Robinson Crusoe - novel by Daniel Defoe

                       Robinson Crusoe                                  

Introduction : Robinson Crusoe is a novel                            by Daniel Defoe. It was published on 25th April 1719. The novel is based on the life and story of the Scotsman Alexander Selkirk (1676-1721).He went to sea on the galleon Cinque Ports in 1703 under the pirate William Dampier.                                      

                 The protagonist of the novel is Crusoe himself. During whole novel he stays in the center. The main thing about this novel is he starts voyages on the sea. During his voyage he suffers from so many things . First thing is he was already refused by his father to sail on Sea World. One time his ship got attacked by pirates. During his voyage unfortunately he suffers from bad weather. This all things considered as a good obstacles because further he will suffer more than this. 

                During the voyage he sales a boy Xury. Finally he reaches on the island where he finds human but they are like a beast but on the island he finds an interesting character calls Friday. By the understanding they both are able to communicate. Here Crusoe tries to rule on him and also makes him slave. He repents for this thing and prays to God. After recovering the ship he leaves that island and he rescued by the English sailors. 

Individualism in the novel : Individualism                                   is also the main theme of the novel. Self -preservation and self-help is the key of Crusoe 's character. Ian Watt's argument that Crusoe epitomises economic individualism. 
                   Though he is alone on the island for twenty -eight years, he is able to keep his sanity because he simply uses the opportunity to do what he desires and wants. He learns to battle the elements, to hunt and defend. We can say he civilises himself as best suits the island. 
                      Crusoe conquers his fears, resigns himself to being alone, starts acquiring,  a comprehensive knowledge of the island, then develops the house and space around him. 
                  Defoe uses Georgia term for make that island hospitable. Crusoe learns to fight. 

Conclusion : Thus we can conclude this                          novel by saying that it is full of adventure with moral lessons and also there is satires on the colonizers of that time. Because colonialism we can see in the novel. Master slave relationship also there in the novel. Defoe himself experienced this all things that is why he becomes success in the style and form of this novel. It talks about travels and trade also. Religion also present in the novel. 
          So overall it is a very good novel. 
         
                                               Thank you.... 
                                        

The Tragic play - Doctor Faustus

                            Doctor Faustus 

Introduction : The full title of the play is                               "The Tragicall History of the Life and Death of  Doctor Faustus. It was written by Christopher Marlowe in early 1590s. It was first published in 1604 (Book -A) and 1616 (Book -B). The setting of the play is Europe, specially Germany and Italy.  

Protagonist : Doctor Faustus 

Major Conflict :Faustus sells his soul to                               Lucifer in exchange for 24 years of immense power, but the desire to repent begins to plague him as the fear of hell grows in him.  

Rising action : Faustus 's study of Dark                             Magic -Necromancy and his initial conversation with Mephistophilis. 

Climax : Faustus's sealing of the pact that                        promises his soul to Lucifer. 

Falling action : Faustus's traveling of the                               world and performing of magic for various rulers. 

Themes : Sin, redemption, damnation ; the         conflict between medieval and Renaissance values; absolute power and corruption; the divideness of human nature. 

Motifs : Magic and the supernatural;                            practical jokes. 

Symbols : Blood; Faustus's rejection of the                     ancient authorities; the good angel and the evil angel.

Conclusion : In the end of the play Dr.                                  Faustus's time comes to it's end and evil angel comes and takes him into the hell. But we can say that there was Renaissance spirit in him who challenges God by his knowledge, but it was a hubris or some other evil forces led him into the tragic end. 

• By the screening of the play it became very useful in understanding .

                      Thinking Activity 

1- The Play directed by Mathew Dunster for globe theatre ends with this scene (see the image of Lucifer) what does it signify?          

             Lucifer with wide wings 

It's signify that how devil rules over good things  or we can say that devil wins and God fails. During the whole play we sees if we compare the both angels every time evil wins that shows the power of that force or we can say the weakness of a human. 

2- Is God present in the play? If yes, where and how? If no, why? 

Yes, God present in the play. When a old man comes and tells Faustus that still you have time to repent and remember God. So we can interpret that old man as a God or messenger of God. 

 Old Man : o, stay, good Faustus, stay thy desperate steps! I see an angel hover O'er thy head, And, with a vial full of precious grace, Offers to pour the same into thy soul :Then call for mercy, and avoid despair. 

3- what reading and interpretation can be given to this image (see the image of Daedalus and Icarus) with reference to central theme of the play Dr. Faustus ?

The image of Daedalus and Icarus suggests that do not try to cross the limit. We knows that Daedalus makes wings from wax so he tells his son Icarus that do not go near to the sun because wax will start melting if you will go near to the sun and you will fall. But Icarus just takes it lightly and somehow he starts feeling high or better than them so that is the time he falls into the water and drowned. 

The same thing happened with the Doctor Faustus who suffers from hubris and that thing led him into the hell. 

                                                Thank you....... 

Hamlet

                      : Thinking Activity :

 Introduction -  "Hamlet" is a tragedy                                       written by Shakespeare .

Between 1559 and1603-1604.(uncertain) Main character of the play is a Hamlet himself who is the Prince of the Denmark .Main theme of the play is a taking revenge of his father King Hamlet 's murder. This taking revenge (secred duty of medieval times) turns their kingdom into desert.

 1-How faithful is the movie to the original play? 

 A movie "Hamlet"made by Kenneth Branagh is not fully faithful to the original play. Some of the things like a costume is a Victorian (18th century) costume. Setting is also of The England. Some of the scene (Hamlet and Ophelia 's bed scene) are not in the original play .Hamlet looks not young. This all things are added by the director. But dialogue vise it remains faithful. 

 2-After watching the movie have your perception about play character or situation changed? 

  Yes ,after watching the movie my perception about the play is changed. Before watching the movie I felt that the situations or setting of the play will be domestic. And Claudius is not suits to be the King. 

 3-Do you feel aesthetic delight while watching the movie? If yes, exactly when did it happen? If no can you explain with reasons?

  Yes, while watching the movie I felt aesthetic delight. We see Hamlet's behaviour is different towards all other characters. While he is alone, with Horatio, with Polonius, with Ophelia all the time he behaves differently, that shows human's nature. That is also reality. 

  4- Do you feel catharsis while or after watching movie?If yes, exactly when did it happen? If no can you explain with reasons? 
   Yes, I felt catharsis (The pleasure of Pity and Fear, Purgation, Purification) in the end of the movie. When Hamlet decides to take revenge or kill his uncle Claudius. Earlier he was in dilemma or we can say in over thinking but finally he gets ready to kill Claudius.

   5- Does screening of the movie help you in better understanding of the play? 
     Obviously yes, we knows that A picture has a thousand words. By the screening we get good idea that how whole thing is going, whenever we feels Difficulty that time we can pause and solve the problem. May be we sees the movie with more interest than reading so that helps a lot. We can easily remebered the scene. Thus, it is good to screening of the movie.

   6- Was there any particular scene or moment in the movie that you will cherish life time? 
       The scene between Hamlet and Horatio where Horatio tells Hamlet that don't go to the ghost because if you do as ghost said that will take you into melancholy and may be whole your kingdom will suffer. In the end we see he does as ghost says and his family, Kingdom everything becomes vain. So we can say that obeying or believing in wrong thing lets us in fall.

     7- If you are director what changes would you like to make in the remaking of movie on Shakespeare's "Hamlet"?
        I will make Hamlet more intellectual.So he will not take revenge. I will make Ophelia more courageous so she'll not becomes made and also give her full freedom. I will make Claudius character more effective. One more thing is that some times we feel bore while watching the movie so I will add some interesting things and remove unnecessary things.

    8- In the beginning of the movie camera rolls over the statue of King Hamlet out side the Elinsore castle. The movie ends with the similar sequence of the King Hamlet is hammered down to the dust. What sort of symbolism do you read in this? 
    The whole Kingdom including his family goes to vain because of King Hamlet or we can say his statue who calls Prince Hamlet to take revenge and that is rigidity or determined decision let his kingdom in dust as his statue goes into dust.

   9- While studying the play through movie which approach you find more applicable to the play? Why? Give reasons with illustrations.
     Historical or biographical (It is based on true story), Feminist (Gertrude) , Moral and Philosophical (Hamlet and Horatio and Claudius ) ,Psychological  (Hamlet's behaviour towards other person) , Mythical all This   approaches we find more applicable during or watching the movie.

  10- Which of the above mentioned approaches appeals you more than other?Why?Give reasons.
       Moral and philosophical approaches appeals more than others. Because during whole play we see in Hamlet that he always thinks a lot before doing anything. Sometimes he thinks that let this all things going on as it is going. Claudius's prayer to the GOD is also the example of moral and philosophical approaches.

                                                  Thank you....... 

                                           

Aristotle's Poetics

                                                             

1. Yes, I am agree with the Plato's objection to freedom of expression and artistic liberty enjoyed by creative writer. There is so many movies which should be banned according to the Plato 's objection like
               Grand Masti
               One Night Stand
               Murder ,etc.
             
             All this film should be banned according to the Plato's objection .
           
             There is some advertisement which should be banned according to the Plato's law of objection.
              As we know  that there is so many films or TV shops which are bad for the minor .May they take it personally ,there is so many creative serials that children can try and that is not good for them.

2. In B.A. programme there is a novel Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde .Which is written by R L Stevenson that we can consider as a creative work .That 's follows the  Aristotelian's literary tradition .But people can imitate him but that is not good .Or we can say that if we want to live the life freely than it is good.

3. During B.A. i studied the tragic play" OTHELLO " which is written by Shakespeare.Othello himself is the protagonist of the play.The Hamartia of the play is there is a tragic flaw in the play and there is a error of the judgement in the end of the play by the hero.Which leads him to the death of his lover and also he himself commit suicide.

4.Yes, these tragedies are follows the rules and regulation proposed by Aristotle. Like a chain of cause and effect ,principle of probability and necessity ,harmonious arrangement of incident ,complete certain magnitude ,unity of action .

             If we conclude this topic we can say that they both are right at it's own way .It depends on us to which way we choose .If we want to live the life of morality than Plato is right .If we want to live a freedomful life than Aristotle is right .But if we  think rationally than Aristotle is somehow better than his guru because most people like to enjoy the life and also to live a creative life .
           
           So it is very good knowledge of poetics as a form of literature.
       
                                                           
                                                                                                               Thank you.

Review of the film ; Rang De Basanti

           


        On the 71st Independence Day, I attended the Flag Hoisting Ceremony at the main administrative building of MKBU. Dr. Zala, who has hoisted the flag, gave information about our freedom fighters and also remembered our soldiers who are on the border for our safety.

After this ceremony, I attended the screening of the thrilling movie Rang de Basanti. Which was arranged at the English Department. I just became mesmerized after watching this film. First, I would like to introduce the whole team for the movie.

          

Director :Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra

Writer :Prasoon Joshi

Release Date: 26 January 2006

Language:Hindi ,Punjabi,English

Amir Khan is a DJ, and Chandrashekhar Azad is an actor.

Siddharth, Karan, Bhagatsingh

Sharman Joshi, Sukhi, Rajguru

Soha Ali Khan, Sonia, and Durga Vohra

Kunal Kapoor, Aslam, Ashfaqullah Khan

R Madhavan- Flight Lieutenant Ajay Rathod

Ramprasad Bismil, Atul Kulkarni, Laxman Pandey

Mckinley, Alice Patten - Sue

 

                                  trailerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9U5gGXvJxO8

                           

 

 

 

First, I would like to tell you about the meaning of the film's title, Rang de Basanti: Color of Sacrifice. Another meaning is 'Rang de Mohe'.

 

The movie starts with a British lady named Sue coming to India to find actors who can act in her documentary film. The documentary, or we can say diary, is of her grandfather, who was the jailer of the jail where Bhagatsingh, Sukhdev,Sukhdev and many more were imprisoned. The main theme of the film is the independence movement of that time and how today's youth are concerned with the sacrifice of freedom fighters.

Sue stays with Sonia at college. There she takes the auditions of the students, but no one can feets in the character. After passing some time by chance, she finds all those courageous freedom fighter images in Sonia's friends (DJs Karan, Sukhi, and Aslam) . So she meets all these friends, and they are all busy dancing, drinking, racing,Racing and other unproductive activities. She goes to a party with them. While they are all enjoying the party at that time, Laxman Pandey comes with his party's members and tells them to stop doing this all-western activity. They all fight against each other, and at that time, the police come and try to catch them all, but DJ gives money to the police, and the police leave. Another thing about the film is that there is a story in the story. Initially, we see friends who are not at all familiar with the sacrifice of the freedom fighter. May be they know about them, but they don't want to live that life, or they have just not at all mind about the situation in the country. But while doing that, their souls start changing, and they start living a life like freedom fighters. The other story stratifies in the story. Lt. Ajay Rathod dies because of the defective parts of the plane. He is a friend of theirs and a fiancé of Sonia. They all come to know that behind all this, the defense minister and a businessman are involved in this crime. The interesting thing is that a businessman is the father of Karan.

 

At the end of the film, they go to India Gate with the candle march for the justice of their friend. But they are all beat by police. Finally, they all become violent as they all act in the story of Bhagatsingh, Rajguru,and Chandrashekhar Azad. They planned to kill the defense minister. They become successful in the plan. But they don't want to run away, and they themselves go to Radio Akashvani and accept that they have killed the defense minister. After that announcement, we learned that Karan also killed his father, and they were all encountered by Black Cat Commando. Yet we see them all happy while they are dying, as mentioned above, as freedom fighters.

 

 

       

Main points of the film:

     

The narrative technique of the movie is story within story.

Youth of India.

       Courageous mother.

Women also join in the movement.

       Corruption.

An outsider comes and teaches us.

Outsiders were mesmerized after seeing the style of corruption, which is normal for us.

Police of the country.

Mythical use of character (Bhagatsingh, Chandrashekhar Azad, etc.)

Politicians and businessmen have a relationship.

Use of true events.

For them, kranti means violence.

Hindu-Muslim relation.

to fit the defective part. (all my sons).

use of public places for showing feelings. (In today's time, social media)

 

                                       

 

So we can say that there is still corruption. One more thing is that people are beat by their own protectors. It is a very good idea for a director to portray the history of our freedom fighters, today's youth's evils, or the relation between politicians and the corporate world. Patriotism is also there. One more thing about the film is that it was controversial because, as we know, the famous proverb 'Truth is always bitter'. In that sense, MiG, the defense field, politicians, and political parties were the obstacles to releasing the film, but yet it was released and got a very good response. So I can say it was worth to watch.It is also very informative.

                                                                                                                                Thankyou....

 

        

     

Review of the play :Digdarshak

           On 8th August in The Department of English there was a screening of the play Digdarshak.Which was arranged by my senior Alpa Ponda and her team who is the head of the screening committee.First i want to say about the play .The play is about the Theatre life and Cinema life.There is only two character in the play Father and son .The play moves ahead with the flash back technique.Director and new actor both are arguementing with each other about which is good ...Theatre or Cinema.The father sacrifice his whole life for theatre and he wants to make his dream true by his son.But initially son agrees with him than he wants to leave the theatre because of thare is no fame , money and etc .So we can say that's why son goes to cinema.The one more thing is father try to convince his son by his struggle ,determination of life and also explain him that theatre is the basic thing for cinema.But yet son choose the field of cinema and becomes success.In the end Son comes back after long time where his father or Director live.They both share their feelings for that arguements and both are happy......So we can conclude that all things are good at it's own place.the another thing is here we sees is the relationship between coach and student how rudely he behaves with pupil but behind that he want to polish us.If we talk about technical aspect of the play it is very good play.There is use of light,myth like a Aswatthama's dialogue, shows the difference between cinema and theatre,difference between teacher and coach.Set is so simple.Costume also simple,good use of fed in -fed out technique.There is rising action , climax , falling action everything is there.One thing about the acting of the director in the play as a old man is missing.But yet it is very well play .If some one wants to learn the acting or how to do drama so this is the best play for them. 

Review of the play : Yugpurush Mahatmana Mahatma

                                     

                              

It was very good experience  to see a live theatre play and it was my first live seen stage play.The name it self shows the greatness of the play.The main character of the play are Shrimad Rajchandraji (Guru of Mahatma Gandhi) and Mahatma Gandhi.Rajchandraji was a merchant .He had a very good virtue like memory power,multitasking, so many language knower,non -violence,truth,love ,kindness and etc.The play shows how he changed the Barrister life of M K Gandhi into Mahatma Gandhi. It is also an inspirational play .If we talk about technical aspect of play The title is appropriate, characters are like hero ,tragic scene also , and etc. Salute to the director and writer for this amazing idea....all actor acted very well ,they mesmerized us by their acting .I am sure his name and his thought will be "Raj" on us...It is worth to watch...Thanks...