The Inferno: post one

Laugh you may, but in the Hannah Montana Movie the quote goes, "life's a climb but the view is great." You cant give up or give into anything while climbing that hill (life), you just have to keep your eye on the prize and when it seems to get steeper push through it and keep climbing. The poet in the story, Dante finds himself on a path of darkness. We can see the symbolizism within the first few lines of the poem. He states, “Midway on our life’s journey, I found myself / In dark woods, the right road lost” (I.1–2). Here we see how this brings us back to our own lives with "our" life journey, and the right road being that of honor and gloryfying God. He seems to have lost his way off of his true path, but cant seem to figure out how he got there, "I cannot well repeat how there I entered,/ So full was I of slumber at the moment/ In which I had abandoned the true way."(I.10-13) Dante sees a hill that at the top has a light gleaming down upon it, but when he goes to climb that mountain he is met by 3 beasts; a leopard, a lion, and a she-wolf, which all have him turn back. I see these beasts as symbols of dark forces, also being sins. Although unsure of its whereabouts I know through my biblical teachings that in the Bible they speak of these beasts. That the lion will eventually come to slay them, and the lepord is for watching the city, and a wolf will spoil them. Therefor right from the get go the plot of the story gets underway that involves Christian doctrine that brings us to our own lives, religious or not. You dont have to be a believer to relate to this story. Everyone goes through hard times, and the light is difficult to get to. Some give up but others dig deep, as for Dante, he gave up the climb and returned to the dark and scary valley. Dante meets up with Virgil, a poet that Dante admires and enjoys. Dante tells about the beasts that kept him from reaching the top of the hill. Virgil informs Dante that the She-Wolf will kill anything in her path. But he also says that a day will come when she will be chased back into Hell where she belongs. So they're off, Virgil and Dante on the climb to reach the top. However before they can climb the hill they must first pass through the place of eternal punishment, aka Hell. Then they will continue to a place of lesser punishment being Purgatory. After all is done then can they reach the light which is God's city of eternal life, Heaven. Dante links his poem to the larger traditional Christian beliefs. Everyone undergoes trials and tribulations in their search to find themsevles in life. THey go forth making mistakes, but also learning from them to discover the soul’s true path in life. Christian doctrine says that all people know some form of sin and will wander and give into that temptation from time to time. THe path to the blessed and eternal life in Heaven however awaits anyone who seeks to find it. Dante makes it to where you put yourself in his position at the beginning of the poem.
The journey of Dante and Virgil goes on and they come to the gates of Hell. “Abandon all hope, you who enter here,” is the greeting before entering the gate. As they enter Dante hears crying and suffering from the souls that have no place. THey lived their life undecisive of whether to live out an honorable life for God or deny Him to earn them a place in Hell, therefor both Heaven and Hell have denied them. This book is very detailed you could say on how descriptive it is. Flies and wasps continually bite them, and worms consume the blood and tears that flow from them. I cant imagine witnessing all of this. I know for myself i'd have the need to pray, but then what would happen to me. Hell is where you have dishonored or denied God. Although Dante wasnt condemned to hell would he not be able to speak to or of his Heavenly Father? It says in the Bible "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."(phillipians 4:13) It being Hell was God still with them? I guess i will just keep reading to see.

A Midsummer Nights Dream...to the end!

In Act III we are still in the woods to start with where the characters meet to reherse. One item they discuss is having to lion to be too scary to the women. This makes me laugh because how can a guy be too scary because, "lion among ladies is a most dreadful thing. For there is not a more fearful wildfowl than your lion living. And we ought to look to ’t."(III.i.11-14) The final solution that "another prologue must tell he is not a lion."(III.i.15) Their acting must be amazing if they can have the crowd thinking there is a real lion up there. As the characters continue acting and working out the kinks, Puck transforms Bottom’s head into that of a donkey. It ends up scaring the men away and Bottom is left. What Bottom didnt know is that he would be the next victim of the "love potion." Titania awakes and first thing her juice dropped eyes see is Bottom and his donkey head. "What angel wakes me from my flowery bed?"(III.i.60) After Titania expresses her love towards Bottom, he goes to reply that she has no reason to love her. Besides they just met and had nothing going on before. Bottom says, "And yet, to say the truth, reason and love keep little company together nowadays."(III.i.70-71), which is saying that reason and love have very little to do with one another. I disagree with this point because in order to love someone there has to be more than just a first look. I dont believe in love at first sight and i think having a reason to love someone are important because those reasons are what makes them special to you. But of coarse we are not talking about true love here...its love through magic, through potion. With the love triangle already being affected by the potion, Shakespeare creates more and more chaos through the young lovers by making a romance across groups. Overall act three just sets up and develops the plot of what is to come from the lovers. Act IV seems to play the role of all the solutions to every problem. It becomes the answer, and the happy ending to the love unbalance. Act V gets underway and the men and women take their seats. The prologue then gets spoken andQuince's strange pauses make many question, so that he says, “Our true intent is. All for your delight / We are not here. That you should here repent you,” (V.i.114–115). After the play, Bottom plays out and pretends to kill himself. When given the oportunity between a final epilouge or dance, Theseus chooses the dance. A Midsummer Night’s Dream, sort of gives you an idea of what is to be expected in the book dreams and mystical characters. But Shakespeare does an excellent job relating darkness and love together but keeping it a comedy. Have you ever had something so great or even so bad happen that you thought it couldnt be real it was just a dream? Well thats what happens to the lovers after their magical night in the forest ends. They lovers begin to grow suspicious that their experience in the woods was nothing but a dream. In the famous final speech of the play, "If we shadows have offended,/ Think but this, and all is mended—/ That you have but slumbered here/ While these visions did appear./ And this weak and idle theme,/ No more yielding but a dream,/ Gentles, do not reprehend./ If you pardon, we will mend./And, as I am an honest Puck,/ If we have unearnèd luck/ Now to ’scape the serpent’s tongue,/ We will make amends ere long./ Else the Puck a liar call./ So good night unto you all./ Give me your hands if we be friends,/ And Robin shall restore amends."(V.i.383-398) Puck says that if audience members didnt enjoy the play, they were dreaming throughout it. Overall i enjoyed this book a lot more than other Shakespeare stories, i just didnt like how there was a play inside of this play because at times it got confusing for me.

A Midsummer Night's Dream Act II

Act II introduces us to a fairy who serves Queen Titania and Robin or also known as puck. They discuss of their masters going to the woods that evening, and the problems that would happen. That being said not long after Oberon and Titania arrive. Jealousy strikes an argument showing yet another realisitic relationship problem. Titania has stolen a young Indian boy and Oberon demands that Titania give the boy to him. "I do but beg a little changeling boy, /To be my henchman."(II.i.105-106) Titania doesnt give him up though. Oberon wants to get back at Titania and make her fall in love with him. Demetrius finds Helena in the woods and tells her to go away even after he heres about Hermia and Lysander. Her plan fails, "I love thee not, therefore pursue me not." (II.i.173) So yet again Demetrius tells her he doesnt want to be with her, and he has no feelings for her. Oberon was hiding in the woods the whole time Demetrius and Helena were argueing, and unsure why but he decides to make Demetrius fall in love with Helena. He tells Robin Goodfellow to take some of the potion stuff and use it on Demetrius. The puck agrees, and goes off to carry out his errand. Titania calls for a quick dance in the woods with her fairies, after which they sing her to sleep. Oberon takes the opportunity to sneak up and drop the pansy juice onto her closed eyelids. Soon thereafter Lysander and Hermia, tired of walking and having lost their way, decide to go to sleep as well. They lie down, but Hermia demands that Lysander sleep a short distance away in order to keep up her sense of modesty since she is not married to him yet. The puck sees Lysander lying apart from Hermia and thinks that he was the man Oberon spoke about. The drops then go onto Lysander's eyes and the plan was done. Helena keeps following Demetrius but on the voyage she comes across Lysander sleeping. She shakes him awake, and now becomes the first person he sees making him fall in love due to the potion. "And run through fire I will for thy sweet sake./ Transparent Helena! Nature shows art/ That through thy bosom makes me see thy heart./ Where is Demetrius? Oh, how fit a word/ Is that vile name to perish on my sword!"(II.ii.77-80) The potion is like cupid with his arrows, the person shot falls in love with the person they first see. When Helena is told that Lysander loves her she doesnt think its true and takes it personally and gets angry at him. Lysander decides to forget about Hermia and follow Helena instead. Hermia wakes up to find Lysander no where, and decides to go search for him.

A Midsummer Nights Dream ACT I

Hippolyta, a young and anxious newely wed to be, is preparing for a large festival for her and her soon to be husband Thesueus. Thesues is the Duke of Athens, and to my suprise got Hippolyta to fall in love with him with violence towards her. "Hippolyta, I wooed thee with my sword /And won thy love doing thee injuries. /But I will wed thee in another key, / With pomp, with triumph, and with reveling."(I.i.16-19) As the play gets going we are introduced by the father of Hermia, who happens to not want the same thing her father wants. It is unfortunate that the man she loves, and the man her dad wants her to marry are not the same. Since Thesues is the Duke, Egeus, Hermia's father goes to him in anger with hopes that Theseus can either make his daughter marry Demetrius or have the power to kill her, because since she does belong to her father the law says that he can. I think this action is far too intense for such an issue. You cant help who you fall in love with, and you cant just be happy with whomever. It's too bad that her dad can't be understanding and give Lysander a chance. Besides Lysander makes his daughter happy and isn't that what every parent wants, besides the fact that they also want the best for them. Here we have another argument, do parents always know whats best for their children? Or do they have to lay off sometimes and let them find out whats best for themselves? I'm one who truly believes in "we live and we learn." So how can she know what's best for her if she doesnt figure it out for herself. Theseus and Hermia have a long talk about her options. She questions what the worst to happen could be by saying, "But I beseech your grace that I may know / The worst that may befall me in this case, / If I refuse to wed Demetrius"(I.i.62-64), Theseus tells her straight forward she has only that of two options, she must marry Demetrius or join a nunnery. Lysander not wanting to give up just yet asks Hermia to sneak into the woods the next night so that they may get married at his aunt's house outside of Athens. Clearly nothing sank in after her talk with the duke because she agrees to the plan. We're now also introduced to Helena who says to love Dometrius far more than Hermia ever could. Lysander tells her to not worry since he and Hermia are sneaking away that night. Helena only wanting one thing decides to tell Demetrius about his sweet Hermia's plans because that might make him start to love her again. This sounds like a typical teen love story, filled with jealousy and back-stabbing. It's not unordinary that the girl will rat out Hermia, because that will make Demetrius get mad and not want Hermia anymore. Also in Act I scene I line 134, it says, "The course of true love never did run smooth," which is so true. Every relationship will run into bumps in the road along the way but true love always overcomes it. For the Duke's wedding a group of men went around figuring out who would be good enough to perform in it. The play is based on Pyramus and Thisbe, and is meant to be a comedy but also a tradgedy all at the same time. One of the actors, Nick Bottom is afraid that if he makes the lion in the play too real, it might be too scary for a wedding night and get them all killed. They all agree to go into the woods that night to rehearse their lines and fix all the little mistakes.

Macbeth Act V

Lady Macbeth is going insane now probably partially because her son was just stabbed and killed by a murderer. HEre we see her character trading places with Macbeths because now he is the type of guy who just doesnt care, and morals have been just shot to nothing, and now Lady Macbeth is having visions of blood on her hands that cant be washed away symbolizing the guilt that which she has. In her moment of trance, she states that, "What's done cannot be undone." (V.i.71) We are now starting to see the plans between the armies and the battle to come. We can assume that there will be many deaths because it is Shakespeare of coarse. Later on while making his castle look more like he wants, he is told the news that his wife is dead. Macbeth goes onn to speak that life is “a tale / Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, / Signifying nothing” (V.v.28-30). Macbeth is no longer this confident guy anymore who thinks that consequences for his actions wont occur. He sees that with every action comes a reaction, and now all he can do is be ready to fight. Once the fighting begins we see all the action taking underway and when Macduff enters the scene he is in search for Macbeth, for he wants that revenge for what Macbeth did to his family. Eventually they come across one another and begin to fight. It could go any way but Macbeth gets a reality check when he tries to tell Macduff about how he cant die due to the witches prophecy. Macduff finally says he's wrong and due to wording of the prophecy Macbeth can in fact be killed. Macbeth now fears for his life but wont go out without a fight. The fight didnt go Macbeth's way however, as Maduff enters the final scene with Macbeths head. NOw Macduff is finally announced the king and everything that Macbeth had done to be king was nothing now. It goes to show that karma always gets back to you. The people feel more of a comfort with Macduff being king as shown by Siward, "Here comes newer / comfort."(V.vii.54)

Macbeth Act IV

Act IV introduces the witches to the readers yet again. Something that has bothered me throughout the whole play however is how each witch appears. Not your average witch that usually has a long pointy hat and a broom, these ones have beards. Macbeth comes to see the witches as they had thought would happen. HE yet again asks many questions that has him a bit confused. Macduff has now left the scene like many of the characters do. However he leaves his wife and children behind. Macduff's family are in danger because a group of murderes are sent after them. Throughout the play we see the whole theme of what makes a man a man. Macduff in my opinion is a coward. He just left his family behind because he was scared. When his wife was even warned to flee she refuses. HOw can you just leave your family behind, and to have them defend for themselves. In the end Macduff figures out his wife and kids were murded and feels terrible. Macduff feels angry and is now determined to seek revenge on Macbeth. So yet again Macbeth has something coming to him because of his actions. Lady Macbeth and their son ends up being killed by murderers and its to seek vengance on Macbeth. The reason i think this is, is because the murderer when asking for where Lady Macbeth's husband is, he states "He's a traitor." (IV.III.80) Overall in Act IV it just gets us set up for what's to come to Macbeth.

Macbeth Act III

Act II gets underway and thoughts by Banquo start coming up. He is starting to feel insecure, and has a bad feeling of what is to come about. Reminiscing on what the witches had spoke of, he has a feeling that himself and his line were endangered. "As the weird women promised, and, I fear, / Thou play'dst most foully for't: yet it was said / It should not stand in thy posterity." (III.I.2-4) If the first prophecy came true what was stopping the second one? At this point I think Banquo has an idea that it was Macbeth who murdered the king and i also believe he knows that Macbeth is going off the deep end of dark thoughts. HE's not the friend that he once knew anymore. Macbeth now king, fears Banquo and must get rid of him immediately. Macbeth gets servants who will soon become the murderers of Banquo, and tells them of what all Banquo has done to them that isn;t the greatest. "Both of you / Know Banquo was your enemy." (III.i.113-114) This gets them inspired, but Macbeth also wants Fleance out of the picture. Macbeth now being the sly one, comes up with the plan to kill Banquo and Fleance at night after the feast. He asks Lady Macbeth to be nice to them during that evening so nothing looks suspicious. THis reminds me of the whole saying, "what happens behind closed doors", becuase to many Macbeth and his wife seem perfectly fine and are seemed to have a healthy relationship but behind that closed door are their many many secrets that now haunt them. NOw with Banquo and Fleance on their way, the murderers get set up and ready. Once the time is right, the murderers jump out and attack killing Banquo on the spot but unfortunately for them Fleance sneaks away. Macbeth is growing used to the idea of an evil man's mind in the fact that he comes up with ideas to take out those who stand in his way. We again see Macbeth go through an unstable state of mind because at dinner he see's Banquos's ghost. It is unclear whether Banquo’s ghost really sits in Macbeth’s chair or whether it is only a hallucination inspired by guilt. HOwever the difference now is that other people are witnessing it, and they see their king lose his mind. Lady Macbeth covers for her husband by coming up with excuses for him. "You have displaced the mirth, broke the / good meeting, / With most admired disorder." (III.IV.109-111) Lady Macbeth just simply thinks that the both should retire and get some sleep because latley that is something they've lacked.

Macbeth Act II

In Act II we start to see a loyal friendship between Banquo and Macbeth crumble. Macbeth refuses to tell Banquo what had happened, and when Banquo tries to talk to him about the witches he just goes on to lie and say that he hasnt even thought of them since the encounter. How can that be, and how could Banquo believe this? If someone tells you that you will be king, but also what is to come in order to reach that point you know you'd be thinking of it. Macbeth is definately going off the deep end here, and as we see his sanity is decreasing. He is starting to see things that he himself questions. Like when Banquo goes to leave the castle and Macbeth sees a dagger that he fails to grasp. Is it a “dagger of the mind, a false creation / Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain” (II.i.41-42). Lady Macbeth comes about in the play again with a strong will towards Duncan's death. How could Macbeth not pull of the entire plan. She had everything planned perfectly from every stand point. Does she show some sort of love however by saying she would've killed DUncan herself if it wasnt for the fact he resembled her own dad? WHat or where is her dad? I take it as he is dead but if it were true that he was no longer living doesnt she take into consideration what he would think? Maybe its a religion thing, because i know if i do something i always feel ashamed if i did something bad because those who are watching over me are disappointed. Maybe she is the way she is because of her father, and he would understand. Banquo is reintroduced as now an ally but also a potential threat to Macbeth, all because he is aware of the witches prophecies for Macbeth. But Fleance, Banquo's son is said to be sitting on the throne, which is yet another problem for what Macbeth strives for. In order to have the throne he will have to get rid of Fleance, but also his friend Banquo. For Macbeth being unstable he plays off the murder at the right times. Macbeth leads Macduff to the king's chamber even though no one trully knows what had happened and why the king has not awakened yet. “O horror, horror, horror!” (II.III.63) It is now aware that the king has been murdered, and everyone is on edge. Duncan's son have fled the scene because they are worried about their safety since someone is out to get their family but because they just up and leave so quickly, people are suspicous that it was them who did such a thing. Why would they want to kill their own dad though? They had the throne coming their way as it was why would they want that to happen? We are starting to see Macbeth turn into what can be considered an evil man. He no longer has guilt but just keeps his eye on the prize sort of speak. His purpose is to become the king and hold on to that throne, and now nothing will stop him from doing so.

Macbeth Act 1

We see from the beginning of the play a loyal and noble man named Macbeth. However three withches come into play and say that they will meet up when, "the battle's lost and won", or when "foul is fair and fair is foul." (I.i.10) It is never the same after Macbeth meets up with these witches because he gets told of a prophecy of his own life and whats to come. It discusses him going through violent acts which go as far as killing. How he can go through with everything is never really understood, even after he is told of what is to come. Wouldn't you try and avoid all this if you were to be told? It's sorta like if you were to be told the day you were to die...you from that moment decide to live your life and not let anything hold you back. All of this is because you were forwarned of what lies ahead. Duncan is the king of Scottland who happens to be the first victim of Macbeths. He is a key guy who is in the way of Macbeth and how much power he has. In order to reach the top he must get rid of Duncan. Banquo Macbeths loyal friend, who is kind of like a brother, is there every step of the way. In Act I we first are introduced to the witches, and each refer to Macbeth as something different. All that which are titles he will gain however. A shocked Macbeth takes a minute to take in what had really just happened. When he tries to get more information out of the witches they just dissapear into thin air. Later on when Banquo and Macbeth are conversing with Duncan, Duncan speaks of his son being given the throne. So yet again Macbeth sees this as an obstacle of himself gaining the power, and the throne. Thinking of what he is going to do Macbeth decides to have Duncan over for dinner at Macbeths house. Then here we are introduced to a character who plays a big role on what is to come...Lady Macbeth. She is clearly the one who holds the power in the relationship. Could that be why Macbeth will stop at nothing to gain the throne? So that for once he has power. Either way when Lady Macbeth finds out about the withces prophecies Duncan is doomed, because now Macbeth will find out there is no turning back. When Macbeth is having second thoughts on everything, Lady Macbeth decides to pursuade him by saying he isn't a man unless he goes through with the plan. “When you durst do it,” she says, “then you were a man” (I.VII.49) The only problem Macbeth sees is that this would bring a series of consequences, and thats the one thing he doesnt want. I see this as being selfish. It's all about what Macbeth wants. He doesnt want to go through with the plan because he will have consequences when anyone who has a heart wouldnt want to perform this deed because it isn't right. He realizes that there is no reason to murder the king other than that of his own ambition. I feel at this point his mind is only made up by that of Lady Macbeth. She makes him go forth with the plan, and she comes up with the plan of killing Duncan. She has decided to use the guards as their cover up. How this would be is get the guards drunk, and while they have no idea whats going on go into Duncans room and kill him while he is at sleep. This would help them get off easy, by putting the blame on someone else. It is hard for me to believe the guards had no idea what was going on. Drunk and all wouldn't they have some sort of idea? The time comes and it's do or die now. He goes forth with the deed, and once done he returns to an awaiting Lady Macbeth. Macbeth is very shaken up to the point to where Lady Macbeth has to return to the room to finish the job and get rid of the murder weapon. I think this shows that Macbeth is not as strong and willing to do these types of deeds as his wife. She comes back perfectly fine, but he comes back feeling guilty. The idea of the fact maybe somewhere in there he has morals is present in these scenes. Macbeth knows what he does is wrong, and he recognizes that there will surely be consequences due to his actions. This is so realistic because when we do something wrong we feel guilty no matter how big the crime or whatever was. However if you have morals, and you know right from wrong, you learn by living the mistakes and not letting them reoccur. So i argue that Macbeth doesnt have any, because even after his first crime, he goes on to do many many more, all for him to have power. As long as Lady Macbeth is in the picture, i believe Macbeth will stop at nothing.