Title: She Walks in Beauty
Author: Lord Byron
Speaker: The poem is told from the perspective of someone who is in love with the woman that is being described. There are no hints that point towards the fact that both the characters know each other. Even more, specific phrases such as “nameless grace” or “tell of” give the impression that the person who loves the woman has never actually met her, but rather just admired her from afar. This admiration for the woman is the tone that is set throughout the entire piece and the speaker falls deeply into reverence of the mysterious woman, her beauty, and her pureness.
Structure: The poem is divided into three stanzas, each with six lines that are formatted in the same way. The lines have a pattern that goes: no indent, indent, no indent, and indent. I believe this pattern is set to give a rhythmic tone to the poem, and if taken very far it could even be argued that the author wants to imitate the rhythm of walking because of the title. The ideas of the piece are stipulated in a specific order, where the first stanza deals with her physical fairness and the power that this trait has. The second stanza touches upon the subject of perfection and how the smallest of changes would have ruined her image. It also deals with her pureness of the mind. The last stanza is corroboration to what has been said before, and the speaker draws a conclusion form all that has been described before: that her “love is innocent”.
Theme: The poem deals with love, and this is expressed through various examples. It highlights the fact that the woman is perfect not only in the physical aspect which is proved by the comparisons to magnificent nature, but also in the spiritual way which is stated by pointing towards a good heart, a pure mind, and a fair personality.
Figures of speech: Lord Byron used different literary devices throughout the text. In the first line, for example, there is a simile that compares the woman to the night and its beauty. This makes the image of beauty more objective because an example of what is beautiful to the writer gives other people the chance to measure this beauty with their own scales. The author also uses alliteration in phrases like “cloudless climes and starry skies” that put emphasis on what is being said. Personification is another device that is commonly used in this poem and this is the case because by giving static objects qualities of life scenes come to life and beauty is accented.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Symptoms of Love- Poem
Title: Symptoms of love
Author: Robert Graves
Speaker: The speaker of the poem is describing the effects of love on people, without any particular inclusion in the subject. The tone of the speaker is informative, yet the information is not told in an official manner but instead a tone that comes off as a little satirical and burlesque. The speaker gives the impression that although what he is narrating is true, it does not cease to be a ridiculous truth.
Structure: The piece has five stanzas, each made up of three lines. The stanzas have no preset structure, but all coincide in the fact that the last line is shorter than the rest and has a smaller syllable count. The poem has for sentences which are the four main ideas.
Theme: The poem discusses love, and the effect it has on people. Although there is truth, the truth seems to be ridiculed because the speaker appears to know that love is a feeling that puts even the most sensate of men and women to shame, and that it impairs the ability to reason skillfully. The poem also, at the end, touches on the subject of dignity, and how it is that we let one person make us stop reasoning and take a plunge.
Figures of speech: There are several literary devices and figures of speech in the piece. There is metaphor throughout, as love is being compared to things such as a headache, a blurry vision, the search for omens, and nightmares. There is also listing in the piece, which can be seen clearly when describing all the symptoms of love, and there is also sarcasm towards the end.
Symbolism: Most of the comparisons in the poem are symbolic. Love is, of course, not an actual headache or bad vision; it does not actually create omens or nightmares. These juxtapositions are used as symbols of the types of things people feel when they are in love. A headache is more like a plethora of problems and complications. The blurry vision refers to the decrease in reasoning and a more instinctive approach to matters of the heart. The search for omens and the nightmares refer to the hope of always hearing good news about relationships and the constant fears that things are not going so great. For the overall feel of the piece, symbolism is crucial and vital.
Author: Robert Graves
Speaker: The speaker of the poem is describing the effects of love on people, without any particular inclusion in the subject. The tone of the speaker is informative, yet the information is not told in an official manner but instead a tone that comes off as a little satirical and burlesque. The speaker gives the impression that although what he is narrating is true, it does not cease to be a ridiculous truth.
Structure: The piece has five stanzas, each made up of three lines. The stanzas have no preset structure, but all coincide in the fact that the last line is shorter than the rest and has a smaller syllable count. The poem has for sentences which are the four main ideas.
Theme: The poem discusses love, and the effect it has on people. Although there is truth, the truth seems to be ridiculed because the speaker appears to know that love is a feeling that puts even the most sensate of men and women to shame, and that it impairs the ability to reason skillfully. The poem also, at the end, touches on the subject of dignity, and how it is that we let one person make us stop reasoning and take a plunge.
Figures of speech: There are several literary devices and figures of speech in the piece. There is metaphor throughout, as love is being compared to things such as a headache, a blurry vision, the search for omens, and nightmares. There is also listing in the piece, which can be seen clearly when describing all the symptoms of love, and there is also sarcasm towards the end.
Symbolism: Most of the comparisons in the poem are symbolic. Love is, of course, not an actual headache or bad vision; it does not actually create omens or nightmares. These juxtapositions are used as symbols of the types of things people feel when they are in love. A headache is more like a plethora of problems and complications. The blurry vision refers to the decrease in reasoning and a more instinctive approach to matters of the heart. The search for omens and the nightmares refer to the hope of always hearing good news about relationships and the constant fears that things are not going so great. For the overall feel of the piece, symbolism is crucial and vital.
When You Are Old-Poem
Title: When You Are Old
Author: William Butler Yeats
Speaker: The poem is written by a man, and the man plans to include it in a book of poetry. This man is writing the poem to someone he loved who did not return this feeling. The tone of the piece is a mixture of nostalgia for the unrequited love and reprisal to the object of affection for being to vain to notice real love when it presented itself.
Structure: The poem is divided into 3 stanzas, each containing 4 lines, and each line containing 10 syllables. It is composed of two sentences, the first discussing the past that will be remembered by the reading if the poem and the second expressing the future of what will happen after the memories flood back.
Theme: The theme is not directly stated, but the reader can safely assume that the writer is talking to a person he once loved deeply. This person was beautiful and fair with a lot of suitors, and so embracing beauty and vanity looked not at the man that really loved her (the speaker of the poem) but to others who, when her age started to catch up with her, left her all alone. The theme is regret for not paying attention to real love when it happened.
Figures of speech: In the poem there is personification when her soul is described as a pilgrim soul and when the face is described as sorrowful), hyperbole when describing the consequences of age on the woman’s face, and metaphor in the last lines where love is said to go up to the mountains and disappear into the sky.
Symbolism: This poem does not have heavy symbolism, yet it has some important symbols. The face of the woman represents not only her face, but her entire persona. The face is used as a symbol for holistic beauty and fairness, while the soul is used as a symbol for personality, way of being, values, and feelings. Then, the night sky with stars serve as a symbol for the large amounts of people that, to her, are just there: people who have nothing to set one apart from another and to stand out.
Author: William Butler Yeats
Speaker: The poem is written by a man, and the man plans to include it in a book of poetry. This man is writing the poem to someone he loved who did not return this feeling. The tone of the piece is a mixture of nostalgia for the unrequited love and reprisal to the object of affection for being to vain to notice real love when it presented itself.
Structure: The poem is divided into 3 stanzas, each containing 4 lines, and each line containing 10 syllables. It is composed of two sentences, the first discussing the past that will be remembered by the reading if the poem and the second expressing the future of what will happen after the memories flood back.
Theme: The theme is not directly stated, but the reader can safely assume that the writer is talking to a person he once loved deeply. This person was beautiful and fair with a lot of suitors, and so embracing beauty and vanity looked not at the man that really loved her (the speaker of the poem) but to others who, when her age started to catch up with her, left her all alone. The theme is regret for not paying attention to real love when it happened.
Figures of speech: In the poem there is personification when her soul is described as a pilgrim soul and when the face is described as sorrowful), hyperbole when describing the consequences of age on the woman’s face, and metaphor in the last lines where love is said to go up to the mountains and disappear into the sky.
Symbolism: This poem does not have heavy symbolism, yet it has some important symbols. The face of the woman represents not only her face, but her entire persona. The face is used as a symbol for holistic beauty and fairness, while the soul is used as a symbol for personality, way of being, values, and feelings. Then, the night sky with stars serve as a symbol for the large amounts of people that, to her, are just there: people who have nothing to set one apart from another and to stand out.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
King Charles II-Essay
Says paragraph 1:
· The author talks about a prince who was abroad for a long time and who was then restored to the throne. This prince, says the text, did not sharpen his wits with these experiences.
· The author explains he has such a “shining” character it would be wrong to see past his honor and actually look at his faults and keep a record, or an “exact memory” of them.
· The author says that to honor him in his grave it is important to look past his vices, showing that those close to him have.
· To conclude, the author says that men cannot be so quick to judge when they themselves have so many vices as well.
Does paragraph 1:
· A subject is introduced along a description to let the reader know what will be discussed.
· Uncommon syntax with double negatives is employed to show a point that needs justification in order to confuse reader and throw him/her off.
· Pathos is evoked through appealing to the reader’s desire of legacy.
· Then logic is used in order to relate the topic of the subject to the reader and establish a connection
Says last paragraph:
· It is said that the position of Prince, despite looking majestic and comfortable, is a hard job and people will always be criticizing what a Prince does or does not do.
· Also, it is said that what men actually want the Prince to do is “corrupted nature” and what it allows.
· Then it is said that therefore it is appropriate to forgive the Prince for his mistakes and to cover up the bad things he did while in duty with praise rather than expose the mistakes.
· It is said that his ashes should “cover him” or more likely that his death and memory should be enough for people to stop the critiques that might not be false but are inappropriate.
Does last paragraph:
· A contrast between a preconception of something and the truth is presented to the reader.
· There is an accusation towards the audience as an attempt at justification
· A suggestion of what should be done and what should not be done is made in straightforward language.
· A figurative use of words takes place and imagery is used in the end to give some emotion and feeling to the piece.
· The author talks about a prince who was abroad for a long time and who was then restored to the throne. This prince, says the text, did not sharpen his wits with these experiences.
· The author explains he has such a “shining” character it would be wrong to see past his honor and actually look at his faults and keep a record, or an “exact memory” of them.
· The author says that to honor him in his grave it is important to look past his vices, showing that those close to him have.
· To conclude, the author says that men cannot be so quick to judge when they themselves have so many vices as well.
Does paragraph 1:
· A subject is introduced along a description to let the reader know what will be discussed.
· Uncommon syntax with double negatives is employed to show a point that needs justification in order to confuse reader and throw him/her off.
· Pathos is evoked through appealing to the reader’s desire of legacy.
· Then logic is used in order to relate the topic of the subject to the reader and establish a connection
Says last paragraph:
· It is said that the position of Prince, despite looking majestic and comfortable, is a hard job and people will always be criticizing what a Prince does or does not do.
· Also, it is said that what men actually want the Prince to do is “corrupted nature” and what it allows.
· Then it is said that therefore it is appropriate to forgive the Prince for his mistakes and to cover up the bad things he did while in duty with praise rather than expose the mistakes.
· It is said that his ashes should “cover him” or more likely that his death and memory should be enough for people to stop the critiques that might not be false but are inappropriate.
Does last paragraph:
· A contrast between a preconception of something and the truth is presented to the reader.
· There is an accusation towards the audience as an attempt at justification
· A suggestion of what should be done and what should not be done is made in straightforward language.
· A figurative use of words takes place and imagery is used in the end to give some emotion and feeling to the piece.
Mexico Killed In Drug Deal-Article
Paragraph 1 Says: The author reports that a recent drug-related crime spread from a fight between drug cartels to a massive shoot out that resulted in the death of everyone in Mexico.
Paragraph 1 Does: The author reports in an official like fashion and is concise. There is obvious hyperbole and it is emphasized through the formality of the tone.
Paragraph 2&3 Says: An explanation of the conflict is given by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration: two rival drug cartels began a shooting due to some problems and the problem quickly spread to the rest of Mexico. The headline, all of Mexico being dead, is then stated as the consequence of these events. The DEA is then cited in reports stating that the issue was started by a couple of Los Zetas cartel members who were on their way to avenge some issues with the Sinaloa cartel. When the shooting began both cartels started firing their weapons and approximately 357 million gunshots were fired, killing all Mexicans in the crossfire.
Paragraph 2&3 Does: The author uses real references in an attempt to give the article verisimilitude. The tone is serious and official and the language is precise and brief. Again, the absurdity jumps out at the reader and the piece is reveled to be obviously sarcastic through ridiculous facts and too detailed reports.
Image Says: The image shows Mexico filled in with red (representing blood) and adds some information about events at key geographical locations.
Image Does: The image presents a clear point and supports the previous statements, and while it has no tone it is also obvious that it is satire.
Paragraph 4 Says: The figures of what people were doing when they died are presented, and it is reported that most died while driving, biking, or walking; another part while watching the events; and yet some other (a large sum actually) while on their way to avenge their now dead parents.
Paragraph 4 Does: The author uses ordinary descriptions and by inserting them into absurd context makes the entire piece even more ironical.
Paragraph 5 Says: This part of the report explains how facts were gathered, which was through the eyes of tourists that survived the event and then were confronted with millions of dead Mexicans all over the country. Then the assassination of the President, which occurred while he was on the podium declaring a state of emergency in Mexico by some drug dealers who were passing by, is announced.
Paragraph 5 Does: Through imitation, the author uses language and tone writers use in news today all the time on the topic, and makes an extraordinary event seem casual. The result is satire and obvious sarcasm.
http://www.theonion.com/articles/mexico-killed-in-drug-deal,18109/
Paragraph 1 Does: The author reports in an official like fashion and is concise. There is obvious hyperbole and it is emphasized through the formality of the tone.
Paragraph 2&3 Says: An explanation of the conflict is given by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration: two rival drug cartels began a shooting due to some problems and the problem quickly spread to the rest of Mexico. The headline, all of Mexico being dead, is then stated as the consequence of these events. The DEA is then cited in reports stating that the issue was started by a couple of Los Zetas cartel members who were on their way to avenge some issues with the Sinaloa cartel. When the shooting began both cartels started firing their weapons and approximately 357 million gunshots were fired, killing all Mexicans in the crossfire.
Paragraph 2&3 Does: The author uses real references in an attempt to give the article verisimilitude. The tone is serious and official and the language is precise and brief. Again, the absurdity jumps out at the reader and the piece is reveled to be obviously sarcastic through ridiculous facts and too detailed reports.
Image Says: The image shows Mexico filled in with red (representing blood) and adds some information about events at key geographical locations.
Image Does: The image presents a clear point and supports the previous statements, and while it has no tone it is also obvious that it is satire.
Paragraph 4 Says: The figures of what people were doing when they died are presented, and it is reported that most died while driving, biking, or walking; another part while watching the events; and yet some other (a large sum actually) while on their way to avenge their now dead parents.
Paragraph 4 Does: The author uses ordinary descriptions and by inserting them into absurd context makes the entire piece even more ironical.
Paragraph 5 Says: This part of the report explains how facts were gathered, which was through the eyes of tourists that survived the event and then were confronted with millions of dead Mexicans all over the country. Then the assassination of the President, which occurred while he was on the podium declaring a state of emergency in Mexico by some drug dealers who were passing by, is announced.
Paragraph 5 Does: Through imitation, the author uses language and tone writers use in news today all the time on the topic, and makes an extraordinary event seem casual. The result is satire and obvious sarcasm.
http://www.theonion.com/articles/mexico-killed-in-drug-deal,18109/
The Perils of Indifference-Speech
Speaker: Elie Wiesel has authority on the topic of humanity and peace because of who he is. He is a survivor of the Holocaust, a writer, a poet, a political activist, and a Nobel peace prize laureate. By the time he delivered this speech (1999) he was already a well known authority in the field of peace and political action. In the speech, Wiesel defines himself as a trustworthy messenger through the use of his life experiences as examples for what he is trying to show. For example, he talks about indifference in reference to how people let him and his community be put in concentration camps despite already knowing about them.
Occasion: The speech is given on April 12, 1999 because of a series of lectures organized by the White House in commemoration of the millennium. Wiesel decided upon the specific topic, though, probably because exactly 54 years before he had been rescued from Auschwitz by American soldiers, and wanted to talk about what had caused such a horrible even as the Holocaust and what needed to be done to make sure it never happened again.
Audience: I believe that the author if the speech is directing it towards humanity in general. Of course, his real audience is a limited crowd of elite people, but the idea of his message applies to every single person. The reason I believe this is because he talks about wars and genocides all over the world, and about how people of every nation look upon them with broken hearts. This means that he is looking at a wider picture than just the people in the room with him or the people that had something to do with a specific event and rather at the entire world population.
Purpose: Wiesel’s purpose is to stop the indifference in the world which, according to his point of view, is the reason why so many mistakes have been made by mankind. He wants the audience to stop ignoring reality and start taking action to solve the problems that exist. His way of letting people know that being indifferent and not caring is dangerous is through speech: retelling his own experiences and trying to get them to have an effect on others.
Subject: The topic is human indifference. Wiesel talks about how humanity has lost its humanity because people have stopped caring about how others suffer and only wish live a good, comfortable life. The ideas are presented in a straight forward message, probably because the author wants to present a clear message and make sure as many people as possible understand what he is saying.
Tone: Wiesel uses a couple of tones as the speech progresses. When it starts out, the tone is sentimental and nostalgic. He is recounting painful experiences of his past and while he does that his tone serves to get the reader emotionally attached to the subject. Then, as he moves on to talking about how we can’t let anything like the Holocaust happen again, his tone shifts towards persuasive (in order to persuade listeners that what he is saying is true) and urgent.
http://www.famous-speeches-and-speech-topics.info/famous-speeches/elie-wiesel-speech-the-perils-of-indifference.htm
Occasion: The speech is given on April 12, 1999 because of a series of lectures organized by the White House in commemoration of the millennium. Wiesel decided upon the specific topic, though, probably because exactly 54 years before he had been rescued from Auschwitz by American soldiers, and wanted to talk about what had caused such a horrible even as the Holocaust and what needed to be done to make sure it never happened again.
Audience: I believe that the author if the speech is directing it towards humanity in general. Of course, his real audience is a limited crowd of elite people, but the idea of his message applies to every single person. The reason I believe this is because he talks about wars and genocides all over the world, and about how people of every nation look upon them with broken hearts. This means that he is looking at a wider picture than just the people in the room with him or the people that had something to do with a specific event and rather at the entire world population.
Purpose: Wiesel’s purpose is to stop the indifference in the world which, according to his point of view, is the reason why so many mistakes have been made by mankind. He wants the audience to stop ignoring reality and start taking action to solve the problems that exist. His way of letting people know that being indifferent and not caring is dangerous is through speech: retelling his own experiences and trying to get them to have an effect on others.
Subject: The topic is human indifference. Wiesel talks about how humanity has lost its humanity because people have stopped caring about how others suffer and only wish live a good, comfortable life. The ideas are presented in a straight forward message, probably because the author wants to present a clear message and make sure as many people as possible understand what he is saying.
Tone: Wiesel uses a couple of tones as the speech progresses. When it starts out, the tone is sentimental and nostalgic. He is recounting painful experiences of his past and while he does that his tone serves to get the reader emotionally attached to the subject. Then, as he moves on to talking about how we can’t let anything like the Holocaust happen again, his tone shifts towards persuasive (in order to persuade listeners that what he is saying is true) and urgent.
http://www.famous-speeches-and-speech-topics.info/famous-speeches/elie-wiesel-speech-the-perils-of-indifference.htm
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)