Cormick's Online Journal

Personal Response:

Mood – Lonely, old, distant. Set in an older time.

Thoughts/Ideas – Finding an older civilization, finding a reference to a higher being.

Questions – Who is Ozymandias, where is this, who found the stone.

Conclusions – None

Links – Things like the pyramids, stone henge, the Aztecs.

Structure:

The first part of the poem talks about how he finds the stone in the desert and leads us into what it could be. The second part just straight up tells us what it is with the words from Ozymandias appearing on the stone.

14 lines, 10 syllables a line. The same as a sonnet, just different groups. The some of the lines rhyme but not all.

Language Effects:

It is told from third person. We don’t know the name of the person who met the traveler.

• O, full of scorpions is my mind
• Out, out brief candle, life is but a walking shadow…
• Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires
• A little water clears us of this deed
• False face must hide what the false heart doth know
• Life is a tale, told by and idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing
• There’s no art to find the minds construction in the face
• Macbeth does murder sleep – the innocent sleep
• What art thou, but a dagger of the mind
• Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand?

• Skylight symbolism
• Always looking up
• Moving forward (up to the stars and up in society)
• How does ambition relate to Gattaca and how Vincent is always moving forward.

Ambition is a steady theme throughout the film Gattaca and is shown through several different ways. Vincent

During the film Gattaca, we can see Vincent’s ambition symbolized in the sky and how he is always looking up, moving forward. The term “moving up” often means becoming better or greater. This is true both figuratively and literally for Vincent. he is both moving up in society and hoping to travel up into space. His desire is made clear by the constant presence of the sky. It is always in the background of scenes, visible through windows, skylights or just because of the way the scene is shot. It represents Vincent’s one goal of going to space, always watching the rockets, both when he is a janitor and when he is a day away of going up. His goal never changes, despite how impossible it seems, proving that his ambition and dedication eventually paid off

• Symmetry
• Call-backs to another (older) era with suits and cars.
• Skylights in the building, always looking up to the sky, always moving forward (ambition).
• Very little variation in the people, buildings etc.
• Camera stays level with the characters, especially having Irene in the center of the shot.
• Vincent is filmed in the shade or off to one side.
• Jerome looks up the “helix” staircase.
• Crosscutting. Builds suspense.
• High angle shot on Jerome as he crawls up the stairs.
• Low angle shot on the car as it approaches the house.
• Close up on Jerome’s struggle.
• Showing Jerome’s legs in the shade dragging behind him, holding him back.
• The only green or foliage is under control, unable to grow past what is required.
• Telescope in the corner, yet more looking to the sky.
• The two Jeromes in one shot.
• The only time Irene does not look immaculate.

The film Gattaca, made in 1997 by writer and director Andrew Niccol, is a sci-fi movie based in the future, where most people born are genetically selected to be perfect. Those who aren’t, the “God children”, are considered flawed and lesser. This can be easily seen in the hierarchy, the “degenerates” often homeless or poor, while the perfect go on to succeed. The idea of modernism is clear throughout the movie and is clearly represented in the architecture. Modernism is about simplifying society, becoming more open and accepting. In Gattaca, the genetic selection does this job, creating people who are all equal, only discriminating those imperfect few. The architecture in the film is often simple yet elegant, with little to no colour, a reflection of the boring suits that all the genetically selected wear. This unifies those who can afford to live there, creating the best society where everyone lives the same way. With such similarity and such little diversity, it is obvious that genetic selection exists in more than just the people. The homes are designed to simplify society, only there to provide a service, much like the people who are made to succeed. The degenerates who can’t afford to live in these homes are forced into run-down, old houses. These houses are how the upper class see the genetically flawed; a waste of space. They are the only places in these new societies

Definition: The idea of progress and moving forward, becoming a more open and accepting society.

Modernism Architecture: Simple, while, open, relies on natural light. Basic shapes.

Was it always Macbeth’s destiny to become king, or was it his choice to act upon the Witches predictions that led him to that result. After hearing the Witches predictions, Macbeth says aside “if chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me without my stir”. This is to say, he doesn’t have to do anything and he will still become king. At first he is doubtful, but as they are greeted by Rosse and Angus and told by them that he is indeed the Thane of Cawdor, he begins to wonder. It was possible for the Witches to that he was named Thane of Cawdor, as the king announced it previously. They could have used it to gain Macbeth’s trust, making him think he would also become king. There could have been no foresight at all, the Witches just putting ideas in Macbeth’s head to make him act. This has further proof when Duncan names Malcolm as his successor. “We will establish our estate upon Our eldest, Malcolm, whom we name hereafter The Prince of Cumberland”. It would seem that Macbeth was never destined to be king. With his wife’s persuasion, he kills the king and places the blame upon Duncan’s children. Macbeth does end up in Duncan’s place, but he had to kill to get it. It was the Witches that caused him to act and in doing so, sealed both his fate and Banquos. Every action Macbeth makes brings the prophecy closer. He kills Banquo but his son escapes, leaving him to potentially be the next king of Scotland. If the Witches hadn’t intervened, Macbeth might never have been king.

She should have died hereafter. There would have been a time for such a word. Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, Creeps in this petty pace from day to day To the last syllable of recorded time, And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage And then is heard no more. It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.

“A player that struts and frets the hour”. This is an actor on stage signifying somebody’s life. “and then is heard no more”. Their life is over, leaving nothing but their legacy. Life is meaningless, only marked by what is left behind. This is being said by Macbeth as he has just lost Lady Macbeth. Through his “gain”, he has lost everything. When a new king takes over, Macbeth will be forgotten. He means nothing.

The iambic meter in this piece is interrupted, showing how Macbeth is unstable and has lost all of his confidence.

At the start of the play, our view rested on Macbeth shoulders. We were watching him as he finished off the rebels. He was an honorable man who we watched make choices in certain situations. Now, the view is shifted. We still see Macbeth, but he is the same as Macdonwald. He is now the same as the rebels, the Scottish soldiers on their way to kill him. It is a complete reverse.

Scene 1,2,3 and 4

These are very short scenes so I will go through them all quickly.

In the first scene, the Doctor and a Gentlewoman are waiting for Lady Macbeth, who the Gentlewoman has seen walking in her sleep, talking and writing letters. She emerges, talking about Banquos death and pretending to wash her hands. She has a light with her that she never leaves behind now. She talks about how her hands will never be clean, a stark contrast from the beginning, where Macbeth was saying the same thing and she was just acting like it was not a problem. She is going insane. The Doctor comments on how even resting, she is not allowed sleep.

In scene two, we meet all the traitorous lords who have ditched Macbeth to join the English army. They also mention the metaphor of how Macbeth’s secret murders are sticking to his hands. They are on their way to Birnam Wood.

In scene three we are back to Macbeth, in his castle. He says he is not afraid and that he will fight till he dies, something he thinks is impossible. He makes mention of how he doesn’t care that his lords have left, and of how all the cowardly soldiers on his side will be hanged.