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View Full Version : Anyone good with Shakespeare?


Kraize
11th December 2008, 06:48 AM
I've been trying to disect this passage and find 3 purposes of the passage, but all i got is that love is blind! would anyone PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE help me with this in the next couple hours :( I'm having a tough time. My brain died. I suck at this. I find it hard.

http://i36.tinypic.com/dw59ir.jpg

Translation if anyone wants:

HERMIA
I'm completely dumbfounded by what you're saying. I'm not insulting you. It sounds more like you're insulting me.

HELENA
Come on, confess. Didn't you send Lysander, as an insult, to follow me around praising my eyes and my face? Haven't you made your other love, Demetrius—who kicked me with his foot not long ago—call me a goddess and a divine, rare, precious, heavenly creature? Why does he talk like that to a girl he can't stand? And why does Lysander deny that he loves you, when he loves you so deeply? Why would he show me any affection, unless you told him to? Why does it matter that I'm not as lucky or lovable as you are and that the love I feel is unrequited? You should pity me for that reason, not hate me.

HERMIA
I don't know what you're talking about.

HELENA
Oh, fine. All right, go ahead, keep up your little game, pretend to be sympathetic, but then nudge each other and wink and make faces at me when I turn my back. Keep up your wonderful game. You're doing such a good job on this trick, someone should write a book about it. If you had any sense of pity, or manners, you wouldn't pretend to fight over me like this. But goodbye. It's partly my own fault, since I followed you here. Leaving—or dying—will soon take care of everything.

LYSANDER
Stay, lovely Helena. Listen to my excuse. My love, my life, my soul, beautiful Helena!

bobross
11th December 2008, 08:01 AM
Well, I think I understand the context/background of the situation. But as far as the (general) "purposes" of this excerpt, I don't really know. Are you asking what the purpose or meaning of this section is as pertaining to the entire play, or just a more general meaning of this?

kareeem
11th December 2008, 08:05 AM
I hated most of his writings (i liked some of the plots, but the writing was just too much). I see a lot of people holding the Sparknotes translation for this stuff and believe me, it works. You can also go online and find the translation, it's amazing. I see that you've got the translation, but Sparknotes will help you dig deeper.

Kraize
11th December 2008, 08:40 AM
I hated most of his writings (i liked some of the plots, but the writing was just too much). I see a lot of people holding the Sparknotes translation for this stuff and believe me, it works. You can also go online and find the translation, it's amazing. I see that you've got the translation, but Sparknotes will help you dig deeper.

Lol. That is the sparknotes translation. and don't worry. I got it :) It took a while and some help (err A LOT of help) but I got it.

kareeem
12th December 2008, 05:57 AM
Lol. That is the sparknotes translation. and don't worry. I got it :) It took a while and some help (err A LOT of help) but I got it.
Haha, good. I live off of Sparknotes. I have a huge essay due tomorrow (not Shakespear though) that was assigned over a month and a half or so again. I haven't even read the book yet (in fact, i just chose that i'll be reading Moby Dick isntead of Pride an Prejudice). Guess who'll be on Sparknotes all night?