"Ambulances" by Philip Larkin.
CRITIACAL EVALUATION "Ambulances" by Philip Larkin uses the every day incident of someone being taken away in an ambulance to convey the ideas of human life. The poem discusses the idea of the closeness of death; it's randomness and its inevitability. I am going to look at how effectively Philip Larkin uses this everyday occurrence to lead to the general or universal statement: death will come to us all at some point no matter who you are. I will show this by discussing the use of word choice, theme and setting. In stanza one, the impression that an accident can happen anywhere at any time is created by the feeling of menace. This is shown by the thought that ambulances can "come to rest at any kerb" suggesting that it doesn't matter where you are an accident can happen. The use of the word "any" helps to emphasise this point and convey the theme of the randomness of death. The idea that death comes to us all is suggested by "All streets in time are visited". The word "All" emphasises the fact that everyone dies, and the word "time" indicates that it is just a matter of time. I think that Larkin wanted to portray the idea that everyone will make their journey in an ambulance at some point. The ambulance is only symbolic for the doorway to death. At the beginning of the stanza the ambulances are described as "closed like confessionals," this sets the feeling inside the
The poet Robert Browning of 'Porphyria's Lover' and the writer of 'First Love', John Clare, both delve into the complexity of love in many ways, some similar and others contrasting.
Explore and explain the similarities and differences between the way each poet deals with the theme of love in 'Porphyria's Lover' and 'First Love'. How do you account for these differences? The poet Robert Browning of 'Porphyria's Lover' and the writer of 'First Love', John Clare, both delve into the complexity of love in many ways, some similar and others contrasting. The most apparent similarity is that both poems are written in the style of a monologue. Throughout these poems the reader is enlightened only to the man's perspective; therefore as a reader, we never encounter the woman's emotions and can only guess by analyzing the text of what these could be. Throughout the monologues both lovers' characteristics are revealed. In 'First Love' the reader encounters a man who is unthreatening and we experience the innocence of him falling in love for the first time. This contrasts with 'Porphyria's Lover' where the reader is subject to the mind of a lover who has a jealous and obsessive nature. The reader is immediately aware of this lover's obsessive character in the opening line. The poet Robert Browning uses the imagery of a storm to imitate the lover's emotions. The violence of the storm 'tore the elm tops down for spite', warns the reader that his emotions are indeed negative and volatile. The use of personification is present when describing the storm. This is shown
Analysis of "Seven Ages of Man" by William Shakespeare.
Seven Ages of Man By William Shakespeare. Seven Ages of man is a poem written by William Shakespeare. It's actually a speech given by one of his characters named Jacques in his play As You Like it. Jacques is a pessimistic character who the poet uses to portray the life of a man in seven different parts. The first line of the poem "All the worlds a stage is a metaphor in which the world is associated with a stage. It is also the central metaphor around which the entire poem revolves. The next few lines also use similar terminology related to theatre. The word "All" in the first line establishes universality and we are told that men everywhere go through the same phases of life. The next line "...Just like actors, men and women in this world are not free to do as they will and are directed and controlled by their destiny. And just like actors in a play, the people make their appearances and go away i.e. they are born into this world and die. Because Jacques looks more towards the negative, he mentions death as in "exit" first and then birth or "entrance". This is because he looks at life's negativities closely. And so, this man, a player who has probably made an entrance plays seven main parts in his life. These parts are referred to as acts as in the line "And one man in his time plays many parts. His act being seven ages." When the child is born, he is an infant who
William Wordsworth, known as one of the first generation of romantic poets lived from 1770-1850.
William Wordsworth, known as one of the first generation of romantic poets lived from 1770-1850. Apart from romantic poems Wordsworth covered sonnets and poems expressing the child-like features of natural and man-made landscape. Two of his most famous works that fit into this genre are 'The Daffodils', a poem looking at the beauty of nature and 'Composed Upon Westminster Bridge Sept. 3, 18' a petrachan sonnet looking at natures contrast-man-made beauty. He was influenced by all elements of the world, and also, closer relations like his sister, Dorothy Wordsworth. Many times Dorothy contributed to his masterpieces, recorded through Dorothy's diary, now known as the 'Grassmere Journals'. Another patron that helped Wordsworth along the way was Sir George Beaumont, a friend and comrade of Wordsworth who frequently shared thoughts in letters. Many of his pieces reflect the beauty of the world and Wordsworths' amazement at this. His ability to see the world through the wonder and freshness of a child allowed him to write some of the best and most unforgettable poems of our time. The poem 'The Daffodils' derived from a trip to Eusmere with his sister, Dorothy. On the journey they passed a field of daffodils, described by Dorothy as to be 'dancing' and in 'gayety'- recorded in the Grassmere Journals. This famous poem has been described as a 'beautiful expression of joy'. The
Death Of A Naturalist comment on how appropriate the title, "Death of a Naturalist", is and comment on how it changes meaning.
"Death Of A Naturalist" I have been asked to comment on how appropriate the title, "Death of a Naturalist", is and comment on how it changes meaning. The poem is set out in two sections of blank verse (unrhymed lambric pentameter lines). In the first section the poet. Seamus Heaney, notes the festering in the flax-dam, but can cope with this familiar scene of things, rotting & spawn hatching. Perhaps as an inquisitive child he felt some pride in not being squeamish. He thinks of the bubbles from the process as gargling "delicately". He is confident in taking the frogspawn. It's something he does every year and watches the "jellied-specks" become "fattening dots" then turn into tadpoles. He almost has a scientific interest in knowing the proper names ("bullfrog" and "frogspawn") rather than the teachers patronising talk of "daddy" and "mammy". Especially the idea of forecasting the weather by looking at the frogspawn because it's not very helpful as it is blatantly obvious if it is sunny or raining and so there is no need to look at the frogspawn. Seamus Heaney uses onomatopoeia more lavish here than in any poem - and many of the sound are very in delicate: "gargled", "slap and plop" and "farting". The lexicon is full terms of putrefaction, ordure, generally unpleasant things such as "festered", "rotted", "slobber", "clotted water", "rank with cowdung" and "slime kings".
How Do You Respond To Mid-Term Break? What techniques does Heaney use? Having read the title 'Mid-Term Break', I assumed that the poem
How Do You Respond To Mid-Term Break? What techniques does Heaney use? Having read the title 'Mid-Term Break', I assumed that the poem was about a student's holiday abroad or something similar, however as I progressed through reading the play, I realized that it had a different meaning. The poem has a very deceiving title, a mid-term break is supposed to be a joyous time of holiday but here Heaney must deal with the death of a family member. This misleading title is the first technique used by Heaney to attract the attention of the reader. The poem is also told in first person and this gives the effect that the emotions come straight from the boy to the reader. We respond directly to the boy, which provokes greater sympathy in us when we find out that his brother dies. The first stanza is telling us that the boy is away from home, isolated, upset and waiting. It is made up of short sentences to build up tension and create shock as though the reader is expecting something to happen. One phrase that struck me was 'our neighbors drove me home'. This suggested to me that something had happened as usually a student's parents take them to and from school. We then find out that the father, apparently always strong at other funerals, is distraught, while the mother is too angry to cry. Also the euphemism used by 'Big Jim Evans' - 'it's a hard blow'. Having read this I
Comparison between John Donne and Emily Dickinson's poems: How each of them expresses himself/herself on a problematic subject such as death?
Comparison between John Donne and Emily Dickinson's poems: How each of them expresses himself/herself on a problematic subject such as death? John donne- Holy sonnet 10 "Death be not proud, though some have called thee" Death be not proud, though some have called thee Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so; For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow, Die not, poor death, nor yet canst thou kill me. From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be, Much pleasure, then from thee, much more must flow, And soonest our best men with thee do go, Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery. Thou art slave to Fate, Chance, kings, and desperate men, And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell, And poppy, or charms can make us sleep as well, And better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then? One short sleep past, we wake eternally, And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die. Emily Dickinson "Because I could not stop for Death " Because I could not stop for Death He kindly stopped for me The Carriage held but just Ourselves And Immortality. We slowly drove - He knew no haste And I had put away My labor and my leisure too, For his Civility. We passed the School, where Children strove At Recess - in the Ring We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain We passed the Setting Sun Or rather - He passed Us The Dews drew
How does Heaney explore the issues of background and identity in his early poems, Digging and Follower?
How does Heaney explore the issues of background and identity in his early poems, Digging and Follower? Digging and Follower show Heaney delving into his earliest personal memories of his childhood and giving them life through words. He uses diverse approaches to expose the underlying emotion of his memories, using tactile imagery that is often also metaphorical. On the surface, his poetry may appear simple, or perhaps trivial - but often, as with all things, there is more to it than what first glance reveals. Heaney does not use pretentious elaborate visual description that is 'sugar coated' in the way that memories usually are. His use of onomatopoeia and 'clumsy' words such as "squelch", "slap" often verge on the grotesque but are extremely effective in conveying a sense of reality. By remembering these simple details, such as the sound of a spade 'rasping' as it sinks into 'gravelly ground', Heaney can make connections with his past background and seek to define his identity through his poems. Between my finger and my thumb The squat pen rests; snug as a gun. Digging presents a good example of a parallel between the tactile and metaphorical. The first two-line stanza 'earths' the poem to the poet - using direct, simple, striking language. "Gun" particularly draws the reader's attention; it is aggressive and monosyllabic. Heaney remembers the way his father, a
Feminism or Anti-Feminism: Images of Women in Chaucer's "The Wife of Bath".
Feminism or Anti-Feminism: Images of Women in Chaucer's "The Wife of Bath". Chaucer's "The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale" is a medieval legend that paints a portrait of strong women finding love and themselves in the direst of situations. It is presented to the modern day reader as an early tale of feminism showcasing the ways a female character gains power within a repressive, patriarchal society. Underneath the simplistic plot of female empowerment lies an underbelly of anti-feminism. Sometimes this is presented blatantly to the reader, such as the case of Janekin's reading aloud from "The Book of Wikked Wives" (The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale 691). However, there are many other instances of anti-feminism that may not scream so loudly to the reader. This is shown in the disappearance of the rape victim and the happy ending for the Knight. While the overall story is one of supposed feminism shown through women's empowerment, there are many aspects of "The Wife of Bath" that are anti-feminist in nature. The main character, Alison, or the wife of Bath, is representative of most of the feminist ideals in the work. She is strong, independent, and to be respected as a woman of great courage. Alison has suffered a great deal in her lifetime, indicative of life for women at this time. She has survived five husbands; some of whom beat her, others were unfaithful. She was
A comparison between Seamus Heaney's
In both the poems "Digging" by Seamus Heaney and "Catrin" by Gillian Clarke the main theme is that of parent child relationships. "Catrin" relates to the inner thoughts and feelings of a mother giving birth whilst "Digging" shows a son's admiration for his father. In "Catrin" we first see the title, one that could possibly be addressed to a real daughter or exploring the relationships between mother and daughter in general, whereas "Digging" simply states the subject matter. In "Catrin" the author is initially quite cold and impersonal as she addresses child before birth, waiting for her arrival; "As I stood in a hot, white room at the window watching", possibly showing this as being her first child, so she is unsure of what to expect, and unsure of her feeling towards the child. This phrase seems very clinical and resembles a hospital ward. However from the very beginning of "Digging" we are greeted with warmth in the form of assonance such as the words "snug as a gun", which in addition are references to the way a gun is crafted for a person, so also the pen (and thus poetry) is perfect for Heaney, or vice versa. These comforting semantics are built upon with words such as "clean" and the sibilance; "spade sinks" and alliteration; "gravely ground." These phrases just roll of the tongue, easy top speak so easy to accept. By contrast Clarke has begun to create a semantic
