00704--Define soliloquy and aside.

Define soliloquy and aside.

Playwrights rely on certain conventions to give the audience more informationabout the characters. Two such conventions are the soliloquy and the aside.

• A soliloquy is a speech that a character makes while alone on stage, to reveal his or her thoughts to the audience.

• An aside is a remark that a character makes in an undertone to the audience or another character but that others on stage are not supposed to hear. A stage direction clarifies that a remark is an aside; unless otherwise specified, the aside is to the audience.

00703--What is a Frame Story?

What is a Frame Story?

The frame story is a literary device that joinstogether one or more stories within a larger story, or frame. Frame stories have been used throughout the world and date back to antiquity. The Panchatantra, a collection ofSanskrit fables gathered around 200 b.c., is an ancient Indian example of a frame story.

Giovanni Boccaccio’s Decameron is a well-known Italian frame story in which a collection of stories are told by different characters.

The Canterbury Tales is one of the most famous examples of the frame story. In his innovative use of the device, Chaucer interwove the frame with the tales. The plot of the frame involves pilgrims on a pilgrimage who are challenged to compete in telling the best tale. Chaucer reveals the pilgrims’ personalities not only through their interactions between tales but also by the tales they tell. As a result, the frame itself

acts as a long and engaging narrative whole.

00702--What is Shakespearean tragedy?

What is Shakespearean tragedy?

Shakespearean tragedy presents a superior figure—the tragic hero—who comes to ruin because of an error in judgment or a weakness in character—a tragicflaw. One or more antagonists, or opposing characters, also work against the tragic hero, and the action builds to a catastrophe, a disastrous end involving deaths.

Macbeth

• The play is written in blank verse, or unrhymed iambic pentameter, in which the normal line has five stressedsyllables, each preceded by an unstressed syllable.

• Characters often reveal their private thoughts through soliloquies and asides, which other characters cannot hear.

• Enjoyment of the play’s action is sometimes enhanced through the use of foreshadowing—hints about what may happen later—and dramatic irony—the contrast created when the audience knows more about a situation than a character knows.

00701--What is Psychological Fiction?

What is Psychological Fiction?

An offshoot of realism, psychologicalfiction focuses on the conflicts and motivations of its characters. In such literature, plot events are often less important than the inner workings of each character’s mind. A technique closely associated with psychological fiction is stream of consciousness, which presents the random flow of a character’s thoughts. Though psychological fiction is often viewed as a 20th-century invention found in the writing of Virginia Woolf, James Joyce, and others, earlier writers—such as George Eliot, Elizabeth Gaskell, and Thomas Hardy—can be said to employ this technique in varying degrees.

00700--What is Terza Rima?

What is Terza Rima?

Terzarima is a three-line stanza form originating in Italy. Its rhyme scheme is aba bcbcdcded,and so on. Terzarima was popular with many English poets, including Milton, Byron, and Shelley.

00699--What is Scripture?

What is Scripture?

Scripture is literature that is considered sacred—that is, it is used in religious rituals of worship, initiation, celebration, and mourning. Such literature is usually preserved in what are considered holy books. The hymns, chants, prayers, myths, and other forms passed down through generations and combined as a body of scripture express the core beliefs of a group of people. The excerpts from the King James Bible are examples of scripture gathered from the Jewish and Christian traditions.

00698--What is Repetition?

What is Repetition?

Repetition is a technique in which a sound, word, phrase, or line is repeated for emphasis or unity. Repetition often helps to reinforce meaning and create an appealing rhythm. The term includes specific devices associated with both prose and poetry, such as alliterationand parallelism.

00697--What is a Parallel Plot?

What is a Parallel Plot?

A parallel plot is a particular type of plot in which two stories of equal importance are told simultaneously. The story moves back and forth between the two plots.

00696--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-149

A policeman stopped drunk MullaNasrudin and said to him, "Do you know who I am?"

"I CAN'T SAY THAT I DO," said Nasrudin, "BUT IF YOU WILL TELL ME WHERE YOU LIVE, I WILL HELP YOU HOME."

00695--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-148

MullaNasrudin used to say:

"IF YOU WANT YOUR WIFE TO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU ARE SAYING, WHISPER IT TO ANOTHER WOMAN IN A LOW VOICE."

00694--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-147

MullaNasrudin and one of his friends were sitting under the bridge listening to the holiday traffic passing overhead. "I hate holidays," said the friend.

"YES,” said Nasrudin, "IT MAKES YOU FEEL RIGHT COMMON WHEN NOBODY AIN'T WORKING. "

00693--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-146

"Everybody has something to be thankful for," the minister said to MullaNasrudin, who was sitting in his office telling a tale of woe. "Look at the man across the street from you who just lost his wife in an automobile accident."

"YES," said Nasrudin, "BUT EVERYBODY CAN'T BE THAT LUCKY, SIR."

00692--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-145

A man in the upstairs apartment yelled to MullaNasrudin downstairs, "If you don't stop playing that clarinet, I will go crazy."

"TOO LATE NOW," said Nasrudin. "I STOPPED AN HOUR AGO, SIR."

00691--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-144

MullaNasrudin had been to the state legislature. After he had spent thirty days with his fellow legislators at the state capital, he came home for a weekend.

In telling his wife about it, he said: "I HAVE DISCOVERED ONE THING -- IT'S THE FIRST INSANE ASYLUM I HAVE EVER SEEN THAT'S RUN BY THE INMATES."

00690--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-143

A college freshman was talking about girls with MullaNasrudin. "Which would you advise me to do? Marry a sensible girl or a beautiful girl, Mulla?" he asked.

"I don't think you will be able to marry either," said the Mulla.

"Why not?" asked the freshman.

"IT'S LOGICAL," said Nasrudin. "A BEAUTIFUL GIRL COULD DO BETTER AND A SENSIBLE! GIRL WOULD KNOW BETTER."

00689--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-142

MullaNasrudin and one of his friends were walking past the high board fence that surrounded a nudist colony. Nasrudin spotted a knothole and peeked in. "Hey," he shouted to his companion, "there's a lot of people in there."

"Men or women?" asked the friend.

"I CAN'T TELL," said Nasrudin. "THEY DON'T HAVE ANY CLOTHES ON."

00688--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-141

MullaNasrudin fainted on the street and a crowd quickly gathered.

"Give him air!" shouted a man. "Clear the way. Hurry up someone, get him a drink!"

Nasrudin's eyes fluttered open and he gasped, "PLEASE, MAKE IT A DOUBLE MARTINI."

00687--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-140

MullaNasrudin was watching the youngsters put on their horse show. He said to a bystander, "It's terrible the way they dress today. Just look at that young boy with the cigarette, sloppy haircut, and tight breeches."

"That is not a boy," said the other. "It's a girl and she's my daughter."

"Oh, excuse me, Sir," said the Mulla. "I meant no offence. I didn't know you were her father."

"I AM NOT," said the other. "I AM HER MOTHER."

00686--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-139

MullaNasrudin was milking a cow, when suddenly a bull tore across the meadow toward him. The Mulla didn't move, but kept on milking. Several men, who were watching from the next field, were surprised when the bull stopped dead within a few yards of the Mulla. He then turned around and walked away.

"Were you not afraid, Mulla?" asked the men.

"OF COURSE NOT," replied Nasrudin. "THIS COW IS HIS MOTHER-IN-LAW."

00685--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-138

A vacuum cleaner salesman rang the doorbell of MullaNasrudin's house and was admitted by a woman, who immediately left the room. After talking a bit to the Mulla who was in the room, the salesman said,

"Was that your wife, Sir, who let me in?"

"CERTAINLY. DO YOU THINK I WOULD HIRE A MAID AS HOMELY AS THAT?" asked Nasrudin.

00684--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-137

A preacher was being entertained at dinner and the other guests were praising his sermon. One of them turned to MullaNasrudin, who was at the talk, but had remained silent, and asked, "Mulla, what did you think of the sermon?"

"OH, IT WAS ALL RIGHT," said Nasrudin, "ONLY HE PASSED UP THREE REAL GOOD PLACES WHERE HE COULD HAVE STOPPED."

00683--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-136

"This book," said the salesman, "will do half your work."

"FINE," said MullaNasrudin. "I WILL TAKE TWO OF THEM."

00682--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-135

New neighbours had moved in and had been under observation for several days.

"They seem like a most devoted couple," said MullaNasrudin's wife to her husband. "Every time he leaves for work she comes out on the porch and he hugs and kisses her. Why don't you do that?"

"ME?" said Nasrudin. "I SHOULD SAY NOT. I HAVE NOT EVEN BEEN INTRODUCED TO HER YET."

00681--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-134

The wife of MullaNasrudin had received a beautiful skunk coat for her birthday a gift from her husband.

"Why," she said with excitement,"I just can't understand how a beautiful coat like that could possibly come from such a miserable evil-smelling little beast."

"WELL," said Nasrudin, "I DID NOT EXACTLY EXPECT ANY GRATITUDE FROM YOU, BUT I DO THINK I DESERVE A LITTLE BIT MORE RESPECT."

00680--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-133

"This is a lesson in logic," said the old professor in the teahouse. "If the show starts at nine and dinner is at six and my son has the measles, and brother drives a Cadillac, how old am I?"

"You are eighty-four," replied MullaNasrudin promptly.

"Right," said the professor. "Now tell the rest of the fellows here how you arrived at the correct answer."

"IT'S EASY," said Nasrudin. "I HAVE GOT AN UNCLE WHO IS FORTY-TWO AND HE IS ONLY HALF NUTS, SIR."

00679--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-132

MullaNasrudin's wife complained bitterly to the Mulla. "I am absolutely ashamed of the way we live.

Mother pays our rent. My aunt buys our clothes. My sister sends us money for food. I don't like to complain, but I am ashamed that we cannot do better than that."

"YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED," said Nasrudin. "YOU HAVE GOT TWO UNCLES THAT DON'T SEND US A DIME."

00678--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-131

The young man had kissed his girlfriend, MullaNasrudin's daughter, goodnight about a dozen times.

They just could not seem to say goodnight. Finally he said, "Love is wonderful. Darling, do we really have to say goodnight?"

MullaNasrudin's voice came from deep within the house, "CERTAINLY NOT. STICK 

AROUND ANOTHER HALF HOUR AND YOU CAN SAY GOOD MORNING."

00677--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-130

"What are you doing hiding under the bed?" asked MullaNasrudin's wife.

"It's all lightening and thunder," said the Mulla. "And I don't want to get struck by lightening.

"Oh, that's silly," said his wife. "If lightening is going to strike you, it will strike you no matter where you are."

"THAT'S ALL RIGHT," said Nasrudin. "BUT, IF IT IS GOING TO STRIKE ME, I JUST WANT TO BE HARD TO FIND."

00676--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-129

"You ought to stand on your two feet and show your wife who is running things at your house," a big, bossy fellow said to his friend, MullaNasrudin.

"THERE IS NO NEED TO," said Nasrudin, "SHE ALREADY KNOWS."

00675--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-128

It seemed that every time MullaNasrudin met his lawyer, he had some added legal fees. It worried the Mulla to the point of ulcers. Then one day, he met his lawyer in the post office and said, "NICE DAY, ISN'T IT? AND REMEMBER, I AM TELLING YOU, NOT ASKING YOU, SIR."

00674--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-127

The stranger was talking in the tavern.

"For fifteen years," he said, "my habits were as regular as clockwork. I rose exactly at six. Half an hour later I was at breakfast. At seven I was at work. I had lunch at one, and supper at six, and was in bed at nine-thirty. I ate only plain food, and didn't have a day of sickness during all those years."

"MY," said MullaNasrudin who was listening to the story, "AND WHAT WERE YOU IN JAIL FOR?"

00673--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-126

The two burglars worked as a team. One stayed outside as a lookout, while the other robbed the house.

One night, when the inside man returned, his buddy said, "How much did you get?"

"Nothing," the other said. "This is the house of MullaNasrudin."

"GEE!" said his buddy. "THEN HOW MUCH DID YOU LOSE?"

00672--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-125

MullaNasrudin had been arrested for stealing a hog. The trial was short and sweet. There was no concrete evidence against the Mulla and the judge dismissed the case against him. But for some reason the Mulla seemed not to understand.

"The case is dismissed," the judge said, "It is over. You are acquitted. You can go."

"WELL, THANKS, JUDGE," said Nasrudin. "BUT DO I HAVE TO GIVE HIM BACK HIS HOG?"

00671--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-124

MullaNasrudin's son, home from college, was talking to his father about the "Law of Compensation," which he had studied. "If a person loses one eye," he explained, "the sight in the other becomes stronger. If he loses the hearing in one ear, the hearing in the other becomes more acute. If he loses one hand, he becomes more agile with the other."

"I GUESS THAT'S RIGHT," said Nasrudin. "I HAVE ALWAYS NOTICED THAT WHEN A MAN HAS ONE SHORT LEG THE OTHER IS LONGER."

00670--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-123

Invited to stop for a drink with his friends following the lodge meeting, MullaNasrudin said he had to hurry home. "I can't stop," he said, "I have got to go home and explain to my wife."

"Explain what?" one of his friends asked.

"I DON'T KNOW," said Nasrudin, "I AM NOT HOME YET."

00669--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-122

MullaNasrudin's wife was sitting down to breakfast one morning when she read an announcement of her own death in the newspaper. She quickly called MullaNasrudin who was outside the town and said:

"Have you read the morning paper, Mulla? And, did you see the announcement of my death?"

"YES," said Nasrudin. "WHERE ARE YOU CALLING FROM?"

00668--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-121

The doctor was giving some bad news to MullaNasrudin about his wife. "This is a serious case," the doctor said. "I hate to tell you, but your wife's mind is gone, completely gone."

"WELL, I AM NOT SURPRISED," said Nasrudin. "SHE HAS BEEN GIVING ME A LITTLE PIECE OF IT EVERYDAY FOR FIFTEEN YEARS."

00667--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-120

MullaNasrudin and his wife were talking about a neighbour.

"I have never heard a man talk so fast in all my life," said the wife.

"THAT’S NOT SURPRISING, " said Nasrudin. "HIS FATHER WAS A POLITICIAN AND HIS MOTHER WAS A WOMAN. "

00666--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-119

MullaNasrudin was talking with his neighbour over the back fence.

"Was not that something," said the neighbour, "the way Lucy's stove exploded last night? The explosion blew her and her husband right out of the front door into the street! "

"YES,” said the Mulla. "THAT'S THE FIRST TIME THEY HAVE GONE OUT TOGETHER IN THIRTY YEARS."

00665--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-118

MullaNasrudin came home about midnight and threw himself on the couch in the living room. He woke his wife up with his clumsiness and she stuck her head out of the bedroom door and said, "Well, you finally came home. I guess you found that your home is the best place to be this time of the night."

"NOT EXACTLY," said Nasrudin, "BUT IT'S THE ONLY PLACE THAT'S OPEN AFTER MIDNIGHT."

00664--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-117

MullaNasrudin and his neighbour were greeting each other.

"Good morning," said the Mulla. "You are looking fine this morning."

"I am sorry I can't say the same thing for you," said the neighbour.

"YOU COULD," said Nasrudin, "IF YOU WERE AS BIG A LIAR AS I AM."

00663--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-116

MullaNasrudin and his friend were talking about their wives.

"My wife is very touchy," said the friend. "The least little thing sets her off."

"You are lucky," said Nasrudin. "MINE IS A SELF-STARTER."

00662--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-115

"When I was broke," MullaNasrudin told his neighbour, "Harry volunteered to lend me $1000"

"Did you take it?" his neighbour asked.

"NO," said Nasrudin. "THAT KIND OF FRIENDSHIP IS TOO VALUABLE TO LOSE."

00661--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-114

"Look here," she said to MullaNasrudin, "Why do you always come to my house to beg?"

"Doctor's orders, lady," said the Mulla.

"What do you mean, doctor's orders?" she asked.

"He told me," saidNasrudin, "THAT WHEN I FOUND FOOD THAT AGREED WITH ME, I SHOULD STICK TO IT."

00660--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-113

MullaNasrudin's wife was feeling a bit sorry for herself. "You don't seem as devoted to me as you used to," she complained. "Do you still love me?"

Nasrudin looked up from his newspaper and shouted, "YES, I STILL LOVE YOU. NOW SHUT YOUR BIG MOUTH AND LET ME READ MY PAPER."

00659--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-112

A friend gave a bottle of cheap liquor to MullaNasrudin as a birthday present. Later he asked the Mulla how it was.

"It was just exactly right," said the Mulla.

"What do you mean just right?" asked the friend.

"WELL," said Nasrudin, "IF IT HAD BEEN ANY BETTER YOU WOULDN'T HAVE GIVEN IT TO ME, IF IT HAD BEEN ANY WORSE, I COULDN'T HAVE DRUNK IT."

00658--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-111

Every chair in the doctor's waiting room was taken. Several people were standing.

 There was no word from the doctor. Finally, MullaNasrudin stood up wearily and 

said, "WELL, I GUESS I WILL JUST GO HOME AND DIE NATURAL DEATH."

00657--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-110

MullaNasrudin and his neighbour were chatting.

"Yesterday, I took a girl to the coke bar in the afternoon," said the neighbour, "and I paid for that. Then I took her to the drive-in for a hot dog and I paid for that. After that, I took her to a movie, and I paid for that.  Then I took her to a nightclub and I paid for that. Do you think I should have kissed her goodnight, Mulla?"

"NO," said Nasrudin. "I THINK YOU DID ENOUGH FOR HER FOR ONE DAY."

00656--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-109

MullaNasrudin was bragging to his friend about his family.

"When I go home at night," he said, "everything is ready for me, my slippers, my pipe, the easy chair in the corner with the light turned on, my book open at the same place I left it the night before -- and always plenty of hot water."

"I get all that stuff about the slippers and easy chair and book and the pipe," his friend said, "but what about the hot water, Mulla?"

"WELL," replied Nasrudin, "MY FAMILY LOVES ME. YOU DON'T THINK THEY ARE GOING TO MAKE ME WASH DISHES IN COLD WATER, DO YOU?"

00655--Mulla Nasrudin Stories-108

MullaNasrudin was weeping and complaining in a bar.

"I don't have anything to worry about," he said. "My wife takes care of my money. My mother-in-law tends to my business. ALL I HAVE TO DO IS WORK."