Classics Retold

The Transition from raw diet to a cooked diet didn't just change human biology; it fundamentally shifted human technology.  Before fire, tools were primarily about extraction, after fire they evolved to processing and refinement.  Hominins like Homo habilis designed their tools that helped to get them at food. Those tools were an extension of their teeth and nails. What their teeth and nails could not do their tools did. These, according to archeologists, belonged to Oldowan traditions. They comprised hammer stones, sharp flakes and choppers. Hammer stones were fist-sized stones used to bash animal bones to get at calorie rich bone marrow.  Sharp flakes were crude stone slivers capable of slicing meat away from carcass.  Choppers were large heavy cores used for separating meat from thick hides.  The Oldowan tools were first discovered at Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania.  Later, they had been discovered at various sites in eastern, central and southern Africa, inc...

Bathsheba loved Troy, and she abandoned her self reliance.  His embellishments surfaced and tha attracted her, while  the weaknesses went deep and unnoticed.  Bathsheba opened her heart to Liddy about her respect for Boldwood.  But her love of Troy was kept close to her breast. Gabriel could see the troubled waters and the absence of Boldwood from the house. An opportunity occured one evening when she had gone for a short walk by a path through the neighbouring corn fields.  It was dusk when Oak who had not been far afield that day, took the same path and met her returning, quite pensively.  The wheat was tall, and the path was narrow; the way was quite a sunken groove between the embrowning thicket on either side.  Two persons cannot walk abreast without damaging the crop.  Oak stood aside to let her pass.  "Oh, it is Gabriel?" she said; you are taking a walk too, goodnight." "I thought I would come to meet you," Oak said, turning and follow...

The prepositions On and upon are often interchangeable, but they differ in tone and usages.  Key differences and usage  "On" is common, direct and conversational, while upon is more formal, literary, or used to indicate immediate sequence and formal cause-and-effect relationships.  On is used in everyday informal, or standard English. Upon is used in writing, literature, or to sound more sophisticated.  Example: He placed the book on the table. -- Informal He placed the book upon the table. --  Formal. Upon signifies an event happens immediately after another, whereas on refers to a more general time.  Example: Upon arrival the meeting began. (Right after arriving) Example: On Monday the meeting began (a specific date) While interchangeable, upon can imply movement, while on is commonly used for static resting position.  Example: The bird landed upon the roof.  Example: The bird is on the roof  Some phrases strictly use either on or upon. On ...

The single most transformative event in the history of human bands, fundamentally altering both their biology and social structures was their mastery over fire.  It shifted humans from just  "another primate"  to a unique "cooking animal" with a high energy lifestyle. Even at this stage they moved in bands foraging. The bands were a sort of consanguin relationship.  Until at least 40000 years ago all humans lived in bands. In the course of our evolution we used ingenuity to out-source digestion, moving part of the process outside our bodies. This process is known as cooking and it served as a form of pre-digestion.  It broke down complex starch and denatured protein making them significantly easier to digest. To early humans, it was a gain of 30 to 50 percent of energy from the same amount of food.  Many plants like tubers and seeds that were toxic or indigestable when raw, became staple food source when cooked. Heat kills parasites and bacteria in raw meat...

The hill at one end of Bathsheba's dwelling extended into an uncultivated tract of land, covered with tall thickets of brake fern, plump and transparent, in hues of clear and untainted green.  At eight o'clock this midsummer evening, while the sun in the west still swept the tips of the ferns with its long, luxuriant rays Bathsheba appeared in their midst, their soft feathery arms caressed her upto her shoulders.  She paused, turned, went back over the hill, and down again to her own door, from where she cast a farewell glance upon the spot she had just left, having resolved not to remain near the place afterall. She saw a dim spot of artificial red moving round the shoulder of the rise.  It disappeared on the other side. She had doubts about the temerity of her decision.  Whether to go and abide by her promise, or remain here as nothing had happened. But her penchant for a visual of the sword exercise moved her legs towards the direction she traversed a few minutes ...

What might have been the number of members in the earliest human bands?  Human bands - small nomadic , egalitarian group of 30 to 50 people related by kinship are considered the primary social structure for most of the human history. Egalitarian means the members were of equal rights.  This may not be true to the word. The strongest male might have dominated the entire group. Children, followed by women might have experienced the greatest disability.  Since the group might not have engaged in wealth creation competition was limited to division of hunted meat or gathered fruits and nuts. Still the alf male must have dominated the band. Evolving over millions of years, these groups were defined by shared foraging, co-operative subsistence, and informal leadership. Foraging is the act of searching for, identifying, harvesting wild food sources from nature. It requires careful identification to avoid toxic lookalikes and awareness of contamination. Key Stages In The Evolutio...

British novelist and civil servant of Victorian era. 47 novels. Among these two series of six novels. They are Chronicles of Barsetshire and Palliser Novels. The first series were published between 1855 and 1867. They are set in fictional English county of Barsetshire. The novel deals with the life of clergy and gentry, and the political, amatory [1], and social manoeuvrings among them.  The series consists of the following:- 1. The Warden 1855 2. Berchester Towers 1857 3. Doctor Throne 1858 4. Framely Parsonage 1861 5. The Small House at Allington 1864 6. The Last Chronicle of Barset. 1867 These are the novels in the Pallisers:- 1. Can You Forgive Her? 1865 2. Phineas Finn 1869 3. The Eustace Diamonds 1873 4.  Phineas Redux.1874 5.  The Prime Minister 1876 6. The Dukes children 1880. The novels encompass several literary genres including family saga 

Weatherbury bees were late in swarming, this year. It was later part of June, and the day after Sergeant Francis Troy visited the farm, that Bathsheba Everdene was standing in her garden, watching a swarm in the air, and guessing their probable settling place. They were late and unruly. Sometimes, throughout the season they would settle on the lowest bough, on a currant-bush or espalier apple tree . Next year they would settle straight off to the tallest coastard, or quarrington [1] and there defy all invaders who did not come with ladders and staves to take them. Bathsheba shaded her eyes, by one hand, were following these multitudes of swarming bees, and they ultimately halted by one of the trees. The bustling swarm had swept the sky in a scattered and uniform haze, which now thickened to a nebulous centre.  This glided on to a bough, and grew still denser, till it formed a solid blank spot upon the light. All the men and women were engaged in saving the hay, Liddy too left the h...

This quote was attributed to Lieutenant Colonel James Brown, a British military officer and diplomat who served the East India Company in India during the late 18th century.  The statement reflects a cynical view of the military power common in the feudal, aristocratic and colonial contexts, where the standing army is seen as a tool for domestic control and the suppression of internal dissent rather than a force for external defence.  Colonel James Brown made this view in the context of his mission to Mughal court of shah Alam Il. Browne was sent by Governor General Warran Hastings to gather intelligence on the Sikh confederacy and other regional powers that threatened Company's interests.  Mughal Emperor was largely a figurehead depending on various regional powers.  Browne observed that the Emperor's military forces were increasingly used for internal coercion to extract revenue from restless subjects. He observed that large standing armies were a massive financial...

Espalier is a method of training and pruning a tree forcing it to grow against the wall or a free-standing trellis.  It originated in the Middle Ages as a way to grow fruit inside the safety of castle walls, many non-fruiting plants including yew, cotoneaster, magnolia, and dogwood can be espaliered. 

The verge of the haymead.  "Ah, Miss Everdene!" said the seargent, lifting his small cap, "Little did I think it was you I was speaking to the other night.   And yet, if I had reflected, 'the Queen of the Corn- market' - truth is truth at any hour of day or night, and I have heard you so named in Casterbridge yesterday - the Queen of the Corn-market', I say could be no other woman. I step across now to beg your forgiveness a thousand times for having been led by my feelings to express myself too strongly for a stranger.  To be sure I am not stranger to the place. I am seargent Troy, as I told you, and I have assisted your uncle in the fields so many times when I was a lad.  I have been doing the same for you today." "I suppose I must thank you for that, seargent Troy," said the Queen of the Corn-market, in an indifferently grateful tone.  The seargent looked hurt and sad.  "Indeed you must not, Miss Everdene," he said, "Why could...

In Thomas Hardy's Far From The Madding Crowd the reference in the title is associated with the backstory of Sergeant Francis Troy and the origin of his gold watch.  The watch is an important token of Troy's past, and its backstory varies slightly in different editions.  The watch is said to have belonged to Troy's father, a doctor. But it was actually used by him while in the possession of the Earl of Seven.  The story implies that the Earl of Severn was the lover of Troy's mother, making him the biological son of Earl of Severn.  The details connect Troy to aristocratic traditions.  Severn primarily refers to River Severn and its surrounding valley. 

Cedit amor rebus is a Latin phrase meaning love yields to business or love gives way to employment. It is part of a famous piece of advice from Ovid's Remedia Amoris, meaning remedies for Love. Cedit amor rebus: rus age, tutus eris, meaning Love yields to business, and attend to business, you will be safe.  It advises that the best way to cure a passion or overcome love is to keep busy with work, daily life, or business.  It argues that love is temporary and often subordinate to harsh realities of life.  This phrase appears in Thomas Hardy's Far From The Madding Crowd as an inscription on Seargent Troy's watch symbolising his superficial attitude to love and his fickle nature. 

Aalu (ആല് ) according to Malayalam lexicon compiled by Srikanteswaram G Padmanabha Pilla published by Sahitya Pravarthaka Sahakarana Sangham,1983 edition, means water (ജലം).  Aalam (ആലം) means water, sea, and rain. Etymology of these words are not available. Both words are on page 269 of the book. Their etymology is rooted in the Proto Dravidian language family, where they share common ancestor with "sea" "salt" and "to wash". Etymology of Aalam (ആലം) The word aalam is a classic Dravidian word that originally referred to salt water or maritime areas. ° Dravidian root: Derived from the proto-south Dravidian root "al" which specifically meant "sea"  or "salt water"  °Cognates in sister languages: • Tamil: Alam (ஆலம்) അളം means a salt pan, maritime tract or sea itself. Tulu: "Alle" refers to sides or flanks, but the root "al" remains associated with liquid agitation. ° Semantic Evolution: In Malayalam this roo...

Malayalam word Kolla കൊല്ല has the following meaning as per Malayalam lexicon ശബ്ദതാരാവലി compiled by Srikanteswaram G. Padmanabha Pilla (published by Sahitya Pravarthaka Sahakarana Sangham, in 1983) According to this the word has the following meaning:-  ചിറ = a bank, a bund, an embankment, a reservoir, a natural pool, pond. Again Kolla is a Persian word meaning treasury official. Etymology of kolla is unknown. For that most of the words in the lexicon is silent. Thus kolla is a water body. When അം sound is added to kolla it becomes kollam. Since Kerala was formed by gradual recession of sea, water trapped in low lands below sea level took the form of natural ponds and lakes. An agrarian society where money was not in existence water was one of the precious things. But in this case the word is derived from Persian word ghalla meaning grain tax or tax on the produce. In the historical administrative systems of Kerala, particularly under the influence of Mysore Sultanate, the offici...

Mannerisms together with the ups and downs of life had combined to shape Seargent Troy as an exceptional being. For him memories were an encumbrance; and anticipations an overabundance. He cared what was before his eyes; and that made him vulnerable to the present. Time was a transient flash of the eye now and then; and it projected past and future, now and then.  Past was pathetic and precaution against future was foreign to him. Past was yesterday and future tomorrow, not a day after.  Since he had no expectation he was never disappointed. To set against this negative gains there were positive losses from certain narrowing of higher tastes.  He was truthful to men; but to women he lied left and right. ------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------------------- Two weeks after the shearing. Bathsheba was relieved because of the absence of Boldwood.  She was in her hayfield. Gnarled men and flexous women, covered with nankeen, whic...

Primogeniture and Marumakkathayam represent two distinct, often opposing systems of inheritance and family structure.  Primogeniture is a patriarchal system favouring the eldest male, while Marumakkathayam is a matrilineal system tracing descent through the female line.  The right of the first born son to inherit the entire estate of his parents, usually to the exclusion of younger siblings and daughters is primogeniture system of inheritance. The main focus of the system is to keep the estate undivided and to secure patriarchal hegemony  In traditional Namboothiri Brahmin society a strict form of Primogeniture was practised where only the eldest son was allowed to marry within the community and have a Vedic marriage. This was designed to keep family property undivided or fragmented. The elder sons were called Moothathu. The Namboothiri wife was called Antharjanam and could give birth to legitimate sons.  The younger Namboothiri sons (Aphans) entered into  infor...

For the Victorian wealthy, military service was less a job and more a primary path to power.  It became a social custom for the wealthy. The British army's purchase system ensured the officer corps remained an exclusive club for those with significant private means.  The Attractions   ° Status Symbol: Holding a commission was seen as a status symbol.  Even for the wealthy merchant class buying a son a commision was the fastest way to a higher social standing. ° Ladder to Upper Circle:  An Officer's uniform was a powerful social asset. A man attained the level of a desirable suitor for wealthy families and enter into higher circles of Victorian society. ° The System of Primogeniture and the distressed younger sons. Under the system of Primogeniture, the eldest son inherited the entire family estate.  The younger sons needed a respectable profession that didn't involve manual labour. The army was found the most attractive choice compared to other options lik...

In Thomas Hardy's Far From The Madding Crowd, published in 1874, Seargent Troy serves as a critical lens through which we see the Victorian military set up representing the charm, recklessness, and social superiority of army within a traditional agrarian community. As a dashing dragoon [1], seargent Troy acts as a dramatic counterpoint to the stable rustic person of Gabriel Oak and the established order of the farming community. Seargent Troy and the Victorian Military Image . Troy embodies the romanticised image of the Victorian soldier: Dashing, handsome and reckless.  His scarlet uniform is portrayed as a  superficial attraction that captivates Bathsheba Everdene, representing a glamorous contrast to the rural rustic surroundings. Despite his appearance, Troy is a heartless cad, who uses charm associated with his military position to manipulate women, particularly Fanny Robin and later Bathsheba, reflecting a cynical exploitative side of the military class. Troy is...

After the shear supper, before going to bed as a bailiff Bathsheba had checked all was well with the farm; and again she was to see everything was in order about the homestead. Gabriel had already done these jobs without her knowledge or order; but this tender devotion was unknown to her, and whatever  known was not accounted.  She carried a dark lantern [1] and every now and then turned on the light to examine nooks and corners coolly.  She always anticipated omission on the part of human hands leaving a door opened, or the horses might not be well bedded, or all the fowls were not in the coop. The buildings were inspected as usual and she moved onto farm paddock [2]. Here, the stillness of night was broken by steady munching of many mouths, and breathing through many nostrils, ending in snorts and puffs like the blowing of bellows. After inspection, her way back to the house was by a path through a young plantation of firs which sheltered the premises from the north win...

The men are seated outside the house of Bathsheba to attend the shearing supper.  She hosts this supper to celebrate the successful completion of sheep shearing. A long table was placed outside on the grass, with one end pushed through a wide open, parlour window.  Bathsheba sits just inside the window, allowing her to head the table and interact with her workers without completely mingling with them.  Following the meal the workers including Jan Coggan and Joseph Poorgrass drink, sing and tell stories.  The gathering acts as a traditional community celebration of pastrol season ending. Into this scene comes farmer Boldwood  to court Bathsheba and eventually moves inside to talk with her privately.  Separation of men to the exterior of the house is a calculated move by Bathsheba to balance her roles as a woman, a mistress and a host in a rigid Victorian society.  By sitting inside at the head of the table while the men are outside, she creates a physic...

Head and front is a phrase meaning the most important, foremost or primary item. Wardrobe is where you keep your dress. It refers to main item in your collection. It is just like standing in front of the wardrobe.  Staring at a packed wardrobe can cause confusion leading to wearing same outfit 3-4 times repeatedly.  Sometimes looking at you in same clothes make you older, signalling a need for style update.  The phrase reflects a time before the advent of industrial revolution, a time when agrarian society was getting into a transformation. An independent farmer like Bathsheba Everdene had limited choice.  The dress she was wearing made the prime item of her wardrobe.

"A rum start" is a British idiom meaning a strange, odd, peculiar or queer beginning.  It is often used to describe a situation that starts in an unexpected or eccentric way.  Rum in this context is an old British slang adjective, dating back to 18th century, that means strange or queer, not referring to alcoholic beverage.  It is used frequently in phrases like "a rum do" meaning a strange affair or occurance.  It is informal and dated British English often used to express bewilderment or mild surprise at how something has begun.  The word rum meaning odd likely originated in the 18th century and is completely separate from the origin of rum meaning alcoholic drink. 

Oh! My Darkness  Why you shy at my doorstep? They put the antidote  To make me comfort It took away the sheen  Of the moonlit on grass,  On leaves, on boughs and On tree tops; on water in Puddle, pool, and ponds; In springs, brooks, and dykes,  In river, rivulets and ocean. I lost the glitters of stars In the moonless night. With 24X7 light around  I lost the light and shadow  And the charm of Night,  Of stars of moonless night.

Allowing 5-year olds to experience boredom is crucial for fostering creativity, independence and emotional regulation.  Boredom forces children to spark their own imagination, develop problems solving skills, and build resilience. It act as a mental reset, allowing their brains to shift into a creative default mode.  Active boredom busters . Active Fun: Build a house with blankets and pillows, have a dance party, do a bug (to annoy, bother, or pester someone persistently) nature hunt, or ride a bike. Creative Projects: Use arts and crafts, build with blocks,  create a fort, or have them design costumes, act out of a story book:  Helpful Tasks: Involve them in cooking, baking or cleaning tasks. Encourage independence:  Instead of immediately offering a  solution, encourage them to find their own ways to play. Reduce screen time: To force the use of imagination. Rotate toys: Keep the toys in storage to keep options. Abuse, neglect or overindulgence do not w...

On the banks of Allan Water is a traditional British folk song and poem telling the tragic tale of a miller's daughter betrayed by a soldier.  It was very popular in the 19th century, and follows her journey from happiness in spring to sorrow and death in winter. In 1916 it was adapted to a silent film.  The miller's daughter was courted by a soldier in the spring; but he deserted her by autmn, leading to her death in winter.  1812 comic opera Rch and Poor by C. E. Horn popularized it. Thomas Hardy in his novel "Far From The Madding Crowd" used it in chapter 23 as sung by Bathsheba Everdene and later a soldier entered her life and changed its course. 

Evening.   Shearing supper.  A long table was set on the grass-plot beside the house.  The end of the table was thrust over the sill of the wide parlour window, and the end being thrust into the room. Miss Everdene sat inside facing down the table. She was thus at the head of the table, without mingling with the men.  Bathsheba was unusually excited.  Her red cheeks and lips contrasting lustrously with the mazy skeins of her shadowy hair. The seat at the bottom of the table was at her request left vacant. They have already begun the meal. She wanted Gabriel to take the seat at the bottom of the table and the duties appertaining to it, which he accepted with great readiness.  Mr Boldwood appeared at the gate, and walked across the green to Bathsheba at the window.  He was late, and he apologized for it. "Gabr iel," said Bathsheba, "will you move again, please, and let Mr Boldwood come there?"  Gabriel moved silently to his original seat. ...