1. What aspects of women’s lives does Wollstonecraft seem interested in changing? Why?

2. Wollstonecraft quotes Pope’s famous line “Whatever is, is right.” How does she interpret this line? Does she agree with Pope?

3. Do you think women are still raised to be “pleasing”? Why or why not?

4. What does Wollstonecraft have to say about marriage? In her view, what would allow a woman to be a good wife and mother?

1.  What is the narrator’s purpose in writing these “confessions”?  How do you know?

2.  For Rousseau, what is the relationship between feeling and thinking?

3.  How does Rousseau describe his childhood?  What significance can we draw from this description

4. Why do you think Rousseau chooses to include the anecdote about stealing from his employer?
5. Using your own language, how would you describe the narrator, given his self-presentation in The Confessions?

1.  Pope describes the purpose of his poem as “to vindicate the ways of God to man.”  What do you think he means by this?

2. Choose one metaphor that Pope uses to describe the universe and explain its significance.

3.  What would it mean to believe that “whatever is, is right?”  How would that affect one’s outlook or behavior?

4.  According to Pope, what place do human beings have in the universe in relation to other creatures?

1. Why do you think Toyo-o continues to be involved with Manago even after he suspects that she is a demon of some sort?
2. Why do you think people (both in the 18th century, when Akinari was writing, and in our own day) are attracted to ghost stories or tales of the supernatural?
3. Does “Bewitched” have anything to teach its readers? If so, what? What is Akinari’s message in this text?
4. The text describes Manago as”bewitchingly voluptuous.” What does the character of Manago tell us about feminine beauty?

Don’t forget that as of today (Monday, February 8th), we will be meeting in room 1421 in 17 Lex! See you there!

—  Discuss the theme of appearances or masks in Tartuffe?  How does the issue of appearances vs. reality connect with the central concerns of the play?

—  Discuss the role of Dorine, Mariane’s lady maid.  What kind of servant is she?  What role does she play in the action of the drama?

—  How is the institution of marriage treated in Tartuffe? What are some of the models or ideals of marriage that are raised by Moliere or his characters?

—  Describe the character of Orgon.  Why do you think he’s so vulnerable to Tartuffe?

—  Can you think of a contemporary example of the kind of religious hypocrisy exemplified in Tartuffe?

—  Describe one aspect of the play that seems very modern to you and one that seems very dated or old-fashioned.

Respond to one of the following questions by commenting on this post.  You may also feel free to respond to comments posted by your classmates!

-What’s the connection between the broad historical material about the Ming Dynasty that begins the story and the narrative about Du Tenth and Li Jia’s relationship that follows?

-What kind of person is Li Jia?  Does his behavior at the end of the story come as a surprise?  Why or why not?

-How are courtesans represented in the story?  Why do you think Feng Menglong chooses to depict them this way?

-Money plays a central role in the story.  What does “Du Tenth Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger” seem to be saying about the relationship between money and love?

-Feng Menglong was interested in using literature to teach morality.  What lesson is being imparted by this text?