Week 7 post

Judith sorted through her closet with an unusual crease in her perfectly arched eyebrows.
“My lady, what has you so concerned?” Judith did not answer immediately. She threw her soft pink silk dress down heavily and turned back to the window, breathing hard.
“This will not do, none of it will do!”
“What would you have me fetch for you? Do you dislike pink today?”
“I need something sultry, something that will make his head spin. He needs to want me so badly he’d be willing to die for me.” Margaret’s cheeks flushed, she looked back to the closet hoping to discern something new in its depths.
“My lady I believe I have just the thing,” Judith took in the fine material of her mother’s ancient gown with a sigh, remembering the delicate stitching and subtle blue brocade...

“I never did like blue; I’ve always found it rather dull.” Artemisia jumped and a long blue streak appeared over the broidery. Her face carefully set in a look of concern she turned to face his accusatory stare.
Artemisia chose her words carefully, “The virgin Mary is very often portrayed in such a regal color.”
“Yes, but the Virgin Mary is not a temptress, I don’t feel that this scene will be effective without showing how sinful women are, and how the only power they wield is of the flesh. It will not be believable that she conquered such a general as the chaste Virgin Mary, she needs to be portrayed in a more believable and powerful color.”
“I will do whatever you wish of me…”

Margaret’s delicate white hand was all that was first discernable while she held open the tent flap for Judith to enter.
“My god...” Holofernes’ eyes roamed over her body, like a dog looking at a rare piece of steak. “I see that you’re happy with your decision to entertain the idea of ‘us’, you’ve dressed up to impress me. Don’t think I don’t notice your feminine tricks.” Holofernes chucked deep in his throat, the laughter that could be heard when between the sheets when a man and a woman are alone together. It made the hairs on the back of Judith’s neck stand up.
“I thank you sir,” she felt his eyes upon her as she made her way towards the dinner table, the folds of her golden dress trailing behind her.
…
“This wine is deuuullissshhhh…. Delllllisshhhiiioous… deeeeliiissseesssccchhh…”
“I’m glad you like it Sir, I had it delivered from the North, especially for you. I really do like this idea of ‘us’ that you keep bringing up...”
“Yes… yeeeeeessss. USSSSSSS,” He made the last word into a snake’s hiss, eyes drooping and spit flying onto the table. He was obviously attempting to focus on her, and wavering back and forth, his elbow slipped out from under him and he almost fell from his large wooden chair.
“….and so this is exactly why I took up your invitation tonight, I really wanted to experience you, I have heard tell of your magnificence in battle, and I knew I had finally found a man that was suitable for my needs.”
“Yesssssssssss, suutiiiiiaable.” He had begun to list off his chair again.
“My lord, you are clearly not well, I will fetch your servants to help you to bed.”
“Noooooo, I feel fiiiine. FINE!”
“Yes my lord we will help you, don’t worry I’ll take care of you. I’ll insure that you get to bed.” She gestured to his servants. They picked him up and dragged him towards his bedchamber, Holofernes attempting to fight them off all the way.

“She doesn’t look attractive enough, how such a woman have seduced this man of such a powerful position?”
“Other artists have been criticized for the gentile and innocent look of Judith, that she wouldn’t have the strength necessary to accomplish the slaying.” Artemisia explained with pleading eyes. This painting was essential to her reputation, she needed everyone to take notice of her, and she needed their support, their understanding.
“Sigh…. Well at least make her cleavage more pronounced!”

Judith thanked the lord for Holofernes’ vociferous snoring, which was enough to cover the metallic sound of his sword unsheathing. She pulled up the sleeves of her dress past her elbows, and steeled herself for what she had to do for her family and her people. Her face finally set, she took in a deep breath. Bringing the sword above her head she spoke firmly, and her voice gave her power as it didn’t waver.
“Give me strength this day, O Lord God of Israel!”
The sound had awoken Holofernes, but it was already too late, and she felt the warm rush of the red liquid spray over her.

Artemisia stood up from the painting, the justice now dolled out, though only for a moment.


Journal questions
I chose to do what I thought would make the most believable and best piece. I hope that the way in which I chose two different options will suffice as a writing piece, because I did more than one! Writing believable dialog is challenging, and also trying to write in a way that isn’t modern, but obviously couldn’t be ancient. I hope the way in which I accomplished this isn’t comical. Obviously showing not telling is always difficult too, and is no different when writing dialog. I very much enjoy writing dialog, because it tells a lot about the character that cannot be told simply by utilizing other methods. I enjoyed the fact that it can be more abstract, and requires more thinking on the readers part to discern exactly what is true of what the character is saying and what is not. It was difficult but enjoyable. Visual works very much distract from my ability to be imaginative, because you cannot say anything that conflicts with the people shown, and the way in which the event is depicted. The maid had to be an integral part of the story, obviously, because she is depicted clearly in the painting.
I think the overall feeling of the city is very different; Naples is less touristy in my opinion, which makes it feel more real somehow. It is even more different than America and what I’m used to than Rome and feels more intense somehow. I don’t believe that Naples really changed how I wrote this story, because I have to be sitting on a computer to write at all, anyhow.