The Parodies and Narratives of Atrocity of Anthony Hecht
Anthony Hecht, a past Pulitzer Prize winning poet and a former United States Poet Laureate, is arguably one of America's best poets of the post-modern era. Born in 1923, he rose to literary prominence in the 1950s and 1960s with the publication of two books A Summoning of Stones (1954) and The Hard Hours (1967). In his writing, he uses wit to create a situation for parody and uses irony in his "narratives of atrocity" (Hecht, Vol. 19 209).
Anthony Hecht's poetry is renowned for its examples of parody that are all creations of his "classical erudition and wit" (Hecht, Vol. 19 207). He attempts to show the contrast between artistic, false views of life and harsh reality through witty parody as seen in "Nominalism" and "The Dover Bitch: A Criticism of Life"(Hecht, Vol. 19 207). The wit provides poetry with strong, underlying meaning as seen in "Nominalism:"
Higgledy-piggledy
Juliet Capulet
Cherished the tenderest
Thoughts of a rose:
"What's in a name?" said she,
Etymologically
"Save that all Montagues
Stink in God's nose." (Readings)
Hecht creates parody in this piece by recounting a dramatic scene with a knowledgeable and humorous approach to the literature. The parody of Juliet Capulet's famous line in Romeo and Juliet
with such precision and craft as to fit both the meter and the classic Shakespearean language provides an example of Hecht's use of wit to create a parody (Hecht, Vol. 8 269). Hecht uses wit and parody in a similar manner in "The Dover Bitch: A Criticism of Life" which is a parody of Matthew Arnold's "Dover Beach." The tragic vision presented in the "The Dover Bitch" is of stark contrast to the romantic and idealistic vision ...
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The popular American Poet, Billy Collins, is playing a significant role in the evolution of poetry. His writing style evokes an array of emotions for the reader. Every stanza in his poetry passes the satirical standard that he generated for himself over his career. Collins swiftly captivates his readers through his diverse use of figurative language. More specifically, his use of vivid imagery paired with humorous personification and extended metaphors create his unique style of satirical poetry. This developed form of writing appeals to a large crowd of people because the generally accessible topics that he discusses are fairly easy to resonate for the common man. However, his poetry offers an interesting perspective on what otherwise would be simplistic ideas. The main themes and concepts that are being presented in each of his writings are revered and coveted by the general population. An appealing aspect of his writing is his ability to directly convey the main idea within the poem. As a result, the reader can understand the meaning of his work with ease. The typical beginning of his work gives the reader a slight taste of what is to come. Billy Collins’ unique writing style and various trademarks directly influenced by his ability to propagate an array of emotions for the reader, his humorous tone, and the accessibility of the topics he describes within his poetry.
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172). The Duke is not a modest man, but him making this seemingly humble statement in the midst of all his power stricken remarks establishes situational irony. Dramatic monologue can make an unforseen ironic statement have an ominous surrounding that totally encompasses the reader's attention. An individual may initially become very disturbed if an unannounced late night visitor knocked on their door, just as the Duke's unanticipated remark brought a weary feeling to the reader.