Quotation Assignment

"When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one portion of the family of man to assume among the peoples of the earth a position different from that which they hitherto occupied, but one to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect for the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes that impel them to such a course. We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men and women are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights governments are instituted, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed" (Elizabeth Cady Stanton)

This quote illustrates the problems of gender inequality. Stanton demonstrates that both men and women are in fact equal and that "nature's God" has created them equivalent to one another. She states that women should not have to fight for equality, but should simply already have it, since that is how God created us; equal and alike. This statement has great significance, since it is the opening lines of the Declaration of Sentiments, a document signed in 1848. It was presented at the first women's right conference held that same year in New York, and is credited by many historians as the initiation of the first women's suffrage movement in the U.S.A. This quote instigated the women's rights movement, and for that reason, it is an important and noteworthy moment in history.

Virtual Gallery of Romanticism- Literature

Victor Hugo- Les Misérables

Les Misérables is a well known novel written by Victor Hugo in the mid-1800’s, over a period of twenty years. Hugo, considered to be “first and foremost…a romantic” (Denny, Norman), presented the views of the Romantic era in many of his works of fiction, including this one. The nationalistic views mimic characteristics of Romanticisim, as does the fact that the novel is based on the French Revolution. The French Revolution was “a primary source of inspiration” (article) for authors in this time. Furthermore, the emphasis on childhood and the many references to dreams illustrated in this novel reinforces the Romantic ideals. The characters also often choose emotion over reason and intellect. Romantics often focused on themselves, and this is visible in this story. It has been deduced by critics that Marius, a character in Les Misérables, is supposedly a portrait of the youthful Victor Hugo. Moreover, the extensive use of nature, such as gardens, demonstrates the ideals of a Romanticist. As a whole, this novel depicts the many ideals of Romanticism and ultimately illustrates the fact that social movements can be expressed effectively in literature.

Here is a link to the novel online: 

http://books.google.ca/books?id=ZuQBAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=les+miserables+penguin+classics&hl=en&sa=X&ei=LreAT_KgM6-O0QH92a3HBg&ved=0CDUQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

Virtual Gallery of Romanticism- Poetry

John Keats- To Autumn

John Keats

John Keats was one of the most famous poets of the Romantic poets, and included all three aspects of the Romantic era (imagination, nature and the individual) into his poetry. However, in To Autumn, the focus seems to be greatly on nature. Keats establishes the idea of beauty in nature as a source of inspiration, using it to embody the acceptance of death, and the possibility of renewal, creating a life-affirming tone. Since Winter is approaching, and Autumn is nearing its end, the speaker looks upon Spring and Summer as a time of hope. There is also a childlike innocence of this poem, with the descriptions of the images of fruit and birds, illustrating another fascination of this era- childhood. Furthermore, the “swallows twitter[ing] in the skies” suggest a sense of freedom and liberation. Overall, there are many thoughts demonstrated in this poem that reveal to the reader, that To Autumn, is in fact, a Romantic work. 

Here is a link to "To Autumn" by John Keats: 

http://www.potw.org/archive/potw279.html

Virtual Gallery of Romanticism- Music

Frédéric Chopin- Prelude in E Minor, Op. 28, No. 4

Frédéric Chopin

The first piece of romantic work in my virtual gallery that I have chosen to address is one by a master of the Romantic era: Frédéric Chopin. Romanticism had many effects on his music, and especially on this piece, Prelude in E Minor, Op. 28, No. 4. It embodies the many ideas of romanticism extensively, revealing to the audience both the many discords and the denser textures dominant in this time. The repetitive chords descend chromatically throughout the piece, while the melody itself is very slow. Moreover, the fact that the piece is in the key of E Minor also suggests the idea of Romanticism. The use of minor keys was not common during the classical period, and Chopin rejected theses rules by creating a set of works in minor keys. In addition, the illustration of emotions and expression in music was significant in this period, and Chopin used this technique in this piece, and also many of his others. The melody suggests a sense of misery and hopelessness, and is reinforced by the one of the last dynamics: smorzando. This literally means “dying away.” It is supposed that it was for this reason that this piece was termed “Suffocation”. It was also played at Chopin’s funeral. Ironically, Chopin’s last words before his death were "The earth is suffocating . . . Swear to make them cut me open, so that I won’t be buried alive.” It seems the expressive and liberated ideas of Romanticism were not only a part of Chopin’s music, but also his tragic death. 

Here is a link to the piece, played by Venezuelan-Argentine pianist, Sergio Tiempo:

"Time is of the essence..."

                                           

I came across this online a few days ago, and I thought I'd like to share it to you all. Initially, it was the apocalypse statement that got my attention. However, as I looked deeper, at the message as a whole, I realized that it was truly about time. Time, to us, is a never-ending thing, something that we cannot fully explain. The Oxford English Dictionary defines time as "the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future, regard as a whole". I agree with this definition; yet, I think that the idea of time is more than that. 

In The Sailor who Fell from Grace with the Sea, as Ryuji looks at the sunrise, he feels that it is "time to abandon" his dream, to realize that there is no glory, to "open his eyes" (110). This is the idea of time in another context, and nevertheless, with a similar meaning. At first, I thought this quote revealed his new found maturity. However, now, I see it as Ryuji defining the end of one time, or era, and the beginning of another. It is here that a question arises: can we dictate time? Is it possible for us to truly declare that today is March 12, 2012 and that it is 6:24 p.m.? 

I guess that's just something to think about. 

Simplicity at its best.

Interesting Fact of the Day: YouTube was first launched in the United States on February 15, 2005.

Since it was first launched, exactly six years ago, the popular online site has grown tremendously, gaining more and more viewers to this day. This led me to question why some online sites are successful, while others are not. The answer is easy: its simplicity. Users around the world have acknowledged this as the reason for their success. Not only are sites such as Google and YouTube user-friendly, the concept behind them is also simple. YouTube was established to broadcast videos, while Google was created as an "idiot-proof" search engine. These ideas are simple, and can be applied by anyone, anywhere. It is this simplicity that has established the success of these popular sites.

This idea of simplicity particularly relates to Japanese language. When translated to English, the words and meaning of the novel (The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea) seem distant and, in a sense, cold. However, this is due to the simplicity of the language, where the characters represent words and have intricate meanings behind them. However, it is this simplicity that renders the novel so interesting. Without going into extravagant details, Mishima is able to convey his thoughts and ideas effectively, creating a beautiful novel. I suppose that it is with this that readers are able to understand the true meaning of simplicity as the "ultimate sophistication." (Leonardo da Vinci)

A love worth dying for....

"A love worth dying for, a love that consumes you" (Mishima, 41) 

Since tomorrow is Valentines Day, it is kind of necessary to mention something that had to do with love, or happiness. When I made this realization, I realized that I knew the perfect quote, noted above. Ryuji, a sailor, is not speaking about Fusako, the lady he is in love with, but rather, the sea. The sea is his idea of glory, his idea of happiness. To Ryuji, the sea is a kind of salvation, something he uses to detach himself "from the land forever". However, it later becomes his whole life, something that completely consumes him. Only when he detaches himself from it, to marry Fusako does he feel unhappy, out of place. Ironically enough, it is Noboru, the son of Fusako, that reunites him with the sea, using a unique approach-one that will remain unnamed, since I don't want to completely ruin the story.

Summer and Winter

"It was the spring of hope, the winter of despair"  (A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens)

In The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea, the two different parts are titled Summer and Winter, each representing not only the activities taking place, but also the characters' psyches and relationships. For Noboru, summer was quite literally a time of hope, where he hopes to experience joy and happiness. He learns about ships and the life of a sailor, and even creates an indestructible order. However, as time passes by, he feels more anger accumulate within him, as Ryuji breaks this circle of life.

I truly believe that one's surroundings and environment do influence one's psyche. I feel that in the summertime, I do feel a lot happier, or actually, energetic. In the winter, when I am enclosed inside, without sunlight and merely darkness, I do feel a lot gloomier, without energy. Although I realize that winter is just as beautiful, summer air just has a different feel, a relaxed feel. But, I guess that's life. You have to feel sadness to know what happiness is.

The Universal Order

The concept of the ideal order or "circle of life" is not a new one. However, in The Sailor who Fell from Grace with the Sea, this outline of one's model life is revealed by the protagonist, Noboru. In his mind, the universal order is this:

Noboru and mother-mother and man-man and sea-sea and Noboru...

Although I understand the desire to create a safe, structured diamond connecting the relationships of many people, I don't identity with need to establish an imaginary arrangement that could be destroyed easily. Noboru himself realizes this, recognizing that the destruction of his order would mean "the end of the world" (13). This forces the reader to question the true idea of relationships and whether, subconsciously, we ourselves create a composition that embodies our idea of perfection. To Noboru, the above configuration is rendered perfect. Only later in the novel does he realize the pain stakes that he must endure to keep this state of perfection alive, bringing about the query of what humans will endure to maintain the idealistic view of perfection.