1. T.S. Eliot’s poem “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” tells the story of a man who is in love but cannot reveal it. Prufrock has thought about all the factors that have influenced and will influence his decision in confessing his love; however, he does not know how to continue on. He is a well educated man as he makes references the works of other famous poets, the Bible, and other literary works to help describe his thoughts. This poem shows his thoughts and emotions, which range from frustration to regret to longing, showing that he is a regular human that struggles with mundane troubles, in this case love. His awareness of the surrounding world and his feelings create the dilemma that he faces.
2. In the room women come and go
   Talking of Michelangelo
   (13-14, 35-36)

   This stanza is repeated twice within the poem. Its repetition serves to show that Michelangelo is the only topic that the women would converse of at their gatherings. Their education on the arts is limited to only one artist, becoming the norm for the women to speak of this topic. In the second repetition of this, Prufrock considers if he should or should not “Disturb the universe” (46), becoming paranoid that the women will focus their topic onto him if he were to speak.

3. Explain the significance the 3 dots serve? How does this alter the tone/mood of the poem?
   Who do the mermaids represent in the last four stanzas of the poem?
   Do you think Prufrock will ever muster up the courage to confess his love?

“Punishment” by Rabindranath Tagore takes place in the late 19th century in the Bengal countryside. The text that I chose to compare this short story to is Henrik Ibsen’s “Hedda Gabler”. Chidam, from “Punishment,” and Hedda Gabler, from “Hedda Gabler” are two characters that I saw similarities between. They are both characters that capture the eyes of others and power figures that influence their spouse. However, while Hedda does not love her husband and only married him because she was getting old and got caught in a “trap,” Chidam genuinely loves his wife, Chandara.
Chandara could also be compared to Hedda where they are both headstrong. While she used to be an obedient, loving wife, after learning that Chidam wanted her to take the blame for the murder of her sister-in-law, she decided that she would not follow Chidam’s instructions. She would still take the blame, while “confessing” to different events and motives. “She seemed absolutely bent on going to the gallows; nothing would stop her. Such fierce, passionate pride!” (897). This quote shows that she was determined to take control of her life and no longer be swayed by her husband who betrayed her by imposing the blame onto her. This part of the short story reminds me of the end of “Hedda Gabler” when she kills herself with her gun. Hedda was ready to end her life just as Chandara was ready for her future. Hedda was able to see life for what it was in her own twisted way when she says, “… there is beauty… Eliert Lovborg has come to terms with himself. He’s had the courage to do what has to be done” (833). They were both able to see life for what it was and gain courage to take action within their own lives, whether it be death or detachment was their own decision.

Whenever a novel, play, or story is adapted to film, the outcome is always different. The picture product could be better or worse, with the entirety of the text being translated well. As I watched the film version, George Tesman came off as a very cheerful, loving man who wants to please both his Aunt Tesman and wife Hedda. He praised to Aunt Tesman about Hedda that she has become even more beautiful and filled out, an odd topic to mention to a family member. The film version does help visualize the play, allowing us to see the motions that Hedda goes through. Her hand gestures, facial expressions, and tone allow us to see that she is a self-centered and irritable woman. She is surrounded by Tesman’s family and friends, people who she can call “strangers.” The people that interact with Hedda seem to be on their toes. This is because of her status and elegance that is seen in both the play and film. Bertha shows this with her concern as to whether or not she’ll be able to satisfy her.
When Hedda made the comment about Aunt Tesman’s hat thinking it was Bertha’s, “Look, she’s left her old hat lying there on the chair” (788) in the play, the film version showed Aunt Bertha more hurt about the comment than the play. In the play, I interpreted Aunt Bertha not being so much bothered by Hedda’s assumption and tries to play off the misunderstanding politely, while in the film, her facial expressions tell a different story.  She had tried to impress Hedda, not wanting her to feel ashamed, only for her plan to fail.
Being that this was filmed in 1963, the overall setting of the living room was not reproduced well into film. In setting the scene, “The sun shines in through the glass door,” this however was not noticeable because the film is in black and white, making the scene look bleak, unlike a beautiful, sunny morning.

“As I read and contemplated the subject, behold! that very discontent which Master Hugh had predicted would follow my learning to read had already come, to torment and sting my soul to unutterable anguish… Freedom now appeared, to disappear no more forever.” (Chapter VII, 254).

The passage above depicts Frederick Douglass’ awareness of the situation that he is currently in. If he did not learn to read and write, he would just be like any other slave, unknowledgeable of the nightmare that they were all forced into. Douglass wishes that he had not become educated of the cruelty of slavery. In this passage, one can understand the strong emotions that he felt through his is very descriptive language. Each sentence is a single thought that eventually leads to the point of realization that change is needed. Douglass saw that slavery was “the horrible pit… to no ladder upon which to get out.” He first saw that there was no remedy to slavery. However, he soon realizes that: “freedom now appeared, to disappear no more forever.” This line stands out because it is a critical moment of realization that the life he was living was inhumane. Many slaves at this time were not aware of their current situation. They were living a life that was imposed onto them, by people who thought themselves superior just because of the color of their skin, not questioning if “Was this the life that I am actually destined to live?” A commonly heard saying is “knowledge itself is power.” Douglass being able to read and write allowed him to use his knowledge and become a national leader of the abolitionist movement in America.
After reading this passage, a question that is raised is: “Do only the educated slaves realize that this was not the right way of life?” Douglass would not have been aware if he was not literate and read “The Columbia Orator,” learning of Sheridan’s denunciation of slavery and it being a violation of human rights.

“The Lamb” by William Blake is from “From Songs of Innocence”. It is a poem that consists of two stanzas, five couplets each, that follow an AABB rhyme scheme. This is a symbolic poem that relates the lambs to God the Creator. Lambs are known to be gentle and meek creatures. The connection and comparison of lambs and humans and God shows how they should act and strive to become. Humans should be meek and mild like lambs because it is God who “is called by thy name/ for he calls himself a lamb.” (Blake 13-14).

The image I chose for this poem shows the face a lamb and a woman fused together. The tone of the poem is childlike. The questions he asks only to soon be answered through rhymes show this. And while it is a child who speaks this poem, it does not have to be one who is represented in this poem. Anyone of any age is a child of God, infant, toddler, teenager, adult, and elderly. Everyone is and will be a child of god.
While reading the poem, I subconsciously thought of the child as a boy because of the Blake’s use of masculine pronouns, like he, in referencing God. However, it is not only the males that can take part in following the Lamb of God and becoming one also. Males, females, and everyone in between are allowed to join the house of God and convert to Christianity. This image allows the reader and viewer to put a “face” to the poem.

Being that Sophocles’ Oedipus the King is a play that I have read before, the performance of it helped me to understand it better. I was able to fully connect the emotions such as despair, anger, and hope to the characters and have a better interpretation of how Oedipus, Creon, Tiresias, and Jocasta feel.
This is a murder mystery play that included the help myths and oracles and gods in order to solve it. The finding of the murderer of Laius would not only solve this mystery but also cure the city of the plague, what initiated this investigation.
Throughout the play, Oedipus was torn. He did not know who or what to believe, not wanting to know the ugly truth. At certain times, he would come to terms that he is in fact the murderer of his father, Laius, only to soon want more evidence to further confirm the oracle. In the end, Oedipus realized that it was the gods who have created this horrible fate for him. Instead of killing himself like his wife and mother, Jocasta, he blinded himself, even though Oedipus himself says that he should die because Apollo had made him evil. This shows that he was too cowardly end his own life and will only continue to cause grief to all.

The performance of Oedipus the King was one that was interesting. Five actors in total played each of the characters, some acting as more than one character. You were able to differentiate the characters played by one actor or actress by their minor outfit changes. Other than that, they were wearing jeans, dress shoes, and blazers, clothes not pertaining to the time period of Oedipus the King. Also, there was only one set design that was made to represent the palace.
Never attending a stage reading before, it was unfamiliar to me to watch the actors read directly from the script. However, after a few minutes into the play, it became part of their character. The actors were able to express a lot of emotion into their performance. They also not only used the stage but the entire auditorium, which I liked.

The image shown consists of masks that were worn during Japanese traditional theater performances. The names of each of these female masks are Ko-omote, Namanari, and Hannya. I chose this image because it reminded me of how I perceived the antagonist, Manago. She was first described as a beautiful woman who was “bewitchingly voluptuous” (Bewitched 633), relating to the first mask shown. It shows that she is a only a mere “human”, using her beauty and persuasive words to anyone that would listen and fall prey to her, like Toyo-o easily did when he first met her. The middle mask is the next in line in showing Manago’s true self. She has definitely lost part her beauty but is not full demon. I would relate this mask to when Manago inhabited Tomiko’s body and was soon found out by Toyo-o. “Though her appearance was different, her words were spoken precisely as Manago, the devil, would have spoken them. It was her voice!” (Bewitched 645).  While she was not exactly in her demon form, part of her demoness was showing because she was growing delirious by Toyo-o’s attempted escapes from her. He could now see that, while she was still the alluring young woman he was first attracted to, she was truly a demon. The last mask corresponds to the event when the priest attempts to catch the devil with his mere magic potion. In an attempt to protect herself, Manago, as a serpent, attacks the priest, thus showing her true horrifying colors. It can no longer be said that Manago is a harmless female when she has finally shown her demonic mask.

Before Orgon was introduced to Tartuffe, he was a man who was believed to be sane and respected. Upon meeting him, Orgon turns into someone who his family and friends view as a foolish person. This may have been caused by Tartuffe. A main characterization that arises when mentioning Tartuffe is hypocrite. While he poses as a religious man, he is only looking out for himself and uses others’ weaknesses to his own advantage.

The relationship between Tartuffe and Orgon is one that is influential and manipulative. In 1.4 where Orgon returns and converses with Cleante, he is more concerned about Tartuffe’s well being than his own wife’s. Him repeating “Ah. And Tartuffe?” in this scene shows that Tartuffe is the only man that Orgon now cares about because of the affect he has on Orgon. While his wife was seriously sick, Orgon’s true view was exposed.

As the play progresses, it is seen that Orgon is truly losing his sanity. Forcing his daughter to marry Tartuffe is another ridiculous request that Orgon asks of in 2.1.
Mariane: I’m deeply greatful, Father for your love.
Orgon: That’s well said, Daughter; and you can repay me if all things, you’ll cheerfuly obey me.
Mariane: To please you, Sir, is what delights me best.
These exchange of words shows that before Orgon asked his daughter to marry Tartuffe, he first made sure that there was no way that Mariane would say no; if she were to she would be disobeying her father and a disloyal daughter. Forcing his daughter to lie about her feelings just so he could get what he wants just shows how he is no longer a good father and the man Tartuffe has turned him into. He is no longer the sane and respected man he was. Orgon not respecting his daughter’s feelings shows that he does not deserve to be respected himself.

Hello! I am Katherine Laurencio, a Filipino-American who was born here in New York. I reside with my family in Queens and have lived there my entire life. Usually every summer I would travel to the Philippines to my mother’s hometown, allowing me to take a break from the New York City life. I would live in the countryside for around six weeks a

I intended to graduate with a major in Business Administration and a minor in Graphic Arts. Attending a performing arts high school as an art major is what led me to decide to minor in this area. Since I did devote four years of my teenage life to the arts, it has become something I have grown to love. Another hobby that I also love to do is baking. Before I decided to attend Baruch I wanted to become a pastry chef. While I could have attended culinary school, I decided to come to Baruch instead so I could learn about business if I ever decide to open up my own bakery.

Being that this is an English class, I believe that it is important to learn about the Great Works of Literature that have been published throughout the world. It is the timeless novels about adventures that I enjoy reading the most. Also, I have now become accustomed to reading the essays that are taught in these english classes. They are always refreshing to be introduced to and read.