Week 2 Shakespeare ENGL210

[john_mahoney]

The Nymph's Reply to the Shepherd

Ok, I'm about to exaggerate but I don't care...

I had my hand up for hours in that lecture wanting to say something on this poem and I didn't get the chance. Exaggeration over.

It's a good poem that created a lot of discussion so I'm not that cut about not getting to speak. The things people said added a great deal to

Comments

I'd Just Finished Saying How I Thought I'd Spoken Less This Week

[elisriture]

And therefore thought I'd given other people more of a chance to talk instead of listening to what would have been my inconhesive, over-tired drivel, but obviously you didn't get a chance!

I am glad you have posted up here so I can read it after a nap, in the quiet, soothing surroundings of my bedroom, as it would have gone right through my jelly brain this morning and I'd have missed it. (I think the fleuro lights in TS02 did little to improve my situation).

I think that your connection of "Fall" and "Autumn" are totally legitimate, regardless of the fact that America was still a sort of fetus country around the time of Shakespeare, there is a reason they call Autumn "Fall" and it's because of the actual natural phenomenon of the leaves falling. I know you know that but I have to post this on my livejournal as a "comment for the week" so I am trying to demonstrate my understanding of the situation.

Anywho, appreciating that "fall" is an acceptable reference to a certain time of year when things begin to fade and die, I find it EXTREMELY interesting that there is indeed no reference to summer in this stanza, emphasising the Nymphs sentiments (as I interpreted them) about how the Shepherds idealistic dreams of a love which involved a lifetime of frollicking and flowers were 1) not mature, because he was focussed so much on the "spring", instead of the maturity of the "summer" (which, though often wonderful has it's realistic and unavoidable downsides like drought and sunburn, especially in this country) and 2) sure to change, as all seasons do.

Nice one John, maybe bring one of those giant football-fan foam fingers into class next week so when you want to make a point, MG can't miss you.

Re: I'd Just Finished Saying How I Thought I'd Spoken Less This Week

[john_mahoney]

I may just have to try the Giant foam finger in future :) mind you I suppose my keeping my mouth shut gives others a go. Thanks for your comment, I'm not much of history guy so I really wasn't sure how valid the fall=autumn thing was for the time, so thanks for lending the idea your support :)