Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa Essays

Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa Essays Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa Essay Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa Essay Essay Topic: Literature In Chapter VII pages 167-169 of Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusas The Leopard is the actual ruin of the novels protagonist, Prince Don Fabrizio, and thus the near-ending of the story and Donnafugata. The chapter, titled Death of a Prince, consists of exactly this; the slow, alone death of Don Fabrizio in a hotel room a few hours after arriving Palermo. The passage being analysed, however, more specifically summarizes his thoughts and feelings about himself and his life while dying. The extract, while and after reading it, is effectively rather haunting for the reader. One of the most obvious features of the overall mood and atmosphere of the passage is its evident morbidity. Throughout, the Prince tends to ask himself rhetorical questions and make cynical statements that give him a sense of helplessness, lost in bitter melancholy. Why, he wondered, did God not want anyone to die with their own face on? (5-6) is an example of this. The morbid sense of the passage is also depicted by the Princes reference to death as a game Its a rule of the game; hateful but formal (17). This proves to be paradoxical, as death, which is normally perceived negatively, would not usually be associated with a word that is conventionally positive (game). Other features that facilitate the clear morbidity of this passage is Tomasi di Lampedusas subtle use of adjectives such as funeral black (24), metallic sea (29) and dark water towards the abyss (53) to describe the Princes depressing perception of his surroundings, which also illustrate his current state of mind. Funeral Black not only serves as a simple description, but is also an example of the way the extract foreshows the ending of everything the Prince, Donnafugata, the novel. The use of the reference to the imminent end (48) also very apparently indicates conclusion. : An impression is also made that everything around him is fading, through descriptions such as tenacious memories (27), which doubly emphasizes the waning nature of the environment, the ghosts of the cockroaches (25), which triggers emptiness, and faint [ odour (26). This sombre, inevitable doom in the atmosphere is also portrayed through the claustrophobic account of the room. The suffocating (24) disposition, the heat, the prison stink (29); though these descriptions contrast with the initial empty feeling of the room, Tomasi di Lampedusas depiction of the stale and musty atmosphere overpower the emptiness. Having three days growth of beard (3), the Prince himself illustrates staleness. Images, olfactory and otherwise, of the mustiness of ill-dusted plush (25), the faint medicinal odour (26), and the stale and varied urine (27) add to this depressing and nauseating tone of the mood and atmosphere. Throughout, the Prince gives a strong impression of his isolation. Although it is not clearly stated, this feature is shown through the inseparability of ideas between the atmosphere of the passage and Prince Don Fabrizios state of mind. Tomasi di Lampedusa seems to have written the Chapter in such a way that the atmosphere and surroundings described are almost by the character of the Prince himself. This is briefly mentioned previously where the Princes perception is directly linked to his current situation. The morbid atmosphere adds to his morbid reminiscent state, where he thinks about death and decay through various ways. His self-decay, or weakness, is depicted through his helplessness as he feels he is unable to contravene (14) and that he is a prey of untameable currents (54) a victim of his circumstances. This is even despite his attempt to maintain composure immersed in that great outer silence, in that terrifying inner rumble (37). One interesting feature of this passage is the way the Prince bitterly makes ironic comparisons and contrasts of his current dying state to his previous healthy state. For example, to hold up a razor would have been like holding up his own desk, before (14-15), or he found that to give way to drowsiness now would be as absurd as eating a slice of cake immediately before a longed-for banquet (34-35), which indirectly contributes to the extracts resentful tone. When the Prince contemplates the downfall of everything around him, it is as if his life is flashing before his eyes, as he is remembering everything of significance to him. Another stereotype of death occurs when there is a blinding light (28) amongst the darkness of the atmosphere; this follows the stereotypical idea of walking into the light pre or post-death. Overall, the Princes state of mind seems to be depressed, bitter, weak, and reminiscent, which is easier to observe due to the state of the atmosphere and mood. As this passage is fairly significant, there are many themes and patterns evident. Towards the beginning, when the Prince is describing his physical self as one of those maniac Englishmen who amble around the vignettes in books by Jules Verne (3-4), he also adds that he is A Leopard in a very bad trim (5). This hints a pattern of animal imagery, which is used fairly often in the novel. This may also be thought as slightly paradoxical, as leopards, animals that are noble, gallant and dignified are rarely in bad trims. Though there is not a great deal, olfactory images definitely occur a few times as well when Tomasi di Lampedusa describes the mustiness of the room, which was mentioned earlier. As obvious however, the main theme of this passage that appears in the novel is the idea of death and decay. Because the whole gist of the extract is based on this theme, the idea is self-explanatory; the death of the Prince, the decay of his life and surroundings (Donnafugata). This is related to another theme that is found in the passage: the inevitability of change. This is depicted by his helplessness as he gives in to enforced camouflage (13) and relinquishes with the idea that Theyll shave [him] [ ] afterwards (17). Another unavoidable theme throughout the passage is the idea of the passing of time through death and aging. Similar to the theme of death and decay, this is also quite apparent as the aging of the Prince, Donnafugata, and his belongings is clear through his words; for example, old man (10), telescopes now destined to years of dust (41), exhausted body (51). A last but important theme that this extract illustrates is the concept of isolation and solitude. The Prince makes it very clear here that he is alone as he is not interrupted by personally close characters during the excerpt. He seems as if he is in his own little world of thoughts, which already makes him emotionally isolated. The reader can only know he is alone for certain though by the last line, He was alone, a shipwrecked man adrift on a raft (54). This passage of Chapter VII from The Leopard is very significant in depicting the various themes and writing styles of Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa throughout the novel. The strong atmosphere and mood of the extract strongly facilitates the depiction of Prince Don Fabrizios state of mind. The contrast of his behaviour and thinking in this passage and chapter to his behaviour and thinking throughout the rest of the novel makes this extract very interesting to analyse. However what inclines to be the most evocative feature in the overall passage is Tomasi di Lampedusas ability to express the protagonists subjective, bitter views through his own objective narration. The effect of Chapter VII is thus a lasting one.

Sunday, March 1, 2020

Ser Conjugation in Spanish, Translation, Examples

Ser Conjugation in Spanish, Translation, Examples The verb ser  is one of the  two  Spanish  verbs that mean to be.  The other one is the verb  estar. The verb  ser  is irregular, meaning  it does not follow a common  conjugation  pattern. In fact, ser is one of the most irregularly conjugated verbs in Spanish. Many of the conjugated forms dont even begin with s, and some forms are shared with the highly irregular verb ir (to go). This article includes  the  ser conjugations in the present, past, conditional and future indicative, the present and past subjunctive, the imperative, and other verb forms. Using the Verb Ser Ser  and  estar  are some of the most commonly used verbs in Spanish. Although they both mean to be, they are used in very different contexts. Ser is often used to talk about inherent or permanent characteristics. For example,  Ella es alta e inteligente (She is tall and smart). It is also used to talk about someones profession or occupation, as in Ella es doctora y à ©l es arquitecto (She is a doctor and he is an engineer), or to talk about where someone is from, as in El profesor es de Puerto Rico (The professor is from Puerto Rico). Ser can be used to talk about what something is made of, as in La puerta es de madera (The door is made of wood), or to talk about the location of an event, such as a meeting, party, festival, etc. For example,  La reunià ³n es en la oficina del doctor  (The meeting is in the doctors office). This verb is also used to talk about belonging. For example, La casa es de Alberto (The house is Albertos). Another use of the verb  ser  is in the passive voice, followed by the present participle, as in La tarea es hecha por el estudiante (The homework is done by the student). Yet another use of the verb ser is with impersonal expressions, such as Es necesario trabajar duro (It is necessary to work hard). Notice that in Spanish we do not use the verb ser to talk about someones age like we do in English (She is ten years old), but instead we use the verb tener to talk about how many years someone has (Ella tiene diez aà ±os). Ser Present Indicative The conjugations for ser in the present indicative tense are totally irregular. The first person singular conjugation soy is similar to other verbs like dar (doy), estar (estoy) and ir (voy). Yo soy I am Yo soy estudiante en la universidad. Tà º eres You are Tà º eres muy lista. Usted/à ©l/ella es You/he/she is Ella es doctora. Nosotros somos We are Nosotros somos buenos amigos. Vosotros sois You are Vosotros sois muy delgados. Ustedes/ellos/ellas son You/they are Ellos son personas trabajadoras. Ser Preterite Indicative The preterite tense conjugations of ser are also irregular, since they do not resemble the infinitive ser at all. Note that these conjugations are the exact same conjugations for the preterite indicative tense of the verb ir (to go). From context, you would be able to tell if you are talking about being or going. Yo fui I was Yo fui estudiante en la universidad. Tà º fuiste You were Tà º fuiste muy lista. Usted/à ©l/ella fue You/he/she was Ella fue doctora. Nosotros fuimos We were Nosotros fuimos buenos amigos. Vosotros fuisteis You were Vosotros fuisteis muy delgados. Ustedes/ellos/ellas fueron You/they were Ellos fueron personas trabajadoras. Ser Imperfect Indicative Ser is one of the few verbs that are irregular in the imperfect tense, since it does not use either of the usual imperfect conjugation endings (à ­a or aba). Remember that the imperfect tense can be translated as was being or used to be. Yo era I used to be Yo era estudiante en la universidad. Tà º eras You used to be Tà º eras muy lista. Usted/à ©l/ella era You/he/she used to be Ella era doctora. Nosotros à ©ramos We used to be Nosotros à ©ramos buenos amigos. Vosotros erais You used to be Vosotros eraismuy delgados. Ustedes/ellos/ellas eran You/they used to be Ellos eran personas trabajadoras. Ser Future Indicative The future indicative tense is conjugated regularly, since you can start with the infinitive (ser) and add the future tense endings (à ©, s, , emos, is, n). Yo serà © I will be Yo serà © estudiante en la universidad. Tà º sers You will be Tà º sers muy lista. Usted/à ©l/ella ser You/he/she will be Ella ser doctora. Nosotros seremos We will be Nosotros seremos buenos amigos. Vosotros serà ©is You will be Vosotros serà ©ismuy delgados. Ustedes/ellos/ellas sern You/theywill be Ellos sern personas trabajadoras. Ser Periphrastic  Future Indicative   The periphrastic future is formed with three components: the present indicative conjugation of the verb ir (to go), the preposition a, and the infinitive ser. Yo voy a ser I am going to be Yo voya ser estudiante en la universidad. Tà º vasa ser You are going to be Tà º vasa ser muy lista. Usted/à ©l/ella vaa ser You/he/she are going to be Ella vaa ser doctora. Nosotros vamosa ser We are going tobe Nosotros vamosa ser buenos amigos. Vosotros vaisa ser You are going tobe Vosotros vaisa ser muy delgados. Ustedes/ellos/ellas vana ser You/theyare going tobe Ellos vana ser personas trabajadoras. Ser Present Progressive/Gerund Form The gerund  or present participle is formed with the stem of the verb and the ending -iendo (for -er and -ir verbs). It can be used to form progressive tenses like the present progressive, which is usually accompanied by the auxiliary verb estar. Present Progressive ofSer est siendo She is being Ella est siendo una buena doctora al cuidar de sus pacientes. Ser Past Participle The past participle is used to form perfect tenses like the present perfect, which is formed with the auxiliary verb haber and the past participle sido. Present Perfect ofSer ha sido She has been Ella ha sido doctora durante toda su carrera. Ser Conditional Indicative The conditional tense is normally translated to English as would verb. It is formed regularly like the future tense, by starting with the infinitive form and adding the conditional endings. Yo serà ­a I will be Yo serà ­a estudiante en la universidad si me hubieran admitido. Tà º serà ­as You will be Tà º serà ­as muy lista si estudiaras ms. Usted/à ©l/ella serà ­a You/he/she will be Ella serà ­a doctora si no hubiera estudiado leyes. Nosotros serà ­amos We will be Nosotros serà ­amos buenos amigos si vivià ©ramos ms cerca. Vosotros serà ­ais You will be Vosotros serà ­aismuy delgados si hicierais dieta. Ustedes/ellos/ellas serà ­an You/theywill be Ellos serà ­an personas trabajadoras si quisieran. Ser Present Subjunctive The conjugation of the present subjunctive of ser is completely irregular. Que yo sea That I be Mi madre quiere que yo sea estudiante en la universidad. Que tà º seas That you be A la maestra le encanta que tà º seas muy lista. Que usted/à ©l/ella sea That you/he/she be Pap espera que ella sea doctora. Que nosotros seamos That we be El consejero quiere que nosotros seamos buenos amigos. Que vosotros seis That you be El mà ©dico recomienda que vosotros seismuy delgados. Que ustedes/ellos/ellas sean That you/they be El jefe espera que ellos sean personas trabajadoras. Ser Imperfect Subjunctive You can conjugate the imperfect subjunctive in two different ways, both considered correct. Option 1 Que yo fuera That I were Mam querà ­a que yo fuera estudiante en la universidad. Que tà º fueras That you were A la maestra le encantaba que tà º fueras muy lista. Que usted/à ©l/ella fuera that you/he/she were Pap esperaba que ella fuera doctora. Que nosotros fuà ©ramos That we were El consejero querà ­a que nosotros fuà ©ramos buenos amigos. Que vosotros fuerais That you were El mà ©dico recomendaba que vosotros fuerais muy delgados. Que ustedes/ellos/ellas fueran That you/they were El jefe esperaba que ellos fueran personas trabajadoras. Option 2 Que yo fuese That I were Mam querà ­a que yo fuese estudiante en la universidad. Que tà º fueses That you were A la maestra le encantaba que tà º fueses muy lista. Que usted/à ©l/ella fuese that you/he/she were Pap esperaba que ella fuese doctora. Que nosotros fuà ©semos That we were El consejero querà ­a que nosotros fuà ©semos buenos amigos. Que vosotros fueseis That you were El mà ©dico recomendaba que vosotros fueseis muy delgados. Que ustedes/ellos/ellas fuesen That you/they were El jefe esperaba que ellos fuesen personas trabajadoras. Ser Imperative The imperative mood is used to give commands or orders. The tables below show both positive and negative commands. Positive commands Tà º sà © Be!  ¡Sà © muy lista! Usted sea Be!  ¡Sea doctora! Nosotros seamos Let's be!  ¡Seamos buenos amigos! Vosotros sed Be!  ¡Sed muy delgados! Ustedes sean Be!  ¡Sean personas trabajadoras! Negative commands Tà º no seas Don't be!  ¡No seas muy lista! Usted no sea Don't be!  ¡No sea doctora! Nosotros no seamos Let's not be!  ¡No seamos buenos amigos! Vosotros no seis Don't be!  ¡No seis muy delgados! Ustedes no sean Don't be!  ¡No sean personas trabajadoras!