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.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Sunday, June 22, 2008
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.
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.
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.
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.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
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.
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.
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.
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.
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