Is it a goodbye for this blog?

Blogging is one of effective way to contribute me as a student of EDU 3217. This blog provides me space to speak out my thoughts. I can write what I think important in this course. I can share my thoughts with my peer and exchange my opinions with each other by commenting their posts. I feel free to write in my own blog and everything that I have no opportunity to share in class, I will write it in this blog. Even though not everyone reads my blog, but at least I still have chances to share it here. Blogging does provide me space to write my views only, but it also assists me to build my critical thinking. I help me to analyze the plays that I’ve learnt in this course and then help me to get the issues or moral values that raise in the plays I read. Personally, I enjoy writing in this blog. It is like I have my own room to stay and I have authority to decorate it and put anything that I find suitable. Another thing that I like is there is no time constrain, I can respond without pressure. I can prepare my post first after finishing reading my texts and then post is in this blog. If in class, I find that I have anxiety in learning this course, but by blogging, it actually reduces my anxiety and it makes me comfortable to speak out my views. Over all, blogging does help me to gain knowledge and understand this course better. I think I like drama now. Finally, I find the answer for my own question. I asked if there is anyone who can help me to fall in love with drama faster, and here in this blog, I realize I'm in love with drama.

Content-learning

I've learned a number of plays in EDU3217. Most of the play are good and useful for my study. The plays have different characteristics and there are also moral values in the plays. I admit that I have difficulties in reading those play especially King Lear and Streetcar Named Desire. King Lear is written in classic English so then I find it difficult to understand. Streetcar Named Desire is implicit and most of the things are implied in that play. I only understand the play after Dr. Edwin and Ms Kathoori discuss it class. I've learned that drama is totally different with other literary works.

I think simulated-teaching is one of important aspect that useful for my study. Simulated-teaching requires us as students to understand the play that we are going to teach. because of simulated-teaching, all of us study the play really hard. It's useful for us.

Well, when I read the the plays, I think I can interpret the content differently. Why? It's because those plays have their own issues even though they are in same type of drama which is tragedy. For example, The Swordfish, Then The Concubine by Kee Thuan Chye conveys different issues from King Lear and Oedipus Rex. It talks about human behaviour and politics. King Lear and Oedipus have similar theme which is the reversal of fortune.

If I were a teacher, I guess I would be adopt and adapt the skills that I've learned for my future lesson. I've learn how to interpret the texts or plays, so I think next time, I will do the same way. I'll ask my students to analyze the text by using the same way. That's very effective to study a play. =)

Well, I have a question. Is it appropriate if we read the summary of a play first before we read the play? Maybe I can change the style by reading the play first and then summarize it. And I do find some sources to help me study the play and I also need input from my lecturer and tutor to share the knowledge about drama.

Over all, I love to study drama =)

Streetcar Named Desire

Streetcar Named Desire pretty much like other plays. Blanche, the protagonist in this play faces a lot of conflicts. Blanche herself comes from rich family with her aristocracy life. Then, she goes to New Orlean to see her sister, Stella. When she get to Stella's house, she extremely shock because the house is small and not in very good condition. Actually, she has lost his properties and now she is out of money. So, she decides to stay with her sister. Unfortunately, her sister also live in poor condition. How unlucky, right?

then, I wonder why the title is Streetcar Named Desire. After discuss it with lecturer and friends, I now understand. The streetcar named desire in denotative meaning is train. But Tennessee William implies it, it is actually the life of Blance. The uneasy life of her. But I think I need to reread the play to understand it better and clearer.

Besides, what I want to highlight here are actually the conflicts or issues that emerge in this play. Blanche is pity woman who cannot rid of her past. She is in heartbroken when she knows that Allan Grey, her husband is a gay. After that, she lives difficulties and she quits her study. She also suffers from her past experiences. She keeps hearing the sound of gun and the image of Allan's death emerges in her mind. That causes her to get mental illness. Another thing that I notice is Blanche never goes out in day. She always stay in dark and or dim light. In the dark, she always wear bright clothes. It makes me confuse and keep thinking why she keeps staying in the dark with bright clothes? In the end of the play, Blanche becomes crazy. Sometimes, she reminds me to Ophelia in Hamlet by Shakespeare. Ophelia lost her mind after she cannot accept the reality.

Anyway, the moral values that I can get from this play are we must face the reality and adapt the environment if our lives have changed. If we have problems, find the best way to solve it, not just deny or run away from it. It is helpless.

The Swordfish, Then The Concubine

"The Swordfish, Then The Concubine" by Kee Thuan Chye is slightly different from the plays that I've studied in EDU 3217. At the beginning of my reading, I find it difficult to study the play because of the characters. This is the play that I notice that got a lot of characters. But I think it will be fine if I continue reading the play. Then, I still can't understand until Dr. Edwin asks us to list down the characters and find out their roles and relationships. Only then I can study the play. Thanks to Dr. Edwin. Hehe...=)

Logod and Ris Kaw make me wonder if I read the play correctly. It is because when Ris Kaw and Logod appear in the play with their modern language, I notice that the setting has changed. It confuses me for a while. Then I continue reading and then I manage to understand. It is quite complicated to me and I need to read it closely without missing any important parts to understand the story. Today, my friends and I are lucky because we have chance to meet Kee Thuan Chye. He does explain about "The Swordfish, Then The Concubine" and I think my understanding towards the play is getting better. Thanks to Mr Kee Thuan Chye =)

This play also different for me because it is actually talking about political issues. I realize that the messages are heavy but the way the playwright conveys it lightly. Kee Thuan Chye also inserts the comedy element in this play so then readers will be more relax to read the play even though the messages are serious. It is totally different with other plays that I've read. Even though I don't like politics, the play do help me to see the current issues and be more aware to political changes in our country. Over all, this play is good =)

Jack alias Earnest

Is it true that being Ernest is better than being Jack? This question emerges in mind when I read the play titled The Important of Being Earnest. Even though name is important, for me, it does not matter to be anyone. Some people say that names represent our personalities. Maybe it is true but not hundred percent true. For example, we can’t say someone who named as Jack has no uniqueness in himself. Everyone has their own qualities in themselves.

I find that the play is funny. It really amuses me. The play is about mistaken of identity. It starts with Jack who pretends to be another man called Ernest and then follows by Algernon who also try to be Ernest. The story is simple and nice. It is enjoyable to read.

In the play, Jack has pretended to be Ernest. He pretends to be Ernest just for Gwendolen, a high status girl. For her, being Ernest is better that being anyone else. In fact, she thinks that man named as Ernest has better qualities than other men. That’s why Jack wants to be Ernest so then he can reach the status where Gwendolen be.

Unfortunately, Algernon, Jack’s friend notices about his disguise and tries to reveal the truth to Gwendolen. He forces Jack to speak the truth why he pretends to be Ernest. Jack explains about it by saying that he desires to have a brother and then he creates a man named Ernest. So then, he plays Ernest’s part in front of Gwendolen and he becomes Jack in front of his friends and Cecily, a girl that he looks after. Cecily calls him Uncle Jack. Algernon suspects Jack has an affair with Cecily after Algernon found the lighter that got Cecily’s name on it. Then, Algernon goes to Jack’s mansion to investigate about Jack and when he arrives there, he meets Cecily. He falls in love with her.

Then, Algernon goes to Jack house by pretending to be Jack’s brother, Ernest. Then, Jack comes back from meeting Gwendolen in London. He shocks when he sees Algernon in his house with his new name, Ernest. It amuses me when Jack comes back in mourning suit. He plans to banish his imaginative brother by telling to Cecily that Ernest has passed away. His plan fails. The two men argue about being Ernest. It is funny for me. What’s so special being Ernest?

Another part that amuses me a lot is when Gwendolen meets Cecily. She thinks Cecily seduces Jack or Ernest. Then, Cecily also the same way too by saying that Gwendolen is trying to steal Ernest from her. Because of their jealousy, they become cynical and treat each other pretentiously.

Cecily: [Severely.] Cake or bread and butter?
Gwendolen: [In a bored manner.] Bread and butter, please. Cake is rarely seen at
the best houses nowadays.
Cecily: [Cuts a very large slice of cake, and puts it on the tray.] Hand that to
Miss Fairfax.

It is so funny. Cecily and Gwendolen try to against each other by using their manners to show their own status. They fight for the wrong guy. They don’t know that they are actually fighting for different guys. Who is deserved to be blamed, Jack, Algernon, or Ernest? So, in this play, I find that the Oscar Wilde raises the issues of name and status. So then, let us think whether name is really important? Is it really important to be Ernest? Is it impressive to be in higher status? Personally I think, we are free to be anyone we want to be. We better think about it.

Is it true that Fool is fool?

The Fool is one of the characters in King Lear written by William Shakespeare that I can’t forget. The Fool in the play has his own duties to amuse and company Lear. Is he really fools? He has no brain? The answer is he is not fool even though his name is Fool. The Fool in this play loves to sing and speak in riddles. His riddles are only to amuse people? I don’t think so. It is because in one of his riddle, he says that;

[FOOL: Winter’s not gone yet if the wild geese fly that way.
Father that wear rags
Do make their children blind,
But fathers that bear bags
Shall see their children kind.
Fortune, that arrant whore,
Ne’er turns the key to the’ poor.
But, for all this, thou shalt have as many dolors for thy daughters as
thou canst in a year]

It indicates that the Fool really knows what he talks about. He is not a fool that do not have brain but he has insight that makes him able to see the truth, the truth about Lear’s daughters and his surroundings. The Fool reminds me to Teiresias in Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. Teiresias is a blind seer that able to see the truth even though he is physically blind. The Fool by William Shakespeare is portrayed as a man who supposes to be joker to amuse the king now becomes a wise man who has insight to warn Lear about his two evil daughters, Goneril and Regan. As the readers know, Goneril and Regan make Lear suffers and crazy. As a result, don’t judge a book by its cover!

King Lear

King Lear is a one of the tragedy drama of William Shakespeare. Why I say it as tragedy? It’s because at the end of the play, many major characters die. The conflicts begin with Lear’s two elder daughters start concerning about the properties. At the beginning, Lear asks his three daughters to express their loves towards him. Goneril and Regan flatter Lear and make Lear believe that they truly love him. On the other hand, Cordelia is unable to put a word in her mouth to express her love to Lear. It is because she loves him very much and she even refuses to get marry so then she can stay with her old father. Unfortunately, Lear gets angry when Cordelia says, “Nothing, my Lord”. He immediately disowns her and does not hand any parts of land in Britain for her. And then prince of French who is touched by Cordelia’s kindness wants to take her hand to be Queen of French.

After Lear divides the lands, Goneril and Regan become cruel and mistreat Lear. Their target is actually to get rid of Lear from his throne and then Lear will become powerless without knights, and servants. Goneril and Regan do not house Lear when Lear is outside with the storm. The lock the door and never let Lear in for shelter. Gloucester who is kind-hearted go out to seek for Lear and gives him shelter. The result of Gloucester’s deed, Cornwall, the husband of Regan takes Glouscester’s eyes out. At first, he only blind one of Gloucester eye, then Regan provokes him to blind another eye. They are cruel. They are not only mistreating Lear but also mistreating Gloucester.

In this play, there is a Fool that always companies Lear. Uniquely, the Fool knows the truth about Goneril and Regan. He also mentions about the two cruel princesses in his riddles. Unfortunately, Lear does not notice it and he still puts his believe in her two cruel daugthers. After he realizes the meaning of the riddle, he's too late. He totally regrets and then becomes crazy. Lear in this play represents the ignorance while the Fool represents the knowledge. It is something interesting to be thought.

Because of properties, Goneril and Regan with the help of Edmund, the bastard, they claim war between Britain and French. Cordelia as the Queen of French tries to help his poor father but she lose to the cruel sisters. Edmund who is the real evil has ordered to hang Cordelia. He himself dies after lose to Edgar the illegitimate son of Gloucester. Goneril who is unable to win Edmund’s heart finally kills herself and before that she also poisons Regan because she does not want Edmund marries Regan. Lear died after he holds Cordelia’s body.

It is pretty much similar to other tragedy plays which are ended with death. The ignorance of Lear leads him to madness and he regrets with his wrong deeds to Cordelia. In this play, the issue of humanity also emerges. It has been shown by Goneril and Regan who have mistreated Lear, their own flesh and blood. They also plan to murder Lear and Cordelia with hope that they will govern Britain fully on their own. The issues of ignorance and humanity are good for readers to think about and take it as a lesson.