Walcott's Modern View of the Odyssey

In "Map of the New World," Walcott describes a boat traveling through archipelagoes of the New World. He references the Odyssey, conveying a legacy of colonization and war.

Walcott makes a parallel between the sailboat in the Americas and Odysseus. After "the sail will lose sight of the islands," Walcott bridges the gap between the subjects he compares: "The ten-years war is finished." This ambiguous claim refers to the sail, but also to the next subject - he describes the damage of the Trojan War from which Odysseus flees. The notion of irreversible destruction applies to both that from which the sail returns and the Trojan War.

Walcott writes with more specificity about the Trojan War than the sail of the first half of the poem - much is left to inference. By equating the sail with Odysseus in his journey home, however, Walcott suggests the harm done to the New World is comparable to the destruction of Troy.

This analogy serves much more than to fill in the ambiguities of "Map of the New World." In the last stanza, Walcott describes a man who "plucks the first line of the Odyssey." After the damage described earlier in the poem, the (presumably Western) man continues to read this epic poem, considered one of the finest works of Western literature. The epic is so ingrained into Western culture, that its subject matter of colonization and war is as well. The literature the West values may not have a direct correlation with its imperialistic tendencies. Nevertheless, just as the Odyssey has been embraced by the West for centuries, so has its pattern of invasion and subjugation of other cultures.

The Significance of Raskolnikov's Encounter with the Tradesman (Response to Question 12)

Toward the ending of Part 3 of Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov encounters a stranger who claims to know him to be guilty of the crime of the murder of his landlord. Raskolnikov is confused - he asks the tradesman several of the many questions he has to ask: "But why do you ... come asking ... and say nothing ... what does it mean?" (272). Raskolnikov does not know where to begin, and feels threatened by this man. He makes another attempt: ""What do you .... what ... who is a murderer?" (272). Raskolnikov is so struck by the few words the tradesman does say that his reaction is both mental and physical. Upon being called a murderer, "his legs suddenly became terribly weak, a chill ran down his spine, and it was as if his heart stood still for a moment; then all at once it began pounding as if it had jumped off the hook" (272). As the tradesman walks away, Raskolnikov's face goes "pale," hi eyes "deadened," and stands "motionlessly" (272).

Raskolnikov's reaction demonstrates not only a guilty conscience, but disdain for his crime. Though the tradesman clearly knows Raskolnikov is a criminal, he does not reveal how he knows this, how he can prove this, or even if he intends to do either. The tradesman is only threatening in his ability to make Raskolnikov admit and suffer for his crime. The description of his legs becoming "weak" and of his heart "standing still" connote not physical pain, but death. The vocabulary Dostoesvsky employs - "pale," "deadened" and "motionlessly" - further portrays Raskolnikov as though he were dying. The words of the tradesman cause Raskolnikov to disintegrate, as it were, just like the murdered woman has. Raskolnikov feels such tremendous guilt over his crime that he seems to have a propensity to suffer the same consequences his victim did.

Humor in Free Indirect Discourse in Austen's Pride and Prejudice

In Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen utilizes free indirect discourse in many ways. She communicates to the reader what the characters do not express and gives explanation of plot and setting where required.

Austen makes use of free indirect discourse for another, less functional, purpose - to humor the reader. For instance, when characters convene for breakfast in Chapter VIII, she makes a risible contrast between two men: "(Mr. Darcy) was divided between admiration of the brilliancy which exercise had given to her complexion, and doubt as to the occasion's justifying her coming so far alone. (Mr. Hurst) was thinking only of his breakfast" (24). Preceded by the description of Mr. Darcy's inquisitiveness, the description of Mr. Hurst's simplicity exaggerates this quality. Following the complex, multiclaused sentence pertaining to Mr. Darcy with a short one referring to Mr. Hurst accentuates the contrast Austen chooses to demonstrate.

Austen achieves the same effect in informing the reader of the characters' activities as Jane remains ill: "Elizabeth did not quit her room for a moment, nor were the other ladies often absent; the gentlemen being out, they had in fact nothing to do elsewhere" (24). Explaining the gentlemen's absence with a commitment to do nothing is humorous in itself. Placing this after a description of the women's attentiveness and activity makes a contrast makes the men look even sillier.

These two instances are humorous, but at the same time, they are cutting: Austen clearly holds little regard for Mr. Hurst, and she disapproves of the men's waisting time with no worries as others make themselves useful, out of genuine concern. Austen's humorous writing may entertain the reader, but it also provides an outlet for her cynicism and criticism. It is these risible moments when Austen makes her stance most clear, barely veiling it with a laugh.

Margaret's Judgments in Faust

In Faust, there exist multiple judgments regarding Margaret's crime. Her family and town scorn her for losing her virginity before marriage, condemning her to a dismal life. In deeming her actions as sins, Margaret herself holds the same beliefs of those of her family and town. There might be various judgments, however, among the audience. Margaret has sinned, but her wrongs may be considered collateral damage from Faust's commitment to greed and lust, inspired by Mephistopheles. Dramatic irony serves to divide (perhaps some of) the audiences' beliefs from those of the characters, unaware of Faust's loyalty to the Devil and thereby, the exceptional nature of the offense.

In "Night," Valentine provides a view of Margaret similar to that of the other characters (with the exception of Martha) in the play, but more substantiated. Valentine suggests that Margaret's behavior is not only immoral, but superficially Christian. He tells her: "You shall no longer wear your golden chain, / nor pray to God before the altar, / nor seek your pleasures at a dance / decked out in lace and finery" (341). The "golden chain" may refer to one with a crucifix that she wears; if this is the case, Valentine hints at the many flaws in such a necklace. Not only does a golden chain crudely display of wealth, but it passively accessorizes and luxuriates the painful event of Christ's death. By following the prediction that Margaret will be unable to pray with the loss of the privilege to dress well and enjoy social occasions, in the same sentence, Valentine reveals a possible equation of religious activity with frivolity. Whether or not Valentine's perspective was perceived by the audience as harsh or right, it has a reasonable basis. Valentine provides a fresh and rational view on Margaret's allegedly innocent behavior, thus narrowing the gap between the views of the characters, whom he represents, and those of an audience which, as (then) Christian, values humility and sincerity.