Its A Restoration and Neoclassical Blog, Dog

After reading "Captains and Slaves: Aphra Behn and the Rhetoric of Republicanism", I think it is important to address the following points. "There is of course no more intrinsic improbability in the classicizing eloquence of Oroonoko... in his physical description in conformity with Western ideas of beauty..." (Chernaik, 98) Here, Chernaik would argue that Oroonoko has been constructed by Behn to be fit into the ideas of English readers. It is easier to gain sympathy with a character that is more familiar to you than if you were reading about a slave. Oroonoko is supposed to be educated, charismatic, and handsome: concepts that were never really given to slave characters. Chernaik makes another interesting point of interest on page 97 where he suggests that perhaps Behn may have written a story that does not address slavery as a whole as much as it addresses wrongful enslavement of one prince. To address this idea, my opinion is that Behn did not mean for this to ...

"Thinking... for myself? ...Why?" John Locke pitched an interesting idea: the text he wrote was not subject to his reasons for writing the piece or his goal for the piece. You can write a piece that makes you feel a certain way. (Poetry is probably the best example) But people bring their own viewpoints and experience to the poetry you wrote. That sad couplet? That might make someone chuckle at an old flame. Or think of flowers in the rain or something weird. In regards to the Enlightenment, this was a heavy idea. A reader had a certain amount of responsibility and this idea was not heavily considered prior. A story was a story, right? Now, there is interpretation and theorizing. Ever watched an episode of Twin Peaks ? Same idea. You bring with you a level of understanding and experience no one else shares. I do like Locke's piece a lot, and I think it's very interesting he would make mention of this type of relationship unfolding between a reader and a work ...

The relevance of a story such as The Pilgrims Progress is an easy one to see. The story is about a man pushing himself through the efforts of being a good Christian. Our group in class focused on the scene where Christian and Pliable are forced to confront the Slough of Despond. We took away several different messages. For example, Pliable sees something like the Slough as an early indicator for a difficult journey and decides to turn back. But Christian sees this as something he must go through if he is to become a better person and a better man of God. "...but still he endeavored to struggle to that side of the slough that was further from his own house" (2273). It is important for Christian to see that he must endure such a task. For at its completion, he will emerge stronger and enlightened. Only in enduring did Help make itself known. "But why did you not look for the steps?" (2273), Help asks. This conveys the idea that there is sometimes a way around diffic...

Dryden's conflict with Shadwell, and the subsequent satire of "Mac Flecknoe" reminds me of Dante's Inferno, where he put several of his rivals in the circles of Hell. I know Dryden's piece is not as blatant as Dante and that the situations are wildly different, but I find it humorous that other people have a widely known effect on a piece of literature. Our text states: "Dryden exposed Shadwell to ridicule by using the devices of mock epic, which treats the low, mean, or absurd in the grand language, lofty style and solemn tone of poetry." (2237) Today, our President's choice of speech is taken to some absurd levels on comedy sections of SNL and even in a Batman comic where the president declared that Kryptonians would repair the destroyed Gotham city and it was going to be great. I about died laughing at how the successor in "Mac Flecknoe", someone who would "wage immortal war with wit" was chosen because of his physical simila...

From prior knowledge and history courses, I thoroughly love the idea and accomplishments of the Enlightenment. No other time had come before where people were in a mentality to question everything, challenge everything, to go forth into the unknown. I love this! Religion? Hold on! A king and queen telling colonies what to do? No way! Divine right is a joke, and art is an important thing. I enjoy punk rock. I think punk rock makes something new out of what has come before. It questions ideas and concepts: "the norm" if you will. You take the norm and you add some flavor, something new and unique. It might work and it might not. If it does not, you will fail and learn, pick up your pieces and try again. If it works, and it catches on, it can only get better. Punk rock challenged the tastes, skills, and standards that come before. But maybe the idea of punk rock came from a bunch of people who thought the rules of their society were weird. It came from people who were not afraid...