What Matters in Life

Dear Readers,

My post is in response to my teacher's post on "What Matters in Life" (with regards to the education system).

In an ideal situation, it goes without saying that students should not be overly grade-conscious but should instead, do tasks with fervency, instead of doing them for the grades. In fact, it is a common sight in the classroom to see students questioning the number of ACE points or CIP hours before actually doing these activities. This is definitely a negative situation which we should try to rid of.

However, we must dig further into this phenomenon and explore the true perpetrator of this. It is the education system, both in Singapore and in Hwa Chong, which is causing this to happen. As we flip through the many pages of the Special Programmes booklet and glance through the criteria for qualifying into each of the special programmes, we observe a pattern. “__P: A1 in ___”. If we look down to the fundamentals of even qualifying for the next level, we see that our MSGs, both academic and scholastic, need to be of a certain level. How can we, as students, not be grade-conscious?

It was previously stated that we should not study for the sake of grades, but for the interest instead. This is definitely agreed, but once again, we have to consider that we NEED the grades to get into a programme which we are interested in. For example, if Student A wants to get into a specific programme, he has to excel in the relevant subjects. Furthermore, if he wants to get into the Centre for Scholastic Excellence (CSE), he has to attain an MSG of less than 1.5! Now, we return to the question: is it the students who work just for the grades, or is it the education system which forces the students to work just for the grades?

As for the case of ACE, it must be noted that every student has to undertake a minimum of 4 subjects every year. Amongst the 5 core subjects in Years 1 and 2, it is hard to expect a student to be fervent and interested in 4 of them. Every student has an area of interest, and an area of excellence. Everyone has to undertake subjects, one or more, that they are not very interested but have to do the relevant ACE work just for the grades. It is pretty much preposterous to expect a student to be interested in Language Arts, Chinese, Math, Science, and Humanities at the same time, isn’t it?

For Primary School Leaving Examination, ‘O’ Levels, ‘A’ Levels and further examinations, we must score well to proceed to a better education. Without the stellar results and exceedingly good grades, the path to a brighter future can be said to be more or less gone. How can we, as students, not be grade-conscious?

Many Singaporean parents are extremely kiasu and send their children to tuition centres and enrichment centres for extra lessons. They drill the message that they must do well in their studies deep into their young children’s brains. Their children, day after day of listening to this, will obviously be grade-conscious. How can we, as students, not be grade-conscious?

Singapore has slowly moved the children, the leaders of the future, into a vicious cycle of being grade-conscious. It is not the children who want to get the grades and are doing their work just for them, but it is the education system as a whole that is forcing them into this! Well, but I must emphasise here that I am not pushing the blame to the education system and saying that the students are in no way wrong. However, it is vital and essential to strike a balance between the two – interest and grades. Since the education system is not going to change (in the near future), I believe our mindsets have to change. As to how, I am not sure. We have been driven in such a manner for numerous years now, and asking us to change will be too much, I guess.

Sorry, if this above message seemed too fierce, it was not meant to be…

Regards,
Nathan (:

Supplement: What is Happiness - Wealth, Giving, Receiving or What?

Dear Readers,

Let me share with you what my notion of happiness here. Just a short note!

To me, wealth is not true happiness. Epicurus’ Notion of Happiness states that happiness is the absence of anxiety, but wealth makes one crave for more and be anxious over the possible loss of their expensive possessions, so wealth is not true happiness.

Aristotle’s Golden Mean states that we should strike a balance between the two extremes: excess and deficiency. Wealth, though, puts us on the extreme of having too much. Therefore, wealth is not true happiness, but only materialistic satisfaction.

It was said that “Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy you the kind of misery you prefer.”

Some might say that wealth brings about happiness, since it provides the elements of happiness. However, there are many situations which wealth cannot ease. For instance, on your deathbed, money means nothing.

I feel that we are happier when we give than receive. This is because receiving only fulfils our materialistic needs, but giving gives us mental satisfaction. By giving, we achieve utilitarianism, since more people are happy, not just us receiving. Upon seeing that the other party is happy, it is natural to feel happy.

Mark Twain said, “The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up.”

Regards,
Nathan (:

Supplement: Should Leaders Be Judged On Their Private Lives?

Dear Readers,

Should leaders be judged on their private lives? I staunchly believe otherwise.

Let me begin with my definition of a good leader. He is one who can provide for the people, create jobs with steady incomes, put roofs over their heads, a sound and solid education for the future generations as well as a safe and peaceful society. He also must have the foresight to lead the country to better and greater heights. As can be seen, a leader must be one of top calibre as well as substance.

Recently, there have been a slew of sex scandals that has put the spotlight on leaders whose lewd acts in private life had put their careers in jeopardy. First, there was Bill Clinton and recently we had International Monetary Fund chief accused of rape. All of them had to pay a price and that is to resign from the post that they excelled in. I really do not understand why there is so much woo-has about these sex scandals. Firstly, they happened abroad and there is little impact on us whatsoever. Secondly, these sex scandals happened in their private lives and so naturally should be handled within the wrongdoer’s family.

So why are the newspapers doing this? Are our lives so dull and monotonous that we have to seek out juicy gossips from these leaders? To me, this is totally unfair to them as they too, like all of us, are entitled to their privacy and secrets. Nobody wants to wash their dirty linen in public.

Though I am grateful that such scandals have not found their ways to the Singapore leaders, I feel kind of sorry for those leaders that were exposed. Their actions were news worthy solely because they are public figures. Does it mean that people lose their private lives once they become public figures? This added pressure from the press of having to look over their shoulders consistently does not help at all.

Running a country is no mean feat. These leaders have very demanding and taxing lives. When the pressure gets too much, they need an outlet like you and me. Their actions may not be right but it is not for us to be the judge.

We must try to remember that these leaders are first humans, then leaders. They are also governed by the same set of rules as any humans. My take is this, as long as our leaders do their jobs properly and ensure Singapore’s living standards, let us give them some space.

In conclusion, I firmly believe that private lives of all public figures should stay private. Each one of us should respect the other’s privacy. A public figure need not have his life open to scrutiny for he is still an individual first. He is entitled to the same respect as you and I.

Regards,
Nathan (:

Supplement: Singapore River - a Water Source?

Dear Readers,

This is apart from my 10 blog posts for LA ACE. This is just a supplement to this blog (: Singapore River is a renowned river and has been with Singapore for much of its history. Take a look at this for more details!

Is the Singapore River a source of water for us today?

No, the Singapore River is not a source of water for us today but will be one in the near future. The Singapore River has already been dammed to form the Marina Reservoir. When all the seawater has been drained off by 2010 or 2011, it will become the largest water catchment area which will cater to 10 per cent of the current water demand in Singapore.

If so, how? If not, what is/are our water source(s)? [Use diagrams]

The four major water sources which Singapore relies on today include reservoirs, NEWater, imported water from Malaysia (expiring in 2061) as well as desalination.

Reservoirs

After the collection of rainwater, it is aerated while it flows over a series of steps to help oxygenation.

In the sedimentation tank larger particles are allowed to settle. Aluminium sulfate is used to make small, suspended particles of clay coagulate. The water is filtered through layers of sand and gravel to make sure all solids are removed. The filter bed also contains carbon slurry to remove odours and any odd tastes. The water is disinfected by adding chlorine (chlorination). The chlorine kills all the bacteria in the water. Finally, this clean water is stored in reservoirs, where it is pumped into the water mains for use.

NEWater

The NEWater technology uses Microfiltration, Reverse Osmosis and Ultra-violet light disinfection in a simple three-stage treatment process.

The first process is called Microfiltration. The treated used water is passed through fibres that work as microscopic filters. It also removes bacteria and protozoa.

In the next process, the microfiltration filtrate undergoes Reverse Osmosis. This removes inorganics like heavy metals, nitrate, chloride, sulphate etc, and organics such as disinfection by-products, aromatic hydrocarbons, pesticides etc present in the microfiltration filtrate. The RO membrane also removes viruses.

Finally, ultra-violet disinfection is a safety back-up to remove any bacteria or viruses should the reverse osmosis membrane be compromised and the viruses and bacteria go through the reverse osmosis process.

Purchased water from Malaysia

Singapore currently has a contract with Malaysia, where the latter will supply us with drinking water. However, this contract will end in the year 2061.

Desalination

Desalination is a treatment process that removes dissolved salts from seawater. The two main processes are the distillation and membrane processes. In the distillation process, a variety of methods are used to evaporate seawater, condense the vapour formed and obtain distilled water that is essentially free from salts. In the membrane process such as the reverse osmosis process, pre-treated seawater is pumped at high pressure through a semi-permeable membrane that separates the water from the dissolved salts.

What do you think is the best water source?

I think that the best water source is through desalination. Among all the water found on the surface of the Earth, 97% is sea water. Since the technology on desalination of water is getting more economical and affordable, more effort should be placed on converting this abundant seawater into drinkable freshwater.

[Optional] Propose new, alternative water sources.

Singapore has numerous flats in many estates spread across the entire island. If on every flat, there is a huge water container built, where great amounts of water in every part of the island can be collected whenever there is rain. This water can then be pumped to the nearest reservoir in or near the estate, where it can undergo necessary treatment before use.

Regards,
Nathan (:

My Ten Comments on Classmates' LA Blogs (Term Three)

Dear Readers,

These are some of the comments which I made on my classmates' Language Arts blogs. You can read them, if you like (:

1. Nicholas (“This I Believe – Personal Essay”)

http://nichtey.blogspot.com/2011/08/this-i-believe-personal-essay.html?showComment=1313304363343#c1959790448398005845

2. Raphael (“The Singapore Spirit under close inspection…”)

http://twoeyeone.blogspot.com/2011/08/singapore-spirit-under-close-inspection.html?showComment=1313305735051#c3546417015411311813

3. Roystan (“CIP: how it changed my mindset”)

http://2i102roystanang.blogspot.com/2011/06/cip-how-it-changed-my-mindset.html?showComment=1313307355307#c6550996466835434806

4. Daniel (“Sportsmanship”)

http://swordofthedragonslayer.blogspot.com/2011/08/sportsmanship.html?showComment=1313307833462#c6862908474776593463

5. Glenn (“Memorising? What’s wrong?”)

http://arts-language.blogspot.com/2011/08/what-do-you-want-out-of-education.html?showComment=1313308923487#c7410997089935702389

6. Gordon (“Mugging”)

http://twoeyeone-fifteen.blogspot.com/2011/08/mugging.html?showComment=1313310004589#c5445505282940482771

7. Eliel (“Something Special”)

http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=2778771748267035122&postID=3648663088570998830&isPopup=true (Main Post: http://le--apercu.blogspot.com/)

8. Daniel (“Happy National Day”)

http://swordofthedragonslayer.blogspot.com/2011/08/happy-national-day.html?showComment=1313315303978#c6880328423450996564

9. Raphael (“Quest for World Peace – Impossible?”)

http://twoeyeone.blogspot.com/2011/08/quest-for-world-peace-impossible.html?showComment=1313317077727#c1512218365571344172

10. Roystan (“Trip to Universal Studios :)”)

http://2i102roystanang.blogspot.com/2011/06/trip-to-universal-studios.html?showComment=1313319242002#c7832434072761285902

Regards,
Nathan (:

Personal Essay: "This I Believe"

Dear Readers,

Here, I will be sharing with you a personal essay, exhibiting my beliefs(:

27 July 2011 is a date that I will never forget. My parents were sitting on the sofa when I came back from school at about 7pm. When we sat down to have our dinner, Mum spoke in a low voice, “The report is out. I have cancer.” Initially, I was both stunned and angry. I was unable to accept the news. Moreover, the examinations were round the corner. This was certainly the worst time for such news. I was in a daze. What is going to happen to me?

It is times like these that one will ask, “Why me? Of all people on this Earth, why does it have to me?” Such trying times make one forget the beliefs he stands firm in. For me, my beliefs in my religion and my strength to stay positive play a vital part in my accepting this fact about Mum.

As a child, I was brought up as a Buddhist. The main teaching of Buddhism is about cause and effect or karma. For everything that happens, I believe that it happens for a reason. And it is this belief that softens the impact and makes me accept the situation. Though difficult, I am still trying very hard to do so. This I believe.

Staying optimistic is my firm belief. I feel that optimism makes my life much easier to live by each day, instead of moping the days away. Up to today, there had not been a single drop of tear cast by anyone in the family. From this period right up to Mum’s operation, my family will try to stay happy and support each other both emotionally and psychologically. We will not succumb without a fight. Our familial ties have also grown stronger. This I believe.

My religion and optimism are two beliefs that I will not waver in, because they are what I hold dear to my heart. They are the ones which keep me going.

This I believe.

Regards,
Nathan :)

That Wasn't An English Word?

Dear Readers,

Welcome back to my blog! As usual, I promise you an exciting literary adventure which you will not forget but instead, have a takeaway every time you read a post. Today, I present to you: the marvels of the English language! In this post, I will be sharing with you some words that have been included into the language from other tongues, and it will be a ball of a time! I promise.

The English language has evolved rapidly, from a pure Old English form into an amalgamation of many different languages, mostly those of invaders who had conquered England and thus, had a huge influence on the language. However, I would also like to point out the existence of variations of the English language all over the globe, in various countries. Examples would be the one most common to us – Singapore Colloquial English (known as Singlish), Engrish (existing in the East Asian region) as well as the Australian English and American English which we are rather familiar with too.

Words from other languages which are now officially accepted by the English language are also known as “borrowed words”. I will share with you twelve more commonly used “borrowed words” as well as their origins and forms. May I warn you that many of these words have been widely thought to have been pure English words and not “borrowed” ones!

The word “tycoon” originated from the Japanese word taikun (太君). Its original meaning was a great lord, as suggested by its Kanji form, but is now adapted for wider use as a wealthy businessman. In both cases, it remains as a noun form.

“Rickshaw” is derived from the Japanese word jinricksha (人力车), which was a popular mode of transportation in olden Asian countries. It is a man-driven vehicle whereby the driver runs and pulls the vehicle where the passengers are seated. The man must be really powerful and hulky to perform such a feat! Its original meaning is still retained now. Both are nouns.

“Wok” comes from the Cantonese dialect of the word 锅. It is a piece of Chinese cooking equipment, which I believe all of us are aware of. Its meaning and form is retained when it is used in the English language.

“Mathematics” comes from the Greek word μάθημα, which means something related to learning, studying and science. However, when converted into the English language, it meant specifically the study of numbers, arithmetic, and basically, just math. Its form remains the same, though.

“Punch” was derived from the Hindi language of the word पाँच. This word means five in Hindi, but has been adapted to refer to the drink from the five ingredients used. The drink punch is widely consumed over the world, but few actually know about its Hindi origins. The form of the word is the same.

“Shampoo” comes from the Hindi word चाँपो which means head massage. It now means the liquid we use to wash our hair when we bathe or shower. The form of the word remains the same.

“Typhoon” comes from the Mandarin word 台风, which refers to a big wind. Now, it is defined as a violent Asian storm, like a hurricane in the context of the Atlantic tongue.

“Map” means tablecloth in the Phoenician dialect of Punic, but now refers to the picture depicting the geographical locations of specific places. The form is the same.

“Purse” means ox-hide in Punic, but now means a bag which is used to contain money.

“Penguin”, one of the favourite animals amongst young children, is derived from the Welsh language which actually means “white-head”.

“Magic” means a sorcerer in the Avestan language, but now refers to the act of something incredible like those in magic shows.

“Paradise” in Avestan means an enclosed space, but now has been adapted to mean something totally different – a haven or perfect place.

As can be seen, many English words are actually not that English after all! They are merely adaptations from various tongues, pieced together. Nonetheless, the English language is indeed an art, an amazing art that we use every day of our lives!

If you are interested to find out more “borrowed words”, feel free to check out the following website: http://www.krysstal.com/borrow.html#k. Have fun exploring the website, and be enlightened and say, “Hey, I didn’t know that word was not English!”

Goodbye, and see you soon! Wasn't that fun? :)

Best Regards,
Nathan

American Judicial System, Mississippi State and Civil Rights Movement

Dear Readers,

Today, I will be discussing about the true story behind the Mississippi Burning movie about the killings of three Civil Rights activists as well as the Civil Rights Movement era. Do sit back and relax as you read through this post! :)

Question 1: For minor crimes, most states have a “statute of limitations” that prohibits bringing charges when a certain period of time has elapsed since the crime. When it comes to serious crimes, is it right for the justice system to pursue criminal charges several decades after the crime is said to have occurred?

I feel that it is perfectly right for the justice system to pursue the criminal charges a few decades after the crime is committed, when it comes to serious crimes. This is because these cases are already labelled as “serious”, suggesting dire consequences due to these crimes. Should the justice system prevent the conviction of the criminals merely due to the lapse of time between the crime and the reporting time, this will definitely have adverse effects on the security and society of the city or country. This is because the criminal, who is not convicted and is able to escape from the punishment scot-free, would feel that the crime was nothing wrong. This might lead to a second occurrence of such a crime, causing a similar aftermath, which is undesirable. These might range from minor injuries to major casualties. Therefore, I conclude that it is only right for the justice system to nab these criminals, implementing no time restriction, so as for the benefit of the region’s security.

In fact, I would say that the justice system should pursue such criminal charges for minor crimes as well. Over the American crime investigation series “Law and Order”, I learnt that rapes and other cases are deemed to be minor and not very severe. Some of the rape victims were children, who were afraid to call the cops, but later had the courage to do so when they grew up. Unfortunately, for these poor folks, they were denied by the police to arrest the crooks, just because of the “statute of limitations”. Personally, I find this extremely unfair for the victims, as these rapists had caused much psychological (and physical) harm to them, just to get away unscathed. Aggravating the situation would be that the criminals, like I previously mentioned, feel that committing the crime has no repercussions and thus, are not discouraged from repeating the heinous act. Hence, I strongly believe that this statute should be reviewed and eventually scrapped.

Question 2: Reporting for The Times on the conviction of Edgar Ray Killen in 2005, Shaila Dewan wrote, “While some in Neshoba County [Mississippi] said it was too late and too painful to revisit the episode, others thought that in doing so, the county might find redemption.” What do you think: was the state’s image “rehabilitated”?

I personally think that the state’s image has been rehabilitated, but the arrests have little contribution to this. Although the nabbing of these crooks who have committed heinous offences during the twentieth century was very much delayed, the base-line is that they were caught. Personally, I think that this is the most important of all, which was that justice was done for the three innocent civil rights activists Andrew Goodman, James Chaney and Michael Schwerner. The state’s image has indeed been “restored to its former glory”, also because the racism has died down during this modern-day era. As I viewed through some blogs regarding the topic of racism in Mississippi, many have said that racism is no longer existent in the state and that they have “several friends from various ethnicities”. One even said that the school had 40% Caucasian, 40% African-American and 20% from various races like German and Russian to Asian and Hispanic. This definitely shows the diverse races residing and studying in Mississippi; it is somewhat like Singapore, a multiracial society. Therefore, it is a definite “yes” that Mississippi has regained its status as a fair state, not swayed by racism. However, I feel that the major reason is not that those formerly from the Ku Klux Klan involved in the killings of the civil rights activists were punished, but more because of the fairness, tolerance and even respect the various races treat each other nowadays.

Question 3: How much do you know about the civil rights era in general? Use the Learning Network’s Black History Month collection(http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/01/celebrate-black-history-month/) to find more archival Times articles from that era or finding Dulcinea’s Civil Rights Movement page(http://www.findingdulcinea.com/guides/Education/US-History/Civil-Rights-Movement.html) for oral histories and both primary and secondary sources.

Many sources provide different time periods for the Civil Rights era, but according to the Public Broadcasting Service, the era covers a 17-year period commencing in 1954. The Civil Rights society aimed to promote equality amongst the different races, putting everyone on the same ground. Unfortunately, they met with much resistance, especially from their counterparts in the southern part of America. The Southerners believed that whites were in fact superior to blacks and disregarded them. As a result, racial discrimination against the blacks through means like slavery and physical abuse continued in the nation. In fact, the blacks then were only treated as three-fifths human!

The Civil Rights Movement made many attempts to achieve their goals through the Civil Rights Acts in the years 1957, 1964 and 1968 as well as the Voting Rights Act in 1965, in addition to its other acts in the previous century. These gave blacks the full right as a citizen of the country, attaining the objective of the movement. However, this was definitely not an easy path for the society.

A bigger obstacle for the Civil Rights society in comparison to the Southerners was the Ku Klux Klan (KKK). The “organisation” was known for its strong prejudice against blacks and its heartless, cruel acts of lynching blacks all over present-day United States of America. There were many fatalities in incidents that occurred during the Civil Rights Movement, like the Montgomery Bus Riots, as well as the aforementioned lynching of blacks by the KKK. During this period of time before the final laws were set, there were many notable and significant incidents in American history, like the two Great Migrations to help get blacks out of the racist South as well as the Scottsboro Boys Trial. The Jim Crow laws were eventually removed in 1965, in the hope of having equality amongst all races.

Overall, it can be said that the Civil Rights movement was a success, despite the many fatalities caused, as it had achieved what it had set out to do.

Best Regards,
Nathan :)

Topic 6: Shakespeare's Theatre

Dear Readers,

Aren't you puzzled about where Shakespeare performs his plays? Read on to find out more about the theatres Shakespearean plays were performed at, as well as the differences between modern-day London Globe Theatre and the Globe Theatre during the Elizabethan Era!

Topic 6: Shakespeare’s Theatre

In what sort of buildings were Shakespeare’s plays performed?

Shakespeare’s plays could be performed in different types of buildings.

Firstly, there are huge, open-air amphitheatres, with the Globe Theatre being an example. It can accommodate about 1500 people. It is an octagonal arena, called the ‘pit’ with a diameter of approximately 100 feet, with a raised stage at one end. Made of timber, it has a thatched roof and is surrounded by three tiers of roofed galleries with balconies. There are two sets of stairs, and artificial lighting, but there is no heating there. Behind the stage, there is a roofed ‘house’ with pillars which contains the props, called the ‘Hut’. These pillars acted as the support for a roof, which is used for dramatic flying entrances, and is called the ‘Heavens’. Behind, there is a wall, named ‘Frons Scenae’, above which is a stage gallery called the Lord’s Room used by actors, musicians and the rich. Flanked on the two sides are the Gentlemen’s Rooms.

There are also smaller, indoor Playhouses where Shakespearean plays are also performed. A good example would be The Blackfriars Theatre Playhouse. Ticket prices for plays here are more exorbitant, because the capacity is 700, less than half of that for amphitheatres. For Blackfriars, there is good artificial lighting as well as other amenities.

Lastly, there is the Inn-yard, which was the original venue for all plays, for large taverns and inns. They are surrounded by balconies which led to the lodging areas for travellers.

How did the physical constraints of the theatre affect the language of Shakespeare’s plays?

Due to the limited space in the theatre, there was unable to be backgrounds to depict the physical landscape of the setting in the story. This was therefore needed to be incorporated into the play through the means of language. A good example would be in “Romeo and Juliet”, where the prologue states, “Two households, both alike in dignity, / In fair Verona, we lay our scene”. This sets the story at a particular place, but is beautifully and skilfully woven into the poetic lines of the story.

What sort of people acted in plays? What sort of people went to see them?

Only males were allowed to act in plays, so the female roles were taken by young boys, whose voices have not broken and pitch is still high. As for the male roles, they were taken, of course, by the men, whose voices are deeper and “manlier”.

There was no restriction on the sort of people who went to see plays. Even women were permitted to watch plays.

How was ‘the theatre’ viewed by society?

The affluent people perceived the actors as rogues and scoundrels, though they still often visited the theatres to watch plays. The average man on the street were clamoured to watch the actors perform in the plays. Although there was some disapproval towards ‘the theatre’, they were often called to court to perform plays.

Compare the modern day Globe Theatre in London with the theatres that Shakespeare worked in.

After the demolishment of the Globe Theatre in Shakespeare’s time, there was a replica made of the Globe Theatre in Southwark, London, England, called Shakespeare’s Globe.

Both theatres were situated near River Thames, so that the environment and ambience of Globe Theatre still remained now. There were no spotlights, so the plays were staged during daylight hours and evenings, just as in the Elizabethan era. There were also no microphones, speakers, nor amplification. The physical structure of Shakespeare’s Globe is made of English oak, without any metal, so it is identical to the timber-made Globe Theatre of old.

Nonetheless, there are some differences between the two.

The pit is made of concrete flooring, as opposed to the original earthen flooring. There are fire preventions in Shakespeare’s Globe, like retardants and sprinklers, unlike the original Globe. The theatre has extensive backstage areas for actors, which is attached to a modern lobby with many facilities and shops for the audience. This is obviously something new, as the Theatre is no longer just a theatre, but a world-renowned tourist attraction today. In addition, the seating capacity of Shakespeare’s Globe is only half that of the Globe Theatre of olden times, making it more comfortable for the smaller audience. In winter, Shakespeare’s Globe becomes an educational place, and throughout the year, there are tour groups bringing tourists around, which is also a difference from the original Globe.

References:

Author Unknown. (Date Unknown). William Shakespeare: “Performances of William Shakespeare’s Plays”. http://www.william-shakespeare.org.uk/performances-william-shakespeare-plays.htm (Accessed 11 June 2011)

Wishingheknew. (9 June 2011). Yahoo Answers: “Were women allowed to watch Shakespeare’s plays in his times?” http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110609080634AAXfLtg (Accessed 11 June 2011)

Author Unknown. (Date Unknown). Wikipedia: “Shakespeare’s Globe”. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakespeare%27s_Globe (Accessed 12 June 2011)

Tan, Benedict; Mak, Keloysius; Ong, Keith; Toh, Ming Jie; Yap, John. (2010). Slideshare: “Shakespeare’s Theatre”. http://www.slideshare.net/johnyap11/shakespeares-theatre (Accessed 12 June 2011)


Best Regards,
Nathan :)

Topic 5: Religion: Jews vs. Christians

Dear Readers,

What is the difference between Jews and Christians? This is something that has puzzled me for an extremely long time. Read on to find out more about the relationships between Jews and Christians, and why Jews were prejudiced against by Christians.

Topic 5: Religion: Jews vs. Christians

What was the dominant religion in England and Venice in the 15^th and 16^th century?

The dominant religion in England and Venice during the 15^th and 16^th century is Roman Catholicism.

Why was there such animosity between Jews and Christians?

Some of the early Gentiles, people who are non-Jewish, converted to Christianity. They were not very well-acquainted with the Jewish community during the lifetime of Jesus. When they read the New Testaments text in the Bible, they perceived it as a condemnation of the Jewish religion, as opposed to internal quarrels and quibbles which were rather common during that time.

Many factors also worsened Jewish and Christianity relations, with one simply being the competition for converts. These affected the writers of the New Testament, who portrayed the Jews in a bad light. A good example would be the writer of John, who associated the Jewish religion with darkness and the devil. As time went past and more Christians read the book of John, more and more despised the Jews.

Starting from the second century, many Fathers of churches wrote of Jews as “rejected people” doomed to live miserable lives and as “despised people”. This was evident in the preaching, art and teachings of Christianity, which resulted in attacks on the Jews, both physically by attacking and killing them and emotionally by prejudicing and discriminating against them.

Therefore, it can be summed up by saying that the human influence through the New Testament caused many Christians to prejudice against the Jews. It is not recorded, however, that the Jews discriminated against the Christians.

In what ways did Christians discriminate against Jews in 15^th and 16^th century Europe?

In European regions like Rome, the Jews were restricted to live in particular regions, and unable to reside in other places. They were forced to sell their houses at an extremely low price and were not permitted to engage in businesses. The Jews were also forced to wear badges of infamy as they walked along the streets. The only business or commercial activity which they are allowed to carry out was the buying and selling of the second-hand goods as well as old iron. They were denied medical attention from the Christians, and synagogues were also destroyed.

One of the more cruel “punishments” carried out on the Jews would be the one carried out on the elderly, during the Roman Carnival. They were kidnapped, forced at sword-point to overeat and then forced to race each other. This was an extremely vicious act on the end of the Christians.

Another form of discrimination would be something like the case of Tom Robinson depicted in “To Kill a Mockingbird”. Should two Christians testify against a Jew that he/she disrespected the faith of Roman Catholicism or a priest, he could be executed.

In Venice, the Jews were also discriminated and faced prejudice by the Christians, who formed the majority of the Venetians. They were often spat on and shouted at, even kicked, by the Christians. They were treated so, because the Jews were often the moneylenders who collect interest for the money lent to the Christians. They were not discriminated secretly, but instead were discriminated openly under broad daylight, because it was something done by all, so there was nothing to be ashamed about discriminating a Jew.

Their miseries would only end if they converted to the Christian faith, when they enter the church to attend Sunday sermons.

Resources:

Author Unknown. (Date Unknown). Universal Declaration of Human Rights: “Christianity and its Persecutions of Jews” http://www.heretication.info/_jews.html (Accessed 10 June 2011)

Author Unknown. (Date Unknown). Wikipedia: “Venice” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venice (Accessed 10 June 2011)


Best Regards,
Nathan :)

Topic 4: The (Historical and Cultural) Setting of Venice

Dear Readers,

Venice is a city which is renowned across the world for many things during the 15th and 16th century. Read on to find out what it is famous for, and why "The Merchant of Venice" is set in this place!

Topic 4: The (Historical and Cultural) Setting of Venice

What was Venice like during the 15^th and 16^th century? Comment especially on its demographics and culture.

Venice was actually a warring state during the 15^th and 16^th century, and was a country on its own, called the Most Serene Republic of Venice. It was constantly at war with neighbouring countries such as the Ottoman Empire (the Turks) and the Kingdom of France.

By 1490, its population was approximately 180,000. However, Venice suffered horrible losses of many major cities in battles like the Battle of Agnadello. It only strengthened its defences in some three cities of Famagusta, Nicosia and Kyrenia all in modern-day Cyprus, whilst the other cities remained easy targets for the two larger empires.

This resulted in a drop in the Venetian population, to 168,000 in 1563 but slightly increased to 175,000 in 1575 after winning the Battle of Lepanto under the naval forces of the Holy League, which was an alliance, over the Turks. However, Venice failed to recover from the 1575-76 plague which caused a drastic decrease in its population to a mere 126,000 in 1581.

Venice was also extremely important during the 15^th and 16^th century, as a world-renowned music centre, trading centre, art centre and metalwork centre, which will be explained in the answer to the second question.

After the rise in power of the Ottoman Empire in the Mediterranean, Venice faded in the trading field. It remained, however, as an economic and cultural centre in Europe. There was a mix of cultures and races here, as people of different nationalities gathered here and exchanged ideas. In fact, it could be said that Venice was like Singapore, a multiracial society. The theatre was also a source of entertainment after the lift of the ban on theatrical performances in the early 1500s. The musical culture of Venice is also widely recognised.

The dominant religion was Roman Catholicism, and so, the Jews were extremely badly treated during that period of time, which will be expounded on later.

Why was Venice important during the 15^th and 16^th century?

Venice became an important music centre during this period of time. By the end of the 16^th century, Venice could be said to be extremely renowned for the splendour in its music.

Besides music, Venice also was a major trading centre during the 15^th and 16^th century, being the world’s first and busiest trading centre. The republic established a monopoly and forced Crusaders to attack rival traders in Constantinople, and in return, the Crusaders were allowed transportation to the Middle East. In fact, Venice had control over the Mediterranean Sea and imported products from Asia to Europe.

However, later, the Portuguese had a monopoly of spices, forcing Venice into moving towards the artistic world. It became famous for its art, be it paintings or architecture thereon.

Silk production was also extremely prosperous in Venice, so did Venetian glass, sugar and soap. Venice became very famous and popular for its metalwork and method of printing.

What was the dominant religion in Venice? How were Jews treated and regarded?

The dominant religion in Venice was Roman Catholicism.

Jews were extremely badly treated in the area of Venice. There was even a decree by the higher authorities in the year 1527. It ordered all Jews to move to the zone of Cannaregio, where the ancient foundries for cannons were.

They were also discriminated and faced prejudice by the Christians, who formed the majority of the Venetians. They were often spat on and shouted at, even kicked, by the Christians. They were treated so, because the Jews were often the moneylenders who collect interest for the money lent to the Christians. They were not discriminated secretly, but instead were discriminated openly under broad daylight.

How is Venice a choice setting for the plot of this play?

The plot of this play “Merchant of Venice” revolves around possibly the element of trading in the case of Antonio the merchant as well as the lending of money for Shylock the moneylender. The former gave rise to the latter, so trading can be said to be the crux of the entire play, for if it was nonexistent, there would have been no plot.

Venice was a major trading centre and, as explained previously, was, in fact, the first and busiest trading power in the whole world. This sets the theme and plot right to have the setting in Venice, because the connotation of Venice was trading and this suited the story extremely well.

In addition, there was an extremely high degree of discrimination between the Christians and the Jews in Venice, going to extreme points of physical and emotional abuse.

It was also in Venice that the Christians acted as merchants in the sector of trade, and that Jews acted as moneylenders for them.

These three pointers fully substantiate and justify Venice being the choice setting for the play “Merchant of Venice”.

Resources:

Debdeb93. (August 2007). Echeat: “The lives of the Jews in Venice during the 16^th century”. http://www.echeat.com/essay.php?t=33311 (Accessed 11 June 2011)

ID1676263367. (Date Unknown). Wiki Answers: “What was Venice like in the sixteenth century?” http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_was_Venice_like_in_the_sixteenth_century#ixzz1P1nMwAf9 (Accessed 12 June 2011)

Best Regards,
Nathan :)

Topic 3: Customs and Lifestyles During the Elizabethan Era

Dear Readers,

The Elizabethan era was the period of time when England was under the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, but there were many interesting happenings, rules, and customs then. Read on to find out more!

Topic 3: Customs and Lifestyles during the Elizabethan Era

Elizabethan Diet

Water was not clean during that time, so people drank wine and ale. Honey was used to make an alcoholic drink called mead, consumed by both the rich and poor. Ciders and beers were also drunk then. Every day, the average Englishman consumes one gallon of low-alcoholic drinks.

Elizabethan food was purchased from small markets whereby each shop sold a particular food item, say vegetables or fruits. Meat is sold at large livestock markets.

Convenience foods include biscuits, pastries and also pies. Lower class workers consume simple lunches of bread and cheese, which is known as the “Ploughman’s Lunch”.

Cooking utensils used include pots, pans, kettles, skillets and even cauldrons, which most often associate with witches in our fairy tales when we were young. Baking trays are used instead of baking tins, and are referred to as “coffins”. The mortar and pestle are also used by the cooks who use nuts and spices in their food. The cooking methods are plentiful, like spit-roasting, baking, boiling, smoking, salting and frying, so it can be said that one food item can be cooked in many different ways during that time, just as it is in the modern-day world.

The visual effect of the food eaten by the nobles was extremely important during the Elizabethan era, and this included colours, method of presentation as well as some “props” like peacock feathers.

Elizabethan Dressing

The clothing during the Elizabethan era covered a wide variety; the gorgeous ones for the rich, and the raggedy ones for the poor. Men wore doublets and breeches, while women wore gowns and corsets. Both men and women wore hats, collars, ruffs, shoes and underclothes.

However, they were not allowed the freedom to wear whatever they wanted. Elizabethan clothing was governed strictly by the Elizabethan Sumptuary Laws, even colours. This claimed to ensure that the specific class structure was still maintained, so the punishments were extremely harsh, which went up to even execution.

Elizabethan Recreations

Who said that the people of old had no sense of entertainment and were always stern as ever? Recreations then included sports, music and of course, going to the theatres.

Elizabethans had sports tournaments, games, gambling, bear and bull baiting, hawking and hunting, fairs and festivals as sources of entertainment. Of course, the entertainment which is most renowned during the Elizabethan era and which is still fondly remembered today is the theatres and plays then, with Shakespearean plays being one of the more famous ones. Sports included archery, hammer-throwing, quoits, skittles and wrestling.

Team events were extremely significant during that time, whereby even card games included teams like in “Ruff and Honours”. Nonetheless, there were individual sports like fencing which attracted many bets and gambles.

Many of the sports played during the Elizabethan era are actually ancestors of modern-day games. “Battledore and Shuttlecock” is the ancestor of badminton, Elizabethan Bowls and Skittles those of ten-pin bowling, gameball is that of football, pall mall that of croquet, rounders that of baseball, stoolball that of cricket.

Music was extremely popular and important then. Ballads and simple songs relieved the monotonous tasks, especially amongst the lower classes. All Elizabethans went to church on Sundays, where hymns were sung. Music was also incorporated into plays, to emphasise and exude the mood of the play during that period of time.

Elizabethan Accommodation

The architecture of middle class houses was similar to traditional styles. Elizabethan Houses were framed with large vertical timbers, supported by diagonal timbers. The wattle walls were daubed with mortar and whitewash was then applied. Such houses had high chimneys, overhanging first floors, pillared porches, dormer windows and thatched roofs.

Resources:

Author Unknown. (Date Unknown). Queen Elizabeth I: “Elizabethan Life” http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/elizabethan-life.htm (Accessed 10 June 2011)

Best Regards,
Nathan :)

Topic 2: Queen Elizabeth I and the Politics of the Elizabethan Era

Dear Readers,

We have all heard about Queen Elizabeth I, but how much do we truly know about her? Read more about her here!

Topic 2: Elizabeth I and the Politics of the Elizabethan Era

Elizabeth I: who was she?

Elizabeth I was the daughter of King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, his second wife. She was born on 7 September 1533 at Greenwich Palace and succeeded the throne officially as Queen Elizabeth I on 17 November 1558. She died at Richmond Palace on 24 March 1603 at the ripe old age of 69. Under her wise leadership, England became one of the most prosperous countries in the world.

What were England’s international relations like during Elizabeth’s reign?

England had many conflicts with various countries under the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

The conflict with France and Scotland arose due to her cousin, Mary Stuart, who was the Queen of Scots and the wife of French King Francis II. In 1559, Mary declared herself Queen of England with the support of the whole of France after her husband’s death. Her mother Mary of Guise solidified the support for Mary in the neighbouring land of Scotland. Fortunately for Elizabeth, the Scottish lords who remained loyal to Elizabeth aided her and it ended in the signing of the Treaty of Edinburgh. She finally sealed her alliance with the French by giving them Calais, the last English settlement on mainland France. She even aided the French in fighting against the invading Spaniards, who took away Calais.

Ireland turned against England, as Pope Gregory XIII sent an army to help the Desmond Rebellions in Ireland, which caused much displeasure for the Irish monarchs.

Spain was a large rival for the English, as evident from the Anglo-Spanish War in 1585, which resulted in an eventual stalemate. Many attempts to free Netherlands from Spanish rule failed, though, as seen from the Drake-Norris Expedition, and a major English expedition in 1589.

Netherlands, however, was a Spanish colony which was aided greatly by England, who attempted to defeat their colonial masters.

What was Shakespeare’s relationship with Elizabeth I?

Elizabeth I was a great supporter of the arts, especially plays. After the closing of theatres, the Queen gathered her own group of performers to bring back the tradition of theatres and plays. Shakespeare’s writings were extremely renowned and the Queen herself was a big fan of his literary works. When Queen Elizabeth I had an idea or concept for Shakespeare’s plays, he accepted them, so many Shakespearean plays were performed for her during her reign over England. After her death, Shakespeare became distraught and included tragedies in his writings. Overall, Elizabeth’s reign had a positive effect on Shakespeare’s career, though there is no proof they ever met.

Compare Elizabeth I to Portia. How is Portia’s character a tribute to Elizabeth I?

The most obvious similarity between the two females is that Portia is the heiress to Belmont, which is matched with Elizabeth being the heiress of the English empire. They are also the “lead females” in that Portia led the court trial and was the star of it, and Queen Elizabeth was of course the most important and honoured figure in England.

Portia is witty and could see the loophole in Shylock’s agreement, which the other male leads were unable to. Similarly, Queen Elizabeth is an extremely intelligent figure in English history, and was able to lead England to many victorious battles.

Portia was not afraid to stand up against other men, as seen from her performance during the court trial, and was able to speak fluently and eloquently against the prosecutors. Queen Elizabeth often had to convey her ideas to an all-male council, who was often hostile towards a female monarch, but she never did once felt threatened by them.

Therefore, it is said that Portia in “Merchant of Venice” is a tribute to Elizabeth I, because Portia’s character is mirrored almost exactly, if not exactly, after that of Queen Elizabeth. Her strengths are played out and emphasised, as a successful leader, a daring feminist as well as a woman of substance.

Additional Note for Queen Elizabeth I

Nonetheless, Queen Elizabeth was undeniably a successful female monarch. She helped steady England after having to deal with an enormous sum of debts. She aided in the avoiding of a Spanish invasion and of a religious outbreak and possibly, a civil war in England. Therefore, we cannot help but applaud her wise leadership.

Resources:

Cherit, Alicia; Lipman, Dalia. (Date Unknown). Alicia Cherit’s and Dalia Lipman’s Website: “Queen Elizabeth I”, Major Events and Shakespeare. http://pages.ramaz.org/2013/chetral/shakespeare/Rt2_dalia%20lipman.htm (Accessed 9 June 2011)

Best Regards,
Nathan :)

Topic 1: Can The Real William Shakespeare Please Stand Up?

Dear Readers,

William Shakespeare is a renowned playwright during the olden times in all of English literature history, but it turns out that we might have been acknowledging an anonymous person, whose name is not William Shakespeare! Read the following to find out more!

Topic 1: Can the real William Shakespeare please stand up?

Why is William Shakspere of Stratford-upon-Avon an unlikely candidate for the authorship of Shakespeare’s works?

There are too many reasons justifying the saying that William Shakspere of Stratford was not the true Shakespeare whom almost everyone in the world knows today.

Firstly, throughout the Stratford man’s lifetime, there was no record of the author of the Shakespearean works being to Stratford-upon-Avon, neither did it say that the Stratford man was the true author of the works. In fact, the first mention of Stratford man being the Shakespeare we know today came ambiguously from the 1623 First Folio.

William Camden was the author of a book called Remaines, where he commended “Shakespeare”. He, however, omits the Stratford man’s name in his other books Annals and Stratford Worthies in 1616 and 1605 respectively. This proves that Camden never associated Shakspere of Stratford with Shakespeare.

There were also no records of any man called Shakespeare or Shakspere having relations with the inner court circles either.

The author of Shakespeare’s contemporary works had to be a knowledgeable person who was well-versed in many different fields, like law, music and foreign languages, which the Stratford man had no access to.

Shakspere of Stratford was never recorded to be an actor, whilst the William Shakespeare was commemorated as “the Principall Actors in all these Playes” in the 1623 First Folio. This was a direct contradiction, between the two men.

In Shakspere’s will, he mentioned about the inheritance of household furniture, but did not talk about any literary works, or manuscripts. Shakspere’s handwriting was only captured in his signatures, all on documents which had nothing to do with literary pieces or works, all of which were signed as “Shak”, and not “Shake”.

Shakspere was also not recorded to have left for London in 1585, which he should have if he was the true Shakespeare.

Who are the possible candidates? / Who is the most likely candidate for the authorship of Shakespeare’s works? Provide reasons to support your view.

The first candidate is Francis Bacon, who had a keen sense of intellect, sophistication, and learning, in addition to a firm grasp of the law. However, his writing style is extremely different from that of Shakespeare, where the latter’s was more richly metaphorical unlike Bacon’s.

Christopher Marlowe was the same age as Shakspere, and was said to have died in 1593. However, supporters said that he did not die but continued writing under a pseudonym, William Shakespeare. The year 1593 was also the first publication of Shakespeare’s works, which further justified Marlowe’s case. However, these are all weakly-supported conjectures, much less only provided by his supporters, which exude a definite bias.

Nonetheless, I feel that Edward de Vere, also known as Oxford, is the one who is the most likely candidate for the authorship of Shakespeare’s works.

The writing style of Oxford and Shakespeare are too similar to be ignored.

Shakespeare wrote Venus and Adonis and used the phrase “first heir of my invention”, which was a common sight in Oxford’s poetry, and nowhere else in other English poems.

Craig Huston showed in his books The Shakespeare Authorship Question, Evidence for Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford and some others that there were many parallels between Shakespeare’s and Oxford’s works.

Venus and Adonis indicates both knowledge of Arthur Golding’s translation of Ovid’s Metamorphoses and of the original. Golding was the Earl of Oxford’s uncle and lived in the Cecil household when Oxford was a ward of Cecil’s, also dedicating two of his other translations to Oxford.

Characters and incidents in Shakespeare’s works are really people related to Oxford.

In Hamlet, Polonius actually represented Lord Burghley, who was Oxford’s father-in-law. In Hamlet’s dialogue, knowledge of Burghley’s career is revealed.

Christopher Hatton was Oxford’s enemy, and was satirised as Malvolio in Twelfth Night, with his letter to the Queen being parodied.

Oxford also wrote an introduction to Thomas Bedingfield’s Cardanus Comfort, a major source book for Hamlet.

Oxford was the only possible candidate for “Shakespeare” who actually “bore the canopy” over the Queen during the celebration of the defeat of the Spanish Armada.

The infamous Oxford-Sidney tennis-court quarrel is likened to Polonius in Hamlet saying, “young men falling out at tennis”.

Due to injuries suffered in a duel, Oxford attested to his own “infirmity” in later life, which could be the lameness mentioned by the author of Sonnets 37, 66 and 89.

In 1573 young Oxford played pranks on travellers along the same stretch of road “between Rochester and Gravesend”. So did Prince Hal’s pals from the Boar’s Head Tavern in Henry IV, Part 1. The Vere family crest also featured a blue boar.

Oxford wrote the poem “Anne Vavasor’s Echo”, to his mistress Anne Vavasor, the “Dark Lady” of the sonnets, which is similar to parts of Venus and Adonis and Romeo and Juliet.

The details of Hamlet are also very similar to those of Oxford’s life.

Oxford had a probable reason for adopting the name William Shakespeare because Thomas Nashe may have been referring to him when he addressed a “Gentle Master William” and a “Master Sacred ox” in 1592. In the same pamphlet, Nashe also mentions “his very friend Master Apis Lapis” and “Will Monox”, which might refer to Oxford.

The reference by Ben Jonson to Shakespeare as “Sweet Swan of Avon” in the First Folio has been put forward to show Shakespeare must have been Shakspere of Stratford. However, Oxford had an estate, which was bounded by the Avon River on one side and the Forest of Arden.

Upon Oxford’s death in 1604, King James had eight Shakespeare plays produced at court. When Oxford’s widow died, a group of Shakespeare plays were produced.

All these fully justify Edward de Vere’s identity as William Shakespeare. Would you not agree with me?

Resources:

Shakespeare Oxford Society. (Date Unknown). Shakespeare Oxford Society: “A Beginner’s Guide to the Shakespeare Authorship Problem” http://www.shakespeare-oxford.com/?p=35#Introduction (Accessed 5 June 2011)

Best Regards,
Nathan :)