Monday, April 20 2009

Today’s Agenda

For today, you were to complete Jane Eyre, our final major reading of the semester.

Journal: I would like you to journal on the following topic for the next 10 minutes

Describe your reaction to the ending of this novel in terms of how it managed to meet, failed to meet, or exceeded your expectations.  Afterwards, describe to me how the ending of this novel compares with the ending of Robinson Crusoe and Frankenstein.

Group Discussion:

For the next 7-10 minutes, I want you to discuss the following topic:

We have this wonderful scene in chapter 37 where Rochester gives his watch to Jane.  I would like you to consider this passage against the final scene from Chaucer’s “The Knights Tale” How are these scenes fundamentally different from one another?  Let’s consider issues that relate to gender roles.  I think by comparing these scenes we can gain good insights into just how similar – and very different – the words of Bronte and Chaucer are.

Class Discussion

Return to Journal writing. Discuss in groups, then discuss in class.

“Choose, now,” said she, “one of these two things, aye,
To have me foul and old until I die,
And be to you a true and humble wife,
And never anger you in all my life;
Or else to have me young and very fair
And take your chance with those who will repair
Unto your house, and all because of me,
Or in some other place, as well may be.
Now choose which you like better and reply.”
This knight considered, and did sorely sigh,
But at the last replied as you shall hear:
“My lady and my love, and wife so dear,
I put myself in your wise governing;
Do you choose which may be the more pleasing,
And bring most honour to you, and me also.
I care not which it be of these things two;
For if you like it, that suffices me.”
“Then have I got of you the mastery,
Since I may choose and govern, in earnest?”
“Yes, truly, wife,” said he, “I hold that best.”
“Kiss me,” said she, “we’ll be no longer wroth,
For by my truth, to you I will be both;
That is to say, I’ll be both good and fair.
I pray God I go mad, and so declare,
If I be not to you as good and true
As ever wife was since the world was new.
And, save I be, at dawn, as fairly seen
As any lady, empress, or great queen
That is between the east and the far west,
Do with my life and death as you like best.
Throw back the curtain and see how it is.”
And when the knight saw verily all this,
That she so very fair was, and young too,
For joy he clasped her in his strong arms two,
His heart bathed in a bath of utter bliss;
A thousand times, all in a row, he’d kiss.
And she obeyed his wish in everything
That might give pleasure to his love-liking.
And thus they lived unto their lives’ fair end,
In perfect joy; and Jesus to us send
Meek husbands, and young ones, and fresh in bed,
And good luck to outlive them that we wed.
And I pray Jesus to cut short the lives
Of those who’ll not be governed by their wives;
And old and querulous niggards with their pence,
And send them soon a mortal pestilence!