By Margaret Shen The name Hans Christian Andersen must be familiar to anyone who has read fairy tales in their childhood. This Danish man is the author of fascinating stories such as Ugly Duckling, The Little Mermaid, The Emperor’s New Clothes, The Snow Queen and many others.
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by Sean Lin 2016 marks the four hundredth anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare, the most celebrated playwright and poet in British history. Across the United Kingdom and in many other countries, countless performances, lectures, and exhibitions have been held in his memory and honor to commemorate this historic event. The grand scale of this commemoration, though overwhelming, seems justifiably commensurate with his pervasive influence, for Shakespeare has become not only the synonym of English literature but also the very emblem of British culture. In a nationwide poll conducted by the BBC in 2011, Shakespeare tops the list of cultural symbols that make Britons proud, beating formidable competitors such as the royal family and the Beatles. In the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony in London, “be not afeard, the isle is full of noises,” a speech from Shakespeare’s play The Tempest, was delivered in a live performance in front of an estimated one billion people. According to the director of the ceremony, this speech was chosen as the momentous occasion’s manifesto to demonstrate the wondrous beauty and the essential spirit of the British isles to the whole world. Nevertheless, despite such prominence, Shakespeare did not secure his superior status in the literary pantheon in an instant. In addition, although he has always been popular among theatergoers, his reputation has waxed and waned throughout history among critics. His rise to prominence is the consequence of a series of contextual factors, not just the quality of his works. Although any discussion of Shakespeare will underestimate the complexity of the issue, perhaps a brief look at the reception of his works throughout history will shed some light on the process of the formation of a cultural symbol and provide insights into the real image of the Bard.
by Grace Hsu “Mrs. Wang, Mrs. Wang, Peter hit me!”
“Why did he hit you, Amy?” “He claimed that the Class Rule states that if I didn’t get over ninety on an exam, I shall be punished by the Class President.” “Well, he is right. You have to abide by the rules.” “But I think it’s unfair! Students shouldn’t be physically abused! It was Peter who forced us to pass that stupid rule!” “Let bygones be bygones, Amy. Peter did nothing wrong. He was just executing the rules. If you study harder from now on, you won’t have to be punished!” By: Kunlanit Chongsujipunt (Jenny) Have you ever dreamed about following your own passions without having to follow a chaotic 9 to 5 work schedule? Believe it or not, there are some people who are fortunate enough to do this by uploading Youtube videos, which since its inception in 2005 has become the 3rd most visited website in the world.
By Jasmine Niu For quite a while, people have become accustomed to rushing to make everything happen on time. People want takeout food quickly, so we have fast food. When people want to catch up on the latest fashion trends, we have fast fashion.
by Yu Aoki When you were a kid, how did you spend your time after school? When I was in elementary school, my mother always welcomed me back home. Sometimes I had piano lessons, sometimes I went out and played with friends. But my mother didn’t allow me to go out until I had finished my homework.
by Lisa Herbers In 2012 the EU received the Nobel Peace Prize to honor its role in the development of a peaceful Europe. The Union had experienced a unparalleled era of peace - 70 years without war - the longest time in the entire history of its member states. This year, however, on the 23rd of June the citizens of the United Kingdom will take a public vote to decide whether they want to stay.
A general definition of traveling is, according to me, to go away, either to another part of the country or another part of the world. Of course, jumping on a plane will not make you smarter, but there are lots of other advantages traveling can bring. Being more open-minded is certainly the best advantage. Travel is the best way to discover something new and to remind you what is good (or bad) in your own culture. Generally, we travel because we want to. I have always been passionate about travel; I guess it is something my parents give me, and as soon as I was in my mum’s womb, I was already traveling by plane.
I am writing this to you because I know you will never read it.
You know what they say about ‘the one who got away’–you remember them the most. They have this special spot in the linings of your heart, with their name and their birthday and their favourite drink and the way their eyes look when they smile all etched neatly in size ten font. |
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The Taida Student Journal has been active since 1995 with an ever-changing roster of student journalists at NTU. Click the above link to read about the authors Archives
May 2024
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