Glasgow Sonnet (I) by Edwin Morgan The poem ‘Glasgow Sonnets (1)’ by Edwin Morgan is about the residents of a derelict housing estate in Glasgow, in which he explores the universal social issue of isolation along with other themes such as poverty, neglect and urban decay. He structures the poem in Petrarchan sonnet form, using an octave to describe the exterior of the building and a sestet to describe the interior. The themes explored throughout the poem are unconventionally dark for a classical sonnet form and Morgan does this in order to contrast between stereotypical connotations of sonnets such as love and romance and the morbid themes conveyed here. The mood of the residents and their surroundings are conveyed through imagery and emotive
19 May 2011 Explication of Theodore Roethke’s “Root Cellar” A popular theme of a variety of art and media, life and death are often focused on individually. In the poem “Root Cellar,” Theodore Roethke creates a vivid depiction of life fighting for survival. To give a sense of the struggle life is facing, the poet uses a vocabulary that conveys a sense of unease and degradation. Perhaps drawing on his upbringing, Roethke shows a contrast of existence amidst backdrop of downtrodden cellar in the throes of decay, giving readers an insight into the intrinsic power of life’s resilient capabilities. The poem opens with heavy imagery to show the difficulty that one would expect life to have surviving in a root cellar.
The rosebush represents kindness and forgiveness to the prisoners who must face either a prison sentence or a death sentence. The iron door seems to represent all that is strict and unrelenting in Puritan society, while the rosebush may represent the concept of "grace" or forgiveness. In Christian thought, grace is "unmerited mercy," that is, forgiveness of sins even though forgiveness is undeserved. Since the prison is a place of darkness and sin, the beauty of a wild rose bush growing in such an unexpected place could be a symbol of grace. Hawthorne leaves it up to the reader to decide whether the rosebush had survived out of the stern wilderness or whether it had sprung up under the footsteps of the sainted Ann Hutchinson.
The speaker’s cigar box is hidden in a “cave-dark” closet, protected by the threat of the “hairy-man” and “putrid-colored” clothing. The details paint a scene familiar to that of a dragon-guarded castle. The epithet “hairy” creates a barbaric image which would discourage trespassers. The fantastical image which Clair paints with these details also amplifies the childish glee the narrator found in having a secret. The cherry bomb was the first thing anybody had given to the narrator and she found it so important that she protected it well.
In this poem, and most, there are examples of figurative language. When describing the snowman, the author writes, “the pale-faced figure with bitumen eyes” as a way to give the poem life and depth, as opposed to just saying the white snowman with coal eyes. We all know what a snowman looks like, but here the snowman is taking on more of a lifelike personality. By saying, “Returns him such a God–forsaken stare, as outcast Adam gave to paradise,” the author is giving this snowman a human-like personality. In the little boys mind, the snowman is begging the young boy to come in, like a puppy.
Use of Simile IV. Use of Visual Imagery V. Visual and Rhythmic Structure and use of alliteration VI. Conclusion A. Repeat thesis statement Thesis Statement Blake uses alliteration, visual imagery, simile, and symbolism in his poem, “The Chimney Sweeper” to illustrate his disgust in child labor conditions. William Blake was born in 1757 in London, England. He married Catherine Sophia Boucher in 1782 to whom he taught to read and write.
The conclusion of the poem with the antithetical juxtaposition of “cold” and “warm,” further intensifies the unnatural nature of Tom’s condition as a chimney sweep. The later version of “The Chimney Sweeper,” though still critical of the exploitation of children as chimney sweeps, is much shorter than its narrative counterpart. Though not a narrative, the later poem is entirely in first person, a characteristic that lends to a victim’s personal denunciation of his oppressor. The rhyme scheme in the later poem, though similar to that of the first, does not entirely lend to the innocence of the child sweepers. The rhyming end words such as “snow,” “woe,” “misery,” etc.
Explore the way writers use settings to present themes and ideas in the poems you have studied. In this essay I will be looking at the poems ‘London’ by William Blake and ‘A Vision’ by Simon Armitage. Both poets use a place for their setting, one an actual place; London, and the other based on a model for the future Huddersfield. Both poems are written in the first person, this helps the reader to visualise and understand the poet’s ideas and attitudes about the subject matter. Blake’s poem is set in 18th century London, where he writes about the things that he sees, hears and feels whilst out walking through the streets.
Allusion- The Ghoul-haunted ghostland of Weir: Line from Edgar Allan Poe's 1847 poem "Ulalume," in which the speaker of the poem is attempting to cope with the loss of his love. While looking out a window, Blanche speaks this line, indicating that she is still coping with the loss of Allen Grey. The point of allusion in a story is to better help us understand the character’s fantasies and thoughts. Symbolism- Blanche's white suit symbolizes false purity and innocence with which Blanche masks her carnal desire and cloaks her past. The point of symbolism in the play is to explain that a simple and small item or thing can represent a huge experience or thought in the characters life.
Sharon Olds organization in "On the Subway" uses incidents of anaphora, and asyndeton. Her use of anaphora gives her poem the repetition that it has to embody to have the meaning she is writing about a portrail. The meaning of the poem is the intensity of racial confrontation, and gender contrast. Olds use of asyndeton helps her writing seem more like someone who is in a scary situation from their point of view. The organization of these things helps to get the point of the poem