Acquainted with the Night
Robert Frost
The language used in this poem is all rather dark. The idea of night obviously depicts darkness, but the idea of isolation also lends itself to the darker tone of the poem. The speaker has "outwalked the furthest city light" (976); this lends itself to the isolation of the speaker. He has separated himself from the rest of the world, as shown by the previous quote. However, other isolate him as well. The voices not calling to him demonstrate that other people isolate the speaker as well. When I first read the poem, I thought the speaker solitude was also in reference to maybe a depression. Furthermore, the darker tone and images caused me to believe this as well. The only sense of light is the clock. However, this is not really bright because it is neither right or wrong, which lend to it not really being light, but not really being dark.
Thursday, March 28, 2013
leaning against the sun
I taste a liquor never brewed
Emily Dickinson
The speaker uses imagery to describe her drunk state. However, she is not physically drunk. The reader is aware that this is not literal, because the "liquor (was) never brewed"(797). Instead, the speaker is drunk on nature or her surroundings. Terms such as liquor, Tankards, Vats, and Alcohol are used to place emphasis on the drunk state of mind of the speaker. Images of the air, dew, and the Molten Blue emphasize that the speaker is drunk on nature. An extended metaphor is used in the poem to display this as well. At the end, the poem mentions Seraphs and Saints watching the speaker walk in this state. They approve of this nature, or at least they do not judge her for it. For this reason, I thought that they did not judge her because the Saints and Seraphs are likely drunk on the nature in heaven. Either this, or the speaker will continue this state until she dies.
Emily Dickinson
The speaker uses imagery to describe her drunk state. However, she is not physically drunk. The reader is aware that this is not literal, because the "liquor (was) never brewed"(797). Instead, the speaker is drunk on nature or her surroundings. Terms such as liquor, Tankards, Vats, and Alcohol are used to place emphasis on the drunk state of mind of the speaker. Images of the air, dew, and the Molten Blue emphasize that the speaker is drunk on nature. An extended metaphor is used in the poem to display this as well. At the end, the poem mentions Seraphs and Saints watching the speaker walk in this state. They approve of this nature, or at least they do not judge her for it. For this reason, I thought that they did not judge her because the Saints and Seraphs are likely drunk on the nature in heaven. Either this, or the speaker will continue this state until she dies.
Imprison me that I shall be free
Batter my heart, three-personed God
John Donne
In John Donne's poem, irony is present in what the speaker is saying to God. He tells God that he loves him, yet he is betrothed to the devil. The speaker asks God to imprison him, so that he may be free. However, this guy isn't doing anything on his part; he's just hoping God will save him. When determining the meaning of the poem, I discovered that in the first four lines the speaker is calling upon God to fix him. God should mend him and "make him new." In the last six lines, the speaker reinforces this idea that God must interfere in order to bring the speaker to him. In connection with faith, the speaker has turned away from God and is looking for the way back. However, the speaker is saying that if he tries to come back the devil will win, and he will go back to the dark side. "Take me to you, imprison me, for I, except you enthrall me, never shall be free, nor ever chaste, except you ravish me"(840). He's telling God to lock him away from the rest of the world, so that he can be free to live out God's will.
John Donne
In John Donne's poem, irony is present in what the speaker is saying to God. He tells God that he loves him, yet he is betrothed to the devil. The speaker asks God to imprison him, so that he may be free. However, this guy isn't doing anything on his part; he's just hoping God will save him. When determining the meaning of the poem, I discovered that in the first four lines the speaker is calling upon God to fix him. God should mend him and "make him new." In the last six lines, the speaker reinforces this idea that God must interfere in order to bring the speaker to him. In connection with faith, the speaker has turned away from God and is looking for the way back. However, the speaker is saying that if he tries to come back the devil will win, and he will go back to the dark side. "Take me to you, imprison me, for I, except you enthrall me, never shall be free, nor ever chaste, except you ravish me"(840). He's telling God to lock him away from the rest of the world, so that he can be free to live out God's will.
Your love to me is like laundry...
Sorting Laundry
Elisavietta Ritchie
The poems within this unit seem to have this common technique of an extended metaphor. In this poem, sorting laundry is a metaphor for the speaker's relationship with her lover. The many images throughout the poem depict a healthy relationship between the two. For example, the image of the pockets containing random little treasures show that the relationship between the couple grows as they discover more about each other. The image of the wrinkles represent the flaws of the relationship. However, these flaws are worked out or able to be ignores showing the healthy relationship. Then a major shift in tone occurs at line 42, when she fins "the strangely tailored shirt left by a former lover"(842). The idea of another lover brings about the thought of what life would be like without her lover. The "mountain of unsorted wash could not fill the empty side of the bed" shows that her life would be emptier without her lover. This also displays the speakers stance that she would not be the same or enjoy their relationship ending.
Elisavietta Ritchie
The poems within this unit seem to have this common technique of an extended metaphor. In this poem, sorting laundry is a metaphor for the speaker's relationship with her lover. The many images throughout the poem depict a healthy relationship between the two. For example, the image of the pockets containing random little treasures show that the relationship between the couple grows as they discover more about each other. The image of the wrinkles represent the flaws of the relationship. However, these flaws are worked out or able to be ignores showing the healthy relationship. Then a major shift in tone occurs at line 42, when she fins "the strangely tailored shirt left by a former lover"(842). The idea of another lover brings about the thought of what life would be like without her lover. The "mountain of unsorted wash could not fill the empty side of the bed" shows that her life would be emptier without her lover. This also displays the speakers stance that she would not be the same or enjoy their relationship ending.
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