The passages being explicated are on pages 222-236, found in The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing by M.T. Anderson. It describes the documents that speak about Cassiopeia’s death: Octavian crossed-out memoir (with poem by Theoginis): Gitney’s and Sharpe’s scientific article and Dr. Trefusis’s letter.
These pages begin with the mortal illness of Octavian’s twenty-nine year old mother, Cassiopeia, from smallpox. Octavian (age 16), is with her until the so-called scientists (or self-styled philosophers), of the Novanglian College of Lucidity chase him away to undertake “cures” that are extremely painful and make the illness much worse. She dies and an autopsy is begun. At this point Octavian forces his way into the room. He fights with one of those men cutting his mother’s body until he understands this is a fight he cannot win. At this point Octavian realizes his “nothingness” and leaves the room. He now knows he is a helpless slave. He feels his helpless condition is worse than death. That night he runs away from his owners.
Up to this point in the book the “Manuscript Testimony” is by Octavian “Gitney” (his owner’s name. This portion is from “II The Pox Party”. The action pages 222-236 takes place during the American Revolution, the beginning and early part, in 1775 in Cannaan Massachusetts. The household of the Novanglian College of Lucidity retreats from the violence to the house of one of Mr. Gitney’s brother, one of the “Young Men.” This description fits the white men who support the college and admire Cassiopeia, a great beauty, though black, before she contracts smallpox. At the Pox Party in this house she dances (and is being treated differently than in Boston). “When my mother dances now, sir […] men pull her ...
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...e nothing to finally find he is something.
The pages 222-236 are the most important ones in the book. The documents, with all their scientific and philosophical metaphors, to show an “objective” understanding, cannot hold up to the sufferings of Cassiopeia and Octavian. He stops after one paragraph, crossing out anything else except the poem saying that death is better than life He is expressing his sorrow, Mr. Sharpe is expressing his cruelty, prejudices and anger (at Octavian’s escape) while pretending to only show the facts Dr. Trefusis’s description of the grief-stricken Dr. Gitney (so weak and hypocritical) shows what he is like. Dr. Trefusis, on the other hand, writes that emotions are facts and can be studied like any other facts. He is therefore the most honorable of these so-called scientists.
Works Cited
The Astonishing life of Octavian Nothing
...Sheppard’s translation of the tragedy. It is clearly visible that the tone used in Fagles’ writing is much more vibrant, and carries a lot more emotion than his counterpart. The usage of dramatic tone paves a pathway to more successful and entertaining storytelling that Sheppard lacks. The choices of words and usage of literary devices also raise Fagle’s effectiveness in explaining Oedipus’ tragedy. Sheppard is also at a disadvantage as he does utilize Old English in his writing, and it is obvious the translation would appeal to a different audience than Fagles’. This disadvantage creates a less dramatic tragedy to a more modern reader as the reader will have to consider what is meant. It still is clear that Fagles wrote a more superior translation in comparison to Sheppard’s translation due to more powerful tone, choice of words, and utilization of literary devices.
The idea of ignorance, and the belief of a false faith, turns this noble man into a vulgar grave, with virtuous notions. Brutus’ ignorance creates an expectation that develops a path that leads him awry. When Brutus mentions, “I would not love Cassius; yet I love him well” (1.2.81-88 ), he portrays his internal conflict. Brutus depicts the struggle between Cassius’ acquisitions and Caesar’s actions.
Julius Caesar is the leader of Rome and is seeking to become king in a matter of time. Though he is a good military strategist, he lacks knowledge in running government and is too greedy to have any concern for the peasants when he is alive. Caesar is all about conquering and power and he is afraid of nothing. Before he is murdered, he says “The things that threatened me ne’er looked but on my back. When they shall see the face of Caesar, they are vanished” (II, ii, 575). Th...
Throughout the passage the style of writing comes across as quite argumentative and analytical, yet the content and his ideas, at the time of writing, would have been quite outrageous. He offers to `... analyse modesty...' (p. 131) giving the impression that he will go about the whole business in something of a scientific way. However, the extremeness of his ideas makes one wonder just how serious he was about it.
“…Hawthorne’s attitude is so removed and imperturbable that nothing in the story can be taken simply; in “The Birthmark” he reaches his furthest rage of disengagement” (Fogle 118). It is through the intellectual and moral development of Georgiana, not the scientists own actions or words, that the reader comes to understand that although twisted in his methods, Aylmer does possess a kind of “noble” love.
The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. N.d. Print.
Explores how "turning a blind eye" operates in the drama of Oedipus and how it can be recognized in clinical work. The story of the play is recounted, and P. Vellacott's (1971) study of Sophocles and Oedipus is used to suggest that both the play and the Oedipus complex need to be understood at 2 levels simultaneously. In the classical view, Oedipus is a victim of fate and bravery. Freud likened this to the course of an analysis where the unconscious is gradually revealed to the patient. It is contended that, at the same time, Sophocles wanted the reader to understand that the chief characters in the play must have been aware of Oedipus' identity, realized that he had committed parricide and incest, and may have, for their own reasons, turned
The story’s tone is one of romantic controversy, a dilemma at a high level of existence. The scientist’s love for his craft competes very intensively with his newfound love for his wife. It is also very psychological, strictly dealing with the raw mind of its subjects as if the ominous narrator told the story from inside their mind, rather than observe it from the outside. He describes the processes that one may take to reach a certain degree of knowledge and to find the elixir of life, which is described in this story as the ultimate goal of the scientific community. Also, the narrator is very opinionated about events in the story.
4. Goldsworthy, Adrian Keith. Caesar: Life of a Colossus. pp. 355 New Haven: Yale UP, 2006. Print.
The ancient Roman tale known as the “Rape (or seizure) of Sabine Women” depicts women, taken against their will by Roman captures and married to Roman men. These women later, intervene in a battle between their new husbands and their angry brothers and fathers. The ancient tale depicts Roman ideology and practices of marriage. It shows how a bride was transferred from living under her father’s jurisdiction to being ruled by her husband. The capture of the Sabine women, the war that follows, and the final truce brought upon the Sabine women themselves are direct relation to the separation of a young bride from her maternal family, the transfer of authority, and her beginning in her new family. The tale is told by two philosophical figures of Roman history. Livy, whom writes about the events in 30 B.C.E and Ovid whom rights about them nearly a generation later1. Both have different views on the event, its meaning, and its relevance. The two men also share the same thoughts in regards to their view masculinity and power.
Virginius was a strong, wealthy knight known throughout the land by many. He cared for his only daughter with all his heart. His daughter was Virginia a virgin who was so beautiful no man could resist. One day Virginia rode into town towards the temple where Appius ruled. Appius had control over the city and happened to be out that da...
Shakespeare’s complex play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar contains several tragic heroes; a tragic hero holds high political or social esteem yet possesses an obvious character flaw. This discernible hubris undoubtedly causes the character’s demise or a severe forfeiture, which forces the character to undergo an unfeigned moment of enlightenment and shear reconciliation. Brutus, one of these tragic heroes, is a devout friend of the great Julius Caesar, that is, until he makes many execrable decisions he will soon regret; he becomes involved in a plot to kill the omniscient ruler of Rome during 44 B.C. After committing the crime, Mark Antony, an avid, passionate follower of Caesar, is left alive under Brutus’s orders to take his revenge on the villains who killed his beloved Caesar. After Antony turns a rioting Rome on him and wages war against him and the conspirators, Brutus falls by his own hand, turning the very sword he slaughtered Caesar with against himself. Brutus is unquestionably the tragic hero in this play because he has an innumerable amount of character flaws, he falls because of these flaws, and then comes to grips with them as he bleeds on the planes of Philippi.
Ancient times are known for having ruling emperors and barbaric men. There are millions of stories and books about the conquerers and the soldiers who fought bravely in their successes. But, what about women in ancient times? Did they sit around and take care of children while they waited for their men to return home? There is one women in the ancient world who captivated the men of her time and is still admired today for her beauty. In The Search For Cleopatra, Michael Foss tells the story of Cleopatra VII. He tells us about her remarkable legacy from hundreds of years before she was born all the way to her death, as well as, the historical circumstances surrounding her life.
Alvin B. Kernan. The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2009. Print.
Dodds, E. R. "On Misunderstanding the Oedipus Rex." Twentieth Century Interpretations of Oedipus Rex: A Collection of Critical Essays. Ed. Michael J. O'Brien.