Review of : Lagaan

   On the occasion of “INDEPDENCE DAY” Department of English has organised the movie screening of "Lagaan".  This film directed by Ashutosh Gowariker, produced by Aamir khan and Mansoor Khan and written by Gowariker and Abbas Tyrewala. The film shot in an ancient village “Champaner” near “Bhuj, India”. 

   

     The film is set in the Victorian period of India’s colonial British Raj. The story revolved around a small village whose inhabitants, burden by high Taxes. In this movie Aamir khan as Bhuvan. Gracy Singh as Gauri and Rachel Shelly as Elizabeth Russell.

This film cover various topics like Religion, Subaltern, Leadership, Indianness, Patriarchy.

*Religion

    We see in the movie the people strong believe in Religion. We see one temple in movie. When people are in problem the start doing the prayer. when they facing problem they doing prayer again and again.

 *Subaltern

    

 Subaltern means, “The private tutor was a recognized subaltern part of the bourgeois family”. In this movie the character of Kachra he was a subaltern. When Bhuvan say him to he was a part of his cricket team. At that time many people against him because he belongs to lower cast. When bhuvan touch kachra people start talk about bhuvan . because touch kachra. We see people believe in touchability and untouchability. We see subaltern theory in movie.

*Leadership

   

  

 In this movie Bhuvan was a leader in his cricket team. Leadership is not easy task it is ability of organized to lead or guide other individuals and term. Bhuvan try to build team. A good leader hence choose his team with care with people having complementary skill. Bhuvan success in build team and in the end under the bhuvan leadership team won the match.

*Indianness

     

   

    This movie based on the Indianness. We see many things present Indianness.  Indianness things like food, cloth, game, Temple, cast system, religiousness, dance form etc.

*patriarchy

  

   

     In this movie patriarchal power. Some of point shows patriarchy in woman character. Example of Gauri. She wants to play cricket but she can’t play because she was women. When in cricket team one player was missing Gauri wants to play on that paly but Bhuvan said no. because she was woman.  Another side we see the team learn cricket from woman her name was Elizabeth. She teach cricket. So, We see a structure of patriarchy society.          

Thinking activity : Coleridge’s Biographia Literaria

  

   The  Biographia literaria by S.T. Coleridge is a great literary work. Coleridge written critical work is contained in 24 chapters of Biographia Literaria. In chapter 14 of Biographia Literaria, S.T. Coleridge thrown his Philosophical-critical insight on following issues.

Q.1) Write in your words the differences between poem and prose.

  

There is big different between prose and poem. Poem’s language is rhymical while the language of prose is more natural and grammatical. In prose no limit of words and in poem words are in limited. Poem written in lines and prose written in sentences. according to Coleridge the poem is distinguished form, prose compositions by its immediate object is to give truth and that of poem is to please.

Q.2) Write in your words the difference between poem and poetry.

Poem and poetry are part of the Literature. Poem is different than prose or poetry is part of prose. Poem gives pleasure and prose gives aesthetic delight. Poem is expression of verbal expression of poet mind and prose is activity of poets mind. Poetry is longer than poem. Poem is fundamental unit of poetry and poetry is literary art form. Poem is part of piece and poetry is something higher than poem.

          

Aeshvaryam Yuva Manthan

 

In our university “maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji” Bhavnagar University organized Aeshvaryam " Yuva Manthan"

 for three days.

They are 26^th, 27^th and 28^th October. this blog is a part of our task activity given by our professor Dr.Dilip Barad sir.

    

 In this festival many events like one act play, skit, Mono-acting, Poetry Recitation, mime, collage, Drama, Western solo song, western group song, Quiz competition, Essay writing, etc..  I was to able to part only two event.

1.                        Western group song

2.                        Western solo song

 On 27^th October Western group song event. in this event one group of our department. They sing a song very well. I enjoyed them song. Their dress code was different from another participants. they wear three colour cloths. They are six participant. Two wear orange colour, two wear white, one is in blue and one is in green. The thing is we saw a they sing a western song n they wear cloth is our National Flag colour the trio colour are in our National flag. They got a second rank in western group song.

   

After the western group song I attend the western solo song. In that competition my classmate participate in this event. She sing a song very well. When she sing a song audience listen her n cheer up her. We also cheer up for her. She get second rank in this event. She take part in both event western group song and western solo song.

Online discussion Mario Vargas LIosa's Interview

              

Mario Vargas LIosa, The peruvian novelist was awarded the noble prize for literature in 2010. His most recent novel is “The Neighborhood”. He was interviewed for the world post by Michael Skafidas , a journalist and professor or comparative literature at the city university of New York.

This three points I like the most.

 #But feminism now has a kind of problem. It has become very sectarian, very dogmatic and I think you have to criticize and oppose these trends.

#The idea of Sartre encouraged me to become a writer and made me understand that writing was not only for creating pleasure but also a tool for change.

#History and literature are face of coin. I like literature that is still very close to living experiences.

Thinking activity on T.P. Kailasam's " The Purpose"

The Purpose

#About Author
Thyagaraja Paramasiva Iyer Kailasam  (1884–1946), was a playwright and prominent writer of Kannada literature. His contribution to Kannada theatrical comedy earned him the title Prahasana Prapitamaha, "the father of humorous plays" and later he was also called "Kannadakke Obbane Kailasam" meaning "One and Only Kailasam for Kannada".Kailasam was born in a Tamil family in southern Karnataka, India. His father, T Paramasiva Iyer, was employed as munsif in the Mysore state service and progressed to become the Chief Justice of the Mysore High Court. His father's brother was the Madras High Court judge, Sir T. Sadasiva Iyer.

Kailasam had a good education and was supported by the Maharaja of Mysore to study geology in Royal College of Science London. Kailasam repeated several classes to have an excuse to extend his stay in England. He spent six years in school there, participating in theatre whenever possible.

Soon after his return, he joined the government geology service. He became disillusioned with a government job and quit to write plays and live a bohemian life. His father's failed ambitious plan that he would become the Director General of the Geology Department led him to stop talking to himKailasam's life was dedicated to local theatre and his contributions revolutionised it. His humour left an impression on Kannadigas. He opposed the company theatre's obsession with mythology and stories of royalty and shied away from loading his plays with music. Instead, he introduced simple, realistic sets. Kailasam chaired the Kannada Sahitya Sammelana held at Madras in 1945. He spent almost 10 years in a place he called 'NOOK'. It was a very dirty place, yet he loved it and wrote many dramas in there. He dictated his stories to his students at the 'NOOK', usually starting after 10 pm. He was a chain smoker.

Kailasam was initially criticised for modern use of the Kannada language in his plays, but his work became popular and is considered among the best in Kannada theatre, known for wit and satirical commentary on society.

Teacher is important part of our life. Because we learn  everything in our life from them. In childhood we got a good teacher our life is good. Teacher means,

   “A teacher is a person who helps other to acquire knowledge, competences or value. Informally the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone.”

Q.1 Write something about Favourite teacher. Give some reason for it.

 According to my point of view teacher is not in our school life or collage life teacher in our life is we learn from anyone to anything.  Because we learn many things from other. But here I tell about my favourite teacher. My favourite is my ‘Maths Teacher’ she is a very good teacher. She was a kind hearted and her nature was very peaceful. She was very hard working and also she useful. She was my school teacher and also my tuition teacher. I feel sorrow when I talk about her because she never meet me in life. Because she died in early age. She died in age of 28 in car accident. She was good hearted and her nature was help full.

Q.2 How are you as a student?

   If I talk about my self I am very Talkative person. I can’t set silently. During the lecture I started talking and teacher scolded me. I can’t concentrate constantly in lecture.

Q.3 What is the difference between the education system in the past and today’s time? Take help of your parents to write this.

   Education is process of learning field improve the system of learning and some not.  We see many difference between past and present. In past teachers use to teach only textbook. And in present time teacher use digital or technical way. In past Tuitions were not much in trend but in present tuition are in trend.  In past parents were not much aware of education and now a days parents aware about it. Because in past parents not much educated because in that time education was not important. In past students not getting much help in self-study but in present student have many scope for self-study. They get help from online material, youTube etc.   

  So we can say that there is huge difference between past and present education system.                

Robinson Crusoe

  

Robinson Crusoe is novel written by Daniel Defoe. First published on 25^th April, 1719. We have watched the film of Robinson Crusoe directed by Luis Bunuel. This story based on life of Alexander Selkirk. This id adventurous story. Novel start with sea Voyages. During his travel he spend 28 years on the Island.

Colonialism

     Colonialism is clearly apparent. To put the literary work into its proper context, It should be noticed story published in 1719. Colonialism is seen in the story after Crusoe leaves the island for while he is there, he realizes that the thing he valued in England, Brazil and on his travels revolved around money. Returning to civilization, his desire for money emerges again.

“When I took leave of this Island, I carried.. the money I formerly mentioned, which had lain by me so long useless that it was grown rusty or tarnished, and could hardly pass for his silver..”

Colonialism is also seen in how Crusoe treats Friday once they leave the island. Relationship between Crusoe and Friday is a microcosm of the British empire’s relationship with indigenous people.

Thinking Activity on Hamlet

                  

                  Thinking Activity on Hamlet

#About Author 

William Shakespeare was a renowned English poet, playwright, and actor born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon. His birthday is most commonly celebrated on 23 April (see When was Shakespeare born), which is also believed to be the date he died in 1616.

Shakespeare was a prolific writer during the Elizabethan and Jacobean ages of British theatre (sometimes called the English Renaissance or the Early Modern Period). Shakespeare’s plays are perhaps his most enduring legacy, but they are not all he wrote. Shakespeare’s poems also remain popular to this day.Shakespeare's works include 38 plays, 2 narrative poems, 154 sonnets, and a variety of other poems. No original manuscripts of Shakespeare's plays are known to exist today. It is actually thanks to a group of actors from Shakespeare's company that we have about half of the plays at all. They collected them for publication after Shakespeare died, preserving the plays. These writings were brought together in what is known as the First Folio ('Folio' refers to the size of the paper used). It contained 36 of his plays, but none of his poetry. 

Shakespeare’s legacy is as rich and diverse as his work; his plays have spawned countless adaptations across multiple genres and cultures. His plays have had an enduring presence on stage and film. His writings have been compiled in various iterations of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, which include all of his plays, sonnets, and other poems. William Shakespeare continues to be one of the most important literary figures of the English language.

 The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Hamlet is a written by 'William Shakespeare' the set in Denmark. This play written in "16^th Century" Shakespeare was an English poet, Play writer in the English Language. He write, "154 Sonnets", "Two Long Poem" and many "Tragedies". Hamlet considered to among   the finest work in English Language. we see movie Hamlet direct by "Kenneth Branagh". this movie adopting of Shakespeare play Hamlet.

 Here I am Discuss about 10 Question which was given by our sir.

·       How Faithful is movie to the original play?

Original Play located in 11th century in "Denmark" and movie located in 19th century in "Castle Rock Entertainment". Between movie and play there was a long time Difference. So the movie and play we saw many difference because in 19th century Technology come.so the thing were changed. In play we can’t saw the Technology. So the Technology changed Setting and costumes. they add a music for making movie interesting.  

·       After Watching the movie have your perception about play character or situations change?

My perception changed while watching the movie because visual thing easy to understand and unforgettable. After watching movie I understand whole story the whole the character of Hamlet. I can't read the 'Shakespeare's ' Original Hamlet so, I understand whole story from this Movie.

·       Do you feel "Aesthetic Delight" while watching movie? If yes exactly when did it happen? If no can you explain with reasons?

No, I can't feel aesthetic delight while watching the movie because In the movie dialogues are very long and bulky. some of scene are very long and that scene make Tired scene and dialogue.

·       Do you feel "Catharsis" while or after watching movie? If yes, exactly when did it happen? If no, can you explain with reason?

yes, I feel catharsis while watching movie in act-4 when Hamlet distinct to take revenge. Another scene Is that Ophelia became mad Ophelia's madness sorrowful condition. Hamlet also says abusing words for her.

·       Dose screening of movie help you in batter understanding of the play?

Yes, screening of the movie helps me to batter understanding of the play. because we read a play and see the play in between vast difference.  In reading play we can't see facial expression and movement of character but while watching movie we see this all thing. Movie screening help me a lot to batter understand the play.

·       Was there any particular scene or moment in movie that you will cherish lifetime?

yes, there is one Graveyard scene hamlet came and he says, " I loved Ophelia, forty thousand brother could not, with all their quantity of love, make up my sum-What will thou do for her?" (Act v, scene I). At first time Hamlet accept he love Ophelia.

·       If you are director, what changes would you like to make in the remarking if movie on Shakespeare's Hamlet?

If I am director. I want to change that is focused on own thing not for kingdom. they are fight with each other not for his kingdom. no one care about Denmark even also king don't care about. So I want change focus on kingdom.

·       In the beginning of the movie, camera rolls over the statue of King Hamlet outside the Elsinore castle. The more ends with similar sequence wherein the statue of the king Hamlet is hammered down to the dust what sort of symbolism do you read in this?

Actually, Before the class discussion I don't understand the falling statue of king Hamlet. But after class discussion we can say that the Revenge is not a right way for moral answer.  The Falling statue symbol of the fall of empire.

·       while studying the play through movie which approach do you find more applicable to the play why?

while studying the play through movie Psychological approach and Feminist approach both are applicable in the play. Hamlet was student of philosophy. he fights with himself ' To be or not to be'. Feminist approach in Ophelia and Gertrude character.

·       Which of the above mentioned approaches appeals you more than others why? Gives reasons.

According to my point of view Feminist approach should be appeals more than others because in the play we find character Gertrude. she suffer between his husband and sun. she married with Claudius after his first husband death. hamlet not agree with her and she suffer with this thing. Second character Ophelia she is also suffer. she suffer with her father, her brother and Hamlet. she love Hamlet but her father and brother dislike hamlet. so, I think feminist approach appeals more than another approach.

Thinking Activity: Dryden's dramatic Poesy

About Dryden

John Dryden, (born August 9 [August 19, New Style], 

1631, Aldwinkle, Northamptonshire, England—died May 1 [May 12], 1700, London), English poet, dramatist, and literary critic who so dominated the literary scene of his day that it came to be known as the Age of Dryden.The son of a country gentleman, Dryden grew up in the country. When he was 11 years old the Civil War broke out. Both his father’s and mother’s families sided with Parliament against the king, but Dryden’s own sympathies in his youth are unknown.

About 1644 Dryden was admitted to Westminster School, where he received a predominantly classical education under the celebrated Richard Busby. His easy and lifelong familiarity with classical literature begun at Westminster later resulted in idiomatic English translations.In 1650 he entered Trinity College, Cambridge, where he took his B.A. degree in 1654. What Dryden did between leaving the university in 1654 and the Restoration of Charles II in 1660 is not known with certainty. In 1659 his contribution to a memorial volume for Oliver Cromwell marked him as a poet worth watching. His “heroic stanzas” were mature, considered, sonorous, and sprinkled with those classical and scientific allusions that characterized his later verse. This kind of public poetry was always one of the things Dryden did best.

 Dryden Essay : of Dramatic poesy : short video review.

On 19th september, we had flip learning class on Dryden's essay and dramatic poesy. After Watching the video to give answer on the question asked in our thinking activity.

 Q.1 ) Do You any difference between Aristotle's definition of Tragedy and Dryden's definition of play?

 Aristotle has given definition of Tragedy and Dryden has given definition of Play.

As Dr. Mukherjee says in video that we can break definition of tragedy given by Aristotle in three parts. First is lovely image of human nature, second is represents passion and humor and changes of future and third is its purpose is give delight and instruction to mankind. According to Aristotle tragedy with catharsis, while according to Dryden play ends with delight and instruction. Tragedy ends with sadness while play ends with pleasure and delightness.

Q.2) If you are supposed to give your personal predilection would you be on the side of the ancient or the modern? please give reasons.

 according to me Ancient and modern both are true and necessary on its place. I can't take side of anyone, because moderns are still imitating the ancient.  we can say that without foundation building can't sustain. so, we can say that all are necessary for each other progress and necessary to each other. moderness is necessary because if we sustain with oldness. we can't get more progress. for development in any field innovation is important.

Q.3) Do you think that the argument presented in Favour of the French plays and against English plays are appropriate?

  yes, I think the argument presented in favour of the French plays and against English plays are appropriate. the most important points is French maintain the unities of action. plays are never congested with sub plot as is the case with English plays. In English plays the character relates to life and therefore it is proper and reasonable that it should be also in the drama but in French plays such narrations are more skilled than the ancients. we can also say that the plot of the French plays are always based upon some well known story. the French play due to one plot this happen in rare case. The French avoid horror science, bloodshed, violence while the English play represents death on the stage.

Q.4) What would be your preference so far as poetic or prosaic dialogue are concerned in the play?

 I prefer poetic dialogue than prosaic in play. poetic may be rhyme verse or blank verse also. poetic language gives path to imagination. poetic language helps the judgment and makes it easier. poetic language gives path to imagination. interpretation of poem can be different. Blank verse is poetic prose and its only fit for comedy.   

Paradise Lost

Paradise Lost

About Author 
John Milton, English poet, pamphleteer, and historian, is best known for writing "Paradise Lost," widely regarded as the greatest epic poem in English.John Milton is best known for Paradise Lost, widely regarded as the greatest epic poem in English. Together with Paradise Regained, it formed his reputation as one of the greatest English writers. In his prose works he advocated the abolition of the Church of England. His influence extended through the English civil wars and also to the American and French revolutions.John Milton was born in London on December 9, 1608 to John and Sara Milton. He had an older sister Anne, and a younger brother Christopher, and several siblings who died before reaching adulthood. As a child, John Milton attended St. Paul’s School, and in his lifetime he learned Latin, Greek, Italian, Hebrew, French, and Spanish. He attended Christ’s College, Cambridge, graduating in 1629 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, and 1632 with a Master of Arts.After Cambridge, Milton spent six years living with his family in Buckinghamshire and studying independently. In that time, he wrote “On the Morning of Christ’s Nativity,” “On Shakespeare,” “L’Allegro,” “Il Penseroso,” and "Lycidas," an elegy in memory of a friend who drowned.

   Paradise lost is an epic poem in blank verse by the john Milton in 17th century.  The first version published in 1667. It is considered by critics to be Milton’s major work. The poem concerns the ‘Biblical’ story of the fall of man. In the paradise Lost divine perspective were retold from the human perspective.

 Question 1. Write a critical note on the character of Eve

  Eve is the central character of the book no. XI. She is created of Adam’s rib as his helpmeet. When Satan see her first time for a while he forget about his revenge. Satan overcome by her beauty but she is not as strong physically or intellectual as Adam and she seduced by Satan and eats the fruit of the tree of knowledge. First she made some argue with Satan:

       “But if this tree we may not taste nor touch, God so commanded, and left that command sole daughter of his voice: the rest, we live law to ourselves; our reason in our law”?

  Milton has portrayed weakness of women through the character of Eve. She persuade by Satan. Milton shows role of woman in society.

2. Whose arguments did you find more convincing?

 In Milton’s paradise lost book XI , three main characters lively

Ø Eve

Ø Adam

Ø Satan

According to me Eve’s argument more convincing because we find logic in her argument. She was talking with Satan. She is not accept him he says but she asked question to him. Eve tried to convincing him by saying that she awared about it but she wanted to proved herself that satan should attack her alone. While serpent came and started overpraising her as he wanted to lead towards the tree of knowledge. She bravely denied to eat the fruit .but in the end she eat a fruit. After the test of fruit she say about the fruit.

This Tree is not, as we are told, a tree

Of danger tasted, not to evil unknown

Opening the way, but of divine effect

To open eyes, and make them gods who taste;

And hath been tasted such.

 After this argument by eve. we can say her argument is convincing.

   3.  How do you look at the Divine perspective in genesis of the bible and human perspective in john Milton’s paradise lost book XI.

God was at the center and human beings like as puppet. Book XI based on the holy book Bible. When we see the name of Bible we something new about in the story we saw a about the god. Here Bible represent God centric world. We find the  god’s creation of forbidden tree”Fall of Man” . God curse her also her children for her disobedience work. In Genesis, god “created man in his own image of god he created him, male and female he created them”.

  

 

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Wordsworth's Preface to Lyrical Ballad

     Lyrical Ballads of Wordsworth 

The Preface of Lyrical Ballads is an essay. It was composed by the “William Wordsworth” . the second edition published in January in 1801 of the poetry collection Lyrical Ballads, and then greatly expanded in the third edition of 1802. It has comes to be seen as a de facto manifesto of the Romantic movement. 

 Q. 1 What is the basic difference between the poetic creed of ‘classicism’ and ‘romanticism’?

  Classicism and romanticism ae two ideologies. Romanticism believed that one would only find truth through their own intuition given they highlights the importance of individual though and not societal thought. Classicism believed thatman should conform to universal thought and ideas.

Q.2 Why does Wordsworth say ‘What is poet” rather who is poet?

     Poet means “Men speaking to men’ according Wordsworth. A man endowed with more lively sensitivity. A poet like other human but different from them in degree. He says that “ endowed with more lively sensitivity. A poet has Knowledge of human nature and a more comprehensive.

Q. 3 What is poetic Diction? Which sort of poetic diction is suggested by Wordsworth in his preface?

  Poetic diction means, choice of words or language really used by men. According to Wordsworth, “Poerty is the breath and finer sprit of all knowledge, the impassioned that is in the countenance of all Science. He suggest to “Preface to the Lyrical ballads”

Q. 4 What is Poetry?

    Wordsworth Gives a definition of poetry, ‘Poetry is the Spontaneous overflow of powerful feeling; it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility’. Poet write about feeling, emotion of his life.

Q. 5 Discuss ‘Daffodils ‘ I wondered lonely as a cloud with reference to Wordsworth poetic creed.

  Daffodils is one of the best poem of Wordsworth. This poem written in four stanzas. Poem written in two tense. First three in present tense and last one in past tense.

According to definition of Wordsworth “ poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feeling; it takes origin from emotions recollect in tranquility.