Saturday Mix – February 11, 2017 – Bastet

Hello Everyone,

Once upon a time there was the soliloquy – the most famous in the English language is probably Shakespeare’s Hamlet :

“To be, or not to be–that is the question:
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles
And by opposing end them. To die, to sleep–
No more–and by a sleep to say we end
The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to. ‘Tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep–
To sleep–perchance to dream: ay, there’s the rub,
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause.” ./…
Act III, Scene I. … Even so, Hamlet seems to consider himself alone.

By definition a soliloquy is “an act of speaking one’s thoughts aloud when by oneself or regardless of any hearers, especially by a character in a play”. It’s  a device that an author uses to help the audience get into the character’s thoughts and feelings which Shakespeare made wide use, just think of the soliloquy of Mercutio or even Romeo and Juliet in that famous romantic play – as well as many others.  One doesn’t usually use the soliloquy  in a novel – we just use the device of saying; he/she thought.

Imagine a scene, a train is pulling out of the station and a person standing on the platform looking dejected.  What can have happened.  Perhaps this person is someone in the station wishing to leave but for some reason hasn’t.  Here’s my brief example:

There it goes, my last chance for freedom.  Where did the courage that drove me here go?  How did I become lost in a vapour, a mist of anxiety until the ghost of an unseen future caused my heart to cower and my feet to freeze.  What is there to fear?  To leave a known but secure misery rather than risk the unknown?  Look in the mirror and see these lost eyes of longing.  To find serenity and perhaps happiness at last.  Leave him, go.

Ah, all is not lost!  Here is my other chance, another opportunity rapidly moving towards me on the tracks.  Breathe deep, no need to hesitate.

“All aboard!” the conductor cried!

There you go.  😉

Now you try.  There’s no reason for your soliloquy to be dramatic … it could be reflections on joy or it could be about some funny thoughts.  Just try to make it short – let’s try to keep it within 120 words max.  Oh and here’s a photo to reflect on

Footsteps

If you prefer to write a poem,  you might try a Shadorma or perhaps a Choka which is an antique Japanese epic poem – formed by writing 5 syllable/7 syllable couplets then ending the poem with an extra seven-syllable line.  The poet may write as many couplets as he or she desires but it must end in two seven syllable lines.

Once you’ve done tag: Mindlovesmisery’s Menagerie and Saturday Mix.  Ping or leave your comments below and link up to our Mr. Linky app.

Bye for now, and happy writing!  Bastet