Death Presented in Metaphysical Poetry
Death is presented in metaphysical poetry in a number of different
ways. However, from the glorified object of desire in Henry Vaughan’s
‘They are all gone into the world of light’ to the way in which John
Donne mocks the personified death in ‘Death be not proud’, there are
also a lot of common points which are made.
The historical context of the pieces is clearly an influential factor.
With all the changes happening during the 16th and 17th centuries (the
time in which most metaphysical poetry was being written) the only
thing one could be certain of in life was death. Subsequently this was
a subject on which many metaphysical poets wrote.
John Donne’s sonnet ‘Death be not proud’ is very forceful and written
with a triumphant and (at times) mocking tone. Throughout the poem he
reinforces his view that death is not something to fear. It is,
however, the gateway to eternal life, a belief which reflects that of
Plato.
Donne takes the common view that death is a terrible thing, and
negates it, undermining the personified ‘Death’s’ power over people:
‘some have called thee / Mighty and dreadfull … thou art not soe’. He
then proceeds to give more reason to not fear death, as ‘From rest and
sleepe’ we receive ‘Much pleasure’, and considering sleep is a mere
imitation of death what great joy could we obtain from death itself?
Donne further belittles ‘Death’ by saying that ‘Death’ does not kill
people: rather it is ‘slave to Fate, chance, kings, and desperate
men’.
In contrast, Henry Vaughan’s poem ‘They are all gone into the world of
light’ shows his almost desperation to die and enter the glorious
beyond.
‘O Father of eternal life, and all
Created glorie...
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...es with rough strife
Throughout the Iron gates of Life.’
These images are disturbing, and not what you would expect considering
he is trying to persuade his mistress into bed.
The closing two lines of the poem summarise the argument:
‘Thus, though we cannot make our Sun
Stand still, yet we will make him run.’
Although they cannot control the inevitable advancement of time, they
can (and should) make the most of their time together.
There are many views on the after life, and its questionable
existence. Whether you- like Vaughan- believe that death is the
beginning of a wonderful existence, or if you prefer to see death as a
tool for revenge (like Donne in ‘The Apparition’) we are all agreed on
one aspect. We all die. However, the mystery still remains, and the
fact is no one knows for certain what will happen to when we leave
this world.
“As I Lay Dying, read as the dramatic confrontation of words and actions, presents Faulkner’s allegory of the limits of talent” (Jacobi). William Faulkner uses many different themes that make this novel a great book. Faulkner shows his talent by uses different scenarios, which makes the book not only comedic but informational on the human mind. As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner is a great book that illustrates great themes and examples. Faulkner illustrates different character and theme dynamics throughout the entire novel, which makes the book a humorous yet emotional roller coaster. Faulkner illustrates the sense of identity, alienation, and the results of physical and mental death to show what he thinks of the human mind.
Death is one of the only true constants in the universe and is the only guarantee in life. Everyone knows of death and everyone will experience it, but to the living death is still one of life's greatest mysteries. In some cultures death is celebrated and embraced, while in others it is feared. However it is perceived, death holds different meanings for different people. Through the art of poetry a writer can give a reader many different outlooks and maybe a better understanding of life and death.
after death is what is very dissimilar. In the poem when she says "We passed
Many people find it hard to imagine their death as there are so many questions to be answered-how will it happen, when, where and what comes next. The fact that our last days on Earth is unknown makes the topic of death a popular one for most poets who looks to seek out their own emotions. By them doing that it helps the reader make sense of their own emotions as well. In the two poems “Because I Could Not Stop for Death” by Emily Dickenson and “Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night” by Dylan Thomas, the poets are both capturing their emotion about death and the way that they accepted it. In Dickenson’s poem her feelings towards death are more passionate whereas in Dylan’s poem the feelings
In “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson, she speaks much about tradition in a small town in which many have been lost over the years. The black box, which Shirley speaks about in the beginning of the story, is of great importance. The black box represents the entrapment of tradition and the change over time. It is the trapping of tradition because now that it is worn and ragged they still do not want to change it because it is tradition. Along with the box changing many people’s views on The Lottery, it also lets the town’s people stand strong by themselves. Shirley Jackson in “The Lottery” uses symbolism and irony to foreshadow death.
Before reaching his destination , John begins to allow nature to be his mentor. “The three deer passed in the valley, going east….I followed them”(Benét 77). He travels alone, relying on the fauna to guide him the right way. John arrives to the place of the gods where his ignorance comes into play again. He sees a variety of appliances but is not aware of their names. “There was a cooking place but no wood, and though there was a machine to cook food, there was no place to put fire in it” (Benét 82). He is describing an oven but living from an isolated world for decades, John is a stranger to all things modern. After more investigating, he falls asleep and dreams about the past. John is perplexed by the new things he had never seen before, “When gods war with gods, they use weapons we do not know. It was fire falling out of the sky and mist that poisoned” (Benét 84). It is noticeable to the audience that John is again envisioning technology that he is not familiar with. He then encounters a “dead god” and soon realizes something life-changing about the gods, “...they had been men neither gods or demons….They were men” (Benét
The Theme of Loss in Poetry Provide a sample of poetry from a range of authors, each of whom portrays a different character. the theme of loss in some way. Anthology Introduction The object of this collection is to provide a sample of poetry from a range of authors, each of whom portray the theme of ‘loss’ in some way. The ‘Loss’ has been a recurring theme in literature for centuries, from.
Death and Reality in "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" by Joyce Carol Oates
Emily Dickinson once said, “Dying is a wild night and a new road.” Some people welcome death with open arms while others cower in fear when confronted in the arms of death. Through the use of ambiguity, metaphors, personification and paradoxes Emily Dickinson still gives readers a sense of vagueness on how she feels about dying. Emily Dickinson inventively expresses the nature of death in the poems, “I felt a Funeral, in my Brain (280)”, “I Heard a fly Buzz—When I Died—(465)“ and “Because I could not stop for Death—(712)”.
In a time where science and materialism reign, the topic of the soul is rarely mentioned, ostensibly left in the past with the philosophers of old. Nichols, however, candidly broaches this difficult topic and gives new life to the argument that humans do indeed have an immaterial, immortal soul. Nichols summarizes several popular arguments for the existence of the soul as he builds his own argument, which discusses a soul as limited in relation to its environment as well as a soul that is one with the mind and a controller of the body. He discusses both the strengths and challenges to his argument, offering rebuttals to the challenges. Because this soul is the organizing principle of the body it is involved in the Resurrection as well, bridging the gap between the material and spiritual worlds. However, I disagree with Nichols’ assessment, instead choosing the side of materialism where an immaterial soul does not exist.
The Theme of Death in Poetry Robert Frost and Emily Dickinson are two Modern American Poets who consistently wrote about the theme of death. While there are some comparisons between the two poets, when it comes to death as a theme, their writing styles were quite different. Robert Frost’s poem, “Home Burial,” and Emily Dickinson’s poems, “I felt a Funeral in my Brain,” and “I died for Beauty,” are three poems concerning death. While the theme is constant there are differences as well as similarities between the poets and their poems. The obvious comparison between the three poems is the theme of death.
In the poems, Suicide Note by Janice Mirikitani and Dreams of Suicide by William Meredith, the element of suicide is unmistakably the theme. Although both poems are tragic and melancholic, each poet focuses their attention on different aspects of suicide. Mirikitani dissects the inner thoughts of the speaker and focuses on suicidal ideation, while Meredith’s version brings attention to the suicides of three writers by dedicating and honoring them individually. In Dreams, “the speaker conveys his own empathy for those writers who could not survive the struggle to reconcile art and life” (Kirszner & Mandell).
I Heard a Fly Buzz – When I Died –, written by Emily Dickinson, is an interesting poem in which the poet deals with the subject of death in a doubtful yet both optimistic and pessimistic ways. The central theme of the poem is the doubtfulness and the reality of death. The poem is written in a very unique point of view; the narrator who is speaking is already dead. By using symbols, irony, oxymoron, imagery and punctuation, the poet greatly succeeds in showing the reality of death and her own doubtful feelings towards time after death.
Death is a prevalent theme in the poetry of both Sylvia Plath and Emily Dickinson. They both examine death from varied angles. There are many similarities as well as differences in the representation of this theme in their poetry. Plath views death as a sinister and intimidating end, while Dickinson depicts death with the endearment of romantic attraction. In the poetry of Plath death is depicted traditionally, while Dickinson attributes some mysticism to the end of life.
Throughout Emily Dickinson’s poetry there is a reoccurring theme of death and immortality. The theme of death is further separated into two major categories including the curiosity Dickinson held of the process of dying and the feelings accompanied with it and the reaction to the death of a loved one. Two of Dickinson’s many poems that contain a theme of death include: “Because I Could Not Stop For Death,” and “After great pain, a formal feeling comes.”