Life of Pi - movie review

Life of Pi 

This blog is in response to the task of the movie review writing of Life of Pi assigned by Yesha ma'am, Department of English, MKBU. 

Introduction:-

            Life of Pi is a 2012 adventure-drama film directed and produced by Ang Lee and written by David Magee. It is Based on Yann Martel's 2001 novel of the same name. The storyline revolves around two survivors of a shipwreck. One is a sixteen-year-old Indian boy named Pi Patel. He survives 227 days after a shipwreck while stranded on a lifeboat in the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal tiger which raises questions about the nature of reality and how it is perceived and told.

           The main message in "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel is that life can and will be difficult. However, people must persevere by any means necessary. Being adaptive and having faith in yourself and a higher power can help a person achieve any obstacle in their path.

The Movie cast:-

• Pi Patel - Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan and Gautam Belur, Ayush Tandon
• Write - Rafe Spall
• Gita patel - Tabu
• Ravi Patel - Vibish Sivakumar, Aryan Khan
• Santosh Patel - Adil Hussain

Significance of Tiger:-

          Richard Parker is the Bengal tiger that symbolizes God or faith through love and fear, and also survival. He symbolizes being an imaginary friend as well. However, it can also be argued that Richard Parker symbolizes that he and Pi are one in the same.

Significance of the Name 'Pi':- 

            The name of Pi has significance within it. In the beginning during discussion of the name of Pi Patel, Pi Patel reveals the secret behind his name. In Paris, there is a pool named Piscine Molitor, which has very clean water. Uncle of Pi Patel, whom Pi Patel calls Mamaji , is a great swimmer. One day Mamaji said pi's Father is that "Of all the pools in the world the most beautiful is a public pool in Paris." Before the birth of Pi, Mamaji said to his father that "If you want your son to have a clean soul, you must take him to swim in Piscine Molitor." His father took it too seriously and named him Piscine Molitor Patel. But this name Piscine becomes problematic for him as his classmates address him as 'Pissing'. But later on he himself chooses his name as Pi, π which is a concept of maths and lets others know about the significance of his name also.

Difference between Spirituality and Religion and Significance of doubt in it:-

        The question of the difference between Spirituality and Religion is quite disputable, but there is a more accurate line between them. This thin but accurate line of both is well presented through the Movie Life of Pi. The initial part, during the conversation between Pi Patel and the writer, Pi Patel talks about it. All These dialogues spoken by Pi Patel is very much important to consider both the points in an appropriate way. Though I have put some of them for better understanding of both the concepts. First he Says Hindus, Catholic Hindus. While describing the concept of religion, he says,

None of us know God until someone introduces us. I was first introduced to God as a Hindu.

I met Krishna first.

 

      These two lines depict a lot. This shows that religion is something which is taught to us by others. While spirituality is the quality of being concerned with the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things. And here, in the beginning we get a glimpse of religion and spirituality going parallel. He further says,

We get to feel guilty before hundreds of gods instead of just one.

      After the story hears from her mother, at night Pi opens the book of Krishna and while watching the photo from the book of when Yashoda sees the whole universe in Krishna's mouth Pi also imagines the same. In between the lines of his father Santosh Patel is very much important he says,

Spectacle, don't let these stories. It is made to fool you boys. Religion is darkness.

         His father believed him as a part of new India. In his childhood he had polio, he used to lie in bed with pain, wandering where God was. In the end god didn't save him, Western medicine did. So these sentences lead us to take us away from blind faith in God. In the Modern world, in the 21st century, people are having blind faith in God. In any religion, Faith is good but blind faith is always disastrous. 

After that He says a few things about it.

         I met Christ in the mountains when I was 12". Here his brother Ravi put a bet in front of Pi to drink holy water from the church. While doing so, Pi is kept by the priest. While having water from the priest, Pi asks some questions to the priest that "why would I do that? why would he send his own son to suffer for the scenes of ordinary people?"

        Priest replies because he loves us, God had made him so approachable to us humans so we couldn't understand him. We can't understand God and old his perfections but we can understand God's Sun and his suffering as we would brothers. According to Pi Patel "that made no sense sacrificing the innocent for the sake of the guilt, what kind of love is that?

        Now little Pi becomes so curious to know about Christ, he comes and asks the priest "If god is so perfect and we are not what he wanted to create all this why does he need us? " But he could not get what he wanted. No again he is going to Vishnu and telling thank you Vishnu for introducing me with Christ. He admits that,

"I came to feed through Hinduism and I found God's love through Christ but God wasn't finished with me yet. God Works in a mysterious way so he introduced himself again, this time by the name of Allah." 

               Now he is following all three religions at once Hinduism Christianity and Islamism. Once at the dinner his Father says that you are all missing out. You only need to convert 3 more religions to Piscine and you will spend your life on holidays." His father says to him that you cannot follow three different religions at the same time. believing in everything at the same time is the same as not believing in anything." His father advises him that instead of going from one religion to another he has to start with reason. It is always amiable to think rationally rather than having blind faith. According to Pi Patel,

"Faith is a house with many rooms. There are many rooms for doubts. and doubts are useful. It keeps faith in living things. You don't know strength until it has been tested."  

         By these dialogues we can understand the concept of religion. We can connect the situation of Little Pi with PK. He is also like a little child, who is one by one being introduced to various gods and goddesses. He is roaming around all the religions to find a way. At the end he gets nothing out of it. The concept of the movie Oh My God is more appropriate to the mindset of Santosh Patel - Father of Pi. Now this is Religious aspect and a quest for it. The Aspect of Spirituality and what a little Pi wanted to search has been found in the middle and at the end of the movie. 

         After the shipwreck, Pi loses his family and now he is on the lifeboat with Richard Parker - the Tiger. Earlier he wanted to reflect that animal have souls by his eyes. He says to god, "God I give myself to you, I am your vessel. Where it comes I don't know, show me." There is one line, "Above all don't lose hope". This little sentence means a lot to deal with hard situation. 

            After some days when food has been over, a vegetarian Pi becomes non vegetarian to survive. Now there is only one option to survive and that is to have seafood. When Pi for the first time hunts a fish, he thanks lord Vishnu to come in a form of Fish to save him. Faith works like this. It gives you a ray to survive. 

Hunger can change everything you know about yourself.

If we are going to live together, We have to learn to communicate. May by Richard Parker can't be tamed but with God's will, he can be trained.

       Now he trains the Tiger and the faith to do it comes from the faith in God. 

      The concept of the Island is very similar to human life. God gives us life but also takes it back like that Island. 

            At the end, Richard Parker left him. I have emphatically chosen these lines from the movie to give better understanding of the Concept of religion and spirituality. The concept of religion is a way of life, not only to have blind faith and in this direction both the religion and spirituality have the same ideologies. But we humans have differentiated religions and make people different from each other. 

Significance of Island:-

           Like many other aspects in Life of Pi, the algae island is a paradoxical symbol of both salvation and temptation. Its very existence tests Pi's faith. At first the island tempts Pi with an easy life, allowing him to stray from his journey. Pi thinks that he has been saved. 

        Pi discovers that the island is carnivorous. He discovers that by night, the algae leaches a deadly acid that kills the fish in the pools where they are dissolved and ingested by the plants. The meerkats thus take to the trees at night, trees that too are carnivorous, but slowly, slow enough not to ingest something still living, only the dead. Pi realizes that the teeth represent some fellow castaway who found the same rest on the island. Pi realizes this castaway must have died in the tree and he wonders how long it takes, “for a broken spirit to kill a body that has food, water, and shelter?” Pi resolves to leave, to return to the sea and “perish in search of my own kind that to live a lonely half life of physical comfort and spiritual death on this murderous island.” 

           Pi’s humanity re emerges on the Island. It is human to search for spiritual fulfillment, but only after physical needs are met. The Island meets all of Pi’s physical needs, but it does nothing for his soul. He breaks all bonds of animalistic reason and leaves. 

         The concept of the Island is very similar to human life. God gives us life but also takes it back like that Island. 

          The end of the novel is also very much important to find the mentality of people. People don't want the truth. They want what others like. The true story of Pi Patel is considered as something weird; they force Pi to accept the story woven by them. So Pi tells the writer which story he wants to prefer for further writing. 

             The narrative pattern also has deeper significance to expose the journey of Spiritual quest by box within box story. 

Here is glimpse of the movie screening,

To conclude...

                 The movie Life of Pi is not a journey of Pi Patel but it is a journey of a man, especially in terms of searching for identity among religion and spirituality. It depicts a journey to survive in the wild world. As per my understanding I am relating it to the modern world, where we have to make communication better to deal with the world.

Thank you for visiting...

(Words:- 1961)

Absalom and Achitophel by John Dryden

  Thinking activity

Absalom and Achitophel by John Dryden

       This blog is in response to the thinking activity of Absalom and Achitophel assigned by Dr. Dilip Barad sir, the Department of English, MKBU. In this blog I am going to present vices which are supposed to be corrected through this satire "Absalom and Achitophel". 

Introduction:-

               Absalom and Achitophel is a verse satire and it is a political satire by English poet John Dryden published. It was published in 1681. The poem is written in heroic couplets. It is about the Exclusion crisis, a contemporary episode in which anti-Catholics, notably the earl of Shaftesbury, sought to bar James, duke of York, a Roman Catholic convert and brother to King Charles II, from the line of succession in favour of the king’s illegitimate (but Protestant) son, the duke of Monmouth.

Vices which can be corrected through this Satire:-

             Before jumping to the analysis of vices which are portrayed in this Satire, it is very important to first have an understanding of What is Satire and Political satire. According to Google dictionary

"In Satire, there is use of humour, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues."

According to Marriam Webster English dictionary,

"Satire is a literary work holding up human vices and follies to ridicule or scorn."

       Both the definitions are very same. Satire generally means to expose human vices. Political satire is a form written when a writer or poet satirises certain political events which gives exposure to bring out vices and the sole purpose of satire is to correct it by laughing at them and criticizing them. The topic of this blog is based on this idea. 

Absalom and Achitophel is "generally acknowledged as the finest political satire in the English language". It is also described as an allegory regarding contemporary political events, and a mock heroic narrative. On the title page, Dryden himself describes it simply as "a poem". In the prologue, "To the Reader", Dryden states that "the true end of satire is the amendment of vices by correction". Dryden called Absalom and Achitophel ‘a poem’ and not a satire, implying thereby that it had elements other than purely satirical. One cannot, for instance, ignore the obvious epic or heroic touches in it. All the same, the poem originated in the political situation of England at the time and one cannot fail to note that several political personalities are satirised in it. 

        To consider this poem as a satire, we need to be aware of the political condition which was in English during the time of Dryden.

         The poem tells the Biblical tale of the rebellion of Absalom against King David; in this context it is an allegory used to represent a story contemporary to Dryden, concerning King Charles II and the Exclusion Crisis (1679–1681). The poem also references the Popish Plot (1678).

Allegorical characters:-

By the use of these allegorical characters, Dryden tries to satirise the political sphere of that time and characters involved in it. 

Vices which can be corrected:- 

         In "To the reader ", Dryden gives clarification and does not apologie about his work's content and structure. He illustrates that he is not inventing the storyline of the poem, but he is presenting the historical events. And that's why at the end he doesn't show rebond between Absalom and David. He in To the Readers also said that,

“The true end of satire is the amendment of vices by correction.”

       According to my understanding and close reading of the poem there are three major vices which are corrected through this poem.

1. Lust
2. Treason
3. Temptation

1. Lust:-

        Lust can be diverted into two parts Accord to the poem:

• Physical lust.
• Lust for power

Physical lust:-

In the initial lines, though, if we will not consider it as sarcasm for David , we can get a crystal clear idea of what Dryden wants to say.

"In pious times, ere priest-craft did begin,

Before polygamy was made a sin;

When man, on many, multipli'd his kind,

Ere one to one was cursedly confin'd:

When Nature prompted, and no Law deni'd

Promiscuous (licence) use of concubine(Mistress) and bride;

Then, Israel's monarch, after Heaven's own heart,

His vigorous warmth did variously impart

To wives and slaves: and, wide as his command,

Scatter'd his Maker's image through the land."

                       In these lines, Dryden clearly presents how much lustful king David was. He is having so many extra marital affairs and physical relations with many women and servants. David is Charles II, known for his sexual relationships and illegitimate children throughout the land. David’s wife, Michal, is Catherine of Braganza; both women “failed” to provide their husband with an heir.

Scatter'd his Maker's image through the land

           These lines are somewhat difficult to understand whether Dryden is favouring or opposing the King. In "To The Readers", Dryden gives clarification and does not apologise about his work's content and structure, and Historical events. While going through the poem, we realise the Dryden is somewhat in favour of King. But in this initial part of the poem, he satirizes the King of that time. After giving Lustful illustration of the King David, Dryden presents his illagitimate son Absalom as equal as Him and his own Reflection.

"And seem'd as he were only born for love."

"With secret joy, indulgent David view'd

His youthful image in his son renew'd:"

     In these lines Absalom is depicted as a clear image of David himself. Both are same in this matter. The initial part of the poem is all about the physical lust of David and Absalom.

Lust for Power:-

           Lust for power is the main cause of the downfall of Absalom. Absalom's lust for power and disobedience towards his father brings his fall.

Treason:- 

           The Treason is the most important thing in the poem Absalom and Achitophel. Achitophel tempts Absalom who means Achitophel towards Treason. There are many characters which are close to the king and trusted but they are opposing the king. Like,

Corah, Shimei, Zimri, The pharaoh, Jonas, Nadab, Caleb, Balaam

           Here the concern is not normal treachery but the conspiracy is against the Nation.

Temptation:- 

        Absalom, the illegitimate child of King David was prompted by Achitophel, The Earl of Shaftesbury, to fight for the throne and take over the throne from King David, Absalom’s father. With studied flattery and art, Achitophel begins a long temptation speech to seduce Absalom to this rebellious cause. This temptation scene even resembles Paradise Lost by John Milton in some respect. Both employ a great deal of flattery.

 Achitophel who is allegorically Anthony Ashley Cooper tempts the gullible Absalom to take over the throne from his father, so that King David does not give the throne to King James, who is King David’s brother and thereby an obvious heir to the throne. He exaggerates the qualities of Absalom:

“ The Young-mens Vision, and the Old mens Dream!

Thee, Saviour, Thee, the Nations Vows confess.”

         He compares Absalom with God. Achitophel makes Absalom blind for power. Achitophel does so because he was bereft of the Lord Chancellorship position once by King David and so it was Achitophel’s way of ruling through the illegitimate child of King David, who is Absalom. Absalom’s lust for power and disobedience towards his father brings his fall. His innocence is lost because of Achitophel who urges Absalom to "commit a pleasing rape upon the crown".

The ending part of the poem is more important. The last lines are,..

He said. Th' Almighty, nodding, gave consent;

And peals of thunder shook the firmament.

Henceforth a series of new time began,

The mighty years in long procession ran:

Once more the god-like David was restor'd,

And willing nations knew their lawful lord.

At the end of the poem, King David gives a speech. All the supporters of the king tell him what is going on and David delivers a speech about how he has been too good for too long. Even if part of the power resides with Parliament, he is equally if not a more important part and he won’t let anybody pick his heirs for him. He wishes Absalom would repent and ask for forgiveness, which he would readily grant because he still loves him. Dryden leaves this part vague, perhaps because at this point it was not still clear what would happen to Monmouth. In a sense, Dryden dubbing him “Absalom” foreshadowed his early death, although this happened after Charles’ death, when Monmouth openly rebelled against James II. David also foresees the people believing in Catholic conspiracy are going to destroy each other with their infighting and there will be peace again. His words are confirmed by God’s thunder and there is peace again in Israel/England. "I’m afraid I can’t summon more enthusiasm for this part of the poem, which is just a panegyric to Charles II and the royal power."

These last part is more appealing when we consider what Dryden says In "To the Readers", “The true end of satire is the amendment of vices by correction.” So this lines are justified here.

      So these three vices are very much in touch with that time and even we can apply in our Modern time also. By this satire, Dryden elaborates these follies. So these vices as per my understanding can be corrected by this poem. And the aim of satire is fulfilled here.

         

For better understanding of the poem go through these videos:-

       So these three vices are supposed to be corrected by this poem. And the aim of satire is fulfilled here.

Thank you For Visiting...

(Words:- 1608)

Allegory - Parody / A Tale of a Tub

 Thinking activity

Creative work

This blog is a part of a thinking activity assigned by Kavisha Ma'am to write an allegorical work and add an element of Parody in it. We are studying an allegorical work "A Tale of a Tub" by Jonathan Swift, So as part of that I have tried to write a poem about our current political scenario and also tried to add an element of Parody.

क्यों ऐसे ही...?

 सालो की मेहनत से खिला था वो

फूल की खुशबू महक रही थी चारो और

ओर वो मेरा बगीचा लूटने चला आया क्यों ऐसे ही?

दो माली कम थे यहा?

मेरे प्यारे फूलो पे तुम्हारे भंवरे छोड़ दिया क्यों

 ऐसे ही?

पुष्पवर्षा से सुगंधित था मेरा आंगन 

वो झाड़ू लेके आ गया क्यों ऐसे ही?

कमल तो खिलता है कीचड़ में 

और उसमे कोई ताजुक की बात भी नहीं

पर उसमे से वो सुगंध नहीं आ रही क्यों ऐसे ही?

       

        In this poem I have given Allegorical representation of BJP, Congress and AAP. Election is coming soon. So the Aam Aadmi Party has started to spread their influence in India, especially in Gujarat. In January 2021, Arvind Kejriwal announced that AAP would be contesting in 2022 Gujarat Legislative Assembly election. Gulab Singh Yadav, Delhi MLA is the incharge of the party for the 2022 Gujarat election. Now AAP is giving so many promises of education, upliftment of women education, job vacancies and other human rights. 

       Now Bhajap has strengthened their power since 2001. First chief minister of Gujarat from BJP was Keshubhai Patel in 1995. After him there were two chief ministers from RJP and from 2001 people of Gujarat are selecting BJP as their leader till today. So AAP is now moving towards Gujarat and we can say it is trying to win the upcoming election of Gujarat Legislative Assembly. And that's why this whole strategy is made. We can't say which one is good or bad. And I am also not saying that anyone is right or wrong. Though we are living in a democratic country, we are still bounded in one way or the other. Each party first gives promises and then never implement it. So only by watching or listening, we should not come to any one particular point. Or we can't even say that this new party will not do anything fruitful. They can also do what previous or current can't or couldn't do. Now BJP is finding a way where they can find mistakes of AAP also. So they are even spreading wrong messages regarding opposite party. Like,

In second line, 

"दो माली कम थे यहां "

       I have referred to the conflict between BJP and Congress. As I have written the poem particularly in the current political scenario of Gujarat, so I have taken BJP and AAP at the centre. That's why the further poem is about that. And in Allegorical way I have presented "फूल" as Gujarat, "माली" as BJP, Congress and AAP, "भंवरे" as various promises and schemes.

       In the third stanza there is clear representation of AAP by party Symbol "झाड़ू". In the Last stanza, there is a conception of AAP for BJP. AAP is asking questions to BJP whatever they have done or undone.

        So, this is all about my poem and the task given by ma'am. Thank you so much ma'am for this wonderful task. As This task was as a part of Understanding of "A Tale of a Tub" as a religious allegory, I am now clearly able to understand the work and why this is called a religious allegory and parody. It was not that much easy to write this poem with the touch of allegory as well as parody. For this, first I wrote two poems, but that couldn't be fitted in the definition of parody and allegory. And this is the final outcome of my efforts.

          Hope you are able to understand what I have written. If you find any difficulties to understand it or have any suggestions, do write in the comment below.

Thank you for visiting...

Frankenstein - Movie Review

 Thinking activity

Frankenstein - Movie Review 

              Hello Readers, this blog is a part of the thinking activity of Movie Review writing of the movie Frankenstein assigned by Yesha ma'am, Department of English, MKBU. In this blog I am going to write my understanding of the movie which was organised by Yesha ma'am on 1 August, 2022.

         Frankenstein or, The Modern Prometheus, is an 1818 novel written by English author Mary Shelley. Frankenstein tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a sapient creature in an unorthodox scientific experiment. Shelley started writing the story when she was 18, and the first edition was published anonymously in London on 1 January 1818, when she was 20. Her name first appeared in the second edition, which was published in Paris in 1821. It is science fiction.

This literary work paves a path to many films. Like,

• The Bride of Frankenstein (1935), 
• The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
• Young Frankenstein(1974)
• Frankenstein (1931)
• The Spirit of the Beehive (1973)
• Frankenstein (2015)

         These are some examples. There are many other film adaptations also of the novel. All are having differences from the original novel. Among these, the Movie Frankenstein which was released in the year 1931 is considered the best and true to what Mary Shelley has written in her novel. 

            Frankenstein is a 1931 American pre-Code science fiction horror film directed by James Whale. It was produced by Carl Laemmle Jr., and adapted from a 1927 play by Peggy Webling, which in turn was based on Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. The Webling play was adapted by John L. Balderston and the screenplay written by Francis Edward Faragoh and Garrett Fort, with uncredited contributions from Robert Florey and John Russell.

         

Cast:-

Boris Karloff - Creature
Colin Clive - Victor Frankenstein
Mae Clarke - Elizabeth
Edward Van Sloan - Dr. Waldman

                The movie is very appealing in terms of human nature who always want to have hidden power or great power as God. We can compare this work with Paradise Lost by John Milton and Dr. Faustus by Christopher Marlowe. In Paradise Lost, Adam and Eve eat the apple from the Knowledge tree, as it was denied by God to eat. In Dr. Faustus, the main characters Dr. Faustus wants to be like God in the sense he wants to know everything. The same is with Frankenstein. In Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein wants to create a life and wants to search the mystery behind life and death. But ultimately he fails with his creation of a Monstrous creature.


Monster is always in search of his identity from which race he belongs but he doesn't find a single person who is like him. And that's why he demands Victor to create a Female creature. When Victor destroys it he vows revenge to be at the wedding night of Victor. He does the same and kills Elizabeth. Victor now doesn't want to lose his beloved and starts to work to keep Elizabeth alive. He succeeded to do it, but now she is not like what she was before. When Victor asks him to come near to him, she goes near the Creature. Because now she is looking like him. She now doesn't want to live with her this Deformed body and took her life. This shows that a man can give birth to a man but can never create. This scene is one of my favourite scenes of the movie.

            

           Despite this, there are so many similarities as well as dissimilarities are there between the original novel and the movie Frankenstein 1931, screening of which was organised in the Department of English.

          When I first saw the movie, it laid a lasting effect on me. It is the true presentation of the original novel. Yes, there are many scenes which differ from the novel but while making a movie a director has to make certain changes to develop the plot of the novel. 

• Both revolve around the story of Monster creation, when a scientist uses the parts of human corpse.
• Dr. Frankenstein has a girlfriend or finance and who is worried a lot about things that happened to him. 
• Dr. Wadman appears in both texts as a mentor to Dr. Frankenstein. He also acts as a consultant during the process of creation
• Dr. Frankenstein decides to abandon the monster only to get haunted by him afterwards.
• The book and film both have the monster willing to murder his creator.
• The attempt to show Frankenstein as having human features: Shelley manages to do this by elaborating on the monster's feelings towards a blind man's family in the forest and his love of violin music. James Whales manage to do this by showing the monsters fascination with a girl whom he letter drowns.

There are obvious differences between the two works in the movie:-

• In the movie The Monster lacks speech and only grows and grunts whereas, in the book the Monster is able to produce eloquent speech and teaches himself both to read and write.
• The name of the scientist differs: In the movie he is Henry Frankenstein but in the novel he is Victor Frankenstein.
• The appearance of the monster also differs: If in the movie the Monster had a flat head with bolts at both side of his head as well as has short blackish hair, Shelley's Frankenstein has long black hair, white teeth and is tall and muscular. 
• In the film, the horrible behaviour of Monster is ascribed to his having a criminal dream, while in the book it is a result of monster's resentment of being abandoned by his creator.
• 
  
  
  

To sum up, we can say that this movie with major and minor changes has the similar effect of what the novelist wanted to present.

Thanks for visiting...

{Words:- 808}

Frankenstein: The Modern Prometheus

 Thinking activity

Frankenstein

         This blog is based on the thinking activity of The novel Frankenstein: The Modern Prometheus by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley assigned by Yesha ma'am, Department of English, MKBU. In this blog I am going to elaborate my understanding of the question connected with this novel and its major concepts.

Introduction:-

      Frankenstein or, The Modern Prometheus, is an 1818 novel written by English author Mary Shelley. Frankenstein tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a sapient creature in an unorthodox scientific experiment. Shelley started writing the story when she was 18, and the first edition was published anonymously in London on 1 January 1818, when she was 20. Her name first appeared in the second edition, which was published in Paris in 1821

            It is a Sci-fi means Science fiction. Frankenstein tells the story of gifted scientist Victor Frankenstein who succeeds in giving life to a being of his own creation. However, this is not the perfect specimen he imagines that it will be, but rather a hideous creature who is rejected by Victor and mankind in general. The Monster seeks its revenge through murder and terror.

Why Victor was not able to accept his dream experiment and its results?

        The novel Frankenstein is about the creation of the creature by Victor Frankenstein and its outcome. In the initial stage of the life of Victor Frankenstein, he wants to create a life - human being. It was an outcome of the death of his mother and 

           Victor Frankenstein is the main protagonist of the novel. He is obsessed with scientific achievement and glory, which drives him to discover the secret of manifesting life. He devotes all his time to his studies, sacrificing his health and his relationships for his ambition. Frankenstein represents the dangers of enlightenment and the responsibilities that come with great knowledge. Frankenstein believes that by creating human life, he can discover the secrets of “life and death,” create a “new species,” and learn how to “renew life.” He is motivated to attempt these things by ambition. He wants to achieve something great, even if it comes at great cost.

        After  creating a Life, when Victor sees it at first, he completely disturbed by it. When he observes his own creation the hideous look of it horrified him. Whatever he wanted to create, it is opposite to that. A man created by him is not not like other human being. He is like a monster. He feels that all of his endeavours have failed. As it is looking like a monster, no one will accept. Even he doesn't able accept him as he he was opposite of what he wanted create. He couldn't sleep that night and was wondering on streets and went to visit Henry and told about the disaster. 

What made Creature a Monster? (Experiences of society – rejection – Creator’s ignorance and hatred)

         In the novel, monster is presented as a monster. But the question always lies behind it is that, what made him a monster. We would find that after his creation, he is like empty slate. He is innocent, do not have any understanding of earthly life. After the behaviour of His own creator, we can say rejected by his God, Monster runs away, which is the first reason of his being cruel. We can say it ignorance of his creator. He also feels disappointment by society. People judge him by his outer appearance as his look was too much horrifying. He get rejected by the society. And then he understands that he is not like other people. He tries to help De Lacey family but when exposure of him occured, he was greatly humiliated by that family also.

         We can see that he gets so many rejection by the society. This is the second point of his diverting nature.

     Earlier he was like monster by his outer appearance but Now he becomes a real Monster. Who is thirsty of blood. Revenge is now in his blood and foremost aim. He kills younger brother of Victor, William. When Victor destroys female creature, he vows to be at the wedding night of Victor. He does the same and kills Elizabeth.

        In all these incidents or deeds of the Creature, only one idea comes out that he is not born a Monster, rather he becomes like a Monster by ignorance of his creator and rejection of the society.

 

Can appearance overpower reality? (In reality Creature was innocent like child – Got converted into Monster by actions and given thought process)

Yes. Appearance always overpowers reality.

        We always hear that inner beauty is more powerful than outer beauty. But does it really happen? - No, not at all. We all always and first judge a person by his or her outer appearance. No one ever asks or looks at inner virtues. It becomes a minor point in this world. If a person looks beautiful, we will always think a person is good. But we can't say that a person with a less beautiful or ugly look is bad. Let's take an example by Frankenstein. It is a more appropriate instance while going through this question.

         In Frankenstein, the creature is Ugly and hideous by outer appearance and that is the only reason for his rejection by the society. His creator is also not able to accept him because of his appearance. Even a family for whom Monster works a lot anonymously, when they look at the Creature, reject him. He was born like an innocent child. He doesn't have any understanding of earthly life. After such incidents he got converted into a Monster by actions and a given thought process.

Q. 5 Who is suffering from Deformity in the novel? Which kind of deformity and disability is there? Who decides what deformity is? (being judgemental – Appearance matters)

        Deformity generally means a person who has physical or outer damage. 

According to Marriam Webster English dictionary deformity has two meanings.

• A physical blemish or distortion : 
• A moral or aesthetic flaw or defect

       If we consider the first definition or meaning of the word Deformity, Monster is Deformed. The Deformity in him is that he is eight-foot-tall, hideously ugly but was Intelligent and sensitive. 

        If we consider second definition, society and Victor are Deformed. They are not Deformed as Moster. They are Deformed by their inner self. They don't what to underestimate the outer deformity of Moster and that's why they hated him too much that he turns into mental Deformity.

Villain in Frankenstein. (Victor – Creature –Society) (Villain or made villain)

"A person is not born evil, but rather becomes evil."

      Like this general saying, The novel presents the same. In Frankenstein the Creature is wholly considered as a Villain, not by the novelist but whoever first went through this novel, will consider him as a Villain. But is it really so ? There are two ideas remaining: yes and no. When he commits murder, he can be considered as a Villain but if we will choose No, then who can be considered as a Villain? Obviously, Society and Victor. 

       Society is evil in the sense, they never think any more. They just give judgement about the creature by its hideous look. Victor also ignores the creature and his casual demands. Both these incidents make the creature evil. In this sense society and Victor are Villain. We can also say that he is not born as a Villain rather it is made by society and his creator.

     In nutshell, by depiction of The Creature , Victor and Society in Frankenstein, Shelley gives crystal clear and thus bitter reality of human life.

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Lockdown by Simon Armitage

 Pictorial Journey of a Pandemic Poem 'Lockdown'

          Hello readers, this blog is in response to the Sunday Reading activity on A poem Lockdown by Poet Laureate Simon Armitage assigned by Dr. Dilip Barad sir, the Department of English, MKBU. In this blog I am going to share my experiences of Lockdown with the reference of this poem.

          The poem "Lockdown" is written by Simon Armitage, the poet Laureate of England.

Simon Armitage, in full Simon Robert Armitage, is a British poet, playwright, and novelist whose poetry is attuned to modern life and vernacular language and has been regarded as both accessible and revelatory. His works were widely anthologized and have been broadly popular. In 2019 Armitage became poet laureate of Great Britain.

The poem "Lockdown" was first published in The Guardian on 21 March 2020. It is a response to the coronavirus pandemic, and references the Derbyshire "plague village" of Eyam, which self-isolated in 1665 to limit the spread of the Great Plague of London, and the Sanskrit poem "Meghadūta" by Kālidāsa, in which a cloud carries a message from an exile to his distant wife. 

Lockdown by Simon Armitage

And I couldn’t escape the waking dream

of infected fleas

in the warp and weft of soggy cloth

by the tailor’s hearth in ye olde Eyam.

Then couldn’t un-see

the Boundary Stone,

that cock-eyed dice with its six dark holes,

thimbles brimming with vinegar wine

purging the plagued coins.

Which brought to mind the sorry story

of Emmott Syddall and Rowland Torre,

star-crossed lovers on either side

of the quarantine line

whose wordless courtship spanned the river

till she came no longer.

But slept again,

and dreamt this time

of the exiled yaksha sending word

to his lost wife on a passing cloud,

a cloud that followed an earthly map

of camel trails and cattle tracks,

streams like necklaces,

fan-tailed peacocks, painted elephants,

embroidered bedspreads

of meadows and hedges,

bamboo forests and snow-hatted peaks,

waterfalls, creeks,

the hieroglyphs of wide-winged cranes

and the glistening lotus flower after rain,

the air

hypnotically see-through, rare,

the journey a ponderous one at times, long and slow

but necessarily so.

Click here to read further about the poem

The poem is about two dreams, and hence the poem can be divided into two parts. 

1. The great plague of London 

2. Travel to the time of Kalidas's Meghaduta - The cloud messenger.

              In the beginning, the poet depicts a hallucinating dream sequence of 1665-66  Plague Stricken village Eyam. Here he depicts a street in London. The line, 

Then couldn’t un-see the Boundary Stone,

          In this portion, there is a presentation of how people used to manage things. The boundary was set by a stone and people had to put coins in wine in hole of stone. During pandemic time we were at our home, not going outside. Each and every village or city had made boundaries. We were sanitizing our hands so we could prevent Covid from spreading.

Which brought to mind the sorry story

of Emmott Syddall and Rowland Torre,

star-crossed lovers on either side

of the quarantine line

whose wordless courtship spanned the river

till she came no longer.

           We can relate these lines with the situation where people prevent meeting each other or where marriages were stopped by couples to stop dissemination of the virus.

       The second portion is about an exotic dream wherein the dreamer travels back in time to Kalidas's Meghdut- the cloud messenger. The reference is from an Indian Sanskrit literature. It describes how a yaksa (or nature spirit), who had been banished by his master to a remote region for a year, asked a cloud to take a message of love to his wife.

      During Covid Pandemic, many people were away from their family and couldn't meet them still it not get into the control. There were deep pain or grief for all of them. 

What is your first reaction to this poem? Are you able to connect your Lockdown experience with this poem?

     When I first went through this poem, the picture of that time of my village was going in series with my eyes. I was imagining each and every image or incident which I had seen with my bare eyes. The presentation of the village Eyam laid me into the deep memories of my village. Though it is not near to the cities, we were also getting Covid Cases. I am memorizing the day when the first case of Covid came to my village. We all were in fear or in worry and amazement. Everything stopped. Each and every street set boundaries, it was not even open for other people out of the street. Many of my relatives passed away due to Covid. Whenever we started Television, we were getting the death ratio and were threatened by it. But as time passed it became as normal as fever and cold.

"Which brought to mind the sorry story

of Emmott Syddall and Rowland Torre,

star-crossed lovers on either side

of the quarantine line."

                I want to connect this line for my educational journey. Because of Lockdown, we were not able to go to the college. That time technology helped us a lot, but can we ever forget the charm of classroom study And discussion? No, not at all. There was a king boundary between me and my college life.

If you are Chinese or African, would you be happy with the concluding message which the speaker is deriving or interpreting from this poem?

            If I would be Chinese or an African I would be happy with contruding message of the poem. This poem is not about a particular religion or particular race but it deals with the whole world in general and that is the real charm of literature to think about the whole world. Here we can connect two other literary works which spread the same message.

• The ballad of East and West by Rudyard Kipling
• 'Where the mind is without fear and the head is hold high'. - Gitanjali 35 - by Rabindranath Tagore

       Though the incidents which are presented in the poem are of England and India, the poem specs about the general condition of the world during the Corona Pandemic. 

        In a nutshell, we can say that the poem presents the dire condition of the world during the Corona crisis but by the examples of the Great plague and Meghaduta. The poet Simon Armitage is presenting here a true image of the world.

     At last I would like to Thank Baradsir for giving us this task and by this we all get a space to recollect those days and relate it with many literary works and past incidents.

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