Waterfowl And Thanatopsis

William Cullen Bryant, perhaps one of the most accomplished writers of the American Romantic Era, wrote about subjects which followed the precedent of his fellow Romantic Era writers. In his poems, “To a Waterfowl” and “Thanatopsis.” In “To a Waterfowl,” Bryant is addressing a migrating waterfowl as he flies south. “Thanatopsis” discusses the cyclical relationship between death and nature. In each poem, Bryant writes about nature, a subject very common in the literature of this era. Nature speaks to Bryant in different ways, as well as in different tones; the poems are unique in the sense that Bryant’s aspect of nature vary as well as agree differently in each of Bryant’s work. Bryant discusses the spirituality associated with nature in “To

“To a Waterfowl” serves as an allegory to life. Bryant uses the waterfowl’s journey to compare it to his own. He especially compares God’s guidance of the waterfowl to God guiding him. As previously stated, God is guiding the waterfowl so that it is able to find its way. Bryant finds that God is guiding him as well, “He who, from zone to zone,/ Guides through the boundless sky thy certain flight,/ In the long way.../ Will lead my steps aright” (Bryant 29-32). Bryant realizes that the very God that he observes showing the waterfowl the right way is actually showing him the right way as well. Also, in “Thanatopsis” Bryant discusses a more morbid portion of life: death. Although Bryant discusses it in a way to avoid morbidity. Bryant focuses on the beautiful parts of death, “Yet not to thine eternal resting place/ Shalt thou retire alone, nor couldst thou wish/ Couch more magnificent. Thou shall lie down/ With patriarchs...with kings” (Bryant 31-34). Instead of writing about the journey through life, Bryant writes about the journey after life: going back to nature, “Earth, that nourished thee, shall claim/ Thy growth, to be resolved to earth again” (Bryant 22-23). Bryant instead of writing with a tone of morbidity chooses to use a cheerful tone when discussing