A Study of Traherne's Metaphysical Poetry
A Study of Traherne's Metaphysical Poetry It is more than mere coincidence that the two poets who have produced the greatest visions of Paradise in the history of English literature both composed their works in the same twenty-five year period. The first - John Milton, needs very little introduction, while the second is the lesser known seventeenth century religious poet Thomas Traherne. Traherne's poetry, only uncovered at the end of the nineteenth century, has been quickly disregarded by many critics who consider Traherne an unrefined blend of Herbert and Vaughan. This hasty dismissal of Thomas Traherne as a poet in his own right seems a little unfair. Rather than judging Traherne's poetry by the preconceived standards we use to judge the likes of Herbert and Vaughan, his poetry should be analysed independently. Graham Parry, writing in his book, Seventeenth Century Poetry, states that Traherne's works record `the essentials of a life of praise and delight within a recovered Eden'1 This underlying theme of Paradise was one that was to dominate the mid-seventeenth century. It is not chance that Traherne and Milton emerged from the same period. Amidst the fervent atmosphere of the English Civil War there was much expectation that Christ would return to restore an Earthly Paradise. At a time when institution was collapsing many of the creative minds in England sought God
Think of this poem in terms of its storytelling - Were you surprised at the end? What clues are given to the identity of the Green Knight? How does the poet use description effectively? What is artful about the patterning of the action?
4. Think of this poem in terms of its storytelling. Were you surprised at the end? What clues are given to the identity of the Green Knight? How does the poet use description effectively? What is artful about the patterning of the action? In terms of storytelling, this poem is one of the most masterful ones I have ever read. The author (or perhaps Keith Harrison) manages to bring the reader into the poem by taking a story that could have been unremarkable and adding a fantastic twist at the end, but that was not completely unexpected as there were a plenty of hints provided along the way. At the end, I was definitely surprised, but not to the point where I did not understand the story. There is a twist, and a big one at that, but not so extreme as to leave the reader dumbfounded and questioning the poem. Of course, no one would have expected the Green Knight to have also been the host of the castle, or to have been the husband of Gawain's seductress. However, subtle hints are provided that leave some doubt in the reader's mind as to who the Green Knight really is, in addition to himself. The biggest (yet subtle) hint is the green girdle that is given to Gawain by Bertilak's wife. Being green, the girdle links itself to the Green Knight, though the reader may not realize this until after finishing the poem. As aforementioned, the end is unexpected, but the Green Knight's
Chekhov describes 'Uncle Vanya' as "scenes from a country life." How adequate do you find the playwright's definition?
Chekhov describes 'Uncle Vanya' as "scenes from a country life." How adequate do you find the playwright's definition? Seonaid MacLeod VI CRB Chekhov's description of his play 'Uncle Vanya' could at first glance appear to be a controversial view of this tension-filled play. However, when one considers the implications of the playwright's words, one begins to see where he was coming from; although country life is characteristically seen as mundane, it is also a perfect environment for the tension that Chekhov builds up between the characters that breeds from their boredom and pent up frustration. Many of the characters, in particular Sonya and Vanya, take advantage of the slow pace of country life to dramatise their problems and work themselves into a worry about certain aspects of their lives. Through this, tension is built up and the audience can see that Chekhov was not, as one might first have thought, sadly mistaken but actually perfectly correct on many levels when he describes 'Uncle Vanya' as "scenes from a country life." Taking Chekhov's words at their face value, the setting of the play in the country is an extremely important as the characters find themselves isolated in one place together, which provides a perfect basis for breeding tensions. When the Serebryakov asks the other characters to meet with him for a meeting, the arguments that break out there are
The following poem comparisons are from the book "Songs of Innocence and Experience by William Blake".
English Coursework Comparisons: The following poem comparisons are from the book "Songs of Innocence and Experience by William Blake" and I will compare them in the following order: The Divine Image p18 - A Divine Image Introduction p4 - Introduction p30 The Chimney Sweeper p13 - The Chimney Sweeper p37 Infant Joy p25 - The Sick Rose p39 This poem repeatedly talks about God and it fits well in the Innocence part of the book. It uses a few words frequently such as Money, Pity, Peace and Love. They are mentioned in every verse of the poem. In the third verse Blake tells us about these words by saying 'Mercy has a human heart. Pity a human face. And love, the human form divine. And peace, the human dress.' This repetetive series of words show the theme that Mercy, Pity, Peace and Love are attributes both human and divine. The illustration is of a strange flame like growth with the occasional flower coming out from it. At the bottom a man with a halo stands over a man and a woman and looks down on them as if he were God. At the top a woman in a green dress glides along the plant towards some children. It is thought that this plate is the contrary plate to "A Divine Image" which was produced much later in his life during the war with France. "A Divine Image", exhibits the very opposite of the attributes that were described in the Innocence version. Blake shows all his
"Prometheus Unbound" and Shelley's Prefatory Defense Against Critics
Joe Bohn ENG344W-01 Prof. Hubbell December 5, 2000 "Prometheus Unbound" and Shelley's Prefatory Defense Against Critics Towards the end of the 18th century, Great Britain experienced an unprecedented influx of innovation: the hydraulic printing press, gas lighting, steam-powered mills, optical glass and the first electric battery. Amidst all of this progress, authors found it increasingly feasible to publish their own literary works for mass consumption. Yet, while they were now able to make their works more readily accessible to the public, they were now also faced with the dilemma of having to choose a specific audience. And if this wasn't troubling enough, the author was now to be held accountable by literary critics with respect to any content, which could remotely be regarded as upsetting, radical or offensive. Authors like William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Percy Shelley were at the mercy of critics who were bent on politicizing any literary work and slandering authors at the slightest hint of a political agenda. Percy Shelley, in particular, attempted to defend himself the Preface of his Aeschylean epic drama, Prometheus Unbound, with anticipation of the critic's narrow-mindedness, ready to denounce any legitimacy to their claims (MM 1407-1409) Perhaps, it's best to begin discussing Shelley's defensiveness by looking to and contrasting him with his
Of the short stories you have read by Thomas Hardy, which do you prefer and why?
Sam Royal, 04 July 2003 Of the short stories you have read by Thomas Hardy, which do you prefer and why? Thomas Hardy was born at Higher Bockhampton, Dorset, on June 2, 1840. His father worked as a master mason and builder. From his father he gained an appreciation of music, and from his mother an appetite for learning and the delights of the countryside about his rural home. Hardy was a frail child, and did not start at his village school until he was eight years old. One year later he transferred to a new school in the county town of Dorchester. When he was sixteen Hardy helped his father with the architectural drawings for the restoration of Woodsford Castle. The owner, an architect named James Hicks, was impressed by the younger Hardy's work, and took him on as an apprentice. Hardy later moved to London to work for a prominent architect named Arthur Blomfield. He began writing, but his poems were rejected by a number of publishers. Although he enjoyed life in London, Hardy's health was poor, and he was forced to return to Dorset. In 1870 Hardy was sent to plan a church restoration at St. Juliot in Cornwall. When he was there he met Emma Gifford who was the sister-in-law of the vicar of St.Juliot. She encouraged him in his writing, and they were married in 1874. Hardy published his first novel, 'Desperate Remedies' in 1871. The following year 'Under the Greenwood
Predominately within Keats poetry one must indeed note the antithetic relationships between reality and ideals, rationality and imagination, physical sensations and logical reasoning.
Predominately within Keats poetry one must indeed note the antithetic relationships between reality and ideals, rationality and imagination, physical sensations and logical reasoning. The conflict between beauty and sensation and the clarity of intellect and reason was felt keenly by Keats, to whom true perception was the purity of sensation, free of any intellectual restrictions. Keat's was not simply a poet who longed for a life of sensation rather than thought, but was a man who desired sensation rather than the factual truth. To Keats the sensual imagination was the core of experience and unlike intellectual analysis, it was the abject imagination that brought intensity to all things; "...the imagination has pleasures more airy and luminous than those of sense, more massive and rapturous than those of the intelligence of the pure intellectuals who hunger after truth." (George Santayana quoted in 'Introduction to Keats' William Walsh 1991, Meuthuen Press, Pg 78) Yet in ordinary life Keats could not be described as a sensual person, content with the privations and life of a hermit he maintained in the world. Keats was a platonic poet to whom ideas and abstractions were his life, having a lucid perception of essences and sensations. Furthermore, Keats concept of imagination as a power closely associated with sensation, intuition and a visionary insight; "apprehended a
Elegy 19: To his mistress going to bed
Elegy 19: To his mistress going to bed > What imagery does Donne use which is used in other poems you have studied? Do u find any which is unusual? > What is the speaker's attitude to the mistress? > "Donne's love poems are not about love, they are about power". With reference to this and one other Donne poem evaluate this statement. "Elegy 19" reflects greatly on "The Sun Rising". They share similar imagery and are closely related in both their language, structure and progression. The way in which Donne structures the poem is also cunning as the techniques he adopts are directly related to "The Sun Rising". It is a common occurrence for Donne to use cosmological imagery within his poetry to portray his emotions and using extremes to compare his mistress too. In addition, he continues to do so in "Elegy 19" and we recognise it also in "The Sun Rising". Another reflection of these two poems. He uses cosmological imagery quite frequently in this poem "Off with that girdle, like heaven's zone glistering" Donne is comparing the woman's girdle to something heavenly, when in actual fact a girdle wouldn't have been anything more than a cushion used for support and shape. Flattery is used commonly within Donne's poetry; he is rarely a reject of his lovers and uses flattery to seduce them. "In such white robes heaven's angels used to be receiv'd by men: thou angel
How does Blake convey his thoughts and feelings towards the treatment of children in the England of his day? In your answer, either make detailed references to one or two poems or range widely across the Songs:
How does Blake convey his thoughts and feelings towards the treatment of children in the England of his day? In your answer, either make detailed references to one or two poems or range widely across the Songs: Because his life spanned an era of such profound change it is impossible to separate the works of Blake from the political and social climate within which they were produced. In conjunction with his views towards the political and social state of Britain at the time, Blake's poetry also draws on his personal views towards the state and influence of organised religion within British society in the 18th century. Many aspects of this political and social climate within which he lived were related, directly or otherwise, to the treatment of Children by those in positions of authority, towards which Blake held strong views that are supported by many of his poems from 'Songs'. The evidence that Blake was incredibly affected by the political and industrial changes happening around him is patent when a comparison of his 'Songs of Innocence' and 'Songs of Experience' is made. For instance, through the comparing and contrasting of 'Nurse's Song' in Innocence and Experience, Blake's changing views towards the treatment of children within society can be clearly detected. Symbolising childhood as a particular state of mind; one open to enjoyment and new experiences, through
Compare William Makepeace Thackeray's 'The Due of the Dead' and Sir Henry Newbolt's 'Vitai Lampada' in terms of their effectiveness of form, structure, language and context.
Q. Compare William Makepeace Thackeray's 'The Due of the Dead' and Sir Henry Newbolt's 'Vitai Lampada' in terms of their effectiveness of form, structure, language and context. As pre-First World War literary pieces, Thackeray's 'The Due of the Dead' and Newbolt's 'Vitai Lampada' share similar thematic threads, for example in the allusions to the ideals of honour and obligation, evident in the reference to 'gallant, patient hearts' and the personification of 'Honour' as 'a name' , in a contextual establishment where the majority of the upper class - to whom the poetic form of communication appealed most specifically to - lived behind an intricately fabricated façade of religious morality. Moreover, both poems also exhibit an emphasis on structure and rhythm, and while Newbolt opts for the effective poetic form of 8-line stanzas in a tight, regular structure, Thackeray utilises an ordered 4-line stanza structure with 8-syllable lines to maintain a constant rhythmic pace. There is also a prominence of rhyme with both poets employing the ABAB rhyme scheme, and the rhythmic structure explicit most especially in 'The Due of the Dead' provides an emphasis on the last words of each line, thereby complementing the poem's aural quality. Thackeray presents the central message of 'The Due of the Dead' effectively through the division of the poem into four distinct sections from the