This blog is a discussion board for students in Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition at Bridgman High School. Students are encouraged to share their views, thoughts, opinions, and reactions to the texts we read and to use the blog as a resource for comprehension and appreciation of literature and the pursuit of learning.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
King Lear/Shakespeare
I believe Shakespeare deserves all of his popularity because his work is actually very good. However, I do struggle understanding all that he says because it's complicated. Many authors today are good writers but I don't believe that they can compare to Shakespeare. The reason being is what Shakespeare wrote was so different and better than what other authors can do. I enjoy the authors of today but none of them can stand next to Shakespeare in comparison.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Shakespeare
I think Shakespeare does deserve the popularity that he has earned as an influential poet and dramatist. His works are read in schools and everyone knows Shakespeare’s name. I agree with Meg about his work being beautifully written. As time continues to go by Shakespeare has kept his popularity instead of it diminishing.
I don’t think that another Shakespeare is possible in a world where just anyone can write. I also agree with Alex that since literature is being mass produced it isn’t as special. That is one thing that I think is so great about Shakespeare’s work, there weren’t as many writers back then so he stood out more.
Personally I don’t think there are any contemporary authors who can earn a place by Shakespeare. Shakespeare was a writer of great works and people who write now may write good pieces of literature but they will never be on the same level to me.
I don’t think that another Shakespeare is possible in a world where just anyone can write. I also agree with Alex that since literature is being mass produced it isn’t as special. That is one thing that I think is so great about Shakespeare’s work, there weren’t as many writers back then so he stood out more.
Personally I don’t think there are any contemporary authors who can earn a place by Shakespeare. Shakespeare was a writer of great works and people who write now may write good pieces of literature but they will never be on the same level to me.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
King Lear
Hey look at me, I'm actually getting this assignment done early :)
From what I have read of his works, I think that Shakespeare completely deserves the popularity he has earned over the years. He wrote some of the greatest literary works that are still studied to this day. Between the struggles with being accepted by society and bringing a new art form into light, Shakespeare worked hard to earn recognition, and I think that he should be celebrated for this. It is just unfortunate that it took so long for Shakespeare to get the attention that he deserved all along.
With all the technology these days, I completely agree with Kyle in that someone like Shakespeare could become well known much quicker and earn more recognition through modern communication. That being said, I still do not think that it would be possible to have another Shakespeare in our modern society. People just do not appreciate great literary works like they should anymore because most literature is mass produced and is not as special. Shakespeare's works were meant to be appreciated and thought about, but people today just do not have the patience for longer poems and plays. Even though it would be great to have someone as inspiring and great as Shakespeare to change our views of literature, I do not think someone like this would be successful in our fast-paced society.
While Shakespeare has inspired many modern works (just look at "West Side Story"), I do not think that anyone in the recent past could be compared to him or other great authors from history. Over the centuries, writing has become less and less appreciated and authors have stopped caring about writing "great works." The quality of these literature has declined in my opinion, so cannot be compared to Shakespeare's works. Even though there are authors and poets that are very well known, none have been appreciated for as long as Shakespeare.
Hope everyone is having a great weekend, and I don't know about you guys but I am really loving seeing the rain outside :)
From what I have read of his works, I think that Shakespeare completely deserves the popularity he has earned over the years. He wrote some of the greatest literary works that are still studied to this day. Between the struggles with being accepted by society and bringing a new art form into light, Shakespeare worked hard to earn recognition, and I think that he should be celebrated for this. It is just unfortunate that it took so long for Shakespeare to get the attention that he deserved all along.
With all the technology these days, I completely agree with Kyle in that someone like Shakespeare could become well known much quicker and earn more recognition through modern communication. That being said, I still do not think that it would be possible to have another Shakespeare in our modern society. People just do not appreciate great literary works like they should anymore because most literature is mass produced and is not as special. Shakespeare's works were meant to be appreciated and thought about, but people today just do not have the patience for longer poems and plays. Even though it would be great to have someone as inspiring and great as Shakespeare to change our views of literature, I do not think someone like this would be successful in our fast-paced society.
While Shakespeare has inspired many modern works (just look at "West Side Story"), I do not think that anyone in the recent past could be compared to him or other great authors from history. Over the centuries, writing has become less and less appreciated and authors have stopped caring about writing "great works." The quality of these literature has declined in my opinion, so cannot be compared to Shakespeare's works. Even though there are authors and poets that are very well known, none have been appreciated for as long as Shakespeare.
Hope everyone is having a great weekend, and I don't know about you guys but I am really loving seeing the rain outside :)
Thursday, February 17, 2011
King Lear Question
For the first part, yes I do believe that Shakespeare deserves the popularity he has. His pieces are wonderfully written, contain fantastic plot lines and are some of the best works ever. If someone works hard enought to produce all these works, he definitely deserves all the credit.
Even though today's culture provides many different ways to express oneself, I don't think another Shakespeare is possible. Just like some old movies are NOT meant to be remade, one can never redo what Shakespeare without it being tacky and not measuring up to his work. If something isn't broken, don't fix it.
And lastly, I am really not sure if any authors are similar to Shakespeare today. Honestly, the books that I read are not written by any similarly Shakespearian authors. Since we are going to read "A Thousand Acres", which is based on a Shakesperian play, I would assume that author is sort of Shakespeare-esque.
I hope this is the kind of answer you wanted. I hope everyone is having/has a great four-day weekend!
Even though today's culture provides many different ways to express oneself, I don't think another Shakespeare is possible. Just like some old movies are NOT meant to be remade, one can never redo what Shakespeare without it being tacky and not measuring up to his work. If something isn't broken, don't fix it.
And lastly, I am really not sure if any authors are similar to Shakespeare today. Honestly, the books that I read are not written by any similarly Shakespearian authors. Since we are going to read "A Thousand Acres", which is based on a Shakesperian play, I would assume that author is sort of Shakespeare-esque.
I hope this is the kind of answer you wanted. I hope everyone is having/has a great four-day weekend!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
New York Times
First, I do believe that Shakespeare does deserve the credit that he has been bestowed hundreds of years after his death. It certainly must take a lot of talent and determination to write a play or collection of poems, let alone composing really good ones. Especially since they are still referred to in this day and age.
Second, I think that Shakespeare could have survived in today's high-tech world. It is with frightening ease that we can send and recieve information, even on a global scale. It would be much easier for his plays to be heard about, shown and praised with the internet and other media that we have today.
Third, I am not 100% confident that a 20th or 21st century author could come up to par with The Bard. Writing styles of this day are different than they were when Shakespeare was alive. The world has undergone some growth. The language that we write and speak, though fundamentally the same, has changed as well. So, no, I don't belive that any modern writers could compare with Shakespeare because they are so different already that it would be unfair to compare the two.
Second, I think that Shakespeare could have survived in today's high-tech world. It is with frightening ease that we can send and recieve information, even on a global scale. It would be much easier for his plays to be heard about, shown and praised with the internet and other media that we have today.
Third, I am not 100% confident that a 20th or 21st century author could come up to par with The Bard. Writing styles of this day are different than they were when Shakespeare was alive. The world has undergone some growth. The language that we write and speak, though fundamentally the same, has changed as well. So, no, I don't belive that any modern writers could compare with Shakespeare because they are so different already that it would be unfair to compare the two.
NY Times Response
Yes I read Romeo and Juliet in ninth grade, but other than that I really don't know a lot about Shakespeare. I absolutely loved Romeo and Juliet, however, so I can say that from my experience, I think he earned and deserved it. I'm not sure if he became popular during his own time or not, but I have a feeling though maybe he was known during his time, his real popularity and respect came much later.
To respond to him being as popular today with the internet and such, I think it could happen. But, just like it was back then, I don't think he'd be extremely respected until later after his death. I only think this if he had not existed before, though. Knowing him now, I don't think there's anyone now who could replace him or even "out do" him in his level on the "FANTASTIC LITERATURE" (hhahaha) scale. I can't make up my mind though, because from another angle, he might be even bigger than he was then because of the internet. Information spreads like wildfire now, so maybe he would be known and respected even quicker!
I don't know too much about him, like I said, so I don't have a very intelligent response, but that's what I have :)
To respond to him being as popular today with the internet and such, I think it could happen. But, just like it was back then, I don't think he'd be extremely respected until later after his death. I only think this if he had not existed before, though. Knowing him now, I don't think there's anyone now who could replace him or even "out do" him in his level on the "FANTASTIC LITERATURE" (hhahaha) scale. I can't make up my mind though, because from another angle, he might be even bigger than he was then because of the internet. Information spreads like wildfire now, so maybe he would be known and respected even quicker!
I don't know too much about him, like I said, so I don't have a very intelligent response, but that's what I have :)
Reponse to Shakespeare :)
Okay. So I just typed my whoooooole response...and it's gone. I don't know where it is. Somewhere in the world wide web...this is unfortunate.
I guess I really don't have a choice but to retype it :(
As for the first question, I do believe that Shakespeare deserves the popularity that he earned. I mean, he EARNED it. He wrote great literature and worked very hard and people love it, so yes he does deserve it.
I don't think another Shakespeare is possible. If it is, it will be very difficult. Shakespeare changed English literature and made a huge impact. I don't think anyone will ever be able to do that.
My previous answer also kind of answers the third question about there being any comtemporary writers like Shakespeare. And again, I don't think there are. I don't read very much "hardcore" literature, but I have heard that John Donne and John Milton are VERY good writers, but still not as good as Shakespeare.
So I hope this post went as it was supposed to...I wasn't really sure how long it was supposed to be but I think this should cover it :)
I guess I really don't have a choice but to retype it :(
As for the first question, I do believe that Shakespeare deserves the popularity that he earned. I mean, he EARNED it. He wrote great literature and worked very hard and people love it, so yes he does deserve it.
I don't think another Shakespeare is possible. If it is, it will be very difficult. Shakespeare changed English literature and made a huge impact. I don't think anyone will ever be able to do that.
My previous answer also kind of answers the third question about there being any comtemporary writers like Shakespeare. And again, I don't think there are. I don't read very much "hardcore" literature, but I have heard that John Donne and John Milton are VERY good writers, but still not as good as Shakespeare.
So I hope this post went as it was supposed to...I wasn't really sure how long it was supposed to be but I think this should cover it :)
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
*excitement*
I just wanted to say how excited I am to read King Lear with everyone!!! It's one of my more favored Shakespearean dramas and I hope you will enjoy it as I have. Now I just have to make sure I keep my mouth shut so I don't give away the ending! :) Plus I've never read it with a group before so it will give the story a whole new dynamic. Yay reading! ^.^
Would the Bard Have Survived the Web?
There is an interesting op-ed piece in The New York Times today about whether or not Shakespeare would be as popular in a world where internet piracy, eBooks, and file sharing are as common place as status updates.
As we start our journey with King Lear in the next unit, I'd like to hear your thoughts on Shakespeare. Does he deserve the popularity he has earned as an influential poet and dramatist? Do you think another Shakespeare is possible in a world where writing and internet communication have become accessible to everyone and not just the "learned"? Are there any contemporary authors (think 20th and 21st century) that could earn a place alongside Shakespeare and other well-known writers of literary history? A little 'food for thought' as we set sail for the kingdom of Lear.
I'd like to see a response from each of you before next Thursday, February 24. We'll be launching into Lear then and I'd like to get a feel for your views on Shakespeare and his influence.
As we start our journey with King Lear in the next unit, I'd like to hear your thoughts on Shakespeare. Does he deserve the popularity he has earned as an influential poet and dramatist? Do you think another Shakespeare is possible in a world where writing and internet communication have become accessible to everyone and not just the "learned"? Are there any contemporary authors (think 20th and 21st century) that could earn a place alongside Shakespeare and other well-known writers of literary history? A little 'food for thought' as we set sail for the kingdom of Lear.
I'd like to see a response from each of you before next Thursday, February 24. We'll be launching into Lear then and I'd like to get a feel for your views on Shakespeare and his influence.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Lions, tigers, and $@&%, oh my!
AP warriors-
A question has been posed about the selection of songs with colorful
language in the lyrics. As long as the song doesn't rely on the naughty bits as the main theme, a bleep or three are fine. Example: Cee-Lo's "Forget" You" is out.
Any concerns, drop me an email or ask in class.
Rock on, warriors, rock on!
MCC
A question has been posed about the selection of songs with colorful
language in the lyrics. As long as the song doesn't rely on the naughty bits as the main theme, a bleep or three are fine. Example: Cee-Lo's "Forget" You" is out.
Any concerns, drop me an email or ask in class.
Rock on, warriors, rock on!
MCC
Friday, February 11, 2011
Irony
Where was this video when we were discussing irony during the poetry unit? Check out the other What You Ought to Know videos on YouTube. Great stuff!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
CATCH-22!?!
Remember in the summer when Mrs. Conklin told us it is everywhere? Well, IT IS. Though all of us have talked about how many Catch-22 situations there are in every day life, I'm still shocked every time I hear it. Last night I went to the Economic Growth Alliance meeting at the beach house, and the presenter made a reference to it. I wanted to scream! There were no AP Warriors to understand what I was going through hahah :)
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Blog Bam
Just racking some participation points! Who's excited for the Dubliners test?!?!
Oh but a real discussion: did you guys think that Dubliners was a wholly pessimistic book like the question suggested? I thought no but i wanted to hear your thoughts!!!
happy hunting
krysta
Oh but a real discussion: did you guys think that Dubliners was a wholly pessimistic book like the question suggested? I thought no but i wanted to hear your thoughts!!!
happy hunting
krysta
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Due Dates
I just want to make sure of the due date of the paper. It is on Friday, correct?
Yaaaay for the snowpocalypse!
How is everyone's snow day? I'm actually doing our paper right now, and I've only talked about two stories so far and am at three pages. I didn't think I'd know enough about the stories to even get two pages but now I'm having trouble cutting it down! Maybe I'll make the font smaller? Hope everyone is doing okay with the paper. It's taking a long time but not too hard!
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