ESSAY CEMETERY

"Deor", an Old English poem found in the tenth-century poetry collection The Book of Exeter, is generally considered to be a song of lament for the poet's own misfortune. The poem consists of a series of seven stanzas that describe the travails of well-known historical individuals and groups. As the final stanza contains an account of the ostensible poet's own misfortune – being removed from his position as court poet – scholars have conjectured that the poet's aim in depicting these historical travails is to compare these with his own fate. However, the final stanza does not constitute the poem's final words. The poem ends with the refrain that recurs after every stanzaic description of misfortune in the work – "Þæs ofereode, þisses swa mæg!" – "that passed over, this can too". The placement of the refrain after the final stanza indicates that, just like the other historical hardships, the poet's grief over his demotion, too, has passe

Summary He thanks the queen. He recounts how he was taken prisoner by Powhatan. His son Nantaquaus is the manliest Indian he'd ever seen. His daughter Pocahontas saved him at the risk of her own life. Furthermore, she provided food for the miserable sick settlers. Even when they began to war with the Indians Pocahontas saw to their needs and warned them of attacks. He has no idea why she helps them so. After she is taken captive (I guess by the settlers) she is returned and they achieve peace with the Indians. She marries an Englishman, goes to England, converts to Christianity, and learns English. Smith apologizes for being a lousy writer but says he's sincere. He apologizes for asking, but he does ask that the Queen be aware of Pocahontas and see that she's well-received. This is so that Pocahontas doesn't resent her having become a Christian and gone off to England. Themes Thanking and apologizing to the queen Pocahontas story Assimilation Conversion Immigration Pedo

Columbus goes from Spain to Madeira, and then to the Canaries and then the Cape Verde islands. He goes below the equator and it's super hot there until God graces them with a fair wind. They go up to the equator and it becomes mild. Something about the pole and the stars. He has heard that the earth is a sphere but to him, it seems more like the shape of a pear or a nipple. When he sails in different directions stuff happens to the stars. Ptolemy had it wrong because he knew nothing of the Southern hemisphere. He reaches the island Cape Verde where the people are black. Then he reaches Trinidad where the people are whiter, shrewder, and less timid than the natives of the Indies. Christopher Columbus.  Image source

Click here  for a summary of Columbus's report on the first voyage Click here  for Columbus's original report text ------------- Themes Praising the king and queen Praising God and thanking God Naming islands Taking captives Natural descriptions Giving and receiving from the Indians Shy natives Generosity of natives Fostering trade and good relations Missionary desire Expectation of monstrosities Bragging and the eternal God, our Lord, Who gives to all those who walk in His way triumph over things which appear to be impossible, and this was notably one Importance of evidence Sexual imagery- the earth is a nipple (to be conquered) Scientific theorizing Style and devices First-person narrator (letter) Sucking up to the king and queen Run-on sentences And in it, although of all I have taken possession for their highnesses and all are more richly endowed than I know how, or am able, to say, and I hold them all for their highnesses, so that they may dispose of them as, and as absolu

Click here  for a summary of Columbus's report on the first voyage Click here  for a literary analysis of Columbus's report on the first voyage   ------------- Columbus's report letter Sir, As I know that you will be pleased at the great victory with which Our Lord has crowned my voyage, I write this to you, from which you will learn how in thirty-three days, I passed from the Canary Islands to the Indies with the fleet which the most illustrious king and queen, our sovereigns, gave to me. And there I found very many islands filled with people innumerable, and of them all I have taken possession for their highnesses, by proclamation made and with the royal standard un­furled, and no opposition was offered to me. To the first island which I found, I gave the name San Salvador, in remembrance of the Divine Majesty, Who has marvelously bestowed all this; the Indians call it "Guanahani." To the second, I gave the name Isla de Santa Maria de Conception; to the third, F

Click here for a literary analysis of Columbus's report on the first voyage Click here for Columbus's original report text ------------- Columbus's report on the first voyage -- Summary Columbus goes from the Canary Islands to the Indies. He reaches an island he names Juana that is so big he thinks it must be the mainland. He goes from island to island, talks with some natives and takes them hostage. He finds another island, Espanola, beautiful and fertile with many kinds of trees and birds and cultivable land, and great for building towns on. There are metal mines and gold in the rivers. Its people are naked and too shy to use their stick weapons. They run away from the whites when they see them, even though Columbus has given them many gifts. They are generous back. Columbus gives them gifts so they may be kind to Spain and perhaps turn Christian. They have no religion except they believe that power comes from the sky and think Columbus has come from the sky. They are i

Short summary In his 1986 article "To Entrap the Wisest", René Girard addresses the conflict between the two critical interpretations of Shylock in The Merchant of Venice. Some view Shylock as a stereotypical, revenge-seeking mercenary Jew, while others regard him as a sympathetic character who has been wronged. Girard argues that both readings of Shylock are accurate and that, in fact, Shakespeare has intended this duality. Explicitly, Girard explains, Shylock is the undisputed villain. He practices usury and seeks blood revenge. Every character in the play is opposed to his actions, including the Duke, who is supposed to act as the impartial judge in the trial, and his own daughter, who shamelessly robs him and quits his household.  Throughout the play, however, there is a subtle undercurrent of rhetoric that establishes Shylock as more benevolent than is immediately apparent. In his "hath not a Jew eyes" speech, Shylock points out that he has learned revenge from

This summary is partial. Bloom thinks The Merchant of Venice is very anti-semitic, though he is aware that many disagree. Shylock is more villainous than necessary for a comedy. Shakespeare certainly intended him to be a comic villain, both funny and scary. At the time Shakespeare wrote the play, Jews weren't a very big problem in England, as there weren't many of them. There was anti-semitism however and Jews were an interesting issue. The comedy is in Portia's story, and not Shylock's. Making Shylock a sympathetic character renders the play utterly incomprehensible. His personality is so vivid that he is made to be sympathetic instead of evil because we do not find his particular brand of evil amusing. Shakespeare intended for Shylock to be a stereotype of a Jew, much like in Marlowe's Jew of Malta (except in Marlow the Jew is overtly evil and kills people). Marlowe's stereotype is exclusively evil, a stock character, whereas Shylock has more depth. Shylock

Short summary In his 1970 article "Shylock's Humanity" John R. Cooper presents his reading of the character of Shylock in The Merchant of Venice. His analysis centers on Shylock's "Hath not a Jew eyes" speech. Cooper argues that the purpose of this central passage is to capture the conflict between justice and mercy that is inherent in the play. Shylock's insistence on exacting his legal revenge represents the belief in strict justice and the sense of self-entitlement as ultimate values. The Prince of Morocco and the Prince of Arragon represent this paradigm as well, as they feel that they deserve Portia. This world view is juxtaposed with the value of mercy, as represented by the Christians who urge Shylock to abandon his revenge. This juxtaposition of paradigms, notes Cooper, is illustrated further by the differences between Belmont and Venice. In Venice law and justice reign supreme, whereas in Belmont mercy does, as represented by the favoring of mer

Overall summary In her 1985 article "Gender, Family and the Social Order", Susan Amussen surveys the social and familial hierarchies of Early Modern England. At that time, she explains to the modern reader, there was no conception of the family as a private unit. Instead, Renaissance theorists frequently drew parallels between the socio-political monarchic and governmental structures and the familial structure of husband, wife, and children.  Amussen discusses two influential propagators of this parallel. First, political theorists who were concerned with the social state of affairs discussed the relationship between the king and his subjects in terms of the relationship between husband and wife and children. Just as the obedience of children of their parents is a divine commandment, it was considered the divine right of the king to rule over his subjects. Similarly, the agreement between kings and subjects was compared to the marriage contract, and rebellion of a royal subje

Summary Lorenzo and Jessica are at Belmont, telling a love story together, beginning with that of Troilus and Criseyde and ending with their own. Nerissa enters as Stephano and announces that Portia will be back during the night. Lancelot enters and announces that Bassanio will also arrive during the night. Portia and Nerissa arrive, and then Bassanio, Antonio and Gratiano arrive. Nerissa admonishes Gratiano for parting with her ring. Bassanio hears this and shrinks. Portia confronts him and promises to never bed him until she sees the ring. Portia gives him hell about the ring and he tries to defend himself. Antonio whines that he is the cause of the quarrels. Nerissa and Portia present their rings to their husbands and say that they got them when they slept with the doctor and his clerk the night before. Gratiano grows angry and Portia reveals the trick. Portia also brings Antonio the news of three of his ships having made it safely and richly to harbor. She tells Lorenzo and Jessica