Act 20: The death of Calisto and Malibea just reminded me of Romeo and Juliet. The two characters were similar in a way as Calisto fell in love with Malibea just by looking at her and when one died the other could not live on. I thought it though much to dramatic and over the top the suicide of Malibea. At least Romeo and Juliet tried to be together and died due to silly mistakes on both their parts. Calisto's death was an accident while Malibea deliberately goes out of her way to kill herself. Both Malibea and Juliet can't live without their Romeo's and they take their lives to join their lovers in the after life.
It kind of surprised me that Malibea took her life like that, I didn't think that she would let her emotions control her like and cause her to think that way. There was no way the Malibea's father could have saved her and it was typical of the author to make it so that her father had no way of stopping her. After a few lines you could see that she was going to die or do something irrational and it was marked as a tragedy.
Act 21: The parts don't say much until the end of the story but parents are rarely paid mind or listened to in real life or in fiction. The speech at the end of the play was to show how the parents were blind to what was going on with their child, just as Romeo and Juliet's parents realized the wrongs and hurt they brought upon themselves and their children over a silly feud. The mother I believed was mentioned so little was because she was given lines in the beginning but she was one to let her daughter do what ever she wanted as she left her with Celestina who caught Malibea in her trap. Malibea's father is so much more torn about what happened to his daughter, it looks like Malibea was daddy's little girl.
To the say the least, the reason I believe that the Malibea' parents showed up now was because it could be the meaning that at times parents are to late to recognize what is going on with their child and the don't realize it it was too late. I also believe the reason why they were more shocked at the committing suicide than catching her with another man is because it seems like it is more common place for women to take on lovers and her parents probably didn't think she would take her life so dramatically.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Celestina Day Four
Act 12: I liked Celestina and so I thought it was just that Parmeno and Sempronio died after killing her. They killed her out of greed really, they had no real reason. They knew who they were dealing with when they asked for the assistance of Celestina and it's their own fault that she was more witty than they were. It was just her misfortune that she didn't consider the possible danger that she put herself in when she decided to trick the boys and thinking that they would not take revenge or try to take the money by force. I don't think you can really sympathize with Sempronio or what to as he is very cocky and thinks really only of what he is going to gain and is arrogant, thinking himself more intelligent and above others. Parmeno didn't really like Celestina, in a way he was Celestina but for me he didn't really evoke like or dislike for him as a character.
Act 13/14: Calisto was more concerned with people finding out the dealings he had with Celestina and what his plans were, what his intentions were with Malibea more than being sad about the fact that his servants both died or that Celestina died. His main concern was himself and that his plans didn't fall through. He grieves because he does not want to lose his chance with Malibea. I don't think that he's grieving or ever was, he was just trying to save his own skin.
Act 13/14: Calisto was more concerned with people finding out the dealings he had with Celestina and what his plans were, what his intentions were with Malibea more than being sad about the fact that his servants both died or that Celestina died. His main concern was himself and that his plans didn't fall through. He grieves because he does not want to lose his chance with Malibea. I don't think that he's grieving or ever was, he was just trying to save his own skin.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Celestina Day 3
Chapter 7:
Celestina uses her age to try and flatter Areusa , as she talks about her beauty and youth as a great gift, something that she should share with others which is really her alluding to the fact that she is trying to set up Areusa with Parmeno, who she had promised her to. Celestina uses her age, that shows she has experience to trick and persuade Areusa to take Parmeno as a lover.
Areusa asks for a remedy for an illness she has though does not know what it is and Celestina, who knows more because of her age and experience is able to manipulate and get Areusa to do her bidding. I think that her being as old as she is and having done a lot of things in her life and Areusa, who is still young and naive and doesn't know everything yet I would say that Celestina has more wisdom that Areusa does. The older you are with all the experience and mistakes you make the wiser you grow. With those who are younger they have yet to learn and grow and gain wisdom which is what leads them to do foolish things and fall into traps just like Areusa did.
Chapter 8:
The quote by Sempronio to me means that not everything that you assume to be just because something is not one thing doesn't mean it can't be another nor not all things that are what you would categorize show as should be placed there. In relation to the book Sempronio said this to try and calm Calisto down from trying to rush Celestina into getting him what he wanted. Calisto is a man who wants instant gratification. Sempronio thinks it wise to not rush Celestina and to let her do her work. He tells him that though he sounds wise it is only because Calisto is so blind by love that he thinks any advice is great advice.
Chapter 9:
No one can be trusted in this book, you sometimes can't even trust those who you think are trustworthy or are true to themselves. There is no trust without trickery to try and test how well that trust withstands. There is trust in others to trick others into doing thier will or what is to believed to be their will but under all circumstance everyone is tricking everyone even themselves. I don't think that Sempronio or Parmeno should trust Celestina as she is a sketchy person and as already seen she can manipulate people to do thier bidding. They trust her though because they see their master is an idiot and they expect to get a cut out of the profit that she makes so for therm it is a win win situation. They also think that they can outsmart her if she tried to pull anything funny so they seem to underestimate her and think that she is a push over.
Celestina uses her age to try and flatter Areusa , as she talks about her beauty and youth as a great gift, something that she should share with others which is really her alluding to the fact that she is trying to set up Areusa with Parmeno, who she had promised her to. Celestina uses her age, that shows she has experience to trick and persuade Areusa to take Parmeno as a lover.
Areusa asks for a remedy for an illness she has though does not know what it is and Celestina, who knows more because of her age and experience is able to manipulate and get Areusa to do her bidding. I think that her being as old as she is and having done a lot of things in her life and Areusa, who is still young and naive and doesn't know everything yet I would say that Celestina has more wisdom that Areusa does. The older you are with all the experience and mistakes you make the wiser you grow. With those who are younger they have yet to learn and grow and gain wisdom which is what leads them to do foolish things and fall into traps just like Areusa did.
Chapter 8:
The quote by Sempronio to me means that not everything that you assume to be just because something is not one thing doesn't mean it can't be another nor not all things that are what you would categorize show as should be placed there. In relation to the book Sempronio said this to try and calm Calisto down from trying to rush Celestina into getting him what he wanted. Calisto is a man who wants instant gratification. Sempronio thinks it wise to not rush Celestina and to let her do her work. He tells him that though he sounds wise it is only because Calisto is so blind by love that he thinks any advice is great advice.
Chapter 9:
No one can be trusted in this book, you sometimes can't even trust those who you think are trustworthy or are true to themselves. There is no trust without trickery to try and test how well that trust withstands. There is trust in others to trick others into doing thier will or what is to believed to be their will but under all circumstance everyone is tricking everyone even themselves. I don't think that Sempronio or Parmeno should trust Celestina as she is a sketchy person and as already seen she can manipulate people to do thier bidding. They trust her though because they see their master is an idiot and they expect to get a cut out of the profit that she makes so for therm it is a win win situation. They also think that they can outsmart her if she tried to pull anything funny so they seem to underestimate her and think that she is a push over.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Celestina Acts 3-4
Question 1: What this quote is trying to say is that those men who think they are in love or just want a girl want her right then and there. They find it tortuous to wait for something that they want. When it says that they want to put their thoughts into actions, if men could they would do whatever they thought and be instantly satisfied. When it comes to love and relationships I don't believe that it's just men, it's both men and women. Men do want a quick fix to things. When a problem arises they try to find the fastest way to fix it and they don't want to drag the problem out. Women are much more into wanting to take about things and think about every little thing. Men are more into wanting an instant satisfaction and women want to prolong and make it last.
Question 2: When it says that the rich sing a different tune, they do. They are much more happier and relaxed and not having to worry about much expect who is going to carry on with their fortune while the poor sing a tune of distress, on edge because they don't know when their next meal is going to be and what is going to become of them as their future is a constant worry.
Question 3: You want to think that Celestina is true to her word and that she is going to share in her wealth with her friends who gave her the idea and opportunity to do so but you can't really trust anyone as everyone is backstabbing and turning their backs on each other. So trust Celestina, I would say no. It is smart and respectful not to trust her and she in turn is wary and aware of the others. She is not going to be played. I do think though that she will share in her profit.
Question 2: When it says that the rich sing a different tune, they do. They are much more happier and relaxed and not having to worry about much expect who is going to carry on with their fortune while the poor sing a tune of distress, on edge because they don't know when their next meal is going to be and what is going to become of them as their future is a constant worry.
Question 3: You want to think that Celestina is true to her word and that she is going to share in her wealth with her friends who gave her the idea and opportunity to do so but you can't really trust anyone as everyone is backstabbing and turning their backs on each other. So trust Celestina, I would say no. It is smart and respectful not to trust her and she in turn is wary and aware of the others. She is not going to be played. I do think though that she will share in her profit.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Celestina Acts 1-2
In the opening scene when Calisto comes across Melibea, he finds her in her garden. Well to connect her with the garden, a garden is a place of beauty with all the flowers and plants growing there. Women are associated with beauty, beauty is a feminine description of something, one doesn't say, "oh my this is a handsome garden!" I mean they can but it's not something commonly said. Women have been compared man a time to a flower which is found in a garden as women are as beautiful and delicate as a flower. Some flowers have thorns to protect themselves as we see with Melibea who is not won over by Calisto's words or lust. The connection to the garden can also be in seen in a biblical way and there is mention, in several parts of the texts to the bible and many know the story of Adam and Eve and how they got kicked out of the garden. Though it can be said that Calisto thinks of Melibea as Paradise, Eden in a a sense so it's not a bad thing when in reference to the bible. But the garden can be a symbol of women and how they are seen not only as things of beauty but later can bring trouble in the case of what happened to Adam and Eve with the serpent in the garden.
When Calisto begins to talk to Melibea, it sounds like he is complimenting her greatly, that God has favored him with such a sight that he is unworthy of. He confesses to her that he has great affection for her and that he wants her. She though won't have him, sees that he only wants her for her body. She really shuts him down and tells him to leave, she doesn't have patience for him and his wit that has gotten him no where. I don't think she took to kindly to him trespassing and trying to just get with her to sleep with her as she took it.
When he goes home and takes to Sempronio, he pours his heart out and acts like a love sick puppy and acts as if it is the end of the world that Melibea does not want him. Sempronio thinks that he is going mad and he does sound mad and a bit idiotic as he is going a bit far with his love for this women he only just met. He denys being a Chrisitian and says that he is a Melibean and he worships her, that Melibea is God. Sempronio takes advantage of this, finding this as an opportunity to get what ever he wants from his master who will do anything to get Melibea.
I found it interesting what Semperino said about women, I kind of agreed with the things that he said. He seemed to try and appease Calisto and say that any man could get any woman he wanted, that woman of higher rank were not out of reach as even they have slept with lowlier men and even animals and he made a reference to Pasiphae and the bull which was a myth where Posideon as a way of revenge on Minos made his wife Pasipae fall in love with a bull. Semprino has a lot to say about women and says that many a philosopher and clergy warn men against women, they are all of the same opinion when it comes to female. It is said that 'wine and women male men lose their religion", and so they though it is not about all women, those who are "holy and noble women whose resplendent virtues mitigate the general vituperation that otherwise would fall upon their sex." He describes at length about women after that and says to Calisto to "Consider how few are the brains that lie beneath those great and delicate veils!" He means by that there are very few females that actually are intelligent and "how few the thoughts that lie beneath those gorgets" (gorgets are a nun's headdress) He refers back to Eden to saying that a woman is the "Weapon of the devil, origin of sin,and the destruction of Paradise" (refer back to having met Melibea in the garden) and he goes on to quote Saint John who said "This is woman, the ancient malice who cast Father Adam from the delights of Paradise. She it was who sent humanity to hell." After Calisto's retort, who said that even those great men fell to women, Sempromio goes on to talk about how women act and i agree with some of what he says. He tells him to flee women who are decietful creatures and are hard to figure out. He says "it is no easy job to figure them out. They have no method, no order, no plan." Which is true as women are not strategists like men who like to have a plan and are practical, logical creatures. Then he goes on to say "They begin by pretending to be aloof when they really mean to offer themselves" which is true which would mean that women tend to put up a front to hide their true feelings for a man. They play that game though to entice men as they are viewed to be desperate and easy were they to be compliant and make themselves easy targets for men who only want to use them. He goes on to say that "they invite and send away, they beckon, they reject" and says that "they are prone to sudden wrath, and then they quite as unexpectedly calm down" which is all very true for the women in the story as well as in the present. And Calisto is curious as to how he knows all this and how it applies to him. Sempromio says that women taught him this and he tell him because he believe him to be a good man and he should not be falling victim to the whims of a woman. Calisto is not swayed, he continues to worship and adore Melibea and thinks that she is above all, she is special, an exception. Sempromio plays with this and just gives Calisto hope as he tells him that she is acting this way because she is hiding her flaws and her hate is actually love for Calisto. This just shows how much of a sucker Calisto is and Sempromio is going to play this to his advantage. It just looks like he played reverse psychology on Calisto, so instead of turning him off of women, he just fuels Calisto's desire.
Celestina is quite a character. She is a women who is witty and knows what she is and what she wants and how to get it. She is not ashamed of what she is as Parmeno pointed out in his little speech about her. She is not cross about being called a whore, she though she takes up the identity of a seamstress, to those who know her is open about what she does. First impression is that she will be an interesting character and she is witty and will probably be the one winning in the end. She is a matchmaker of sorts, helping those get what they want when is comes to love or men trying to get women that they want. She takes girls in and helps them out. Celestina is no fool either, she is on step ahead of every one when she first makes the plan to pretend as if they didn't know Calisto and Parmeno were coming down the stairs and then heard Parmeno's warning to Calisto and knew that Parmeno knew what she was trying to do. The talk between Parmeno and Celestina looked as if Parmeno was going to see right through her and would not fall for her plans, making it look as if Celestina had underestimated him but later we see that Celestina had the right idea after all as Parmeno does exactly what she wants. When she figures out who Parmeno is and who his mother was she uses that information to her advantage of him. She sees it as a leverage to appeal to his greedy nature, she knows him better than he knows himself.
Going to Parmeno's speech, Celestina was described as having "six trades: seamstress, perfumer, cosmetic maker, repairer of maidenheads, go-betweener, and a bit of a witch." She is a jack of all trades and she besides being a whore she took in girls and helped them out, made them over as if a make up artist. She trades her skills for anything of value. Parmeno says that she is not offended by being called an old whore. He says "She is as overjoyed to hear herself so called as you are when people call you a perfect gentleman." So she views it as a compliment and is not taken offense to it. He goes on to say "She holds the classification I have given her to be her name and title." In her community she is viewed as the old whore and he gets descriptive as in where ever she goes people, animals, objects, the air even says 'old whore", as if it is her chant, her call whenever any one need her. Parmeno even says that "if she is with a hundred women and someone says "old whore", she turns her head without hesitation and answers with a joyful countenance." so like batman has his own signal to call on him, so does she. He goes on to say that though she takes in girls she gives them away as well. She gave innocent girls away in reparation for something else of value. She was a business woman through and through. The interesting part and I don't know how she can do that, is she repairs maidenheads and she made a girl a virgin three times over. I don't know how she did that. She also made perfume and make up which she sold. A very resourceful women to know how to do many things and make a profit from it.
When Calisto begins to talk to Melibea, it sounds like he is complimenting her greatly, that God has favored him with such a sight that he is unworthy of. He confesses to her that he has great affection for her and that he wants her. She though won't have him, sees that he only wants her for her body. She really shuts him down and tells him to leave, she doesn't have patience for him and his wit that has gotten him no where. I don't think she took to kindly to him trespassing and trying to just get with her to sleep with her as she took it.
When he goes home and takes to Sempronio, he pours his heart out and acts like a love sick puppy and acts as if it is the end of the world that Melibea does not want him. Sempronio thinks that he is going mad and he does sound mad and a bit idiotic as he is going a bit far with his love for this women he only just met. He denys being a Chrisitian and says that he is a Melibean and he worships her, that Melibea is God. Sempronio takes advantage of this, finding this as an opportunity to get what ever he wants from his master who will do anything to get Melibea.
I found it interesting what Semperino said about women, I kind of agreed with the things that he said. He seemed to try and appease Calisto and say that any man could get any woman he wanted, that woman of higher rank were not out of reach as even they have slept with lowlier men and even animals and he made a reference to Pasiphae and the bull which was a myth where Posideon as a way of revenge on Minos made his wife Pasipae fall in love with a bull. Semprino has a lot to say about women and says that many a philosopher and clergy warn men against women, they are all of the same opinion when it comes to female. It is said that 'wine and women male men lose their religion", and so they though it is not about all women, those who are "holy and noble women whose resplendent virtues mitigate the general vituperation that otherwise would fall upon their sex." He describes at length about women after that and says to Calisto to "Consider how few are the brains that lie beneath those great and delicate veils!" He means by that there are very few females that actually are intelligent and "how few the thoughts that lie beneath those gorgets" (gorgets are a nun's headdress) He refers back to Eden to saying that a woman is the "Weapon of the devil, origin of sin,and the destruction of Paradise" (refer back to having met Melibea in the garden) and he goes on to quote Saint John who said "This is woman, the ancient malice who cast Father Adam from the delights of Paradise. She it was who sent humanity to hell." After Calisto's retort, who said that even those great men fell to women, Sempromio goes on to talk about how women act and i agree with some of what he says. He tells him to flee women who are decietful creatures and are hard to figure out. He says "it is no easy job to figure them out. They have no method, no order, no plan." Which is true as women are not strategists like men who like to have a plan and are practical, logical creatures. Then he goes on to say "They begin by pretending to be aloof when they really mean to offer themselves" which is true which would mean that women tend to put up a front to hide their true feelings for a man. They play that game though to entice men as they are viewed to be desperate and easy were they to be compliant and make themselves easy targets for men who only want to use them. He goes on to say that "they invite and send away, they beckon, they reject" and says that "they are prone to sudden wrath, and then they quite as unexpectedly calm down" which is all very true for the women in the story as well as in the present. And Calisto is curious as to how he knows all this and how it applies to him. Sempromio says that women taught him this and he tell him because he believe him to be a good man and he should not be falling victim to the whims of a woman. Calisto is not swayed, he continues to worship and adore Melibea and thinks that she is above all, she is special, an exception. Sempromio plays with this and just gives Calisto hope as he tells him that she is acting this way because she is hiding her flaws and her hate is actually love for Calisto. This just shows how much of a sucker Calisto is and Sempromio is going to play this to his advantage. It just looks like he played reverse psychology on Calisto, so instead of turning him off of women, he just fuels Calisto's desire.
Celestina is quite a character. She is a women who is witty and knows what she is and what she wants and how to get it. She is not ashamed of what she is as Parmeno pointed out in his little speech about her. She is not cross about being called a whore, she though she takes up the identity of a seamstress, to those who know her is open about what she does. First impression is that she will be an interesting character and she is witty and will probably be the one winning in the end. She is a matchmaker of sorts, helping those get what they want when is comes to love or men trying to get women that they want. She takes girls in and helps them out. Celestina is no fool either, she is on step ahead of every one when she first makes the plan to pretend as if they didn't know Calisto and Parmeno were coming down the stairs and then heard Parmeno's warning to Calisto and knew that Parmeno knew what she was trying to do. The talk between Parmeno and Celestina looked as if Parmeno was going to see right through her and would not fall for her plans, making it look as if Celestina had underestimated him but later we see that Celestina had the right idea after all as Parmeno does exactly what she wants. When she figures out who Parmeno is and who his mother was she uses that information to her advantage of him. She sees it as a leverage to appeal to his greedy nature, she knows him better than he knows himself.
Going to Parmeno's speech, Celestina was described as having "six trades: seamstress, perfumer, cosmetic maker, repairer of maidenheads, go-betweener, and a bit of a witch." She is a jack of all trades and she besides being a whore she took in girls and helped them out, made them over as if a make up artist. She trades her skills for anything of value. Parmeno says that she is not offended by being called an old whore. He says "She is as overjoyed to hear herself so called as you are when people call you a perfect gentleman." So she views it as a compliment and is not taken offense to it. He goes on to say "She holds the classification I have given her to be her name and title." In her community she is viewed as the old whore and he gets descriptive as in where ever she goes people, animals, objects, the air even says 'old whore", as if it is her chant, her call whenever any one need her. Parmeno even says that "if she is with a hundred women and someone says "old whore", she turns her head without hesitation and answers with a joyful countenance." so like batman has his own signal to call on him, so does she. He goes on to say that though she takes in girls she gives them away as well. She gave innocent girls away in reparation for something else of value. She was a business woman through and through. The interesting part and I don't know how she can do that, is she repairs maidenheads and she made a girl a virgin three times over. I don't know how she did that. She also made perfume and make up which she sold. A very resourceful women to know how to do many things and make a profit from it.
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