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The Oresteia: Clytemnestra
In this greek classic a lot goes on which for the most part revolves around the themes of power, family, and murder. This all starts off when Agamemnon sacrifices the life of his own daughter Iphigenia. Moving forward from that, the story keeps on having more drama and the first death creates a domino effect which then leads to other deaths. I mainly wanted to focus on the protagonist of this play who is Clytemnestra, the wife of Agamemnon. Clytemnestra in my opinion is a very strong and independent woman in power. She ruled over her own palace Argos and keeps going up in power after she murdered her own husband. Even though murdering her husband was not okay and there could have been other ways to resolve that problem, it was to avenge for her daughter, Iphigenia. She is also like a tragic hero because of what her husband did to her own daughter. It was not something that should have been praised about and then having her husband seem like a hero for what he did. The confidence and the amount of power Clytemnestra has is like no other but is seen wrong and unfeminine by the greek gods which bothers me in a way. Women should be allowed to have power and be who they like to be. They should not be shamed for not acting feminine or how women are portrayed to be in society. She is especially shamed and seen as a monster when Agamemnon is killed. What I can't wrap my head around is how her own Clytemnestra's son, Orestes kills her but gets away with it and is not shamed as much as she was. Although the first death was enough, it is not fair how he got away with killing his mother easier than she did or even Agamemnon killing their daughter. An example of where Clytamnestra shows her confidence is in this quote "No one takes me in with visions-senseless dreams" (Fagles 113). This quote shows her power and how the only thing that is done is her way and no one else's. Seeing women have confidence and have power is something I really like to see. I still find it unfair how easily the son and father got away with something while Clytamnestra doing the exact same thing was like the end of the world. |
Cassandra By Christa Wolf Blog #2
The novel Cassandra goes back into real events that had some connection to the author, Christa Wolf. For example, a very important event that happens is the Trojan War. During this point in time, the war was seen as brutal which had a big impact on Cassandra. This event goes back in time which is when feminism played a big role in society and is shown in multiple ways throughout the novel how that was a problem. What really brought attention to my eyes was how women were treated and what went on during that time in life. I see the connection Wolf was trying to make between that and life now. History happens for a reason and we as humans are to learn from it and pass it down to future generations.
This novel talks heavily about women in the past as well as rape and the message that I think Wolf was trying to give was to learn from past mistakes and to also realize how much things have changed over the years. Even though rape is still common today, I feel like the author was trying to raise awareness for women. To show them that they are not alone and that voices can be heard. Back in time, women were seen as something less than men and they did not have the same amount of power and rights as men which is very unfortunate. Although there are still times where in present time women are looked down upon, things have gotten better throughout time. In the novel, Cassandra was Apollos’s priestess. When she did not agree to have sex with him, he cursed her by not allowing anyone to believe her prophecies. A relation of that to this point in time can still be made. When someone does not get their way, they manage to be negative towards others or even do harm.
Lastly, I can make a connection to my own life about men being superior to women. The ratio of men to women in the military Is a very high. There are some people that think women should not be serving because they are not as tough as men. I think that there are some women that can be stronger than some men and that is okay. This topic gets me very upset sometimes but I believe there can be change. One day women will be equal to men, and it will be the new norm. Change is possible if we all come together as one fight.
The novel Cassandra goes back into real events that had some connection to the author, Christa Wolf. For example, a very important event that happens is the Trojan War. During this point in time, the war was seen as brutal which had a big impact on Cassandra. This event goes back in time which is when feminism played a big role in society and is shown in multiple ways throughout the novel how that was a problem. What really brought attention to my eyes was how women were treated and what went on during that time in life. I see the connection Wolf was trying to make between that and life now. History happens for a reason and we as humans are to learn from it and pass it down to future generations.
This novel talks heavily about women in the past as well as rape and the message that I think Wolf was trying to give was to learn from past mistakes and to also realize how much things have changed over the years. Even though rape is still common today, I feel like the author was trying to raise awareness for women. To show them that they are not alone and that voices can be heard. Back in time, women were seen as something less than men and they did not have the same amount of power and rights as men which is very unfortunate. Although there are still times where in present time women are looked down upon, things have gotten better throughout time. In the novel, Cassandra was Apollos’s priestess. When she did not agree to have sex with him, he cursed her by not allowing anyone to believe her prophecies. A relation of that to this point in time can still be made. When someone does not get their way, they manage to be negative towards others or even do harm.
Lastly, I can make a connection to my own life about men being superior to women. The ratio of men to women in the military Is a very high. There are some people that think women should not be serving because they are not as tough as men. I think that there are some women that can be stronger than some men and that is okay. This topic gets me very upset sometimes but I believe there can be change. One day women will be equal to men, and it will be the new norm. Change is possible if we all come together as one fight.
House of Names By: Colm Tóibín Blog #3
After reading this novel, I can say it was one of the best so far. The language that the author used was easier to follow and understand what point he was trying to get across compared to the previous novels that were read. Something I took away from this novel was the character, Orestes. He was a different character and the way he was towards others was so kind. Orestes in my opinion was a person you could easily talk into doing things and use him for whatever plans you need. It does not sound like something very nice to do but there are characters in the novel who do that to him like his sister, Electra.
It all starts when Orestes gets kidnapped as a young boy. I feel like this event showed the type of person Orestes was especially once the relationship between him and Leander happens. Being taken away from your family and taken to some random camp at a young age would really suck. The only good thing Orestes got out of it was the friendships he made with Leander and Mitros. Throughout the time Orestes has flashes of his life and his sister who he cares for. Once he arrives home the way Electra reacts is not the reaction someone would want to see after being away from each other for so long. If I were in his place, I would want someone to be happy to see me after years. Getting that feeling of being rejected would suck.
I am not the biggest fan of Electra. She is like a Clytemnestra Jr who wants more power to satisfy their own needs. She only ever uses Orestes which makes me feel bad for Orestes because he should be smarter than that and not listen to what someone else tells you to do just to throw you under the bus later on. The red flags are shown since the beginning especially when Electra gets upset that her brother is around his own mother more than her. The caring person that he is, listens to his sister and does what she asks for. He ends up killing his mom Clytemnestra for the benefit of Electra which she then tries to use that and gain power over everyone. So, the relationship between Electra and Orestes upsets me. I would have definitely wanted to see Orestes grow more and maybe have a little more say rather than his sister. He is too gullible of a person which hopefully in some other novel he overpowers his sister and has a big step up from this novel.
After reading this novel, I can say it was one of the best so far. The language that the author used was easier to follow and understand what point he was trying to get across compared to the previous novels that were read. Something I took away from this novel was the character, Orestes. He was a different character and the way he was towards others was so kind. Orestes in my opinion was a person you could easily talk into doing things and use him for whatever plans you need. It does not sound like something very nice to do but there are characters in the novel who do that to him like his sister, Electra.
It all starts when Orestes gets kidnapped as a young boy. I feel like this event showed the type of person Orestes was especially once the relationship between him and Leander happens. Being taken away from your family and taken to some random camp at a young age would really suck. The only good thing Orestes got out of it was the friendships he made with Leander and Mitros. Throughout the time Orestes has flashes of his life and his sister who he cares for. Once he arrives home the way Electra reacts is not the reaction someone would want to see after being away from each other for so long. If I were in his place, I would want someone to be happy to see me after years. Getting that feeling of being rejected would suck.
I am not the biggest fan of Electra. She is like a Clytemnestra Jr who wants more power to satisfy their own needs. She only ever uses Orestes which makes me feel bad for Orestes because he should be smarter than that and not listen to what someone else tells you to do just to throw you under the bus later on. The red flags are shown since the beginning especially when Electra gets upset that her brother is around his own mother more than her. The caring person that he is, listens to his sister and does what she asks for. He ends up killing his mom Clytemnestra for the benefit of Electra which she then tries to use that and gain power over everyone. So, the relationship between Electra and Orestes upsets me. I would have definitely wanted to see Orestes grow more and maybe have a little more say rather than his sister. He is too gullible of a person which hopefully in some other novel he overpowers his sister and has a big step up from this novel.
The Lost Books of The Odyssey By Zachary Mason Blog #4
The Lost Books of The Odyssey by Zachary Mason is overall a very good book and I recommend reading it. What I would point out about this novel is that the author switches from different points of view which can get kind of confusing, but it all makes sense in the end. The main topics I wanted to talk about in this blog was the main character Odysseus and the main theme that is present in this novel.
First and foremost, Odysseus, the main character is portrayed as having multiple personalities. He is viewed as a heroic person but of course like everyone else, he has flaws which make him stand out more and sometimes they can outweigh the good of him. Odysseus is a very charming and intelligent person; he has many heroic qualities which of course make him have good leadership skills. He also shows that he is a very courageous person which shows a heroic attribute. Some things that can make him seem as less of a hero is his arrogance towards others or even some of the decisions, he makes which are just dumb. Additionally, he is like a complete coward before the war which does not make him have the quality of a hero.
Many people think that heroes are always perfect, and they are someone people look up to but that is not always the case which shows that it is a more realistic way. In this novel of short stories, Odysseus is shown as a more realistic hero because the author pointed out the flaws he had and the good side of him. The reason that I liked how the author portrayed Odysseus is because it showed that heroes are not perfect, and everyone makes mistakes. Just because mistakes are made does not mean someone cannot be a hero.
Moving on, a theme that really sparked my interest was the theme of homecoming. As always, many people have different points of view on what homecoming means. In my opinion and in relation to the book, homecoming means to be home at last after a long journey and get back to “normal.” Another way to think of homecoming can be like a death and rebirth. You stop doing what you did before and pick up where you left your old life in a way and grow from there. At first it can seem weird and something you are not completely used to. For Odysseus it is a break from all the adventure he had while he was gone and now having an opportunity to somewhat rest. The theme of homecoming can be found in multiple chapters of the book, an example of this theme can be found in the first chapter “A Sad Revelation.” This chapter has Odysseus on a journey back home to only find Penelope with someone new. Overall, it’s a very good and interesting book and I highly recommend it.
The Lost Books of The Odyssey by Zachary Mason is overall a very good book and I recommend reading it. What I would point out about this novel is that the author switches from different points of view which can get kind of confusing, but it all makes sense in the end. The main topics I wanted to talk about in this blog was the main character Odysseus and the main theme that is present in this novel.
First and foremost, Odysseus, the main character is portrayed as having multiple personalities. He is viewed as a heroic person but of course like everyone else, he has flaws which make him stand out more and sometimes they can outweigh the good of him. Odysseus is a very charming and intelligent person; he has many heroic qualities which of course make him have good leadership skills. He also shows that he is a very courageous person which shows a heroic attribute. Some things that can make him seem as less of a hero is his arrogance towards others or even some of the decisions, he makes which are just dumb. Additionally, he is like a complete coward before the war which does not make him have the quality of a hero.
Many people think that heroes are always perfect, and they are someone people look up to but that is not always the case which shows that it is a more realistic way. In this novel of short stories, Odysseus is shown as a more realistic hero because the author pointed out the flaws he had and the good side of him. The reason that I liked how the author portrayed Odysseus is because it showed that heroes are not perfect, and everyone makes mistakes. Just because mistakes are made does not mean someone cannot be a hero.
Moving on, a theme that really sparked my interest was the theme of homecoming. As always, many people have different points of view on what homecoming means. In my opinion and in relation to the book, homecoming means to be home at last after a long journey and get back to “normal.” Another way to think of homecoming can be like a death and rebirth. You stop doing what you did before and pick up where you left your old life in a way and grow from there. At first it can seem weird and something you are not completely used to. For Odysseus it is a break from all the adventure he had while he was gone and now having an opportunity to somewhat rest. The theme of homecoming can be found in multiple chapters of the book, an example of this theme can be found in the first chapter “A Sad Revelation.” This chapter has Odysseus on a journey back home to only find Penelope with someone new. Overall, it’s a very good and interesting book and I highly recommend it.
Circe By Madeline Miller Blog #5
This novel was by far my favorite book that we have read in the class. In my opinion it was easier to follow through and understand the book and there is not anything that really makes you question a hidden meaning. Overall, the book is straightforward all throughout and is also written in one point of view. We also get Circe’s point of view through a feminist side.
There are a few things that I want to talk about but mainly focus on Circe and why she is my favorite character. Circe in my opinion is shown as a strong and independent woman. When she was born into her family, her parents Helios and Perse saw her and were in a way disappointed. The reason they were disappointed was because she was not born like her mother or anyone else, she was different. From that point on they favored her other siblings more and Circe felt that. I feel like since then Circe knew that she would be better off on her own and try to be a better person without them.
Circe is a super cool character too. She is a witch of her own island Aeaea and has the power of turning people into pigs, but you only really see her doing it to men. Basically, when they all discover that she is a witch, all the gods were scared because it was something they had not heard of. This is then when they send her to her own island where she learns to live on her own and find out more about herself.
The first major event that happened to Circe where she felt neglected and upset was with Glaucous. He was a poor mortal and fisherman who built a strong connection with her. She started to fall in love with who he was and then turned him into a sea god. When Glaucous was a sea god he was started to get familiar with who he was and then saw Scyllawho he fell in love with. When Circe noticed this betrayal, she used her powers to turn Scylla into a three headed sea monster. She still wanted it to be the both of them but he did not even acknowledge her anymore which made her upset.
Throughout the book I feel like even though Circe was rejected or used she was still going out of her way to help others. She was my favorite character because of who she really was and how of an individual she is. Circe was a very caring person and mother. I consider her selfless too because of how she sometimes put herself before others especially her son Telegonous. Even though she also had her own island, she allowed sailors to come on her shores and sometimes they did not acknowledge her being nice.
Lastly, I also want to talk about how she handled her relationship with Penelope a little easier. I would think that they would not get along or have some type of anger towards each other but in this book, they share mutual feelings and are willing to understand each other after they build upon each other’s trust. Before Penelope and Telemachus joined her island, Circe was a bit harder and more caring of Telegonous. She did not want her son to leave her island because of the possibilities of him getting hurt but then she changed her perspective on things, and they made her realize that he needed to have his own freedom too. I really enjoyed how Madeline put this book together because in the end it wasn’t a sad or unsolved ending. It was more of a closure and happy ending because Circe always felt a deeper connection with the mortal world than the gods.
This novel was by far my favorite book that we have read in the class. In my opinion it was easier to follow through and understand the book and there is not anything that really makes you question a hidden meaning. Overall, the book is straightforward all throughout and is also written in one point of view. We also get Circe’s point of view through a feminist side.
There are a few things that I want to talk about but mainly focus on Circe and why she is my favorite character. Circe in my opinion is shown as a strong and independent woman. When she was born into her family, her parents Helios and Perse saw her and were in a way disappointed. The reason they were disappointed was because she was not born like her mother or anyone else, she was different. From that point on they favored her other siblings more and Circe felt that. I feel like since then Circe knew that she would be better off on her own and try to be a better person without them.
Circe is a super cool character too. She is a witch of her own island Aeaea and has the power of turning people into pigs, but you only really see her doing it to men. Basically, when they all discover that she is a witch, all the gods were scared because it was something they had not heard of. This is then when they send her to her own island where she learns to live on her own and find out more about herself.
The first major event that happened to Circe where she felt neglected and upset was with Glaucous. He was a poor mortal and fisherman who built a strong connection with her. She started to fall in love with who he was and then turned him into a sea god. When Glaucous was a sea god he was started to get familiar with who he was and then saw Scyllawho he fell in love with. When Circe noticed this betrayal, she used her powers to turn Scylla into a three headed sea monster. She still wanted it to be the both of them but he did not even acknowledge her anymore which made her upset.
Throughout the book I feel like even though Circe was rejected or used she was still going out of her way to help others. She was my favorite character because of who she really was and how of an individual she is. Circe was a very caring person and mother. I consider her selfless too because of how she sometimes put herself before others especially her son Telegonous. Even though she also had her own island, she allowed sailors to come on her shores and sometimes they did not acknowledge her being nice.
Lastly, I also want to talk about how she handled her relationship with Penelope a little easier. I would think that they would not get along or have some type of anger towards each other but in this book, they share mutual feelings and are willing to understand each other after they build upon each other’s trust. Before Penelope and Telemachus joined her island, Circe was a bit harder and more caring of Telegonous. She did not want her son to leave her island because of the possibilities of him getting hurt but then she changed her perspective on things, and they made her realize that he needed to have his own freedom too. I really enjoyed how Madeline put this book together because in the end it wasn’t a sad or unsolved ending. It was more of a closure and happy ending because Circe always felt a deeper connection with the mortal world than the gods.
The Penelopiad By Margaret Atwood Blog #6
After reading The Penelopiad I thought it was a very good book. It was interesting all throughout and gave a different point of view from Penelope’s side. This book is a retelling of The Odyssey but from Penelope’s point of view. Not only that but we as readers also get to see more of what was not “seen” in The Odyssey. The Penelopiad talks about the relationship between Odysseus and Penelope, and it shows her as a very loving person and someone who is very faithful. Similarly, the Odyssey is more from Odysseus’s point of view, and we do not get much of an insight from Penelope. In contrast, this book lets us know more about Penelope and her own feelings because it starts in a chronological order of events in her life since birth. To be clearer, Penelope is Odysseus’s wife and the mother of her son, Telemachus. In this book, Penelope talks to the reader and tells them about her life and everything she went through. I think this is very important because in previous books, she is briefly mentioned, and we only get to know about her from other people’s perspectives. As the readers, we get a better understanding in this book because she talks about her challenges that she faced, and it almost makes you feel bad for her.
Not only do we get to see this story from Penelope’s point of view but also the twelve maids. The twelve maids are just the servants that are watching over Penelope and work for her while Odysseus is participating in the Trojan War. They are there to encourage her to stay strong and positive, basically for moral support while her husband is gone. Throughout the novel they make appearances and when they do, the style of the book is changed a little. Sometimes they make an appearance through a song or even a poem.
The reason that I enjoyed this novel was because I enjoyed reading about Penelope’s life and seeing her perspective. Her voice was being heard in this story. I think that it is important to see every character in their own perspective because everyone has their own opinions and ways, they view things. As a woman, sometimes you are not always heard and trying to communicate feelings across can be hard. Penelope in my opinion is a very strong and faithful person because even though she would hear rumors or many would doubt that Odysseus would return, she had high hopes. She did not have an urge to meet someone else and begin a new life with a new person even after many years. My advice to anyone is to read this story because it is well written and is an enjoyable book. Here is another link that will provide additional information and gives a better understanding of the book as well as important themes and symbols.
After reading The Penelopiad I thought it was a very good book. It was interesting all throughout and gave a different point of view from Penelope’s side. This book is a retelling of The Odyssey but from Penelope’s point of view. Not only that but we as readers also get to see more of what was not “seen” in The Odyssey. The Penelopiad talks about the relationship between Odysseus and Penelope, and it shows her as a very loving person and someone who is very faithful. Similarly, the Odyssey is more from Odysseus’s point of view, and we do not get much of an insight from Penelope. In contrast, this book lets us know more about Penelope and her own feelings because it starts in a chronological order of events in her life since birth. To be clearer, Penelope is Odysseus’s wife and the mother of her son, Telemachus. In this book, Penelope talks to the reader and tells them about her life and everything she went through. I think this is very important because in previous books, she is briefly mentioned, and we only get to know about her from other people’s perspectives. As the readers, we get a better understanding in this book because she talks about her challenges that she faced, and it almost makes you feel bad for her.
Not only do we get to see this story from Penelope’s point of view but also the twelve maids. The twelve maids are just the servants that are watching over Penelope and work for her while Odysseus is participating in the Trojan War. They are there to encourage her to stay strong and positive, basically for moral support while her husband is gone. Throughout the novel they make appearances and when they do, the style of the book is changed a little. Sometimes they make an appearance through a song or even a poem.
The reason that I enjoyed this novel was because I enjoyed reading about Penelope’s life and seeing her perspective. Her voice was being heard in this story. I think that it is important to see every character in their own perspective because everyone has their own opinions and ways, they view things. As a woman, sometimes you are not always heard and trying to communicate feelings across can be hard. Penelope in my opinion is a very strong and faithful person because even though she would hear rumors or many would doubt that Odysseus would return, she had high hopes. She did not have an urge to meet someone else and begin a new life with a new person even after many years. My advice to anyone is to read this story because it is well written and is an enjoyable book. Here is another link that will provide additional information and gives a better understanding of the book as well as important themes and symbols.
