Basically to be a witch, you have to follow these guidelines.
1. You have to be unmarried
2. Being a widow gives you a higher chance of being a witch
3. Poor
4. You have to curse as women were suppose to be pure and obedient
5. You have to be ugly.
All witches in the Renaissance period follow these guidelines. Everyone could accuse them, which surprises me. I wouldn’t trust a child’s accusation so much but they were allowed to testify.
Witches in this era had familiars, which were the animal partner of the witch. The animals were usually the Devil or some demon in an animal form. They would feed upon the blood of their witch.
Elizabeth Sawyer is the Witch of Edmonton. At first, she wasn’t a witch. She was just a woman who was a little crooked who just wanted sticks to keep herself warm. But by her appearance, she was called a witch. After being called a witch so many times, it’s not hard to start believing it yourself especially if you can’t change people’s perception of you. So, Elizabeth found herself a familiar and became a witch. It gave her power to attack the people who attacked her while she was defenseless and innocent. Who would beat a woman who just wanted to keep warm? This amazes me the most as religion was suppose to be a big part of this time period. Being charitable was taught to them and beating a woman who just wants sticks isn’t being a good Christian.
One question that was brought up in class was, why was Elizabeth Sawyer only in a few scenes? I believe it shows how identity plays a big part in this story. Elizabeth looks like a witch, so she was accused as a witch. In reality, she was one of the few and maybe only good people in the beginning. She just wanted sticks. But since she was poor and crooked, she was looked down upon. If we follow this formula where poor is evil and rich is good, the rich characters in this play should be good though. In fact, they are twisted and liars. Frank Thorney is marrying two women, lying to his father, and just wants money. Old Thorney is using guilt to get his son to marry for money. The rich people bring their bad fortune upon themselves and yet Elizabeth Sawyer is blamed for their bad fortune. They don’t even try to fix their problems. Winnifride is lower class, pregnant, and has two possible fathers for the baby. She married Frank Thorney and decides she won’t whore around anymore. She is strong to at least try and fix her wrongdoings. The rich people who are suppose to be good, won’t fix their problems but blame someone else. Poor Elizabeth Sawyer.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Friday, November 28, 2008
More lies?!
I’m just starting to read the Witch of Edmonton by William Rowley, Thomas Dekker, and John Ford. I haven’t gotten so far, just to Act 2. Through the little amount I have read so far, I find it very easy to follow and very interesting on what is going on.
As of right now , I find it interesting how the characters are already tricking other charactes. In the first scene, Winnifride seems to have the upper hand, though having an unwanted pregnancy isn’t fortunate, as she plays the two men in her life and yet fix her life. She gets married to Frank Thorney but is a lover of Sir Arthur. She promised (before the play) that she’ll stay with Sir Arthur even after marriage but Winni decides she’ll be an honest wife and stay true to Frank. Well Frank diminishes any “rumors” that he and Winni has gotten married to his father and promised his father that he’ll marry Susan, Old Carter’s daughter. Sir Arthur (before Winni dumped him) promised Frank that he’ll help Frank take care of things well since Winni dumped him, I’m pretty sure things will get even more difficult.
I find it very interesting how all the stories I’ve read this semester, the biggest problem most of the characters have is that they don’t tell the truth. Things would go smoothly, no one would die, everyone would be happy if they tell the truth and not hides things or be so deceitful.
From just the act that I’ve read, I can tell things are not going to go well. It’s the basic formula from all the other stories. Tell Lies=No Happy Ending. I’m already frustrated with the characters and I only read a couple of scenes. I just want to yell at them and tell them to stop being so sneaky and just come clean. Things will go a lot better. The truth isn’t THAT bad. So what if you life is ruined for a couple of days. You’ll get over it. But what you can’t get over is a lie turning into a bigger lie, transforming your life so much that you are living this lie and die. It’s a very depressing idea but all these characters make me depressed. Maybe I’ll just create my own story where people don’t lie. Then again, that would be boring, wouldn’t it?
As of right now , I find it interesting how the characters are already tricking other charactes. In the first scene, Winnifride seems to have the upper hand, though having an unwanted pregnancy isn’t fortunate, as she plays the two men in her life and yet fix her life. She gets married to Frank Thorney but is a lover of Sir Arthur. She promised (before the play) that she’ll stay with Sir Arthur even after marriage but Winni decides she’ll be an honest wife and stay true to Frank. Well Frank diminishes any “rumors” that he and Winni has gotten married to his father and promised his father that he’ll marry Susan, Old Carter’s daughter. Sir Arthur (before Winni dumped him) promised Frank that he’ll help Frank take care of things well since Winni dumped him, I’m pretty sure things will get even more difficult.
I find it very interesting how all the stories I’ve read this semester, the biggest problem most of the characters have is that they don’t tell the truth. Things would go smoothly, no one would die, everyone would be happy if they tell the truth and not hides things or be so deceitful.
From just the act that I’ve read, I can tell things are not going to go well. It’s the basic formula from all the other stories. Tell Lies=No Happy Ending. I’m already frustrated with the characters and I only read a couple of scenes. I just want to yell at them and tell them to stop being so sneaky and just come clean. Things will go a lot better. The truth isn’t THAT bad. So what if you life is ruined for a couple of days. You’ll get over it. But what you can’t get over is a lie turning into a bigger lie, transforming your life so much that you are living this lie and die. It’s a very depressing idea but all these characters make me depressed. Maybe I’ll just create my own story where people don’t lie. Then again, that would be boring, wouldn’t it?
Monday, November 17, 2008
Duchess of Malfi = Heroine
I feel sorry for the Duchess of Malfi. She’s a woman who isn’t afraid to get what she wants but everything is going against her till the end. She was really a woman ahead of her time. She married for love and without her brothers’ consent. Her husband, Antonio, has a lower social status than she does which is very rare to marry someone below you if you are a woman.
I see her as very heroic because of the actions she takes. She married on her freewill and had children by Antonio. The scenes where she is described as pregnant doesn’t make her less heroic at all. In fact, I see her as a stronger woman. Pregnancy is not the easiest thing to go through. Not that I’ve been through it but from what I heard. It brings her down to “normal” people’s level and not all glorious and beautiful. She is shown as a real woman going through nature’s beauty. Seeing a woman give up important things such as the Duchess’s political role to be a woman is very brave. She isn’t selfish; she is just doing what Mother Nature intended for her to do. I’m pretty sure the Duchess knew that the possibility of her getting pregnant when she remarried was very likely and that she had to put her political duties aside. That has to be a very brave thing to do though. She knew rumors would soon arise when she didn’t focus everything on her duties as a leader but as a woman and a woman with child.
The Duchess of Malfi is a very strong woman and I believe ahead of her time. She took her life in her hands which is very hard for women to do during this time period. I can see the Duchess putting her life on hold for her children. It is such a heroic thing for any women to do and most mothers do. I applaud the Duchess of Malfi for being herself and for answering to no one but herself. It’s just very sad that she lived then and not now as she would fit in so well in modern time.
I see her as very heroic because of the actions she takes. She married on her freewill and had children by Antonio. The scenes where she is described as pregnant doesn’t make her less heroic at all. In fact, I see her as a stronger woman. Pregnancy is not the easiest thing to go through. Not that I’ve been through it but from what I heard. It brings her down to “normal” people’s level and not all glorious and beautiful. She is shown as a real woman going through nature’s beauty. Seeing a woman give up important things such as the Duchess’s political role to be a woman is very brave. She isn’t selfish; she is just doing what Mother Nature intended for her to do. I’m pretty sure the Duchess knew that the possibility of her getting pregnant when she remarried was very likely and that she had to put her political duties aside. That has to be a very brave thing to do though. She knew rumors would soon arise when she didn’t focus everything on her duties as a leader but as a woman and a woman with child.
The Duchess of Malfi is a very strong woman and I believe ahead of her time. She took her life in her hands which is very hard for women to do during this time period. I can see the Duchess putting her life on hold for her children. It is such a heroic thing for any women to do and most mothers do. I applaud the Duchess of Malfi for being herself and for answering to no one but herself. It’s just very sad that she lived then and not now as she would fit in so well in modern time.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Hamlet's Ghost
The Ghosts in Hamlet can either be good or bad. Signs are pointed to the Ghost of Hamlet (Sr.) to be evil. From research of the time period’s belief on ghosts, ghosts who roam the night, can’t be seen during the day, visit people who have melancholic minds, and cringe at the name of God or anything holy are demonic. The Ghost of Hamlet (Sr.) only appeared at midnight every night and leaves at the sound of a cock crowing. It also disappears at the word “heaven”. Also appearing to Hamlet, who is clearly depressed, doesn’t make the Ghost seem holy especially since the Ghost is feeding Hamlet what he wants to hear.
Hamlet’s anger towards his mother and his uncle is greater than his sadness for his father’s death. He questions more about the marriage than about the death. Hamlet wonders what were the motives behind his mother’s marriage to his uncle. Was it for sex? Hamlet became extremely focused on this fact. His mind is consumed with this thought and it seems like when Hamlet’s Ghost appeared, the Ghost only talked about this fact. He keeps egging it on and on and makes Hamlet believe that his ideas HAVE to be true. If a Ghost tells you that your uncle was after your mother for a long time and your mother is kind of a whore, you are going to believe it.
Hamlet’s mind isn’t in the right state to actually think things through. He’s very depressed, his mind is set, and he doesn’t think of the consequences of his action. He is very quick to judge. He dismisses all women from his knowledge of one. Hamlet’s mind is constantly thinking negative and constantly questioning people’s motives. He doesn’t see the good in life anymore. Having a Ghost tell him more negatives and give Hamlet more reasons why to hate his mother and uncle just adds more to this negativity in Hamlet’s life.
Hamlet’s anger towards his mother and his uncle is greater than his sadness for his father’s death. He questions more about the marriage than about the death. Hamlet wonders what were the motives behind his mother’s marriage to his uncle. Was it for sex? Hamlet became extremely focused on this fact. His mind is consumed with this thought and it seems like when Hamlet’s Ghost appeared, the Ghost only talked about this fact. He keeps egging it on and on and makes Hamlet believe that his ideas HAVE to be true. If a Ghost tells you that your uncle was after your mother for a long time and your mother is kind of a whore, you are going to believe it.
Hamlet’s mind isn’t in the right state to actually think things through. He’s very depressed, his mind is set, and he doesn’t think of the consequences of his action. He is very quick to judge. He dismisses all women from his knowledge of one. Hamlet’s mind is constantly thinking negative and constantly questioning people’s motives. He doesn’t see the good in life anymore. Having a Ghost tell him more negatives and give Hamlet more reasons why to hate his mother and uncle just adds more to this negativity in Hamlet’s life.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Monstrous Births
In class, we started to talk about monstrous births. I was surprised to see that most of these incidents, it wasn’t blamed on the sins of the parents. It was God’s message to inform the town that they all have been sinning or it’s the mother’s thoughts that transforms the child. The mother could be so interested in fashion that the baby will have a body that takes on the fashion such as a baby having a neck that looks like ruffs.
I find all this interesting because I just finished a book Philippa Gregory called The Other Boleyn Girl. This book is a fictional history on Anne and Mary Boleyn. Anne was married to King Henry VIII but Mary Boleyn, her younger sister, was actually one of King Henry’s mistresses and bore him two children in the book. Anne married King Henry a couple of years later but could not bear him a child. Bearing a son was one of the duties of a queen. Anne had many miscarriages and it was rumored that Anne couldn’t bear a child because she was sinning with her brother George and a couple of the other loyalist. One of these miscarriages actually was a monstrous birth and it was hinted that George and Anne actually had an incestuous affair. This baby had a flared back, hunched, just a horrid looking baby and the midwife knew immediately that Anne sinned as no good person would give birth to a monster.
This contradicts everything we talked about in class. Everyone knew that the mother sinned and that it was a message from God saying that Anne sinned but not a message to warn all of England that they are ALL sinning. It was blamed on the mother that this child was born this way and not because Anne thought about anything. It could be because Anne wanted to have a child so bad that this happened but that wouldn’t make too much sense. Why would you think about giving birth to a monstrous baby? The only explanation was that Anne ultimately sinned with her brother that created this monstrous baby.
I find all this interesting because I just finished a book Philippa Gregory called The Other Boleyn Girl. This book is a fictional history on Anne and Mary Boleyn. Anne was married to King Henry VIII but Mary Boleyn, her younger sister, was actually one of King Henry’s mistresses and bore him two children in the book. Anne married King Henry a couple of years later but could not bear him a child. Bearing a son was one of the duties of a queen. Anne had many miscarriages and it was rumored that Anne couldn’t bear a child because she was sinning with her brother George and a couple of the other loyalist. One of these miscarriages actually was a monstrous birth and it was hinted that George and Anne actually had an incestuous affair. This baby had a flared back, hunched, just a horrid looking baby and the midwife knew immediately that Anne sinned as no good person would give birth to a monster.
This contradicts everything we talked about in class. Everyone knew that the mother sinned and that it was a message from God saying that Anne sinned but not a message to warn all of England that they are ALL sinning. It was blamed on the mother that this child was born this way and not because Anne thought about anything. It could be because Anne wanted to have a child so bad that this happened but that wouldn’t make too much sense. Why would you think about giving birth to a monstrous baby? The only explanation was that Anne ultimately sinned with her brother that created this monstrous baby.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Magical Help?
I find it funny how things turned out in Canto 11 of The Faerie Queen. Redcrosse and Una finally finds the dragon that is holding Una’s parents captive. Redcrosee is the underdog in this fight. The dragon is extremely strong and breathes out fire. Well Redcrosse gets hurt and magically, an unnoticed well with healing powers was around and Redcrose happens to discover it before he was about to get finished. Redcrosse gets healed and comes back stronger. Redcrosee strength surprises the dragon and it seems like the dragon would lose but then he gains the upper hand again. Well magically once again a healing tree appears and heals Redcrosse. What are the odds, seriously? And to make it even funnier, both times, he fell and there at the bottom were these amazing things to heal his wounds and make him stronger.
It’s just hilarious how these things turn out. Even though the hero really has no chance to win on his own, the author sets it up where the hero wins and the bad guy has no chance because there aren’t any magical things helping him out. I think it was in The Once and Future King by T.H. White where Arthur breaks his sword but he gets a new one right afterwards. Throughout the story, Arthur, aka Wart, gets magical help. It seems as if Arthur can’t be a good king without this magical help. In The Faerie Queen it seems just the same thing. Redcrosse cannot win without this help. It’s just the way the writer creates these worlds and events so there’s no way for the hero to lose. In reality, though, this will never happen. I guess that’s why they call this fiction or a fairy tale instead of the real world.
It’s just hilarious how these things turn out. Even though the hero really has no chance to win on his own, the author sets it up where the hero wins and the bad guy has no chance because there aren’t any magical things helping him out. I think it was in The Once and Future King by T.H. White where Arthur breaks his sword but he gets a new one right afterwards. Throughout the story, Arthur, aka Wart, gets magical help. It seems as if Arthur can’t be a good king without this magical help. In The Faerie Queen it seems just the same thing. Redcrosse cannot win without this help. It’s just the way the writer creates these worlds and events so there’s no way for the hero to lose. In reality, though, this will never happen. I guess that’s why they call this fiction or a fairy tale instead of the real world.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
These Fairies aren't my fairies
I found it interesting how this was not the same fairy stories I remembered. I was expecting cuteness and tiny creatures. The Faerie Queen isn't this cuteness story I know of. It's a little gruesome and the fairies are not tiny sized. Instead, they are human sized (or from what I am understanding).
In class it was said that this was an epic romance. I think you can throw comedy in it. As I read the story out loud, I have these very comical pictures in my head. I can see Archimago with a huge mustache and as he is scheming rubbing his mustache. I can imagine that he has this very menacing laugh. Sansloy to me is just a character who wants to constantly fights and even though he might be the underdog, he believes he can win. I kind of see him as a Chihuahua who constantly barks. He does seem like a worth foe but for some strange reason this is the image I get in my head. The trees remind me of The Wizard of Oz with the talking trees except these trees are depressed and bleed.
Though I think it's very comical, I really do see the romance in it. It's just funny how things turn out with Redcrosse thinking that Una slept with another man which wasn't really Una but someone disguise as Una. Una thinks that she found Redcrosse but in fact it was Archimago disguise as Redcrosse. Redcrosse found someone else to defend, Fidessa who was in fact Duessa who turned the Fradubio and Fraelissa into the talking trees. There are a lot of disguises in this epic. And it just amuses me to see if the main characters will figure out these disguises and how they will do it.
In class it was said that this was an epic romance. I think you can throw comedy in it. As I read the story out loud, I have these very comical pictures in my head. I can see Archimago with a huge mustache and as he is scheming rubbing his mustache. I can imagine that he has this very menacing laugh. Sansloy to me is just a character who wants to constantly fights and even though he might be the underdog, he believes he can win. I kind of see him as a Chihuahua who constantly barks. He does seem like a worth foe but for some strange reason this is the image I get in my head. The trees remind me of The Wizard of Oz with the talking trees except these trees are depressed and bleed.
Though I think it's very comical, I really do see the romance in it. It's just funny how things turn out with Redcrosse thinking that Una slept with another man which wasn't really Una but someone disguise as Una. Una thinks that she found Redcrosse but in fact it was Archimago disguise as Redcrosse. Redcrosse found someone else to defend, Fidessa who was in fact Duessa who turned the Fradubio and Fraelissa into the talking trees. There are a lot of disguises in this epic. And it just amuses me to see if the main characters will figure out these disguises and how they will do it.
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