tone/mood

The tone and mood of any written piece is exposed through the diction. While analyzing the words and listening to the way they sound, and understanding what they mean, it is easy to detect what the author had in mind for the tone and feel of the poem. But sometimes you have to dig a little deeper, because tonal shifts can often occur, and the author suddenly changes his or her tone. For example, in the poem "To his Coy Mistress", the poem starts out using words like "love" "adore" "grow" vast". These words signify a growing love, while he speaks of time, and loving in the moment. But really there's a twist. He proves that he doesn't truly love her, throughout the tonal changes in the poem. And when words like "iron gates" "rough" "strife" and "instant fires" appear, so does a shift in mood and tone. Just using words and phrases alone, a tone and mood is set and revealed.

Diction

Diction is very important in all forms of written work. Diction often helps develop the tone and the attitude in the written work. Be it a poem, or a novel, or whichever. For example in "As I Walked Out One Evening", the diction is very smooth yet at points staccato. Because of the different dictions within the poem, they help with the transitions of tones. Also, another example, in Hamlet's classic, "To be or not to be," speech his harsh words help to express the confusion he is facing. Diction allows the readers to hear the tone and get the writing without breaking down every sentence, phrase, or word. Without Diction, there would be much more analyzing of the piece of written work before actually comprehending the poem, novel, or whichever.

Sounds of Poetry

The sounds in poetry truly make the poem, and bring it to life. "Rhyme Scheme" is one of the most popular techniques and tools to use in poetry. It adds some spice, and a certain unique attitude to the poem. It also makes the poem more fun to read and it slips off the tongue as well. Each poem has their unique tools that they use. Another common tool is onomatopoeia. Examples of this tool are words like "Bang! Zap! Swoosh!". Words with sounds bring the poem to life as well. The language in the poem and the tools that the author uses are key to its uniqueness. Sounds and tools are key to a good poem, and one we haven't heard a billion times before.

Symbols

Symbols show up in all kinds of literature, and in just about every piece of writing. Whether you may catch them or not, there is symbolism in everything. Symbolism helps accentuate the theme, and the plot of the story. Symbolism can be present in different forms. Sometimes a simple metaphor, sometimes a prop, or even a piece of the setting. For example (this is broad but...) in Pride and Prejudice, Darcy's estate is a symbol of everything he is and what he stands for. It symbolizes his wealth and successes. Although this is quite obvious, like I said, symbols can be very broad. They are objects, settings, or props that imply something deeper.

Setting!

There are many differences between the setting in a play and the setting in a novel and story. In a play, unfortunately the setting can only be so limited. Although in a play, the visual props and sets can only be as realistic as you can imagine. Because at the end of the day, Darcy really isn't bathing and swimming in a lake... he is "swimming" behind a blue see-through drape that is assumed to be water. So although sets in plays can be quite beautiful and astonishing, at the end of the day it is more about the acting and the story. But with novels and books it is completely different. The setting is in your mind, so it is really up to your imagination to decide what the set will look like. Because the story might state that in this scene that they are at a beach, but your beach might be different from my beach, so really it is up to your mind and your imagination, which is really beautiful.

Charaters

Without characters there would be no plot, and without no plot, there would be no story. There are characters in every story, novel, poem, or play. And there also is always a protagonist, and sometimes an antagonist. The story revolves around the conflicts, hardships, romance, or routines of the characters, and they are what make the story interesting and relatable. In Hamlet, Hamlet is the protagonist while Claudius is the antagonist, and through their conflicts and problems comes the plot and the story. Without the characters in each play, there would be nothing to build the plot around. They are the key concept for a written work.

Plot

The plot is the conflict, it is the romance, it is the overall story or tale. Characters and plot go hand in hand. The reason is, because if there were no characters then there would be no plot. Characters make the conflict, and conflict makes the plot. Therefore, the story comes from the people who are involved. In Pride and Prejudice, the plot is more conventional. It comes from within the characters. Two people think they hate each other, they can't be together because of their different stature in society, they realize they are in love, and they make their love work! But in Hamlet, we have an external and internal plot. The external being all that is happening in Denmark with the change of Kings, etc. And internally because of the way the plot centralizes and focuses around Hamlet, and what he reveals to the audience (his emotions, and his internal changes and realizations throughout the play). Without a plot there would be no story, no play, no poem, no fairytale. Plot is everything.

My Essay

I felt like my Hamlet essay overall was good. I improved a lot since last time, and I think that now I am more confident in the ways that I need to improve. My main problem is being too redundant. Sometimes I will restate a sentence with different words, when really it means the same as the sentence before. If I fix these errors and proofread more closely I think I will improve even more than I did before.

"Coy Mistress" vs. "To The Virgins"

In Marvell’s “To His Coy Mistress” and Herrick’s “To The Virgins, to Make Much of Time”  both writers share similar topics and themes, while expressing different points. While Herrick argues to seize the day, and to not take time for granted, the narrator states that while you are young you must marry. He emphasizes the importance of marriage and urges young women to marry while they can, because their beauty and youthfulness will one day fade. On the other hand, in Marvell's poem his focus is mainly on sex. He forces the woman to give into his persuasiveness, and to not run out of time. He wants sex, while Herrick wants marriage. Although they both use the concept of time to get what they want, their motives and objectives are completely different. 

Comparison of 2 Poems!

"As I Walked Out One Evening" was my favorite poem that we have read thus far. I thought that the beginning was so romantic and deep, and the shift from sweetness to darkness is so smooth but prevalent that you almost don't know its happening until you really listen to the words. This poem is stating that although love is strong, time still can take its course and action whenever it may please. That although he loves her so much, and would do anything for her, she must understand that they still have a battle to fight, with time. I felt like this poem was so honest and true. It made me really think about how quickly time goes, and it honestly moved me. I felt like the words and the language was so fluid and the narrator and "lover" did a great job putting imagery to the phrases. I literally could imagine every line, and play it out in my head. The poem came to life right before me. It was great.
"To The Virgins, To Make Much of Time"
I felt like this poem was much different than "As I Walked...". In this poem, the narrator wants to persuade the virgin girls to have sexual intercourse now, rather than later. That they are wasting too much time and that they must act fast before their lives leave them. Although there are similarities to the concept of "Time" in both poems, "As I Walked.." had a completely different and romantic and honest tone. In "To The Virgins", the narrator does not have true feelings for the woman he is talking to. He merely wants to use her and persuade her to give into his pressure.
Despite the fact that I liked both poems. "As I Walked", definitely moved me and I thought it was the best we have read so far.

Shelley Vs. Cummings

While both "Ozymandias" and "Ponder" deal with the concept of time flying by and living in the moment, the poems are very different. In "Ozymandias" Shelley possesses a historic tone with much imagery in his poem. He describes every detail of the scenery while saying that time moves too quickly. In "Ponder" e.e. cummings demonstrates a different tone, one that is very matter of fact and to the point. Through his short, and staccato words we get his sense of his mocking attitude towards time. He basically is making fun of poems like "Coy Mistress" and others that use Carpe Diem. He mocks them and says that the girl needs to have sexual intercourse with the narrator because time is running out. The two poems are very different. I feel like "Oz" is more heartfelt and meaningful while "Ponder" is more mocking and making fund of time and other poems.

Character Choices

On Friday Brady and I acted out our mini scene from Hamlet. We chose the scene right after Hamlet's main "To be or not to be" Soliloquy. In the scene Ophelia approaches Hamlet while he is going mad. I chose to play Ophelia sweet and concerned in the beginning of the scene. I was truly genuine with Hamlet and obedient to him. But as the scene grew on I began to question him, and through my suspicions I grew more eager, to know his true intentions. By the end of the scene my goal was to make him feel terrible, by showing him that he hurt me and truly deceived me. So in the beginning i tried to act sweet, concerned, and naive to the situation, and as the scene went on I grew in anger and had an eagerness to get him to be hurt.

Questions 7,14

7. I think that he tells his friends and companions that he is going to put on an "antic disposition" for attention, and to play a joke on them. Obviously throughout the course of the play, his "pretending" turns in to real anger, and he becomes mad. But I believe his first intentions are to be clearly over dramatic, and these are not his true feelings. I think that his behavior is definitely a strategy, which turns into reality. At first he is playing games, and later his true feelings are exposed.

14. The first quote is when we finally see that his funny moments, and his comic attitude is now turning into him being hurt and serious. He confronts Rosencrantz and expresses his true anger.  Hamlet is trying to get the truth out of Rosey and Guildy and he is playing mind games with them, but is starting to express his true intentions. In the second quote, we see that Hamlet is noticing his crazy behavior and he recognizes it. He is aware that he is putting on an act, and is finally realizing how his behavior is affecting others.

Laertes and Polonius on "Protecting" more like CONTROLING Ophy.

Both Laertes and Polonius are clearly trying to control Ophelia and her actions and love towards Hamlet. At the end of the day, it is only Ophelia who has the power to control her true feelings for Hamlet, and her father and brother obviously do not understand this. They try to do all they can to prevent a relationship from happening and because of that their true characters show, and we see how they want all the power and are only concerned with being superior, rather then looking out for Ophelia. They exclaim that their family would be tainted and ruined, when really they shouldn't be preoccupied with their reputation and should allow their daughter, or in Laerte's case, sister, have what she really wants. If anything, Laerte's argument seems more fair because he is less controlling then her father. In act 1 scene iii, we see their true intentions. At the end of the day, they want control and they both feel that they are superior to women. They have a very inferior outlook of women in these times, and they treat Ophelia as any other woman that they know, not as a daughter or sister that they love and care about.

Grumbling Gertrude and Ovulating Ophelia (Intro/Hamlet Essay)

In Shakespeare's Hamlet different characters have different speech patterns and language techniques. While analyzing the difference in speech patterns with Ophelia and Gertrude, Gertrude tends to use more mature and sophisticated words, while there is a sense of youthfulness with Ophelia. Because Gertrude is the Queen, she must act with politeness and class, therefore her word choice and stature reflects her high status in society. From reading Gertrude's text to the King and to Hamlet, her speech patterns are completely different. While Gertrude talks to Hamlet she talks down to him, while she is also being nurturing. And when she speaks to the King her language illustrates that they have a distant relationship. Ophelia also changes her speech patterns as she talks to different characters. When Ophelia speaks to her brother, she demonstrates confidence and a condescending and disagreeable tone. But when she speaks with Hamlet, the audience sees a different side of Ophelia, and through her light language, her love for him is expressed. Although the characters are completely different, their speech patterns are often similar. In Hamlet, Shakespeare uses different tones and techniques to express character's speech patterns, and through these patterns, we learn about the characters and their role in society.

To His Coy Mistress (Mini Essay)

It is clear in the poem To His Coy Mistress, that author Marvell is extremely passionate about the women he is talking to. But are his kind and persuasive words hiding the true meaning behind what he is actually intending to say? Throughout the poem, Marvell constantly talks about the essence of time, and how they must act fast, in order to really fulfill their love. But behind the multiple compliments he is giving to his woman, there is a sense of misogyny towards his "Mistress". If he were truly and deeply in love with this woman, wouldn't he be less concerned with the time aspect and more focused on loving her, getting to know her, and growing as soul mates?  Marvell uses a technique of writing romantically, and luring her in by making her feel wanted and beautiful, when in fact, he is using her.

Marvell's prime focus in the poem is his concern with time going by too quickly. He expresses that they need to demonstrate their love now while they are in their youth, or their chances of being together in the future are slim. He says, "And your quaint honour turn to dust, and into ashes all my lust, The grave's a fine and private place, But none I think do there embrace"(29). Here, Marvell hides his true feelings behind romantic writing. Although, the writing sounds complimentary and romantic, Marvell uses this line as a threat to his Mistress. He explains that they will die, turn to dust, be buried in a grave, and rot before they ever got to express their true feelings. Oh, how romantic! Marvell wishes throughout the poem that by complimenting her, and hiding his sly and cruel remarks by beautiful words that he will persuade her to be with him here and now. But if he truly loved her, he wouldn't mention death, he would simply live in the moment, and let their love grow. Isn't patience a necessity in loving someone? The beauty of love is that, if true, love will continue to grow, in various ways, at multiple times. Marvell is being forceful and demanding with his requests, instead of letting nature takes it's course.  As the poem goes on, his aggressiveness grows, his language becomes rougher, and he grows in angst. He says, in the third and final stanza, "Tear our pleasures with rough strife thorough the iron gates of life" (43). His anger and want for her increases and he slowly becomes more eager to control her. Marvell hides his misogynistic attitude and demanding requests, behind romantic writing, in hopes to persuade his mistress to give in, and to let him take control of their future and their relationship.

My Essay

I think the main issue and problem with my essay overall was sentence structure. I feel like many times i would repeat phrases or sentences and just change the structure but at the end of the day it would end up meaning the same. Also my quotes were not very strong, they demonstrated what I was saying but there were better quotes that I could have used. And I believe if my thesis was more clear it would help me develop my ideas better.

What Makes An Essay

I think the most important aspect of an essay is it's thesis. If the thesis is clear, and has the essay's main points, then you can always refer back to the thesis in case you need reminding of the point of the essay. I also think that well developed ideas and quotes are very important. Sometimes people throw so many small insignificant examples into essays just to "fill" the essay, when really all you need are a few well thought out ideas, and your essay will be clear.

I believe that an essay is the best when it is clear and well developed. Also, it's nice and impressive to have large vocabulary words, but when the whole essay looks like it was translated straight onto thesaurus.com... you know something is wrong.