Reflecting my English Understanding in a rhetoric concept Essay

Reflecting my English Understanding in a rhetoric concept - Essay Example vironment and subsequently form hypothetical reasoning about these occurrences. Within various societal spheres people usually have different meanings with regard to information presented in piece of writing which most interestingly the author had not included or intended in his/her material. Without denial, I have been a thinker, but my interaction and exposure to the English 102 class has further improved my skills to be used analytically in any literary material. My enthusiasm have been shaped more as I constantly look into ‘why’ aspect of an author’s point of view rather than mere focusing on author’s meaning as portrayed in any material. A consistent quest for knowledge has therefore created in me as I look for more intended purposes of any material by placing myself in the author’s world. ... Moving from the past form of basic literary writing, I have developed throughout the various paradigms of this course from writing and presenting simple facts to building a sustained paper argument that examines a variety of paper complexities and adequate paper organization which since then played a critical role opening up and expanding my mental faculties. My earlier wrings during the process of this course has so been influenced by environmental degradation and related concerns from wider societal perspective. During this earlier period I presented the concept of rhetoric writing as I analyzed paintings by Mathias Duwel and his intentional messages. I had played my big part of analysis in presenting Duwel’s bibliography and dedicated my entire discussions on Duwel’s theoretical standpoint and its implications for the wider society. As I advanced from this stage during my course work, I still chose to look at environmental degradation concerns. Quite familiar with th is approach, I used this as an opportunity to look at the various subject matter complexities as presented by another piece of writing this time focusing on a Hawaii’s economic ambitions and balance with the sustainable manageable of the delicate environment. While registering the improvement I have so far gained in this class, I objectively look at the needs for economic development and environmental demands as opposed to my earlier writing where I would stick to biased sided argument in a paper. It has also become very easy for me to locate numerous authoritative journals and refer from various books has also significantly sharpened my skills in research. In the final

Reviewing Romeo And Juliet And Their Love Film Studies Essay

Reviewing Romeo And Juliet And Their Love Film Studies Essay Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet during the Elizabethan period in the late sixteenth century. Though we cannot be definitive on the date or year, analysing Shakespeares other work and references made in the text (noticeably made by Juliets Nurse referring to an earthquake occurring 11 years ago), it is likely that Romeo and Juliet was written around 1595. The play is set in the small town of Verona, situated in Italy. Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy, and this is proven as Shakespeare uses foreshadowing devices early on in the play to show that events are going to blow out of proportion, and the themes of the play shall combine so that the lives of Romeo and Juliet will end in disaster. Shakespeare uses the prologue as an enormous foreshadowing device for the audience to take advantage of. The key elements of the play are almost handed to the audience from the beginning; however, it is up to the audience to fill in the gaps. The opening line of the prologue describes the two families as alike in dignity. The Capulet and Montague families share a similar status in society but Shakespeare informs the audience that the two families have an ancient grudge which plays a major role as civil hands [become] unclean, meaning that fighting between the two families takes place. Throughout the prologue, Shakespeare uses numerous foreshadowing devices like the one mentioned above. One in particular which shares Elizabethan beliefs and superstition is when Shakespeare describes Romeo and Juliet as two star-crossed lovers. This phrase is used to describe a relationship which is doomed from the start. This is particularly clever because people used astrology to judge relationships during the sixteenth century. For this reason, the stars were assumed to be working against Romeo and Juliets relationship in order to bring peace to the feuding families. Furthermore, this connotes the play as a tragedy, and that Romeo and Juliet entered their relationship with little preparation. From the outset of Act 1, Scene 1, Romeo is the topic of conversation between his parents and Benvolio. Shakespeare uses specific language to engage the audiences interest that something is unsettling Romeo. Lady Montague shows her immediate concern by enquiring, Where is Romeo? Benvolio tells her that Romeo was underneath the grove of sycamore before dawn, and when seeing him stole into the covert of the wood. This illustrates that Romeo is feeling melancholic emotions, and that he is sensitive. Romeo is embarrassed that he has been seen mourning, as much still like today, a man would be considered weak to cry. In addition to this, Shakespeare uses pathetic fallacy to show how Romeos feelings are similar to his surroundings. Sycamore derives from Latin, meaning sick of love, which tells the audience that Romeo is love sick, therefore the audience can be sure that Romeo has been rejected by Rosaline. Romeos unwillingness to be caught crying can be reinforced by a comment made by Lord Capulet regarding Romeo augmenting the fresh morning dew, meaning that Romeo went outside in the early morning to grieve, rather than the middle of the day when more people would likely be out. These descriptions of Romeo enable the audience to form an impression of his character, even before he enters the stage Romeo is presented as a melancholy, isolated figure who is trying to cope with the confusion of rejection. Romeo uses oxymoron like feather of lead to describe his confusion as regards to his love for Rosaline. These juxtapositions have branched off Romeos main emotion of loving hate. This oxymoron shows how Romeo feels trapped between two completely different emotions, and that these emotions are feeding off each other, making Romeo feel miserable. In addition to this, Romeo says, Nor ope her lap to saint-seducing gold. As a consequence of this, I believe that Romeo is not truly in love with Rosaline, but is infatuated rather than in love. The audience can tell that Romeo was confident when requesting such an offer to Rosaline because he described himself as saint-seducing gold. In my opinion, this is a very important reason why Romeo fell in love with Juliet so quickly, as he knows his chances with Rosaline were exceptionally low. During the sixteenth century Elizabethan England was a Patriarchal Society, playing a role in every womans life of that time. Juliet is no exception Lord Capulet finds Juliets suitor, and sees no reason why she would object to marriage. Juliet is looking for love, but on the other hand, Lord Capulet wants to find an eligible young man from a wealthy background. This clashing of tastes is a factor which contributes to Juliets death, as she could not marry the man she wanted with freedom from strife. If Romeo and Juliets love affair took place in todays society, Lord Capulet would not have objected to her marrying Romeo, so Juliet and Lord Capulets relationship would have been stronger. To some extent therefore, Shakespeares play reflects aspects of Elizabethan society. Juliets relationship with her mother is also one common to when the play was written. Affluent families would have a nurse, or a servant of some sort to assist them. Juliets nurse acted much like her mother, in the way that she helped her, protected her, and looked after her from the outside world. For this reason, Lady Capulet was able to take a step back so the nurse would intervene. Juliets relationship with her nurse is therefore stronger than with her mother. Romeo has a great deal of freedom compared to Juliet because of the patriarchal views shared by both sets of parents. Romeos parents are more concerned about his feelings, and this is evident in Act 1. Juliets parents have completely different views on how she should be brought up allowing men to make her life changing decisions. Lord Capulet places an excessive amount of pressure on his daughter. Consequently, Juliets life becomes extremely difficult as she takes it into her own hands, making her own decisions. The values and beliefs of this Patriarchal Society were a barrier which Juliet needed to overcome, but unfortunately, she could not. Throughout the play, Shakespeares use of oxymoron indicates that Romeos thoughts are chaotic, and he is thinking differently opposed how he normally would. Cold fire suggests that Romeo is struggling to get his thoughts in order, as cold could not be used to describe fire, which is extremely hot. For this reason, when Shakespeare uses an oxymoron to describe Romeos emotions, the audience can consider Romeos feelings during that time of the play to be of confusion and perplexity. In Act 1, Scene 5 (the Party Scene) Romeo and Juliet meet for the first time and instantly fall in love. Originally, Romeo and Benvolio decided to gatecrash the party in an attempt to see Rosaline, however, Romeo saw Juliet for the first time and his intentions instantly changed from one woman to another. Immediately after seeing Juliet for the first time, Romeo speaks in a soliloquy, describing Juliet as the most beautiful human-being his eyes have ever set upon. Romeo describes Juliet as [hanging] upon the cheek of night. Shakespeare uses this contrast of black and white to show how Romeo believes Juliet to be conspicuously beautiful, a woman to be worshipped. The Party Scene acts as a viewing opportunity for the audience in respects of the dramatic irony used by Shakespeare. We get to watch their love for each other grow throughout the scene, though the Prologue does tell us they are star-crossed lovers, thus are destined to meet, and destined to die. Equally, Romeo and Juliet do not as yet know they belong to rival families until near the end of Act 1, Scene 5. This is so both characters can show their emotions for each other before they may be changed by the rivalry between their families. Nevertheless, when Romeo and Juliet do realise, they both respond similarly. Romeo speaks, Is she a Capulet? O dear account! My life is my foes debt. He is in a state of shock, much like when Juliet finds out through her nurse a few lines further down My only love sprung from my only hate! This tells us that Juliet does not love Paris, but Romeo, and that she shares the same feelings as Romeo. When Romeo sees Juliet for the first time, he speaks deep thoughts, and compares her to only good things. Evaluating Shakespeares choice of language, he wanted Juliet to come across as innocent and untouched. Romeo says, So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows. Here, Shakespeare uses a combination of natural imagery colour symbolism to show Juliets purity. This differs from the choice of language used when Romeo described Rosaline earlier in the play. When speaking about Rosaline, Romeo was confused about his feelings, and found it frustrating. In contrast, when describing Juliet, Shakespeare created positive imagery, and this captured Romeos kind feelings towards Juliet. When Romeo and Juliet meet for the first time, Shakespeare assembles a shared sonnet to show how their intimacy develops so quickly. Within the shared sonnet, Shakespeare combines metaphors and religious imagery to show the intimacy of Romeo and Juliets developing relationship. For example, Romeo says, My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss. Though here, Romeo appears to be only talking about himself, the use of religious imagery appeals to Juliet because of the time period. Despite this, Romeo calls Juliet a holy shrine, which shows how much he values her. Romeo is comparing Juliet to a goddess in religious context, a woman to be worshipped adored, and Juliet accepts Romeo and they kiss for the first time. Juliet obviously has strong feelings for Romeo, and is not afraid of expressing them to him. When Romeo describes his lips as two blushing pilgrims, Juliet decides to play along and tells Romeo he is a good pilgrim. This shows how Juliet is attracted to Romeo, and also that she is comfortable in Romeos presence. Moving on from this point, Romeo leads the first kiss, and Juliet drops a clever comment for Romeo to realise she would like to kiss again. After the second kiss Juliet tells Romeo, You kiss by thbook. This insinuates that Juliet enjoyed the kiss, and it was an experience for her which was out of this world. For this reason, the audience can be sure of what Juliet thinks of Romeo. During the Party Scene of Baz Luhrmans film production of Romeo and Juliet, lighting effects, camera angles and music all work together to create the atmosphere needed for the scene to be effective. One point of the scene which particularly caught my eye was when Romeo and Juliet first see each other through the fish tank. In the build up to this point the general mood of the party settles and the theme music of Kissing You by Desree begins to play. The music continues through the whole party scene, making Romeo and Juliets first encounter seem unreal for each of them. An instrumental version of the music is played during the scene in which the tempo is increased to signal the happiest part of the scene. Romeo and Juliet are on either sides of the fish tank during the scene, which creates a physical barrier between them. Before knowing that Juliet is on the other side, Romeo observes the fish tank for some time, admiring the fish. The fish are of an exotic nature, and are mostly blue. This colour symbolism suggests the part of the scene to be calm and interrupted, so could be looked as a foreshadowing device. When the fish tank is in view of the camera, the lighting is bright, whilst everything else in the scene is dim. This shows the audience the spotlight of the scene. The lighting is even brighter when Romeo sees Juliet, as the whiteness of her eye takes up much of the camera. Once Romeo and Juliet begin looking at each other, the camera alternates from the angles in which Romeo and Juliet are looking through. Whilst this change of camera angles is in process, the director has wanted Romeo and Juliet to seem clean and pure. A suggestion on how the director has achieved could be th at Juliet has yet to join the party, and Romeo has just washed his face with water. Throughout this part of the scene, Romeo and Juliet have not yet spoken to each other. Instead, the camera acts as the narrator and revolves around the fish tank, concentrating on Romeo and Juliet and is the word and mouth of the scene. The symbol of water is used throughout the film, especially during the fish tank scene, when Romeo was first introduced, and when Juliet was in the bath. Also, after the fight scene Romeo was smoking on the beach. This constant use of water with Romeo and Juliet indicates that Baz Luhrman thought of Romeo and Juliet as being innocent, kind, and pure lovers who did not deserve to die. Baz Luhrman retains much of the original Shakespearean language but he has adapted the script for film. Noticeable changes include the order of events. In the original script Romeos soliloquy in which he notes Juliet takes place first, followed by Tybalt talking to Lord Capulet. However, in Baz Luhrmans production, Romeo and Juliet meet first as they look through the fish tank (with no speech), then Tybalt talks to Lord Capulet, and lastly Romeo speaks his soliloquy. This reshuffle of events has happened because the audience can rely on the camera to show us the events rather than the characters speaking. This is particularly effective as camera angles are used to bring more attention to Romeo and Juliet, making the scene more romantic. An event which Baz Luhrman preserves in his production is the shared sonnet between Romeo and Juliet. Luhrman has done this because the shared sonnet is an iconic moment in Romeo and Juliet, and it would be mystifying to the audience to not see this event. The advantage of keeping the shared sonnet is that it adds to the passionate context of the scene between Romeo and Juliet. During the shared sonnet, the camera focuses on Romeo and Juliets faces, and in consequence exaggerates their emotions. The costume selection for the characters in Baz Luhrmans production of Romeo and Juliet provides helpful foreshadowing devices which help the audience to have a better understanding of the roles assigned to various characters. A costume which in particular was effective in the party scene was Tybalts dressed as The Devil. The idea of him being a devil gives the message that bad things are to come, and this prediction becomes more believable when we see Tybalts servants dressed as skeletons. There are three people wearing evil-like costumes, which could suggest that three main characters are going to take part in the fight which happens after the party. Both Romeo and Juliet share effective costumes also, Romeo as the knight in shining armour, and Juliet as a white angel. Together, these costumes convey the idea of innocence and purity for Juliet through the white colour symbolism of her angelic costume, and that Romeo was trying to save Juliet from the terrible fate which awaited he r towards the end of the play. Romeos costume of a knight in shining armour is a stereotypical image used as a foreshadowing device to tell the audience that it is his duty to save Juliet from their familys trifling. Love is a strong word, and you could argue that it had a different meaning to todays meaning of love, which could be a reason for Romeo and Juliets sudden love for each other. In a modern play, their love story would be unreal because there was no build up to their love. Despite this, Shakespeare used foreshadowing devices, and presented speech in an effective way using blank verse, iambic pentameter and the highly structured form of the sonnet. Shakespeares love story revolves around love at first sight, in which Romeo and Juliet concentrated more on each others physical appearance rather than their personality. Though Shakespeares story of Romeo and Juliet may be considered unrealistic in todays society, I believe it to be the greatest love story ever told because it was one of the first which gave the lovers involved deep feelings for each other which the audience could share.

To what extent did Solidarity contribute to undermining Communism in Poland? :: European Europe History

To what extent did Solidarity contribute to undermining Communism in Poland? Communism in Poland was self-consciously the workers-state, largely responsible for creating the modern Polish working class through industrialization and raising expectations of equality and of higher living standards. It is widely believed that Solidarity undermined Communism in Poland, partly by disrupting the Communist program of production through strikes, but more by transferring the trust and loyalty of the Polish people from Communism to itself. The supposed "adversaries" of Polish workers - the church, the officer class, the national leadership - were in fact combined by Solidarity as allies of the workers to "break the resistance" of Communism to reform. What the state never appreciated in Poland was that it was seen as Russian, oppressive, and corrupt, having created the working class they then, in line with Marx's prediction, demonstrated their control of the means of production (strikes) and undermined Communism in Poland. However, one cannot ignore the pull of the capit alist west in displacing communism in the eyes of the people. In this essay I plan to show the extent to which Solidarity was responsible for undermining communism and also to question how far other factors, such as the Poles hatred of Russians, their strong allegiance to the Catholic church, and the raging Cold War, displaced communism in the eyes, and from the hearts of the people. Solidarity weakened Polish Communism providing a vehicle of transmission for years of grievances against a government out of touch with the ideals of the Polish people. This is shown below in the picture taken from: "http://encarta.msn.com/find/MediaMax.asp." Solidarity took workers grievances, and grafted onto them more general national grievances (Russian dictatorship, suppression of the church etc.). Photographs of Solidarity led demonstrations show how they united people to challenge what they believed to be wrong. The challenge to the government's principles undermined it as a unit, lost any credibility, and weakened it in the eyes and minds of the people. Solidarity not only weakened Communism by providing an organized channel for grievances, but also gave people new ideas, as seen in the "1980 Gdansk Agreement", article 4, issued by Solidarity: "To re-establish the rights...of all students who have been excluded from...higher education because of their opinions" This idea of free speech and thought was new as Communists devoted mass energies to suppressing this. The Church also received active support, where it had been oppressed by the government, turning the masses towards Solidarity, and against the present government, this possibly being Solidarity's trump card.

Introduction to ambahan Essay

Ambahans inscribed on a bamboo slat The ambahan is a literary product and poetic expression of the Southern Mangyans of Mindoro, Philippines. Although there are about seven different ethnic groups living in Mindoro, collectively called the Mangyans, these groups are quite distinct from each other as to language, customs, and way of living. Only the ethnic group living in the south of Mindoro, roughly comprising the areas within the municipalities of Bulalacao (San Pedro), Mansalay, Oriental Mindoro and San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, claims the name Mangyan as the descriptive title of their tribe. To stress their point, they might add the epiteth: â€Å"Hanunuo† Mangyan, that is, a â€Å"truly, real, genuine† Manygan. Together with their northern neighbors, the Buhids, they possess a pre-Spanish writing system, considered to be of Indic origin, with characters expressing the open syllables of the language. Two distinct syllabaries are still in practical use among the ethnic groups in Mindoro, viz. the north ern Buhid on one hand and the southern Buhid with the Hanunuo-Mangyans on the other. The existence of a writing system among these tribes certainly accounts largely for the wealth of literature prevalent among them. One of the literary products, the one written down most frequently on bamboo-tubes or slats, is the ambahan. For better understanding and appreciation of the ambahans presented here, a short outline on the character and use of the ambahan will be given here. As a definition, it can be stated that the ambahan is: A. A rhythmic poetic expression with a meter of seven syllable lines and having rhythmic end-syllables. B. It is most often presented as a chant without a determined musical pitch or accompaniment by musical instruments. C. Its purpose is to express in an allegorical way, liberally using poetic language, certain situations or certain characteristics referred to by the one reciting the poem. The meter of seven syllables in one line is the characteristic of the ambahan which most obviously distinguishes it from other kinds of Hanunuo-Mangyan poetry. However, there are exceptions to the rule. For instance, more than seven syllables may be found at the beginning of the ambahan, especially when it starts with the standard expression magkunkuno (speaks, says) because the one who â€Å"speaks† here may have a long name containing more than the usual seven syllables. Actually, these first lines should not be considered as part of the poem proper, but rather as an introduction to or an explanation of the circumstances which gave rise to the ambahan itself. Sometimes, there may be more than seven syllables because the employed word or words cannot be shortened and no other combination of words is available. On the other hand, a line may contain less than seven syllables in order to preserve the meaning of the line itself which might be disturbed if more syllables were added. However, the last exception rarely occurs. In an effort to conform to the rule of having only seven syllables in each line, the composer tries to fit his words within the pre-determined quantity of syllables. This accounts for the many elisions and contactions of words that make the reading of the ambahan in the Hanunuo-Mangyan script so difficult and exasperating to the translator. Thus nirwasan comes from niruwasan; nilkasan from nilukasan; the mono-syllables gin from ginan; u from una. Conversely, the words may be extended, i.e. syllables may be added in order to have the required seven syllables. In most cases, the normal procedure involves the use of affixes and suffixes, both of which are extensively used in the Philippine languages. The most common one in the Hanunuo-Mangyan language is the suffix -an. Manok becomes manukan, balunos becomes balunusan, without a change in meaning. Within the word, â€Å"extensions† may also be found which might be old infixes, no longer common. So dayap becomes dalayap, layaw becomes lugayaw. Another way of lengthening a word is by repeating the word itself, not so much to make it superlative in meaning (e.g. in Tagalog: laking-laki), but rat her to complete the seven syllable requirement. While it is not my intention to be technical on this point, as a linguist’s analysis of morphological phenomena would be, the foregoing illustrations demonstrate that the prescribed scheme of seven syllables in ambahan verse gives ample opportunity for lexical calisthenics, an exercise which may fascinate many students. The rhyming end-syllables are an essential feature of the ambahan. The most common rhyming syllable is -an, being a regular suffix for verbs and substantives in the Hanunuo-Mangyan language. But other combinations with the vowel a are rather common too, such as in lines having the end-syllables: a, ak, ag, ang, as, aw, ay. Here the vowel a is combined with nearly all the consonants in the Philippine alphabet. In the same way, the vowels I (or e) and o (or u) can be found as the rhyming syllables, either alone or in combination, e.g.: I, id, ing, ip, it, and o, od, ok, on, ong, os, ot, oy. The rhyming in the ambahan is consequent, i.e. once started with -an, all lines will end in -an. This appears to be in contrast to the rhyming scheme of a Tagalog poem, where at the end of a line a vowel rhyme may include any consonant in combination with this vowel. The ambahan is stricter in this respect, though it is interesting to note that here and there consonants, if belonging to the same pho netic class, may be included as the rhyming consonant in combination with the rhyming vowel. Hence, the word inwag rhymes with ma-ayad because both g and d belong to the phonetic class of voiced stops. The word humbak rhymes with dagat because both k and t belong to the phonetic class of voiceless stops. The word sundong, lumon and tayutom are the end-syllables of one ambahan because ng, n, and m belong to the phonetic class of voiced sonorants. Of course, it is not because the Hanunuo-Mangyan knows anything about phonetics that these instances occur, but it is a fact that the interchanges of these consonants are not considered violations of the unwritten rules of the ambahan, provided that the vowel remains the same. The ambahan is a chanted verse, but it is changed plainly or almost recited. The rendering of the ambahan with musical pitch might differ from person to person. Some might intone the words like in common conversation; others might use it a monotone recitation; or still others might sing it with a distinct melody. But generally, it can be said that when an ambahan is â€Å"sung,† there is only a slight musical pitch discernable, except maybe towards the end, when the last syllables are drawn out a bit to indicate that the chant is about to end. Furthermore, it is well worth noting that the ambahan, is â€Å"sung† without the accompaniment of musical instruments, as differentiated from another kind of Mangyan verse, the urukay, which is preferably chanted to the accompaniment of the homemade guitar. One who has a knowledge of the language of the Hanunuo-Mangyans as it is used in their daily conversation, will be able to understand very little of the language that is used in the ambahan. The language used in the ambahan differs from the spoken language, though many a word used widely in the daily Hanunuo-Mangyan language is also used in the ambahan-vocabulary. It is quite possible to compile a long list of words (eventually a complete dictionary) that are used only in the ambahan verse, but, for the purpose of this book, only a few words need to be mentioned. Conversational language| Ambahan language| English| amang| bansay| father| inang| suyong| mother| danom| kagnan| water| balay| labag| house| niyog| bu-anay| coconut| bagaw| duyan| talk| mata| pamidkan| eye| That the words of the ambahan vocabulary are found not only in the ambahan of the Hanunuo-Mangyans but also in the literary products of the neighboring Mangyan tribes, seems to be a significant coincidence worth investigating, especially if it is remembered that these other tribes use a conversational language different from the Hanunuo-Mangyan language. Some questions that would confront the investigator are the following: Where do these ambahan words come from? Are there other dialects in the Philippines from which they may have been derived? Or do we have to turn our attention to other countries like Indonesia or India to get an explanation? Here is a potential field of research that should give a linguist enough material to work on. In some of the ambahans here presented, it will be noticed that the theme is about a bird, a flower, a tree, or an insect. Other ambahans, though not nature poems in the strict sense of the term, deal with the sun, the moon, the stars, the rain and th e wind. When a Mangyan poet writes of a flower, he writes of itnot for the purpose of celebrating its beauty or fragrance but to make it an allegory or a symbol of human life, it’s problems, and its challenges. Sometimes the symbolism of a bird or flower may be clear enough, as when a boy talks to his girl about â€Å"a beautiful flower that he would like to bring home.† Very often, however, one symbol may refer to different conditions or circumstances and, thus, becomes a multiple symbol. An examination of ambahan no. 114 will help clarify this point. What does the poem mean? First, it means simply what it says: â€Å"Be careful, or you will be stung by a bee. Take precautions in getting honey.† This would be the literal interpretation of the poem. The added meaning of allegorical interpretation would depend, of course, on the occasion and circumstances, such as climbing a mountain, going to sea, going to town, engaging in a contest with another person, or going to the parents to ask for the hand of their daughter. The complex set of meanings thus woven into an ambahan are gradually unravelled only after the poem had been analyzed with much care and patience. A related study which is worth mentioning at this point would be an investigation into the psychological motivation for the Mangyan’s frequent use of plants, animals, and nature symbols and their predilection for allegorical poetry. [Postma, Antoon SVD. Treasure of a Minority. Manila: Arnoldus Press, Inc., 1981.] The origin of the ambahan A Hanunuo-Mangyan woman chanting an ambahan at a community ambahan session [Source: Antoon Postma] If you ask a Hanunuo-Mangyan, â€Å"Where did you get this ambahan?,† he will most likely answer, â€Å"I copied it from somebody else.† That is quite probable, for the ambahan has been popularized by being copied on any piece of bamboo, such as the container for tobacco or apog (lime), the scabbard or sheath of a bolo, a violin or guitar, and even on the bamboo beams of a house. When a Mangyan discovers a nice ambahan, he uses his knife to engrave it on bamboo, in the age-old Indic-derived script. Thus, he has â€Å"copied† it. In answer to the same question, another Mangyan may reply, â€Å"We obtained this from our forefathers.† Most of the ambahans they possess now have been handed down from parents to children through continuos copying. Yet there is no doubt that new ambahans are still being written today by the poets or composers, although it is hard to find out who these poets are. A Mangyan would never admit that he is composing ambahans. To determine the approximate time in which an ambahan was written, two criteria may be suggested: the subject and the kind of words used. The first criterion cannot be applied without reservation, for the subject of the ambahan is sometimes very general and true of any period. But if we find reference in the ambahan to Moro attacks or to Mangyans still living along the sea-shore, we are on surer ground, for the attacks of the Moros are known to have occurred at a certain time, and the Mangyans lived along the shores before the non-Mangyans settled on the island. On the other hand, when an ambahan poet writes of going to America, the poem is certain to have been written in modern times. The second criterion, the kind of words used, is more reliable and, if used by experts, would be a more certain indication of the age of the ambahan. By using this criterion, ambahans may be categorized into three classes. The first type is the ambahan that only uses the poetic language with a minimum of contemporary words. Sometimes common Hanunuo-Mangyan words are used, but this type of ambahan restricts itself mainly to the use of literary words, i.e. words not used in daily conversation. According to the Mangyans themselves, this is the oldest kind of ambahan. The next type of ambahan is that in which words borrowed from neighboring tribes, especially the Buhid tribe, are used. Frequent contact with this tribe has made the Hanunuo-Mangyans accept these borrowed words and expressions which found their way into their ambahans. Lastly, there is the ambahan of later times, in wh ich loan-words from Spanish, Tagalog or Bisaya are evident. The painstaking study by linguists of the words used in the ambahan may supply the final answer to the question of the time in which an ambahan was written. [Postma, Antoon. Mangyan Treasures. Manila: Arnoldus Press, Inc., 1995.] The ambahan and its uses Hanunuo-Mangyan poems in the Mangyan syllabic script inscribed on betel nut containers made of bamboo The ambahans are very common among the Hanunuo-Mangyans. About thirty percent of the Hanunuo-Mangyans do not read or write the pre-Spanish Hanunuo-Mangyan script, but it would be rare indeed for a Mangyan not to know the art of the ambahan. Of course, a Mangyan will quickly deny any knowledge of the ambahan, but this is only a polite way of refusing to demostrate such knowledge. People who have tried to collect ambahans will be the first to admit the difficulty of making the Mangyans recite the ambahans outside of the proper occasion for doing it. Aside from the Hanunuo-Mangyans, the neighboring Mangyan tribes also know about the ambahan. Though the actual extent to which the ambahan is known by these other tribes has not been fully investigated, it is certain that this type of poetry is also common among the Buhid-Mangyans. The language of the Buhid is completely different from that of the Hanunuo-Mangyans, but one may still partly understand the literary products of the other. The ambahan can also be found among the tribes living deep in the mountains of Mindoro. These natives go down to the lowlands very rarely, and on one of these occassions I was lucky enough to acquire some copies of their ambahans. The Hanunuo-Mangyans do not understand much of it, except when exclusive ambahan words are used. However, before anything more authoritative can be said on this matter, one must explore the field further. The verse of the Iraya-Mangyans (in the north of Mindoro) is also very similar to the ambahan-type, i.e. they also have the characteristic heptasyllabic meter and rhyming end-syllables. Ambahans are known and recited by Hanunuo-Mangyans, both old and young. Of course, different ambahans will be appropriate for different age groups. The children definitely have their own kind of ambahans, something which might be considered as the equivalent of our nursery rhymes. However, even in these rhymes all the el ements of the ambahan are present; the main distinction lies in the simplicity of the language used. The ambahans for children, however, are short, most of them containing not more than six lines. A boy (kan-akan) and a girl (daraga) would be familiar with the ambahans fit for them, but once they are married, they would acquaint themselves with the ones that are appropriate for their new state of life. Like all poetry, the ambahan is an expression of an idea or feeling in a beautiful and harmonious language. Unlike other forms of poetry , however, the ambahan is not poetry for its own sake or for the poet’s satisfaction. The ambahan is primarily a poem of social character; it finds its true existence in society. It is created by the Mangyans to serve practical purposes within the community. It is used by the parents in educating their children, by young people in courting each other, by a visitor in asking for food and by a relative bidding goodbye or farewell. Of course, it would be a mistake to think that the Mangyans converse with each other only by the ambahan. If a man comes from his field, he would not use an ambahan to tell his wife that he is hungry; he will express the feeling of his stomach in plain and clear language. But generally speaking, the ambahan is used on those occasions when something embarrassing, unpleasant, delicate or even precious (as love) has to be said. For instance, a boy may tell a girl in plain language that he will never forget her, but it would sound so much nicer if he were to do so in an ambahan. The social nature of the ambahan has given rise to a kind of verbal contest. Whenever Mangyans are together, a few of them (often the older generation) will eagerly compete with each other in the ability to recite the ambahan called for by the place and the occasion. Among these occasions are festivities held in connection with reburial. One Mangyan might challenge another with an ambahan, for example. This starts the contest. The people gather around the two contestants (without agreement, without rules, without bets), listening intently to the ambahans recited alternately by the two opponents. Each ambahan recited is an answer to the problem or theme propounded in the ambahan preceeding it. Both contestants are lustily cheered and encouraged by their supporters. In most cases, the one who recites last is declared the winner. The contest may go deep into the night. Whether one or the other wins is unimportant; what matters most is the entertainment derived from the contest. A few final remarks about the translation of the ambahan may still be of interest. A researcher who happens to be in the mountains of Mansalay and becomes acquainted with the ambahan will become enthusiastic about it and may even want to translate some of them into his own language. But before he can translate the ambahan, he must study the ancient Indic script. After having mastered it well, he will find out to his dismay, that he still cannot read everything written on the bamboo. This is due to the fact that the script itself does not show the final consonant of each syllable. When he has overcome the disappointment, he will probably try to get an ambahan written down in clear, readable letters. Tape-recording the ambahan would take away the initial difficulties of copying from script. However, even then he will not understand all the implications of the ambahan unless the Mangyan can explain it. In translating an ambahan, we find a special difficulty arising from the symbolic meaning of the words used. The Mangyan may supply the applied allegorical meaning but he might not understand the literal meanings of certain words. The meanings of these words can often be discovered because of the frequent use of repetition of ideas. Sometimes complete lines may be repetitions of the same idea in synonymous words. Before the ambahan can be completely understood, it is imperative to collect as many samples of the ambahan as possible. This is the main work being done at present in this field. A detailed comparison of specimens, sifting and classifying words, and careful experiments in translating the words into another context have to be done by experts in this field of research. Only then will the ambahan emerge in the fullness of its beauty and signification. The present anthology of ambahans is selected from a collection that started in 1958. In preparing this selection, it was not an easy task to decide on the best way of grouping or arranging these ambahans. It was finally decided to observe a dual system in classifying these Mangyan poems. The first system is to take the obvious and literal meaning as expressed by the poem. The second is the allegorical or applied meaning that can be gleaned from the ambahan. With this dual system in mind, the ambahans in this collection have been arranged according tot he life-cycle of the Hanunuo-Mangyans. Hence, this collection of ambahans starts with the cradle and ends with the grave. It is believed that this arrangement is the most satisfactory. [Postma, Antoon SVD. Treasure of a Minority. Manila: Arnoldus Press, Inc., 1981.] Ambahan: Birth and infancy Since the aim of this collection of ambahans is to present a cross-section of the Mangyan poetic verse with respect to the life-cycle of the Mangyans, the first ambahans, to be chronological, should pertain to the first chapters of human life. The following series of common cradle songs in ambahan style might be a fine illustration of how the songs can be different in rhyme and metaphor whereas the underlying theme is the same. Ambahan 3| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | My dear baby, do not cry ’cause the wild cat might hear us! The big one from over there, with his awful long-stretched howl! Helpless are we if he comes. Our spear is broken still and our bolo bent and blunt!| Huwag ka ngang umiyak Hala ka at mapukaw Pusang-ligaw sa gubat Ngumiyaw, maghihiyaw Wala kitang pambugaw Sibat nati’y nawasak Gulok nati’y nabingaw!| Ambahan 4| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | Don’t be noisy, baby dear! The wild iro might come here. The one out of the deep woods. How to fight him when he comes? Broken is our spear in two and our bolo disappeared!| H’wag ka ngang magulo May laog nanunubok Mula gubat susugod Wala kitang panghamok Sibat nati’y napulpol Itak ay anong purol!| Ambahan 5| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | You, my baby, don’t make noise! Some strange animal might come, coming from across the streams. Knocking on the house, he will, with his glittering sharp claws, No weapons for us to kill; our bolo we cannot use, rusty is our spear and blunt.| Anak, ‘wag kang ngumalngal Hala ka, may bakulaw! Sa dahilig do’n buhat Tutuktok sa suliras Kay tulis ng galamay Wala kitang pamatay Tong itak walang saysay Kinalawang ‘yang sibat!| Ambahan: Childhood Sweet are the memories of our childhood. For the Mangyan child, it is a time of unconcern and carefreeness, even if the child has to take his share of the family duties to the measure of his capacities. It is with feelings of sentimentality and homesickness that a young man recalls the happy years of his youth that passed away too fast. It is also with pride that he remembers the love and kindness shown to him by his parents. Ambahan 6 (4)| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | That time, when I was still young, (I was just a baby still) when I sat on mother’s lap, when she rocked me in a crib, in a cradle newly made. Mommy lulling me asleep, did not leave me in a crib, in her arms she cradled me. Oh, how sweet these memories! wish I could climb once again in the cradle lovely made! So I could be showing off how I grew so beautifully! You, the people from the shore, people from the mountains too, could you just come here this way! Visit me just once again, the unfolding, blooming tree! I’ll recall this all my life.| Noong ako’y muraan Sanggol na sanggol pa lang Karga pa sa kandungan Inuugoy sa duyan Sa kagagawang duyan Hinehele ni Nanay Hindi n’ya iniiwan Sapo n’ya sa kandungan O kay gandang nagdaan! Muli sanang mahimlay Sa banayad na duyan Nang tunay kong mamasdan Paglaki kong kariktan Kayong taga-baybayan Maging taga-burulan Kung maaring puntahan Pasyalan at pagmasdan Punong namumukadkad Alaala kailanman!| But there is also the obedient child who has his important task in the whole of the family work: watching that the products in the field will not be destroyed by the wild animals. Ambahan 13| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | The reason why I am here, walking along hills and vales, because Mother has told me and my Father he just said: â€Å"Better go and have a look, at the field we have prepared. Monkeys might be eating there and the pigs destroying plants.† So I went and had a look at the field we have prepared. But no monkeys eating there, and no pigs destroying plants. However, what I did see, was a bird, still rather small, sitting on the field we have, at the borders of the field. Maybe one day it’ll be there, when the rice is ripe and fair.| Sanhi po ng paglakad sa kabundukan Ang bilin po ni Inang Kay Ama’y kawikaan: â€Å"Pumar’on iho’t tingnan Kaingin nating hawan Baka matsi’y lamunan Baboy ay mag-arumbang† Akin nang pinuntahan Kaingin nating hawan Matsin ay wala naman Ni baboy na ligaw man Anu’t aking namasdan Merong ibong ‘liitan Sa kainging hinawan Sa gilid na taniman Baka bukas nandiyan Pagdatal ng anihan!| Children, however, are the same everywhere. Romping around with their playmates, they produce a deafening noise, often to the despair of their parents. Ambahan 15| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | Sure, the kids they are not bad, but, say, who would not get mad! When from morning until night all this noise, right at your side, and those fights on top of that!| Kahit bata’y mabait Sinong di maiinis Buong araw at gabi Iritan d’ya’t kagalit Awayan d’yan sa inggit!| Ambahan: Adolescence The transition from the dependent child into the self-sufficient young man or woman is not marked by initiation ceremonies or induction rites. In some things, children are given independence at an early age. In other things, they continue to act dependently. Ambahan 27| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | Mother carried me around. Father always at my side. I, the baby, was still small: just a little child I was. Going to the field to work, Father led me by the hand. Even speaking simple words as a babe I did not know. But now everything has changed. The small baby has grown up. Now the baby understands all the words that Father speaks, Everything that mother says. Even when I’m walking far, when I travel far away and it becomes dangerous I’ll return immediately.| Kinakalong ni Nanay Kinakandong ni Tatay Sadya pang kamusmusan Tunay akong paslit lang Hangang sa kaingin man ‘Sinasama ni Tatay Kahit pa utal-utal Sanggol na walang muwang Ngunit nang magka-minsan Lumaki’t magkagulang Akin namang nalaman Kay Tatay, kawikaan Kay Nanay, kasabihan Malayo mang lakaran Saan man ang abutan Kung kasam-an ang datnan Sila lang ang uwian!| Then the day comes when adolescence ends. The parents know now that there is not much hope that the young people will do things the way the parents want them to do. The young man goes his way, and nobody can direct him anymore. Ambahan 30| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | Says the lobster in the creek: Even if you place a dam, I will jump it high and neat!| Sabi ng hipong sapa: Kahit mo man bakuran May lusot, paraan pa!| The character of the youngster is fixed now. Even if there are traits the parents do not like, these traits can no longer be changed. Wherever he is, the young adult will behave in his accustomed manner and will not change his attitudes because of others. Ambahan 31| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | Pigeon, with a shortened tail, even there across the hills, you won’t be a nightingale!| Hoy, ibong Balud-balod Libanin mo ma’y bundok Pungos pa rin ‘yang buntot!| Ambahan: Courtship Many pages of sweet-flowing romances have been written about courtship, but the Mangyans create their own by using the examples of the budding and flowering plants and trees around them. Ambahan 38| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | The bamboo in Marigit That I saw at first approach Was just sprouting and still small. When I saw it yesterday, It was standing firm and thick Ready now to build a floor.| Kawayan sa Marigit Pag tanaw ko, palapit Labong pa siyang kay liit Nang daanan ko pabalik Siksikan mga tinik Mainam nang pang-sahig!| Ambahan 39| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | The palm bordering my field Back when it was very small My attention did not call. But now that it’s fully-grown and has shed its dried-up leaves, I will harvest it so fresh and weave me a basket fair. That I can bring everywhere.| Buli sa may kaingin Noong s’ya pa’y musmusin Hindi ko pinapansin Nang gumulang, pagsapit Tanggi ko ang lumain Sariwa kong kukunin Bayong kong lalalain Lagi kong sasakbitin!| A boy has his way of convincing a girl of his good intentions and intimate love. He is willing to sacrifice anything for his beloved. Ambahan 68| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | My sweetheart, my love so dear, when I left, in coming here, coming from my house and yard; all the rice that I have stored, I have left it there behind, because I hope here to find one more valued than my rice! One to be my partner nice to the water, to the field, a companion on my trips, and one who will share my sleep!| O liyag, aking hirang Kanina nang lumisan Galing sa ‘king dingdingan Palay na inanihan Akin lang iniwanan Hinangad kong katuwang Di basta palay lamang Sa lakad sa ilog man Maging sa kaparangan Kaakbay ko saan man Kaabay sa higaan!| Ambahan: Home To give a sample of all the various aspects of the home life within a Mangyan settlement would be next to impossible. However, an attempt to draw a general outline will be undertaken here. Two great themes can be considered of importance in the life-cycle of a Mangyan: 1) His struggle for life in and around his house, to keep hunger and sickness away; and, 2) His unbelievable ability to relax, be happy and unconcerned, often by escaping from his immediate surroundings. What does a Mangyan home look like? His house is not as important as a house is to his countrymen of modern culture. A Mangyan will be the first to admit that his house is of poor construction and just a temporary dwelling. Ambahan 102| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | This the forest Mangyan said: â€Å"What I have to tell you, sir, I’ve been thinking of for long: Your existence is not bad In the lowlands where you live. There the houses that you have Are built with beams of the best Like your floors all made of wood. But we to the mountains born Who have lived here for so long, Our houses are not like that. Our floor is of bamboo built, Our roof made of cogon grass, All of it is tied with vines. But to that I have to add. Don’t forget that we can live Very near the water source Where the birds all come to drink. A cool, shady place to be.†| Sabi ng isang Mangyan: Ang wika ko’y pakinggan Ito ngang kaisipan— Mabuti ang ‘yong lagay Ikaw, taga-kapatagan Kaya taga-baybayan Tabla ay ilang-ilang Nagsahig nang mainam Kaming taga-burulan Kaya nasa burulan aming kabihasnan Sahig ay patpatan Kugon lang ang bubungan May taling baling-uway Datapwa’t ‘to’y pakinggan H’wag naman kalimutan Ibon sa may igiban Bukal itong inuman Na kay lilim kung tingnan!| After all, life is hard and a Mangyan has to spend most of his time eking out a subsistence for himself, so the house itself is of little importance. Ambahan 103| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | Your condition is quite good and your house is beautiful. The walls made of banban leaves, still enforced with bamboo poles. But we, living out-of-doors, we, the mountains dwellers up, if we did not have to search for some food to stay alive, we could also be so wise, we could also find these ways! But the only thing we find, is a sago palm for food!| Dampa mo’y kainaman Bahay n’yo pong gandahan May dingding na banban Patukurang kawayan Kaming nasa bakuran Kaming taga-burulan Di dapat paghanapan Di dapat panghinaan Wala pong karupukan Di dapat manghinayang Dahil masisilayan Yaong buling gandahan!| Even if the construction is nice and strong, the day will come that the house will be torn apart by the ripping blasts of wind. Ambahan 105| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | Climbing vine with the long leaves, leaves symmetrical and fine, how very nice looks your stem! But, they say, you’ll be blown down by the tempest from the shore!| Hoy, uway na lambaan Malamba ang dahon man Ang puno’y kainaman— Kung nasa daraanan Bagyo’y galing ‘patagan!| Ambahan: Problems But at home, life is not always as pleasant as the Manygans would like it to be. There are dark days when the future doesn’t look very bright. These dark days have to be overcome. Ambahan 113| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | Balkawi, my climbing vine, You’re not happy in that spot Your fine leaves are ripping there And your poor stem creaks and cries. I have to replant you now In a place where you will thrive Free from rain and gusty winds.| Hoy, punong Balkawihan Pangit ang tinubuan Dahon mo’y nangalagas Puno mo’y langitngitan Muling itanim na lang Sa payapang hanginan Sa walang daluyungan!| There are the domestic misunderstandings that might arise; the simple accidents that might happen. Ambahan 115| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | Sticks from the balanti tree If you cut them properly From the depth they will resound. But if cut improperly All you get is awful noise.| Kalutang kong Balanti Kung timbang iyang yari Taginting ay mabini Kung tabtab mali-mali Sintunadong matindi!| There is no reason, however, to be as upset about a domestic misunderstanding or a simple accident as about a great disaster. Ambahan 117| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | What is the matter with you that you are so much upset? Like the heavens coming down, as if the whole sky collapsed! Even rain will stop some day, but rain doesn’t own a house! A storm will not last all time, but storm has no place like you! Are you not a human? Man? Doesn’t man always go back to his dwelling place, his home?| Bakit ka nagkaganyan? Ang ulo mo’y kay init Bagsak ang kalangitan Parang bayang guhuan Pagtila nitong ulan Ula’y walang tahanan Hihinto ang ampiyasan Hangi’y walang uwian Di ba’t tao ka naman Di ba’t may babalikan Sa kawayang daluyan!| Ambahan: Sickness Sickness is unavoidable in human life. A person who is ill can easily be recognized. Sometimes, whatever is done, all treatment seems to be in vain. But there is always a treatment that’s been forgotten. Ambahan 131| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | This my problem, my headache, I had called the doctors all, had it treated frequently but my headache didn’t go. Like the storm not calming down, like the rain that doesn’t stop it was even getting worse: my head almost cracking up. But the final medicine, why did I not think of it? We must love each other more. Then the problem will be gone, carried along by the wind, covered by the forest trees, and we will be sad no more.| Itong ulong makirot Dinalit na’t ginamot Niritwal na sa bulong Ayaw pong huminahon Parang bagyong inikot Laging unang lagunot Lalo itong tumibok Sa bunbunan paloob Datapwa’t iyang gamot Ikaw, sa ‘king pagsukot Ay karamay kong irog! Huhupa na ang kirot Sa hangin ipasaklot Sa gubat ipataklob Lalaho na ang lungkot!| A serious condition might develop. The usual treatments are of little help. Ambahan 132| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | Says Yumay, when feeling ill: Daog, I am calling you. I am coming all the way to visit your house, Daog. I would like to ask from you, if you could apply your wit, have me treated with your charms. The main reason for all this: my problem, my headache was treated seven times in vain, still the sickness doesn’t go! I am worried and I think that this sickness will result finally into my death.| Panawagan ni Yumay Si Daog tawag tawag Pakay niya sa lakad Si Daog sa may dampa Ako nawa’y tulungan Sa bulong mong malakas Sa mabisa mong dasal Kaya nga nagkaganyan Masakit ang uluhan Pito mang patas-unan Kirot pa’y palagian Huwag sana, h’wag naman Sakit waring hantungan Tiyak na kamatayan!| Why don’t the treatments work? Maybe all the requirements of offerings to the spirits were not properly fulfilled. Ambahan 133| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | Says the spirit of the spring: What has been your offering? Softly cooked rice, there was none, Not a chicken, even one! Only some fruits from a tree! What else could the answer be but rains and a hurricane hitting house and yard again. What are you going to do? Incantation might help you or a seer and his wit! Maybe he can solve your case and prevent further disgrace. Says the one responsible: You, dear spirit of the well, Please, do hide your angriness! It’s my fault, I do confess. I’ll bring the best from my floor that you will complain no more.| Wika ng lamang-lupa Apo Ilog nagbanta: Handog na kani’y wala Ni manok na ‘hinanda Bungang-kahoy lamang ba Ambo’y umampiyas nga Hangin ay hagunot na Sa kabila ng dampa Anong ibibigay pa Bibigkas ng dasal ba? Uusal ng dalit ha Ganyang magmatigas ka Hanggang katapusan pa! Sumagot ang sinama: Kayo, Poon ng sapa H’wag kapootan nawa Alay namin, dulog na Sa sahig nagmumula Sa sumpa po’y iadya!| Ambahan: Food and work Obtaining food keeps the Mangyans busy for most of the year: selecting and preparing the field; sowing the carefully kept seed; weeding and cleaning the plants; harvesting the most precious food, cotton-white mountain rice. Unfortunately, an ideal harvest depends on an exact amount of sun, wind and rain. Often though, an extensive drought, a nasty typhoon or prolonged monsoon rains effect the opposite result, hardship and scarcity of food. It is therefore, no wonder that the Mangyans worry about their crops a great deal. Rice is a food the Mangyans enjoy. After they have harvested their rice, it seems that there will never come an end to their supplies. But, before they realize it, gone is all their hope and happiness. Ambahan 136| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | This kind of rice, Kabasag, When I saw for the first time, The stalks were heavy with grain. When I returned and looked again, Empty and flat were the heads!| Ang palay kong Kabasag Nang minsan kong namatyag Uhay ay sangkatutak Nang balikan ko’t tingnan Uhay ay mangahungkag!| Ambahan 137| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | The little black bird Sawi, So hereabouts its was told, Had a tail long and pretty. But the bird when it grew big, Tail, alas, shorter it grew, Struck by lightning as storm blew.| Ibong si Sawi-sawi Noon pa man ang huni Buntot, mahabang dili Subalit nang lumaki Buntot ko ay umiksi Kinidlat, binuhawi!| Whether one likes it or not, it is necessary to work hard in order to keep his stomach filled. He has to work hard even if he has the help of the spirits. Ambahan 139| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | Our good and precious soil: Would it be as beautiful if we did not work and toil? Very soon it would be waste.| Ating lupang payapa Paano pa gaganda Kung di tayo gumawa Dagli ‘yang mawawala!| Ambahan: Traveling As a relief from his struggle for life, the Mangyan sometimes goes traveling. The moment will come when the Mangyan cannot be kept tied any longer to his house and the daily chores. He has to go, whether it is opportune or not. The woman, however, is not as fortunate as the man; she is tied to her home, especially when her children are still small. In spite of that, she would also like to go out once in a while. The parents should be, therefore, understanding and reasonable. Ambahan 164| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | This journey that I must do, Tell me please what’s wrong with it, And please explain how, indeed, Father and mother dearest! But then if there’s nothing wrong, Then why scold me for so long?| Iring aking pagpasyal Kung mali po ang asal Ako ay kagalitan O Tatay ko, O Inay Ngunit kung kawastuhan H’wag sanang magtungayaw?| The following ambahan is a special bit of advice to those with the unpleasant ringworm skin disease. Ambahan 166| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | Little bird, Balinayaw, When the sun is fading fast, Better not to walk outside, For your colors will stand out On the leafless Limpayaw!| Ay naku ibong Balaw Kung pusyaw na ang araw Huwag ka ngang galawgaw Kulay mo ay lilitaw Sa panot na Limpayaw!| Just as the speed of those who travel differs, so the character also differs. Ambahan 178| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | Take my bird, the bidlawan, whistling loud and flying far, still he will always come back to the house wherein we dwell. But the bird alipasang whistling loud and flying far, he will not come back again to the house wherein we dwell.| Ibong kong si Bidlawan Sakaling ngang liparan Babalik pa rin iyan Sa ‘ming dampang pugaran Ang ibong layang-layang Kung puma-ilanglang Wala na pong balikan Sa pugad na tahanan!| Ambahan: Hospitality and friendship When a traveler arrives at a house he wont be afraid that he may not be welcome. Hospitality is considered the highest of virtues among the Mangyans. Ambahan 181| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | My dear friend, be welcome here! Where, perchance, did you come from? From the seashore ebbing low, from the bubbling water spring? If from the water source up, let us talk a moment here, in a happy, friendly way. Even whoever you are, we like to be at your side.| Katoto kong matalik Saan ka ba nanggaling Sa baybayin bang gilid Nasunson ba ng batis Kung sa bukal ng tubig Halina at magniig Sa kwentuhan mong ibig Di-kilala ma’t batid Makapiling ka’y lirip!| Sitting together on the balcony in the soft moonlight, the Mangyan feel inspired. Friendship is great! Ambahan 198| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | Look! The moon so full and bright, shining in front of the house! How can you explain to me, that the rays are soft and cool? If a man like us he were, I would hold him by the hand! Seize the hair to keep him back! Grasp the clothes to make him stay! But how could I manage that! It is the moon in the sky! The full moon shining so bright, going down beyond the hills, disappearing from the plain, out of sight behind the rocks.| Kay liwanag ng buwan Sa balkunahe’y sinag Paano naging ganyak Luningning ay busilak Kung tao s’yang katulad Pipigilan kong tiyak Sa buhok, siya’y hawak Siguro sa damit man Pa’no mapipigilan May buwang nakasinag Bituing kumikislap May bundok kinublihan May hinamugang patag May tuktok na pinugad.| The visitor will be home again, but the memory of his good friends will remain forever. Ambahan 205| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | You, my friends, dearest of all, thinking of you makes me sad. Rivers deep are in between, forests vast keep us apart. But thinking of you with love, as if you are here nearby standing, sitting at my side.| Lugod kong kaibigan Kung kita’y pag-isipan May ilog sa pagitan May gubat sa harapan Ngunit kung pagbulayan Parang nasa tabihan Kapiling sa kandungan.| Ambahan: Marriage Although the courtship period has a varied set of rules and ceremonials, the marriage itself is as simple as possible. After the consent of the parents has been obtained, the unceremonial first sleep of both the spouses together is considered as wedlock itself. In the ambahan literature, a major part revolves around the perennial theme of married life and all its ramifications. After many years of living together, does the husband still remember his promise that he gave as an ardent lover? When difficulties arise, the Mangyans try to smooth them out themselves. Ambahan 210| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | If the ties you use at home Become weak and tend to break, You should be the one to mend, The one to restore their strength.| Panali ma’y marupok Uway iyan na gapok Ikaw itong susubok Magtitibay nang lubos!| The following advice is worthwhile to remember! Ambahan 231| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | Even with disharmony and a quarrel now and then. No reason to separate. Try to understand it first!| Kahit may kaguluhan May tampuha’t alitan Di dapat talikuran Unawain mo naman!| Parting for a longer period of time is sad for the couple. Ambahan 234| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | My dear fragrant herb, my wife, it is true, we have to part, on this day and on this hour. If united we remain and our bond is strong and pure, you and I, far as we are, it’s like holding hands again, it’s like sitting side by side.| Kab’yak kong halimuyak Kita ma’y magkawalay Ngayon at lumaon man Kung buklod ay matibay Maayos ang samahan Ikaw nga at ako man Magkahawak ng kamay Wari’y nasa kandungan!| Ambahan: Old age Sharing their love, the happy couple grows old together. Old age in Mangyan society is not given special status and special privileges. As long as anyone is able to keep up, he is expected to take part in daily work. It is, therefore, not surprising to see the old and feeble people working side by side with the younger generations in the rice fields. However, the irrevocable advance of time is felt by the elder generation. It is something that can’t be changed. Ambahan 235| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | It’s a fact we all know, a truth wherever we go: the sun in the afternoon will be setting very soon.| Di ba’t totoo naman Katunayan saan man Araw sa kataasan Ay lulubog rin naman.| Among themselves, the older generation talk about the time when they will no longer be together. Will there still come another day after this night? Ambahan 237| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | At this hour of the dark night we are still together now on the woven sleeping-mat. But when the sun rises soon, and the stars become detached, our bond might break up too. When we’ll ever meet again, it is not with mortal eyes, but the eye-sight of the soul.| Sa sandaling karimlan Kahit kita magtipan Sa banig na higaan Pagsikat nitong araw Talang maghihiwalay; Buklod nati’y bibigay; Pagkikita’y daratal Paningi’y mapawi man May bagong kaanyuan.| The thought of death is quietly accepted by a Mangyan. It is not the frightful and horrible event that is feared so much by the lowland Christians. For a Mangyan, death is part of the life cycle of every human being; it is looked upon as something that will bring a definite change in life, mostly for the better, not for the worst. Especially when the Mangyan gets old, he likes to think of death as the moment that will bring him back again to his beloved who went ahead of him. Ambahan 242| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | Says the man, already old, thinking of life after death: When I leave, it will be nice. I will whistle, I will yell on the highest mountain peaks. Yes, one day I will be glad; I will see my wife again! Many things we’ll have to say! Then I won’t want to come back.| Wika ng isang Mangyan Isip ang kamatayan Kung yayao’t papanaw Sipol akong hihiyaw Sa landas sa ‘bundukan Kung dumatal ang asam Pagtagpo natin hirang Sa usal ay puspusan Papanaw nang tuluyan| Ambahan: Death When physical life comes to an end, the soul departs for another place. The moment of dying, this singular experience, is vividly remembered afterwards by the soul, especially if death came during an agonizing circumstance. Ambahan 246| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | Says the soul remembering: Just a while ago at home, in the house I used to stay, My body was really bad, lying sickly on the mat, though not ready yet to go. Scared to death I really was! I was going to the right and to left, back and forth! So confused I was that time! Now, my body laid at rest, finally I took a bath in the waters for the soul. I am starting on my way to the place my father went, and where Mother joined him, too.| Taghoy ng kaluluwa: Kanina nang lumisan Sa dampa kong tahanan Katawan ko’y naghihirap Sa banig na higaan Di pa lumilisan Balisang nagpaalam Pa-biling-biling naman Pakaliwa’t pakanan Sige na nga kung ganyan Ako na ay lilisan Liligo sa hugasan Sa tubig dalisayan Sa bago kong hantungan Sa tabihan ni Amang Kapiling na si Inang!| Tragic, also is the Mangyan who died out of misery and chagrin because of the hardship he had to deal with! We do not know what his problems were or who caused them, but that he had some is clear from his explanation! Ambahan 251| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | These are the words of the soul: Who would finally not complain! My house on the mountain slope in the darkness of the night, hurricanes were howling loud. When the sun was in the sky, the shower came lashing down! All the southern typhoon winds, all the north-western storms, my house they were hitting hard! That was exactly the case. No wonder I left the place!| Hinagpis ng kalul’wa: Sinong di masasaktan Bahay ko sa tarikan Kung gabi at karimlan Ang hangin ay bugsuan Kung araw ay sikatan Ambon ay ampiyasan Saklot ng habagat man Pispis nga ng amihan Tutok doo’t bugsuan Kang ganyan rin nga lamang Sa dampa na’y lilisan| All this information comes from the realm of the dead, furnished by the deceased themselves! Communicating with the souls or spirits of the dead is nothing extraordinary for the Mangyans. These are those persons who possess the power to strike up a conversation with the spirits by means of a medium or daniw. The conversation resembles a sà ©ance among spiritualists. The Mangyan who grieves about the death of a dear one likes to avail himself of the services of a daniw in order to see if the soul of the deceased cannot be convinced to come back and join his earthly body again. Positive results are said to be known, but they are not recorded in the ambahan verse. The ambahan samples available only relate the failure of the daniw and the decisiveness of the soul to continue his course in the other life. Ambahan 252| Hanunuo-Mangyan| English| Filipino| | Says the seer’s medium: You, soul, can you tell me please, why is it you were so scared, that time when you left the house? Wasn’t a spirit from the woods? If so, I took care of that through my prayers very strong and the incantations too! Your fears should have disappeared, since the Evil one is gone. All the more, it’s long ago that I caged him through my strength.| Ang wika nitong Daniw: Kalul’wa, hoy sabihin Takot ka ba at bakit? Sa tahana’y umalis Kung malignong gubatin Ligtas nating talunin Sa lakas ng dalangin Sa tindi ng humigmig Tuloy kang manahimik Maligno’y gagapusin Ngayon at noon mandin Sa dunong bibihagin!| Mangyan groups Ethnographic map of Mindoro There are around 300 million indigenous peoples in the world. In the Philippines, of the projected population of 94 million in 2010, about 15% belong to indigenous groups. [AusAID] Mindoro is the seventh largest island in the Philippines, with an area of 10,224 square kilometers and two provinces – Oriental and Occidental. Of the total population of one million, the indigenous population is estimated at 100,000. Mangyan is the collective name for the eight indigenous groups living in Mindoro, each with its own name, language, and set of customs: * Iraya * Alangan * Tadyawan * Tau-buid * Bangon * Buhid * Hanunuo * Ratagnon Iraya An Iraya-Mangyan family [Source: Mangyan Mission] The Iraya Mangyans live in the municipalities of Puerto Galera, San Teodoro and Baco in Oriental Mindoro but most are in Occidental Mindoro, particularly in the municipalities of Abra de Ilog, Paluan, Mamburao and Santa Cruz. Estel (1952) described the Iraya as having curly or deep wavy hair and dark skin but not as dark as that of the Negrito. During ancient times, the Iraya traditional attire was made of dry tree bark, pounded to make it flat and soft. The women usually wore a blouse and a skirt and the men wore g-strings made of cloth. Today, however, the Iraya are dressed just like the lowland people. Ready-to-wear clothes are easier to find than their traditional costume [Uyan, 2002]. The Irayas are also skilled in nito-weaving. Handicrafts such as jars, trays, plates and cups of different sizes and design are being marketed to the lowlanders. They subsist on rice, banana, sweet potato, and other root crops. Alangan An Alangan-Mangyan woman in traditional attire The Alangan Mangyans live in the municipalities of Naujan, Baco, San Teodoro, and Victoria in Oriental Mindoro, and in the municipality of Sablayan in Occidental Mindoro. The name Alangan was derived from the name of a river and mountain slopes in the upper Alangan Valley [Leykamm, 1979]. The women traditionally wear a skirt called lingeb. This is made of long strips of woven nito (forest vines), and is wound around the abdomen. This is worn together with the g-string called abayen. The upper covering is called ulango, made from the leaf of the wild buri palm. Sometimes a red kerchief called limbutong is worn over the ulango. The men wear g-strings with fringes in front. The Alangan Mangyans practise swidden farming, which consists of eleven stages. Two of them are the firebreak-making (agait) and the fallowing (agpagamas). A firebreak is made so the fire will not go beyond the swidden site where the vegetation is thoroughly dry and ready for burning. Two years after clearing, cultivation of the swidden is normally ceased and the site is allowed to revert back to forest [Quiaoit, 1997]. Betel nut chewing is also noted among the Alangans, like all other Mangyan tribes. This they chew with great fervor from morning to night, saying that they don’t feel hunger as long as they chew betel nut [Leykamm, 1979]. Nonetheless, betel chewing has a social dimension. Exchange of betel chew ingredients signifies social acceptance. Tadyawan Tadyawan Mangyans in Oriental Mindoro [Source: Mangyan Mission] The Tadyawan Mangyans live in the municipalities of Naujan, Victoria, Socorro, Pola, Gloria, Pinamalayan, and Bansud. In the past, the women wore for their upper covering a red cloth called paypay, which is wound around the breast. For their lower covering, they wrapped around the waist a white cloth called talapi. The men wore g-strings called abay. For their accessories, women wore colorful bracelets and necklaces made of beads. Today the women are rarely seen wearing their traditional attire, though some men still wear the abay. Like all other Mangyan tribes, the Tadyawan depend on their â€Å"kaingin† farm for subsistence. Their staple foods are upland rice, banana, sweet potato, and taro. Some have also planted fruit-bearing trees like rambutan, citrus, and coffee in their kaingin. Tau-buid A Tau-buid Mangyan in Occidental Mindoro [Source: Overseas Missionary Fellowship] The Tau-buids are known as pipe smokers and even children begin smoking at a young age. Standard dress for men and women is the loin cloth. In some areas close to the lowlands, women wrap a knee-length cloth around their bark bra-string and men wear cloth instead of bark. Bark cloth is worn by both men and women in the interior and is also used for head bands, women’s breast covers, and blankets. Cloth is made by extracting, pounding and drying the inner bark of several trees [Pennoyer, 1979]. The Tau-buid Mangyans live in the municipalities of Socorro, Pinamalayan and Gloria, but mostly in Occidental Mindoro. Bangon A Bangon-Mangyan elder [Source: Mangyan Mission] The Bangon Mangyans live along the Bongabon river called Binagaw and the surrounding mountains in the municipalities of Bongabong, Bansud, and Gloria in Oriental Mindoro. The Bangon Mangyans have their own culture, language and writing system, different to the other tribes in Oriental Mindoro, and asserted they be considered the seventh major tribe – not a sub-tribe of the Tau-buid. In a March 28, 1996 meeting with Buhid Mangyans in Ogom Liguma, they decided to accept the word Bangon for their tribe. Buhid A Buhid-Mangyan woman [Source: Mangyan Mission] The Buhids are known as pot makers. Other Mangyan tribes, like the Alangan and Hanunuo, used to buy their cooking pots from the Buhids. The word Buhid literally means â€Å"mountain dwellers† [Postma, 1967]. Buhid women wear woven black and white brassiers called linagmon and a black and white skirt called abol. Unmarried women wear body ornaments such as a braided nito belt (lufas), blue thread earrings, beaded headband (sangbaw), beaded bracelet (uksong), and beaded long necklace (siwayang or ugot). The men wear g-strings. To enhance body beauty, the men wear ornaments like a long beaded necklace, tight choker (ugot) and beaded bracelet (uksong). Both sexes use an accessory bag called bay-ong for personal things like comb and knife [Litis, 1989]. Together with the Hanunuo, the Buhids in some areas possess a pre-Spanish syllabic writing system. The Buhid Mangyans live in the municipalities of Roxas, Bansud, Bongabong and some parts of Mansalay in Oriental Mindoro, and in the municipalities of San Jose and Rizal in Occidental Mindoro. Hanunuo A Hanunuo-Mangyan family [Source: Mangyan Mission] To the Hanunuo, clothing (rutay) is one of the most important criteria in distinguishing the Mangyan from the non-Manyan (damuong). A Hanunuo-Mangyan male wears a loin cloth (ba-ag) and a shirt (balukas). A female wears an indigo-dyed short skirt (ramit) and a blouse (lambung). Many of the traditional style shirts and blouses are embroidered on the back with a design called pakudos, based on the cross shape. This design is also found on their bags made of buri (palm leaf) and nito (black fern), called bay-ong. Both sexes used to wear a twilled rattan belt with pocket (hagkos) at their waist. Long hair is the traditional style for a man. It is tied in one spot at the back of the head with a cloth hair-band called panyo. Women also have long hair often dressed with a headbands of beads. The Hanunuo Mangyans of all ages and both sexes are very fond of wearing necklaces and bracelets of beads [Miyamoto, 1985]. In the past they cultivated cotton trees and from these obtained raw materials which they wove in a crude hand loom called harablon. The process of weaving was called habilan, which starts with the gathering of cotton balls and pilling them to dry in a flat basket (bilao). Afterwards, the seeds are removed and the cotton placed on a mat and beaten by two flat sticks to make it fine. Next the cotton is placed inside a container made out of banana stalks (binuyo) and woven. Noted anthropologist Harold Conklin made an extensive study on the Hanunuo-Mangyan agricultural system in 1953. The Hanunuo Mangyans practise swidden farming. This type of farming is different from the â€Å"kaingin† system practised by non-Mangyans which is often very destructive when it is done with no proper safeguards to prevent the fire from spreading to the surrounding vegetation. A fallow period is also observed so that the swidden farm will revert back to forest. According to Conklin, the Mangyans managed their swidden farms skillfully. In 1995, almost half a century after Con klin’s research, a study on the Hanunuo Mangyans’ swidden farming system was conducted by Hayama Atsuko. She concluded that the Hanunuo Mangyans’ farming practices have prevented land deterioration in spite of the fact that forest land degradation is now evident in their territory due to various factors. Together with their northern neighbor the Buhids, the Hanunuo possess a pre-Spanish writing system, considered to be of Indic origin, with characters expressing the open syllables of the language [Postma, 1981]. This syllabic writing system, called Surat Mangyan, is being taught in several Mangyan schools in Mansalay and Bulalacao. The Hanunuo Mangyans live in the municipalities of Mansalay, Bulalacao, and some parts of Bongabong in Oriental Mindoro, and in the municipality of San Jose in Occidental Mindoro. Ratagnon The Ratagnon live in the southernmost part of the municipality of Magsaysay in Occidental Mindoro. Their language is similar to the Visayan Cuyunon language, spoken by the inhabitants of Cuyo Island in Northern Palawan. The Ratagnon women wear a wrap-around cotton cloth from the waistline to the knees and some of the males still wear the traditional g-string. The women’s breast covering is made of woven nito (vine). They also wear accessories made of beads and copper wire. The males wear a jacket with simple embroidery during gala festivities and carry flint, tinder, and other paraphernalia for making fire. Both sexes wear coils of red-dyed rattan at the waistline. Like other Mangyan tribes, they also carry betel chew and its ingredients in bamboo containers.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream: an Ecological Interpretation

A Midsummer Night’s Dream: An Ecocritical Interpretation Lieutenant Asit Biswas Bio-Notes: Lieut. Asit Biswas is an Assistant Professor, Dept. of English, and Associate NCC Officer, Acharya B. N. Seal (Govt. ) College, Cooch Behar, W. B. ABSTRACT: Shakespeare studies in India started as early as in the early decades of the 19th century when the Indians seldom engaged in Shakespeare interpretation and so the term ‘ecocriticism’ was unheard of.What we mean by the phrase ‘Critical studies of Shakespeare’ started in India in 1917 when Hindu College (later on Presidency College and now Presidency University) was founded. Then Shakespeare began to be evaluated from an oriental point of view. Some of those interpretations may be considered ecocriticism. The same thing was done by Purna Chandra Basu (in his article â€Å"Sahitye Khoon†, D. L. Roy (in his book, Kalidas O Bhababhuti) etc. Eco-criticism as a literary movement, as Yogesh K.Tiwari and N. D. R. Chandra say, began in the 1990s. But ecocritical evaluation of Shakespeare’s plays from Indian point of view is yet to flourish well. In A Midsummer Night’s Dream one can find plethora of materials relevant not only for the students of literature but of environmental studies also. The aim of the present play is to reinterpret Shakespeare’ play A Midsummer Night’s Dream from ecocritical point of view and thereby justify the contemporaneity of the Bard.Now-a-days many in many universities in India the students have to read English and Environmental Studies as compulsory subjects, Shakespeare being a part of the former. As the students of literature they would be keen to trace out the aesthetic aspects of the dramas of Shakespeare while belonging to various disciplines they would naturally seek for the relevance of Shakespeare in the present context. So the paper is an attempt to bring out Shakespeare’s anticipation of the environmental problems a nd thereby prove Shakespeare as a topic of both literature and environmental studies.Modern environmentalism began with ‘A Fable for Tomorrow’, in Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring (1962). Mrs. Frederick Boas edited the Cambridge collection of Tempest Essays; Richard Kerridge N. Shammells published Writing the Environment, Eco-criticism and Literature (Zed Books-1998); J. Bate & L. Coupe published The Green Studies Reader from Romanticism to Eco-Criticism (by New York, Routeledge-2000);but the most outstanding book in this field is Green Shakespeare by Gabriel Egan who says, Crossing he boundaries of literary and cultural studies to draw in politics, philosophy and ecology, this volume not only introduces one of the most lively areas of contemporary Shakespeare studies, but also  puts forward  a convincing case for Shakespeare's continuing relevance to contemporary theory. There is a significant school named as the Association for the study of Literature and Envi ronment which was started in America and now has its branches in Japan and UK. It is mainly an association of the eco-critics. The Role of Literature in Placing a Value on the Environment: As Daniel B.Botkin and Edward A. Keller say in their book Environmental Science (5th edition, Page No. 11) the value of the environment is based on the following justifications: aesthetic, creative, recreational, inspirational, moral, cultural and utilitarian (materialistic). Aesthetic justification has to do with our appreciation of beauty of nature. Many people prefer living in the world of wilderness to one without it. Rabindranath Tagore created an instance by leaving the clutter of Calcutta settling down in the lap of Nature in Santiniketan.In Shakespeare the Forest of Arden minimizes the bereavement of the Duke in As You Like It. But in the Duke’s bemoaning for the subordination of the forest we hear the voice of an ecologist. It would not be a digression to say that Tagore’s e cocentrism is again found in Siksha: Tapoban in his comment on Shakespeare’s plays. While ecology is a mother branch of science, ecocriticism is comparatively a new branch which attempts to establish a relationship between literature and the physical environment.As Greg Garrard quotes in his book Eco-criticism from Glotfelty’s book The Eco-criticism Reader: Landmark in Literary Ecology: Simply put, eco-criticism is the study of the relationship between literature and physical environment. Just as feminist criticism examines language and literature from a gender conscious perspective, and Marxist criticism brings an awareness of modes of production and economic class to its reading of texts, eco-criticism takes an earth-centred approach to literary study.Garrard also adds that eco-criticism is closely related to environmentally oriented developments in philosophy and political theory. So eco-criticism may be interpreted as the analysis of a literary text from the point of view of an ecologist. Another epoch making writing that has relevance in our interpretation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream is Simon C. Estok’s research paper titled Shakespeare and Ecocriticism: An Analysis of â€Å"Home† and â€Å"Power† in King Lear in which the author explains the key terms â€Å"Anthropocentrism†, â€Å"Biocentrism/ Ecocentrism† and â€Å"Ecophobia†.Agreeing with Greg Garrard, Estok says that ecocriticism is not simply the study of nature or natural things in literature; rather it is any theory that is committed to effecting change by analysing the function – thematic, artistic, social, historical, ideological, theoretical, or otherwise— the natural environment, or aspects of it, represents in documents that contribute to material practices in material world. The explanation of the term ‘ecophobia’ is also very much necessary in our revaluation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Estok thinks that â€Å"ecophobia is the fear of loss of agency and control to Nature†.This ecophobia, found in both Oberon and Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, gives birth to various conflicts, both inner and outer, or, to say more explicitly, psychological and social (which includes ecological aspects also) and this sociological aspects of the play justify the contemporaneity of the bard. Some minor research works have been done on this particular topic on national and international levels. Some research papers have been published on eco-criticism in Shakespeare’s dramas in some journals; mention may be made of the one written by Dr.Subh Brat Sarkar, Rishi Bankim Chandra College, Naihati, W. B. The paper already written by the present researcher and published in the Research Spectrum (August-2012 Issue) contains some hints of the Eco-criticism in Shakespeare’s plays as seen by Rabindranath Tagore. Tagore considered it to be a kind of colonialism. Accord ing to him colonialism is not only the subordination of a weaker nation by a powerful one but the subordination of nature by human beings. Tagore also probably finds the ‘ecologist Shakespeare’ as in As You Like It, The Tempest etc.According to Nirmal Selvamony, the humans have introduced a hierarchy in nature. In that the humans have placed the domesticated animals higher than the wild animals. â€Å"Even animals were ranged in hierarchic order, the domestic and the wild† (Selvamony 4). But in A Midsummer Night’s Dream the role of the dominating power is taken by the fairies and the inferior race is the human beings. The fairies have occupied the topmost position in the hierarchy of Nature and they subordinate man and they quarrel in order to decide who will ‘domesticate’ the Indian boy who is the representative of the colonized people.This kind of colonialism found in Nature may be termed ‘Ecocolonialism’ or ‘Eco-imperiali sm’. In a supernatural drama like the present one the imperialists are the fairies but in reality they are the mighty people and the colonized ones may be the flora and fauna or even linguistically, culturally, racially, socially, politically, religiously or financially weaker section of the people. In A Midsummer Night’s Dream an ecologist easily finds plenty of materials relevant not only to the students of literature but of science, especially ecology also.The human beings in the person of the Indian boy or the European lovers are merely playthings to the mighty fairies. The fairies play with the humans for their own pleasure and showing their might and not for the amusement of the humans and they do it from anthropocentric point of view. In his Master’s Degree dissertation paper, (University of South Florida) Roy Patricia points out the environmental issues in MND by referring to â€Å"Folk Medicine and the Four Fairies of A Midsummer Night’s Dream,à ¢â‚¬  by Lou Agnes Reynolds and Paul Sawyer who have recovered the fairies from evil associations by casting them as herbal doctors.The article points to the strong early modern interest in the medicinal use of plants and finds that, by the use of this imagery, Shakespeare imbues his fairy characters and their natural remedies with beneficial, medicinal properties. Reynolds and Sawyer’s points are well taken, but we can develop them even further. Not only do the four attendant fairies – Cobweb, Mustardseed, Peascod and Mote – represent fairy medicine but all the actions in the forest also act therapeutically upon the lovers. The inversion of love-roles and the dreams of the lovers depend upon Oberon’s extensive knowledge of the herbal lore of his world.As Oberon himself states: â€Å"Fare thee well, nymph [Helena]. Ere he do leave this grove / Thou shalt fly him, and he shall seek thy love. (2. 1. 245-6). In Act-1I, scene-i of from the speech of Puck we come to know that the king, Oberon is angry with the queen, Titania as she has seized away a boy from India and made him her servant. â€Å"For Oberon is passing fell and wrath, / Because she as her attendant hath / A lovely boy, stolen from an Indian king†. But the king wants to roam about the forests (Nature), along with the boy. As a result whenever they meet, they quarrel.Titania also alleges him of emptying of the venom of jealousy. She says that whenever they meet they quarrel and as a result the wind cannot sing the song of peace and is sucking the fog from the surface of the seas and the water level of the seas has been raised up; the natural system has been disrupted, resulting in untimely flood and thereby destruction of vast area of crops and extinct of a number of species. The ever smiling spring, the scorching summer, the frowning autumn and the cruel winter have changed their plight and so people cannot identify them.Titania confesses that they are responsible for this unholy variation of the cycle of seasons. The people cannot endure the change of the cycle of seasons; suffer from untimely winter and also various kinds of diseases due to the change and endangered bio-diversity. In reply to the allegation of the queen, the king urges her to correct the ecological imbalance as she has the power to remedy. The reason of their quarrel is also clear to the readers—possession of the boy kidnapped from India.Here the quarrel is between a power that has deprived the creature of his natural habitat and made him her servant and the eco-friendly power that is keen to roam about the forests, along with the innocent creature. But none is ready to provide the boy with absolute freedom and so their quarrel does not come to an end here. The king requests the queen to hand the boy over to him but she is too obstinate to nod. She frankly declares that she cannot lose her control over the boy even if she is given the whole fairy land. So Oberon deci des to use tricks.He advises Puck to extract the juice of a certain flower which would act like black magic and leave its evil influence on Titania’s eyes, if administered properly. It would also be able to invert the usual behaviour and natural instinct of a person as in the modern age we see the evil influence of narcotics especially in the third world countries. The harmful effect of the use of drugs on eco system is mainly felt in the developing countries. Again Titania, admits that their quarrel has destroyed the usual course of the natural phenomena and nature has undergone vast changes, creating ocean of troubles for human beings.In Act-1, Scene-ii (Lines 81-117) Titania, the Queen of the fairies alleges that their quarrel has destroyed the usual habits of the natural phenomena and Nature has undergone vast changes, creating ocean of troubles for human beings. It may be considered Shakespeare’s anticipation of what McKibben says in his book The End of Nature (19 90): We have changed the atmosphere, and thus we are changing the weather. By changing the weather we make every spot on earth man-made or artificial. We have deprived nature of its independence, and that is fatal to its meaning. Nature’s independence is its meaning; ithout it there is nothing but us. (McKibben 1990: 54) In this connection it may be recalled that India was a favourite commercial place to the Western countries form the time of ancient history. And for the sole possession of India several wars were for between the English and the French and others. The Indian boy in the play is symbolically a colony, an ideal place for business. Now-a-day it may be a typical Indian plant for whose patent the economic colonialists are ever fighting among themselves and in order to supersede one another destroying the eco system of the whole globe.Recently we witnessed the war between Iraq and U. S. A. Various reasons may be found out but the naked truth is that the sole reason o f the notorious war is nothing but the shameless effort of control over the petroleum mines of the Arabian countries. When the two â€Å"do square, that all their elves for fear/ Creep into acorn cups and hide them there†. The peaceful people whenever get frightened, seek refuge in nature and it may be kept in mind that the best remedy of various pollutions including noise pollution is plantation.Nature is the man’s ultimate refuge because only nature can provide the human beings with eternal pleasure, both physical and mental. Puck also confesses that he, in order to make a fun and to show his prowess, perturbs the natural habits of an object both animate and inanimate. In modern age the modern Pucks very often destroy the Nature and subordinate the creatures of Nature very often out of fun. Examples may be given of the tortured animals in the circus shows, poachers’ activities etc; moreover, we torture the animals in the zoo.Keeping bird cages is a favourite b ut cruel hobby of a kind of people even after the passage of law against it. It is not only inhuman and unlawful but harmful to bio-diversity also. Recently a television channel telecast a live show of beating thousands of innocent seals to death in Antarctica by a community as it is the annual festival of the community. The pain of the poor seals, especially the half dead ones, the fear of the eco system to be disturbed, the melting of the glaciers and thereby upheaval of the sea level cannot render them anxious of the future of the earth.In this post-Modern age MND is quite relevant and significant since we witness the ecological imbalance, extinction of a large number of species, climatic change, global warming, uprising of the sea level, earth quake, tsunami, El Nino etc. The reason behind such troubles may be, along with the others, the wars (Gulf war, the long war between Iran and Iraq and of course the two World Wars), nuclear bomb testing and above all merciless deforestatio n. Here in the speech of Titania we seem to hear the voice of an environment scientist or of an ecologist.It may be noted that the more mighty the power, the more strong a destroyer is he in this post-Modern Age. Probably Shakespeare anticipated the natural problems created by the super-human power. The Titanias now-a-days are the war-mongers greedy of absolute power, who seldom think of the future of the globe. So in this age of science and technology the revaluation of the plays of Shakespeare is very much significant. In the same Act and scene the speech of Oberon (L-176–185) is also significant.He speaks of the juice of a flower that is able to hypnotize any man or woman and make him/her fall in love with any creature seen first. But the remedy is known to Oberon only. So it may be supposed that he wants to administer the cunning trick only to destroy the natural habit of a creature and to apply his remedy and thereby to prove his power. In the post-Modern age of economic colonialism this cunning theory is felt to have come back, but with a new dimension. For example the parthenium plant has allegedly come from U. S. A. As found in an e-article (http://www. streetdirectory. om) It appears that Parthenium is not native to India, but it came with the imported wheat as a mixture, when the US sent wheat to India under PL 480 (Public Law 480 passed in 1954 to give food grains to developing countries) in 1956. However this concept was contradicted by some as not the real story because Parthenium was present in India even in 1951 itself. Some people allege that this plant causes asthma whose medicine would be made in USA and so in order to sell the medicine and to prevail over the subcontinent, the Americans sent the parthenium seeds as adulteration with wheat seeds.So the purpose is to make the Indians asthma patients and then to sell to them asthma medicine. But we should not engage ourselves in this controversy, since we are not talking of international politics but of literary criticism. Here, in the drama the role of Oberon is like that of a modern capitalist who uses his cunning method in order to prove his supremacy and thereby dominate over the comparatively weaker sections and he is doing this out of ecophobia. Ultimately Oberon, the king realizes the harmful effect of his sports and then he feels sorry and takes the responsibility and so urges his assistant to correct the mistakes.He also pacifies his quarrel with Titania, once again with the help of the same narcotics. Here we see the constructive use of the herbs. Thus the play ends with an optimistic note and indirectly upholds the banner of Nature which is the best remedy for the revival of the impaired eco system. It also opines that man cannot remain happy by subordinating nature. Now in the age of global warming the plays of Shakespeare deserve a re-reading. One may recall the peaceful atmosphere in the Forest of Arden (As You Like It) and realize that subordination of nature cannot bring us mental peace as Tagore realized.He establishes his opinion by citing examples from As You Like It, Sakuntala etc. In the concluding song Puck urges the audience to consider the play to be a dream. We may do but it would not be an overstatement to consider it to be a dream of an ecologist because in the play we see what an ecologist would think of the vast change taken place in environment due to the modern leaders of the planet. Reference 1. Arumugam, E. (2008) Principles of Environmental Ethics, Sarup Book Publishers Pvt. Ltd. , New Delhi-2, India. 2. Bookchin, Murray, Anthropocentrism versus biocentrism – a false dichotomy http://climateandcapitalism. om. 3. Botkin, Daniel B. ; Keller , Edward A. , (2005), Environmental Science, John Wiley ; Sons, Inc, U. S. A. 4. Estok, Simon C. , Shakespeare and Ecocriticism: An Analysis of â€Å"Home† and â€Å"Power† in King Lear, http://simonestok. com. 5. Garrard, G. (2007) Ecocriticism, Routled ge, London and New York. 6. Gifford, Terry: (1999) Pastoral, Routeledge, London and New York. 7. Glotfelty, C. and Fromm, H. (ed) (1996) The Eco-criticism Reader: Landmark in Literary Ecology, University of Georgia Press, London. 8. McKibben, B. (1990), The End of Nature, Penguin, London, 9.Patricia, Roy, (2004), â€Å"Shakespeare’s Midsummer Fairies: Shadows and Shamen of the Forest†, http://scholarcommons. usf. edu/etd/1226 10. Purohit , S. S. ; Ranjan, Rajiv (2003), Ecology, Environment and Pollution, Agrobios (India), Jodhpur, India. 11. Sarkar, Subh Brat, (2005), â€Å"Ecological Theatre: Performance and Ecological Issues† (in Prakashkal) Unique; Panshila, Sodepur, W. B. , India. 12. Selvamony, Nirmal, (2001): â€Å"Persons for Alternative Social Order†, Chennai, India. 13. Shakespeare, William, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, New Delhi: Oxford ; IBH Publishing Co.Pvt Ltd. , 1980. 14. Tagore, R. , (1932) The Religion of Man, George Allen and Unwin, London. 15. Thompson, Jr. , E. , (1926), Rabindranath Tagore: Poet and Dramatist, Read, p. 12, http://en. wikipedia. org. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 1. Dr. Amit Bhattacharya, Associate Professor ; Head, Dept. of English, University of Gour Banga, Malda, W. B. , India. 2. UGC (India) for MRP (No: F. PHW-131/09-10 (ERO) Date: Sept. 07, 2009) 3. The Essay was published in the International Journal of Innovative Research and Development (ISSN 2278-0211), Vol-1, Issue-6 September, 2012. www. ijird. com.