Act Four - The scenes Throughout of Much Ado About Nothing....

Act 4 Scene One

The climax of the whole story where Claudio rejects Hero at the Alter.
He also thinks that Hero is anything but innocent, not trusting her or the tears she begins to shed.

Sweet prince, you learn me noble thankfulness.

- There, Leonato, take her back again.

Give not this rotten orange to your friend;

She's but the sign and semblance of her honour.

Behold how like a maid she blushes here!

Can cunning sin cover itself withal!

Comes not that blood as modest evidence

To witness simple Virtue? Would you not swear,

All you that see her, that she were a maid,

By the exterior shows? But she is none:

She knows the heat of a luxurious bed;

Her blush is guiltiness, not modesty.

Claudio still bitter but pouring out his heart with the intended love he so wanted to shower on Hero as his wife.

He then continues to slander her name accusing her of indecency

Thoughts

This makes you wonder if he ever loved her at all to doubt her sincerity and the fact that she still remains untouched by any man. - This goes back to blaming the ones you so dearly love, but also pertaining to the stereotypical views of always blaming the woman for everything. Why he remains accusing her and not fnding out which was the man that supposedly committed the sin with her (Borachio).

He is enraged, and in his anger al the emotions flow, feeling deceived, heart broken, cheated, blinded by the rage he so entirely feels taking over him as he gives his long speech.

In stanza 29 the speech seems to also be pre-conceived as Hero is not allowed to utter a word in her defence, ( showing how men have the upper hand at stating all that it is they want to,without listening to the voices of the women during those times- showing a sense of authority, and the power men had to exert that power if prompted to.), This however changes when the roles are reversed with Beatrice and Benedict

In being more powerful than Don John, Don Pedro seem to act in his esteem, haveing power in the fact that his status is of more importance than his brother, this seeming like the case in the views of Don John.

The other thought is that maybe by dismissing Hero, Claudio regains some of the authority he's probably lost hanging on the word of Don Pedro, always staying with him (as a trusted friend should). And so he oes dismiss her but uses words of poetry to state his affection for Hero in romantic verse, but also in that they also seem wicked and forthright.



But the thing i find interesting is why didn't he confront Hero before the wedding. Hw waited till the wedding day itself - by then he had out a of thought into what he wanted to say to her in front of everybody. In my view i think that as he loved her so much, he wanted the hurt he felt, at thinking she committed some kind of sin, she should feel a hurt much worse, hence slandering her name in front of the people she loved an the people she doesn't even know.

 - His views were instigated by people around him.

But then this gives evident signs of a 'Dip' within the comedy, where at first Claudio is so very much liked by the audience, but who now remains a little bit hated for his outburst towards the innocent Hero(even though he doesn't know she is)

His outburst cause a 'Death' in a relationship between Hero and Leonato and Claudio himself and Hero, though it's not the actual outcome he wanted, as Don John wanted Leonato dead, he still got n outcome to satisfy himself with.

She brings shame to herself and her family even though she did nothing, but the slander was enough to cause their family name to get tarnished as well as the legacy their family might have held within society( Again we see that the Hierarchy have some pride and dignity to uphold in the views of society and their status).

Leonato

'Death is the fairest cover for her shame'

He obviously wants her dead bringing such amount of shae to his family is too much to bear, so with her death, that might bring him solace enough for this slander to subside.

This also happens to bring about the change in Roles, the roles reversal, where Beatrice feels that if Benedicts claims of love are true, he should do her some justice by killing Claudio to avenge the "death" of her cousin Hero.( The turn, seems to be where Beatrice has the power to use the love of Benedict to her advantage - she has the upper hand now in the play, which is very dignifying for a woman in her position to have) but the fact remains that she also uses the the intense emotion she's developed the overwhelming and angry feelings at the amount of slander and embarrassment her family's faced. In that instance, she wants revenge in its totality, 'the Death of her cousin = The death of the enemy that cause her death'.



Act Three of Much Ado About Nothing....

Act Three Scene One - The Orchard

There is also clever wordplay between Beatrice and Benedict.
The plan to make Beatrice fall for Beneick is under way
The plan to make them fall for each other has worked as they've fallen for it.( Another Jesty yet light conspiracy between the Characters, that also carries the development of the play as it carries on between the characters.
There is the mix of some Dramatic Irony, were the readers know more about the play that the Characters within the play, in obvious sense that Shakepeare has completed the purposes of the story he wishes to depict.
Trickery towards Beatrice loving Benedict is put into play, She falls for it.

"what fire is in mine ears? Can this be true?

Stand i condemned for pride and scorn so much?

Contempt, farewell!And maiden pride, adiue!

No glory ive behind the back of such.

And, Benedick, love on; i will requite thee,

Taming my wild heart to thy loving hand.

If thou dost love,my kindness shall incite thee

To bind our loves up in a holy band:

For others say thou dost desrve, and I

Believe it better than reportingly".

Onto Act Three Scene 2

Claudio is elated about his upcoming marraige to his love - Hero

This is also the Scene where the climax takes place and Don John seeing an opening adds fuels to the flames, he approaches his brother - Claudio innocent in this matter, and by using their Don Pedro and his trusted friend, thier friendship remains the key to unlocking the chaos that awaits in the development of the play.

With the stage set and chaos commencing in the heart of claudio, it starting seeping out. The Clown Characters - The Idiots, are introduced to the play.- Dogeberry and Verges.

But then again they are also the key to unravelling the plots set by Don John and his evil minions as we find out later on within the course of the play. They have already captured Borachio and Conrade and have tortured them into telling them all that those two conspired with their master.

Act Three Scene Four and Five

The loved up Hero begins preparations for her up wedding day safely in the room, unaware that beforehand the plan devised by Don John has played the trick on her bethrothed husband Claudio.

this is another instance where the audience experiences Dramatic Irony, where they know the development of emotions of the characters and Claudio's plan to embarass Hero at the alter on their Wedding Day but leaving the characters unaware of this fact.

The audience should also by this point of the play sense the building tension, and this being more evident when the two - Verges and Dogeberry fail to state what it was they wished to tell Leonato, which was the reason they went to his house in the first place.

Much Ado About Nothing.........The Class Lecture.

Thoughts and Ideas as to what we as teachers want to portray :-

The Acts that are of more Significance in Act One Scene One.
The moment where Claudio sees Hero and falls instantly in love with her.

Looking back at the English Literature Objectives and linking them to Much Ado.

Objective One

What is your Arguement? Is it a good one, what do you want to put across to the examiner.

Objective Two

Language, Form and Structure - How is Shakepeare telling the story of Much Ado-How is the story told?
- Use of Metre
- Verse
- Rythms
- Soliloques

Objective Three

Different points of view challenging and discussing your own points within the play.

Objective Four

Context of the Scenes, could possibly relate 'Much Ado' to the oter plays by Shakespeare, History, the setting  the play in Italy - Exotic type places, possibly in effect of dstancing the audience from the chracters of the play and more of what the play is about, into focusing more on the aspect of the play in what it's trying to portray, - Genre, Mood/Atmosphere, Abruptness of emotion acted out through the play.
The fact that as a writer Shakepeares tries to harness as an observant writer a certain type of reaction from the audience ( emotive response is the key)
the way the Actors would have potrayed emotion through the of the Acts and Scenes.
Does it have any political significance? what is the purpose of the obvious Hierarchy within the play? how are they significant?
What are the social,Political and moral aspects, if any, throughout the play?(The philosophical Context of the play)

Act One Scene One

• The introduction to the Ended Wars.
• Then the apparent war between Benedict and Beatrice
• Claudio seeing Hero and falling madly in love with her
• Leonato hearing the potential marraige proposal for his daugther from his broter Antonio
• Don John's sudden hatred, realised and that for his brother Don Pedro.

Questions

What would us as teachers want to class to focus on - link questions to the objectives ( Covering all the Assessment Objectives).

• The fact that the roles are reversed in theme,where the war has ended but begins between both Beatrice and Benedict but Don John towards Don Pedro ( the differenc in Don John being it's towards his brother)
• Obvious Malice and disdainful opinions from Don John towards his the feelings he has of his brother( and for and unknown reason?)- but what caused it?. - Did the war make him become a man who's heart turned to stone having no empathy towards the fact that they are brothers despite him being a "Bastard". 
• To what extent is the civil war between the characters the most importnt part of the play (ask class to find instances where the war in hate or evn mere jest is shown, with opinions) of this could be the most vital part of the whole of the play.

- (Teachers) Relate these comments to the war between Beatrice and Benedict same with Don John towards Don Pedro.

• How would Shakespeare's language affect the way the charcter portray those moments of anger or hate, even the moment of comedic jest?
• The Emotions emotions he might have used to make the characters come to life?

(Teachers) - What is the Chracter of Beatrice like, how does she seem different from the ladies back then and how they would be back then in that time/era?.
- How the ladies back then would have been more ladylike in speech and in manner of presenting themselves as delicate creature, much like Hero's character whom to that effect seems to be portrayed as being fragile, and not as assertive or loud mouthes as her "Dear Cousin".
- Beatrice's character does not follow the sterotypical roles that women carried in those times. She seems more outgoing,fiesty,abrupt in speech

-The question that should also be asked is - Why would Beatrice as someone who hates Benedict ask for him, even if it be in jest?.

At the start of the play Act one Scene One - (Teachers ask Students) - who has the upper hand in the play Beatrice or Benedict?! And why does it matter throughout the course of the play?, Does it unravel anything?.

• But in the fact that in trickery Siginior Benedick is love struck by the possible fact that Beatrice might love him, therefore showing signs of sensitivity. This shows how the role is reversed where Beatrice denies her love for much longer than him, with him wanting to requite her, of that love.

• Here is where there might be a possible role reversal, where Benedict in anger and jest talks to Claudio: - "That i niether feel how she should be loved, nor know how she should be worthy, is the opinion that fire cannot melt out of me; i will die in it at the stake".

The point being tht there could be and underlying meaning in him talkin so manly trying to hide his own feelings for one woman in particular i.e Beatrice. it makes his character seem in denial of the fact that there could be some buried feelings towards Beatrice and yet still refuses to acknowledge it.

Lesson Plan

• Students finding Quotes representing conflict between the characters
• The Focus Point should be the Conflict- Tha civil war between the characters
• Is the main war more significant part of the play or is the war between the characters?
• What is the comedic aspect of the war within the play, the playful banter between Beatrice and Bendict?
• Is the war more on the lines of comedy or is it more serious? If both argue as to why Shakespeare made it this way? ( Reasons, Quotes to back up arguement)
• Make a point as to how the characters seem to fight their own wars within the progression of the play and how this affects the development of the play- how Shakespeare harnesses this to his advantage evolving the play, the Emotions used when th characters act etc?.

Shakespeare's 'Much Ado About Nothing'.....

Thoughts on the Play

1.  Seems to be one with dark humour surrounding it.
2. There is a lot of characterization of time, place and how each role is acted out or played and always at the start of each Act or towards that starting of each Scene.
3. Every scene seems to be plotted to harbour some humour as well as some manipulation in the way of a romantic jest, or when love is indeed professed by the characters
4. Dispute a lot between Benedict and Beatrice.

I have now established that there seems to be a lot of pending chaos towards the end of the play and there is evil at work.
But that at the beginning it seems even before the war there was love between the character, and that, that was the reason nobody professed there love for the other, and where there was no time to build upon it.

When upon speaking to Don Pedro in Act One Scene One;

O my Lord,

When you went onward on this ended action,

I looked upon her with a sodier's eye,

That liked, but had a rougher task in hand

Than to drive liking to the name of love;

But now I am returned, and that war-thoughts

Have left their places vacant, in their rooms

Come thronging soft and delicate desires,

All prompting me how fair young Hero is,

Saying I liked her ere I went to wars.

This also written in the way of poetry shows, that shakepeare has made this scene, where love should be obviously shown, protested by Claudio who's found his heart yearning for Hero's affection. He makes it romantic and hence seems to speak of the romance he feels for Hero in such a way that it's portrayed as being so.

Scene Two of Much ado about nothing

Scene one going into Act Two

This is the point of the play where Claudio has seen Hero and prepares to profess his love for Hero to leonato Whom has heard of from his Brother Anotonio.

In disbelief Leonato replies saying 'We will hold it as a dream till it appear itself'. Leonato then seems welcoming of this news, that his daugther might finally be wed and to a good gentleman too, but hearing this news jst doeasn't seem good enough instead he also says ' I will acquaint my daugther, with that she amy be better prepared for an answer'.
From then on Act One Scene 3: the Evil then start to conspire and the story evolves into becoming that of a more sinister one. The tension scenes begin from this point onwards.

- It seems that for every happy beginning,  evil must be intertwined. - Don John, Borachio, and Conrade conspire. As it seems upon hearing news of some potential escalation of happiness they are the flames that decide and start constructing ways to ruin everything.

 Act Two:


At the start it seems Beatrice has some bad instinct about Don John, though unaware of his true personality and intention. Then from there starts to compare him to Benedick.
Her reasons for not liking Don John remaining or being too quiet and always to himself. Whereas Signior Benedick more on the lines of being the more talkative jumpy.
- They both seem to have traits in them - Count John and Signior Benedict that is compared by Beatrice, obviously not taking a liking to both there characters.

My thoughts about beatrice is that her character is portrayed as arrogant yet fiesty and so sure of herself and her jugdement of others.

Also seems as somewhat of a sly underlying event hapenning at the start of Act Two Scene One, where beatrice, unknowingly describes Benedick, despite despising his character. As is the same with Benedick when he describes Beatrice - unknowingly in the woman he wishes for himself he describes her in detail, the woman he hopes god will give him.

when he starts to contemplate about the conversation between him and Claudio about his wishes to marry Hero. Benedict thinks back to the feeling Claudio had shown, and i quote:-
Scene 3- "yet i am well, but till in graces be in one woman, one woman shall not come in my grace. Rich she shall be, thats certain; wise or i'll none, virtuous or i'll never cheapen her; fair or i'll never look on her, mild, or come not near me; noble or not i for an angel; of good discourse, an excellent musician and her hair shall be of what colour it please God". In the same way  found that Beatrice also describes the man she hopes to find this just becomes clearer as the play moves into the other acts. she hopes to marry.

Act Two Scene One- Beatrice Quoting - "What should i do with him? Dress him in my apparel and make him my waiting-gentlewoman? He that hath a beard is more than a youth; an he that hath no beard is less than a man; and he that is more than a youth is not for me, and he that is less than a man, I am not for him. Therefore in earnest of the bear'ard and lead his apes into hell". When Beatrice says this speech, I thought it indirectly related to her describing Benedict.

Within this Act is also showing us a glimpse of how quickly ones jealousy can overtake and blind their jugdement of another. Going back in Scene Two, where Claudio was jealous ( on the contruction of Don John's lies), in thinking that Don Pedro took Hero for himself. The expressive emotins he seems to show at that point in time are indeed describe by beatrice as 
"The count is niether sad, nor sick, nor merry, nor wel; but civil Count - civil as an orange ans something of that jealous complexion".

Act Two Scene Two
In my opinion he loved her so much he reacted in jeaousy but in loving her also kept himself silent when approached by Don Pedro and Hero unaware that there alliance was made. It seems that even in obvious jealous anger the way he misconstrued the situation, to me it seems that he was willing to sacrifice his feelings of how he felt for Hero in that instant, for the love he had for his trusted friend when thinking that.

Thus I answer in name of Benedick,

But hear this ill news in with the ears of Claudio.

'Tis certain so: the prince wooes for himself.

Friendship is constant in al other things

Save in the ofice and affairs of love:

Therefore all hearts in love use their own tongues.

Let every eye negotiate for itself,

And trust no agent:for beauty is a witch

Against whose charms faith melthe into blood

This is an accident of hourly proof,

Which i mistrusted not. Farewell therefore Hero.

At that point in the scene we begin to see that he does indeed get fooled easily(his mind like that of a child that couls easily be thwarted) and just by the words of another i.e Don John and Borachio.

Much Ado about nothing Act 5 Scene througout the whole of the Act.

Scene 5 ( Thoughts and perception of chacracters at ths point of the play)

Throughout the week i've been thinking about the play and how i've come to perceive it. But I have made the effort in delving more into it, in linking it to aspects of that certain time period of which religion is very important, in the sense that it moulded the way people came to live and think bout their daily life.

For instance Hero's character, portrayed as being so innocent and I quote 'She's but the sign and semblance of her honour Behold how like a maid she blushes here!'. In that time period to remain so pure and innocent was a charm that men found very attractive in a young girl,untouched by any man as Claudio stated that (Hero)'She knows the heat of a luxurious bed; Her blush is guiltiness,not modesty'.

But the thing is that is what I found most interesting within the play, the fact that Claudio was in love with Hero, but that in the heat of the moment, a misunderstanding created by Don John, his feelings of anger was so overwhelming that it took over. And so I looked at the Definition of how Shakespeare in my view could have possibly intertwined the aspects of the 7 Deadly sins within his play.

• Wrath
• Greed
• Sloth
• Pride
• Lust
• Envy
• Gluttony

Looking at all of these in early christianity, gave me a better in depth feel of linking these emotions with the emotions felt at that point in time the Wedding Scene as well as the scenes where Don John conspires to thwart feelings of love and relationship as well as happiness from being developed in the progression of the story as it unfolds.

Notes : What i am particularly interested in, is the love that Claudio feels for Hero i.e, seeing her at first sight and just loving her (Beauty) of generally her as a person maybe - and yet that seems to change, your view of his loe seems to change for her when he believes what he sees instead of what Hero tells him( on the wedding day) about her innocence.
Moving on and the point being that he just saw her and instantaneously didn't care for anything other than what he saw before him, also assuming that he ddin't care about whether she was pure or not, just looking at her, her seeming that way was enough, and I quote through;
Act One, Scene One Claudio - 'Can the world buy such a jewel? In mine eye, she is the sweetest lady that ever I looked on'.I would scarce trust myself, though I had sworn the contrary, if Hero would be my wife'.
- All three different quotes yet all about his feelings towards Hero. He fell for her charms in that way.
This makes me think that in other words Jealousy remains a very strong component in misconstruing something as fragile as a relationship built(in this case) of the love Claudio has for Hero and Vice versa.
The fact also remains that Don John was the culprit in causing the mischief, adding deception, lies that seemed to have tormented Claudio's heart, clouding his mind, so much not seeing any sense in his out burst of anger.

But then he realises his mistake later on, when everything seemed to come to light with the death of Hero. In realisation of her truth in death his former torment of jealousy diminishes, from then on turning into the torment of (the supposedly dead) Hero, he then blames himself for the cause of her Death.

Don John's Evil is the cause of how the whole aspect of the story changes from being one of happiness to one of tragedy in the way of creating the rifts that caused this to happen.

Much Ado About Nothing.........Scene One

Thought's....

There's are some stereotypes within Shakespearian plays. There is also some Jealousy with status(Don John to Don Pedro).
Don John is not entitled to the same status or the spoils of the family that Don Pedro.

• As a Character who is he? Outcast of the play.( The black sheep) fulfilling the role (Power Play)
• Conspiracy
• Each Role emotions Don JOhn is miserable where everybody is happy as war is over.
• Important Structurally as it creates the mood in which it could be predicted during the coarse of the play.
• Conrade - Don John's right hand man knows Don John giving his feelings significance

In prose everything is concise, whereas in poetry it's trippedy for instance Don Pedro describing how one should love to claudio professing his love for Hero.
Don John arrogant, self centered, selfish, he would rather die before he remains under his brother's shadow.
He is a character that is given less significance in terms of status but more in terms of being the evil within the play, his character is given less dominance over people compared to his brother. it's only in regards to the controll an loyalty he gets from having his henchmen.

Scene 1
References to the war
Paradox - The war is over but it is just the beginning(mainly between Beatrice and Benedict)
How Benedict and Beatrice are at war and how Don John is at war with Don Pedro(Unknown to him)
Hierarchy, Dominance, Status, Way of life.
How Don John is malicious and Spiteful towards Don Pedro
How Benedict loves Beatrice and vice versa- Shakespeare's use of forshadowing the fact that they both have feelings for each other.
Don John's act is malicious
Whereas when Benedick insults Beatrice in jest
Dramatic significance in pace, where alot of movement when alot characters are involved but with Don John's part its slow paced, making him stand out as the villain in the plot.
In the ballroom he doesn't wear masks seems to be making a statement (Evil).
Beatrice and Benedict have history, seems heart broken 'Never a true word said in jest' saying something lightly but meaning it- this seems to have an underlying meaning.
When Benedict and Beatrice's characters start to change in feelings that's when we have the two sides to them(Alias).

Much Ado About Nothing.........JOURNAL..........

Questions- Thought's on the aspects of what makes the play.

• How is the comedy constructed?
• What are the more seriou elements that emerge within the play?
• How are the characters dramatically depicted throught the play?
• what makes the play a comedy/tragedy?
• Why is Don John so Evil, Spiteful??!

The thing I don't get though is the fact that when you actually watch the characters within the play you get the realise how Don John's evil side is clearly portary by the way he states his words,meaning that each time he speaks, there is somewhat of an evil tone to his voice, his facial features towards the people he talks to/his reactions change depending on whom he talks to. - Emphasis on dramatisim

Also the fact that Pathetic Fallacy is used, in retropect it seems that the use of atmosphere as well as setting has much importance within this play, i.e Setting- Italy, in a Mansion, with a courtyard surrounded by trees, hills etc.

Much Ado About Nothing............

Thoughts :- The first time I heard about the play...I thought that as it's very new to me, I would find it hard understanding Shakespear's narrative, through his use of language in this story. And that I did!
I am though slowly grasping a bit, with the way he uses words, as some are reletively easy to figure out in terms of what each character says, yet in the same way what i'm finding harder is to understand the combination of all the characters (which are too many) and the fact that combining Shakespearian english with the different scenes, character and series of events is SO confusing!.....as well as the use of very emotive powerful verses in the scenes where the whole thing picks up...

Pied Piper of Hamlin

A narrative theme that Browning seems to use throughout most of his poetry is one of Time.
In that creating a specific location described as 'Hamlin Town's in Brunswick.By famous Hanover City', creates a vivid glimpse, a picture if you will, of how one should picture the the story being told as a first person.
In comparison to the Pied Piper- 'The Patritot', seems to have some similarity in showing Time and or a description of how time displaces itself from being something relating to the present time. Rather, it describes something in the past, something of memory, a recollection, which is another significant trait acknowledged within his poetry as stated in the Patriot 'A year ago to this very day', showing how Browning in comparison to a quote in the Pied Piper of Hamlin, shows how he starts of the foundation of his stories through poetry, 'But, When begins my ditty, Almost five hundread years ago, To see the townsfolk suffer so, From vermin was a pity'.
Another signaficant factor of how Browning tells his story through poetry, is through the Structure, how he lays out his Poetry.
Comparing the 'The Last Duchess' and 'Fra Lippo Lippi',to 'The Pied Piper' and 'The Patriot' Poems  the structure is very Important, showing a very distinctive technique Browning has used. Which is the fact that in the poems that are more descriptive in memory, there written in a linear style narrative, whereas the 'Pied Piper' in particular is written in a more poetic style, each sectioned and numbered,but also being concise creating levels of layers in which the story seems to unfold, also by the use of Iambic tetrametre, which is another of Browning's techniques.
This in terms of effectiveness creates room for questioning that whether by chapterising each stanza, time and the pace of reading the poem changes the whole view of the story, and indeed it does.
Instead of thinking or relating the meaning behind the story of the 'Pied Piper' with the reality the use of the rhyhm i.e Iambic Tetrametre, with the use of coinciding rhymes creating a 3 verse rhyming stanza making it seem innocent and just a poem described as 'A Child's Story.
So in conclusion, also pointing out the fact that at the start, the use of In Media Res, makes it tricky to realise that in fact that this is indeed story, told from memory, told to a child and as a third person who is being talked to at the end of the poem - 'So Willy, let me and you be wipers, Of scores out with all men - Especially Pipers', a story which ends in a moral being told.
Saying that's it's 'A Child's Story' does not make it so, Again meaning the poem has a much deeper underlying point to be made, which is yet again another method of Browning's.
The use of enjambment, making the poem seem always flowing into each verse, always having that trippy feeling to it, also in creating stressed verses and emphasising on each one, with words that seem to stand out exaggerated by use of exclammation points,to highlight significance of the verse, I.e in Stanza 10,the use of the word 'Rats!' Highlighting the key factor of which the story is about.

The Last Duchess By Browning

I found the poem very surreal at first, in how it starts and then slowly unfolds to become a story of tragedy towards the middle an ending.

In every poem I have read of Browning’s, I find that he has the tendency of making a story of tragedy seem so calm and wonderfully beautiful in the beginning, then bringing the tragic murderous characters, who add that certain type of  sinister feeling towards it, what seems to be a story, being described in the form of the poem. Reading it seems like the character is a man, who describes the way he had so much love for a woman that he murdered near the end of this poem but also talking about how he held ‘My Duchess’ as a possession keeping her beauty away from the staring eyes but his. And that she was somewhat of an intimidating and overshadowing character that to attain his dominance from their relationship wanted to solely possess her. It’s as if she does not feel that anything he says to her is relevant to what she wants ‘In speech – Which I have not – to make your will quite clear to such an one, and say, just this Or that in you disgust me; here you miss or there exceed the mark’ – and if she let Herself be lessoned so, nor plainly set Her wits to yours, forsooth and made excuse, E’en then would be some stooping; and I choose never to stoop. This just indicates that they seem to get into a lot of arguments which resulted in him succumbing to her authority in a way because he chooses ‘Never to stoop’.

Quoting ‘how such a glance came there; so not the first,

                 Are you to turn and ask thus. Sir ‘twas not

                 Her husband’s presence only called that spot

                 Of joy into the Duchess’ cheek.

Using the quote it does seem that she was not happy in seeing her husband for reasons that he was trying to force affection from her, always thinking that And I quote ‘ She ranked my gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name with anybody’s gift. This to me tells me that he might want her for himself, thinking that, by showering her with the most expensive worldly objects she will be ‘Too easily impressed; she liked whate’er, she looked on, and her looks went everywhere’. To me it seems that though she seems easily impressed it only for the things described in stanza 24 as’ the dropping of daylight in the west, the bough of cherries’, then moving on into stanza 26, where it starts with ‘the white mule she with round the terrace – all each would draw from her alike the approving speech, or blush at least, she thanked men – good! But thanked somehow – I know not how’. Again it seems that he is so controlling that the amount of attention she gets form them men that do admire her beauty, makes him so paranoid that he has to ask himself how she thanked them. Was it a smile or through some other form of appreciation?

 

The Laboratory by Browning - Poetry

The poem 'The Laboratory' by Browning, was very interesting, how the poet narrated the Stanza's, like a person telling a story of how they plan to kill the woman, who snatched the man she loved.

Browning created this woman, showing how evil her mind is and the way she conspires to kill that which is in her way.
It’s as if she's relishing in the fact that this poison is that which is enough to finish off her opponent. As she says 'Which is the poison to poison her, prithee?’ this just tells the readers that the woman has the desire, to choose a poison that is strong enough to finish her in an instant as she also says 'What a drop! She's not little, no minion like me! That's why she ensnared him; this never will free the soul from masculine eyes', she is saying that a droplet won’t be enough to kill such a women of her size, that a much more significant amount would definitely do the deed justice.
The narrator seems to use a lot pauses in between the way she describes her use of rhythmic prose, in describing each verse as if trying to make it known to the reader of her intent, each precautious steps she is taking to make sure that everything goes to plan.
This poem though very gruesome, shows how Browning works, creating a poem that touches on the aspects of morbidity,  as with his poem  ‘The Last Duchess’ It  also touches upon death and the way it comes to pass, through what seems to be a series of events leading to a morbid ending.
In conclusion to all said, I think that the narrator has cleverly used a sort of rhythmic connivance in regards to creating that sort of sinister and dramatised tension and a sort of feeling of making the reader realise that this poem is about revenge, that its about the fact that any minute now that ‘Soft phial, the exquisite blue, sure to taste sweetly’, is the object with which that whole poem is about that ‘Brave tree whence such gold oozing come!’ that should ‘brighten her drink, let her turn it and stir’ then for her to ‘Try it and taste’ that the girl should ‘Let death be felt and proof remain’, this is just the ending that reminds me of that point when Juliet instead of drinking  the elixir to end her life, uses the knife, which is much more brutal, but instead in this poem it’s based on the most civilised of women being the one who kills describing herself as a woman of significance saying ‘where men wait me and dance at the king’s’ not caring for how much the price for her wish to happen comes as she says ‘The delicate droplet, my whole fortune’s fee! If it hurts her’, and to ‘take all my jewels, gorge gold to your fill’. The rich and wealthy using powers to influence what she desires to happen.

Porphyria's Lover By Robert Browning

The poem Porphyria's Lover, has a sort of Romantic,yet sinister feel about it.
I loved the way the poem plays out a story, How a love so beautifully depicted turns into something so unexpectedly murderous an vicious.
At the start of the poem, I thought that the scene where it states and I Quote 'The sullen wind was soon awake', would just be another dreary day were the lives of the two subjects would just decribe there day to day lives. But then again reading that it also states that 'She shut the cold out and the storm'. Metaphorically, that could state that she is trying to keep out the world and the harms it could bring to her, if she doesn't shut out 'the storm'. But could also men that with the opens skies pouring shutting the down Is effectively keeping the weather out, where she the 'Kneel'd nd made the cheerless grate, Blaze up,and all the cottage warm'.

However though you have the fact that the poet is painting a solemn picture for the readers to read and to depict it as best as they will, i find that reading on, in stance 21, the picture becomes clearer of how a woman in some of her infinite wisdom and capabilities comes of as being somewhat of a seductress, Quoting 'She put my arm about her waist, And made her smooth white shoulder bare'. It just seems like she Is being presented as some kind of prostitute, a lady of Pleasure, but also indicates how much she is in love or how she assumes her love for this man, whom she wishes to entice.

But then I also think that this Man, whom she speaks of, loves her too and admires the fact that she is actually showing him how much she does love him.
Stance 29 ' For love, of her and all in vain;
                  So, she was come through wind and rain.
                  Be sure I looked at her eyes
                  Happy and proud; at last I knew
                  Porphyria worshipp'd me;surprise
                  Made my heart swell and still it grew'

It just seems that he is in love with her and the fact that she is also 'Perfectly pure and good'. This proves to be a contradiction to the way i percieved her as i stated in the paragragh's above, that she seems somewhat like a seductive mistress of some kind.
But then again, the contradiction of his love for her, does ot stop there but goes onto where she is killed as he felt like that at that certain moment in time she was all his, and noboy else's, 'That moment she was all mine, mine, fair,'. This, reading back just seems to indicate a sudden sort of dominance towards the fact that she is there with him and will do anything to please him.

Dream Sanctuary...........

Eyes close,
Then as night falls, darkness befriends my being.
My heart then rests.
Slow to quicken its grasp on the reality that stands waiting for me....
I wake to it...........and regret ever living..
So i close myself.......My eyes, the windows to my soul
Physically, Spiritually,letting nothing interrupt my peace, but the sweet sounds of music.
Melodies harmonically unified, I call to you.
Surpress the pain in my heart and soul,
Let thee not be imprisoned in thine misery....
An so my eyes slowly retreat. They remain closed.
For my wish is nothing more, than to feel at peace within a sanctuary, away from the worlds prying eyes.
The one they shall never find to tarnish.
This my Dream Sanctum Sanctorum.

A Poem By

Simone G

An Extract from 'Empress Orchid' by Anchee Min

Author - Anchee Min
Title - Empress Orchid
Page 86

"I am a squirrel with a dragon's ambition"

Page 56 & 57

Reading Empress Orchid i have taken a few lines to create my own short Story.

"My memories were full and sweet...Indeed....
Opened and longer in sight.
Suddenly my heart betrayed me.
Broken.....I gently began forgetting and convinced myself to hide my tears"

Here is an actual Extract from the Book -

Likes a singing River
You break out to flow freely
I am the mountain behind
Happily I watch you
Memory of Us
Full and Sweet.

The lonely Candle Light....

As the light of the candle fills the room....
It embraces the shadows of the objects placed,within the four corners of this, my sanctuary.
"I am still afraid, of the darkness" - it feels as if someone is following me hovering, waiting to appear before me.

Short Story Sentences.....

'A rememberance of  purity,
Endless through Eternity.....
When the light dissapears,
It comes..... then fear reigns true'

'The Memories that existed in Time'

In Silence I hear the whispers of Babylon.........Come Near..........


Simone G...

I Describe Love The Way I Feel It....(Original Poem) Simone G

This is a poem i created describing my feelings towards Love.....