Comparing Poems from different cultures
The two poems I have selected to analyse and compare are Island Man, and Nothing's Changed. I feel that both poems have different meanings, however, that they are based around the same idea. I think that Nothings Change is about conflicts between different cultures, black people and white people, and that t he poem may have been written to contradict people stereotypes about black people, and to show that they are not animals, and that they do have feelings. On the other hand, Island Man is about a Caribbean island man, who has come to London, and now misses his home, and wants to go back, but he can't as he is now trapped in London. I think this poem may have been written to warn people that moving to England is not as great as they think, that even though you will earn much more money, that money does not necessarily mean you will be happy, so people may think twice about making their decision. Even though the poems have very different morals, I feel that they could be based around a common theme, which I feel is segregation and loneliness. Both people in the poems are unhappy with where they are, and do not feel comfortable as they are segregated and lonely. In both poems, the men have reacted in different ways to being lonely, in Nothing's Changed, the black man is uncomfortable around the white people, and is unhappy with the way they treat him. I feel that his makes
Impact Alert
IMPACT ALERT- ASTEROIDS How successfully does the article "Impact alert- asteroids" persuade and warn the reader of the explosion of asteroids? The article "impact alert- asteroids" by Stuart Clark is written in the form of inform, explain, describe where the writer informs the world about a threat that is waiting to destroy the earth and explains and describes how and what would happen. He uses third person narration, involving all the adults and active participants of society to share this crisis together. The title creates the tone and mood of the article. The word "impact" relates to destruction, bringing about an alarming mood and the word "alert" creates a sense of urgency helping to grasp the reader's interest as the importance and risk of asteroids is highlighted. The writer presents details about asteroids, helping spread awareness about what these asteroids really are. The opening paragraph holds simple facts about asteroids, written in self explanatory language like "lump of rock", "they would weigh less than the moon" and "30,000 asteroid fragments fall on the earth every year". He also presents a couple of facts in between his explanation and description like "Tunguska was caused by an object no bigger than 100m in diameter", "they are the asteroids measuring about 1km across" which are an effective way of presenting his article. He doesn't just list down
War Poetry
Read Owen's Dulce et Decorum est. & the Kings speech before Agincourt in Shakespeare's Henry v. Compare how and why the two Writers manipulate their audience's feelings about war. Dulce et Decorum est was written by Wilfred Owen during the time of world war one. The poem is known for its horrifying imagery and its condemnation of war. The difference between Dulce et Decorum est to Henry v, is that first of all it is written as a personal experience of war where as Henry v is written as a poem in a history play, so its themes and imagery is portrayed from a more personal perspective of war. William Shakespeare the famous playwright, is the author of the poem taken from the history play Henry V. The poem taken is a dramatic monologue by Henry v responding from a comment his cousin Westmoreland. The idea or theme of war is portrayed in both Owens D.E.D and William Shakespeare's Henry v., but they are put across in two very different ways. First of all in Henry v poem is more of a speech from a king ho is trying to install faith among his soldiers and most importantly his cousin Westmoreland. Where as Owens D.E.D is more of a physical and traumatizing account of a war that has already taken place. In Owens' D.E.D we can see that the images that are given out are those of struggle not only physical suffering but also those of also mental suffering. With use of similes the
How does Shakespeare use dramatic devices in Act 3 Scene 1 of Romeo and Juliet in order to make it such an interesting, exciting important scene?
How does Shakespeare use dramatic devices in Act 3 Scene 1 of Romeo and Juliet in order to make it such an interesting, exciting important scene? In Romeo and Juliet there are two families; the Montagues and the Capulets, both of them bitter enemies. However as time passes the son of the Montague family, Romeo and the daughter of the Capulets, Juliet; meet each other for the first time and they fall in love at first sight. The families of them both would be against them meeting if they knew! How long can they keep seeing each other in secret? Will there relationship go further? What is there fate? The play fits into the tragedy genre as both families have an everlasting feud and both Romeo and Juliet are pushed to their death as a result of their relationship. There are several different reasons to why they died near the end of the play. It may have been simply fate; bad luck, adolescent love, the everlasting feud between the two families; the differences between the fathers of Romeo and Juliet; the tragedy that had been caused by love or the Friars motives. Some of these may have been to blame for the death of them or all of them partially are to blame for the death of Romeo and Juliet, it is dependant on the perspective of which you look at the play. The general themes that run through the play is hatred; because of the feud between the two families and the opposite
Romeo and Juliet Act 1 Scene 5
Romeo and Juliet Act 1, Scene 5 Act 1 scene 5 is one of the critical scenes in the play of Romeo and Juliet; it is when Romeo sees Juliet for the first time and the moment where Romeo falls in love with Juliet. This scene has many contrasts in moods, atmosphere, pitches and tones of characters voices. Act 1 Scene 5 starts of with a very busy and rushed atmosphere as the serving men are preparing everything for Capulet's party. This part of the scene sets a much tensed atmosphere because the serving men are keeping such a nerve wrecking and quick pace which is in a way like a climax. The reader draws in waiting to see what happens next. The mood suddenly changes from a loud, busy rushed mood to a cheerful, happy, welcoming mood. This is when Capulet is making a speech to his guest, greeting them to his party. At this point the mood has changed from the rushed busy mood to a more joyful mood. Capulet goes off with cousin Capulet and starts reminiscing about the old days when they were young and people they know that have grown and got older. "'Tis since the nuptials of Lucentio, Come pentecost as quickly as it will, Some five and twenty years; and then we mask'd. Second Capulet 'Tis more, 'tis more, his son is elder, sir; His son is thirty. This is when Capulet's tone is still cheerful but also becomes slightly more personal as it is a conversation between him and his
The poem Limbo is an extended metaphor for the parallel stories of the slaves journey alongside the limbo dance. Throughout the poem, lines and stanzas can be interpreted in many different ways due to the many meanings of the overall message.
The poem Limbo is an extended metaphor for the parallel stories of the slave's journey alongside the limbo dance. Throughout the poem, lines and stanzas can be interpreted in many different ways due to the many meanings of the overall message. The title, "Limbo" itself has many different meanings. For example, the word stereotypically relates to the dance, made up by the slaves on board the ship in order to stay fit when attached to iron bars, in which the dancer has to go under the stick without touching it in order to stay in the game. The title also means a region on the border between Heaven and Hell, referring to the slave's journey on the ship as, in their eyes, India is Heaven and America is Hell, and they are in the middle of the two, journeying towards Hell. Alternatively, the word means a state of uncertainty or a state of imprisonment or confinement. The slave's were imprisoned on the ship with no means of escape, their future already mapped out in front of them. The poem is set out into 24 loose and rhythmic stanzas of varying lengths, giving the poem a beat as means to giving it backing music which the dance would involve. There are 7 repetitive choruses, making it seem more like a dance. These choruses are presented in italics to represent the echoing of the slave's replies to the guards. A lot of language devices have been applied in "Limbo". The word
Compare and contrast Williams Wordsworths 'Daffodils with Gillian Clarke' Mroiracle on St David's Day
During this essay I am going to discuss the similarities between William Wordsworth's 'Daffodils' and Gillian Clark's 'Miracle On St. David's Day'. I will also write what is contrasting in both poems. Whilst comparing and contrasting the two I will show how both poets use tone, imagery and themes. The plot of Daffodils is extremely simple, Wordsworth portrays himself as alone and isolated yet in a peaceful and tranquil environment, 'I wandered lonely as a cloud that floats on high o'er vales and hills'. He then finds company with the daffodils, 'A Poet could not be but gay In such a jocund company!' When Wordsworth is alone in the last stanza he remembers the daffodils and reminisces in the happiness that they brought to him, memory in this poem is a clear theme. Throughout the poem it is evident the most apparent feature of the poem is nature. The narrator talks about 'vales and hills'. Although in Wordsworth's first line he states that he is alone, 'I wander'd lonely as a cloud' he uses personification whilst describing the daffodils so that they posses human qualities, 'Tossing their heads in a sprightly dance.' This denotes that he feels not alone anymore when he is with the daffodils. To emphasize this he writes in his third stanza, 'In such a jocund company!' Wordsworth in his poem uses comparison when describing the daffodils, in his third stanza it reads
How do the pre-1914 poets accept or reject the stereotype of women in the era?
How do the pre-1914 poets accept or reject the stereotype of women in the era? Victorian women were stereotyped as weak timid and private however Victorian men were stereotyped totally different they were brave independent and public. In this essay I will discuss when the poets of the years prior to 1914 accepted the strereotype of women. I have studided many poems from this era including "First Love" by John Clare "Birthday" by Christina Rosetti, "How Do I Love Thee" by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, "Villegiature" by Edit Nesbit and "A Women To Her Love" by Christina Walsh. In the following pages I will discuss the pre 1940's acception and rejection of the sterotypes of women at the time in relation to Birthday, Villegiature How Do I Love Thee First Love & a Women To Her Lover. In the poem "Birthday" written by Rossetti by saying "my heart is like a rainbow shell" it makes me think she is accepting the stereotype of women as it is quoting she is shy also the author is accepting the stereotype as she is putting images that represents fertility. "Carve it in doves and pomegranates". Which means seeds meaning seeds make people fertile. Also when she says " raise me a dais of silk and down". Which means she would stay at home if she was raised properly. However she is not accepting the stereotype of women as she wrote the poem and women were not allowed to write in them days
The Mother by George Mackay Brown although a fairly short poem manages to in seven short stanzas creates a very concise affectionate portrait of the poets own mother.
The Mother By Cameron Burns "The Mother" by George Mackay Brown although a fairly short poem manages to in seven short stanzas creates a very concise affectionate portrait of the poet's own mother. A number of things make this poem as effective as it is but a large portion of that magic captured in the poem comes from effective word choice and skilful structure. The word choice within this poem is very skilful and is beautifully matched to the theme (A mother's week) of the poem. George Mackay Brown relies heavily on his choice of words within the poem to create an affectionate account of his mother. In verse 3 he wrote: "All her tasks were like bluebells in a jar on the windowsill" Although being quite a strange simile the word choice is well chosen to give connotations the mother doing her jobs military like but with enjoyment. (The image of bluebells standing to attention reminds me of a soldier which reminds me of the military.) The effect of using bluebells creates an image of soothing things like waterfalls and flowers. But when mixed with the idea of her doing her tasks seems to create a mixed idea of her both wanting and needing to complete her tasks. Another theory about the choice of words is that the bluebells symbolise her children as they were almost certainly collected by them. She does her jobs for her children to please them and as a thank you they bring
A Critical Commentary on October Salmon by Ted Hughes
Josh Barrow (R) A Critical Commentary on 'October Salmon' by Ted Hughes The poem, "October Salmon" is a poem about a salmon swimming upstream to its breeding ground to lay its eggs. Hughes has cleverly titled the poem "October Salmon" as the word 'salmon' is singular and plural. This poem seems to be about a single fish, yet it could be referring to many others like it. The first few stanzas contrast the grandeur of the journey with the fertility and ugliness of death. For instance, Hughes says "After his two thousand miles, he rests". This shows that the salmon has travelled a remarkable individual journey; however, it is made all for nothing. Hughes says that the salmon is "Four years old at most". This shows how young the salmon was. The fact that the salmon is still a youth also makes this journey significant. Hughes then describes the salmon as "already [being] a veteran". This shows again, not only how the salmon is young, but also how he is similar to a soldier at war. Hughes continues this theme in stanza eight when he talks of "badges and decorations" and also in the final few lines of the poem as he talks of the salmon as being "so loyal to his doom". Also, in the next line it talks of the salmon "[completing]...his service". The word service is often related to ones military career. This is another link to the war struggle. This is perhaps a human quality in