This poem by Eliot was very interesting as it seemed to examine the mind of the modern man. Prufrock seems to be talking to a woman that he is interested in, but does not seem to ever want to actually ever approach the girl. So although this was entitled a love song, this man never seems to be interested in actually entering an actual relationship.
Eliot writes:
"Let us go then, you and I,
When the evening is spread out against the sky
Like a patient etherised upon a table;
Let us go, through certain half-deserted streets,
The muttering retreats" (1194)
Although the narrator speaks of us, he is not able to communicate his true feelings to those that he may love. He is a man who is obviously insecure of himself and is unable to express his true feelings to others in his life. His insecurity is obviously a deterrent as he speaks of love but is unable to attain it. In the following passage the narrator makes a comment about the views of others around him.
"And indeed there will be time
To wonder, "Do I dare?" and, "Do I dare"
Time to turn back and descend the stair,
With a bald spot in the middle of my hair."
The insecurity this man feels is present in all that he does and he becomes concerned about even the smallest affairs in his life. The thing that I love the most about the poem is the way in which it is structured. The way in which Eliot writes really seemed to be really easy to understand because of the language he uses.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Woolf- A room of one's own
In this chapter Woolf narrates a passage on the topic of Women and Fiction. In this passage Woolf states the necessary elements for a women to be able to write fiction. "A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction; and that, as you will see, leaves the great problem of the true nature of woman and the true nature of fiction unsolved." (1229) The main reason this seems to be is that women of this period were not allowed the same priviledges of the males. Therefore they were not able to walk on the grass, or to go in the library so they need their own priveledge to be able to write.
It seemed that Woolf seemed to be making a case for the ability of women and criticizing the fact that women are not able to serve these abilities due to their lack of resources. This poem was interesting to me because it really showed the feelings of inequality that were obvious during this period. Although we take this for granted now, women and people of other races have just recently gained the right to do anything they might want. It also made me think about how some people in this country are still not able to do what they would like due to the fact that they are held captive by their financial obligations.
It seemed that Woolf seemed to be making a case for the ability of women and criticizing the fact that women are not able to serve these abilities due to their lack of resources. This poem was interesting to me because it really showed the feelings of inequality that were obvious during this period. Although we take this for granted now, women and people of other races have just recently gained the right to do anything they might want. It also made me think about how some people in this country are still not able to do what they would like due to the fact that they are held captive by their financial obligations.
Yeats- No Second Troy
In this poem Yeats seems to compare Maud Gonne to Helen of Troy. He was really destroyed in the loss of his lover and most of his poetry seemed to be inspired by his lost love.
"Why should I blame her that she filled my days
With misery, or that she would of late
Have taught to ignorant men most violent ways," (1118)
I looked up Maud Gonne and she was an early member of the theatre movement started by her longtime suitor Yeats. You can feel the misery and pain present by Yeats in his poetry.
I really enjoyed and could understand the feelings of Yeats as we have all been in his position at one time. Dealing with lost loves is hard for anyone, yet with Yeats we are able to read his feelings through his poetry.
"Why, what could she have done, being what she is?
Was there another Troy for her to burn" (1118)
I found this to be a very interesting passage in the poem as I read it to be wondering if she ever did this to anyone else. I could be wrong as my understanding of poetry is limited but that is a powerful idea thought by all jilted lovers. It is only natural for one to think about how the other moves on with their lives. This poem just really stood out to me because it is so commonplace. I mean it shows the feeling of a famous writer who deals with the complexity of life.
"Why should I blame her that she filled my days
With misery, or that she would of late
Have taught to ignorant men most violent ways," (1118)
I looked up Maud Gonne and she was an early member of the theatre movement started by her longtime suitor Yeats. You can feel the misery and pain present by Yeats in his poetry.
I really enjoyed and could understand the feelings of Yeats as we have all been in his position at one time. Dealing with lost loves is hard for anyone, yet with Yeats we are able to read his feelings through his poetry.
"Why, what could she have done, being what she is?
Was there another Troy for her to burn" (1118)
I found this to be a very interesting passage in the poem as I read it to be wondering if she ever did this to anyone else. I could be wrong as my understanding of poetry is limited but that is a powerful idea thought by all jilted lovers. It is only natural for one to think about how the other moves on with their lives. This poem just really stood out to me because it is so commonplace. I mean it shows the feeling of a famous writer who deals with the complexity of life.
Yeats- The Second Coming
Since I am a Christian I was drawn to Yeats description of the second coming. The second coming has really become a hot topic in the Christian church over the last 100 years. Currently there is all kind of material such as the left behind books that give an account of how they believe the end times will occur. All of these writings are just opinions because the only reference we have to the end of times is Revelation, which is a book filled with visions and symbols. These symbols had specific meaning for the people of this time so it is hard to believe we will really ever have a good working knowledge of what is to come. Yeats begins the poem with a description of the world at this time.
"Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity." (1122)
Of what I know of the book of Revelation this poem seems to paint a seemingly realistic portrayal of the end of days. As the passage says above innocence is destroyed by the evil that is unleashed upon the earth. The people who are good are shaken past the point of action, while the worst of humanity enjoys this period of anarchy.
Perhaps the most puzzling part of the poem is when he brings up his vision of the creature with the lion body and the head of a man. There are lots of creatures like this in Revelation but I did not see the importance of including one in this writing. Yeats goes on to talk about how Christianity has really been put to sleep through as if they were a baby in a cradle.
"The twenty centuries of stony sleep were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle, and what rough beast, its hour come round at last, Slouches toward Bethlehem to be born." (1123)
This passage of the poem really confused me as I thought the first couple stanzas were pretty straight foward. I honestly have no idea what he was trying to say her and who is supposed to be born in Bethlehem. Jesus was originally from Bethlehem but I don't think he's going to be born again. I really do not know who else he could be talking about though and I am very interested in reading the ideas of my classmates who seem to have a better understanding of poetry than I.
"Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity." (1122)
Of what I know of the book of Revelation this poem seems to paint a seemingly realistic portrayal of the end of days. As the passage says above innocence is destroyed by the evil that is unleashed upon the earth. The people who are good are shaken past the point of action, while the worst of humanity enjoys this period of anarchy.
Perhaps the most puzzling part of the poem is when he brings up his vision of the creature with the lion body and the head of a man. There are lots of creatures like this in Revelation but I did not see the importance of including one in this writing. Yeats goes on to talk about how Christianity has really been put to sleep through as if they were a baby in a cradle.
"The twenty centuries of stony sleep were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle, and what rough beast, its hour come round at last, Slouches toward Bethlehem to be born." (1123)
This passage of the poem really confused me as I thought the first couple stanzas were pretty straight foward. I honestly have no idea what he was trying to say her and who is supposed to be born in Bethlehem. Jesus was originally from Bethlehem but I don't think he's going to be born again. I really do not know who else he could be talking about though and I am very interested in reading the ideas of my classmates who seem to have a better understanding of poetry than I.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Siegfried Sassoon- Glory of Women
Glory of Women is a celebration of the efforts made by women in times of struggle. Although the men faced the brunt of the warfare, the women were left to face its cost. They were left to work the jobs left behind, as well as making many of the weapons of the war.
"You love us when we're heroes, home on leave,
Or wounded in a memorable place." (1099)
Although many men never come back from wars, their women are often the ones who are their for help and support long after the war ends. Although we are in a different period now, nurses now serve on the frontline to help our wounded. Without this love and support many of these men would not make it through these times. These women often go unrecognized so it was encouraging to see this poem about these women.
"You crown our distant ardours while we fight,
And mourn our laurelled memories when we are killed." (1099)
Although glory is often found on the battlefield, this poem reminds us of those who are behind the glorious. Without these ladies to keep their stories alive, their stories would die along with their bodies. Therefore these ladies are glorious because they keep the fight on the homefront. If things were to go bad at home then many men would turn back to take care of the affairs at home.
"O German mother dreaming by the fire,
While you are knitting socks to send your son
His face is trodden deeper in the mud." (1099)
This seemed to be an odd ending for this poem for me since the majority of the poem was praising the work of the British women. It seemed to mock the work of the German woman who was doing the same things they were praising their women for.
"You love us when we're heroes, home on leave,
Or wounded in a memorable place." (1099)
Although many men never come back from wars, their women are often the ones who are their for help and support long after the war ends. Although we are in a different period now, nurses now serve on the frontline to help our wounded. Without this love and support many of these men would not make it through these times. These women often go unrecognized so it was encouraging to see this poem about these women.
"You crown our distant ardours while we fight,
And mourn our laurelled memories when we are killed." (1099)
Although glory is often found on the battlefield, this poem reminds us of those who are behind the glorious. Without these ladies to keep their stories alive, their stories would die along with their bodies. Therefore these ladies are glorious because they keep the fight on the homefront. If things were to go bad at home then many men would turn back to take care of the affairs at home.
"O German mother dreaming by the fire,
While you are knitting socks to send your son
His face is trodden deeper in the mud." (1099)
This seemed to be an odd ending for this poem for me since the majority of the poem was praising the work of the British women. It seemed to mock the work of the German woman who was doing the same things they were praising their women for.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Shaw-Pygmalion
Pygmalion was interesting because it presented a story about a poor girl who wanted more than anything to be an accepted member of a higher society. She was very unhappy with her current occupation and wanted to be trained to be something more. Henry Higgins makes a bet with Colonel Pickering that they can make this poor girl into duchess.
Since Shaw was a proponent of speaking correctly, it is the prominent theme in his story. The language of the flower girl improves dramatically throughout the story as she cannot be understood in the beginning. "Dont you be so saucy. You aint heard what I come for yet. Did you tell him I come in a taxi." (1017)
Pickering is proud of his ability to pronounce the vowel sounds. He brags: "I rather fancied myself because I can pronounce twenty-four distinct vowel sounds; but your hundred and thirty beat me." (1016) The ability to speak well therefore seemed to be a way in which people were separated by class in this story. This really seems to still be the case because everyone judges the intelligence of others partly through their speaking ability. If one does not speak well then they are thought to be stupid. Higgins finds no value in the girl as he instructs his maid to burn her clothes and to clean her up. He treats her as if he can do whatever he wishes with her, as if she were the victim in an experiment.
An interesting subplot in the story was the difference between Alfred and Liza Doolittle. While Alfred comes looking for a free handout from Huggins, Liza is willing to work for her advancement. This subplot brought to light an important argument put forth about the plight of poor people. Many people believe that the poor do nothing to improve their situation, but most of the time they are held down by other factors such as their poor quality of education. The difference of education based on economic factors often keeps the rich wealthy and keeps the poor poor.
The story ends showing how Eliza transformed from a simple flower girl to an educated lady. It really served as an example of how little a difference there is between the rich and the poor. When given only a new set of clothes and a little training, Liza was able to pass herself off as a princess. One simple opportunity in a persons life can change their fortunes from living in the streets to living in luxury.
Since Shaw was a proponent of speaking correctly, it is the prominent theme in his story. The language of the flower girl improves dramatically throughout the story as she cannot be understood in the beginning. "Dont you be so saucy. You aint heard what I come for yet. Did you tell him I come in a taxi." (1017)
Pickering is proud of his ability to pronounce the vowel sounds. He brags: "I rather fancied myself because I can pronounce twenty-four distinct vowel sounds; but your hundred and thirty beat me." (1016) The ability to speak well therefore seemed to be a way in which people were separated by class in this story. This really seems to still be the case because everyone judges the intelligence of others partly through their speaking ability. If one does not speak well then they are thought to be stupid. Higgins finds no value in the girl as he instructs his maid to burn her clothes and to clean her up. He treats her as if he can do whatever he wishes with her, as if she were the victim in an experiment.
An interesting subplot in the story was the difference between Alfred and Liza Doolittle. While Alfred comes looking for a free handout from Huggins, Liza is willing to work for her advancement. This subplot brought to light an important argument put forth about the plight of poor people. Many people believe that the poor do nothing to improve their situation, but most of the time they are held down by other factors such as their poor quality of education. The difference of education based on economic factors often keeps the rich wealthy and keeps the poor poor.
The story ends showing how Eliza transformed from a simple flower girl to an educated lady. It really served as an example of how little a difference there is between the rich and the poor. When given only a new set of clothes and a little training, Liza was able to pass herself off as a princess. One simple opportunity in a persons life can change their fortunes from living in the streets to living in luxury.
Thomas Hardy
The most interesting poem to me by Hardy that we read was the one entitled Hap. It is about a man who was going through times of suffering. It was interesting me because the narrator seemed able to handle it if it made him unique, but was bothered only if it was incidental.
"If but some vengeful god would call to me
From up the sky and laugh: "Thou suffering thing,
Know that thy sorrow is my ecstasy,
That thy love's loss is my hate's profiting." (1073)
So the writer would accept this pain if it was caused specifically for him. This was interesting to me for a person to accept vengeance for something that was not caused by them. It did not say the vengeful god was upset about anything the narrator said, but he was willing to suffer the consequences if it was caused by this god. It is also an interesting idea put forth by the writer that a God would find solace in the suffering of mere mortals. I guess its just hard for me to come to terms with this due to my beliefs on God.
"Then would I bear it, clench myself, and die,
Steeled by the sense of ire unmerited;
Half-eased in that a Powerfuller than I
Had willed and meted me the tears I shed" (1073)
So the writer finds some solace in the belief that this fate was meant for him. Without this sense of uniqueness, the pain the writer suffers is just pain. When it is caused by a god though, it distinguishes the person. It seems like we often make excuses for bad times that may come upon them or find reasons to make it important.
"If but some vengeful god would call to me
From up the sky and laugh: "Thou suffering thing,
Know that thy sorrow is my ecstasy,
That thy love's loss is my hate's profiting." (1073)
So the writer would accept this pain if it was caused specifically for him. This was interesting to me for a person to accept vengeance for something that was not caused by them. It did not say the vengeful god was upset about anything the narrator said, but he was willing to suffer the consequences if it was caused by this god. It is also an interesting idea put forth by the writer that a God would find solace in the suffering of mere mortals. I guess its just hard for me to come to terms with this due to my beliefs on God.
"Then would I bear it, clench myself, and die,
Steeled by the sense of ire unmerited;
Half-eased in that a Powerfuller than I
Had willed and meted me the tears I shed" (1073)
So the writer finds some solace in the belief that this fate was meant for him. Without this sense of uniqueness, the pain the writer suffers is just pain. When it is caused by a god though, it distinguishes the person. It seems like we often make excuses for bad times that may come upon them or find reasons to make it important.
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