English is indeed my most favouritest course this semester. I can’t imagine what I’ll do next semester with out it. I especially like Shakespeare’s poetry – mostly blank verse. Richard III (which I’m studying now) is written in iambic pentameter and I really do find it amazing how closely related math and peotry are. I had learned the different “feet” of poetry the other day along with the x-meters. Fun stuff. I think I’ve got another pro for reading the Bible – you’ll pick up, very easily, the many Biblical allusions found in literature – e.x. in Shakespeare’s stuff – which makes my life easier when being asked to identify/explain certain literary devices used in quotes from the text (for tests). Lovely.
Richard yet lives, Hell’s black intelligencer,
Only reserved their factor to buy souls
And send them thither. But at hand, at hand
Ensues his piteous and unpitied end.
Earth gapes, Hell burns, fiends roar, saints pray,
To have him suddenly conveyed from hence.
Cancel his bond of life, dear God, I pray,
That I may live and say the dog is dead.
- Queen Margaret, Act 4, Scene 4, lines 71-78
This is a good quote. We’ve all got a Richard inside that really needs to die.
It is my Lady, oh, it is my Love!
Oh, that she knew she were!
She speaks, yet she says nothing. What of that?
Her eye discourses, I will answer it –!
I am too bold, ’tis not to me she speaks.
Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,
Having some business do entreat her eyes
To twinkle in their spheres till they return.
What if her eyes were there, they in her head?
The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars
As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven
Would through the airy region stream so bright
That birds would sing and think it were not night.
See how she leans her cheek upon her hand!
Oh that I might be a glove upon that hand,
That I might touch that cheek!
- Romeo, Act 2, Scene 2, lines 9-24
This is just a flashback to last year’s study of Romeo & Juliet. I actually had to memorize the entire soliloquy – that above is only a little more than half of it – to pass ENG-1D7. Of course, I think it’s got more meaning now. It’s pretty self-explanatory. I think I just totally exploded all my readers’ (all two or so of them) cliché-dars, so I’ll take it upon myself to buy you all new ones. I find it really easy to use other people’s words to describe personal stuff, just because if something is taken in a less-than-intended way, I could potentially blame it on the original speakers. I’m wussy like that. Yay for emo lyrics and fancy poetry.
EDIT: Shut up! I know how to cite… Oh the very indignation of this broils my innards! :P Just kidding, but I’d rather ignore convention on the P.Pole. My blog, my rules.