"though some have called thee/ mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;"
"Death, be not proud" is essentially a long apostrophe to unhuman element of life (yeah, I realize that's ironic, because it's death). The part of this poem that I had to read a few times to figure out was the tone or attitude of the speaker. I came to the conclusion that the speaker was in fact terrified of death, and was merely trying to convince himself through his conversation with death that death need not be feared. I got this tone from all the reasons the speaker uses to try and convince death to restrain it's pride.
"And soonest our best men with thee do go" is one of the first lines trying to dissuade death from its pride. I found this slightly contradictory, because death can claim even the best of men whether they are ready or not. Another line, "And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell" is another line that clearly give death power instead of detracting from it. If death can claim its victims in so many ways, why does the speaker think it should not be proud? The only real argument the speaker has against death is the eternal life that he claims to believe in in this line: "One short sleep passed, we wake eternally,". Yet, even this is not proof, because the speaker has no proof of the afterlife, only an assumption.
All these lines and claims reveal the true, shaky, uncertain, desperate, and ultimately frightened feelings of the speaker.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Making Headlines (Irony)
"Do you live in North London? Is it you?"
I have been noticing a common theme in poems that have a very noticeable pattern or structure. The repetition of key lines conveys a point the author is trying to especially stress. In "Edward" the point of the all the repetition was which speaker was speaking, and the level of distress the speaker was talking with. In "Lonely Hearts" the significant repetition is placed on the line above and this one: "Can someone make my simple wish come true?" Another is: "Is it you?" The message behind the repetition of these lines in almost every stanza is that the plea of these people in the personal column of the newspaper is intended to be ironic.
The first five stanzas of the poem describe people writing to the newspaper, searching for a significant other they can have a relationship with. The title of the poem "Lonely Hearts" and the fact that so many people are lonely together is ironic, because they in fact are not alone. The placing of these 'lonely' people right next to each other groups them together, refuting the fact they are alone. Also, the repetition of each of these lonely people of the same lines again proves that they are not alone. They all want the same thing and are asking the same questions, which is ironic considering they all consider themselves lonely.
I have been noticing a common theme in poems that have a very noticeable pattern or structure. The repetition of key lines conveys a point the author is trying to especially stress. In "Edward" the point of the all the repetition was which speaker was speaking, and the level of distress the speaker was talking with. In "Lonely Hearts" the significant repetition is placed on the line above and this one: "Can someone make my simple wish come true?" Another is: "Is it you?" The message behind the repetition of these lines in almost every stanza is that the plea of these people in the personal column of the newspaper is intended to be ironic.
The first five stanzas of the poem describe people writing to the newspaper, searching for a significant other they can have a relationship with. The title of the poem "Lonely Hearts" and the fact that so many people are lonely together is ironic, because they in fact are not alone. The placing of these 'lonely' people right next to each other groups them together, refuting the fact they are alone. Also, the repetition of each of these lonely people of the same lines again proves that they are not alone. They all want the same thing and are asking the same questions, which is ironic considering they all consider themselves lonely.
Delight in the Details
"I see a wild civility;/ Do more bewitch me than when art/ Is too precise in every part."
"Delight in Disorder" is a poem that focuses on the little things. The speaker is basically describing an outfit that he particularly likes. Since a petticoat is described in the poem, we can assume that the outfit is on a woman. The reason this poem is so effective in describing how the outfit looks and the way it makes the speaker feel is in the details and the pattern they follow.
The details are arranged in order from head to toe. The little parts of the outfit the speaker describes start with a scarf thrown about the shoulder. Next, he describes a scrap of lace at the waist. Then the speaker describes a "neglected cuff" on the sleeve. The petticoat is described as "tempestuous". Then a undone shoestring catches the speaker's eye. These details are arranged from the top to the bottom, and each are described with delight in the "wantoness" and disorder that the uncivil details create.
"Delight in Disorder" is a poem that focuses on the little things. The speaker is basically describing an outfit that he particularly likes. Since a petticoat is described in the poem, we can assume that the outfit is on a woman. The reason this poem is so effective in describing how the outfit looks and the way it makes the speaker feel is in the details and the pattern they follow.
The details are arranged in order from head to toe. The little parts of the outfit the speaker describes start with a scarf thrown about the shoulder. Next, he describes a scrap of lace at the waist. Then the speaker describes a "neglected cuff" on the sleeve. The petticoat is described as "tempestuous". Then a undone shoestring catches the speaker's eye. These details are arranged from the top to the bottom, and each are described with delight in the "wantoness" and disorder that the uncivil details create.
Truth in Repitition (Structure)
"And what will ye leave to your own mother dear, Edward, Edward, And what will ye leave to your own mother dear? My dear son, now tell me, O. The curse of hell from me shall ye bear, Such counsels you gave to me, O."
My understanding of this poem moved from confused, to curious, to suspicious, to seriously disturbed. At first, I thought this kid just kept having a lot of accidents with his sword. However, by the time he had killed his father, I realized something else was going on. Usually when children have accidents as severe as killing hawks or horses, they don't go straight to their mothers. Kids usually hide these types of incidents from their parents until they absolutely have to tell the truth. The fact that the son kept running to his mother with regrets about what he had done proved that not only was the killings of his own will, but had nothing to hide from his mother.
The key to discerning the meaning of this poem was in the the structure which mainly consisted of repetition. Not only did the repetition of the names of the person being addressed help me understand which person was talking, and to him, but it added distress to the voice of the characters. Also, the repetition of the "O" added even more distress to the words of the son and mother. Not only were phrases repeated, but the events in the poem were repeated with increasing severity. If the poem consisted only of the first and the last stanza, we would probably not be able to realize that the mother was behind the son's actions even though the son alludes to it. The fact that the incidents are repeated, and the son even considers leaving, because of the repeats, increase the probability that the reader will be able to grasp the insidious truth behind the blood on the sword of the son.
My understanding of this poem moved from confused, to curious, to suspicious, to seriously disturbed. At first, I thought this kid just kept having a lot of accidents with his sword. However, by the time he had killed his father, I realized something else was going on. Usually when children have accidents as severe as killing hawks or horses, they don't go straight to their mothers. Kids usually hide these types of incidents from their parents until they absolutely have to tell the truth. The fact that the son kept running to his mother with regrets about what he had done proved that not only was the killings of his own will, but had nothing to hide from his mother.
The key to discerning the meaning of this poem was in the the structure which mainly consisted of repetition. Not only did the repetition of the names of the person being addressed help me understand which person was talking, and to him, but it added distress to the voice of the characters. Also, the repetition of the "O" added even more distress to the words of the son and mother. Not only were phrases repeated, but the events in the poem were repeated with increasing severity. If the poem consisted only of the first and the last stanza, we would probably not be able to realize that the mother was behind the son's actions even though the son alludes to it. The fact that the incidents are repeated, and the son even considers leaving, because of the repeats, increase the probability that the reader will be able to grasp the insidious truth behind the blood on the sword of the son.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Mathematical Death
"When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang... As after sunset fadeth in the west... That on the ashes of his youth doth lie" (lines 2, 6, and 10)
"That time of year" by William Shakespeare is another sonnet that bases it's meaning around a recognizable pattern. The pattern is focused around three quatrains. Sonnets are poems of fourteen lines, but in Shakespeare's the last two lines are separated from the above twelve. From there, the first twelve lines are divided into the three quatrains. In this particular poem, each quatrain is centered around a different image.
Each of the different lines above conveys a different image about death, ending, leaving, or a general departure of any kind. The first is about the turn of season. The death of nature and hibernation of life during the winter . The second talks about how the day ends when the sun goes down. Life sleeps while the sun is down. The third image is about how fire consumes life. Death is brought about when fire destroys the living.
This pattern demonstrates Shakespeare's analysis of death and all its different forms. Not until the two lines at the end do we understand how the almost mathematical structure relates to Shakespeare's meaning. The last two lines say how since death is so imminent, we must love before it comes.
"That time of year" by William Shakespeare is another sonnet that bases it's meaning around a recognizable pattern. The pattern is focused around three quatrains. Sonnets are poems of fourteen lines, but in Shakespeare's the last two lines are separated from the above twelve. From there, the first twelve lines are divided into the three quatrains. In this particular poem, each quatrain is centered around a different image.
Each of the different lines above conveys a different image about death, ending, leaving, or a general departure of any kind. The first is about the turn of season. The death of nature and hibernation of life during the winter . The second talks about how the day ends when the sun goes down. Life sleeps while the sun is down. The third image is about how fire consumes life. Death is brought about when fire destroys the living.
This pattern demonstrates Shakespeare's analysis of death and all its different forms. Not until the two lines at the end do we understand how the almost mathematical structure relates to Shakespeare's meaning. The last two lines say how since death is so imminent, we must love before it comes.
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