In the novel Wide Sargasso Sea Jean Rhys underlines the pressure that colonization and imperialism have on the relations between foreigners and natives of countries like Jamaica. By explaining to us the past life of Bertha (Antoinette) she brings out pieces of her own life experience. I noticed these similarities in her life when I thought about how Charlotte Bronte brought her personal experience into the life of Jane in Jane Eyre, through her experiences at school and life as a whole. Jean Rhys does the same thing in Wide Sargasso Sea, taking on a perspective of someone who until she was sixteen, lived in Dominica and around people who could have been like the characters in her novels. Because she does this so well, and exposes the readers to what life was like for the different races, she can easily portray what Antoinette was going through in her younger years.
The issue of race as far as colonization and imperialism is concerned was quite possibly the biggest influence on Jean's writing of Wide Sargasso Sea. Rhys' mother was a white Creole and her father a Welsh doctor. The impact that imperialism had on her younger life and relations with people of color is highlighted in her work through Antoinette. I think that it is evident that these type stories that Antoinette goes through, might not be entirely fictional and could have been something that Jean had heard happened or experienced herself.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Monday, February 18, 2008
O
One major contrast between O and Othelle to me was the age difference of the characters. In the play, Othello gets married, is a general, and much go fight wars. These are all factors of a very grown up lifestyle, Othello takes care of his new wife Desdemona and his career like an adult should. However, in the movie the characters are set in a time of adolcence, at a prep school. Dispite the fact that they still rely on their parents, teachers and coaches, the students try and find any way possible that they can defy rules in a way of being more independent. There are multiple parties, lots of alcohol and sex and some drug useage. All of which are means by which they go against the authorities over them. While the message is the same in both the play and the movie, the different ages allowed the play to resonate with me because I am only recently out of high school.
Because the movie takes place during a different era, and is focused on people of different ages, the actions and intentions of each character are observed as being more extreme than if the events occured between adults (although just cause the characters in the play are adults, that doesn't make it right.)
Because the movie takes place during a different era, and is focused on people of different ages, the actions and intentions of each character are observed as being more extreme than if the events occured between adults (although just cause the characters in the play are adults, that doesn't make it right.)
Monday, February 11, 2008
http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/morebio.htm
A particularly interesting note in this section I found that More was torn at whether to become a monk, or be involved in civil service. He first chose to be a monk, but later switched to being a member of Parliament.I wonder if his choice of occupation had any bearing on his writing of Utopia, perhaps he would have had a different outlook? Also I found that More didn't just get himself in trouble with Henry the Eigth, but also his predacessor, to the point where More's father was imprisoned.
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14689c.htm
While More's job may have been to work with the law, his hobbies and heart were in writing. He wrote a lot of poetry, in both Latin and English. A very striking piece of information to me was that More's second wife wasn't very intelligent. I assumed that his partner in life would have to be able to mentally keep up to par with him.
http://www.historyguide.org/earlymod/stmore.html
More had a daughter with his first wife and her name was Margaret, she married William Roper, who was More's biographer. According to his friend Erasmus, more had little to no concern about the well being of his own body. With the exception of large amound of alcohol, he didn't really care what went into his body. However, More would have rather dined on simple foods than delicacys of the time period.
As I've read More's story, some of it seems to parallel with the life of William Wilberforce. Wilberforce was a british politician who devoted a large part of his life to the abolition of the slave trade in England. He also had to make the decision between following God's work and the work of men. It was suggested to him that he could do both by changing the law of men to fit the will of God. He then set out against the slave trade, and after a long battle with Parliament, and his own health the Slave Trade Act was passed.
I look at these two men somewhat similarly because of their focus for the good of their God within their country. Perhaps More just took on the King and Wilberforce the Parliament which had impact on each of their outcomes. However, I think that the action that Wilberforce took upon the slave trade, one particular obsticle, was much greater than the work of More, who wrote out his thoughts in book, not even claiming them as his own. While More's death was in standing of what he believed, it was defensive and not offensive.
There is a wonderfully powerful movie out about William Wilberforce called Amazing Grace (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0454776/) about the slave trade struggle, Wilberforce and his personal life - along with the friends who helped him achieve his goal and those who stood in his way. I highly recommend it.
A particularly interesting note in this section I found that More was torn at whether to become a monk, or be involved in civil service. He first chose to be a monk, but later switched to being a member of Parliament.I wonder if his choice of occupation had any bearing on his writing of Utopia, perhaps he would have had a different outlook? Also I found that More didn't just get himself in trouble with Henry the Eigth, but also his predacessor, to the point where More's father was imprisoned.
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14689c.htm
While More's job may have been to work with the law, his hobbies and heart were in writing. He wrote a lot of poetry, in both Latin and English. A very striking piece of information to me was that More's second wife wasn't very intelligent. I assumed that his partner in life would have to be able to mentally keep up to par with him.
http://www.historyguide.org/earlymod/stmore.html
More had a daughter with his first wife and her name was Margaret, she married William Roper, who was More's biographer. According to his friend Erasmus, more had little to no concern about the well being of his own body. With the exception of large amound of alcohol, he didn't really care what went into his body. However, More would have rather dined on simple foods than delicacys of the time period.
As I've read More's story, some of it seems to parallel with the life of William Wilberforce. Wilberforce was a british politician who devoted a large part of his life to the abolition of the slave trade in England. He also had to make the decision between following God's work and the work of men. It was suggested to him that he could do both by changing the law of men to fit the will of God. He then set out against the slave trade, and after a long battle with Parliament, and his own health the Slave Trade Act was passed.
I look at these two men somewhat similarly because of their focus for the good of their God within their country. Perhaps More just took on the King and Wilberforce the Parliament which had impact on each of their outcomes. However, I think that the action that Wilberforce took upon the slave trade, one particular obsticle, was much greater than the work of More, who wrote out his thoughts in book, not even claiming them as his own. While More's death was in standing of what he believed, it was defensive and not offensive.
There is a wonderfully powerful movie out about William Wilberforce called Amazing Grace (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0454776/) about the slave trade struggle, Wilberforce and his personal life - along with the friends who helped him achieve his goal and those who stood in his way. I highly recommend it.
Monday, February 4, 2008
The spectrum of the wife of bath
Was the wife a good or a bad person? My answer to this question is that she was both - when she needed to be. Alisoun was a woman who was who she was because of the situations, trials and tribulations she has been through.
I view the wife of bath as a victim of her original circumstances who used manipulation to escape them. Once she was older and wise and in control, she was able to let her true and loving side shine through. And she may have learned from experience that you get more with honey then you do with vinegar.
"Therefore it is unnecessary for a prince to have all the good qualities I have enumerated, but it is very necessary to appear to have them. " Machiavelli's "The Prince"
This quote from Machiavelli's "The Prince" ran through my mind through out the entirety of reading the wife of bath. I believe that it applies to her story and the way that she lived her life, always hiding something from someone and appearing differently when the occasion called for it.
1"As help me God, I laughe whan I thinke
How pitously a-night I made hem swinke!
And, by my fey, I tolde of it no stoor." 201-203
In these lines the wife is beginning her personal tale and her stories about all of her husbands. From the exerpt it appears that the wife has taken control over her first husbands and would make them work for her, and she would never pity them. She is a negative person at this point, controling and power hungry. However, she only does these things because she needs to feel like she has control over anything since she had nothing. She could have been only 12 or thirteen when she acted like that, and not much more should be expected of someone that young who was thrown into marriage without consult.
2"The bacon was not fet for hem, I trowe,
That some men had in Essex at Dunmowe." 217-218
The bacon spoken of would be given to a couple who could swear after a year and a day that they had not quarreled within their marriage. This was never available for the wife of bath's men because she would constantly nag at them until an arguement would insue. She did everything she could to make them miserable. Although it was against common society, the wife of bath lived to make her marriages not work. This is a simple act of rebellion again from a 12 - (?) year old girl who wouldn't (and shouldn't have to) submit to the will of her arranged husband.
3"He shall have never the lasse light, pardee.
Have thou ynogh, thee thar not pleyne thee." 335 - 336
The wife of bath has a belief in regard to her first three husbands that ' as long as they are getting enough - who cares if someone else is getting anything.' This is her way of keeping them in line and committed to her. She offers them only what she has to in order to gain their obedience, but no one ends up being happy, only satisfied.
4"Whan that his shoo ful bitterly him wrong.
There was no wight save God and he that wiste,
In many wise, how soor I him twiste." 494
In reference to her fourth husband who cheated on her and was constantly drunk - the wife of bath proclaims that she got her revenge by torturing him how no one else could see. She speaks of how she is the shoe (A common metaphor for marriage at the time) that pinches him where no one can see on his foot but that she looks like the perfect wife from the outside. This was a very useful (although cruel) technique she used. For even though he was cheating on her, she wouldn't publicly disgrace him.
Through the experinces thus far, the wife of bath has learned how to deal with and manipulate men, however we see in the story of the fifth husband, and of the tale she tells that her mindset has changed somewhat.
5"We womman han, if that I shall not lye,
In this matere a queynte fantasye.
Wayte what thing we may not lightly have,
Therafter wol we crie all day and crave.
Forbede us ting, and that desiren we;
Preese on us faste, and thanne wol we fle. " 515- 520
When telling of her fifth husband the wife of bath first comes in contact with a man who does not allow her to verbally or sexually manipulate him. She speaks of how all women know that they want what they can't have and when offered something, it is no longer appealing. This is the constant circle through which the wife and her fifth husband go around. She only wants what she can't have and he will only offer her things that she finds displeasing. It is a turn of the tide when the wife of bath does not find herself able to get whatever she wants and it inspires in her a new way of going about things.
6"I with my fest so took him on the cheke
The in oure fire he fil bakward adoun.
"And he up stirte as dooth a wood leoun,
And with his fest he smoot me on the heed
That in the floor I lay as I were deed." 792-796
Here we see the wife's first non sexual force used on her husbands. She was so fed up with all of his talk that she flew into action to express her displeasure and he hit her back. This must have been the point in her mind (unless she has planned it all long) that Alisoun realized she could not forcefully control Janekyn. Therefore, she could have thought that she needs to convince him, that giving her power would be his idea.
7"But at the laste with muchel care and wo
We ille acorded by usselven two.
He yaf me all the bridel in mine hond,
To han the governace of hous and lond,
And of his tonge, and of his hond also," 811-815
....
"After that day we hadden never debaat.
God helpe me so , I was kind to him as kinde
As any wif from Denmark unto Inde," 822-824
After they had settled their disagreements he consented and gave her all the power over the household and over himself. This was exactly what Alisoun was looking for and it was what she needed to allow herself to be the dutiful and obidient wife that he had always wanted. She realized that to get control, she had to give what little she had. And he realized that to give her control was to have a happy and loving marriage.
Later - in the Wife of Bath's Tale, we see how her life story compares with that of the knight and the old woman.
8"My lige lady, generlly," quod he,
"Wommen desire ot have sovereynetee
As well over he housbond as her love,
And for to been in maistrie him above." 1037 - 1040
The knight who was given the task to find the answer to the question "what do all women most wish to have?" answers this to the queen in charge of his punishment. He has learnt from an old woman the answer he traded for any favor within his power. This correct answer (for none of the women dispute it) parellel's what the wife of bath is searching for in her life. She weaves this answer into her tale so that it will always be told of - that men might hear it and realize its truth; that women want to be either equal with or in control of their husbands. These lines just high light what the wife of bath has struggled with obtaining for most of her life.
9"My lady, and my love, and wif so deere,
I put me in your wise governaunce.
Cheseth yourself which may be moost plesaunce
And moost honour to you and me also." 1230 - 1233
Now at the end of her tale, the knight has taken the answer and applied it to his own life when his wife gives him two choices he puts them back on her, which makes her happy that he listened. He, in return gets a loving, obedient and beautiful wife. This is as the Alisoun's fifth marriage ends with them coming together and no longer being at odds, trusting that working together will get them through.
The wife of bath through the telling of her own story and then the tale shows one side of herself that is negative and a poor person who didn't have any say in her situation and did the best she could with what she was given. Once she suffered through those hard times, she came to the conclusion that the marriages can be better when made out of caring and when tended to properly. She was a woman of her situations.
I view the wife of bath as a victim of her original circumstances who used manipulation to escape them. Once she was older and wise and in control, she was able to let her true and loving side shine through. And she may have learned from experience that you get more with honey then you do with vinegar.
"Therefore it is unnecessary for a prince to have all the good qualities I have enumerated, but it is very necessary to appear to have them. " Machiavelli's "The Prince"
This quote from Machiavelli's "The Prince" ran through my mind through out the entirety of reading the wife of bath. I believe that it applies to her story and the way that she lived her life, always hiding something from someone and appearing differently when the occasion called for it.
1"As help me God, I laughe whan I thinke
How pitously a-night I made hem swinke!
And, by my fey, I tolde of it no stoor." 201-203
In these lines the wife is beginning her personal tale and her stories about all of her husbands. From the exerpt it appears that the wife has taken control over her first husbands and would make them work for her, and she would never pity them. She is a negative person at this point, controling and power hungry. However, she only does these things because she needs to feel like she has control over anything since she had nothing. She could have been only 12 or thirteen when she acted like that, and not much more should be expected of someone that young who was thrown into marriage without consult.
2"The bacon was not fet for hem, I trowe,
That some men had in Essex at Dunmowe." 217-218
The bacon spoken of would be given to a couple who could swear after a year and a day that they had not quarreled within their marriage. This was never available for the wife of bath's men because she would constantly nag at them until an arguement would insue. She did everything she could to make them miserable. Although it was against common society, the wife of bath lived to make her marriages not work. This is a simple act of rebellion again from a 12 - (?) year old girl who wouldn't (and shouldn't have to) submit to the will of her arranged husband.
3"He shall have never the lasse light, pardee.
Have thou ynogh, thee thar not pleyne thee." 335 - 336
The wife of bath has a belief in regard to her first three husbands that ' as long as they are getting enough - who cares if someone else is getting anything.' This is her way of keeping them in line and committed to her. She offers them only what she has to in order to gain their obedience, but no one ends up being happy, only satisfied.
4"Whan that his shoo ful bitterly him wrong.
There was no wight save God and he that wiste,
In many wise, how soor I him twiste." 494
In reference to her fourth husband who cheated on her and was constantly drunk - the wife of bath proclaims that she got her revenge by torturing him how no one else could see. She speaks of how she is the shoe (A common metaphor for marriage at the time) that pinches him where no one can see on his foot but that she looks like the perfect wife from the outside. This was a very useful (although cruel) technique she used. For even though he was cheating on her, she wouldn't publicly disgrace him.
Through the experinces thus far, the wife of bath has learned how to deal with and manipulate men, however we see in the story of the fifth husband, and of the tale she tells that her mindset has changed somewhat.
5"We womman han, if that I shall not lye,
In this matere a queynte fantasye.
Wayte what thing we may not lightly have,
Therafter wol we crie all day and crave.
Forbede us ting, and that desiren we;
Preese on us faste, and thanne wol we fle. " 515- 520
When telling of her fifth husband the wife of bath first comes in contact with a man who does not allow her to verbally or sexually manipulate him. She speaks of how all women know that they want what they can't have and when offered something, it is no longer appealing. This is the constant circle through which the wife and her fifth husband go around. She only wants what she can't have and he will only offer her things that she finds displeasing. It is a turn of the tide when the wife of bath does not find herself able to get whatever she wants and it inspires in her a new way of going about things.
6"I with my fest so took him on the cheke
The in oure fire he fil bakward adoun.
"And he up stirte as dooth a wood leoun,
And with his fest he smoot me on the heed
That in the floor I lay as I were deed." 792-796
Here we see the wife's first non sexual force used on her husbands. She was so fed up with all of his talk that she flew into action to express her displeasure and he hit her back. This must have been the point in her mind (unless she has planned it all long) that Alisoun realized she could not forcefully control Janekyn. Therefore, she could have thought that she needs to convince him, that giving her power would be his idea.
7"But at the laste with muchel care and wo
We ille acorded by usselven two.
He yaf me all the bridel in mine hond,
To han the governace of hous and lond,
And of his tonge, and of his hond also," 811-815
....
"After that day we hadden never debaat.
God helpe me so , I was kind to him as kinde
As any wif from Denmark unto Inde," 822-824
After they had settled their disagreements he consented and gave her all the power over the household and over himself. This was exactly what Alisoun was looking for and it was what she needed to allow herself to be the dutiful and obidient wife that he had always wanted. She realized that to get control, she had to give what little she had. And he realized that to give her control was to have a happy and loving marriage.
Later - in the Wife of Bath's Tale, we see how her life story compares with that of the knight and the old woman.
8"My lige lady, generlly," quod he,
"Wommen desire ot have sovereynetee
As well over he housbond as her love,
And for to been in maistrie him above." 1037 - 1040
The knight who was given the task to find the answer to the question "what do all women most wish to have?" answers this to the queen in charge of his punishment. He has learnt from an old woman the answer he traded for any favor within his power. This correct answer (for none of the women dispute it) parellel's what the wife of bath is searching for in her life. She weaves this answer into her tale so that it will always be told of - that men might hear it and realize its truth; that women want to be either equal with or in control of their husbands. These lines just high light what the wife of bath has struggled with obtaining for most of her life.
9"My lady, and my love, and wif so deere,
I put me in your wise governaunce.
Cheseth yourself which may be moost plesaunce
And moost honour to you and me also." 1230 - 1233
Now at the end of her tale, the knight has taken the answer and applied it to his own life when his wife gives him two choices he puts them back on her, which makes her happy that he listened. He, in return gets a loving, obedient and beautiful wife. This is as the Alisoun's fifth marriage ends with them coming together and no longer being at odds, trusting that working together will get them through.
The wife of bath through the telling of her own story and then the tale shows one side of herself that is negative and a poor person who didn't have any say in her situation and did the best she could with what she was given. Once she suffered through those hard times, she came to the conclusion that the marriages can be better when made out of caring and when tended to properly. She was a woman of her situations.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
The Wife of Bath Websites
http://www.universalteacher.org.uk/poetry/wifebath.htm - This first website that I've found has been very useful in looking at the history behind the time of the tale. I particularly enjoyed a section when the Wife of Bath is compared to her fellow travelers. The men that we know of from the other parts of the tales - and suprisingly, other women (who are nuns.) Through discussion we have been comparing the Wife of Bath to normal women, but everything seems so much more extreme when spoken of in the reference of nuns.
http://www2.latech.edu/~bmagee/201/chaucer/wife_notes.htm - On this page there is a wonderful chart showing comparisons of Microcosm, Mesocosm, and Macrocosm; or the individual, society, and the universe. It shows the human dominence over animals, the husband's over the wife, and reason's of passion. However, all of this is opposite concerning the Wife of Bath. Her love of passion has over taken her reasoning, she has rebeled against her place with her husbands, and her (With her spurs) taking control over the horse.
http://www.wsu.edu/~delahoyd/chaucer/WBT.html - One thought brought up in these passages is that the Wife of Bath's monolauge about herself is a stream of consciousness. This is an interesting perspective, what if she wasn't dropping hints or revealing secrets but just thinking aloud? Also - the Wife of Bath is the first to speak in a section of travelers who talk to each other about marriage. This makes me wonder what her fellow travelers have said and what kind of tone her story set. This quote comes to mind: “Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools talk because they have to say something.” ~Saul Bellow
http://www2.latech.edu/~bmagee/201/chaucer/wife_notes.htm - On this page there is a wonderful chart showing comparisons of Microcosm, Mesocosm, and Macrocosm; or the individual, society, and the universe. It shows the human dominence over animals, the husband's over the wife, and reason's of passion. However, all of this is opposite concerning the Wife of Bath. Her love of passion has over taken her reasoning, she has rebeled against her place with her husbands, and her (With her spurs) taking control over the horse.
http://www.wsu.edu/~delahoyd/chaucer/WBT.html - One thought brought up in these passages is that the Wife of Bath's monolauge about herself is a stream of consciousness. This is an interesting perspective, what if she wasn't dropping hints or revealing secrets but just thinking aloud? Also - the Wife of Bath is the first to speak in a section of travelers who talk to each other about marriage. This makes me wonder what her fellow travelers have said and what kind of tone her story set. This quote comes to mind: “Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools talk because they have to say something.” ~Saul Bellow
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
About Me
My name is Antoinette Robertson. My nickname is Toni. I have a brother who is now 15 and 6'1 and is very proud of the fact that he is finally taller than I am. My entire family is very tall. We have a German Shepherd dog who is 12 years old, and I love horses. My brother and I have participated in Martial Arts for six years. I was born in Arizona, lived in Wisconsin and now Virginia.
I am very happy to be at Longwood University, and am glad this is where I ended up. I currently am undeclared for my major, and am taking a lot of different classes to explore some options.
I am very happy to be at Longwood University, and am glad this is where I ended up. I currently am undeclared for my major, and am taking a lot of different classes to explore some options.
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