Monthly Archives: October 2018

–What motivates Hedda to encourage Lovborg to resume drinking?
–Discuss the role of Thea in the play? What function does she serve?
–What role does class play in Hedda Gabler?
–What does Lovborg’s death mean to Hedda?
–Do you feel sympathetic to Hedda? Why or why not?

Despite of being written in the late 19th century, the protagonist Hedda from the Norwegian drama “Hedda Gabler,” has multiple overlaps with Lady Macbeth, a character from William Shakespeare’s play, “Macbeth.” These parallels are interesting because both women come from different time periods, yet struggle with similar problems and desires.

As seen in Henrik Ibsens “Hedda Gabler,” Hedda is a complex character who comes from an upper middle class family and is married to Tesman, who comes from the lower middle class. Throughout the story, Hedda is not afraid of showing her high expectations and attitudes towards the kind of wealthy life she wants to live. Lady Macbeth, in this case, also has a high status in society, however, just like for Hedda, what she has is not enough and she seeks a greater lavish life. Both Hedda and Lady Macbeth also share similar characteristics in that they both are women of words (who can manipulate those around them), have beautiful appearances, as well as have desire for control. In addition, both Lady Macbeth and Hedda don’t express eagerness for having children and becoming mothers. For Lady Macbeth, having children is unsuitable because it will make her more compassionate, a trait that intervenes with her plans to have power over her husband, Macbeth. Although later she gets pregnant, Hedda is also not eager to have children because she doesn’t believe that taking care of them will make her happy. As we can see, in the two instances, both women have a complicated relationship when it comes to following the standard gender roles of the society during their time periods.

This strive to have power and a fantasy life is what actually leads both Hedda and Lady Macbeth to their own self-destruction and strategy. By the end of the play, Hedda commits suicide because she is trapped in her marriage and trapped in the house. Throughout the play, we saw that Hedda was constantly bored and could not find a meaning in her life, thus in the very end her actions ended up collectively trapping her. In Shakespeare’s play, Lady Macbeth succeeds in having the King killed, yet ends up losing her mind because of the guilt that she feels over her actions. Clearly, the plays “Hedda Gabler” and “Macbeth” represent how authors from different time periods explore similar  issues in society as well as human nature.

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to let you know that your graded essays are available for you on turnitin.com.  When you log on, access your essay, wait a minute, and my comments will appear.  Scroll all the way down to the bottom of the paper to view your grade.  Please read my comments carefully, and reach out to me if you have any questions.

I hope you enjoyed today’s staged reading of Hedda Gabler.  I am looking forward to discussing it with you next week.

See you on Wednesday at the midterm!!!

Professor Sylvor

1. Who do you think Jacobs envisions as the audience for her autobiography? How can you tell?
2. What does Jacobs add to the understanding of the experience of slavery we gleaned from Frederick Douglass?
3. How does Jacobs attempt to control her own destiny?
4. What is “the loophole of retreat?”

The narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass documents the life of a slave and witness of many cruel events. This narrative is based on an actual real-life phenomenon which is slavery. Slavery was practiced in America from the 17th to the 19th century. As Douglass narrates, the slaves worked in plantations and farms, like the Great House Farm (slaves’ dreamed farm). During this time of slavery, children were separated from their mothers, some children’s fathers were white cruel masters, men and women were whipped until they were covered with blood, slave women were raped, basic necessities like soap were rare, slaves were not given bed; so they had to sleep on the cold floor. This didn’t seem to be a big problem because they didn’t sleep for long, their work kept them busy. Slaves also were not given good blankets, enough clothing and food. They had to survive with the little they were given, which was not fair for the lots of work they did every single day. Many white masters seemed to enjoy whipping a slave until death, it was something awful and inhuman. Everything described above is in the narrative of Frederick Douglass and also in slaves history. This narrative is an excellent documentary of how was the life of a slave and his surroundings.

Douglass also makes a point about knowledge and slaves. He argues that slaves were not given the right to have knowledge, to go to school, to learn how to read or write. They didn’t even know their birth dates. White supremacy seem to be threatened if they weren’t ignorants anymore and gain knowledge about human rights, for example. Any slave that was caught trying to read or write was punish, it was considered a crime.   

Frederick Douglass escaped to the North and bought his freedom. Soon he became a abolitionist by being part of the Abolitionist Movement, which also is a real-life event. The Abolitionist Movement was simply the movement with the goal to end slavery. This movement was active from 1830 to 1870, its members wanted the emancipation of slaves, and the end of segregation and discrimination.

1. What is the significance of the information Douglass provides about the early years of his life?
2. What does he mean, on p.238, when he describes the first whipping he witnessed as, “the blood-stained gate”?
3. What have you learned from reading this narrative that you didn’t already know about slavery in America?
4. Explain the significance of literacy for Douglass?
5. How does Douglass feel about Southern Christianity? Why?

The topic assigned to my group was William Wordsworth’s Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802 and The World Is Too Much with Us. My focus on this group project was introducing who he was and the inspiration behind his writings.

Wordsworth had a rough start early on in his childhood having to lose his mother at the young age of 8, along with having 3 other siblings. He was attending Hawkshead Grammar School at that time pursuing his passion of literature. While he was studying, his father was often abroad working and eventually passed away, leaving Wordsworth and his 3 siblings as orphans. Despite the difficult circumstances he had to face, he continued for higher education at St. Johns in Cambridge.

Around 1795, he met a fellow young radical poet who shared common interests with him, as well going through a rough time because of the French Revolution. Together, they wrote Lyrical Ballads in 1798. “Tintern Abbey” from Lyrical Ballads became a huge hit and opened the path for romanticism into the poetry world.

For Wordsworth, poetry was a primary mode of expression. He wanted to express his beliefs in his writing and sometimes used prose express them while working on his poetry. Prose helped him improve on his structure for his poetic beliefs and political enthusiasm. He was a strong believer in spirituality and human relationship with nature, which was evident in both Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802 and The World Is Too Much with Us.

I can see the point of view at which Wordsworth believes that humans are too obsessed with the materialistic features of the world but neglect the beauty within nature. Playing devils advocate in this argument because I am one of those people that would fit into the profile of those Wordsworth were addressing. It’s true that money can blind people and completely shift their focus and goals to solely making money. We slave away for self satisfaction, rather than appreciating what we have and whats around us.

William Wordsworth was born on April 7, 1770, in the small town of Cockermouth, Lake District, in England. He was the second of four sons. William Wordsworth father was a lawyer and his father has to travel a lot because of the work. William Wordsworth Mother died when he was eight years old. He was sent to Hawkshead Grammer School in the countryside where he learned Greek and Latin in school and memorizes some of the great work of Shakespeare and Milton. William Wordsworth father died in 1783 which means that he was an orphan at an age of 13. William Wordsworth started feeling lonely in this world. He went to Cambridge University where he did not do well but he was able to graduate in 1791. William Wordsworth went to France in the summer of 1790 with his friend. In France, he fall in love with a Annette Vallon and had a child with her. He came back to England to make some money in 1993 and in 1993 Britain and France went to war with each other and no one was allowed to cross the border.

While I was reading the poem The World is too much with us it reminds me about the life that I used to have in India and the life that I am living in New York at present. This poem reminds me of the time when I used to go to school by riding my bicycle. I used to look on the side of the roads and by looking on the sides, I used too feel very fresh, relaxed, happy and enjoying my life on this earth because of the wonderful view of the grassy fields. But from the time, I came to United States, I do not see any grassy field while going to college or work. I just see the trains, big buildings, people getting off or on the train. I feel that something is missing in my life which is the beauty of Nature. The message that I got from this poem is that as we are growing ourselves in this world, we are loosing our natural beauty in order to make our lives comfortable. Nowadays, only few people realizes this because of the busy life and the resources that we have today.

My group was assigned William Wordsworth’s Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802 and The World Is Too Much with Us. These two poems are sonnets, which are fourteen-line iambic pentameter (ten syllables per line). Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802 is about how the speaker described the view from the bridge. His depiction of London in the morning was of awe from the beauty. The World Is Too Much with Us on the other hand is the speaker’s feelings towards modern age. It has lost its connection to nature and everything meaningful. Humans became too preoccupied with material. The speaker was very descriptive in both poems, but I was more drawn to The World Is Too Much with Us.

The World is too much with us is basically a complaint of the world being too overwhelming and that we’re so concerned about time and money that we waste our energy. “Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers: Little we see in Nature that is ours; We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!” (Lines 2-4). These lines describe that we turned the world into something in which we don’t see anything valuable within Nature. The speaker describes in the poem that it’s like we’ve sold our soul and lives.

I agree with the speaker and can kind of relate it to myself. I feel that everyone is too caught up with life, meaning work, school, and the future. We all want to be successful but we’re not appreciating the little things in life such as nature or even just life. In the past, I’d always love going to various places with amazing views such as bays, piers, beaches, etc. I’d just stay there and admire at the view, letting it sink in. I really miss those times and I realize that I barely have time now because I’m so involved with what I MUST do. There’s immense burden and weight of my future. I work, and I go to school because I want to become a successful person and not disappoint anyone. Knowing that I’m concerned about my life makes me as sad as the speaker is about the world. Maybe if everyone slowed down a bit and took a deep breath, they’d would be a bit happier.

–In what sense does “Tintern Abbey” offer readers a “religion of nature”? What are some of the specific ways in which nature works as a substitute for traditional religion?
–Why do you think Wordsworth gives “Tintern Abbey” such a precise and detailed sub-title? What is the significance of this poem’s full titile?
–In the final portion of “Tintern Abbey,” the speaker turns to his “dear friend.” Who is this friend and what role does he/she play in the poem?
–“Composed upon Westminster Bridge” and “The World Is Too Much with Us” are both sonnets. Why do you think a poet might choose to work with such a highly structured form?
–Describe some of the ways in which Wordsworth’s poetry conforms to some of the features of Romanticism that we’ve discussed. What evidence can you find to illustrate this?