What sort of a relationship did Ivan Ilyich have with his wife?
Ivan Ilyich did not have a very good relationship with his wife due to the fact that I believe he most likely married her to keep his image as proper and sophisticated. As they were married longer and longer he realized that his wife does not really understand him, especially when he figures he out he is dying. As he awakens to the fact that he does not actually like her, he grows closer and closer to his work and distants himself from his family.
What is the major concern of his friends?
His supposed friends are mostly concerned with who will replace Ivan’s job which I believe is dude to the fact that even Ivan’s major concern was his job. His main goal was to maintain his job and be proper. He strived for this so much that he was not able to create genuinely strong relationships out of exception with Gerasim. His tale is one of lonely pursuit for success.
What is the role of Gerasim in The Death of Ivan Ilyich?
I believe Gerasim’s role in the story is kind of depressing. A man lives his whole life without any strong friendships or relationships, but when he finally finds out how nice it to be understood by someone else, he is on his death bed. Although, her role can also be seen as Ivan’s fulfillment in life that he finally learned what it is to be happy and to connect with another person.
What emotions are demonstrated from his wife? What gaps exist between internal and external expressions of emotion? Why do you think such gaps exist?
During the mourning processes his wife plays the act of the depressed wife and cries a lot; however, when Ivan’s pension has to be discussed she happens to keep a straight face and know quite a bit about how to make the most of Ivan’s money. The gap exists right between there, internally she does not care about his death and just wants his pension, while externally she puts up a façade. I think this gap also exists for his friends and co-workers who can only think about whether they are going to make a card game during Ivan’s memorial.
What are the character qualities of Ivan Ilych as a child and school boy?
Ivan Ilych is the “happy mean” between his two brothers because he is neither cold and formal nor wild and reckless. At age thirteen he enters the school of law and his characteristics include being proper and agreeable. The most important characteristic though was that from such a early age he was attracted to socially high standing people as if a “fly drawn to light”.
How do these traits shape his adult life and behavior?
I believe these traits directly shape his adult life because he is constantly trying to attain a higher position and keep a “proper” image. His commitment is completely to his work because he is good at it. His relationship with his wife gets weaker and weaker because he realizes he is not good at dealing with it so he goes back to what he strives at.(537)
Friday, September 28, 2007
Friday, September 21, 2007
Antigone
The story of Antigone is a depressing one filled with curses and an awful turn of events due to the stubbornness of one person: Creon. Polynices and Eteocles, the brothers of Antigone and Ismene, kill each other in battle and Polynices is not allowed a proper burial because he fought against Thebes. Antigone is outraged against the idea that he can not have a respectful burial and from her innate wanting to restore honor to her sibling she creates a cataclysmic situation.
What does Antigone want Ismene to do?
Antigone wants Ismene to help fight against the dishonor towards Polynices. She has very strong feelings towards this and creates a deep conflict with Ismene. Antigone is asking her sister to compromise her self in order to die in honor, but maybe that is too much to ask for from a person.
According to Ismene, what should women not do?
According to Ismene, women should stay in their place and just follow their roles. She disagrees with Antigone and decides not to help her out because it may cost her life. Antigone is appalled and views her as weak, yet Ismene can not be blamed for not helping.
Do you consider Antigone or Creon the more important character in this play? Or do you consider them both equally important? In your response, consider why one or the other, or both, might deserve the title of protagonist or tragic hero.
This a tough question and I would have to say that both characters could satisfactorily be the tragic hero and that they are equally important to the story. They both headstrong and desire the same thing: to fight for what they think is right. Antigone believes Polynices should have a proper burial because he is her brother and Creon thinks that he does not deserve one because he was a fighter against Thebes. In a situation like this, I would say that Creon could be right. For example, today in politics if someone came and fought against the country, such as a terrorist, I would believe that they would not be treated the same as an American and that he probably would not be respected. I really think this question is a matter of how you look at it.
What vision of rulership does Creon set forth? To what extent does he follow through with this and what would you say is Creon’s most important mistake?
Creon believes he is the king and that he is everything. He must make decisions without doubt and that Thebes is HIS city and responsibility. He has a good view; however, he takes it too far and gets stubborn. He begins to think everything is about him and his honor. He takes the situation at hand too personally. For example, when Haemon says the death of Antigone will bring upon another death, Creon takes it as a threat rather than realizing that his son meant his own death. Instead of worrying about such a medial burial he should have been focusing on real political issues. His stubbornness eventually leads to the death of many, two of which important to him.
With what powers does Antigone align herself with and would you say her mission has more to do with personal issues or religious piety?
She says that being respected by the gods is better than following immoral rules set by Creon. Although she says this, I believe it is truly a personal issue. When one loses a sibling irrational, yet bold actions tend to take place.
Do Antigone's choices have anything in common with the choices and situations in Oedipus's life? Is Antigone's tragic fate the result of an inevitable destiny or does she make choices which contribute to the fulfillment of that fate?
Her choices are kind of similar in the way that she and Oedipus both strive due to their urge to do what is right. Also, this urge of theirs both leads them to several deaths. Oedipus’s death was due to inevitable destiny, but Antigone’s fate I believe was from her choice. She chose to fight for what she though is respectful and died for it. In my opinion, that is a honorable death and I have no doubt in my mind that she fulfilled what she wanted before death.
In the end, Creon’s battle with Antigone lead to the death of his loved ones. I think Sophocles intended for this to happen to show that he believes Antigone is right and that maybe loyalty to one’s family should come before loyalty to a piece of land. Antigone died and was happy dying to get Polynices buried properly so really in the end, Antigone died happy while Creon lived to witness his son and wife die.(768)
What does Antigone want Ismene to do?
Antigone wants Ismene to help fight against the dishonor towards Polynices. She has very strong feelings towards this and creates a deep conflict with Ismene. Antigone is asking her sister to compromise her self in order to die in honor, but maybe that is too much to ask for from a person.
According to Ismene, what should women not do?
According to Ismene, women should stay in their place and just follow their roles. She disagrees with Antigone and decides not to help her out because it may cost her life. Antigone is appalled and views her as weak, yet Ismene can not be blamed for not helping.
Do you consider Antigone or Creon the more important character in this play? Or do you consider them both equally important? In your response, consider why one or the other, or both, might deserve the title of protagonist or tragic hero.
This a tough question and I would have to say that both characters could satisfactorily be the tragic hero and that they are equally important to the story. They both headstrong and desire the same thing: to fight for what they think is right. Antigone believes Polynices should have a proper burial because he is her brother and Creon thinks that he does not deserve one because he was a fighter against Thebes. In a situation like this, I would say that Creon could be right. For example, today in politics if someone came and fought against the country, such as a terrorist, I would believe that they would not be treated the same as an American and that he probably would not be respected. I really think this question is a matter of how you look at it.
What vision of rulership does Creon set forth? To what extent does he follow through with this and what would you say is Creon’s most important mistake?
Creon believes he is the king and that he is everything. He must make decisions without doubt and that Thebes is HIS city and responsibility. He has a good view; however, he takes it too far and gets stubborn. He begins to think everything is about him and his honor. He takes the situation at hand too personally. For example, when Haemon says the death of Antigone will bring upon another death, Creon takes it as a threat rather than realizing that his son meant his own death. Instead of worrying about such a medial burial he should have been focusing on real political issues. His stubbornness eventually leads to the death of many, two of which important to him.
With what powers does Antigone align herself with and would you say her mission has more to do with personal issues or religious piety?
She says that being respected by the gods is better than following immoral rules set by Creon. Although she says this, I believe it is truly a personal issue. When one loses a sibling irrational, yet bold actions tend to take place.
Do Antigone's choices have anything in common with the choices and situations in Oedipus's life? Is Antigone's tragic fate the result of an inevitable destiny or does she make choices which contribute to the fulfillment of that fate?
Her choices are kind of similar in the way that she and Oedipus both strive due to their urge to do what is right. Also, this urge of theirs both leads them to several deaths. Oedipus’s death was due to inevitable destiny, but Antigone’s fate I believe was from her choice. She chose to fight for what she though is respectful and died for it. In my opinion, that is a honorable death and I have no doubt in my mind that she fulfilled what she wanted before death.
In the end, Creon’s battle with Antigone lead to the death of his loved ones. I think Sophocles intended for this to happen to show that he believes Antigone is right and that maybe loyalty to one’s family should come before loyalty to a piece of land. Antigone died and was happy dying to get Polynices buried properly so really in the end, Antigone died happy while Creon lived to witness his son and wife die.(768)
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Oedipus
A major idea in this reading is that Oedipus wants to finally figure out the truth about his prophecy. A messenger comes and informs him of his supposed father’s death, Polybus. Oedipus and the queen Jocasta are heavily relieved; however, the messenger tells them that Oedipus was not really his son, but actually just a gift to Polybus from he messenger. That unravels a strong urge for Oedipus to learn what happened in his childhood.
A Messenger describes what happened when Oedipus entered the palace and saw that Jocasta had hanged herself. How might hearing this event rather than seeing it change an audience's perspective on the events?
I think that they hear about it first in order for it not to overshadow the important events going on at the time. It is done that way for it not to take precedence over Oedipus’s big moment finding out the truth and later gouging his eyes out in despair.
Regarding the same episode, what symbolic implications emerge from Oedipus' blinding himself? Do you find his action courageous and heroic, or do you interpret it some other way? Explain.
I think this refers to the earlier conversation with the blind man. Oedipus once believed if one was blind it was not possible to know much due to the lack of sight; however, after finding out the truth about his life he blinds himself and then realizes that he knows more than ever before as a blind man. I also the act of blinding himself came from a mixture of shock and guilt. He did indeed kill his father and sleep with his mother.
Oedipus laments and seeks exile. How does he understand what has happened to him? Why is it necessary that the audience hear him after all that has occurred?
Oedipus understands the whole situation because he forced a messenger and shepherd to tell him everything they knew about his childhood. He realizes that his life is cursed and I think it is necessary for the audience to hear him lament to Creon about exile and death so they can see that Oedipus did not want this fate and that it really is not in his control. I believe it sympathizes him and shows him as a true man to step up and take responsibility.
Also there are a few ironic moments I found in this reading. One example is on the pages 218-220. The following speech with the old man is ironic because that messenger had just told him that Polybus, his father, was dead and that brought relief to Oedipus because that would mean the prophecy was not true. But then unexpectedly the messenger told him that Polybus was not his blood father. Therefore, Oedipus had avoided Corinth his whole life due to the fact that his “fake” dad was ruling when he really could of safely gone back.
On pages 236-248, the general situation is ironic because if the shepherd had just killed Oedipus as ordered by Laius, his whole tale would not have occurred. I find that kind of funny that such a small decision can have such a big future impact. Also, when Oedipus gouges his own eyes out it is very ironic because he was so insistent on finding out the truth about this his curse, then after he does he decides that he does not want to lay eyes on the truth anymore. (570)
A Messenger describes what happened when Oedipus entered the palace and saw that Jocasta had hanged herself. How might hearing this event rather than seeing it change an audience's perspective on the events?
I think that they hear about it first in order for it not to overshadow the important events going on at the time. It is done that way for it not to take precedence over Oedipus’s big moment finding out the truth and later gouging his eyes out in despair.
Regarding the same episode, what symbolic implications emerge from Oedipus' blinding himself? Do you find his action courageous and heroic, or do you interpret it some other way? Explain.
I think this refers to the earlier conversation with the blind man. Oedipus once believed if one was blind it was not possible to know much due to the lack of sight; however, after finding out the truth about his life he blinds himself and then realizes that he knows more than ever before as a blind man. I also the act of blinding himself came from a mixture of shock and guilt. He did indeed kill his father and sleep with his mother.
Oedipus laments and seeks exile. How does he understand what has happened to him? Why is it necessary that the audience hear him after all that has occurred?
Oedipus understands the whole situation because he forced a messenger and shepherd to tell him everything they knew about his childhood. He realizes that his life is cursed and I think it is necessary for the audience to hear him lament to Creon about exile and death so they can see that Oedipus did not want this fate and that it really is not in his control. I believe it sympathizes him and shows him as a true man to step up and take responsibility.
Also there are a few ironic moments I found in this reading. One example is on the pages 218-220. The following speech with the old man is ironic because that messenger had just told him that Polybus, his father, was dead and that brought relief to Oedipus because that would mean the prophecy was not true. But then unexpectedly the messenger told him that Polybus was not his blood father. Therefore, Oedipus had avoided Corinth his whole life due to the fact that his “fake” dad was ruling when he really could of safely gone back.
On pages 236-248, the general situation is ironic because if the shepherd had just killed Oedipus as ordered by Laius, his whole tale would not have occurred. I find that kind of funny that such a small decision can have such a big future impact. Also, when Oedipus gouges his own eyes out it is very ironic because he was so insistent on finding out the truth about this his curse, then after he does he decides that he does not want to lay eyes on the truth anymore. (570)
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