William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare is the most fascinating writer and poet in English Literature for me. Actually, before this week’s lecture, (especially before reading his sonnets) I don’t know the Shakespeare well. I have just heard some quotes and the name of some plays. And now, I want to learn more information about Shakespeare. Thus, I did some research about him.
According to some people, he refers to two kinds of love in his sonnets. One of them is the admiration to a man, the other one is the passion to a woman. People say that he appeals to a man especially in 20th sonnets, “ the master of mistress of my passion.” Also, I encountered an interesting information about him. He actually was a pawnbroker. He earned so much money from the pawnbroking rather than his works. Contrary to these beliefs, some of them think that he has never lived.

Shakespeare is the one who describes the love perfectly. He is magician of the words.
Shakespeare brought the emotions into the forefront in his works. Also, he contributed to many words to English Literature. He used different words while he was writing.
He had plays, poets and sonnets. As you like it, Midsummer Night’s Dream are his some comedy plays. Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth are his some tragedy plays. IV. Henry, II. Richard, III. Richard are his some historical plays. The Rape of Lucrere, The Passionate Pilgrim are his some poems.

To sum up, Shakespeare is the best ever writer and poet not only in English Literature, but also all around the world.

 

 

Christopher Marlowe

Christopher Marlowe is one of the play writers in the Renaissance. He wrote some plays and poets. One of his plays, even, the most important one is ‘The Tragicall History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus.’
In play, there is a doctor called Faustus. He is very ambitious, he wants to know everything and wants to be perfect. Thereby, he decides to deal with the devil is Mephistopheles. Faustus deals with the assistance of Mephistopheles called ‘Lucifer.’ He sells his soul to Lucifer. He asks for more and more knowledge and power for 25 years. Lucifer accepts. At the end of the 25 years, Faustus regrets, and he starts to beg to God. But there is nothing to do. Lucifer have to take Faustus’s soul.
Briefly, this play points many morals. Being a greedy person doesn’t bring favour to you. People should know how to content with what they have. If they don’t know, they may be regret and come across undesirable situation at the end.

The Renaissance

Geoffrey Chaucer is one of the writer leading up to start the Renaissance. This period is also known as “Elizabethan era”. It started at the end of 14th century and involved 15th and 16th century. Renaissance’s mean is rebirth in science and art. It was formed with the effect of Humanism. Thanks to Renaissance, the relationships between public and government was re-organized. The idea of living humanely was spread. Thus, writers exalted the human-being in their works. Respect for the human, freedom, developing in art were the characters of this period. Writers gave up using Latin, they started to use the national language, English.  In this period, important works are seen. William Shakespeare is the most famous writer and poet in Renaissance. He has important works such as Romeo and Juliette, Machbet, Hamlet, Julius Caesare. In addition; Montaigne, Cervantes, Marlowe, Ben Jonson, Edmund Spencer, John Milton are important writers and poets in Renaissance.

"Geoffrey Chaucer"

Goeffrey Chaucer is the first writer and poet who was writing about real characters and criticizing the social order. He lived in Middle Ages in 1340-1400.

Chaucer made crucial contributions to English Literature. After Anglo-Saxon period, he developed the English which was spoken just by the villagers by adding some French words. Thus, he achieved a language resembling today’s English language. He made English lived. On account of family’s wealthy and being close to palace, he went to abroad frequently. As a result, the effects of France’s and Italian’s literature can be seen in his works. Also, he gave place to ordinary people rather than famous people or heros in his works.

The most important work is “The Canterbury Tales”. While the Pilgrims were journeying, everybody told stories. Chaucer planned to write 124 stories but it wasn’t completed because of his dead. He just wrote 22 stories.
 

Briefly, Goeffrey is known “the father of English”. English appreciates him. Even, according to English, if you want to take visa to go to England, you can say “I want to search the Chaucer in there.” So you can take it easily. This shows how important he is for English.

 

 

Note: I’m so sorry for late.

Beowulf

Beowulf is one of the most important instances in Old English. Also, it’s the oldest epic poem in English Literature. It consists of approximately 3000 lines. Although this work belongs to Old English, heroes aren’t English. They are Nordic.

Beowulf is anonymus. It appeared in oral tradition in 8th century, and it was put down on paper in 10th century. In 1878, this work was translated to Modern English by Grimur Jonsson Thorkelin.

Let’s explain this poem. Once upon a time, there was an old king living in Jute. His name was Hrothgor. He was good and powerful person. But, also there was a monster known as ‘Grendel’. Monster attacked king’s country all the time. Meanwhile, Beowulf, who was a young warrior, came from beyond the sea, and fought against monster. He won the fight by separating Grendel's arm from its body. For this reason, Grendel’s mother wanted to take revenge. But she failed.

Beowulf became king in his country. When he got older, a dragon began to attack to the country. Everybody except for Wiglaf, run away because of dragon. They fought. Dragon and Beowulf died. Finally, a funeral was organized for Beowulf.

To sum up, the thing emphasized in poem is heroism and doing everything to be hero. This is goal. To be courageous and reputation are important for them. Because they are non-believer. According to them, there is no life after death. What really matters is doing their best when they’re living.

"For sale: Baby shoes, never worn"

This week, the most impressive thing I saw is the story belonging Ernest Hemingway.  Actually, it doesn't seem like a story on account of its shortness. Hemingway's story is the most short one in English literature. It consists of six words, and it is called 'the six-word memoir project' in literature.

According to the information I came across on internet, one day while Hemingway and his friends were sitting in the pub, he bet his friends whether he wrote the story consisting six words for 10 dollars or not. Then, Hemingway wrote it: "For sale: Baby shoes, never worn." But this information may be not true, it's just legend.

The story has a lot of meaning. It can be interpreted differently by everyone.
In my opinion, there was a expectant couple. Mother bought something like dress, shoes to her baby without knowing what would happen. Then, she aborted baby. This situation made parents sad, and they decided to sell shoes to get rid of painful memories.

Briefly, everyone makes plan all the time, but nobody knows what's going to happen. We should be ready for everything in life so as not to sorrow.

Viewpoint of the literature

Firstly, I state that I didn’t join first English Literature course, so I’ve no idea about what we are going to do. If the truth be told, I never like Turkish and English literature. They always make me scared and they don’t attract me. When somebody says ‘English Literature’, thick books come to my mind.

The only thing I know about English literature is William Shakespeare and his some works, as everybody know.

Actually, I wonder why we take this course? Maybe it will be beneficial for someone who wants to have an academic career, but it relates to very few people. But yet, this course provides to enhance liberal education, I think.

For all, I believe I don’t get bored and I hope I’ll like English Literature.