In the past few weeks, the focus of our English classes has been unpacking, analysing and discussing the Greek play Medea, written by Euripedes and centred around a woman who will kill her children. What has been especially interesting for me has been examining Medea’s complex and conflicted character within social contexts and the role of the woman (as a mother, sister, daughter or wife) traversing across time.
I surprised myself by having relatively strong feelings about Medea (which I did not have for Hedda Gabler, a character we looked at earlier in the year). This was something that definitely transformed the way my observations developed as we began to pick apart individual scenes in the play. I held pity, admiration, sympathy and empathy for Medea at varying points in the plot, and the complexity of my own response to Medea was an additional element I had to supervise and regulate in order to present a balanced interpretation and analysis of the play. For example, I held great regard for her within her encounters with Jason and in the ways in which she manipulated her exchanges with the male characters. I thought her cunning, but in a celebratory way – I admired the strength of her agency. However, I also felt empathy for her suffering and her motherhood, her grief and her guilt, but pity for her circumstance and her reactions to her situation. I think that as part of a modern audience, my reaction is heavily influenced by my own beliefs that are shaped by modern feminism, and this is something I learned to take into consideration as I shaped my analysis of the play.
Another thing I found interesting was the examination and comparison of multiple translations and adaptations of the play, and upon which sentences or lines the emphasis was placed, or where in the play edits or new metaphors were introduced. This transformed the way I viewed interpretation – it revealed to me the nuances in different perspectives as they viewed the text, as well as how the text transforms over time depending on which societal lens it is examined through. Watching the play adapted for a modern audience was also incredibly interesting, especially within the costume design, blocking, staging and lighting, and truly changed the way I read plays. Medea’s white pantsuit, I felt, was a wonderful choice of clothing due to the symbolicism of the colour, and the way it conveyed her agency using pants instead of a skirt, yet still emphasizing a feminine waist and cut. I also thought it was interesting that the place where Medea kills her children is bathed in bright white light, and as Jason approaches the murder scene at the end of the play, the white light shines upon his face, casting a shadow across the stage. Through this play, I learned to observe details such as these, and I feel that this certainly enriched my experience and understanding.
Although I probably could write at some length more what I thought about Medea, I feel that the insights above are more than sufficient. Thank you for reading 🙂
Throughout our exploration of poetry in class this year, I’ve been able to expand my knowledge of the different techniques used by poets to create meaning, but also further explore the ideas of voice and identity. My notes now contain a whole list of questions and techniques that I can use to rip apart a poem for analysis, and with each poem we encounter I get to refine these skills more. Something that I particularly liked about studying poetry was studying rhyme – all the different types of rhyme, and especially how they can be used in a musical context (whether that’s in the cadence and pacing of a poem, or in songs themselves).
We looked at one poet in particular – Philip Larkin, exploring the way he uses slang, colloquialisms and coarser, more vulgar language in poetry and the effect that this has on the way the reader perceives the speaker of the poem. I found this interesting because of the way we often view poetry as something formal or something ‘beautiful’ to be appreciated, but there’s nothing ‘beautiful’ about the word ‘piss’.
Something challenging for me while exploring poetry (and something I’d like to continue working on in the future) is in the way that I read it. Being so accustomed to reading prose, sometimes the enjambment and/or sudden stops in lines confuse me, and I start thinking of it as a grammatical error rather than a purposeful choice made by the poet in the way they structure their poem.
I look forward to reading other different poems from different poets (BIPOC/LGBTQ+ poetry, for example)!
You can visit this link to watch the performance and hear a little bit about the piece, it’s context, and how the author’s circumstances might influence the way we perceive art.
Video Transcript:
This piece is called ‘Sicilian Blues’ and was composed by Hiromi Uehara, who is a Japanese jazz composer and pianist.Â
Why did you choose this piece? I chose to play this piece because I think it really exemplifies how understanding the cultural and social context behind a composer can really enrich a piece. Uehara, as a woman and in the world of jazz outside of America represents how the jazz movement has spread. The genre of jazz was born in the black community in New Orleans in the early 20th century, with roots in West African cultural and musical expression, and it rose up as a cultural force against oppression and racism. As a counterculture movement, it’s really powerful and beautiful, despite the complexity of jazz music theory.Â
More on the Jazz movement Ironically, though, the music theory world and the jazz world are pretty elitist. It’s hard to get in there, it can be quite cold and unforgiving. I think, though, that it’s a testament to the universality of music that a piece such as Sicilian Blues can be considered beautiful despite all this. And, of course, there are still people that discriminate and look down upon the Jazz movement for its history, no matter how wonderful the music is. I think that really goes to show how culture and social values really impact the way a piece is viewed.Â
Music Theory, and the Universality of Music I think it’s obvious to all of us that music is much more than notes on a page. People who understand music theory might see the artistic value, they’re able to do almost like an autopsy on a piece to figure out why it’s so beautiful, but you don’t need a deep understanding of music theory to appreciate a piece. That also relates to how you don’t need a social context to appreciate a piece either. This is why music is universal. However, music theory and social context can really enrich a piece in terms of experience, despite the fact that it’s not necessary to know. I think that this complex universality is a key part of all art and all life, and is what makes Music such a fulfilling art.Â
Through this activity, I tried to capture a more retro and bright interpretation of the timeless nursery rhyme, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. I used a large number of synths (as well as a trumpet) to achieve a more Western Style atmosphere, creating a thick texture with many layers. The main melody and harmony are doubled with different instruments, adding variety but also some volume. The beginning of this track also features a radio static sound effect to create that retro style. I also edited the piano slightly to give it a more faded, ‘retro’y timbre.
I also used a free retro drum sample off of the internet, which is linked here. I’m somewhat unfamiliar with drums as an instrument and decided that a drum set sample would probably be a great way to get an effective rhythm section going. I also find that the use of samples is an awesome aspect of music production in the modern age!
My original inspiration for the feel of this interpretation (the song that inspired me to do a more retro interpretation) is a song called ‘Lady’ by the group EXID. I wasn’t really sure what direction to take this activity, so I just hit shuffle on my Spotify playlist and decided to study and somewhat mimic the style of the first song that played. I found this was a really successful way to gain some inspiration as well as a good direction to take for this activity! Make sure to give ‘Lady’ a listen!
In terms of Self-Management, this year I would like to focus on setting challenging goals for myself and pursuing them with optimism and enthusiasm. I look forward to reading fascinating and obscure literature, to represent womxn/queer voices that are rarely expressed in our current literary canon. I do have systems and schedules in place to get all work done and stay organised, such as my calendar, to-do list and drive folder.
When it comes to collaboration, I would very much like to become more attuned to my peers contributions and allow room for many ideas. In literature, there is no ‘correct’ method of interpretation for a text, and even believability for each interpretation is inherently subjective. In accordance with my goals for self-management, I would also like to hear the voices of my peers in the classroom.
Lastly, in Communication, I wish to become more aware of the consequences of my words, whether verbal or written. I would like to listen to understand, rather than listen to respond. I am an outspoken individual in English class, and reading is solace, but within a classroom setting, those things become double edged swords, and so in tandem with my collaboration goals I would like to help foster a respectful, encouraging environment (that I will also be a part of) within my English classroom.
