Compairison of 'Not My Best Side' and 'The Road Not Taken'

764 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The road not taken poetry analysis

Both poems are very distinct in style. Not My Best Side is a funny, witty poem exploring stereotypes, whilst Warning is still entertaining, but it explores society and expectations. It is a poem centered about the classical storybook characters, but instead of having the story narrated as usual, the poet is giving the characters a voice of their own to see what they really feel – something that has never been done before. However, if we look at The Road Not Taken, we can see that is a poem of regret, it is a reflection of the past, and we get the sense that Robert Frost regrets a decision that he did not take.

Beginning with Not My best Side, we can see that it is divided into three separate stanzas, one for the dragon, the princess and the prince. The poet challenges orthodox images of the characters in the legend Of St George and the dragon only to replace them with another equally stereotypical set, but these new stereotypes have a modern twist.

The typical image of a dragon is that of being intimidating, fearful, and generally evil. This is challenged by the poet who chooses to make that character of the dragon fairly well-spoken, as he uses words such as ‘ostentatiously’. The new stereotype created by Fanthorpe is that of a chatty, critical, pompous actor rather than that of a vicious, evil monster. We can see this by the fact that he complains about the artist not having gotten his ‘best side’ for the painting, or ‘didn’t give me a chance to pose properly’ and finally ‘I was sorry for the bad publicity’, this shows that he knows that he is well known, and does mind what others may think of him. He is also very judgmental of his partners (i.e. the princess and the prince) referring to them as ‘ostentatiously beardless’ ...

... middle of paper ...

... is handsome and brave. He is supposed to rescue the princess because she is his true love. However…. In this portrayal of George, he is shown as being a modern, technologically-minded, boastful, self obsessed man. We are shown this in the first two lines of his stanza which say ‘I have diplomas in Dragon Management and Virgin Reclamation.’ This shows us the stereotypical attitude of a modern young man. He is very proud of the painting as it shows his ‘latest model’ and hi-tech equipment. He sees himself as a hero, considers himself brave and the rescuer of the damsel. His character does not create a voice of the hero of St. George, but an offensive abrupt and impolite voice. All three characters are the opposite of what one would expect from a fairytale such as that of the princess and the dragon, they are instead the typical stereotypes of a modern society.

Show More
Related

  • Fabric And Jewelery In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

    765 Words  | 2 Pages

    In literature, insights into characters, places, and events are often communicated to the reader by symbolic references within the text. This is the case in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. In this Medieval romance, the colors and textures of fabrics and jewelry are used heavily by the poet not only as a descriptive tool, but also to give the reader information about the characters’ personalities and roles within the story.

    Read More

  • Comparing The Lover Not Taken, by Blanche Farley and The Road Not Taken, by Robert Frost

    958 Words  | 2 Pages

    The poems despite their differences share a common theme and the poetic elements are matched well. Farley being from a relatively modern era reflects a more daring approach to decision making compared to Frost. However, “The Lover Not Taken” does add a different dimension and further understanding of “The Road Not Taken.” The poems are definitely bound to add to the philosophical ideas of their respective audiences, especially when compared.

    Read More

  • Sir Gawain: The Quest of Reason

    1364 Words  | 3 Pages

    The poem’s intricately balanced structure challenges the reader to seek out a resolution coherent with his or her own ethics. An admirable knight of King Arthur's renowned court, Sir Gawain is directed by a complex set of ethos, a collaboration of principles symbolized by the mystical pentangle. A five-pointed star composed of five interlocking lines; the figure represents a multitude of guiding tenets, representing both religious and knightly ideals. One can recognize that “the pentangle cognizance is explicated by the poet to signal Gawain’s complete Christian perfection, and for the reader to be aware of contemporary concerns about magical protective practices, hinting at human frailty” (Hardman 251).

    Read More

  • Sir Gawain and Green Knight Essays: Triumph or Failure?

    510 Words  | 2 Pages

    Sir Gawain is presented as a noble knight who is the epitome of chivalry; he is loyal, honest and above all, courteous. He is the perfect knight; he is so recognised by the various characters in the story and, for all his modesty, implicitly in his view of himself. To the others his greatest qualities are his knightly courtesy and his success in battle. To Gawain these are important, but he seems to set an even higher value on his courage and integrity, the two central pillars of his manhood.

    Read More

  • Gawain's Moral Superiority Revealed in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

    454 Words  | 1 Pages

    In the final scenes of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Gawain’s encounter with Sir Bertilak allows Gawain to perceive his own flaws, manifested in his acceptance of the Green Girdle. The court’s reaction to his personal guilt highlights the disconnect between him and the other knights of the Round Table. Gawain’s behavior throughout the poem has been most noteworthy; his understanding of his sin, one that many of us would dismiss since it was propelled by his love of life, enhances his stature as a paragon of chivalry.

    Read More

  • Beowulf: The Selfless Hero

    730 Words  | 2 Pages

    Beowulf is an epic poem that describes the heroics of a man with superhuman strength and bravery to go with it. The poem starts with a journey across the sea to defeat an enemy that has plagued the land of Herot for twelve years. The poem ends with Beowulf’s final deed of defeating a dragon that was plaguing his own land, but with the defeat of the dragon also comes the death of Beowulf. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a poem of bravery by one of King Arthur’s knights. Sir Gawain takes up the deed of playing a Christmas game with the challenging Green Knight. The Green Knight takes a blow from an ax at the hand of Sir Gawain, and in one year and one day, the Green Knight is to reciprocate the action to Sir Gawain. While Sir Gawain was heroic in his deed, Beowulf shows a certain selflessness in his bouts makes him a better hero than Sir Gawain.

    Read More

  • Human Nature In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

    745 Words  | 2 Pages

    It does this conceptually, by emphasizing human nature over chivalry, and it does this narratively through Gawain’s failure as a knight, and the Green Knight’s illegitimacy as a true villain. In traditional romance of this time, the protagonist could not have faltered in chivalry; Gawain’s “lapses of courage and honour… are highly untypical of the knightly conduct we find illustrated with such stultifying sameness in medieval story” (Shedd 245). But this occurs because the Green Knight is not the true villain; the real conflict is Gawain’s struggle against his own human nature. While the Green Knight appears to be a classic antagonist in the first part of the poem, he proves himself merciful and forgiving in the final part, stating that he does not blame Gawain because it was only because “[he] loved [his] own life” that he failed the final test (95). Rather than merely taking Sir Gawain’s head, the Green Knight gave him the opportunity to prove himself as “faultless” (95), or above his human nature, to “[purge] the debt” (96). Just as Shedd argues, the shift from external to internal conflict in the poem sets Sir Gawain and the Green Knight apart from other works of medieval romance.

    Read More

  • Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: the Exploration of a Tragic Hero

    1021 Words  | 3 Pages

    Tragic and hero may not be words that easily reveal a relationship, but throughout literature the two have been linked to create an enthralling read. The emergence of the tragic hero seemed to take shape in ancient Greece where such works as Oedipus and Antigone were popular among all classes of people. Aristotle defined a tragedy as "the imitation of an action that is serious and also, as having magnitude, complete in itself. It incorporates incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish the catharsis of such emotions." Though Greece may be credited with the creation of tragic heroes, the theme is seen in literary works across many different cultures, including England. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is one such English work where the development of the main character, Gawain, follows the pattern of the classical tragic hero. In this paper, we will explore the characteristics of the tragic hero and show how these traits are demonstrated in Gawain.

    Read More

  • The Pentangle

    1170 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the anonymous poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the character of Sir Gawain is portrayed as the imperfect hero. His flaws create interest and intrigue. Such qualities of imperfection cannot be found in the symbol of the pentangle, which he displays on his shield. This contrast between character and symbol is exposed a number of times throughout the poem allowing human qualities to emerge from Gawain’s knightly portrayal. The expectations the pentangle presents proves too much for Gawain as he falls victim to black magic, strays from God, is seduced by an adulterous woman, and ultimately breaks the chivalric code by lying to the Green Knight.

    Read More

  • Symbolism in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

    1450 Words  | 3 Pages

    Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a medieval poem by an unknown author, written in Middle English in the 14th century. This poem is uncanny to most poems about heroism and knightly quests as it doesn’t follow the complete circle seen in other heroism tales. This poem is different to all the rest as it shows human weaknesses as well as strengths which disturbs the myth of the perfect knight, or the faultless hero. The author uses symbolism as a literary device in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight to give the plot a deeper and more significant meaning. Symbolism is used to emphasise the difference of this heroism story against others and therefore symbolism is of great importance in this poem. The importance of the following symbols will be discussed in this paper; the pentangle, the colour green, the Green Knight, the exchange of winnings game, the axe and the scar. This paper argues the significance of the use of symbolism as a literary device in the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

    Read More

  • Comparing Beowulf And Sir Gawain

    1072 Words  | 3 Pages

    The two literary heroes from the poems Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, can be compared and contrasted by their heroic aspects like their character, strength, honorability, bravery and loyalty. Distinctions between the two heroes, Beowulf and Gawain, are because of their cultural differences and the separate time periods in which each one lives. Despite the fact that these two tales emphasize and focus on different aspects of their hero, there are still clear contrasts of their heroic nature.

    Read More

  • Babe Ruth

    1434 Words  | 3 Pages

    Growing up, George had a wild childhood. His parents owned a tavern, which they lived above, and they were rarely around to give George the guidance a small child needs. George felt little love from his parents. He came from a poor family and sometimes didn't even know where his next meal was coming from.

    Read More

  • Social Class Distinction in Sir Gawain and the Green knight

    670 Words  | 2 Pages

    “Sir Gawain and the Green knight” is a romantic Middle English poem written in the fourteenth century by an unknown author. This poem is a fairy-tale like story that gives its readers a glimpse into the social class system of Medieval England. This literary work opens with the famous King Arthur, a local bishop, and King Arthur’s knights enjoying a royal feast at Camelot during the Christmas season. This poem provides an accurate depiction of the feudal system of the middle ages. Within this tale are individuals representing the “pyramid of power” that symbolizes the social class system of Medieval England. This top of the pyramid group consists of royalty, clergy and noble knights.

    Read More

  • Comparing The Road Not Taken And The Boat

    541 Words  | 2 Pages

    The theme of choosing a less common path is prominent in both compositions. In “The Road Not Taken,” the narrator chooses to go down the atypical path. “Oh I kept the first for another day (…) I took the one less travelled by.” (Frost) In place of following the footsteps of the previous individuals whom have encountered the crossroad, the

    Read More

  • Life Choices In The Road Not Taken

    848 Words  | 2 Pages

    This poem is one of many written by Frost in 1916 and it is commonly used in high school writing classes. It has been written about frequently and often analyzed because of the connection people feel to the poem for the reason that everyone has to make life choices. The reading of the poem touches a wide variety of readers because each one can identify with the writers predicament of having to make a choice, with two different options, as in the poem which road to take either the well-traveled path or as he decides the less journeyed. As an outcome of this choice, the writer states, that his life was profoundly different than it would have been had he taken the other road. The other road the more traveled and seemingly the safer of the two makes the reader seem more fearless to except what the unknown has to offer thus making his own way in the world. In reading further the roads are almost the same both being beautiful and equally passable. The writer tries to explain why things happened the way they did and that is a significant moment in his life. One might pick the road that gets them to w...

    Read More

More about Compairison of 'Not My Best Side' and 'The Road Not Taken'

Open Document