The Last Entry~

For this last entry, I would like to dedicate this to my friends and also to My English teacher who has been my friend for a year already~

This poem is for you~

A Friend is a Treasure
 

A Friend is a Treasure A friend is someone we turn to, 

when our spirits need a lift. 

A friend is someone we treasure,
for our friendship is a gift.
A friend is someone who fills our lives,
with beauty, joy and grace.
And make the world we live in,
a better and happier place.

 

Thank you for always being there~ 

You are awesome <3

“A legal kiss is never as good as a stolen one” - Guy De Maupassant

Yes! And that is one good quote from Mr. Guy De Maupassant, the author of 'The Necklace"

The necklace is about Mathilde Loisel losing a "diamond" necklace that is borrowed from a friend of hers. She was poor so she could not afford to buy a new diamond necklace because it costs 40,000 francs. She tried to work as a maid and was in debt for ten years. When she could not bear her hard life, she decided to leave it and just say to her friend, Madame Forestier, that she lost her very "expensive" diamond necklace. When she said this to her friend, madame Forestier was shocked because the necklace was only a fake.

The lesson here is to always tell the truth so our problems won't get any deeper~

"I know that no reader ever asks a question. A writer must force his favors upon his readers." -Jan Neruda

The tale that I will tell in this entry is about the Vampire, a story by Jan Neruda

 

NO! not a scary vampire with fangs. I mean a person with a nickname "The vampire"!~

So this is how the story goes, There was a family that was going to the island Prinkipo and their daughter is very ill. While they were on their cruise to Prinkipo, they met a Greek man who has vampire-like characteristics. Pale skin, deep black eyes and long black hair. He said that he was an artist. He always carried a portfolio wherever he went. When they reached the beautiful Island, they relaxed on the green grass near the sea. The greek went near the family and opened his portfolio and started drawing. When he finished the drawing, he stood up and went back inside the inn. When one of the family members asked one of the people in that island why did the Greek carried his portfolio everywhere, the person answered that he was nicknamed the vampire and the images that he drew in his portfolio were the people who are going to die in the near future. When they saw the image that the Greek drew in his portfolio, they were shocked because the daughter's image was in there, her eyes closed and a wreath of myrtle on her brow.

Yes! it freaked me out too when I finished reading it. i didn't expect it to end like that.

and this was my reaction after reading the story:

“Do as we say, and not as we do” -Giovanni Boccaccio

the guy that's in the picture is named Giovanni Boccaccio and the book below is called "The Story of Griselda". It is one of the stories that are included in our English book.

the naked woman in the picture is Griselda and the man holding her hand is Gualtieri, a rich count from Saluzzo. Gualtieri was asking Griselda, a poor farm girl, for her hand in marriage because he needs a woman  or a wife and he also needs a successor. He married Griselda but he decided to test her patience. His first test is to get Griselda's first daughter and to take it away. Griselda didn't have a choice but to give her daughter to Gualtieri and send her baby away. Griselda was devastated but she did it because she loves Gualtieri very much. His second test was to take away Griselda's son from her. She still didn't have a choice so she gave her son to the count and the count sent him away. Still, she was sad but it was all for Gualtieri. The last test was Gualtieri wants to marry another woman because he was getting tired of Griselda. She decided that it would be best for his husband to marry another woman because that is what makes him happy. Gualtieri never expected that she would give his husband to someone else because she loved him so much. Gualtieri told Griselda that he has been testing her patience and after many years, she has proved that she is a loving and patient wife. Gualtieri brought back his son and daughter and they lived happily ever after~ :D

While I was writing this entry, I am listening to "The Call" by Regina Spektor. I know the music does not fit in with the story but I just want to share it with everyone, that's all.

"Medicine is my lawful wife and literature is my mistress"

Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was born in 29 January 1860 and died in 15 July 1904 because of Tubercolosis. He was a Russian short-story writer, playwright and physician, considered to be one of the greatest short-story writers in the history of world literature^. His career as a dramatist produced four classics and his best short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics.Chekhov practiced as a doctor throughout most of his literary career: "Medicine is my lawful wife", he once said, "and literature is my mistress. One of his stories was "The Lottery Ticket".

The story revolves around Ivan and Masha, a Russian couple who thought that they have a chance in winning the lottery so they imagined things that they can buy or do with 75,000 dollars. Ivan became so selfish that he wanted the prize money for his own and not share it with his other half. When they found out that their series number does not match with the winning series, they ended up fighting each other.

The lesson to this story is to not be selfish and to make sure that you win the lotto before you start imagining things that are impossible to do or to buy.

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

Our Lady's Juggler or "The juggler of Our Lady" is one of my favorite stories in the book. Its story is about Barnabas, a poor juggler from France that is not contented with his life and his job as a juggler. So when a monk approaches him, he told the monk that he loves to serve the Virgin Mary. The monk took him to the monastery where he met some monks who serve God. There is the prior who wrote books about the rules of scholasticism, Brother Maurice who copied the treaties with a cunning hand on pages of parchment, Brother Alexandre who decorated delicate miniatures and Brother Marbode who cuts images in stones. He realized that all of them have talents that they offer to the Virgin Mary and he has none. He thought of a talent that he can offer to the Virgin but he thought of nothing. But one evening, when the monks where walking to Barnabas' room, they saw him juggling in front of the Virgin Mary and they actually saw the Virgin Mary wiping Barnabas' sweat. Then the Prior, bowing his head down to the marble floor, repeated these words:"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." "Amen," echoed the brothers, bowing down to the floor.

The lesson of this story is do not belittle yourself because we are special in our own ways.

This is one of the questions that people in our class can't answer every time we have recitations.

"Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God?"

It means that those who have become pure in heart, will leave this life and then shall behold the face of God, stand in his presence, and feel fully confidence and faith that they belong with Him.

All my life I've lived by a code and the code is simple: honor the gods, love your woman and defend your country. Troy is mother to us all. Fight for her!

In Sparta, Prince Hector and his young brother Paris negotiate peace between Troy and Sparta. Paris has fallen in love with Helen, the wife of king Menelaus, and smuggles her back to Troy with him. Infuriated, Menelaus vows revenge. Menelaus approaches his brother Agamemnon, a king who has conquered every army of Greece, and now commands them. Agamemnon who has wanted to conquer Troy for years, uses this as a justification to invade Troy. General Nestor asks him to take hero warrior Achilles, to rally the troops to the cause.

I think that this movie is suitable for people who likes to know more about history and who likes to watch war movies. This story is based on the epic "The Iliad". The story is about the war between Greece and Troy because the Greeks want to capture Troy to expand Agamemnon's army. This movie also tells the relationship of Briseis and Troy and the relationship of Paris and Helen. I love this movie because it shows a lot of action and at the same time gives romance.

i found this poem at one website dedicated to the movie Troy and I would like to share it with everyone. The poem's name is "Troy"

Troy

 

Paris and Helen,
The lovers of Troy
Menelaus, brother to Agamemnon
Came in pursuit to destroy.

Sailing across the sea
For one beautiful girl,
Mycenae's powerful warriors
Let the hatred unfurl.

Achilles the brave,
Hero of war,
Fought to the end
Until he was no more.

Hector the prince,
Troy's prized possesion,
Died bravely in war,
His heart's obesession.

Odysseus the wise
With his brilliant plan
Led the Mycenaeans to victory
With the giant horse at hand.

Enter the city,
Attack once more!
Set it afire
And claim what is yours.

Sailing back home
By Menelaus's side,
Helen proclaims:

"I'll love him forever, till the day that I die."

 

This line of Achilles is one of my favorite quotes in the movie. It is about brotherhood and how he cares for his fellow soldiers.

Achilles: [to his soldiers] Myrmidons! My brothers of the sword! I would rather fight beside you than any army of thousands! Let no man forget how menacing we are! We are lions! Do you know what's there, waiting beyond that beach? Immortality! Take it! It's yours!

“God's gifts put man's best dreams to shame.”

Yes, Ms. Ly's favorite poet, Elizabeth Barrett Browning. She was one of the most prominent poets of the Victorian era. Her poetry was widely popular in both England and the United States during her lifetime. A collection of her last poems was published by her husband,Robert Browning, shortly after her death.

Even if I do not know much about her, I like to read her poems and I would like to read more from her.

This piece is called 'Sonnet number Forty three'

this sonnet is always used in Quizzes, that's why I will give it as an example~

"Sonnet No. 43"

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height

My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight

For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.

I love thee to the level of everyday's

Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.

I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;

I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.

I love thee with the passion put to use

In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose

With my lost saints,—I love thee with the breath,

Smiles, tears, of all my life!—and, if God choose,

I shall but love thee better after death.—

"There is no place for grief in a house which serves the Muse."

The woman on the picture is named Sappho. She's one of the best women poets in Greek. Her poems are all about Love and how beautiful women are. When Shanda and I were assigned to report the life of Sappho, we were really shocked because it was our first time to hear about a female poet that's famous. When we were studying about Sappho, we learned that she was a lesbian and she committed suicide because lesbians are not allowed during that time. I was disappointed that she didn't fight for their relationship but her poems are beautifully made and I think it was made for her lover.

This is one of Sappho's Masterpiece. It's title is "The Hymn to Aphrodite"

We have read this before in English and at first I didn't understand it but after repeatedly reading it 3-4 times, I understand it a little bit.

THRONED in splendor, immortal Aphrodite!

Child of Zeus, Enchantress, I implore thee

Slay me not in this distress and anguish,

Lady of beauty.

 

Hither come as once before thou camest,

When from afar thou heard'st my voice lamenting,

Heard'st and camest, leaving thy glorious father's Palace golden,

 

Yoking thy chariot. Fair the doves that bore thee;

Swift to the darksome earth their course directing,

Waving their thick wings from the highest heaven

Down through the ether.

 

Quickly they came. Then thou, O blessed goddess,

All in smiling wreathed thy face immortal,

Bade me tell thee the cause of all my suffering,

Why now I called thee;

 

What for my maddened heart I most was longing.

"Whom," thou criest, "dost wish that sweet Persuasion

Now win over and lead to thy love, my Sappho?

Who is it wrongs thee?

 

"For, though now he flies, he soon shall follow,

Soon shall be giving gifts who now rejects them.

Even though now he love not, soon shall he love thee

Even though thou wouldst not."

 

Come then now, dear goddess, and release me

From my anguish. All my heart's desiring

Grant thou now. Now too again as aforetime,

Be thou my ally.

What a very beautiful poem made by Sappho~!

I was very lucky to read some of her poems because her poems are very beautiful~

Let us dance in lieu of her Brilliance~

First ever post~ :D

hey~ If you are wondering why i'm writing in English and not in Tagalog it's because this blog is dedicated to English Literature. Starting tonight, I will be posting various poems, stories and lessons that I have learned/read the whole school year. I will only start tonight/The day before the deadline of this blog because I was busy procrastinating these past few weeks because of Prom, Intrams and teacher's day. No, this is not my personal blog and I will not tell my personal blog >:) ~ Sorry.

This blog is for miss Ly and my love for her subject~