The Effect of Feminist Revolution in my Life Essay Example for Free

The Effect of Feminist Revolution in my Life Essay The feminist revolution in the 1990’s may be considered as one of the turning points in world history. From most countries that have been purely patriarchal in nature, the world evolved and suddenly man is no longer the entirely dominant sex in the society. As time passed, women acquired voice, will-power, and independence. The traditional women slowly dissolved and have been replaced by stronger women, in control, and no longer man’s subordinate but his equal and oftentimes his opponent (Badinter, 2006). This part of history has affected not only the women of those times but even the ones who came after them. I am part of the batch that came after the 90’s women and as a woman, I am grateful for the change that was brought by the feminist revolution. Because of it, I am not merely a shadow of a man, nor a doll that may be manipulated. I am a woman, who has her own mind, decides for herself, and defend it as much as she wishes. If the women of the 90’s did not revolt against the existing system, which had men dominated in the important aspects of society and perhaps life as a whole, there is a probability that my ideologies today are different. This is more potent due to the fact that I live in a country where Latin culture is dominant and my parents were raised under the strict rules that the culture dictates. This is actually where the feminist revolution has affected my life. It is undeniable that Latin culture dictates that men are the heads of the family. In the days before the 1990 feminist revolution, men ruled over almost every aspect of life with the justification from both religion and the government legislation. As the revolution opened more minds, pressure on branches of the state has forced it to gradually have modifications. Some rules that were not allowed before were given chances and observed for unwanted results. Women’s rights have been expanded. The effect of this are clashing opinions of both sexes (Htun, 2003). Since I am one of the liberal minded women, the problem that serves as an effect of history in my life is that my parents and I do not quite find a commonality in viewing some aspects of certain matters. First and foremost reason, I was born later than they were. The culture I have grown into is not the culture in which they were raised. My mother is very traditional and my father is very strict on imposing the same rules the he has grown into. Although I understand that generation gap should be bridged rather than widened, this becomes very difficult for me. I am a child of modernity and I go by the rules of it. I please my parents as much as I can. Despite this, there still seems to be lacking. The problem I find is that the changes that were brought about by the feminist revolution were good for some people, but to others, it has destroyed a tradition, a trademark of the culture. For instance, the Latin world, dominated by male suddenly had women with their own voices and will power, even ability to defy. It was good for the women because it somehow freed them of some men’s oppression. However, to the patriarchs of the family, whose life he devoted to keep his lineage together and standing, this is in a way hurtful. Perhaps it may be considered as ego-eccentric thinking; however, others view it as a means of preserving what has been prevailing from the start. The patriarchal families may have oppressed some of the women, but most families owe their stature from this setting. For this, people must be considerate. It should be taken to mind that their actions are surely, also results from another part of history. As I am, my parents are also effects of a past action. As such, I try to understand them. The gap between me and my parents maybe considered as an effect of history. I am grateful for to the pioneers of female revolution – for my way of thinking, my female strength and independence. It is somehow damaging to those who believe patriarchy so strongly. However, it should be noted that this same mind that the revolution has freed can understand the grief they may be feeling from suddenly losing total control. This same mind, which the revolution has fought for, can see through their anger. The revolution was not fought for vengeance, it was started for equality. And with that, women understand better. I know. I see. The effect of history to me is not only to be man enough not be oppressed, but to remain woman enough to be sensitive. References Badinter, E. (2006). Dead End Feminism. United Kingdom: Polity. Htun, M. (2003). Sex and the State: Abortion, divorce, and the family under Latin American Dictatorships and democracies. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Modules Speeches Essay Example for Free

Modules Speeches Essay Speeches are consciously designed to present particular ideas or values which seep into the audience’s consciousness and stay there’. Discuss the viewpoint in relation to the speakers’ exploration of humanitarian issues. The power of a dynamic and memorable speech lies both in the messages conveyed as well as the craftsmanship, which is consciously designed to present particular ideas and values. When the two combine to create a speech of power and resonance, as well as achieving textual integrity, the impacts are long felt within the audience’s consciousness, and are able to transcend time, echoing context and values. Former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating’s speech, ‘Funeral Service for an Unknown Australian Soldier’, Margaret Atwood’s ‘Spotty Handed Villainesses’ and Faith Bandler’s ‘Faith, Hope and Reconciliation’ each present particular ideas and values through their exploration of humanitarian issues. Consequently, these values and ideas each seep into the audience’s consciousness and develop a successful and memorable speech. Paul Keating’s transcendental eulogy addressed to the nation on the occasion of the historical 75th anniversary of Armistice Day in 1993 still echoes the notion of an Unknown Soldier today. Keating’s use of rhythmic flow and the powerful repetition of the recurring motif â€Å"we do not know† throughout the simple, yet effective speech, makes this a speech not to be forgotten. Harsh images of leather, metal and battlefield carnage are created through the repetition of ‘military’, which juxtapose universal feelings of joy and grief, with the sadness and regret that no one will ever truly know the identity of the Unknown Soldier. Through the anonymity of the Unknown Soldier, Keating identifies all soldiers and civilians lost during or because of the war. The use of objective, factual war statistics impresses upon the audience the monumental loss that this Unknown Soldier represented: â€Å"One of the 45,000 Australians who died on the Western Front†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Contrastingly, emotional and subjective lexicon is used throughout Keating’s eulogy, as the audience is unified by the employment of inclusive pronouns such as â€Å"all of us†, â€Å"our† and â€Å"we†, emphasizing the idea that the audience is a part of the nation. Battlefield carnage is depicted through the use of the rhetoric â€Å"the great war was a mad, brutal, awful struggle†, as well as incremental adjectives emphasizing the context and tone of the speech. Keating adapts a blend of both informal and formal terminology in order to sustain a broad audience and create a culturally inclusive atmosphere, which additionally increases the transcendental resonance throughout a larger audience, as made evident within the line â€Å"He is all of them. And he is one of us. † Through the inclusive statement â€Å"there is faith enough for all of us†, links are drawn between the â€Å"men and women†, as well as the understanding of the past to those of both a modern and future audience, and the unification of modern Australians to the concept of war, sacrifice and serving of one’s country in which the Unknown Soldier impresses. Through the sincerity portrayed within the ideas and values, and the use of statistics and rhetoric devices, Keating creates an everlasting, patriotic impression as well as his exploration of humanitarian issues and Australian mate ship throughout the speech ‘Funeral Service for an Unknown Australian Soldier’, which contributes to the resonance held within the audience’s consciousness. Drawing connections from ‘Funeral Service for an Unknown Australian Soldier’, Faith Bandler shares Keating’s emotional sincerity, as evident within her speech â€Å"Faith, Hope and Reconciliation†, addressed to a broad audience at the Talkin’ Up Reconciliation Convention within 1999. The speech centres upon the persisting flaws that prevent the Aboriginal people and white Australian nation from reconciling, and ultimately focuses on advancing towards the reconciliation of Aboriginal and white Australians. Aboriginal activist Faith Bandler engages her audience through a variety of techniques, such as her use of inclusive and personal pronouns, such as â€Å"I†, â€Å"we†, and â€Å"us†, made evident throughout the speech. She focuses fundamentally upon the values and ideas of â€Å"Faith, Hope and Reconciliation† throughout the speech, starting with her title, which draws allusions to both a pun played upon her name and to the biblical religious connotation of â€Å"faith, hope and charity†. Through this allusion, Bandler emphasizes the importance of reconciliation, as well as uniting the audience under a religious context. Bandler effectively creates longevity within her speech by drawing upon her own personal experiences, as shown in the line â€Å"My learning was rather hard and slow†, and calls for reconciliation through first person, as well as effectively establishing inclusivity and making her plea distinctively powerful. Through the use of emotive language such as â€Å"ugliness† and â€Å"terrible indignities†, and repetition throughout the speech, Bandler further reinforces her own personal connection to the speech, as evident within the line â€Å"a little sadness†¦terrible utterances†¦terrible tragedy† alluding to her own reconciliation experiences, which further creates resonance within her audience. Bandler reinforces the hardships faced by the Aboriginal Australians during the White settlement through the metaphor â€Å"those ramparts of the rugged past†, as well as the accumulation and the use of verbs throughout the speech. Through the use of a multitude of techniques, Faith Bandler’s effectively simple speech transcends time and civilization barriers by creating resonance within her audience through her powerful plea of reconciliation and her will to change Australia. Canadian novelist Margaret Atwood’s â€Å"Spotty Handed Villainesses† is a speech drenched in the language, ideas and values of the intelligentsia. Addressed in 1994, the speech is rich with high order language, and comprises a multitude of literary allusions as well as philosophical and feminist concepts, in order to appeal to her audience of academic women. Atwood’s speech focuses fundamentally on the core thematic concern based on the principle that writers and readers must not be constrained by the limitations imposed by the ideology of women in narrative form as mothers and nurturers. Emphasizing this, Atwood strays from the ideal female figure within literature and alludes to the murderesses displayed, particularly the complex Lady Macbeth, to whom the title refers. The opening of the speech skillfully engages the audience through Atwood’s humorous use of children’s nursery rhyme, which supports the ideas and purposes presented within the speech, as well as disarming and amusing the audience. Not all women are good. Atwood further creates satirical intrigue through a reference to her title, alluding to the idea that the speech may â€Å"refer to age spots†, or â€Å"that once-forbidden but now red-hot topic, The Menopause†. Spotty Handed Villainesses† ultimately maintains relevance throughout time through allusions to both high and lowbrow literature. Throughout the speech, Atwood challenges authors and readers to not be limited by the ideological approach of female characters. She describes restricting ideologies as ‘intolerable’ and ‘restricted’, her speech at this point both intellectual and colloquial, carefully constructing a resonance within the audience’s consciousness. Through the craftsmanship and design of a speech, as well as the exploration of humanitarian issues, particular ideas and values are presented which seep into the audience’s consciousness and stay there, as displayed through the study of Paul Keating’s speech â€Å"Funeral Service for an Unknown Australian Soldier†, Margaret Atwood’s â€Å"Spotty Handed Villainesses† and Faith Bandler’s â€Å"Faith, Hope and Reconciliation†.

The Enigma of Arrival by V.S. Naipaul

The Enigma of Arrival by V.S. Naipaul The Enigma of Arrival by V.S. Naipaul Sir Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul, also more generally know with his abbreviated name of V.S. Naipaul, is an English novelist who also indulged into writing essays throughout this life which he primarily spent in the United Kingdom. Originally, Naipaul comes from Trinidad where he was born on August 17, 1932 while also inhibiting Indian descent. Digging into his personal life, Naipaul was married to an English woman by the name of Patricia Hale for a duration of 41 years before she died with cancer in 1996. During his time with his Patricia, he was spotted numerous times in prostitution centers in London while also having a rather casual affair with Margaret Gooding, an Argentinean woman who was from Angolan descent. Today, he shares his life with his current wife, Nadrina Naipaul, who is a Pakistani journalist. Turning more towards his professional career as a writer, Naipaul has won numerous awards for his great strides in literature. In 1964, he won the Hawthornden Prize, in 1971 he captured the Booker Prize and in 2001, he was honored with the Nobel Prize in Literature. As he drew most of his attention in his writing towards realism and post-colonialism, his most gifted and notable works in his fiction creations were A Bend in the River, The Enigma of Arrival and A House for Mr. Biswas while turning to his non-fiction establishments, he was known for An Area of Darkness, India: A Million Mutinies Now and A Turn in the South. The novel, Enigma of Arrival, indulges us into the lone and calm English town of Wiltshire where the narrator, commonly perceived as Naipaul himself, rents out a small little cottage with rather large fields surrounding it and on the side, a river where the water flows so elegantly. Coming from Trinidad, he is rather unwary and has no idea what there is to expect in these new surrounding of his life. In the first section of the book labeled as â€Å"Jacks Garden,† Naipaul describes a garden full of life and subtleness and greets a man called Jack who is the owner of this property. Throughout the chapter, he realizes that Jack has not always lived there and that Jack has created this beauty with his bare hands which influences the narrator to believe that the surrounding of a home indicates the persons characteristics. As Jack dies in the dampness of his cottage and garden as he gets old, new people move in which indicates a change of guard. The story also takes a rather twist ed turn as the garden turns into a farm under the leadership of the new owners. Naipaul is rather modest and conservative though, living life by himself in this rather rural but arguably, comfortable place while taking in the acceptance of change. In the second chapter, â€Å"The Journey†, he focuses more on his experiences and thoughts when he first set foot in England. He recalls being quite oblivious to the English culture and that he was only this young, immature teenager who received a scholarship to attend Oxford. He indulges into a rather intense autobiography about how he reflects on the English who have changed him in a way that needed him to change his cultural grid. What furthermore comes to his mind is his experiences in a boarding house that he stayed in England and how he lived in Trinidad before occupying this subtle cottage in Wiltshire. He also reflects on his development as a writer and soon he realizes that however badly he wanted to leave England, he couldnt, because his audience and employment were rested in this country. Surely enough, he comes to the point where he summarizes all the great work he has completed to that date and looks deeper into the differences between two gazes – colonial and imperial. He notices that the colonial relates to the book 1984 by Aldous Huxley and how the Big Brother surveillance was something that he couldnt understand while on the other hand, his imperial view led him to control his characters in his stories while also indulging him into his narrative energy which couldnt be interfered with. Next up is the chapter â€Å"Ivy†, where Naipaul makes a vast and first appearance with his landlord who drives by him in his flashy and elegant car. Naipaul views him as a man with high social privileges and compares him to a man with a fringe what he previously sees who is the exact opposite as he writes about how life has begun differently for these two men, how one values something more than the other and how culture has created each man to who he is today. He comes back to talking about â€Å"Jacks Garden† again and how his visual interpretation leads this garden to be a state of art as he compares it to two painters, Constable and Giorgio de Chirico. The gardener, Pitton, is also mentioned as he one of the servants for the house and is someone who cant be bothered to look for another job since he is settling for less than he could possibly achieve in life. This makes Naipaul think and it throws him back to memories of how he has dealt with failure in his writing and as a human being. He relates to how important it is to be accepted by other people and how a true home can lead to someones well being. All in all, he creates a certain amount of hope as he looks into the future and sees time catching up with him. In the last two chapters, â€Å"Rooks† and â€Å"The Ceremony of Farewell†, the narrator talks about Alan, the ‘other writer in this novel who is a native towards this culture and understands the concept of the English. The most important part is the painting of Chirico which is identical to the name of this novel and how habituation is what creates vision and imagination. It also talks about how the journey of getting to a place creates the arrival and the thought of the place as Naipaul states that living in Wiltshire is another surprise in his life, however has gave him the power to accept chance. The story ends with the tragic death of Naipauls sister in Trinidad and the description of the Hindu ceremony that follows to honor her life. In a quote in the first chapter Naipaul states: â€Å"This idea of winter and snow had always excited me; but in England the word had lost some of its romance for me, because the winters I had found in England had seldom been as extreme as I had imagined they would be when I was far away in my tropical island.† (5). The seasons of a country do reflect the setting that it portrays and since England is mostly known for being rainy and gloomy, it might be looked at as a rather disliked place for tourists. However, coming from tropical islands, Naipaul experiences the cold weather as this influences his cultural grid to the change in climates. On the other hand, he expected more of the English winters and somewhat sounds disappointed in the adaption that he has to make. He tends to compare his old home with his new one and talks about the lack of romance that he has with this place. A certain ingredient of a lovely home is missing in England. In the second chapter, Naipaul recalls himself traveling to New York as he takes out his pencil: â€Å"When you licked the pencil the color became bright; dry, the color was dull. I had bought the pad and the pencil because I was traveling to become a write, and I had to start.† (106). Many different people travel for different things such as adventure, business, leisure, etc. That said, Naipaul was on a mission to capture the world with his own two eyes and mark down everything he saw which was new to him. He wanted to expand his cultural views and then felt the need to reflect on how he could relate to it in his own mind. Experience through travel is arguably stronger than the highest possible education as it indulges someone into a visual and emotional first person perspective on how the rush of the city lights can frighten you or how the background music in a bar can remind you of home. Naipaul travels for his own reason, for his profession of creating a diary which will keep memories of life, safe and sound. Soon enough, Naipaul starts to appreciate his surroundings as he recalls: â€Å"Whatever my mood, and how ever long or short my separation from the cottage, whether I had gone on an overseas assignment of many months of had simply done to Salisbury or had done for my afternoon walk, the first sight of the cottage on my return, breaking in upon me at the end of the short, dark lane from the public road, never failed to delight me.† (193). This quote shows a certain increase of maturity and respect over the years that he has been living in the house for. As he comes back to his home, sweet home, which at first sounds rather gloomy, he embraces it as it catches his eyes for being what it is. He appreciates the simplicity and recognizes the beauty of his surroundings as he is always content that nothing has changed, that it has been left untouched. It shows a rather strong character of the author since he doesnt look for tremendous wealth or a preppy public. His peace with the wo rld is calm and collected as he enjoys the way of life, the beautiful creation of mankind. In the other book that was written by Naipaul, An Area of Darkness, he does a rather good job in discriminating the things he doesnt like about a country. I see him doing that in this book too even though it is his country of residency. He complains about a few things, however I like how he appreciates the simple and important things in life. I feel like he has a great insight on what it means to be simplistic and not spoilt as he focuses on the values of a home, the people that surround him and in the meanwhile, he gives us a very passionate descriptive image of the cottage, the people and his life towards all those factors. I adored the fact that he recalled most of his past journeys in life as I could relate to every single one of them well since Ive done some extensive traveling myself, all over the world. I see him as someone to look up to, someone who talks from experience and who has seen the world. His perspective and opinions do get in the way of his narratives and novels a t times and this book was a rather slow and mellow read. However his grace of writing enhances people to expand their knowledge and culture to the world and shows them that traveling can make them brighter people. On another note, he dedicates this book to his loving brother, Shiva Naipaul, who died from a heart attack. His family values are never forgotten which inspires me. References Naipaul, V.S. The Enigma of Arrival. New York: Viking Press. 1987. Print.

The Problems with Voting in America Essay -- Politics Political Essays

The Problems with Voting in America If one were to look at the voting history as of late in America you would surely find information on the Florida catastrophe in 2000. The problem with our voting system today is in the technology being used; many demographic groups find our current systems confusing and hard to use. As voters step into the polling places this election year many will be voting through new devices some even sporting â€Å"touch screen† technology and we can only hope that the new technology is understood and accepted. In the US each municipality selects their own voting equipment regardless of what other places are doing. According to this CPSR article the Vote-O-Matic system has been in place for over ten years in many US counties and while some may view this technology as acceptable the Vote-O-Matic was a major player in the 2000 recount. Many municipalities have the funding to adopt new technology but others either feel uncomfortable with this change or don’t have the funding. The problem with the Vote-O-Matic is it uses paper ballots that consist of many...

Beowulf :: Epic of Beowulf Essays

Beowulf, the Hero The epic poem Beowulf, which was told from generation to generation honoring modern Anglo-Saxon beliefs, describes a heroic man who saves a village in their time of need. By definition a hero is a man of exceptional quality. Exceptional quality doesn’t even begin to describe the man that is Beowulf. Beowulf has many heroic characteristics from his super human strength to victoriously slaying monsters and other ferocious beasts. He has excellent leadership skills and commonly boasts of his achievements. Beowulf emerges as the true Anglo Saxon hero; who risks his life for the lives and well being of others. Others perceive Beowulf as a hero through his physical strength and stories of his glorious feats. Through all of the battles Beowulf fought he lost only two, and his last defeat would be the death of him. The first battle Beowulf lost was his competition with Breca. Unferth was an unbeliever of the strength and determination of Beowulf. Unferth taunted Beowulf one night only to be, in return, taunted back. "Are you the Beowulf that strove with Breca†¦risking your lives on the lonely deep†¦of ocean swimming with out-streched arms†¦with plowing shoulders parted the waves†¦seven nights you toiled in the tossing sea†¦his strength was the greater, his swimming the stronger!" (389-400). As Beowulf explained in his feud with Unferth, "We gripped in our hands naked swords, as we swam the waves, guarding us from the whales’ assault†¦freezing squalls, and the falling night†¦down to the bottom a savage sea beast fiercely dragged me†¦and so I was granted to slay with the sword edge nine of the nicors" (413-443). Basically Beowulf is trying to explain that the only reason he lost to Breca was because he had been swimming for seven days straight and he stopped along the way to kill nine sea creatures to make it easier for other travelers of the sea to get by. This was one of the first heroic acts Beowulf preformed. Through the eyes of an Anglo Saxon, Beowulf saved them from having to deal with the sea creatures, because the sea plays a major role in the life of the Anglo Saxon’s. Beowulf came to rescue the Anglo Saxon’s from a ferocious monster who was terrorizing their town. Beowulf’s uncle is king of the Geats and so he is sent as an emissary to help rid the Danes of this monster, Grendel.

Essay on Black Readers of Their Eyes Were Watching God :: Their Eyes Were Watching God Essays

The Enraged Black Readers of Their Eyes Were Watching God         Although Hurston's novel Their Eyes Were Watching God is a widely read novel today, that wasn't always the case. When her novel was first published, many black readers were enraged. It wasn't until the early seventies when Hurston's novel was rediscovered. What aspects of the novel enraged the readers so that it would be forgotten for more than thirty years?    One of the most important aspects of the novel that enraged the black readers was Hurston's portrayal of the white people. Readers complained that Hurston wasn't harsh enough in her critique of the white people's treatment towards the black people. Rather than portraying whites as the stereotypical "Simon Legree" of Uncle Tom's Cabin-the ideal poor, racist "white trash"-most whites that take part in the novel are contrarily very helpful towards the blacks and show great compassion towards them as well. For example, when Janie begins her story we meet the Washburns. These are the white folks for whom Nanny worked for and they are very helpful towards both Nanny and Janie by treating them as if they are part of the family. Contrary to a lot of whites at the time who treated blacks as if they were still slaves, the Washburns treat both Nanny and Janie as human beings rather than slaves, showing great respect and love. In a way they are portrayed as "angels" who truly believe in human eq uality and don't have one bit of prejudice in them. "Mah grandma raised me. Mah grandma and de white folks she worked wid...They was quality white folks up dere in West Florida. Named Washburn. She had four gran'chillun on de place and all of us played together..." (8).    Furthermore, by reading Hurston's novel, one can clearly see that all blacks place the whites on a pedestal of knowledge. According to the blacks of the novel, whites know everything and are always right; they are superior and since blacks are supposed to be ignorant and stupid, they should believe and do everything the whites say. For example, Mrs. Turner states that she trusts only white doctors because black doctors aren't as educated and skilled as the white doctors. "Don't bring me no nigger doctor tuh hang over mah sick-bed...White doctors always gits mah money" (135-136). Another example is when the Indians are evacuating the muck because they foresee a big hurricane coming and the blacks don't evacuate stating that since the whites aren't evacuating there's no reason to.

Poems: Poetry and Film Karate Kid Essay

Good morning teachers and students, our understanding of Hamlet takes many turns and the most important of these is in act 3 scene II. As a pivotal scene in William Shakespeare’s play, audiences gain an understanding of the characters and their actions leading up to this point. Many of the themes in the play come to light in this scene as the plot gathers pace and it is for all these reasons I chose this scene. Our understanding of a text is greatly affected by the context in which scenes take place. Act 3 Scene 2 transpires after a series of turbulent events and the increasing surveillance of Hamlet’s life. In the preceding scene Hamlet considers suicide in the â€Å"To be or not to be,† soliloquy after learning that his father’s sudden death was in fact a murder by his uncle Claudius’s hand. He plans to prove the ghost’s word by watching his uncle’s reaction to a play that follows the events of Hamlet’s father’s death. Hamlet also confronts Ophelia and denounces her and women in misogynous diatribe overheard by the spying Polonius and Claudius. After hearing this Claudius decide to export Hamlet to England with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, as â€Å"madness in great ones must not unwatched go†. The latter gives audiences insight to later events in the play. Context is the basis of our understanding of certain lines, soliloquies and actions and overall affects our understanding of the entire play. The ‘Play within a play’ scene is a pivotal scene in Hamlet and its significance resounds throughout the rest of the play. It is a scene dripping in dramatic irony because Hamlet triumphs over the king in full public view while Claudius deals in secret to obtain information. The scene comes as the action following Hamlet’s musings of death, and the relative inaction of the first two acts. Knowing he was correct about his father’s murder Hamlet is emboldened and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern then sets out to confront his mother fracturing numerous relationships. Furthermore, Claudius’s sudden exit from the play raises the question whether he was reacting to the guilt of murdering his brother or to the act of Lucianus, the murdering nephew of king Gonzago in the Mouse Trap, possibly foreshadowing his own death. Either could be the trigger of Claudius’s decision too have Hamlet killed in England. The significance of this particular scene is undeniable because of its importance is upheld throughout the rest of Hamlet and this is why it affects audiences understanding of the entire play. As a pivotal scene, many themes in Hamlet are present including action versus inaction, espionage, revenge and deceit. These mix into a tangible cocktail to which audiences are more likely to pay attention to and gain better understanding. The scene provides the first ‘action’ in the play after driving uncertainty of the first two acts, the audiences reaction epitomised in a player’s line â€Å" so after Pyrrus’ pause, a roused vengeance sets him to work†. Revenge is the motive behind Hamlets writing of the play. Espionage makes another appearance in Hamlet’s urging Horatio to ‘observe my uncle. If this occulted guilt do not unkennel itself in one speech, it is a damned ghost we have seen† Rosencrantz and Guildenstern deceitfulness comes to an end when Hamlet turns the tables on them using the metaphor of how he was played like a pipe then later abandoning and sending them to their deaths. The presence of themes allows audiences to make connections with dialogue and leads to heightened understanding of the play and this is why act 3 scene 2 is crucial to the understanding of the entire play. A plethora of literary devices is used throughout the scene causing the meanings of numerous lines to be left up to the audience’s interpretation. Use of dramatic irony, alliteration, metaphor, pun, repetition and others highlights lines that are of greater importance for example, Hamlet’s mocking â€Å"what, frightened with false fire! † to his uncles reaction to the murder as well as the extended metaphor of hamlet being a pipe played upon by Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. The dramatic irony of the scene is important, as it is Hamlet’s action that snowballs into the different outcomes. Hamlet’s rhyming flattery to Horatio is full of literary techniques like alliteration (need example), possibly highlighting his desperation to keep one faithful friend by his side or adoration or want of Horatio’s balanced character. Hamlets jovial punning makes light of all that said to him by authority figures, this being an attempt at showing possible rebelliousness or more likely showing his enthusiasm for the outcome of the play’s impact on the king. We do not know which part of the play Hamlet scripted so it can be assumed that some of his own feelings are showing through the repetition of love and fear whether this be about his love of Ophelia or incestuous thoughts about Gertrude. Understanding of act 3 scene 2 is crucial to our understanding of Hamlet. This is assisted through the uses of literary techniques, the presence of many themes to capture audience’s attention, the significance of these and the context in which the scene takes place. These combine to make this scene of upmost importance to our interpretation of the entire play and that is why it was chosen. 5min14secs Matt: I’ve re-worked your speech below using as much as possible, cutting out the repetition, and suggesting where examples from the play are needed to illustrate your point. We can add these in tomorrow as I want you to go through this process of selecting appropriate egs with me. Apologies for typos – something is rotten in the state of our computer (ref to the play, sorry! ) â€Å"The play is the thing in which I’ll catch the conscience of the king† [Good morning teachers and students, our understanding of Hamlet takes many turns and the most important of these is in act 3 scene II. As a pivotal scene in William Shakespeare’s play, audiences gain an understanding of the characters and their actions leading up to this point. Many of the themes in the play come to light in this scene as the plot gathers pace and it is for all these reasons I chose this scene. Too vague: needs a more dramatic opening eg rhetorical question, or fabulous quote or natty and relevant anecdote or recent current happening that you can relate to this scene to catch the audience attention. The intro needs also not to waste words that could refer to specific context, themes, dramatic techniques, particular character development and plot development. Adding language aspects into this intro may be overdoing it but the word play on the idea of the â€Å"play† and â€Å"play within the play† might work. ] e. g. Can you think of a more delicious irony or more dramatic way of catching out a murderous hypocrite like Claudius than putting on a play in full public view that shows two audiences – the court of Denmark and us – how he killed the rightful king? Especially since we know that Claudius has set up all those who are closest to Hamlet, except for the faithful Horatio, to spy on him in secret! I chose this play within the play scene – Act 3 Scene II – for a number of reasons: firstly, for the lovely dramatic irony I just mentioned; secondly, it is pivotal in terms of resolving Hamlet’s doubts and advancing the plot towards the final bloody end; thirdly, it is very satisfying drama, with lots of action following on from the lengthy musings and relative inaction of Hamlet’s famous. â€Å"To be or not to be† soliloquy; in addition it reflects a number of key themes and preoccupations of the play, including that of surveillance; and finally it is incredibly dramatic and beautifully written, with lots of the fantastic and funny word play, vivid images and other literary and dramatic techniques we all love about Shakespeare. This scene, as I said in the introduction, is pivotal in terms of the action of the entire play, and also in terms of Hamlet’s evolution, from inactive to hyperactive. In the preceding scene Hamlet considers suicide after learning from the Ghost that his father’s sudden death was in fact a murder by his uncle Claudius. The Ghost is a mysterious character about whom there are considerable doubts – does he represent the troubled state of Denmark following the death of a beloved and heroic king and/or does he represent H’s traumatised mind following the sort of tragedy that would unhinge most of us. [ref to a critic here? ]. Whatever we say about Hamlet and his tendency to overdo the thinking aspect of life, he does approach problems with a fair and scientific mind: he does resolve to kill his father’s murderer, but, fair enough, as death is reasonably permanent, even for Shakespeare’s religious audiences, he set up the play within the play as a kind of controlled test for his uncle, whom the Ghost purporting to be King Hamlet has said killed him: He tells Horatio to observe his uncle during the  play as well and â€Å"after we will both our judgments join in censure of his seeming†: this does indicate that Hamlet, despite his understandable hatred of Claudius, is a fair man, who is also aware of the seriousness of killing the man who is now King of Denmark. Elizabethan audiences would have recognised Hamlet’s hesitation about killing the King as reasonable, just as they would have seen his vengeance once his suspicions had been confirmed, as justified. This scene also follows Hamlet’s misogynist confrontation of Ophelia which is overheard by the spying Polonius and Claudius, who decides at this point to export Hamlet to England with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, since â€Å"madness in great ones must not unwatched go†. Since Ophelia had also been encouraged to spy on Hamlet, we now have his dastardly uncle, his school friends, and his fiance, not to mention his mother, keeping a close watch on Hamlet: no wonder he needed a theatrical outlet! However, seriously, we see here a recurring and important theme in the entire play, that of spying and surveillance. The Michael Almereyda directed film version of Hamlet with its constant CCTV cameras and Hamlet’s speaking into the cameras provide the perfect representation of the sense of inescapable surveillance that Hamlet feels he is under throughout the play. : FIND QUOTES re SPYING IN THIS SCENE. Another key theme of this play within the play scene. amd to the entire play, that relates to the spying is that of deceit, and of illusion masking the reality. The play Hamlet devises to catch the King out is called â€Å"The Moustrap†, and its aim is to depict the exact way in which Claudius killed his brother, that is, by pouring poison into his ear, not the commonest way to kill someone! If King Claudius reacts is a guilty manner, presumably this demonstrates his guilt. So Hamlet’s goal is to unmask his uncle in front of the entire court, including the wife he has won so wrongfully. Plays are a theatrical form of illusion, masquerading as reality, just as Claudius in killing the rightful king, marrying his widow and acting as a legitimate King, is masquerading. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are similarly masquerading as Hamlet’s friends, while in reality they are deceitfully reporting on his actions and words to his treacherous uncle. The play within the play traps Claudius just as Hamlet himself must have felt trapped within this world without honesty and fidelity. The theme of honesty and reliability, those qualities that Hamlet craves and finds in no-one but his friend Horatio, provides a key to a deeper understanding of Hamlet’s apparently cruel behaviour towards his mother and also Ophelia, and also to Polonius and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. â€Å"Give me that man/That is not passions’s slave .. and I will wear him/ in my †¦ heart of hearts†: Hamlet, having suffered the worst tragedy one can imagine, finds no person in his circle whom he can trust except for Horatio. [ repetition Our understanding of a text is greatly affected by the context in which scenes take place. Act 3 Scene 2 transpires after a series of turbulent events too vague – what events? References like this read like padding and markers know it! ] and the increasing surveillance of Hamlet’s life. The play within the play leads us to a focus on another potent theme of this scene and of the entire play: revenge! â€Å" So after Pyrrus’ pause, a roused vengeance sets him to work†. Revenge is the motive behind Hamlet’s writing of the play, and once his suspicions have been confirmed, Hamlet is ready to turn his vengeful thoughts into action. This scene is brilliant drama! There is beautiful dramatic irony in Hamlet’s selection of a play to trap the guilty king. And there is lots of discussion of theatrics, and how the players should speak their lines, which reveals Shakespeare’s own deep understanding of the craft of acting, the more realistic version being more like his own preferred style: â€Å"Nor do not saw the air too much with your hand †¦ the purpose of playing,.. is to hold the mirror up to nature†, that is to act as one would speak and act out such lines in reality. Critics say that Shakespeare is having a go here at the plays of Chrsitopher Marlowe and the players such as Edward Alleyn at the Rose Theatre, who was known for a rather exaggerated approach to acting. Whatever the origins of these descriptions of how NOT to act, they are very funny, and must have made an Elizabethan audience as well as myself, a 21 century lad, laugh! â€Å"O it offends me to the soul to hear a robustious periwig-pated fellow tear a passion to tatters: etc. [we need egs of each of these Use of dramatic irony, alliteration, metaphor, pun, repetition and others] Shakespeare’s literary teachniques also work brilliantly in this scend. As well as the dramatic irony, we have superb play on words combining wioth the extended highlights lines that are of greater importance for example, Hamlet’s mocking â€Å"what, frightened with false fire! † to his uncles reaction to the murder as well as the extended metaphor of hamlet being a pipe played upon by Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. The dramatic irony of the scene is important, as it is Hamlet’s action that snowballs into the different outcomes. Hamlet’s rhyming flattery to Horatio is full of literary techniques like alliteration (need example), possibly highlighting his desperation to keep one faithful friend by his side or adoration or want of Horatio’s balanced character. Hamlets jovial punning makes light of all that said to him by authority figures, this being an attempt at showing possible rebelliousness or more likely showing his enthusiasm for the outcome of the play’s impact on the king. We do not know which part of the play Hamlet scripted so it can be assumed that some of his own feelings are showing through the repetition of love and fear whether this be about his love of Ophelia or incestuous thoughts about Gertrude. Understanding of act 3 scene 2 is crucial to our understanding of Hamlet. This is assisted through the uses of literary techniques, the presence of many themes to capture audience’s attention, the significance of these and the context in which the scene takes place. These combine to make this scene of upmost importance to our interpretation of the entire play and that is why it was chosen. 5min14secs Character development – in this question