T.S. Elliot

I read Elliot's works before I went back and read his biographical information and it was surprising to me that he was an American author. I saw so much English and French influence in his writing which could probably be attributed to his studies abroad. Elliot had a fascinating background with all the fame that he came from. It was clear that his family had high expectations and even greater accomplishments. I enjoyed reading Elliot, but I did think he was a bit difficult to understand at some points in his writing. The one poem that I really enjoyed was "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock". The title of the poem is quite strange because the poem is actually not a love song at all. This work is basically an inside look at Prufrock's mind. It was so interesting to read the poem because I think everyone goes through times where they question themselves and there is just such a truth in this work.

Throughout the poem, he is arguing with himself about all of his imperfections. Prufrock wants to break out of this shell he is living in to meet new people and gain new experiences, but his confidence will not allow him to do so. At one point he writes, "To wonder, 'Do I dare?' and, 'Do I dare?'/Time to turn back and descend the stair,/ With a bald spot in the middle of my hair-/(They will say:'How his hair is growing thin!')"(38-41). These lines show that Prufrock wants to venture out and questions whether he is daring enough to, but in the end he turns back. He lacks so much confidence that he is constantly questioning himself. As you can see he is worried about how people will judge him because of his hair. He also worries about his collar, his necktie and how thin people may think he is which is seen in the lines immediately following the previously stated ones. I feel bad for Prufrock at this point because everyone knows how uncomfortable it can be at times to meet new people...I know I have questioned myself and worried about how people would judge me. Although it is difficult, it must be horrible never being able to overcome that fear...it would be like being stuck in the same spot.

In the poem there are many references to women. At one point he writes, "In the room the women come and go..."(35). I think that this poem is not a typical love story, but I think Prufrock is so nervous that he can never convince himself to go talk to women which clearly prohibits him from finding love. Near the end of the poem I think he is questioning whether or not it would have been worth it for him to try to speak with one of the many women. He says, "Would it have been work it, after all,/ Would it have been worth while,"(99-100). I think at this point he is a bit regretful because he will never be able tell for sure if it would have been worth it for him to go talk to a woman. Then just following these lines he says, "It is impossible to say just what I mean!"(104). Here I think Prufrock is frustrated because he knows what he wants to say, but he can never get it out in that way that he means.

Later, he faces the fact that he will never be with one of these women. He states, "No! I am not Prince hamlet, nor was meant to be;"(111). Prufrock will not allow himself to speak to women because he is so shy and nervous, so he rationalizes this by saying he is not a ladies man. At this point in the poem I feel bad for the guy because he longs to try new things and speak to a woman, but he will not allow himself because he is filled with self doubt.

I liked this poem because I think so many people have been in a situation similar to this. Elliot wants the reader to realize that you have to be confident in yourself if you are going to be successful at anything. Constantly questioning yourself is no way to live because you will never be able to venture outside of what you already know. You must believe in who you are and not worry about how others will perceive you...if you are confident then others around you will sense that.

World War One: Rupert Brooke

I am not a huge history lover, but one thing I have always loved was learning about the different wars that have occurred in the past. My favorite wars were the two world wars. It was interesting for me to see one of the world wars from a different perspective as opposed to just a historical one. Some of the works I enjoyed more than others, but the one I had the most thoughts on was "The Soldier" by Brooke. Brooke was a soldier during World War One who never made it out to the front lines...he died on the way. I think this gave his poetry a bit more of an optimistic feeling. He had not been exposed to the horror of the war, so he viewed it as an honor to be fighting for the country he loved.

He wrote, "If I should die, think only this of me:"(1). I thought this line was both a bit ironic and sad. I say it is ironic because he does die, as mentioned previously, before he even makes it to the trenches. I say it is sad because he knows that there is a good chance he may not come back from the war, so he writes this sonnet as something for people to remember him by. He continues on by writing, "That there's some corner of a foreign field/ That is forever England. "(2-3). He pays tribute to his country here. He clearly loves his country and is willing to give his life for his country. This is what he wants the reader to think of him, and he never mentions anything about himself; it is all about his country. This is a very idealistic and kind of heroic view.

He continues on by writing, "There shall be/ In that rich earth a richer dust concealed/ A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware,"(3-5). In these lines, I think the narrator is recognizing the soldiers that will die fighting for their country. The land itself is very important, but even more important than that are the people that give their lives protecting that land. I think he recognizes his country for raising and shaping these men into the brave soldiers that they are. As he goes on, he lists some of the wonderful things about England that make it such a great country. All of the scenery that the speaker discusses draws the reader in and helps the reader to understand why he is so fond of his country.

In the last section of the poem Brooke writes, "And think, this heart, all evil shed away,/ A pulse in the Eternal mind, no less/ Gives somewhere back to the thoughts by England given,"(9-11). This is discussing the actual death of the soldier. I think the last line shown above is thanking England for everything that the country has given to these men. The gratitude continues with "Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day;/ An laughter, learnt of friends;"(12-13). These lines are just further thanking England for all they have given these soldiers. I think the speaker wants people to realize that the soldiers are willing to give their life for their country after all their country has offered them...they see it as a small token of appreciation. The poem finishes up with, "and gentleness,/ In hearts at peace, under and English heaven."(13-14). This last line just lets the reader know that these men are at peace when they die.

I am not sure who Brooke was intending to be his audience, but I think this poem may have helped the people of the country feel a little more at ease with the war. It is natural that the people of a country are easily aroused when at war. I think that it would be reassuring to hear from an actual soldier that they are at peace as they die. I believe that Brooke's intention may have been to make the people of England appreciate the country they have, appreciate the men that are fighting to protect that country, and understand that it is an honor for these men to do so.

William Butler Yeats

Of all of Yeats' works, I enjoyed the first poem "The Lake Isle of Innisfree" the most. I had a hard time with Yeats, but this was the one poem that I was actually able to take something out of. The reason this poem was so appealing was because most readers can relate to the idea of getting away and trying to find peace.

The poem begins with,"I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,/ And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made:"(1-2). These poems indicate that the narrator is going to get up and go to this lake. Later he lets us in on why he is going to the lake by writing, "And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow"(5). The narrator is going to this lake to get away and try to find some peace. Everyone has some place they like to go to find peace. For the narrator that place is the lake, but for others it may be anything from a pool to an athletic field. Personally, I find a lot of peace when I am at the beach. I love the sunsets and the sound of the waves crashing in onto shore. I could stay at the beach forever, and I feel like nothing can bother me when I am there. I think this is also how the narrator feels about Innisfree. You can tell that he loves the lake through his descriptions of the beauty surrounding it. He states,"There midnight's all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,/ And evening full of the linnet's wings."(7-8).

In the last stanza he writes, " I will arise and go now, for always night and day/ I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shores;/ While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,/ I hear it in the deep heart's core."(9-12). This last stanza makes it clear that the narrator is not physically going to the lake. He knows the lake is what brings him peace, so he is able to escape there whether it be physically or just mentally. He could be in the city, but his mind may be at the lake. The last line was the most meaningful to me. I think that what the author is saying is that despite what is going on around him, he is able to hear the sounds from the lake that are so calming to him. I think Yeats wants people look inside of themselves to find peace. Peace does not have to come from your surroundings, but you have to look into your heart to know what is going to make you happy.

Yeats wants people to realize that your heart is the only thing that can lead you to happiness and finding some peace. Your mind is constantly functioning in the present, but your heart does not have to be focused on the present.

Victorian Ladies and Gentlemen: Sarah Stickney Ellis

The Victorian Ladies and Gentlemen section was in my opinion an excellent and intriguing section. It was interesting to read all of the different perspectives on class and gender equality during that time period. There were many authors that were inspiring and gained a lot of respect from me because they advocated gender equality, and as a woman that is very important to me. Of all the writers, however, Ellis stuck out the most. I think because she was taking a perspective that I can not understand and can not imagine living in.

From her biographical information we know Ellis "advised women to accept their inferiority to men and devote themselves to the happiness and moral elevation of their brothers, husbands, and sons."(557). I had a hard time reading this because I do not believe that women are inferior to men, and it is strange to hear these beliefs coming from a woman. I realize that the way society functioned during Ellis's life was much different than how society currently functions, but it is still hard for me to imagine subjecting myself completely to a man. Before I began to read the actual document, I wondered if Ellis actually felt this way, or just wrote these ideas because it is what she thought was proper. So many times people are just a victim of their surroundings, so they will repeat what they have been taught whether they truly believe it or not. This relates back to the work of Mill in that people are afraid to venture outside of what they know...but it is impossible to know the whole truth with out understanding all opinions involving the subject.

In "The Women of England: Their Social Duties and Domestic Habits", Ellis writes about the superiority of men. She tries to explain why men are superior by discussing how they are the ones that venture out into the streets, so their wives don't have to face the danger that exists their. Although this is true, I do not see how that means men are superior to women. At one point on page 558, Ellis writes with very harsh language. She says, "making woman what she ought to be" which is cold and definitely takes importance away from a woman. Ellis just put all women on the same level by stating their is a given role that ALL women NEED to fulfill.

At another point Ellis writes, "No: let the aspect of society be what it may, man is a social being, and beneath the hard surface he puts on, to fit him for the war and tear of every day, he has a heart as true to the kindly affections of our nature, as that of woman - as true, though not as suddenly awakened to every pressing call. He has therefore need of all her sisterly services- and under the pressure of the present times, he needs them more than ever- to foster in his nature, and establish in hi character that higher tone of feeling, without which he can enjoy nothing beyond a kind of animal existence."(558). This quote first points out that woman has a kind and affectionate nature. Ellis then goes on to explain that man needs woman to teach him these kind and affectionate ways to help improve his character. I may be wrong, but it seemed to me that the only reason woman has these good qualities is so that she can teach them to the men and help make them better people. This is hard for me to swallow because I was raised in household which encouraged me to be successful. I play soccer and I was never made to believe that I was inferior to man, or that my only purpose was to serve man.

The reading does not get any less painful for me as the passage continues. Ellis beings to talk about conversation and how it is "an engine so powerful upon the minds and characters of mankind in general, that beauty fades before it, and wealth in comparison is but as leaden coin"(559). She also states that woman has this powerful tool, but that women should use this tool to essentially entertain their husbands. In order to do this, it is the woman's job to make sure they know what their husband would like to discuss. This is made clear when Ellis writes, "But if she has no intellectual hold upon her husband's heart, she must inevitably become that most helpless and pitiable of earthly objects- a slighted wife"(559). If the woman does not understand her husbands likes and needs than the woman becomes an object of little consideration. This I find interesting because I do believe that to be in a relationship, you must have a good understanding of what your partner wants and needs, but I think this understanding goes both ways. The responsibility does not just lie with the woman.

Although Ellis was painful at times for me to read because we hold such different views, it was good to see things from a new perspective. I found myself wondering if Ellis would have felt differently had she still been alive today? I personally think that she would have, and I think that Ellis was just a product of her environment that did not want to advocate a radical change.

Thomas Hardy

I enjoyed a lot of Hardy's work, but the one that stuck out to me the most was "Logs on the Hearth (A Memory of a Sister)". This poem was emotional and seems to be very meaningful to Hardy. It is about the loss of his sister, so I think anyone who has lost someone close to them can relate to this poem. I know that, similar to this poem, I love to sit around and reminisce about my childhood and all of the fun things my siblings and I did, but I am so lucky to still have my siblings around. I can not even imagine how hard it would be to lose one of my siblings and not be able to continue making memories and discussing the past memories that we have already created.

The poem begins, "The fire advances along the log/ Of the tree we felled,/ Which bloomed and bore striped apples by the peck/ Till its last hour of bearing knelled." (1-4). In these lines the speaker is in the present speaking of a tree that they cut down and are now burning as firewood. It is clear that the speaker is upset about this tree being burnt because the next few lines reveal all of the memories that he experienced with this tree. he writes, "The fork that first my hand would reach/ And then my foot/ In climbings upward inch by inch, lies now/Sawn, sapless, darkening with soot."(5-8). In these lines the speaker is looking back into the past. He experienced this tree all through his childhood because he remembers when only his hands would reach the tree, but slowly his feet were able to reach, but now this tree that he grew with is gone. It is dead and no longer grows with him. I think that this tree is not only representing a tree that he played on when he was young, but it also represents his sister. He grew with his sister and she was probably there every step of the way for him, but now she is dead and she can no longer experience these things with him.

The next lines state, "Where the bark chars is where, one year,/ It was pruned, and bled-/
Then overgrew the wound. But now, at last,/ Its growings all have stagnated."(9-12). These lines are indicating that this tree was pruned one year ago, but the tree was able to overcome that wound, now however it has stopped growing and developing. The tree is similar to his sister in that I am sure she had to overcome many wounds throughout her life, but she was able to continue living and growing. But now like the tree, his sister is no longer growing and developing.

In the last stanza Hardy writes, "My fellow-climber rises dim/ From her chilly grave-/ Just as she was, her foot near mine on the bending limb,/ Laughing, her young brown hand awave."(13-16). These last lines indicate that by remembering all the experiences he had with his sister, he is able to bring her back and honor her. He remembers her just as she was before she passed away, just as he remembers the tree before it died. I think this poem is very sad because it is clear the speaker is grieving over a loss, but I also think it is a reminder to remember the good times. Remember the happy times you shared with those you have lost, and by doing this you are honoring their life instead of reminding yourself of their death. The last line makes it clear that he ends with a good memory of his sister because she is laughing and waving just as she did when they were younger.

This poem has a very sad and somewhat depressing subject, but I think the tone at the end of the poem is hopeful and happy. This poem to me would be a good poem to read when grieving a death because it helped me realize that it is so important to honor the life of the person you are grieving and the only way to do this is by remembering all the good times you shared together.

Gerard Manley Hopkins

Hopkins was a very religious man which was made obvious through his works. He payed tribute to both God and nature throughout his works. Hopkins was not my favorite author that we have read so far, and I thought many of his poems were very similar. I had trouble finding a meaning beyond what was written in the poems. Of all his works, I liked "Pied Beauty" the best.

In this poem, Hopkins is praising God for his wonderful creations. He recognizes that God is responsible for all of nature and Hopkins praises God for the beauty he sees throughout the world. The poem begins with, "Glory be to God for dappled things-"(1). Here Hopkins is thanking God for all the things that are different in the world. I think that Hopkins appreciates all of nature...including the things that many may see as imperfections. I think this is an important concept in society today. I don't think people can appreciate beauty in its rawest form, so many people want to try to change themselves to fit in and be considered "pretty" by the standards of society. In doing this, they lose the natural beauty that they already had.

Hopkins gives some examples of the things that he is so thankful for by writing, "For skies of couple-colour as a brinded cow;/ For rose-moles all in stipple upon trout that swim; Fresh-firecoal chestnut falls; finches' wings;/ Landscape plotted and pieced- fold, fallow, and plough;/ And all trades, their gear and tackle and trim."(2-6). Of all of the things listed, none are things that people would traditionally find beauty in, but Hopkins is able to find beauty in all of God's creations and he can appreciate these because of their differences. I believe Hopkins wants the reader to acknowledge the diversity that exists in people and in nature and try to appreciate that diversity because it is what makes certain things special and what makes them stand out.

In the end of the poem Hopkins writes, "He fathers-forth whose beauty is past change:/ Praise him."(10-11). These two lines just bring the reader back to the original idea that God is the creator of everything beautiful that exists, and that there is a certain beauty to all that God has created whether it is easily seen or not. This beauty that God has created is meant to be appreciated and it is important to praise God for giving us such a wonderful place to live.

Oscar Wilde

Wilde was an interesting character to say the least. He biographical section was one of the most intriguing and odd because his fame ended in such a public way. Wilde, despite his personal life, was an excellent writer who excelled in writing different plays. I think he enjoyed the drama that went along with the plays. Although he is most famous for his plays, one of the works that stood out most to me in this section was "Preface to The Picture of Dorian Gray".

This piece is very short, but it held a lot of meaning for me. Wild wrote this preface in defense of his novel "Dorian Gray". The footnotes say that many people thought this novel of his "fostered immoral ideas", so Wilde wrote this preface in response to those critiques(846). The work begins by telling the role of both the artist and the viewer. He writes,"The artist is the creator of beautiful thing./To reveal art and conceal the artist is art's aim./ The critic is he who can translate into another manner of a new material his impression of the beautiful thing."(846). These lines really place a lot of importance on the critic. He is basically saying that all the artist does is create the art for what it is, but it is the critics job to give that art meaning. The critic is so important because they get to translate what the art work is actually representing or if it is even representing anything more than a piece of art.

He states,"There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book./ Books are well written, or badly written."(846). This quote was very interesting to me. Perhaps the art itself is not immoral, it is just what the reader is taking from that piece of art. He even states at one point if you don't see the beauty in art, then you are corrupt because you are missing the point. You are not seeing the art for what it is, but instead you are looking for deeper meanings that may be misleading you. He also says if you do see the beauty in art then you have hope. You may not be interpreting the work correctly, but at least you accept the art for what it is...art.

He goes on to discuss all of these things that artist do not do. After all of this he states, "All art is at once surface and symbol./ Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril./ Those who read the symbol do so at their peril."(847). These lines I believe are the most meaningful in this passage. He is trying to show that artists are not trying to prove anything. They simply make the art, but it is the viewer that helps define the meaning of this art, and they do so at their own risk.

I really liked this preface and especially this last quote because it makes you realize just how important the critic is in defining the art. I was just talking to my Dad the other day about how I enjoyed this English class because it forces you to engage in the readings and draw some insights on your own. In previous English classes that I have taken, we would read a work and the teacher would tell us "what the author was trying to say". I always had a problem with this because...how does the teacher know what the author meant when he was writing? I do think that art requires you to form your own opinions and I think that is why this passage stood out so much to me.

John Stuart Mill

Mill was a very well educated young man. His parents forced him to stick to his studies, and made him tutor his younger siblings to be sure he was understanding everything he was learning. I was in awe by how intelligent Mill was. I was also very intrigued by the radical he was. It is strange to see someone come from a good background with a privileged upbringing turn out to be so radical. He "advocated sexual equality, the right to divorce, universal suffrage, free speech, and proportional representation"(513). These topics that he was advocating were very different than what people are used to. I think it is hard to fully comprehend how radical these ideas are because we have not lived in a time without having these privileges. Perhaps sometimes we take for granted these rights that we currently have today without giving enough recognition to people like Mill who advocated these ideas making it possible to live the lives we currently lead. It is hard not to respect a man that went against the grain of society to try to make changes for the better. I really enjoyed Mill because he was so straight forward and to the point. I am a very no nonsense kind of person, so this style of writing appeals to me.

In Mill's work "On Liberty", he discusses opinions and how important they can be. Mill makes some very interesting arguments in this section. He states, "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."(515). In this section, Mill is trying to make the reader realize that everyone is entitled to their own opinion. You do not need to conform to what the majority thinks, and the majority should not put pressure on you to conform. Mill uses the word power here, which is perhaps referring to how powerful majority can be and how cruel individuals can be if you do not share their same beliefs. It could also be referring to the government and the upper class people in society. Because these people have power, they get to make the decisions, but that does not give them the right to silence the opinions of the others.

Mills goes on to discuss why different opinions are so important. He writes, "But the peculiar evil of silencing the expression of an opinion is, that it is robbing the human race; posterity as well as the existing generation; those who dissent form the opinion, still more that those who hold it."(515). Mill believes that oppressing or even withholding different opinions does a disservice to society in the present and the future generations to come. I think if opinions that go against the grain are oppressed then society will never evolve. I know that many people are resistant to change because they like the security that comes with the lives they currently have. However, if no one ever gave an opinion that was different from the norm there would be no progression; I think society would be at a standstill.

He goes even further to state, "If the opinion is right, they are deprived of the opportunity of exchanging error for truth: if wrong, they lose, what is almost as great a benefit, the clearer perception and livelier impression of truth, produced by its collision with error."(515). Here Mill is trying to provide further evidence of how important it is to share different opinions and keep an open mind when listening to these opinions. Perhaps listening to something new will bring truth...you could see an issue from a different perspective and find a new truth. If that new opinion, however, does not bring new truth, it will be able to give people more confidence in their current beliefs because they know that they have examined it deeply and solidified their truth. This was very interesting to me because I really enjoy listening to other peoples opinions and exploring them deeply to be sure that I am confident with my beliefs. One thing I really related this to was religion. I do not understand how people can be so sure of their own faith when they know nothing about all the other faiths that exist. I think sometimes understanding all the options that are available makes your beliefs stronger. I think it is important to understand completely what you believe in and to do that, you must consider all aspects of those beliefs...even differing ones.

Another quote that really stood out to me was, "Wrong opinions and practices gradually lead to fact and argument: but facts and arguments, to produce any effect on the mind, must be brought before it."(516). Here Mill is just again emphasizing how important it is to keep an open mind. Although change is hard, it is important to listen to other ideas because they could bring you to a new truth. If, however, you never give these ideas a chance you will not be able to evolve and find truth because you will be stuck in your ways.

At the end of Chapter 2 of "On Liberty", Mill uses his straight forward style to summarize his main points to be sure the reader understood just what he was trying to say. He says first that people must not be afraid to stand up for what they believe in and share their opinions. Second he says that it is important to listen to the opinions of others because even if they do not contain whole truths, they may contain partial truths which can lead to new ideas. Third, he tries to get the reader to understand that these alternate opinions are not just good for helping the individual grow, but they are also a necessity for helping a society grow. As I discussed earlier, I think this is so true. Too many times people just join the majority because it is hard to stand up and separate yourself from the crowd. It is so important, though, to have people who are willing to do this...and also to have people who will listen... or society will never evolve.

Robert Browning

Robert Browning was not quite what I was expecting. He differentiated himself from the other authors we have read because he added unexpected twists into his works. It was very hard to guess what was going to happen because just when you thought you had it figured out, something would change and the story would take an entirely new direction. I saw this pattern was especially relevant in "Porphyria's Lover". Porphyria's Lover begins as a love story and takes a turn for the worse as it ends in a murder.

The poem begins with a rainy, somber day which in hindsight is not typical of most love stories. It states, "The rain set early in to-night,/ The sullen wind was soon awake,/ It tore the elm-tops down for spite,/ And did its worst to vex the lake:"(1-4). There was a horrible storm that damaged the lake and the surrounding trees. This storm clearly must have been violent to cause so much damage, and this is not how most love stories begin. Normally there is some type of serene setting that gets the reader in the mood for the story...this storm does set the tone for the rest of the poem, but it is just not the tone that the reader is expecting to find.

The poem goes on the discuss Porphyria's entrance to the house. I thought this entrance was a little strange. It almost seemed as if he was mad at her for something and she had to make him acknowledge her. Browning writes, "And, last, she sat down by my side/ And called me. When no voice replied/ She put my arm about her waist, /And made her smooth white shoulder bare,/ And all her yellow hair displaced,/ And, stooping, made my cheek lie there,"(14-19). I do not think that this is a typical description of how someone would act when their lover returned home. He essentially ignored her and she "made"(as it states in line 19) him acknowledge her. When in love, one does not usually say that the other person made them do something involving affection.

I think as the poem goes on, the reader begins to see that Porphyria is madly in love with the narrator, but he may not feel as strongly about her. Lines 33 through 35 state, "Porphyra worshiped me; surprise/ Made my heart swell, and still it grew/ While I debated what to do.". He realized how important he was to her, and I think he was flattered to be in that position, but he did not know how to react. Later he states,"In one long yellow string I wound/ Three times her little throat around,/ And strangled her."(39-41). The narrator found a solution to his problem. He decided to kill her which seems very far fetched, but I think that he was so caught up in the moment that he wanted to keep it forever. He never wanted to lose that moment with her, so he killed her and laid with her the remainder of the night. He rationalizes his decision which is made clear in lines 41 and 42 when he says, "No pain felt she;/I am quite sure she felt no pain.". I think this shows that he did care for her because he did not want her to suffer, but he wanted to preserve that moment in time and this was the only way he found possible.

Another thing that I thought about (which could be completely of base) was that he did love her, but that he could not remain faithful to her. In lines 25 to 27 Browning writes, "And give herself to me for ever./ But passion sometimes would prevail, /Nor could to-night's gay feast restrain". To me these lines could be showing that Porphyria was crazy about the narrator and promised herself to him, but his passion would not always allow him to be faithful. He could have felt guilty about not staying faithful which made him feel sorry for her. He killed her so that she could stay in that moment forever. I don't know if this is at all accurate, but it is just something that crossed my mind as I was reading it.

Tennyson

Reading about Tennyson was very interesting...he had so many ups and downs in his life that it is amazing he was able to stay focused on his work and accomplish all that he did. As I read the very first quote of Tennyson's biography, "There, that is the first money you have ever earned by your poetry, and, take my words for it, it will be the last.", which is something that his grandfather told him, I realized how determined Tennyson must have been. Most people would not continue on with a passion if they did not have the support of their family and Tennyson's grandfather clearly did not believe in his ability. I just though this showed how much perseverance Tennyson must have had. He continued to show his determination and perseverance when his very best friend died and Tennyson was crushed.

Tennyson had some wonderful works that spoke about the death of his friend and the grieving process that Tennyson went through to get through his loss. The works he created after the death of his friend were some of his best and most recognized works. As I was reading, however, I really enjoyed "The Charge of the Light Brigade" the most. I found the poem to be very easy to read. There was no extremely deep meaning behind the poem, but I did find a few interesting characteristics about the poem.

First of all, I thought the rhyming pattern in the poem made it feel very light and fun to read. I thought this was ironic because the content of the poem was actually very heavy and a little depressing. The first time I read the poem, I enjoyed it but I didn't really pay attention to what the poem was discussing. When I went through and read it again, I realized that this poem was talking about the death of hundreds of men.

At one point the poem states, "Forward, the Light Brigade!/ Was there a man dismay'd?/ Not tho' the soldier knew/ Some on had blunder'd;/ Their's not to make reply,/ Their's not to reason why,/ Their's but to do and die;/ Into the valley of Death/ Rode the six hundred."(9-17). This part of the poem was especially sad to me. Here is this group of men that are marching to their death because of an order of someone else. Because of their position, they cannot question this order and they can't disobey, so all they have left to do is obey and die. This to me is sad because these men cannot control their future. They have put their lives in the hands of others and that is a very scary thing to do. I think Tennyson wants the reader to honor these men because they were fighting for their country when the leadership led them to their deaths, but they did not question it...they just continued to fight for their land.

The poem goes on to tell that these soldiers fought hard, but that not all six hundred returned. At one point he states, "Cannon to right of them,/ Cannon to left of them,/Cannon behind them/ Volley'd and thunder'd; Storm'd at with shot and shell,/ While horse and hero fell,/ They that had fought so well/ Came thro' the jaws of Death,/ Back from the mouth of Hell,/ All that was left of them,/ Left of six hundred."(39-49). In these lines, Tennyson is telling of all that this brigade went through. He is basically stating that six hundred men were foolishly led into this horrible place that he compares to Hell. These men fought bravely, but not all of them returned...in fact, most of them did not. The footnote states that 400 of the 600 men were killed. These two hundred men according to Tennyson essentially escaped death. They were lucky not to die. The other four hundred were not so lucky and lost their lives because of an order.

The last section of the poem states, "When can their glory fade?/ O the wild chard they made!/ All the world wonder'd./ Honour the charge they made!/ Honour the Light Brigade,/ Noble six hundred!"(50-55). This last section describes how the people felt about this charge. They respected these men for their bravery. I do wonder, however, if there might have been a little bit of sarcasm in this poem because in my mind although these men were brave to fight in the way that they did, it was also extremely stupid. Does this stupidity make them noble? Perhaps the men that fought and died are noble because they were not the ones that made the decision to make the charge...they just took orders and served their country.

Thomas Carlyle

Carlyle was very passionate about his country and the change that needed to occur. He fought for the working class and he spoke to the upper class to try to get these changes. I liked the way that Carlyle opened his writings in "Midas". He used a lot of contrast to try to get his point across. He would write something positive about England, but he would follow with a statement that would devalue the positive that he just stated. For example, Carlyle wrote, "England is full of wealth, of multifarious produce, supply for human want in every kind; yet England is dying of inanition."(477). I found this technique to be very effective. He is telling of how wonderful England is and how much it has to offer, yet it is slowly dying of exhaustion and lack of nourishment.

Carlyle found the treatment of the working class to be repulsive. At one point in "Midas"Carlyle writes, "They sit there , pent up, as in a kind of horrid enchantment; glad to be imprisoned and enchanted, that they many not perish starved."(478). At this point in the passage Carlyle is referring to the people in the workhouses. These workhouses were set up as places to help the poor, but the conditions were unbearable. A footnote explains that the conditions were made worse than any paying job because they did not want loafers. This treatment is absurd and Carlyle called for a change. He looked to the rich to make this change. He expected them to take responsibility for their country and discontinue their ignorance about the treatment of the lower classes. He continues his discussion of the workers in the workhouses by writing, "In the eyes and brows of these men hung the gloomiest expression, not of anger, but of grief and shame and manifold inarticulate distress and weariness;"(478). These men in these workshops were clearly not happy with their lives. They were ashamed of the situation they were in, but there was nothing they could do about it. Circumstance had put them there and they needed help, but the upper class people of the country were abandoning them.

One part of this reading that really struck me was when Carlyle discusses the parents that are being tried for the murders of their children. Of course, it is shocking that any parents could kill their child, the being that they created, but it is hard not to feel bad for them. I can not imagine how hard it would be to watch your child suffer...especially when you know there is nothing you can do to help them. These parents saw it the lesser of the two evils to put their children out of their misery. They did not want to see these children grow up in such horrible circumstances. They realized that even if the children escaped these circumstances, they would never be able to forget the horrid nature of their upbringing. This was so sad to me. I felt bad for the kids because they surely did not bring themselves into that life, but I also felt bad for the parents because they were completely helpless and forced to just watch their children be miserable.

Carlyle claims that no one is really benefiting from the life in England. He states, " We have sumptuous garnitures for our life, but have forgotten to live in the middle of them. It is an enchanted wealth; no man of us can yet touch it. The class of men who feel that they are truly better off by means of it, let them give us their name!"(479). I agree with what Carlyle is saying here. When we are surrounded by such horrible sights and people who can barely get by, it is impossible to enjoy any kind of wealth. No one in society is benefiting from having the majority of the members of that society treated so poorly and stuck in such rotten conditions.

At the end of the passage Carlyle writes, "We have more riches than and Nation ever had before; we have less good of them than any Nation ever had before. Our successful industry it hitherto unsuccessful; a strange success, if we stop here! In the midst of plethoric plenty, the people perish;"(480). I think what Carlyle is trying to say is that despite all the wealth that England has, it will never be successful without it's people. If the people are suffering and can not live than all the wealth the nation has acquired is irrelevant. I agree with Carlyle in this sense. A country is nothing without it's citizens. This is why Carlyle is pushing so hard for the upper class to make some type of change.

The Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution was a time full of drastic changes and progression. The lifestyle of people was altered, and with these changes came a lot of resistance as can be expected. People are afraid of the insecurity that change can bring. The consequences of change can never be fully estimated and this makes many people uncomfortable. On the other hand, change is exciting and people like progression. I thought that the introduction of the Industrial revolution said it perfectly. It states, "This increase, couples with pride in the improvement themselves, created a sense of excitement, of living in stirring time, and bolstered the optimistic conviction that further progress was certain. But the rapidity with which industrialization took place was also profoundly disorienting. Overnight, it seemed, the world had transformed."(487). Just as I was previously discussing, this passage points out some insight on the good and the bad of industrialization. The people enjoyed the progression, but it made them nervous how quickly it all was happening. Culture is about change and moving forward, but it is my belief that people are more comfortable with this change when it comes in small doses. I can not imagine waking up one day and my world as I know it being turned upside down. I imagine that it would be very terrifying being comfortable in one culture and having that torn away and replaced by another that although was very progressive also brought an ample amount of hardship.

The reading states, " Psychologically, it was hard to assimilate such a rapidly altering environment. Many people felt that the world of their childhood had been obliterated."(488). This passage made it clear to me as to why there were so many readings that opposed the Industrial Revolution and focuses on all of the negative things that it brought. If you felt as if your world had been obliterated and all the values that grew up with were gone, would you not be resistant? I think it was very hard for these people to foresee the positive aspects of the revolution.

One reading that I really enjoyed and found refreshing was Fanny Kemble's "Record of a Girl". In this passage Kemble writes about her first time seeing and experiencing a train. The reading reminded me of a young child when they learn something new. There is a sense of great excitement and anticipation. I found her description of the experience very humorous because it is something that I am used to seeing everyday, so it is interesting to have a common part of our lives described in this manner. Kemble constantly refers to the train as if it is a living being. At one point she writes, " the coals, which are its oats, were under the bench and there was a small glass tube affixed to the boiler, with water in it, which indicates by its fullness or emptiness when the creature wants water, which immediately conveyed to it from its reservoirs."(491). Here she refers to the train as a creature that needs water. I thought this description was very youthful and kept me very entertained because I have never thought of a train from this perspective. She describes most aspects of the train in this juvenile and refreshing way. Another quote I found very interesting was, "When I closed my eyes the sensation of flying was quite delightful, and strange beyond description; yet, strange as it was, I had a perfect sense of security, and not the slightest fear"(491). I liked this quote because it is easily tied to what I was previously discussing. Kemble was discussing something that was completely new to her, yet she was not afraid. She embraced this change and unlike many was able to see the positive that came with the Industrial Revolution. She recognizes that this is a strange experience, but she is excited about it and embraces it fully.

Felicia Hemans

Felicia Hemans was a very accomplished writer. She was called a prodigy at a very young age, and I found it amazing that she was able to learn four languages and that she had a publication by age 14. As a woman, I found her quite inspiring. She had five children and her husband left her. She, however, did not crumble after this hard time in her life...she continued to function and love her children and she also continued to produce great works. As most of the poets we have read so far, I found that Hemans past greatly influenced her writings. Her father left her Mom just as her husband left her. She therefore placed a lot of emphasis on a mother in the home and the impact that a mother can have on a child's life. I saw this in many of her poems, but the one where it was most relevant to me was "The Homes of England".

In "The Homes of England", Hemans discusses all the different types of mothers that exist and all the roles that they take on. Hemans uses homes in this poem to represent the different types of mothers. Hemans discusses all types of homes...she talks about stately, merry, blessed, cottage and the Free, fair homes of England. In the first stanza Hemans discusses the "stately Homes of England". She states, "How beautiful they stand!/ Amidst their tall ancestral trees"(2-3). Here Hemans refers to the more privileged mothers of England. They place a lot of emphasis on their family and ancestry. They have a lot of privileges in life and are able to share those with their children.

In the next stanza Hemans refers to the "merry Homes of England"(9). In this stanza Hemans writes, "There woman's voice flows forth in song, / Or childhood's tale is told,/ Or lips move tunefully along/ Some glorious page of old."(13-16). In this passage, Hemans makes it clear that the woman is the presence in the home. The woman is the one that sings to the children and reads to the children. I think this was clearly the case for Hemans. Her mother was the one that nurtured her and pushed her to become so brilliant. When her husband left, she was the one who was there for her children and nurtured them.

She goes on to discuss the "blessed Homes of England"(17). In this stanza Hemans writes, "Is laid the hold quietness/ That breathes from Sabbath-hours!"(19-20). In this passage, I believe that Hemans is just emphasizing another of the many roles that the woman/ mother plays. The woman is the one that teaches her children about faith. The mother is the one that takes the children to church and enforces the sabbath day.

Hemans goes on to discuss the "cottage Homes of England"(25). In this section she just continues to emphasize the role of a mother. Despite the type of mother (they come in all forms), they still serve the same purpose and have the same type of influence in the home and on their children.

In the last stanza, Hemans continues to emphasize the importance of the mother. She writes,"May hears of native proof be rear'd/ To guard each hallowed wall!/ And green for ever be the groves, / And bright the flowery sod,/ Where first the child's glad spirit loves/ its country and its God!"(35-40). In this last passage Hemans just emphasizes the main jobs of the mother. The mother is the one that protects the innocence of their child and nurtures and develops them into the people they become. She believes that a mother's role in the home can never be underestimated. After all, the mother is the one that the child will first bond with and look to for love and care. I think that Hemans was a victim of her circumstance. She did not have very good male figures in her life, so I believe that she underestimated the influence of a male figure in the home also. I am very close to my mother and she has had a huge impact on shaping who I have become, but my father has had an equal influence. I believe that had I been raised just by my mother I would not be the same person today. I think that mothers and fathers bring different things to the table and the impact and influence that they both can have on a child's life should not be underestimated.

John Keats

I found John Keats very interesting. I was amazed by his bibliographic information. I can not believe that he was able to create so many great works in such a short amount of time. It is interesting to think about how much he could have accomplished if he had lived longer. Keats' past information got me thinking about how much I can accomplish in my life, and how I sometimes look back to question if I could have accomplished more, and I often look forward wondering what I will continue to accomplish. As I thought about this, I really related it to Keats' sonnet "When I have Fears". I found this sonnet to be addressing exactly my thoughts.

I think it is natural for people to have fears about the future because there is no telling what could happen, and I think it is also easily related to because the majority of people do look forward and question what could be accomplished. This sonnet could possibly be a reflection of Keats' health, but I think that it may also reflect the recent death of his brother. His brother Tom had just passed. His passing may have caused Keats' to reflect on his life and realize that life does not last forever. This realization could have instilled some fear into Keats about how unsure his own future was.

Keats writes, "When I have fears that I may cease to be/ Before my pen has glean'd my teeming brain, / Before high piled books in charact'ry/ Hold like rich garners the full-ripened grain;"(lines 1-4). In these lines, there is a discussion about death. He is scared that he may die before he has reached his full potential which the reader can see when he says, "before my pen has glean'd my teeming brain"(2). The majority of people set goals in life and strive to accomplish these goals throughout their lifetime. Many people fear failing, and it is scary to think that your life could end before you reach your goals or before you have reached your potential. In the last line, I think Keats realizes that reaching your potential("the full-ripened grain") is very important and should be held on to as if it were a treasure.

Keats is also afraid that he will never get to experience all living has to offer. He does not want to miss out on exploring the world and seeing what chance could bring him. He does not want to miss out on love and all he could gain through that. He shows this when he writes, "When I behold upon the night's starred face, / Huge cloudy symbols of a high romance, / And I think that I may never lie to trace/ Their shadows with the magic hand of chance; / And when I feel, fair creature of an hour, /That I shall never look upon thee more, / Never have relish in the fairy power/ Of unreflecting love"(5-12). So many times we hear of young people dying either from an illness or unexpectedly in some type of accident, and it always makes me think about all the things that the person is missing out on. They never got to experience marriage, having children, having a career and so much more. Like Keats the idea of missing all of these things makes me sad and I do fear it a little. I think that is why it is so important to live life in the present...try everything once and don't procrastinate because you never know what the future holds.

In the last two lines Keats writes, "Of the wide world I stand alone and think,/ Till love and fame to nothingness do sink."(13-14). I think that these two lines are stating just what I was discussing. I think that Keats has realized that worrying about all of these things takes the value from them. Time spent worrying is time wasted...it could have spent actually living and experiencing these things. Death is inevitable, so experience everything you can and live life to the fullest.

"Ozymandias"

Of all of Shelley's works, I found "Ozymandias" to be my favorite. Although it was a short poem, I think it carried a lot of meaning. Ozymandias was also known as Ramses II as the footnote tells. "He was thought to be the pharaoh of Exodus whom Moses challenged." (footnote). In the podcast on Shelley's work, Dr. Glance, you told us that Shelley wrote this poem as part of a contest over and exhibit in a British Museum. As I read the poem, I found that fact quite interesting. We have Ozymandias who thinks he is this mighty ruler who is never to be forgotten, and Shelley is writing about him because of an exhibit in this museum. It is true that Ozymandias does live on in this museum, however, Shelley only writes of this exhibit for the contest ( I just found this to be ironic).

The poem starts, " I met a traveller from an antique land" (1). The first observation I made is that Shelley writes this poem as if the story was told by someone who experienced the ruin first hand. I thought this was interesting and important for Shelley to do. Because we know that Shelley is experiencing this statue in a museum, it is much more appealing if the reader thinks they are hearing an account from someone who was actually on the scene.

As the traveller describes the statue he says, "Two vast and trunkless legs of stone/ Stand in the desert... Near them on the sand, / Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown/ And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,/ Tell that its sculptor well those passions read/ Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed."(2-8). This passage discusses the sculptor. It discusses how the sculptor made this statue of his King, yet the face was not welcoming or friendly. It was cold and it seemed that the sculptor felt the King may have thought himself to be better than everyone else. This is clear as the poem tell of the wrinkled lip and frown. In the last line of this sentence, I interpreted this in two ways. The first was that perhaps the sculptor was confused in making this statue. He did not know how to portray his King because the King did mock the people, and may have treated them poorly, but the King was also the one feeding them, so the sculptor could not be too harsh. The second way I interpreted this was that the sculptor was mocking the King with his work. I am not sure which is correct, but I think they are both kind of relevant.

The next section of the poem tells of the writing on the pedestal. It reads, " My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings:/ Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"(10-11). This line is ironic because of the previous lines that refer to the statue of him in ruins next to the pedestal. Ozymandias thinks himself better than everyone else and wants everyone to see how mighty he is. Ironically, none of his works exist any longer. So as you look around to see how mighty he and his works are, all the traveller saw was remains and sand. This was interesting to me because Ozymandias thought that he could leave a lasting impression... he was clearly wrong it seems to hint that nature is the only thing that can truly make a lasting impression. I think this section of the poem hinted at Shelley's political views slightly. I don't think that he condoned the idea of one man ruling over everyone and having all this power. The power clearly was not lasting and would fade because we are not immortal.

Dorothy Wordsworth and "The Grasmere Journals"

As I began reading about Dorothy Wordsworth, I thought that her relationship with her brother was very strange. From her biographical information I knew her mother died when she was young and she was passed from relative to relative. I thought that she may have been so attached to William because she longed for that family relationship she had missed in her childhood. Despite the strange dynamic of the relationship she had with William, it did reveal how caring she was. She loved her brother dearly and would have done anything to make him happy. The author even states, " she had written only for family and friends. When she began her Grasmere journal, she told herself that she was writing to give William 'pleasure'."(pg 290).

I fully enjoyed reading Dorothy Wordsworth's Grasmere journals. I thought that they were easy to read and understand. Although her writings do not take much analysis like many of the other writers we have read, they are enjoyable because of the simplicity of them. The simplicity of her writing allows you to pay attention to the descriptions she provides as opposed to trying to look for something deeper than what is already there. The writings truly are accounts of her daily life, and at times I found myself getting caught up in her descriptive language.

Wordsworth begins her Grasmere journals with a beautiful description. She writes, " My heart was so full that I could hardly speak to W when I gave him a farewell kiss. I sate a long time upon a stone at the margin of the lake, & after a flood of tears my heart was easier. The lake looked to me I knew not why dull and melancholy, the weltering on the shores seemed a heavy sound." (pg 294). I thought this was a wonderful opening passage because it was so open. Dorothy Wordsworth really opened herself up emotionally and invites the reader into her journals.

As the journals go on, I enjoyed reading of her many adventures. It was quite obvious that nature influenced her writings tremendously much like her brother. In a Vision of the Moon Wordsworth writes, " O the unutterable darkness of the sky & the Earth below the Moon! & the glorious brightness of the moon itself! There was a vivid sparkling streak of light at this end of Rydale water but the rest was very dark & Loughrigg fell and Silver How were white & bright as if they were covered with hoar frost."(pg 296). With this description, I almost felt as if I was walking alongside Wordsworth and experiencing this beautiful sight with her. There are many other beautiful descriptions of nature that she gives throughout her journal, but one that I especially loved was in the Home Alone portion of the journal. She wrote, "A beautiful yellow, palish yellow flower, that looked thick round & double, and smelt very sweet"(pg 294-295). With this description, I got a very vivid image of this flower. This description is very indicative of Wordsworth's writings all the way through her journal.

As did her relationship with her brother, her journals also revealed to me what a loving and compassionate person she was. She has many encounters with various people in her journal and she makes many comments about the state that these people are living in. She always discusses the less fortunate with a very sympathetic tone... it is obvious that she feels sorry for these people. Wordsworth tells of a particular woman they met with two children whose husband left her. She describes, "On the Rays we met a woman with 2 little girls one in her arms the other about 4 years old walking by her side, a pretty little thing, but half starved. She had on a pair of slippers that had belonged to some gentleman's child, down at the heels it was not easy to keep them on but, poor thing! young as she was, she walked carefully with them. Alas too young for such cares & such travels. The Mother when we accosted her told us that her husband had left her & gone off with another woman & how she 'pursued' them."(pg 297). This quotes is so descriptive. I felt as if I was standing next to the little girl with her slippers. The fact that Wordsworth even mentioned this woman shows that the event impacted her in some way. She felt sorry for the children enduring this lifestyle. Wordsworth even gave this woman money because she felt so bad for her.

William Wordsworth and "We Are Seven"

As I read the work of William Wordsworth, it seemed to me that he uses a lot of refernces to things that happened in his own life. I enjoyed reading most of his work because it seemed very real to me... his past experinces really came through in some of the poems and it was very heart-felt. The one poem that really stuck out for me was "We Are Seven".

From the beginning of this poem I can sense some of Wordsworth's past coming through. For instance, he writes, "A simple child, dear brother Jim, That lightly draws its breath, And feels its life in every limb, What should it know of death?"(1-4). I think this stanza is speaking to the innocence of a child. Wordsworth is bluntly stating, what should a little innocent child know of death. From his biographical information we recall that he lost his mother at the age of eight (the same age as the cottage girl in the poem). Perhaps this line shows a little of the pain he experinced as he dealt with his mother's death at such a young age. It even seems to have a bit of a bitter tone to it... why should he have to deal with this death at such a young age?

The narrator meets this cottage girl and is initially delighted by her. Wordsworth writes, "Her eyes were fair, and very fair,-- Her beauty made me glad."(lines 11-12). As the narrator asks her about her siblings she holds strong to the fact that there are seven of them. The little girls says, " Seven boys and girls are we; Two of us in the church-yard lie, Beneath the church-yard tree."(30-32). The narrator hears this response and does not understand the child. She is showing her innocence as the poem goes on. She believes that her brothers and sisters are still with her. The narrator is frustrated by her innocence and is trying to convince her desperately that if her brother and sister are dead then there are actually only five of them. You can see this frustration as the narrator states, "You run about, my little Maid, Your limbs they are alive; If two are in the church-yard laid, Then ye are only five."(33-36). Perhaps the narrator is frustrated because he has lost his innocence and sees no way to get it back, so he does not understand the innocence of this little cottage girl. She believes that although her brothers and sisters may be dead and burried, they are still with her. She goes to the place where they are burried a lot and sings to them and sometimes even eats with them.

In the last stanza, the narrator's frustration comes to a head and he says, "But they are dead; those two are dead! Their spirits are in heaven!" (65-66). Here the narrator trys one last time to convince the girl that there are only five of them, but her innocence holds and she replies, "Nay, we are seven!"(69). I think that this poem is very powerful. I have three siblings; the first is 23, I am 20, my brother is 19 and I have a little sister who is only 10. I love hanging out with my sister because she is so innocent. We have to be careful at times about what we say and do around her because we dont want to take that innocence from her, but sometimes we slip up and she will question us. In the end, however, she always holds to her innocent beliefs and sometimes I do not understand it, so I was really able to relate to this poem.

Coleridge and The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is a captivating story. As i read, I found myself much like the wedding guest. I was on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what happened. The poem flowed in such a way that just continues to draw the reader in. The ancient Mariner is this old man who used to work on this ship. This ship was blown down to the South Pole where an entire of series of events took place. There was an ancient Albatross that was thought to bring good luck to the ship, but the Mariner shot the Albatross. The Albatross eventually began to take revenge on the ship. On page 329 Coleridge writes " Water, water every where, An all the boards to shrink; Water, water every where, Nor any drop to drink."(340). This line is the beginning of the Albatross taking revenge. The story goes on and all of the ship mates die, but the ancient Mariner is left alone. The mariner is disgusted that all of these men lie dead while there are so many slimy creatures swimming around in the sea. As he was alone, he saw God's creatures in the light of the moon and began to appreciate them. As soon as he saw their beauty, the spell began to break and the ancient mariner was eventually returned to the land. As a punishment he had to travel from land to land telling his story to different people he meets. Coleridge writes, "I pass, like night, from land to land; I have strange power of speech; That moment that his face I see, I know the man that must hear me: To him my tale I teach".
I think that the story could be read as just a story as Mrs. Barbauld comments. However, I do think that there is a moral to this story. Coleridge makes it very clear that the mission of the mariner is to preach about how all things should be appreciated equally. He writes, "He prayeth best, who loveth best All things both great and small; For the dear God who loveth us, He made and loveth all.". As I read the story, this passage was clearly the point of what the ancient Mariner was trying to show with his whole tale. God created all creatures and loves all creatures despite the size. The mariner is trying to spread the idea of kindness around the world. In a religious perspective, the mariner is just like a prophet. God has spoken to him, and he tells his story to help others learn the way that things should be.

William Blake

I really enjoyed the Songs of Innocence and of Experience by Blake. I found it very interesting how Blake's outlook in the different poems could be so contrasting. The contrast between the innocence and the experience was very evident to me in the The Chimney Sweeper poems of the two states.
In the songs of innocence, The Chimney Sweeper discusses a child that was sold to be a chimney sweep at a very young age. The chimney sweeps are clearly upset about the conditions they are being placed in. For example, Blake writes "Theres little Tom Darce, who cried when his head That curl'd like a lambs back, was shav'd". Tom was not happy about his head being shaved, but he is told not to be upset because this way his hair will not be ruined. This passage demonstrates perfectly the optimism that much of the time accompanies innocence. The poem goes on to talk of a dream that Tom has about dying. Once again there is not a negative tone that goes with dying. In this poem Tom dying is the best thing that could happen because he will be st free. The passage states, "And came an Angel who had a bright key, And he open'd the coffins and set them all free". This simple dream was able to cheer Tom up and make him happy while he was doing his work. Tom was able to see that his freedom and happiness would come if he was "a good boy".
In the songs of experience, however, The Chimney Sweeper gives off an entirely different feeling. Right from the first passage, the reader is able to sense the unhappiness of the chimney sweep. Blake writes, "A little black thing among the snow; Crying weep, weep, in notes of woe!". The reference to black in the first line can be viewed as dark and pessimistic. Blake goes on to write, " They clothed me in the clothes of death, And taught me to sing the notes of woe.". In this passage they refers to the chimney sweep's parents. I think that this passage gives off a very negative and resentful attitude. Later Blake writes "They think they have done me no injury: And are gone to praise God and his Pries and King Who make up a heaven of our misery". The chimney sweep is clearly bitter toward his parents in this passage. They put him in this horrible life and now they are off praising God about it. There is also a very different perspective on God in the two poems. In the songs of innocence, God was viewed as a savior from the current life and gave hope to the chimney sweep. In this poem, however, God is no longer a savior; he is now viewed as part of the problem. In the chimney sweeps mind, God is part of the authority that has placed him in this life and given him no way out. He no longer views heaven as an escape, it is now just a continuation of his misery.
The difference of the two poems demonstrates the different outlooks of innocence and experience. Many times experience corrupts the innocent and takes away hope and certainty that previously existed. In my opinion it is very important to find some type of balance between innocence and experience. I do not think relying solely on either one is sufficient because they provide such different outlooks.

The French Revolution

Edmund Burke was not a believer in the French Revolution. I found it interesting how against the changes he was. He continually harped on the idea of tradition and preserving the "natural state" of things. On page 49 Burke states, "Thus, by preserving the method of nature in the conduct of the state, in what we improve, we are never wholly new; in what we retain, we are never wholly obsolete. By adhering in this manner and on those principles to our forefathers, we are guided not by the superstition of antiquarians, but by the spirit of philosophic analogy.". Burke is in favor of keeping with tradition and believes inheritance occurs in the family, so it therefore naturally should occur in the government. Although I do not think that Burke had a fully stable argument because he fails to discuss the view of the revolutionaries and the injustice that the monarch forced upon the less fortunate people, I was able to understand his reluctance to change. I think that it is human nature for people to be drawn to what they know. Personally, I am sometimes reluctant to change because it is hard to see what consequences that change may bring.
Burke's writings inspired many other writings, particularly those of Wollstonecraft and Paine. Both Wollstonecraft and Paine wrote rebuttals to Burke's ideas on the French Revolution arguing in favor of the Revolution. Of the two rebuttals, I especially was drawn to Paine and The Rights of Man. I enjoyed reading Paine because I thought he was straight forward and sometimes witty in his argument. Paine appealed to me from the initial paragraph. On page 65 he writes, "There never did, there never will, and there never can exist a Parliament, or any description of men, or any generation of men, in any country, possessed of the right or the power of binding and controlling posterity to the 'end of time'...Every generation is, and must be, competent to all the purposes which its occasions require. It is the living and not the dead that are to be accommodated.". With this quote, Paine argues that every generation should have the right to decide on what rules will govern them. It does not make sense for one man to be in power and to continue to rule once he has passed. This argument probably appealed to me because it is what we know. We live in an age where we are free to govern ourselves, and we are not ruled by one particular family. I cannot imagine having the strict social ladder that existed during the time and all of the injustice that accompanied that social ladder. Paine goes on to argue that it does not make sense for one person to own a group of people and that the Revolution was necessary to change this mindset. He states, " a general Revolution in the principle and construction of the Governments is necessary."

Introduction

Hello! My name is Heather Manting and I am going to be a senior at Mercer this fall. I play on the Women's soccer team at Mercer and really enjoy it, but I am sad about it coming to an end. I am getting a double major in Math and Accounting with which I hope to go to grad school for Accounting and eventually become a CPA. I am mainly taking this course to meet a genEd requirement. It is my first online class, so I am both nervous and excited!