The Canterbury Tales

The Canterbury Tales prologue describes all of the characters. There are some characters Geoffrey Chaucer describes that you can tell he likes, and some he doesn't like. These tales gives us a good understanding about what it was like in the middle ages. Chaucer puts the characters in a pilgrimage, which is a religious journey made to a shrine or holy place. On the way to the shrine of Saint Thomas, each character tells two stories. Those stories make up the Canterbury Tales.

The Nun in the Canterbury Tales
Picture courtesy of pages.townson.edu

The character I had in the Canterbury Tales was the Nun. She was known as Madam Eglantyne. Chaucer describes her as a good singer, spoke french, and had great manners. The Nun was also friendly and kind hearted. Chaucer wrote "As for her sympathies and tender feelings, She was so charitably solicitous She used to weep if she saw but a mouse Caught in a trap, if it were dead or bleeding." In describing what she looks like, Chaucer wrote "Her veil was gathered in a seemly way, Her nose was elegant, her eyes glass-grey; Her mouth was very small, but soft and red, Her forehead, certainly was fair of spread, Almost a span (9inches) across the brows, I own; Her cloak I noticed, had had a graceful charm. She wore a coral trinket on her arm, A set of beads, the gaudies tricked in green, Whence hung a golden brooch of the brightest sheen On which there first was graven a crowned A, And lower, Amor vincit omnia (love conquers all)."

Chaucer seems to like this character by the way he described her. He said nothing bad at all about her. Everything was positive and he described her very well so we can have an understanding of what she looked like and we could picture her and what she would look like if she were really alive.

The Aeneid

In class, we have been reading the Aeneid. This past week, we read book IV about the queen. I really enjoyed that one. It was about the queen, Dido, who was contemplating on if she wanted to re-marry after her first husband. She thought bad about it since she thought she was breaking her vow about being faithful to him but then her sister told her to do whatever makes her happy. She marries a Trojan captain, Aeneas,  but he doesn't believe he's a good husband and he thinks he really isn't married to Dido. He sees her as just a "fling".  He then had to choose between Dido or his future country. What did he choose? His country!!! Dido was very mad and told him that she will haunt him. She becomes very depressed about everything and decides to kill herself with a sword.
One of our assignments this week was to do the RWLD. In that was two clips of the opera of  Dido and Aeneas. Both those clips seemed very powerful and you could feel the emotion in it. I enjoy doing the RWLD's. I learn a lot from them along from what's in the book!

Picture courtesy of nga.gov.au

For my independent book, I have not found the time to read this week! I've been getting more hours at work  and adding clinicals on to that, I have no time to do anything! Senior year is kicking my butt! Hopefully I find time this week to finish reading my first short story and start on the other one that's in the book! I have three days off next week so I should have plenty of time to finish the book! I'm crossing my fingers!

The Turn of the Screw

My independent reading book that I am reading is The Turn of the Screw by Henry James. This book has two short stories in it from Henry James and the other story that I will be reading is Daisy Miller. Since I had a four hour drive to Minnesota and back, I had the chance to read to page 106 where chapter 21 starts in The Turn of the Screw. I really enjoy reading this book. It is very intense and kind of creepy! I have about 20 more pages to go to finish this short story and to go onto the next one! My next blog I will tell you guys more about the first short story and what's it all about!

Picture courtesy of photo.goodreads.com

In class, we have been reading the Iliad. We read about 3 different sections from it. I enjoyed reading it too but I think i would have rather watched the movie Troy to fully understand it. From the clips we watched from Troy, it seemed like I understood it better along with reading it. In the stories, I like how they used similes to compare Hektor as a weak and peaceful person like a dove and Achilles and a strong and powerful like a hawk.

Picture courtesy of wordpress.com

Oedipus the King

In class, we have been reading Oedipus the King together as a class. For me, I thought it was a very odd and messed up story. Oedipus is married to his mother, of which he doesn't know is his mother, and has two daughters. That kind of grossed me out! We also watched the movie too. I think I understood that better than actually reading the story. But, the movie they seemed over dramatic but I guess that's how they were while doing tragedies.

Picture courtesy of bubblews.com

For my independent reading book, I have not had the time to read any of it :( I hate being busy busy busy! I should get to have time this weekend to read it since I will be going to Minnesota and will have a long car ride!