Savannah Gilman
Mrs. Jernigan
English IV AP Literature
February 28, 2011
Wordsworth’s poem follows the format of a traditional Italian sonnet. Though the narration is not that of a typical love poem with a story between a man and a woman, it instead recounts a man’s passion for nature. The poem consists of the rhyme scheme ABBA ABBA CDE CDE, and it is split into an octave and a sestet.
In the beginning section of the octave, where Wordsworth introduces the problem, he lays out his issues with humanity’s treatment of the world. He admonishes the actions that have greedily and wastefully been conducted against nature and for the essential betrayal against nature that occurred when gave “our hearts away, a sordid boon!” He personifies nature, giving her the role of a lover, but bemoans that her best qualities have been compromised or “gathered” by humankind, attributing this to the reason “we are out of tune.”
The sestet picks up with the transition where Wordsworth is aghast at the apathy of mankind. He claims that he himself would prefer to be stripped of religion, reduced to paganism, than suffer man’s fate of disregard for beauty. In order to not be cut off from nature, he would undergo anything, even if it would result in him experiencing the terrible, ancient forces of nature from the romantic Greek mythology.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Savannah Gilman
Mrs. Jernigan
English IV
February 23, 2011
“Death, be not proud” by John Donne
This sonnet follows the Italian/Petrarchan format for the beginning of the rhyme scheme with abba abba cddc, but then it has a twist with a couplet of ef at the finale. Though it deviates, it remains an Italian sonnet variation.
As with Italian sonnets, the first eight lines follow the theme of a presented conflict. The altercation that arises is between the speaker, an arrogant mortal man, and Death. The speaker claims dominance over death itself, renouncing the names of “mighty and dreadful” that others death have given it out of their fear. He boasts that while death may receive the best of men, he is invincible.
However, in the ninth line his tone and message shifts subtly, now referring to death more personally, which is ironic since to ‘know’ death better one must be dead themselves. He taunts death, calling it a slave that begs for crumbs, or souls, from sheer chance and shows that death is in no position of power. The speaker also mocks death because its effects can be experienced through numerous other means such as sleep, drugs, and charms.
In the final lines, he inserts a couplet that within itself does not rhyme. Its oddity emphasizes that death can only claim so many souls before its purpose runs out and it will essentially die as well.
Mrs. Jernigan
English IV
February 23, 2011
“Death, be not proud” by John Donne
This sonnet follows the Italian/Petrarchan format for the beginning of the rhyme scheme with abba abba cddc, but then it has a twist with a couplet of ef at the finale. Though it deviates, it remains an Italian sonnet variation.
As with Italian sonnets, the first eight lines follow the theme of a presented conflict. The altercation that arises is between the speaker, an arrogant mortal man, and Death. The speaker claims dominance over death itself, renouncing the names of “mighty and dreadful” that others death have given it out of their fear. He boasts that while death may receive the best of men, he is invincible.
However, in the ninth line his tone and message shifts subtly, now referring to death more personally, which is ironic since to ‘know’ death better one must be dead themselves. He taunts death, calling it a slave that begs for crumbs, or souls, from sheer chance and shows that death is in no position of power. The speaker also mocks death because its effects can be experienced through numerous other means such as sleep, drugs, and charms.
In the final lines, he inserts a couplet that within itself does not rhyme. Its oddity emphasizes that death can only claim so many souls before its purpose runs out and it will essentially die as well.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Poetry Response #3
The Cab Driver Who Ripped Me Off
In Cornelius Eady’s dramatic monologue the speaker is the cab driver that is telling his captive audience about his views and experiences with beggars. The piece is set in a relatively modern city in America. The speaker is a cab driver that once was a beggar himself and has contempt for them.
As the cab driver rants to his passenger, his actions and words reveal a significant amount about his character. His jargon is colloquial, uneducated, and vulgar which suggests his background and life revolve around street life. He takes his passenger the “round-a-bout” way, implying that he does not have any conscience issues with shortchanging someone and is therefore greedy. He uses strong language when speaking, showing the passion he has for the subject as well as the anger he harbors towards beggars. His consistent complaining shows his narrow-mindedness and bigotry on the subject. He is arrogant in that he believes he was exceptionally clever to escape poverty and despises all those beggars he deems too moronic and lazy to make anything of themselves.
His calloused outlook on life is ironic paired with his final remark that someone should do something about the problems and his disillusionment that he “don’t hold nothin’ against no one”.
In Cornelius Eady’s dramatic monologue the speaker is the cab driver that is telling his captive audience about his views and experiences with beggars. The piece is set in a relatively modern city in America. The speaker is a cab driver that once was a beggar himself and has contempt for them.
As the cab driver rants to his passenger, his actions and words reveal a significant amount about his character. His jargon is colloquial, uneducated, and vulgar which suggests his background and life revolve around street life. He takes his passenger the “round-a-bout” way, implying that he does not have any conscience issues with shortchanging someone and is therefore greedy. He uses strong language when speaking, showing the passion he has for the subject as well as the anger he harbors towards beggars. His consistent complaining shows his narrow-mindedness and bigotry on the subject. He is arrogant in that he believes he was exceptionally clever to escape poverty and despises all those beggars he deems too moronic and lazy to make anything of themselves.
His calloused outlook on life is ironic paired with his final remark that someone should do something about the problems and his disillusionment that he “don’t hold nothin’ against no one”.
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