Hospitality's Consequences

Hospitality plays a big role in the Odyssey. It helps Odysseus and Telemachus in their journey numerous times. However, hospitality, and the rules that come with it, has not always been pleasing to everyone, specifically the suitors. The rules of hospitality are very important and must be followed by all mortals, or else they are subject to suffer the wrath of Zeus. When Polyphemus the cyclops was not hospitable to his guest he was blinded and payed a consequence for it (book 9, lines 265-271). The suitor paid the greatest price for their disregard to the rules of hospitality. They would dishonor their host’s house by eating them out of house and home. This did not please Zeus who is the the god of stranger. Eventually the sun set on their party and they felt the consequences for their actions.

Goats and Pigs

1. Explain the differences between the swineherd and the goatherd. What do you think will happen to them?

Eumaeus is Odysseus’ trusted swineherd who takes him when he appears as a beggar. By doing this he shows great hospitality. He does not approve of the suitors and their deeds. Whereas Melanthius, the goatherd, treats Odysseus bad by jeering him like the suitors do. He also has not show hospitality by treating the supposed stranger poorly. It has been shown throughout the book that those who do not show hospitality have bad things happen to them. Therefore, it can be assumed that the swineherd will be spared the wrath of Odysseus and the gods, and will also be held in high esteem. On the other hand, the goatherd will most likely be killed when Odysseus and Telemachus take their revenge on the suitors, will the help of Pallas Athena and stranger loving Zeus.

Hospitality in Odyssey

Compare and contrast the hospitality shown to Telemachus on his journeys to that shown to Odysseus by the Phaeacians. How is it the same? How is it different?


In the book, Telemachus and Odysseus stay at many kings’ houses. Each time they came to a new king’s house they were welcomed in, bathed, fed, and given many gifts.  King Menelaus and king Alcinous both gave a decorated cup to their guest as gifts (book 4, line 622 and book 8, line 465). Both were given a feast where they were featured as the guest of honor. Telemachus was welcomed, fed, and bathed without question, however he was not given gifts until he told his name and where he was from. Whereas, Odysseus was given a chest full of gifts before being questioned, but he first had to prove his strength and character (book 8). The Phaeacians gave Odysseus more than Telemachus got from his host because Odysseus did not have as much as Telemachus. Also, while visiting the Phaeacians, Odysseus came in contact with more kings than Telemachus, who provided him with gifts.

Penelope

In the first four books, we are also introduced to Telemachus' mother and Odysseus' wife, Penelope. Using textual evidence, discuss her role in the story so far.


Penelope plays a significant role in the book since she is responsible for bringing suitors to Odysseus’ house. The suitors eat everything in the house and kill all of the livestock (chapter 2, line 53-62). The suitors do not respect Telemachus as a man and continue to destroy his house, against his word. Telemachus grows tired of this and decides to go on a journey to bring his father home and cement his manhood. However, he leaves in secret because he does not want his mother, Penelope, to find out. If she knew, she would cry and try to stop him because she does not want him to go (chapter 2, line 397-400). Meanwhile, at Odysseus’ house, the suitors that Penelope attracted     plan to kill Telemachus when he returns. If it were not for Penelope, there would be no suitors to terrorize Telemachus’ house, and he may have never gone on this odyssey.

The Courage of Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass embodies what it means to be courageous. No matter what trials he faced, he always persevered. Many obstacles were placed in his path that could have given him reason to quit. But, from his youth, he used his wits to gain knowledge that would help him to endure. Courage was something that carried him through tough times. Although it took him many years to escape, he never gave up and kept trying to escape until he finally did. Even when faced with death, he stood strong and fought for what he believed in. When the bonds of slavery had tired his spirit, he found it within himself to keep fighting until he was free, both in his mind and from the tyranny of slavery.

How Education is Related to Freedom

In the autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, how is education related to human freedom?

Education is related to human freedom, because having it allows you to understand things better and empowers you to become more than you are or improve your present state. Generally, uneducated people were thought to be ignorant and more inclined to be taken advantage of by others. This was seen with the slaves who were prohibited in getting education. The slave owners wanted them to remain ignorant so they would not seek their freedom or question things, but just do as they were told. Frederick Douglass was able to acquire knowledge that allowed him to better understand his state and detest the slave owners and speak his mind. Becoming aware or knowledgeable of certain things gives you the ability to refute things that are presented to you and not just accept what is said as factual by others. The more education or knowledge a person acquires, the more he or she has the ability to solve problems. In the case of the slaves that Frederick Douglass spoke about, it allowed them to at least have freedom in the mind, although they may have still been in bondage through slavery. Given that, you are able to make better informed decisions, or at least have your own opinion taking into consideration what you have learned. Education gives knowledge which in turn helps you to use it to your advantage. In the case of Frederick Douglass, he used it to obtain his freedom.

The Lack of Education and its Effects on Slavery

Why is the ability to read and write a statement about freedom?

Education plays a fundamental role in every person's life. It allows us to think creatively and express our thoughts, and even obtain jobs. The slaves did not have access to schools or education, and therefore, most could not read or write. The ability to read and write enables you to apply your freedom of speech more effectively. Given that the slaves were not educated enough to read and write and obtain the same information that their slave owners possessed, they did not feel empowered with knowledge to act on securing their freedom and encouraged to seek something more than bondage. One of the ways the slave masters kept the slaves at bay was to tell them that if they rebelled against their master they would be disobeying the word of God. If the slaves had access to, and could read, the Bible they would realize that this was not true and become “unmanageable”. The slaves would realize that the Bible sends a message of love and not hate, and that it teaches that God is no respecter of persons and neither should we be. Other books contained useful information that would open up the understanding of the slaves regarding the world and the practice of slavery as being something frowned upon by others. Education is knowledge, and knowledge is power.

“Education and slavery were incompatible with each other.” - ‘Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass’, chapter 7, page 22.

Fear to Tame

What was the reason for the harsh punishment of slaves for minor offenses?

Fear was used to keep the slaves from running away and rebelling. It is the same measures we use to teach our children not to do certain things. If you want your child to stop sucking their thumb, you might tell them that if they suck their thumb too much, then it will turn green and fall off. You may also show them pictures of green thumbs to discourage this bad habit. When a slave did something their master did not like, the master would whip them not only to teach them a lesson, but to send a message to the other slaves that if you do what they did, you will be punished. If the slaves had no reason to fear the repercussions of their actions, then there would be nothing stopping them from revolting against their masters. Instilling fear in the slaves, would minimize the chances of a rebellion. This method of running a plantation was cruel and wrong, but very effective in keeping the slaves at bay.

The Art of Romanticism

I chose “Orpheus Leading Eurydice from the Underworld” by Camille Corot. This painting tells the story of two lovers that did anything to be together (see description picture below). Romantic poetry is, as the name implies, very romantic. The most common themes in romantic poems are emotion, nature, and idealism. Most romantic poetry are love poems. This painting shows idealism because the couple in the painting is trying to accomplish an unrealistic task. This painting embodies romanticism because it has idealism, emotion, and nature.

Comparison of "A Poison Tree" by William Blake and “Work without Hope" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Compare (what is the same?) and contrast (what is different?) the use of figurative language in two of the poems in your sub-genre reader. Please include the poems in your response.


I will be comparing the poems “A Poison Tree" by William Blake and “Work without Hope" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge.


A Poison Tree
By William Blake

I was angry with my friend;
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.

And I waterd it in fears,
Night and morning with my tears:
And I sunned it with smiles,
And with soft deceitful wiles.

And it grew both day and night.
Till it bore an apple bright.
And my foe beheld it shine,
And he knew that it was mine.

And into my garden stole,
When the night had veiled the pole;
In the morning glad I see;
My foe outstretched beneath the tree.



Work without Hope
By Samuel Taylor Coleridge

All Nature seems at work. Slugs leave their lair—
The bees are stirring—birds are on the wing—
And Winter slumbering in the open air,
Wears on his smiling face a dream of Spring!
And I the while, the sole unbusy thing,
Nor honey make, nor pair, nor build, nor sing.


Yet well I ken the banks where amaranths blow,
Have traced the fount ‘whence streams of nectar flow.
Bloom, O ye amaranths! bloom for whom ye may,
For me ye bloom not! Glide, rich streams, away!
With lips unbrightened, wreathless brow, I stroll:
And would you learn the spells that drowse my soul?
Work without Hope draws nectar in a sieve,
And Hope without an object cannot live.



The figurative language used most between these two poems is metaphor. For example, in “A Poison Tree” when it says ‘And I watered it in fears, Night and morning with my tears’, the speaker is using his fears and tears to grow his anger, just as water is used to grow a plant. A metaphor is also found in the second to last line in “Work Without Hope”. In this sentence ‘Work without Hope draws nectar in a sieve’ refers to hope eventually being drained away, similar to nectar slowly draining through the sieve. Personification is also used in “Work Without Hope”. Winter is being characterized like a human, in “Work Without Hope” where it's stated ‘And Winter slumbering in the open air, Wears on his smiling face a dream of Spring’. Also, personification is used in “A Poison Tree” although it is not as easily identified. Here, wrath is being indirectly personified as a slow growing tree which eventually bears poison fruit. Both poems make good use of figurative language to strongly convey their message to the readers.

The Figurative Language In 'Introduction to Poetry'

Choose one of the poems that we have studied in your reader, and analyze the figurative language in it. Make sure to choose a poem rich with figurative language if you choose this option. What kind of figurative language does the poem have (give examples from the poem), and how does this help to create meaning?

            The poem "Introduction to Poetry", by Billy Collins, is full of different types of figurative languages. In the first stanza, ‘I ask to take a poem and hold it up to the light like a color slide’, a simile is being used. A simile makes a comparison between two different things and shows how they are similar to each other. Billy Collins is comparing poems to a color slide which holds pictures or images that can be difficult to be seen without the light. So, he’s encouraging us to examine the poems for  information that may not be readily revealed, just like we would do by holding up the color slide to the light to see the information it contains. Metaphor, personification, and symbol are also used throughout this poem. The figurative language used in this poem helps it to tell its message in a much more interesting and effective way.

Enjambment's Real Cool

In "We Real Cool," Gwendolyn Brooks uses the poetic element of enjambment. Why do you think she does this, and how does it affect the meaning of the poem?

The poet Gwendolyn Brooks uses enjambment to create a hard hitting poem about seven boys whose life choices lead them down a spiralling path of bad consequences. The use of enjambment in this poem forces readers to speed up as they read the poem, giving them the feeling of time speeding up. Because of this, her poem serves as a strong message to kids to stay in school and make good choices, because if you do not it can lead to unwanted consequences very quickly. The boys felt they were too "cool" to be in school and they could prosper by playing pool, drinking, and jazzing. Their actions quickly conclude with their early deaths as the poet states in th last line. Rhyming also plays a big role in aiding the flow of the poem allowing it to be read more smoothly. The enjambment allows the readers to experience this powerful message at a rapid pace with but a few well placed words. 

The Marake Coming of Age Ceremony

       The Marake Ceremony is a coming of age ritual usually only for young boys. When the parents of the child thinks that he/she is ready, typically when they are between the ages 5-8, they take them to the local shaman, who holds one of the highest positions in the Amazonian's eyes, to initiate the ceremony. The ceremony is seen by most as very brutal, although it is seen as normal by these Amazonian tribes. The ceremony is conducted by taking a kunana with live bullet ants, or wasp, stuck to it. Kunanas are intricately designed mats made out of woven bamboo (see picture No. 1). Usually they are shaped like animals (see picture No. 2). If the child succeeds in becoming a man they are allowed to keep the kunana that was used on them as a symbol of their accomplishment. The shaman repeatedly places the side of the kunana that has the bullet ants stingers protruding from it all over the child's body. This is a very painful process for the child. If the child reacts to the stings then he has failed and will have to wait another year to go through the ceremony again. Because of the large amount of toxins that are released into the body from the ant stings, children are typically left disabled anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of weeks. Because of this, dancing is done after the initiation to get the child's blood circulating so that the toxins leave the body faster.

(Picture No.1)

       From the onlookers perspective this is a very harsh and unpleasant experience, but for the young boys about to be initiated this is a very exciting event. In the eyes of the Amazons this is as normal and "cruel" as taking your child to the dentist or to get a shot. Although the process is painful the children look forward to the day when they finally become a man. To prepare the children for the ceremony, the parents sting the children with the ants to help their bodies get used to the stings and the toxins. The ceremony is a moment the children have been waiting for ever since they can remember. The reason for the ceremony is to prove if the boys can take the pain endured by the stings without complaint, they should be able to endure the things that they may confront later in life as men such as battles and injuries. The motivation overrides the fear of the child and he steps forward to become a man. In the end the pain and the toxins from the ant stings is but a small price to pay for the victory that is achieved .

(Picture No.2)

       Although the Marake Ceremony is under American standards as child abuse, because of the pain inflicted on the child, the Houston Museum of Natural History's "Out of The Amazon: Life on The River" exhibit presents the life of the Amazons in a non offensive and unbiased manner. This is good because until we have walked in another persons shoes we can not truly understand the behavior or traditions of the individual.

The Differnce Between The Writer of a Poem and The Author

What is The Difference Between The Speaker of a Poem and The Poet?

The poet of a poem is the person who writes it and the speaker is whom the poem's point of view is from. These two are often mistakenly thought of as one and the same by the general public. In the poem "Monologue for an Onion" the speaker of the poem is an onion and the poet is Suji Kwock Kim. Sometimes the writer of the poem is also the speaker of the poem. For example, in the poem "Introduction to Poetry" Billy Collins is both the poet and the speaker. Understanding who the speaker of the poem is may help the reader better understand the message of the poem.