"Feeling "whole" and comfortable with who we are important to us all. Discuss and compare how poets from other cultures explore this in their poems
GCSE -English poetry Aruna Bhalla "Feeling "whole" and comfortable with who we are important to us all. Discuss and compare how poets from other cultures explore this in their poems." Everybody needs a sense of belonging. That is who they are, where they come from, and who they belong to. A person without an identity does not exist, it's as if they are in no mans land, neither here or there. Culture is the main ingredient in the recipe of an identity, to spice up an identity you can add heritage, a name, traditions, emotions, tastes, and genes. As the DNA in each identity is different every identity in a person is unique, and individual. As we all know, no two people are the same. I will be discussing two poems in this essay, the first being a poem written by John Agard called "Half Caste." Agard was born on the 21st of June in 1949. He moved from Guyana to England in 1977. Like many people in the Caribbean Agard is mixed race. His mother is Portuguese and his father is black. Agard loves living in England: "The diversity of cultures here is very exciting.' However there is one thing he does not like, and that is the racial origin views. He dislikes the word "Half Caste" which is used to describe a person of a mixed race. This term is still used by many today, and is now considered as rude and insulting.
How do the poets of Vultures and Two Scavengers in a Truck, Two Beautiful People in a Mercedes argue that human nature and society are built upon cruelty and inequality?
How do the poets of 'Vultures' and 'Two Scavengers in a Truck, Two Beautiful People in a Mercedes' argue that human nature and society are built upon cruelty and inequality? In these two poems, Achebe and Ferlinghetti question human nature and the way we think of it as virtuous and moral. In 'Vultures' Achebe argues that evil is innate in humans and is very much more widespread than the tiny good that is in our nature. He uses two vultures and the Commandant of a Nazi Death Camp to powerfully describe evil in nature, but contrasts this with love contained in it. Ferlinghetti, however, also links cruelty to modern society, and further argues that this cruelty, causing the rift between people, is present in even a "free" society such as America's. He focuses on one instant of time where two pairs of people of totally different classes are connected by the whole fabrication of society, of injustice and inequality, while stopping next to each other at a red light. Although the poems are similar in the issues that they tackle, it is apparent that the poets argue them in different ways. In this essay I shall explore the, often differing, ways in which the poets discuss these issues. In 'Vultures,' Achebe starts the poem in a dull and deathly mood to outline the grim and evil atmosphere of his poem. This is interpreted by the reader to imply that evil is present everywhere, as the
Poetry Coursework
How are the relationships between men and women represented in "My Last Duchess", "First Love" and "How do I love thee"? The poems "My Last Duchess" (1842), by Robert Browning, "First Love", (1821), by John Clare and "How do I love thee" (1850), by Elizabeth Barrett Browning are all concerned with the relationships between men and women. These poems all portray the relationships in different ways and present love and the consequences falling in love has, in different ways. In the first poem "My Last Duchess", the Duke is in control as he is a very proud man. The Duke is very confident and this makes him arrogant. The relationship in this poem is portrayed as unequal and it is dominated by pride and not love. The Duke speaks very formally, this links with his power and pride; he also doesn't show any emotion in his words. In the second poem "First Love", the woman is in control and the man is broken hearted because his first love is over, and it has not been sustained. It is unrequited love because of this the relationship is ambiguous. The poem "How do I love thee" presents a positive relationship. The woman reinforces how much she loves him, and nothing can get in the way. It is written in the form of a sonnet, which is a traditional form of love poems. "My Last Duchess" begins with the speaker showing off the portrait of the Duchess. "That's my last Duchess painted on
My Last Duchess and La Belle Dame Sans Merci Comparison
My Last Duchess and La Belle Dame Sans Merci are two poems that explore a wide range of power dynamics that result from love. Patriarchal power is a key theme that is explored in these two poems, with conflicting views on each. La Belle Dame sans Merci tells of a sorry tale of how a knight, a typically powerful figure, is cast away by a woman who had no love for him. This theme is almost mirrored in the other poem; however the other poem, My Last Duchess seems to exert a more male perspective, focusing more on patriarchal power. A women to Her Lover, seems to be a blend of the two poetic styles of the previous two poems, as it both states the various patriarchal powers, and then proceeds to tear down these beliefs, and also tear down the conventions which were typically seen as the norm of the day. The title of the poem is typically an indicator of what to expect from the poem, and in what vein it will be written. My Last Duchess is no exception as it immediately gives the reader a sense that the narrator, The Duke, see's his late wife as a possession. He refers to her with the possessive pronoun 'My' to try, it appears; to regain a certain degree of control over her. This wanting of control is further explored when he says that 'The curtain I have drawn for you,' which portrays the sense that he feels he is the one who is giving others the right to see his wife. During the
Macbeth
Discuss the role that blood plays in Macbeth, what does it symbolize for Macbeth and his wife? In this essay, I will be discussing and analysing the role of blood in the famous Shakespearian play, Macbeth, how Macbeth and his wife are symbolized by blood throughout the play. Macbeth is among the best-known of William Shakespeare's plays and shortest tragedy, it was written between 1603 and 1606. It solely highlights blood imagery of a tragedy that happened in Scotland around 1530's. The pay tells the peril of lust for power and megalomania. Briefly, the play outlines how the two main characters strive their way through to power through destructive and tragic deeds. The two main characters, Macbeth and his wife, Lady Macbeth, are driven by ambition to commit evil actions. Lady Macbeth, a more ambitious person than her husband plots to have her husband murder the king of Scotland so that he can take the throne. Macbeth commits more murders to protect his throne, all the while becoming sick with guilt and paranoia. The guilt that engulfs him and his wife lead to their gradual insanity and eventual death. Besides, the spark of all of this tragedy is when Macbeth met the weird sisters, who serve a huge dramatic function in the play. Closely looking at Macbeth, one can distinguish the many functions that they serve in the play. The role of the three Weird Sisters in the play
comapring and contrasting pre 1940's poems
Comaparing & Contrasting Poems Both of the poems, 'My Last Duchess' by Robert Browning and 'Ulysses' by Alfred Lord Tennyson, are examples of dramatic monologues, in that they solely consist of the speech of the protagonist. As a result, they have few or, in the case of 'My Last Duchess', only one stanza. Many enjambed lines and many irregularities in the basic form of iambic pentameter also hide the rhyming couplets in this poem. 'My Last Duchess' is set in Renaissance Italy and is the Duke of Ferrara talking to a servant of his prospective father-in-law, about a painting of his former wife. The narrator of 'Ulysses' is the man in the title, an Ancient Greek hero, talking about his loathing of his regal position and his wish to travel again before his impending death. Although they are both powerful men talking about their pasts, there are noticeable differences between the two poems, both in the protagonists themselves and the poetic devices used to present them. One of the clearest differences between Ferrara and Ulysses is the source of their power, and the kind of power that they wield. Ferrara's power comes from his 'nine-hundred-years-old-name', that is, his position as the ruler of one of the many city states that make up the present-day nation of Italy. This was a position he was born into-not one which he earned. He obviously puts great value on his inherited
Culture; what is it and where does it come from?
Culture; what is it and where does it come from? There are many different meanings for culture for example you may believe it to be one thing while I believe it's something else. It's a way of life for some, from the clothes that they wear, the way that they act to the things that they eat. You can't say that one culture is more superior to another because there are many different cultures to relate to. Culture is a part of our daily lives; from when we get up until we go to sleep there is a touch of culture in everything we do. Your culture is you're past your present and your future, its nothing to be ashamed of; people can have as much cultures as they do girlfriends or boyfriends. With a difference; having lots of different culture to associate with is something to be proud of and having too much girl/boyfriends is something to see the psychiatrist about. In various cultures you can find customs or traditions that link the people together, this brings them together whether it be from the same background, the same ethnicity or something else they have in common. New cultures can be made but old cultures can't be broken, you can find many different cultures in one place. In this piece of work I will be relating my positive and negative experiences with the poems. Some are personally experienced and others have been seen from more of a third person's view. There is a hint of
Use the concept of transculturation to explore 'Our Sister Killyjoy' and 'Nervous Conditions.'
Use the concept of transculturation to explore 'Our Sister Killyjoy' and 'Nervous Conditions.' Postcolonial insights include theories of Diaspora, cultural hybridity and transculturation. The latter, 'transculturation' is the term used to define 'cultural change induced by introduction of elements of a foreign culture.'1 The term 'transculturation' was first coined by Cuban anthropologist and sociologist Fernando Ortiz in 1947 to describe the phenomenon of merging and converging cultures. Transculturation covers war, ethnic conflict, racism and multiculturalism, hence it is a concept very relevant to the postcolonial period and subsequently to postcolonial literature. When transculturation affects ethnicity the term 'ethnoconvergence" comes into being and is opposed by 'ethnocentrism' the view that one's culture is of greater importance than another's. Ethnocentrism manifests itself in various aspects of culture, though the main ethnocentric divider is always religion or belief, these ethnic divides are most frequently binary. 'Our Sister Killjoy' and 'Nervous Conditions' both show aspects of transculturation, perhaps the most obvious sign are the narrator's adoption of the dominant English language to write their novels. At varying points in each novel it is also clear that both Aidoo and Dangarembga have difficulty in choosing between the two cultures in their own personal
Creative Writing (Story beginnings)
Creative Writing (Story beginnings) Chapter One (1) A golden haze encircled the angel's head and its torso glowed dazzling white against the drab dreary wall behind. "What's happe..." she willed her mouth to finish the sentence but it wouldn't obey so she gave up. She fought too against the uplifting force taking her away from the slightly damp pavement but as every ounce of resistance drained out of her limbs, she went limp and was completely at its mercy. The final thought that crossed her mind before it succumbed to the black cloud that eventually engulfed her was that she recognised this angel. * Elizabeth Anne Johnson - Lizzie to her friends - was a beautiful girl. With endless jet-black locks flowing down her back and striking features, she looked straight off a catwalk. Tonight she was wearing her favourite pale pink mini-dress with manicured nails and dainty heels to match; and with her perfect figure, she was more than able to carry it off. A combination of her stunning looks and the confidence she exuded made every head turn when she walked past - a fact of which she was well aware. Lizzie had spent all night in Brighton's new trendiest nightspot "Heaven". The place was heaving with bodies bouncing to the thundering beats pounding out of the state of the art stereo system. They were puppets dancing to the tune of the headphone-wearing master in the glass
Compare and Contrast the poems
Katrina Hawkins 10d G.S.C.E Coursework- Poetry of other Cultures Compare and Contrast the poems "Still I Rise" By Maya Angelou and "Of course when they ask about the 'Realities' of black women" by Grace Nichols. 'Still I Rise' written by Maya Angelou and 'Of course when they ask about the "Realities" of black woman' written by Grace Nichols, are the two poems that I will be comparing and writing about. These poems are expressing the opinions of how white people would like to see or how they see black women. I understand that the word culture means a wide range of ideas, knowledge and beliefs. That is usually shared between the people of a country, place, race, group or religion. The word Culture can also mean a way of life, or set of every day activities, for example a Muslim will worship five times a day. I also understand that with in one culture it is possible to have many different cultures. Both poems are from a different culture to my own. The poems and poets come from the same culture, which is black. Grace Nichols originally came from Guyana and Maya Angelou originally came from Missouri. Both poets are black each poem suggests this in its own individual way as in the poem "Still I Rise" the poet Maya Angelou uses the word "Slaves", and in the past slaves have usually been referred to as black people. In the poem "Of course when they ask about the 'Realities' of
