Category: English Learner Portfolio

Discuss the significance of a pivotal moment, shift or turning point in at least two of the works you have studied.

When drawing upon components of both The Handmaid’s Tale and Medea, it is quite clear that some themes do cross over and there are many similarities between the two works. With regards to pivotal moments, shifts or turning points, both texts are different although it is still possible to draw upon connections.

For example, within Medea, one of the critical moments of the play is when Medea has her argument with Jason. This really allows for the audience to not only be exposed to the intensity of the situation but also get a firsthand glimpse at both sides of the argument. When comparing Medea to The Handmaid’s Tale, it is important to consider how the intended audience of Medea ready knew the plot of the play so the actual sequence of events came as less of a surprise. This meant that Euripedes did his best to dramatise what was a classic Greek tragedy.  During this argument, it allowed the audience to potentially side with Medea and sympathise with her, ultimately understanding why she feels the way she does. Similarly, in The Handmaids Tale, towards the end of the story, we experience the “historical notes”. At this point in the book, the audience has more or less fully understood everything about Gilead and what it was like to be there. So much so that they may have even less of an understanding of the real world. Atwood immediately puts this into context by providing a section of the book whereby a lecturer is looking back on past tapes of The Handmaid’s Tale ultimately making it all sound even more ridiculous. Both situations are critical points in both works and do a good job at providing more context to the audience in order for the author to get their point across.

It is quite clear as well, that in The Handmaid’s Tale, a key point is the ceremony. During the ceremony, Offred is seen under the light of her one and true purpose. To reproduce babies – nothing more. It is a very strange situation for everyone involved and I think is done so in such a way that Atwood makes us feel as uncomfortable as possible. In Medea, a key point is when Medea kills her children. Although this is done offstage, it is a very key point in the play – the climax. At this point, we experience a real conversation between her and Jason. It feels like in this situation, Medea and Jason are arguing on a level playing field. In some sense, Medea has a heightened level of power after what shes has done. In The Handmaid’s Tale, to some extent, Offred has a slight bit of power as without her and the rest of the Handmaids, the society would not be able to reproduce. Therefore, in both situations, the protagonists experience heightened levels of power (although they may not realise it).

Chart the vacillation of Medea in this scene.

The final scene of Medea has been much debated. What are your responses to the ways in which Euripides ends the play?

What are the dramatic and thematic functions of the deus ex machina as denouement?

In the fifth episode, it is very evident how back and forth Medea is, she faces a great deal of internal conflict. On one side, she doesn’t want to hurt her children as, from a mothers point of view, she feels a great deal of connection to them. Although every time she brings Jason into the mix, she realises all of the hate she has for him and why she should follow through with her plan. I think ultimately, this is included in the play to provide the audience with a sense of both sides of the argument. Allowing them to play a similar role to that of the chorus. In addition to this, this internal conflict provides a degree of uncertainty to the audience and leaves them wondering, building up suspense and tension as we begin the exodus.

Part of the debate about the end of the play is formed around Medea’s decision making. Was it right for her as a mother to kill her children to get to Jason’s heart? On one hand, it certainly worked and she definitely got revenge on Jason although, at the same time, she has to face some of the consequences herself which may be very challenging. She also challenges the ideals of what it means to be a mother and more or less betrays all of her family.

At the end of the play, Medea leaves on a chariot that has been sent from her grandfather, the sun god. It is deployed to aid her travel back to the safety of Athens. Many of Euripides play end like this and such an ending allows for very little to be said, both characters merely part their own ways.

• Examine Medea’s behaviour with Creon: what strategies does she use to manipulate him?
• How does Medea’s speech after Creon’s exit give us further insight into her character?
• What is the thematic function of the choral stasimon after this episode?
• How does Euripides dramatically present the contrast between Medea and Jason’s different perspectives on their relationship?
• What sympathy does the chorus show to Medea? Why?
• How is this dramatically effective?

In the first episode, we encounter Creon and we experience the interaction between both Medea and Creon. Through their interaction, it is very evident that Medea is very cunning and sneaky in the sense that she plays a role and portrays herself in a different light. She plays with the idea that Creon is a father and that he should therefore care for her children, this is coupled by her playing with the idea of being a mother. She elaborates by addressing her close relationship to her children and how she wants the best for them although it is evident from the prologue that she doesn’t really care for them as much as she says.

After Creon exits, we understand what Medea’s intentions are, she ultimately comes to the conclusion that she wishes to kill. Through experiencing Medea as such an unstable character in the prologue, it is feasible to think that this decision may have not had the utmost thought behind it. The chorus thinks in a like-minded way. Although at the end of the prologue, we see the chorus tending to the side of Meda, they still want to check that she is making the right decision. Its almost as if they are checking that she has thought it through enough.

In the second episode, we are introduced to Jason, having very contrasting opinions to one another, Medea’s and Jason’s interaction is a very outstanding point in the play. Initially, Medea states her case and most of her pints of the argument, she generally states the ways in which she feels she had helped Jason on their voyage to get the golden fleece and everything she has done for the relationship. This is then followed by Jason’s side of the argument where he counters everything she says and ultimately finished off by stating how the female’s only purpose is to produce babies and had there been another way to do so they may as well not exist. Through their argument, we understand that on a deeper level, Jason was early in the relationship from a transactional point of view, whilst Medea was very passionate and invested in the relationship.

After this, the second stasimon ultimately suggests how the chorus is coming to the side of Medea. As the chorus mainly consists of Corinthian women, it is understandable as to why they may take Medea’s side more than if it were full of Corinthian men. At the end of this stasimon, the chorus states, “he shall be no friend of mine” ultimately finalising their siding with Medea.

• What is the significance of the information the Nurse gives the audience?
• How does it influence our impressions of Medea’s character before we see her?
• How does The Chorus develop the detail and themes outlined in the Prologue?
• What dramatic effect is created?
• How does Medea characterise her suffering to the audience in her initial address?

In the prologue, the nurse reveals information about Medea to the audience and gives an idea of who she is. We understand that she has sacrificed many things to come to this new land with Jason. We then discover how Jason left Medea for Creon’s daughter and Medea is now left more or less stranded with her two sons. The nurse mentions how “They’ve no thought of this cruel blow that has fallen on their mother” perhaps alluding to how it makes it even more tricky for Medea to function in this new land alone. In addition to this, we can infer how Medea’s two sons may act as a symbol for what Jason has left her and thus suggest how she may not be very fond of them. Later on, the stage direction [Medea’s voice is heard from inside the house] followed by the quote “Oh oh! What misery, what wretchedness! What shall I do? If only I were dead!” is the first time in the play we hear something from Medea herself. Everything the Nurse has described about her leading up to this point has portrayed her as a rather crazy, unsettled, volatile and emotionally unstable woman. We can then hear her screaming from inside the house which further supports these ideas. Further on in the prologue, the chorus expresses their opinions on the matter and we see more of the unsettled side of Medea. The chorus holds quite the opposite point of view, although after some time they understand how her heightened emotions are justified. therefore it isn’t so bad for her to want revenge for the things that Jason has done to her. She expresses how she wants to do more than just stay at home and take care of the children, instead she wants to be on the frontlines and battle.

Is Atwood’s novel ultimately a feminist work of literature, or does it offer a critique of feminism? (400-500 words)

The second wave feminism existed from the 1960s to 1980s and sought to gain equality for women within the household, working environments, and education. There was also a focus on women’s liberation and how women were represented in the media. Magaret Atwood is widely viewed as a feminist writer and The Handmaid’s Tale presents a complex view of feminism. The Handmaid’s Tale is a feminist novel because it creates a dystopian vision of a patriarchal caste system. Furthermore, it also highlights the schisms within feminism where there are several feminist positions at odds with each other. Atwood critiques this by creating a dystopia where women are a key part of their sisters’ subjugation.

In Gilead, most women have very little contact with men. Women are expected to support one another through times of birth, death and sickness. Women even teach each other about this new regime. In addition to this, within a household, women work together to achieve the characteristics of their gender. The Handmaid’s sole purpose is to have baby’s with the commander, the Marthas main purpose is to be a household servant – ranking higher than that of a Handmaid. The Aunt is the highest working women role and their job is to educate other women about the regime. Lastly, the role of the commanders’ wife is mainly to stand behind the commander as a prop/accessory and take part in “ceremonies”. One of the most important beliefs in The Handmaid’s Tale is the idea that living solely with women would solve many of the problems women were currently facing.

It is important to note that before Gilead, Offred didn’t really consider herself a feminist. This is because she feared feminism would alienate and separate herself from men. Now there is a sense that Offred is beginning to understand that feminism only forces women to recognize their natural alienation from men.

On page 67 Offred mentions that “we live in the gaps between the stories” this is largely referring to how articles and news stories will discuss the many issues of the repression of women and the power imbalance between the genders and domestic politics, yet nothing is ever really done about it. Often times, when people read things about these problems if it has nothing to do with them they will tend to move it to one side and ignore the issues that are present. Hence, going back to the idea that Atwood’s main intention, as a widely viewed feminist writer, is to critique feminism through the lens of The Handmaid’s Tale.

What is the symbolic power of naming as described in The Handmaid’s Tale? Link to your wider reading about the politics of naming (250 – 300 words)

Names are the very first, the main ways we identify each other’s identity. Within The Handmaid’s Tale, the narrator’s name, like many others, is taken away from her. This is due to the fact that Atwood really wants to emphasise how the narrator has been subjugated to the will of the dominant male forces in society. Although her real name is, in fact, June, we rarely associate her to this identity and instead know her as Offred – only her association to Fred. The prefix “of” indicates which commander they belong to. When they change commander, they change name and, for example, when Ofglen is replaced, another Ofglen appears in her place. The body of the individual is of no consequence, it’s the relationship to the commander that’s important.

The handmaids understand how important their names are to their identity. The opening chapter of the book concludes with them whispering their names in the dark – a time when they reveal more personal information and become more in tune with themselves – so at least someone will always now who they are.

Through my wider reading, I have understood how over time, “since the 9th century” there has been a longstanding tradition of women accepting the last names of men when they get married. There are many connections to something so normal and something so extreme as the situation in “The Handmaid’s Tale”. Given that it has been a tradition for such a long period of time, women are subjected to not only societal pressure, practical and professional costs, as well as psychological costs of losing individual identity. Many of these issues, on a more extreme basis, do connect to the nature and symbolic power of naming within “The Handmaid’s Tale”.

What is the most effective way that Atwood creates a repressive atmosphere in these chapters?

Chapters 1-6 provide a very important foundation to the book. Within the chapters, Atwood utilises an array of techniques in order to convey this repressive atmosphere. There are numerous flashbacks which give crucail context  that is needed for better understanding throughout the rest of the book. It would be difficult to understand the book without these necessary components. Stemming from this context is the repressive atmosphere that is crafted through the rules and regulations within Gilead made to opress women.

One way Atwood conveys the repressive atmosphere when Offred recalls aunt lydia telling her to “think of it as being in the army”. This allusion is used to suggest a correlation between the army and the Gilead. It draws parallels to being of service to a country with that of being of service to a man. There are also hints in the way that things are done earlier on in chapter one when Atwoods description of life there draws close ties to life in prison. The idea that everything must be neat, you are trapped etc. Furthermore, there is a common awareness that many of the woman can sense what life was like before but understand that they cannot express their feelings about such a time.

Another way Atwood does this is when certain coments are made in Offred’s head and the audience gets an insight into what she is thinking. For example, when Offred says “I never looked good in red its not my colour” this suggests how Atwood is clearly depicting the lack of expression experienced in Gilead. Such a comment is a very common thing to hear from a woman, perhaps making us think how these two scenarios juxtapose each other. It is clear that wether or not the handmaids like the colour, they simply do not have a choice and must do what they are given in the society, further amplifying the degree of the repressive nature in Gilead.

Both these techniques are two small examples of Atwood making deliberate choices to prompt the readers to understand the repressive atmosphere of Gilead. Whilst only two techniques have been mentioned, every line and sentence in the story contributes to the overarching theme and motif of repression of women in “The Handmaid’s Tale”.

When making this political cartoon, I tried to keep in mind the differences between men and women as reflected in the handmaid’s tale. The idea of the lava being labelled as “Handmaid” was to try and add a sense of humour to the piece.

Having completed the English Internal Oral there are many things to look back on. The IO required us to pick two texts. I think it was a good idea to choose home fire as we had spent quite a lot of time in it in class and it appears to be an interesting text with very controversial and modern issues. As it reimagines the Sophocles play “Antigone” there are key underlying messages that will exist throughout the rest of mankind. The conflict of the law vs family. At what point does family exempt us from the law? The non-lit text I chose was Redemption Song, Bob Marley is someone that I have always been fascinated in. He is deeply inspiring to me and I am always listening to his music. I chose redemption song as I believe it to be one of his greatest songs.

When establishing a connection between the two texts, I came up with the idea of identity and how both Parvaiz and Bob Marley struggles to come to terms with themselves especially when in a dominant society. Although this connection may seem farfetched, I think I did a good job at establishing the common themes between the two. If I were to do the IO again I could have perhaps chosen a different non-lit text that had closer ties to Homefire yet the consequence to that is that I may have not been as passionate about it.

In terms of the actual IO, I felt like I prepared very well for it. I didn’t want to “memorise a script” as I thought this would lose my natural flow. Instead, I practised my IO from my outline and was able to elaborate from each of the bullet points. Overall I am really happy with how the whole process went and the experience as a whole is something I will remember for the rest of my life.

Throughout the book, Margaret Atwood utilises various kinds of language techniques to emphasise on this topic of control and the society that is Gilead. The language plays a vital part in the book as even though being literate is banned for Handmaids, Offred is continually experimenting and playing with language. This could suggest how Offred is trying to escape from this reality whilst also taking a bit of control of her language and herself.

Margret Atwood’s first use of language technique is neologisms. A neologism is when new words are introduced to already existing words. Atwood uses neologisms as new words invented in Gilead.  Words such as “Guardian Angels” which are used to describe men therefore portraying the control they have. This juxtaposes the terms used to describe the Handmaids as “Aunts”. “Aunts” suggests someone that does not have control nor is family – an outsider.

Biblical language is used throughout the book especially with Aunt Lydia and communication between omen of the society.  Biblical language is mostly used to describe the situation in Gilead. The biblical language or biblical-sounding language shows how Gilead tries to influence people’s minds by giving examples from the bible referencing to the theme of control.

Language musings are words that the narrator contemplates the meaning of during the novel. Margaret Atwood portrays Offred to constantly be thinking about the meaning of certain words, showing the importance of literacy for her.