I haven't made a blog post in a while, and as I recall I promised to post essays I wrote for class. Unfortunately (from a blog reader's perspective) I am in writing-intensive classes, which fortunately (from my perspective) means that I get to re-write papers! As of yet I have not finished re-writing the essay I wanted to post, so instead of a proper essay, here is the contents of a forum post I made about Merchant of Venice for my Queer Readings class, contemplating historical difference:
In this short essay, I address a surprise I
encountered in Shakespeare’s Merchant of
Venice and the questions, concerns, and parallels to modern culture I drew
from it. The main surprise I encountered while reading Merchant of Venice was
the casual racism of Portia. I knew before starting to read Merchant that it has rampant antisemitism, but I was not expecting additional racist remarks towards black folk. There is, of course, rampant racism in our own
time and so the presence of it was not a true surprise, but rather the insidious way
it was taken for granted was what startled me.
After the Prince of Morocco chooses the
wrong casket, Portia’s line upon his departure is “Let all of his
complexion choose me so.” (II.vii.79)
In the notes of my copy of the text (The Norton Shakespeare, 3rd Edition), there is a performance comment that notes how many directors cut
this line in order that Portia appear as a more sympathetic character. This censure
raises the question of how this is replicated in our contemporary culture.
The erasure of unsavory comments in not
unlike what I have heard called “diet racism” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdyin6uipy4).
That is to say, the person in question presents themselves as being accepting
and encouraging of equality, but in actuality still holds racist beliefs and
makes racist comments when not in the earshot of the person they are insulting,
Throughout
scene seven, Portia makes no outward criticism about the Prince of Morocco, but
as soon as he leaves she makes the disparaging comment about his complexion. Five
centuries after Shakespeare, we are still held subject to this casual racism,
and so examining this lack of cultural difference by closely looking at Portia's language can help us understand the way in which we have constructed
the casual racism that can be found in our own time and place.
Our own historical and cultural moment is
different in that this casual racism is often secluded when present in media,
unless the character in question is the villain of the piece. In contrast,
Portia is one of the protagonists in Merchant and the audience is meant to
sympathize with her.
Showing posts with label college. Show all posts
Showing posts with label college. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 21, 2018
Wednesday, January 17, 2018
Desire and Its Cost
The following is from an essay I wrote in Spring of my sophomore year for my Introduction to Global Literature course. I was going through my files on my computer and re-read the essay in a fit of nostalgia. Having decided that it was a shame to let it languish in my cloud, I elected to post it here. I have very little knowledge of the Bhagavad Gita beyond what we read in class, and I have yet to read the entirety of the Mahabharata, so if anyone with more knowledge wants to weigh in on what is in this paper PLEASE do so. I don't want to impose on anyone else's culture, so reach out and let me know what you think! I will edit this post as-needed. :)
Desire and Its Cost
Talia Franks
COML 100A: Introduction to Global Literature
March 31 2016
Can one attain their desires without succumbing to
negative emotion?
To begin,
what is desire? More than needing to use the bathroom after a long car ride, or
wanting a cold drink after working in the hot sun all day, the desire we speak
of now is of the deeper sort. A longing for something. For wealth, for power,
for fame, for glory, for companionship. And the question is whether or not once
one gets that, is it enough? Beyond desire’s definition, what are the
consequences of desire once it is fulfilled or unfulfilled, especially to those
that surround us? To look at it from a critical perspective, let us examine
desire from the perspective of texts from two different cultures: The Bhagavad
Gita from India, and Grimm’s Fairy Tales from Germany, specifically the tales The Fisherman and His Wife and Rumpelstiltskin.
The Bhagavad Gita warns that desire is a
perilous emotion that will lead to destruction, and urges us to cast desire
off. In the Gita Arjuna is warned of the dangers of attachment to senses:
(62) Let a man [but]
think of the objects of sense―attachment to them is born: from attachment
springs desire, from desire is anger born. (63) From anger comes bewilderment,
from bewilderment wandering of the mind from wandering of the mind destruction
of the soul: once the soul is lost the man is lost.[1]
This attachment is presented as
creating the desires that are so dangerous for us and that ultimately cause us
to lose ourselves.
The link
of attachment to desire is notable; however, the further connection from desire
to anger is far more interesting. This link exists because desire causes stress
regardless of whether that desire is fulfilled. A person who has achieved their
desire yearns for more, acquiring the sin of greed until they can no longer
have what they desire; while a person who has missed their desire devolves into
anger at their lack. We can examine whether or not this is true through the
lens of two other texts we investigated in class, the fairy tales by the
Brothers Grimm, The Fisherman and His
Wife and Rumpelstiltskin.
In The Fisherman and His Wife a poor fisherman
and his wife Isabel live in a hovel, where she stays during the day while he
goes to catch fish. The fisherman is content with this life, but Isabel is not,
and has desires beyond it. Therefore, when the fisherman catches a fish that
claims to be an enchanted prince and lets it go free, Isabel has a different
reaction and, emboldened by her desire, demands that the fisherman go back and
ask the fish-prince to give them a cottage that is nicer than the hut where
they live. Her desire has given her motivation and cunning beyond what the
fisherman has because her desire enables her to think creatively. In this the
brothers are teaching a lesson of how desire can help people achieve their
dreams, while contentment stagnates. However, they counterbalance that message
by having the wife overreach herself. Isabel grows more and more greedy,
becoming first a Queen, then Pope, and finally she wants to control the sun, at
which point she is reduced to once more living in a hovel.[2]
The story
of the fisherman's wife indirectly parallels the teachings of the Gita, but
diverges from them in ways that point towards a more nuanced understanding of
desire. Isabel has forgotten where she started in life due to her greed, as her
desire for more power has clouded her judgment. This is in alignment with the
Gita; however, Isabel nevertheless does achieve her dreams to a certain extent
before she goes to an extreme beyond the realm of possibility. The fisherman,
by contrast, is almost entirely free of desire, and of both its constructive
and destructive consequences. On the one hand, he is portrayed as being at
peace with himself and with the state of his life, exactly as the Gita teaches
one will become if one withdraws from desire. On the other hand, he is an
almost entirely passive character with no goals or potential for growth. His
lack of desire for a changed life would have seen them live in the hovel for
their lives, never taking the opportunity of the wish. Additionally, the one
desire he does have in the story, to stop his wife from asking the fish-prince
for more power[3],
he never acts on and so she is never stopped and they return to living in the
hovel.
From this
we can see that the fault of the return to the hovel cannot be placed solely on
the wife. Although she had the initial desire, the action could never have been
carried out if the fisherman had acted on his own desire to stop her.
Therefore, we can argue that ignoring desire entirely can be just as dangerous
as acting on it recklessly.
If the
fisherman had acted on that desire to stop her, and helped Isabel to learn to
control her own desires, their desires could have counterbalanced one another. So
although the Gita claims that all desire leads to anger and eventually loss of
self, one can argue that desires do not have to lead to this unfortunate fate
as long as they are balanced by a sense of realism and the ability to know when
to act on them and when to listen to the advice of others.
The
majority of the issue with the fisherman and his wife was the lack of a
personal connection between them. Isabel had her attachment to the material
that caused her desire, and the fisherman was unable to stop her because they
lacked attachment to one another. To argue against the Gita, Isabel and the
fisherman’s detachment from each other and lack of active engagement in each
other’s and their own lives was what caused their lack of mutual desire and
control of desire, and with an attachment, their desires could have led to a
more satisfactory outcome.
To
examine another work concerning desire, we turn to Rumpelstiltskin. In this tale, Rumpelstiltskin’s interaction with
desire, namely his desire for the Queen's child, parallels what we have
observed in the Gita. His desire for the child, and his anger at not receiving
the child, led to such anger that he harmed himself.[4]
His greed, in assuming that the child would be his, also leads to foolishness,
another symptom of the cycle described in the Gita.
The
Miller’s daughter/Queen’s interaction with desire tells a different story,
however. In the beginning, it shows
selfish desire causing harm to another; her desire to save her own life causes
her to sacrifice the potential life of her first born child. However, once the
child is born she has a change of heart and her desire to save her child from
an unknown fate with Rumpelstiltskin supersedes her past selfish desire. The
tale thus shows us how desire can be born out of concern for the well-being of
others, not just out of selfishness.
This
desire strengthens resolve and provides great motivation when she needs to
discover Rumpelstiltskin’s name.[5]
The Queen’s desire to keep her child was ultimately what kept her child safe
from Rumpelstiltskin, and after he left, she was left in peace, as far as the
reader knows.
So while
these tales do tell us that just as the Gita warns, no good seems to come from
untempered desire and harm is definitely done to those who desire and those who
surround those who submit to their desires, there is also a deeper message that
desire is a motivator and an inspiration for achieving a higher life status,
when approached with a sense of moderation.
This
moderation is a key point that the Gita fails to address. The tales, on the
other hand, offer a more detailed exploration of what forms of desire are
healthy or unhealthy. The Brothers Grimm are not advocating for a total lack of
desire, as does the Gita, but for this continued theme of moderation. When the
fisherman and his wife first upgrade to a cottage with a large garden, they
have the following interaction:
“See!” said the wife, “is this not charming?”
“Yes,” said her husband,” so long as it
blooms you will be well content with it.”[6]
These
lines caution that as long as we are content with what we have, we will need
nothing else. It is a consideration not as strong in the Gita, but still one
that overlaps. In the Gita there is a strong focus on the soul and maintaining
the connection to oneself, while The Brothers Grimm allow for a focus on the
material in a broader sense. The fairy tales caution against desire by showing
a loss of the material when desire is allowed in excess, while the Gita appeals
to our desire for a complete and peaceful soul. While the Gita teaches us to
renounce our desires in order to achieve a complete and peaceful soul, the
fairy tales teach us that desire can be integrated into an emotionally
fulfilling life, as long as it is not allowed to go out of control.
The
Fisherman and His Wife is definitely an example of an unhealthy
relationship with desire, while Rumpelstiltskin
says beautiful things about the way that desire can be harnessed when born out
of love, which is what is lacking in the relationship shown in the first tale. What
we can glean from that is that desire is a thing of value, but only when people
and their love is the cause.
Bibliography
Grimm,
Jacob, and Wilhelm Grimm. 2003. "Rumpelstiltskin." In Grimm's
Fairy Tales, by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm, translated by Anonymous,
241-243. New York: Barnes & Noble Books.
Grimm, Jacob, and
Wilhelm Grimm. 2003. "The Fisherman and His Wife." In Grimm's
Fairy Tales, by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm, translated by Anonymous,
105-109. New York: Barnes & Noble Books.
Zaehner, R. C.,
trans. 1969. The Bhagavad Gita. Glasgow: Oxford University Press.
Sunday, January 14, 2018
18 Resolutions for 2018
So it's been a while. Last semester… last semester was tough for me. And while the holidays were a nice break, things were stressful in their own way. As it stands, I am wading in to the depths of my last semester as an undergraduate, and that is both terrifying and exciting. This semester I am taking five classes, volunteering, and I still have those two jobs, so I'm living a pretty busy life these days. A busy life, but (I hope) a happy one. As it stands, we're already a whole two weeks into the new year, but I have yet to share my resolutions. Now I know that 'New Year, New Me' rarely works, and I get that. Even so, I'm pasted below the changes big and small that I want to make to my life:
18 Resolutions for 2018 (in no particular order)
1. Start running again
2. Read at least one non-academic book a month
3. Read at least 18 non-academic books total
4. Exercise 4-6 days per week
5. Focus on learning more than grades
6. Complete all assignments on time
7. Set aside time to write every week
8. Eat a balanced diet
9. Buy ugly fruits and veggies
10. Follow a regular sleep schedule
11. Spend more time with friends and family
12. Save up money for a new computer
13. Take shorter showers
14. Improve time management
15. Write a minimum one blog post per month
16. Donate one third of my personal library
17. Reach out to those I disagree with
18. Do what I can to bring happiness to the world
Cheers,
Talia
18 Resolutions for 2018 (in no particular order)
1. Start running again
2. Read at least one non-academic book a month
3. Read at least 18 non-academic books total
4. Exercise 4-6 days per week
5. Focus on learning more than grades
6. Complete all assignments on time
7. Set aside time to write every week
8. Eat a balanced diet
9. Buy ugly fruits and veggies
10. Follow a regular sleep schedule
11. Spend more time with friends and family
12. Save up money for a new computer
13. Take shorter showers
14. Improve time management
15. Write a minimum one blog post per month
16. Donate one third of my personal library
17. Reach out to those I disagree with
18. Do what I can to bring happiness to the world
Cheers,
Talia
Sunday, October 15, 2017
Check-in 3
Being a senior is far more exhausting than I had expected. The closer I get to graduation the more I want to take a quick jaunt in time to my freshman year anxiety and be like "do you even lift?"
Now, freshman year was a tough time, and is a tough time for everyone, but honestly my freshman year was a walk in the park when it comes down to how much work there is to do for me right now. Don't get me wrong, I love what I'm doing and what my life is like right now and I have a strict policy about time travel anyway, but I also sometimes miss the days where I had time to actually read a book that wasn't for work or class.
Speaking of class, I turned in my annotated bibliography and about 4 pages of analysis on specific portions of my research. The bibliography took much more time than it should have. I was struggling for a while to find sources, because I simply haven't done a large research paper since last fall. That isn’t to say I forgot how - trust me when it comes to working a database or pulling from the stacks I've still got it - I just needed a little adjustment to get back into the searching and skimming mindset. I also am 110% grateful that I have a carrel this semester because dealing with all of my library books otherwise would be a nightmare. Between my Sor Juana research, my poetry course having 8 textbooks, my pragmatics research and the fact that my Greek book is bigger and more complicated than Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix I would have snapped my back in half by now.
I'm still debating what I want to do for my research project for my pragmatics course, but I think I have settled on something to do with the differences in the use of 'se' in Spanish, the 'se' impersonal and 'se' passive in particular. I'll be using Harry Potter: La Colección Completa as a source of corpus data, which should work well enough for a class project. Plus this means I get to read Harry Potter (and by read I mean Ctrl+f the word 'se' and ignore reflexives) for homework!
I do like my regular readings too though, we just finished up Petrarch, who was a nice read after Ovid and Catullus, who were a bit too raunchy with their love poetry for my taste. Still didn't quite enjoy him as much as Sappho, but that's neither here nor there. Every poet has their own style, and reading things in translation also confuses things.
I'm going to cut this post off here because have a test tomorrow that is worth 10% of my grade, so I've been studying hard for that, even though I do feel slightly unprepared given everything else I've had to do this week. My stress levels have been pretty high lately, so I think I'm going to make myself a nice cuppa and review my flashcards before getting a good night's rest.
Cheers,
Talia
Now, freshman year was a tough time, and is a tough time for everyone, but honestly my freshman year was a walk in the park when it comes down to how much work there is to do for me right now. Don't get me wrong, I love what I'm doing and what my life is like right now and I have a strict policy about time travel anyway, but I also sometimes miss the days where I had time to actually read a book that wasn't for work or class.
Speaking of class, I turned in my annotated bibliography and about 4 pages of analysis on specific portions of my research. The bibliography took much more time than it should have. I was struggling for a while to find sources, because I simply haven't done a large research paper since last fall. That isn’t to say I forgot how - trust me when it comes to working a database or pulling from the stacks I've still got it - I just needed a little adjustment to get back into the searching and skimming mindset. I also am 110% grateful that I have a carrel this semester because dealing with all of my library books otherwise would be a nightmare. Between my Sor Juana research, my poetry course having 8 textbooks, my pragmatics research and the fact that my Greek book is bigger and more complicated than Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix I would have snapped my back in half by now.
I'm still debating what I want to do for my research project for my pragmatics course, but I think I have settled on something to do with the differences in the use of 'se' in Spanish, the 'se' impersonal and 'se' passive in particular. I'll be using Harry Potter: La Colección Completa as a source of corpus data, which should work well enough for a class project. Plus this means I get to read Harry Potter (and by read I mean Ctrl+f the word 'se' and ignore reflexives) for homework!
I do like my regular readings too though, we just finished up Petrarch, who was a nice read after Ovid and Catullus, who were a bit too raunchy with their love poetry for my taste. Still didn't quite enjoy him as much as Sappho, but that's neither here nor there. Every poet has their own style, and reading things in translation also confuses things.
I'm going to cut this post off here because have a test tomorrow that is worth 10% of my grade, so I've been studying hard for that, even though I do feel slightly unprepared given everything else I've had to do this week. My stress levels have been pretty high lately, so I think I'm going to make myself a nice cuppa and review my flashcards before getting a good night's rest.
Cheers,
Talia
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
Check-in 2
This semester is doing its best to crush me, but I won't let it. I was ill last week, leading up to the weekend, and it caused me to get slightly behind on my work. That said, I was a little bit ahead before this, so I suppose things have just evened out. I still need to get caught up in Pragmatics and Love Poetry – those were the two classes I missed last week – and so right now I'm working through our second homework assignment for Pragmatics, which includes some interesting wordplay involving unicorns, and recreating a Sappho poem for my Love Poetry course.
Our assignment for Love Poetry is to take what fragments are left from a Sappho poem of our choosing from the Anne Carson translation I mentioned before, and 'fill in the blanks' as it were, recreating the poem as if it were written in Sappho's time. Currently I am struggling with this as I fight the urge to modernize the poem and as I try to find a voice not my own.
Speaking of poetry, I have recently undertaken a new project. I know, I know, I don't exactly need more things to keep me busy, but I have to have fun sometimes right? This side project can definitely be considered fun. When I was at Bread Loaf early in the summer I had the privilege of attending many panels and talks, as well as individual/small group meetings with various editors and agents. One of the people that I ended up talking to was Chad Post, who was there as a publisher/editor for Open Letter at the University of Rochester. In addition to publishing, Open Letter runs a weblog and international review source called Three Percent. After leaving Bread Loaf, I decided that I would sign up to write occasional reviews for Three Percent, and I received my first book today (October 4th) and so far I love it. It's a book of poetry, but I shan't say more than that here. Once I finish writing the review and it goes through editing I will be sure to post a link to it on this blog.
On the topic of editing, my work in the Student-Scholar Partnership is going well, and I continue to be very happy with this project. To have a paying job, part-time or no, that is in my desired field is an absolute dream for someone my age, and I'm very thankful for the opportunity.
Literary Translation is my dream, as readers of this blog may know, and as readers will also know, my thesis is centered around Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz and translations of her poems. At present I have scaled back the active translations as I am focusing a bit more on the content of my secondary source material for the critical introduction, although I of course work on bits and pieces when I have those rare spots of free time. I have an annotated bibliography of sources for my research seminar due next Monday, so I have also been working continuously on that.
Another research project that I am working on this semester is for my Pragmatics course. I'm still not entirely sure what I want to investigate yet; but our initial proposal (topic & research question, methodology idea, list of proposed papers) is due on the eleventh, so I'll have to come up with something soon.
Although I enjoy all of my courses and projects, I am developing a soft spot for my course on Ancient Greek. Learning this new (to me) language is a bit like solving a puzzle and slowly unwrapping a gift, and seeing all the pieces come together and getting a closer look at the prize is very enjoyable to me. When I am stressed out over bibliographies and papers and poems, untangling a sentence is oddly therapeutic.
Getting out all my thoughts on paper (or on screen I suppose) has a similar affect, so in a way I feel indebted to this blog for helping me process my strengths and weaknesses this semester. I hope you enjoyed this little peek into my mind.
Cheers,
Talia
Our assignment for Love Poetry is to take what fragments are left from a Sappho poem of our choosing from the Anne Carson translation I mentioned before, and 'fill in the blanks' as it were, recreating the poem as if it were written in Sappho's time. Currently I am struggling with this as I fight the urge to modernize the poem and as I try to find a voice not my own.
Speaking of poetry, I have recently undertaken a new project. I know, I know, I don't exactly need more things to keep me busy, but I have to have fun sometimes right? This side project can definitely be considered fun. When I was at Bread Loaf early in the summer I had the privilege of attending many panels and talks, as well as individual/small group meetings with various editors and agents. One of the people that I ended up talking to was Chad Post, who was there as a publisher/editor for Open Letter at the University of Rochester. In addition to publishing, Open Letter runs a weblog and international review source called Three Percent. After leaving Bread Loaf, I decided that I would sign up to write occasional reviews for Three Percent, and I received my first book today (October 4th) and so far I love it. It's a book of poetry, but I shan't say more than that here. Once I finish writing the review and it goes through editing I will be sure to post a link to it on this blog.
On the topic of editing, my work in the Student-Scholar Partnership is going well, and I continue to be very happy with this project. To have a paying job, part-time or no, that is in my desired field is an absolute dream for someone my age, and I'm very thankful for the opportunity.
Literary Translation is my dream, as readers of this blog may know, and as readers will also know, my thesis is centered around Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz and translations of her poems. At present I have scaled back the active translations as I am focusing a bit more on the content of my secondary source material for the critical introduction, although I of course work on bits and pieces when I have those rare spots of free time. I have an annotated bibliography of sources for my research seminar due next Monday, so I have also been working continuously on that.
Another research project that I am working on this semester is for my Pragmatics course. I'm still not entirely sure what I want to investigate yet; but our initial proposal (topic & research question, methodology idea, list of proposed papers) is due on the eleventh, so I'll have to come up with something soon.
Although I enjoy all of my courses and projects, I am developing a soft spot for my course on Ancient Greek. Learning this new (to me) language is a bit like solving a puzzle and slowly unwrapping a gift, and seeing all the pieces come together and getting a closer look at the prize is very enjoyable to me. When I am stressed out over bibliographies and papers and poems, untangling a sentence is oddly therapeutic.
Getting out all my thoughts on paper (or on screen I suppose) has a similar affect, so in a way I feel indebted to this blog for helping me process my strengths and weaknesses this semester. I hope you enjoyed this little peek into my mind.
Cheers,
Talia
Thursday, September 21, 2017
Check-in 1
Hi All! I had a really busy weekend and completely forgot to upload this! I've put reminders in my agenda though, so hopefully I'll have something posted on time for the next update (which is currently tentatively scheduled for Sunday October 1st).
This semester I am working on many projects, and trying not to get overwhelmed. In terms of classes, I am taking four this semester, in addition to writing my thesis. One of those is a research seminar, which thankfully has some overlap with my thesis, although they are not exactly the same, since the class is taught in Spanish, and my thesis is being written in English.
I am taking a course on love poetry, which I quite like. We just wrapped up reading some Catullus, and are now continuing on with Ovid. Our first poet was Sappho, whose work I thoroughly enjoyed, although I lament the fact that there is so little left for us. For anyone who wants to read her work (which honestly should be everyone) I recommend the Anne Carson translation If Not, Winter: Fragments of Sappho, which is the one we use in class.
Speaking of Sappho, I'm enrolled in an introductory course of Ancient Greek, which I am enjoying immensely. Declensions aren't as scary as I thought they would be, and finding my way to meaning in this ancient language is like solving the best kind of puzzle. There are a LOT of sentences about Homer's brother, but I can deal. My professor is awesome, and is the same one I had for my Classical Mythology course last semester.
The final class I'm taking this semester is Pragmatics, and it is yet another repeat Professor as I had her for Semantics last semester. This course is much easier than the last, since there is as of yet no set theory, and it plays more with actual language, which is something I missed in Semantics, as we worked more with logical data in that course. I missed in Semantics, as we worked with more logical than raw linguistic data. Both are important to the domain of linguistics studies, and I am glad to have taken Semantics for enriching my general linguistics knowledge, but so far pragmatics has been much more my speed.
Outside of actual class hours I am of course keeping up with my homework assignments, but also working on my thesis, which is official now, and will be concentrated on translations of selected poems of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, accompanied by a critical introduction. Working on those translations is a joy, but hard work. Many of her poems are quite long, and the one that I am currently focusing on is 152 lines and they are tough ones.
I have recently started working with one of the scholars at the Women's Studies Resource Center at Brandeis, Mary Berg, on her translations, which I greatly enjoy. Right now she is working on a bilingual edition of short stories by the Cuban writer Laidi Fernández de Juan. It's an exciting project, and one I am glad to be a part of.
So that's it for now! I just wanted to give you a small taste for the content of the blog this semester, and I will update again soon!
Cheers,
Talia
This semester I am working on many projects, and trying not to get overwhelmed. In terms of classes, I am taking four this semester, in addition to writing my thesis. One of those is a research seminar, which thankfully has some overlap with my thesis, although they are not exactly the same, since the class is taught in Spanish, and my thesis is being written in English.
I am taking a course on love poetry, which I quite like. We just wrapped up reading some Catullus, and are now continuing on with Ovid. Our first poet was Sappho, whose work I thoroughly enjoyed, although I lament the fact that there is so little left for us. For anyone who wants to read her work (which honestly should be everyone) I recommend the Anne Carson translation If Not, Winter: Fragments of Sappho, which is the one we use in class.
Speaking of Sappho, I'm enrolled in an introductory course of Ancient Greek, which I am enjoying immensely. Declensions aren't as scary as I thought they would be, and finding my way to meaning in this ancient language is like solving the best kind of puzzle. There are a LOT of sentences about Homer's brother, but I can deal. My professor is awesome, and is the same one I had for my Classical Mythology course last semester.
The final class I'm taking this semester is Pragmatics, and it is yet another repeat Professor as I had her for Semantics last semester. This course is much easier than the last, since there is as of yet no set theory, and it plays more with actual language, which is something I missed in Semantics, as we worked more with logical data in that course. I missed in Semantics, as we worked with more logical than raw linguistic data. Both are important to the domain of linguistics studies, and I am glad to have taken Semantics for enriching my general linguistics knowledge, but so far pragmatics has been much more my speed.
Outside of actual class hours I am of course keeping up with my homework assignments, but also working on my thesis, which is official now, and will be concentrated on translations of selected poems of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, accompanied by a critical introduction. Working on those translations is a joy, but hard work. Many of her poems are quite long, and the one that I am currently focusing on is 152 lines and they are tough ones.
I have recently started working with one of the scholars at the Women's Studies Resource Center at Brandeis, Mary Berg, on her translations, which I greatly enjoy. Right now she is working on a bilingual edition of short stories by the Cuban writer Laidi Fernández de Juan. It's an exciting project, and one I am glad to be a part of.
So that's it for now! I just wanted to give you a small taste for the content of the blog this semester, and I will update again soon!
Cheers,
Talia
Saturday, June 24, 2017
Why Sor Juana?
One thing I've been struggling with in composing my translations is balancing the tone of the text, because Sor Juana is a poet from the 17th century and her works both reflect that and yet have many undertones that are absolutely relevant to the modern day, and so my issue (or one of them at least) is how much of the modern I should play up, and how much I should stay faithful to the time and place in which Sor Juana wrote. I honestly don't know where to draw the lines between a translation, an adaptation, and a piece that is so far from the original that it is really only a basic influence.
You may ask why I chose a 17th century poet, and to be honest, it was a happy accident. I was taking a Latin American Literature course (which I actually ended up dropping due to conflicts. Class schedules are a dificult thing after all). Nevertheless, before I dropped the class I stuck to the schedule, where we read a sample from a different author every few days. One of those authors was Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz. That same week, we started our practical portion of my Literary Translation course, and so I decided to translate her works on a whim at the time.
It is said that translation is the most intimate form of reading, and I find that to be very true in my case. Once I started translating Sor Juana, I fell in love with her in a way. If this were a purely motivational blog I would say something like "And the rest is history."
But isn't the case here.
Life goes on and sometimes I wonder, about a lot of things really, but I admit that sometimes I wonder if it is worth it all. I wonder if what I do will matter and then of course my thoughts wander towards oblivion and the inevitable heat-death of the universe, so I have to scale things back and think about what mattering means to me. And when I consider that I realize that what I want most is to be happy and bring happiness to others. If I can do that, if my life can make other lives better, then I want to do so. And that is why I want to translate Sor Juana, because I find that with her I am happier, and I want to share that with others.
Cheers,
You may ask why I chose a 17th century poet, and to be honest, it was a happy accident. I was taking a Latin American Literature course (which I actually ended up dropping due to conflicts. Class schedules are a dificult thing after all). Nevertheless, before I dropped the class I stuck to the schedule, where we read a sample from a different author every few days. One of those authors was Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz. That same week, we started our practical portion of my Literary Translation course, and so I decided to translate her works on a whim at the time.
It is said that translation is the most intimate form of reading, and I find that to be very true in my case. Once I started translating Sor Juana, I fell in love with her in a way. If this were a purely motivational blog I would say something like "And the rest is history."
But isn't the case here.
Life goes on and sometimes I wonder, about a lot of things really, but I admit that sometimes I wonder if it is worth it all. I wonder if what I do will matter and then of course my thoughts wander towards oblivion and the inevitable heat-death of the universe, so I have to scale things back and think about what mattering means to me. And when I consider that I realize that what I want most is to be happy and bring happiness to others. If I can do that, if my life can make other lives better, then I want to do so. And that is why I want to translate Sor Juana, because I find that with her I am happier, and I want to share that with others.
Cheers,
Talia
Wednesday, May 17, 2017
Feeling Thankful
I received some exciting news yesterday. I have been admitted to the Master of Arts Program in Comparative Humanities (B.A./M.A. Program for Brandeis Undergraduates) for the 2018-2019 academic year. This is an amazing opportunity for me, and I am very excited for it. The fact that I got into a graduate school program before I finished undergrad is astonishing for me.
Honestly, I never thought I would get this far in life, but I have, and I'm happy here. Imposter Syndrome is real, and although I sometimes have it, I have also realized that I am qualified, and I can do the things that I aspire to. Now that I have come this far, I'm starting to think of ways to give back. I have had so much support from my family, friends, professors, colleagues and more. I know that I would not be here without them. As I look towards my future, I am considering the best ways that I can contribute to the community that I rose from, and how to help other communities grow. If anyone has suggestions, or knows about meaningful causes I'd like to hear about them.
The Weapon we have is love.
Cheers,
Talia
More about the program:
The BA/MA track of the Master of Arts Program in Comparative Humanities (MACH) allows current Brandeis undergraduates to begin the program and join the MACH community in their senior year. The program explores major themes of human experience using comparative and cross-cultural approaches. The program is a means by which to hone research interests, develop communication skills, and gain credentials for a professional career or further graduate studies. It provides opportunities for professional development, intellectual advancement, and preparation for doctoral studies.
Honestly, I never thought I would get this far in life, but I have, and I'm happy here. Imposter Syndrome is real, and although I sometimes have it, I have also realized that I am qualified, and I can do the things that I aspire to. Now that I have come this far, I'm starting to think of ways to give back. I have had so much support from my family, friends, professors, colleagues and more. I know that I would not be here without them. As I look towards my future, I am considering the best ways that I can contribute to the community that I rose from, and how to help other communities grow. If anyone has suggestions, or knows about meaningful causes I'd like to hear about them.
The Weapon we have is love.
Cheers,
Talia
More about the program:
The BA/MA track of the Master of Arts Program in Comparative Humanities (MACH) allows current Brandeis undergraduates to begin the program and join the MACH community in their senior year. The program explores major themes of human experience using comparative and cross-cultural approaches. The program is a means by which to hone research interests, develop communication skills, and gain credentials for a professional career or further graduate studies. It provides opportunities for professional development, intellectual advancement, and preparation for doctoral studies.
Tuesday, May 16, 2017
Semester Wrap Up
Well it's been a while hasn't it? Finals week managed to chase me off the internet for a fleeting time. I was up at 6 every day to go to the library and complete work in my carrel. I had a bunch of meetings too, but at the end of the semester what it boils down to is just concentrating and getting sh*t done. I'm not even that upset by it, because finals are the culmination of all that we have achieved over the past semester, and I am proud of all that I have accomplished. This was a great semester for me.
My Creative Nonfiction course taught me much about my writing and my personhood. My Classical Mythology course was fascinating because the class taught me how to look at the world within the context of myth and storytelling and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. For all that I might have complained about how difficult Semantics was, I appreciated the challenge, and I gained a set of skills that I do not find trivial.
That said, my favorite part of the semester was working on my independent study. By virtue of it being a course I created for my goals, it was everything I had wanted. I learned about translation, I learned about Sor Juana, and I learned more about myself along the way. This semester was a growing experience for me, and I feel like a new and better person for of it.
Cheers,
Talia
My Creative Nonfiction course taught me much about my writing and my personhood. My Classical Mythology course was fascinating because the class taught me how to look at the world within the context of myth and storytelling and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. For all that I might have complained about how difficult Semantics was, I appreciated the challenge, and I gained a set of skills that I do not find trivial.
That said, my favorite part of the semester was working on my independent study. By virtue of it being a course I created for my goals, it was everything I had wanted. I learned about translation, I learned about Sor Juana, and I learned more about myself along the way. This semester was a growing experience for me, and I feel like a new and better person for of it.
Cheers,
Talia
Wednesday, May 3, 2017
My relationship with Spanish
I wish I were more fluent in Spanish. Not only am I in love with the language, but it would make translation so much easier. Yet can you ever be fluent in a language other than your native tongue?
For example: the word 'dichoso' I found defined as 'happy' and 'dammed' I was confused, but assumed it was an auto-antonym. I thought this for months, until I finally got around to talking to a native speaker, and within a minute of explaining my perceived definition it was explained that the word meant 'fortunate' and the definition meaning damned was actually not in there as the speaker being subject to some sort of curse, but in the sense of 'that damned book!' Unfortunately I did not know this and have undoubtedly made a fool of myself in front of anyone who reads those older translations. Not my best move.
It's not that I'm terrible at Spanish, but I can sense the gaps in vocabulary like a child can sense they're being left out while adults spell out words. I have never liked that feeling, hence why I learned how to spell P I Z Z A early on in my youth. (Incidentally, that word is spelled the same in both English and Spanish. The more you know).
I started learning Spanish when I was only 5. My elementary school used to have weekly Spanish classes for every grade, and while that was nice while it lasted, it stopped after my year in kindergarten. I had the option to be put in the two-way program, but I was passed up because I had 'no aptitude for the language'. In reality, I had no aptitude for that teacher. I thought she was annoying, so I failed on purpose. What can I say? 5-year-old me was petty and had no concept of consequences.
It wasn't until the 6th grade that I started another Spanish class, and at that point I had forgotten almost everything except how to make a trill. We don't have them in English, but trills are awesome. One of my favorite party tricks is to trill while humming 'Hedwig's Theme.' That and chest isolations while dancing are my best selling points while trying to convince people of my awesomeness.
After 6th grade and memorizing Ciega, Sordomuda I went to the Middlebury Monterey Language Academy (now called Middlebury Interactive Languages) and did 4 weeks of language immersion. My Spanish skills went up, and up again when I returned to Middlebury after 7th grade. In high school I skipped a year in Spanish and my junior year I was slated to take the AP course for Spanish, only to switch to a school that had no Spanish classes. In college I started at a fairly low level because I had the hubris to take the exam at 2am. In any case, my Spanish skills have taken a while to catch up because I was starting at such a low level again. I've finally worked my way back to the top, but vocabulary gets me every time.
This summer I am going to the Middlebury Language Schools, so I will hopefully learn more there. That said, it will be 7 weeks of no English, so I will most likely be creating posts in advance, or just writing them in Spanish and translating them back to English once the 7 weeks are up.
In the meantime, classes are done at Brandeis, so finals are about to hit me hard. I'll make a new post as soon as I finish and/or when I get stressed out from working on things and want to use this blog as a pre-draft of my reflection papers.
Cheers,
Talia
For example: the word 'dichoso' I found defined as 'happy' and 'dammed' I was confused, but assumed it was an auto-antonym. I thought this for months, until I finally got around to talking to a native speaker, and within a minute of explaining my perceived definition it was explained that the word meant 'fortunate' and the definition meaning damned was actually not in there as the speaker being subject to some sort of curse, but in the sense of 'that damned book!' Unfortunately I did not know this and have undoubtedly made a fool of myself in front of anyone who reads those older translations. Not my best move.
It's not that I'm terrible at Spanish, but I can sense the gaps in vocabulary like a child can sense they're being left out while adults spell out words. I have never liked that feeling, hence why I learned how to spell P I Z Z A early on in my youth. (Incidentally, that word is spelled the same in both English and Spanish. The more you know).
I started learning Spanish when I was only 5. My elementary school used to have weekly Spanish classes for every grade, and while that was nice while it lasted, it stopped after my year in kindergarten. I had the option to be put in the two-way program, but I was passed up because I had 'no aptitude for the language'. In reality, I had no aptitude for that teacher. I thought she was annoying, so I failed on purpose. What can I say? 5-year-old me was petty and had no concept of consequences.
It wasn't until the 6th grade that I started another Spanish class, and at that point I had forgotten almost everything except how to make a trill. We don't have them in English, but trills are awesome. One of my favorite party tricks is to trill while humming 'Hedwig's Theme.' That and chest isolations while dancing are my best selling points while trying to convince people of my awesomeness.
After 6th grade and memorizing Ciega, Sordomuda I went to the Middlebury Monterey Language Academy (now called Middlebury Interactive Languages) and did 4 weeks of language immersion. My Spanish skills went up, and up again when I returned to Middlebury after 7th grade. In high school I skipped a year in Spanish and my junior year I was slated to take the AP course for Spanish, only to switch to a school that had no Spanish classes. In college I started at a fairly low level because I had the hubris to take the exam at 2am. In any case, my Spanish skills have taken a while to catch up because I was starting at such a low level again. I've finally worked my way back to the top, but vocabulary gets me every time.
This summer I am going to the Middlebury Language Schools, so I will hopefully learn more there. That said, it will be 7 weeks of no English, so I will most likely be creating posts in advance, or just writing them in Spanish and translating them back to English once the 7 weeks are up.
In the meantime, classes are done at Brandeis, so finals are about to hit me hard. I'll make a new post as soon as I finish and/or when I get stressed out from working on things and want to use this blog as a pre-draft of my reflection papers.
Cheers,
Talia
Sunday, April 30, 2017
Scribbles
When I find I have written something I am very proud of and have worked very hard on, my immediate impulse is to let someone scribble all over it. If there is anything I have learned in my 21 years of life, it is that the best things always come from collaboration.
In the past this has mostly been on resumes and essays, correcting grammar and formatting and things I may have missed. Where to expand, where to cut down, and here I should put a semicolon. With a creative process, it is something altogether different.
Some people might see scribbles on a page as a challenge, as something to fight against, that you have failed. But for me that is simply not true. Scribbles on the page are the secret ingredient to writing a good poem, essay or short story, or a translation of any of the above. Scribbles on the page show dedication to the topic. For me scribbles on a page are not a symbol of failure but a symbol of success. When I'm working on a project and someone takes the time out of their day to scribble all over my writing or translations I am so, so happy because it's a sign of care and dedication. It's recognition of the fact that what I am doing is hard, but I have people to support me in what I do, and for that I am very thankful.
I could have never gotten to where I am today without the assistance of the many people who have shaped my life, especially the ones that did so with scribbles.
In the past this has mostly been on resumes and essays, correcting grammar and formatting and things I may have missed. Where to expand, where to cut down, and here I should put a semicolon. With a creative process, it is something altogether different.
Some people might see scribbles on a page as a challenge, as something to fight against, that you have failed. But for me that is simply not true. Scribbles on the page are the secret ingredient to writing a good poem, essay or short story, or a translation of any of the above. Scribbles on the page show dedication to the topic. For me scribbles on a page are not a symbol of failure but a symbol of success. When I'm working on a project and someone takes the time out of their day to scribble all over my writing or translations I am so, so happy because it's a sign of care and dedication. It's recognition of the fact that what I am doing is hard, but I have people to support me in what I do, and for that I am very thankful.
I could have never gotten to where I am today without the assistance of the many people who have shaped my life, especially the ones that did so with scribbles.
Tuesday, April 25, 2017
Connection
In my defense, I was in a play this weekend and over-exhausted myself. That said, I think I am going to change the pace of my blog updates, and instead of simply picking a day, I will instead make a seven-day rule, that I cannot go longer than 7 days without writing a post. It's much more flexible and manageable. It's coming right up onto finals period at this point, and so it really is crunch time. I feel like I'm swimming in a pool of assignments,* and so I don't really have time to dedicate to this blog.
Now, I have a very packed summer ahead, including a trip abroad, and a few other places where I might not be able to write posts at all. Which will be sad. This blog is an experiment, but I think it's working, at least for me. I hope the people who read this enjoy reading about my various thoughts, because I like writing them.
It's my belief that Academia can be quite fun, and while I know that obviously not everyone thinks the same things as me, I always get sad when people reject the arts or the sciences, any kind of them, because I firmly believe that our capacity to engage with others in various mediums is one of the most beautiful things about humanity. Empathy and understanding are essential to us, because at the heart of it we are social creatures.
I know that some people are introverts, and while I am more of an extrovert, I do sometimes have social anxiety, and I know that people even more introverted than me have much more than that, even they have a select few they let in. People who aren't people people still need interactions, why do you think so many of us find friends on the internet? Anyway, this post is a mess, but I hope that I have left people with things to think about.
Cheers,
Talia
*I just pictured swimming in a poll filled with all my assignments and wondered whether I'd be more likely to get electrocuted or get a paper cut
Cheers,
Talia
*I just pictured swimming in a poll filled with all my assignments and wondered whether I'd be more likely to get electrocuted or get a paper cut
P.S. I used the word 'people' too often in this post. Oh well. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Word-for-Sense
The title for this blog is based on a classic and basic issue in translation: word-for-word or sense-for-sense. That said, even though the very name of this blog is based on translation, I haven't really been talking about translation on here. I suppose that is because for me, translation is an intimate process, and I don't always feel comfortable talking about it. It’s probably because of the imposter syndrome I tend to feel about anything and everything I've ever done or do. The feeling is an uncomfortable one, but confidence doesn't come easy for me.
My translations themselves, well, I don't particularly like sharing. I'm always terrified that I have mistranslated something, or that something is somehow 'not right' in ways I'm not fully sure I can explain. I worry that my fluency in Spanish is not good enough for proper translation and find myself hounding down words in dictionaries, picking at the poem until it is nothing but words. I tend to go for very literal translations, keeping faithful to the word, and yet my heart longs for giving instead the sense that comes from such rich poetry. Translating is maddening and sometimes I wonder why I ever thought I could do it, and others I wonder how I could possibly do anything else.
I'm doing an independent study on translation this semester and even though there are only five weeks left of class I haven't sent my professor any poems because I am terrified he will hate them. That said if I don't send him something soon he will probably fail me, so I have resolved to send him at least two poems by Friday, no matter how much I dislike the verse. (My translation I mean, the original poems are gorgeous). The only way I can improve is if I get feedback, but like most people, I am scared of rejection. Everyone fails sometimes, it's a fact of life, but that doesn't make it comfortable.
My translations themselves, well, I don't particularly like sharing. I'm always terrified that I have mistranslated something, or that something is somehow 'not right' in ways I'm not fully sure I can explain. I worry that my fluency in Spanish is not good enough for proper translation and find myself hounding down words in dictionaries, picking at the poem until it is nothing but words. I tend to go for very literal translations, keeping faithful to the word, and yet my heart longs for giving instead the sense that comes from such rich poetry. Translating is maddening and sometimes I wonder why I ever thought I could do it, and others I wonder how I could possibly do anything else.
I'm doing an independent study on translation this semester and even though there are only five weeks left of class I haven't sent my professor any poems because I am terrified he will hate them. That said if I don't send him something soon he will probably fail me, so I have resolved to send him at least two poems by Friday, no matter how much I dislike the verse. (My translation I mean, the original poems are gorgeous). The only way I can improve is if I get feedback, but like most people, I am scared of rejection. Everyone fails sometimes, it's a fact of life, but that doesn't make it comfortable.
Tuesday, April 4, 2017
Forgetting
I forgot how to write an essay. It's always like this, I get my sources, I prepare, and then it comes to the blinking line on a freshly opened word document, and I freeze. How do I write an essay? What are words? How do I form thoughts, oh my goodness seven whole pages I'll die. Shaking in my worn out sneakers, panic. Breathe, I have to breathe and focus because I actually know a fair bit about both Harry Potter and Mythology so what makes me so scared? It isn't the grade, because I was fine with the test last week and I haven't worried about it. I think it's the writing. Every time I sit down to write I remind myself that this is what I want to do, what I am good at, but another part of me screams that everything I put to paper is shit and I will fail out of life.
Okay maybe it is a little bit about the grade.
But that doesn't mean it isn't also more. It's the idea of commitment. Dedicating myself to a topic, weighing myself down. But what is a commitment?
It's much easier to say that you are going to do something than to actually do it. But is a commitment really a commitment if you don't see it through?
Sometimes I wonder.
And I think (I know) that I spend so much time in love with the idea of doing that I lose focus on the present. I am consumed by my future, constantly reaching for that fruit just out of my reach, I am holding up a world that doesn't need holding and with a hush I let go and nothing happens but I don't know, I can't know that everything will be alright. Nothing feels alright, it feels broken, I feel broken and that love I put into the present seeps into the future. My future. Don't give up what you want the most for what you want in the moment, but when is my moment? When will what I want arrive? Will I ever be satisfied?
Okay maybe it is a little bit about the grade.
But that doesn't mean it isn't also more. It's the idea of commitment. Dedicating myself to a topic, weighing myself down. But what is a commitment?
It's much easier to say that you are going to do something than to actually do it. But is a commitment really a commitment if you don't see it through?
Sometimes I wonder.
And I think (I know) that I spend so much time in love with the idea of doing that I lose focus on the present. I am consumed by my future, constantly reaching for that fruit just out of my reach, I am holding up a world that doesn't need holding and with a hush I let go and nothing happens but I don't know, I can't know that everything will be alright. Nothing feels alright, it feels broken, I feel broken and that love I put into the present seeps into the future. My future. Don't give up what you want the most for what you want in the moment, but when is my moment? When will what I want arrive? Will I ever be satisfied?
Friday, March 24, 2017
Class Selection
My major struggle with class selection: Next semester starts my senior year. I only have two more semesters at university and that is more than slightly terrifying. At the beginning there is all this open opportunity, but now everything has gotten much more narrow. All of a sudden there is so much I feel like I could have done and only a small amount of things I can do. I want to make this a good year, but I'm on the fence about how to do that. Honestly, the biggest thorn in my side is the science requirement. My whole schedule would be great without that mystery class looming over it
It's not that I dislike science - I think it is a great field and there are lots of people who can benefit from the advances in math and science, and they are a great vehicle towards seeing the world in new and exciting ways. But as someone who has only a casual interest, I have about zero interest in studying it at a college level. I would much rather be taking a language class, or writing essays about Shakespeare than solve equations. I think the problem with Brandeis is that the sciences are all at such a high and utterly demanding level that someone who isn’t a major in those fields can feel lost. I have tried to take 3 different classes that would have satisfied this requirement and I have had to drop all of them because I was going to fail. I don't have the time or the energy to put into classes that are so high over my head, and it makes me sad that I cannot investigate everything that I want to do.
Next year I'm going to have to put a lot of focus on my thesis, so I'm not sure I'll have time to dedicate to an extra class on a subject I'm not sure if I'll even be able to do. The other option is to do extended credit and take a science class over the summer, but it would feel crushing for me to not graduate with all of the great friends I have made in my year. I'm also trying to seriously consider grad schools, and if I don't have that degree they're probably not going to want me. That said, the program that I am looking into most is also at Brandeis, and I think they will be understanding if I have to go through with the extended credit. It's a decision that is very much weighing on me, the contemplation of my future. In the meantime, I think the best thing for me to do is focus on the short term - I have an exam on Monday and my Semantics take-home midterm is due next Thursday. Unfortunately, tests don't take themselves.
It's not that I dislike science - I think it is a great field and there are lots of people who can benefit from the advances in math and science, and they are a great vehicle towards seeing the world in new and exciting ways. But as someone who has only a casual interest, I have about zero interest in studying it at a college level. I would much rather be taking a language class, or writing essays about Shakespeare than solve equations. I think the problem with Brandeis is that the sciences are all at such a high and utterly demanding level that someone who isn’t a major in those fields can feel lost. I have tried to take 3 different classes that would have satisfied this requirement and I have had to drop all of them because I was going to fail. I don't have the time or the energy to put into classes that are so high over my head, and it makes me sad that I cannot investigate everything that I want to do.
Next year I'm going to have to put a lot of focus on my thesis, so I'm not sure I'll have time to dedicate to an extra class on a subject I'm not sure if I'll even be able to do. The other option is to do extended credit and take a science class over the summer, but it would feel crushing for me to not graduate with all of the great friends I have made in my year. I'm also trying to seriously consider grad schools, and if I don't have that degree they're probably not going to want me. That said, the program that I am looking into most is also at Brandeis, and I think they will be understanding if I have to go through with the extended credit. It's a decision that is very much weighing on me, the contemplation of my future. In the meantime, I think the best thing for me to do is focus on the short term - I have an exam on Monday and my Semantics take-home midterm is due next Thursday. Unfortunately, tests don't take themselves.
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