Sunday, April 28, 2013
Final Days
Hey guys, we have to finish this soon because we have to write an essay on it in class this Thursday! Good luck to you all!
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Kids These Days
Believe me when I say I really do like this book, but the characters are rather despicable. Hindley is the worst. He almost killed his own son for crying out loud, dropping him from a balcony! I often wonder what is wrong with him. He wasn't his father's favorite, but where did his hatred of Heathcliff really come from? Catherine is also pretty bad. They're all so violent. Despite all of their problems I want to read about the falling in love and whatnot--call me a sap--and I like Nelly. I like how Bronte pulls the reader out of the story and back to the present, even though Heathcliff is very unhappy. Did Catherine die? Or did she leave him? I don't think she would do that.
I'd say my favorite passage so far is on page 72 when Catherine is explaining to her love for Heathcliff versus Edgar to Nelly:
"My great miseries in this world have been Heathcliff's miseries, and I watched and felt each from the beginning; my great thought in living is himself. If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger. I should not seem a part of it. My love for Linton is like the foliage in the woods: time will change it, I'm well aware, as winter changes the trees. My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath: a source of little visible delight, but necessary. Nelly, I am Heathcliff--he's always, always in my mind--not as a pleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure to myself--but as my own being."
I'd say my favorite passage so far is on page 72 when Catherine is explaining to her love for Heathcliff versus Edgar to Nelly:
"My great miseries in this world have been Heathcliff's miseries, and I watched and felt each from the beginning; my great thought in living is himself. If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger. I should not seem a part of it. My love for Linton is like the foliage in the woods: time will change it, I'm well aware, as winter changes the trees. My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath: a source of little visible delight, but necessary. Nelly, I am Heathcliff--he's always, always in my mind--not as a pleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure to myself--but as my own being."
Jabbering Joseph
For my first post I shall attempt to translate the confusing babbling of Joseph, the old servant of Wuthering Heights. Here are some excerpts from chapter two:
"'Whet are ye for?' [Joseph] shouted. 'T' maister's dahn i' t'fowld. Goa rahnd by th' end ut' laith, if yah went tuh spake tull him.'" (Bronte 9/10)
Translation: "What do you want? The master's down in the fold. Go around by the end of the barn, if you want to speak to him."
"'Aw woonder hagh yah can faishion tuh stand thear i' idleness un war, when all on 'em's goan aght! Bud yah're a nowt, and it's noa use talking - yah'll niver mend uh yer ill ways; bud goa raight tuh t' divil, like yer mother afore ye!'" (Bronte 15)
Translation: "I wonder how you can fashion to stand there in idleness and worse, when all of them have gone out! But you're useless, and it's no use talking - you will never mend your ill ways; but go right to the devil, like your mother before you!"
This one is from chapter nine, after Heathcliff has run away:
"'Yon lad gets war un war!' observed he on re-entering. 'He's left th' yate ut t' full swing, and miss's pony has trodden dahn two rigs uh corn, un plottered through, raight o'er intuh t' meadow! Hahasomdiver, t' maister 'ull play t' divil to-morn, and he'll do weel. He's patience itsseln wi' sich careless, offald craters - patience itsseln he is! Bud he'll nut be soa allus - yah's see, all on ye! Yah munn't drive him aht uf his heead fur nowt!'" (Bronte 84)
This is a tough one but here goes: "That lad gets worse and worse! He's left the [gate wide open?], and Cathy's pony has trodden down two ridges of corn, and blundered through, right over into the meadow! [However?] the master will play the devil tomorrow, and he'll do well. He's patience itself with such careless, worthless critters - patience itself he is! But he'll not be [so on all of us?] - you will see, all of you! You mustn't drive him out of his head for nothing!"
This is a great example of Bronte using diction to give her characters personality. Joseph is certainly a unique character, and his speech is probably his most unique quality. Don't judge him, he's old! I really enjoy the way Cathy replies to his incomprehensible rambling when she's agitated. After that last passage she gets fed up: "'Have you found Heathcliff, you ass?' interrupted Catherine. 'Have you been looking for him as I ordered?'" (Bronte 84)
Okay I'm done. That was a really long post, don't expect them all to be like that.
"'Whet are ye for?' [Joseph] shouted. 'T' maister's dahn i' t'fowld. Goa rahnd by th' end ut' laith, if yah went tuh spake tull him.'" (Bronte 9/10)
Translation: "What do you want? The master's down in the fold. Go around by the end of the barn, if you want to speak to him."
"'Aw woonder hagh yah can faishion tuh stand thear i' idleness un war, when all on 'em's goan aght! Bud yah're a nowt, and it's noa use talking - yah'll niver mend uh yer ill ways; bud goa raight tuh t' divil, like yer mother afore ye!'" (Bronte 15)
Translation: "I wonder how you can fashion to stand there in idleness and worse, when all of them have gone out! But you're useless, and it's no use talking - you will never mend your ill ways; but go right to the devil, like your mother before you!"
This one is from chapter nine, after Heathcliff has run away:
"'Yon lad gets war un war!' observed he on re-entering. 'He's left th' yate ut t' full swing, and miss's pony has trodden dahn two rigs uh corn, un plottered through, raight o'er intuh t' meadow! Hahasomdiver, t' maister 'ull play t' divil to-morn, and he'll do weel. He's patience itsseln wi' sich careless, offald craters - patience itsseln he is! Bud he'll nut be soa allus - yah's see, all on ye! Yah munn't drive him aht uf his heead fur nowt!'" (Bronte 84)
This is a tough one but here goes: "That lad gets worse and worse! He's left the [gate wide open?], and Cathy's pony has trodden down two ridges of corn, and blundered through, right over into the meadow! [However?] the master will play the devil tomorrow, and he'll do well. He's patience itself with such careless, worthless critters - patience itself he is! But he'll not be [so on all of us?] - you will see, all of you! You mustn't drive him out of his head for nothing!"
This is a great example of Bronte using diction to give her characters personality. Joseph is certainly a unique character, and his speech is probably his most unique quality. Don't judge him, he's old! I really enjoy the way Cathy replies to his incomprehensible rambling when she's agitated. After that last passage she gets fed up: "'Have you found Heathcliff, you ass?' interrupted Catherine. 'Have you been looking for him as I ordered?'" (Bronte 84)
Okay I'm done. That was a really long post, don't expect them all to be like that.
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