All posts by HANSOL JANG

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The pillow book: A woman’s view at women world

 

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The book describes scenes of Royal and high class people’s lives. One thing that I really like of this book is that I felt the author .read me her stories also felt like I was watching a movie; the author describes scenes very vividly.  It is very surprising that the book was written a thousand years ago but readers still can get impressed by her detailed description of scenes of human lives and nature. Unlike some official and brisk writings written by royals, the book is very personal. It is written by her own view which is a sense of woman, at women world and nature.  Especially, I really like they way she describes the seasons in the beginning of the book.  The narrative  is easeful so easy to read. It is not fancy but  purely and beautifully describing the nature. “ In autumn, the evening- the blazing sun has sunk very close to the mountain rim, and now even the crows, in threes and fours or tows and threes, hurrying to their roost, are a moving sight. Still more enchanting is the sight of a string of wild geese in the distant sky, very tiny. And oh how inexpressible, when the sun has sunk, to hear in the growing darkness the wind, and the song of autumn insects.”  The narrative is very concise but also beautiful so even foreigners feel sympathetic while reading it. ( I could feel some exotic atmosphere while reading the scenes of life in palace though.)

I assume that for women, it would be very hard and limited to advance in society and be professional writers. So, like as Christine de pizan’s case, it is very meaningful that the woman, Sei Shonagon, sought to build her own characterful world through writings in an androcentric society.

Death of Patroclus: his own fate or gods plan?

While Achilles is out of the war due to discord with Agamenon, Trojans take advantage of it so make it a chance to win the battle. Patroclus, dearest friend of Achilles, could go back to his home but chooses to get killed in a battle. Achilles’ grief and anger at Hector and Troy envelopes the sky and land. He finally returns to the war; finally it gets Trojans to refuge to behind the wall. As well as, the greatest warrior of Troy, Hector, gets killed by Achilles, and Greek seizes the chance to victory.

In Illiad, gods intervene in human’s dispute frequently, and that brings advantages to each side as which they are on. Situations are sometimes favorable for Greek or Trojans depending on their interventions. Death of Patroclus changes aspect of the war to be favorable for Greek, and I assume his death could be result of intention of gods standing on Greek side.