COMMONWEALTH PERIOD

Things I Have Learned (KNOWLEDGE)

All I know is that a reigning monarch can never be legally subjected to prosecution because is a
power vested upon them as the Kings and Queens of the land, they are all powerful. But in this
period, I learned that King Charles I had been into trial since he had a rough fight against the
growing force of their parliament at that time. The death of King Charles I led to the vacancy of
the throne and that ‘monarchless’ period was called English Interregnum. The King and the
Parliament being in a serious fight for power led to the involvement of some writers of that time.
My most recognizable author is Thomas Hobbes who wrote the Leviathan. Thomas Hobbes is an
atheist and is what I can call as a “monarch neutralist” because his philosophies are to limit the
power of the monarchy; thus, idealizing a government of non-monarchs (parliament).

Things I Have Realized and Appreciated (ATTITUDES)

I realized that all political philosophies become our literature of today. Leviathan, being a
literature, is not really a prose type of literature but somehow a constitutional document.
Literatures do not necessarily need to be a novel or a poem, to mean exactly. I much more
appreciated the political ideologies behind this period (liberalism, monarchism, parliament
governance) because this opened a more civilian type of governance. Moreover, putting the lens
to Marvell’s work – To His Coy Mistress – I am astonished as to how the idea of “scared to
death” is evident on the past literatures. Everyone prepares for death as if life has no next stage
after earth. This notion of death is in contrast to the set of belief of the Christian faith (Catholic
faith to be specific). Death is God’s device; God is love; therefore, God’s device is out of love
and not a curse or punishment – thus, God’s creation of death is out of love. This made me
realize, we need God more than ever; because, by then, we will realize that death is not a life
sentence but a hope and blessing.

Things I Have Discovered (SKILLS)

In this module, I learned to analyze a poem wrote by Andrew Marvell by illustrating it through a
drawing. I was also creatively motivated to do digital illustration to show how much I have
appreciated the authors of this time.
NEOCLASSICAL PERIOD

Things I Have Learned (KNOWLEDGE)

The neoclassical period is the flourish of restoration age and enlightenment age where people
come into a consensus of ideology. From religious belief, monarchy to politics, everything
changed. Writers were more appreciative of flawed human condition which paves way to be
rational on things like having sin and committing norm-erroneous acts. One example of the
writers are Daniel Defoe and Jonathan Swift who were able to write adventure novels. Robinson
Crusoe’s and Limuel Gulliver’s travel were an excellent description of exploring human
condition of the day. But the showcase of these flawed human condition was to appreciate it and
to be able to think a better way on how to be rational when in the situation of being flawed.

Things I Have Realized and Appreciated (ATTITUDES)

I appreciate the fantasy and realism that it has brought to the people up until now whereas people
are enjoying the literatures in face value. The ideology of the neoclassical period is a more
explorative human perspective. Because we are aware of our wrongdoings, we may be able to
know how to face it if we encounter it. I highly appreciated how people were able to creatively
write about it without hurting other’s feelings.

Things I Have Discovered (SKILLS)

In this module, I was able to synthesize the information of the authors in this period. I was also
able to creatively conceptualize a digital informative work that made me efficiently understand
and appreciate the people involved in this era.