Essential Question #7

Do you think that Hamlet has created his own insanity, or has he lost his sense of reality completely?

If you were to just quickly read through Hamlet’s statements it would be easy to say that he is just insane, but that is not the case. Hamlet has been struggling through a very difficult time in his life. His father was murdered, and Hamlet is forced to obey the rules of his father’s murderer. Once you take a closer look into the situation Hamlet sanity is very clear. Hamlet is struggling with a giant decision that he has to make. He has to seek revenge for his father’s murder. His emotions take the better of him sometimes. He says, "I am but mad north-north-west. When the wind is southerly, I know a hawk form a handsaw" (107). He is only “mad” sometimes, but he is able to still see the truth in some matters.

Essential #6

There are many parallels that can be drawn between the Pardoner’s prologue and his tale. The definition of a pardoner is a medieval ecclesiastic authorized to raise money for religious works by granting papal indulgences to contributors. In the definition we see a sin that the Pardoner preaches against. In the tale he preaches against gluttony, indulgences, fraud and vulgarity. The Pardoner is guilty of all the vices he speaks about. This tale is different from the others that we have read. In the first two stories the focus is on love and friendship, but in the Pardoner’s tale the focus is on the negative aspects of life and how they should be avoided. The Pardoner only speaks about love of money. His story focuses on sins because if he gets people to think of their sins they may buy pardons from him. His job is to make money and his story is just a way for him to continue his business.

Essential Question 5- My Society

The ideal society is impossible to come by. Today’s society is unbalanced and imperfect. To have the perfect society there has to be a balance of good and evil. There are many roles for people to fit. A society must have a structure that it follows. When all these are met a group of people becomes a society.
In my ideal society I chose five different people who would play many roles. I chose Tom Brady, Gerard Butler, Mother Theresa, Taylor Swift, and Megan Fox. Each person would play an important role in the society. The society has to have structure, and political structure that I would choose is a democracy. These choices help to make a society run.
I chose Tom Brady for many reasons. He is an all-pro quarterback in the NFL. Quarterback is one of the most difficult positions to play in football, and Tom Brady is one of the best of all time. Brady dissects defenses with his passes, and is a student of the game. He is very athletic which is a positive in the society. He is a very strong leader. Through his play we can see his intelligence. Tom Brady is also a very good-looking man, or so I have heard. All these attributes made the decision very clear that Tom Brady would be a very good choice as a member of society.
Another member of my society is Taylor Swift. She is one of the most talented new starlets around. Her music has sold thousands upon thousands of copies. She is an entertainer. She is a very pretty girl. She is young and full of energy and that is what a society needs.
The third member of my society is Mother Theresa. She plays a major role in my society. She could be the nurturer of the society. She would provide the spiritual guidance in the society. Mother Theresa has knowledge of medicine and could be a healer, and with her overall knowledge she would be the sapient of the society. She would also help to educate in my society.
One of the final members of my society is Megan Fox. She is one of the most talked about actresses right now. She is gorgeous, and she is not a bad actress. She would play the role of the temptress, and possibly the villain. Along with Taylor Swift she would provide the females needed for procreation, which is obviously the most important factor if a society were to make it to the next generation.
Gerard Butler is the final member of my society. He is a leader. He plays a huge role in my society. He is a guardian and protector. He is a father figure. He is the enforcer and the law. He is the quintessential man in my society.
My society is not perfect, and it has some flaws. It would be hard to have a democracy with so many stars. They would all want the power. My society is not diverse, and diversity is important to me. My society also lacks a true villain, or challenge. These cons do not make my society completely dysfunctional.
This is my ideal society. It contains people that everyone loves. Most, if not all major roles have someone to fill them. There are strong leaders, and a knowledgeable sage. My society would hopefully thrive.

Essential #4

Sir Gawain and The Green Knight
Choice 2: Where do we see seduction and lust start to destroy Gawain, our young hero? What is the author trying to tell us?

Lust and seduction are the downfall of many. Sometimes it brings the best of people to a lower level. In the story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight lust and seduction also helps to bring down Gawain.
Gawain is given a warm welcome by his host while on his journey to find the Green Knight. His host feeds and clothes him. He shows him a lot of hospitality. Gawain sees the wife of his host and thinks she is beautiful. In the text the author alludes to affair between the two. Through this affair Gawain would break the five knightly virtues of friendship, generosity, courtesy, chastity, and piety. He takes all the hospitality that was shown to him and throws it right back in his hosts face. This will most likely lead to the downfall of Gawain because in novels of this nature no bad act goes without punishment. The only question is how severe will Gawain’s punishment be?

Rules of Relationships

1. Never talk about the opposite sex in a sexual manner.
2. On the first date hugs and kiss on the cheek only don't make yourself look too easy.
3. Be polite. Chivalry is not dead.
4. Treat them around others like you would if you were alone.
5. The guy should pay. After time they should split the bill.
6. Always be honest. Any lie is a bad lie.
7. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Respect it, even if you don't agree with it.
8. Don't spend too much time together. Don't forget about your friends.
9. Remind important dates, just because you may not think it is important does not mean that your significant other thinks the same.
10. Don't say I love you unless you mean it.

Beowulf Essential 2

Discuss biblical allusions and religious symbolism in Beowulf
Religion plays a huge role in Beowulf. During the time that this poem was written Christianity was becoming big, and there is a religious undertone throughout the text. Whenever anyone accomplishes anything they praise and thank God for what they have done. An example of religious undertone is the explanation of Grendel and how he was born. Grendel is born from the seed of Cane and is essentially a spawn of Satan. The same goes for Grendel’s mother. She knows her fate, but still chooses to live her life the way she does because she gave birth to a demon. Religion is key in the poem.
After Beowulf defeats Grendel’s mother he says, “our encounter would have ended at once if God had not guarded me” (1640-1641). Beowulf thanks God for him defeating Grendel’s mother. He said if God were not with him he would have died. This is just one of the numerous examples of religious symbolism in Beowulf.

Beowulf Essential 1

What are the social obligations of a hero? Is Beowulf aware of his deification process?

A hero is a person who helps protect society, and a hero is also admired by the people that he or she protects. A hero is courageous, strong, and is loyal to the people that he protects. the obligations of a hero are to uphold the certain qualities like selflessness and leadership. A hero must also live up to the expectations of society, and take upon themselves a role of leadership during a time of conflict or crisis. The hero must protect the people he serves, no matter how the outcome will affect him, and the hero must never give up because a hero is the one whom everyone relies on.

Beowulf is aware of his status as a hero, but not his deification process. He knows of his family's strong history. Beowulf knows of his great strength and bravery. Not only is Beowulf aware of these qualities but also others are aware. Beowulf is said to be "the strongest man alive, princely and powerful" (197-198). Beowulf is renowned for his strength and bravery, and Beowulf is highly respected because of these qualities. The people believe in Beowulf as a hero, but he has not reached the level of being a god yet.