The Theme of Shortness of Life Expressed in Poetry

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The Theme of Shortness of Life Expressed in Poetry

This essay is going to compare five poems that write about the

shortness of life, and the idea of passing in time. It will also

discuss the thoughts and emotions expressed by these poets. These

poems were written in the pre-1940s. The five poems are:

When I Have Fears by John Keats,

Passing and Glassing by Christina Rossetti,

His Poetrie His Pillar by Robert Herrick,

To Daffadills by Robert Herrick,

Virtue by George Herbert.

In their poems, the poets all write about how life is short and that

you should not waste time. In the poem When I Have Fears, it deals

with John Keats not fulfilling any of his dreams and how he is afraid

of dying and no one remembering him, as it says, "And think that I

never live to trace." This suggests that when he dies no one is going

to remember him and that he is going to be forgotten straight anyway,

even though he is a famous poet and he is remembered. This poem is

similar to "His Poetrie His Pillar." This is because it is talking

about how no is going to remember him.

In Robert Herrick's poem, His Poetrie His Pillar, he is discussing how

he is afraid that he is going to be forgotten after he is dead but he

hopes that his poetry is going to last and that is how people are

going to remember him. In the title it mentions "His Pillar," this

could have different meanings in this line as it suggests that he

could be supported by his poetry. Another way it could be suggesting

that his poetry is his gravestone and that it will protect him. It

could be that no matter what he will live on through his poetry and

that he will never be forgotten. He wants to get across that no matter

what happens you can always live on if you believe you can. In this

poem the word Pillar is a big thing in this play as it can be used in

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