The Theme of Parent and Child Relationship in Wordsworth's The Affliction of Margaret
In this essay I will examine how William Wordsworth's approach to the
theme of parent and child relationships in the poem 'The Affliction of
Margaret;' compares with Seamus Heaney's 'Follower' and Gillian
Clarke's 'Catrin'. I will examine how these poems show distance
between the parent and child as well as the use of imagery, tone,
language, structure and poetic devices throughout them.
In 'The Affliction of Margaret' William Wordsworth analyses the pain
of a Mother who is distanced from her child. In the same way in
'Catrin' Gillian Clarke writes of the friction between her and her
daughter as she matures and wants to break free from the bond they are
joined by. However, in contrast, Seamus Heaney's 'Follower' describes
a son who is immensely proud of his father and is determined to follow
in his father's footsteps. Although on the other hand, the last stanza
depicts the son's desire to be free from his Father, because as he has
grown older, he has become weak and dependant on his son; hindering
him from achieving the things that he wants to and leaving the son
feeling bitter towards his Father.
The imagery used by William Wordsworth in 'The Affliction of Margaret'
is quite depressing. He uses many images of darkness, which leads the
reader to link this with themes of death and evil. It has a very
negative effect; "Was ever darkness like to this?" This imagery
analyses the Mother's fears, she is worried about his whereabouts and
what might have happened to him. This quote suggests that her fears
are greater than darkness.
This contrasts with the other poems 'Follower' and 'Catrin' as the
imagery has a more positive effect. For example in Seamus Heaney's
'Follower'; "His shoulders globed like a full sail strung". This
simile builds up a very powerful impression of the Father. His son
admires him wholey and we should also be impressed by his strength and
experience.
In 'Catrin' Gillian Clarke shows a great sense of love for her
Although Prize Giving highlights the superiority of the male Professor over the rest of the girls, there is a role reversal towards the end of the poem where the titian haired girl establishes power over him. Through her sexuality and musical talent, the girl asserts dominance in the final stanza and causes the professor to feel inferior for the first time, which comes as an uncomfortable shock to him (Harwood, pg.29). The poem of Father and Child which was published in Harwood’s 2nd Volume of poems continues to suggest a possible social change through the use of a child. Here, Harwood defeminises the child refusing to sentimentalise little girls by referring to the protagonist as a “wisp-haired judge” despite only being seven. The poem then links this to King Lear through the words “Old king” while reversing the relationship and position of power between father and daughter (Harwood, pg.111). These hints for change arise from the female children rather than the adults showing that although Harwood often represents women as subordinate to men, there is a possibility for change through the new
The characters in Alice Sebold’s The Lovely Bones are faced with the difficult task of overcoming the loss of Susie, their daughter and sister. Jack, Abigail, Buckley, and Lindsey each deal with the loss differently. However, it is Susie who has the most difficulty accepting the loss of her own life. Several psychologists separate the grieving process into two main categories: intuitive and instrumental grievers. Intuitive grievers communicate their emotional distress and “experience, express, and adapt to grief on a very affective level” (Doka, par. 27). Instrumental grievers focus their attention towards an activity, whether it is into work or into a hobby, usually relating to the loss (Doka par. 28). Although each character deals with their grief differently, there is one common denominator: the reaction of one affects all.
Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, has captured people’s attention since it was first written. People often wonder how much of Mary Shelley’s life is documented in her novel. From the theme of parental abandonment, to the theme of life and death in the novel, literary scholars have been able to find similarities between Frankenstein and Shelley’s life. The Journal of Religion and Health, the Journal of Analytical Psychology, and the Modern Psychoanalysis discuss the different connections between Shelley’s life and Frankenstein. Badalamenti, the author of “ Why did Mary Shelley Write Frankenstein?” in the Journal of Religion and Health, primarily discusses the connection between Victor
The fact that they feel they can sit about the knee of their mother, in this stereotypical image of a happy family doesn’t suggest that the children in this poem are oppressed... ... middle of paper ... ... y has a negative view of the childish desire for play which clearly has an effect on the children. The fact that they the are whispering shows that they are afraid of the nurse, and that they cannot express their true thoughts and desires freely, which is why they whisper, and therefore shows that Blake feels that children are oppressed. I feel that the two poems from innocence which are ‘The Echoing Green,’ and ‘The Nurses Song,’ display Blake’s ideological view of country life which I referred to in my introduction, and show his desire for childhood to be enjoyed.
medical practices are beneficial; they are done to cure people from illness and to save
with a mortal frame” (Hawthorne 354). By tracing the tipping scales of perfection vs. dissatisfaction, readers of “The Birthmark” witness the slow demise of Georgiana and Aylmer, and gain important insight into human nature.
The story’s tone is one of romantic controversy, a dilemma at a high level of existence. The scientist’s love for his craft competes very intensively with his newfound love for his wife. It is also very psychological, strictly dealing with the raw mind of its subjects as if the ominous narrator told the story from inside their mind, rather than observe it from the outside. He describes the processes that one may take to reach a certain degree of knowledge and to find the elixir of life, which is described in this story as the ultimate goal of the scientific community. Also, the narrator is very opinionated about events in the story.
Family bonds are very important which can determine the ability for a family to get along. They can be between a mother and son, a father and son, or even a whole entire family itself. To some people anything can happen between them and their family relationship and they will get over it, but to others they may hold resentment. Throughout the poems Those Winter Sundays, My Papa’s Waltz, and The Ballad of Birmingham family bonds are tested greatly. In Those Winter Sundays the relationship being shown is between the father and son, with the way the son treats his father. My Papa’s Waltz shows the relationship between a father and son as well, but the son is being beaten by his father. In The Ballad of Birmingham the relationship shown is between
In the novel, Alias Grace, written by Margaret Atwood, Grace Marks is presented as the central figure. Seen as an antagonist by the public is really disturbing for Grace. She is a very obedient and truthful individual. Although many people call Grace Marks a murderess throughout the whole book, not everyone knows the burden of being falsely accused of murder. Anyone being locked up for 26 years would go insane, which Grace gladly did not.
Harriet Wilson’s Our Nig is a novel that presents the harshness of racial prejudice during the 19th century combined with the traumas of abandonment. The story of Frado, a once free-spirited mulatto girl abandoned by her white mother, unfolds as she develops into a woman. She is faced with all the abuse and torment that Mrs. Belmont, the antagonist, could subject her to. Still she survives to obtain her freedom. Through the events and the accounts of Frado’s life the reader is left with a painful reality of the lives of indentured servants.
In addition to his other works, Hawthorne’s “The Birth-Mark” is another example of female inferiority in society. Unlike The Scarlet Letter and “Old Esther Dudley,” which focus on the strength of women, “The Birth-Mark” focuses on the importance society places on female beauty. Aylmer, a scientist, marries the beautiful Georgiana, but she has one flaw: a red birthmark resembling a “human hand, though of the smallest pigmy size.” Aylmer asks Georgiana if she has ever considered having it removed since he feels that she “came so nearly perfect from the hand of Nature, that this slightest possible defect…[is] the visible mark of earthly imperfection” (419). It can be observed that Georgiana is already a pretty woman, but Aylmer is obsessed with her being perfect. Georgiana was never concerned about the mark until Aylmer mentions it. After months of Aylmer obsessing over the birthmark, Georgiana becomes self-conscious and confronts him about the matter. She asks him if he thinks he could successfully remove the mark, and when he says that he could, she replies, “let the attempt be made at any risk. Danger is nothing to me; for life—while this hateful mark makes me the object of your horror and disgust—life is a burthen which I would fling down with joy” (421).
When Anna Close is first introduced in the novel, As We Are Now she is referred to as Mrs. Close. From what I gather, this was to represent a sort of formality between her and Caro because they were not yet acquainted. Not only this, but it also seems that it was Harriet and Rose's way of manipulating Caro to fear the worst out of Harriet's replacement. Caro knew better than to expect someone who would actually care for her, because of this she was surprised beyond belief when she met Anna.
The European standard of beauty has been pushed upon us for thousands of years. The European standard of beauty is the notion that the more closely associated a person is with European features, the more attractive he/she is considered. These standards deem attributes that are most closely associated with white women such as fair skin, straight hair, a thin nose, and light colored eyes. The beautifully unique features each race possesses are often viewed as unattractive because it does not fit into this standard. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s story, The Birthmark, we are introduced to Aylmer, who is obsessed with his wife’s birthmark. Aylmer’s attempt to cure his wife’s deformity and popular culture’s fascination with plastic surgery share the same tactics of psychological manipulation to fit the ideal standard of beauty. They both make women feel insecure about their physical appearance to the extent of putting their lives in danger to resolve a physical imperfection that was never an issue to begin with.
Even though it is ethical to remove the birthmark for the couple’s culture since it will resolve their looming problem, is it moral in their perspective? Initially, it was implied that Georgina found it wrong to remove it since she first believed the mark as a “charm” (419) but the soon changed when Aylmer believed the opposite of it. Aylmer has always found it morally correct in his eyes that the removal of the birthmark is a need since he only ever saw it as a scorching stigma that derails him from reaching total happiness and bliss. The wrong becomes right and the right becomes wrong, and together, these events led to the ethical extermination of the birthmark.
In the poetry of William Blake and William Wordsworth, this difference between children and adults and their respective states of mind is articulated and developed. As a person ages, they move undeniably from childhood to adulthood, and their mentality moves with them. On the backs of Blake and Wordsworth, the reader is taken along this journey.