Lear uses a strong sense of repetition and rhyme using a very traditional and conventional form of poetry. He uses a very flowing metre and thus makes it easy to read in a very light-hearted fashion. Simic uses virtually no rhyme (although there is partial rhyme – e.g. seigneur/appear) and while there is a sense of rhythm present it is not as strong as Lear’s. Simic also uses a flowing sense of metre, but given the difference in syntax, Simic draws the reader in, enticing you to pay closer attention to his work, making the reader consider the words chosen for the piece in greater depth.
Simic’s choice of literary language shows us his great respect of the bird he is writing about. That he sees it as a ‘Grand Seigneur’ who is ‘so good as to appear’ gives the impression of the owl being someone who carries respect and authority (indeed the literal translation is ‘to be high and mighty’); almost as though you would be left feeling grateful for his presence. This is further reinforced by his description of the owl’s perch as ‘a scrawny little tree’; giving the opinion that this pathetic tree is lucky to have been chosen by such an impressive bird.
In his second stanza Simic records the bird’s ‘utter disbelief’ at being spoken to by him, leaving the feeling that the owl has almost lowered himself by responding at all, and that the author had no right to dare speak to him. He continues by telling us how he showed the bird his belt, which concludes with the bird’s dismissal of him by ignoring his comment, ruffling his feathers and alighting. His use of the word ‘studies’ would indicate a referral to the Owl’s wisdom and knowledge.
Lear bestows his owl with no such wisdom. Since Lear’s verse was written to be a nonsense verse, we can assume that there is no greater hidden meaning other than that which meets the eye. His description of the Owl as romantic by singing under the stars and sailing away in a pea-green boat; provides very vivid imagery which would appeal to a younger audience. However his use of nonsense words such as ‘runcible spoon’ leaves the reader a little confused as to what he actually means. The owl is clearly portrayed as a fairly comical character, running away to marry a cat, when cats are usually portrayed as chasing and hunting birds, therefore being an un-conventional and amusing marriage. However the cat does describe the owl as ‘elegant’, which would seem similar to Simic’s description given in the first stanza.
Other than both being forms of poetry these two literary pieces have little in common. From their target audiences to the dates they were written these verses are almost total opposites the only true commonality being owls.
Bibliography:
Danson Brown, R. (2008) ‘Reading Poetry: The Faber Book of Beasts’ Tradition and Dissent (AA100 Book 2), Milton Keynes, The Open University, pp.39-69
Muldoon, P. (1997) ‘The Faber Book of Beasts’ London, Faber and Faber
