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<p>[QUOTE="Orfew, post: 3602664, member: 74968"]Reading a bunch of books on your own is a very good way to reinforce one's ideas about the world. You have no one to challenge your perceptions, interpretations or understanding. A learner needs someone to point out the pitfalls and mistakes and to show them alternative paths of understanding. A liberal arts degree will do this.</p><p><br /></p><p>Here is a passage from Richard III, the first few lines in fact.</p><p><br /></p><p>"And now is the winter of our discontent made glorious summer by this sun of York, and all the clouds that loured upon our house in the deep blossom of the ocean buried"</p><p><br /></p><p>Many people will get some meaning from this the first time they read it. However, without guidance they may not realize that there is more than one way to read it. As an academic one of the most difficult ideas to get across is that when writers write they may in fact intend for the reader to understand several meanings at the same time. Do you really think reading a bunch of books will teach you to do this?</p><p><br /></p><p>For example, let us assume that the above passage is a soliloquy, a speech to one's self that explores thoughts and ideas. How would you read the above in that case? Shakespeare gives us a clue. He is famous for using word play. "Sun of York" should be read as synonymous with "Son of York". That is, the inheritor of the throne, a descendant of York is also the life or the sun of the country. Try reading the passage in an angry brooding way. If you do you might see that "sun of York" is sarcastic in tone. Now apply this to the entire first phrase. He is in fact saying that the heir to the throne will not be the saviour of the country. The problems of state will not be dispersed as the clouds are by the sun or son.</p><p><br /></p><p>Now let us change the assumptions. Instead of a soliloquy let us make this a speech to a crowd which includes the heir to the throne. Now try to read the lines as a celebration. Instead of a sarcastic tone the words are now laudatory and positive. Now look at the word buried. What does it mean if Richard utters this in disgust or anger? What does it mean if he is in a celebratory mood? Is it possible that the word buried gives us a clue? Even in a positive context the word buried stick out as being negative. Does this foreshadow the deaths to come in the play?</p><p><br /></p><p>Okay what is the point? The point is that Shakespeare meant for us to understand both these possibilities at the same time. If he had not there would be no need for the word play. In the end I think he makes it clear which is the most probable, but that does not mean that the ambiguity should be dismissed. Ambiguity is good because it forces us to consider other interpretations.</p><p><br /></p><p>What ambiguity does one encounter when they are the sole voice considered?[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Orfew, post: 3602664, member: 74968"]Reading a bunch of books on your own is a very good way to reinforce one's ideas about the world. You have no one to challenge your perceptions, interpretations or understanding. A learner needs someone to point out the pitfalls and mistakes and to show them alternative paths of understanding. A liberal arts degree will do this. Here is a passage from Richard III, the first few lines in fact. "And now is the winter of our discontent made glorious summer by this sun of York, and all the clouds that loured upon our house in the deep blossom of the ocean buried" Many people will get some meaning from this the first time they read it. However, without guidance they may not realize that there is more than one way to read it. As an academic one of the most difficult ideas to get across is that when writers write they may in fact intend for the reader to understand several meanings at the same time. Do you really think reading a bunch of books will teach you to do this? For example, let us assume that the above passage is a soliloquy, a speech to one's self that explores thoughts and ideas. How would you read the above in that case? Shakespeare gives us a clue. He is famous for using word play. "Sun of York" should be read as synonymous with "Son of York". That is, the inheritor of the throne, a descendant of York is also the life or the sun of the country. Try reading the passage in an angry brooding way. If you do you might see that "sun of York" is sarcastic in tone. Now apply this to the entire first phrase. He is in fact saying that the heir to the throne will not be the saviour of the country. The problems of state will not be dispersed as the clouds are by the sun or son. Now let us change the assumptions. Instead of a soliloquy let us make this a speech to a crowd which includes the heir to the throne. Now try to read the lines as a celebration. Instead of a sarcastic tone the words are now laudatory and positive. Now look at the word buried. What does it mean if Richard utters this in disgust or anger? What does it mean if he is in a celebratory mood? Is it possible that the word buried gives us a clue? Even in a positive context the word buried stick out as being negative. Does this foreshadow the deaths to come in the play? Okay what is the point? The point is that Shakespeare meant for us to understand both these possibilities at the same time. If he had not there would be no need for the word play. In the end I think he makes it clear which is the most probable, but that does not mean that the ambiguity should be dismissed. Ambiguity is good because it forces us to consider other interpretations. What ambiguity does one encounter when they are the sole voice considered?[/QUOTE]
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