Literature

I personally think that literature is an important aspect of a persons education. Although the formal definition for literature is, "writings in which express and form, in connection with ideas or permanent and universal interest, are characteristic or essential features, as poetry, novels, history, bibliography, and essays", I feel that literature is so much more. I think it is a way for people to express how they or feeling or what may be on their mind. It is a way for people to share their stories and share with others their viewpoints on different situations. It can also be used for families to pass down traditions and keep folk tales alive. Not only can it be used for others to express themselves but it can also be used as a learning device. Literature to me is not necessarily just something that is written down. It can be anything spoken or written that is telling a story. We used literature over this past semester as a way to learn more about other cultures. We also were able to learn about past styles and how things have changed over the many centuries. Many students look as literature classes as something boring however it can be so much more. All students need to do is open up their minds and realize that what they are reading has significant meaning. Each individual person may have different interest  however through literature we are able to look at a wide variety of views and learn from each other. I think that literature is a vital part of education and should not be taken as lightly by students but rather as another way to advance their educations.

King Lear 3

In this weeks blog I want to talk about the deaths of many of the characters at the end. While reading through the last scene I became more and more confused as to why characters were dying so quickly. I understand why Shakespeare would have wanted to kill of the "villains" of the play however I do not understand his reasonings behind killing of characters such as Cordellia and Glouster. Another characters death that I was unsure about was King Lear himself. I understand that in the beginning of the text we as readers may see him as a selfish king who deserves being banished by his daughters. However, after reading more into the text I almost began to feel bad for him. As we discussed in class it becomes more and more clear that King Lear is losing much of his sanity throughout the play. Although I had no sympathy towards him near the beginning, especially in the first act, it is hard for me to still be bitter towards him after realizing that he is insane. Even though he mentally becomes more sane throughout they play, I actually think that a part of him actually becomes more sane. After living outside for an amount of time you see that King Lear becomes more and more aware of the way that he was treating others. I also think that he begins to realize how wrong he was in some situations. So going back to the deaths of the characters I feel that in the end King Lear should have survived. I also strongly believe that Cordelia should have survived as well. Throughout the whole story I see her as the most sane character and the most promising. She actually seems as though she thinks through most of her actions and is able to stand up for herself unlike her sisters. Although I know it is only a play, in a way it frustrates me that characters such as these are killed. I guess part of this can relate back to society. Even those who do everything right and try their hardest every day, may end up hurt in the end.

King Lear 2

Today I want to talk a little bit about the relationships among the characters. I know we talked about this some in class and I also talked about King Lear's relationships with his daughters in my last post but more specifically I want to talk about how I think his relationships have changed. In the beginning he seemed to have a "healthy" relationship with both Regan and Goneril, at least he seems to feel this way however I disagree. In the last passages we have read you can tell that his daughters no longer look to him with the same respect that they once had. They start to realize that he is very needy and is taking advantage of him. I think they begin to realize this when he becomes upset over the amount of knights they will allow him to have. During this time I think King Lear himself begins to realize that he no longer holds the same amount of power that he once had. I think he also comes to the realization that because his daughters no longer need anything from him they no longer look to him in the same way. I think at this point in the story it becomes apparent that both daughters were only sucking up to there father and did not actually feel the way that they stated. Although I realize that Regan and Goneril are upset with the demands their father is requesting, I do not think it was appropriate for them to lock him out in the storm. I feel that in a family even if you are upset with one another you still need to be there to protect each other in times of need. I understand that it was King Lear who stormed out originally but I do not agree that once he left the daughters told Gloucester not to allow him back in if he came back. Overall I do not think that Lear's relationships with his daughters is healthy and can tell that even more problems are likely to arise among them as the story develops.

King Lear

Today I want to talk about the relationship that King Lear seems to have with his daughters. During the first scene of the play we read about King Lear asking each of his daughters to state to him the feelings that they had about him. While reading through the text I thought that he was being serious and that both Regan and Goneril were very serious when they stated their feelings. I also thought that Cordelia was very brave with how honest she was towards her father.
However, after watching some of the film in class my thoughts on the scene changed. I know longer saw King Lear as being serious rather he was playing a sort of game with his daughters. I think that he was playing this game for his own benefit and wanted to make himself feel better by hearing his daughters state their love for him. The look on both Regan and Goneril's faces also had me questioning whether they actually meant what they were saying. The both looked very hesitant and like they were only saying what they knew would please their father. Neither looked like they were being honest or like they were very confident in what they were stating. I did however feel the same about Cordelia. I think that she was being very honest about the ways that she felt about her father and was not scared to be honest. I am still unclear if Cordelia realized what the consequences of her actions would be however based on the many warnings her father gave her during her speech makes me think that she probably realized something would come of her not obeying his orders.
Overall I think that King Lear questioning his daughters love towards him was inappropriate. I do not feel that a father should ever question the love that their daughter holds for them.  A daughter should never have to prove their love but rather it should be something that is simply understood. To me a father who uses his daughters to make himself feel better is not a father at all.