Deconstructive reading of the sonnet 18

Hello Readers!

I have amazing experience from learning Ted -Ed platform. I have learned deconstractiv reading of the sonnet 18 lesson created by Dr.Dilip Barad using Ted-Ed's lesson creator video from Dilip Barad. The objective of the lesson is to apply the  deconstractiv reading on a poem. I also appear multiple choices quiz. It was very interesting. Click here and watch deconstractiv reading of sonnet 18 and appear multiple choices quiz through using Ted-Ed platform.

Sonnet 18 . Shall I compare thee to the summer's day.

In the sonnet, the speaker asks whether he should compare the young man to a summer's day, but notes that the young man has qualities that surpass a summer's day. He also notes the qualities of a summer day are subject to change and will eventually diminish. The speaker then states that the young man will live forever in the lines of the poem, as long as it can be read. There is an irony being expressed in this sonnet: it is not the actual young man who will be externalized, but the description of him contained in the poem, and the poem contains scant or no description of the young man, but instead contains vivid and lasting descriptions of a summer day; which the young man is supposed to outlive.

Deconstruction  and Derrida

Deconstruction, form of philosophical and literary analysis, derived mainly from work begun in the 1960 by the French philosopher Jacques Derrida, that questions the fundamental conceptual distinctions, or “oppositions,” in Western philosophy through a close examination of the language and logic of philosophical and literary texts. In the 1970s the term was applied to work by Derrida, Paul de Man, J. Hill's Miller, and Barbara Johnson, among other scholars. In the 1980s it designated more loosely a range of radical theoretical enterprises in diverse areas of the humanities and social sciences, including—in addition to philosophy and literature—law, psychoanalysis, architecture, anthropology, theology, feminism, gay and lesbian studies, political theory, historiography, and film theory. In polemical discussions about intellectual trends of the late 20th-century, deconstruction was sometimes used pejoratively to suggest nihilism and frivolous skepticism. In popular usage the term has come to mean a critical dismantling of tradition and traditional modes of thought

To deconstruct is to take a text apart along the structural “fault lines” created by the ambiguities inherent in one or more of its key concepts or themes in order to reveal the equivocations or contradictions that make the text possible.

Deconstruction Derrida very famously said that language bars within itself the necessity of its own critic. Around this concept is very interesting to read poems and as well as literature to see how criticism of that language happens and in that the meaning is desegregating them. Along with this we know that the Deridian idea  of deconstructive ideas revolves around free play. Let’s call undecidable of meaning. Very famously it revolves around the idea of binary and oppositions at the same time we see very interesting in the play about hegemony and subjectivity. In this poem we can see how this all operates. 

Deconstructive reading of the sonnet : Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day.

This is small poem sonnet written by William Shakespeare and we try to see how this all operates. How we can see language bars  , binary oppression and subjectivity in this poem. 

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day 

What is the binary of the poem? What is the binary underplaying in this part? For example compare thee this thee is the beloved. As we know this poem is addressed to a beloved. The speaker is a lover. Beloved is a thee and what is binary against that is a summer’s day. 

When we generalize the beloved what we find that the beloved represents human beings and to do summer’s day represents nature. 

When we are trying to see the language bar itself it is necessary to criticize what we see in the very first line of the poem or subsequent line. 

"Thou art more lovely and more temperate.

Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,

And summer’s lease hath all too short a date.

Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,

And often is his gold complexion dimmed;"

What we find is that this poem is of a decent nature. Initially people find that it is a nature poem but it is not a nature poem. Nature is its own under privilege site of binary and what the centre is beloved, human beings are represented and nature is replicated on the periphery of this descent. 

"But thy eternal summer shall not fade,

Nor lose possession of that fair thou owl’s,

Nor shall death brag thou wand ‘rest in his shade,

When in eternal lines to Time thou grow'st.

 So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,

 So long lives this, and this gives life to thee."

When will that happen that the beloved became more central than the summer’s day. Which is a fading away which is changing which trajectory subsequently. When will beloved the human beings hear will have eternity and immortality. When there are lines written on the beauty of the beloved the lines are let us say writing or poem or sonnet. So actually the poem celebrates beloved human beings here by dedicating nature on the periphery. But when we read beloved will achieve immortality or internal beauty only when conditions of that line are written about that when writing happens when poem or sonnet is not that what we find ultimately is that the poem celebrates self. 

When line or writing or poem or  the sonnet is the centre what goes the periphery is that beloved as well as summer’s day they both are on the same side now. 

This poem tries to say this beloved has attributes of nature. This poem also will give a life when this is the key to understanding the poem. Second word of this particular sonnet is poet himself or let us say lover himself. This not celebrating poem, sonnet or lines and writes it’s perhaps celebrating self and it says that if I write then the beloved will become immortal. 

It dramatizes in an interesting way power struggles. And this power struggle obviously goes with implied threats.

Citation

Deconstructive Reading of Sonnet 18. (n.d.). Retrieved July 14, 2020, from https://ed.ted.com/on/r9V6IJiO

Sonnet 18. (2020, April 02). Retrieved July 14, 2020, from https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonnet_18

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2019, December 12). Deconstruction. Retrieved July 14, 2020, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/deconstruction

Fear No More

Introduction

Most of works in literature are written about three major subject : Love, Life and death. "Fear No More' is a fine philosophical poem by Shakespeare. He was master of poetry as well as dramatic art. He is considered as one of the greatest dramatist of the world. In the present poem, he discusses the theme of death. Let's discuss the poem in detail.

Title of the poem

There are some writer who do not care much for the title of there works, but some writers give appropriate title to their works. The title of this well known song is very suggestive 'Fear No More'. It suggests that the dead should not fear anything. The title is an imperative sentence. It is suitable to the poem.

Theme of the poem

  This poem is developed on two or three general themes : First , Time is the most powerful force and everyone has to obey it.  Second theme is superiority of death over life. Death is surrender before it. And third theme is Problems of life, As Thomas Hardy remarks : 

"Life is a chain of problems, death is the solution of every problem."

Phonological Level

'Fear No More' is a melodious song. Here we find the best words arranged in the  best order. This is fine use of alliteration  to create musicality.  

ex.  golden.........girls

       fear.............frown

       care...........cousins

cosign...........come

The poem follows A-B, A-B, C-C rhyme scheme. But in the last stanza the scheme is A-A, A-A, B-B.

     

       

The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Introduction

Victorian Age is the age of of novels. This age has produced many outstanding novelists. R.J. Stevenson is a different type of novelist of the same age. His novels are based on various theme. He explores outer world and adventures in his interesting novel     'Treasure Island" while this novel "The Strange  Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" reflects inner world of human being. Other Victorian novelists highlight social problems etc.. of nineteen century English society while R.J. Stevenson discuss about double personality of the same name in the present novel.


Character Sketch of Dr. Henry Jekyll


The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a result of Stevenson's dream that gave him ideas for some scene. He put his ideas and visions into a more coherent from and this novel was written. The novel proved to be a great success within a few months of its publication 40,000 copies were solt. The novel has come to be synonyms with the struggle between good and the novel also introduces strange characters like doctor Jekyll, Adwared  Hyde , Dr. Lanyon  etc. But at present we are concerned with Dr. Jekyll's character only.

Physical appearance


Dr. Jekyll is a middle aged gentleman. He has a large ,smooth faced well manners. He looks a kind hearted person. People all over the city respect him.

As a Scientist


Dr. Jekyll is very intelligent and hard working. He has his own laboratory and he is interested in new experiments. On the base of his studies of science and philosophy. Every man has good and bad within himself to enjoy the pleasures of crime. Dr. Jekyll invents a medicine which changes his from size and face. After taking the chemical he becomes Edward Hyde. Edward Hyde is a complete evil personality. Dr. Lanyon does not like Dr. Jekyll's such unscientific experiment. Dr. Lanyon loses his life because of Jekyll's such experiments on the drugs. 

A Respectable doctor

Dr. Henry Jekyll is a kind hearted doctor. People respect him as a serious and hardworking scientist. But because of such hire social status, doctor Jekyll can not enjoy a free life. He is  a reputed doctor and he has to live accordingly . Therefor he invents a drug  to divided  his personality into two. He began to live one kind of life in public as doctor Jekyll and another in private as Mr. Hyde.

   
His Surrender


Dr. Jekyll succeed to cheat the people in the begging. He is respected by the people as doctor. But on the other hand he enjoys criminal activities as Mr. Hyde. Only some drug convert him into Mr. Hyde who can do anything and Dr. Jekyll enjoys crime but also remains a gentle person. However with the passing of time. Hyde overcome poor doctor. Evil side of Mr. Jekyll become more powerful. At later stage,  Doctor Jekyll changes into Hyde without taking the drugs. This creates a dangerous situation because Hyde is a murderer and people and police are working for him. Dr. Jekyll can not control the situation and ultimately decides to commits suicide. At the end of the novel. He is found dead. He confess everything in his last latter to Mr. Utterson. 

   
Conclusion



Dr. Henry Jekyll has really a strange personality. He is student of science as well as philosophy. He events a kind of rare drug to change his personality. His character gives moral lesson that if you encourage the evil side of your personality you will become Mr. Hyde. R.J. Stevenson has really created this strange and interesting human being.

Thinking Activity : Plague - Epidemic Literature

Hello Readers !

Welcome to my blog. Now I'm sharing with you my opinion about the novel Plague written by Albert Camus and running situation of Covid19 Corona virus. Click here for know more about this task. 

The COVID19 epidemic is going to affect all walks of our lives. Our creative and critical abilities will forever be governed by corona virus pandemic. It is going to open those areas in creating writing and critical reading of literature which were rather not thought as we were in amnesia of pandemic. We may see seminars and conferences on 'Literature and Epidemics'.

Albert Camus's 'The Plague' is one literature text which was the most talked about globally in recent times. As a student of literature we shall know about this novel and what happens in history. There are many quation  in my mind that , how this desis is  happens ? What is reason  behind it? What can people do in this situation? 

There is old sentence : "History repeats". I came to know about this novel during the days of pandemic Covid-19 if you change the 'Plague' with "Covide 19" Corona virus it's seems you are reading tweets. This book is alive today and word describes it:" masterpiece".

આલ્બર્ટ કામુ ની નવલકથા " ધ પ્લેગ" નુ ગુજરાતી ટ્રાનસલેશન પરેશ વ્યાસે ગુજરાતી સમાચાર પત્રમાં ખુબ સરસ રીતે આલેખ્યુ છે. જેમા તે શરુઆતમા જ કહે છે કે, જ્યારે જ્યારે મહામારી શરુ થાય છે ત્યારે ત્યારે એના એંધાણ જરૂર આપે છે.પણ આપણે શાહમૃગ છીએ. કોઈ પણ સ્થિતિ વિશે ગંભીરતાથી વિચારતા નથી. શરૂ શરૂ મા મોઢુ સંતાડી દેવું આપણી તાસીર બની જાય છે. આવશે પણ આપણા સુધી નહિ આવે. અને પડશે એવી દેવાશે એ વિચારસરણીથી આપણી દેવાય જાય છે. 

History many time repeats its aware us but people ignore it then this situation is grown and became a dangerous disease.

The Plague - Albert Camus

The Plague (French: La Peste) is a novel by Albert Camus, published in 1947, that tells the story of a plague sweeping the French Algerian city of Oran. It asks a number of questions relating to the nature of destiny and the human condition. The characters in the book, ranging from doctors to vacationers to fugitives, all help to show the effects the plague has on a populace. The novel is believed to be based on the cholera epidemic that killed a large proportion of Oran's population in 1849 following French colonization, but the novel is set in the 1940s. Oran and its surroundings were struck by disease several times before Camus published his novel. According to a research report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Oran was decimated by the plague in 1556 and 1678, but all later outbreaks, in 1921 (185 cases), 1931 (76 cases), and 1944 (95 cases), were very far from the scale of the epidemic described in the novel.

1. Humanity - human self-centeredness VS human sacrifice


This  is very interesting question about humanity. During this very dangerous disease Corona virus  what can people do?. We can see that many people like doctors, scientist, police, sweepers and many other people  fight against dangerous disease day to night for save humans life. In the novel of The Plague,  Albert Camus said that there are many people sacrifice their lives for fight against Plague for save humans lives like doctor Bernard Rieux who sacrificed their lives for save Human from this disease. But other hand we can see that doctor Barnard many times told government about this diseases but government doesn't take it seriously they told that,  થોભો અને રાહ જુઓ. But doctor Barnard knows that this is not simple disease but lack of awareness of government it's spread uncontrollably animals to man.


Stupidity of people during COVID 19 Corona Virus.

We can see in this picture  that many peoples like doctors, police, sweeper and many other fight against Corona Virus for save human's life. But other hand we can see that because of stupidity of people's situation became very critical. 

Corona Virus Plate clapping campaign amid public curfew viral on social meadia, question arose. Amidst the growing havoc of the Corona virus, where the enthusiasm was seen on March 22 for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal of the public curfew. In fact appeal of janata Curfew was  due to people doing social distancing at home and increasing the enthusiasm of people to deal with global epidemic like Corona. But some people took to the street in Delhi, Indore, Ahmadabad and other parts of the country and made fun of camping by taking the crowd, they have also became a character of laughter.  We can see here stupidity of peoples and situation  become very critical.


2.  Science VS Religion -the question of God and religion in times of epidemic and calormities. 

This is very interesting debate running ever never end. In this pandemic situation this debate became very serious. We can see that how people connect this situation with religion. In the novel The Plague we can see the debate between religoun vs science, debate between Priest and Dr.Bernard Rieux.  In his novel Camus said that A catholic priest called Panel ohh he gives a sermon to the city in the cathedral  of the main squar and seeks to explain The Plague as God's punishment for depravity. But can whoes here doctor who loathes this approach the plague is not a punishment for anything deserved that would be to imagine that the universe was moral or had some sort of design to it but doctor vo watched a young innocent child die in his hospital and he knows better suffering entirely randomly distributed it makes no sense it . It is no ethical force it is simply absurd. 

Power politics - Fascist forces of 1940s vs Surveillance society of 2020s.




Power and politics its happens everywhere. In the novel The Plague Albert Camus said that Dr. Bernard comes to know about this disease and he many times awakes government but government doesn't take it serious. They say that   થોભો અને રાહ જુઓ. why they give this kind of answer? anything politics behind it? Dr. many times told that this disease but they doesn't take it serious and situation became uncontrolled. Disease spread uncontrollably animals to humans.


Now the days the dangerous virus Corona spread uncontrollably in the world. 

 Citation

“कोरोना वायरस: जनता कर्फ्यू के बीच थाली-ताली मुहिम सोशल मीडिया पर वायरल, उठे सवाल.” Corona Virus Covid 19 Plate Clapping Campaign Public Curfew Viral on Social Media with Questions, 23 Mar. 2020, www.navodayatimes.in/news/khabre/corona-virus-covid-19-plate-clapping-campaign-public-curfew-viral-on-social-media-with-questions/140336/.



“The Plague.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 3 May 2020, en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Plague.

When We two parted : Poem

Hello Readers! 

Hello friends welcome to my blog. This is very interesting blog on the poem "When we two parted" written by Lord Byron. Poet express his feelings when he parted from his beloved. Let's we look this poem in detail. 

Introduction

Lord Byron achieved tremendous popularity as a poet in his short life. As a poet he has written many poems like...

1. Child Harold's Pilgrimage

2. The Prisoner of chill-on

3. Don Juan

4. When we two Parted. etc....

'When we two parted' was written in 1808. This poem refers to one of poet's earlier lady loves. This poem is about the feeling of poet when they parted with each other. Let us discuss this poem in detail.

Theme of the poem

The Title of the poem 'When we two parted' itself suggests, the theme of 'Separation'. Apart from love, poet has focused on the moment when they separated with each other. In this poem poet has described his experience of life after the parted of beloved. He also shows that after the pared  of beloved his life become painful. 

It means the theme of the poem shows painful life of a person whose beloved is parted from him.

Analysis of the poem

When We Two Parted

George Gordon Byron - 1788-1824

• 

When we two parted
   In silence and tears,
Half broken-hearted
   To sever for years,
Pale grew thy cheek and cold,
   Colder thy kiss;
Truly that hour foretold
   Sorrow to this.

The dew of the morning
   Sunk chill on my brow--
It felt like the warning
   Of what I feel now.
Thy vows are all broken,
   And light is thy fame;
I hear thy name spoken,
   And share in its shame.

They name thee before me,
   A knell to mine ear;
A shudder comes o'er me--
   Why wert thou so dear?
They know not I knew thee,
   Who knew thee too well--
Long, long shall I rue thee,
   Too deeply to tell.

In secret we met--
   In silence I grieve,
That thy heart could forget,
   Thy spirit deceive.
If I should meet thee
   After long years,
How should I greet thee?--
   With silence and tears.

The poem 'When we two parted' is divided into four stanza . The first stanza begins with the line...

"When we two parted

In silence the tears,

Half broken-hearted

To server for years."

The above line shows the moment from which a poet has to depart from his beloved. The word like 'tears' and 'silence' show the  sorrowful moment of life. While the word "half broken-hearted shows that the heart is broken and it is not recovered for many years. He also says that there is no charm in her cheek and kiss. Her kiss become colder and cold means it loses it's warms. It means there is no feeling of love at the time of departure.

Second stanza

In the second stanza the poet has described the feeling of soft morning. The word 'dew' shows unpleasant atmosphere of life. According to the poet....

"They vows are all broken

And light is they fame,

I hear they name spoken

And share in its shame".

It means his beloved has broken all the promise and there was no value of love for her. The poet also writes their fame become light day by day. The poet feels shame when her name is spoken.

Third stanza

In the third stanza poets writes..

"They name thee before me ,

A knell to mine ear,

..........long long shall I rue thee

Too deeply to tell".

Here, poet says that when the people took her name before me it made me trouble. It also creates vibration in his body because of sadness. Poet also says that why the people took his name with her without knowing anything. It shows the poet's pain in his heart because of his beloved.

Fourth stanza

In the fourth stanza the poet writes that he can't express his sorrow openly when they meet in secret. He also writes that he felt pain in silence but his beloved has forgotten him entirely. The poet says...

"If I should meet thee,

After long years,

How should I greet thee?

With silence and tears".

Here, one question aroused in poet's mind that if they should meet after long time how should he react with her? Poet himself gives the answer that he treats her with silence and tears. It shows poet's painful life after the departure of his beloved. 

Style of writing

As for style is concerned, port has used nicely all the levels. In phonological level (the level of sound) the poet has used rhyme scheme AB, AB, CD, CD in all the stanza. He has also used alliteration and rhyming words. The poet has also used the grammatical pattern like pronoun, verbs and and also many simple words. So that the reader can easily read and understand the meaning of this poem.

Conclusion


The poem 'When we two parted' is an autobiographical poem of Lord Byron. In this poem the poet has expressed his lamentation of  departure. He has narrated his experience of painful life after the departure with his beloved. The poet has also used phonological level, grammar and also the meaning of this poem.

Thank You!

Ghashiram Kotwal : Play

Hello Readers! 

Welcome to my blog. Now I'm sharing with you very interesting blog about the most famous Indian  play "Ghashiram Kotwal", written by Vijay Tendulkar Originally published in Marathi in the year - 1972 and then translated in English by Jaynt Karve and Eleanor Zeliot. In which we study about the character of Ghashiram. Let's  look it in detail. 

Introduction

British rules in India is a strong influence on Indian society. So many changes can be observed in Indian society because of direct or indirect influence of English with passing of time a specific class of people emerged who were interested in English language. As a result a new type of literature came into existence in Indian that is Indian writing in English. This literature has mad a respectable place today in the world of literature. Some Indian English works have impressed the international readers. However Indian English drama has poor output in comparison in fiction and poetry very few Indian dramatist have produced remarkable plays; Vijay Tendulkar is one of them. He was wrote in Marathi language.  His play Ghashiram Kotwal is much appreciated play. 

The play introduces a powerful set of characters like Ghashiram Kotwal, Nana Phadnavis , Gulabi etc. But at the present we can look the character sketch of Ghashiram.

Character Sketch of Ghashiram

A character in a play is a part of general atmosphere and themes with which the playwright is concerned. He or she should not be taken out of this very distinguish. Tendulkar says; "Each oh them has his/her own separate existence and expression". 

Ghashiram has his own separate existence and expression even though he is a historical character. Vijay Tendulkar has portrayed this character sketch with some changes in this character and therefore this play is set in the historical background of Poona but it is not a historical play.

Ghashiram is a victim of fate and circumstances more than any thing else. He is apparently a native Kannoj Brahman who comes to city of Poona to try his luck and earn his livelihood. He leaves kannoj for good but gets soaked up in Poona's debased politics, corruption and evil ways.  Seemingly innocent, he is capable of evil. He seems to be emotionally imbalanced as well. It is difficult to justify his acts both before becoming the Kotwal and afterwards.

His Initial life in poona


In the beginning of the play ghashiram is an ordinary man trying to make a living allemping to get into Nana's good gresis. He appears as an ordinary servant at Bhavankhani where gulabi is his mistress(Boos) from such ordinary and lower job this Kanoji Brahmans reaches to the hire post of Kotwal. The police commission in  Poona at at the end of first act. The insult by Brahmans of Poona enrages him to take revenge and he determines to treat this people in cruel way. 

The ability to grab the opportunity


Apparently sober and naive, he is willing to take up any work including: working for a where and performing all petty works, ranging from household chores to dancing with woman so, he has the ability to grab opportunity.

Humiliated by Poona 's people


He comes in contact with Nana and finds a favor with him for his servility and ready wit, Nana pleased and offers him his necklace, which he at first refuses but accepts the second time. His problems starts from there. Gulabi, is not ready to let him walk away with the gift, which nana had given him and then ghashiram was beaten and thrown out. And later on he held responsible for the pick pocketing and his further insulted, kicked and thrown out by soldiers. This is too much for him and he cannot bear it any longer against his innocence. He says...

" Hit me Beat me some more Hit me!

I spit on you. Beat me come on

beat me come on

stone me cowards. pig shit;

come on and beat me." 

As a father


Ghashiram appears as a typical father when he deals with Nana for the post of Kotwal and in return to offer his daughter to Nana. On the other hand Nana marries guari ghashiram's daughter and assures him for better future like ghashiram  can be found in literature or history. Who offers his young daughter to a middle aged man for marriage. In fact , this is Nana's seventh marriage. It is the agony of an insulted Kanoj brahmins for revenge makes him do such a mean bargaining. He loves his daughter but power and position is more important it.  

Ghashiram vows to return

Poona where he came to make his fortune but unfortunately it not only snatch money and necklace from him but also treated him to cruelty which forces him to take a vow to avenge of his humiliation. He said ;

"I'll come back , I'll come back to poone.

I'll show my strength , I'll show cost you;

I'll make this Poona, a kingdom of pigs

Then I'll be Ghashiram again 

The gone of Savaldas  once more".

He returns to Poona. He played a cheap game to gain power. Nana was lusty man therefore he offers his own daughter to nana and in return gets appointed as Kotwal of Poona .

His Remorse    

He is remorseful for spoiling the life of his daughter. He still calls the Brahmans cowards who are scored of him even when his hand id tied.

His Tragic end

It is rightly stated that when there is climax of rise,there begins fall. Ghashiram's degradation or fall begins when twenty two Brahmans die in the prison because of suffocation. His rivals takes  this opportunity and try their best to punish ghashiram, nana also plays a game  here and consents the request of Poona Brahmans to punish ghashiram. Nana achieves two targets with one stone, ghashiram can be punished and the Brahmans of Poona would be pleased at him. This brings a pitiable end of Ghashiram Kotwal. He is punished in public and he meets his tragic death. At last moment of his life, Ghashiram repents for his dealing with Nana to get power. 

His last words ;

"Ghashiram savaldas !

 Ghashiram savaldas !

I danced on your chests

but I wasted the life

of my little daughter 

I should be punished 

for the death of my daughter. 

Beat me. beat me. hit me.

cut off my hands 

and feet crack my skill.

come on, come on.

look! I'm here. 

Oh! that's good...."      

                             Tu Sum up

Ghashiram is a leading character of this play some scholars argue that Tendulkar has made many changes in portraying the character sketch of ghashiram. In the historical ghashiram, he had not any daughter at all. But as Tendulkar himself clarifies that   Ghashiram Kotwal is not historical play. It is set with the historical background. ghashiram remains a  powerful character sketch throughout the play.

Thank you!

Character Study of Ahab : Novel Moby-Dick by Herman Melville

Hello Readers!

Welcome to my blog. Now I'm going to write about the character of Ahab in the adventures novel Moby Dick written by Herman Melville. Let's we look in detail. 

Introduction

"Moby Dick" presents a different world before the reader.Most of part of the story is developed in voyage. So, it is naturally the story has given a chance to the reader to peep into the life of the sailors. All the characters directly or indirectly present the life of a sea like Ishmael, Captain Ahab , Queequeg etc. The writer has described the life of sailors on the ship very minorly.  According to the writer the sea life is full of hardships, troubles and risks. The sailors don't know weather they will return or not. 

Character Studies of Captain Ahab 

Among many characters Ahab is the most important character in 'Moby-Dick written by Herman Melville. In this novel only the white whale is as important as captain Ahab. All the character had good opinion about Ahab. According to peleq,

"Ahab as a good man, not

a pious good man but a 

swearing good man"

Ishmael and Queequeg said that as his name suggests Ahab will meet sad end.

Let's evaluate Ahab with the reference to 'Moby-Dick'

Ahab's oath to his crew

We come to know Ahab's character much better when he took oath to hunt a white whale known as Moby-Dick. This is the whale which had snatched away Ahab's legs. Therefore he decided to take revenge upon that monster. So, the basic purpose of this voyage was to kill white whale. 

In the connection of his oath, he does so as if he were performing a religious ceremony. He serves alcohol to all the sailors and asks them to drink it and then hunt white whale . Ahab become angrey when some one have good opinion about white whale. Once Ahab said to Starbuck, 

"Talk not to me of blasphemy man;

I'd strike the sun if it insulted me."

Moby-Dick As an Evil world for Ahab


Here, Moby-Dick symbolised as Evil in the world especially for captain Ahab. Ahab himself believed that all the world's Evil is Moby-Dick and that is attack on him. The white whale swims before him as monomaniac incarnation. Ahab also takes this task upon him to attack on this evil and decided to end. 

Ahab a man of Egotism

One of the most important factor about Ahab's character is his egotism. He thinks himself to be supremely important. He gives promises to give it as a reward to the sailor who first sees Moby-Dick. One day while gazing at this doubloon, he described his own personality. In sort, what he decides he can do it. 

A man of action, Fearless and  Daring

Apart from all, Ahab is really a fearless and daring man. He is a man of action. He is a dynamic person who never hesitates in his purpose. He does work hard to achieve  his goal on various occasions he himself gets into his boat and chases whales which have sighted.


No one cans see Moby-Dick so, he himself begins to keep a water for it. For three days the chase of Moby-Dick continue sh Ahab was playing leading role to take revenge. His effort to kill the monster by any efforts he always thinks about his purpose not for others. 

His Humanity

Although Ahab possessed passion for revenge and his determination  to hunt down the white whale, yet he has humanity in inner side. It is true that his fixed purpose has crushed everybody's feelings. At that time he sent his wife and son back home.He also takes the mad negro boy under his personal care. Talking to startbuck, he makes a sentimental review of his past life during which he has continuously chasing whales.

He shows his humanity not on his sympathy for pip but also asking Satarbuck not to join in the chase of Moby-Dick and he go with his wife and son even if Ahab gets killed by the white whale. This actions show that Ahab is not any egotism person but also humanity-an person. 

His Symbolic significance

Ahab dies a martyr which may be described as most super human symbolically , Ahab is seeker after truth be the mystery which lies at the heart while the white whale represent mystery and truth. Ahab is represents Satan who revolt against God, who is represented by the white whale from all the point of view ,Ahab symbolised a tragic figure even if Ahab's motive be regarded as evil, we have to admit that he is a Titanic figure.

Conclusion


In "Moby-Dick", Melville's portrayal of Ahab is one of the author's great triumphs in the field of characterisation. Indeed, Ahab is memorable character in the whole range of american literature. We get the feeling that we have actually seen the man and came into close contact with him. He is a superman who meets a sad fate. He is undoubtedly a hero who is vanished by a terrible sea monster. In spite of the fact that there is much evil in this man, he succeeds in emerging as the tragic hero of the book.

In short , the portrayal of Ahab is one of the most convincing portrayals in fiction memo in "moby-Dick". 

Thank you! 

The Heathen : Jack London

Hello Readers!

Hello readers welcome to my blog.This is my blog about the very famous short story "The Heathen". Let's we try to analysis the story in detail. 

Introduction

There was a fashion, a trand to write fiction about adventurous mainly in the middle of the sea. In 19th century American literature 'Treasure Island' by Mark Twain, 'Blow up with the ship' by Wilkie  Collins, ' Moby Dick' by Herman Melville and many other stories about sea life and adventurous are some of the examples of fiction about the world of the sea. The Heathen is another fine example of adventurous journey in the pacific by Jack London. He was a novelist, journalist, short story writer and essayist. One more fact regarding such fiction is that the write's of such stories where themselves associated with the sea life very closely. Jack London worked at various hard labour jobs. Pirated for served on a fish patrol to capture poachers, sailor the pacific on shelling ship  etc.

Here is such adventurous story in detail.

Title of the Story

The title of this short story 'The Heathen' is a strange world. The meaning of this word is a person who doesn't believe in god , an atheist. The narrator meets too, the Heathen during his remains with the narratDor for seventeen years. The story highlights greater qualities of the Heathen. So the title is apt. 

Theme of the Story

The Heathen like many other American stories highlights the adventures in the middle of the sea. It shows how the narrator and Otoo spend life together at various parts of the worlds. It also introduces the character sketch of Otoo  as noble human being. The story shows how a white man, the narrator and native belonging to an Island, development friendship.

Characterisation

  Short Story introduces a small group of characters similarly The Heathen introduces mainly two characters the narrator himself and Otoo, the Heathen. Though this is a long short story. Others character are minor and they have little role to play like other sailors, The pearl treaters, the local inhabitant,Bill king etc.Jack London draws the character sketch of Otoo very powerfully. He is a kind, nobel and more than a family member to the narrator. He is peaceful by nature but when his challenged, he also a strong fighter. 

 Setting

This is an adventurous tale about the sea life.  There for the setting is mostly the sea. The story develops at ship, pots, Islands and the places closely connected with the sea. The pacific, the story begins with the narrator of the ships, pots, Islands and the places closely connected with the sea. The pacific the story begins with the narration of the  the ship the petitesteseam and then many other places are narrated in this story. 

Plot 

Adventure stories highlight the life of sailors mainly the stories related the sea. Story begins with the narrator's journey in the ship petaitjenne, unfortunately the ship meets a storm. There is also epidemic in the ship that claim many lives. Luckily the narrator  is survived with Otoo he meets first time in this sheep. Otoo belongs to BoraBora Island. A coloured man. Then they live together as brother, friends for seventeen years facing every problem. The narrator develops business well with the help of Otoo. He is an assitant, a friend and more than a brother for the narrator. At the end of the story , Otoo sacrifices his life to save the narrator from the shark. Throughout the life Otoo serves the narrator.

  
The narrator himself, Jack London was experienced of the sea life. He had worked on the ship. So his portray of the sea life can be more effective and realistic. 'The Heathen' shows  many aspects of the sea life minutely.He shows adventures, the horror side of the sea as well as the beauty of the sea. His characterisation is also powerful. 


                                       Thank You!