{"content":{"sharePage":{"page":0,"digests":[{"id":"36139644","dateCreated":"1300476723","smartDate":"Mar 18, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"caro3arias","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/caro3arias","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/davidgarethw-books-b.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/36139644"},"dateDigested":1531973844,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"to be or not to be","description":"To be or not to be
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\nIn this soliloquy, Hamlet weighs the pros and cons of dying. He reflects on whether it is worth it to suffer life\u2019s many despairs. He also thinks about the reasons people do not kill themselves more often: they are scared of the unknown that is death. Since no one has come back from death, taking a leap into the untraveled is just too scary. People would rather bear the sweat and pain than throw themselves into a mysterious destiny. He wonders if dying is as easy as sleeping or dreaming. He finishes by saying that great and important plans are diluted by our ignorance.
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\nAs far as content goes, Shakespeare could have easily made the same point about life or death without using the iambic pentameter. It is easy to wonder about death in prose; many have done it and made beautiful discoveries as the ramble out loud. The metaphors and figurative writing were beautiful: \u201cThe slings and arrows of outrageous fortune\/ Or to take arms against a sea of troubles\/ And by opposing end them?...\u201d
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\nAs for the rhythm and flow, this soliloquy could not be the same without it. Consider the following fragment:
\n
\nFor in that sleep of death what dreams may come
\nWhen we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
\nMust give us pause: there's the respect
\nThat makes calamity of so long life;
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\nThere is rhythm in these lines, a flow of syllables that rolls off your tongue with ease. All the lines are ten syllables or at least very close to this number. By using this form of writing, Shakespeare creates a uniform piece of writing, that is neat yet full of meaning. Not only does it sound good, the soliloquy overall looks neat and orderly. Appearance is very important to a piece of writing.
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\nShakespeare does not allow the iambic pentameter to restrict him. He does not follow the ten-syllable rule to the t. He merely aims for most of his lines to be close to 10 syllables: \u201cThe oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely\u2026\u201d Even though it does not follow the iambic pentameter exactly, it still has a good flow.
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\nShakespeare usage of the iambic pentameter in this soliloquy is admirable. He uses it accordingly and does not let the need for 10-syllable lines to control the content of the poem. The writing itself is beautiful, and full of metaphors: \u201cBut that the dread of something after death\/ The undiscover'd country from whose bourn\/ No traveler returns, puzzles the will\u201d.","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[],"more":0}]},{"id":"36136856","dateCreated":"1300473988","smartDate":"Mar 18, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"tammy_sev","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/tammy_sev","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/pic\/1285868666\/tammy_sev-lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/davidgarethw-books-b.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/36136856"},"dateDigested":1531973844,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"As you like it","description":"In Shakespeare\u2019s \u201cAs you like it\u201d, act 2, scene 7 the character, Jaques talks about how the whole world is a stage and men and women are actors. He describes the lives of men in seven acts. In the first act the future man is an infant. In the second he is the whining school boy, then he\u2019s a lover, then in the fourth he becomes a soldier eager to fight. In act five he is a judge he cuts his beard and knows good sayings and anecdotes. In the sixth act he has grown old he has glasses and a money bag beside him, and his voice now sounds like a childish treble. On the last act the man enters his second childhood with no teeth, no eyes, no taste, without everything.
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\nAlthough Shakespeare\u2019s iambic pentameter does bring a certain musicality to the play, to me it sometimes may be a restriction. The author that uses iambic pentameter is worried that what he or she is saying must fit in 10 syllables, and I imagine that this doesn\u2019t let them express themselves fully. This can also change the author\u2019s feelings the words that had inspired him now have changed into a certain structure depraving it from it\u2019s real meaning. Like for example instead of saying \u201cMewling and puking in the nurse\u2019s arms\u201d, he could have said something like, \u201cfeverously mobbing and spewing on the caring arms of his nurse\u201d. His freedom of expression has been limited.
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\nHowever the rhythm of the piece does act to the effect of the soliloquy. It brings a certain musicality to it, and also a way to make some words and lines stand out. He starts with his main point \u201cAll the world\u2019s a stage,\u201d which we can see stands out from the other lines since it is not in iambic pentameter, then he goes deeper by saying \u201cAnd all the men and women merely players\u201d which isn\u2019t in iambic pentameter either. Perhaps this is an advantage to iambic pentameter, you can choose points of focus in your writing by doing something that is different from the rest. It also highlights the main point of the soliloquy in which everything else is based. I think, though that metaphors, similes, and other figures of speech do work successfully with this kind of writing, since the main point is almost always highlighted at the end, like \u201cAnd shining morning face, creeping like snail\u201d the thing to which it compares \u201csnail\u201d is mentioned until the end making it the main focus of the line and pointing out this parts of speech more.
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\nAlthough iambic pentameter is shown to be useful sometimes I still don\u2019t understand why 10? And why can\u2019t it change to 5 or 3 sometimes? Maybe some kind of structure is necessary sometimes to keep balance, but I see that it is necessary to change the number of syllables sometimes to keep the reader interested, and not repetitively boring them with the same strict guides.","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[],"more":0}]},{"id":"36104236","dateCreated":"1300427693","smartDate":"Mar 17, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"maaayyyaaa","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/maaayyyaaa","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/pic\/1222817730\/maaayyyaaa-lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/davidgarethw-books-b.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/36104236"},"dateDigested":1531973845,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"To Be, Or Not To Be?","description":"To be, or not to be: that is the question. In the end, is it better to live, or to die? To bear the struggles of the world, our constant reality\u2014or to face the unknown, the mysterious, the land from which no man has returned? Shakespeare explores this idea through Hamlet in his soliloquy \u201cTo be or not to be.\u201d Is it nobler to suffer the endless calamities of the earth, or to fight against them, and in doing so, end them? Death need not be morbid and macabre, some impending doom that ought to be fought. To die is to sleep; just merely a sleep. Death can be seen as simply a way to end earthly suffering. But then comes the the catch; what of dreams? If death is but sleep, then what dreams might we endure in such an eternal slumber? Why would someone put up with all of life\u2019s setbacks\u2014insults from authority, condescension from arrogant men, hopeless love, absurdities of office and government, backbreaking labor\u2014if they could end it all in a single breath? Fear of the unknown is what keeps us here, day past day, to toil and sweat in an arduous life. Fear of death is what stops us. We would sooner live a grueling and miserable life than face the uncertainty of the unknown. This fear is what makes cowards of every human being on this earth.
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\nSuch cogitations would be robbed of their power and profundity if written without iambic pentameter. The cutoff at ten syllables and the separation of lines creates a natural rhythm at which the passage is read. \u201cTo die, to sleep;\/No more; and by a sleep to say we end\u2026\u201d Three lines further down, this rhythm and pattern is repeated: \u201cTo die, to sleep;\/To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there\u2019s the rub\u2026\u201d Repetition is key here, as the character deliberates and struggles to understand such concepts of life and death. Furthermore, the strong-weak-strong-weak pattern of syllables creates a juxtaposition that mirrors the topic at hand. Hamlet is talking of opposites: of life and death, bravery and cowardice, known and unknown. Likewise, each foot or iamb consists of two oppositely accented syllables. \u201c\u2026And *makes* us *ra*ther *bear* those *ills* we *have*\/than *fly* to *o*thers *that* we *know* not *of*\u2026\u201d The limit of ten syllables also obliges the writer to get his or her point across with brevity, yet simultaneously retain the full meaning and strength. Shakespeare does so successfully using rich and imagistic phrases such as \u201csea of troubles,\u201d \u201cwhips and scorns of time,\u201d and \u201cpale cast of thought.\u201d This is not to say that the same ideas could not be conveyed through regular prose. Here, however, iambic pentameter lends itself to a stronger message by creating a constant rhythm, relating to the content of the passage, breaking up sentences and ideas, and allowing us, as readers, to absorb one thought at a time.","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[],"more":0}]},{"id":"36103044","dateCreated":"1300423706","smartDate":"Mar 17, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"teagvest","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/teagvest","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/davidgarethw-books-b.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/36103044"},"dateDigested":1531973845,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"What Light Through Yonder Window Breaks?","description":" The soliloquy \u201cWhat Light through Yonder Window Breaks\u201d from Romeo and Juliet is a piece where Romeo praises the beauty of Juliet. He compares her to the radiant sun with her glorious beauty. The moon is envious of her light, \u201csick and pale with grief\u201d. She is divine compared to the dismal moon, and he tells her to not serve the moon because of it. When he says \u201cshe speaks yet she says nothing\u201d might suggest his infatuation- he\u2019s hearing her voice even when she isn\u2019t talking. Her eyes and the brightness of her cheek would put the stars and the light of the day to shame. He then wishes he were a glove on the hand upon which she rests her cheek so that \u201c[he] might touch that cheek\u201d.
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\n Iambic pentameter was necessary in this poem because of the purpose of the poem: to convey love. Iambic pentameter creates a beautiful and romantic flow and allows words to rhyme and interconnect with other lines and ideas, like harmony without the musicality. Shakespeare could not have made the same impression without this kind of structure because \u201cmodern\u201d prose is basically a big jumble of words with no particular order. This does not convey any sense of beauty, especially not when about love. It is not eloquent; it is chunky and inconsistent: when expressing love, you want to sound as charming as you can. When a phrase or figure of speech falls perfectly into an eloquent structure, it sounds wonderful; in \u201cmodern\u201d writing, it sounds just like any other groups of words. Iambic pentameter is what makes it all fall into beautiful, harmonic place.","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[],"more":0}]},{"id":"36097108","dateCreated":"1300414772","smartDate":"Mar 17, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"ad.ri","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/ad.ri","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/pic\/1283992059\/ad.ri-lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/davidgarethw-books-b.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/36097108"},"dateDigested":1531973845,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"As you like it","description":"As You Like It, Act 2, Scene 7: All the World\u00b4s a Stage resumes the life of man in 28 structured lines, from infantry to the last years of life. This long metaphor refers to life as a play, the world as the stage and the women and men as actors. This play is split into 7 acts, each one showing a different role a man plays in his life, starting as an infant crying in a nurse\u00b4s arms. It continues to show an indolent child, reluctant to go to school. The child soon becomes a young man madly in love with romance, writing \u201cwoeful ballads\u201d about his \u201cmistress\u00b4 eyebrow\u201d. Then he will grow into a noble man, willing to risk his life in the front of the battle lines, fighting valiantly for his honor. Earning the honor of being a judge he unfortunately loses all of it, his belly swelling as his pockets bulge with bribes. When the curtains rise again, the decrepit old man wears his childhood socks, which hang loose on his scraggy legs. On his nose a pair of glasses and by his side a bag of money. By the time the last act starts the old man is like the child he was in his youth, his shrill voice returning, with no teeth, eyes, taste or anything. Ending in the beginning.
\nShakespeare wisely wrote the soliloquy in iambic pentameter. The first line consists only of five syllables, \u201cAll the world\u00b4s a stage\u201d, the main idea of the soliloquy. The short phrase is emphasized and it catches the reader\u00b4s eyes by being shorter than the rest. The following lines are written in structured form to explain the meaning of the first line. This soliloquy holds a very intellectual and philosophical view of life. Though Shakespeare is not the one directly proposing this idea, his written words reflect what he believed. When a new idea is presented, the proposer usually makes it seem ingenious and wonderful. By writing the soliloquy in iambic pentameter, Shakespeare mirrors his intellectual value on paper so that whoever reads this might consider it a plausible theory. As in many of Shakespeare\u00b4s plays, the way the characters talk represent their social status. In this play Shakespeare uses a presumably high class character to epitomize himself and by having him reveal his beliefs people are more likely to contemplate the world as a stage, and life as a play, instead of ridiculing the idea. As well as poetry, life has its rhythm. Sometimes it is stinging and then softens into peace and happiness, just like the strong and soft accents of the iambic pentameter. Shakespeare goes all the way to make us see through his eyes how life is.","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[],"more":0}]},{"id":"36086920","dateCreated":"1300404281","smartDate":"Mar 17, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"MaFe1595","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/MaFe1595","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/davidgarethw-books-b.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/36086920"},"dateDigested":1531973845,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"Romeo and Juliet","description":"Juliet is like the sun that lights up in the window. Even the moon up in the sky is jealous of Juliet\u2019s beauty. Romeo wishes that Juliet knew his love for her. She talks, but he can\u2019t hear. But she isn\u2019t talking to him. She talks to the stars. The twinkly stars reflect in her eyes. The brightness of her cheeks would outshine the stars like a lamp is outshined by daylight. If her eyes were in heaven, they would shine so bright, birds would sing thinking it is daylight. Juliet rests her head against her gloved hand, and Romeo wishes he could be the glove, to touch her cheek.
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\nWe whine about Shakespeare and most of the time we ask our teachers why it can\u2019t be written normally, in a simple concise language that we understand? It is much easier to understand the text when written in prose. It\u2019s short and simple, and concise and gets the point across. The iambic pentameter has a lot more words, and maybe a bit harder to read. The words change order to put the right words at the end.
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\nBut even so, it is much better to read Shakespeare with iambic pentameter. Iambic pentameter gives the verses beauty. The words are chosen more carefully, to make sure there are 10 syllables. The flow is better:
\n \u201cThat birds would sing and think it were not night.
\nSee, how she leans her cheek upon her hand!
\nO, that I were a glove upon that hand,
\nThat I might touch that cheek!\u201d (Act II, Scene II, Romeo and Juliet)
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\nIt is far more beautiful, and poetic to write this scene in iambic pentameter than just, \u2018If they were in heaven, birds would think it is daytime, because they are so bright. Her cheeks would outshine the stars if compared to them. Her gloved hand rests on her cheek. I wish I were that glove to touch her cheek. \u2018 There\u2019s flow from one line to the next, and the main idea, or the word that Shakespeare wanted to put an emphasis on, is the last word of each line. There are connections between the last word of one line and the next one. Shakespeare\u2019s plays were meant to be read out loud. With flow, it sounds better when performed out loud.
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\nProse is more boring. The iambic pentameter gives live to the verses. Verses are nothing without flow and rhythm, and musicality. Prose is just a big text that doesn\u2019t have a rhythm to it. It\u2019s just a paragraph. The iambic pentameter has a guideline to follow; therefore, ideas are more organized.
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\nProse doesn\u2019t have a structure and it is harder to emphasize words. It may be more concise but the structure is not as defined. It is harder to draw attention to a certain line that a character says. The shape of the drama written in iambic pentameter is lighter. There are only ten syllables per line. Prose makes the text look heavier and the sentences vary in size. Some may come out choppy, some run-ons, and some normal. Iambic pentameter gives equilibrium to the sentences, making it look better.","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[],"more":0}]},{"id":"36077512","dateCreated":"1300395081","smartDate":"Mar 17, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"Ingrid89","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/Ingrid89","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/pic\/1228179242\/Ingrid89-lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/davidgarethw-books-b.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/36077512"},"dateDigested":1531973845,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"As you like it","description":"Life is like a play; all people are players, and the world is the stage. A person goes through many acts throughout their life. This man, as the soliloquy expresses, has had an act of seven ages. First, he was a baby and puked and cried; then a school boy who rebelled from going to school. Thirdly, a lover, being in love and \u2018idealizing\u2019 his perfect woman. Then, he would become a soldier, following odd orders and seeking to become the most important; risking his life for those of others. The man would follow his step with justice, being wise, understanding the new judgments, serious, and accepting brags. As a sixth age, the man becomes old, and his now wise voice becomes that of a child once again. He is now weak and has to be assisted. The last age is the end of the history, therefore death. He is left without teeth, eyes, everything. It is his second \u201cchildishness\u201d, hence his life backtracking back to scratch; back to nothing, death.
\nIn this case, using iambic pentameter actually benefits Shakespeare\u2019s writing. By having only a limited amount of words he can use, each of these words portrays a specific and powerful emotion. In few words, Shakespeare is able to produce a scene in one\u2019s head: \u201cschoolboy, with his satchel\/ and shining morning face, creeping like a snail\/ unwillingly to school\u201d. Instead of writing: \u2018and so the boy woke up, young and fresh, yet lazy to go to class. He dragged himself to school, but he didn\u2019t look forward to.\u2019 With the precise rhythm created in iambic pentameter, with fewer words, he is able to produce the same, if not better outcome. By these four lines, the reader gets the sense of the sluggishness of the boy and can produce an image in their mind. With the normal writing, or metaphors and smiles, an image can be set, yet in a longer time. Even though the image can also be produced, it is not as powerful or as precise as what these few words create. Another example of how few powerful words produce an image worth a paragraph is in the last few lines of the soliloquy. \u201cThat ends this strange eventful history, \/Is second childishness and mere oblivion, \/Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.\u201d In these three lines, Shakespeare expresses how a man, who has lived through his entire life a s a successful person, and has accomplished all possible, fades away in few moments, hence three of the twenty six that Jaques expresses represent the end of his life. Iambic pentameter not only limits the words and the rhythm of such, but indirectly created a drawing and a representation of what it expresses.","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[],"more":0}]},{"id":"36017622","dateCreated":"1300321254","smartDate":"Mar 16, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"paulasev_th","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/paulasev_th","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/pic\/1265121950\/paulasev_th-lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/davidgarethw-books-b.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/36017622"},"dateDigested":1531973845,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"As You Like It","description":" Life is a play, and people are the actors, taking different parts throughout it. They come in and out of this real stage, and each individual man has seven acts to play. In the first act, he is a baby, crying and vomiting in the nurse\u2019s arms. Then, he becomes a complaining little boy carrying his backpack as he slowly and reluctantly makes his way to school. Love comes next, and the actor plays a boy sighing as he writes about his girl\u2019s beautiful eyes. The boy turns into a bearded soldier, proud and agile in battle, willing to place himself in front of a canon and risk anything to achieve glory. The soldier disappears to give way to another character: the judge. This fat man with a fierce look no longer has the soldier\u2019s wild beard, but rather has a more professional cut, and is experienced and wise. The sixth act reveals a brittle, frail being, with glasses on his nose and old stockings too big for his bony legs. His voice, no longer that of a man, but of a squeaky child. This peculiar play ends when this creature, who can no longer remember, without a warning lives his second childhood, this time with no teeth, sight, tongue, or anything.
\n In this excerpt, Jaques describes the course of any man\u2019s life in the great metaphor of theatre. Such complicated, extensive story would have not been interesting without musicality and rhythm. This is what iambic pentameter is for. Having ten syllables in each line gives the soliloquy a beat, facilitating the flow of the story, and making it more interesting. Iambic pentameter also creates an emphasis on the last syllable, or word, of every line, and therefore allows the writer to give some words, or concepts, more importance. The first lines end with the words \u201cstage,\u201d \u201cplayers,\u201d \u201centrances,\u201d and \u201cparts.\u201d All these words relate to each other in the theme of theatre. Being the last of the ten syllables gives them more power than the others, creating hence an emphasis in the theme of theatre, and the statement that \u201cAll the world\u2019s a stage\u201d (line 142). The beat and the emphasis on the last word come together and serve to help the statement of each act, or role the man has to play. Unlike prose, iambic pentameter obliges the reader to stop at every ten syllables. These pauses can be seen as commas, separating each member of a list, in this case each character, \u201cfirst the infant\/\u2026 and then, the lover\/\u2026 then a soldier\/... And then the justice\u2026\u201d (lines 146-156). In addition, the name of each character appears at the end of its verse, making it stand out naturally. The first line, however, is not in iambic pentameter. By having the rest of the poem divided in ten syllables, this line will automatically stand out, making clear to the reader that the main point of the soliloquy is how men act in the stage. Iambic pentameter does a great job in this poem, since it gives it rhythm and flow, and stands out its main themes and ideas.","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[{"id":"36066068","body":"Thanks Paula,
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\nWebster","dateCreated":"1300385091","smartDate":"Mar 17, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"davidgarethw","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/davidgarethw","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}}],"more":0}]},{"id":"35961614","dateCreated":"1300247932","smartDate":"Mar 15, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"julibarca10","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/julibarca10","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/pic\/1269448814\/julibarca10-lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/davidgarethw-books-b.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/35961614"},"dateDigested":1531973845,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"As You Like It ","description":"In Scene 2 act 7 in the play As You Like It by William Shakespeare Jaques one of the characters has a soliloquy where he touches a nerve that makes all of us shiver immediately. The subject of a man\u2019s life; the stages we all have to deal with, this bothers most of us, we try to make life seem something greater than what it is. When life is simplified to seven steps, it is no longer that great thing we want it to be. This is when we react and pay more attention to what is being said, that is the key to the success of this soliloquy. The soliloquy begins by saying that a man\u2019s life is like a play and it is divided in 7 acts. The first of them a simple baby, that is always throwing up on the person who raised him, then it\u2019s the small school boy who complains about going to school and has a lighted and radiant young face. He then becomes a passionate lover who is always writing sad poems about the girl he loves, \u201cSighing like a furnace, with a woeful ballad
\nMade to his mistress' eyebrow.\u201d (line 151) Jaques then goes on to mention that after this stage the man becomes a soldier who is willing to risk everything for his country and for the fame. \u201cSeeking the bubble reputation\/ Even in the canon\u2019s mouth.\u201d (line 155\/line156) In the fifth act the man is now part of the justice system, with a potbelly and a greedy mind. Finally the curtain rises to the 6th act, revealing him wearing eye-glasses, and a small pouch, he has shrank, his big manly voice is now reduced to \u201cchildish, treble pipes\/ And whistles in his sound.\u201d (line 165\/166) The final act returns the man to his birth with no eyes, no taste, no teeth, no everything.
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\nI believe of Iambic pentameter is essential for this soliloquy. The iambic pentameter has an essential structure, it is almost like a drum set, it\u2019s the spine and support for everything that is going on. It gives it coherence; it lays a strong foundation for the lines so that they resonate with more clarity, it gives the soliloquy a better visual appearance so that it appeals more to the eye, but most important, it keeps everything in order and in place, allowing the seriousness of what is being said to flow with a greater ease.
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\nAll the world\u2019s a stage,
\nAnd all the men and women merely players.
\nThey have their exits and their entrances,
\nAnd one man in his time plays many parts,
\nHis acts being seven ages. At first the infant,
\nMewling and puking in the nurse\u2019s arms.
\nThen the whining schoolboy with his satchel
\nAnd shining morning face, creeping like snail
\nUnwillingly to school. (lines 142-150)
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\nThe passage above is an example, the words just flow with a constant beat, there is almost like an up, down feeling to it, and it is easy to read. The word choice and the metaphors selected are also very important because they are simple and not confusing. When you are talking about a serious subject like this it is important to be able to leave a clear message and that is why a lack of complex metaphors is better this time. The simplicity of the words, with the strong message and the solid iambic pentameter allow the message to be given in a strong, organized, and convincing way.","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[{"id":"35991814","body":"Julian,
\n
\nGreat image of the drum set to support your argument.
\nDon't use 'I' or other pronouns when writing academically.
\nYour last sentence is particularly strong and clear. You did a fine job supporting your feelings regarding the tempo of the piece and the simplicity of metaphors. But... well, take a little more time now and support the following in the same manner-- it runs a little short on support: "It [iambic pentameter] gives it coherence; it lays a strong foundation for the lines so that they resonate with more clarity, it gives the soliloquy a better visual appearance so that it appeals more to the eye, but most important, it keeps everything in order and in place, allowing the seriousness of what is being said to flow with a greater ease."
\n
\nThanks,
\n
\nWebster","dateCreated":"1300296201","smartDate":"Mar 16, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"davidgarethw","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/davidgarethw","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}},{"id":"36060108","body":"In Scene 2 act 7 in the play As You Like It by William Shakespeare Jaques one of the characters has a soliloquy where he touches a nerve that makes all of us shiver immediately. The subject of a man\u2019s life; the stages we all have to deal with, this bothers most of us, we try to make life seem something greater than what it is. When life is simplified to seven steps, it is no longer that great thing we want it to be. This is when we react and pay more attention to what is being said, that is the key to the success of this soliloquy. The soliloquy begins by saying that a man\u2019s life is like a play and it is divided in 7 acts. The first of them a simple baby, that is always throwing up on the person who raised him, then it\u2019s the small school boy who complains about going to school and has a lighted and radiant young face. He then becomes a passionate lover who is always writing sad poems about the girl he loves, \u201cSighing like a furnace, with a woeful ballad
\nMade to his mistress' eyebrow.\u201d (line 151) Jaques then goes on to mention that after this stage the man becomes a soldier who is willing to risk everything for his country and for the fame. \u201cSeeking the bubble reputation\/ Even in the canon\u2019s mouth.\u201d (line 155\/line156) In the fifth act the man is now part of the justice system, with a potbelly and a greedy mind. Finally the curtain rises to the 6th act, revealing him wearing eye-glasses, and a small pouch, he has shrank, his big manly voice is now reduced to \u201cchildish, treble pipes\/ And whistles in his sound.\u201d (line 165\/166) The final act returns the man to his birth with no eyes, no taste, no teeth, no everything.
\n
\nIambic pentameter is essential for this soliloquy. The iambic pentameter has an essential structure, it is almost like a drum set, it\u2019s the spine and support for everything that is going on. It gives it coherence; it lays a strong foundation for the lines so that they resonate with more clarity. For example in the passage below if you read it out loud it is very easy to read through. There isn\u2019t a single place where you might be confused; the lines sound with complete clarity and every word can be easily understood. It gives the soliloquy a better visual appearance so that it appeals more to the eye, just take a look at the passage. Most important, it keeps everything in order and in place, allowing the seriousness of what is being said to flow with a greater ease.
\n
\nAll the world\u2019s a stage,
\nAnd all the men and women merely players.
\nThey have their exits and their entrances,
\nAnd one man in his time plays many parts,
\nHis acts being seven ages. At first the infant,
\nMewling and puking in the nurse\u2019s arms.
\nThen the whining schoolboy with his satchel
\nAnd shining morning face, creeping like snail
\nUnwillingly to school. (lines 142-150)
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\nThe passage above is an example, the words just flow with a constant beat, there is almost like an up, down feeling to it, and it is easy to read. The word choice and the metaphors selected are also very important because they are simple and not confusing. When you are talking about a serious subject like this it is important to be able to leave a clear message and that is why a lack of complex metaphors is better this time. The simplicity of the words, with the strong message and the solid iambic pentameter allow the message to be given in a strong, organized, and convincing way.","dateCreated":"1300381367","smartDate":"Mar 17, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"julibarca10","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/julibarca10","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/pic\/1269448814\/julibarca10-lg.jpg"}},{"id":"36065834","body":"Better Julian,
\n
\nThanks,
\n
\nWebster","dateCreated":"1300384922","smartDate":"Mar 17, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"davidgarethw","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/davidgarethw","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}}],"more":0}]},{"id":"35959272","dateCreated":"1300244285","smartDate":"Mar 15, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"fabiborelly31","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/fabiborelly31","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/pic\/1225493296\/fabiborelly31-lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/davidgarethw-books-b.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/35959272"},"dateDigested":1531973846,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"Let Me See This Thing Called Life ","description":"As You Like It, Act 2, Scene 7: All the World\u2019s a Stage (Spoken by Jaque)
\nA journey through life. More than lights and sounds, more than cold and stiff lines and figures. Instead, a wakening. A realization that life is grand, that life is filled with so much ordinance and yet so much surprise. Being young and inexperienced, but then, growing and becoming that same wisdom that was once craved. The first step towards death, towards nothing, but also, the first step towards immensity. And the moment in which the eyes are closed and the breath seizes to move, it is at that moment that rebirth comes to place and just like a small baby, we return to childhood, we return to purity, teeth less, eyeless, but no an ending, but merely a pause to something else.
\nThe world is nothing but an arena, a playground, where men and women play, all according to the swift and structured order of their entrances and exeunt. One man, alone, is in charge of seven different parts. First comes the newborn, vomiting all over the caring nurse. Followed accordingly by the brat student, with his satchel, but in all his youth reflecting off his face, he crawls his way to school. Then, the lover, inspired by the person he loves to move to the sound of a ballad. A soldier comes next, swearing to protect his nation, filled with honor, ready to fight, searching for his own glory even in the face of death. Then, the justice, with eyes full of judgment and wisdom and a beard so formal, also plays a part. The sixth scenario comes in, with glasses and bag on his side, already deprived of youthful but stored forever, and a voice reminiscence of that child yet inside. Last comes the end to the bizarre journey, the return to childishness and the reality of an ending, an end to teeth, to eyes, to taste and to all else.
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\nA soliloquy is all about character development. About revealing the inner thoughts of a character and showing it through its true colors. Whether the author wants to convey the passionate becoming of a young man and his impossible love or whether he wants to depict the terrible consequences of a mind sickened by the imminent toll of the years, it all falls on how well and how believable the character is haunted by the inner self. The art of iambic pentameter can portray both sides of a mirror, darkness and light, life and death, love and hatred, but in its pure form, it remains an art, and therefore, it remains aesthetically pleasing. In its purest form, the iambic pentameter is all about beauty, on how well the words are written to the paper and how it flows. As the lips move and contract to the rhythm of the words and the verses of ten syllables, it becomes more than just words on paper, and instead, they take on a form, a shape, a meaning. The ability to end each verse with the word you find most fitting gives the words a power often underrated, in which the reader comes to understand how a single word can reshape the value and worth of a character. Iambic pentameter sends an idea woven around beautiful and developed imagery to such degree, where it gets to the point in which a simple prose is just not good enough. The limitations of prose, of rhythm-less subjects, verbs, and adjectives do not live up to the grandeur of the message hidden behind each carefully selected word. The imagery of being mere players in the playground that is life is not constricted to lines and spaces, but instead, it is perfected by the rhythm and emphasis of the words.
\n\u201cAnd all the men and women merely players;
\nThey have their exits and their entrances,
\nAnd one man in his time plays many parts,\u201d
\nThis is the shape of the players, the entrances and exits of each verse relating directly to the entrances and exits of each stage of life. As each verse begins and concludes, life moves forward, in shape, in rhythm, in its perfect agony and joy. Life is brief, and so are ten syllables, and a greater pun is hard to imagine.","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[{"id":"35991268","body":"Fabian,
\n
\nThis is nicely expressed... I often find your sentences to be a bit filigree and long, but here you have conveyed your thoughts quite beautifully and clearly, while still retaining your own voice. You provided an apt defense for iambic pentameter.
\n
\nGood work,
\n
\nThanks,
\n
\nWebster","dateCreated":"1300295817","smartDate":"Mar 16, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"davidgarethw","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/davidgarethw","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}}],"more":0}]}],"more":true},"comments":[]},"http":{"code":200,"status":"OK"},"redirectUrl":null,"javascript":null,"notices":{"warning":[],"error":[],"info":[],"success":[]}}