Thomas C. Foster in, “How to Read Literature like a Professor,” explains how writers utilize aspects of older works of literature, especially those of Shakespeare, to create meaning. Foster describes how a writer, “relies on our awareness of the Shakespearean text as he constructs his play, and that reliance allows him to say more with fewer direct statements” (Foster 40-41). By using a phrase or character name from one of Shakespeare’s plays, a writer can create the sense of a character or scene without including a long paragraph of detailed characteristics. Readers draw on what they know about that character or play from Shakespeare to develop the appropriate knowledge required to understand exactly what is happening. The author provides an example of this when discussing, “The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock” (Foster 38), where the, “main character says he was never cut out to be Prince Hamlet, that the most he could be is an extra” (Foster 38), which, “provides an instantly recognizable situation for his protagonist” (Foster 38), because he uses, “the most famous tragic hero, Hamlet” (Foster 38). Hamlet is one of Shakespeare’s most recognized works so any one who reads that phrase will automatically associate the main character with extras from Hamlet. This example portrays Foster’s point because that one phrase is used to thoroughly characterize Prufrock, the main character, instead of a page of details about him. Shakespeare is referred to in text more often than any other artist because, “there is definitely a sacred text quality at work” (Foster 37), in his plays and also most people have heard quotes by him even though they, ‘have not read most of [his] plays” (Foster 36). In life a plethora of people have read Shakespeare’s most known works such as Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet, but only serious literature scholars have read all of his plays. People still know a few phrases from other plays because they are so widely used and his work is so much a part of all works of literature. Foster utilizes examples of authors incorporating Shakespeare in their work to convey how that creates meaning.
Thomas C. Foster in, “How to Read Literature like a Professor,” explains how writers utilize aspects of older works of literature, especially those of Shakespeare, to create meaning. Foster describes how a writer, “relies on our awareness of the Shakespearean text as he constructs his play, and that reliance allows him to say more with fewer direct statements” (Foster 40-41). By using a phrase or character name from one of Shakespeare’s plays, a writer can create the sense of a character or scene without including a long paragraph of detailed characteristics. Readers draw on what they know about that character or play from Shakespeare to develop the appropriate knowledge required to understand exactly what is happening. The author provides an example of this when discussing, “The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock,” where the, “main character says he was never cut out to be Prince Hamlet, that the most he could be is an extra,” which, “provides an instantly recognizable situation for his protagonist,” because he uses, “the most famous tragic hero, Hamlet” (Foster 38). Hamlet is one of Shakespeare’s most recognized works so any one who reads that phrase will automatically associate the main character with extras from Hamlet. This example portrays Foster’s point because that one phrase is used to thoroughly characterize Prufrock, the main character, instead of a page of details about him. Shakespeare is referred to in text more often than any other artist because, “there is definitely a sacred text quality at work,” in his plays and also most people have heard quotes by him even though they, ‘have not read most of [his] plays” (Foster 36, 37). In life a plethora of people have read Shakespeare’s most known works such as Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet, but only serious literature scholars have read all of his plays. People still know a few phrases from other plays because they are so widely used and his work is so much a part of all works of literature. Foster utilizes examples of authors incorporating Shakespeare in their work to convey how that creates meaning.
In "How To Read Literature like a Professor," Thomas Foster describes the frequency of Shakespearian allusions in modern works. Foster, in explaining the "dominance of the Bard," explains that "He's everywhere, in every literary form you can think of. And he's never the same: every age and every writer reinvents its own Shakespeare," (Foster 33). Hundreds upon hundreds of authors utilize elements of Shakespeare's work within their own work in some way, shape, or form. Whether it be in the form of direct quotes, themes from his works, or representation of his characters, pieces of Shakespeare's literature can be found all throughout different works from different authors. Rather than displaying a superior knowledge of older literature, Foster states that authors just tend to "quote what they've read or used are, and more of them have Shakespeare stuck in their heads than anything else," (Foster 37). Shakespeare's work is so widely read and studied among literature classes that it's almost uncommon to not know at least some of his work or famous quotes. While it does prove that one knows their literature, it doesn't take a high level professor to know that "To be, or not to be, that is the question," is a Shakespearian quote. In speaking about Athol Frugard, Foster explains that he, along with other authors, "relies on our awareness of the Shakespearean text ads be constructs his play, and that reliance allows him to say more with fewer direct statements," (Foster 40-41). At this point, many authors realize that numerous amounts of people have some common knowledge of Shakespeare's themes and characters. They play off of this knowledge, constructing elements with little textual description, as readers will already understand that the author is relating said element to Shakespeare. Foster explains to readers the importance of understanding Shakespeare, as the more they know about his work, the more they can begin to realize the allusions to it in modern literature.
Thomas C. Foster in "How to Read Literature Like a Professor" claims that most plays have a Shakespeare idea in them. He provides Shakespeare quotes and explains although one may have not read any Shakespeare, the quotes are familiar because of how popular his plays were. Foster states "there is a kind of authority lent by something being almost universally known, were one has only to utter certain lines and people nod their heads in recognition" (Foster 38). He explains how familiar most readers are with his works so it is easier to recognize similar ideas in other books. Foster describes how easy it is for writers to use the same thoughts because "more of them have Shakespeare stuck in their heads than anything else" (Foster 37). He mentions how this all ties together with intertextuality because writers will often use a similar theme. Foster says "so if you're reading a work and something sounds too good to be true, you know where it's from" (Foster 41). He is describing how Shakespeare's themes intertwine in more modern stories because his work was brilliant. Once readers notice the connection, then they can understand both of the works better.
Thomas C. Foster in, “How to Read Literature like a Professor,” explains how writers utilize aspects of older works of literature, especially those of Shakespeare, to create meaning. Foster describes how a writer, “relies on our awareness of the Shakespearean text as he constructs his play, and that reliance allows him to say more with fewer direct statements” (Foster 40-41). By using a phrase or character name from one of Shakespeare’s plays, a writer can create the sense of a character or scene without including a long paragraph of detailed characteristics. Readers draw on what they know about that character or play from Shakespeare to develop the appropriate knowledge required to understand exactly what is happening. The author provides an example of this when discussing, “The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock” (Foster 38), where the, “main character says he was never cut out to be Prince Hamlet, that the most he could be is an extra” (Foster 38), which, “provides an instantly recognizable situation for his protagonist” (Foster 38), because he uses, “the most famous tragic hero, Hamlet” (Foster 38). Hamlet is one of Shakespeare’s most recognized works so any one who reads that phrase will automatically associate the main character with extras from Hamlet. This example portrays Foster’s point because that one phrase is used to thoroughly characterize Prufrock, the main character, instead of a page of details about him. Shakespeare is referred to in text more often than any other artist because, “there is definitely a sacred text quality at work” (Foster 37), in his plays and also most people have heard quotes by him even though they, ‘have not read most of [his] plays” (Foster 36). In life a plethora of people have read Shakespeare’s most known works such as Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet, but only serious literature scholars have read all of his plays. People still know a few phrases from other plays because they are so widely used and his work is so much a part of all works of literature. Foster utilizes examples of authors incorporating Shakespeare in their work to convey how that creates meaning.
ReplyDeleteCitations go at the very end of sentences
DeleteThomas C. Foster in, “How to Read Literature like a Professor,” explains how writers utilize aspects of older works of literature, especially those of Shakespeare, to create meaning. Foster describes how a writer, “relies on our awareness of the Shakespearean text as he constructs his play, and that reliance allows him to say more with fewer direct statements” (Foster 40-41). By using a phrase or character name from one of Shakespeare’s plays, a writer can create the sense of a character or scene without including a long paragraph of detailed characteristics. Readers draw on what they know about that character or play from Shakespeare to develop the appropriate knowledge required to understand exactly what is happening. The author provides an example of this when discussing, “The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock,” where the, “main character says he was never cut out to be Prince Hamlet, that the most he could be is an extra,” which, “provides an instantly recognizable situation for his protagonist,” because he uses, “the most famous tragic hero, Hamlet” (Foster 38). Hamlet is one of Shakespeare’s most recognized works so any one who reads that phrase will automatically associate the main character with extras from Hamlet. This example portrays Foster’s point because that one phrase is used to thoroughly characterize Prufrock, the main character, instead of a page of details about him. Shakespeare is referred to in text more often than any other artist because, “there is definitely a sacred text quality at work,” in his plays and also most people have heard quotes by him even though they, ‘have not read most of [his] plays” (Foster 36, 37). In life a plethora of people have read Shakespeare’s most known works such as Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet, but only serious literature scholars have read all of his plays. People still know a few phrases from other plays because they are so widely used and his work is so much a part of all works of literature. Foster utilizes examples of authors incorporating Shakespeare in their work to convey how that creates meaning.
DeleteGreat, thanks
DeleteIn "How To Read Literature like a Professor," Thomas Foster describes the frequency of Shakespearian allusions in modern works. Foster, in explaining the "dominance of the Bard," explains that "He's everywhere, in every literary form you can think of. And he's never the same: every age and every writer reinvents its own Shakespeare," (Foster 33). Hundreds upon hundreds of authors utilize elements of Shakespeare's work within their own work in some way, shape, or form. Whether it be in the form of direct quotes, themes from his works, or representation of his characters, pieces of Shakespeare's literature can be found all throughout different works from different authors. Rather than displaying a superior knowledge of older literature, Foster states that authors just tend to "quote what they've read or used are, and more of them have Shakespeare stuck in their heads than anything else," (Foster 37). Shakespeare's work is so widely read and studied among literature classes that it's almost uncommon to not know at least some of his work or famous quotes. While it does prove that one knows their literature, it doesn't take a high level professor to know that "To be, or not to be, that is the question," is a Shakespearian quote. In speaking about Athol Frugard, Foster explains that he, along with other authors, "relies on our awareness of the Shakespearean text ads be constructs his play, and that reliance allows him to say more with fewer direct statements," (Foster 40-41). At this point, many authors realize that numerous amounts of people have some common knowledge of Shakespeare's themes and characters. They play off of this knowledge, constructing elements with little textual description, as readers will already understand that the author is relating said element to Shakespeare. Foster explains to readers the importance of understanding Shakespeare, as the more they know about his work, the more they can begin to realize the allusions to it in modern literature.
ReplyDeleteThomas C. Foster in "How to Read Literature Like a Professor" claims that most plays have a Shakespeare idea in them. He provides Shakespeare quotes and explains although one may have not read any Shakespeare, the quotes are familiar because of how popular his plays were. Foster states "there is a kind of authority lent by something being almost universally known, were one has only to utter certain lines and people nod their heads in recognition" (Foster 38). He explains how familiar most readers are with his works so it is easier to recognize similar ideas in other books. Foster describes how easy it is for writers to use the same thoughts because "more of them have Shakespeare stuck in their heads than anything else" (Foster 37). He mentions how this all ties together with intertextuality because writers will often use a similar theme. Foster says "so if you're reading a work and something sounds too good to be true, you know where it's from" (Foster 41). He is describing how Shakespeare's themes intertwine in more modern stories because his work was brilliant. Once readers notice the connection, then they can understand both of the works better.
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