War and Politics in Poetry

Paper Summary:

The paper examines the works of the three poets, Pablo Neruda, Nathalie Handal and Bei Dao, and shows how they all portray the disaster caused by war and politics in the lives of ordinary people. The paper discusses how each author depicts the scene of the modern world as a desolated landscape on which the signs and effects of war and fighting are openly visible, where death usurps life and the cruel political games make the normal, innocent people into victims. The paper highlights the poems' symbolic imagery, which hints at the terrible effects of war on our contemporary lives.

From the Paper:

"War and politics have always been two pervading themes in literature. If in the ancient times however war was introduced and depicted in long, heroic poems, in modern poetry the writers deplore the violence and savagery caused by the war. Many modern poets and artists have also played an important role as political militants and have been involved in the political life of their countries either directly or indirectly through their writings. Contemporary poetry especially is extremely preoccupied with politics and the way it influences modern life at all levels. The three poets Pablo Neruda, Nathalie Handal and Bei Dao have all been involved in the political life of their countries. Their poetry thus expresses the social and political disturbances and the conflicts which affect the lives of the individuals."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Abinader, Elmaz. "The Lives of Rain.(Book review)." MELUS 31.4 (Winter 2006): 256(3)
• Dao, Bei. "Bei Dao and Modern Chinese Poetry". http://www.lingshidao.com/hanshi/beidao.htm
• Handal, Nathalie. "Gaza City." The Literary Review 46.2 (Wntr 2003): 330(2).
• James, A. Bei Dao. "The Answer and Declaration." The Democracy Reader (Edition 1992): 270(2).
• Neruda, Pablo. "Selected Poems". http://www.caterina.net/paw/archives/000040.html

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