O Wicked Wickham

Militia's presence- political context. Their arrival in Meryton village is significant to the novel. Their presence is something more "malicious" as it was to Britain from the French invasion at that time. On another level, their presence also introduces Mr. Wickham the antangonist.

Wickham
- always talks about himself, shows he is an attention seeker and is always trying to gain sympathy from the likes of Elizabeth so that they will take his side against Darcy.
- appears on the surface to be neutral and compromising
-manipulative and cunning, manages to fool Elizabeth and the rest
- rhetoric: repeated use of "I"

You may lie on my first on the side of the stream
And my second compose to the nymph
But if when you're none of my whole, her esteem
And affection deminish- think of her no more


-Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice- Gender and Genre

"...when a young lady professes to be of a different opinion from her friends, it is only a prelude to something wors.--She begins by saying that she is determined to think for herself, and she is determined to act for herself--and then it is all over with her" - "Belinda" by Maria Edgeworth
think Lydia and her "animal spirits"

a) What would you say the difference is between:
(i) Female, feminine and feminist
(ii) Male and masculine

b) What constitute 'feminity':
(i) Today?
(ii) In Austen's time?

c)What constitutes 'masculinity':
(i) Today?
(ii) In Austen's time?

d) Do you have to be female to be feminine or male to be masculine?
NO. Lady Catherine has the habit of exercising her authority in a way similar to what male figures of authority would do. Therefore she is female yet tries to establish her status by acting masculine.

"I often wonder how you can find time for what you can do, inaddition to the care of the house; and how good Mrs. Qest could have written such books and collected so many hard works, with all her family cares, is still more a mtter of astonishment! Composition seems to me impossible with a head full of joints of mutton and doses of rhubarb." -Jane Austen, letter of Sept 8 1816 to Cassandra

Themes related to gender:
-marriage
-class
-inheritance (Men always got the better portion of the parent's estate, and land and homes were entailed to the nearest male relative)
-manners
-love and courtship
-visiting conventions- relationships
-education

Women during Austen's society were often thought to be weak, passive, and their existence was mainly to be a pleasure to men. People like Jean Jacques Rousseau, James Fordyce and Dr. John Gregory were known to advocate this perception of women. Therefore, women like Elizabeth Bennet show their independence and genuity by standing up for themselves. GO GIRL POWER! ^^

-pokes blog-

hi ho hi ho, it's almost a year since the awesome Meridians made their mark on Cambridge, if you haven't forgotten. this blog's kinda collecting dust even before we left, so um, i'm gonna try to revive this thingie okay? anyone who wants to post please email mel at sparkie_rox@msn.com. yup :) okay, keep your eye on this page, 'cos i'm gonna add some more stuff here, like what we learnt at Cambridge, places we went to and stuff like that :) cheerio

Owari.
-magekin.

Plays

It seems like a perfect coincidence that the REACH Cambridge Summer Programme should take place at the same time as the Cambridge Shakespeare Festival, even more so when there were performances of Shakespeare's plays being staged at the many colleges in Cambridge. Hence with a golden chance(s) right under our nose, we decided to watch the plays Macbeth and The Tempest, the second one being a text that we were to study later on.

The plays were staged outdoors, with the audience sitting around a "stage" which had a large tree as its centerpiece of sorts. From the first scene of the first act to the very last line of the play, the skillfull actors brought their characters to life with their superb acting, colourful costumes and vivid movements. Line by line the plot was carefully woven while the audience watched in awe.

A fifteen minute interval was given, yet the audience stayed on, breathing in the ambience of the Cambridge Shakespeare Festival, discussing the plot of the play they were watching. The sun set and the glow of the stage lights took over, drowning the tree in a shade of red. The play resumed, and the audience watched on, eager for a conclusion.

Then the lights went out, the play was over. A round of applause, and another, and another. Three bows from the actors, and then they exited the stage, till the next show.

As we left, battling the freezing cold in our jackets, one thought crossed my mind:

Cambridge Shakespeare Festival = Ten Pounds Well Spent. :)

Owari.

More than just another trip

It's across continents, across vast landscapes, but even more than that, it's across cultures. Breakfast, lunch and dinner at fixed timings, cold weather, cool accent, and so many more nitty gritty details that separates us from them. Many shops close at five plus, the rare ones at six pm; the picturesque country houses, the great distances that require walking. Yet after only 8 days, it has become home. The bed, the floor, the window, the desk. It has become part of my daily life. Cornflakes with milk, laundry tokens, shopping has become a daily routine. More than just literature or school work, it's the way we study, the way we are taught that is different. Girton College will definitely be an unforgettable experience. I believe in the saying, "it's the journey, not the destination." But this time, it's also about the destination.

Day 1: A Walk Through Town

Gateway to King's College.

Beautiful latticework leading into Clare College.

Our second day here took us on a literary tour through Cambridge town centre. We were introduced to trivia such as the house where Charles Darwin used to stay, bridges that are meant to be built without bolts, various colleges where famous personages have studied (and we don't mean just academics and literary figures!)...it matters not we do not know all the names, the architectural magnificence of colleges is enough to impress, what would we give to be able to study here! Hard work and sweat, and no small amount of talent the teachers will no doubt tell us. To spend some of the best years of our lives in such venerable buildings, much needs to be sacrificed, but oh, how great the reward!

It was a little strange at first, seeing old buildings housing such modern shops, but no less charming for the juxtaposition. Buskers are all around town as well, flaunting their various talents for our coin.

Sunny days. The porter said we brought along good weather to Cambridge.