I am drawn to the works of Oscar Wilde because of the way that he speaks of everyday images and everyday occurrences with such elegance and beauty that it makes me wonder if the things that he and I know are even the same. In particular, I find the language and descriptions that are used in his poem Impression du Matin because everything that he speaks of in the lines of this poem seems to come to life in my mind. I liked the way that he gives human characteristics to things that have no life. One such instance of this is when he speaks of the fog and how it “came creeping down”. I really liked this style because it allowed me to clearly imagine the fog and the way that it was moving and that helped me to remain interested in the rest of the poem.
I also found the lines which state:
The bridges, till the houses’ walls
Seemed changed to shadows and St. Paul’s
Loomed like a bubble o’er the town.
to be very interesting because, again, of the language that Wilde uses and the elegance of his descriptions. I really liked the fact that I was able to wrap my mind around almost every image that Wilde wrote about in this work. I found that when I read the work again, I felt drawn farther into the imagery that Oscar Wilde used in this particular poem. The final stanza of the poem was also something that I took interest in because it starts off very plain and ends beautifully.
But one pale woman all alone,
The daylight kissing her wan hair,
Loitered beneath the gas lamps’ flare,
With lips of flame and heart of stone.
The image that is being created in the beginning of this stanza is of a very plain woman that seems completely ordinary, but in the last two lines of the stanza she is changed into something that is so much more than a plain, ordinary woman that you see every day and never think about after the chance meeting.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
John Stuart Mill
I have read excerpts from the work On Liberty before so I was somewhat familiar with John Stuart Mill prior to reading about him in the text. I do feel strongly that freedom of the press is one of the greatest things about some counties of the modern world, but I also feel that this freedom can be the downfall of so many as well. While reading Of the Liberty of Thought and Discussion from On Liberty I was drawn to the very beginning of the material which states:
The time, it is to be hoped, is gone by, when any defence would be necessary of the “liberty of the press” as one of the securities against corrupt or tyrannical government. If all mankind minus one, were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind.
Reading these lines once was not enough for me, but rather I read them several times and afterwards thought about them for quite some time. I was amazed by the way that Mill phrased this thought because it was so eloquent yet abrasive at the same time. It was beautifully written while still being a flagrant critique of the government and its censorship of the press. It also points out that the right to a free press is somewhat of a last line of defense against a government that has become corrupted because the press would be the main way that the general public would learn of any events that were taking place within the ranks of the government and since the government have power over the people it is important that they are kept in check by that very same public.
The time, it is to be hoped, is gone by, when any defence would be necessary of the “liberty of the press” as one of the securities against corrupt or tyrannical government. If all mankind minus one, were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind.
Reading these lines once was not enough for me, but rather I read them several times and afterwards thought about them for quite some time. I was amazed by the way that Mill phrased this thought because it was so eloquent yet abrasive at the same time. It was beautifully written while still being a flagrant critique of the government and its censorship of the press. It also points out that the right to a free press is somewhat of a last line of defense against a government that has become corrupted because the press would be the main way that the general public would learn of any events that were taking place within the ranks of the government and since the government have power over the people it is important that they are kept in check by that very same public.
Robert Browning
Though the poem is quite strange upon first reading it, I found Robert Browning’s Porphyria’s Lover to be a wonderful poem about the “God complex” of one man. Although others may interpret this poem differently, after I read over it a couple of times, I felt that the part that stood out the most to me is not really the fact that the man in the poem kills Porphyria, but rather the care and awkward “love” that he puts in to killing her. The man speaks with the deepest sincerity of his actions and how the actions of Porphyria. The way that he describes her shows that he cares about her and loves her. Lines 31 through 36 are the most intriguing lines of the entire work in my eyes.
Be sure I looked up at her eyes
Happy and proud; at last I knew
Porphyria worshipped me; surprise
Made my heart swell, and still it grew
While I debated what to do.
That moment she was mine, mine, fair,
It is in the lines that follow these that he kills Porphyria by strangling her with her own yellow hair. The way that I read into this poem is that once he knew that she “worshipped” him and he was sure of it, he developed somewhat of a God-complex and wanted for her to remain that way forever and therefore he felt that he had to kill her. Another reason that I felt this way about what Browning was trying to get at in the poem is because of the last three lines of the poem which state:
And thus we sit together now,
And all night long we have not stirred,
And yet God has not said a word!
These lines again make me think of a God-complex because the two of them are sitting in silence together and he says that God has not spoken. Perhaps I am thinking of the poem in a way that others do not, but I find the God-complex to be the deepest issue of this poem.
Be sure I looked up at her eyes
Happy and proud; at last I knew
Porphyria worshipped me; surprise
Made my heart swell, and still it grew
While I debated what to do.
That moment she was mine, mine, fair,
It is in the lines that follow these that he kills Porphyria by strangling her with her own yellow hair. The way that I read into this poem is that once he knew that she “worshipped” him and he was sure of it, he developed somewhat of a God-complex and wanted for her to remain that way forever and therefore he felt that he had to kill her. Another reason that I felt this way about what Browning was trying to get at in the poem is because of the last three lines of the poem which state:
And thus we sit together now,
And all night long we have not stirred,
And yet God has not said a word!
These lines again make me think of a God-complex because the two of them are sitting in silence together and he says that God has not spoken. Perhaps I am thinking of the poem in a way that others do not, but I find the God-complex to be the deepest issue of this poem.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Though I have a love for poetry, I found Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s work Sonnets from the Portuguese to be a bit lofty and long winded. I really found interest in the imagery that she used and the beauty that fills each line of the excerpt that I read. However, I did not understand the poem completely the first time that I read it, but after reading the work a few more times I found that I was able to understand the work a little better, although still not as well as I would like, and I was also able to appreciate the beauty of Browning’s words. I found the second stanza to be the most intriguing part of this particular work because I can almost feel the difficulty of explaining one’s love for another that is presented in the first few lines.
And wilt thou have me fashion into speech
The love I bear thee, finding words enough,
And hold the torch out, while the winds are rough,
Between our faces, to cast light on each?
When I read theses lines I immediately thought of how difficult it is to find the words to describe how you feel about someone that you love. Telling someone, other than a family member, that you love them is often very difficult to do, especially when those feelings that you are trying to express are completely sincere and genuine and not just a lofty expression of some stupid feeling of lust. I really felt that Browning was describing this situation in near perfect words and that is why I took a great deal of interest in this stanza of her work.
And wilt thou have me fashion into speech
The love I bear thee, finding words enough,
And hold the torch out, while the winds are rough,
Between our faces, to cast light on each?
When I read theses lines I immediately thought of how difficult it is to find the words to describe how you feel about someone that you love. Telling someone, other than a family member, that you love them is often very difficult to do, especially when those feelings that you are trying to express are completely sincere and genuine and not just a lofty expression of some stupid feeling of lust. I really felt that Browning was describing this situation in near perfect words and that is why I took a great deal of interest in this stanza of her work.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Alfred, Lord Tennyson
I have a deep love for poetry, but I also love legends and folklore and that is why I was immediately drawn to Tennyson’s poem The Kraken which is about a giant sea creature. I have read other works on the legend of the Kraken and so I knew that it is a large squid or octopus like creature that dwells at the very deepest and darkest depths of the sea and it is also the creature that is spoken of in many old sea tales of ships being destroyed and lives being lost. Throughout this poem, Tennyson speaks of the Kraken so eloquently and makes it sound like it is virtually impossible to learn anything of the creature because it lives so deep and is surrounded by so many other perilous creatures. The poem is a beautiful work that carries out the legend of the Kraken in a different format, other than the frightening tale of a sailor, and makes me really want to explore the legend again in greater detail.
I love this poem, but still find that the ending seems to be somewhat anticlimactic.
Until the latter fire shall heat the deep;
Then once by man and angles to be seen,
In roaring he shall rise and on the surface die
Though this is a great ending for the poem, I feel like there should be more to the death of such a large, legendary creature. I love the fact that Tennyson makes the first time that the Kraken is actually seen is also the last time that it is seen alive. I also liked the fact that the first time that the Kraken is seen is by man and angels at the same time. I love the legend of the Kraken and this poem has brought back the things that I have read before. Tennyson wrote a poem that was short in length, but was beautiful and deep all at the same time.
I love this poem, but still find that the ending seems to be somewhat anticlimactic.
Until the latter fire shall heat the deep;
Then once by man and angles to be seen,
In roaring he shall rise and on the surface die
Though this is a great ending for the poem, I feel like there should be more to the death of such a large, legendary creature. I love the fact that Tennyson makes the first time that the Kraken is actually seen is also the last time that it is seen alive. I also liked the fact that the first time that the Kraken is seen is by man and angels at the same time. I love the legend of the Kraken and this poem has brought back the things that I have read before. Tennyson wrote a poem that was short in length, but was beautiful and deep all at the same time.
The Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution as described by Eric Hobsbawm, a historian, was “The most fundamental transformation of human life in the history of the world”. Though this is a very powerful statement it is arguable that it is also one of the truest statements ever made. The Industrial Revolution changed virtually every aspect of every life in the modern world in some way, shape, or form. The Industrial Revolution’s first wave began in the eighteenth century in the cotton industry. This wave was caused by new innovations in spinning techniques that made the production of cotton products much faster.
The poem The Steam Loom Weaver was strange, yet interesting to me. I found the poem strange, not because of the language used, but rather because of the topic that is spoken of which is steam. I originally thought that this poem was simply one that I would not find interest in, but upon reading the poem a second time I found a deeper meaning that I had not noticed before in my prior reading. The poem speaks of two lovers who are walking together and their only topic of conversation is that of steam. The woman says that she cannot work because her loom has no steam and since the man is an engine driver, she feels that he should be able to right the problem. Once the man agrees to fix her loom other issues arise that were not previously spoken of. The issues that arise refer to additional needs that the woman must have met before she is able to work and the man agrees to supply the articles that she needs in addition to fixing her loom.
I have always heard the saying “No good dead goes unrewarded” but in the case of the man in this particular poem, I would say that he is doing a bit much and is being taken advantage of. Perhaps I do not understand the writer’s intentions, but I feel that the poem shows that sometimes, good people get taken advantage of and I see that being a metaphor for the way that workers were treated in during the industrial revolution. They felt that they were part of something great, but really they were being exploited for their work abilities.
The Industrial Revolution as described by Eric Hobsbawm, a historian, was “The most fundamental transformation of human life in the history of the world”. Though this is a very powerful statement it is arguable that it is also one of the truest statements ever made. The Industrial Revolution changed virtually every aspect of every life in the modern world in some way, shape, or form. The Industrial Revolution’s first wave began in the eighteenth century in the cotton industry. This wave was caused by new innovations in spinning techniques that made the production of cotton products much faster.
The poem The Steam Loom Weaver was strange, yet interesting to me. I found the poem strange, not because of the language used, but rather because of the topic that is spoken of which is steam. I originally thought that this poem was simply one that I would not find interest in, but upon reading the poem a second time I found a deeper meaning that I had not noticed before in my prior reading. The poem speaks of two lovers who are walking together and their only topic of conversation is that of steam. The woman says that she cannot work because her loom has no steam and since the man is an engine driver, she feels that he should be able to right the problem. Once the man agrees to fix her loom other issues arise that were not previously spoken of. The issues that arise refer to additional needs that the woman must have met before she is able to work and the man agrees to supply the articles that she needs in addition to fixing her loom.
I have always heard the saying “No good dead goes unrewarded” but in the case of the man in this particular poem, I would say that he is doing a bit much and is being taken advantage of. Perhaps I do not understand the writer’s intentions, but I feel that the poem shows that sometimes, good people get taken advantage of and I see that being a metaphor for the way that workers were treated in during the industrial revolution. They felt that they were part of something great, but really they were being exploited for their work abilities.
Dorothy Wordsworth
After reading the works of Dorothy Wordsworth several times each, I actually found the most depth in the short poem When Shall I Tread Your Garden Path?. I enjoyed this poem because even though it is quite short, it seems to be so meaningful to me. The way that Dorothy Wordsworth describes the activities that she wants to do makes them seem so wonderful even though they are simple things like walking up a hill.
I really enjoyed the image that she painted with her words in the beginning of the second stanza in which she states:
A prisoner on my pillowed couch
Five years in feebleness I’ve lain,
Oh! Shall I e’er with vigorous step
Travel the hills again?
I enjoyed the first line of this stanza most of all because Wordsworth makes the simple image of the couch and so elegantly makes me see someone who is confined to this object like a person held in a prison. I like the way that she speaks of these normal, everyday activities and common images in such a way that it makes each thing so much more than what one commonly thinks of it as and that is why I enjoyed this short poem so much.
I really enjoyed the image that she painted with her words in the beginning of the second stanza in which she states:
A prisoner on my pillowed couch
Five years in feebleness I’ve lain,
Oh! Shall I e’er with vigorous step
Travel the hills again?
I enjoyed the first line of this stanza most of all because Wordsworth makes the simple image of the couch and so elegantly makes me see someone who is confined to this object like a person held in a prison. I like the way that she speaks of these normal, everyday activities and common images in such a way that it makes each thing so much more than what one commonly thinks of it as and that is why I enjoyed this short poem so much.
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