Most poets know tragedy very well. They express themselves through their works, and convey intense emotions and scenes, whether the poems speak of happiness or depression. These poets, such as Edgar Allen Poe, usually have the most successful writing careers. Although critics proclaimed Henry Wadsworth Longfellow lacked the emotional tragedy and stress to become a successful poet and writer, he proved them wrong with many of his works, such as “The Song of Hiawatha” and “A Psalm of Life.”
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, born in Portland, Maine (“Henry”) on February 27, 1807(“Longfellow, Henry”), grew up not wealthy, but well off. Both sides of the family consisted of several American Revolution war heroes and political leaders, making the Longfellow name well respected. His parents strongly encouraged literature, and they urged Henry and his siblings to borrow books from the family library often (Schoonmaker 4). He enjoyed literature, and emerged as an author for the first time at age thirteen when his work was published in the local newspaper (Belanger). Longfellow started college at Bowdoin College at age 15, and much to his father’s chagrin, but with his mother’s encouragement, pursued literature (“Longfellow,”; “Henry W.”). Longfellow became serious about his writing, specifically poetry, in his time at college (Schoonmaker 5). National magazines, such as American Monthly and the United States Literary Gazette, began to publish his works. Before Longfellow graduated in 1825, Bowdoin offered him a position as a professor of modern languages. This required him to travel to Europe and study for a few years, and he eagerly accepted the offer (“Henry W.”). Longfellow traveled to France, Germany, Spain, and Italy and mastered the lang...
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...relies on nature, especially animals, strongly during his trials. The squirrels and seagulls aided him in his battle with the King of Fishes, and a woodpecker showed him how to defeat Megissogwon. He always rewarded them, and Longfellow used these to show the passionate relationship American Indians had with nature. Longfellow also explains, in his own way, how many of the reasons the tribes execute things in The Song of Hiawatha. Maize, burial rituals, and medicinal use are explained with the style of elaborate stories by Longfellow. Although Hiawatha faces tragedy in his life, the themes in this story about bravery and wisdom display a happy, fantasy type of story. Longfellow displays his optimistic, fantasy style of writing, which he receives additional criticism for (Belanger). Overall, The Song of Hiawatha received a mixture of reactions, but generally praised.
When he was fifteen years old his mother died from appendicitis. From fifteen years of age to his college years he lived in an all-white neighborhood. From 1914-1917, he shifted from many colleges and academic courses of study as well as he changed his cultural identity growing up. He studied physical education, agriculture, and literature at a total of six colleges and universities from Wisconsin to New York. Although he never completed a degree, his educational pursuits laid the foundation for his writing career. He had the knowledge of philosophy and psychology. He attempted to write when he was a youth, but he made a choice to pursue a literary career in 1919. After he published Cane he became part of New York literary circles. He objected both rivalries that prevailed in the fraternity of writers and to attempts to promote him as a black writer (Clay...
...in that person’s life for example the 2 poems I quoted the writers were in prison and depressed yet they show mercy and seek out compassion rather than defeat it takes a lot to show compassion after being in prison for speaking your mind. Make someone want to kill somebody for doing that to you. Can be found everywhere that has a story line basis to it the common method of writing is figuring out if it will be optimistic or pessimistic. In the novel “Fahrenheit 451” it has both it shows a lot of pessimism but does show optimism especially at the end where the city is bombed and everyone dies besides Montag and the professor as well as montags new friends.
Poe, Edgar Allan. "The Tell-Tale Heart." Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. Ed. X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. 7th ed. New York: Longman, 1999. 33-37.
Edgar Allan Poe is one of America's most influential writers. His stories and poems have touched the lives of countless people. His works, however, are influenced by his own life. The events of his life led him down the dark road of depression and morbidity.
Introduced by tragedies early in his life, Edgar Allan Poe became one of the most successful writers, poets, and storytellers to ever live. Edgar Allan Poe had the intelligence to do anything he wanted to do, however, the pain of losing his loved ones always seemed to drive him towards a pen and paper. His emotions never failed to show through his writings, which helped the story line touch the readers. Poe became very close to several different women but each would die shortly after he came to love them. This only pushed him to write more emotionally. Poe had a natural talent for putting his real life experiences into a fictional story and making it seem as if it were really happening.
Throughout time, Edgar Allan Poe has been recognized as a famous writer that wrote about his tragedy of a life. Just thinking of his name, Poe, makes one think about his dark felt Poems. Most people believe that Poe had to be depressed or even evil to write his historic writings. He had to deal with a numerous amount of death of love ones throughout his lifetime. Though he had to deal with death and depression he became one of the United States famous authors of all times.
Writers often use literature as a means of communicating traumatic events that occur in history, and such events are recorded by first-hand accounts as well as remembered by people far removed from the situation. Two traumatic events in history that are readily found in literature are The Irish Potato Famine and The Holocaust. A literary medium that has been used quite poignantly to convey trauma is poetry and the poetry from these two historical traumatic events is not difficult to find. Some wrote poetry to maintain their sanity as they experienced the traumatic event while others wrote after-the-fact as an outlet for emotional pain. Some wrote in remembrance of what they had lived through and so that others in succeeding generations could fathom even a glimpse of their traumatic experience. Another group of writers, far removed from the events, felt they had some light to shed on the subject. These people may be from a background similar to the victims or very learned on the matter surrounding it. A reader may wonder why poetry is such a viable option for conveying the trauma of so many people. Hilda Schiff writes, “the contemporaneous literature of any period of history is not only an integral part of that period, but it also allows us to understand historical events and experiences better than the bare facts alone can do because they enable us to absorb them inwardly” (xiv). The facts are raw and bare, like a skeleton. The literature and poetry add the skin and features to the bones to make the people and images they represent more realistic.
“The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America… No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty-five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States” (“The Constitution” National Archives 1).
In the poem “Wreck of the Hesperus”, the author, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, uses several examples of personification, simile, and irony to convey the message that people’s overconfidence uncontrollably leads to their downfall, and the destruction of pure objects in their life that the person loves.
Edgar Allen Poe is known as the pioneer of the American short story, as well as a brilliant artist in poetry. His works are often tragic, or have a dark theme. Two often overlooked facets of Poe as a writer, however, are the political aspect of his works, and how far ahead he was of his time, with some material being applicable to present day situations, as exemplified by Sonnet to Science, The City in the Sea, and The Masque of the Red Death.
Edgar Allan Poe had a peculiar way with his work. He was adopted early in his life to be spared from poverty and heartache (Roberts and Zweig 226). But in the Big Read it is stated that he still felt a satisfaction from women’s suffering. Poe just wanted to be a writer and followed his passion into judging others work to support himself (Roberts and Zweig 226). Some say that he is selfish and indulgent. Sadly the death of Poe is still a mystery but his works affect people’s lives on a daily basis. The elegance of Poe’s prose invokes an emotional reaction he was subject to during his childhood that later led to the creation of the most influential works of the 19th Century.
Why was Henry David Thoreau such a wonderful writer? He had many great qualities, but the most important were his devotion to nature and writing, his desire for independence, and his experiences he encountered throughout his life. Henry David Thoreau looked to nature as the basis of life and writing. He believed that nature is the reflection of inner spiritual reality.
George Washington was born February 22, 1732 to Augustine Washington and Mary Ball Washington. He had six siblings, three of which who died early. His older brother Lawrence died of tuberculosis, allowing George to inherit his position of adjutant general of the Virginian militia. George Washington was eager to prove himself, and was sent to aid the British forces throughout the French and Indian war. Though captured by the French in the conflict, he was allowed to leave and return to his troops.
George Washington Carver is one of the greatest 20th century scientists that still have an influence on us today. George Washington Carver devoted his life to research projects connected with southern agriculture. Carver was a chemist who discovered three hundred uses for peanuts and hundreds more uses for soybeans, pecans and sweet potatoes. He rise from slavery to become one of the most respected and honored men. The contribution made by Carver has had a great impact on today’s development of the economy. George Washington Carver changed the economy of the South with his agricultural knowledge.
Poe, Edgar Allan. "The Tell-Tale Heart." Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. Ed. X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. 7th ed. New York: Longman, 1999. 33-37.