'Tis a matter of opinion

Posted by Angela Hooper at 9:21 PM Wednesday, October 19, 2011
So we're off reading The Tempest now, and I have to admit, I'm more intrigued in the story line than into analyzing it. I think it's because of the Tempest's amazing scenes that you simply have to imagine in order to understand what is going on. Unlike Love's Labour's Lost where the whole play seems to happen in one little area of a forest, the Tempest spans over a whole island that has the intrigue of being a shipwreck island. Now, as I was reading, I decided to actually get a feel of this island through looking at it through the characters' eyes.

We seem to have some conflicting views though.

Adrian: The air breathes upon us here most sweetly.
Sebastian: As if it had lungs and rotten ones.
Antonio: Or as 'twere perfumed by a fen.

             


Gonzalo: Here is everything advantageous to life.
Antonio: True; save means to live.
Sebastian: Of that there's none, or little.



Gonzalo: How lush and lusty the grass looks! how green!
Antonio: The ground indeed is tawny.
Sebastian: With an eye of green in't.





So what's up? Are they on two different islands???

It sure seems like it...

I think this just shows the difference between characters. Those with the cup half full, and those who choose to see it as just plain empty.

So here's my list:

Optimistic:
Gonzalo
Alonso

Pessimistic:
Antonio
Sebastian


We'll have to continue on and see who ends up the happiest!

3 comments:

  1. Mason said...:
    October 20, 2011 at 11:00 PM

    I like this post. I really like the ones where you take the play imagery and put pictures to it. They always turn out really well and show the play in a way that I had not thought of before.

  1. Austin Maurer said...:
    October 25, 2011 at 4:28 PM

    I really like these posts, too. You're really good at this, Angela. It's interesting how you are able to glean key insights into characters by examining the imagery in their words. I should look for more of this.

    Do you go back and look for these specifically, or do you just notice them as you read?

  1. Angela Hooper said...:
    October 26, 2011 at 8:12 AM

    Thanks guys. I really love seeing the imagery that Shakespeare uses. I don't usually notice too much imagery when I first read through it, but then I search for images as I look over the sections for the blog and I usually find more than I had thought. It's pretty cool. You should try it sometime ;)

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