My Grade 11 Multi-media Essay

1. HUMAN DIGNITY
In
1984
&
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
By: Thomas Martin

2. BE MERCIFUL, JUST AS YOUR FATHER IS MERCIFUL.
- LUKE 6:36 (NRSV)
In the words of Luke, one can see the connection to both
literary works. In the play, A Midsummers Night’s Dream, the
fairies show mercy to the distraught lovers and to themselves
in the forest, while in 1984, there is a lacking sense of mercy.

3. THE THEME OF HUMAN DIGNITY IS BY ITS VERY DEFINITION A PERSON'S RIGHT TO BE TREATED LIKE
A HUMAN BEING , INCLUDING ALL ASPECTS OF HUMAN RIGHTS. (THE RIGHT TO AN OPINION, BELIEFS,
TO SELECT A MATE OF ONE’S CHOOSING)
HUMAN DIGNITY IS THE BASIS OF HUMAN RIGHTS.
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH SAYS "DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON IS ROOTED IN HIS OR HER CREATION IN
THE IMAGE AND LIKENESS OF GOD." THIS SUGGESTS THAT ONE SHOULD ALWAYS BE AFFORDED A
CERTAIN RESPECT.
As Madonna once said….

4. 1984
“… WE HAVE BROKEN YOU UP.
YOU HAVE SEEN WHAT YOUR
BODY IS LIKE. YOUR MIND IS IN THE
SAME STATE. I DO NOT THINK
THERE CAN BE MUCH PRIDE LEFT IN
YOU…”(ORWELL, 225)
This quote shows how one’s sense of dignity
can be controlled by others. Winston’s sense
of dignity is destroyed by others. Not only is
Winston’s dignity crushed, his oppressors
seem to revel in their power to do so. People
may cause one to lose their sense of dignity,
including their sense of pride.

5. Winston gave up his dignity
just to stop the pain, no
matter the cost to his person
and his subconscious. He
would do whatever he could
to stop the pain that was
inflicted upon him.
1984

6. “…If you want a picture of the future imagine a
boot stamping on a human face- for-
ever”(Orwell, 220)
This quote shows how the party planned
to nullify one’s sense of dignity,
marginalizing the populous into little
obedient robots. It is possible to know a
person based on looking at their face,
the eyes in particular. The boot became
the face of the future.
1984

7. This quote shows the effect of a
loss of dignity. The individual
is made to have no capacity to
decipher the truth. One can see
the individuals of Orwell’s 1984
are being made to have no
mercy and accept everything.
1984

8. “…. PREPARE TO DIE FOR
DISOBEDIENCE TO YOUR FATHER’S
WILL, OR ELSE WED DEMETRIUS”
(SHAKESPEARE 1.1.86-87)
A MIDSUMMMER Night’s Dream
This illustrates how one’s dignity
could be taken along with their
human rights. It shows the cruelty
this loss of dignity can instill on
oneself, to the point of death.

9. A MIDSUMMMER Night’s Dream

10. “… I am your spaniel; and Demetrius,/ The more
you beat me, I will fawn on you:/ Use me but as
your spaniel, spurn me, strike me,/ Neglect me, lose
me; only give me leave,/ Unworthy as I am, to
follow you…”(2.1.203-207)
This shows that Hermia is not valuing or respecting
herself. Hermia will go to great depths to fit in and
feel loved by Demetrius. She is willing to trade her
dignity for his affection.
A MIDSUMMMER Night’s Dream

11. A MIDSUMMMER Night’s Dream

12. I chose these quotations to illustrate the theme human dignity for several reasons. Human
dignity is dependent on a person’s human nature. If this nature is changed due to traumatic
events caused by others, one can lose this dignity. But if one can receive mercy, then the
person can try to rebuild or retain his or her dignity. My chosen quotes allowed me to show
what might happen if one receives mercy and if one does not. The quotes also allowed for
one to see the depths one can go to fit in and feel loved. This is important to all human
beings. From the quotations I chose, one can see how people can think of other human lives
as being marginalized and the cruelty this loss of dignity can entail.

13. I choose the sound file (Another Story - The Head and the Heart) because the lyrics state that “A
world [is] turning in on itself” which is how one would feel if he or she loses his or her dignity. I felt
that the melody was appropriate for the subject; the gentle tones were very close to Shakespeare’s
dream world, while the repeated strumming of the guitar cords could be connected to 1984 . I chose
the images as they connected to the theme of human dignity and mercy, and the very different works
of literature represented in this media essay. The layout elements and animations were chosen for
their ability to gain the audience’s attention, and to show a sense of progression through the essay.
There was an effort to draw attention to key points regarding the theme. All these things helped me
to illustrate the theme of human dignity. I was really inspired to add these elements together to
make the best media work possible with the technology I had.

14. THE THEME OF ALLIES AND FRIENDS IS A COMMON LINK TO HUMAN DIGNITY IN BOTH LITERARY WORKS AND
TODAY’S WORLD. IN OUR WORLD, THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE BEING DIS-RESPECTED AND ABUSED. THIS EFFECTS
THE YOUNGER GENERATION WHO CAN ACQUIRE THE SAME TRAITS. THIS THEME ALLOWS FOR PEOPLE TO SEE
MERCY AND RESPECT THAT THE OUTSIDE WORLD SHOULD SHOW THEM. IN OUR WORLD, NOW, THERE IS A
CHANGE IN PERCEPTION BETWEEN THE COUNTRIES OF CUBA AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. FOR THE
FIRST TIME IN 50 YEARS, THESE TWO COUNTRIES ARE ABLE TO HAVE DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS, AND APPARENT
TRUST. THIS SITUATION IS SIMILAR TO THAT WHICH OCCURRED IN 1984. THIS OCCURRED, AS WELL, IN
MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, WHEN EGEUS ACCEPTING LYSANDER AS HIS SON IN LAW. THE ABILITY TO CHOSE
ONE’S ENEMIES AS WELL AS ONE’S FRIENDS IS A HUMAN RIGHT AFFORDED TO PEOPLE WHO FEEL AND HAVE
DIGNITY.

15. WORK CITED
• ORWELL, GEORGE, AND ERICH FROMM. 1984: A NOVEL. NEW YORK, N.Y.: SIGNET CLASSIC, 1961. PRINT.
• SHAKESPEARE, WILLIAM, AND TREVOR R. GRIFFITHS. A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM. CAMBRIDGE [ENGLAND: CAMBRIDGE UP, 1996. PRINT.
• "THE HEAD AND THE HEART - ANOTHER STORY [OFFICIAL LYRIC VIDEO]." YOUTUBE. YOUTUBE. WEB. 29 JULY 2015.
• "DIGNITY." WIKIPEDIA. WIKIMEDIA FOUNDATION. WEB. 29 JULY 2015.
• "DIGNITY QUOTES." DIGNITY QUOTES. WEB. 29 JULY 2015.
• "SISYPHUS." BY OV-ART ON DEVIANTART. WEB. 29 JULY 2015.
• "NO MERCY WALLPAPER." BY STICKBRUSH ON DEVIANTART. WEB. 29 JULY 2015.
• "STORIES ARCHIVES - WORDABLES." WORDABLES. WEB. 29 JULY 2015.
• "THE TOWN SCRYER: IMAGES OF FEAR AND OF HUNGER." THE TOWN SCRYER: IMAGES OF FEAR AND OF HUNGER. WEB. 29 JULY 2015.
• "NO WAR BUT THE CLASS WAR." , "IF YOU WANT A VISION OF THE FUTURE, IMAGINE A... WEB. 29 JULY 2015.
• "A MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEAREACT ONE SCENE ONE." A MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM. WEB. 29 JULY 2015.
• "A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM REVIEW." CONTACTMUSIC.COM. 8 MAR. 2005. WEB. 29 JULY 2015.
• "MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM PAINTED BY THOMAS STOTHARD RA, ENGRAVED BY JAMES HEATH ENGRAVER TO HIS MAJESTY AND HIS RH
THE PRINCE OF WALES." MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM PAINTED BY THOMAS STOTHARD RA, ENGRAVED BY JAMES HEATH ENGRAVER TO HIS
MAJESTY AND HIS RH THE PRINCE OF WALES. WEB. 29 JULY 2015.
• "CORE VALUES: A REFLECTION ON HUMAN DIGNITY - GEORGIA CENTER FOR OPPORTUNITY." GEORGIA CENTER FOR OPPORTUNITY. 8 APR.
2014. WEB. 29 JULY 2015.