Blog 4: Reflection

At first, I had thoughts of having a difficult semester with taking english class 102 as well as the extreme boredom of having to write alot of papers. Now that two weeks have passed, I can see now that my early assumption of this particular english class was wrong. I enjoy blogging my assignments online. It's fast, easier, and actually fun to learn and use. This web tool by google helps me to connect with my peers, classmates and my professor; it's very similar to using facebook. Blogger.com keeps me up to date with the assignments and other blog postings. Hearing in the beginning that this class will be doing works on supernatural literature, it made me realize just how much fun it is to write/type a paper you actually want to engage yourself in. Reading the work of other classmates has made me become aware of the extent and richness of writing, thinking, and effort put into their postings. Doing lots of research online takes patience and hardwork. Researching material online using trusted sites and scholarly articles is still pretty new to me. I am mostly familiar with using google, wikipedia, and yahoo search engines to do my research. So far in class I enjoy meeting my classmates and having discussions during groupwork. Communicating and sharing ideas contributes greatly into my own knowledge and it helps me to think of ways on how I can become a better writer. What I'd really like to know is that if we'll have to do our midterms and final online as well? LOL

Blog 3: Essay 2 Tone and Symbolism

The specific poem I chose by Herbert A. Asquith has to deal with the Greek Mythological God of War, Ares. Reading the entire poem, its use of terminology was in old British English. This poem gave me very deep vivid images that brought projections of a great battle into my mind. Doing a lot of research on the author of this poem, I found out that I had gotten him mixed up with his father, Herbert H. Asquith who held the titles of Prime Minister and the 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith. I strongly believe that this poem has a deep connection to World War I (The Great War), which lasted from 1914-1918. Herbert A. Asquith, the author of this poem, is the second son of Herbert H. Asquith. He was a poet, novelist, and a lawyer; he married his wife Cynthia Asquith in 1910 and she too was also a writer. He served in France during World War 1. The stories of Ancient Greece have existed throughout many generations out of history and fun. Many of the great stories are concerned with the Greek gods on Mt. Olympus, mythical creatures and monsters, the titans, and heroes such as: Achilles, Perseus, Odysseus, and Hercules.

The tone in any poem has to deal with the mood, attitude, or emotion that triggers the reader’s thoughts and feelings. The tone in this particular poem “Ares, God of War” expresses peace, sadness, and fear. The mood of the poem can be in one way interpreted as being sad and then happy that the dawn or light of a new day will eventually overcome the struggle and bring an end to war. Wars and battles usually don’t end in happy endings and the aftermaths of a war can lead a person to having trauma and the feeling of despair. These men in the poem are engaged in war (a great war) and Ares being the god of war steps in this great battle to have leaders of great nations fall before him.

Symbolism in poetry is something that can represent itself or have a powerful hidden message. There are many uses of symbolism in this poem such as the flowers, the earth, moon, divine, wine, light, iron crown, and the morning star. For example: "Then may he weary of his burning wine, and rest forever in the arms divine... of Aphrodite passionate and pale-" (Herbert A. Asquith). The wine symbolism in this poem represents the fluid of life and in most cases considered as having powers of intoxication. Symbols for the term divine are symbols such as white which represents innocence, purity, or purification. The morning star represents the presence of divinity or a divine being. Aphrodite in this case is easing the fallen man's pain before his death by relieving him with a warm embrace that is being compared to that of wine. In this poem only two greek gods are mentioned: Aphrodite and Ares. Ares symbolizes the cruelty of war and Aphrodite symbolizes the warm passion of love.

The lesson of this poem implies that death is actually a gift given by the gods in that serving Ares favors brave men with courage and valor. The goddess Aphrodite would grant the fallen men an “eternal anodyne” in which a man does not have to bear the pain until his death.

Sources on the info on greek mythology and biography on author are on blog 2.
New source used for the meaning of symbolisms: http://www.umich.edu/~umfandsf/symbolismproject/symbolism.html/
Link: http://www.auldfarran.com/bookmem.asp?subid=2338

Blog 2: Ares, God of War by Herbert A. Asquith

Thinking about supernatural stories, the first thing that came to mind was "Greek Mythology". I chose a poem on greek mythology because of the interesting stories and events that occurred in the lives of the olympian gods and goddesses. Using the Google search engine I came across many poems that dealt with greek mythology. Ares an olympian god in particular, was the god of war who is also known by the roman name of "Mars". Ares was disliked by the gods and mortals, he was in favor of bloodlust and destruction during war. Ares loved the thrill to engage in battle without using any particular tactics or strategy in combat, unlike Athena who is goddess of wisdom and war. Athena believes that battle should be necessary to preserve peace and to uphold justice. Ares however, was not concerned for such things.

UNDER the stars the armies lie asleep:

Between the lines a quiet river flows

Through brakes of honeysuckle, and of rose,

And fields where poppies droop in languor deep:

The night as with a mantle now enfolds

The muffled forms upon the pasture low;

The scent of thyme comes down across the wolds,

And on the roses of the dark hedgerow

The summer starlight falls in flakes of silver snow.

Here, from the wooded haunt of nymph and fawn,

The hidden guns peer forth across the hills,

Their wheels are on the trampled daffodils,

And so they wait the coming of the dawn.

In dappled shadows, where the fairy weaves

On grasses tall his web of sparkling lace,

The gunners lie, their heads upon the sheaves:

White falls the moon on many a sunburnt face,

That ere the day shall feel another God's embrace.

Among the barrows of the sunken plain,

Where sleep the soldiers of another day,

On misty meadow and on upland gray,

On many eyes, that close but once again,

The peaceful earth her benediction throws,

The waves of healing music from the streams,

That though the willows softly comes, and goes ;

And now the face of all the country seems

A mirror consecrated to an army's dreams.

From far away is borne a woman's pray'r

To Ares, restless in his iron crown :

"Sleep, Ares, Sleep ! For, once the dice are thrown,

Empires to thee are leaves upon the air !

Ere all the homes go smoking to the skies,

And men are swept upon the battle-blast,

Ere all the tears are wept from women's eyes,

O Queen of Love, hold now the Lover fast,

And let him taste eternal anodyne at last !"

But with the dawn there comes a soldier's song:

"When all the guns have fired their last salute,

And the tongues of all the world are mute,

And life is dearer than to right a wrong,

Then may he weary of his burnng wine,

And rest forever in the arms divine

Of Aphrodite passionate and pale-

But Hark ! He comes ! Hail, Ares ! Lord of Thunder, Hail !

"He rides above the ocean and the snow,

His trail is on the curtain of the skies :

Brighter than dawn, his young eternal eyes

Shine in the eyes of Valour far below :

Now Mammon hides beneath his trembling halls,

While Honour marches singing into war ;

On strange forgotten hearts a radiance falls,

As ever nearer, burning from afar,

The sword of Ares gleams above the morning star."

"The other gods are weaker ; thou alone

Dost break the king and bend the emperor's knee:

Lower than unto Christ they bow to thee,

Lord of the slave, and guardian of the free,

Steel-hearted Ares, shaker of the throne ;

Young god of battle, restless lover, hail !

For, once a man has seen thine eyes aflame,

And mounted on the horses of the gale,

Death is a nothing, life an empty name:

Arise and lead us ere our blood be tame,

O lord of thunder, Arcs of the crimson mail !"

This poem is about life and death that occurs in battle that when war arises mortals(men) shall fear Ares for when he comes... destruction will bring flames upon their homes. Men are swept into the field of battle and that the tears of women would become a prayer to the goddess of love Aphrodite, so that she may save the dying men with "Eternal Anodyne" or to be relieved of all pain with her love. When the battle comes to an end... the fallen shall rest forever within the arms of Aphrodite. The god of war, Ares is never too far during the times of war. He will lead those brave men with courage and valor so that death is not a life to be feared.

You can find this poem from The Volunteer and Other poems by Herbert A. Asquith at the following link:
1)http://beck.library.emory.edu/greatwar/poetry/view.php?id=asquith_05
2)http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/92519-Herbert--Ashley-Asquith-Ares--God-of-War

These sources are on the biographies of Herbert Henry Asquith his father who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He served as Prime Minister from 1908-1916 during The Great War (World War 1).

1)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._H._Asquith 

2)http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/PRasquith.htm
3)http://www.firstworldwar.com/bio/asquith.htm
People would often get CONFUSED with the 2 Asquiths, I did too... so I'm updating the links. This is the REAL Herbert Ashley Asquith who wrote this poem and the other poems:
1)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Asquith_(poet)
2)http://oldpoetry.com/oauthor/show/herbert__ashley_asquith
These links contain further information about the Greek God Ares:

1)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ares 

2)http://historylink102.com/greece2/ares.htm 

3)http://www.freewebs.com/ares-new/

Blog 1: About Me

Hello everyone my name is Carlos Zuniga. I am 19 years old attending LaGuardia Community College and I am currently a Liberal Arts Major. I was born here in New York City but my parents originate from Mexico. I'm looking forward to an interesting learning experience here in english class.