A Spotify Curated Playlist for Witch #1 (@iamabadwitch101)

Every year Spotify allows users to delve into their past listening history by compiling a playlist of 100 songs that you played the most that year.  In this special 2018 Spotify playlist curation, Spotify has created playlists for your fav Shakespeare characters! These are the music compilations I have been needing.  

1. Magic by Coldplay

This is the kind of song I was expecting when I opened up the playlist for Witch #1.  Just hearing the word “witch” invokes the idea of magic and potions and spells, oh my!  In the text when the witches are delivering their prophecy and casting their magical spells Shakespeare writes, “Foul is fair, and fair is foul”.  This representation of the dichotomy of appearance vs. reality is also presented within the Coldplay song. For example, in the opening lines of the song it says, “Call it magic, call it true”.  It is of the common conception that magic is not real and so here again there is a dichotomy representing what is reality and what is fantastical. From this song we can understand that the Spotify playlist curators believe in the idea that the witches and their supernatural powers are not to be taken at face value, they are hiding secrets and mysterious events are to come in the future.  

2. No Pressure by Justin Bieber

I applaud Spotify’s choice of this song, number one because it is by Justin Bieber, but number 2 because in the song Bieber talks about how a girl he likes, doesn’t have to make her mind up (regarding potentially dating him) at the moment.  In his song he sings, “You ain't gotta make your mind up, You ain't gotta make your mind up right now”.  This connects to how the witches deal with Macbeth.  The witches present their prophecy to Macbeth (in a somewhat creepy way I might add) but yet Shakespeare is careful to ensure that the witches do not exert any physical force upon Macbeth.  They didn’t peer pressure him into killing the king….and all the other people Macbeth has murdered, they simply planted the idea into his mind. And this is exactly what Justin Bieber is doing- planting the idea of dating him (*insert heart eyes here*) but not forcing anything that the girl doesn’t want.  

3. Beware by Big Sean (the clean version of course)
   Megan if you’re reading this blog post please know that I am sending you this entire playlist that Spotify made for Witch #1, solely because it includes this song.  With this song Spotify kind of took an indirect blow at the witches, it’s almost as if the compilers of this playlist were indirectly warning the people of Scotland and England about the events that were to unfold- BEWARE CITIZENS OF SCOTLAND AND ENGLAND.  This relates to the idea that the witches were responsible for the outcome of the events in Macbeth- i.e. Macbeth going on a killing rampage and trying to fulfill the prophecy that they presented.  Now I cannot speak on the background of the witches because I am not entirely sure what happened to them or why they possess supernatural powers, but in the song Big Sean sings, “You should beware, beware, beware, of a woman with a broken heart.”  This relates to when the witches tell Macbeth, “The power of man, for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth,” This is an indirect warning saying hey Macbeth, you should BEWARE of a man born from a c-section.

4. Something Big by Shawn Mendes

The high beat and tempo of this song helps to develop the feeling of unease and anxiety that made the audience feel on the edge of their seat during the presentation of the witches’ prophecies.  And, as Shawn Mendes sings and as the prophecy foretold…”Something big I (the witches or Shawn Mendes) feel it happening”. Mendes’s song also brings up the idea of the “something” being out of his control.  This is interesting to think about as different perspectives can be taken regarding whether or not the outcome of events of Macbeth was in or out of Macbeth’s control.  

5. Controlla by Drake (again, the clean version of course)

This song once again helps to display the idea of the controlling of actions and emotions.  In this song Drake presents the idea of controlling a girl’s actions by essentially making her fall in love with him.  This parallels ideas presented in Macbeth.  Basically, the witches have controlled Macbeth’s actions by making him believe (and this up for debate whether or not they wanted the events in the prophecy to be fulfilled) that this prophecy was going to come true and he was going to be the King.  Overall another good song choice for this playlist as the slower and methodic tempo helps to reflect the methodic and deliberate presentation of what is going to happen in Macbeth.  For example Shakespeare writes in the stage directions, “Thunder.  First Apparition…” and does this same thing for the consecutive second and third apparitions within the first act of the fourth scene.  

Fate vs. Chance

FATE vs. CHANCE

Ok first things first, I am a very firm believer that everything that happens in our lives was meant to happen and that you are exactly where you are meant to be at this moment.  It may not be where you want to be, but you are here and it is up to you to make the most of your current situation. Having been raised with a strong religious background, I was always taught that God has a plan for you and everything in your life that happens will happen for a reason….now I can’t say I understand why God let me spill my coffee all over my shirt on the way to school last week but that's a conversation for another time…

Therefore, when addressing the question of, “Do you believe events in your life have been guided by fate or chance?” I tend to lean toward the idea that events in my life have been guided by fate and specifically that my life has been shaped by God’s hand and His purpose.  However, I also acknowledge that some trivial events in my life that may not be as significant as others (and it is difficult to determine an event’s significance when you’re in the moment) may not have been controlled by a higher power, that they were just going to happen as either a result of my own actions or being in the wrong place at the wrong time.  

Before I go any further with this conversation regarding the scary words of FATE and CHANCE, I would like to acknowledge that this is how I am defining these words (thank you Mr. Merriam Webster...or Ms….I’m not sure):

• Fate: “an inevitable and often adverse outcome, condition, or end” (specifically regarding some sort of divine intervention)
• Chance: : “something that happens unpredictably without discernible human intention or observable cause”

Ok, these definitions are somewhat confusing but I have interpreted them so that fate is something that a higher power (such as a God or other supernatural force) controls and determines whereas chance is just something that happens (not necessarily the result of an outside force).

I think that because I am a strong believer in God that I want to say that a lot of the events that have occurred in my life can be traced back to fate.  For example, God chose to have a little baby girl (but unfortunately everyone thought I was a little baby boy until I was about 3 because I had no hair- see reference image below) that was born in Cincinnati, Ohio to parents Ed and Kelly Walsh and then the family moved to Raleigh, North Carolina.  However, I think that chance was the stronger force in determining the people that I’ve met along the way. But then going back to the idea of fate, I think that God has shaped a lot of the decisions I have made which result in the outcomes and events I have experienced throughout my life.

(lol Merry Christmas)

Ok now going back to Macbeth (woooo!!!), when dealing with the question, “Based on the text what do you think Shakespeare’s attitude was towards fate?” it is important that we examine how the author (Shakespeare) portrayed Macbeth’s actions/decisions as well as how the outcomes of these actions/decisions are portrayed.  I believe that Shakespeare believed in the idea of fate but was unhappy with how people use it as a justification of actions.

For example, Macbeth can be considered a commentary on the ruling of King James I in the early 17th century.  King James VI and I was supposed to be more religiously tolerant, however, he enforced strict penalties against practicing Catholics.  This angered people and they were unhappy with his ruling. Shakespeare may have viewed this as betrayal as it is speculated that he was a secretly practicing Catholic at the time.  This reflects the idea of fate and chance because Shakespeare may have believed in the optimism that the initial ruling of King James VI and I brought (that God had brought this man to allow Catholics to practice openly) but he was betrayed when the king ended up reinforcing strict Catholic penalties.  

This idea can be seen within Macbeth and the play as a whole could be deemed a commentary on King James VI and I’s ruling.  Macbeth initially gains power and seems like a great leader until he starts going crazy and his actions become irrational and uncontrollable.  This can be seen in the text when it says, “Prithee, see there. Behold, look! Lo, how say you?” (Macbeth, 3.4. 82-83) This quote shows that Macbeth is quite literally going insane after he kills HIS OWN BEST FRIEND (what the heck?!?!) and Banquo’s ghost appears at his dinner table.  

I believe that Macbeth had always had the choice to determine what was going to happen to him, but he let fate and the supernatural influence him into making decisions leading to consequences that may have never come to fruition without Macbeth’s initiative.  This reminds me of an old saying my grandma used to say- and quite honestly I’m not sure why she said this because she didn’t even own a horse but oh well. She would say that “You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink,” This phrase means that you can do everything you can to try and invoke an outcome but if it’s not meant to happen it will not happen.  However, in this case, Macbeth has been told where the water is (the prophecy that he will soon become King) and he has chosen to lead the horse (himself) to this water and force the horse to drink with the killing of King Duncan.

This is evidenced by Shakespeare’s writing when it says, “Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none.” (Macbeth, 1.3. 70).  This quote from the witches shows that the witches have done nothing but state the prophecy that Macbeth is destined to fulfill.  They did not convince him to kill King Duncan, they did not give his a dagger to stab the king, they did not even mention how the prophecy would come true.  All the witches did was implant the idea in Macbeth’s head that he was destined to become king and Macbeth was alone in his actions when he killed King Duncan.  Therefore, he was influenced by the supernatural (FATE) but his own actions led to the outcome of events.

Citations:

“Fate.” Merriam-Webster.com. 2018. https://www.merriam-webster.com (2 December 2018).  

“Chance.” Merriam-Webster.com. 2018. https://www.merriam-webster.com (2 December 2018).  

Seaward, Paul. “Charles II (1630–1685), King of England, Scotland, and Ireland.” Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 2004, doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/5144.

Shakespeare, William. “Macbeth.” Folger Shakespeare Library, 31 Jan. 2018, www.folger.edu/macbeth.

Art and Macbeth

Art and Macbeth

As an IB Art student, analyzing and interpreting works of art is what we have to do practically every day (I cannot stress the “every” enough).  However, we do so in order to inform our own artmaking decisions and if applicable, to emulate the artist’s style in our own works (either by following their purpose or by following their process of creating the work).  So, let’s dive in to this wonderful piece of artwork that I have analyzed... (DISCLAIMER: although I am in IB Art I am not the most proficient drawer so please excuse the sketch you are about to witness down below).

Due to the redundant analyses of two dimensional works of art (as is common in my second period on a-days) I chose to examine a tangible (4-D) object.   

Citation: “Great Britain and Ireland, 1400–1600 A.D.” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/?period=08&region=euwb (October 2002)

(I know you all thought this was my drawing, but in fact it is the original.)

(Here is my beautiful drawing *insert multiple heart eyes here*)

While the artist of the salt vessel that you see above is unknown, it was most likely made by someone in the merchant/tradesman class.  This is because people that built and designed goods such as these were members of these classes- not existing necessarily in the nobility but also not peasants.  The “Standing Salt with Cover” piece was made from gilt silver, is approximately 11 ⅜ inches tall and is estimated to have been created in 1584-1585 in London, England.  

As mentioned above, this salt holder was manufactured during the 16th century in England, a time when England was emerging as a major power in international commerce.  After the reign of Elizabeth I in the late 16th century, there was a shift in the economic and artistic life of the British Isles. England was establishing themselves with a rich literary culture and powerful navy that had significant trading interests.

The salt container is decorated with elaborate designs (see my drawing above for reference) that serve to emphasize the nature of the people that would have possession of this material object (because apparently someone’s worth is amplified when they possess elaborately decorated and designed salt holders??).  Some of the designs include a lions head, a date, and other unidentifiable designs. The lions head serves to exemplify an England nationalistic ideal since the national animal of England is a lion. This further reinforces power and status because if you are of high power, you would most definitely support the system in order to stay in that position of power.

But honestly, this is not too different from the way we purchase goods today.  For example, I have wanted to own a Gucci belt for a very long time (I stress the VERY in the previous sentence).  Maybe it's because I like the style, or maybe it's because I know it's way too expensive for me to afford and I want to demonstrate my wealth (which is non-existent except for when I babysit for a particular family down the street…).  

Citation: Hayes, Olivia. “Still Haven't Nabbed That Gucci Belt? This Irish Retailer's Dupe Is Just €40.” Her.ie, Her.ie, 5 Oct. 2017, www.her.ie/style/still-havent-nabbed-gucci-belt-irish-retailer-selling-dupe-e40-367996)

Just like the Gucci belt with the two giant interwoven G’s, the salt container is marked with elaborate designs to further emphasize its importance.  This belt would not be as special without the well-known Gucci symbols. The same applies to the salt container. If the container was not elaborately decorated with familiar symbols (i.e. the lions head being the national animal of England) would it have the same amount of power?  People of the wealthier classes in 16th century England would look for the best of the best salt containers, and obviously if your neighbor Karen had the barren (rhyme!) salt container with no designs, it wouldn’t be as significant of an establishment of power and influence.

However, I think it is somewhat humorous to think about how this salt container would not be seen in homes today.  It’s crazy to think about how some of the items we use to demonstrate worth may be seen as worthless in the future.  For example, the Gucci belt (again, sorry). The belt in the present may signify wealth and style, but in the future it may become just another clothing piece that shouldn’t be worn in public.  

Therefore overall, this art piece is used to demonstrate the higher status of the wealthier classes in 16th century England.  This art piece is specifically constructed to exemplify a sophisticated status through the intricate designs carved over the surface.  But, I cannot help but ask myself that since we don’t see artworks or pieces like this in households today, will the objects that we deem as valuable and an indication of wealth be “out” as well?

The Black Column

The Black Column

Brontë, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. Peterborough, Ont: Broadview Press, 1999. Print.

Upon the arrival of Mr. Brocklehurst to inspect the school, the happy (eh not happy but maybe slightly less bad) school turns even worse.  His demeanor and actions make the vile Miss Hannigan from Annie seem like a loving mother.  I mean, this man gets upset that little girls are given a small portion of lunch to make up for the meal that was burnt earlier in the day.  Come on man! This guy would rather let these children starve, but oh wait, he’s doing it so that they reject habits of luxury and self-indulgence, because that makes it better???  I can go on and on about how much I hate this man, who by the way I actually know very little about- my opinion has been formed solely off of this chapter, but I feel like I have a sense of duty to bash this man in my blog post in order to stand up for these poor girls.  

For a little visual reference, here is a picture of a man that portrayed Mr. Brocklehurst in the film adaptation of Jane Eyre...

I know its “No Shave November” but come on buddy, the sideburns make you look like you stuck some sheep wool to the sides of your face.  (P.S. there are additional film adaptations and all of the Mr. Brocklehurst’s are just as ugly)

When sweet little Jane is describing this awful man she doesn’t compare him to something absolutely disgusting such as gum on the bottom of a shoe, or a cockroach, or slimy and smelly rats, she instead compares this man to a “black column”.  In the text it says, “the same black column which had frowned on me so ominously from the hearthrug of Gateshead. I now glanced sideways at this piece of architecture. Yes, I was right: it was Mr. Brocklehurst, buttoned up in a surtout, and looking longer, narrower, and more rigid than ever.” (Brontë)  Yeah I don’t know about you but if I was compared to a column I would definitely take it as an insult, but I think being called a cockroach would be worse.  

Jane Eyre was written in 1847 in London, England by author Charlotte Brontë.  During this time period in England, Victorian architecture was very prominent and the most favorable style.  Characterizing this Victorian architecture was decorative trim, tall, narrow arches, pointed windows, and columns.  It is also important to note that by 1887 (after the publication of Jane Eyre) more vibrant colors started to be used aside from the traditional white, beige, and gray tones.  Hmmm now what color did I seem to not mention... BLACK. This is because black columns were not found in the traditional Victorian style architecture of 19th century England.

This indicates that Jane is characterizing this man as not fitting in and contributing anything beneficial to the school.  In fact, he only hinders their growth and development through the implementation of absurd and strict rules that are meant to help the children develop, but in fact does quite the opposite.  

Furthermore… later on in the chapter Jane comments again on Mr. B (he doesn’t deserve to have his entire name written out) when he is saying, “‘My dear children,’ pursued the black marble clergyman, with pathos…” (Brontë).  Here Jane is comparing him to a black marble clergyman.  This is significant because churches of the 19th century in England were often times constructed with colorful marble lined hallways and floors or with pristine marble figures- not with black marble columns.  Therefore, there is an element of juxtaposition within Jane’s description of Mr. B, he is a man not belonging in a religious place (as clergymen are male priests, ministers, or other religious leaders). This parallels his own role within the school that Jane attends- he is meant to seem as important and making the school run effectively when in reality he is an ugly man that the school would be able to function better without (ouch...that might’ve been too harsh…).  

Overall, Jane denoting the idea of a black marble column upon Mr. Brocklehurst impacts the development of his character as an awful man that does not belong.  I hate this man. If you disagree...please don’t visit my blog posts again.

BBB or MMM

BBB or MMM ??

McDonald's. "Big Beefy Bliss." Advertisement. 2017.

(The author and place of publication of the above McDonald’s ad is unknown)

The above advertisement published by McDonald’s in 2017 is meant to make the viewer want to buy one of three hamburgers: The Double Quarter Pounder with cheese, the Big Mac, or the Angus Deluxe Third Pounder (personally, no thanks but if you like McDonald’s go for it). The hamburgers are set against an extremely bright red background with the Big Mac as the main act and the Angus Deluxe Third Pounder and Double Quarter Pounder with cheese taking on the backup singer roles.  This advertisement applies to the deadly sin of gluttony- “habitual greed or excess in eating”, because well, there are three burgers thrown in the viewer’s face that are obviously loaded with unnecessary calories.

As it is glaringly obvious, the advertisement utilizes alliteration to convey the main selling points of these three burgers- “big, beefy, bliss”.  Now I don’t know about you, but when I see these three burgers I think more along the lines of “made (in a factory), mystery, meat.” The three burgers look like they have been freshly made and made with the utmost love and care, but let’s be honest, when have you ever gotten a quarter pounder whose lettuce looks like it came straight from the garden and whose bun looks like it was just pulled out of grandma’s oven?  The bright red background serves to emphasize not only a signature color of McDonald’s branding, but to also provide a contrast against the beautiful beefy burgers. The “I’m lovin it” is also a cute little addition to the advertisement as your eye follows the images of the burgers and then surprise! You’re loving it!

In 2017 it was recorded that there are approximately 14,146 McDonald’s in North America with the total number of McDonald’s in the world being 36,899. It was also estimated that they serve approximately 68 million customers each day. 68 MILLION. That is absolutely insane. That’s more than the entire population of France. The intended audience of this ad are people that like McDonald’s (duh) and are most likely coming from a lower economic class because McDonald’s is easily affordable and convenient. Furthermore, the intended audience would most definitely be one that eats meat (or fake meat I should say). Obviously this ad would not apply to the vegan and vegetarian communities.

However, I find it interesting that McDonald’s are so universally well known. According to Huffington Post, the farthest point from a McDonalds is only 107 miles away. It is almost impossible to not know what a McDonald’s is or where at least one is located. This therefore makes McDonald’s a way of unifying peoples from all different cultures, because hey! You might not know what I’m saying but if I say “McDonald’s” or show you a bright yellow M set on a red background you will most definitely know what I’m referring to.

Thank goodness for the Big Beefy Bliss that eliminates cultural barriers.  

FREEBIE

FREEBIE

"Othering"

Huie, Wing Young. “Untitled.” Wing Young Huie, Wing Young Huie, Minneapolis, www.wingyounghuie.com

The above image is an untitled photograph by Wing Young Huie, an American photographer who became a full-time professional photographer in 1989.  Many of his works focus on communities and photographing the people within them.  In the photograph above, Wing Young Huie published this image (in a collection with other images) on August 23, 2013 in Minneapolis.  An interesting aspect to note about this particular image that I found on Huie's photography website is that there was very little information (if there was any information at all) regarding where this image was taken, if the image has a title, who the people are, etc.  Therefore, when looking at this photograph, I had to solely rely on my own interpretations of what I was seeing to determine the message that Huie was trying to convey.  In the image there are many men on their hands and knees in a prayer position.  However, in almost the center of the image and in the far left corner there are two men that are not kneeling on the ground, but their heads are still bowed in prayer.  The man in the center of the image appears to be in a wheelchair while the man on the far left side of the image appears to be sitting in a white plastic chair.  Upon further examination of the image you can see that this appears to be some sort of makeshift religious center-it is not decorated elaborately and there are not religious symbols on the walls.  Instead, there are signs that read, "Quiet Area" posted on a column in the center of the room.  I also noticed how in this room it appears to be solely men- there aren't any women praying in this image (at least from what I can tell because I don't see hair that would indicate a female).  Finally,  I also noticed how these people engaged in prayer are not wearing sophisticated or "nice" clothes.  Many of them are in sweatshirts and sweatpants or even jeans.  This also indicates that it must be cold wherever these men are praying or that this image was taken in the winter or colder months (although it was published in August).

In both The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood and this untitled photograph taken by Wing Young Huie, the concept of "othering" is presented.  This means that someone or something is being portrayed as different or possibly even "alien".  Both Huie and Atwood present this concept of "othering" through the use of image, layout/format, and color.  Within The Handmaid's Tale, Atwood incorporates a significant amount of imagery through her descriptions of Offred's living situation and Gilead, as well as what Offred and the other women in this society must wear.  As a Handmaid, Offred's body is almost completely concealed- she even has white wings that go around the sides of her face so that she will not be seen.  This also connects to Huie's photograph in that all of the men in prayer are covered.  Their faces cannot be clearly seen and their jackets/sweatshirts and pants cover their skin and even their feet are covered with socks.  Atwood has created the idea of "othering" through dressing the characters in the novel differently, but it is interesting to note that this is quite the opposite in Huie's photograph.  All of the men are dressed similarly and the idea of "othering" is created through how the men sitting in chairs look and are different from the other men on the floor praying.

Through layout/format of The Handmaid's Tale, Atwood develops the plot through Offred's first person point of view and throughout the entirety of the novel there are shifts between Offred's past and descriptions of her life before Gilead, and then descriptions of what is happening in current life.  This establishes Offred as an individual unique to the Gilead society because she still clings to her past life, while (as far as we can tell) the other characters in the novel have conformed to their new way of life and disregarded their past.  The format of the image helps to create "othering" due to the angle that the photo is taken from.  Since the image is taken from slightly below eye level, this places emphasis on the men in the room that are not on the ground in prayer.  If the image had been taken from above (at a different perspective) then the men in the chairs would not be so distinguishable.  Therefore, since we have insight into Offred's thoughts we can see that Atwood is developing her as an individual since she still clings to her past life.  Within the photograph, the idea of "othering" is presented through the perspective that the image is taken from- which emphasizes the men that are not on the ground.

Finally, women within The Handmaid's Tale are distinguishable due to the color that they are assigned to wear.  The Handmaid's must wear red while the Marthas, for example, must wear green.  Therefore, the way the society of Gilead is structured already creates "othering" due to the differences in the colors that the women must wear to signify their status/position.  However, it is interesting to note that in contrast to specific assigned colors presented in Atwood's novel, Huie has placed his photograph in black and white.  This creates a sense of unity within the image because even though the men in the chairs do not look exactly like the other men praying, they have been established as the same by appearing in the same color scheme.