"I think he wants to go,
a little bit - a new desire
to travel building up, an itch
to see fresh worlds. Or older ones."
This poem kind of confused me. I understood the basic concept of the poem, but I didn't understand how it connects to the title. I have two theories about how they could possibly connect but I'm not sure which, if either, of them is right. The first is that his father is pretty much ready to die. In fact he sort of looks forward to it. The quote above indicates that the father is ready to move on to this new unknown stage. Because of this, the son feels he has already lost his father. My other theory sort of ties into that. The poem says, "He's ready. I am not." Throughout the rest of the poem he describes how he is not certain of a happy afterlife like his father does. This makes me wonder if maybe this significant difference in beliefs of life after death has created a separation between the speaker and his father. This leads him to believe he has lost his father already, and recognizes he will not get to see his father in the happy sense his dad believes they will. I'm not sure which is right or if it's a little bit of both or if it's neither but hopefully I'll be able to gain more insight in class discussions.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
"Lonely Hearts" looking for love? go to http://www.eharmony.com/!
"Please write (with photo) to Box 152.
Who knows where it may lead once we've begun?
Can someone make my simple wish come true?
Do you live in North London? Is it you?"
This poem sounds to me life it came straight out of clips from different people's dating profiles on a dating website like eharmony. Traditionally dating websites are filled with people of all different interests much like the people described in the poem. They are also looking for people who come from an equally wide range of people. There are bikers seeking touring partners, gay vegetarians searching for someone like them, an executive searching for a bisexual artist, a Jewish woman looking for someone straight and successful, and even a Libran looking for a young non-smoker. The one thing all these different people have in common is that they are all lonely and looking for a companion. They are all looking for someone who accepts them for who they are and who understands them. Also the other requirement that appeared in most of the adds was that they lived in London. I'm curious about why London was repeated so many times or what the significance of this one specific location is. Also I thought it was ironic to call it a "simple wish" because in reality finding someone life that is really quite difficult. The whole reason they even placed this add in the first place is most likely because they couldn't find someone through the traditional methods which just goes to show how difficult it can be to find "the one".
Who knows where it may lead once we've begun?
Can someone make my simple wish come true?
Do you live in North London? Is it you?"
This poem sounds to me life it came straight out of clips from different people's dating profiles on a dating website like eharmony. Traditionally dating websites are filled with people of all different interests much like the people described in the poem. They are also looking for people who come from an equally wide range of people. There are bikers seeking touring partners, gay vegetarians searching for someone like them, an executive searching for a bisexual artist, a Jewish woman looking for someone straight and successful, and even a Libran looking for a young non-smoker. The one thing all these different people have in common is that they are all lonely and looking for a companion. They are all looking for someone who accepts them for who they are and who understands them. Also the other requirement that appeared in most of the adds was that they lived in London. I'm curious about why London was repeated so many times or what the significance of this one specific location is. Also I thought it was ironic to call it a "simple wish" because in reality finding someone life that is really quite difficult. The whole reason they even placed this add in the first place is most likely because they couldn't find someone through the traditional methods which just goes to show how difficult it can be to find "the one".
Repetition in "Edward: More than just a stutter
"And what will ye leave to your own mother dear,
Edward, Edward,
And what will ye leave to your own mother dear?
My dear son, now tell me, O."
When first reading the poem I was very annoyed by all the repetition in the lines. I kept thinking to myself, "I heard you the first time!" But then as I started to imagine the scene in my head, the repetition in the dialogue began to build suspense. You could almost hear their voices begin to rise in question. These help build up to the two major climaxes. The first is when Edward admits to killing his father. The second is when he says he will leave "the curse of hell" to his mother when he leaves. The shock that comes from those lines is greatly heightened by the repetition of the questions. Also the repetition of the responses adds a stronger emotional feel to the lines, because it really emphasizes the sentiment he's expressing.
Edward, Edward,
And what will ye leave to your own mother dear?
My dear son, now tell me, O."
When first reading the poem I was very annoyed by all the repetition in the lines. I kept thinking to myself, "I heard you the first time!" But then as I started to imagine the scene in my head, the repetition in the dialogue began to build suspense. You could almost hear their voices begin to rise in question. These help build up to the two major climaxes. The first is when Edward admits to killing his father. The second is when he says he will leave "the curse of hell" to his mother when he leaves. The shock that comes from those lines is greatly heightened by the repetition of the questions. Also the repetition of the responses adds a stronger emotional feel to the lines, because it really emphasizes the sentiment he's expressing.
Paradox and Pride in "Death, be not Proud"
"One short sleep passed, we wake eternally,
And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die."
Normally death is considered to be the end all be all of life for everyone. It is considered to have the ultimate power and might. That is why a poem discussing how death is subordinate and week seems very paradoxical. However as the poem states, death is in fact subordinate to the will of "fate, chance, kings, and desperate men." In fact it doesn't even get to choose its own method for it could come from poison, war, and sickness. Also contrary to popular belief, death is both weak and temporary. Death is merely described as sleep or a quick rest before eternal life. This steals away all the power from death. The personification of death and the speaker's scornful remarks toward it describe the true paradoxical nature of death.
And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die."
Normally death is considered to be the end all be all of life for everyone. It is considered to have the ultimate power and might. That is why a poem discussing how death is subordinate and week seems very paradoxical. However as the poem states, death is in fact subordinate to the will of "fate, chance, kings, and desperate men." In fact it doesn't even get to choose its own method for it could come from poison, war, and sickness. Also contrary to popular belief, death is both weak and temporary. Death is merely described as sleep or a quick rest before eternal life. This steals away all the power from death. The personification of death and the speaker's scornful remarks toward it describe the true paradoxical nature of death.
Don't Look Into The Light!!! Urgent and desperate tone of "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night"
"Rage, rage against the dying of the light."
This poem's tone is very multidimensional. On one hand it seems commanding. he demands that each of the men "do not go gentle into that good night". I believe the good night represents death and the speaker is telling them not to succumb to its call. The tone also seems urgent. The speaker realizes in all these instances that death is imminent and he must urge them to "Rage against the dying of the light". Finally the tone seems desperate. The speaker uses examples of men who are at the end of their life wishing for more time as they realize how much they have not yet accomplished. He uses these examples to plead with his father to not regret leaving and to fight against death to stay with the speaker. The tone of the poem gives the desperate feeling of someone who is losing someone they love.
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