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English 478A: Comedy and Cruelty, A Conversation on Conflict: Addressing…

- - - - Despite what the title may make a reader think, this essay by Montaigne has very little at its core to do with Democritus and Heraclitus. Montaigne is a funny guy; he admits that he knows little to nothing about the subjects he essays about, but considers 'testing' them to learn more about them. The funny thing is, I don't think Montaigne sees his ignorance as a roadblock. Instead, he sees 'faking it 'til he makes it' a push to continue his 'studies'.
    - - There's a quote I really liked from Interesting Literature about the poem: "We are used to viewing disorder as an inconvenience or annoyance rather than a delight. Herrick compounds this surprise by referring to ‘sweet disorder’, then ‘fine distraction’, ‘wild civility’."
        "Wild civility" is a fantastic phrase. We can be crazy and sophisticated, disheveled but professional, and cool but respectable. Looks are all subjective, anyway. Who made all of these fashion rules?
  - - - The desired effect of Emma's attempt to "punch down" on Miss Bates did not quite land as planned. This is the first time in the novel that Emma, a highly-refined and prim young woman, is brought to tears. After having calculated all of her steps so carefully, this mishap tears her down greatly. Though it isn't because of a stain on her reputation; I genuinely believe Emma was angry at herself for being rude to Miss Bates, a woman who is truly kind and good at heart. Deep down, I think one could find a lot of that genuineness in Emma, too.
  - - - Emma, oh, Emma... at Emma's objectively lowest point in the novel, she punches down when making fun of Miss Bates. Miss Bates, the poor, single woman, is tolerated throughout the novel, but so sadly humiliated at the picnic between a slew of characters. In an attempt to make others laugh, Emma makes fun of the older woman. Yes, other characters know the woman can be a nuisance at times, but Emma takes the 'joke' too far in this moment. (See "Sometimes, just cry" for more on the matter.)
    - - The fragment from the comedy of Poetics by Aristotle makes a similar point: "As we said, comedy is an imitation of more buffoonish people." However, he goes on to state that such a fact doesn't make comedy inherently evil; it oftentimes is based in ridiculousness. Don't feel too bad for laughing when your friend trips on the sidewalk is the point I think Aristotle is trying to get across here.
    - - Now, here is when Pantagruel gets on my nerves. The homeless man in this chapter is obviously incredibly well-spoken, well-read, and overall a sensitive person. (It isn't until later on that we find out it was all an act, but he is a wise man nonetheless.) Despite his obvious worldly knowledge, Pantagruel chooses to act like the man is the foolish one, despite being obviously more educated than Pantagruel. Instead of admitting ignorance or defeat, Pantagruel punches down on the homeless man and belittles his vast knowledge.
- - - - Twelfth Night is a bit of a crazy play. It is difficult to categorize the intricacies of conflict in this Shakespearian work. However, it all comes down to the individual choices and relationships among each of the characters. The quest for love, uncertainty of gender, and absurdity of power are all themes interwoven in the interpersonal struggles faced by many of the characters, creating a piping hot bowl of misconceptions. Miscommunication, lies and deceit, and personal confusion are all issues that are created at the hands of each character; no one goes left unscathed by the craziness of the play.
    - - Despite the boy's flaws, he does learn something... eventually. Over the course of his journey, the boy helps others, discovering wisdom and confronting death. Ultimately, the situations he finds himself in stem from his laziness and lack of empathy, but that doesn't discredit the character's growth.
      - Another reason why the story is so absurd and the boy's character is so anti-heroic is due to the general nature of Yoruba folktales. As Quayson describes in "Amos Tutuola & the Folktale Narrative," many of these tales are "cautionary" and "often draw on traditional travel narratives." I'd say that The Palm Wine Drinkard not only discourages kids from being lazy, entitled alcoholics, but also warns them of the dangers that come with long journeys - particularly those one is not prepared for.
    - - In reality, though, the other characters - particularly Antonio - in The Merchant of Venice could be particularly cruel and be the root cause of many problems. Remember who borrowed money in the first place.
        
        Anti-Semitism in Merchant of Venice
  - - - Okay, WOW. That is quite an opening sentence. This scathingly ironic piece is heavy on the finger-pointing. Is it for good reason? Well, that's up to the reader to interpret (spoiler: it is). In "Complaint," Gournay digs in at male privilege and the oppressive lifestyle that comes with being born a woman. As one of the first and most influential feminists in France at the time, Gournay was known (and ridiculed for) her brash take on misogyny/sexism. In the end, whose name do we remember? Gournay's, or her haters'? (Spoiler: it's Gournay.)
    - - Pantagruel is quite the character. In this chapter, the main character speaks with a French man who, despite speaking English, cannot be understood. The French man uses elevated, almost nonsensical, language and vocabulary, to the point that what he is genuinely trying to say gets lost completely. While Pantagruel can sometimes be a bit of a pain, the Frenchman in this scenario is certainly the odd man out.
    - - The speaker's tone is fairly emotionless, but he berates his lover incessantly, questioning her loyalty to him, never receiving an answer. With the incessant nature of the speaker's questioning and overall lack of emotion, I can see why his girl won't respond to him.
    - - Robert Herrick's "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time" encourages women to have sex and utilize their visual and sexual appeal while it still applies. When women reach a certain age, wrinkle count, or period of life, their value depletes rapidly. As such, it isn't any male partner's fault as to why we're undesirable or lack sexual appeal - it's only our own for aging so quickly.
        
        Marvell's "To His Coy Mistress" conveys a similar idea; carpe diem, the author tells women, urging them to make the most of their (and others') desires before death claims them for himself.
- - - - I feel like Montaigne's essays stood out the most from all of the texts we've read this semester. He is an interesting character and far more well-spoken than the subjects of his essays might suggest. "How We Cry and Laugh for the Same Thing" entices me in that it's similar to other essays by the author with its long-winded explanations and profound sentences, but places an importance of refraining from interpreting human emotion in too simplistic or unambiguous a manner. Humans and their emotions are complex and should be treated as such - just as Montaigne's works.