Macbeth - Thinking Task

Hello readers, 

             

                 This thinking activity is part of our screening of play Macbeth. 

Multiple Choice Questions

1) What is the genre of Shakespeare's play "Macbeth"?

a) Comedy

b) Tragedy

c) Romance

d) History

Ans - Tragedy

2) Which of the following best describes Macbeth's tragic flaw? 

a) Ambition

b) Kindness

c) Honesty

d) Patience

Ans - Ambition

3) The witches' prophecies play a significant role in Macbeth's downfall. What is the primary theme associated with these prophecies? 

a) Love

b) Power

c) Justice

d) Friendship

Ans - Power

4) Lady Macbeth's sleepwalking scene is a turning point in the play. What emotion is she struggling with during this scene?

a) Joy

b) Fear

c) Guilt

d) Anger

Ans - Fear

 Open-Ended Short Questions

1) Describe the symbolic significance of the opening scenes in Act I & IV involving the three witches in the play "Macbeth".

Ans 

Macbeth is Shakespeare's most famous tragedy. It is divided into five acts and 28 scenes. Three witches in the opening scene commence the tragedy of Macbeth as they prophesy about Macbeth's future, saying that he will become Thane of Cowder and subsequently become king. These two prophesies are the driving force of tragedy and triggered the flame of ambition in Macbeth's mind. Then he starts taking steps towards the fulfillment of prophecies. In Act 4, Macbeth again visits witches to know his future. The witches said three things to him: beware of Macduff; no one born of women can kill him; and he is safe until Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane. This scene also has the same significance as Act 1. This last prophesy lead tragedy to its climax. Macbeth kills Macduff's wife and children, knowing that Macduff made an alliance with Malcom, and kills Macbeth.

These two scenes are most important as they trigger action in the tragedy. 

2) How does Macbeth's ambition lead to his moral deterioration throughout the play? Provide examples from the play to support your answer. 

Ans 

The prophecies of three witches are the reason for Macbeth's moral deterioration. After that, Macbeth kills King Duncan in his sleep, an unarmed man. He became so ambitious that he conspired against his good old friend Banquo and killed him and his family, but Banquo's son Fleance somehow managed to escape his fate. He became a tyrant ruler. After his second visit to the witches, he orders his soldiers to kill Macduff and his family, but Macduff was not at home, so they kill his wife and children. Then, Macduff gets revenge after killing Macbeth. In these two incidents, we can see how Macbeth became so blinded by the hunger for power that he thought no more of his moral values.

3) In what ways does the motif of ‘blood’ serve as a symbol in "Macbeth"? Explain its significance in relation to guilt and violence. (‘Blood’ is mentioned around 40 times in the ). 

Ans

In "Macbeth," the motif of 'blood' serves as a powerful symbol representing guilt and violence. As Macbeth and Lady Macbeth commit heinous acts, their hands become stained with literal and metaphorical blood. The recurring mentions of blood highlight the characters' growing guilt, reflecting their descent into madness and moral decay. The image of blood also underscores the idea that their actions are irreversible, with Lady Macbeth famously obsessively trying to wash the imagined bloodstains from her hands. Overall, blood in the play symbolizes the inescapable consequences of one's actions and the corrosive effects of unchecked ambition. (ChatGPT) 

4) Discuss the impact of the supernatural elements, such as the witches and prophecies, on the plot and characters of "Macbeth".

Ans

The supernatural elements, including the witches and their prophecies, play a pivotal role in shaping both the plot and characters in "Macbeth." These supernatural elements introduce an atmosphere of ambiguity, mystery, and moral uncertainty, which deeply influences the characters' actions and decisions.

Prophecies and Ambition: The witches' prophecies awaken Macbeth's dormant ambition and plant the idea of seizing power in his mind. The prophecies ignite his desire for the throne, setting in motion a chain of events that lead to his tragic downfall. The supernatural predictions act as catalysts for Macbeth's increasingly ruthless behavior, as he believes he's fated to become king.

Moral Dilemma: Macbeth's encounters with the witches trigger a moral dilemma. The prophecies tempt him with power, but his conscience is conflicted. This inner struggle reveals his internal battle between his ambitious desires and his sense of right and wrong. This duality of character becomes central to the narrative's exploration of human nature.

Lady Macbeth's Influence: The witches indirectly influence Lady Macbeth, as she draws upon their supernatural power to harden herself and persuade Macbeth to commit murder. Her invocation of dark forces reflects the way the supernatural exerts a corrupting influence on individuals who seek power recklessly.

Ambiguity and Fate: The supernatural elements introduce ambiguity regarding whether the events are driven by fate or by the characters' choices. This raises questions about free will and destiny, as Macbeth grapples with the idea that he is both an active participant and a victim of the prophecies.

Atmosphere and Tone: The witches' eerie presence creates a dark and foreboding atmosphere throughout the play. This atmosphere not only reflects the characters' internal struggles but also serves to build tension and anticipation as the plot unfolds.

In summary, the supernatural elements in "Macbeth" contribute significantly to the narrative's development by fueling the characters' ambitions, intensifying their moral dilemmas, and provoking reflection on the relationship between fate and personal choices. The witches and prophecies amplify the play's themes of power, ambition, and the corrupting effects of unchecked ambition.(ChatGPT) 

5) Compare and contrast the characters of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. How do their personalities and motivations contribute to the unfolding of the tragedy? 

Ans

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are complex characters in "Macbeth," each with distinct personalities and motivations that contribute to the unfolding tragedy in different ways.

Macbeth:

• Personality: Macbeth starts as a brave and honorable soldier, loyal to King Duncan. However, his ambitious nature and susceptibility to external influences make him susceptible to change. As the play progresses, his internal conflict intensifies, revealing his guilt and moral turmoil.
• Motivation: Macbeth's primary motivation is his unchecked ambition. The prophecies of the witches ignite his desire for power, and he becomes consumed by thoughts of becoming king. His ambition drives him to commit heinous acts, including murder, to fulfill the prophecies.
• Contribution to the Tragedy:downfall Macbeth's tragic flaw is his ambition and his willingness to let it overtake his moral compass. His inner struggle and inability to control his ambition lead him to commit murders, grow paranoid, and spiral into madness. His guilt and paranoia push him further into a cycle of violence, ultimately leading to his downfall.

Lady Macbeth:

• Personality: Lady Macbeth is depicted as strong-willed, manipulative, and ambitious. She initially appears fearless and determined to help Macbeth seize power. However, her psyche deteriorates as the guilt from their crimes takes its toll, revealing her vulnerability.
• Motivation: Lady Macbeth's motivation is her desire for power and status. She is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve her goals, including urging Macbeth to kill Duncan and attempting to suppress her own guilt.

Contribution to the Tragedy:

Lady Macbeth's ambition and her manipulation of Macbeth serve as catalysts for the initial acts of violence. However, her guilt and deteriorating mental state haunt her. Her sleepwalking scene, where she compulsively tries to wash away imaginary bloodstains, showcases the psychological toll of her actions. Her eventual suicide highlights the devastating consequences of her unchecked ambition and moral compromise.

In conclusion, both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's personalities are driven by ambition, but their responses to it differ. Macbeth's internal conflict and unchecked ambition lead him to commit atrocities, while Lady Macbeth's manipulation and ambition contribute to the initial acts but later unravel her mental and emotional stability. Together, their motivations and personalities intertwine, creating a tragic narrative of the corrosive effects of ambition, guilt, and moral decay.(ChatGPT) 

Neo-classical Age - Task

Hello readers, 

             

This blog is based on our interpretation of Neo-classical age.               

             

Here are some questions assigned by our teacher.

Q - Compare the general characteristics of the Elizabethan age and Neo-classical age.

         

        

Here, both of these ages are different in their general characteristics. The Elizabethan age is marked by the development of drama. On the other hand, we see the rise of prose writing in the Neo-Classical age. Both ages have different and important characteristics.

 

The first major difference between these two ages is religious tolerance. The whole Elizabethan age was greatly influenced by Queen Elizabeth herself. She favored both religious parties—Catholics and Protestants. And people of that age were much more aware of the necessity of learning. Which paved the way for the development of literature, particularly drama. While the Neoclassical age seemed very much occupied with political affairs. Which affected the literature of this age and marked the rise of satire in writing. Whig and Tory were two distinct political parties that arose in this age, and most of the writers were either Tory or Whig. And they were writing for the benefit of their respective parties.

 

There is much development in the drama of the Elizabethan age, which we can see mainly in the plays of Shakespeare and Marlowe. Spenser is the only worthy non-dramatic poet of the Elizabethan age. While in the Neo-classical age we see the triumph of prose, along with that we also see the development of essays, periodical writings, pamphlets, and magazine culture, which is equally important.

 

We see the unbound enthusiasm and social contentment in the Elizabethan age, which is partly because of religious tolerance and an equal distribution of wealth. Perishes were made, and every countryman seemed happy with the earnings. The opportunities for labor There is a marked improvement in their lifestyle. We see the new morality in the Neo-Classical age, which they find in classical works and, in a way, imitate. which is why this age is also called the pseudo-classical age.

 

The establishment of coffee houses was also very significant in the Neo-Classical age. Writers and people were gathered in the coffee houses to talk about the news of the day and to make remarks about rival political parties. New publishing houses were also established at that time, which promoted the growth of literary activity at the time.

 

The writing style of the Neo-Classical age differs from that of the Elizabethan age. Writers of the Neo-Classical Age made abundant use of satire, as we can see in the works of Pope and Jonathan Swift. This age is also known as the age of reason. Man of this age craves knowledge, and the essays of Pope remain essential material for it.

  

The novel as a new genre was established in the later part of the Neo-Classical age. While Elizabethan writers were only preoccupied with drama.

 

 

Q: Who is your favorite writer and favorite text from the Neo-Classical Age? How is she or he different from writers of the Elizabethan and Romantic Ages?

There are many excellent writers in the Neo-Classical age, but the one I like is one of the most famous transitional poets, Thomas Gray. and one of the important graveyard poets.

 

Gray only wrote 13 poems in his lifetime, yet he is considered one of the most productive poets of the 18th century. I like his work, Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard, the most. As a transitional poet, his works are different from those of Elizabethan writers. Gray wrote many odes and elegies. He, along with other transitional poets, established the pillars of romantic poetry by breaking the neo-classical conventions.

 

Q: Describe any one thing about this age that you look up to.

The idea of the coffee houses is one of the best things about this time, for me at least. We could imagine how people of this age used to gather in coffee houses. Their conversion would be interesting.

 

Here is my presentation on Thomas Gray.

 

Thomas Gray from AakashChavda4

Work Cited

- Long, William J. English Literature. Maple Press Pvt. Limited, 2012.

Thinking Task - Aristotle's view on Tragedy

Hello everyone, This blog is based on students understanding of Aristotle's view on tragedy and weather we can imply his ideas on literary work or not.    

Q - With reference to the literary texts you have studied during B.A. Programme, write brief note on the texts which followed Aristotelian literary tradition (i.e. his concept of tragedy, catharsis, tragic hero with hamartia etc.)

Ans 

 During our B.A. program, we studied one of the most famous Shakespearean tragedies, "King Lear". And here we will try to imply Aristotle's view on this particular tragedy.

Concept of tragedy

Tragedy is something that is governed by the protagonist's actions. In which plot plays a vital role. According to Aristotle "plot is the soul of tragedy". Tragedy is not possible without plot. Tragedy is an imitation of complete and serious action that has a certain level of magnitude. In the play King Lear, we find action carried out by protagonists such as Edgar and Cordelia and a topsy-turvy of events, which is an essential part of tragedy.

Catharsis

Catharsis in tragedy is something that helps in releasing human emotions such as pity and fear, which are normally inclined into our minds. Tragedy or other literary works help us release these emotions. There are several incidents in Kind Lear that illustrate catharsis, such as when Edgar kills his stepbrother Edmund and, at last, when Kind Lear realizes his mistake that he did injustice to Cordelia, and now he cannot do anything but mourn her death.

 Hamartia

Hamartia, an error of judgment, or a tragic flaw are the same things. Every tragic hero has some kind of tragic flaw in him or her that leads to their downfall. That could be a tragic hero's weakness or moral failing in some cases. King Lear Initially in the play, King Lear is unable to understand the love of Cordelia and misjudges the intentions of his other two daughters, which in a way leads to his downfall.

Hubris  

Hubris means the excessive pride that one has in oneself that leads a tragic hero to his downfall. King Lear also has fake pride, which we come to know in the early part of the play when he asks his daughters to define how much love they have for their father.

"Lockdown" Poem by Samuel Armitage

# This blog is based on thinking task given in online classroom discussion. 

PICTORIAL JOURNEY OF PANDEMIC POEM        

                        "LOCKDOWN"

     Lockdown poem was written by poet laureate Simon Armitage. First published in the Guardian on March 21, 2020. This poem refers to the Corona virus pandemic from two perspectives. One refers to Derbyshire's "plague village" Eyam, which was self-isolated in 1665–66 to prevent the spread of "black death". In the second part, the poet refers to Meghdutam by Kalidas. Here, Armitage, in his poem, tries to connect the dots between the Corona virus pandemic and similar things that happened in the distant past.

 

 This poem arouses two questions to discuss with! 

Q - What is your first reaction to this poem? Are you able to connect your lockdown experience with this poem? 

Ans

 This poem will take us back to our experience during pandemic time with reference to Eyam. Our lives became limited at that time, and we could not meet people or socialize with anyone. A poem makes you relive the struggles and hardships of pandemic time. We had been captivated in our own house by the shackles of Corona. We can connect the very first line of the poem to infected fleas with the contagious Corona virus, and to limit the spread of it, we had to practice anti-socialism and maintain social distance, which could be difficult for most of us because humans are social animals. This practice of anti-social behavior led many people to depression and anxiety at the time of the pandemic. We had to quarantine, and in the Eyam there was an unseen quarantine line in the form of a village boundary stone that separated the two starcross lovers Emmott and Rowland from meeting, and this had a tragic end as Emmott died soon after the community spread was over.

    

The poet alludes to Kalidas' Meghdutam in the second part of his poem. This is seen as a man-made calamity, as the Corona virus was man-made, not a natural calamity. Yaksha was banished to meet with his wife and send a cloud as a messenger to his lost wife. Clouds would pass over the amazing landscape and scenery of India. In this part, Armitage gives a description of the aesthetics of Kalidas, and then, slowly and wisely, Cloud goes on to give the message.

 

By reading this poem, one is sure to relive the experience of the Corona virus pandemic, as I felt it by reading it.

 

Q - if you are Chinese or African , would you be happy with concluding message which is speaker is deriving or interpreting from this poem? 

Ans

 

 At the end poet derived the message of unity. That all humankind in times like the Corona virus pandemic should forget the boundaries of the world and help each other. In the later part of the poem, it refers to Kalidas's Meghdutam, which strongly represents the culture of India, which is "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam," which means that the whole world is one family and we should live as one in sheer harmony. Rabindranath Tagore's poem Gitanjali also comes in support of this.

 

I would be happy if I were Chinese or African, because it's not just about the East or West parts of the world but the world as a whole.

 

 Reference

 

Lockdown - Simon Armitage writes poem about corona virus outbreak by The Guardian. 

PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP

Greetings, 

 -This blog is based on learning outcome of "Photography Workshop".

         Just before the two days of "World Photography Day," On August 17, we had the opportunity to take part in a photography workshop organized by the Department of English at MKBU. Students from the life science department had also attended the workshop. Throughout the workshop, our guide was Mr. Kaushik Ghelani, sir, who is a celebrated wildlife photographer and filmmaker. In the workshop, we learned many new things that we use on a daily basis but had never come across before. The whole workshop was carried out in two sessions for better learning. Kaushik sir gave many leads about how to take proper photos on a mobile phone as well as in a camera.

        In the first session, Sir provided a basic outline of what photography is and introduced many technical terms regarding photography and cameras. Sir believes that to be a good photographer, one should understand the aesthetics of pictures and explore life, and for that, your eyes are your valuable equipment and primary camera. It is not necessary that you have costly equipment to be a good photographer. Sir firmly believes that pictures should convey stories, be appealing to the eyes, and have an impact on viewers' thought processes. We had been introduced to many new words and techniques regarding cameras and photography, such as the rule of thirds, golden point rule, central focus rule, symmetry rule, leading lines, etc. As per Kaushik Sir's advice, to enrich your aesthetic sense, one should visit ancient monuments and observe old temples and ruin sites. Photography skills take time to develop, and it is a very slow process therefore, a good photographer has a patient and calm mind. If one wants to be in the photography field, first they have to judge themselves because photographers are life-long learners, and if they think they're the best, then self-learning is impossible. While learning about photography, we can gain knowledge of various other fields as by-products, like geography, archeology, historical knowledge of the respective place of photography, marine science, and different species of birds and creatures.

   

At the end of our first session, Kaushik Sir assigned us a task in which we had to capture five pictures because he wanted to know about our basic photography skills. The second session was very interactive, as everyone came up with very interesting and different photographs, and Sir critically reviewed our photographs. Sir also gave some important tips about how to take better pictures with minimal equipment.

- Here are two pictures which i had captured. 

  In this picture we can see how that tree made his space all the way through the concrete wall. We observe that how these trees are adapting themselves in this era of industrial revolution wherein you find towering buildings and colonies everywhere and trees occupies a little space in that. 

 This is a picture of full grown banyan tree which we don't know for how many years it is standing there and provide coolness and shadow for others. This is home of many creatures and birds which are thriving upon this tree. 

 

        

      Concluding of the second part of workshop Kaushik sir announced winners. In which two of our senior and one student from Life-science Department secured rank. 

   At the end of workshop we took a group photo.       

MOVIE REVIEW - OMKARA

MOVIE REVIEW : OMKARA

  

  Hello everyone, 

                            Omkara is one of the best Hindi adaptations of Shakespeare's tragedy "Othello". This movie is directed by Vishal Bharadwaj.

Vishal Bhardwaj is a well-known Hindi film director. He is famous for adapting plays and short stories into movies, like The Blue Umbrella and 7 Khoon Maaf, which were adapted from Ruskin Bond's short stories, and Maqbool, Haider, and Omkara, which were adaptations of Shakespeare's tragedies.

   

Begin with the Characters in the movie: Omkara as Othello, Dolly as Desdemona, Langda Tyagi as Lago, Kesu Firangi as Michael Cassio, Rajju as Roderigo, Indu as Emilia, Billo as Bianca, and other minor characters as well. While the stories of both Play and Movie seem to go mostly parallel, there are some scenes that differ from the actual play. There is much vulgar language used in the movie, just like in many Shakespearean plays set in Elizabethan times. The film is set in Meerut, a city in Uttar-Pradesh.The movie opens with a conversation between Langda and Rajju. In the play, Othello is the general of the Venetian army, whereas in the movie, Omkara is a local gang leader regarded as Bahubali, And Dolly happens to be in love with him. The other major role is that of Bhaisaab, who is a powerful political figure and joined forces with Omkara's gang in order to gain power, which we can connect with the Venetian Senate. Langda and Kesu are Omkara's subordinates and help him take control over the village by means of violence. Oftentimes, they confront rival gangs.

Moving further, everything seems to be smooth between Omkara and Dolly, while Langda is trying to arouse doubt in Omkara's mind that Dolly has a soft corner for Kesu as they studied at the same college. But Omi doesn't pay any attention to that. On the other side, Langda and Rajju try to frame immature Kesu in order to strip him down from the Bahubali position, which was supposed to be Langda's position after Omi, and this is the main reason for Langda's sudden hatred towards Omi.

In the middle of all this plotting, there is a fine portrayal of the romance between Omi and Dolly, and the popular songs composed by Vishal Bhardwaj, such as the theme song of the movie "Omkara" and Beedi," are quite famous in contemporary times as well.

              In the play, Lago's wife steals the handkerchief of Desdemona, but here in the movie, Omi gives a silver waistband to Dolly as heirloom jewelry. But was stolen by Langda's wife, Indu, and went missing. This incident consolidates the doubt more in Omi's mind, and he asks Langda if there is any relationship between Kesu and Dolly. Langda, seeing his plan succeed, says with confidence that there is an affair between Kesu and Dolly. Omi wants proof from Langda that what he is saying is true before his marriage with Dolly, and if he fails to provide any proof, then Omi will kill Lagda. 

            Moving towards the climax, on the wedding day a dead snake fall from the sky into the paint being used by the dolly which is a bad omen. On the other hand Langda made use of that stolen Jewelry and gives as proof to Omkara. Now he is totally convinced that Dolly is cheating on him.              

 

 

        Omkara rushed into the home and without a second thought he choked Dolly with pillow. after a while Indu comes and Disclose that she was the one who stole that waistband and Omi realizes his blunder but now can't do anything but to weep. In contras with play where Emilia is killed by his husband Lago in the movie we see Indu kills his husband in outrage because he is the one to blame for this tragedy and Omkara kills himself with gun and movie ends. 

           In my personal opinion this movie is near perfect  adaptation of Shakespeare's tragedy "Othello". I was much fascinated by saif ali Khan's acting as Langda Tyagi and his dialogues. A worth watching film if you want to get better understanding of Shakespeare's play "Othello".

Thank you to all.