The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore, While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. `'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door - Only this, and nothing more.' Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December, And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor. Eagerly I wished the morrow; - vainly I had sought to borrow From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore - For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels named Lenore - Nameless here for evermore. And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before; So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating `'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door - Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door; - This it is, and nothing more,' Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer, `Sir,' said I, `or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore; But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping, And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door, That I scarce was sure I heard you' - here I opened wide the door; - Darkness there, and nothing more. Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before; But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token, And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, `Lenore!' This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, `Lenore!' Merely this and nothing more. Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning, Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before. `Surely,' said I, `surely that is something at my window lattice; Let me see then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore - Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore; - 'Tis the wind and nothing more!' Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter, In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore. Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he; But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door - Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door - Perched, and sat, and nothing more. Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling, By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore, `Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,' I said, `art sure no craven. Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore - Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!' Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.' Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly, Though its answer little meaning - little relevancy bore; For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door - Bird or beast above the sculptured bust above his chamber door, With such name as `Nevermore.' But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only, That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour. Nothing further then he uttered - not a feather then he fluttered - Till I scarcely more than muttered `Other friends have flown before - On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before.' Then the bird said, `Nevermore.' Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken, `Doubtless,' said I, `what it utters is its only stock and store, Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful disaster Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore - Till the dirges of his hope that melancholy burden bore Of "Never-nevermore."' But the raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling, Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door; Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore - What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore Meant in croaking `Nevermore.' This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core; This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er, But whose velvet violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o'er, She shall press, ah, nevermore! Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor. `Wretch,' I cried, `thy God hath lent thee - by these angels he has sent thee Respite - respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore! Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe, and forget this lost Lenore!' Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.' `Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil! - Whether tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore, Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted - On this home by horror haunted - tell me truly, I implore - Is there - is there balm in Gilead? - tell me - tell me, I implore!' Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.' `Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil! By that Heaven that bends above us - by that God we both adore - Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn, It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels named Lenore - Clasp a rare and radiant maiden, whom the angels named Lenore?' Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.' `Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!' I shrieked upstarting - `Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore! Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken! Leave my loneliness unbroken! - quit the bust above my door! Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!' Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.' And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door; And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming, And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor; And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor Shall be lifted - nevermore!

Zeitgeist

The feelings of a particular era or time in history
or
The defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time

To memorize vocabulary words in general, I will connect something in the word (such as a letter) to something in the definition (such as a word).  For example, I can take the "e" in zeitgeist and connect it to the word era, or I can take the "t" and connect it to the word time.  This sounds ridiculous but for whatever reason, this actually works.

http://www.cracked.com/blog/the-4-worst-times-to-be-internet/

Thinking Outside of the Box

Plato illustrates our mental limitations by using an allegory.  He makes humanity seem like they are in this dark cave that is filled with lies and we are chained inside this cave.  We are unable to break free unless we find this new way of thinking that can break the chains to reveal the true world.  He shows that we are responsible for our way of thinking and that we need to break free for ourselves.  Sartre shows our limitations by isolating people in a room.  He expresses his story through dialogue of different characters that are trapped in this room and want to leave.  We learn that they are in hell for various sins each committed.  With Sartre we see that we need to learn through each other.  We must be able to change and connect with one another.  Without one another, we will be stuck in only one way of thinking without learning what others think or feel which is the true hell.

Literature Analysis 3: The Road by Cormac McCarthy

1. The Road is the story of a man and his son who are trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic world.  The father keeps the son safe in this dangerous territory as they face scavengers and cannibals.  The father feels that it is important to keep his son as sane as possible during this time so he won't end up like the crazy people around them.  The son feels safe with his father as they venture until the father begins to grow ill.  This illness causes the father to die and the son is left with a choice to join a colony.  He decides to join this colony since they can keep him safe and he thinks of them as a new family.
2. The theme of the story is the power of family and love.  The father loved his son and wanted to see him safe and unharmed.  He gave his son morals to give him humanity in the inhumane times.  Without the father's love for his son, the father would not have lasted as long through his disease and the son would have been lost.
3. The book has a depressing tone.  The father and son must survive through these difficult times.  They are constantly facing death without food or water.  When they do have food and water, scavengers are trying to take it from them.  The father is also trying to keep his son sane in this insane world.  It is tough for the audience to watch this child grow up in this environment.
4. McCarthy uses setting, characters, and syntax to represent the theme and tone of his book.  The setting is a desolate wasteland which immediately connects with the depressing tone and gives the reader a feeling of emptiness.  His characters are constantly struggling to survive and face death often.  His syntax shows how the characters connect with each other and the importance of family in these trying times.

Big Question

why

Performative Utterance in Hamlet

Performative utterance plays an important role in both Hamlet the character and Hamlet the play.  It allows us to see into Hamlets psyche and progresses the play as Hamlet is deciding whether or not to act.  Performative utterance doesn’t only affect the play, it affects our own thought and the world around us.  The ability to hear our own thoughts allows us to shape the way we think.  Performative utterance shapes the theme of the play and our lives.
    The role of performative utterance is very important towards understanding the play, Hamlet.  Hamlet shows this importance throughout the six major soliloquies in the play.  Through these soliloquies, the audience is able to see the tough decisions that Hamlet must go through inside of his head.  Each day for Hamlet is a struggle over the ordeals that have occurred to him and what he must do to fix them.  It is never clear to Hamlet and their is always a gray area where Hamlet cannot decide what is right to do.  This also drives the play and the drama around Hamlet.  Hamlet’s conflicts also control the other characters.  The other characters throughout the play wonder what Hamlet is up to and why is he has gone mad.  This makes them create plans that possibly stop Hamlet from executing his own plans in the manner that best suits him.
    Performative utterance reflects on our lives and the world we live in.  I often reflect on my thoughts and find that some are relevant to the topic while others are not.  This allows me to establish the relevant from the irrelevant.  As I write this essay, I am constantly reviewing my thoughts and presenting them in the best manner that I know possible.  Even during class discussions, I am reforming my thoughts as new information is presented and using performative utterance to combine my old thoughts and these new thoughts into my own way of thinking.  While studying Hamlet, I often reflected on my own thoughts as Hamlet had.  These ideas exist inside of each person’s mind which allows us to collectively change the world around us.
    Performative utterance is an important concept to understand in Hamlet and a key element in life.  It allows Hamlet to reflect on his thoughts of current and events and allows the audience to get a sense of Hamlet’s controversy.  This is also important in life when people need to see or hear their thoughts.  Performative utterance is the reason Hamlet is who he is and the reason we are who we are.  It distinguishes each person from one another.

Hamlet and Beowulf

     Hamlet's and Beowulf's diction differentiate completely.  Hamlet is a young, angst-filled kid while Beowulf is in the prime of his life and is a strong capable man.  Hamlet is still a boy who has very different problems as Beowulf which causes him to approach them in a different way.  Hamlet is calculating and clever, while Beowulf just punches monsters to solve his problems.  Hamlet is not an epic hero because he uses language to solve his problems rather than punches and superior muscles.
     Hamlet must be clever to solve his problems, while Beowulf must be confident and arrogant to overcome his challenges.  Hamlet will use his vast vocabulary and education to play word games with characters to show his superiority.  Beowulf is arrogant and will never back down from a fight because this is what society has demanded from him as an epic hero.  Hamlet is able to deduce that Claudius had killed his father by setting up an elaborate scheme in which he re-enacted Claudius killing his brother and taking the throne.  This is something Beowulf would have never done because he has his fists to do the talking for him.  Beowulf would have just crushed the face of Claudius if any suspicion arose that murder was involved in the death of his father.
    Hamlet is more complex than the average epic hero.  Hamlet has many flaws about his character rather than just one epic flaw like Beowulf.  Hamlet can't control his emotions after his father's death even though this is against social customs.  Hamlet also is unable to trust anyone after the ghost of his father tells Hamlet that his father was murdered by Claudius.  Hamlet also contemplates suicide several times throughout the book which is something that an epic hero would never consider.  This makes Hamlet seem more Human and allows the audience to connect with him easily.  This differs greatly from an epic hero like Beowulf.  Epic heroes will be perfect human being, almost god-like, except for one flaw.  This was used in stories to show that even one human flaw can cause the downfall and death of great men, but it causes them to seem less human.
     Hamlet differs from the epic hero from his use of language.   Hamlet is human in his language which makes the audience able to connect with him.  He also must use language to solve questions and problems that are presented to him.  This shows Hamlet to be a very clever person while an epic hero would just use his demi-god abilities to throw his problems into the deep recesses of the earth.