Let me count the ways.” (Line 1 Sonnet 43) The use of first person, authenticates that both poems are written for a personal response, this however cannot be seen in ‘Romeo and Juliet’ apart from when the characters speak. The use of alliteration in ‘Sonnet 43’, confirms that the poem was written for Browning’s lover. The repetition of “I love thee...” Shows it’s a personal poem for her true love. However, ‘Valentine’ could be interpreted as an open poem to allow the readers to understand the experiences Duffy has faced. The use of “...we are, for as long as we are.” (Line 16 and 17) Shows that Duffy is inviting her readers into the poem to help reflect upon how she feels.
To what extent does the time in which the composers live influence their response to enduring human emotion? Our morality shapes us and forces us to explore new avenues, but our crude desire to unravel and expose the mysteries of life will drive and reveal a future void of moral and ethical compassion. It is this fatal warning which Mary Shelley and Ridley Scott seek to convey in their retrospective texts, Frankenstein and Blade Runner. Drawing upon their personal contextual concerns, both composers uniquely inform an ambitious humanity of that the implications of the ruthless pursuit of knowledge and our innate craving to penetrate the secrets of nature will inevitably drive humanity towards a dystopian future. Shaped by their distinctly different contexts, Shelley and Scott strive to convey this notion, through bold cinematic and literary techniques, characterisation and themes, of the fatal path humanity has placed itself on.
Compare how ideas about love are presented in Shakespeare’s Sonnet 116 and Barrett-Browning’s Sonnet 43. In the course of the essay, I will compare and contrast both poems’ idea of love. Both poems generally give a positive overview of love; both poets suggest that love is never ending and can battle through bad situations. Shakespeare’s sonnet takes the form of argument, talking about the unchanging and eternal qualities of love whilst Browning’s sonnet is like a direct poem to her husband discussing the nature of her love for him. Shakespeare starts the poem with the imperative “let me not to the marriage of true minds” which sets the tone and exploration of true love.
Sublime Nature in Frankenstein Mary Shelley uses nature several ways in this novel: as an omnipotent force of foreshadowing, the natural surroundings of this novel are shown to have therapeutic powers, do not harm nature for your own advantage, and as a restorative agent for Victor. In my opinion, Mary is trying to tell us that nature should not be altered. Shelley’s link between nature and the influential feelings of man is very evident throughout this book. Nature offers Victor and the monster the marvel of spiritual renewal. She purposely lay the elevated vision of Mother Nature with the frightening phenomenon of an artificial monster and his alarming exploits.
Allusions: Deepening the Reader’s Thoughts An allusion is a rhetorical device that makes a reference to a literary work that is outside the text being read. Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein provides many examples of literary devices, including allusions. Allusions are also used to further explain things that normally would have insufficient information in the text itself. Whether it's another novel, poem, or myth, Shelley’s utilization of allusions relates the characters in Frankenstein to the characters in the referenced works, deepening the reader's understanding. The complete title of Shelley's unique book is Frankenstein: Or, The Modern Prometheus.
Whilst texts may be fictitious constructs of composers’ imaginations, they also explore and address the societal issues of their eras. This is clearly the case with Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, which draws upon the rise of Galvanism and the Romantic Movement of the 1800’s, as well as Ridley Scott’s film Blade Runner, reflecting upon the increasing technological advances and the predominance of capitalism within the late 20th Century. Despite their differing contexts, Shelley and Scott ultimately warn us of the dire consequences of our desire for supremacy and scientific progress, concepts which link the two texts throughout time. Composed in a time of major scientific developments, including Galvani’s concept of electricity as a reanimating source, Shelley’s “Frankenstein” utilises the creative arrogance of the Romantic imagination to create a Gothic world in which the protagonist’s acquisition of the divine privilege of creation has derailed the conventional lines of authority and responsibility. Her warning of the dangers of such actions is encapsulated within Victor’s concerning words of “how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge”, whilst Shelley’s use of a fragmented epistolatory narrative adds a disturbing sense of truth and realism, foreshadowing the dark consequences of Frankenstein’s actions.
yThroughout the exploration of the module “Texts in Time”, we observe the connections between texts and their reflections of the constancy in human nature, whilst shifting contextual perspectives are maintained. Such a connection is demonstrated in Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel “Frankenstein” (F/stein) and Scott Ridley’s 1991 film “Bladerunner”, where both composers present a cautionary tale, warning us of the implications of science and technological advances on humanity and thus reflecting their own fears in their respective contextual eras. It is through the analysis of such values and implications that we can see the constancy of human nature throughout time. Frankenstein is a gothic inspired, fragmented epistolary, reflecting the rebellion of the Romantic Movement, which advocated the power of imagination, and ones relationship to nature. The gothic convention of sublime nature is represented thematically, through forces of good and evil leading to vengeance and murder, as well as macabre settings of graveyards and charnel houses.
Alex Boyles Mr. Imms English 102 5 February 2015 The Birthmark and Its Themes Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote the short story “The Birthmark” and centered the entire story on symbolism. The story has many different themes and does not hide the fact that it shows symbolism. "The Birthmark" is a short story centering on an eighteenth-century scientist's obsession with removing a birthmark from the cheek of his extraordinarily beautiful wife. The story can almost be categorized as a dark romance. It is a very descriptive story that compares human perfection with obsession.
(2011:97) Dramatic Monologue is a device whereby the poet invents a character to provide the voice and opinion represented in the text. Browning’s poem, “My Last Duchess”, addresses a rather complex character commonly found in the Victorian Era. The persona in this case, is the Duke of Ferrara. The poem, being a Dramatic Monologue, features a second character, the messenger, which the Duke addresses. Browning’s use of this Dramatic Monologue involves the reader in the process of assimilating and deconstructing the story of the Duke of Ferrara’s relationship with his ‘last duchess’ through his diction, style, structure and rhythmic pattern.
Both have a significant impact on her and her respected society. Firstly the medium in which Shelley constructed her ideas was through novel. This was the most common medium of the time. Shelley created a hybrid text combining gothic literature and science fiction into one to create an allegory to her society, warning the people not to stray into the science field and retain a constant connection to god. It is through Romanticism that we see Shelley convey the importance of nature.