Learnin' My Husty Ways

Colloquium II: Medieval & Renaissance Literature

HUST 324

Journal Reflection Statement

Hust 324: E-portfolio Self Assessment

Top 3 journal posts:

1. #1 January 21, 2020 -Sir Gawain & the Green Knight, III-IV

2. #2 January 28, 2020-The Selected Canterbury Tales: The Pardoner's Tale

3. #10 Laura Cereta's Letters- COVID-19 Style

Self-Assessment Statement

Organizing my portfolio to be easier to look at and maneuver through was very fun. I got this idea from my other classmates. Sometimes my journal entry lacks analysis because I am not sure what to take from the texts we have read. In regard to thoughtfulness, use of evidence, and connections to other content, I incorporate these to help myself come closer to an analysis.

Creativity, I like to think, is throughout my entire website. The journal entry that I loved doing that required me to channel my inner creativeness was Laura Cereta's Letters- COVID-19 Style. I enjoyed reading her letters because I think they reflect her style and personality. So writing a letter under her style was a nice game of role-playing. I can say I have learned how to link and perform collapse text since using Google Sites. When I first begin using Google Sites, I had never heard of it. Now, I think my digital skills are getting better.

If consistency was a letter grade I would give myself a C. Timing does affect the quality of my post. Prior to our pandemic, I posted my journals consistently before class. I am not consistent with my journal post at all since transitioning to online classes. In my journal entries like #4 Richard III Act 3-5 and #6, Dante's Inferno Canton XIII-XIV are journal entries I feel as if I could have elaborated more on the ideas I spoke about by using my evidence to explain myself.

Setting goals for my journals were easy. I wanted my journals to be something I could refer back to when I am writing papers or looking for connections in HUST 322. However, looking back only about half of my journal entries were useful when writing my paper because either they were not useful in my topic or they lack evidence. My journals were useful as a starting point to get my ideas following.

My classmates are really a great resource. I browsed some of their websites to see what they were thinking and how they organized their work. They were useful in my ability to adapt new goals like wanting to organize my website or link previous humanistic studies classes or current work.

All in all, I would like to go and edit and add some notes from class discussion to my journal entries to help with my final assignment.

#11 Patronage System in Renaissance Period

Sarah Catherine brought up a good point about the patronage system in the renaissance period. I wonder if it was similar to the movie Great Gatsby where Gatsby desires fame and his wealth allowed for him to host the most talent and famous people. artist. So, I begin to research the patronage culture of the Renaissance period

According to a book titled Patronage of the Arts, "The governance structures that supported and protected this economic growth—aristocrats, guilds, and monastics—used artistic patronage to reinforce social structures fundamental to civic sustainability: loyalty to family, church, and city/state. Kings, popes, princes, cardinals, poets, and humanists, as well as cathedrals, convents, and monasteries—all sorts of patrons shaped Renaissance artistic culture by engaging artists to fulfill their commissions." In other words, patronage is an aristocratic notion that is deeply engraved throughout society.

It also speaks to the economical advantage of having patrons. With patrons, there is a constant supply of art, workshops/jobs, and trade.

It is interesting to see how this idea influence society during the renaissance. I would have never known how dynamic the notion of patronage is.

#10 Benvenuto Cellini (1500-1571)

We discussed this statue in Bird's class. I found it interesting because I have been a slight fan of Medusa. I believed this statue was commissioned by the Medici family to make a political statement.

I like this statue because it combines two elements of art: storytelling and sculptor.

Cellini, Perseus with the head of Medusa

#10 Laura Cereta's Letters- COVID-19 Style

To the 'Quaratined' World

Our erratic president, your mayor, and our Lord has told us to stay home. In China, new hospitals and quarantine shelters have been build to carefully conceal the spread of the virus. Corona has been used to slash many, in a war the United States, for the first time in decades, have no control over. When all the great powers form two separate militaries, America was very strategic and thoughtful when choosing their alliance. Admirable process. However, our current times has been filled with enmity, dubiety, and devil-may-care.

It is a much different circumstance once close families and friends encounter Corona. No warning, and "given the inclination of fate—sometimes alters events with the gentlest of winds and at other times meets them headon with a hostile attack" (154). It is clear that during these erratic changes were not merely unpredictable-who- our president has informed us through his speeches. These erratic changes are the consequence of our government's failed attempt to listen to the countries around us. We are free not independent and isolated.

There are women and men who will not see glory as glory has been cast away. Nevertheless, there are people who will see glory and have the opportunity to turn red and white into a world of green come April 30th.

Quarantine and our government irks me because all my life I have never trust our government. Vast majority of the government efforts to 'help', 'save', create ' justice for all' are merely words written by the hand of the devil at play. So, it is disobliging to ask half of America to 'STAY HOME' and they simply follow.

By mediating on these things-not peacefully or willingly- in quarantine, I find it truly astounded to see the world in a state of panic and fear with so much uncertainty hovering.

You and I can have pity and other emotions; however, we are still obligated to complete online classes, tend to siblings, tend to ourselves, tend to a job, and most importantly tend to our future beyond Corona's existence.

All people loses a flower, but gains a garden. However, it takes water and the Son to continues growth.

I attempt to emulate Cereta use of adjectives when describing certain ideologies.
I wanted to mimic her contradictory ideas.
I notice she uses a lot of transitions words, so I tried to fit them in where I see fit
Cereta also personifies many notions like fortune which I tried to do with 'Corona',
I also attempt to throw in a splash of religion as we Cereta do in some of letters.
I took the flower and death analogy and added a spin.

#8 Boccaccio's Decameron

I found the introduction/ prologue to be interesting because it is dedicated to women by a man. He is very specific about who he is writing for. He wants to write for women who are in love. He has been heart broken before, so why not continue to help men? They have the power to control heart break among women. I find this very interesting to provide advice for women to prevent heart break when they are not the ones in power. His logic is reasonable. He says it is because women do not have the ability to overcome heart break and distract themselves like men which is probably why he decided to add some fiction. He wants to entertain women as much as possible.

What are the stories the come from this?

Boccaccio makes it clear that he is writing during the time of black death. There is a somber description of the environment as the plague takes place. This is a contrast in the way of story telling is. There is sarcasm which shows the light mood. I think of Decameron is similar to Canterbury Tales in that the stories told are of a larger meaning. A meaning that some will understand and other will not.

#7 Boccaccio's How to be a Woman

Do:

Keep your virginity. Boccaccio praises Camilla for being pure. She is an extraordinary example for how all women should behave.
Be a good wife no matter the circumstances. Penelope was loyal and and committed to Odysseus. You must be a wife. This title hold a great amount of weight
Be aesthetically pleasing. You must be beautiful. People will value you more
Be artful. You have to produce something of good value. You should produce something valuable to the family.

Don't

Relish yourself. Be humble. You are beautiful but not everyone needs to know. Do not be like Helen or Venus
Be more powerful than your husband or other men or gods or goddess.
Seduce or trick men like Circe. We do not want our men roaming the world without their manhood.

#6 Dante's Inferno Canton XIII-XIV

February 25, 2020Dante's Inferno Canton XIII=XIV

In Canto XV, Dante is in the part of hell that is home to people violent against nature. I found it interest that homosexuals are in this part of hell too. I think this concept of sexuality and gender is one which has been in the news because Dwayne Wade and his child. I for sure think the same perception Dante and his fellow friends is a modern perception as well. The idea of reproduction is subliminally thrown into Dante's ideas. These people are in hell because they are homosexual which means they are not able to reproduce.

Dante's Inferno video game cover(2010)

#5 Dante's Inferno Cantos I-XII

As I read through the poem Inferno by Dante, I found it difficult to understand what Dante is saying. By examining the plot, characters, and their reason for being in certain circles, I am able to conclude that Dante wants his readers to understand that there a consequences for out action in life. However, the consequences are not so black and white; they have a certain complexity and nuance to them. Such nuance is demonstrated in Canto III when Dante enters hell and sees there are "Neutral angels". These angels resided neither in hell or heaven.

I viewed Dante's trip as a pilgrimage. Dante is taking a journey through different levels. Through this pilgrimages we are able to see the various medieval poets: Homer, Horace, Ovid. I compared Inferno to The Canterbury Tales because they both tell the stories of a journey. A journey where we a forced to learn things about the way each person in the story ( and the person telling the story) thinks and behave. Because both Chaucer and Dante writes about a journey/ pilgrimages, it speaks to the role of pilgrimages in the medieval period.

Themes I notice:

Pilgrimages
Money
language( especially when describing hell)
Love
Punishment

#4 Richard III Act 3-5

Shakespeare's portrayal of Richard III is very stale and inhumane. Shakespeare makes Richard III's manipulative and immoral ways evident immediately in Act I; he wants turmoil and drama in the palace. We are able see Richard's ways through a perspective of women. Although the women are wealthy and a voice we hear often, I think how Shakespeare portrays the women and Richard's interaction provide insight on Richard's intentions. Including these women create the good v.s. bad binary. Identifying Richard as good or bad is difficult to do because Richard is a complex character.

Shakespeare amps up the immoral character of Richard because he is bias. I think he does this because he is on the side of Henry. Although he attempts to play with the audience emotions when Richard is giving his monologue and asking the audience to give him mercy.

We are able to get insight on the women' moral character as well. I find it very interesting to see the different portrayal of Richard III. I would compare it to the Obama v.s. Trump perspective.

#3 Feb. 4, 2020The Book of Margery Kempe

When reading for today's class, I was also watching Little Women. The mother/grandma also says creature after she catches the girls wrestling on the floor one Christmas morning. So, it bring me to my ideas about the word "creature". Throughout our reading, Margery is referred to as " creature". I kept asking myself "why do they refer to her as a creature?" I thought maybe she is referred to as a creature because of her mystical powers and other people's lack of understanding of her. Considering medieval history and people have a way of dehumanizing and degrading people who are different from the norm, it would not be too far fetched for that reasoning. At the end of our readings, I got the idea that calling Margery creature seems normal or natural. Almost as if she is calling herself creature. So, does she call herself creature? If so, why? or is the word choice translated as "creature"?

#2 January 28, 2020The Selected Canterbury Tales: The Pardoner's Tale
"No! No!" said he, " then may I have Christ's curse! Leave it," said he, " it shall not be, I swear! You would make me kiss your old underwear, And swear it was the relic of a saint, Though on it with you asshole you did paint!" ( pg.634-635)

Chaucer''s The Pardoner's Tale is full of great irony. The Pardoner begins his story by what appears to be a scolding of the "young folk" sins. He uses negative descriptive words to describe the men. He even goes to extreme lengths to punish these men by involving other saints. This is very ironic, considering the Pardoner too is a sinner. Even more shocking, the Pardoner is aware of his sinning and even makes profits from his behavior. The Pardoner is an extreme hypocrite which annoyed me throughout the tale. What I find most shocking about Pardoner's character is their awareness and technique. Although he is sinning to, he is a good sinner. He speaks in a way that keeps everyone engage. Then. in the middle of his preaching he will say " and people do not forget to bless us with your offering."

I found the above bolded quote to be amusing and true to my thoughts while reading this tale. The Host appears to be the only one to speak up and calls the Pardoner out which is why the Host is still my favorite character so far!

#1 January 21, 2020Sir Gawain & the Green Knight, III-IV

Interesting complex of Chastity & Courtesy: An Ethical Issue, much?

Gawain's courtesy and chastity skills are tester by the women that comes to visit his bedroom. In the first bedroom scene where the young woman sneaks into ?Gawain's bed and he pretends to be asleep. When she is leaving she accuses Gawain of not being genuine because he did not give her a kiss before departing (70). Some parts of me wonder if Gawain has a reputation being a flirtatious man or is that a common way for men to express courtesy. I also began to honed in on the mind of a men during the 14th century. Imagine how difficult ( or not difficult at all) for a man to kiss every woman he encounters to show courtesy. Also, what is the thin line between chastity and courtesy. I think they passed the point of courtesy since she is laying in the bed next to a naked Gawain. Additionally, later on in the day Gawain is offered by some lady a silk clothing piece ( I think silk is viewed as very romantically intimated). Gawain declines this silk clothing, I am assuming because it is viewed as an intimate piece of clothing. Throughout Fits III and IV, Gawain is faced with a many moral issues: do he kiss the woman to be nice? Do he take the scarf to be polite but face the possibility of sparking unrequited love?

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