In 'How Do I Love Thee?' and 'Wuthering Heights' the characters are infactuated with their lovers, however despite the shared themes of love they are presented slightly differently therefore giving the reader a slightly different impression of the love that is shared.
The main themes in both 'How Do I Love Thee?' and the extract from 'Wuthering Heights' are love and romance with both the Browning and Catherine believe that their feelings towards their lover are all encompassing. The fact that love is shown as such as large part of the poets life is shown in the line when she states that she loves her husband to 'level of everyday's' suggests that her everyday life revolves around the love for her husband-she is dependent on the love they share. Browning also goes on to compare her love to the ' sun and candlelight'. The juxtaposition of sizes of light sources suggest eventhough their love can be shared and wtinessed by others (sun) their love can also be intimate and personal (candlelight). Browning loves her husband in a large number of ways and isnt limited by size. Similarily, in the 'Wuthering Heights' extract Catherine also compares her love to light stating her love for Linton is 'a source of visible light'. The metaphor 'visible light' suggests her love gives her guidances and almost a purpose as without him she cannot see. This emphasises the idea that Catherines love for Linton is all encompassing as without him she is lost. The love expressed towards their partners in the text is also compared using religious imagery. In 'How Do I Love Thee?' Browning refers to her love towards her husband as the 'ideal grace' and will love him with all her 'lost saints'. The use of religious figures suggest her love is comparable to the religious characters that are thought very highly of by many relgious people. Similarily, in the 'Wuthering Heights' Catherine also compares her love to religious imagery and repeatedly uses the words 'mighty' and 'eternal' all of which have connotations to God and religion. Through the use of religious imagery and verbs, it increases the significance and value of the love between the Browning and Catherine and their lovers.
Despite the similarites between the themes of love and the way the love ecompasses the writer, love is presented in different ways. The 'How Do I Love Thee?' is a Petrachan sonnet consisting of a regular rhyming structure and 10 syllables per line and is often traditionally associated with love poety. The fact that the poem follows the sonnet rules suggests that like the structure her relationship between herself and her husband is perfect and undamaged. It also suggests certaintly and that their relationship is structured. The only time the sonnet 10 syllable rule is broken is in the 5th line where she states 'I love thee to the level of everyday's' which expresses how long her love will last -only love breaks the rule of love. On the contary in the 'Wuthering Heights' extract Catherine has a lack of structure and does not have a regular way she expresses her love to Linton. Towards the end of the extract Catherine repeatedly uses dashes when speaking such as when she says ' I should not seem a part of it.-My love for Linton'. The use of dashes express her eagerness to express her love towards Linton, her love is shown as untamable. Although Catherines love towards Linton is not structured and predictable like Brownings in the poem she ends the extract with a declarative sentence 'It is impracticable.' This declarative sentence suggests certainness, an emotion that has not been seen previously in the extract. On the contary in 'How Do I Love Thee?' the poem ends using 'if God choose'. The conditional 'if' suggests uncertaintly over when talking about the topic of death nothing is certain.
Overall, both the extracts show that the love towards their lovers are encompassing this is shown through the light similies and religious imagery. Eventhough the structures of both the peom and the novel extract vary it doesnt mean the love shown in the texts are any less or more; it is just demonstrated in a different way.
Friday, 27 November 2015
Wednesday, 25 November 2015
The History Boys: Summative Questions
History itself is a subject in the play. In the play Dakin calls Irwin’s method subjunctive history, the history of what might have been. Do you think there is value in Irwin’s approach to looking at historical events? Why or why not?
There is value in Irwin's approach to looking at historical events because if the boys have an overall knowledge of particular historical events they would be more likely to relate the context to the lesson and have a higher in depth knowledge. However on the other hand the fact the Irwin makes assumptions based on history doesn't give the boys an appropriate knowledge of the historical events as much of Irwin's subjunctive history is untrue- making it no longer proper history.
In addition to world historical events we are also given a glimpse at the personal histories of the characters in the play. What do their personal histories reveal? How do their remembrances differ?
In the play we are given various glimpses into personal histories of characters in the play especially the teachers educational history. We learn in the play that Irwin states he attended Oxford university however in fact he studied at Bristol. The fact that Irwin was untrue about where he attended university suggests he wanted to impress the students at the school. At this point Bennett exposes Irwin's manipulative and deceiving tendencies. Furthermore, we learn that Mrs. Lintott attended Durham university,however we are given the impression that she does not think highly of the establishment as the best memory she has of Durham is that is what where she had her 'first pizza'.
Much of the play is not about poetry but literature. Many of the poets quoted wrote during World War I. What resonances exist between the young men at war and the young men in the play?
There are many resonances between the young men at war and the young men in the play. The most prominent being that the soldiers in the war and the the boys in the school are all expected by the teachers to do what they are told. The boys and the soldiers are treated in the same manner despite all their individual differences, they are not seen as humans and only thought of as a way to achieve a goal for someone more superior to their selves.
The three teachers, Mrs. Lintott, Mr. Hector and Mr. Irwin, have strikingly different teaching methods and goals. Discuss the merits and disadvantages of their competing pedagogies.
All three teachers have very different teaching methods, however combined create the ideal teacher as each method has their own merits. Throughout the play Mrs. Lintott is seen as the most traditional and simple teacher, giving her students 'plainly stated facts'. There is nothing fancy about her teaching style and gets straight to the point. However to her her professional manner it distances herself from the boys, as she is unwilling to show her personality as she believes this is not the role of the teacher. Although she may not be friendly with the boys, she is respected by the boys as well as the Headteacher as her appreciates her role in the boys gaining 'very good' results. On the other hand is Hector, the most eccentric of all the teachers in the play. Hector is a very passionate teacher and fully believes that knowledge should be learnt from the heart and used from the heart. Due to Hectors eccentric ways he does not fully prepare the boys for the upcoming exams as he does not believe in the reasoning behind his. Eventhough Hector may feel that exams are pointless, as has a duty as a teacher to provide knowledge for the exam and he does not do it. On the contary, is Irwin, who has a more modernised teaching style and has a more journalistic approach towards teaching as he encourages the boys to give opinions on the matter at hand. Irwin's teaching style focuses on the exams and results and he achieves this by manipulating the boys to lie and waver from the historical truth in order to stand out.
Irwin says he does not think there is time for Hector’s type of teaching any more. What does he mean? What is lost with the loss of Hector?
Irwin believes that there is no time for Hector's type of teaching style in the modern eduacational stystem anymore. Hectors teaching style revolves around knowledge and not exam technique which is something that is important in modern day eduacation. After Hectors lost, the boys are missing out on a large part of the loving part of their education, without Hector they only learn for the exam and not for life.
Hector is a problematic character in the play. He is a gifted teacher but some of his actions are inappropriate. Can one reconcile Hector’s behaviour with his teaching?
Hector is a teacher and the main role of the teacher is to educate students and keep them safe. Hectors inappropriate actions mean he is putting the boys and hiself in danger and therfore not being a teacher. Hectors actions on the boys are wrong as he is taking advantage of the boys admiration towards him and due to this fact nothing can ,even his teaching, can reconcile Hectors behaviour.
Mrs. Lintott is the lone woman in the play. What is her role both as an educator and historian? Is it significant that she is surrounded by men, both in the school and in her work? How do you interpret her outburst about the role of women in history?
Mrs. Lintott is the only woman teacher in the play,and the fact that she is surrounded by men emphasises her siginficance as the only female historian. The fact that Mrs. Lintott is the only woman in the play would symbolise the role small and insignificant woman have in history taught in schools- Mrs. Lintott is part of the history she is fustrated at. Mrs. Lintott's sudden outburst could symbolise the fustration that has been building up since the introduction of Irwin at the school and the boys respect for her has dropped.
The characters in the play occasionally step outside themselves to comment on the action of the play, either within the moment or sometimes from a perspective years later. How does this commentary help us understand the play?
This commentary helps us understand the people as it gives the viewer a summary of the current situation of the play and an inlook into the characters thought and feelings that they might express theirselves. One of the main characters that gives a commentary of the play is Scripps, at points in the play the charatcer asks questions which encourages the converstation of the characters in the play.
There is value in Irwin's approach to looking at historical events because if the boys have an overall knowledge of particular historical events they would be more likely to relate the context to the lesson and have a higher in depth knowledge. However on the other hand the fact the Irwin makes assumptions based on history doesn't give the boys an appropriate knowledge of the historical events as much of Irwin's subjunctive history is untrue- making it no longer proper history.
In addition to world historical events we are also given a glimpse at the personal histories of the characters in the play. What do their personal histories reveal? How do their remembrances differ?
In the play we are given various glimpses into personal histories of characters in the play especially the teachers educational history. We learn in the play that Irwin states he attended Oxford university however in fact he studied at Bristol. The fact that Irwin was untrue about where he attended university suggests he wanted to impress the students at the school. At this point Bennett exposes Irwin's manipulative and deceiving tendencies. Furthermore, we learn that Mrs. Lintott attended Durham university,however we are given the impression that she does not think highly of the establishment as the best memory she has of Durham is that is what where she had her 'first pizza'.
Much of the play is not about poetry but literature. Many of the poets quoted wrote during World War I. What resonances exist between the young men at war and the young men in the play?
There are many resonances between the young men at war and the young men in the play. The most prominent being that the soldiers in the war and the the boys in the school are all expected by the teachers to do what they are told. The boys and the soldiers are treated in the same manner despite all their individual differences, they are not seen as humans and only thought of as a way to achieve a goal for someone more superior to their selves.
The three teachers, Mrs. Lintott, Mr. Hector and Mr. Irwin, have strikingly different teaching methods and goals. Discuss the merits and disadvantages of their competing pedagogies.
All three teachers have very different teaching methods, however combined create the ideal teacher as each method has their own merits. Throughout the play Mrs. Lintott is seen as the most traditional and simple teacher, giving her students 'plainly stated facts'. There is nothing fancy about her teaching style and gets straight to the point. However to her her professional manner it distances herself from the boys, as she is unwilling to show her personality as she believes this is not the role of the teacher. Although she may not be friendly with the boys, she is respected by the boys as well as the Headteacher as her appreciates her role in the boys gaining 'very good' results. On the other hand is Hector, the most eccentric of all the teachers in the play. Hector is a very passionate teacher and fully believes that knowledge should be learnt from the heart and used from the heart. Due to Hectors eccentric ways he does not fully prepare the boys for the upcoming exams as he does not believe in the reasoning behind his. Eventhough Hector may feel that exams are pointless, as has a duty as a teacher to provide knowledge for the exam and he does not do it. On the contary, is Irwin, who has a more modernised teaching style and has a more journalistic approach towards teaching as he encourages the boys to give opinions on the matter at hand. Irwin's teaching style focuses on the exams and results and he achieves this by manipulating the boys to lie and waver from the historical truth in order to stand out.
Irwin says he does not think there is time for Hector’s type of teaching any more. What does he mean? What is lost with the loss of Hector?
Irwin believes that there is no time for Hector's type of teaching style in the modern eduacational stystem anymore. Hectors teaching style revolves around knowledge and not exam technique which is something that is important in modern day eduacation. After Hectors lost, the boys are missing out on a large part of the loving part of their education, without Hector they only learn for the exam and not for life.
Hector is a problematic character in the play. He is a gifted teacher but some of his actions are inappropriate. Can one reconcile Hector’s behaviour with his teaching?
Hector is a teacher and the main role of the teacher is to educate students and keep them safe. Hectors inappropriate actions mean he is putting the boys and hiself in danger and therfore not being a teacher. Hectors actions on the boys are wrong as he is taking advantage of the boys admiration towards him and due to this fact nothing can ,even his teaching, can reconcile Hectors behaviour.
Mrs. Lintott is the lone woman in the play. What is her role both as an educator and historian? Is it significant that she is surrounded by men, both in the school and in her work? How do you interpret her outburst about the role of women in history?
Mrs. Lintott is the only woman teacher in the play,and the fact that she is surrounded by men emphasises her siginficance as the only female historian. The fact that Mrs. Lintott is the only woman in the play would symbolise the role small and insignificant woman have in history taught in schools- Mrs. Lintott is part of the history she is fustrated at. Mrs. Lintott's sudden outburst could symbolise the fustration that has been building up since the introduction of Irwin at the school and the boys respect for her has dropped.
The characters in the play occasionally step outside themselves to comment on the action of the play, either within the moment or sometimes from a perspective years later. How does this commentary help us understand the play?
This commentary helps us understand the people as it gives the viewer a summary of the current situation of the play and an inlook into the characters thought and feelings that they might express theirselves. One of the main characters that gives a commentary of the play is Scripps, at points in the play the charatcer asks questions which encourages the converstation of the characters in the play.
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