Hi Anna, I didn’t realise that Shakespeare had influenced the Lion King, what an interesting fact to include! I definitely agree and felt this same questioning of his relevance previous to undertaking this unit and only realised the beauty of his work once I fully immersed myself in it. I too held a connection with the stain-glass window, he depicts the human condition with such a level of truth.
I love your use of high vocabulary words, also cutting your blog into short paragraphs makes it extremely easy to read! Inserting quotations from Shakespeare’s As you Like It and bolding the role/stage expressed in the window made clear links and cemented your statement.
Hi Veronica I think your prose soliloquy is remarkable! Your repeated use of metaphor is extremely engaging, accompanied by your particular choice of vocabulary, which makes your piece sound quite shakespearian. Your use of short sentences in the first few lines give the soliloquy an interesting and engaging rhythm, pushing the audience into self reflection. You change this rhythm towards the end of the piece though the use of repetition, reminding me of a passionate rambling of thoughts, which I thought was also incredibly engaging. I also loved your exploration of the modern issues of 2020 whilst also embedding issues prevalent in the play, such as a questioning of reality and an acknowledgement of the “true self”. Great work!
You cant deny that Shakespeare is an iconic historical figure, however one might question the relevance of Shakespeare to Australian history, and even more so, to modern day Australia. I too questioned this relevance, previous to undergoing this course, and only now do I realise how wrong I was, particularly after my (virtual) visit to the State Library!
Shakespeare was far ahead of his time, exploring a multitude of controversial themes which ranged from explorations of sexuality to challenging current political powers. This forward thinking also extends into his choice of characters, giving voice to the voiceless and underprivileged members of society. Particular examples of these challenges are evident in the development of women and use of racially diverse characters throughout his plays, challenges of which are prevalent in todays society, and therefore, cementing Shakespeare’s relevance to modern Australia.
Shakespeare’s universality is further supported by his exploration of deeply human experiences. The state library presents these experiences in one of their stained glass windows, depicting Act II Scene VII from Shakespeare’s “As You Like It”. The Monologue itself is an incredible representation of human life and its stages, including the “whining school boy” and the “sighing lover”, this imagery embodies both the stages of innocence and lack there of in ones adolescence. The speech also includes an acceptance of our human state as “merely players”, unable to escape fate and the cycles of life which inevitably will end in death.
I was also shocked to uncover that the first Australian rendition of a Shakespearian play was a performance of Henry IV in 1800 in the “Sydney Theatre”. This is particularly amusing as the theatre was built by convicts, the play was performed by convicts and the play itself explores a violent rebellion and political instability!
Furthermore, Shakespeare’s themes were relevant during his time, during Australian settlement and are still relevant today!
Write a prose soliloquy in which you are either Hamlet or Ophelia commenting on the world around you in 2020.
As the year trudges on, it becomes harder to find but a moment of beauty in the day to day. The earth feels it too, the calls of birds not chirpy but mournful. At times I feel as though the ground beneath me might crumble and swallow me whole, finally punishing me for my sins. Though our mother does not grant a punishment so easy, instead she aims to erase us completely! She sends fire from the deepest depths of hell, unforgiving it ravages forests and banishes people from their homes, demanding repentance. Yet this is not enough for her, she dreams of a world washed clean and ploughed with new seeds, ones untarnished with hatred and greed. Thus, the water comes crashing at the sound of her call, ferocious floods capable of swallowing cities. Driving fear into the hearts of her children, and yet this is still not enough! Our mother is hungry for remorse, have we not repented enough? She calls forth a plague to fulfil her unending rage, and curses us, her children, with inescapable loneliness. When will we learn the nature of or ways if not now?
William Shakespeare’s works have had a significant and ongoing cultural impact that all professionals working in the fields of dramatic and literary studies need to appreciate. This unit introduces students to some of the literature, art and thought of Renaissance England, and provides opportunity for close interpretative reading of dramatic and poetic texts. The aim of the unit is to examine the work of William Shakespeare, from his poetry and early plays to the plays of his maturity. The unit also explores the work of Shakespeare’s contemporaries. The dramatists and poets of Elizabethan and Jacobean England will be explored to help students understand the traditions and contentions of the time. Students will also learn about the continuing influence of Shakespeare’s works today. The aim of this unit is to familiarise students with Shakespearean language and to develop close readings of the work of Renaissance writers through considering the context of origin as well as the detail of the text.
“Australia is still revealing itself to us. We oughtn’t
to close off possibilities by declaring too early what we have already
become,”
The drive to create change in Australia, to achieve justice
for the multitude of societal issues we still experience today, is a prime example
of how Australia is most definitely not a finished product. Throughout my
exploration of Australian literature, each text I have studied calls for some
kind of change within our society or acknowledges our constantly growing
nation.
My initial blogpost is an analysis of “What is an Australian?” and explores the development of Australian identities throughout time. Pre-colonialism to post-colonialism, the abolishment of the white Australia policy and our constantly shifting stance on refugees are all examples of the changes we have experienced as a nation and continue to experience today. My First blog explores the question of who is Australian as not merely having a single answer, which is catalysed by our identification as an inclusive nation. I looked to the Australian National anthem for guidance in answering this question, “For those who’ve come across the seas/We’ve boundless plains to share;” Which reinitiates our inclusive and welcoming reputation. However, the current extent of racism in our society reflects how Australia is still in grave need of improvement. Our inability to accept refugees regardless of whether our national anthem says that we are happy to share our “boundless planes” is yet another primary example.
My second blogpost analyses Sidney Nolan’s First Class Marksman, a painting of Australia’s infamous bushranger, Ned Kelly. The work glorifies Ned Kelly as an iconic figure within Australian history and furthermore, glorifying the change that Kelly himself was advocating for and the societal injustices present in the 20th century. Though we have come far as a nation since the time of bushrangers, there are still battles to be fought and much change to be implemented in our society today.
Our visit to the NSW Art gallery catalysed my interest in the interactions of art and literature. My third blogpost explains that both art and literature are created from the desire to express oneself. Using the example of Lisa Bellear’s Urbanised Reebocks which expresses the generation of Indigenous Australian’s who are unable to fit into either Modern Australia or their Indigenous Communities. This disconnection is present in 2019 as a result of former policies of Assimilation, proving the immense development Australia still requires as a nation as a result of past decisions.
Even the words of Patrick White call for change in Australia. My fourth and best blogpost analyses White’s opinions in both The Prodigal Son and Down in the Dump. Which declare Australia as a nation plagued by materialism, blinded to the greater meanings of life. I personally believe that though White had a monumental influence of Australian literature, the materialistic ilness he spoke of still infects our nation.
My final blog is an analysis of both Russel Drysdale’s The Ruins and Kim Scott’s That Deadman Dance. Both embody the whitewashing of Australian history and the extent of injustice that colonial Australia inflicted upon our First Nations people. I believe that we cannot declare Australia as being an entirely welcoming and just nation as there is still much to be done in repairing our relationship with our Traditional Owners. Current campaigns like Change the Date are examples of how we still require much development as a nation. The Extinction Rebellion movement in Australia which aims to implement environmental justice and an awareness of the sustainable practices which are imperative to the preservation of life on earth are also examples of how Australia is not yet “finished”.
I believe we may never be able to declare ourselves as finished, as there is always need for improvement. Though there is hope for change as we look back on how far we have come.
The disregard and ignorance of white Australian’s to First Nation’s culture and to our history of genocide and abuse of the First Nations people is a recurrent theme throughout both art and literature.
Russel Drysdale’s work, The Ruins is a prime example of the ignorance towards Indigenous culture, and the consequences of displacement when enforcing white culture on First Nations people.
Within The Ruins, Drysdale incorporates earthy tones of dry yellow-oranges, deep reds and darker browns in order to depict the typically dry Australian desert. This use of earthy colours also holds significance in its relation to traditional Indigenous Australian artist practices. Drysdale strategically utilises the contrasting iconography of the older clothed man and the younger bare boy to reflect this drift from indigenous culture to modernisation. The younger boy standing as a reflection of the past, and the raw innocent and rich indigenous culture that was forcefully taken from the First Nations. The child’s naked, painted body also embodies the ingrained connection to the land that is as the core of all Aboriginal spirituality. The half dressed older man is a reflection of the white modernisation forced on the indigenous nations, and the stripping of culture that they experienced. The ruined house in the background heightening this underlying themes of cultural destruction and displacement as it is situated almost out of place and destroyed in the desert expanses.
These themes of a disregard of indigenous culture and displacement of indigenous nations is also explored throughout Kim Scott’s That Deadman Dance. In particular, this ignorance is explored in the movement of Dr Cross’s body into the cemetery. The glorification of only Dr Cross following his death and the recognition of only his role in the transformation of peoples lives is an overt reppresentation of White Australia’s ignorance. Instead of valuing the relationship he had with Wunyeron and the role they both shared in bringing the white colonists and the Noongar people together. The act of removing his body itself is a direct and purposeful act against indigenous culture, let alone the strategic desecration of Wunyeron’s remains to enhance these themes of ignorance of culture and the destruction of the Noongar way of life.
The presence of these themes of ignorance and the destruction of culture within the works of both Kim Scott and Russel Drysdale which were created over four decades apart proves that these are issues still prominent in our society that are yet to be resolved. Their reflection in pieces of literature and art also enforces this urgency of address and calls its audiences to action.
Holly, I completely agree with the opinion embodied within your address to Kim Scott on the novel That Deadman Dance. I think your incorporation of quotations is great in providing evidence for your argument however I think you could improve this piece by explaining how these techniques actually support your argument. For example, you say that the final line of the novel is a reflection of a lack of cultural understanding – potentially you could incorporate how the audience is made to decide whether the dog is yelping in physical pain of being shot or yelping for the loss of an owner. You could also clarify that the act of violence itself symbolises not only the destruction of lives but the destruction of culture. Overall I enjoyed reading your blog post, and think it was a fun and creative approach!
I enjoyed reading your letter to Meg from “Down at the Dump”, and I completely agree with you in telling her not to be so concerned with others but to live in the pursuit of her own happiness. I was completely engaged by the opening of your letter, that first sentence is fantastic! However, I felt your letter became slightly wordy towards the middle and I think that your post could use another proofread to ensure in flows completely. I did enjoy the conclusion and wholeheartedly agree, we must grasp every moment that passes by!
ACU Student Blog 