There are so many things that I want to talk about, but only some will be spoken out. Today as I sit in my English class realizing that it's a new and fresh start relieves my mind from my past worries. Last semester I barely made it through this class. I try and try to thrive through the toughest of moments here and I luckily pass this class.
This semester I will try my best to do the same, if it's possible I would like to pass this class with a better grade. Looking at my past grades, I realize that I mainly struggle on commentaries. I don't know how to improve the way I write my commentaries, but to only look at other peoples' blogs. To be honest this doesn't really help me at all. I really have no clue to improve, but to stand still and keep thriving. Every time Ms. Peifer passes back the rubrics for the commentary I can always feel myself heat up, clinch my teeth, and feel as though I don't want to see it at all. This is why my goal for this semester in this particular class is to improve on my writing skills.
Sometimes I wish I could just have the brain of a Genius, but as I think it thoroughly, I realize that I may as well become a stronger person in this current position of mines. I will be able to accept all circumstances, except failing anything.
I am to blame, and no one else.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Monday, January 5, 2009
The Inferno Commentary
Va Thao
Ms. Peifer
10 IB English
5 January 2009
In Circle 2, Alighieri used connotations and references to deliver many messages such as empathy. Connotations discovered in the passage are the way Alighieri worded the cries of the damned as, “As cranes go over sounding their harsh cry…” (46). If Alighieri were to use other words such as, “dangerous” then the sentence would not have sounded so disturbing yet empathetic. Plus, Alighieri used the word “cranes” to describe the damned souls, instead of listing them as “the sinful ones” or “the gargoyles” because he was describing them as a graceful and loving creature. This means that Alighieri did not wish to harm the names of those in any fashion. Another use of his connotation is, “…to hide the guilt of her debauchery” (55). The word “debauchery” tells everything about the long story of being extremely indulging in sensuality. Another great connotation is, “she licensed all depravity alike,” (56) which “depravity” stands for moral corruption. If Alighieri were to use words like “viciousness” or “villainy” then it would be as if she, Semiramis, is an evil villain. Since she was only degrading moral acts due to her own passions, the word “depravity” was a less disturbing way to describe her. As for Alighieri’s use of references, Semiramis was one of the many. She was the legendary queen of Assyrian and the wife of Ninus. She had so much bravery and confidence in herself and became Queen after Ninus’s death. This was the cause of Semiramis’s belonging in Circle 2. The evidence for this is, "She is Semiramis of whom the tale is told/ how she married and succeeded him/ to the throne of that wide land the Sultans hold." (58-60). Others such as Dido were also one of Alighieri’s references. Dido kept her hopes too high believing her brother's words that her husband, Sichaeus, is not yet dead. To support this is, "The other id Dido; faithless to the ashes/ of Sichaeus, she killed herself for love" (61-62). Another one of Alighieri’s references is Helen who caused the catastrophic Trojan War, the evidence for this is, " See Helen there,/ from whom such ill arose." (64-65) Alighieri’s other Achilles caused many disasters by leaving the army in the Trojan War fight by itself due to his commander capturing his love. The quote, "And great Achilles,/ who fought at last with love in the house of prayer." (65-66). All of these references make Alighieri’s description of Circle 2 much stronger and understandable.
This passage had so many references to people who are very famous. Even when these people may have done a wrong, since they are viewed as “Heroes”, people would still like them. For example, Achilles, he did many wrongs such as leaving his own team hanging alone in the Trojan War causing countless disasters, but people still admires him. It is also interesting to find such great people like Achilles and Cleopatra in such a damned and unwelcoming place like hell. No one would have thought in putting these “Heroes” in hell, but Alighieri himself, courageous enough, has done it! The message of Circle 2 is also amazing too; damned by your own passions. How great can it get?
Ms. Peifer
10 IB English
5 January 2009
Inferno Commentary
(45)
"'As cranes go over sounding harsh their harsh cry,
leaving the long streak of their flight in air,
so come these spirits, wailing as they fly.
And watching their shadows lashed by wind, I cried:
'Master, what souls are these the very air
lashes withs its black whips from side to side?'
'The first of these whose history you would know,'
he answered me, 'was Empress of many tongues.
Mad sensuality corrupted her so
that to hide the guilt of her debauchery
she licensed all depravity alike,
and lust and law were one in her decree.
She is Semiramis of whom the tale is told
how she married Ninus and succeed him
to the throne of that wide land the Sultans hold. (60)
The other is Dido; faithless to the ashes
of Sichaeus, she killed herself for love.
The next whom the eternal tempest lashes
is sense-drugged Cleopatra. See Helen there,
from whom such ill arose.And great Achilles,
who fought at last with love in the house of prayer.'"(Ciardi 46-66).
In Alighieri's journey through hell it was a necessary to have this passage. Without this passage, the people who Alighieri saw in hell being tortured would become a missing piece of Circle 2. If The Inferno did not supply Achilles, Cleopatra, Helen, Dido, and Semiramis then Circle 2 would not have formed such a powerful visual and understanding. Those people were a necessary because it is now known where those people belonged in hell. The theme that was reinforced by this passage is basically what Circle 2 stands for. Circle 2 is for those who were destroyed by their own passion. This passage compares the characters to each other, the way that they have the same kind of sin. Making so many references to those characters helps vitalize and animate Circle 2’s punishment, but it also holds an emotional empathy behind those who are being tortured. The fact that these helpless souls are being whipped by the wind just because they were doomed forever by their own passions is very pitiful. That is why there must be at least some kind of empathy in Circle 2.
In Circle 2, Alighieri used connotations and references to deliver many messages such as empathy. Connotations discovered in the passage are the way Alighieri worded the cries of the damned as, “As cranes go over sounding their harsh cry…” (46). If Alighieri were to use other words such as, “dangerous” then the sentence would not have sounded so disturbing yet empathetic. Plus, Alighieri used the word “cranes” to describe the damned souls, instead of listing them as “the sinful ones” or “the gargoyles” because he was describing them as a graceful and loving creature. This means that Alighieri did not wish to harm the names of those in any fashion. Another use of his connotation is, “…to hide the guilt of her debauchery” (55). The word “debauchery” tells everything about the long story of being extremely indulging in sensuality. Another great connotation is, “she licensed all depravity alike,” (56) which “depravity” stands for moral corruption. If Alighieri were to use words like “viciousness” or “villainy” then it would be as if she, Semiramis, is an evil villain. Since she was only degrading moral acts due to her own passions, the word “depravity” was a less disturbing way to describe her. As for Alighieri’s use of references, Semiramis was one of the many. She was the legendary queen of Assyrian and the wife of Ninus. She had so much bravery and confidence in herself and became Queen after Ninus’s death. This was the cause of Semiramis’s belonging in Circle 2. The evidence for this is, "She is Semiramis of whom the tale is told/ how she married and succeeded him/ to the throne of that wide land the Sultans hold." (58-60). Others such as Dido were also one of Alighieri’s references. Dido kept her hopes too high believing her brother's words that her husband, Sichaeus, is not yet dead. To support this is, "The other id Dido; faithless to the ashes/ of Sichaeus, she killed herself for love" (61-62). Another one of Alighieri’s references is Helen who caused the catastrophic Trojan War, the evidence for this is, " See Helen there,/ from whom such ill arose." (64-65) Alighieri’s other Achilles caused many disasters by leaving the army in the Trojan War fight by itself due to his commander capturing his love. The quote, "And great Achilles,/ who fought at last with love in the house of prayer." (65-66). All of these references make Alighieri’s description of Circle 2 much stronger and understandable.
This passage had so many references to people who are very famous. Even when these people may have done a wrong, since they are viewed as “Heroes”, people would still like them. For example, Achilles, he did many wrongs such as leaving his own team hanging alone in the Trojan War causing countless disasters, but people still admires him. It is also interesting to find such great people like Achilles and Cleopatra in such a damned and unwelcoming place like hell. No one would have thought in putting these “Heroes” in hell, but Alighieri himself, courageous enough, has done it! The message of Circle 2 is also amazing too; damned by your own passions. How great can it get?
Works Cited
The Inferno. Trans. John Ciardi. London: Signet Classics, 2001.
The Inferno. Trans. John Ciardi. London: Signet Classics, 2001.
(I can not underline this)
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