Read Between The Lines

I have a day or so before I'll start to re-read Shakespeare's plays in anticipation for the exam this Wednesday. So, I'll be able to read the Mervyn Peake book I've been periodically reading. Here's the opening paragraph to the first book Titus Groan:

Gormenghast, that is, the main massing of the original stone, taken by itself would have displayed a certain ponderous architectural quality were it possible to have ignored the circumfusion of those means dwellings that swarmed like an epidemic around its outer walls. They sprawled over the sloping earth, each one half way over its neighbour until, held back by the castle ramparts, the innermost of these hovels laid hold on the great walls, clamping themselves thereto like limpets to a rock. These dwellings, by ancient law, were granted this chill intimacy with the stronghold that loomed above them. Over their irregular roofs would fall throughout the seasons, the shadows of time-eaten buttresses, of broken and lofty turrets, and, most enormous of all, the shadow of the Tower of Flints. This tower, patched unevenly with black ivy, arose like a mutilated finger from among the fists of knuckled masonry and pointed blasphemously at heaven. At night the owls made of it an echoing throat; by day it stood voiceless and cast its long shadow.

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School's Out For...?

School's out for spring?...summer?...winter? I can't quite figure out in this Canadian weather.

On the bright side of things I got two assignments back already - one I handed in two days ago. Well, I got an 81.5 (A) on the slipshod essay I wrote about Brome Abraham and Isaac. So much was left unexplained in that paper, to be honest, of course the original mark was a (79.5) B+ but I got a bonus for handing it in early. Overall, I ended the course with an 81 (A) - no complaints. But glad it's over.

The other essay for Art History - for which I wrote the exam today as well - that Viv wrote for me (yes, yes, say all you want) I got back. I received a 'B' grade, which leaves me with either a B or B+ average - something I don't think I deserve in light of how much work Viv has done to help me get through this course. Oh well, it's over.

My next exam - Shakespeare - is scheduled for Wednesday at 2:00 to 5:00 pm. To study I plan on re-reading as many as plays I can - hoping to make connections now that I've grasped the basic concepts of each play. I'll be getting back my other half-assed, half-finished essay on the ghost in Hamlet after the exam. The only thing I have in my favour is perhaps the originality of my approach or stance - at least I hope so.

Shadow Over Innsmouth

I know I should be studying, or sleeping as I have an early class as well as an exam early in the afternoon - but I just got my Necronomicon Press edition of Lovecraft's The Shadow Over Innsmouth (though the edition I've linked is a different edition). Gawd. I'm nearly half way through and I'm already blown away - prose as beautiful and poetic as Shakespeare, Peake or Mieville. Whenever I try to capture what I felt while reading this book the words escape me. A study in xenophobia, fear, decay, ruin, the grotesque, monstrous, cosmic terror, and miscegenation is what this book seems to be about. There's so much to it. It reeks of Hamlet in so many ways.

Word of the Day: Bedraggled

Well, I've officially handed in all final assignments - with a sigh of relief. Although I can admit that little effort went into these final papers, at this point I'm glad it's over. I know this isn't the most professional attitude for a student who claims to want to do Graduate School - but it's been a haze of ill health, squabbles, and depleted wit. Never have I felt so tired, so drained even though I feel that my work load has not changed. Literally and spiritually, I feel like I've been 'heaving' all year with aching lungs. Perhaps I took on too much - or I'm too critical of myself - either way it's been a year of profound discoveries, as well as new lows for me.

Once this school year is over, death brings with it a fresh start at life. It's an opportunity to start learning anew, as each year I hope that some new interest comes along begging to be developed. The trick will be learning to command learning, rather than scampering along with the pack - no more scrounging.

Best of luck to those still writing assignments, and upcoming exams. It's time to reflect, though hopefully no one shines a light right into your eyes - blinding you. I've sat here far too long writing this short piece, I should go do something unproductive like reading books that have no bearing on my exams instead of whining. Cheers!

Hamlet Redux

Although I handed in my essay on the ghost in Hamlet over a week ago, my interest in the subject continues. Through the York eResources web site I found an article of some interest called "Subjectivity as an Occupational Hazard of 'Hamlet Ghost' Critics". So I punched the article title into Google, hoping that an e-text version was available. While I didn't find the article, inadvertantly, I came across something even more recent than Greenblatt. I found this article. It's utterly fascinating, as well as assuring, that academia has recently been pushing for the same stance that I took in my paper - something quite astounding. I hope no one mistakes this for a claim to genius - far from it - my depth pales in comparison to the scholars I've read. But the idea is there, lurking. This means I was not mistaken to believe that through the ghost we can unearth meaning lurking in the 'undiscovered country'.

Drama and Vision in the Middle Ages

The end of the semester is near but one essay remains to be done. Unlike my last essay that I wrote recently, this one isn't going to be easy. This essay is for the Drama and Vision in the Middle Ages course.

I am having trouble keeping the essay simple, without attempting some grand narrative or dissertation on the play: Brome Abraham and Isaac. The question goes like this: Discuss the methods used in this play to dramatize or make visual certain key doctrinal points or aspects of salvation history. Consider the potential or intended impact of this dramatic representation of the biblical story of Abraham and Isaac on the audience.

So far I've figured out that the two areas where the playwright seems to reveal key doctrinal points or aspects of salvation are:
(a) literally associated with Abraham's body, e.g. heart/bosom and his hands.
(b) allegorically associated with Isaac's burdens, e.g. the wood, his mother, and the sacrificial beast.

I have developed an outline, but I know from experience that I'll never stick to it, as Abraham obeys God. Instead, I'm thinking of typing out all the quotations I've picked and letting my mind figure it out as I go. That way I won't make up my mind that the work is done before I've written the paper. No, an essay is about progressing towards the end, like a journey, or an odyssey. Likewise I won't fret about it too much, since I have all weekend to write it.

The sun is going down, so I should cease to work on my school work. It's time to reflect, rest and remember. Adieu.

ADDENDUM: The essay is finished. You can read it here, if you dare.

Silly Rabbit, Tricks Are For Kids

I am up late, reading Shakespeare's Cymbeline - and a realization came as I read the scene in Act 5 Scene 5 when the ghosts of Posthumus' family accuse Jupiter (Zeus/God) of letting Giacomo ruin Posthumus and Innogen's relationship. Like the rest of Cymbeline, this is another pastiche narrative that Shakespeare has incorporated into the text--in this case, this dream vision/divine allegory reeks of JOB from the Bible. It's the typical case of mortal men asking God Omnipotent, why he allows suffering and evil to occur in a world when he has the power to prevent these things. A typical set-up for God to bitchslap those ungrateful bastards who dare accuse him of being false - uh oh, not good, never never tell the Creator God how to run things, like you know better. Then comes the usual reply that God gives to Job in the Book of Job, daring him to do ineffable, unfathomable mammoth tasks, like drag the Leviathan out of the sea or harness the Behemoth. Silly Job, tricks are for kids! ('cause we know Jesus liked kids, he said so, you know 'suffer the children, permit them to come' or how we must learn to 'become like children to enter the Kingdom of God'). Then God sets things straight, restoring everything back to its natural order. It's the usual lesson that through suffering we arrive at salvation, or at least wisdom--saintlihood.

I just thought I'd share this wild thought with you since I don't know if my Shakespeare tutorial will get it. Or my tutorial leader.

Another One Bites The Dust

I pulled off an all-nighter and finished my essay for Post-colonial South Asian Lit.

The topic is: Comment on the portrayal of teachers in Swami and Friends.

Here's the essay.

The Danse Macabre: Supernatural Theatre In Hamlet

I've revised my essay on Hamlet. You can read the final draft here.

Many thanks to those whose suggestions made me proud of this essay--Vivian, Jeremy, as well as Suzy and Lori from work. This essay truly means a lot to me.

ADDENDUM - 03/22/05 - I've uploaded the final copy of the essay. It has its flaws, which are many, but truths be found are plenty.

If I Keep Silent, Will It Silence Me?

Well, two down, two to go. Essays, that is.

The next one is for Postcolonial: South Asian Litearture class. I've opted to write my essay on R.K. Narayan's Swami and Friends. The topic is: "Comment on the portrayal of teachers in Swami and Friends." I find this quite appropriate after a year filled with teachers that mostly frustrated me. Those who did inspire me were all "offstage" or former teachers of mine.

Following this essay, I will write a paper for my Middle English Religious Drama and Visions on the Second Shepherds' Pageant.

Afterwards it's four exams - two early on, two spread across April. One's in-class, actually.

You know it must be near the end of school, as I have already started planning my summer reading list. So far I plan to read: Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast Trilogy, Edmund Spenser's Faerie Queene, Robert J. Sawyer's Mindscan,
Geraldine Heng's Empire of Magic, Michael Moorcock's Wizardry and Wild Romance: A Study of Epic Fantasy, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Annotated Sherlock Holmes, Chaucer's Canterbury Tales and Troylus and Criseyda, plenty of Shakespeare, H.P. Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Clark, China Mieville, etc...

Shakespeare's Danse Macabre

This is the title for my essay on the ghost in Hamlet. I have completed the preliminary draft with many arduous hours of careful work put into writing this paper in the last two days. It is not the kind of essay that I could've pulled off last semester at the last minute, as I did for my previous Shakespeare paper. The ideas have been in the works for months and weeks, assembling as a mishmash product of my fascination with old and new weird fiction, gothic literature, supernatural things in literature - as well as Shakespeare. To find an assignment to engage my theories in a critical debate with scholars, and trash Greenblatt on a side note, has renewed the burning passion in my mind. I very much enjoyed being able to poke fun at critics of notoriety, tongue-in-cheek, as a part of a thought-provoking assignment. This has been a hard, but rewarding assignment - kudos to those who helped me along the way, Viv for her sweet voice, her love; and to Jeremy for opening up my mind (how, I dare not say for the time being).

I should dedicate this paper to Stephen Greenblatt, who earned the following sentences to his name: Greenblatt's flawed interpretation of the ghost in Hamlet in Purgatory, reveals how he tends to follow digressions with shortsight in his analysis of Shakespeare. He confuses a buzzing in his ear for a swarm of bees.

God bless.

ADDENDUM: Thanks to a clever suggestion from a fellow Yorkie co-worker of mine, I have been able to expand my essay to cover the idea of medieval cycle plays and their relation to the ghost. Thanks Suzy!

EXTRA NOTE: Here is the paper.

Japes, Jokes and Jackanapes

I'll admit to being a tad lax, or lazy with posting lately. I have several assignments that are due in the next three weeks (four essays), which I am trying to balance. The topics range from the fabricated image of Louis XIV, the ghost in Hamlet, to multiple frame narratives in Kalki, and the significance of realism and comedy in the Wakefield Second Sherpherds' Pageant.

Right now I'm reading the Wakefield Second Shepherds' Pageant - a play about shepherds and the Nativity scene. Out of all the English 15th century religious plays we've read, I am rather fond of this one. It's probably the comedy factor triumphing over the typical plays laden with doctrine and typology. The esssay question for this play consists of:

Discuss the significance of realism and comedy in this play. How do these elements relate to the overall goal of representing the story of the Nativity for its audience?

Concerning comedy, I'd connect it to the idea of Christ's Nativity as the 'birth' of
'redemption' for Mankind - as I remember from my Shakespeare class, comedy is all about the redemption of 'low' characters through laughter and ridicule. After all, comedy has the power to purge the soul's woe with laughter; a divine power, that brings about a change in fortune, in this case for the better. Comedy seems to be connected with the supernatural aspects of Christ. As I remember Professor Paolucci remarking that Christ embodies the ideas of tragedy ('tragos' the 'scapegoat' or sacrificial goat) and comedy ('redemption'). Even the aspect of 'realism' reinforces this, I believe, as Christ is born to the poor family of Joseph and Mary.

Since I haven't finished reading the play, I realize these ideas are a bit preliminary. In the mean time I'll be working on the various essays I have due. Expect to see my ideas posted in the upcoming days and/or weeks as I wrestle with each idea.

International Women's Day

Since I have been rather lackadaisical in publishing blog entries, I wish to set the records straight. I am a person of my word, and contrary to late popular belief, am a person who is determined. My academic life is important to me, however I should now like to thank all the beautiful women in my life who have brought me this far. Best Wishes to all of them, including my girlfriend Viv who is now a published poet! Congratulations to her, and I have my signed copy for when she becomes famous.

Wretched of the Earth

I haven't posted something in some time - nothing worthwhile to post lately - so here I've included another piece of writing, a poem not worth a pixel. I apologize if it is a deplorable poem, I scrawled it down in a matter of a minute or less. This poem isn't directed at anyone, but rather it is more of a reflection of wretchedness - something I feel far too often, too often, indeed.

The working title is "Scab".

It hurt for all of these years,
To keep the gaping wound,
On display for your sake,
Inside of me for so long.

But now I say ‘so long’,
With a prayer to intervene,
Like a mirror put between us,
Helping me get over the pain,
And conceal the healing wound,
From those hurtful, prying eyes,
So now you’ll see the hurt inside,
An image reflecting back at you,
It hurt for all of these years.

Addendum: This post has no bearing on the people who love me, who care about me. These people I know will always be there for me, no matter the circumstances. I am heartened to know that their care will never fail.

The Conspiracy of Architecture Revisited

It has come to my attention that the link I provided to the article "The Conspiracy of Architecture" does not work properly. If you click on the link it should bring you to a "cannot find URL" page - just highlight the URL bar and press enter, it should connect you with the article. Go figure.