Poetry analysis: The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T.S. Elliot

Poetry analysis: The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T.S. Elliot
The poem, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T.S. Elliot, contains themes and language (diction and syntax) that are much more contemporary and colloquial than those we have studied earlier. Throughout the poem we can feel the sense of time passing, and the mentioning of growing ‘old’. This poem is much longer than other poems we studied. There are random rhyming scheme going on throughout the poem, but it is evident that almost every stanza has rhymes. There are few couplets and one line where sometimes same sentence is repeated. This poem contains variety of allusions but mostly from the bible. It brings out the prophet John the Baptist and Lazarus who was raised from the dead. It also talks a bit about Hamlet and how he doesn’t procrastinate. I believe that the last line is significant “Till human voices wake us, and we drown.” I think that it means we live in such a society that focuses on work, politics, and industrial lives that we grow old and tired. Until the “human voices wake us” we won’t be able to realize this sort of life style and eventually drown.

Poetry Analysis: God's grandeur

Poetry Analysis: God’s grandeur by Manley Hopkins
The poem, God’s grandeur, is written by Manley Hopkins and in the time frame of the Victorian Poetry (late 19th century). Overall this poem illustrates the divine power of God and although humans have occasionally failed to notice this, God is always there constantly showing his power and a promise of rebirth. The first octave describes God’s power and how humans fail to realize this, and the last sestet shifts into a more reassuring tone describing how God will always be there just like the morning sun. The “shook foil” and “ooze of oil” is metaphorically used to express God’s presence and his power. The electrical foil and rich oil describes both God’s presence and his power by conveying an image that builds up and eventually overflow. The line “Why do men then now not reck his rod?” demonstrates a frustration from the author that how do people not realize such greatness and power. The “rod” is metaphorically described as God’s power. The sunset and sunrise is also metaphoric in a sense that even though we fail to recognize his power and presence, God will always be therefore us, just like how sun always rises after the dark.

Poetry Analysis: there was a boy by William Wordsworth

Poetry analysis: There was a boy by William Wordsworth
The poem, “There was a boy” by William Wordsworth, illustrates an insight of the interaction between human and nature through the incident that the “boy” experiences when having a “jocund” conversation with the owls and reflecting in the lake. There are few rhyming schemes here and there but it is random and there is no definite rhyming scheme. Throughout the poem readers get a sense that the boy is lonely and wants to interact with the nature as an outlet to escape this solitude. After the communication between the boy and the owls, boy gets to again have a time alone, however this time he realizes that he is not alone. He hears the voice of “mountain torrents” and sees the relfection on the lake and finds its beauty within it. Moreover, the boy ponders on to the subject of “heaven” and questions the uncertainty. However, by describing the lake as “steady” I get an impression that when the lake is steady, the reflections are also steady; which shows that the reflection of the “uncertain heaven” can be seen. This illustrates that although there is doubt of heaven and religion existing, once you don’t force yourself and just let the religion into yourself, much like letting the nature dissolve into the boy’s heart, you can clearly see whether it is real or not.

Poetry response #3 Ode

Poetry analysis: Ode On The Death Of A Favourite Cat Drowned In A Tub Of Goldfishes
Thomas Gray

The poem “Ode on the death of a favourite cat drowned in a tub of goldfishes by Thomas Gray teaches the readers that it is wise to not jump into things just because of the appearances but to think it over before you make hasty mistake. The form of the poem is 7 sestets with a rhyming scheme of AABCCB. The first few stanzas of the poem glamorize the cat, and especially the goldfish with diction and allusion such as emerald, fair, conscious, angles, genii, richest, Nereid, golden, and Nymph. This helps to emphasize the true meaning of appearance and how just by following it can lead to disastrous situation as the cat later faces. There are a lot of personifications and metaphors. The Cat and the gold fish are being referred to as Nymph, prize, and a favourite. This conveys the readers to view the cat as something vital such as your life, and the goldfish as something desirable. However, the lesson here is that nothing is more valuable than your own life. By letting the cat fall into the vase and drown, humorously illustrate the theory above that it is foolish to desire something when it risks your life. The last line “Nor all, that glisters, gold” approves this.

Poetry analysis metaphysical poetry

Poetry Analysis: To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time by Robert Herrick

This poem by Robert Herrick in the 17th century can be considered as a carpe diem (seize the day) poem. Overall it provokes women, especially virgins (young, pure, innocent) to have sexual relationship with men when they can before time runs out. It has four quatrains with a rhyming scheme of ABAB CDCD EFEF GHGH. The first stanza has personifications, time flying, flower that smiles. The rosebuds and the flower are metaphorically to mean men in general or sex. Seize your opportunities, rosebuds, before time is gone because tomorrow, they won’t be as good or as pretty as it was. Second stanza is emphasizing the time and how he, the sun (personification), will set soon and will end the day, or the life. Third stanza talks about how young age is good for having sexual relationship, but reminds the readers that time is invincible and therefore the youth will be gone soon. Last stanza says don’t be too hesitant but go marry (this is pun; it could mean marriage or lay together). If you lose the opportunity for the prime (most flourishing state or stage), you’ll forever wait. The tone of the poem is a bit light-hearted but also didactic at the same time. It tries to convince the readers casually, to have sex before it is too late.

Sonnet CXVI Analysis

Sonnet CXVI
Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare is considered as one of his profound love poem. It has 14 lines and has the rhyming scheme of ABAB CDCD EFEF and GG couplet. It talks about eternal love and how it will not be altered by anything. First two lines are allusion to Episcopal Book, and this allusion emphasizes the communion of two lovers. The metaphoric and personificatic comparison of love to a sailing ship, and boat is evident from lines 5 to 8. It talks about how love will not be shaken by anything, and it is an unreachable star (guidance) to lovers. Later part of the poem talks about how love is unaffected by time and is again eternal till the end or “edge of doom” (12). Last couplet is emphasized due to the rhyming scheme and it says that those who fathom the true understanding of love, they will understand the eternal nature of love. Overall tone of the poem is really calm, mellow, and content. It’s almost didactic in a sense that it is vividly trying to illustrate what love really is.

Wuthering Heights: Response #2

Wuthering Heights: Response #2After reading to the end of Chapter 9, what is your impression of the characters you have been introduced to in the novel? Whose behaviour is the most reprehensible? Whose behaviour is the least reprehensible? Your response should be 150-200 words and should make use of evidence from the novel when possible.

"Hindley became tyrannical. A few words from her, evincing a dislike to Heathcliff, were enough to rouse in him all his old hatred of the boy. He drove him of the instructions of the curate, and insisted that he should labour out of doors instead, compelling him to do so, as hard as any other lad on the farm." (chapter 6)

"She, supposing Edgar could not see her, snatched the cloth from my hand, and pinched me, with a prolonged wrench, very spitefully on the arm.", "'I didn't touch you, you lying creature!' cried she, her fingers tingling to repeat the act,” and “… slapped me on the cheek a stinging blow that filled both eyes with water.” (chapter 8)

While reading to the end of chapter 9, I have noticed that both Hindley and Catherine exhibit most reprehensible behaviours. Hindley, coming back from college, abuses his power, as a new master of Wuthering Heights due to his father’s death, against Heathcliff who his father treated like a son. By driving Heathcliff out to be just like one of the servants is both selfish and unnecessary. Due to this stubborn act, Hindly eventually loses everything he has because this is the cause for Heathcliff’s revenge. Catherine on the other hand, first rejects her lover Heathcliff and later physically and mentally abuses Nelly, who has done nothing harmful but faithfully following her master’s commands. Also by pretending that she is innocent in front of Hindly truly shows her wickedness. The least reprehensible character is Nelly. Because Nelly is narrating the story, the story could be biased. But her obedience towards her masters and her friendliness shows her compassion for her work.

Wuthering Heights: response #1

Wuthering Heights: Response #1
After reading to the end of Chapter 3, how would you characterize the main narrator, Lockwood? How do you think his character affects his role as narrator of the novel? What makes him qualified or unqualified to comment on the society at Wuthering Heights? Your response should be 150-200 words and should make use of evidence from the novel when possible.

The main narrator Lockwood can be characterized as presumptuous, curious, and somewhat unsuccessful. Throughout the first 3 chapter, we can see that he is bold in a sense that he is not scared to back down by different confrontations from the residents of Wuthering Heights and the dogs (“with this insult, my patience was at an end. I uttered an expression of disgust, and pushed past him into the yard,” pg.58) and we could also see that he is curious when he is wondering around the chamber he was led into sleep. The fact that Lockwood is both bold and curious qualifies him to be a good narrator, since these traits of Lockwood’s personality unravels the past and the story of the Wuthering Heights. I believe that he is unqualified to comment on the society of Wuthering Heights yet, since he lacks the knowledge of the relationships of the residents of Wuthering Heights, and also because he has lived in different society and followed different etiquette.