Poetry Explication Essay

872 words - 4 pages

Poetry Explication The second sonnet in Mark Jarman's group of sonnets entitled The Word "Answer" can be interpreted two different ways. Is there a "right" way from which to view this poem, or is the poet simply exercising his God given right to ambiguity? Sonnet 2, as I will refer to it, revolves around someone sitting in a bathtub when suddenly there is a knock at the door, which soon turns into ringing and pounding, and finally the sound of breaking glass. Throughout the poem the person bathing debates whether or not to answer the door. By poem's end, the reader knows no more about the outcome than before the book was opened. Yet the importance lies not in a climactic conclusion, but ...view middle of the document...

Then again, it could be God in the bathtub while we stand outside wondering, while we pray, if God hears us, or if He is even there; a legitimate fear we all experience at some time in our lives.The next few lines state that, "nobody's here to answer it but him. Perhaps they'll go away. But it's not easy, relaxing in the tub, reading the paper, with someone at the front door…" (Jarman 171). The question here is discovering who is the "him" being discussed. By saying, "nobody's here to answer it but him" gives sufficient evidence that the bather is not be God, otherwise "him" would be capitalized. Furthermore, the responsibility to respond, or answer God's knock lies solely on our shoulders. Truly, nobody else can answer it. Yet on the other hand, isn't it God who answers our prayers? Furthermore the importance of capitalizing "him" seems insignificant within the context of the entire poem. Again the reader is left with yet another ambiguity.The bather next hears, "ringing and pounding, and-that sounds like glass-breaking in. At least the bathroom door's securely bolted. Or is that any assurance in this case" (Jarman 171)? The last of the first twelve lines of Sonnet 2 represent one of two possibilities. The first...

Edgar Allen Poe's View Of Death In "The Fall Of The House Of Usher"

1836 words - 8 pages Edgar Allen Poe's Symbolism of Death in 'The Fall of the House of Usher'Death is defined as, 'The termination or extinction of something' (American Heritage Dictionary). Edgar Allen Poe uses this description in 'The Fall of the House of Usher' in different ways. Poe's intention when writing 'The Fall of the House of Usher' was not to present a moral, lesson, or truth to the reader; he was simply trying to bring forth a sense of terror to the

"Slaughterhouse Five" By Vonnegut Essay

2264 words - 10 pages When one begins to analyze a military novel it is important to first look at the historical context in which the book was written. On the nights of February 13-14 in 1944 the city of Dresden, Germany was subjected to one of the worst air attacks in the history of man. By the end of the bombing 135,000 to 250,000 people had been killed by the combined forces of the United States and the United Kingdom. Dresden was different then Berlin or many of

Psychoanalysis And Freud

2420 words - 10 pages Psychoanalysis is a system of psychology originated by the Viennese physician Sigmund FREUD in the 1890's and then further developed by himself, his students, and other followers. It consists of three kinds of related activities: (1) a method for research into the human mind, especially inner experiences such as thoughts, feelings, emotions, fantasies, and dreams; (2) a systematic accumulation of a body of knowledge about the mind; and (3) a

Comparative Essay. "Heart Of Darkness" By Joseph Conrad And William Golding's "Lord Of The Flies"

2729 words - 11 pages It can be said that a certain degree of darkness lies within every person, but this darkness will not surface unless given the correct environment. The darkness, however, can emerge and ultimately destroy the person if not checked by reason. If one's inner darkness does surface, the victim then is given the opportunity to reach a point in personal growth, and to gain a sense of self-knowledge from it. That is, when one's darkness appears, one

This Is An Essay On The Woman In The Odyssey And Their Influences On His Travels

993 words - 4 pages The Odyssey is an epic about a Greek warrior in the Trojan War whose wanderings around his known world and his perilous encounters are the basis of the story. Odysseus' absence from his home is prolonged by the influences of the women whom he encounters.In this epic, several female characters had a profound effect on the plot. They wielded their influence through typically feminine skills and attributes: seduction, supernatural powers

Title:Aggressive and Passive. Compare characters in the Handmaid's Tail between Hamlet. Offred is aggressive while Ophelia is passive

537 words - 3 pages Aggressive and PassiveAggressive and Passive are two inverse attitudes to things, events or life. They cause different results. Offred and Ophelia are two women who have contrary destinies because of their different attitudes.Offred is a powerless woman in "the Handmaid's Tale". She's a handmaid of a commander in Gilead. She has no freedom. She belongs to him as a property. Her only duty is to have sex with the commander and give birth to a baby

Black Boy vs Grapes of Wrath

444 words - 2 pages Even though the books of Black Boy and Grapes of Wrath gave a vivid picture of the past American life to the readers regarding the socio-economic bigotry. Both books are similar in focusing the social and economic discrimination in the family setting. On Grapes of Wrath the California prejudice against the immigrants. Prejudice was a strong word, which leaves a bitter taste in the mouth. It is the prejudice against the migrant workers by the

Leprosy ; includes what bacteria it is caused by, the orgin of the disease, how many people are affected by it in the united states and in alaska during 1999 and 2000, and more. 3 pages long

524 words - 3 pages Leprosy is very dangerous for your personal health. It can make you skin fall off. Leprosy slowly eats away at you body. It is deadly to all genders, all ages, all sizes and all races.Another name for leprosy is Hansen's Disease. Leprosy is caused by the organism mycobacterium leprae. The pathogen that carries it is bacteria. Throughout the years people have suspected that inhaling and touching the bacteria could spread leprosy.Symptoms of

Reality Vs. Appearance - Hamlet

978 words - 4 pages In the play "Hamlet," Shakespeare's characters are confronted with the timeless question: How can one determine what is actually true from what only seems to be true? Throughout the play, the theme of appearance versus reality is constant. This theme is played out from the beginning, with Claudius' attempt to conceal his secret intentions; Gertrude and Ophelia masking their own truths, and finally Hamlet, who assumes the role of a madman in order

My favorite place

320 words - 2 pages Among the places where I have traveled, I especially like Fort Lauderdale very much. It fills me with beautiful memories. It reminds me of the days when I lived in Vietnam where I was born, especially the coconut trees, the hot and humid weather are like Vietnam. Fort Lauderdale has almost all the tropical fruits like jack fruit, durian, and longan. All these fruits are not grown in California.I usually come to Fort Lauderdale for a vacation. I

Mockery And Superiority In Canzone: Supported By Areopagitica Examines John Milton's Use Of Mockery And Superiority In The Poem Canzone; Supported By Areopagitica

1210 words - 5 pages PAGE PAGE 4 Zimmer Rachel ZimmerProf. GraffMilton: ENGL 420June 10, 2002Mockery and Superiority in Canzone:Supported by AreopagiticaMockery, as well as a sense of pride and/or superiority comes out in many of Milton's works and he exemplifies this by writing in ways that seems to humble himself, charm the subject of the poem, and yet scoff at him/her at the same time as well as prove his high intellect. Milton's often-circular logic exemplifies

Explication On Adrienne Eberhard's “Distance” English Poetry Explication

1321 words - 6 pages Poetry Explication Adrienne Eberhard, “Distance” What is the space between this hut and that mountain but impenetrable black, and frosty cold. She is writing this at a table in the cabin, spinning thoughts like threads, as if they can hold her boys tighter, pull the mountain in, with their bold tents blooming like flowers in the snow. Can thoughts, or mad desire, shift the world slightly, tilt ranges so their faces lower to her own? Upthrust

Hope Is The Thing With Feathers Explication Literature Essay

1145 words - 5 pages Running head: “HOPE” EXPLICATION 1 Explication of “Hope” is the thing with feathers (314) by Emily Dickinson “HOPE” EXPLICATION 2 “Hope” is the thing with feathers - (314) By Emily Dickinson “HOPE” EXPLICATION 3 Explication of “Hope” is the thing with feathers by Emily Dickinson "’Hope’ is the thing with feathers (314),” written in 1862, is one of the best-known poems of Emily Dickinson. The poem portrays hope as a bird whose sweet song breathes

Plz Ive Won Essay

1024 words - 5 pages Poetry Explication- The Fountain Sara Teasdale's "The Fountain" is a 3rd person reflective narrative that presents to the reader, through personifying a voice-less object, a new perception of reality. The main conflict in the poem is rooted from the new insight that the reader acquires. This conflict is the human struggle to determine the difference between appearance and reality. Each line in the poem is either trimeter, tetrameter, or

Character In "The Yellow Wallpaper" By Charlotte Perkins Gilman

1587 words - 7 pages The short story 'The Yellow Wall-Paper' written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is a cry for freedom. This story is about a woman who fights for her right to express what she feels, and fights for her right to do what she wants to do. The narrator in this short story is a woman whose husband loves her very much, but oppresses her to the point where she cannot take it anymore. This story revolves around the main character, her oppressed life, and her