Blog Post 17- Shakespeare’s theme of power in Coriolanus

As stated in my previous blog post,  In Shakespeare's play; Coriolanus, he began presenting the political context within English during King James' Rule (1603- 1625) rather than his conventional tragedies, where Shakespeare introduces the setting of the play, in Ancient Rome. Additionally, Shakespeare illustrates the two perspectives of the characteristic of Coriolanus' King James I ways of ruling. Shakespeare utilizes the plot of Coriolanus to explore King James I's totalitarian methodology of ruling. The way Shakespeare describes the Roman society in Coriolanus is similar to the England society during this time period. 

Corresponding to this, Power is one of many themes presented in the play of which is most consistent. Due to the time period, Ancient Rome is going through the shaping of its political hierarchy. Each individual character; Coriolanus, Volumnia and Aufidius, all display a different sense of power throughout the play. Beginning with the main character of the play; Coriolanus, also known as the protagonist, demonstrates this theme of power through his characteristics. 'God-like' figure is one of many titles he is portrayed as, even given the comparison to a dragon. Gods in Ancient Rome were recognized as the powerful leaders/mythological figures. Indulging into this concept, Shakespeare uses the setting and the mythological believes in emphasizing the theme of power through Martius Coriolanus as well as the idea of being fearless, independent and of course, powerful similarly to a dragon. 

Volumnia is Martius Coriolanus' mother where she has a different sense of power. She portrays a motherly power over her son as she has a significant influence towards his decisions; specifically when asking him not to attack Rome. Due to Coriolanus' arrogance and anger, he wanted to take revenge on Rome as he was banished by the common people and the capitol. Although, Volumnia was able to use her motherly speech such as "Sweet son" to grab Coriolanus. In response, "Oh my mother, mother! You have won a happy victory to Rome; But, for your son,- believe it, O, believe it, Most dangerously you have with him prevail'd, If not most mortal to him... Good Aufidius, were you in my stead, would you have heard a mother less? or granted less, Audifius ?" (5.3.208-215). This illustrates how Volumnia has her own sense of power in the presentation of a mother figure rather than a political body.
Finally, Audifius is hated by Martius Coriolanus and hates "thee worse than a promise-breaker."(1.8.2) and this is thought the same by Aufidius towards Coriolanus. Aufidius is quite a manipulative character who suddenly contrasts his hatred in Act 1 to a beloved partner in war in Act 3 in order to fulfill the desire to take war on Rome. Resulting in the belief of him potentially having a manipulative power towards Coriolanus. 

Blog Post 16- What is Shakespeare’s larger purpose in his characterization of Coriolanus in Act I?

What is Shakespeare’s larger purpose in his characterization of Coriolanus in Act I?

In Shakespeare's play; Coriolanus, he began presenting the political context within English during King James' Rule (1603- 1625) rather than his conventional tragedies. Act one is seen to be the primary act for where Shakespeare introduces the setting of the play; Ancient Rome, the main characters as well as the conflict. Coriolanus' character builds where he struggles to gain power due to his verbal self-control.

In Act one, Menenius and Coriolanus are introduced to the audience where there is a riot between the plebeians because of food shortage; grain. Due to the fact that Shakespeare has presented as the "chief enemy to the people' (1.1.7), the plebeians acknowledge him with hatred; making the audience believe he was the main issue of the shortage of food. The first conflict presented in Shakespeare's play is the conflict between Martius (Coriolanus) and the common people. He confronts the plebeians where he displayed his anger against the people, which illustrated his bad-temperated characteristic. Although, Shakespeare then begins to contrast the common people's judgment on Martius and Menenius; whereby Menenius is presented as the "one that hath always loved the people' (1.1.45). The people or Rome show respect and love towards Menenius regardless of his rank (patrician). He is presented to the audience as the wise character through the use of the body motif "there was a time when all the body's members Rebell'd against the belly.." This motif can be associated with the plebeians. Shakespeare has placed Menenius and the First Citizen together to emphasize the characteristics of Martius (Coriolanus) wherein the subsequent acts this, unfortunately, leads to his death.

Throughout the Act, Shakespeare has placed Martius Coriolanus on the battlefield where he was then credited for be brave and great warrior of Rome by the generals and the soldiers. He was given the respect that he never received from the common people. This portrayal of 'Coriolanus' illustrated his characters as brave with heroic traits and even thought to be a demi-god figure were shown to the Capitol. However, there is a disconnection between the two social classes; whereby the plebeians frame him as a self-centred, ignorant character though is portrayed by the generals as a brave warrior and a hero. 

The genre of the play is considered to be a political play unlike his conventional tragedies his audience is predominantly are shown. Like said previously, Shakespeare illustrates the two perspectives of the characteristic of Coriolanus' King James I ways of ruling. Shakespeare utilises the plot of Coriolanus to explore King James I's totalitarian methodology of ruling. The way Shakespeare describes the Roman society in Coriolanus is similar to the England society during this time period. 

Blog Post 15- Bell Hooks

Freedom by Beyoncé ft. Kendrick Lamar 


[Beyoncé:]
Tryna rain, tryna rain on the thunder
Tell the storm I'm new
I'ma walk, I'ma march on the regular
Painting white flags blue
Lord forgive me, I've been running
Running blind in truth
I'ma rain, I'ma rain on this bitter love
Tell the sweet I'm new

I'm telling these tears, "Go and fall away, fall away"
May the last one burn into flames

Freedom! Freedom! I can't move
Freedom, cut me loose!
Freedom! Freedom! Where are you?
Cause I need freedom too!
I break chains all by myself
Won't let my freedom rot in hell
Hey! I'ma keep running
Cause a winner don't quit on themselves

I'ma wade, I'ma wave through the waters
Tell the tide, "Don't move"
I'ma riot, I'ma riot through your borders
Call me bulletproof
Lord forgive me, I've been runnin'
Runnin' blind in truth
I'ma wade, I'ma wave through your shallow love
Tell the deep I'm new

I'm telling these tears, "Go and fall away, fall away"
May the last one burn into flames

Freedom! Freedom! I can't move
Freedom, cut me loose!
Freedom! Freedom! Where are you?
Cause I need freedom too!
I break chains all by myself
Won't let my freedom rot in hell
Hey! I'ma keep running
Cause a winner don't quit on themselves

[Kendrick Lamar:]
Ten Hail Marys, I meditate for practice
Channel 9 news tell me I'm movin' backwards
Eight blocks left, death is around the corner
Seven misleadin' statements 'bout my persona
Six headlights wavin' in my direction
Five-O askin' me what's in my possession
Yeah, I keep runnin', jump in the aqueducts
Fire hydrants and hazardous
Smoke alarms on the back of us
But mama, don't cry for me, ride for me
Try for me, live for me
Breathe for me, sing for me
Honestly guidin' me
I could be more than I gotta be
Stole from me, lied to me, nation hypocrisy
Code on me, drive on me
Wicked, my spirit inspired me
Like yeah, open correctional gates in higher desert
Yeah, open our mind as we cast away oppression
Yeah, open the streets and watch our beliefs
And when they carve my name inside the concrete
I pray it forever reads

[Beyoncé:]
Freedom! Freedom! I can't move
Freedom, cut me loose!
Freedom! Freedom! Where are you?
Cause I need freedom too!
I break chains all by myself
Won't let my freedom rot in hell
Hey! I'ma keep running
Cause a winner don't quit on themselves

[Kendrick Lamar:]
What you want from me?
Is it truth you seek? Oh father can you hear me?
What you want from me?
Is it truth you seek? Oh father can you hear me?
Hear me out

[Hattie White:]
I had my ups and downs, but I always find the inner strength to pull myself up. I was served lemons, but I made lemonade

 Possessing a shared language, black folks could find again a way to make community, and a means to create the political solidarity necessary to resist. Needing the oppressor’s language to speak with one another they nevertheless also reinvented, remade that language so that it would speak beyond the boundaries of conquest and domination.

The text that I have chosen to answer the selected quotation from Bell Hooks was written by Beyoncé featuring Kendrick Lamar. These lyrics are a part of her song Freedom, of which is from her most recent Album Lemonade. People believe that her last album is about cheating although, in fact, it is about cultural violence towards woman, specifically black women. Beyoncé begins to create songs based on her personal grief through anger and sadness but opens her so-called creative lenses where she had broadened the scope.

"Freedom" is song number 10 on her album 'Lemonade'. The song emphasizes areas of old Negro prison song as well as a 'fiery verse from Kendrick Lamar' (1). This song in somewhat ways speaks the truth about Beyoncé's feelings towards the topic.

"Painting white flags blue" is stated in Beyoncé's verse. She is implying that the symbol meaning of the white flag (giving up, surrendering, etc.,) will be painted blue. The colour blue signifies liberation, determination and independence. (The Bonnie Blue Flag was an unofficial banner of the Confederate States of America at the start of the American Civil War in 1861. It consists of a single, five-pointed white star on a blue field. It closely resembles the flag of the short-lived Republic of West Florida of 1810) [2] When Viewing Kendrick Lamar's verse,

 "Ten Hail Marys, I meditate for practice

Channel 9 news tell me I'm movin' backwardsEight blocks left, death is around the cornerSeven misleadin' statements 'bout my personaSix headlights wavin' in my direction
Won't let my freedom rot in hellHey! I'ma keep runningCause a winner don't quit on themselves"Five-O askin' me what's in my possession"

He's implying to the audience what is being displayed on national television "Channel 9 news" about the police attacks on Black Americans "Seven misleadin' statements 'bout my persona" In my opinion, I believe he explains how there have been black Americans who have been falsely accused of breaking the law. For example, statistics reveal that Police in the U.S. shot and killed 16 unarmed black men in 2016 [3]. This further justifies my claim where Police in the US believe that black Americans or black people, in general, are seen stereotypically as being dangerous, can be harmful and violent.

In regard to African American Vernacular English (AAVE), Beyoncé does not use her cultural dialect as many do, she used Standard English although has used Vernacular English to connect to those to evoke her argument and empower the black society. Although in Kendrick Lamar's verse, he uses some slang implying a certain dialect from AAVE.

Lastly, when looking at the chorus, Beyoncé states "I break chains all by myself"

She is implying to her audience that she sometimes have to do things independently to get what you want. Beyoncé is one of the most successful singer/songwriter on his pop history and with this, she is able to influence a lot of people from mixed generations. She is able to be a public figure in leading society, standing up for her race, her family, her cultural background as well as those who discriminate them Beyoncé is one of many black Americans who believes in equality amongst all. 

Overall, this supports the quotation from bell hooks as black folk believe in solidarity and want to create an independent yet peace community amongst all folks.  

Work Sited Page:


[1] http://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/18214-beyonce-freedom-ft-kendrick-lamar/

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonnie_Blue_Flag

[3]http://europe.newsweek.com/police-killings-unarmed-black-men-538542?rm=eu

Blog Post 14- Podcast on Endangered Languages

This link will take you to our Podcast, where we explain how there are more than 7000 languages in the world. These languages include endangered languages, smaller languages are depleting every two weeks. As a group of three, we had to provide information about an endangered language of our choice. Our group decided to inform the audience about the Hawaiian Language as many people around the worl believe that the language is not dying but in fact its depleting with only 1000 native speaker remaining..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj2GjTUS-qU

Blog Post 13 - Speaking in Tongues

What did medieval linguist Antonio de Nebrija mean when he told Queen Isabella that: “language is the perfect instrument of empire?” How has language contributed to colonial power? Focus on a specific example.

In my opinion, throughout the generations, because we can communicate using language, we can safely say that we understand that a language is a powerful tool of which keeps a culture together. We may see language as a way to communicate with one another, but it is more than that, it has power. "Language is the perfect instrument of empire." This statement Antonia de Nebrija has presented demonstrates how a language can overrule other languages due to the most dominant language being used in colonization, meaning that the most dominant language spoken will be that particular language, therefore, it is what brings people together like an empire. When Nebrija means by the “perfect instrument” he uses a metaphor to allow the readers to understand that language can be the most sufficient way to bring a colony together. If we were to look at an example, as many of us know, the United Kingdom traveled overseas to many countries that were eventually colonized by the UK. Being said that, the United Kingdom was able to colonize a country, which allowed the language to spread across all the countries that were colonized by the UK. This was because the countries being colonized needed a way to communicate; therefore the dominant language that used to be spoken in that particular countries may have been ‘inherited’ common words from the English Language. Because of the English Language was becoming the most spoken language in the region (through colonisation , citizens who spoken other languages that were significant to the country, were limited to using that language; leading to the depletion of languages. 

Blog Post 12- Do you think that advertisers have a moral duty to avoid stereotyping people? Why or Why not ?

As we all know and have spotted already, media nowadays produce commercials to grab a wider audience. Advertisers are the people who are responsible for what is present on media, meaning that some of these commercials/advertisements do in fact present the stereotypical. Every couple generations, people are becoming more sensitive, meaning that what companies present on media, they might find offensive. Discrimination, racism, and prejudice are the foundations that form stereotypes. I believe that all advertisers should be presenting their product through advertisements without being stereotypical towards the specific audience. For example, gender stereotypes. Woman are displayed as a "skewed" description of a standard female. Like in the commercial in class, men are shown to advertise cars, specific male roles as a police officer and with cigarettes. Companies who are trying to promote their product use the stereotypical views to grab the audience who are likely to agree with the stereotypical actions. I feel that its ok for companies to promote their product using stereotypical statements to grab their audience. I believe that because there are a considerable amount of people who are sensitive towards specific areas, companies are noticing. But not all companies portray the stereotypes intentionally. Overall, it can be concluded that advertisements produce a reaction towards their product, or either they offend someone not intentionally. This means that people should be able to communicate without having to present a negative response of which are be prevented. I believe that because of people being so sensitive for a long duration of time, I think that companies should consider promoting their product to their specific audience without causing any racism, discrimination, etc. This should be their main priority as it shouldn't be that difficult to grab your audience to buy your product. If your product was successful, then you don't have to grab the audience using stereotypical actions that aren't necessary.

Blog Post 11- Her Future Begins on Two Wheels

This advertisement was published by Child Fund International, where it exhibits various focal concepts within social, historical and cultural context. The purpose of the ad is to inform the target audience (those who are willing to donate money to young girls aged 10-18 who have to travel long distances to school in less economically developed countries) in regards to the families being affected by poverty. This advertisement promotes and assures to the more economically developed countries (MEDC) to willingly donate money to allow the Child Fund International to provide the needs of the children. As this ad. presents a story about a little girl who has to travel long distances to get the education that she needs to fulfill her dream of attending a university, it evokes emotion and appeal to nurture and guidance. In regards to nurture, the colour scheme that was used throughout the advertisement presents the emotion of satisfaction. Economically, people in MEDC don't visualize and realize that poverty in countries like India is genuinely true. As an individual who lives in an MEDC, I believe that humans only see what they want to see. Meaning that we don't realize that the gap between the wealthy and the poor is substantially higher than what we imagine it to be. Although the ad. is implying to the audience that the MEDC have an obligation to support the LEDC like India displayed in this advertisement.

This advertisement is delivering generalized information based on the countries population specifically those living in poverty. Meaning that the ad is portraying India economic status is somewhat low as there is a lack of transportation as more important less education (displayed as the girl has to travel long distances to learn). MEDC will understand that the ad is implying that LEDC is in need of further essentials, like a bike.
By looking at this advertisement, the Child Fund has defied the odds of the stereotypical. Normally in less economically developed countries, specifically in India, men are seen as those to support their families. They are the ones going to work and bringing home the essentials. Although the Child Fund has presented to the audience a female, it conveys that children no matter what gender are willing to break the barrier. Regarding woman, in LEDC they are 'stay at home mothers' where they cook and clean, however, in this advertisement, the viewers can see that woman can receive education, and fulfilling their desire to go to university no matter the distance.