LIFE AND LITERATURE

  THE DRAMATIC MONOLOGUE           The dramatic monologue’s primary advantage lies in its masking of the author through the subjective speaker. As Ralph W. Rader points out, the mask lyric resolves the poet’s sophisticated attempt to express, while at the same time objectifying and limiting, an aspect of his own subjective situation” . Because the poet’s voice is “masked,” he cannot be accused of making repugnant statements, hence in “Porphyria’s Lover,” the reader is drawn into the speaker’s mind and even fascinated by the rationale of his madness. At no time does it occur to the reader’s conscious mind that Browning is speaking (or even writing), yet there is an awareness that this text is a written poem, created by a specific individual. The merging of the poet and the speaker in the mind of the reader occurs without any conscious effort on the part of the reader. Rader explains this merging of duality: “this dual effect is based on our in-built cap...

  OBSTACLES TO PRESENTATION Why is it important to present in clear English? In your verbal and written presentations, the aim is to communicate effectively-not to confuse or belittle the audience. Politicians are notorious for twisting the English language and avoiding speaking clearly. At all times the aim should be clarity. Research indicates that even the most educated would prefer clear English to academic jargon-they may not admit it-but it is true! In the famous movie 'My Fair Lady', the importance of clear English is demonstrated when Eliza Doolittle tries to impress a crowd at the Ascot Races with the comment "The shallow depression over the west of the continent is likely to move slowly in an easterly direction." No-one had any idea what she was talking about. What she meant to say was 'I think we are in for cold weather.  Similarly when the Melbourne zoo in Australia, many years ago, refurbished the zoo they placed the most important sign at the ent...

  WAITING FOR GODOT                                                                                     -SAMUEL BECKETT        It is tempting to view Samuel Beckett‘s “Waiting for Godot‘ as a play of nothingness, with no value or meaning but that of two men waiting for something or someone to arrive. However, the companionship that the two protagonist characters portray underneath the humour and bleakness of Beckett‘s two part tragi-comedy, clearly offers us something elevating amongst the emptiness of the bleak world t...