Seamus Heany - Death of a Naturalistand The Early Purges
Miranda Fisher-Levine 10N Seamus Heany - Death of a Naturalist and The Early Purges The poems of Seamus Heany can be seen to be similar in many ways, in language, style, subject and mood. In this essay I shall compare two of his poems - Death of a Naturalist and The Early Purges. The Early Purges is on the subject of a young boy learning about how kittens are drowned on a "well-run" farm. Dan Taggart appears to be an older boy or man, obviously experienced in these matters, and his attitude to the "scraggy wee shits" is transferred to the Heany towards the end of the poem, when he realises the "pests have to be kept down". This is a new attitude to him - at the beginning of the poem, the sound they made was "frail", their paws were "soft", both potential terms of endearment, but these turn out to be (in his eyes) "false sentiments", and he refers to puppies as "bloody pups". Living on a farm does seem to harden him, but these "false sentiments" would only seem false on a farm, where animals have to die to benefit humans. However, these sentiments are not false because when he feels them, he has not learn the ins and outs of farm life, so they are merely naïve. The thought that this is a "farm attitude" is confirmed by his reference to the town being a place "where they consider death unnatural". The language Heany uses in The Early Purges is atmospheric. When
Human Nature and Human Life.
Frankie Klimek English Comp II January 28, 2004 Human Nature and Human Life In Ernest Hemingway's "Hills Like White Elephants," we see a young woman torn between two decisions as if she were standing between "two lines of rails," (248) each one leading to a different life for her. She must decide whether she will keep the life growing inside of her, or give it up to be with the young man she is with. Hemingway takes a spectator's point of view in this story, however through his mastery of imagery, symbolism and diction, he makes it evident in the end that "Jig" has overcome the selfish nature of youth and made the decision to keep her baby. The title of the story is a symbolic hint as to the meaning of the story. A white elephant symbolizes two things: First of all, in the story of Buddha, Buddha's mother dreams that a white elephant comes to give her a lotus on the eve of Buddha's birth; the white elephant symbolizes fertility and knowledge. On the other hand, a white elephant represents a burden. In ancient Asia, white elephants were regarded as holy, but to keep a white elephant was a very expensive task. If a king became dissatisfied with one of his nobles he would give them a white elephant, which in most cases would ruin the recipient. In this story, Jig has been given something very precious, a baby, which is the ultimate symbol of her fertility. To him the
Mending Wall
"Mending Wall" by Robert Frost In "Mending Wall," Robert Frost portrays the ideas of barriers between people, communication, friendship and the sense of security people gain from barriers. Frost conveys his perception by using poetic techniques such as the structure, imagery, tone, and revealing a metaphorical as well as a literal meaning throughout the poem. He uses the mending of a solid wall as a symbolic representation of the barriers that separate the neighbors in their friendship. The scene is set by the routine of two neighbors who are constantly mending the wall that separates their properties. The theme of the poem is about two neighbors who disagree over the purpose of the wall. Not only does the wall act as a divider in separating estates, it also as a barrier in the neighbors' friendship, separating them as well. The neighbor with the pine trees believes that the wall has great significance. He believes that the wall provides a sense of privacy and security. "Mending Wall" is an open form, long one-stanza poem that is written in blank verse and has a narrator. Frost uses the poetic technique of imagery to portray his ideas. Imagery is a device that uses certain words and meanings so that a mental picture is painted. Frost uses imagery to let the reader no what it happening within the poem. In the first part of the poem a description of the wall is
What do you think to be the central theme or themes of "Tintern Abbey". How are the themes developed through the versification, imagery and symbolism and structure of the poem? William Unsworth, the
Tae Kim 6C1 Q: What do you think to be the central theme or themes of "Tintern Abbey". How are the themes developed through the versification, imagery and symbolism and structure of the poem? William Unsworth, the author of "Tintern Abbey", was a pantheist from the 18th Century, who had strong religious and spiritual outlook. The poem deals with the ideas of the nature, time and imagination; in an attempt of expressing and conveying the poet's perplex and unsure beliefs that these important aspects make up a "one living web". Amidst the poet's narration, we encounter him contemplating the central themes of "Tintern Abbey", the nature, time and the memories of Unsworth. To fully understand the purpose and themes of the poem, we must also endeavor to closely analyze its structure as well as acknowledging the versification, such as diction and punctuality. Unsworth's perplexity is conveyed in a prosaic and a pendulum-like structure, where the poem swings back and forth between two realms of idealism and reality. In the modern world we tend to congregate in a heavily industrialized urban, for economical benefits, inevitably resulting us to seek refugee to nature, - the nature where contingencies, obligations and the social context is temporarily absent and forgotten. According to the poem, Unsworth also believed that the nature possessed miraculous abilities to endow him with
The Darkling Thrush
The Darkling Thrush The poem entitled "The Darkling Thrush," written by Thomas Hardy, has a very appealing connotation. The work can be separated into two parts; the dismal part pertaining to the beginning of winter and the second part focusing on one small aspect of good in all of the dismal surrounding it. The general idea of the poem is that the dismal winter is approaching, but there are some incidences of goodness in this depressing time. The first part can be sectioned into the first and second stanzas. The poem opens with "I leant upon a coppice gate." This is the moment when the author enters the small wood and begins to narrate his thoughts and feelings. The next line, lines two and three, talk about "The frost was specter-gray and winters dregs made desolate." This describes that the author feels that during this season, the idea of frost and no greenery, makes the winter a very desolate season. The fourth line is very interesting. It states "The weakening eye of day." This displays that during the winter, the time of day shortens. The author relates this shortening of daylight to the weakening of the eye. Lines seven and eight also help to describe the desolates of the winter months. It states "And all mankind...sought their household fires." This line suggests that the narrator views the summer months as a time of friendliness and togetherness. During the winter
What is Keats's attitude towards Love and Philosophy?
Claire Gittoes What is Keats's attitude towards Love and Philosophy? From studying Keats poems it is apparent that Keats's has a number of different Philosophies. These philosophies can be defined as his beliefs and assessments on life. As poet this meant that these values and attitudes were conveyed in his writing. However, Keats being a human being his views and opinions about life were constantly changing in tune with his feelings. After all he was young and did not want to be defined by a system and certainly did not want to be tied down by a woman. Ultimately Keats wanted to be free, hence his idea about negative capability. Occasionally, Keats's work does agree with his recorded philosophies and these clashing seems to match Keats's own conflicted views on life and death. One may argue that Keats is somewhat hypocritical in not having the ability to strictly adhere to his theories on poetry, but when you consider Keats's view of poetry to be a larger metaphor for life and mortality, the deviations are justifiable. Keats's poetic philosophy, as explained in his letters and poetry, contains contradictions that are difficult to explain, he has quite strong views and attitudes, which can be seen in his poetry. Nevertheless, "Of all the Romantic poets Keats is in some ways the most amenable to being read for his 'philosophy.'" It could be argued that this is because there
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Robin Brown English 20 Michelle Karnes University of Pennsylvania King Arthur and his court were described as chivalrous, noble, courageous, and honorable. They were held to very high ideals and described almost to the height of perfection. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, we will witness this reputation they hold so dear, be challenged and diluted. Sir Gawain will act as an ambassador of this personification of excellence that we know as King Arthur and his court, and he will be put to the ultimate test, that of character. In Part I of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, we are introduced to King Arthur and his court. King Arthur is described to us as "most courteous of all" (l.26) among British Kings, which is an indication of his greatness and his court is reveled as the most courteous, courageous, and noble knights throughout Britain. The Green Knight describes them mockingly in lines 309-315: "What, is this Arthur's house," said that horseman then,/"Whose fame is so fair in far realms and wide?/Where is now your arrogance and your awesome deeds,/Your valor and your victories and your vaunting words?/Now are the revel and renown of the Round Table/Overwhelmed with a word of one man's speech,/For all cower and quake, and no cut felt!" Immediately we are alerted to the weakness of the court when the Green Knight proposes his challenge. Not one knight rises to
Yeats initial disenchantment with Irish nationalism can be successfully traced in his love poems to Maud Gonne - Discuss?
Q. Yeats initial disenchantment with Irish nationalism can be successfully traced in his love poems to Maud Gonne Discuss? In Dublin, WB Yeats met John O' Leary for the first time, a form Fenian who interested him in Nationalism and translations of Irish writing into English, and by doing so, gave Yeats' fresh and exciting subject matter for his poetry, and a new purpose. This was also the year he met Maud Gonne, tall and beautiful, a well- to- do revolutionary with whom he fell in love. Penniless, he could only offer her his poetic devotion. From the moment he met her, WB Yeats' life was profoundly affected by her famed beauty and unanswered devotion to Irish Nationalism. Born during an age when women were expected to be nothing more than window-dressing for their husbands, when women were expected to leave the rough and tumble world of politics to men, Maud Gonne rose above that prejudice. Maud Gonne did not return Yeats' passion. She accepted him with delight as a friend, but would not respond to any lovemaking. In many of Yeats' earlier poems we can see his enchantment with Maud Gonne. In the "Rose Collection" the rose had several symbolic meanings; as a title it probably means the "eternal rose of Beauty and peace"i It was also used in the ordinary sense of a rose in love poetry and Yeats knew Irish poets had used it to symbolise Ireland. According to York
I Heard the Owl Call My Name - summary.
I Heard the Owl Call My Name Justin Anderson Margaret Craven Rel. 110 Dell Publishing, New York, 1973 Oct. 27, 2003 I Heard the Owl Call My Name, is a book which describes the beliefs and lifestyle of a Pacific Northwest Indian tribe, Kingcome. The people of the Kingcome tribe have lived for centuries practicing the native traditions that have supported their longstanding existence. They live off of the land and river that their village sits on; Mother Nature meets their daily needs and nothing is wasted or taken for granted. However, the modern world is creeping into the tribe's lifestyle and slowly imposing changes which some of the elders are not pleased with. The main story line of the book revolves around a young vicar, Mark Brian, who is sent to the tribe to lead them spiritually through Christianity, which had been introduced to the tribe in years past. While living in the village, slowly learning about the people and gaining their trust Mark learns valuable lessons about life, death and the culture that he has been adopted into. By the end of the book Mark has been accepted by the tribe and in return has accepted the tribe into his life and understands their views regarding the changing world that is encroaching upon their history. While Mark Brian comes to Kingcome with the teachings and beliefs of Christianity, the tribe
The Little Black Boy.
The Little Black Boy The superficial meaning of Blake's poem, "The Little Black Boy", is that the discriminated black boy, in the dominant white society that instituted slavery, can not play with the white children together, but through mother's teaching gets the vision of equality and love in the future world and so overcomes the inequality in the real world. However, "'The little black boy' no doubt grew out of the literature of protest against the slave trade to which many poets contributed until British trade in slaves was abolished in 1810 and slavery itself in 1833." (Nurmi 59) Therefore, the materials of this poem already have a tendency to critique the slavery society. William Blake's poem "The Little Black Boy" exposes the logical errors that are fundamental to slavery society. These errors can be seen through the boy's separation of body and soul, the mother's contradictory teachings about the black body, and the boy's confusion about the conditions of love. Blake's treatment of the little black boy's perspective on Christianity and salvation may well be ironic, forming the basis for a more savage attack on religious and social hypocrisy At first, through the boy's saying before mother's teaching, we can know he comes up close to the 'experience' world. The boy's concern with the English child suggests that he has been exposed to white culture and that probably,