Scene on Three (8): Moby Dick

During my Moby Dick reading, I have been encountering some banter that at least can force you to smile. I have always expected Moby Dick as a serious reading, but I apparently was wrong, there’s a sense of humour too in this book. Well, I am now featuring this one on Scene on Three because it made me laugh (quite) out loud, just by imagining it!

Ismael was telling us in chapter 65 about how sperm whale (Moby Dicks’ ‘family’) meat was often served among the whale ships.

“In the case of a small Sperm Whale the brains are accounted a fine dish. The casket of the skull is broken into with an axe, and the two plump, whitish lobes being withdrawn (precisely resembling two large puddings), they are then mixed with flour, and cooked into a most delectable mess, in flavor somewhat resembling calves’ head, which is quite a dish among some epicures; and every one knows that some young bucks among the epicures, by continually dining upon calves’ brains, by and by get to have a little brains of their own, so as to be able to tell a calf’s head from their own heads; which, indeed, requires uncommon discrimination. And that is the reason why a young buck with an intelligent looking calf’s head before him, is somehow one of the saddest sights you can see. The head looks a sort of reproachfully at him, with an ‘Et tu Brute!’ expression.”

LOL!!!

By the way, if you haven’t read Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, or at least read/heard about his (Caesar, not Shakespeare) murder, you might not see the funniest part…. :)

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Jadi bagaimana cara berpartisipasi dalam Scene on Three :

• Tuliskan suatu adegan atau deskripsi pemandangan/manusia/situasi/kota dan sebagainya ke dalam suatu post.
• Jelaskan mengapa adegan atau deskripsi itu menarik, menurut versi kalian masing-masing.
• Jangan lupa cantumkan button Scene on Three di dalam post dengan link menuju blog Bacaan B.Zee.
• Masukkan link post kalian ke link tools yang ada di bawah post Bacaan B.Zee, sekalian saling mengunjungi sesama peserta Scene on Three.
• Meme ini diadakan setiap tanggal yang mengandung angka tiga, sesuai dengan ketersediaan tanggal di bulan tersebut (tanggal 3, 13, 23, 30, dan 31).

#OTR: Kitab Yesaya 5: Nyanyian Tentang Kebun Anggur

Bab 5 Kitab Yesaya langsung dibuka dengan nyanyian tentang kebun anggur, yang boleh dibilang perikop tercantik yang pernah kubaca di Kitab Yesaya; paling puitis, unik, dan emosional. Perikop ini tampaknya benar-benar aslinya merupakan sebuah nyanyian (dan itu terasa meski kita membacanya sebagai puisi biasa). Penggunaan ‘Kekasihku’ (si pemilik kebun anggur) yang di sini artinya Tuhan sangat terasa hangat.

Nyanyian ini menungkapkan perasaan Tuhan ketika umatnya (bukan hanya Israel saja) tetap kerasa kepala dalam dosa. Tuhan telah bekerja keras untuk “mencangkul, membuang batu-batu, menanam, mendirikan menara jaga dan menggali lobang untuk memerasa anggur”, namun tetap saja kebun itu (manusia) menghasilkan ‘anggur yang asam’. Maka jangan salahkan Tuhan kalau Ia sampai menghukum mereka (kita) karena kesabaran Tuhan pada saatnya akan ada batasnya.

“…dinantiNya keadilan

tetapi hanya ada kelaliman,

Dinantinya kebenaran

tetapi hanya ada keonaran.”

Setelah perikop yang indah ini, perikop berikutnya terasa ‘keras’ karena berisi kecaman Tuhan terhadap orang-orang yang suka berpesta pora, yang kebanyakan diawali dengan ‘Celakalah!’. Tak tanggung-tanggung pula hukuman mengerikan yang akan diberikan Tuhan:

“Sebab itu dunia orang mati akan membuka kerongkongannya lapang-lapang

        dan akan mengangakan mulutnya lebar-lebar dengan tiada terhingga,

Sehingga lenyap di dalamnya segala kesemarakan dan keramaian Yerusalem,

        segala kegaduhannya dan orang-orang yang bersukaria di kota itu.”

“Sebab itu seperti lidah api memakan jerami,

        dan seperti rumput kering habis lenyap dalam nyala api,

Demilian akar-akar mereka akan menjadi busuk,

        dan kuntumnya akan beterbangan seperti abu.”

Setelah semua itu, belum tuntas juga murka Tuhan, Ia memanggil bangsa-bangsa asing untuk menyerang Israel, dan hasilnya pun akan mengerikan:

“Pada hari itu mereka akan diliputi

        Oleh suara seperti suara laut menderu.

Jika orang memandang ke bumi,

        Sesungguhnya, ada gelap yang menyesakkan,

Dan terang menjadi gelap oleh awan-awan!”

Aku jadi membayangkan, seorang pemilik kebun, sebagai yang paling mencintai kebun itu, yang sudah menginvestasikan uang, jerih payah, waktu ke dalamnya, pasti adalah orang terakhir yang akan berpikir untuk merusaknya. Dan, bila ia sungguh merusaknya, pasti karena ia sudah amat sangat marah, dan kerusakannya pastilah amat sangat dahsyat, karena ia tidak akan melakukannya setengah-setengah. Ini bukan lagi keisengan belaka (seperti ulah anak-anak nakal misalnya), tapi si pemilik kebun melakukannya dengan hati dingin, penuh perhitungan, dan kebun itu pasti akan habis lenyap tak berbekas. Maka….mari kita bayangkan apabila Tuhan Yang MahaKuasa itu suatu hari berketatapan untuk merusak kebun anggurNya, betapa maha dahsyat lah kerusakannya, dan kengeriannya bahkan takkan mampu kita bayangkan! Itulah kiamat bagi manusia, tiada ampun lagi bagi kita….

When Business and Revenge Collide: Moby Dick Chapter 23 – 47

The whaling business

Ishmael highlights the prestige in whaling business despite of people’s underestimation. Whalemen even supply sperm oil for Kings and Queens’ coronation. Its spermaceti—wax obtained from the head of sperm whale—is also used as ointment and medicament. And that’s what makes sperm whale business is more prestige than other whales’.

The whaling crew

Here is the ‘rank chart’ of the whaling cruise on board of Pequod (from what I gathered so far):

Starbuck is the chief mate, seems to be a careful sailor, very brave—from brutal experiences—also the most experienced and educated person. Stubb the second mate is an easy-going, indifferent, and humorous person who is never seen without his pipe. While Flask the third mate is an ignorant but fearless person. Each of them picks a harpooner as his ‘squire’ when they are at work. And finally…the enigmatic Captain Ahab makes his first appearance on deck. He is a determinate man with erect figure and strong charisma. Stubb is the first who gets the ‘blow’ when Ahab is angry.

According to Ishmael, the harpooners should have ranked equally with the captain, however here in particular, Ahab has something ‘grandeur’ in him that makes him much distinguished. Moreover, in dining time, harpooners have their turns after the mates, so informally they are a lower partner of the mates.

The monomaniac Ahab

Ahab finally makes everyone understand that his real intention for the cruise is to take his personal revenge on Moby Dick, the famous White Whale, which has taken one of his legs. In fact it’s not just a bitter rage; in Ahab, the attack has given him a madness and monomaniac hatred. And so big is his hatred that he will do anything to hunt Moby Dick; he technically calculates and maps everything to locate it.

Starbuck doesn’t agree because Ahab has turned the whaling business into a violent revenge, but Ahab is too strong in character, that Starbuck has no choice but to obey. Nevertheless, Starbuck still has his conscience and a little hope to fight the darkness that begins to infiltrate the ship. In fact, each with his reaction, everyone on board feels the evil air surrounds them. Knowing how vulnerable his ambition among his men is, Ahab pretends to still have interest in the voyage’s original business, while at the same time keeps pursuing Moby Dick.

The legendary Moby Dick

Moby Dick, the White Whale, has become a legend among the whalemen. It is clever and has caused several accidents in the sea. Moby Dick is distinguished and recognizable because of its unique shape: the peculiar snow-white wrinkled forehead, the pyramidical white hump, and the shrouded blue streaks and spots which makes it looks whitish. The color white has much psychological value in different societies, but in Moby Dick, it has this divine, noble, and pureness aspect.

More mysteries

One of the crew hear human noises under the hatches. His friend hushes him at that time, but then, when the first sign of whales comes one night, the crews are surprised by the appearance of five Oriental men who turn out to be Ahab’s crew, smuggled into the board unknowingly by the bosses. And so, there is the first commotion in the ship when one of Ahab’s men finally sees the sign of whales.

My random thoughts

My favorite in this stint is Starbuck’s monologue in chapter 38. It reflects the uneasiness when we know that there is an evil intention within our group. It’s like the dark cloud that disturbs your pure soul. In the helplessness of facing the ‘devil’, he can only cries: “Oh, life! ‘tis now that I do feel the latent horror in thee! But ‘tis not me! That horror’s out of me! And with the soft feeling of the human in me, yet will I try to fight ye, ye grim, phantom features! Stand by me, hold me, bind me, O ye blessed influences!”  Here I really felt like reading a play!

About Moby Dick, it is always our world’s typical, that the unknown or the not-yet-visible would create such a mystic. It is the case also with Moby Dick: “Though in many of its aspects this visible world seems formed in love, the invisible spheres were formed in fright.”

And this got to be the most perfect quote to portray Ahab:

“God help thee, old man, thy thoughts have created a creature in thee; and he whose intense thinking thus makes him a Prometheus; a vulture feeds upon that heart forever; that vulture the very creature he creates.”

Previous chapters:

Chapter 1 -22

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Get Ready For Whaling: Moby Dick Chapter 1 - 22

[source]

Approaching the end of the year, Moby Dick would probably be the last book I’ll read for my WEM Project. This is a very interesting book, and I’m intending to chew it very slowly. As usual, I’ll begin with chapter posts—there are 135 chapters, by the way! I’ll post randomly every now and then, hopefully it will entertain you a bit before I get to my review… :)

Ishmael, the narrator

“Call me Ishmael” is probably one of the most memorable opening lines in literature. He is a sailor, used to work in merchant ships. He always loves the sea, and now is inspired to go for a whaling voyage. As Nantucket is the best and most famous place to go whaling (Nantucketers are the Kings of Sea!), there goes Ishmael. However, he must stay a night in New Bedford first, where he finds an old inn. The inn is fully occupied, but wait a second! If he just need a lodge for a night, would he share a bed with a harpooner staying there?, suggested the landlord. The harpooner turns out to be a cannibal, and this quite worries Ishmael, but he shares the bed nonetheless.

Meet Queequeg, the cannibal harpooner

After spending the night Ishmael finds with a surprise that, as a cannibal, Queequeg is very civilized, affectionate and polite. Walking around the town—and New Bedford is indeed a fine whaling town—Ishmael stops by a chapel. He is fascinated by the ‘ship-like’ of the pulpit’s construction which represents the relationship between the world and the Heaven. Now he realizes how whaling can be a mortal activity! And lo, how the chaplain—an ex-sailor—preaches on Jonah and his repentance so emotionally.

Now Ishmael, seeing how Queequeg, being a cannibal, could have such a kind heart, Ishmael finally binds a very intimate friendship with him. He can even tolerate Queequeg’s pagan worshiping and smoking-in-bed habit quite easily. Queequeg then tells a bit of his history; how he used to be a pagan Prince in his homeland, but dreamed to journey to Christendom. However here, he found disappointedly how wicked Christian people could be. Nonetheless, he takes Ishmael as an intimate friend now, and agrees to accompany him to Nantucket for whaling.

On board the schooner to Nantucket, Queequeg was humiliated by other passengers. But when the schooner is in danger, it is Queequeg nonetheless who becomes the brave hero and saves others. He gets respect, but keeps humble, as for him, helping others is a principle of being human.

On board the Pequod

Finally Ishmael closes the deal to sail with the Pequod, owned by Captain Peleg and Captain Bildad, and led by a mysterious Captain Ahab. Meanwhile Ishmael is fascinated—and a bit impatient—by Queequeg’s fanaticism in practicing his Ramadan fasting. The next day Ishmael and Queequeg register themselves as crew and harpooner in the Pequod. Queequeg is accepted finally despite of his being cannibal, but not before the owner’s efforts to Christianize him. Right after that a beggar-like sailor named Elijah warns them something more mysterious about Captain Ahab, that Ishmael begins to feel disturbed by every cloud surrounds their captain-to-be.

The Pequod is now equipped and prepared for the long journey, but….the enigmatic Captain Ahab has not yet appeared on board, and this grows Ishmael’s suspicion. Elijah wants to warn them further about Ahab, but declines for no reason. And so, the Pequod finally lifts its anchor and begins to sail, with only Captain Peleg and Bildad supervising. After certain point both captain are no longer needed on board, so they are dropped onto a sail boat, and off the Pequod starts its voyage across the Atlantic.

My random thoughts

The chaplain’s preach of Jonah’s repentance is probably the most interesting non-sailing aspect of these first chapters, especially this:

“All the things that God would have us do are hard for us to do, and hence, He oftener commands us than endeavors to persuade. And if we obey God, we must disobey ourselves, and it is in this disobeying ourselves, wherein the hardness of obeying God consists.” –our and God’s will are always on the opposite sides, and only with humility one can truly repent.

“In this world, shipmates, sin that pays its way can travel freely, and without a passport; whereas Virtue, if a pauper, is stopped at all frontiers.” –which means, I guess, how the world praises money and status much more than morality. As long as you have money, everything is possible, whereas morality won’t earn you anything.

Queequeg is a clear example for it. He is ignored by the world; a pagan among Christians, yet he is much more ‘Christian’ in doings than most of those (who claim to be) civilized Christians. When Queequeg went for registration, Captain Bildad hesitated to accept him at first just because he was not Christian; it’s only one example of people prejudices.

Talking about bravery, not only in Queequeg’s heroic act on the schooner we can see it; I think Ishmael deserves a thumb at least for being brave to share a bed, and even a blanket, with a cannibal! If I was in his situation, I’d probably choose to sleep on the chair! LOL…

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A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

“People always think that happiness is a faraway thing, something complicated and hard to get. Yet, what little things can make it up; a place of shelter when it rains - a cup of strong hot coffee when you're blue; for a man, a cigarette for contentment; a book to read when you're alone - just to be with someone you love. Those things make happiness.” 

And that is what this quite-a-chunkster book speaks about. The main idea is rather cliché; that happiness is a universal feeling; that every human being can feel it if they choose to; that happiness is about the way of viewing things around you; that happiness can be fight for. Betty Smith teaches us to live a happy life through her own experiences, which she wove into this book: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.

A tree—a very strong tree indeed—grew alone in the building’s yard where the Nolans lives in poverty in Brooklyn. However, despite of the lack of means with which trees should have had to grow—it has even been felled once—it managed to survive and kept growing, while the others died. So it is in life, there’s always one kind of human race who could not easily be destroyed by hardship or poverty; these rarely human beings kept growing amidst the very limited chance. Francie Nolan is one of these kinds.

This book actually tells the lives and struggles of three generations of the Rommely’s women. It started from Mary Rommely—the grandmother—who immigrated to America with her useless but abusive husband. She couldn’t read not write in English but insisted that her children must be better than her. She also taught her daughters to save every penny they can save, and to use it to buy their own land. Mary practiced it herself, worked hard all her life, but she died poorly still.

Now Katie Rommely seemed to follow her mother’s step by marrying a useless but charming man: Johnny Nolan. Although she could at least read in English, she was nevertheless uneducated, again, because of the poverty. However, following her mother’s advice, she and Johnny worked hard to give highest education possible to their children: Neely and Francie Nolan. Now here is the resemblance of Francie and the strong-built Tree of Heaven. Throughout the story, you would be taken to witness how Francie strove from the poverty, the loneliness of being unique, and the strong need of love.

In many ordinary people, they would not make it better than the others, but Francie had her own way of going through all the hard times. She knows how to see the beauty of everything, and so she could always make herself happy. She could adapt to whatever there is around her. For instance, she knew her mother loved Neely more than her; it was a bitter fact for a child, yet she could endure it and still, at least, gave her mother a proper love and respect. In a way, her ‘dreamy’ father had a contribution to Francie’s imagination quality, and fortunately, she also inherited her mother’s toughness and practical way of living. With all these, Francie became the first of the Rommelys who could go to college and had a decent career.

In fact, there is nothing very special in this book. The story is flat and slow, there is no twist or complex conflict. It is just about uninteresting life of a family. But from their struggles, their mistakes, and their imperfectness, we can learn a lot of things. We can learn that being poor doesn’t mean we can’t have dignity. And the most important lesson I got from this book is that happiness is not about what we have, but how we see everything we have. With that, there is no reason why we cannot all be happy, in the end it’s just about the way of thinking, anyway. Be always grateful for whatever you have!

Four stars for A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, it’s a kind of book you must chew slowly to get its best.

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*I read Indonesian translation edition from Gramedia Pustaka Utama*

*This book is counted as:*

9^th book for Historical Fiction Challenge 2013 -2015

11^th book for New Authors Reading Challenge 2013

7^th book for Read Big! Reading Challenge

58^th book for The Classics Club Project

Hamlet – Final Review

After reading Hamlet, I can officially announce that tragedy is my most favorite theme when it comes to plays. The story is more intense and there is less nonsense than in comedy. Although I tend to like historical tragedy (Julius Caesar, Antony & Cleopatra, Saint Joan and Richard III are my favorites), Hamlet is good, and I quite like it.

Hamlet is the Prince of Denmark. His father—Hamlet senior, the King—has just passed away, and now Denmark is ruled by Claudius, King Hamlet’s brother. Not only the kingdom, Claudius also took over the Queen—Gertrude—to be his wife. In his mourning, Hamlet was told by his friend Horatio that a Ghost that looked like the late King Hamlet has appeared lately. One night Hamlet saw, or rather met, the ghost of his father, who said that he has, in fact, been poisoned by Claudius while he was asleep, and he wanted Hamlet to take revenge for him.

Still unconvinced by the ghost, Hamlet arranged with a group of actors to perform a certain tragedy based on a story he wrote himself, the story of his father’s death (according to the ghost). Hamlet wanted to seek proof of Claudius guilt, and to justify his revenge plan. Claudius was angry and plannd to kill Hamlet, while Hamlet killed Polonius accidentally as he thought he was Claudius. Polonius’ son Laertes wanted to kill Hamlet to take revenge of his father’s death, and he was used by Claudius to kill Hamlet in an arranged duel, involving poisoned sword and poisoned goblet of wine. As in every tragedy, everybody died, leaving Horatio to tell the world the whole truth.

I like Hamlet for his smart tongue, it seems that he always wins from anyone who wants to pull something off him that he doesn’t freely give. His counter to Guildenstern’s unceasing pressing questions is one example. Hamlet insisted that Guildenstern should try playing a flute despite of the latter’s confession that he doesn’t know about melody. Hamlet then uses the flute playing to satirize his impending questions: “Call me what instrument you will, though you can fret me, yet you cannot play upon me.” Clever!

And when he wasn’t roused by the passion for revenge, he could be quite romantic too I guess…

“Doubt thou the stars are fire,

  Doubt that the sun doth move,

  Doubt truth to be a liar,

  But never doubt I love.”

I wonder, did he actually love Ophelia? And if Claudius have not killed his father, would he marry her? Just playing “if”…. :P

His speech, when he and Horatio met a gravedigger, is quite interesting too; he talked about how men would all end in the same shape: skulls in the grave. It makes me reflect of how vain everything we think is important in this world, as it would be vanished when we are dead.

One rather contradictory thing: Hamlet did not kill Claudius when he caught the King praying. Is it a noble act? If refusing to attack someone unprepared is the reason, then I can see Hamlet as a gentleman. However, Shakespeare purposely wrote that Hamlet thought that killing a man while he was praying would hinder the victim from ascending to Heaven. Is this some moral conscience? But he was having revenge, which is against conscience. And he killed Polonius nevertheless (thinking he was Claudius) when he was hiding behind the tapestry, definitely unprepared. So why did the praying aspect make the difference?

Overall, Hamlet could be one of my favorite characters, if only he hadn’t taken Polonius’ accidental death rather lightly. I know that he didn’t mean that, and he must focus on his own mission, but I still think he didn’t care much that he has wrongly killed an innocent man. Well….is it possible that Hamlet, in his effort to be appeared crazy, has let his mind be poisoned with the revenge plot, as to become slightly unbalanced? Maybe….

Four stars for Hamlet, and this would be my last play I read for Let’s Read Play!

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I read e-book version from Feedbooks

This play is counted as:

 13^th book for Let’s Read Plays (October) theme: Shakespeare Tragedy

19^th book for What's In a Name Reading Challenge 2013

57^th book for The Classics Club Project

Hamlet – Second Level Inquiry (Rhetoric Stage)

By what the play is given unity?

By passion to conquer. The play is started with the death of King Hamlet after he won the land from Norway. Claudius poisoned King Hamlet to take over the Kingdom as well as the Queen. Hamlet was instructed by his father’s ghost to take revenge, which means, in a way, to take back what he (King Hamlet) has lost. Meanwhile, young Fortinbras was preparing to attack Denmark to take back the land his father lost from King Hamlet. So….everything is about the passion to take from others, or to conquer.

What does each character stand for? Do any of the characters stand in opposition to each other?

To me, Hamlet and Laertes are victims, victim of the passion to conquer that others do. And that’s what makes this play is tragedy. On the other hand, Claudius—the main antagonist—stands for the conqueror; greedy people who would do anything to get what they don’t deserve. In fact, Claudius is not alone, but in this case, he stands in direct opposition against Hamlet.

Does the playwright lead you into a satisfying resolution?

Yes. In term of revealing the truth, Horatio was very loyal to Hamlet, without him, the truth would never be revealed. As for Hamlet, maybe it’s better for him to die, because I think he would never be good again after all that had happened. He is a victim, yet he let himself to be dragged to that situation. So yes, I’m satisfied with the resolution.

What is the play’s theme?

First, that revenge produces nothing. A crime must be revealed, the criminal must be punished. But it would be in vain if our main intention is to seek revenge. Look at Hamlet, he used to be a happy man with good future. However, his father’s ambition to take revenge has ruined him; Hamlet has been poised by hatred that he could no longer think wisely. He then become an easy target of Claudius’ wicked plan. Laertes shared the same faith as Hamlet; if only both gentlemen worked together against Claudius, they would not be Claudius’ pawns and ended up tragically.

Second, that passion to conquer will only be followed by tragedy. Ironically, people know about it, yet they still let themselves to be its slave. Greedines….the no. 1 enemy of humanity!

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Hamlet – First Level Inquiry (Grammar Stage)

What is the initial question or tension?

Is Claudius the murderer of Hamlet’s father?

Where is the point of greatest tension?

During the tragedy performance, when the actors played the King’s murder scene, and how after that King Claudius left the room, disturbed. It confirmed the Ghost’s statement and in a way justified Hamlet to take revenge.

Where does the play’s action reach its climax?

After Hamlet killed Polonius (accidentally). Now Claudius realized that Hamlet was serious about taking revenge, so he made plans to kill him. He did not even hide his intention by conspiring with Laertes. Ophelia became mad and killed herself, while Laertes came home full of hatred. Maybe Hamlet was the one unchanged by the climax, I think he remained unchanged since he met the Ghost for the first time.

Where is the resolution?

When Horatio told the whole truth to Fortinbras and later on to the world, so that they all know who were the real Kings, Hamlet, Sr and (supposedly) Hamlet the Junior—whose corpse was treated like a king by Fortinbras.

What holds the play’s action together?

Revenge!

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Hamlet – Act Summaries

Act I

Horatio and some court officers see a ghost similar to the late Danish King in armor suits in midnights. The King has killed Fortinbras—King of Norway—in the war, and now the descendent (also called Fortinbras) was preparing another war to take back the territory his father has lost. Meanwhile, Claudius—the present King, brother of old Hamlet—married Gertrude, Queen of the deceased old Hamlet. This angered young Hamlet who still mourned for his father. When Hamlet told about his father’s ghost, he decided to take on guard with Horatio and the others. On the other hand, Laertes and Polonius the father warned Ophelia to not taking Hamlet’s woe seriously because he was royal.

The Ghost came again and told Hamlet that it has been in purgatory, and urged him to take revenge of his father’s murder; that he didn’t die of poisonous snake but by Claudius, the present King. Hamlet agreed to do the mission and forced Horatio and Marcellus to swear that they won’t tell anyone about the ghost.

Act II

Polonius sent his servant to spy on his son Laertes’ activities in Paris. Norway ambassador brought news that King Fortinbras guaranteed that his son won’t attach Denmark, but he would pass Denmark on the way of attacking Poland.

Meanwhile Hamlet started to act like a mad man; which Polonius took as caused by Ophelia rejection of his love. On a visit of a group of tragedy actors, Hamlet arranged to slip several lines of his into the play to test King’s guilt of murdering Hamlet, Sr.

Act III

Polonius and Claudius hid when Ophelia would speak to Hamlet to prove that Hamlet was really mad because of love. Left alone, Hamlet reflected about life and death (this was where his famous monolog is” to be or not to be—“). Apparently, the tragedy brought the King and Queen’s story to live; which angered Claudius; and thus showed his guilt. Hamlet wanted to kill him when he was praying, but cancelled it. His mother called Hamlet to meet her, and Hamlet did his best to scold his mother for her sin. In the process, he accidentally killed Polonius who is hiding behind the tapestry, whom Hamlet thought as his uncle.

Act IV

Claudius decided to send Hamlet to England on a mission, while he secretly asked the English King to murder him. Meanwhile, Ophelia lost her sanity after her father’s death, and Laertes—her brother—led a rebellion against Claudius because he thought he has killed his father. Hamlet sent Horatio a letter telling that he was imprisoned at a pirate ship, and asked him to come as quick as possible to pick him up. With it, he sent a letter to Claudius that he was coming home. So Claudius told Laertes that the murderer of his father was Hamlet and persuaded him to kill Hamlet. But before the plan was settled, Ophelia was found drowned dead.

Act V

Arrived in Denmark, Hamlet and Horatio witnessed Ophelia’s funeral. Hamlet was angry of Laertes’ show of grief, and they wrestled. Hamlet told his story to Horatio, that he has secretly read Claudius letter to English King—instructing him to kill Hamlet—and immediately replaced the letter with the one he wrote himself, instructing the English King to kill the letter bearer. Meanwhile, Claudius executed his plan to trap Hamlet into a fencing duel with Laertes; either Laertes would kill him by a poisonous sword’s tip or he would drink from a poisoned cup. However, the Queen took that drink—and died. Laertes wounded Hamlet, but then their swords were swapped in scuffle, and Laertes was wounded by his own sword in Hamlet’s hand. Before he died, Laertes told the real plot, and Hamlet forced Claudius to drink from the poisoned cup, so the King died too. Hamlet asked Horatio to clear his name by retelling the story before he died too. Meanwhile, Fortinbras’ army came on the right time to overtake the throne, while Horatio told him and the world the whole story. Fortinbras instructed that Hamlet’s corpse was treated as a king’s.

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The Life of Saint Teresa of Ávila: Third Level (Rhetoric Stage)

What parts of the writer’s experience does she assume to be universal? Which does she view as unique to herself?

Most of Teresa experiences in her earlier stage of life are universal. Like Teresa, most of us were guided to virtuous life by our parents, the Church and the school authorities from our childhood, but like Teresa too, we tended to get bad influences from world vanities and amusements right after we were adolescence. We might return to spirituality and renew our relationship with God when we are adult. However, trials and sorrows force us to fall into sin again. And the process would be repeated again and again, mostly after the end of our lives. In Teresa, although she experiences the rise and fall of spiritual life, in a way, she has reached a special bound with God farther than most of us. It is a rare grace from God that is unique in Teresa.

What parts of the story do resonate with your own experience?

The rise and fall of the spiritual life; and the astonishment when comparing my own sins and the graces God had granted me over my life. How He has been greatly patient in my early stage of life, during which I ignored Him, though not completely. How He has, ever since, called me over and again; waited for me to come back to Him; and embraced me when I finally returned.

If the writer is laying down a pattern for others to follow, do you find this pattern to be good?

Absolutely. Especially the four stages of prayer that Teresa taught us, although it is very difficult to follow, it will lead us to good. She also inspired us to never abandoning our prayers, although during hard times it seems to be fruitless. Once we abandon prayers, it would be hard to climb again to our previous stage. She (and God) convinced us that in these times, actually God never abandons us, He just waits for embracing us again when He feels right.

Find the writer’s stated reason for putting down her life in writing.

Teresa was commanded by God to write her experiences, and I think she tells this most of the time during the entire story.

How has the autobiography been changed by the years that have passed since its publication?

The main idea is still relevant (our relationship with God), but perhaps the nature of the convents and monasteries has been changing since then (I don’t know for sure). But even if it is changed, I think God still calls His chosen people, and the course of their struggles against sin and the devils are still exist.

What or whom does the writer judge? If she criticizes herself, what basis does she use for judgment?

Teresa criticized herself as ‘wicked’ or sinned woman who didn’t deserve such favours from God. She compared herself with other learned and spiritual men who, like her, have reached high stage in relation with God.

Who is ultimately responsible for her successes, and failures: society, family, God? Do you agree?

God was behind her successes, through his confessors and other people who were connected with her. Her failures were influenced by the society (her superiors, her colleagues, citizens, and her friends). The first three accused Teresa of imagining her ecstasies and her rebellion in founding the new convent, which often brought doubts to Teresa; while her friends (women) outside the convent drew her from spiritual life into vanity.

Do you reach a different conclusion from the writer about the pattern of her life?

No, I believe we all experience the same although in different stages.

What expectation did you bring to the story?

I have heard several things about Teresa Avila and her meditation prayer, but I was more curious to know what kind of woman she is in person, and how an ordinary person can become a saint.

What have you brought away from this story?

First, that saints are ordinary people who are chosen by God for certain mission. They could endure the sorrows and trials, because God helps them, guides them to accomplish the mission.

Second, that virtuous life must be fought. We are so weak and wicked, that very often we think we are alright as long as we don’t do anything evil. But in fact, not doing anything IS doing wrong. God always wait for us to come to Him, but we have the free will to respond to His call or not. And when we achieve higher level in spiritual life, don’t get satisfied too quickly, we must diligently maintain it and stay away from sin, because the closer we are to God, the more severe the devils would persecute and try us.

Do you understand more about the experience of God, than you did before you began to read? Or do you remain on the outside?

Yes, I understand much more than before, this story is so inspiring me.

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The Life of Saint Teresa of Ávila: Second Level (Logic Stage)

Where is the life’s turning point? Is there a “conversion”?

Actually Teresa has lived in good virtues since she was a kid. After that, she has been sinned, repented, fell again into sin, and so on, that it’s difficult to find the exact turning point. Until the last end of her autobiography, Teresa still sometimes doubted God, that God rebuked her. However, I think the foundation of St. Joseph’s convent might be her turning point, because after that she could enjoy a totally secluded life from the world. And, as Teresa’s source of sins usually came from her relation with people, it’s good for her to be secluded like that.

For what does the writer apologize? In an apologizing how does the writer justify?

Teresa apologized often for her lack of trust in God. God has blessed her with so many visions and appearances to convince her, however, it’s difficult for he to understand how a sinful person like her could have been blessed so abundantly by God. And so, she doubted some times, whether it did not come from the devils who wanted to lure her from God. I think in this, Teresa justify God’s Infinite Mercy. He never judges His servants by their pureness, but by their love and persistency to serve Him. Most of the Saints were sinned severely against Him at first, and because they (including Teresa) felt the Infinite Mercy and Love from God, their repentance are perfect, and so, they don’t want anything else than serving God faithfully.

What is the model—the ideal—for this person’s life?

Teresa didn’t mention about her ideal, but as she is a severe doubter, stubborn, and has a lack of humility (something she often admitted), the ideal might be a more tender and flexible person with more determination. However, there is no perfect human being, and God chose Teresa anyway, with all her weaknesses. So, I believe the ideal would be someone who love God and trust his/her life completely to Him.

What is the end of the life: the place where the writer has arrived, found closure, discovered rest?

After the St. Joseph’s convent has been founded, Teresa’s duty for God has been fulfilled, and so He granted her chance to be out of the world, and be with Him entirely, and this could prevent her from doing sins again.

“I do not know whether it is for this reason that His Majesty has placed me in this retired place, where I am so strictly enclosed and where I am so much like a dead thing that I once thought no one would remember me again.”

“For the Lord has awakened my soul from the state in which, being neither mortified nor dead to the things of this world, I used to have such feelings; and His Majesty will not let me become blind again.”

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Matilda

I’ve been curious for some time with Roald Dahl. Many of my friends like his books, and some recommended me to at least give him a try. I’m not a big fan of children books, although time to time I still read several, but I think I should really try one of Dahl’s children fictions. I found this copy of Matilda last year in a second hand book kiosk, and so I have been delving for a week into children’s world… :)

Matilda is a little girl with brilliant mind. Born from parents who are ignorance to their kids does not hinder little Matilda to educate herself. From age 3, she has already read newspaper; and because her father refused to provide her books, she goes to public library and sits there every afternoon to read books. At age 4! And not just children books—which she consumed in just a few moments—she reads adult classics like Great Expectations, Pride and Prejudice, The Sound and the Fury, Grapes of Wrath, and many others. At age 4!

However, far from being treated with special care, Matilda meets challenges both at home and in school. At home, there are her parents; while in school there is the wicked Headmistress who (also) despises kids. Being bullied and distrusted by these three adults forces Matilda to use her brilliant brain to create a coup d’état.

My immediate response while reading this is ‘impossible’ and ‘exaggerating’. But then, Matilda is a children book, and to read this kind of book one needs to borrow children’s mind which is full of imagination. However, still as a child I don’t think I would have liked Matilda. She’s the kind of naughty girls whom I don’t like even when I was a kid.

One thing that annoyed me most is how Matilda abused her father because she doesn’t approve of his cheating way of doing business. Dahl has made parent abuse looks like heroic act! I’m just wondering, is this book really meant for children reading? I would ban this book if I were at an elementary school council! Mr. Dahl, it’s shame on you for teaching children to do that to her parents, not for self-protection, but just to punish! Where does the ‘honor thy father and mother’ commandment go?

Over all, I don’t feel sympathy with Matilda. Yes, she was often misunderstood by the elders, and it’s shame on them!, but still, it doesn’t give her right to use her intelligence to do mischievous things. The book is quite funny sometimes, and actually the story flows nicely. Dahl is good in telling the story, but beyond that, it’s just annoying and harsh.

Three stars for Matilda, and I don’t think I would ever read anything from him again. Apart from the light reading which I sometimes need, It’s such a waste…

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I read Puffin Books paperback edition

*This book is counted as:*

12^th book for 2013 TBR Pile Challenge

5^th book for Fun Year With Children Literature

19^th book for What's In a Name Reading Challenge2013

10^th book for New Authors Reading Challenge 2013

56^th book for The Classics Club Project

The Life of Saint Teresa of Ávila: First Level (Grammar Stage)

What are the central events in the writer’s life?

I know that I should have written only the most important events for this inquiry, but to refresh my memory, and really…there are a lot of important events in Teresa’s life that is so valuable, I finally rambled over this quite a long post. :)

• Teresa’s soul was aroused since childhood, thanks to the parents’ good virtues. (age 7)
• Lost her virtues through bad company – entered an Augustinian convent in spite of her bitter aversion. (age 14)
• Returned to good virtues – had serious illness; poor health – out from the convent to stay with her sister. (age 16+)
• Finally took the habit at the Convent of Incarnation, 3^rd November 1536. (age 21)
• Feeling great joy for serving God – her health worsens – went to another town for treatment.
• Suffered the inability of meditating, always needed books to pray – been misguided by her confessor. (age 23)
• Asked God to send illness and patience to endure it. God granted it, the treatment worsen her illness, she endured great pain with great patience, almost died.
• Teresa was paralyzed for almost three years, but endured it with great joy.
• She regretted her sins, took St. Joseph as her patron, and through him, God granted her prayers.
• Teresa fell again in sin from amusements and vanity, having too much freedom in the convent.
• She had a friendship with a woman – one day Christ appeared before her looking severe and warned her that the friendship displeased Him. She disobeyed still; then had a vision of a strange toad which she believed to be another God’s warning.
• For some times she stopped communing with God (meditation).
• Her father died from illness.
• Guided by her father’s confessor, Teresa began to pray again – still led two lives: divine and worldly ones.
• However, during those follies, Teresa felt that God veiled her sins from public because He must have known how Teresa longed to serve Him.
• Teresa was tormented when God granted graces to her despite of her sins.
• Teresa saw in her mind an image of Christ terribly wounded; it moved her deeply; that she called up that image in meditations which helped her a lot.
• Teresa had difficulties to stay in meditation because her thoughts were wondering; she needed an actual image to induce mental recollection in mind.
• She began reading St. Augustine’s Confessions; it helped her to incline more to spiritual graces and stayed away from things that did her harm.
• Teresa wrote the contents of this book to her confessors, but warned him to only publish till chapter 10, and left the rest in secret.
• She taught us how to do mental prayer (meditation) in 4 stages, and how to hinder the devils from taunting us. The higher the stage, the more intimate we would be to God.
• 5 or 6 years stretched along from Teresa’s first to third stages of prayer.
• People accused her of making innovations in prayer – Teresa was disturbed by it – abandoned again her prayer.
• Father Barron, a Dominican Friar, woke her up from sins – she realized how God is never tired of forgiving sinners like her.
• Whenever Teresa had an ecstasy from her 4^th stage of prayer (when God enraptured her), her body would be lifted from the ground. Along with the raptures, Teresa experienced distress from terrible loneliness – she longed to die, to be united to God – her body also suffered great pain – she accepted all happily as the way of Cross.
• After 20 years of prayer and avoiding sins, Teresa was afraid that she might be deceived by the devil. She then sought spiritual directors to guide her.
• To one of her five teachers from the Society of Jesus she confided that despite of her sins, God granted her much favours – the teachers concluded that it was from evil spirit, not God – they instructed her to resist herself from the raptures.

Cuzco School: The Second Conversion of Saint Teresa. ca. 1694

• Teresa used to keep her earthly friendship, however one day God told her in her ecstasy that He wanted her to converse not to men, but with angels – on this, she gave up her friendship and everything for God.
• Two years after Teresa was instructed to resist God’s favours, she sensed Christ’s presence at her side, though she couldn’t see him; so real the experience, it convinced Teresa that it was not the devil – her new confessor confirmed, he was Peter of Alcantara (later on a Fransiscan saint).
• Teresa often had the ‘vision’ from God (she could see Him—parts of His body or His whole body).
• People doubted that a sinner like Teresa could have such favours from God – her confessors were also unwilling to take her confession.
• St. Teresa kept welcoming the visions, though her confessors told her to stop it.
• But God reassured her by giving a token of jeweled cross and advice to deal with her opposition.
• Now the raptures began to bring great pain to Teresa’s soul like being pierced by an arrow, but at the same time the pain felt sweet—it is a combination of pleasure and pain, which disturbed Teresa.
• She was visited by Friar Peter of Alcantara who understood her experience and comforted that it came from God.
• Teresa was tormented several times by the devils, which is permitted by God. During these times Teresa was greatly tormented and only relieved after sprinkling holy water to the devils – it happened because she wanted to save another soul, so she asked God to switch the devils to her soul instead – the other soul was saved at last.
• One day Teresa had a vision of hell, she experienced its torment for a few seconds but that terrified her forever.
• She thought of what kind of penance she ought to do to avoid hell.
• God commanded her, in a vision, to found a convent of St. Joseph’s and He promised to watch over it.
• The plan was opposed by many people but God encouraged Teresa to go on – He inspired the oppositions that at the end they were willingly to help the realization.
• The Provincial suddenly changed his mind, and so the project was cancelled – Teresa was persecuted once more by her colleagues.
• God commanded her to obey her superiors – she was sure that the project will be realized nonetheless.
• The present Rector of The Society of Jesus was succeeded by a more spiritual one – under whom the project was resumed.
• God supported Teresa with encouragement and the means of building the convent, including money which she didn’t have any.
• St. Joseph and St. Clare appeared to her when she was distressed of doing everything alone – They promised to help her. St. Mary has even asked Her Son to help her; which He did.
• Teresa was able to save souls of clerics as well as her relatives by the help from God in visions.
• God insisted that the convent should be built on the principle of poverty.
• Finally Teresa was sent by God in secrecy at a perfect time to finalize the sanction and authority of the convent foundation, against her superiors’ knowledge.
• The convent of St. Joseph was founded on 1562.
• It was under greater enclosure and the new nuns were taken without dowry under the rule of poverty.
• Only four hours after that, the devils put her into spiritual battle again, planting the idea that she must have been wrong to disobey her Provincial – again God helped her and convinced her to lead the nuns.
• People who at first opposed her, began to give their consent.
• In the new convent, Teresa’s virtues much progressed – she often got visions from Saints and souls of dead ones being transported to Heaven, or being torn by the devils, according to their deeds while on earth.
• God gave her a vision to encourage her that He won’t ever abandon her at trials – also a vision of Heaven with its Throne and Angels.
• When she doubted (again!) whether the vision was from God, He rebuked her in an apparition.
• Teresa also had a vision of Virgin Mary’s assumption.
• Finally Teresa was strictly enclosed in her convent, completely out of the world and devoted her life solely to God.

Give your book your own title and subtitle

A God’s Servant’s Story: In Which St. Teresa of Avila Becomes One of His Most Faithful Servants Despite Of Her Sins and Weaknesses.

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