Practice IOC Coriolanus (Act IV, scene v)

Annotated copy of passage

Theme of Power | Coriolanus

            The political play Coriolanus (1605-1608), sets in the early Republican Rome in 491 B.C. Shakespeare projects the transition of power from a monarchy to a democratic government, where officials are elected. Due to this shift in power, Shakespeare indulges and develops this theme of power to display the battle of social and political power developing to its principles. Shakespeare achieves this by presenting various characters who represent different respective fates and natures of power. While the protagonist, Caius Martius Coriolanus, trivializes the plebeian’s “breaths,” he beholds a fate of authority and is characterized as a demigod who is an influential leader in warfare. However, Coriolanus’ virtue of power changes, as his flaw of his pride critically leads him to his downfall in Act 5. This is also presented near the end of the play as his power leads to an instilled fear in Rome. At first, Coriolanus is like a “lonely dragon” (IV.iii.), developing to fight “dragon-like” (IV.vii) and finally grows “from a man to a dragon” (V.iv). This displays the danger that arises from his ancient and archaic power which is no longer suitable in Rome. His inflexible nature is stretched by Volumnia through her persuasive techniques regarding her desire for violence and power. Contrarily to Coriolanus, Volumnia and Aufidius are attentive of the changes in politics and parliament. Hence, the downfall of Coriolanus’ power articulates Shakespeare’s theme, communicating that inflexible and archaic power within the context of an evolving England cannot allow for a reconstruction of the political system. Furthermore, Shakespeare questions the audience regarding the virtues of power to communicate that the nature of physical and political power is a continuously changing potential which must flow with society for success to emerge, in which compassion takes no pivotal stance. 

Coriolanus Act I- Characterization of Coriolanus

What is Shakespeare’s larger purpose in his characterization of Coriolanus in Act I?

Throughout Act I of the political play Coriolanus (1605-1608), Shakespeare’s direct and indirect characterization of Caius Martius (Coriolanus) illustrates his tragic, heroic qualities within the ongoing conflict between the commonalty and the patricians of Rome. By doing so, Shakespeare portrays Martius’ motif of power and settings of politics, power, and war.

In Act I, scene I Shakespeare introduces the fundamental conflict between the plebeians and patricians through the intertwining political motives of power. The scene is set during the rioting and revolts against the patricians, as they accuse them of hoarding grain during the famine. They strongly command to configure the price of grain instead of the Senate. Within these riots, the citizens single out Caius Martius and refer to him as a “chief enemy to the people,” (I.i.7-8) who “a very dog to the commonalty” (I.i.27-28). This illustrates his opposing and brash character, which foreshadows his downfall in Act V. While Menenius’ efforts to subdue the plebeians through the body parable metaphor of the belly, Coriolanus depicts his distinct attitude towards the citizens referring to them as “dissentious rogues” (I.i.174), “curs” (I.i.179) and “Hang ‘em!” (I.i.203). Shakespeare has introduced this attitude to display the existing hierarchy during the Roman time in its effects on society’s revolts.

Volumnia also helps round Coriolanus’ character as she states to Virgilia that “if my son were my husband, I should freelier rejoice in that absence wherein he won honor than in the embracement’s of his bed where he would show most love.” (I.iii.1-5). Volumnia’s love for violence, yet caring nature, allows Coriolanus’s motivation to spark as he encourages him to seek political office.

During the battle at Corioles with the Volsces, Martius’ character is further displayed by his similar attitude of the citizens to his soldiers, claiming they are “souls of geese” and “plagues.” However, due to his bravery and desperation, many seem to look up to him as a role model to eliminate the Volsces. This can be seen in his inspiring yet threatening announcement; “If any think brave death outweighs bad life, And that his country’s dearer than himself; Let him alone, or so many so minded, Wave this to express his disposition And follow Martius.” His bravery and singular importance are particularly noticeable in the quote “who sensibly outdares his senseless sword, and when it bows, stands up.”Not only does Shakespeare characterize Martius with these heroic traits, but his actions also reinforce this notion. Martius singlehandedly fights and opens the gates of Corioles, allowing the Romans to capture the city. The act of one man versus an army of a city portrays him as a godlike, perhaps supernatural fighter, a typical trait of classic heroes. These acts contrast his attitudes towards the commonalty of his nation. During the battle, Martius is proven to display generosity and high strength and bravery for his city. Whereas in the first scenes, the commonalty sees him as a “chief enemy of the people.” Hence, Shakespeare demonstrates Martius’ ability to adapt to his power to provoke a demigod representation and bold (yet provincial) characteristics.

While Shakespeare displays Coriolanus as a classic hero, his continuing arrogant attitude in his return to Rome foreshadows his downfall in Act V. Shakespeare’s contrasting portrayal of a conventional hero in both scenes are present; a godlike hero in the war yet a tragic hero in Rome. This, in return, further stimulates Shakespeare’s purpose of Act I in his characterization of Coriolanus.

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Language, Power and Resistance

Bell's quote: "For in the incorrect usage of words, in the incorrect placement of words, was a spirit of rebellion that claimed language as a site of resistance. Using English in a way that ruptured standard usage and meaning, so that white folk could often not understand black speech, made English into more than the oppressor’s language."

Primary Text: “Follow the Drinking Gourd.” (Listen to the song or read the lyrics)

Fleeing slaves

The spirit of rebellion that claimed as a site of resistance is especially prominent in the “slave quilt code,” which is a term used to describe the quilts to communicate information to pave their way of escape towards freedom. The American folk song “Follow the Drinking Gourd” was published in 1928. Supposedly, the folk song was used by Underground Railroad operative, called Peg Leg Joe, in his aims to conceal the escape map. This map of directions allowed fleeing slaves to reach the north from Mobile, Alabama to the Ohio River. Furthermore, the “drinking gourd” refers to a hollowed-out gourd used by slaves as a water cup. This folk song is a prime example of the slave quilt code, as the “Drinking Gourd” was a code name for the Big Dipper star formation, which follows to Polaris, the North and the Pole Star to freedom.

Drinking gourd

The Drinking Gourd had a pivotal role in the Civil Rights and folk revival movements during the 1950s and 1960s, as it displays the remnants of the pre-Civil War South map songs. Specifically, Northern states with abolitionist societies and benevolent groups, such as New York and Massachusetts, would help to flee slaves who came from Southern slave states. Their goal was to reach Canada, where slavery was prohibited. Hence, to arrive at this final destination, a map song was a clue they heavily relied on to find out where exactly the North to freedom was. The Polaris, also known as the Ursa Major or Big Bear was known in slave quilt code as a dipper. Hence, its reference to the “Drinking Gourd.”

           When referring to the map song, several clues are embedded within the lyrics that project its reference to a rebellious spirit, which “ruptured standard meaning, so that white folk could often not understand black speech.” The song states “The river bank makes a mighty good road, / The dead trees show you the way. / Left foot, peg foot, traveling on/ Follow the Drinking Gourd” referring to the Tombigbee River in Mississippi. “The river ends between 2 hills/ Follow the Drinking Gourd. / There’s another river on the other side/ Follow the Drinking Gourd.” Referring that when the Tombigbee River ended, they should go to over the hills until they reach the Tennessee River. Finally, “When the great big river meets the little river, / Follow the Drinking Gourd. / For the old man is a-waiting to carry you to freedom/ If you follow the Drinking Gourd.” Referencing where the Tennessee River meets the Ohio River. Once crossed the Ohio river, they could go to the Underground Railroad system, as free territory.

Thus, this map song is a significant source of demonstrating the manipulation of the meaning of standard English to help to flee slaves and obstruct white folks who spoke the oppressor’s language. Furthermore, this folk song illustrates its participation in developing a language and culture of resistance and rebellion, to free their individuals from the oppressor’s language and oppressing community. 

Works Cited

Bresler, Joel. "Introduction." "Follow the Drinking Gourd": A Cultural History. N.p., 2008. Web. 10 Feb. 2017.

Maryland Public Television. "Pathways to Freedom | Secrets: Signs and Symbols | Follow the Drinking Gourd." Pathways to Freedom | Secrets: Signs and Symbols | Follow the Drinking Gourd. Maryland & the Underground Railroad, n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2017.

Maryland Public Television. "Pathways to Freedom | Secrets: Signs and Symbols | Follow the Drinking Gourd." Pathways to Freedom | Secrets: Signs and Symbols | Follow the Drinking Gourd. Maryland & the Underground Railroad, n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2017.

Endangered Language Podcast- Kallawaya

Attached is the podcast I made with Hala Ariqat, discussing the endangered language Kallawaya. 

Works Cited

         "Bolivia: Global Warming Endangers Kallawaya Healers." WilderUtopia.com. N.p., 06 Feb.   2014. Web. 21 Jan. 2017.

          "Kallawaya." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 21 Jan. 2017.

    "Kallawaya - Highland South America Language Hotspot - Living Tongues Institute For Endangered Languages." Kallawaya - Highland South America Language Hotspot - Living Tongues Institute For Endangered Languages. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Jan. 2017.

     Favorite, Crowd. "Languages Going Extinct Fastest in 5 Regions Around World: One Language Dies Every 14 Days." National Geographic Society Press Room. N.p., 05 July 2012. Web. 21 Jan. 2017.

    "Revitalization." Enduring Voices Project, Endangered Languages, Map, Facts, Photos, Videos -- National Geographic. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Jan. 2017.

"Screening of "The Linguists," featuring Professor David Harrison." The Daily Gazette. N.p., 27 Mar. 2008. Web. 21 Jan. 2017.

Speaking in Tongues | The Value of Indigenous Languages

What is the value of preserving indigenous languages?    

         In today’s society, approximately half of the world’s languages are coming face to face with ‘black hole of extinction.' Does it matter? Should we care? The report Back to Babel, published by Time magazine in 1997, examines this globalization concern in light of language extinction and its entanglement with one’s culture, power, and knowledge. Specifically, the article expresses its concerns regarding the critical value that is intertwined when preserving indigenous and aboriginal languages.

            Approximately half of the 6,500 languages that are spoken today are one the verge of extinction or have already reached their destination in the black hole of extinction. With languages dying roughly every two weeks, Stephen Wurm states that “More conflicts have been created between the world’s languages than ever before, causing languages to disappear at an increasing rate.” Furthermore, the uprising pressure that is pushing on the linguistic natural selection of languages is mainly caused by the “economic might, military muscle and cultural prestige of the country in which a language is spoken” (Times Magazine). This pressure is especially noticeable when analyzing the value of preserving indigenous languages from the Pacific basin, which claim over one-fifth of all existing languages. In this case, its pressure arose from European colonization, causing an unstable climate for native languages. For example, before white settlers claimed their first arrival in Australia in 1788, the area spoke approximately 250 tongues. After the settlement, however, indigenous languages decreased to only 20 tongues.

            According to Max Weinreich, “a language is a dialect with an army and a navy.” referring to its protectionism and suited harness that is required from linguistic extinction. Furthermore, languages paint our emotions, grasp our experiences and portray the observations of our surroundings. A language is essentially a crucial and central puzzle piece of a culture’s identity and the lens in which they digest and interpret their environment. Rhonda Inkamala, a language coordinator in Alice Springs, once stated “You feel lost without it, … You feel left out.”. This further illustrates the painful emotion many Aboriginal individuals experience, as the evanesce on their traditional language “leaves a painful gap in their sense of self” (Times Magazine).

            The true value that is gained from preserving these aboriginal languages primarily reliant on the absorbance and studies of their rich vocabularies and poetic beauty. Aboriginal languages are widely known for their rich vocabularies used to express the natural world. The use of evocative imagery further evokes how close Aboriginal clans are interconnected with mother nature. For example, the Ngiyampaa language describes “a bird whose tail twitches like a walu” (Times Magazine). Also, the Arrernte language describes “the smell of rain” with the word nyimpe. In both cases, English does not have a direct translation that can be made. This further settles the enormous gap that is existent between the languages’ poetic beauty in describing nature.

            Furthermore, aboriginal languages also convey significant scientific advances compared to other dominant languages. Due to their close relationship with the earth, Botanists now have the ability to discover new species using the Aboriginal words given to flora and fauna. Therefore, the further existence and preservation of indigenous languages contribute significantly to archeological facts and cultural expressions. As Evans once stated “We can infer a lot about Australia’s ancient past through looking at information furnished by languages. This is lost when the language goes.” (Times Magazine).

            Once an indigenous language goes extinct, much more is lost than simply its tool and service of communication; its cultural expression, vocabulary, poetic beauty, discoveries and scientific advances are also lost in the “black hole of extinction.” The value of aboriginal languages does not solely depend on protecting its existence. Preserving its existence has significant implications and values that are crucial to one’s identity and cultural interpretation, which are necessary for their present and future understanding of the world. While the influence of colonial languages such as English and Spanish hinder the revival of these languages, efforts should be integrated to fight against the tremendous forces of globalization and mass culture.

Generation Like | Youtube Stars

 In today’s society, social media is one of the most common online platforms for advertisers to reach out to their targeted audience in emerging markets. Gen Z’s social media ecosystem heavily relies on these platforms in a view to communicating with others. This extreme dependency was reinforced by a Pew survey (2014-2015), demonstrating that a staggering 94% of teens access their social media on a daily basis, of which 71% used more than one social media site. One of the most popular social media sites is YouTube, launched in 2005. YouTube not only allows teenagers to share their passion with the world but also allows teenagers to feels a sense of connection and value in their society. The world of technology has revolutionized to suit its customers best, however, what many teens may or may not notice is the complex implication and role that advertisers hold in this environment. This raises the questions whether YouTube stars are being exploited or empowered and the ripple effect it causes on its customers.

In the documentary ‘Generation Like’ (2014), Rushkoff observed several American teenagers in order to frame the intricate interrelationships between big-name brands and their young target audience. The film portrayed several normal teenagers stating that ‘social media makes them feel empowered.'

YouTube stars such as Tyler Oakley and Steven Fernandez, earn millions of likes for every video they publish on the YouTube platform. For many advertisers, this is a gold mine for views and viral popularity; giving advertising companies an opportunity that is exceptional to send out a message, and thus, encourage these stars to promote their products in return for their sponsorship. In this film, they have illuminated how they form partnerships with particular brands in order for companies to reach out to their customer. For example, in several videos, Oakley promotes and motivates the consumption of tacos from Taco Bell. Not only does this incite his viewers to purchase their own, but it also allows for a mass-media message to be sent out. Therefore, in many cases, advertisers take advantage of one’s popularity for their own benefit, which exploits their platform, and arguably empowers their consumers.

The personal connections that these YouTube stars make with their audience is what makes their business successful. Their subtle or non-subtle promotions and partnerships, allows companies to enlarge their audience, thus, their profits made.

Even though many YouTube stars may project themselves as being empowered by the opportunities they receive from sharing their passions with the world from the social media environment. However, big-name companies cause these stars to conform to an ideology or a non-existent interest of a certain product, causing our ‘synthetic’ generation to enlarge even more. While many believe, social media shows the reality and allows for a global connection, we must consider that the ‘behind the scenes’ of this massive industry is nothing more than exploitations stringed together with popularity in order to produce dollar bills.