"February, month of despair, with a skewered heart in the centre." Lines 25-26
This poem creates a tone of listlessness in the heart of the winter months. Atwood expresses a cynical attitude not only toward the weather, but towards seemingly every aspect of life, from humans to cats to warmth to holidays. However, she is also longing for the spring. Ironically, the poem begins with the word "Winter" and ends with the word "spring". Atwood shows her disdain towards Valentine's day (the "skewered heart in the centre" of February), a holiday normally associated with love. Even the concept of warmth, she puts down, saying "pollution pours out of our chimneys to keep us warm". Nothing seems to be positive, and nothing seems to be optimistic to her, a feeling all can relate to in the long, dreary, winter months.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
"Spring" by Gerard Manley Hopkins
"A strain of the earth's sweet being in the beginning In Eden garden." Lines 10 and 11
Hopkins is extremely upfront about his meaning in this poem. It is poetry written in praise to God. He describes the scenes he sees, focusing on the senses extensively. He speaks of the sight of "weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush". He also talks about the noise one hears, of the Thrush's call that "does so rinse and wring the ear". He references "Eden garden", further demonstrating the lush beauty of the Spring. Furthermore, he describes it as pure, with lambs symbolizing innocence and happiness. What's more to this poem is not simply the glorifying of the Lord, but a question of favor. Hopkins asks God to return to him the innocence of youth, in order that his sins won't take away from the beauty and purity of the spring.
Hopkins is extremely upfront about his meaning in this poem. It is poetry written in praise to God. He describes the scenes he sees, focusing on the senses extensively. He speaks of the sight of "weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush". He also talks about the noise one hears, of the Thrush's call that "does so rinse and wring the ear". He references "Eden garden", further demonstrating the lush beauty of the Spring. Furthermore, he describes it as pure, with lambs symbolizing innocence and happiness. What's more to this poem is not simply the glorifying of the Lord, but a question of favor. Hopkins asks God to return to him the innocence of youth, in order that his sins won't take away from the beauty and purity of the spring.
"Those Winter Sundays" by Robert Hayden
"Speaking Indifferently to him" Line 10
Hayden, in this poem, speaks of his being unappreciative towards his father. It is obvious that as an adult, he realized the many sacrifices his father made for him. He also recognizes how hard he worked, as seen in the lines "then with cracked hands that ached from labor in the weekday weather made banked fires ablaze". He regrets the disrespect he showed him, as in line 10 when he "spoke indifferently to him". Moreover, he recognizes his foolish behaviors and wishes he could have known some things back then, when he says "What did I know, what did I know, of love's austere and lonely offices?" He looks back at this man he now admires with a gentleness, and remembers him as a selfless and caring father, for when "the rooms were warm, he'd call". He let his son enjoy the comfort of bed until the warmth was comfortable enough for him to get up in. I feel as if everyone feels this way throughout their life, in which one wishes they had treated their parents with more respect than they did.
Hayden, in this poem, speaks of his being unappreciative towards his father. It is obvious that as an adult, he realized the many sacrifices his father made for him. He also recognizes how hard he worked, as seen in the lines "then with cracked hands that ached from labor in the weekday weather made banked fires ablaze". He regrets the disrespect he showed him, as in line 10 when he "spoke indifferently to him". Moreover, he recognizes his foolish behaviors and wishes he could have known some things back then, when he says "What did I know, what did I know, of love's austere and lonely offices?" He looks back at this man he now admires with a gentleness, and remembers him as a selfless and caring father, for when "the rooms were warm, he'd call". He let his son enjoy the comfort of bed until the warmth was comfortable enough for him to get up in. I feel as if everyone feels this way throughout their life, in which one wishes they had treated their parents with more respect than they did.
"I Felt a Funeral, In My Brain" by Emily Dickinson
"A Service, like a Drum- Kept beating-beating" Lines 6 and 7
This poem uses figurative language to get its point across. Dickinson ingeniously used a repetition of words to get across the meaning of her poem. I personally interpreted the poem being about a mental breakdown one has. Her repetition of words, such as "beating-beating", "down, and down", and "treading-treading" are all words implying a journey being made. Additionally, she describes her irrationality through the synecdoche, "And Being, but an Ear" in which she classifies herself as a human based on being an ear. Dickinson also impies a funeral for her sanity, speaking of "mourners" and a "Box", or casket. Furthermore, through her use of personifying silence, Dickinson implies that this was her only companion through this time. Silence being a companion hints at someone who spends much time in solitary spaces.
"The Panther" by Rainer Maria Rilke
"It seems to him there are a thousand bars; and behind the bars, no world." Line 4
This poem by Rilke contains a certain purpose, brought about through a fictional point. I believe the panther is a representation of man's constriction and imprisonment of nature. The poem speaks of "powerful soft strides", a juxtaposition that shows man is taking advantage of the natural world, through limiting it (through deforestation and pollution). He also figuratively says that the true power of nature is realized- when the "the curtain of the pupils lifts, quietly". This demonstration of nature's true...well...nature is quickly and quietly forgotten, when it "plunges into the heart and is gone". This is true in our world today, in which violent hurricanes, earthquakes, storms, and tornadoes regularly cause disasters, yet man is yet to truly fear or respect the power of nature.
"London" by William Blake
"Marks of weakness, marks of woe." Line 4
In Blake's poem "London", his use of syntax reveals much about the direction the poem is heading. Most of the words used have a negative connotation, suggesting a theme of sadness and misery. This implies that London, usually pictured as a center of bustling activity, is under the reign of a bloodthirsty and unjust tyrant. Blake hints at this through his mention of "chartered" streets and rivers. Additionally, he mentions how "Soldier's sigh Runs in blood down Palace walls". Moreover, Blake hints at a complete corruption of authority. the "black'ning Church", suggesting that all authority in London, even holy authority, is corrupted and unjust.
In Blake's poem "London", his use of syntax reveals much about the direction the poem is heading. Most of the words used have a negative connotation, suggesting a theme of sadness and misery. This implies that London, usually pictured as a center of bustling activity, is under the reign of a bloodthirsty and unjust tyrant. Blake hints at this through his mention of "chartered" streets and rivers. Additionally, he mentions how "Soldier's sigh Runs in blood down Palace walls". Moreover, Blake hints at a complete corruption of authority. the "black'ning Church", suggesting that all authority in London, even holy authority, is corrupted and unjust.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Interpreting Poetry
"...for any given poem there are correct and incorrect readings, and to illustrate the process by which the correctness of a reading may be approved or disapproved."
Perrine's claim that there is a correct and incorrect way to interpret poetry sounds ludicrous to me. How can he tell one what to take out of a poem? Is a poem not a work of art? Furthermore, he states himself that a writer "Should not be his own interpreter". If this is true, then that means it is not clear what the poem is actually about. Is one told how to look at a picture painted by an artist? The message or idea one takes away from a work of art, and poetry is indeed art in written form, is simply a personal reflection of the work. Perrine seems incorrect in his idea.
Yet Perrine's interpretation of Dickinson's untitled poem struck me. How did he perfectly decipher Dickinson's true meaning? Was it artistic insight or simply a practiced eye for poetry? I shared the interpretation his students had, and I was almost shamed by his words. His explanation as to why he saw things as he did made them perfectly clear and reasonable. What of Dickinson's vision in writing the poem? She had originally titled it "Sunset", so why is Perrine contradicting himself when he says that although a writer cannot be their own interpreter, their original intention of the poem is what we strive to see? I already had a heard enough time with my immature and untrained explanation of her poem. How can I possibly understand and interpret poems like Perrine?
Perrine's claim that there is a correct and incorrect way to interpret poetry sounds ludicrous to me. How can he tell one what to take out of a poem? Is a poem not a work of art? Furthermore, he states himself that a writer "Should not be his own interpreter". If this is true, then that means it is not clear what the poem is actually about. Is one told how to look at a picture painted by an artist? The message or idea one takes away from a work of art, and poetry is indeed art in written form, is simply a personal reflection of the work. Perrine seems incorrect in his idea.
Yet Perrine's interpretation of Dickinson's untitled poem struck me. How did he perfectly decipher Dickinson's true meaning? Was it artistic insight or simply a practiced eye for poetry? I shared the interpretation his students had, and I was almost shamed by his words. His explanation as to why he saw things as he did made them perfectly clear and reasonable. What of Dickinson's vision in writing the poem? She had originally titled it "Sunset", so why is Perrine contradicting himself when he says that although a writer cannot be their own interpreter, their original intention of the poem is what we strive to see? I already had a heard enough time with my immature and untrained explanation of her poem. How can I possibly understand and interpret poems like Perrine?
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