This blog is for students in Mr. Getty's AP English class who are sharing their ideas about the works of Thomas Hardy.
Students are to use this blog to keep an on-going record of their discussion about The Mayor of Casterbridge.
I believe that Hardy takes the roots of words and twists them to make them sound and look how he wants, but to still rely what he's trying to say. I related "furmity" to "infirmity"(i took the root mity) which means the state of being weak. The word furmity comes from page 20 "The firmity woman..." which describes how weak the woman is when trying to find her husband. Also it is used on page 20 "...without having a dish of Mrs. Goodenough's furmity." Therefore i could relate this to the word "Frumenty" which means an english dish consisting of hulled wheat boiled in milk, sweetened, and flavored with spice.
Well Hannah, I googled it, and it furmity came up as just another was to spell "furmenty". I disagree with you on the infirmity corrolation though. I think his use of furmity is just the use of cultural dialogue of that time.
I agree with you that he is just using the cultural dialog of that time, but he kind of uses the word in two very differnt settings. You cant describe a woman to be soup...but maybe i'm wrong. Bah idk?
Hardy certainly makes up words, as we saw in Tess (noctambulous, anyone?). However, I'm going to have to agree with Shane on this one, Hannah. I don't believe that "furmity" is a made up word in this case. I think the "furmity woman" is simply the same as saying the "soup woman." She owns the tent that sells the dish, and has not been given a name, so she is referred to as just "the furmity woman."
However, when she spikes the furmity for Michael, his judgment certainly weakens, given that the next thing he does is sell his wife and child. So, the furmity did have a weakening effect. Maybe there could be some symbolism there...
furmity is a mixture of corn in the grain, flour, milk, raisins, currants, and sometimes alittle bit of rum! that is the defintion of it in the book. I actually could not find this word in the dictionary!
Okay so Hardy does make up words. Like maddie said about him making up words to describe Angel clare in Tess. I think that hardy uses the language of the culture. In the book it said that furmity was a mixture of corn, grain, flour, milk, raisins, currants, and sometimes some rum. ( could not find in the dictionary probably a word made up to describe this concoction that pertains to the culture)
I think that calling her the "furmity women" is just another more sophiticated word for calling her the soup women ( sounds better too). Hardy seems to take words twist them to make them seem more complicated than what they are,
But in this instance i think that Hardy is using the cultural dialogue of the time as shane stated.
I don't think he necessarily makes the words up... people used words a long time ago that we don't use anymore, so you never know... but i do agree with hannah that he twists the roots of the words it seems like, like on the chapter quizzes about Tess, if you break down the words and look at the roots, you can figure it out.
I think that hardy creates words that are inspired by the character he is writing about. since they are original he feels that the words should be too. i am not sure i belive that they are cultural words becuase hardy refuted the ideas valued in culture. i think this i why he created words, to go stop his association with most aspects of culture, even common terms.
I do belive Hardy makes up words, but it probably has to do with the culture he was surrounded by. He was a writer so if he wants to make up words i think he can. I am also sure he did it for a reson, im just not sure what that reason is.
First, Hardy definitely makes up his own words. I can see this with writers today who continue to make up their own words in music. As for the meaning of the word furmity, I am puzzled. It is used as a common adjective describing different people in different situations. I believe that the word furmity might have to do with the demeanor of the people. Consistently the word is used to describe people, male or female, whose actions don't exactly follow how they are feeling at the exact moment and time.
10 comments:
I believe that Hardy takes the roots of words and twists them to make them sound and look how he wants, but to still rely what he's trying to say. I related "furmity" to "infirmity"(i took the root mity) which means the state of being weak. The word furmity comes from page 20 "The firmity woman..." which describes how weak the woman is when trying to find her husband. Also it is used on page 20 "...without having a dish of Mrs. Goodenough's furmity." Therefore i could relate this to the word "Frumenty" which means an english dish consisting of hulled wheat boiled in milk, sweetened, and flavored with spice.
Well Hannah, I googled it, and it furmity came up as just another was to spell "furmenty". I disagree with you on the infirmity corrolation though. I think his use of furmity is just the use of cultural dialogue of that time.
I agree with you that he is just using the cultural dialog of that time, but he kind of uses the word in two very differnt settings. You cant describe a woman to be soup...but maybe i'm wrong. Bah idk?
Hardy certainly makes up words, as we saw in Tess (noctambulous, anyone?). However, I'm going to have to agree with Shane on this one, Hannah. I don't believe that "furmity" is a made up word in this case. I think the "furmity woman" is simply the same as saying the "soup woman." She owns the tent that sells the dish, and has not been given a name, so she is referred to as just "the furmity woman."
However, when she spikes the furmity for Michael, his judgment certainly weakens, given that the next thing he does is sell his wife and child. So, the furmity did have a weakening effect. Maybe there could be some symbolism there...
furmity is a mixture of corn in the grain, flour, milk, raisins, currants, and sometimes alittle bit of rum! that is the defintion of it in the book. I actually could not find this word in the dictionary!
Okay so Hardy does make up words. Like maddie said about him making up words to describe Angel clare in Tess. I think that hardy uses the language of the culture. In the book it said that furmity was a mixture of corn, grain, flour, milk, raisins, currants, and sometimes some rum. ( could not find in the dictionary probably a word made up to describe this concoction that pertains to the culture)
I think that calling her the "furmity women" is just another more sophiticated word for calling her the soup women ( sounds better too). Hardy seems to take words twist them to make them seem more complicated than what they are,
But in this instance i think that Hardy is using the cultural dialogue of the time as shane stated.
I don't think he necessarily makes the words up... people used words a long time ago that we don't use anymore, so you never know... but i do agree with hannah that he twists the roots of the words it seems like, like on the chapter quizzes about Tess, if you break down the words and look at the roots, you can figure it out.
I think that hardy creates words that are inspired by the character he is writing about. since they are original he feels that the words should be too. i am not sure i belive that they are cultural words becuase hardy refuted the ideas valued in culture. i think this i why he created words, to go stop his association with most aspects of culture, even common terms.
I do belive Hardy makes up words, but it probably has to do with the culture he was surrounded by. He was a writer so if he wants to make up words i think he can. I am also sure he did it for a reson, im just not sure what that reason is.
First, Hardy definitely makes up his own words. I can see this with writers today who continue to make up their own words in music. As for the meaning of the word furmity, I am puzzled. It is used as a common adjective describing different people in different situations. I believe that the word furmity might have to do with the demeanor of the people. Consistently the word is used to describe people, male or female, whose actions don't exactly follow how they are feeling at the exact moment and time.
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