Reflection 1

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Hi Everyone!

 Welcome to the evolving arena of Theory and Critique
 in English 436!

          Our first class last week was exciting and profitable despite any previous causes of anxiety. Professor Wexler has a unique process of introducing students to the dreaded theory class. He allows everyone to feel at ease so that the subject matter can be absorbed. It reminds me of Mary Poppins singing, “A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down…” Viewing and discussing “The Doll on a Music Box” from “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” was very interesting and enjoyable. The doll and the mime played fantastic parts portraying their desire to be human and feel love. The variety of opinions leaves no stone unturned along with the opportunity of keeping your viewpoint, enlarging the perimeter or changing it altogether.

          Today’s class began with some history of Ancient Greece, the sophists, and the rise of rhetoric which parallels the political transformation in Ancient Greece. Gorgias, the most famous sophist, used his speaking ability, saturated with rhetoric, to try and exonerate Helen of Troy. He made great allowances for her actions: historical events, physical overwhelming, love, or persuasive speech; however, the matter is open for discussion! After viewing the movie, I have found that all the blame does not belong to Helen. A long yearning of Agamemnon to conquer Troy came to fruition when Paris abducted Helen with her permission. Agamemnon used Helen as a pawn to declare war. It is much easier to have someone else take the blame; however, Helen’s actions spoke loud and clear heralding the news that it was “all about her.” In all fairness, it does take two people to dance a tango. Her greed for position caused her to make a poor decision of marrying Menelaus, a much older man. She tired of him and desired youth, thereby committing adultery. She could not change her place in mythological history, but she could have changed who she allowed within her boundaries to tug with her heart strings; however, love is a very powerful force. Rhetoric worked in this case without any effort. Gorgias made a great appeal on her behalf, but whether the outcome was or was not correct falls upon the reader.

Gorgias

            Plato, a student of Socrates, filled today’s arena with talk of his Republic. According to Plato, he wanted everyone to be an ideal citizen, rational and virtuous, allowing morality to be the major cause of happiness. Critiquing art through Plato’s eyes means that objects from the physical world are mere copies or mimesis’ of universals called Forms or Ideas. He is known for his mastery of dialogue form and a stylist of prose of the Greek language.

          Class today has filled our plates with much food for thought while preparing us for our next adventure in this wonderland of theory.

Word Count: 472

Works Cited

Leitch, Vincent B., ed. The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism.

            New York: W. W. Norton and Company, 2010. Print.