Poetry essays

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I picked the poems “Because I Could not Stop for Death” by Emily Dickinson and “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe. Both these poems were narrative confessional. The subject matter chosen by both these poems to discuss was similar, but their perspective towards the idea differs significantly. In ‘Because I could not Stop for Death’, the speaker describes death as her fiance` and she can’t resist herself for the day of her wedding. It seems the speaker is waiting excitedly...
2 Pages 1041 Words
Robert Frost was one of America's rare public literary figures' born on March 26, 1874. Frost was the only poet to receive four Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry. In 1960, President John F. Kennedy presented Frost with the United States Congressional Gold Medal in appreciation of his poetry, which he received in March 1962. Frost’s 'The Road Not Taken,' presented many uses of poetic devices such as imagery, sound devices, and figurative language. I believe The Road Not Taken describes a...
1 Page 440 Words
Confessional poetry was considered bold and daring from the late 1950s to the 1980s as it was a break from the more modernist forms of poetry at this time. Confessional poetry is a form of self-revelation in a lot of cases and is extremely personal. (Beach, 154) Anne Sexton is one of the most known poets to use this form, and is considered to be the ‘mother of confessionalism’. Born in 1928 in Massachusetts to a family that was considered...
2 Pages 893 Words
Edgar Allen Poe and Emily Dickinson both convey a similar theme of loneliness, through their poems Alone and The Loneliness One Dare not Sound. Specific poetic techniques such as imagery, metaphors, personification, and the tone of the poems are used to explain to the reader the sadness and isolation a person feels when they don’t believe they fit into society. Throughout both Poe and Dickinson’s poems imagery, metaphors, and personification are used to confront readers with the feelings and emotions...
2 Pages 762 Words
The speaker in Robert Frost's 'The Road Not Taken' offers the reader insight into human nature with every line of poetry. While, Frost had not in the beginning meant for this to be an inspirational poem, line by line, the speaker is encouraging each reader to seek out his or her private path in the trip of life. Romanticizing the rural woods of New England creates the best setting for the theme of self-discovery laid out and described by the...
1 Page 636 Words
Being considered one of the most recognizable poets within American poetry Robert Frost offers the rhetorical question in his work “The Road Not Taken” (Poets.org). If I were asked about what the poem is about, I would reply in several words it is about life, choice, and regret. Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” speaks both about the inevitability of choices in our lives and their consequences, which are most typically revealed in regret and justifications as a way of...
2 Pages 779 Words
In section 24 of Walt Whitman’s poem ‘Song of Myself’, Whitman announces himself as the speaker of the poem. This is the first time that he announces himself as the author and speaker in the poem and it is 24 sections in. Whitman calls himself a ‘kosmos’, meaning that he is very knowledgeable, especially about things that most people are not. He makes it seem as if he is capable of knowing everything and represents everyone in the world. He...
2 Pages 681 Words
The poem ‘I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud’ by romantic poet William Wordsworth, is in the form of lyric poetry and was first published in 1807. The poem describes a memorable day that the poet had and details how recalling that day brings him joy, even when he thinks of it at a later date. This essay will perform a close reading of the poem, focusing on voice, form, and imagery, as well as a stanza-by-stanza analysis. It will also...
2 Pages 978 Words
In ancient Greek myth, heroes were humans, male or female, of the distant past, gifted with superhuman abilities and descended from the immortal gods themselves. What defines the heroic life itself is the fact that humans are mortal. The certainty that one day you will die is what makes us human, distinct from animals who are unaware of their future death and from gods who do not die. In this essay what makes a hero and the qualities one possesses...
2 Pages 938 Words
The first poem of Neruda’s that illustrates loss through masterful use of imagery, symbolism, metaphor, and allusion is “Sonnet 17.” The poem adopts the form of a Petrarchan sonnet, which often follows an “abb abba” rhyme scheme, this type of verse usually presents a problem within the first eight lines, using the remaining six lines to offer a resolution. In the translated version of Sonnet 17, there are no instances of rhyming, the translated version also doesn’t have the same...
2 Pages 699 Words
Throughout history, women have fought for equality in areas such as politics, religion, careers... Specifically, women fight to be treated with respect and equality in criminal justice and law enforcement careers. The poem ‘I'm ‘Wife’ - I've Finished That’ by Emily Dickinson is analyzed using feminist criticism. Feminist criticism is a type of literary criticism which may study and encourage for the women right. The poem is about women’s roles and how society looks at them in reality. “I'm 'wife'—I've...
3 Pages 1347 Words
Introduction "Acquainted with the Night" is a renowned poem by Robert Frost, published in his collection "West-Running Brook" in 1928. With its evocative imagery and introspective tone, the poem invites readers to delve into the depths of human loneliness and despair. This literary criticism essay will analyze the key elements of "Acquainted with the Night," including its themes, imagery, and poetic devices, to understand the profound impact and enduring significance of this haunting poem. Themes of Isolation and Despair One...
1 Page 580 Words
Introduction Li Young Lee is a renowned poet and writer whose works delve into themes of identity, memory, love, and family. This critical analysis essay examines the depth and complexity of Lee's stories, exploring the literary techniques, symbolism, and themes that define his narrative style. By delving into the intricacies of Lee's storytelling, we gain insight into the profound emotional resonance and universal human experiences present in his work. Symbolism and Imagery: Unveiling the Layers of Meaning Lee's stories are...
1 Page 557 Words
He basically opposes hell in this poem in a way where he’s explaining the common challenges that the black community faces with themselves. Always looking down on their own figures and those around them, as well as blaming white individuals for their failures when pointing fingers at them shouldn’t be their way of overcoming this challenge. By preventing failure aka “opposing hell”, he explains the alternative way of moving forward other than pointing fingers which are to face your individual...
1 Page 424 Words
An attempt to bring to light the cruel condition to which black slaves are destined in the plantations in the United States of America, Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s 1847 socio-political poem “The Runaway Slave of Pilgrim Point”, draws on the parallelism between black and white as a metaphor for the different conditions for the black and the white man. This essay will explore both the figures of speech and the meter used by the author to convey her message, but particularly...
3 Pages 1271 Words
No Second Troy is a poem by William Butler Yeats, and it is one of his most celebrated works. The poem is a typical lyric, and it expresses the feelings of a poet who is in a state of misery and pain. Overall, the poem centers on a single issue of his disappointment, pain, and agony. 'Her' in the poem indicates that the poet is addressing the woman he loves in his past days. Most of the sentences in the...
2 Pages 1030 Words
Life is Fine is considered to be Langston Hughes's most famous work. Written in 1949, Hughes tells the story of a man who remains optimistic even in the face of despair. This man is clearly depressed and contemplates suicide but is still able to see the beauty in life and completely turns around his point of view on life. This is the reason for the name of this poem ‘Life is Fine’, with fine being the operative word. The man...
3 Pages 1203 Words
'In oak terrace' tells the routine life of an isolated elderly woman whilst bringing sympathy to her situation from the reader and making them reflect. The poem begins with the blunt statement 'Old and alone' which perfectly introduces the protagonist. Clearly, it is evident that this woman is isolated and at the age where death awaits her, and this is only required by three words. This fronting introduces simplicity into both the poem and her life as she does not...
2 Pages 918 Words
In the poem “Let America Be America Again,” Langston Hughes, brings attention to inequality by making the Great Depression the main subject. Hughes begins the poem by using repetition throughout his poem: “Never was America to me” which places emphasis on how America is not the “America” it claims to be. The speaker seems to be pointing out the failure of the country to able to live up to the principles it was founded upon. Moreover, the speaker goes on...
1 Page 436 Words
In life, taking the known route does not necessarily have the most beneficial ending- this is partially due to the fact that the unknown road provides options for personal growth and new experiences. This idea is conveyed throughout ​The Road not Taken​ and is specially reinforced in the last stanza. ​The Road Not Taken​ was written by Robert Frost in 1915. This poem functions as an extended metaphor about someone who is faced with a simple yet significant decision. The...
2 Pages 965 Words
O Captain! My captain is a poem composed by the American poet Walt Whitman who is called the bird of democracy. Most of his works reflect his ideas about women's rights, immigration laws, and labor issues. This poem in particular is an elegy written after the death of former American president Abraham Lincoln. Walt Whitman's "O Captain! My Captain!" stands as a testament to the profound impact that poetry can have in capturing the collective emotions and mourning the loss...
1 Page 662 Words
In Plath’s poems “Contusion’ and “Edge” there is a central theme and image of death that is liberating and perfect. These themes and images are constant throughout many of Plath’s poetry, but in these two particular poems, the idea of death is more forthcoming. “Edge” the last poem that Plath wrote before she ended her life is also another reason why the poem seems so forthcoming. The poem could also be seen as Plath’s last words to the world before...
2 Pages 880 Words
William Shakespeare`s ‘Sonnet 130’ is an unusual sonnet since it contravenes the concept of female beauty and, instead, provides alternative perspectives concerning beauty and love. Written probably keeping his lover or mistress in mind, Shakespeare compares her physical features and mannerisms with the unlikeliest of natural objects. It stands apart from other sonnets because it breaks the poetry conventions that were in practice at that time. During Elizabethan Era, all poets, including Shakespeare himself, positively portrayed female beauty and elevated...
2 Pages 827 Words
The poems 'The Second Coming' by William Butler Yeats and 'In a Station of the Metro' by Ezra Pound have a strong sense of fragmentation and despair in them. Fragmentation is one of the major features of modern poetry. Modern poets use fragmented images in their poems to give us the sense of fragmentation. Despair is another common feature of modern poetry. This essay will be focusing on how both the poems portray the qualities of fragmentation and despair, why...
2 Pages 764 Words
Poetry Foundation presents William Shakespeare’s famous poem, Sonnet 130, titled “My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun.” According to Spacey, the poem talks of a mistress who does not conform to the conventional standards of beauty. Shakespeare compares the mistress with the beautiful things of life, but he finds none that perfectly fits the mistress. In this regard, Shakespeare challenges traditional beliefs and offers a new perspective on what it means to love a woman. Also, he argues that...
2 Pages 915 Words
Romantic or platonic, lifelong or fleeting, love surrounds and shapes our meaningful relationships every day, teaching us lessons, presenting us with new experiences, and changing our lives forever. Good morning, I am Maddison Clark and today, as my role as literary expert, I will be analyzing how the theme of love, within two poems from different time periods, differ and compare. Love is an important and common theme addressed within poetry, as audiences, no matter age or era, are able...
4 Pages 1632 Words
Summary of Sonnet 116 This is a true Shakespearean sonnet, also referred to as an Elizabethan or English sonnet. This type of sonnet contains fourteen lines, which are separated into three quatrains (four lines) and end with a rhyming couplet (two lines). The rhyme scheme of this sonnet is abab cdcd efef gg. Like most of Shakespeare’s works, this sonnet is written in iambic pentameter, which means each line consists of ten syllables, and within those ten syllables, there are...
2 Pages 1149 Words
When you hear the name Shakespeare what do you think of? Do you think he was overrated or do you think he was a great established writer? At first, I thought he was overrated and didn’t want to study him and his work. Only after studying have I realized that he is very important to our history. Even though he passed away over 400 years ago we are still studying him but why? Shakespeare is a mastermind who has helped...
1 Page 575 Words
The use of supernatural machinery is a prominent feature of many epics. Supernatural machinery is a must for an epic and Iliad is not devoid of this. Homer has used the Olympian gods and goddesses who take part in the poem separated into two parts. The most powerful gods and goddesses are equally balanced in the two groups such as Aphrodite and Apollo in support of the Trojans and Hera, Athena, and Hephaestus in support of the Achaeans. In the...
1 Page 656 Words
In this poem, Yeats talks about the Irish war of Independence. Basically, this poem is created around the idea of Irish nationalism and revolution. In 1916 Irish had a great war against Great Britain. But in this war, they were not able to get their freedom and they lost a lot of their heroes. But this movement, the sacrifice of their martyrs gives the strength and the consciousness of nationalism. All Irish hearts have only one purpose. They want the...
1 Page 370 Words
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