Jessica Crupi 2371771 HUMN 3B02 Lee Slinger The Romantic era was a period of war and revolutionary combat. War and rebellion were essential elements that influenced the flow of ideas in this period. An entire generation of European writers, composers, and artists were influenced by these events. War inspired romantic artists to address themes of liberty and democracy, while considering the function of revolution as an opportunity for political and social change. Writers used the spirit of the revolution to distinguish their poetic sensibilities.
This is used as the background to the title character’s story of powerful love for his cousin Roxanne, a love Cyrano does not think he deserves, despite his wit, because of his physical appearance. Dickens, on the other hand, creates his novel, A Tale of Two Cities, during a time of great turmoil, the beginnings of the French Revolution, which would eventually upheave thousands of years of hierarchy and tradition. Dickens’s France is dark, miserable and filled with a climate of overwhelming terror behind the heroic and sacrificial tale of self-deprecating hero, Sydney Carton, who gives his own life in a selfless act of love for Lucie Manette in order to save the man she loves from the guillotine. Though Dickens’s illustration of the revolutionaries is not always positive, he has a deep sympathy towards the plight of the poor therefore his portrayal of France is extremely negative and often exaggerated. Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand and A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens depict opposing interpretations of life in France which were developed based on the personal backgrounds of the authors and expressed in romanticized portrayals of French society in the mid-17th century and late 18th century respectively.
During Oscar Wilde’s literary career, he has been accredited for his notorious use of satire within his writings. Satire ridicules flaws in society in order to bring about change. His use of satire in the play, The Importance of Being Earnest, is reflected in how the characters live double lives. His play is a demonstration of how Victorian society accepts appalling behavior as long as it is concealed to the public. Oscar Wilde is credited for being a provocateur for change in nineteenth century England.
The poet, William Blake, through the poem “London” is able to express his intentions and message of the poem through the content, aim and the theme, ‘no escape’. He is able to create a dark atmosphere, due to how cynical his message was. He also uses particular words and sentences, emphasizing on the importance of diction. The diction of the poem helps to show the differences in the classes within the society and the hopelessness that has wash over the whole society. Throughout the whole poem, the readers are able to know his disapproval, dislike and displeasure over the place that he lives in, by creating a moody and sullen tone which enhances the eerily seriousness of the atmosphere.
Analysis of the poem “London” by William Blake The poem ‘London’ by through a first person perspective William Blake explores the city at the time of the Industrial Revolution. Here, Blake uses themes such as a decay in morality and the severity of classism, accompanied by the use of graphic and grotesque imagery to illustrate the awry nature of London at the time and creates a negative outlook towards it. Blake uses the first person perspective to interact with the reader. The continuous use of “I” provides a personal account and therefore allows the reader to relate more to the personna. This is also reiterated through the poems repetitive nature.
The unrestrained and expressive brushwork combined with the radiant colors conveyed the individuality, strong emotions and passions in the portrayals of nature and human subjects alike (MindEdge, Inc., 2014). Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog (Friedrich, 1818) highlighted the awe inspiring beauty and mystery of nature while implying the insignificance of man against nature. Acts of nature that could not be controlled were common landscape portrayals. J.M.W. Turner use of vivid colors through watercolor techniques with oil paint brought both mystery and emotion to his work as he was able to show nature as a beautiful and awesome force to be dealt with in his paintings Slave Ship (1840) and Dutch Boats in a Gale (1801).
The image of " withered leaves" again points to the winter motif and paints a clear picture of death and decline. Always remember that the poet is not only referring to leaves here; he is using this image, through association, to connect to the general idea of loss of meaning in the modern urban world. The second stanza intensifies its attack on the modern world. The first two lines clearly express the idea that modern life is little more than a drunken hangover. The feeling of personal and social decadence is strengthened by the images in these
Main ideas in War Poetry The main idea in war poetry, written during World War One – 1914-18, is the harsh reality of war. Poets such as Wilfred Owen use the language techniques of simile, rhyme, repetition and personification to help convey the main idea. Owen uses techniques to paint a grim picture of what war was like and how it affected people. Through this, we see that war is often glorified, thus Owen was able to counter the glorification of war. After reading war poems we are able to get a true idea of how horrific war was and learn of its negative consequences.
Differences between poems: “London” by William Blake and “London (1802)” by William Wordsworth “London” was written by William Blake (1757-1827) and his theme is more about the people of London and the conditions of the urban poor and their physical and spiritual misery. In this poem London is a place like hell. “London 1802" was written by William Wordsworth (1770-1850) however a more positive view of London and is more concerned with the buildings and view of London. The stories of the two poems are totally different to each other. "London" is a sonnet, but "London, 1802" has 4 quatrains.
Across the two poems, 'Upon Westminster Bridge' and 'London', two heavily contrasting views on the metropolis that we know as London, can be seen. On one hand, Blake focuses on the painful aural and auditory experiences he has suffered in the industrialized, newly multi-cultural quarters of London, while Wordsworth retains deep patriotism that would have flourished during his day. Both poets express their views and sentiments through various literary techniques and personal experiences. It is evident that both poets, and their subsequent works are heavily influenced by the constant change of the city they had learned to love, and hate at the same time. The background and experiences that Blake and Wordsworth had with London are key to understanding the reason for their contrasting views.