Flipped Learning: Existentialism

Existentialism

How to define existentialism?

Existentialism comes after the state of absurdism. Where a person find meaninglessness in life, though doing many things in life, but when come to realization about 'what we're for on Earth'? A person may try to interrogate himself/herself and suddenly took the countenance of what they until now did in their lives and when came to realization, they may converse with themselves 'as being futile until now, what will be now the purpose of living life'. 

At present the person's life is full of absurdity, despair, hopelessness, devoid of purpose.

For Example: Waiting for Godot-Samuel Beckett 

The surrounding seems to be full of piled garbage, the paved way is isolated, noone is walking in and around, just two are there, moving here and there.

A person named 'Gogo' sitting on mud pile, trying to remove boots from his leg, but unable to remove it, due to his age factor and felt weakness. Gogo and his partner are constantly shouting on each other, than deducing to understand each other but as they don't have nothing to talk, they're just talking about that past not fastness. Where Bible, a dream etc are discussed.

'Nothing can be done' is repeated for few times by both the characters and to divert their attention they talk about their past, in sharing manner. But it is also in futile as it is without purpose because what the Bible and its gospels will do now rather than hoping.

They went near the barren tree, which symbolizes barrenness and death of itself as well as of the characters as one of the characters define the very tree as dead and so Gogo says 'No more we be'. Similarly they talk about park, stone, river that we two along with th elements of nature, are waiting for GODOT.

Suddenly some voice came and they try to hide themselves, but at their surprise this is someone else named 'Podso'.

These all are waiting for Godot. Godot is presented in this movie in very weird manner, it feels to be something horrific, unusual and terrific but then abruptly the atmosphere transform into normal.

The Search for meaning

How to find the meaning amidst such meaninglessness 

With reference to discussion in online google meet class, we will see how the meaningless of the play 'waiting of Godot' is.

The essence of the play can be interpreted in many ways, that's why Martin Esslin said about this play that 'the significance of Waiting for Godot' was to be sensed by the audience at last and it may vary from person to person, won't be defined in a particular frame but it can be elasticity interpreted. When questions are presented, one rather than focusing on giving questions' answers, should ponder upon, what was the predicament, the person who have asked has seen, though it is meaningless.

So when such things are presented, it can be seen empathically through that person's situation rather than judging them through your own perspectives.

In the play there is uncertainty which can be seen in the ebb and flow, that occurs through hopefulness of repeated disappointment through the discovery of God.

Where yes a person waiting the whole day, for God but God never comes, goes and its awful(On contradictory in Birthday Party, some goes, some comes, yet it is awful) and gradually night falls and the same situation recurs day after another and the situation remains static.

Though the play seems to be simple and not embellished with ornamental language, but presented with brevity and wit that surfaces as per the character's characteristics, which one can clearly sense through the pointed dialogues in the play. So it has multiple meanings but it has  a limitation that the play can't be simplified.

Therefore the characters of the play, are constantly waiting for Godot to come, remaining in darkness, so that the God can give some meaning to their life as their lives have become absurd and unfortunately it remains till the end of the play, static(absurd).

Works Cited

Barad, Dilip., "Flipped Learning Network: Existentialism", Dilip Barad's Blog, 24 January, 2016.

https://blog.dilipbarad.com/2016/01/flipped-learning-network.html?m=1

"Waiting for Godot", By Samuel Beckett, from YouTube.

"Existentialism12: Meaning of the play", By Dilip Barad, From YouTube Channel(with the name title).

A Blog on existential crisis: https://samiyakagdi313.blogspot.com/2020/04/janeeyrebycharlottebrontte.html?m=1

ICT Workshop: Googlesites-Digital E-Portfolio

 

Google Sites_ Digital E-Por... by samiya

Thinking_Activity_Cultural_Studies_Goals

These "Cultural Studies Goals" serve a facilitative aspect, which aids and owe an outsider lens to see the other disciplinarial picture clearly, by shrinking or expanding, whether in convex / concave form.

Let's see how it is happening in sequences..

Introduction:

In this 'thinking activity' we are going to study about "the cultural studies" its various approaches, itself standing as an individual entity. First an essay on "Culture and Anarchy" was published in 1869, in cornhill magazine, in the form of periodical series and in 1875 a preface was added to it. Afterwards with the same essay's influences "a school of thought for cultural studies with learned researchers and socialist was established, named "Frankfurt School" later on and it was developed around 1950 or 60s and was named as "Leavicism". In this activity we're particularly going to study, about "what is culture, cultural studies and which are its goals"?

 Culture:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture
Culture (/ˈkʌltʃər/) is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities and habits of the individuals in these groups.

With all the later elements, one has to retain elasticity and try to comfort him/her enthusiastically in this complex zone and must come out with reformation.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell_culture
While comparing this same idea of culture with "cell culture", here also it is one type of process by which cells are grown in controlled conditions as human has to in society, in outside world, who is actually isolated from its living being (it happens when a person is immigrated to another place, by means of education, job or marriage) and has to follow those rules(etiquettes of living society/urban space)which are levied upon. They will subsequently be maintained under careful controlled conditions(if it is state, state has its specific rules for its people and to maintain its space). When coming out of this, one will be reformed and will be constituting 'a vessel' is nutrients, which provide; carbohydrate, amino acid, minerals etc.

For example: Jhumpa Lahiri's The Namesake(Diasporic novel): where the woman called "Ashima" though provided an opportunity of shaping her life in abroad, wasn't utilized and at last also she was feeling satiation only by being at her home town, after spending her more than half life in Boston.

Ecofeminism:
Where a woman has to naturalize herself, as per the society's requirements, if she fails to then she will be vehemently criticized by the society or she has to leave her in-laws home.

Perhaps to adjust in a different environment is also called a culture, where accordingly one has to adapt and made one flexible with all complexities by retaining the tendency of learning.

*Then a question arises that what is made of those, who are unable to adjust themselves in any compromisational situation?

*Is it necessary to adjust?

*If adjusted then at what extent?

*Is there any limitation or it is an ongoing process?

*A group makes a culture or an individual?

We should also prefer to "Amazon Culture" of tribal people, which was then prevailing, it is just a scrap preview. Where according to "Archeologist" tribal people are buried under the over growth of jungle as remnants of their body's can be seen there.

Thus we conclude here by learning that though "culture's significance" though in a nutshell but is huge in amount and has a tremendous impact on the minds  of the learners.

Cultural Studies:

As per "Patrick Bratlinger": 'Cultural studies isn't  "a tightly coherent, unified movement with a fixed agenda, but a loosely coherent group of tendencies, issues and questions".

"It is endless process of constant evolvement rather than having any fixation".

Approaches of Cultural Studies:

An entity had, has and will have connection with "interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approaches". It is based on interdependent studies, which just by utilizing one particle of any discipline, unlayer all that is hidden in that study oriented entity.

Composition of cultural studies:

Arising from the social turmoil of the 1960s, cultural studies is composed of elements of Marxism, poststructuralism and postmodernism, feminism, gender studies, anthropology, sociology, race and ethnic studies, film theory, urban studies, public policy, popular culture studies and postcolonial studies: those fields that concentrate on social and cultural forces that either create community or cause division and alienation.

Perhaps which can learn both the aspects of culture: culture in healthy/hygienic state, flourishing, prosperous state and culture in deteriorating and dilapidated condition. As an example is given above that how after the "social turmoil in 1960s" the reformation in many fields took place in feminism, Marxism etc. While actually it is the war, which give arouse to such reformation, at prior if assumed perhaps another culture with fractions was surfacing and furthering for cold civil fight.

Thus it can be seen that not only culture with positive side is taken into consideration but also a culture who thrive to exist can be took into consideration. If poor people representing any culture, then rich also and likewise middle class people also, culture is only a set of standards, values, norms which are fixed for a cultural representor, facilitating to this one has to act, with specific resistance or else it can be transformed into anarchy or something in revolutionary act.

We got how cultural studies can be done systematically by keeping in mind its chronological order and its coassociated matter.

Four_Goals_Of_Cultural_Studies

Interdisciplinary Studies:

Literary criticism and history, are kind of disciplines, which transcends and it is the job of "cultural studies critic" to transcend it. Which is practised in such journals, representations and boundary two.

Process:

Cultural critic scrutinize 'the cultural phenomenon of the text'(what is the reason of occurring event and how it transformed into a cultural entity). 

For example: Italian culture:

Where does the intellectual promise lies:

In their introduction to cultural studies, editors Lawrence Grossberg, Cary Nelson and Paula Triechler emphasize that "the intellectual promise of cultural studies lies in its attempts to, cut across diverse social and political interests  and address many of the struggles within the current scene".

Transcript on democratic debate:  A talk on issues of immigration, situation unfolding on America's border and the treatment of migrant children.

Intellectual works aren't limited by their own "borders" as single texts, historical problems and disciplines, and the critic's own personal connections to what is being analyzed may also be described. 

If perhaps they have borders for themselves then there will be only their single story, which will be considered in coming time as harmful and deteriorating. As "Chimananda Ngozi Adichie" talks about the dire consequences of "single story".

Intellectuals see any work as "an emancipatory project" which has accomplished priviledge of evaluation from each and every side and is made loose in its analyzation.

For this "a Professor's example is given": that a Professor instructs the students with his own political views(seems only as professor's single story)which seems as an engagement into "feminism", and which has no detachment.

Thus in this point we learnt how "cultural phenomenon" is evaluated through many approaches if it is bordered then it would have single story, which is harmful, and if it is being done by intellectuals then it will have "emancipatory outcomes" which can be seen from many sides.

POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT:

A CULTURAL CRITICS see themselves as "oppositional" not only within their own disciplines but to many of the power structures of society at large.

A cultural critic reading power structures.

Cultural critics questions inequalities within power structures and seek to discover models for restructuring relationships among dominant and minority or subaltern.

A game based on RPG, supported in "Android mobile". Which says the story of a team of heroes, who save their kingdom from enemies invaders.

But here we can see this in power structure that: It can happen when one has distinctiveness than others and as power is based on abilities and skills of a person or team, only one will be getting privilege. So when knew that we won't be able to be at that powerful position, they try to invade and look forward to snatch the power rather than achieving it.

As usual we can see here the distancing power in two groups(heroes and enemies) and as some are underprivilege and not given the required position, so they try to snatch the power. But then an ample of questions arise.

*should power be given to everyone?

*If perhaps it is given, then what everyone will be able to make justice with their power as well as with people?

*Won't they utilize it for their own benefits?

We assume that power structures are mere a cultural construction of individual subjectivity. Then it should be there or not?

Thus by learning "political engagement" we learnt how a cultural critic by being oppositional read the power structures and inequalities prevailing in the society or in any political or economical world, it can be in any form but to know the forms we should cultivate the skill to read in between the lines as (shown in aforementioned image on kingdom in chaos). Power can be read from different perspectives and not everyone is deserving to be in power. If perhaps power is centralized then there should be some deservable individual, who can retain that power authority, loyally and honestly otherwise there should be power free society, but then a question come, that if power free society is imposed then perhaps it will turn into chaos(as told in one of the points from Culture & Anarchy-Mathew Arnold : Doing as one likes). 

Resistance = Power.

Absence of Resistance = Anarchy(chaos)

Separation of high, low and popular culture:

This point equally resembling the prior point(political engagement) the only difference is there "the cultural critic" by being an outsider just reading power structures but here by realizing the ongoing tendency of power structures in the world, he denies separation of high, low, elite and popular culture but rather try to merge them and this he explains with one example.

HIGHBROW VS LOWBROW

(GIVING ILLUSTRATION OF HIGHBROW ART AND A PAIR OF TICKETS TO A ROCK CONCERT).

By refering to this chart one may knew how the three categorised strata of society are privileged and underprivileged towards material things and facilities.

Favouring this idea, Jean Baudrillard and Andreas Huyssen cultural critics argue: that after world war II the distinction among high, low and mass culture collapsed. They also cite other theorists like Pierre Bourdieu and Dick Hebdige on how "good taste"(Rudyard Kipling) often reflects prevailing social, economics and economic power bases. As Rudyard Kipling had in innocence circulated many images of India, during the colonial rule of the British raj. But he only has perhaps superficially seen then prevailing tendency of India and spreaded the images world widely, while actually it actually reveals an entrenched  imperialist argument for white superiority and world wide domination of other races(especially asians).

Thus here we learnt by being supporter of above mentioned aspect, a cultural critic will try to merge the three stratas of culture and perhaps will share an idea of equal privilege in every field of lives.

MEANS OF PRODUCTION:

Not concerning only the cultural work but also "the means of production": that is the supporter of artist, who is the buyer? Who is publisher? By whom it is purchased? Who has distributed and how? Who are the buyers literate or illiterate?

If one is literate then only one will understand the empathic feelings of the writer towards cultural phenomenon and the people whom she/he has addressed through his/her work. It can also happen with illiterate people, but incase if language is illigeble to them otherwise one cannot. Only by understanding one can say something to someone or else the message will get miscommunicated.

Means of production are the workers, not the owner:

If in this context we see here the owner is saying that: he had owned the productive machine so he is rich. But the workers argue that he hasn't build the machine, even not operating or working on it. Then how this machine belong to him? As they are, equivalently he is required to work otherwise it can't be considered his own machine.

So here an idea reflects in mind that if a person/writer has worked on his/her work then only it can be considered as authentic and positive, otherwise it can be considered as such. If one has done some great or altruist work then only the message of that particular machinery, text, music or anything will get wide-spreaded or in equal measure it can also corrupt the society.

REFLECTION OF THESE ASPECTS IN INDIAN CONTEMPORARY TIMES

If we look this all aspects in contemporary situation in India. We are to confront the very tendency of political ministries of spreading post-truth, which remains only to be single story, though people satirically evaluate by their different perspectives. 

Concerning "political engagement" we have corporate world and also a political position, both are interdependant on each other, while the creamy layer is only privilege to those who are belonging to corporate world, with indirect exploitation of people, while on another side a handful of creamy layer is given under the table to the supportive power as being supportive to him/her in their own personal gains. Where we can read the power structures in terms of political, corporate and other different stratas of societies. Where perhaps a cultural critic thinks to merge or equally distribute the power one can literally understand that it is 'time seeking' rather never be made possible ever in life.

If seeing this same aspect in terms of "means of production" every designated person in India whether he/she is a celebrity, belonging to corporate world or placed at a highly designated strata, one would require the manipulative support of the "prime minister". As Salman Khan is seen as seeking favour to promote his movie "Jai Ho". Mukesh Ambani for his own purpose, seeking favour from Narendra Modi, never even concern for his wife,  seems as for personal financial gain he can even sell his wife as when in image Narendra Modi is holding his wife's hand, poor Mukesh Ambani is pitching on his back seems as implored corporater is pleading to be reasonable towards him for his own wife!

Thus we learnt about culture, what cultural studies meant to be, its four goals and at last reflection of these four goals in contemporary times in India.

Thankyou

Samiya Kagdi

A learner at PG center

Department of English

MKBU

Applied Sources:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell_culture

Talkon_Highway_Tamasha_movie

#Talkon_Highway_Tamasha_movie,

#Movie studies(modern cinema),

#Held in department of English,

#With supportive hands of Dilip Barad Sir,

MKBU,

Invitee:Vishal Pandya (Sir),

Organised by Dilip Barad (Sir),

18th January, 2019.

"FILM STUDIES" IS MUCH USEFUL AS HERE WE ARE MADE FAMILIAR WITH THE "NARRATIVE MANNER", "THE WAY OF COMMUNIACTION BETWEEN THE TWO"(how by only changing the manner it changes its naturality and transforms this into some another fixed shape), HOW AT ONCE A THING RESEMBLANCES AS PER THE CONVENIENCE OF THE MOVIE, THE COLOUR OF CHARACTERS CLOTHES WERE CHANGED,  HOW ONE REACTS FROM ONE'S ACTIONS, HOW WE'RE TO EVALUATE SUCH PERCEPTIONS, WHILE OUR PRIME CONCERN SHOULD BE "OUR OWN PERCEPTION" DURING WATCHING ANY OF THE MOVIES.

"Ved" is presented in this movie "as a mouthpiece of Imtiazali(the producer of the movie". The character is flawed by nature(egoistic), mechanical(bookish like) and conventional, conservative in terms of living life.

While in its contradiction, we see "Tara" who represents "modern way of living life". Who is carefree, practical, rational and bit emotional one(as last occurs in her personality).

The story unfolds in such a way, that both of them first decide to hide their identities and just stay with one another, gradually they fall in love with each other and they are separated. 

"A single journey of life is ended".

As It is said "Ignorance is bliss"! Same has happened with both of them, they remain in bliss, but as soon as they become familiar to each other, the exact charm is lost. As "marriage institution" represents "conventionality" by being conventional, "Ved" proposes "Tara" to be his "life-partner for life" but he was refused and that makes "Tara" realizes that, perhaps "Ved" has some complexities/flaws in his character, as he is unable to tolerate "Tara's words" and left her, without any possible reaction. Though "Tara" as came to realise her own "peripetia" for "Ved", goes to convey her apology but he is lost in his own identity as he is extremely hurt by "Tara's refusal words" but didn't ever try to see the same thing with "Tara's insight" as he was used to, when both were living in absence of their identities and shows inability to cope up/compromise and understand the situational trauma, generated between the duo.

At last when "hero" arrives to ask the fakeer for what will be his left part of the story of his forthcoming life? He is addressed as "incompetent" by him, as he has to ask others for his own "life's story".

Through his(Imtiaz Ali)movies like; Tamasha, Highway, Socha na tha, Rockstar, Jab Harry met Sejal, Cocktail, Love aajkal, he has shown all the heroines progressive, not in degression as in 90s movies "heroines were shown as unable to survive without hero" but here "under reflection of modern cinema" those survive and have the will power to win over on any situation(s)/condition(s).

Then he also introduced a glimpse of (highway movie) where the heroine reflects "Tara's characteristics"  and is abducted, gradually the bond gets developed between the duo; heroine as well as hero and they fell in love. A favourable remarks were given to this movie by sir, as it has 'positive connotation' in it.

To know the story further click here

Hence after watching "both the movies" we come to realise that it is all about "the human role in daily life" and perhaps the sense one will get from "within" not "without" while both are reflecting opposite sides of each coins, it is a performance, which one has to perform now and then, without denial, by building a sense of responsibility and maturity. On the other side it emphasises on its contradictory tendency of aforementioned tendency.

Thankyou 

Samiya Kagdi

A learner at PG center

Department of English

MKBU

Source:

Today's session(Talk on "Imtiaz Ali's movies").

Victorean_Romanticism_comparison_And_Victoreanwriters

Welcome Readers!

Introduction:

With reference to "W.J. Long's History of English Literature text" , Romantic era starts from 1800 and ends in 1850. While Victorean era from 1850-1900. Then there is 'historical summary' written on both era, Romantic as well as Victorean along with their literary characteristics. As we move further we are to see some of the writers of 'Victorian age' like; Robert Browning(1812-1889), Alfred Tennyson(1809-1892), Charles Dickens(1812-1870) and George Eliot(1819-1880) along with a brief analyzation of their works.

Keywords:Historical_Summary_Romantic_and_Victorean_era_Literary_Characteristics: Victorian and Romantic age: The age of prose, The moral purpose, Idealism, Romantic Enthusiasm, The age of poetry, Woman as novelists and The modern magazines. _Robert Browning_Tennyson_Charles_Dickens_George_Eliot_and_Works.

A brief combined historical summary of Romantic and Victorean era:

Romantic history starts with "French Revolution, starting from 1789 to 1799 and coming to the full end about 18th century.

King George

Where the "three watch words of French Revolution" are given, those are; equality, fraternity and liberty. When looking this first aspect in 'Victorean historical 

Queen Victorea

summary', we are to see 'Democarcy' as the first point, which helped in the establishment of 'the house of commons' and striped off the divine ruling government party, and a series of new reform bills extend the suffrage, until the whole body don't select for themselves their respective country's and their's representator.

As a result it has 'economic disaster' rather than political one. Where wealth was unequally distributed and spent to serve for military aid and official alliances rather than satiating requirements of the poor people. Instead they were imposed a heavy tax, and so unable to resist due to famine prices on corn and wheat. As a result we had a riotal group of men&women, seeking food for their survival. In Victorean era we had "social unrest". Where the "slave trade" was abolished in 1833, but due to the England people's recognization of not only "negro people" are involved in slavery but also their women, men and little children are equally involved in this trivial work, working in mines and factories,  and as a result in the furthering topic we see that those were striving to establish peace by looking in themselves and the evils hidden somewhere. While in 'Romantic era's last portion of its history, we see that reformation was done in various areas of then prevailing disaster.

Combined study of Literary characteristics of the two ages(Victorean Vs Romanticism):

The_Age_Of_Poetry_Vs_The_Age_Of_Prose:

Pleasure(Romanticism) Vs Peril(Victorean)

Both "Romantic age" and "Victorian age" are emphatic in genre, one is subsequently an age of 'poetry' another is of 'prose'. In former we can see glory of the age in poetry of Scott, Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron, Shelley, Keats, Moore and Southey. Exceptionality can be seen in latter one, as he has written far more better proses than poetries. On contradictory if we peep into "Victorean era" the era's tendency led genre to 'prose writing'. With the spread of education it was 'the age of newspaper, the magazine and the modern novel'. The first two being the story of the world's daily life, and the last our pleasantest form of literary entertainment, as well as our most successful method of presenting 'modern problems' and 'ideals'. Exceptionally the number of novels increased in this age, can't be found in any of the era. The prominent writers of the latter genre were Charles Dickens,  William Thackeray, George Eliot etc.

Romantic_Enthusiasm_Vs_Idealism:

Romantic age was the age of 'spontaneity', while Victorean age was known for science(in the name of evolution). As the former age was naturalized in nature and regarded with spontaneity, it was unaffected in nature as well as in man, and was free to follow it's own fancy in it's own way:

Free to follow one's fancy: Best example from one of the poet laureates of this age.

If we see in Victorian age with the same aspect, the age was known for idealism, but the idealism was connected with the evolutionary theory of science, from one may knew from where one has been evolved, but as characterised also as 'pessimism' perhaps its aftermath consequences were beyond repair. As in W.J. Long's text(History of English Literature) an example of cologne cathedral is given:

Which seems to be studied in very large context but when went closer to its walls and buttresses it seems  mere 'a shapeless pile of stone'.

If elaborating this to an extent, it can be assumed that from far away 'idealism' was seen, but was in disillusioned state, giving hope that it can be searched and perhaps will get succeed. When finally approach through it was with full of despairity and so it leads to the dullness of idealism, only detected but didn't reach to any conclusion.

Moral_Purpose_Vs_Women_As_Novelists_/\_The_Modern_magazines:


The 'Victorian age' is known for 'moral purpose'. As Oscar Wilde's idea of "Art for art's sake" was supplanted to "moral purpose". If in another age we see, we find 'women' as writers. As it is mentioned in the text(women's very tendency is to be responsive with magnificiency and has tendency to grab any fair opportunity). Those were emotional, while the Victorian writers were influenced with 'moral sense' and were engaged in searching for deeply implied truth. Not the reality and naturality of "Ibsen" and "Zola", which categorised as disillusiveness.

In modern magazines at first criticism was very destructive, but added wisdom criticism assumed it's TRUE function of construction. Where many writers have contributed.

Thus by concluding three subpoints of the literary characteristics of both the ages, we came to know here how the spontaneity of poetry and prose differs from one another, though in nature both are empathic. It has same regardance with "Romantic enthusiasm" where spontaneity is unaffected in both man and nature and idealism as disillusive and lastly women as novelists, moral purpose and the modern magazine, can be seen subsequently as again a glimpse of romanticism, concerning here women, who through education are going to excel in their lives, at other side Ruskin, Tennyson, Browning all remain to be the truth seeker rather than believing in 'superficial realism' of Ibsen and Zola, while lastly we have 'modern magazine's as a literary characteristic, where though writers such as Scott, Keats, Byron etc were criticised but such things were for their welfare and they excelled accordingly and created "a constructive type criticism".

Life's reflection on works: Browning & Tennyson:

Tennyson:

He had great impulse towards poetry, he hadn't shown any wild oats, hadn't reverses or successes and experiences, no business care and public offices.
It was written after his friend's "Hallam's death" in 1833. A first elegy on his friend:

Break, Break, Break:
"And I would that my tongue could utter

         The thoughts that arise in me,

O, well for the fisherman's boy;
That he shouts with his sister at play"!

Seems to be raw description as only he has felt in his prior days, and the surroundings of children(suggests here his childhood days, which perhaps he had spent with his friend)which he has observed, not giving any mature message but a sorrowful tendency of nostalgia.

As he had experienced his school life, but unable to cope up with, as some frightening and hidden activities were going one there, facing his friend's Hallam's death, ceasing himself for ten years from writing, he writes "In Memoriam and Idylls of the king.

We will see his later writing tendency from the former poem:

In Memoriam:
"We have but faith: we can't know,
For knowledge is of things we see;
And yet we trust it comes from thee,
A beam in darkness: Let it grow".

As it was written after ten years of his friends death; he describes faith: as unable to know, while 'knowledge' is being differentiated from the action verb 'know's and he says: knowledge is something we can see and thus we perceive that all material things are provided by you, but you can't be seen, you things are visible, if factually it is provided by you, then you both should be either visible or invisible but should be in a single category rather than keeping on travelling from one side to another. Impact of science can be seen in this poem as the absurd era of 'Twentieth century' was about to approach. As the idea of God can't be made rationale then let a beam to be in darkness to grow.

Thus we learnt here how "Tennyson" has great impulse towards poetry and how by passing through a variety of circumstances, one of which was poverty, he gained recognition in literary world.


Browning:

As we aren't concerning here "Browning's background of his record of parents". Though influence can be seen in his furthering life. We are only concerning here, how he was:

His schooling was short and desultory, and education was being attended by 'private tutors and his father'. Later on he was left to follow his own inclination. But he was influenced by "Elizabeth Barrett" concerning his career and life.

He had a typical "Briton like personality". But as it is mentioned in (W.J. Long's text): that our views changes when he is seen from different angles in lifeless portrayal. Sometimes he seems to be a business-man, a German Scientist and also it gives a curious suggestion of "uncle Remus". Which was actually a reflection of his mixed and unremembered ancestors.

As we have seen that his thoughts were obscure at first, we can assume that perhaps he was influenced with some hidden powers, which were overcoming on him and so perhaps his writings are just moving from one thought to another and had ejaculations on and often and as a result we have his some early poems, which remains very subtle in language and sometimes blurr.

Rabbi_Ben_Ezra:

"Thoughts hardly to be packed
Into a narrow act,
Fancies that broke through language and escaped".

First two lines shows 'subtlity'
In his later life, maturity can be felt in his works, as conveying optimism and giving life's moral message:

Paracelsus:

"I see my way as birds their trackless way,
I shall arrive,_what time what circuit first,
I ask not; but unless God send his hail
Or blinding fire-balls, sleet or stifling stone"

The poem indicates 'optimism' as poet doesn't want to arrive at any destination, but unbounded wants to fly, without any limitations but has instinction to God.

It seems that though at first he was ridiculed and criticized vehemently, by some writers, inspired by "Tennyson's critique on Sordello", he didn't loose his hope and courage to get excellation in his life and career and ultimately he was succeeded and transformed his life into maturity phase of life, which was actually confused earlier between hallucinatinative thoughts.

CHARLES_DICKENS: 1812-1870
Charles Dickens was known for his works, comprising in it some views of his life:

He presented his views on 'poor children's wandering lonely in the streets(reflecting his early life also).
His life as a clerk in law office and courts, where he learnt about enemies and victims, who have been equally targeted of the then prevailing harsh laws.

He worked as news reporter then became a manager, and by being there learnt racy writing and got familiar with public taste.

He was a great actor, he seized every opportunity coming in front of him, if it is any situation, public gesture or voice or any person.

These four characteristics reflected in his works, where his two sensible elements can also be seen, altogether with life experiences and struggle, which he confronted throughout his life.

For Example : Oliver Twist - 1837

In this novel we have seen, nine year old parish boy, who has run away from the workhouse to London. Where he meets 'Artful Dogger' who is the leader of the boy gang of pickpocketers, after much struggle he came out of it and accidently is met with 'Fagin' who is running a criminal gang, and teaches them unlawful things to satiate his own thirst of surviving through collecting money from stealing things.

"Such is the influence which the condition of our own thoughts, exercises, even over the appearance of external objects. Men who look on nature, and their fellow-men, and cry that all is dark and gloomy, are in the right; but the sombre colours are reflections from their own jaundiced eyes and hearts. The real hues are delicate, and need a clearer vision".

In aforementioned stanza it is being said that: such are the unknown things, which are  influencing our thoughts, exercises and affecting appearance of external objects. Men who is an outsider observant of humanbeing as well as of nature, will understand that all right if one is crying over any gloomy and dark situation and a person who is influenced by its surroundings, but fails to realise that these 'sombre colours' are actually the result of their own 'jaundiced(pale) hearts and eyes(bad activities) rather than anything else.

The last line describes "Oliver Twist" a protagonist of this novel, who was delicate and had a clear vision. Perhaps here a novelist is indicating towards himself also.


"People like us don't go out at night cause people like them see us for what we are".

Some are not born criminals, situation is made such that those are becoming killers and murderers. Exactly the very stanza says: here "them" is directed to those people, who are outside wanderers and who are always in search of one, who can make their unlawful activities easy going and so they always concern their outcome benefits, for that one person and utilize him for his own personal benefits.(we can see in this context the character of Oliver Twist, and contrast Fagin and Artful Dogger)

"The sun,--the bright sun, that brings back, not light alone, but new life, and hope, and freshness to man--burst upon the crowded city in clear and radiant glory. Through costly-coloured glass and paper-mended window, through cathedral dome and rotten crevice, it shed its equal ray".

This last stanza describes 'optimism'. Where "the bright sun" is personified in persona and perhaps on "Oliver Twist" who literally remains through out the novel a ray of hope in himself and also for others.

All in all we got to know here since first described stanza, we see the authors sensibility towards the people of his times and also a realization of their situation, from another we learnt how innocents are being detected by the culprits for their own benefits and lastly the stanza describes optimistic state of the protagonist/author/novel.


GEORGE_ELIOT(1819-1880):
Mary Ann Evans, with her real name proceeded into her life since her birth, her life was fluctuated from time to time. An incident of her life can be described here that: when she was of 21, her family moved to "Foleshill Road, near Coventry" where she became acquainted with the family of "Charles Bray": a prosperous ribbon manufacturer, whose house was a gathering place for the freethinkers. The effect of this atmosphere on liberal thinkers upon Miss. Evans was in a narrowing state and she lost sympathy towards them.

• In her works, she represented: "the inner struggle of the soul":

Only those who know the supremacy of the intellectual life—the life which has a seed of ennobling thought and purpose within it—can understand the grief of one who falls from that serene activity into the absorbing soul-wasting struggle with worldly annoyances:

In this stanza, as written in simple language, one can read that it is being told by a person who is now nowhere in his life and feeling as 'a soul wasting his time with worldly annoyances' but he says:that one who knows 'the supremacy of intellectual life, will perhaps be empathetic with him.

• Revelation of motives, impulses and hereditary influences, which govern human action:

When "Dorothea" come to know about "Casaubon's will, she was frustrated. Casaubon wanted to inherit on her, his property influence so that she would be restricted from marrying 'Will -Ladislaw'. As a governing action we can see here "Dorothea's determination to marry Will-Ladislaw" and as revelation of motives, we can see here "the will of Casaubon for Dorothea".

• Minutely explaining the motives of her characters:

Equally as we saw in aforementioned explicit description of "Casaubon's motives" we can take the similar example here as it is minutely explained here by mentioning 'Will - Ladislaw's name in property's will.

"Genius consisting neither in self-conceit nor in humilty, but in a power to making or do, not anything in general, but something in particular":

This stanza conveys the determined ideal will of Dorothea, where she as an idealistic woman believes in doing something in particular/unique rather than hurling herself into generalizations.

• Moral lesson(learning):

That by desiring what is perfectly good, even when we don't quite know what it is and cannot do what we would, we are part of the divine power against evil -- widening the skirts of light and making the struggle with darkness narrower".

The very stanza depicts a moral personality. If a person is influenced by pious morality, she/he would be enlightened by God's divine power and that particular personality may have such light that he/she will widen his/her skirts of enlightenment and will make everyone's struggle with darkness narrower.

• Her interest in development of a soul, the slow growth of moral power/declination:

Souls have complexions too: what will suit one will not suit another.

Many a times it happens that a person is stucked in between his/her choices, and due to undecidability one is unable to reach at any  willing conclusion and so as a result mental faculty becomes distortive sometime.

Thus we learnt here how "George Eliot" has mirrored all her life's experiences in all her works.

Thankyou
Samiya Kagdi
A learner at PG center
Department of English
MKBU




Applied Sources:
https://en.m.wikibooks.org/wiki/Oliver_Twist
W.J. Long's text: History of English Literature.