How has T. S. Eliot utilised specific elements of his form to engage varying audiences intellectually and emotionally? T.S. Eliot’s ‘Preludes’ and ‘The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock’ explore the self-consciousness caused by the intense pessimism of a toxic urban world, which leads to passivity and a lack of agency. Eliot uses varying elements of the form of poetry to present the major concepts of his modernist context, the conflict between the individual and society, disempowerment and time and the ritualistic nature of life, which also allow him to intellectually and emotionally engage a present day audience. Eliot portrays life as tarnished through urban decay, which is typical of the modernist era.
This is also ironic, as humans themselves are a part of the earth and nature, yet are destroying it for their own ends. The imagery of the dump is used to symbolize the dystopic wasteland that society is approaching, a consumer society consuming itself. The confronting revelations of the persona’s experience compels the reader, as a vision of hell is established, as “attendants in overalls and goggles” and “laborers” allude to “devils” and “demons”. These “figures” of our future are portrayed in a pathetic fashion, as they “poke” around, and “wander in despondence”, looking for “scraps of appetite”, in order to fuel their humanity. The people who fork through the trash symbolize that we may, one day pick at the remnants of our long lost culture, 'with an eternity in which to turn up some peculiar sensation'.
‘Marks of weakness, marks of woe’ Blake uses marks as an abstract noun to describe the sadness of the people that he meets and also as a concrete noun to describe the physical cuts and scars. This is also commented on in Jon Crook’s critical reading of London where he states that the word shifts from a verb to a noun and that by making marks Blake discovers worlds, in London he has discovered a world of misery marked in the faces that he passes. The second stanza has a semantic field of sadness and pain, the repetition of ‘in every’ is an effective way to show that this sadness is affecting everyone in the city of London at the time. It shows the emotion in ‘cry of every man’ and ‘infants cry of fear’ that they are all going through the same pain. It also symbolises the lack of freedom when he says ‘in every ban.’ The last line in the second stanza is ambiguous ‘The mind-forg’d manacles I hear’ is a metaphorical phrase that reinforces the feeling of being trapped in London, the word manacles has connotations of slavery and that the people of London are enslaving themselves.
In the chapter called 'Across the Causeway', the writer creates tension by using an isolated burial ground, which makes the reader focus on the sense of isolation. The fact that Arthur Kipps is in an unknown, mysterious place accentuates tension, because the word "burial" makes us think about death and loneliness which creates apprehension and tension in the reader's mind. Also, the word "isolated" suggests that you're alone and this creates tension because it implies a feeling of discomfort and insecurity. Furthermore, the burial ground is described as "decayed", and this makes me think about a abandoned decomposing corpse, and this fact means that this place is not visited often and that it is in a state of total ruin. This idea is supported by the fact that this burial ground is "enclosed by the remains of walls".
Sang Hee Gina Park Writing 30 Prof. Lena Firestone Midterm Root Cellar The poem, “Root Cellar,” written by the poet Theodore Roethke describes the unfavorable condition of root cellar, and how the living organisms are affected from it. Throughout the poem, the author portrays the negative outlook and perspective of the ‘stinking’ cellar. He writes strongly and pessimistically that not a single organism would be able to sleep, or even live due to the molded surroundings. The description of the cellar setting is vividly and thoroughly written as it symbolizes the reality of human life. Regardless of the filthy tone that introduces the unfortunate and evil atmosphere, Roethke manages to convey that the organisms in the extenuating circumstances have become successful as they overcome the difficulties, challenge themselves to
Emily and the house began to decay together as though when one started to fall apart the other did as well, she began looking “…bloated, like a body long submerged in motionless water, and of that pallid hue. Her eyes, lost in the fatty ridges of her face, looked like two small pieces of coal pressed into a lump of dough…” (p.426) the way Faulkner ties Setting and Character together distinguishes the importance of isolation, and how the geographical area in which Emily is stationed illuminates this within her and her appearance. Authors Sinclair Ross and William Faulkner portrayed that isolation is a deadly force and can be shown throughout multiple literary terms, motifs, setting
Both “The Prelude” by William Wordsworth and “London” By William Blake” convey strong ideas and feelings about a place. Blake’s poem is most subjective about the city, contrary to the title. The reader would think that the title “London” is objective and unbiased; however Blake’s condemnation of the city is apparent from the start of the poem. On a simple level, the poem is a description of the misery Blake sees as he “wanders” around London. On a deeper level however, he is criticizing not only the condition of the city itself, but the monarchy and government who oppress it.
The use of pathetic fallacy also adds to show the bleak and sinister atmosphere which the characters are in. The country was “burned away”, the “blackened shapes of rock” standing out of the “shoals of ash” and “billows of ash rising up and blowing downcountry through the waste”. The imagery used here is very striking and gives us an image of the wasteland. McCarthy also uses plosives to further highlight the extent of the desolation of the wasteland. For example trees are described as “bare and blackened”.
Critical Lens Essay Existing problems in society terrorize people and cause them to realize their surroundings. Theodore Roethke once said, “In a dark time, the eyes begin to see.” In times of trouble and conflict, people begin to exhibit caution and awareness more often. For moments such as these, accusations are thrown around. This quote is supported by a number of pieces of literature. Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, portrays this statement through the slaughters done by Macbeth the main character.
The Disconcerting Truth of War “Distance was safety. Space was asylum,” (32). Findley exhibits that war is a mirror into the world of loneliness and depression. Life, love and death are a continuous cycle saddened by loss. Loneliness, like many other misleading emotions can lead to insanity.