love

"Love sought is good, but given unsought, is better." (3.1 line 153)

Personally, I detest beginning anything with a quote. I think it's poor form to begin a paper, report, etc. with someone else's thought. This is why I will never write a formal piece beginning with a quote, however because this is the nature of the blog assignment, an exception exists.

There's a fine line between obsession and love. In fact, it's so fine very few even know it exists. If you have to seek out someone to love you, then it isn't love; it's persuasion. Therefore, having love be unsought is the only way to truly be loved. If someone loves another they just do. There's no discussion, seeking, or method to make it happen it just is. Unsought love is the only love. It not only exists in a passionate love affair, but is best represented in family love. For birthday's you don't ask your grandparents to present you with a gift, they just do. But when it gets to the point that you have to ask or constantly remind another to do something for you, it's no longer out of love but out of request. That is the worst type of relationship to ever put yourself into.

Viola certainly doesn't love Olivia, and Olivia doesn't really love Cesario. It's merely the idea of love that she and so many others are enticed to seek.

Mr. Foolish

Twelfth Night is more than simply a great play it's a Christian holiday that began in Tudor England. The Oxford English Dictionary states that it's "the evening of the fifth of January, preceding Twelfth Day, the eve of the Epiphany, formerly the last day of the Christmas festivities and observed as a time of merrymaking". (This was taken from Wikipedia)

Moreover the festival celebrates the Lord of Misrule who was known for causing disorder. This falls right in line with Shakespeare's comedy as the characters of Maria, Sir Toby and Sir Andrew do nothing but cause much disorder. In fact even the more serious character of Viola causes quite a disruption. In fact, in some cultures the festival of 'Twelfth Night' marks the beginning of carnivale season, or Mardi Gras. The end of the festival marks the coming of the Epiphany. This relates back to Twelfth Night to the point that the characters are marked with an epiphany at the end of the story (the end of the Twelfth Night) as revelations about the characters disguises are revealed.

Although written a couple of centuries later, Victor Hugo's masterpiece The Hunchback of Notre Dame takes place during the celebration of the Epiphany. Although the book was written as a testament by Hugo to maintain the original structure of the cathderal there is also a major undertone to the novel not about mistaken identities as in Shakespeare, but about mistaken appearances. Quasimodo who would be thought of as nothing more than a mamed imbecile is reality the most humane of any character in the novel. This uniquely parallels Viola who, although she is physically disguised, she remains the most honest to her heart, never does she consider courting anyone besides Orsino.

It's typical of Shakespeare to inculcate his messages. Here he has the main story-line about Viola's disguise, but then there is Maria's disguised letter, Antonio -a pirate- representing himself as a good friend, Olivia is supposed to be mourning her brother's death but instead is out to get Cesario. Therefore it's extremely likely that Shakespeare chose to name his play after the Twelfth Night holiday in order to represent all of the topsy-turvy during the festival and the play itself.

Bibliography Progress Post

The Renaissance is something that has always fascinated me. Being an intellect at this time highlighted exactly what it means to be a human being. The ability to think, create, and change the world around you, very few people have done or will do this. We've read many Renaissance authors thus far this semester; most are British. I am not certain that my chosen topic will be permitted, however I am certain that very few people in the world know anything about my topic. Leonardo Da Vinci's Fables I know . . . you thought he only painted, created war machines, and studied anatomy . . . but he was also a very prolific writer and the definition of a Renaissance man. My thesis (which will undoubtedly change) is currently Leonardo Da Vinci's fables are written in such a manner that they tell of the unjust political system he was subject to and as such are his testimonies againsnt that very system. Yeah it needs some work, but it's coming along. As far as my reasearch is coming, I won't lie. It's somewhat difficult to find information on the fables, let alone finding the fables in Da Vinci's original Archaic language. I may end up having to use one fable as an example, but we'll see. As far as my process goes I have my notebook system, perhaps you rememer from last semester. Again, I do hope I provided you with the information that you wanted . . . I'm really not sure. The assignment sheet said "a blog post about your progress . . ." If you want my "Notebook" or a list of my sources so far, just let me know otherwise I'm going to enjoy the last five hours of my spring break!

Dirty Billy

"Bless you, fair shrew." - 1.3-line 44

"By my troth, i would not underake her in this company." 1.3 line 55

"It's dry, sir." 1.3 line 69

"And I hope to see a housewife take thee between he rlegs and spin it off." 1.3 Lines 96-98

"And I think I have the back-trick simply as strong as any man in Illyria." 1.3-115

"And all is semblative a woman's part." 1.4 - 34

"Many a good hanging prevents a bad marriage." 1.5-18

"Send for money knight. If though hast her not i'th' end, call me cut." 2.3 - 175

"These be her very c's, her u's, and her t's, and thus makes she her great P's." 2.5 -83-85

Above are a strain of quotes taken from the first and second acts of Twelfth Night. As you can see William Shakespeare appears to have quite a knack for sarcastic sexual innuendos. Mr. Shakespeare is usually referred to as one of the best poets and playwrites, ever. It also gives one something to think about when discussing the role of stage plays in Renaissance England. They were thought unnecessary and some critics even said that they were subhuman activities. To a certain extent one would have to agree that the above languanged used by Shakespeare a.k.a Dirty Billy is quite repulsive. Surely a civilized human being would not want to delve out their hard earned money to listen to such defilements of the spoken language.

It's nice to see that Shakespeare's work carries on today not only in adaptations (Twelfth Night is She's the Man starring Amanda Bynes,) but also in the aspect that people only became more perverted not only in writing but in living. Perhaps if this perversion had been dealt with when Billy did it we wouldn't have the likes of Howard Stern and others disgracing the language of civilized beings.

Ebert, Roeper and Henry VIII

So . . . I went to go watch The Other Boleyn Girl this past weekend, and I must say I was pleasantly surprised at a few things and kind of disgusted at some others . . . here are my thoughts!

1). Every time someone was married in the film only woman received a ring. Point for historical accuracy.

2). All of the literature we've read in class suggests that Mary and Anne weren't very close . . . but in the movie it kind of seems like they were best friends at times.

3). There were quite a few people who felt that Henry was 'stalking' Anne and really wanted her . . . it seems that Anne was the pursuer in the movie. Of course as to which theory is correct we'll probably never know.

4). Anne was beheaded for sleeping with her brother in the film, but in reality there were about five men she was 'accused' of sleeping with. Again . . . hard to prove/ disprove anything.

5). The film makes it seem like Henry left the Catholic Church and divorced Catherine all because he wanted to have sex with Anne. Come on . . . I just know that there has to be more to it than that.

And finally, the fact that my husband fell asleep a mere thirty minutes into the film shows that it was probably a decent film, as he can only manage to remain conscious if there are a plethora of bad jokes and drunk imbeciles.

T. Hurt

So, I wasn't aware that I was supposed to post my sonnet on-line. But then I started thinking . . . hey it'll take up one of my blog-posts.


Force and deceit are all that you know.
I struggle to find defilement’s cure.
Refusing to allow this pain to grow.
Until then I stand here, intentions pure.
Although the dearest dove may want a snake--
“Be gone!” I keen. “Banishèd you shall be!”
Linger no more, fore you are a mistake!
Love’s disease duns that I never be free.
Moribund without you and your kind eyes --
But, of course, these are hidden from the world.
Only noticing your ignoble lies,
Treachery, and the men you have hurled.
My deepest wish is for you to become
A virtuous man so we may be one.

The Faerie Queen of the Rings

The Faerie Queen vs. The Lord of the Rings

1). The bringing together of different groups to fight a common enemy.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend!"

For the Faeries . . .

We've got lions . . . . faeries, wizards . . . knights . . . . dwarves . . . and yes, even some trees.

For the Lord of the Rings . . .

Their fellowship consists of hobbits, men, wizards, dwarves, elves, horses, and yes, they had trees too.

2). What kind of enemies did they face?

Was there an evil sorcerer? Faeries: Archimago Lords: Sauramon

Did they face error? Faeries: Error itself Lords: Error in Frodo putting on the ring at the Hotel . . . uh oh!

Did they face some sins? Faeries: All 7 of them Lords: Envy- those who wanted the ring; Lust - Aragon and Eowyn;

Greed - Gollum; Wrath- Mines of Moria; Gluttony - Minas Tithes;

Pride - Frodo refusing to have help; Sloth - Sauramon

Did they face Despair? Faeries: By the same name Lords: Frodo, Gollum, Faramir . . . always so sad - - Arwen.

Was there perhaps something two faced? Faeries: Duessa Lords: Gollum/Smeagle

A big meany at the end? Faeries: Dragon Lords: Sauron

3). What about the characters?

Let's do a bit of comparing shall we . .

Description: The Faerie Queen and The Lord of the Rings

Knight: Red Crosse Aragon

Lovely Lady: Una Arwen

Warrior Woman: Britomart Eowyn

Evil Sorcerer: Archimago Sauramon

Companion: Dwarf Gimli (who is also a dwarf)

Two-Faced: Duessa Gollum/ Smeagle

Nature Help: Lion / Talking Tree Horse/ Talking Tree

Good Wizard: Merlin Gandalf

Christ Figure: King Arthur Elron

4). What about everything else?

Ultimate Goal:

Faeries: save the castle from the fiery dragon

Lords: save the ring from the evil fiery eye

Language:

Faeries: purposely archain, but used influence from Greek and Roman poets

Lords: influenced by old English, Norse mythology, and christian ideals

Formation:

Faeries: written in a series of books with many cantos and in those many stanzas

Lords: three different volumes meant to represent three different eons, and in those volumes are a variety of books

Crying for the Dreamless

I've been an analytical, scientifically thinking and probability based person as long as I can remember. Science has been the basis for many of my decisions. During gymnastics practice I used to calculate the angles and amount of force I needed to apply to my swings on the bars. When I watch contestants on Deal or No Deal I keep track of which cases hold high amounts, because on the basis of probablity two high amounts are unlikely to be next to eachother. As I walk down the street and look at different plants I classify thems as angiosperms or gymnosperms and monocot or dicot. When I take medicine I write out the chemical formula whatever I'm taking and figure out each reaction mechanism so that I precisely which part of my body is receiving the medicine when.

It's absolutely INSANE to live this way.

Every once in a while I just need to escape into a fantastic story. So I read. I remember reading Tolkien's The Hobbit -- long before Orlando Blooom blessed us with his presence. I remember being enchanted by Roald Dahl at the age of seven and wishing that I could be Matilda or have my best friend be The BFG. And yes, I will admit to remembering the very first day I opened the book that told me about a lost boy name Harry and his friends Ron and Hermione. Reading these stories I could allow myself to believe in something, even if only for the moment. There were these fantastical worlds where anything was possible -- and with no evidence to the contrary.


Unfortunately, I also remember the day I found out Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was a political satire and that Tolkien's Lord of the Rings were based off of Chaucer. And within the past few weeks I have read The Faerie Queen, and while reading it I fell in love with the story. A story of beautiful princesses and chivalrous knights fighting the dragons and evil witches. But because I have a logically-indused brain stem I know that is not the intent of the story, so I struggle to continue to believe in such wonderous events. It's sad that people who claim to believe in a merciful, benevolent God kill people who do not believe as they do. It's crap.

RIDDIKULUS!

Perhaps Harper Lee was write when she stated that the greatest way to harm a child is to take away their innocence. I refuse to let mine go. I'm holding onto it for dear life and although I'm a very intelligent girl if I want to forget about the reformation and crazy Queen Bess for an hour or two so I can simply enjoy a great story written by Eddie then I will --- because I think it far more important to believe in something than to be correct.

Ed the Mundane

Edmund Spencer had one goal, and that was to become a great English poet. He didn't write so that he could spread the joy of story making to others, nor did he write so that people thousands of miles away could be educated in the affairs happening in his part of the world. No, Edmund Spenser cared about being praised.



What strikes me as even more interesting is that he constantly wrote to the Elizabethan court asking for a job . . . but he was always turned down . . . such a shame. Somebody please tell me what person is repeatedly denied a job and then turns around and praises those who refused them their dream? Eddie Does!!! Trust me, I really don't think anyone would write out an ungodly long poem for Simon Cowell. What would it even say?



Simon you are the music Rex

how dare I be obsessed-

with all of my lyrical dreams

I have listened to your facetious claims

and know that it is best

For me to lay my passion to rest

Praise Simon! The Faerie King!

The one who knows who can sing!



Um. . . probably not.



Really the only thing that separates Edmund from William Hung --yes, the She Bang guy-- is the fact that Edmund was at least intelligent. His poem admittedly contains great "dark conceit" as he called it, but let's get real. Although he talks about holiness and blah blah blah . . . pride is bad.



Pride was the only thing driving Mr. Spenser to create such a work.



Two of a kind. Edmund Spenser and William Hung.

Curiosity Killed the Christian

I am the grand-daughter of a Methodist minister. This means I have grown up in the church. And by virtue this means I've attended Sunday School since I could roll-over, I've been in Christmas Pageants since I could be swaddled and I've been praying before every meal since I could say "Amen." A picture of my grandfather (the minister) and my grandmother can be seen above.

Before I continue allow me to say that this post will be somewhat different from anything I've written thus far. That is to say that it will not be pompous, arrogant, sarcastic, or laudatory. What I've learned is that expressing one's feelings about a very serious issue often helps, so here I go.

I've been conflicted for as long as I can remember about religion. As I previously stated I grew up in a church, but I always questioned literally EVERYTHING. In fact, I used to get 'dismissed' from Sunday School class, and one fateful summer I was expelled from Bible Camp. Growing up in Missouri is like growing up in an entirely different nation. We are influenced by both Northern and Southern traditions, but feel our own (Mark Twain, Langston Hughes, Harry S. Truman, Thomas Hart Benton, Walt Disney, etc.) are far superior to any Confederate or Yankee. This means that almost everyone is well versed in the Bible--because in case you didn't know Masuria (May-soo-ray or Missouri) is the land of Native American Gods. All of my friends experienced Confirmations and such, but when I was ten years old I made a decision that would forever cause me inner turmoil. I decided that I would never read the Bible. Why? I felt that a book written by a bunch of men at the Council of Nicaea --where they also ripped parts out-- would in no way answer the many questions that I had. Moreover, if my Grandfather could not answer certain questions, a book would not be of any further assistance. I continued being involved in Sunday School, Christmas Pageants, and prayer but then I graduated. I made the move to Yankee-land (NYC) and my eyes and mind were opened to an entirely new set of principals. I had read about homosexuals, but never seen any. (Yes, I know how awful that sounds.) I had read about Muslims, Jewish people, Asians, and many other ethnicities --but again I had never seen any other race other than white and black.

So what does all of this have to do with Kilgore's assignment on the Common Book of Prayer?

It adds to my uneasiness with religion. Reading this I knew word for world the prayers. I knew what the minister would say and then I knew how the congregation should respond. This bothers me because, again, a group of men sat around and devised this Book of Common Prayer it isn't the word of a divine God, but the writings of mortal men. I trust no one, especially a group of dead men who chose to write a book on religion, but then killed in the name of it.

In closing, I'll say that I love my family and my home. I dare say that my family is the most important thing in my life. I think a Christian should put God first, but I will put my family. There is no group of people that I have more faith in or respect for. This is why I am so conflicted. My family puts all of their faith into a Christian God, and it is the hardest thing in the world to know inside that you may not believe in what they do, and that if they knew how you felt they would forever look at you in a different manner--even if they do not intend to. I don't know if I'm more afraid to not believe, or more afraid to admit the truth to myself.

Here is a link to a Biblical Timeline . . . it's kind of interesting. Enjoy.

Words that Make the World go Round

"Read my lips, no new taxes."
- George H. W. Bush

"We did not--repeat, did not--trade weapons or anything else for hostages, nor will we"
- Ronald Reagan

"I did not have sexual relations with that woman."
- Bill Clinton

"I am not a crook."
- Richard Nixon

"I am . . . to live and die amongst you all."
- Queen Elizabeth I (from her Speech to the Troops at Tilbury)

. . . inspiring words, too bad she doesn't mention till the end that she's sending someone in her stead, and she'll be busy writing to her 'Pug' Wat, while he's out sleeping with her lady in waiting Bess. Watch the famous speeches below . . .

Annry

I refuse to waste my time, energy, and intelligence on writing a true blog for the letters between Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. The fact that many people find the relationship interesting disgusts me. But what repulses me more is that people who deem themselves 'scholarly' choose to pursue this endeavor as opposed to exploring the literature, history, or art of the time. This says something about our society. Whether it be Britney and K-Fed, Tom-Kat, Brangelina or Billary, people are obsessed with the romantic --and often times sin-lusted--lives of high profile individuals. To those people I say only one thing . . .

Get A Life.

Womanocity

It's no secret that women have not been treated fairly over the years. But neither have African-Americans, Asians, Native Americans, Hugenots, Pilgrims, Falun-Gong Practitioners or Jews. When Joan Kelly-Gadol wrote her piece regarding women in the renaissance she based it mostly on Baldesar Castiglione's The Book of the Courtier. This is understandable as her piece is in response to his book. But let us first remember that:

1). his book was a fictional account

2).although women weren't seen as dominating they still were respected

3). there were women renaissance artists

4). some women did have a dominant role

5). a renaissance is a rebirth of antiquity

6). humanism was part of the renaissance.

Delving into these facts further it was stated in an earlier class discussion that I felt Castiglione created this 'perfect courtier' solely because he knew a mortal man with these qualities could never exist, along with the fact that the book is pure fiction it goes against common sense to base real life off of an idealized story. Hitting the second point about women being respected even though they weren't seen as dominating factors . . . a woman being repsected at this point in time was a huge step in the right direction. My third point in combating Ms. Gadol's opinion about women in the renaissance is simply that there were women in the renaissance. For instance Artemisia Gentileschi who painted Judith Slaying Holofernes. (The picture is posted above.) On to the next point . . . women such as Elizabeth I, Mary I, Margaret of Austria . . .etc. Further information about women ruling during the Renaissance can be found *Here*. The renaissance was also a rebirth of antiquity. This is seen through virtually every painting made during the time. However women, especially, were paid tribute to by having their bodies modeled after the body of the goddess Venus. Take Titian's Venus of Urbino (which is also the same Urbino the book takes place in . . .picture is to the side) here the woman is made to look like the goddess. My final point is that humanism was part of the renaissance and Gadol conceedes that nobelwomen were in fact taught dance, music, Greek, and Latin, so that they were cultured. Although this is not a very long strenuous argument like that in Castiglione's book . . . it is very true. Based upon the facts that Gadol based her judgement on a fictional book, women were respected, there were women Renaissance artists, some women were dominant, antiquity was rebirthed and then dedicated to women, and women were educated as part of the humanist experience I feel it is only reasonably concluded that women did in fact experience a Renaissance, it may not have been identical to that of a man but it was uniquely theirs.

Keep Suffering

"... and it seemed to me that the greatest pain that I felt was in having to suffer when I had not deserved it."

- Pietro Bembo (pg. 18)

A group of geese is a flock. A lot of lions is a pride and a herd of humans are people. People behave animalistically, and as such their actions tend to be unwarranted, irrational, and somewhat cruel. The proof of this can be seen in high-school classrooms across the nation as different cliques of students prey upon those that are weak. Furthermore, this can be seen in the media, as reporters seek out those that can be unravelled by sensational news. It is the grade school pledge to 'Treat others how you wish to be treated,' yet people continue to lie, cheat, and steal so that they can further themselves. This results in innocent people being hurt. But it happens everyday and rarely does anyone even blink.

People continue to want to believe in the best. So they create these magnificent stories for people to believe in. Stories like Beowulf, King Arthur, and Superman. In The Book of the Courtier intellectuals come together and create a fictional -but perfect- courtier. They do this because they know that one will never exist, yet they hope that this person who has noble blood, an air about them, the ability to create a good impression, a perfect face, good posture, a great body frame, the ability to wrestle, ride a horse, possesses sprezzatura, grace in writing and speaking, is knowledgable, has good judgement, knows the orators and letters of Greece, creates paintings and sculptures, and is a musician will someday grace their presence. The idea that a perfect person may come along and save them from their wretchedness allows people to continue down the path of their personal defilement. Because so long as you think someone else is 'nice' you can be a b----. This is why a person could be genuinely kind, but people will always contain a certain amount of evilness.

Utopian Life in America

People yearn for opulence. Human beings crave sex. Individuals require power. But it is absolutely essential--and much more important-- for an intellect to think. Renee Des Cartes stated, "I think therefore I am." He did not merely mean that he existed, but that he lived in a capacity where he could reflect and dream. Too often people live their lives on a daily basis. They think about dinner, family, perhaps their future plans. All of these are somewhat of a necessity, however, a lioness also thinks before it attacks its prey, brings that prey back to its pride to feed the others, and anticipates that she will hunt again tomorrow.

My point is that for us to truly be a homo-sapien or 'man who thinks.' We must do so. It is our duty to believe in something. Thomas More believes in Utopia. Additionally, he made other people believe in the concept of a divinely mortal commonwealth, which for all common purposes would be quite perfect in its simplicity. More's thoughts influenced other Renaissance writers, and a few Renaissance writers influenced the forefathers of our country. These were men with passionate ideals that fought for something more than a better day; they fought for a better world. Many similarities, such as the ideas of a ruler, freedom, and foreign policy, can be seen between our nation, and that of Utopia.

The idea that a governor of a country should be more concerned about the 'common welfare' than his own is taken from More's book, (Pg. 540.) It is also an inherent belief in our country. As well as the idea that the people should choose this man for, 'their own sake, not for his,' (pg. 540.) Moreover, the idea that it should be, 'unlawful for public offices to be solicited, or put up for sale,' (pg. 544,) found its way into our constitution. Additionally, the concept of a republic, where the people could vote for representatives (phylarchs) and senators (head phylarchs) who then make decisions for the people is also one of More's conceptions (pg. 549-550.)

Foreign affairs were also addressed by More. On page 559 Raphael tells the story of the Anemolian ambassadors who wore gold to meet with the Utopians. The lasting impression of this is to understand different cultures. This is why the United States found it prudent to establish embassies throughout the world. More would also help influence one of the cornerstones of United States foreign policy. In George Washington's farewell address he urged the posterity of this nation to avoid foreign entanglements. On page 538, Raphael tries to explain to More why he doesn't wish to be a counselor for a king, he states that, 'Suppose I said the king should leave Italy alone and stay at home, because the single kingdom of France all by itself is almost too much for one man to govern, and the king should not dream of adding others to it?' To add on to those comments More also talks about how the Utopians do not engage in battles unless they are being attacked, or they are aiding one of their allies. This adds to the idea that country's are better off not attacking one another.

Freedom. It means something different to every person. To me, it means I can stand up and say, "Anyone but Hillary." To others it means that they can stay out until 1 am. But the truth is, freedom means the most to people who don't have it. 'The chief aim of their constitution is that . . . all citizens should be free.' (pg. 553) and 'pleasure, as the goal of our actions.' (pg. 562) These characteristics of a paradise can be found in our Declaration of Independence, "That all men are endowed by their creator certain inalienable rights, that among these, are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Because we have these rights we have the ability to make of ourselves what we will. More gives a brief description of a man who, 'devotes his leisure so earnestly to study, and makes such progress as a result, that he is relieved of manual labor, and promoted to the class of learned men.' (pg. 552.) So if you used to be a factory worker and you want to work hard to become something else, you can. But what is perhaps the best freedom that we have in this country is what More describes as, '[Citizens] who have not accepted Christianity make no effort to restrain others from it, nor do they criticize new converts to it,' (pg. 580.) This is freedom of religion. In 1516 it must have been a most outlandish and preposterous thought, because when the United States went about it in the eighteenth century it was unspeakable for the rest of the Western world.

I am not suggesting that Thomas More was the sole or even the major influence of the Revolutionaries, merely that he was one. More thought and dreamed of extraordinary concepts. He was not after money, sex, or power--perhaps because he had most of these menial things. He inspired people to believe in something better than what they had. Then he made men that lived over two hundred years after him believe in it and act upon it. That is not living day to day, but it's being the highest form of human, a Utopian.

beLIEve

Religion has always been demagogic. It tends to infect its followers with the disease of fear. The fear of eternal damnation, the fear of suffering, and the fear of being alone; these tumors of terror metastasize in the minds of religious adherents. As a result, more blood has been spilt in the name of religion than any other body of power. A logical inference one could make from this would be, "to end the most amount of senseless killing, religion should be brought to an end or it should be better controlled." The conclusion, therefore, would be that if a large amount of killing were brought to a halt then the world would be more peaceful. In Thomas More's Utopia he speaks of many ways in which to make the world a better place. However, most of the story is a metaphor for correcting the ills in religion entangled with a hope of what religion could mean for people.

More makes a very good argument for pointing out the evils of religion, especially during his time. Raphael talks about the 'sheep' in England. He mentions how they, 'used to be so meek and eat so little,' but now, 'they are greedy and wild,' (pg. 531.) Moving down the paragraph it states that, 'they destroy houses and abolish towns, keeping only the churches, and those for sheep-barns.' This is a conceit on More's part because the congregation is usually what is in the church, but now the churches are sheep-barns, meaning that the congregation are the herd of sheep. Also it is important to note that often in the Bible, Psalms and many religious poems a sheep is usually referring to a religious worshiper. The fact that More feels that the religious leaders are becoming greedy could come from the selling of indulgences, the raising of the amount of tithes a family was ordered to give to the church or many other flaws the church had at the time.

Although More sees some instability within his church, he also talks about what religion can do when practiced in a positive light. More, again through the voice of Raphael, talks about how some seamen had been very grateful to receive a compass because, "they had formerly sailed with great timidity, and only in summer. Now they have such trust in the compass that they no longer fear winter at all, and tend to be overconfident rather than cautious," (Pg. 527.) A compass shows a man his way, here Raphael has helped these men by giving them a compass to find their way. This, again, reminds me of a religious ritual because many believers admit that they were 'once lost, but now they are found.' Also it states that in the summer they felt safe. The summer, when used as a metaphor, corresponds to daylight/happiness/the living part of a person's life. However, in the winter people were afraid. Winter as a metaphor generally means death/loneliness/loss. Therefore I take this to mean that people were just fine when everything in their life was going well, however once things become difficult they lose there way, but now because they have a compass (or God's assistance) they can find their way and no longer need to live in fear. Again, More is trying to show how religion and belief in God can help people.

While More is talking about the current problems with religion and the good it can do, he also talks about the type of man that people would be if they lived the 'Utopian' lifestyle. More does this through two ways: highlighting the characteristics of the main characters and mentioning people that he respects. The main characters that are described are Raphael Hythloday and Peter Giles. Raphael is mentioned to be somewhat like Plato, obviously a very powerful, respected, and influential figure (pg. 525.) He is also known to have knowledge of various countries and good advice, (Pg. 527.) Moreover, in connection with the religious undertone Raphael was the name of an archangel who was once disguised as a human traveller and then saved his son's wife from evil, by showing her the way to God. This follows in conjunction with Raphael being a 'sailor' (traveller) and giving the compass to man who had lost their way. The other main character of Peter Giles. This name has two religious implications the first of Peter the Apostle and the second, St. Giles. Peter the Apostle, of course who was also St. Peter and is who the Papacy is founded in, and who is an example to how all humans should act. St. Giles was one of fourteen holy helpers and hospitals, houses for the poor and crippled were built in his name across England and Scotland. More describes Peter Giles as a man of 'high reputation', good character, 'cultured, virtuous, courteous', 'trustworthy, ' 'loyal,' and with whom he can have a 'pleasant talk,' (Pg. 524-525.) As More describes these men he also talks about men whom he respects, such as the type of man who would desire to visit Utopia would be , 'a devout man and a professor of theology . . .not motivated by any means of idle curiosity, but rather a desire to foster and further the growth of our religion. ' This is yet, another conceit by More that his Utopia is about perfecting religion, (Pg. 523.) Moreover, there is talk that there should not be any private land and that it should be given to the people. This could be in reference to the fact that the Church had the biggest land claims across Europe, and that the followers deserved to have a place that they could call their own.

In the end, it is immensely obvious that More sees the demagoguery growing in religion. He wants it removed so that not another healthy person falls ill to this spiritual sarcoma. Without holy defilement he can have a healthy society and that is the best way in which for him, or any of us, to reach our Utopia.

Polka Dots and Gun Shots

Ensnared by the primordial characteristics of all human beings, Sir Thomas Wyatt the Elder, finds himself without a sexual cohort in his poem, Whoso List to Hunt. According to Norton's Anthology, Wyatt was close to being executed on two separate occasions one was for treason and the other for 'possibly' sleeping with Anne Boleyn (Pg. 593.) His aforementioned poem is essentially him describing his failed sexual relationship with the Queen. The poem begins by announcing that if anyone wants to 'hunt' he knows where to find a 'hind.' This is especially interesting for a few reasons. Firstly, Wyatt is willing to allow other men to try and 'hunt' her down. Also it should be noted that a 'hind' is a red female deer, and Anne Boleyn is described as having long dark red hair. (The red was, of course, inherited by her daughter, Elizabeth I. A picture of Anne Boleyn can be seen below. It is also interesting to note that even though a hind is a red female deer or a doe, female rabbits are also referred to as 'does,' and we all know what rabbits do . . .) It then proceeds with 'alas, I may no more,' meaning that he will no longer go after the Queen (Line 2.) His reasoning for this decision is revealed in line three as he states that doing so has produced unsuccessful work and has 'wearied [him] so sore.' He then reveals that he does not come first with the Queen (line 4.) Wyatt then 'puts [men] out of doubt' that they will spend their 'time in vain' if they choose to go after the Queen (lines 9-10.)

In the last lines of the poem Wyatt describes the diamonds around Boleyn's neck, which could be a reference to the Crown Jewels, (line 11.) He then proceeds to mention that the Latin words, "Noli me tangere, " are written around her neck. The translation of this is "Don't touch me." But then Wyatt continues with "for Caesar's I am, and wild for to hold, though I seem tame," (lines 13-14.) The Latin phrase is also found in the Bible, when Jesus tells Mary Magdalene that she cannot touch him because he is the king. This is paralleled to Anne Boleyn telling Wyatt not to touch her because she is married to the King (Caesar is a form of King and Mary Magdalene also had red hair.) In the last line of the poem, Wyatt states that although the Queen may seem prim she is, in all actuality, quite wild. This could be an allusion to her sexcapades with men other than her husband, or an allusion to her technique in bed.

Biologists will state that at the most basic level, organisms need to reproduce for survival. As humans it remains a necessity to have sexual intercourse, however human beings are not supposed to be animalistic when pursuing such a relationship. Thus, with this inherent flaw in our system, combined with our natural yearning for acceptance we tend to trap ourselves on the stairs of aggravation. Both beneath the level of love and above the deck of devilish desire.

Obituary for the Tudors

History is a eulogic textbook in remembrance of our ancestors. Life, on the other hand, is a tacit death sentence. People come and go, their existence is quantitatively recorded, and rarely remembered. Because it is impossible to remember someone whom you have never met, intellects depend on these eulogic textbooks, passed down over centuries, to tell them who the crucial figures of the past were. But who writes these eulogies? Clergy? Politicians? God? The Clergy would write the history in the word of God, Politicians would write to restore power to their king, and God rested on the seventh day. Nevertheless, all or none of the aforementioned had the capacity to become prejudiced eulogy-makers. Whoever these historians may be, two things are certain. First, they were men, and secondly, they are now dead.
Perhaps a third certainty could be added, they all found King Henry VIII to be quite blood-lustly. Although, some people see him as a man who put many other men to death, personally I characterize him as nothing more than the expediator of life. The introduction found in Norton's Anthology is over-literary and under-informational. Because it is a literature book, I do understand it's predisposition to being 'Literary,' this section is also an Introduction to the time period, and should read as such. Moreover, the text containing the beliefs and reasoning behind the Tudor's actions should be taken as invalid, because only they (Both Henrys, Little Eddie, Bloody Mary, and Queen Bess) know why they acted in the manner in which they did.
It may be arrogance, pompousness, or the complete disregard for factual information but it irritates me that an educated person could deem to know that Queen Elizabeth, "Insisted on making many of the crucial decisions herself." (Page 493) Insisted, in itself has a negative connotation to it, am I wrong in assuming that Kings made decisions by themselves? So for Elizabeth to have 'insisted,' portrays her as being a whining woman, as opposed to a ruler who by occupational description must make tough decisions.
This brings me back to my comments on history being a eulogic textbook. Fore, when one dies it is fairly typical for people to recite how honest, philanthropical, fun, and loving they were, and how missed they will be. However, not everyone who dies is a good person. This means that eulogy-makers, obituary-writers, and tombstone-engravers blatantly lie. This also makes some historians liars as well. A prime example being that Mary is nicknamed 'Bloody Mary' for her persecution of Protestants, however Elizabeth killed more people than Mary did. Almost every Tudor leader was brutally insane. However, Norton seems to look upon them in a somewhat high revere. My history will be different in two ways from that of the royal deceased - short and true.