"Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night"
Thursday, October 6, 2011
"Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night" -Thomas
"And you, my father, there on the sad height, curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray. Do not go gentle into that good night." (Lines 16-18)
I was a bit confused by this poem. I got two different messages from it. First, I believed the last sentence of this quote, repeated throughout the work, to mean that we should "go out with a bang" when we die. That, of course, reminded me of Amy Winehouse. The other message I found was at the very end, in this quote. I saw it as a son telling his sick/dying father to keep fighting and try to hold off death as long as possible. THAT made me think of Sean Connery in League of Extraordinary Gentlemen when he says, "Old tigers are most fierce when they sense their end." To me, this second meaning is more probable and effective, because saying "Give it your all!" is a more persuasive encouragement when the person being told is on their deathbed. Anyways, right or not, I think the messages I infered are very good ones: go big or go home, and don't give up.
I was a bit confused by this poem. I got two different messages from it. First, I believed the last sentence of this quote, repeated throughout the work, to mean that we should "go out with a bang" when we die. That, of course, reminded me of Amy Winehouse. The other message I found was at the very end, in this quote. I saw it as a son telling his sick/dying father to keep fighting and try to hold off death as long as possible. THAT made me think of Sean Connery in League of Extraordinary Gentlemen when he says, "Old tigers are most fierce when they sense their end." To me, this second meaning is more probable and effective, because saying "Give it your all!" is a more persuasive encouragement when the person being told is on their deathbed. Anyways, right or not, I think the messages I infered are very good ones: go big or go home, and don't give up.
"Death, be not proud" -Donne
"Death, be not proud, though some have called thee migthy and dreadful, for thou art not so;" (Lines 1-2)
I really liked this poem. I thought it was less like a piece of literature and more like a pep-talk, which I found kind of funny. It seemed like a person who was "talking down" death who actually believes what they're saying. But I also envisioned a sick or scared person who was trying to convince himself that death wasn't a big deal or is not as scary as people say. Either way, it was refreshing to read someone taking an opposing view against death: rather than talking about how frightening it is, the speaker is proving that death is not such a mighty force that we associate it with. The most-used literary tool here was personification. The author uses it here to describe death as if it were a bully- or that's how I perceived it- something big and mean with a scary reputation. Anyways, I thought the message was just to stand up to fears because they're not really that bad up-close.
I really liked this poem. I thought it was less like a piece of literature and more like a pep-talk, which I found kind of funny. It seemed like a person who was "talking down" death who actually believes what they're saying. But I also envisioned a sick or scared person who was trying to convince himself that death wasn't a big deal or is not as scary as people say. Either way, it was refreshing to read someone taking an opposing view against death: rather than talking about how frightening it is, the speaker is proving that death is not such a mighty force that we associate it with. The most-used literary tool here was personification. The author uses it here to describe death as if it were a bully- or that's how I perceived it- something big and mean with a scary reputation. Anyways, I thought the message was just to stand up to fears because they're not really that bad up-close.
"Delight in Disorder" -Herrick
"Do more bewitch me than when art is too precise in every part." (Lines 13-14)
I thought this poem was pretty straightforward and simple. As a main literary element, paradoxes were used here and there in this poem. First, the title itself, "Delight in Disorder," is a paradox: normally people like things to be regular and organized. But this speaker makes it clear that he enjoys things much more when they are in complete disarray. Another example of paradox is in Line 12, "I see a wild civility." I'm not really sure what the unlikely comparison of wild and civility accomplishes, or what effect it has on the reader, but I noticed it. I also didn't understand really the point of the poem. I thought the main idea was just that things in disorder can be just as beautiful-if not moreso- than organization, but I don't see that as having a great impact on the audience. If the point was to show that the speaker is a bit abnormal or different than others in his particular views here, then I understood it. If not, I'm not. Perhaps this is to show that the author accepts people for who they are, not who society and "order" tell them they have to be like- imperfection is attractive- but then again, it could simply prove the speaker is an oddball.
I thought this poem was pretty straightforward and simple. As a main literary element, paradoxes were used here and there in this poem. First, the title itself, "Delight in Disorder," is a paradox: normally people like things to be regular and organized. But this speaker makes it clear that he enjoys things much more when they are in complete disarray. Another example of paradox is in Line 12, "I see a wild civility." I'm not really sure what the unlikely comparison of wild and civility accomplishes, or what effect it has on the reader, but I noticed it. I also didn't understand really the point of the poem. I thought the main idea was just that things in disorder can be just as beautiful-if not moreso- than organization, but I don't see that as having a great impact on the audience. If the point was to show that the speaker is a bit abnormal or different than others in his particular views here, then I understood it. If not, I'm not. Perhaps this is to show that the author accepts people for who they are, not who society and "order" tell them they have to be like- imperfection is attractive- but then again, it could simply prove the speaker is an oddball.
"Lonely Hearts" -Cope
"Do you live in North London? Is it you?" (Line 3)
I think this poem is my favorite. Besides the use of repetition of this quote, I found a strong sense of satire in this poem. First of all, the poem's talking about "lonely hearts," which pretty much says it all. The focus is entries of an online dating website. I think as the poem progresses, the entries get more...pathetic? or desperate. To me, I envisioned people sitting crouched over computers in little dark rooms, writing that they like long walks on the beach. Needless to say, I found this poem pretty funny. I think the poem is satirical because it's mocking how open-perhaps too open- people are online with their personal information. Or, it's plainly mocking people who are desperately looking for someone online, and not in the "real worlds." Either way, I'm pretty sure the author meant to criticize online dating in general.
I think this poem is my favorite. Besides the use of repetition of this quote, I found a strong sense of satire in this poem. First of all, the poem's talking about "lonely hearts," which pretty much says it all. The focus is entries of an online dating website. I think as the poem progresses, the entries get more...pathetic? or desperate. To me, I envisioned people sitting crouched over computers in little dark rooms, writing that they like long walks on the beach. Needless to say, I found this poem pretty funny. I think the poem is satirical because it's mocking how open-perhaps too open- people are online with their personal information. Or, it's plainly mocking people who are desperately looking for someone online, and not in the "real worlds." Either way, I'm pretty sure the author meant to criticize online dating in general.
"Edward" -Anonymous
"'O I have killed my father dear, Mother, Mother," (Lines 21-22)
Ok, I have to say I didn't understand this poem at all. Basically, repetition was the most reoccuring literary device used in this poem. The speaker keeps saying, "I have killed my..." I'm thinking the author is anonymous because the poem's just talking about killing things. I'm not sure whether it's literal or figurative, but if it's figurative I don't understand what it't symbolizing. Anyways, the thing that I think I mostly understand is the last line: "'the curse of hell from me shall ye bear, such counselsyou gave to me,O.'" I just interpreted this to mean that the son will go to hell once he dies/feel extreme guilt because that's what he put his mother through, emotionally, during his life. And to emphasize the "hell" the mother's been through, the author uses repetition throughout. One more thing: is Edward an allusion to a historical figure, or could he be a vampire from Twilight? I have no idea.
Ok, I have to say I didn't understand this poem at all. Basically, repetition was the most reoccuring literary device used in this poem. The speaker keeps saying, "I have killed my..." I'm thinking the author is anonymous because the poem's just talking about killing things. I'm not sure whether it's literal or figurative, but if it's figurative I don't understand what it't symbolizing. Anyways, the thing that I think I mostly understand is the last line: "'the curse of hell from me shall ye bear, such counselsyou gave to me,O.'" I just interpreted this to mean that the son will go to hell once he dies/feel extreme guilt because that's what he put his mother through, emotionally, during his life. And to emphasize the "hell" the mother's been through, the author uses repetition throughout. One more thing: is Edward an allusion to a historical figure, or could he be a vampire from Twilight? I have no idea.
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