Friday, February 22, 2013

Beowulf test: retakes? Take it by Tuesday

Reflective essays. Any problems. Work them out with me.

“To a Louse”


Canterbury: p 158 plowman, miller, summoner. We discussed and took notes.


Knight’s Tale

RTo A Louse. (p.844) On seeing one on a lady's bonnet at church. The following Burns' poem again has one line that is often quoted, though I doubt that most readers would have no idea where it comes from, or what the subject of the line refers to. It never ceases to amaze me in reading his poems, the depth of his understanding of human nature and his interpretation of it to the animal kingdom. It was one Sunday while sitting behind a young 'lady' in the church, that he noticed a head louse roaming over its domain in the bows and ribbons of her hat, and I assume her hair. Poor woman, little did she know that she would, with her head companion, be the subject of one of Burns' poems, on how we see ourselves, and how we think other people see us. Ha! Whare ye gaun, ye crowlin ferlie? 
 Your impudence protects you sairly, 
 I canna say but ye strut rarely 
 Owre gauze and lace, 
 Tho' faith! I fear ye dine but sparely 
 On sic a place.

 Ye ugly, creepin, blastit wonner, 
 Detested, shunn'd by saunt an' sinner, 
 How daur ye set your fit upon her -- 
 Sae fine a lady! 
 Gae somewhere else and seek your dinner
 On some poor body.

 Swith! in some beggar's hauffet squattle: 
 There you may creep, and sprawl, and sprattle Wi' ither kindred, jumping cattle, 
 In shoals and nations; 
 Whare horn nor bane ne'er dare unsettle 
 Your thick plantations.

 Now haud you there! ye're out o' sight, 
 Below the fatt'rils, snug an' tight; 
 Na, faith ye yet! ye'll no be right, 
 Till ye've got on it --- 
 The vera tapmost, tow'ring height 
 O' miss's bonnet.

 My sooth! right bauld ye set your nose out,
 As plump an' grey as onie grozet: 
 O for some rank, mercurial rozet, 
 Or fell, red smeddum, 
 I'd gie ye sic a hearty dose o't, 
 Wad dress your droddum!

 I wad na been surpris'd to spy 
 You on an auld wife's flainen toy: 
 Or aiblins some bit duddie boy, 
 On's wyliecoat; 
 But Miss's fine Lunardi! fye! 
 How daur ye do't.

 O Jenny, dinna toss your head, 
 An' set your beauties a' abread! You little ken what cursed speed 
 The blastie's makin! 
 Thae winks an' finger-ends, I dread, 
 Are notice takin'!

 O wad some Power the giftie gie us 
 To see oursels as ithers see us! 
 It wad frae monie a blunder free us, 
 An' foolish notion: 
 What airs in dress an' gait wad lea'e us, 
 An' ev'n devotion To A Louse. (p.844) On seeing one on a lady's bonnet at church. The following Burns' poem again has one line that is often quoted, though I doubt that most readers would have no idea where it comes from, or what the subject of the line refers to. It never ceases to amaze me in reading his poems, the depth of his understanding of human nature and his interpretation of it to the animal kingdom. It was one Sunday while sitting behind a young 'lady' in the church, that he noticed a head louse roaming over its domain in the bows and ribbons of her hat, and I assume her hair. Poor woman, little did she know that she would, with her head companion, be the subject of one of Burns' poems, on how we see ourselves, and how we think other people see us. Ha! Where are you going, you crawling wonder?
 Your impudence protects you sorely, I can not say but you swagger rarely
 Over gauze and lace,
 Though faith! I fear you dine but sparingly
 On such a place

 You ugly, creeping, blasted wonder,
 Detested, shunned by saint and sinner,
 How dare you set your foot upon her – Such fine a lady!
 Go somewhere else and seek your dinner
 On some poor body

 Off! in some beggar's temples squat:
 There you may creep, and sprawl, and scramble,
 With other kindred, jumping cattle,
 In shoals and nations;
 Where horn nor bone never dare unsettle
 Your thick plantations

 Now hold you there! you are out of sight,
 Below the falderals, snug and tight;
 No, faith you yet! you will not be right,
 Until you have got on it ---
 The very topmost, towering height
 Of misses bonnet.

 My sooth! right bold you set your nose out,
 As plump and gray as any gooseberry:
 O for some rank, mercurial resin,
 Or deadly, red powder,
 I would give you such a hearty dose of it,
 Would dress your breech!

 I would not have been surprised to spy
 You on an old wife's flannel cap:
 Or maybe some small ragged boy,
 On his undervest;
 But Miss's fine balloon bonnet! fye!
 How dare you do it.

 O Jenny do not toss your head,
 And set your beauties all abroad!
 You little know what cursed speed
 The blastie's making!
 Those winks and finger-ends, I dread,
 Are notice takiing!

 O would some Power the gift to give us
 To see ourselves as others see us!
 It would from many a blunder free us,
 And foolish notion:
 What airs in dress and gait would leave us,
 And even devotion! Reminder: Monday, February 25, Half a page written on what women want. Tuesday, February 26, An extra credit point for each line of Burn's poem that you have memorized and recite to the class. These lines need to be consecutive and must be from the original poem. Recitation must be in front of the class.