...Essentially I feel that each poem in its own “Funeral Blues” (W. H. Auden), “Death, be not proud” (John Donne), and “Because I could not stop for Death” (Emily Dickinson) are unique in their own way however, I feel that two poems in particular may show more similarity in each other versus all three being compared at once although, I will be comparing and contrasting all three poems towards the end of this essay. For example, When reading “Funeral Blues” (W. H. Auden), I felt a greater sense of similarity to “Because I could not stop for death” (Emily Dickinson) versus “Death, be not proud” (John Donne) so I will begin to discuss those poems first. When comparing each poem I will list the related styles between the two and the same for contrasting each when discussing the distinctive differences. In “Funeral Blues”; a poem about the mourning of a dear loved one, Auden used a great sense of imagery when writing to assist the audience in creating a mental picture. Each line used a great amount of detail for example, when Auden wrote “Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead scribbling in the sky the message he is dead.” It was easy for me to actually picture this statement mentally due to his choice of words. Also, he uses a rhyme scheme that is successful in expressing the deep mourning and sorrow that he feels. The same feelings expressed in “Funeral Blues” can also be felt in “Because I could not stop for death” (Emily Dickinson). As in Auden’s poem when speaking of his sadness...
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...In the Midst of Life Comparisons After comparing the two translations of “In the Midst of Life,” I have discovered many differences and similarities. The two versions I am comparing today are by Czeslaw Milosz and Adam Czerniawski. Overall, I loved the general meaning and concept of the poem. I really liked the focus on the value of life and how the poem expressed the simple needs that we have as humans. The poem reads very simple but is actually pretty complex. Conclusively, I liked the second translation of the poem better, which was written by Adam Czerniawski. Today I will be comparing the word choice and phrasing of the two translations. The first translation that I will be talking about is actually called, “In the Middle of Life,” by Czeslaw Milosz. Right off the bat the first thing I noticed was the tense that he used. He uses words like: created, constructed, etc. Initially, I thought he was using past tense and referencing himself. This was the only factor about this translation that I found confusing because later on he actually starts talking in present tense. For example, “this is a window I was saying.” Another reason why I found this translation interesting was the word choice and usage. A lot of the words that are used are typically words that we would not regularly use today in this day and age. This makes me think that the poem is overall more difficult to understand. For example he uses the word “genocide” as opposed to “murder.” When considering translations...
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...is a poem written in 1814 by Lord Byron. It is one of his most famous poems that describe a woman of much beauty and elegance. It is told from the third person omniscient point of view. The first couple of lines can be a little confusing if not read correctly. This poem is said to be inspired by the vision of his cousin by marriage. It was the first of many poems to be set to Jewish tunes from the synagogue by Isaac Nathan (Pete, A. 1999). In the following pages we will break apart the poem and describe more of the literacy contents that this poem contains. We first will discuss the theme of the poem. The theme of a literary work is the idea continuously developed throughout the poem by sets of key words that identify the poet’s subject and his attitude or feelings about it; it may also be suggested by the title of a poem or by the segments of the poem. The theme of this poem in this authors eyes, would be the women’s exceptional beauty, in-side as well as out-side. This poem praises the woman’s strength of body, spirit and mind as well as the beauty. Next we will talk about the first couple of lines of this poem; if a reader reads these lines incorrectly it would be harder for them to understand this poem. Many times the reader stops at the end of the first line, where this is no punctuation. This is called an enjambed line, which means that it continues with our pause onto the second line (Clugston, 2010). This author feels that these first two lines...
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...English: poem analysis Compare in detail two or three poems by different poets, discussing the structure and form of each work. Give some idea of the importance of the structure in evaluating the meaning and impact of the poems. In the poem Sonnet 18 by William Shakespeare and Mending Wall by Robert Frost the structure and form of the poems show the significant role on evaluating and highlighting the meaning of time. The two poems are formed completely different in the way the techniques and structure were used but they convey the similar hidden meaning. As one of the characteristic of the usual Shakespearean Sonnets, Sonnet 18 formed as fourteen lines of iambic pentameter with a varied rhyme scheme. It contains 3 quatrains which state the problem leading to the couplet which expresses the theme of the sonnet and presents the solution. Unlike other Shakespearean sonnets, this sonnet is quite easier and understandable than other sonnets because the way he structured the sonnet is simple. At the first glance, the poem simply gives us the idea that how Shakespeare describes his lover by comparing ‘thee’ as summer’s day. Basically, the first quatrain shows the features of summer that followed by the first line of the poem “shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” After this line, the poet stated the features of summer until line 7. 7th line explains how the summer’s day beauty will fade away by the changing of time and the 8th line stated that thee’s eternal summer day...
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...Comparing ‘Mametz Wood’ and ‘The Falling Leaves’ • Sort the words and phrases according to the poem they are from. (If you are using a computer, you can double-click and drag the phrases.) |‘Mametz Wood’ |‘The Falling Leaves’ | |a foreign body |like snowflakes | | | | |broken mosaic of bone |this morning | | | | |skeletons |today | | | | |wasted young |withering ...
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...In Sylvia Plath’s poem, “Daddy”, Plath explores resentment, fear, and abuse in a father and daughter relationship. Throughout the poem, it is discovered that the narrator is describing a corrupt relationship with her father; comparing him to disturbing things such as a nazi, devil, Hitler, and eventually her husband. It is evident that the speaker is struggling to get over his memory and the destruction he brought in her life. The strong emotion of anger and fear of her father is presented in an unsettling way. By the end of the poem, readers can start to see the victims desire for real freedom from her father's wicked ways. Sylvia Plath uses literary devices such as metaphors and imagery to highlight the significance of the disturbing behavior and relationship the father had with the speaker. The use of imagery within the poem gives a base that allows readers to imagine the appalling events in the speakers life. The speaker uses imagery to describe her father as a “ghastly statue with one gray toe” (Plath, 1962). Plath uses the word “ghastly” to emphasize the horror and fear he brought into her life. She describes the statue stretching from the atlantic to the pacific ocean. This gives readers a...
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...box to find the true meaning. In the poem “America” by Tony Hoagland the hidden meaning is corruption in the United States today. Corruption in the meaning of illuminati playing a part of it. A lot of people will say that the government isn’t looking to help us but to take over like a dictatorship. Hoagland uses metaphors, and symbolism to paint the picture of what society is truly coming to. In this specific poem, the author uses multiple methods to cover up his meaning. One specific way he gets his point across is through metaphors. A metaphor is a comparison between two unrelated things. The poem begins with a metaphor that is comparing a student to someone who is corrupted through influence, just as a student is with a teacher. The author continues his poem with the use of metaphors by comparing America to a “satin quilt.” When he used this metaphor, it made me think a lot specifically about our nation and how many theories there are about it being corrupt. One part of the poem that was very interesting to me was the imagery in his dream when the author stabs his father and instead of blood falling out it was money, specifically all one hundred dollar bills. I feel like this shows that us as humans need money more than anything and would do anything to have money. It is almost as if we breathe money and money is what makes this world go around. Another part of the poem that caught my attention was the last two lines of the poem which state “Even while others are drowning...
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...Comparison of the poems “The Flea” and “If we must die” Many authors use images to convey a message from their theme in their work, as well, to enhance the meaning behind their theme. In the poems “The Flea” by John Donne, and “If we must die” by Claude McKay, both authors use images of animals to convey the theme of death, but each poem uses a different approach to death, one being symbolized by two lovers being united through a flea using a metaphor, and the other being introduced by the brutality of a hog’s life by using a persona. John Donne’s “The Flea” is a poem illustrating the metaphor of a flea to represent the sexual act and relations between a man and a woman. Portrayed through the image of the flea, which is made to seem insignificant throughout the poem, the flea goes through a “sex” journey without even knowing it. The poem maintains one speaker until the end, but has two significant characters: the speaker and his lover. While he is trying to convince his female lover to see that her virginity isn’t all that it’s hyped to be, he compares a flea to sex in the process, “It suck'd me first, and now sucks thee, And in this flea our two bloods mingled be” (line 3), this quote suggests that the flea has united the two into one. Ultimately by comparing the flea to the bond between his lover and himself, the bond that “is you and I, and this Our marriage bed, and marriage temple is” (line 12), he tries to persuade his lover that if she kills this flea, she will not only...
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...What is Poetry? Poetry can be defined as 'literature in a metrical form' or 'a composition forming rhythmic lines'. In short, a poem is something that follows a particular flow of rhythm and meter. Compared to prose, where there is no such restriction, and the content of the piece flows according to story, a poem may or may not have a story, but definitely has a structured method of writing. Elements of Poetry There are several elements which make up a good poem. Although it is not mandatory for a poet to use all these elements or devices, they form an important aspect of poetry. So what are the elements of a poem? In brief, they are described below. Rhythm: This is the music made by the statements of the poem, which includes the syllables in the lines. The best method of understanding this is to read the poem aloud, and understand the stressed and unstressed syllables. Listen for the sounds and the music made when we hear the lines spoken aloud. How do the words resonate with each other? How do the words flow when they are linked with one another? Does sound right? Do the words fit with each other? These are the things you consider while studying the rhythm of the poem. Meter: This is the basic structural make-up of the poem. Do the syllables match with each other? Every line in the poem must adhere to this structure. A poem is made up of blocks of lines, which convey a single strand of thought. Within those blocks, a structure of syllables which follow the rhythm...
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...True Confessions In Sylvia Plath’s poem “Metaphors” there are several references and comparisons that are made between various images and pregnancy. Plath’s life experiences and the perception of women’s roles of the 1950’s shaped her poems and was of particular importance in this poem. As the poem progresses, the reader can infer that her attitude towards her pregnancy is not static. Through her ironic use of various metaphors, Plath is able to convey her feelings of bearing a child, and how her perception and emotions of herself change over the course of her pregnancy. Plath was born in 1932 the first child of Otto and Aurelia Plath in Boston, Massachusetts. Her parents “demanded superior academic performance” and this resulted in Plath...
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...Poem Analysis In the poem “ Dulce Et Decorum Est” by Wilfred Owen illustrated many form of suffering that could be found World War I. It is easily understood since, World War I involved a tragic war situation and the poem also has a very exclusive sound to it. A lot of supreme use of imagery, metaphors, and diction, he clearly shows that war is terrible and horrific. The poem takes place on a cold day outside. The poem is telling you about the hard ships that the soldiers went through. The poet is displaying the pain into the readers face. The pain of this piece is the main ingredient. This is something that poet saw and experienced which created serious atmosphere for the poem. The truth involved in it is what makes the poem so powerful. It is written truthfully and from the heart using numerous metaphors and similes as well as other poetical delivery and methods. The tone of the poem seems to be very agile and harsh. A metaphor is the comparison of two unlike things (Oed). The first metaphor can be found in the first line, "Bent double, like old beggars under sacks"(line 1). Beggars on the street that slouch under sacks are usually curled up and are bent or crooked. This metaphor is comparing the soldier to the beggars and reveals that the soldiers are two times as crooked and bent as the beggars because they are really tired. The next metaphor is "coughing like hags"(line 2)....
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...Thesis: In the poem “There is No Frigate like a Book” Emily Dickinson’s use of figurative language, sound devices and denotation and connotation show us how literature allows use of our imagination to go on a journey. At first glance it may seem that Emily Dickinson has written a simple poem in “There Is No Frigate like a Book”. However, further analysis reveals that she believes reading is a gift to all. Through observation of the poem we find her fascination with reading and the poem’s ability to take her reader on a journey; as well as reveal how reading can take us on any journey we wish to embark. The theme of the poem is that when we use our imagination while reading anything is possible, even travel to distant lands. The first clue that reveals this poem is about traveling through literature lies within its title. A frigate is a U.S. warship used mainly for escorting. The clever comparison of a frigate and a book set the tone and create excitement about where we will go. It is also this comparison that allows us to compare the necessary physical means required to take us on our adventure. The first thing that is noticed is the use of figurative language. The figurative language used in this writing is referred to as simile. A simile is a phrase that compares two different things. In lines 3 and 4 “nor any coursers like a page… of prancing poetry” we find the most obvious use of simile when comparing a horse to pages in a book. The other use of simile...
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...still argue on the morality of war. As such a controversial topic, it is destined to be written about, including in the form of poems. This paper will compare the different outlooks society has on wars by comparing two poems, "Dulce et Decorum Est" and " Who's for the Game?". "Dulce et Decorum Est" was written by Wilfred Owen and "Who's for the Game?" was written by Jessie Pope.After reading each poem it is clear that the authors have very different but strong opinions on war. In the poem "Dulce et Decorum Est", it addresses all the negative aspects of war. For example, one phrase is "Many had lost their boots, But limped on, blood-shod.". If a young citizen reads this it will indubitably make them second guess about enlisting in the military. The entirety of the poem is about all the possible injuries, both mental and physical, that can go along with war. Owen then ended the poem stating it is a lie when people say it is right to die for your nation. "Dulce et Decorum Est" is meant to make the reader view war negatively and persuade them to think about all the dangerous injuries that can can result from it....
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...After extensive research I have come across a poem that I believe to be “the best poem in the world.” Still I Rise written by Maya Angelou is an inspirational poem symbolizing defiance and her strength to overcome negative criticism and oppression. There are many references to slavery and feminist rights throughout the piece that have a very powerful effect. She uses various amounts of poetic devices to further encapsulate the theme in this poem. These include the use of imagery, symbolism, metaphors and similes along with numerous sound devices. Maya Angelou utilized figurative imagery to exemplify the sad reality, which was the oppression of African Americans during slavery along with the mistreatment of women. “You may trod me in the very dirt But still, like dust, I’ll rise.” (3-4) In relation to the past events of slavery and the manner in which women were treated, these lines portray an image of poorly treated races and sexes being walked all over. The word choice “Trod” and “Dirt” have connotative meanings because the majority of people would associate these words with animals. The poet is not meaning this literally, where as she is really figuratively comparing the culprits of this mistreatment to animals. There are many other examples of figurative imagery in this poem such as comparing “Oil Wells” (7), “Gold” (19) and “Diamonds” to these women and slaves. This use of imagery is used because all of these minerals are now valued higher then they were in the past. Along...
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...Comparing Literary Works ENG 125 Instructor: Laura Wilde 8/27/2012 Poems and short stories are pieces of literature that have been around for millions of years, both producing major talented writers, and also some famous authors a well. Short stories and poems are vastly different but share some common traits and ability’s to gain a reader’s attention and embrace their attention until the point of the story is made and completed. When comparing the two different types of literature style, form, and content all come into play in having similarities and differences in the text. Poems typically are short and direct to the point, tending to have a rhythm of words, whereas short stories usually are direct based text giving you a theme, setting, and a tone allowing the reader to follow what the author is trying to say. Poetry is a short, sweet, and simple to the point piece of literature. Though most find it difficult to understand poetry for the way some words are used, or bounded together with other words, poetry has a strong place is some people’s hearts. Poetry is vastly written out of feelings, and allows an author to put their feelings for an object, or a thing, or place into words constructed with a rhythm. Poetry can be from a very few amount of lines to describe something, into a couple of pages pending what the author is trying to express, and how much detail he/she wants to use in their text. The poet speaks of the divine as absence which...
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