Macbeth's Netflix Recommendations

Macbeth's Netflix Recommendations

Today I will be taking on the role of Macbeth in Shakespeare's play, "Macbeth." Macbeth (me) will be time traveling from 1606 to 2015 and recommending several TV shows that he would watch.

1. First up, Breaking Bad. I, as king of Scotland, highly recommend this popular TV show  because of how much the king of meth reminds me of myself. Walter White is basically a reincarnation of me. We both started out as what our societies would consider "good." But we both broke bad and turned into rebel kings with lots of power. Furthermore, we both had insane wives that influenced our decisions. Lastly, we were both consciously aware of the consequences of our choices, but the need for more fed our drive to the point of no return.
Stars: 9/10

2. Next I would like to recommend the wacky show of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The reasons I am recommending this show is because the main character takes murder to a whole new level. She kills vampires, demons, and other supernatural creatures. How awesome is that?? My love for murder combined with my interest in the supernatural in this epic TV show. The main character, Buffy Summers, is faced with the difficult obstacle of fate and prophecies. I know all too well how strenuous dealing with fate can be! she feels I never really liked Hecate or the weird sisters, so, sometimes I watch this when I am feeling a little angry in order to relieve some stress.
Stars: 7/10

3. I present to you my third recommendation of the movie, The Last King of Scotland. This film's name just screams amazing and makes me reminisce about how I used to be the King of Scotland. This film is about a serious struggle for power in Uganda. Filled with exciting murders and plot twists, I find this fiction movie to be exhilarating! The main character, Nicholas Garrigan, is a Scottish nationalist who is admired by the Ugandan president for his resistance against the British. I also admire Garrigan for this trait because I cannot stand the British either.
Stars: 8/10

4. Lastly I recommend the thriller movie, Now You See Me. My reasons for recommending this movie include its incredible twist on the supernatural. Humans nowadays have changed the supernatural into a strange occurrence called magic. Modern day witches are called magicians and escape artists that make loads of money through deception and fate. This movie is a prime example of modern day witches and how they are able to make money and gain power through the supernatural. The action-packed plot takes viewers on a full-fledged roller coaster on how in the world the 4 magicians are able to perform their outstanding stunts. I was on the edge of my seat the entire movie trying to figure out who the fifth horseman could be. Highly recommend this movie and I personally cannot wait for the sequel to come out!
Stars: 9.5/10

Macbeth=Witch

  

I am a firm believer that people take the first plunge into evil due to their inner desires. Shakespeare writes in Act 1 Scene 4 (Macbeth speaking), "Let not light see my black and deep desires." (Shakespeare 29). At this point, Macbeth has learned that he is the Prince of Cumberland (not to be confused with this Prince of Cumberland), or the heir to the throne, and speaks to himself saying he will not tempt fate in order to achieve King status. So, what in the world made Macbeth step into evil? He stated it himself, his "deep desires." As the story begins to unwind, Macbeth plays with his fate and commits the evil act of murder on Duncan. His mindset on the matter changed due to his inner desires and a little convincing from Lady Macbeth. The consequences from choosing evil can be endless or nonexistent. I feel that it depends on the internal moral values of the particular person.

I think that Shakespeare would half agree with the quote of "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely" due to his display of power so far in Macbeth. The ideology of power has led to corruption in what I've read so far. Lady Macbeth and Macbeth have been led to corruption on their quest for the throne and power overall. I do not think Shakespeare would agree with "absolute power corrupts absolutely," because I have yet to read anything about absolute power in Macbeth. Although this part of the quote seems like common sense, I see no evidence yet to lead me towards Shakespeare agreeing with the absolute power portion of the quote.

I do not believe my life has been guided by fate at all. I make conscious decisions all the time that either lead me to rewards or consequences. I base my next decisions off of my previous ones.  I think Shakespeare has a very different attitude on the topic of fate than I do. As seen with the witches and the supernatural, (whenever Shakespeare chooses to rhyme!) fate plays a very large role in Macbeth. I think since fate has such a large role that Shakespeare believes that fate controls the lives of humans. I think that Macbeth's actions were predetermined by the witches. This can be proven in Act 3 Scene 5, where Hectate speaks to the witches regarding Macbeth's fate, "how did you dare/To trade and traffic with Macbeth/In riddles and affairs with death" (Shakespeare 111). Hectate is angered at the witches for playing with Macbeth and mentions the deaths that have occurred. This causes me to believe that the witches have control over Macbeth's fate. Later in this section Hectate says, "Thither he/will come to know his destiny" (Shakespeare 111). Here Hectate says that she will now take control over Macbeth's destiny, further providing evidence that the supernatural fully control Macbeth's fate.

I think the values of manhood have not changed much in modern times. As society is becoming more and more progressive, the idea of being a "man" is changing drastically. As Lady Macbeth tries to persuade Macbeth to perform the act of murder in Act 1 Scene 7, she uses mockery to show Macbeth that he needs to man up and kill Duncan. She says, "you would be so much more the man" (Shakespeare 43). By committing the manly act of murder, Lady Macbeth is saying that Macbeth would be more of a man. This shows the values of manhood in Shakespeare's time. Manhood valued strength and courage and men displayed no emotion. Nowadays I think our values of manhood are relatively similar. Strength and courage are still values of being a man. However, I think the values of being a woman has greatly changed from those times which can be reflected in the man's values. Women nowadays value similar characteristics of men. Courage and independence are often valued greatly by women which shows society's shift from Shakespeare's time. The values of man has not changed much however.

Aquamanile in the Form of a Ram

Aquamanile in the Form of a Ram:

Ryan's sketch:

Analysis:

Background: Here is a brief background on aquamaniles as well as many other examples of the aesthetically pleasing and practical art. Basically, the small, beautiful animals/human figures hold water used primarily for washing hands. Specifically, the medieval church used aquamaniles in many ceremonies and rituals. However, it was not limited to just the church. Many noble families used aquamaniles before and after meals as a means of cleansing. Aquamaniles were a very popular art form in the medieval period. I mean just imagine washing your hand out of THIS THING! Most aquamaniles were made of a copper alloy, but the particular one that I am analyzing is clay, a lesser valued material.

The artist of this particular piece is unknown, however, it was likely to be a potter working with one of the many kilns in Scarborough, England.

It is approximated that the piece was created around 1300. The title of the work is unknown, however, the website calls it "Aquamanile in the Form of a Ram." The aquamanile was made of glazed earthenware, probably clay, and is 9 7/16in. x 11 1/2in. x 5 1/4in.

A plethora of aquamaniles were created for an array of different usages in the medieval time period. Whether it was for liturgical purposes or just table decorations at ceremonies, they were mainly used by nobility. A common theory for the origin of aquamaniles stems to the late Roman and early Byzantine empires, as well as Islamic cultures. It is likely that trade and plunder from Roman, Byzantine, and Islamic trade routes brought aquamaniles to Western Europe. Metalworkers and potters in Western Europe already had the skill to create this art form, just lacked the idea. Most surviving aquamaniles come from Germany between 1200 and 1350, however, aquamaniles have been found in Russia and all over England.

The idea behind aquamaniles is simply a creative and aesthetically pleasing art piece that serves the function of storing and pouring small amounts of water. Due to the small amount of requirements, there are many different forms of aquamaniles. Some come in the shape of animals, mythical creatures, humans, and some even depict an event (typically biblical). Very similar to modern day handheld glass work, created by the means of glass blowing. Here are a few examples of other aquamaniles:

 

   

The artist of the piece that  I am analyzing used a kiln combined with earthenware to create his/her masterpiece. He then glazed his piece in a green paint. The piece is not very large, so serious pottery skills were required to make "Aquamanile in the Form of a Ram." It appears to me that the artist overemphasizes the chest portion of the ram, making it seem fat. The artist also uses vertical lines all throughout the middle section of the piece that make the chest portion seem even fatter. The back legs are very similar to the chest portion, whereas the stomach appears to bow inwards from both the top and the bottom. This design might translate to a more effective use of carrying water. It is actually very similar to the ram I provided as an example on the right side of the page above. I believe the vertical lines provide some texture to the relatively smooth form of pottery. I wish that the piece was more intact and experienced less ware so that the horns would still be attached to the piece. I think that the horns might provide a better explanation as to why the snout of the ram is so long. I think the glossy green color complements the theme of the ram well because its purpose is to, more or less, pour small amounts of water. The glossy green adds a watery sort of effect. Most aquamaniles have a handle, and I believe the handle of the ram is effectively placed. The handle is in a position where the water would be balanced on both sides of the ram, and water would be easily poured if holding the aquamanile by the handle. Its shape, color, and appearance is aesthetically pleasing, and it would provide an entertaining way of pouring water.

The function of aquamanile is mentioned previously in this post many times. However I think it extremely important to note these pieces relevance in today's society. The first thing I was reminded of when delving into more research on aquamaniles was glass pipes. I have seen many live performances where a glass blower creates a creative animal or human figure out of glass. I believe that glass art seen in modern day society may have originated from aquamaniles of Roman, Byzantine, and Islamic cultures. Some examples of similar modern glass artwork in the form of glass pipes include:

Freebie

I am using my freebie on this week's blog!

And A Big Ole' Cookie

Colonel Sanders is back America!!

Many Americans, especially me, were wondering where on earth the KFC legend Colonel Sanders went. Well, on May 25, 2015, Kentucky Fried Chicken (kfc.com), a fast food restaurant chain specializing in fried chicken and headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, told America of Colonel Sander's whereabouts. KFC published a series of commercials on May 25, 2015 featuring an actor (Darrell Hammond) imitating Colonel Sanders. The commercial shown above, titled, "Phillip," is an outstanding jingle that also advertises for gluttony, one of the seven deadly sins. This commercial is advertising for gluttony simply through the fact that the $5 Fill up box contains an overabundance of food.

Denotative Examination: In the advertisement, there is a mandolin band made of children of both genders- all of them are standing, playing various string instruments, and wearing white, fancy clothes. In the foreground, Colonel Sanders and his friend, Phillip, are sitting in chairs, wearing white and fancy clothes as well. Phillip has KFC's $5 Fill up box in his lap. Colonel Sanders has two hands on the top of a cane. All actors are wearing the same black bow tie. The color of all actor's tie and clothes are worthy of note because it is a similar outfit to what the original Colonel Sanders wore quite frequently. The ad is set is in a park. Colonel Sanders is the only one who speaks, performing a quick, and extremely catchy jingle that describes the $5 Fill up box. The commercial also slowly zooms in on Colonel Sanders' face before moving to the actual food. This layout is interesting because it shows Colonel Sanders is truly the focus of the ad. The image of the food is obviously the ideal look of the food contained in the $5 Fill up box. It is almost guaranteed that when ordered, the $5 Fill up box will look like a less tasty version of what appears in the ad. This is a strategy of the advertiser because the tastier the image of the food looks, the more likely customers are going to buy the food, although the advertisement's image might not be exactly what the product would look like.

  

Connotative Examination: In the advertisement, Colonel Sanders is the only actor wearing a white suit coat. This is interesting because it shows he is the authority figure in the ad, and possibly the most important. It separates him from all other actors in the commercial. Furthermore, the mandolin band of children is lined up in order of height. There is one exception, which occurs as the third to last boy is taller than the second to last boy. This makes me believe that the band may possibly be lined up in order of age. This is particularly interesting because I think the advertiser is attempting to highlight the diversity of all of the children that appear in the band. It may even be an allusion to the real Colonel Harland David Sander's charitable efforts with education. The producer of the ad uses language similar to that of what Colonel Harland David Sander's used. For example, the way the actor pronounces the word "taters" is a characteristic of the accent which the original Colonel Sanders possessed. 

Intended Audience: The intended audience of the advertisement is primarily older white males, however, it is not limited to only older white males. This is due to the actors that appear in the commercial. Colonel Sanders and Phillip are the stars of this ad, and are both white males. The economic background of the ad's intended audience appeals to less affluent, middle class people due to the relatively cheap bargain of the $5 Fill up box. The fast food aspect of the ad appeals to more middle class because the middle class eats the most fast food. There is a large amount of culture behind Colonel Sanders and KFC because the fast food chain was established in 1930 and the company's founder is its mascot. Due to that, the ad appeals more towards viewers that have cultural knowledge of KFC and its history. The cultural knowledge that the intended audience might have includes a general idea of who Colonel Sanders was, a general idea of the history behind KFC, and overall knowledge of previous KFC commercials.

My Name is Ryan

RYAN

Ryan- the cutest guy ever, and has the greatest respect for girls, is funny, and very very Loving! (via http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=ryan)

Ryan- In Irish, Gaelic, and American, Ryan means "Little King" (via http://www.sheknows.com/baby-names/name/ryan)

From what I have been able to find, my name is mostly associated with Ireland and means "Little King". As much as I would love to be able to say that I look and act like this,

I simply do not. I am not the type of person to rule others and live lavishly at the expense of others, like a king would. I feel as though I am more respectful and open-to-others as a leader. My belief is that putting a definition with a name is a form of unaccurate labeling. There are thousands of people that possess the name Ryan, and I am positive that we are all not exactly like "Little Kings." The same applies for the Urban Dictionary definition of Ryan. I know that I am the cutest guy ever, however, only one Ryan can hold this title. Since I own the title of cutest guy ever, not every single person named Ryan falls under the definition of Ryan. 

On a side note, I met a high school senior who lives in Illinois and goes by the name of Ryan Donnelly through Twitter. We are best friends now and are exactly alike. I wonder if the name your parents gives you plays a role in fate???

Individuality and being part of a community are two vastly different occurrences. Often times, being part of a group brings out the individual. Swimming is a sport that I participate in frequently, and through swimming, I am able to compete as an individual as a part of a team. This is an interesting concept that adds a new level of difficulty to the competition. I have been two different me's many times in the sport. For example, when lining up behind the blocks, swimmers often shake hands and say good luck to each other. On numerous occasions, there are swimmers are on the same team competing in the same heat. As an individual, you obviously want yourself to win and do well. As a teammate, and part of a group, you want your teammate to do well too. When this happens to me before a race, I split into two me's. In one me, I wish my other teammate good luck and say "Oh you'll probably win this one, I'm pretty tired!" In the other me, I say to myself that I am not going to let myself lose to him. This poses the predicament of competing as an individual as a part of a team. Which side should one value more?

Does Michael Phelps as an individual want to win, or does he want America as a group to win?

   

Othering

This picture, We are the Other (2012-2013), was taken by Wing Young Huie in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I was unable to find the specific name of this particular photo, however, I was able to find detailed information on a very similar picture...

The photo to the left features the same man as the one I have chosen to write this blog about. Both pictures are from Wing Young Huie's "We are the Other collection," captured in 2012. On his blog he gives a background on Hai, the man in the photo, along with what is occurring in this particular image.




At first glance of the linked photo, viewers are able to clearly see:

• an elderly Asian man playing the guitar while in a suit and tie (the focus and center of the photograph)
• the vibrant colors and style of the guitar due to its red and flashy style. It sticks out against the white background and looks like a new instrument out of the 70's rock era.

Viewers then move their focus to the items contained in the background:

• Pictures of people with various different hairstyles hung up on the mirrors. These pictures pop at the viewer because they seem to be out of place compared to the focus of the photo.
• The two mirrors that cover majority of the wall. These mirrors allow viewers to notice the whiteness of the room. From the ceiling to the curtains, the space is primarily white and looks sterile.
• The bright blue water jug, along with plastic cups on top of it.
• The green hanging plant in the top right corner.
• The pops of color from the magazines on top of the brown dresser.
• The metal, head-shaped, and transparent machine. Looks like one of those machines often seen in barber shops.
• The hair cutting tools and products placed on top of the white cabinet in the left of the picture.

As viewers delve deeper into the photograph, more emotion is revealed. Viewers begin to piece together the photograph and try to define what might be occurring in the image. A few connotative examinations derived from the image include:

• the man has several fingers pressed down and is strumming the strings of his guitar, however, he appears to be focused on something else. His face looks concerned, and overall, blank.
•  The hairstyle models, for the most part, appear to be looking in many various directions. This gives the image an ominous and unidentifiable vibe.
• The sterile, blankness, and whiteness of the setting allow viewers to have an imaginative mind when it comes to deciding what the seemingly out-of-place Asian rock guitarist is doing in a barber shop.

The term "othering" refers to the process of portraying someone or something as different. Wing Young Huie along with Margaret Atwood, author of The Handmaid's Tale, both do this in their respective works.The process by which the two show othering is the same. In the particular photograph I wrote about earlier, Huie shows the Asian guitarist as "other" through the lack of use of stereotypes. Atwood shows one of her main characters, Moira, as different through the same way.

       Wing Young Huie-Asian Guitarist                                           Margaret Atwood-Moira

-Stereotypical elderly Asians do not play                               -At the women's center, women were  

flashy rock n' roll guitars. Instead, a                                        taught the ideals of Gilead. All other

stereotype of elderly Asians is playing                                    women at the center followed along with

a simplistic wind instrument reflecting                                    what they were taught, except for Moira.

their culture.                                                                          She did not fall under the stereotypical

-The photos of hairstyles hung on the                                      woman at this time.

mirrors do not reflect the stereotypes                                     -Instead of becoming a handmaid, like

surrounding the looks of typical Asians.                                 the stereotypical woman in Gilead,

-The man's suit and tie is not a                                              Moira winds up becoming a prostitute at 

stereotypical outfit for a barber shop.                                      Jezebel's.

                                                                                             -Moira was the only character in The 

                                                                                              Handmaid's Tale that was lesbian, again,

                                                                                              not fitting in with the stereotype.

By displaying the differences in looks and actions of stereotypical Asians versus the actual look and actions of the guitarist in Wing Young Huie's photo, he is successfully "othering" this man. This is because the man does not fall under the stereotypes, which portrays him as different. Likewise, Moira in The Handmaid's Tale did not follow along with the stereotypical actions of most characters in the book. Atwood is successfully "othering" Moira in this sense. The two works are very similar with the process of "othering."