This is How I Blog

This is such a fun little assignment because it allows all of us to sort of unload our feelings on the play in both a creative and organized way. In my blog posts, I seem to focus the most on specific characters and relationships in the plays we're reading. So far, I have discussed the relationship between Antonio and Bassanio, I have compared and contrasted Isabella, Angelo, and the Duke, and I have compared and contrasted Richard and Bolingbroke. The characters are the driving force in Shakespeare's plays and are all so diverse and interesting. Picking them apart and breaking them down to their very core while exposing all of their little idiosyncrasies is just downright fun for me.

I've noticed a definite change of tone in my posts and comments over the semester. My first post was a little strained in its voice and a little too formal. I also focused on plot summary, as if the readers didn't know the story of the play. My first two comments, as well, are very formal. In my next post, I dropped the plot summary and instead mentioned certain parts of the play to show what they said about the characters. I also wrote slightly more casually, adding a joke or two. My third post was less formal but still proper enough for an English class, and I utilized a lot of tropes and humor. I also used an outside source for this post, a first in my Shakespeare blogging career. I think this shows that I've finally become used to this blogging business. My second and third set of comments were also very informal and humorous, which is how I believe the comments should be. Make a point, but don't be too formal about it.

I was actually extremely surprised at how stiff my first post and comments were. My ideas were definitely there but for me, a blog is a somewhat-informal, casual kind of composition. I'm not advocating for a post filled with text speak, mind you. Just one that is not so stiff and formal. To me, blogs are not scholarly essays, but places to make a solid point and discuss it.

I'm very biased when it comes to my topics because I feel that they're all valuable and worth revisiting. I don't mean to toot my own horn but I worked pretty hard on formulating my topics and I like all of them. I believe my favorite topic was the issue of Richard and Bolingbroke's likability. The argument of Bolingbroke's Machiavellian rise to power is quite fascinating and one I never would have thought of. The reader wants to hate Richard and love Bolingbroke so much, but just can't without at least a little apprehension. Throw in this little argument and Bolingbroke becomes worse of a bad guy than Richard.

What I really love about the blogging is the ability to focus on a topic I want to focus on and let out everything I have to say about it. This is also a great way to bring out some talking points. By reading other people's posts, one can discover aspects of and opinions on plays he never would have noticed before. I think the ability to coherently ramble about one little point is so much fun. I love assignments with few constraints. The blogging is a very fun assignment for me and is very helpful in developing ideas and talking points for class.

-Sarah Bras