'A Streetcar Named Desire' - Young Vic Production

https://drive.google.com/drive/mobile/folders/0B03INY9QozOhNkpMVmhEQXYzU0U?_e_pi_=7%2CPAGE_ID10%2C4634361845

So, why isn't Hamlet the king?

Hello year 12s,


I've done a bit of research around the question we were asking ourselves this week about why Prince Hamlet did not become king when his father died.


It was not common at that time in Denmark to pass the throne on to the son of the previous king. It was the norm to select a new king from the eldest and most respectable of the monarch's family. This would be Claudius (remember that no one suspected him of foul play until the ghost turns up and accuses him of murder).


Here is the website I looked at - you might find it interesting: https://hamletdramaturgy.wordpress.com/2013/03/08/why-isnt-prince-hamlet-king-of-denmark/


I enjoyed seeing your models of key speeches from Act 1 this week. I have put the photos below to remind you of your good work.
Miss Ryall

'Eat Me' by Patience Agbabi (Aamilah)

Out of the several poems we have studied so far form Poems of the Decade, my favourite has to be "Eat Me". I view it as a poem which is highly relatable to the society in which we live in now, and reflects trends and norms we see in our generation today. Using an extended metaphor to represent an abusive relationship, an eating disorder even, leaves for wide interpretation and made it interesting to discuss everyone's perspective of the meaning behind the poem. The hidden techniques in the poem make for an even intriguing read as going through the poem, you discover hidden thoughts of the persona and it generates sympathy, empathy also for some, of her situation and dilemma. I think that abusive relationships and eating disorders are huge issues which are not directly addressed in our society but should be predominantly spoken about, and this poem does a good job at confronting them. Furthermore, nearing the end of the poem, the way the persona in the narrative seems to defeat this issue sends a message to people at any age, as the extent to which her relationship was deranged seemed too far gone for her to overcome it however she conquers and got rid of the toxicity in her life, and this sends a valid reminder to readers that they too can do the same.

 

RSC's 'Hamlet'

Hello year 12s,


Thank you for spending your morning in the library with us today to watch the live broadcast of 'Hamlet' from the Royal Shakespeare Company. I hope it gave you a different perspective on the text and helped you to understand the relationships and themes being portrayed. I was particularly impressed by those of you who read along for the entire performance and asked for clarification when things got confusing. Well done! I thought the choice of setting to enhance the theme of the supernatural was particularly interesting and I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the production in our lessons next week.

Have a nice weekend,


Miss Ryall

The War Correspondent - Ciaran Carson (Hiba)

This poem gives the reader a detailed insight of the Crimean War, 1854-1856 as well as the Dardanelles campaign, 1915-1916. Carson especially uses sensory language to depict these periods of war.

The first section within this poem- Gallipoli focuses on the Dardanelles Campaign where allied forces tried to seize Constantinople. Within this first section, there’s a repetition of the word ‘take’ which gives the impression of these allied forces being intrusive, forcing an unwelcomed appearance.

‘Take sheds and stalls from Billingsgate...’

‘Take an Irish landlord’s ruinous estate…’

‘Take a dirty gutter from a back street in Boulogne…’

‘Take the garlic-oregano-tainted arcades of Bologna…’

The first 4 stanzas start with these 4 lines. The continuous use of the phrase ‘take’ is almost meddlesome and in a sense, presumptuous as these allies aren’t taking any consideration of these regions but only for their resources – to benefit them.

As well as the repetition, the entire first part has no full stops until the last stanza which suggests that it is almost overflowing – either with the descriptive language or in a more figurative manner, overflowing with the many people who have congregated to take on the role of soldiers. The first few stanzas of section one practically describes the different ethnicities, nationalities and backgrounds of these individuals in a sense that they are nothing.

‘Then populate this slum with Cypriot and Turk,

Armenians and Arabs, British riflemen

And French Zouaves, camel-drivers, officers and sailors…’

 

This stanza describes the many different individuals that are taken in to fight. The phrase ‘slum’ represents displacement and discomfort. Carson’s writing conveys these entities to barely be significant although their entire lives are being ripped apart. In the First World War, Britain fought with Turkey, whereas in the Crimean war Britain fought against Turkey which can be a reference of disloyalty in correlation to the poem.

The last 3 stanzas of part 1 foreshadows the aftermath of the war. These people that have been taken in to fight are now just seen as rotting bodies. Carson symbolises rotting food which reflects the image of rotting bodies, the use of rich sensory detail helps to depict this perception of human bodies- rotting, putrid and nauseating. ‘let the staple diet be green cantaloupes swarming with flies washed down with sour wine…’, this description is already hard to picture just with food let alone actual decomposing bodies.

 

Up until the last stanza of the first part of the poem – Gallipoli, there isn’t any use of full stops. This reveals the continuity of war.

 

Section 4 of the poem – Balaklava presents a positive display of war which is juxtaposed as a usual effect of war would be tragedy. ‘…like a bed of flowers scattered over the valley floor.’ Although this description is aesthetically pleasing, the true meaning is that the ‘scattered flowers’ are the dead bodies that aren’t buried or taken account of. Furthermore, the full-stop in that first stanza signifies the end of a soldier’s life. Carson uses names of different plants which implies the different ethnicities of the soldiers however mid-stanza 2, the phrase ‘and countless other plants whose names I lack’ suggests that the soldiers are barely acknowledged. This gives the impression of ‘not belonging’, these soldiers had lost their lives for the cause of war however they are not recognised.

 

‘Phalanxes of rank grass, marking the mounds’ is contrast to the first two stanzas and a more literal description of dead bodies. ‘Tatters of scarlet cloth hanging to the bones of his arms…’ is an oxymoron which shows the desperation of identity. The image of cloth hanging mirrors an image of eagerness. Moreover, the last stanza further reflects the notion of lack of acknowledgement and a sense of ignorance.

 ‘All the buttons had been cut off the jacket.’

‘…our fellow men-at-arms under the noon sun in out buttoned-up jackets.’

There’s a definite contrast between these two lines. The deceased soldiers aren’t significant for their own sake but only for the advantage of the soldiers that are still living. A literal explanation of the saying, “the dead has benefitted the living.”

Poems of the Decade - What We've Done So Far

Hello year 12s,

Thank you so much for your contributions to this blog - I have really enjoyed reading them and would like you to comment on the thoughts of your classmates over the next week.
Before I leave poetry in the capable hands of Mr Gun-Why, I would like to share all of the thoughts we have had on the poems we've looked at so far. Here are all of the annotations I have made to my copy of the book as a result of the discussions we've had in lessons.

“Eat me” by Patience Agbabi (Carys)

The poem I like the most from the Anthology of poems is “Eat me” by Patience Agbabi. I find this poem interesting as it is based on a topic relevant to today’s society. The number of people with obesity has significantly increased within the last 30 years and I think that the way Agbabi addresses obesity and the power to overcome the struggle of dealing with it is very remarkable.

There is also an interpretation of a reference to the story of Alice in Wonderland, which I find interesting. In the first stanza it says “The icing was white but the letters were pink, they said, EAT ME. And I ate, did what I was told.” This references the part where Alice was able to change her size by eating or drinking certain things. I liked this as Alice in Wonderland is a movie that I enjoyed as a child, and so I felt as if I had a link to it and I could understand the significance of the reference within the poem.

Although there are some aspects in this poem which I found amusing, I also recognise and appreciate the serious feelings and emotions that are present throughout. The narrator in the poem is constantly made to feel self-conscious and weak as her partner continues to over feed her and make her gain wait. The use of the words “shipwreck, broad, tidal wave and beached whale” provide the imagery of the narrator being extremely large, however it also make me think of how these words can emotionally damage her and how it can have a negative effect on a person.

In general, I prefer this poem to the others that I’ve looked at because it focuses on a current worldwide issue, it involves a range of language to create humorous and serious scenarios in my mind, and how it shows the greed for power.

CHAINSAW VERSUS THE PAMPAS GRASS (Maham)

The poem ‘Chainsaw Versus the Pampas Grass’ is written by Simon Armitage. One of the predominant themes in this poem is the idea of masculinity VS femininity. The main way in which Armitage presents this theme is through the use of personification. The chainsaw is personified throughout the poem in order to portray several stereotypical aspects of masculinity, for example the phrase “knocked back” in stanza 1 implying grudging desire to complete the task it has been set and there’s a sense of inability to refuse a challenge. Also this illustrates a masculine gesture with a violent imagery.

Also the personification shows the chainsaw as if its sulking e.g. “ Back below stairs on its hook, the chainsaw seethed”(stanza 8) which implies that the chainsaw and men in particular, will remain  angry for a long time after the loss of a battle, without moving on and admitting defeat. However this can be contrasted with the first stanza where “the chainsaw swung nose-down” which links to disappointment and an initial start to defeat. This reflects on the nature of a man where he may experience many things before actually starting the task.

Meanwhile, the pampas grass represents many stereotypical aspects of femininity, for example in stanza 4 there is an example of narcissism (self-importance) “The pampas grass with its ludicrous feathers and plumes”, in which the word “ludicrous” advocates elegance and a sense of being quite self-centred, proposing that the pampas grass/ women have a high opinion on themselves and reflects their nature. Moreover there is a desire for attention e.g. “taking the warmth and light...stealing the show”, which implies that the pampas grass (representation of women) will go to great lengths and measures to be the centre of attention, often imposing itself on others in order to direct their attention towards it.

 Also the preoccupation with physical appearance e.g. “sunning itself” suggest that women will spend large amounts of time trying to make themselves look attractive and grab people’s attention are always standing out in the crowd.  Lastly throughout the whole poem the chainsaw tried to defeat the pampas grass but at the end it is said that it’s “corn in Egypt” which means it comes back in a bundle and in richer condition (denser) and it reflects a sort of mocking of the chainsaws effort of trying to get rid of it. “Wearing a new crown” shows that the pampas grass has won this year as well because it supreme and dominant as there’s a new crown being gifted to her.

“Please Hold” by Ciaran O’Driscoll (Molly)

My favourite poem is “Please Hold” by Ciaran O’Driscoll. I think it is such an accurate representation of society and how we are expected to behave. I also admire the sheer bluntness of the speaker, he adopted a robotic tone to mimic how society has become enslaved by technology and yet he has his own voice, his own thoughts and opinions. I’m always on my phone or my laptop so the poem made me think about how often I actually need to be doing this and how much technology has changed my life.  I find that the humorous tone and sarcasm make the poem more relatable, especially because I’m sarcastic for a majority of the time. Also, the ending of the poem made me empathise with the speaker, he is seriously concerned by how technology is taking over our lives and even though he tried to fight it, even he was tragically affected by technology. It was inevitable.

To My Nine-Year-Old Self - Helen Dunmore (Lauren)

From the poems studied so far, To My Nine Year Old Self has been my favourite as it is not as plain as it may seem. After my first reading of the poem it was clear to see that Helen Dunmore is writing a letter to her past self. At first, it seems as though she is reminiscing as she lists things she did as a child which provides a nostalgic atmosphere and also presents the notion that Dunmore is envious of the carefree life a child has. However, once you’ve delved in more depth this is where a differing interpretation comes to the forefront. Dunmore suggests throughout the poem that she has been scarred by adulthood and that something traumatic has occurred in her life that has altered her. This is where the previous interpretation of a nostalgic letter is changed and the letter could actually be a warning to her younger self of what to expect in the future.

 

The imagery in this poem captures your attention. In one stanza Dunmore will be expressing sweet, innocent images that would most commonly be associated with a child such as ice-lollies and sherbet lemons. Yet in the next stanza the atmosphere will completely change and she’ll create dark, ominous images that connote something dismal. In Stanza four, one particular piece of imagery stood out to me, in the fifth line Dunmore states ‘time to hide down scared lanes/from men in cars after girl-children,’. This implies something iniquitous happened to her - depending on your interpretation it could be seen as a sexual assault of some kind. Which supports the concept of the letter being a warning to her younger self and why she views her adult self as scarred and tainted.

 

This poem holds a plethora of interpretations that makes it all the more interesting. The persona has clearly been altered by some event in her life and has chosen to make her past self acknowledge the privilege of not having to bear this burden yet. The nine year olds worries are menial in comparison to her adult self which is what makes the poem that much more complex. The barrage of interpretations allows the poem to be appreciated in more than one way. This is why it is my favourite of the collection we have studied so far.

'Please Hold'

Hello year 12s,


Well done on making it through 'induction test week'. I am looking forward to reading your analysis of 'To My Nine Year Old Self' and will be able to give you feedback next week. This week we were looking at 'Please Hold' by Ciaran O'Driscoll and considering the huge impact that technology has on our lives.


These are the annotations I made as a result of our discussion:

I am looking forward to hearing your presentations on 'Look We Have Coming to Dover', 'You, Shiva and My Mum' and 'On Her Blindness' next lesson. Don't forget to read the article on Poems of the Decade and read and annotate 'A Minor Role' for Thursday's lesson.


Have a lovely week,


Miss Ryall

Homework for Week 4

Hello year 12s,

Here is a link to the article I would like you to read for homework this week. We will be discussing it in next week's lessons so please come prepared.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByjTQpSbakfiMzd0cHY1MU5fbm8/view?usp=sharing

Miss Ryall

'Ode on a Grayson Perry Urn'

Hello year 12s,


This week we have been considering the influence of ancient Greece on modern culture and analysing Tim Turnbull's answer to Keats' 'Ode on a Grecian Urn'. This has been a particularly enjoyable week for me, as you know, as the message in Keats' poem is one of my absolute favourites. We listened to Keats' poem and spoke about the idea of trying to learn about a society through 'snapshot' images. We shared our thoughts on the questions Keats' raises: Is it better to be captured forever in one perfect moment, or to live life with all its highs and lows? Can beauty itself be a truth? What is the purpose of art? You can access 'Ode on a Grecian Urn' here, to remind yourself of the links between the two poems.
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/44477
Here are the annotations I made on my copy of the poem as a result of our discussion:

'Eat Me'

Hello year 12s,


Welcome and congratulations on finding your way to the brand new A Level English blog.


Last week we began the course by looking at 'Eat Me' by Patience Agbabi. We started by discussing the power imbalance in the relationship between the persona and 'He', and the persona's apparent victory at the end. We were divided on whether or not 'His' death would lead to freedom for the persona or her own tragic death. It was interesting to explore their dependence on each other. Below is a picture of the annotations that I made from our discussion, you might like to use them for revision.

We also discussed this poem within a post-colonial framework. The power of the persona to overcome her oppressor at the end of the poem could be representative of formerly colonised nations overpowering their colonisers eventually. The semantic field in stanza six of navigation by sea supports this reading.

You might enjoy this clip of Patience Agbabi performing another of her poems, 'Word'. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Z5.




I was really impressed by your start to the course and enjoyed discussing this poem with you. I am looking forward to working with you over the next year.


Miss Ryall