan age governed by queen Elizabeth , who was gave freedom to her kingdom and her people to do anything as they like. She first saw her nation's welfare . But in the Puritan age under the Stuart's all these were changed . The kings were open enemies of the people.

Literature:~

The literature of Elizabethan age is inspiring . The literature is for youth . The age produced so many romantic writer. And produced romantic literature , where as in the Puritan age the lyrics and love poems takes intellectual place. In Puritan age poets believes in spirit rather than romanticism.

In the Puritan age there were no unity spirit in literature but Elizabethan literature has the unity spirit in its literature.

Writers from both ages:

Both ages produced fabulous writers but the writers of Elizabethan age were more famous--

~ ELIZABETHAN AGE WRITERS~

- William Shakespeare

- Christopher Marlow

- Frances Bacon

- Edmund spenser

~ PURITAN AGE ~

- John Milton

- Frances Bacon

- John Bunyan

So we can say that both ages different from each other.

Elizabethan age with Victorian age:

Victorian era begin during 1837 and end up with the year 1901 , the reign of queen Victoria. And therefore the age is known as Victorian age and also known as the age of Milton.

Literature~

Both age have different kind of literature . The Elizabethan age is know for the age of drama. And at this time prose and fiction didn't exist.

The Victorian era introduced the prose, fiction and poetry to the literature.

The Elizabethan age is the age of class people. And the literature only high educated people can read. But the Victorian era, it is the era for ordinary man. The age of poverty and working class.

BACKGROUND OF DRAMA AND PROSE~

In the Elizabethan age the background mainly based on high class people and kingdom. But in the Victorian era the background based on ordinary people.

THE LANGUAGE~

In the Elizabethan era the use of language was little hard and comman or ordinary people can't not read that literature . But in the Victorian era the literature is also written for working class , so ordinary people can easily read the literature.

A brief introduction of John Marston.

JOHN MARSTON

John Marston was an English poet and playwright.

BORN - 7 October { baptised - a Christian ritual}

DIED -. 25 June , 1634.

EARLY LIFE.....

He was born at Warrington , Oxfordshire. His father was a lowyer. He received his B.A. degree from Brasenose College, Oxford in 1592. He married with Mary Wilkes in 1605.

WORKS---

He published THE METAMORPHOSIS OF PIGMALION'S image and certaine satyres , a book of poetry in 1598.

In September 1599, he bagan to work for Philip Henslowe as a playwright. His other works.......

- Histriomastix

- Antonio and Mellida

- Jack Drum's Entertainment.

Thursday 18 July 2019

Nishtha Makwana

Thinking Activity

Here I am presenting my views on some of the questions given by Professor Dilip Barad

Aristotle and Plato's objection

Q.1 How far do you agree with plato's objection to freedom of expression and artistic liberty enjoyed by creative writers ?

I am not totally agree with plato's objection because every creative writers have the right to write freely and fictionalized any work of arts. because if they include facts in their writings,

the work will become history rather than fiction.

But some of the creative writers use this freedom of expression in such a mythical and wrong way. like we can see so many serials and movies which include some mythical elements and sexual scene to gain popularity. And also some books lead the people\audience in such a wrong way.

For example 'NAZAR' is an indian supernatural television series airs on starplus. This serial would be banned because it's provoke the audience to believe in such a supernatural things. Here we have a picture :

In the serial there are characters like witches and divine. And also shows that dayan's(witchy) power is her long plaited hair, she is described as having long and monstrous black nail and feet that face backword. so these all things show on the T.V that is spread a message to believe in superstition.

Q.2 With reference to the literary texts you have studied during B.A program, write brief note on the texts which followed Aristotelian literary tradition.

Yes, I have studied William Shakespear's 'Othelo' during my B.A. program as a Aristotelian tragedy.

Shakespeare appears to present Othello as tragic hero, exposing his tragic flaw, which consequently leads to his dawnfall. we can find the catharsis at the end of the drama, when Othello killed Desdemona and there after realized that he has been deceived by Iago and his wife was truly faithful. and this led him to his death. We can also find Hamartia. His hamartia include jealousy, a blind and unrealistic love for Desdemona, trusting others easily and his unrealized ability to deceive himself.

Q.3 With reference to the literary texts you have studies during B.A. program, which didn't follow Aristotelian literary tradition.

In B.A. I have studied 'Hairy Ape' by Eugene O'Neill, which is a modern tragedy and doesn't follow the Aristotelian literary tradition.

The protagonist Yank is not a man of high position like Oedipus. he is a common ordinary humble stoker in a ship. So here we can see the element of modern tragedy. He doesn't have any tragic flow but he has to struggle against the society. He met to his death by the class difference. So, this is not an Aristotelian tragedy.

Q.4 Have you studied any tragedies during B.A. program? who was/were the tragic protagonist/s in those tragedies ? What was their 'hamartia'?

Yes, I have studied many tragedies during my B.A. program. And these are :

~ All My Sons

~ Othello

~ Ghashiram Kotwal

* All My Sons -

Joe Keller is the protagonist of the drama. A man belongs to middle class background. His hamartia is to hide the truth of his son's death from society and his younger son. And his madness towards money led him to his death.

* Othello -

The protagonist is Othello of this tragic drama by William Shakespeare. His hamartia is his unrealistic love for Desdemona. And trusting easily to others.

* Ghashiram Kotwal -

Ghashiram Kotwal is a tragic drama by Vijay Tendulkar. Here is the protagonist is Ghashiram Kotwal. His hamartia is his ambition to gain power and take revenge. He became blind for powers and at the last he losses everything and met to his tragic end.

* Moby Dick -

Moby Dick written by Herman Melville. Here is the protagonist is Ahab. And his hamartia is sound ridiculous. He wants to take revenge from the shark and and at the end met to his death.

Q.5 Did the plot of those tragedies follow necessary rules and regulations proposed by Aristotle?

No, not all those tragedies follow necessary rules and regulation proposed by Aristotle. But some of the plays follow like -

- All my sons

- Othello