Fabulous Parodies!

A great job by all today! Seriously, you guys are so inventive and clever - I loved every minute of it. AP's, all I can say is, I have so much love for you and I can't wait for the next chapter of your lives - don't forget, "the unexamined life is not worth living" and literature is a valuable mirror. I know I was hard on all of you - it was because of how much faith I have in you. My most sincere best wishes.

Lastly, 3rd period, come in and drop off your journals as I forgot to corral you before you left.

Best,

RMH

Closing out C&P..

..alright, my final capitulation: it will be a multiple choice test on Friday. Multiple choice, but a combination of thematic and plot-based questions. Review the areas of the novel we focused on in class along with notes on class discussion.

Best,

RMH

Crime and Punishment. It's a crime....

....there won't be more punishment, haha.

Looks like we're going to stick to the idea of a timed write for Crime and Punishment. I wish we could get another formal in (I know you do to), but there simply isn't time. So Friday will be timed write day with the last 50 minutes and then we'll move into Macbeth, straight away, giving us plenty of time to make some bitchin' parodies. Speaking of which, review the following document.

Macbeth Parody Instructions

We'll discuss it on Wednesday.

Congratulations,

RMH

Blog Post due 5/16

Good morning, homies. I'm thinking I want to keep the Porfiry discussion for class on Monday. So the blog post will focus on one of our other 'doubles', Luzhin. Review the pages in part II where Luzhin and Raskolnikov meet for the first time. How does the section comment on class and what is Dostoevsky looking to accomplish thematically with the scene?

Oh, and here's a little inspiration for discussion on Monday:

http://youtu.be/b9PC1bNFtvs

Übermensch (Overman/Superman) theory and C&P

Read and takes notes on the following:

http://tinyurl.com/42xdmtk

&

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%9Cbermensch

In reading these two breakdowns of Nietzsche's theory, consider (and take notes on) specific areas of the novel that correspond to its various underpinnings.

Raskolnikov's "pairings" with other characters (Marmeladov, Porfiry, Razumikhan, Svidrigailov) depend on his vacillation between the Apollonian and Dionysian philosophies on which the Übermensch theory depends.

GOOD LUCK ON YOUR EXAMS!

Best,
RMH

Prep for Monday: 4/25

We began a discussion in period 3 about suffrage and a cultural reconsideration of women's role in the world paralleling Dostoyevsky's writing of Crime and Punishment (and other novels). The question is, what can we hypothesize Dostoyevsky's take on suffrage would be considering women's roles in the novel? Mark and annotate a couple of areas in the novel that would inform your opinion. I definitely don't want to be punitive, but be ready to be called on in class - if you're unable to further the discussion, you'll be docked a blog score.

Have a fantastic weekend,

RMH

Blog Post due 4/21

Firstly, for period 3'ers, my math was bad (not the first time) - Fyodor was 15 when mom died and not yet 17 when his father died.

As for our blog prompt:

Re-read the letter Raskolnikov receives from his mother. Why do you think he is so angry at the news that his sister is going to marry Luzhin. Our brief discussion and Dostoevsky's bio should weigh upon your answers.

Blog Post due 4/15

Discuss how sound enhances meaning in Emerson's "The Snow-storm". Discussion can center around both what tone and purpose are AND how sound enhances one or both.

ALSO - make sure you read the introduction to the chapter (first 10 pages) on Rhythm and Meter (chapter 12 in the gold book). This is technical stuff that doesn't make for good notes in class; we'll go straight to attacking it through example.

Best,

RMH

Homework for Wednesday 4/13

These poems are for practice and are to be worked/read with an eye to allusion (as explained in the beginning of Chapter Eight): "On His Blindness" by Milton and "Snow White" by Gwynn

KEEP READING CRIME AND PUNISHMENT! And remember that essay revisions are due next week.

See you Wednesday!

-RMH

Blog Post Due 4/4

Both “Siren Song” 333/271/342/143 and “Barbie Doll” 115/117/118 (if you have the green copy, you'll have to find it online) deal with the relationship between the individual human being and a society that imposes a dehumanizing conformity. Compare and contrast the poets’ use of irony in developing this theme.

This should yield all kinds of response - there should be little to no repeat in your answers - deepen the discussion. I don't want to see a lot of "I agree with what she said".

Have a great weekend!

Questions for "Curiosity" and an announcement

Questions for "Curiosity":

1. On the surface this poem is a dissertation on cats. What deeper comments does it make? Of what are cats and dogs, in this poem, symbols?

2. In what different senses are the words death, die, and dying here used?

3. Compare and contrast this poem in meaning and manner with "Ulysses."

ANNOUNCEMENT: Your copy of Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky - the Pevear and Volokhonsky translation, must be purchased immediately. It should be fully read by Monday 4/18.

Homework for Monday

Sorry this didn't get up sooner:

Read and work the following paying special attention to types of imagery:

(1) "Meeting at Night"
(2) “After Apple Picking”
(3) "Spring"
(4) "The Widow's Lament in Springtime"

Have a great weekend, homies!

-RMH

Blog Post due 3/3 (Yeah, that's 10:00 pm on 3/2)

Read and work the poem "Pathedy of Manners". How does the diction reveal the meaning in the poem? What is the purpose and how is it conveyed? You MUST work the poem first in order to engage in an intelligent discussion!

Best,

RMH

Welcome back to the Blog! Post due 2/25

"Work" Sonnet 138, or "When my love swears that she is made of truth". Read Sonnet 139 for context (http://www.shakespeare-online.com/sonnets/139.html). What does the combined connotative/denotative meaning of "lie" suggest/reveal about the depth of their relationship (vs. S139)? Remember to use some of our new strategies and support your answers with textual evidence.

Best,

RMH

Introduction to AP Poetry Annotation...due Wednesday 2/16

You will receive a sample poem on Monday with instructions on the bottom as to how to start to correctly annotate a poem. The sample is Shelley's brilliant "Ozymandias".

Follow the link to a sample of a poem that is well annotated. Yours will be similarly marked up. http://www.westga.edu/~pburgey/Poetry/HowToAnnotateAPoem.htm

For next class....

...I'm encouraged by the direction of the prompts and we are going to begin working on our rough drafts of the Hamlet essay. Roughs will be due on Monday (2/14) with the final draft being due on the following Friday (2/18). Bring your drafts and progress with you to all of the coming classes, as there will be time during each class to peer review and write.

Also, Poetry will be our next unit and we will need the Perrine's Sound and Sense, An Introduction to Poetry, by Wednesday of next week: http://tinyurl.com/4rw48l8

Try an get the 8th edition or newer - some prices are ridiculously high relative to other sites and stores, so look around. There are some copies in our library, as well.

Best,

RMH

List of Prompts for Hamlet Essay - due Tuesday 2/8

See the following link:

http://tinyurl.com/4ahddkr

Use any one of the following prompts to create a Hamlet formal essay prompt. In your blog post write the prompt and what you think is/are the essential thematic question(s) that need to be answered in your thesis.

-RMH

Blog Post Due 1/31

1. Read and annotate the Gertrude essay

----For Period 3 - I forgot to give you the essay, you can find it here: http://tinyurl.com/4fvv3cg

----If you still can't get it, google: "The Character of Hamlet's Mother" -Carolyn Heilbrun

2. Write an AP style thesis prompt to which you can imagine Heilbrun (author of the essay) was responding.

Steps 1 and 2 do not require a response on the blog

3. Write a thesis response to the following prompt:

Consider Hamlet's internal conflict as it is expressed in the Act II, scene ii soliloquy. Much of his meaning is in the patters created by the diction, the rehetorical questions, the catalogue of self-directed insults, and the imagery; none of which elicits an answer to his conflict. How do these patterns lead to Hamlet's short-term solution to his conflict?

4. Find two 3-4 line (only) pieces of evidence that you think will be perfect for supporting your thesis statement.

Steps 3 and 4 will be answered/posted on the blog.

Good luck with the rest of finals!

-RMH

GAH!

I don't feel like time-wise I should have you attack this prompt with just a day's notice (though 80% of you do it night before anyway), so no blog prompt.

Make sure to bring your journals, we're turning them in tomorrow!

Best,

RMH

Claudius, Gertrude, and King Hamlet

As written by Mr. Duncan...

Hamlet draws his general condemnation of women's fidelity from his mother Gertrude's "incestuous" marriage with the despised Claudius. I think we can assume that the Prince never cared much for his uncle, but by now he has grown to hate the man who replaced his idolized and adored father both as King and as husband to Gertrude.
The Ghost complains of "my most seeming-virtuous Queen," who fell for the blandishments of an "adulterate beast" of a brother whose "witchcraft of wit" and "traitorous gifts" stole her heart and loyalty away. Young Hamlet also takes a share in the Ghost's assessment of Claudius: a satyr in comparison with the Hyperion that was King Hamlet.

Let's examine the evidence in the play to build a character study of the late King of Denmark. Look at the Ghost's words, Horatio's dialogue with Marcellus, Hamlet's private thoughts in his first soliloquy and brief exchange with Horatio…etc. What sort of man, King, husband and father was King Hamlet?
Look then at what you know of Claudius beyond Hamlet's disdain and loathing: what qualities in him attracted Gertrude in the first place, and why? Why did she not adore King Hamlet as his son did?

This will take some thought. You might be smart to make a first entry assessing King Hamlet, then return a day later and post a comment on Gertrude and Claudius.

For Tuesday...

...I was disappointed with the amount of reading that was accomplished before our meeting on Friday. It is ridiculous to try and discuss the work at a thematic level if you don't have at least a rudimentary understanding of the plot beforehand.

You might be disappointed too if it's not completely read by Tuesday.

That is all, no blog post.

Best,

RMH

Blog Prompt due 1/7

Pretty simple really and your workload will depend on who gets to the blog first.

1. Two interesting (yeah, "dead" doesn't count) biographical facts about Shakespeare that weren't on the board (that shouldn't be very hard).

2. Two historical, demographic, and/or political facts about England (not Germany) from 1550-1650.

That's it!

-RMH

Drat!

Period 7! - your timed write scores from the first HOD timed write didn't save in the computer so I need to recollect them next time. Make sure you bring them and Hamlet (this goes for both classes)!

Best,

RMH