back to the books

Over the summer I read Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, a novel following a man's journey through his conscience. The piece is set in Russia and presents both social and political ideas in its debate over power and ultimately, survival of the fittest.
While Roskolnikov makes himself believe that he is fighting to be a strong man capable of rising above the moral standard for mere humans, he fights against the ultimate punisher - the human conscience.

I also read snippets of The Grapes of Wrath and The Screwtape Letters but between a conference in Kentucky and chaperoning the youth group in Georgia I never was able to make myself finish them.

While waiting in the Charleston International Airport for a friend I picked up one of John Grisham's books, The Chamber. Thanks to the rapidity of United Airlines, I managed to read a good deal of the book. Have yet to finish it. Sigh.

Now it is back to school (wait... did I leave?) and my lovely class, Shakespeare's Comedies. By far my favorite class of the semester, Shakespeare and my professor are yet again making me question my decision to pursue Business Management as opposed to Literature. I suppose I could work my tail off in the summer and turn my English minor into a double major.

So far I read A Comedy of Errors by good old Bill. Basically, it is Twelfth Night squared. Not one set of twins, but two. Not two confused and seemingly bewitched persons, but four. I found it an enjoyable and easy read, for Shakespeare.

An exciting semester ahead! Full of business, SGA, theatre, Shakespeare, and more Shakespeare! On to the Taming of the Shrew!

Happy Summer

Well, it's here. Summer.
While I would perhaps enjoy it better if I did not actually work at the university and therefore actually felt like I had a break from being at school each and every day, it is still summer.

Unfortunately, I am only two days in and am already bored. No homework. Nothing to read. Nothing to study. What's a student to do?

I am actually looking into freelance editing/proofreading. I figure that if I read online newspapers, articles, journals, etc. and get annoyed by grammar and spelling errors, it's worth a shot. Not to mention the horror I experienced while editing a group paper this semester. I've come to the conclusion that incorrect grammar and usage can really tick me off.

But like I said in my last post of the semester, I want to keep this up. I know my 381 class will never come back to read it, but oh well. It's out there.

I am currently in the middle of Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky (an endeavor put on hold during the spring... mom was right when she said that both Russian literature and homework could never win) and The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. Just because it's fun, I think I'll comment on them here as I read. Perhaps this blog will be more successful than the last... five?

So, my dear class... bonne chance! Appreciez-vous l'ete! Promenez-vous et appreciez le soleil. Lire un bon livre. Travailler dur.

(too bad I don't remember all the grammar..)

A Utopian Farmhouse

The simplistic perfection that Jonson describes in Penshurst reminds me of Utopia in a way. Instead of praising worldly appealing aspects such as a "roof of gold" or or "polished pillars" the speakers describes a more natural beauty-

"Thou joy'st in better marks, of soil, of air,
Of wood, of water; therin thou art fair.
Thou hast thy walks for health, as well as sport;" (7-10)

Ok. Really short and not-so-profound. But I like this blog thing. I think I shall keep it up through my last two years in the English program. It keeps me accountable to make sure I read the assignments...

A Meal of Poetry

Ben Jonson's poem "Inviting a Friend to Supper" defies conventional poetry expectations. On my initial read-through I was bored by what seemed like a lack of imagination and beautiful poetic language. Describing a supper. Inspiring?

Uninspiring. At least, until I read an idea of a university professor who calls himself the gardener on the internet. While I only read the first few sentences of his post, he proposes that the speaker of the poem is not merely inviting their unnamed guest, but is inviting the reader to dine as well.

**As I said, I only read the first few sentences, and will now offer my own explanation rather than paraphrase his. I will attempt my own critical reading. If what I say here mirrors what you may find in the link above it is because we are writing with the same idea - the reader is the guest. **

The speaker in the poem conveys to the reader that it desires his or her company and continues by saying-

"Not that we think us worthy such a guest,
But that your worth will dignify our feast
With those that come; whose grace may make that seem
Something, which else could hope for no esteem
It is the fair acceptance, sir, creates
The entertainment perfect: not the cates." (1432, 3-8)

A poem in and of itself does not hold great worth, but with the acceptance of a critical reader the feast, or the words on the page, are given meaning and depth. Until a mind is opened to poetry, the poem is as useless as a meal that lies uneaten.
The poem continues by describing the finest of all foods, continuing to compare a well-written poem to a well-prepared meal. The speaker also promises to hold intellectual discussions during the meal, representing the fact that a poem should inspire a reader to think beyond what they are reading and to discuss what they learn with others.

"But that's all one, our play is done."

I'm not quite sure how this extra credit thing works out for those of us who could not go see the play because we were, well, up on stage. I don't think I could analyze the thing anymore than I did every night for the past two and a half months, so I am just going to write.

Well... it's done. After two and a half months of late nights at USCB and even later nights trying to keep up with homework, it is over. The culmination of two and half months of my hard work was held in three short nights that went far quicker than I wished.

I hate the last performance, it is so depressing. I pour my time, my energy, and my passion into theatre, and then after the curtain closes for the last time, those moments will never come back. You cannot replay it like a movie and you cannot re-read it as your favorite book. It lasts for a few brief evenings and will never come back again.

You see, this is my livelihood. For the better part of my semesters at USCB I spend my time not only memorizing lines and rehearsing plays but doing all the logistical jobs such as publicity, and making sure our director does not lose his mind (although he claims it already happened). I love the theatre.

Working on Arlecchino was unique because it was a comedy, and while our rehearsals were anything but constant laughs, it was definitely enjoyable to see everyone make their characters their own as they brought little comedic nuances to their performances.

I am relived in a way because I now have my evenings back. I can now complete homework before midnight, sleep a full night, eat dinner while not driving in the car, and I can go about my day without referencing everything to one of my lines. And yet... as I said, there is a lingering depressing feeling in the thought that it is all over...
...until this summer!

"Every movement of the theater by a skilful poet is communicated, as it were, by magic, to the spectators; who weep, tremble, resent, rejoice, and are inflamed with all the variety of passions which actuate the several personages of the drama." - David Hume

-Smeraldina ®

A Trying Situation

Well, class was certainly unexpected yesterday! I don't think any of us will be able to forget Twelfth Night after that.
When an officer bursts through the classroom door, the first thing you see is not BCPS or SWAT on their shirts and hats.. it's the guns that they are holding, pointing at your class. In those minutes I must have imagines a hundred different scenarios (ah, the blessings and curses of an active imagination).

I read the Beaufort Gazette and was extremely offended by people's attitudes towards Dr. Kilgore. In my opinion, he remained calm and handled the situation very well. I don't know about you, but if I am stuck in a room with armed men outside I want a professor who has the sense and the courage to barricade the door, regardless of which way the door opens. A TV and stand won't stop a shooter, no, but it does slow him down.

Thank you so much Dr. Kilgore for barricading the door. Thank you for remaining calm and watching out for us. Thank you for calling 9-1-1 to double check on everything. Thank you for remaining on scene until you were sure every member of the class was fine.

Forget the people who read the newspaper. I appreciate my professor! Kudos to Kilgore.

Arlecchino, The Servant of Two Masters... Twelfth Night reborn?

USCB's Drama Club, the Roges and Vacaboundes and Dennis Adams from the community players Rafael Sabatini Players bring you...

Arlecchino, The Servant of Two Masters

by Carlo Goldoni

adapted and directed by Dr. John P. Blair.

The performance is an Italian Renaissance comedy, a hilarious tale of an absent minded servant who attempts to serve two masters at once. Strangely enough this play mirrors Twelfth Night in almost all aspects. A twin dies and Beatrice (our own Viola) dresses as her brother. (Kristi- we have cross dressing!)

Cast:

Pantalone - Dennis Adams

Columbina - Ami Rabinowitz

Scaramuccia - Joe Harrell

Florindo Aretusi - Van Brown

Beatrice Rasponi - Kayla Bennet

Dr. Lombardi - Madison Clement

Brighella - Elizabeth George

Arlecchino - Bill Orem

Smeraldina - Abby Moonen

Clementine - Christine Smith

Sarafina - Sarah Europe

Augustino - Josh Edenfield

Crew:

Director - John P. Blair

Assistant to the Director - Abby Moonen

Stage Manager - Robert Haagensen

Lights - Elizabeth Brown

Tech/Stage Crew - Tiffany ------

Times:

Thursday, March 27th at 8:00 p.m.

Friday, March 28th at 8:00 p.m.

Saturday, March 29th at 8:00 p.m.

Cost is $5 General Admission. BRING YOUR STUDENT I.D. to purchase tickets for $3.

I am interested to see what you guys think!