Discussion on Literary Topics: Setting
The story takes pace on a countryside in the middle of nowhere. This adds to the theme of loneliness. It is clear that even though she is about to get married to the Bridegroom, the Bride clearly feels alone. She is not excited at all for her wedding, which is very strange for a bride to be feeling on her wedding day. She is very scared about making this decision to get married because it will last forever. It is said many times in the story how the house that they will be living in is away from everything and everyone. This adds to the anxiety felt by the bride. Everybody talks about this setting in a way that makes it seem like a very good thing. For example, the Wife is very jealous that she cannot afford to buy a similar property. The isolation that the setting represents is both metaphorical and literal in this story.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Comments
Ivan: Wild Duck Journal #2
I don't think it's strange that we can't see the characters' thoughts in this play. I think it adds to how Ibsen gives hints about the true situation but doesn't reveal it completely
Tate: Wild Duck Journal #3
I think this is a great representation of Hedvig's feelings. It captures her love for her family but at the same time the way it limits her.
Tanner: Wild Duck Journal #2
Good examples. Shows how the plays consist of constant "action" and an interesting plot.
Monday, May 23, 2011
The Wild Duck Journal #3
Comparison: "Although doubt is not a pleasant condition, certainty is an absurd one." In the light of this statement, explore the impressions of doubt and/or certainty conveyed in at least two works you have studied.
In Oedipus The King and The Wild Duck, it is clear that doubt leaves the main characters in a happier position than certainty does. This is because, according to the themes in these two plays, truth can only upset a situation that is running smoothly. For example, Oedipus enjoys life as king of Thebes. He loves his wife, his people, and his power. Once he searches and finds the truth about the murderer of Laius and his entire situation, he loses all three of these things. This shows how when he had lived in doubt, not knowing the truth about the situation allowed him to keep his throne and his happiness in tact, but once the truth comes out, his life takes a turn for the worse. One of the many themes of this story is that ignorance really is bliss. This is also shown through Hjalmar's situation. He is seemingly happy with his life, his wife, and his daughter. This is when he is living in the so-called doubt. He doesn't know about the possibility of his wife having their daughter with another man. He frequently says in the play that his daughter is the most important thing in his life, if he were to find out the truth about her, his life would be ruined. This shows that the quote mentioned above is conveyed and is consistent in these two plays.
In Oedipus The King and The Wild Duck, it is clear that doubt leaves the main characters in a happier position than certainty does. This is because, according to the themes in these two plays, truth can only upset a situation that is running smoothly. For example, Oedipus enjoys life as king of Thebes. He loves his wife, his people, and his power. Once he searches and finds the truth about the murderer of Laius and his entire situation, he loses all three of these things. This shows how when he had lived in doubt, not knowing the truth about the situation allowed him to keep his throne and his happiness in tact, but once the truth comes out, his life takes a turn for the worse. One of the many themes of this story is that ignorance really is bliss. This is also shown through Hjalmar's situation. He is seemingly happy with his life, his wife, and his daughter. This is when he is living in the so-called doubt. He doesn't know about the possibility of his wife having their daughter with another man. He frequently says in the play that his daughter is the most important thing in his life, if he were to find out the truth about her, his life would be ruined. This shows that the quote mentioned above is conveyed and is consistent in these two plays.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
The Wild Duck Journal #2
Discussion on Literary Topics: Links between two plays/ themes
Truth is clearly a very important theme in Oedipus The King and The Wild Duck, and the overall message in both of the plays are quite similar. The theme in both of the plays is that truth will bring unhappiness. Throughout the entire "investigation" of the truth by Oedipus, most other characters tell him to stop because the truth will hurt him. He decided not to take their advice, and sure enough, the truth ended up causing him great pain, implying that he would have been better off if he never would have found out what the truth really was. In The Wild Duck, this theme is shown when Gregers says "Just don't let her ever catch sight of the sea and the sky" when talking about the wild duck. This is because the duck is seemingly content with life in the attic, but if it were to find out what life could really be like (the truth about life), it would be very unhappy living in the attic knowing the kind of life that it could have. This reveals the theme of how truth causes unhappiness, and shows how this theme is consistent in both of these plays.
Truth is clearly a very important theme in Oedipus The King and The Wild Duck, and the overall message in both of the plays are quite similar. The theme in both of the plays is that truth will bring unhappiness. Throughout the entire "investigation" of the truth by Oedipus, most other characters tell him to stop because the truth will hurt him. He decided not to take their advice, and sure enough, the truth ended up causing him great pain, implying that he would have been better off if he never would have found out what the truth really was. In The Wild Duck, this theme is shown when Gregers says "Just don't let her ever catch sight of the sea and the sky" when talking about the wild duck. This is because the duck is seemingly content with life in the attic, but if it were to find out what life could really be like (the truth about life), it would be very unhappy living in the attic knowing the kind of life that it could have. This reveals the theme of how truth causes unhappiness, and shows how this theme is consistent in both of these plays.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
The Wild Duck Journal #1
Comparison: To what extent have you found it possible, in your consideration of literary works, to separate the individual from his or her public role? In you answer you should refer to any two or three works you have studied.
Based on the actions of Oedipus in Oedipus The King and those of Werle in The Wild Duck, it seems that it is very difficult for characters to separate the individual from his or her public role. This is shown through Oedipus because part of what drives his search for the truth is his image in his kingdom. He spoke very strongly about how important it was to find out who killed Laius. Even though he was told that it would bring him personal harm, he continued on searching in order to look powerful in the eyes of his people, this was his downfall. In The Wild Duck, Werle chooses to help Hjalmar, or at least makes it seem like he is helping him, but does so in a way that nobody finds out about it. This is because he doesn't want others to see him in a certain way. This is an attempt to separate his actions from his public role, but his public role certainly influences the way that he deals with personal events. It is clear that he cannot be separated from his public role when his son, Gregers, says "it just might occur that we never are alone." This shows that there will always be someone watching, so they must always act in a way that will satisfy their public role.
Based on the actions of Oedipus in Oedipus The King and those of Werle in The Wild Duck, it seems that it is very difficult for characters to separate the individual from his or her public role. This is shown through Oedipus because part of what drives his search for the truth is his image in his kingdom. He spoke very strongly about how important it was to find out who killed Laius. Even though he was told that it would bring him personal harm, he continued on searching in order to look powerful in the eyes of his people, this was his downfall. In The Wild Duck, Werle chooses to help Hjalmar, or at least makes it seem like he is helping him, but does so in a way that nobody finds out about it. This is because he doesn't want others to see him in a certain way. This is an attempt to separate his actions from his public role, but his public role certainly influences the way that he deals with personal events. It is clear that he cannot be separated from his public role when his son, Gregers, says "it just might occur that we never are alone." This shows that there will always be someone watching, so they must always act in a way that will satisfy their public role.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Oedipus The King Journal #3
Creative: Diary entry from any of the characters (Creon)
Today a witnessed the most despicable series of events that has taken place in Thebes. Oedipus, by not accepting the advice to leave the situation alone, found out that he was the murderer of his father, and the husband of his mother. The thought of revenge was constantly in Oedipus' head. He was upset with Tiresias and I for telling him the prophecy that Apollo had decreed, and he wished to exact revenge on us by finding out what he believed to be true; that we were plotting against him, that he was no murderer of kings and fathers. This thought of revenge and curiosity became his downfall, when he lost his wife, mother, pride, and sight. I suppose in a way, he's been blind for quite a while anyway. Still, after this revenge-filled mindset had brought extreme pain in his life, he wished to try again. He wished death upon the shepherd that saved his life as an infant. Imagine this, wanting the man that saved your life to be cursed or killed. Oedipus did not learn that revenge leads to nothing but pain, and he kept on trying for more. He fails to realize that revenge is synonymous with unhappiness. This is perhaps the greatest shame of all, the fact that he failed to learn from all of this. I am king now, I hope that I can lead these people justly, the gods know that they have been wronged in the past.
Creon
Today a witnessed the most despicable series of events that has taken place in Thebes. Oedipus, by not accepting the advice to leave the situation alone, found out that he was the murderer of his father, and the husband of his mother. The thought of revenge was constantly in Oedipus' head. He was upset with Tiresias and I for telling him the prophecy that Apollo had decreed, and he wished to exact revenge on us by finding out what he believed to be true; that we were plotting against him, that he was no murderer of kings and fathers. This thought of revenge and curiosity became his downfall, when he lost his wife, mother, pride, and sight. I suppose in a way, he's been blind for quite a while anyway. Still, after this revenge-filled mindset had brought extreme pain in his life, he wished to try again. He wished death upon the shepherd that saved his life as an infant. Imagine this, wanting the man that saved your life to be cursed or killed. Oedipus did not learn that revenge leads to nothing but pain, and he kept on trying for more. He fails to realize that revenge is synonymous with unhappiness. This is perhaps the greatest shame of all, the fact that he failed to learn from all of this. I am king now, I hope that I can lead these people justly, the gods know that they have been wronged in the past.
Creon
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Oedipus The King Journal #2
Comparison: Readers are attracted to moments of intensity in a writer's work. By what means and with what effect have writers in your study offered heightened emotional moments designed to arrest the reader's attention?
A very intense scene in Oedipus The King occurs when Oedipus is questioning the old shepherd about the day that he found a baby while he was herding his flocks. This scene is very important because it is when the readers/ audience find out that Apollo's prophecy had come true, and that Laius and Jocasta are indeed his parents. The Shepherd is reluctant to share his memories with Oedipus, causing him to become anxious and angry, calling for an intense scene. In order to amplify the intensity of the scene, the writer makes each character's dialogue very short to create a sense of back and forth between them, creating a sense of urgency. He also includes threats within this dialogue which creates a sense of fear within the Shepherd, adding to the intensity of the scene. This use of short dialogue between two characters creates a heightened emotional moment for the reader. audience.
A very intense scene in Oedipus The King occurs when Oedipus is questioning the old shepherd about the day that he found a baby while he was herding his flocks. This scene is very important because it is when the readers/ audience find out that Apollo's prophecy had come true, and that Laius and Jocasta are indeed his parents. The Shepherd is reluctant to share his memories with Oedipus, causing him to become anxious and angry, calling for an intense scene. In order to amplify the intensity of the scene, the writer makes each character's dialogue very short to create a sense of back and forth between them, creating a sense of urgency. He also includes threats within this dialogue which creates a sense of fear within the Shepherd, adding to the intensity of the scene. This use of short dialogue between two characters creates a heightened emotional moment for the reader. audience.
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