Happy Halloween!!!

   “Yarrr, give me a treat or I’ll poop on your doorstep!”

Add a comment October 31, 2008

Short Poetry and Prose: Satire

 The readings that I found most interesting this week were the poems “The Lady’s Dressing Room” and “A Beautiful Young Nymph Going to Bed” by Jonathan Swift.

     The first poem “The Lady’s Dressing Room” is a satirical poem about women and the perception that men have of them, perhaps during the courtship stage of a relationship. The poem features a male suitor named Strephon who enters the dressing room of a young noble woman named Celia.  The first two lines of the poem states that Celia’s morning routine takes her five hours: “Five Hours (and who can do it less in?) / By haughty Celia spent in dressing” (502). These lines suggest that women go to extreme lengths in order to look presentable when they are in the company of men.  As Strephon explores Celia’s room he finds her beauty remedies and her layers of clothing strewn about the room. It is clear that the more Strephon explores Celia’s room, the more disenchanted he becomes with her. He is grossed out again and again as he finds sweat stains on her clothes, bottles of makeup, and dirty face clothes. Strephon claims that any man who finds Celia sweet and clean is a liar or perhaps gravely mistaken; “But swears how damnably the Men lie, / In calling Celia sweet and cleanly” (503). The poem may be suggesting that after the flowery courtship stage of a relationship is over, women reveal their true selves, which is not as perfect as they initially appear to be.

    The second poem “A Beautiful Young Nymph Going to Bed” seems to paint a similar satirical view of women. The poem features a woman who is the “Pride of Drury Lane” as she retires for the night (506). The poem describes the woman as she takes off her wig, fake eyebrows, makeup, etc. The poem also seems to suggest that woman put on a false front in public, and expose their true selves in private. I don’t know if Swift caught a glimpse of his mother taking off her false eyelashes, or was disillusioned on his wedding night, but he seems to be really be fixated on the way women physically present themselves in privately and publicly.

2 comments October 30, 2008

Education In Britain During The 18th Century

Hey everyone, here is the address for my website: http://english3204.webonsites.com/

Add a comment October 23, 2008

Prose narrative: Robinson Crusoe

I’m still reading the text! I must admit that I’m having a hard time because I’m finding it a dry read. Different strokes for different folks I guess!

Add a comment October 9, 2008

Antislavery narratives

Yeah yeah, I know that this is a late entry but I’ve been busy! It’s midterm time! Anywho, the antislavery narrative that I would like to comment on is “Oroonoko” by Aphra Behn.  I was familiar with the general story of “Oroonoko”, as I read a play a few years ago for Restoration Drama. I really enjoyed this narrative; I don’t necessarily read this text as antislavery. Although the narrator (Behn?) disapproves of slavery and the treatment of Oroonoko, the text seems to be written primarily as a romance. The description of Oroonoko is interesting, as the narrator describes him as having “white” physical characteristics; “His nose was rising and Roman, instead of African and flat” (Demaria, 297). She describes Oroonoko by saying: “The whole Proportion and Air of his face was so noble, and exactly formed, that, bating his Color, there would be nothing in nature more beautiful, agreeable and handsome” (Demaria, 297).  Behn’s description of Oroonoko suggests that he is wonderful and admired because he displays European characteristics. It seems that the hardships that befall Oroonoko and Imoinda are tragic because they are noble and similar to Europeans, not because cruelty and slavery to any person is wrong.

I found the death of Imoinda heart wrenching! I understand that Oroonoko was afraid of what would happen to her once he died, but did he REALLY have to kill her? Imoinda was able to keep herself safe before his arrival at the plantation, so I really don’t think that her gruesome death was necessary. Also, Oroonoko chickened out of killing himself, thus prolonging his agony and defeat for a few more weeks.

1 comment October 9, 2008