The Year of Chauntecleer
It is the Year of the Rooster, which also happens to fall at a time when I am studying this tale in school. I had a chuckle when this occured to me, though I wouldn't expect others to find it funny. It's amusing on a literary level, as well as a personal one for me (Vivian will get the joke if she reads the tale).
In other news, I have almost completed my history paper. I just need to write a conclusion, and if I have time, edit it. Once it is complete I will post a link to it here.
I have to say that this essay has proven to be one of the most difficult papers I've had to write, even though it has been the shortest (a 500-1250 word limit or 2-5 page) essay I've ever written. It was especially hard to construct a well-written HISTORY paper on a play (Machiavelli's Mandragola) and letters of a Nurember merchant and his wife (Steven Ozment's collection Magdalena and Balthasar) without thinking of it in a literary fashion. The strangest part is that I felt as though this question forced one to write it from a New Historicist slant, something I have resisted in the past.
Speaking of New Historicism, I borrowed a copy of Steven Greenblatt's book, Hamlet in Purgatory, which explores the historical concept of Purgatory in the Medieval and Renaissance period. I have to confess that I am fascinated with this book, even though I've realized that it is about more than Hamlet. It is proving to be insightful in terms of the concepts and connotations that Purgatory would have in various time periods. I know some people do not like Greenblatt's approach when it comes to this book. I haven't read it yet, so I can't judge it. Still, I believe that it would be wrong to ignore the type of scholarship that Greenblatt brings to the table. Historical context is very important to understanding literature, especially when it adds new meaning to the words of a text.
Well, I've jabbered on enough. I should go write that conclusion.
ADDENDUM: Here is the paper. It hasn't had the benefit of Vivian's editing, unfortunately.
In other news, I have almost completed my history paper. I just need to write a conclusion, and if I have time, edit it. Once it is complete I will post a link to it here.
I have to say that this essay has proven to be one of the most difficult papers I've had to write, even though it has been the shortest (a 500-1250 word limit or 2-5 page) essay I've ever written. It was especially hard to construct a well-written HISTORY paper on a play (Machiavelli's Mandragola) and letters of a Nurember merchant and his wife (Steven Ozment's collection Magdalena and Balthasar) without thinking of it in a literary fashion. The strangest part is that I felt as though this question forced one to write it from a New Historicist slant, something I have resisted in the past.
Speaking of New Historicism, I borrowed a copy of Steven Greenblatt's book, Hamlet in Purgatory, which explores the historical concept of Purgatory in the Medieval and Renaissance period. I have to confess that I am fascinated with this book, even though I've realized that it is about more than Hamlet. It is proving to be insightful in terms of the concepts and connotations that Purgatory would have in various time periods. I know some people do not like Greenblatt's approach when it comes to this book. I haven't read it yet, so I can't judge it. Still, I believe that it would be wrong to ignore the type of scholarship that Greenblatt brings to the table. Historical context is very important to understanding literature, especially when it adds new meaning to the words of a text.
Well, I've jabbered on enough. I should go write that conclusion.
ADDENDUM: Here is the paper. It hasn't had the benefit of Vivian's editing, unfortunately.
posted by Davyth | 7:18 PM
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