"For the Record": Images Creating a Theme.

"For the Record": Images Creating a Theme Figurative language can be used in poetry to communicate a specific theme. In "For the Record", poet Adrienne Rich arranges a variety of metaphors to organize the poem and enhance its meaning. She expresses a clear statement through personification, controlling and extended metaphors, and the structure of this figurative language. Rich discusses the relationship between mankind's suffering and his environment, declaring men and women solely responsible for the destruction of themselves and each other. It is their political corruption, neglect, and unjust actions that cause pain and devastation to people and the world around them. The blame of this created war is taken away from the natural and constructed environment. Reverse & Basic Personification The poet takes the metaphor concept of personification and uses it in two opposite ways. Elements of nature and the environment are attributed human qualities throughout the poem. For example, the second stanza reads, "If here or there a house... poisoned those who lived there with slow fumes over years" (Rich, lines 7-10). The vehicle of a house literally poisoning its inhabitants is a metaphor because it is clearly impossible. A house can not poison someone. The tenor suggests that a house is being filled with toxic fumes, possibly carbon monoxide, for whatever reason, and the people

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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"In many of his poems Keats starts out from the familiar and everyday but quickly takes off into different territory" - In light of this comment, explore Keats' poetic methods in "Ode to a Nightingale".

"In many of his poems Keats starts out from the familiar and everyday but quickly takes off into different territory." In light of this comment, explore Keats' poetic methods in "Ode to a Nightingale" On examination of Keats' "Ode to a Nightingale" it is possible to advocate the potential contention of the hypothesis. For, whilst it may be argued that the poem terminates in the "familiar" and "everyday", the first few lines intimate nothing of the like; rather Keats alludes to a sense of inebriation, evoked by the transcendental beauty of the bird's song. By line four the destination is indubitably reached as Keats describes himself as having sunk "Lethe-wards". The use of the classical allusion is commonly identified as something of a Keatsian leitmotif. The appeal lies in the gain of a subtle facet in implication. Here, for example, "Lethe-wards" refers to the river of the lower world from which the shades drank in order to forget the past. There are two possible lines of interpretation, first; in illustrating a slip from conscious thought, second; in conveying the penetration of another world, its foundation lying in myth. This particular form of imagery remains prevalent throughout the poem, indeed within the subject matter itself: According to legend; Philomena, following her rape and torture, was transformed into a nightingale. Thus, the creature is

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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"In view of Wordsworth's Claim for the importance to him of low and rustic life; estimate the effectiveness of those poems which deal with the life and character of country people."

English Literature - Wordsworth (Low and Rustics) "In view of Wordsworth's Claim for the importance to him of low and rustic life; estimate the effectiveness of those poems which deal with the life and character of country people." Wordsworth loves to write poetry about low and rustic characters that he has met. Three examples of such poems are, "The Old Cumberland Beggar", "Simon Lee, the Old Huntsman" and "Resolution And Independence". In all three of these poems Wordsworth makes a clear connection between the men involved and the nature surrounding them. I feel that this shows why these people countrymen have been so important to Wordsworth. Wordsworth loves nature, he is "At one with nature" and he actually describes these men as being part of the landscape. That they themselves are part of the countryside to which Wordsworth is so spiritually associated with. I think that Wordsworth is very successful at dealing with the characters of low and rustic country people as he has grown with them and has been around them all the time. He creates an almost mystical association between himself, the land and these men. I feel that the most important aspect of these poems and how they relate back to nature and naturalism is the vivid and beautiful use of description that Wordsworth successfully uses to describe and familiarise us with the three characters. Simon Lee is an old

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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"Keats characteristically gives visual form to the idea that human life is soon over"Do you agree? You should base your answer on: 'Ode on a Grecian Urn' and a poem of your choice.

"Keats characteristically gives visual form to the idea that human life is soon over" Do you agree? You should base your answer on: 'Ode on a Grecian Urn' and a poem of your choice. John Keats is well known for his escapism-based poetry. Critics argue that this escapism is Keats way of escaping life and death, the latter, a subject well experienced by the poet. However, this could also be the basis behind Keats attitude that human life is 'short-lived.' Loosing his father at the age of eight and his mother to tuberculosis at fourteen, it is perhaps no wonder that he has this attitude. Within the poems 'Ode on a Grecian Urn' and 'To Autumn' Keats gives visual form to the idea that human life is soon over. He does this through detailed descriptions of sensation. In both 'Ode on a Grecian Urn' and 'To Autumn' Keats begins with an apostrophe, addressing both with respect. Personifying the Urn, Keats praises it. He calls it the "foster child of... slow time" and this shows the greatness of immortality against the mortality of human life. This comparison highlights Keats belief that human life is too soon over. Keats in 'To Autumn' personifies the autumn, however not for the same reason. He appears contradictory to his attitude in 'Ode on a Grecian Urn' portraying short life as a good thing. Throughout the poem Keats visually illustrates the abundance of the autumn. He

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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"Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey" by: William Wordsworth

"Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey" by: William Wordsworth In Exploring Poetry of Gale Research states ""Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey" is a meditation upon memory, youth, nature, and human love."1 "Tintern Abbey" is very much so of what Exploring Poetry states but also a very profound poem about nature which is composed by William Wordsworth. He uses many in depth physical images of his favorite spot in nature, or his 'Tintern Abbey'. Five years have past; five summers, with the length Of five long winters! and again I hear These waters, rolling from their mountain-springs With a soft inland murmur.--Once again Do I behold these steep and lofty cliffs, That on a wild secluded scene impress Thoughts of more deep seclusion; and connect The landscape with the quiet of the sky. (Wordsworth lines 1-8) Although this intro into his poem contains many vivid images which are incredible, he introduces many other deeper meanings. Wordsworth presentations of deeper meanings are shown through three stages: first, revisiting the memories of nature mentally, second, the when you return to nature and your past selves in nature, and finally, sharing your experiences of nature with someone else. First, the speaker speaks very highly of revisiting his memories mentaly which nature has made available for him. These beauteous forms Through a long

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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"Love in Action," Thich Nhat Hanh and "The Monk in the lab," Tenzin Gyatso urge "The Human Family" (pg.548 Hanh) to realize the destructive way's of our society and to change the way we think about our world/nature. Both

Zachary Nichols English 1A Instructor Erin Sullivan February 9, 2006 Rough Draft 1 ( words) New Way of Thinking "Love in Action," Thich Nhat Hanh and "The Monk in the lab," Tenzin Gyatso urge "The Human Family" (pg.548 Hanh) to realize the destructive way's of our society and to change the way we think about our world/nature. Both authors argue that before we can make any changes on the big scale, we need to change the way we think individually. The writings powerfully put across the way we should individually think and act to preserve our lives, and all of nature in which we all co-exist interdependently. Hanh argues and repeats his main concepts to make sure readers fully grasp his theories. He states how the world is more and more economically driven and all the people who are separating from nature by economics are the ones that are insane and sick. "People who accumulate a house, a car, a position, and so forth, identify themselves with what they own, and they think that if they lose their house, their car, or their position, they would not be themselves," says Hahn (pg.546 Hahn). In actuality this seems to be relevant to modern times and labeling this insanity seems logical. Hahn adds to this stating argument that by "accumulating and saving, people have a false self, and in the process they have forgotten their truest and deepest self," (pg.546 Hahn). He wants

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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Soap Opera Script and Treatment

Soap Opera Script and Treatment INT . FLAT (ROOM 52) - MORNING The adolescent students Owen, Lou and Roland, clearly in over their heads with life, sit in silence with the blinds drawn staring at the centre of their table crammed with empty breakfast McDonald carton foodstuffs hastily laid out. The sound of the latch of a door being released soon breaks this momentary attentiveness causing them to turn back in their seats with eyes now fixed securely on their front door anticipating the entrance to come. Watching it open, the lust of their lives Teri Dauson is revealed. Teri Hey boys. Teri ambles inside. Roland evidently feels caught-off guard by Teri's presence as he persistently attempts to smooth out his not yet blow-dried haircut for her sake. Teri takes her place standing with folded arms to the side of the table to where they are sitting. Teri How you all doin' then? INT . STUDENT MEETING ROOM (BOTTOM FLOOR) - MORNING In the biggest arm chair to be seen sits Rick. Wearing Bermuda shorts and with his 'flock of seagulls' haircut pushed behind his ears, he looks the part to be engulfed in what appears to be a surfing magazine. Tony Jumps from behind, slapping both his palms on Rick's shoulders, making him jump. Walking to the front of Rick's chair he sits opposite him on a coffee table, dressed in his customary expensive designer clothes he stares at Rick.

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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In What Way Imagist Poetry Influences Modernists

Table of Contents . Introduction 2 2. The Return to Classicism 2 3. Unconventional Form: Vers Libre 5 4. Innovative Content and Language 6 5. Image and Consciousness 9 6. Conclusion 11 7. Reference List 12 In What Way Imagist Poetry Influences Modernists . Introduction The England-based Georgians had been attacked by the modernists as "unoriginal and slack in technique, shallow in feeling, slight in intellect...and weekend escapism" (David 1976, p.204). The American-based Genteel Mode, on the other hand, was also criticized as "...in its Romantic spiritual elevation it did not grapple with experience..."(David 1976, p.204). Modernist writers contended that the society had undergone enormous changes at the beginning of the twentieth century and that the carefree and relaxed attitude, which was representative of Georgian poetry and the Genteel Mode cannot present the real situation of the society and demanded that people should break away from traditions. Imagists were such a group of poets who refused to obey and challenged the traditions of poetry composition (some of these practices, though, were disapproved by some of the critics). As David put it, "imagism has been described as the grammar school of modern poetry," which means that it plays a fundamental role in influencing the way along which later modernist writers followed to create their work. Reviewing how

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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What are the differences between the humour in Aristophanes' "The Frogs" and "The Wasps"?

What are the differences between the humour in Aristophanes' "The Frogs" and "The Wasps"? Comedies were held on the second day of the major dramatic festival in Athens, the City Dionysia. Comedy was set in the contemporary; it was a collision of utopian dreams with the harsh political reality of the here and now, the comic characters acknowledged in the world of the audience whilst the comedy allowed all forms of transformation and escape. Aristophanic comedy is the only surviving evidence of the vibrant and vulgar humour that was Old Comedy. The two plays "The Wasps" and "The Frogs" are typical examples of Aristophanes' absurd humour in which insult was the celebratory core of classical comedy, they symbolise the freedom of speech allowed by democracy. However, although these plays both boast the comic convention of Old comedy, with its political satire and lively farcical qualities, their content and expression of the farce and satire is presented to the audience in an entirely different way. Traditionally, the costume was a central part of the slapstick comedy evident in Aristophanes' work. The actors were presented as short and fat with large and obscene padding on their front and behind. They wore masks, which portrayed exaggerated facial expressions, with large mouths and hugely distorted features. Portrait masks were also used which displayed the prominent

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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A Voice of Internal Conflict.

A Voice of Internal Conflict The most insightful and interesting stanzas can be found in a lyric poem. In this type of poetry, the voice in the writing is essentially that of the poet. An accurate example of this is "A Far Cry from Africa" by Derek Walcott. The attitudes of the speaker in this poem represent the same sentiments and experiences of the author himself. Walcott is a man of African descent, raised in the Caribbean on the ex-British colony island of St. Lucia1. This history of growing up in an English environment, aware of an opposing descent, influenced the life and work of Walcott. In this poem, he expresses the theme through the speaker's attitude, perception of his environment, internal conflict, and the tone and mood that are created by these elements. The feelings of the speaker toward the subject of the poem are very clear. He openly criticizes the brutality between the Africans and the colonial settlers. The language of the poem demonstrates that the speaker is angry at the entire situation and judgmental of both parties involved. Phrases such as "Corpses are scattered through a paradise" (4) and "his wars dance.."(19) combine the presence of violence with positive concepts. The speaker is mocking the brutality by describing it using the words "paradise" and "dance", that are normally associated with celebration and bliss. He refuses to accept the motives

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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