"The purpose of the artist... is to take the life which he sees and raise it, raise it up to an elevated position where it has dignity." To what extent has Williams succeeded in applying this principle to his own poetry?
"The purpose of the artist... is to take the life which he sees and raise it, raise it up to an elevated position where it has dignity." To what extent has Williams succeeded in applying this principle to his own poetry? William Carlos Williams, as a 'modernist' poet, had a distinctly different style from those he succeeded. Indeed he was not the only artist of this time to be changing the style in which he worked, and breaking with tradition. Nor was he the only artist who saw it as his task to raise otherwise everyday, average subjects to an elevated position and give them dignity. As with the attention Williams gave to a barren wasteland in 'Spring and all', the wallpaper in 'On Gay Wallpaper', the plums in 'This is Just to Say', the wheelbarrow in 'The Red Wheelbarrow' and so on, his peers were doing the same with their chosen subject matter. For instance Marcel Duchamp purchased a urinal from a plumbers, and then exhibited it in 1917 entitled 'Fountain'. He simply justified this statement of his, by discussing how he had taken, "an ordinary article of life, placed it so that its useful significance disappeared under the new title and point of view - created a new thought for that object." Williams employs a similar strategy for his poetry. For Duchamp the art was in arranging the urinal. Certainly in 'This is Just to Say' but to a lesser extent other poems such as
Examine the relationship between Brick and Maggie in the first act of "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof", is there any hope for this relationship?
Examine the relationship between Brick and Maggie in the first act of "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof", is there any hope for this relationship? "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" a play by Tennessee Williams, focuses on a seemingly dysfunctional relationship between the two main characters Brick and Maggie. The first act begins with Brick in the shower isolated, unable to hear or communicate with Maggie as she tries to shout over the noise of the water, this appears to symbolise their relationship. Brick seems to make no effort and is "without interest" to communicate with Maggie, he seems cold like the water of the shower and the "snowy white surface of the bed", emotionless with his " detached quality". This contrasts with Maggie who makes the only sustained contribution to their conversation, in an attempt to save their crumbling relationship "shouting above the roar of the water". Maggie also drops in complimentary phrases into the conversation "honey" "Baby" in an attempt to gain a reply, with some emotion from Brick. This has no effect, as not only are Brick's replies short and emotionless, they are pernickety, and force Maggie to explain and justify every thing "why d'ya?", "Don't they?" which frustrates Maggie into answering snappily "Isn't that a good enough reason?" Tennessee Williams has cleverly used a name, which has similar characteristics to its character. Brick is
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
In Act 1, Maggie says, " I'm not living with you, we occupy the same cage!" Basing your answer on Act 1, explain what you understand by this statement. The play "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" is a play written in three acts by Tennessee Williams which focuses on the seemingly dysfunctional relationship between the two main characters Maggie and Brick. The first act begins with Brick in the shower; he appears unable to hear or communicate with Maggie as she frequently tries to shout over the noise of the water to her husband. This I feel symbolises their relationship. Brick seems to make no effort to talk back and is "without interest" to communicate with Maggie; he seems as cold as the water of his shower. This contrasts with Maggie who makes the only sustained contribution to their conversation, in an attempt to save their crumbling relationship "shouting above the roar of the water". Maggie also drops in complimentary phrases into the conversation such as "honey" or "baby" in an attempt to gain a reply, with some emotion from Brick. However this has no effect, as not only are Brick's replies short and emotionless, they are pernickety, and force Maggie to explain and justify everything. More than often Brick answers with pointless expressions such as "why d'ya?" or "Don't they?" which frustrates Maggie even more causing her sometimes to snap at Brick. In the first act we