Blog Entry 3.2. Macbeth through footage

This movie filmed by Columbia Pictures seems to come out a while ago, but the intro of the movie is impressive. The reasons I chose this movie are because of the way the director of the movie develops, for example, the location, which is a blasted heath, where three witches appear first and the props in the ritual of three witches.

            Many symbols can be found in this footage which are the following: ominous call of birds, three witches, an arm cut, a rope used for guillotine, a dagger, a cane used by a witch, and blood-like red liquid. Most of the symbols in the footage seem negative. An unhappy call of bird implies an evil omen. An arm cut, a guillotine rope, and a dagger strongly indicate death. A dagger can also stand for betrayal because if a sword pertains to a war, a dagger is used to kill someone right next to you. Number three can indicate irresistible and divine power such as the trinity. In this movie, we can see one of the witches carries a cane. A stick or a cane of a witch, for example, is a symbol of superhuman skill. Sometimes a witch makes a mysterious liquid with weird materials such as unknown plant, a dead body of an animal, or someone’s blood. The blood-like fluid which is being used by the witches in the movie can be a magic fluid. The red color helps promote scary atmosphere.

            There are several meaningful gestures in the footage. In the scene when a witch makes the arm cut in a pit hold the dagger tells us that there will be a murder later on. When we want to hide something, we can bury it in the ground. The act of burying on a blasted heath implies that the three witches are working out a scheme. It is also interesting that after burying, they start spitting around the spot. Spitting is negative and filthy which can make people frown and sick. It is evident that the ritual just held by the witches is an evil omen. Even without sound effects, the audiences would notice that the witches are forming a plot to do something bad.

            As we can see throughout many types of literature, a witch usually conspires against a hero or a heroine and sometimes acts as an antagonist. Regardless of wheather if it is a comedy or a tragedy, if there is a witch, it is obvious that a hero will undergo a hard time. Usually, from the scene where he meets a witch, the play gets more interesting. When the tension comes to the maximum and he beats off the witch and overcomes the obstacles or the spell plotted by a witch, people are gratified with the result. Therefore, the archetype of a witch generates a reader's interest.

Blog Entry 3.1. Macbeth and three witches

Macbeth shows that as human being the craving for power can be irresistible. The royal general, Macbeth, and his wife assassinated King Duncan to take over the seat of power.  As we see in the picture, there are Macbeth and three witches who are surrounding Macbeth, whispering something into his ear. This picture is interesting because it is a dramatic moment in the play that Macbeth’s life attains a new era from a general to a king as well as a betrayer. The gesture of the witch on the bottom right hand side in the picture can be considered as the witch is saying something wicked such as an incantation or a curse into his brain. Therefore, Macbeth in the picture seems to scream and suffer from being under a spell.

A general usually indicates royalty, power, or braveness in terms of a symbol in literature. Generals go to the front and sometimes are killed in battle. They sacrifice their lives for their king, country, dignity, or honor. However, it is paradoxical that they sometimes betray their kings or countries just for a desire for power. Since the position of a general is close to the top of power, which is just right next to a king, generals are likely to fall into temptation for the top position. The allure of becoming a king from a lower position is a common writing theme throughout many kinds of literature.

 There are very interesting gestures in the picture such as whispering and covering one’s eyes. First of all, whispering indicates that there is something important, usually suspicious, going on at the moment between the characters. In the picture, one of the witches is whispering into Macbeth’s ear about his destiny. After hearing the prophecies, Macbeth’s life has completely changed from a royal general to a murderer and betrayer, which ultimately leads him to his death. Another important symbolic gesture in the picture is the act of covering Macbeth’s eyes. People cannot judge appropriately or logically and do not know what is going on around them if their eyes are covered. Since Macbeth is experiencing those two significant activities in the picture, it is evident that his life is not going to be the same as before.

A witch is one of the interesting characters in literature. The image of a witch is usually wicked and tricky and she brings about dramatic events to a hero or a heroine. Mostly, a witch plays a role as a “destructive unconscious force: for example, a repressed part of yourself (Dream Dictionary).” Since the archetype of a witch is negative, once she shows up or approaches the main characters, people would imagine that something negative will happen to the characters. As we see in the picture above, three witches are performing some sort of rituals that Macbeth will undergo to result in serious changes in his life. The three witches are covering Macbeth’s eyes so that he cannot see what is going on around him. One of the witches seems to cast a spell on Macbeth.
             Another interesting archetype in the picture is the number of witches. There are three witches surrounding Macbeth. Kent and Maria Carr state that “the number three represents unity… (Numbers as Archetypes)” Unity can be regarded omnipotent that a human being like Macbeth cannot go against it. It is the same ideas as people pray to the holy trinity- the father, the son, and the holy spirit. The three features are invincible that nothing can resist them. Three witches are blocking Macbeth’s view and surrounding him completely in the picture. It implies that Macbeth cannot resist the wicked power and cannot fight against his fate.

Works cited

“Dream Dictionary.” Myths-Dreams-Symbols. 22 Nov. 2003. Web. 25 Oct. 2010. <http://www.mythsdreamssymbols.com/ddw.html>

Carr, Kent and Carr, Maria. “Numbers as Archetypes.” HOME PAGE OF KENT & MARIA CARR, PH.D. 2003 Web. 25 Oct. 2010 <http://www.thearchetypalconnection.com/Numbers%20as%20Archetypes.htm>

Blog Entry 2.2: Altruist

          What does the picture above mean to me? The adult in the picture is the image of what I want to be when I become a father. As a father, I would like to give my children all my love throughout their lives. I would like to take care of my kids, playing baseball together, drawing on a wall in my house together, and so on.

          I am also planning to become a nurse at the moment. After I graduated from a college in my country, I worked for about three years as a mechanical engineer at an electronic company.

At some point, I realized that it was not what I wanted to be. After thinking over and over on my life, I made up my mind to become a nurse. Why? The reason is simple. I would like to work with people, taking care of people. I am not quite sure what lies in store for me as a nurse. As people say, nursing is not so easy, since dealing with people who are sick and tired does not sound very pleasant. I might be winding up seeing many people who moan in distress or groan with pain. Some people just get cranky and do not care what others around them would feel since they just do not have enough strength to care about others.

          However, I am the kind of person who tries to be optimistic as well as caring in any situation. When people find their situations desperate, I would help them get themselves hope and back to the bright side. I would like to find life fun every single moment, thinking life is worth living. When I picture myself wearing scrubs, I find it exciting as well as worthwhile. I am so glad that I got accepted into the nursing program at LaGuardia Community College. My life will be greater once I graduate and start working at a hospital or any facility. Looking after people is challenging yet rewarding. 

- Image from :

http://www.scientificamerican.com/media/inline/2337DE27-9848-80F7-4B92EACB3B6FBC85_1.jpg

Blog Entry 2.1 Christina Rossetti and her colorful literature.

                

           Christina Rossetti was born in an Italian family in London on December 5, 1830. Her father came to London to live in exile and her mother was Italian British. Rossetti is considered a one of the most important British female poets since her poems were creative and popular. Her original and creative writing was inspired by her home background. When she was younger, she saw many Italian politicians and writers who came to her place to see her father who was also a poet. Her mother led Rossetti to live as a devoted Anglo-catholic. In addition, her brother, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, was also a remarkable painter as well as a poet. She was engaged to a man, but the marriage ended up being cancelded because the man became a Roman Catholic. Since she decided to remain single all her life, she lived with her mother. She helped her mother, taking care of the household, seeking solace in religion, and devoting herself to writing poems. “Goblin Market” was published in 1862 and her brother, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, illustrated some pictures for the poem. English online tells us "because goblins sound as if they belong in a fairy story, it is often put in collections for young children.” However, since the poem can be interpreted in several ways, it is also considered to be a poem for adults.

            The plot of “Goblin Market” goes as follows. There are two siblings, Laura and Lizzie. They hear goblins’ touting every day. Lizzie warns Laura not to listen to goblins, but Laura ends up buying some fruits from goblins with her a lock of golden hair and a tear. After eating the fruits, she becomes more thirsty for the fruits, but she notices that she cannot hear goblin voices any longer. Due to the desire for the fruits, Laura becomes weakened. Her sister, Lizzie, winds up going to meet the goblins to buy some fruits for Laura with a silver penny. The goblins ask Lizzie to taste their fruits, but Lizzie turns the goblins down so goblins beat her up and force her to eat fruits. Lizzie was able to escape from the goblins and comes back home, getting her clothes wet in the goblin fruits. Laura licks the juice on Lizzie’s clothes, but that night Laura suffers from severe pain. Lizzie takes care of her sister, Laura, all night, then next Laura gets better in the end. In several years, they both become mothers and tell their children about the story.

            First of all, Rossetti used the assorted fruits to show how sweet and how irresistible the goblins’ fruits are(lines 5-14). The fruits also can be considered as “the pleasures of the world (English Online).” In terms of pleasure, the fruits suggest physical desire between goblins and Laura as well. Laura gave her a golden lock(line 126) and a tear(line 127) which show the image of virginity to the goblins which indicate the male. There is a character, Jeanie(line 147), which is  an subplot that gives readers some ideas of what is going to happen if Laura eats the goblins’ fruits. Laura might reflect herself, Rossetti the poet. Rossetti sacrificed her life to take care of her mother and mother-in-law throughout her life. According to the poem, “for the first time in her life /began to listen and look(line 327-328).” This shows that both Rossetti, who pursued a life of faith, and Laura tried to avoid anything disrespectful such as goblins or demon. It is also important to look at the poem from a historical and commercial point of view. Goblins sell products and Laura pays for them. Lizzie uses money to buy products. Enotes.com indicates that “such elements of the poem have been examined as statements about capitalism and the Victorian economy, as an exploration of the role of women within the economy and society, and, more specifically, as a discussion of the place of female literature within the economy.” The importance of women in the economy and society can be considered the result of the Industrial Revolution which was from the 18^th to the 19^th century. Even if Rossetti barely had social activities, she must have noticed that women’s status in society had raised.  Lizzie may serve the image of the Christ “who sacrifices herself to save her sister (Enotes).”

            The poem can be considered just a fairly tale which delivers a lesson that it is not a good idea to listen to strangers or you are likely to fall into a trap. As mentioned above, however, “Goblin Market” suggests several values such as sisterly affection, capitalism, and religious background. Fraternal love or religious feeling can be found in many literary works, but it is interesting that the poem indicates the phases of the times in terms of business. Rossetti tried to live in peace, helping the household and taking care of her mother, but since she lived in a transition stage, the era seemed to affect her literature. It is very interesting that a poem can be interpreted in several ways. Rossetti seemed to live a peaceful and quiet life, but her literature looks very colorful and interesting.

< Works cited >

http://www.englishonline.co.uk/freesite_tour/resource/literature/rossetti.html

http://www.enotes.com/nineteenth-century-criticism/goblin-market-christina-georgina-rossetti

http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/crossetti/rossettibio.html