Midterm Blog Post

As I read through my previous posts, I did notice some changes and some consistencies. My first post was very vague. I addressed different ideas and points, but I did not delve into the concepts with any depth. I more or less just briefly touched on each thing and left it at that. I think the reason for this weak post is that it was my first. I really wasn't sure what to expect or what exactly was expected of me. I had never previously taken a course that used the blogger. By the second post, I examine a specific topic with much more depth. I provide a more thorough analysis of language and communication in Much Ado About Nothing. I thought this post was my best because I clearly explain my observations of the different way words are used in the play. I look at how Benedick and Beatrice use words as weapons and how the lack of words from Don John seem to make him more villainous. In my last post, I also discuss the topic of language and communication. I talk about Richard's use of words as a tool to get what he wants. I found the scene where he is able to woo Lady Anne so fascinating and that is why I chose that topic. I think I lacked the same emphasis on analysis that I had in the second post. Perhaps I could have elaborated further on the topic and added more thoughts into my discussion. I spent more time summarizing the event I was discussing than actually analyzing it. Communication and the use of words seem to be a recurring topic in my discussions of Shakespeare. This topic is one that interests me because I believe a lot can be learned through thoughtful analysis of it.

I think it is important that we utilize the weekly blogs because it gives us a way to better understand and critique Shakespeare's works. Without it, many of us may not really think too much about the plays. I would most likely just read and answer the reading questions each week if it were not for  blogger. With it, I am forced to examine different aspects of the plays thoroughly. I truly gain better understanding with the blog posts. It also offers a way to communicate as a class and work with one another to come to conclusions and realizations about the readings that we would not have seen on our own.