another jane eyre movie…again

1983, 1996, 2006, 2011. Man, people love remaking this film. I actually have yet to see any film adaptations of it, so I don’t have much to compare this trailer to. It looks a bit too dark and gloomy for me, though. I might go see this or I might just rent the 2006 version because I’ve heard good things…

Which is your favorite version? Do you think this new adaptation has potential or will just fail? Click the image to watch.

john donne’s holy sonnet x

Also known as Death Be Not Proud. Like I said earlier, I had to do a presentation on this poem today, so here’s some notes from it. One thing we didn’t focus on enough was the form of the poem itself, so I added in some notes about that at the end. What I have here is pretty basic, so if you have any more notes or interpretations, leave them in the comments!

We also played this video at the beginning. This lady is actually criticizing the version of the poem that is in our textbook =P

Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou are not so;
For those whom thou think’st thou dost overthrow
Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,
Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee do go,
Rest of their bones, and soul’s delivery.
Thou’art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,
And poppy’or charms can make us sleep as well
And better than thy stroke; why swell’st thou then?
One short sleep past, we wake eternally,
And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.

Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou are not so;

Line 1 – Donne’s thesis statement
- Pride was the first sin, brought about death.
Ezekiel 28: 13, 17:
13. You [Satan] were in Eden,
the garden of God;
every precious stone adorned you:
ruby, topaz and emerald,
chrysolite, onyx and jasper,
sapphire, turquoise and beryl.
Your settings and mountings were made of gold;
on the day you were created they were prepared.
17. Your heart became proud
on account of your beauty,
and you corrupted your wisdom
because of your splendor.
So I threw you to the earth;
I made a spectacle of you before kings.

- Death is not mighty, just a tool.
- Not dreadful, for Christian it is a good thing.
-  A tool subject to fate, chance, kings, desperate men, but also a tool God uses for good – death brings about life through Jesus Christ, ironic how God used something Satan meant for destruction of men, to bring life to men.
Romans 6:3-14: “All of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death. We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the father, we too may live a new life.”

For those whom thou think’st thou dost overthrow
Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,
Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,

- Physical death cannot affect spiritual life, more like sleeping.
John 11: 11 -13
11. After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.”
12.His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.”
13. Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.

And soonest our best men with thee do go,
Rest of their bones, and soul’s delivery.

Philippians 1:21: “For me to live is Christ, to die is gain.“
- “Best men” are willing to accept death, they understand it is just a transition from life to everlasting life. They are the “best men” because they live their life to fullest, accept the time that God has ordained for them, live without fear. View death as rest, not dreadful.

Thou’art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,

- Death is just a tool, not autonomous
- If we are no longer afraid of death, we are no longer afraid of those who use it against us
- Romans 8: 31 – “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,

– the results of sin, personified and inhabitants of hell? death keeps lowly companions. Temporarily have power over the earth because of sin, but will soon pass away.
– Revelation 21:4: “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

And poppy’or charms can make us sleep as well,
And better than thy stroke. Why swell’st thou then?

- Death does not have the upper hand, even when we ourselves want rest and peace, we do not have to resort to death. Poppy, charms, (drugs, other things that bring comfort), etc. can help us deal with pain, and sadness.
- Rebuttal of death’s pride. Death is not the only option.

One short sleep past, we wake eternally,

- emphasizes the temporary aspect of death
- “short sleep” contrasts with “wake eternally.”

And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.

1 Corinthians 15:26 – “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.”

- Death is ultimate result of sin. Sin shall be destroyed as well as death, sickness, war, pain etc.
– Revelation 21:4 (see above).

Death dies a spiritual death – eternal. It is a spiritual concept, cannot die physically, only can die eternally.

Rhyme scheme
abba abba abba cc
- first 8 lines (octave), envelope rhymes, talking about more positive aspects of death, defensive
- last 6 lines (sestet), direct condemnation, offensive

the bible and english literature

I have to do a presentation on John Donne this week with a partner and I just realized how easy my life can be as English major because I know the Bible. It’s handy in English 340, at least. Our presentation is on Sonnet 10 or Death Be Not Proud by John Donne. Every single line in steeped in Biblical concepts, so being able to cross-reference lines of the poem with Bible verses in your head makes analyzing a lot easier. It’s the same way with most of the literature in this class, actually. Beowulf, the Faerie Queen,  the Canterbury Tales, Paradise Lost, etc. I will probably post my notes up after Wednesday. (Yay! Back to old school gin and tonic with lit notes!)

I guess that’s why I lean towards that kind of English literature – I understand it better and it conversely helps me understand my faith better. It also reminds me of a time when Christians excelled in the arts instead of failing miserably.

Sonnet X.

Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so ;
For those, whom thou think’st thou dost overthrow,
Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,
Much pleasure, then from thee much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee do go,
Rest of their bones, and soul’s delivery.
Thou’rt slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,
And poppy, or charms can make us sleep as well,
And better than thy stroke ;  why swell’st thou then ?
One short sleep past, we wake eternally,
And Death shall be no more ;  Death, thou shalt die.

nominated for a canadian blog award! =)

Dude, so my blog has been nominated in the Canadian Blog Awards for Best Personal Blog 2010! That’s really fun! You all should vote so I can put a cute little cartoon beaver on my sidebar like this one but saying “best blog evar!!” instead.

Since you’re all amped up to vote in the mayoral election (right?), you should have no trouble voting for another worthy cause – gin and tonic. So refreshing!

I’ve had this blog for about 3 years and it’s gone through a lot of changes, but  it’s always been a place where I, basically, take notes. I’ve got notes on Paradise Lost here, Tom Clancy books here, lessons I’m learning in student journalism here, and my thoughts on the Calgary 2010 municipal election here. Oh, and don’t forget some sweet music, just to give you a break from reading every so often.

I write here for the sake of writing and because I enjoy it, but I’m glad other people enjoy it too! It’s good to get feedback, even if it’s criticism, because that means I can try to improve my writing. Another reason for this blog is my never ending quest to be a better writer.

So vote for me and vote often! You can vote once per day, starting today =) If you don’t vote I will send out my ninjas to combat your voter apathy. Beware the ninjas.

Also, Calgary Politics is nominated for best political blog!! I write there as well, so vote for that too!

Update: For the first round you can only vote once. For the second round you can vote once per day.

to be or not to be

You know, I really dig this speech. It’s brilliant. Here are two completely different performances by Mel Gibson and Kenneth Branagh. I love both, but I like Branagh’s a bit more just because he delivers it so differently from what I would expect but pulls it off perfectly. He’s debating intensely with quiet reservation. Gibson goes for full dramatic effect and doesn’t hold much back. The locations are in stark contrast as well. Branagh is in a brightly lit room, Gibson is in a dark burial chamber. Anyways, I’m stating the obvious now. Just watch them both. It’s worth your time.

happy sappy

I am in a rather sappy mood right now, so here is an excessively romantic quote from Persuasion by Jane Austen:

“If I loved a man as she loved the admiral, I would always be with him, nothing should ever separate us, and I would rather be overturned by him than driven safely by anyone else.”

-Louisa Musgrove

Siiiiiigh.

For the less romantically inclined, here is a picture of a dog dressed up as a lobster.

Love’s Growth

Holla, meet my favorite poet, John Donne (1572-1631), and consequently my favorite poem:

Love’s Growth

I scarce believe my love to be so pure
As I had thought it was,
Because it doth endure
Vicissitude, and season, as the grass ;
Methinks I lied all winter, when I swore
My love was infinite, if spring make it more.
But if this medicine, love, which cures all sorrow
With more, not only be no quintessence,
But mix’d of all stuffs, vexing soul, or sense,
And of the sun his active vigour borrow,
Love’s not so pure, and abstract as they use
To say, which have no mistress but their Muse ;
But as all else, being elemented too,
Love sometimes would contemplate, sometimes do.
And yet no greater, but more eminent,
Love by the spring is grown ;
As in the firmament
Stars by the sun are not enlarged, but shown,
Gentle love deeds, as blossoms on a bough,
From love’s awakened root do bud out now.
If, as in water stirr’d more circles be
Produced by one, love such additions take,
Those like so many spheres but one heaven make,
For they are all concentric unto thee ;
And though each spring do add to love new heat,
As princes do in times of action get
New taxes, and remit them not in peace,
No winter shall abate this spring’s increase.

———–

Here are some definitions to help understand the poem a bit better:

Vicissitude: changeability
Quintessence: the absolute essence of a substance
Elemented: made up of more than one element
Spheres: planets

I should think very much that this poem is awesome. My other favorite John Donne poems are The Good Morrow, Lovers’ Infiniteness, A Fever, Death Be Not Proud, Batter My Heart, and A Hymn to God the Father.

The Four Loves by C.S Lewis

So, I have been reading lots the past month, I’ve just been too lazy/busy to write about it. But here we go, hopefully I’ll have some good fall features for ya.

Anyways, I read The Four Loves a few years ago, but decided to re-read it because, well, I’ve always been interested in the many different facets of “love” and figured brushing up with some of C.S Lewis’ thoughts might do some good. It did, as it always does.

Lewis starts by differentiating between Need-loves and Gift-loves. That is, a Need-love would be the love a child would have for his mother because he is in dire straits without her. Gift-love is the love of the mother for her child, as she gives her time and commitment to taking care of him. Regarding God, man’s love for god must be nearly entirely need-love, “for our whole being by its very nature is one vast need.”

He then discusses two interesting concepts of nearness to God: nearness by likeness and nearness by approach. Being made in the image of God, we are already nearer to him than, let’s say, animals are. But this is merely an image. Nearness by approach is “taking the long way around,” the hard road that seems to least resemble heavenly glory. I thought it was fascinating when he said, “Man approaches God more nearly when he is in a sense least like God.” “I must decrease, and He must increase” as Paul said. The less of ourselves we have in sight, the more God can fill our vision.

So the four loves are these: affection, friendship, charity and eros. He points out that while God is love, love is not God. “A faithful and genuinely self-sacrificing passion will speak to us with what seems the voice of God. Merely animal or frivolous lust will not…We may give our human loves unconditional allegiance which we owe only to God – Then they become gods, then they become demons. Then they will destroy us, and also destroy themselves.”

The idolatry of erotic love was the great error of 19th century literature, where falling in love equaled sanctification.

He then talked about pleasure: Need-pleasure (drinking a glass of water is pleasurable when you are thirsty) and pleasures of appreciation (walking through a garden). “The need love, like the need-pleasure, will last no longer than the need.” Our need of God can never end, but our awareness of it can.

Those who temporarily turn to God in need or tribulation are not insincere – they are aware of their need- who wouldn’t?

“Nature gives us images – terror, gloom, jocundity, cruelty, lust, innocence, purity…In them each man can clothe his belief, but we must learn our theology and philosophy elsewhere….A true philosophy may sometimes validate an experience of nature, and experience of nature cannot validate a philosophy.”

On affection:

“As gin is not only a drink in itself, but also a base for many other drinks, so Affection, besides being a love itself, can enter into the other loves and color them all through and become the very medium in which from day to day they operate.”

On friendship:

“Friendship has least commerce with our nerves.” It is biologically unnecessary. Eros provides conception, and affection, upbringing. Companionship, a biological need for a social species, is the matrix of friendship, but not friendship itself. “Friendship was exalted in ancient and medieval times because it was most independent or even defiant of mere nature…The deepest and most permanent thought of those ages was ascetic and world-renouncing.”

Paradise Lost – Book 5

Okay let’s see…I read Book 5 awhile ago, so basing off my notes let’s see if I can give an accurate rundown.

Oh, here we are. Satan is in Eden and whispering thoughts into Eve’s ear as she sleeps. Thus, her sleep is not as restful as it usually is. Adam awakes…

11. …He on his side,
Leaning, half-raised, with looks of candid love
Hung over her enamored, and beheld
Beauty, which, whether waking or asleep
Shot forth peculiar graces. Then with voice
Mild, so when Zephyrus on Flora breathes,
Her hand soft touching, whispered thus, ‘Awake,
My fairest, my espoused, my latest found,
Heaven’s last, best gift, my ever-new delight.

Eve awakes and tells Adam of her dream; a dream where she ate from the fruit of the forbidden tree, where Satan persuaded:

69. Forbidden here, it seems, as only fit
For gods, yet able to make gods of men.

Adam is concerned, but reasons that

150. Evil into the mind of God or Man
May come and go, so unapproved, and leave
No spot or blame behind…

God has seen what has happened, and sends angels Raphael and Tobias to warn Adam of the enemy in the garden. Raphael approaches Adam’s dwelling.

350. Meanwhile our primitive great sire[Adam], to meet
His godlike guest, walks forth, without more train
Accompanied than with his own complete
Perfections…

445. …O innocence,
Deserving paradise!

Raphael explains Adam’s situation:

525. God made thee perfect, not immutable

528. By nature free, not over-ruled by fate
Inextricable, or strict necessity
Our voluntary service he requires,
Not our necessitated. Such with Him
Finds no acceptance, nor can find…

Raphael then relates the story of Satan’s rebellion and fall in Heaven. This is part of Satan’s persuasive speech to his followers in Heaven:

856. …Who saw
When this creation was? Rememberest thou
Thy making, while the Maker gave thee being?
We know no time when we were not as now,
Know none before us, self-begot, self-raised,
By our own quickening power…

The only angel who dissents is Abdiel, who defends the Creator and abandons Satan’s cause.

Paradise Lost – Book 4

Satan is on Mount Niphates and experiences a ‘mental breakdown’ of sorts. He reflects on how he came to be in such a miserable state.

19. …Horror and doubt distract
His troubled thoughts, and from the bottom stir
The hell within him. For within him hell
He brings, and round about him, nor from hell
One step, no more than from himself, can fly
By change of place. …

50. …Lifted up so high,
I [disdained] subjection, and thought one step higher
Would set me highest….

He then contemplates what it would be like to submit to God again and resume his place in Heaven, but again his pride gets in the way. He cannot abase himself before God now, especially since earlier in Hell he had so passionately declared to his followers absolute opposition to God.

70. Be then His love accursed, since love or hate
To me alike, it deals eternal woe.

76. Which way I fly is hell, myself am hell.

109. ‘So farewell hope. And with hope farewell fear.
Farewell remorse. All good to me is lost.

Line 76 is interesting, because it implies that not only is hell a place, but a state of being. It reminds me of something C.S Lewis said…

“Remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare…. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal… All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations…immortal horrors or everlasting splendors.”

So maybe hell isn’t exactly (or only) some hot, fiery place that “hapless” sinners get thrown into. Perhaps it is (also) a state of being they themselves choose through their own faulty reason and pride…Like Satan in Paradise Lost. Hmm.

Moving on, Uriel (the angel Satan tricked into directing him towards Eden by making himself still look like a heavenly being), looks down upon Mt. Niphates and sees Satan’s countenance.

129. …disfigured, more then could befall
Spirit of a happy sort. …

Satan, with his new resolve and assumption that he is unobserved, sets out towards Eden.

539. Through wood, through waste, o’er hill, o’er dale his roam.

And Uriel warns Gabriel (who is guarding the gate of Eden) that he saw one of the fallen enter the garden. Gabriel and two other angels promise to find him before morning.

Satan, now in Eden, observes the beauty of the plants and animals, and finally, Man. He overhears a conversation between Adam and Eve describing how they met.

Eve awakened to her existence on a bed of flowers.

Paradise Lost: Book 3

Milton again begins with a prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to help him tell the story of things invisible to man. He then tells about God watching Satan heading towards Earth.

95. …Whose fault?
Whose but his own? Ingrate, he had of me
All he could have. I made him just and right,
Sufficient to have stood, though free to fall.

I love how God called Satan an ingrate, btw. That’s intense.

God foresees Man’s fall, but decides to be merciful, because

103. God created men and angels free.
Angels fell of their own suggestion,
Men were lured and tempted.

Jesus then says that justice must still be served, but volunteers to satisfy God’s justice on behalf of men through his own sacrifice.

252. Death his death’s wound shall then receive, and stoop
Inglorious, of his mortal sting disarmed.

The angels then sing praises:

397. Thee only extolled, Son of thy Father’s might
To execute fierce vengeance on his foes,
Not so on Man. Him through their malice fallen,
Father of mercy and grace, thou didst not doom
So strictly, but much more to pity incline.

We return to Satan, who is trying to find his way to Earth. He encounters the “Paradise of Fools.” I thought this was a pretty good picture of what it’s like trying to get to heaven through good works: As soon as you almost reach the gates of heaven, a gust of wind comes and blows you away – all was in vain.

489. … Then might ye see
Cowls, hoods and habits with their wearers, tossed
And fluttered into rags; their relics, beads,
Indulgences, dispenses, pardons, bulls,
The sport of winds…

Satan has a brief stint on the sun, soon leaves and sees the archangel Uriel. He transforms himself to look like a different angel, approaches Uriel and asks where Man dwells on Earth so he might see God’s creation and glorify Him more. Uriel, free of suspicion, gladly tells him because

688. …goodness thinks no ill
Where no ill seems…

Satan thanks Uriel, heads towards Earth and alights on Mount Niphates.

Prince Caspian by C.S Lewis

I’m seeing the movie tomorrow, so I figured I would read the book beforehand so I would readily be able to complain.

I’m sorry, it’s how I roll. I really don’t know what to expect…

Anyways, I’ve read the Narnia series twice before, the last time being about three years ago. Prince Caspian never quite made it onto my favorites…and now that I read it again, some things just seem odd. Maybe because I’m older and am reading too much into things I shouldn’t? Most likely.

I would mainly like to know what’s up with everyone gallivanting around with Bacchus and Silenus all the time. Edmund says something like, “That Bacchus seems like a chap who might do anything. I wouldn’t want to run into him and his girls without Aslan around.” Hmm.

Bacchus is the Roman god of wine and Silenus is one of his followers, and one of them is usually riding a donkey, I think (Fantasia, anyone?). And then some “wild girls” are with them, frolicking about.

I don’t quite understand…I think Lewis might saying that if we drink wine while God is far from our hearts or minds, anything could happen. But wine is also a reminder of Jesus’ sacrifice, and a gift for celebration – so if enjoyed within these bounds then it’s all good? Basically what Edmund said: don’t meet Bacchus without Aslan?

It just seems strange to be referenced at all in a children’s book.

Anyways, these are my favorite parts…I doubt half of them will show up on film. I remember the main thing I disliked about The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe movie was all the little lines they changed and left out – the “deep magic” and “emperor’s magic” completely disappeared! And they replaced it with something retarded like “true sacrifice.” Uh huh.

Yeah. Anyways – here’s what I hope doesn’t end up on the cutting room floor:

“And we beasts remember, even if dwarfs forget, that Narnia was never right except when a son of Adam was king.”
-Trufflehunter, the badger

“I don’t like the idea of running away.” said Caspian.
“Hear him! Hear him!” said the Bulgy Bears. “Whatever we do, don’t let’s have any running. Especially not before supper; and not too soon after it either.”

Paradise Lost – Book 2

First of all, a correction about my earlier post. I said Satan proposed to attack God indirectly through attacking God’s creation, but that wasn’t true. Satan just proposed to be and do the direct opposite of everything God is and does. In Book 2 Satan and his minions discuss what specific actions to take.

43. He ceased. And next to him
Moloch, sceptered king
Stood up, the strongest and fiercest spirit
That fought in heaven, now fiercer by despair

Moloch proposed another direct attack against Heaven:

102. Our power sufficient to disturb His heaven…
105. Which, if not victory, is yet revenge.

Paradise Lost by John Milton: Book 1

Paradise Lost was written by John Milton and published as 12 books in 1667. Here are some notes from Book 1, with the lines numbered for reference.

It starts off with Milton calling on the Holy Spirit to help him tell the story:

14. What in me is dark,
Illumine; what is low, raise and support
That, to the height of this great argument,
I may assert eternal providence,
And justify the ways of God to man.

Milton then begins his epic. The setting is in hell after Satan and his angels have been thrown out of Heaven.

62. Yet from the flames
No light, but rather darkness visible.

Satan addresses his angels. Even still he is prideful and even more hardened against God. He believes that he and his legions are still capable of overcoming God and claiming Heaven for themselves.

Present Concerns: Ethical Essays pt. 2

I think this is making it onto my favs list, every essay is so excellent! It’s really cool reading his opinions on the current events and issues of his day.

Here’s the first post I did on this book, and I’ll just continue giving a few quotes from each essay. I don’t summarize, because he states things more clearly and eloquently in one sentence than I could explain to you with a paragraph.

Modern Man and His Categories of Thought: “The effect of removing this [classical] education has been to isolate the mind in its own age, to give it, in relation to time, that disease which, in relation to space, we call Provincialism.”

“Where God gives the gift, the “foolishness of preaching” is still mighty. But best of all is a team of two: one to deliver the preliminary intellectual barrage, and the other to follow up with a direct attack on the heart.”

Talking About Bicycles: Lewis discusses four periods of enchantment in relation to riding bicycles. The first stage is un-enchantment. As a toddler, a bicycle was just another strange machine in an adult world. As a boy who could now learn how to ride and experience the freedom that came with it, he became enchanted. Soon, dis-enchantment came, when riding was not always freedom, but peddling up-hill “to and from school, in all weathers.” After many years came the re-enchantment, where the bicycle brought him back to those first feelings of joy and freedom, giving him an almost greater joy than what was originally experienced. Lewis quotes Owen Barfield saying that “Each great experience (enchantment) is ‘a whisper, which memory will warehouse as a shout (re-enchantment).’”

On Living in An Atomic Age: “For really, the naturalistic conclusion is unbelievable. For one thing, it is only through trusting our own minds that we have come to know Nature herself. If Nature when fully known seems to teach us (that is, if the sciences teach us) that our own minds are chance arrangements of atoms, then there must have been some mistake; for if that were so, then the sciences themselves would be chance arrangements of atoms and we should have no reason for believing in them.”

Present Concerns: Ethical Essays

Again I am reminded just how much I really love C.S Lewis. Love, love, love. This book is a collection of essays much like Fern-Seed and Elephants: and Other Essays on Christianity, only the subjects are more political. Here we get to see what Lewis thought of political and social equality, modern education, satirical cartoons, etc. So far it reveals Lewis to be quite the conservative, which rocks. I’ve only read about halfway, so I’ll give a brief description of each essay I’ve read or a quote from it.

The Necessity of Chivalry – “The knight is a man of blood and iron, a man familiar with the sight of smashed faces and the ragged stumps of lopped-off limbs; he is also a demure, almost a maidenlike, guest in the hall, a gentle, modest unobtrusive man.”

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

So, I wrote this a few years ago for school…basically a synopsis of the book Jane Eyre. Do not read further if you plan on reading the book and don’t want to know the ending. If however, you have read the book or seen the movie, or really don’t care, click More for the full synopsis.

 I’m sure I could also edit this and clean up the sentances a bit…my composition skills have improved – I hope – since I first wrote this, but I’m lazy…so yeah.

Jane Eyre, written by Charlotte Bronte in 1847, follows the story of an orphaned girl who, despite many of her own trials, becomes a woman of enduring patience and longsuffering for the benefit of others. Although some situations may not be familiar to the average reader, the emotions and internal struggles presented no doubt will be.