How long will this all last?

What I found interesting in this book was how everyone mentioned in importance was described in the color of their skin (at least in the beginning stages of the story). Was anyone else thrown by this? I just found that part significant because this is the first time that descriptions of people went beyond their personality and their general physique. "His face was not of that brown, rusty, black which most of that nation are, but a perfect ebony or polished jet.... his nose was rising and Roman, instead of African and flat", describing Oroonoko here I just wondered if the author was trying to give us a better understanding about the differences that were present in this time of slavery and judgement upon race (Behn, 2187).

Also the love story between Oroonoko and Imoinda struck me as almost too easy, and as most of you have mentioned in a tragedy like this, I believe to have been too good to be true. The way he spoke to her so passionately "he made her vows she should be the only woman he would possess while he lived", which showed how the idea of love was viewed as in this time, "that no age or wrinkles should incline him to change, for her soul would be always fine and always young, and he should have and eternal idea in his mind of the charms she now bore, ad should look into his heart for that idea when he could find it no longer in her face" (Behn, 2189). I know some of you mentioned this already but this brought to mind the story of Romeo and Juliet and we all know how that turned out.

It seems to me in the midst of battle or conflict Oroonoko is one to leap without looking kind of attitude which in the long run might cause him or those he cares about harm. Kind of like Beowulf I believe he thrives in the thought that everyone looks to his guidance in battle but his modesty and naivety may be the cause of his downfall. He is too trusting for a tragic hero. What do you guys think about Oroonoko?

So Good So Far

As a hopeless romantic, I am completely enjoying the theme of forbidden love we see in Oroonoko. Although it pains me to see the characters suffer, I must admit that I am a sucker for drama and watching how it unfolds (drama for other people, I mean. Because if it's your own drama it's not very fun at all).

Let me start by voicing my thoughts on the poem at the beginning:

Wow. Just . . . wow.

I've gone to a Catholic school my entire life. Kindergarden until high school graduation, so naturally I have never ever been exposed to this type of content in a school setting. Therefore, I was really surprised at how detailed and intimate it got the more I read. I liked it though. It was interesting. I enjoyed the elegant word choice and flow and think it is very creative how just choosing these specific words can turn something that could have been presented so crudely in a way that was beautiful. Even when things got a a little tough and embarrassing, the elegant tone of the poem kept on. So, although I'm still not sure I understand why this poem was put right before the story, I was still very impressed.

As for the actual story, I will say that I am very excited to see where it goes. I'm hoping for a some kind of a happy ending, but I know not to get my hopes up too much. I mean, poor Imoinda is already dead and Oroonoko is a slave. Can the situation really get better? Hopefully. But now I'm thinking of the TV show Roots and one again my hopes are dwindling. They got their happy ending eventually but it took a long, long time, and many deaths and years of torture to achieve what they did.

Finally, I like the fact that the narrator is an actual character in the story. I think it is interesting how the story is not focused entirely on her and instead focuses on Oroonoko and his life. It is a nice and refreshing change from the usual first person or third person narration that we are all used to. The fact that we get insight into her thoughts and her views of the situation is unique and it has given me a different opinion of Oroonoko and the entire story than I probably would have gotten had it had been written in Oroonoko’s point of view.

Paradise and I are Lost

Honestly I cannot wait for our next class so we can discuss because I am quite lost. I am not one to say to myself "Religion?! I have opinions about that!!" because I am not one of a religious background and nor do I have much knowledge of religion which can also be a bummer. However, for the first time I think it is not the poetry that is throwing me off, but more so Milton's style which is also difficult for me to comment on because I do not have a firm grasp on that either. But that is the beauty of this class!!

What I did find interesting was the very beginning talking about Adam and Eve and the forbidden tree when they took the fruit and ate it even though that was the one thing that they were not supposed to do.

What I did understand here was the basic temptation of humanity and how that can bring out the worst in humans whether we like it or not, and sometimes the consequences follow us for however amount of time afterwards. Unfortunately this just happened to be "Man's first disobedience" so that's a real bummer.
The footnotes were somewhat helpful, however what was difficult was when there was something I personally needed a footnote explanation and there was none, I had to go off of context or Google!
The main theme I am gathering from Paradise Lost is that once we do lose ourselves and our good nature there is an endless misery among mankind because we tend (as imperfect humans) to give into the Serpent (Satan) and that downfall just continues to snowball and add upon itself. But we can thank Satan for that.

Hopefully in class today I can get more guidance, and maybe Paradise and I can find a way out!

Paradise Lost But My Paradise Found

I am a bit torn about how I feel about Paradise Lost so far. Along with most other people in the world, no doubt, I become very hesitant when I come face to face with a piece of poetry. Especially long poetry in the form of a book. However, it is the content itself that has me interested. I love religion. I love learning about different religions, and having debates about religion. Unlike most who squirm at the thought of talking about religion for fear of offending others and creating conflict, I actually enjoy discussing different beliefs and opinions. I think it's fascinating. So, the fact that Paradise Lost discusses Satan’s “loss of paradise” (a.k.a Heaven) after he and a large amount of his fellow Angels rebelled against God caused me to approach this reading with more of an open mind than I probably normally would have with poetry.

Paradise Lost caused me to consider things I had not thought of in a very long time. Questions continued to pop into my mind such as “Why did Satan and his followers decide to rebel against God?” and “If God is omnipotent, why did He not put an end to the rebellion or stop Eve from eating the apple before she did it?” However, Milton later reveals that God knew all along how everything was going to unfold and did not stop it because the betrayals were part of His plan creating an entire new level of fascination for me.

The title Paradise Lost also refers to Adam and Eve losing the their “paradise” on earth. In the “first act of disobedience against God”, Satan tricked Eve into eating the forbidden fruit. His seduction led to everything bad found in the world now: death, sickness and disease, fear, and pain.

I think this is very interesting. Just the fact that an act so simple as eating an apple can cause so many problems. Just think about it, think about all the times you were tempted into doing something you knew you shouldn't have. Think about all the times you thought “It will be ok. It's nothing big. It won't matter.” That's exactly what Eve thought and look at what happened. It kind of puts things into perspective for me. It just shows that everything you do has some kind of effect on either you or those around you, even the things you think couldn't possibly make a difference in any way.

All in all, I think, just from reading the beginning of Book 1, Paradise Lost has the potential to be great and actually hold my attention. I must admit that I am excited to continue reading it.

Hypocrisy, the Love-Hate Relationship

Hypocrisy, the Love-Hate Relationship

                So, I personally am not the biggest fan of anyone in this play to be honest with you. The very concept that we have to be talking about Claudio being sentenced to death for the same thing that Angelo is now trying to get from his sister is simply outrageous to me. However, as much as we hate hypocrisy, it is what keeps us reading. Do you guys agree? Give me your thoughts! Also, in a sense I feel like the person that is watching creepily in the bushes, as we have seen by a couple of characters in this play as well. And no matter what I do obviously I cannot leap out of the bushes and tell these people how idiotic they all are, Angelo especially.

                Anyway, back to the play, as some of you posted about already (I got myself behind because I misread the schedule) the entire issue of Claudio  asking Isabella to give herself up to let him live, especially when he knows how meaningful of a "sin" in this manner affects her and her "purity" I believe is fairly selfish. Asking Isabella to give up her body to some creep that is trying to corrupt the very structure as to why you are in jail from the start just seems ridiculous to me. If I were you I would be asking her to simply start going around telling everybody you know what Angelo is doing. I feel like that is far less of a sin to tell someone Angelo is trying to just use you than to consider backing away from everything you believe in and have worked this hard for. And I do feel for Isabella because she has just been thrown into this lose-lose situation because a couple of guys can't seem to hold their horniness to themselves. And one just happened to be her brother so she HAD to care. I hate this situation because I know for a fact that if I were in Claudio's position I could never ask for my sister to do such a thing, and maybe just maybe I would have not had sex RIGHT before I was going to get married anyway, knowing that if I did that I would have gotten in trouble. Who do you guys think was in the right here? Who was in the wrong? Do you see an escape from this? Let me know what you think!

Not a Bad Guy?

Mephostophilis is a conflicting character for me. He is, of course, a devil, which should make any sane person run in the opposition direction. But, there’s something about him that I find charismatic and agreeable. He lays the fact that hell is actually a terrible place for Faustus, in warning. It makes me question if he is actually a terrible guy.

Faustus was entertainment for MephostophilisHe could bring the guy women, wealth and audiences that enable his outlandish behavior. I find his cunningness and witty ideals to be impressive. Most attributes of a devil are manipulative, tempting and of course, evil. But, he speaks openly in vain to the Lord (obviously, I know, he’s a devil), but he knew he could bend Faustus to his will. I find it ironic, since religion was taken quite seriously in this time period.

Even though Faustus was a fool, who went against all warnings and chances to repent, I found myself siding with the devil more and more. This guy obviously was on a power trip when he decided to summon a devil, and he paid the price with his soul. I appreciate Mephostophilis mind, in the sense that he knew exactly how to trick Faustus into making this deal with the devil, in exchange for 24 measly yeas? I mean, come on, can we argue that it’s borderline genus?

Mephostophilis is one of the most confusing devils. He’s splendidly evil. There is no level of Faustus’ inevitable destruction at every turn, but he openly admits to Faustus that hell is actually a terrible place to be. If nothing else, I can appreciate his honesty.

Also, this is how I picture a modern day Mephostophills. 

"Fools that will laugh on earth, most weep in hell"

That "Faustus is gone to hell" (5.2.92) is really not a shocker. He repeatedly chose earthly gain over eternal pleasure, and ignored the Good Angel's urges for him to repent. That's the point I'd like to stress: he made a choice. Mephostophilis was upfront about hell - he didn't sugarcoat it! I don't think Faustus really believed that he couldn't repent or that it was too late to do so - I think he was "in denial", so-to-speak, because he desired those earthly possessions. Perhaps he really thought it was too late there at the end, but I have trouble believing that.

The reason I find it difficult to believe that Faustus truly didn't think that he could repent and be saved is that everyone else seems to know that he can do this! The Good Angel repeatedly tells him he can be saved, and even the scholars in Act 5 tell him he can repent. Lucifer and Mephostophilis tell him he can't be saved because they know he can be - think about it: did we expect Lucifer to pat Faustus on the head and say, "There, there. You can totally repent and be fine"? Of course we didn't. Lucifer and Mephostophilis act just as we'd expect them to (Duh, Faustus! They're playing you, fool).

We make choices everyday, and those choices have effects (I don't want to say "consequences" because I think that tends to have a negative connotation, and choices can have a good effect just as much as a bad effect). Faustus chose to make a deal with the devil. I repeat, Faustus chose to make a deal with the devil - for vanity. He knew God would frown upon this, and he knew he could chose not to make a deal with Lucifer, but he made that choice. Just as Lucifer chose to turn against God, so too did Faustus, and to hell he goes!

How would this play be different if Faustus had repented? Well, if he had repented or never signed the deal with Lucifer, then we wouldn't have a play. But, if he had repented in Act 5? It seems significant that Marlowe chose for Faustus not to repent even at the end.

Why did Christopher Marlowe write this play? Did he expect us to pity Faustus, to empathize with him? Did he want to stress the choice with which Faustus was presented? Was he interested in what such a person as Faustus would do in this situation? 

He's Not Worthy

Oh, Faustus, you spoiled, spoiled brat. How in the world can you be so smart and have all this intelligence in many fields but not see how making a deal with a devil was a bad idea? And the “change of heart” at the end of the play – I have absolutely no sympathy for you.

Honestly, Faustus. After all you've done, after all the pranks you've pulled and all the enemies you've made, you have to understand that in the end you got what you deserved.

And, of course, I side with the Good Angel. I really wish you would have changed your ways and looked back to God for guidance in order to be saved from the terrible life in Hell you promised yourself. However, the fact that you didn't, at least not until your very panicked pleas during the last hour of your life on earth before the devils took you, proved to me that you have no respect for yourself or anyone else for that matter.

Side note:

Can we just appreciate how wonderfully spoken and detailed the Good Angel and Bad Angel’s conversation (5.2, 106-139) was?

“O, thou hast lost celestial happiness,
Pleasures unspeakable, bliss without end.”

“The jaws of hell are open to receive thee.”

“There are furies, tossing damned souls
On burning forks. Their bodies boil in lead.”

“He that loves pleasure must for pleasure fall.”

So many wonderful quotes, one after another, that held me to the story, flipping page after page, and just think, “Wow, great word choice and imagery, Marlowe.” Brilliance like that deserves a little shout out.

In my opinion, Faustus is not someone who should be admired or respected at all. Making a deal with the devil is never a good idea, even if the original thought is to do something for the greater good. I think it's common knowledge: if the Devil agrees to it, it's not good. The fact that Faustus seemed to know this and still continued to make the deal, and treat everyone poorly afterwards for his own amusement, is not a sign of a good man. And then he just gave up. Multiple times he was told to repent, to change his ways so that we could be saved, and he did absolutely nothing. He just whined and cried that it was “too late”. I don't understand: how someone can just give up so easily like that? This is your future, man. Don't just allow yourself to live an eternity in torment. Fix it!  Anyone who just gives up on themselves like that is not a very admirable person in my book. And when he suffers at the end of the play, it is well deserved.

Like I said before, no sympathy.

Am I supposed to cheer for this guy or...?

            So Faustus, Mr. High and Mighty, Mr. Hey You Get Off Of My Cloud. So far I am not the biggest fan of this novel to be honest. It is not that I cannot follow what is going on, it is the long speeches that are not dumbed down enough for ol' simpleton me that even re-reading, then re-reading again does not really help. I had the same problem with Shakespeare too, and I made it through that so I am giving it my best shot!

            One thing that I cannot get figured out in my own mind is whether or not I'm cheering for him or if I'm supposed to be like yelling into my book "No don't do it Faustus!!!" Maybe I will find out later? Either way this who Black Magic thing seems iffy to say the least. Me personally I would take a little more time to think when it comes to selling my soul for wealth and honor, however they define honor. Also in regards to that we found ourselves back to the greedy element that "wealth and honor" will bring someone like we read in the Canterbury Tales, which I found was interesting how we made another connection within this classroom. It was almost fun how they brought the two angels into this because I feel like we all do that kind of thinking to ourselves when we have to convince ourselves to do the more complicated thing.

I know Abby brought up Kronk in her post too, but I pictured it the exact same way! Too good to pass up.

I just found this story interesting that Magic was the sign of power, I thought that in this time magic would have been more feared than desired to grant one power. Clearly Faustus had his mind pretty much made up given how passionately he disagreed with the good angel.

What do you guys think? Because I am having a very rough time figuring out what to think of this guy. Is he simply greedy? Is he power mad? Will his beef with the Bible be his motive to act rashly? Me personally I cannot get my head around it if we are supposed to cheer this guy on or simply sit back and wait for an inevitable downfall because of his greed.  

Is Perfection Attainable?

What really makes a perfect society? Would it be a small number of citizens? A perfect climate, depending upon preference?

I think the perfect society would be fairly small, where everyone knows each other. Homes would be somewhat modest, each family would, of course be free to do whatever they wanted. In my perfect world, there would be no harsh judgments made on strangers. But, then I have to ask myself if that is a realistic goal, even in a seemingly unflawed world.

The aspects I find most desirable in a utopian society would vary. Like, being able to consume a dozen donuts without fear of getting sick or the calories. I would want it to be fun, carefree, but not without consequences for the society’s actions. A series of checks and balances would have to be in place. Which could also lend to an undesirable aspect.

If a society is constantly fighting or is at what, then it is far from “perfect”. I think peace would be one of the most crucial things to implement. Peace brings a feeling of positive emotions, and happier might be less likely to wreck havoc.

Civil liberties would also be something that are worth taking into consideration. To live peacefully, people should be able to do as they wish. It would be the most beneficial if individuals from all backgrounds could come together and learn from one another. There are so many other aspects that are more than likely important, but these core values are what occupy my mind when I think about my perfect world.