The F in Fabulous

The Times They Are A-Changin     -Bob Dylan

This is a great song and I feel like it’s pretty relevant to what we’ve been reading in Things Fall Apart. I think the song is mainly talking about the changes going on in society in the sixties. That whole atmosphere of change -and acceptance (or lack thereof) of ‘the new’- is prominent in Things Fall Apart. We have begun reading about the effects of the white imperialists invading the Ibo tribes and the different reactions to it amongst the natives. There are the people like Nwoye and the efulefu (outcasts) who embrace these new ideals. However, those who want to maintain the traditional lifestyle of their tribe -like Okonkwo- are vehemently opposed to theses changes.
While Dylan offers the sense that these new ‘changes’ are actually beneficial to the bigger picture (but to the readers of Things Fall Apart, the invasion of the entitled white people seems like something that should not be accepted), we see that attitudes differ in the eye of the beholder.

Also, the line “And don’t criticize what you can’t understand” is a fitting lesson that can be learned from this book. Things Fall Apart (and Heart of Darkness) is filled with beliefs being forced on others and a lack of understanding of different cultures. This rings true with the line “what is good among one people is an abomination with others” (pg 141). People believe there must be a “right” and “wrong” culture and religion, when in reality, people should accept change while holding onto their own values in order to exist harmoniously.

Thoughts :)?

-Annsley

ANDROGYNY IN SHAKESPEARE and its influence on modern entertainment.

In The Tempest, Ariel is more or less an androgynous character. It is an avoided topic, actually; Ariel is mostly referred to as “the spirit.” Perhaps Shakespeare made Ariel so in order to heighten our sense of the supernatural - thinking beyond the boundaries of male and female. In this way, The Tempest helped pioneer the concept of androgyny in characters, which has lived on in theater, film, fashion, art, etc. 

The first image is of an androgynous Ariel in a performance of The Tempest.

The second is of Cate Blanchett playing Bob Dylan in the film “I’m Not There” (2007). She is absolutely fantastic in this role!!!!!

The third is of actress Tilda Swinton, a popular image of androgyny in the media.  

_Mikhaila