Abstract This paper begins by providing an explanation of post-modernist poetry and the qualities that define the post-modernist genre. The paper then examines the poetry of several famouspoets such as Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman and D.H. Lawrence and identifies the elements in their poetry that qualifies as post-modernist.
From the Paper "Emily Dickinson's poetry reflects the return of Romanticism in the period of postmodernism. Identified as Neo-Romanticism, this new movement in postmodernist poetry reflected her contemplative thoughts on life, love, and religious beliefs. These themes were reflections of the earlier literary movement Romanticism, and Dickinson's utilization of these themes helped her poetry be categorized under the genre associated with Romanticism. However, her poetry is Neo-Romanticist in that she also incorporated non-literary elements in her poetry, such as not using the conventional structure commonly associated and used in traditional poetry. Her use of broken lines of verse in her poems was a technique uncommon in the poetical tradition, although this uncommon technique helped emphasize Dickinson's meaning that she wanted to convey in the poem."
This paper studies Ralph Waldo Emerson's essay "The Poet" which details the life and role of a poet in society and compares it to Walt Whitman's poem, "Song of Myself".
Abstract This paper studies the life and works and accomplishments of Ralph Waldo Emerson. It studies his essay "The Poet" and describes his idealistic vision of the life of a poet. It also describes the 19th-century artistic and philosophical movement called transcendentalism that he founded. Throughout this paper, the author compares Emerson's ideals to Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself". It also examines Ralph Waldo Emerson's strong influence and effect on American society.
From the Paper "Ralph Waldo Emerson's idealized and mesmerizing description of the role and life of the poet in his essay "The Poet" describes not only the particular calling and obligation of those who choose to follow the poetic muses but also ? because of Emerson's own influence on the writings of Americans who followed him ? proved to be a strongly proscriptive piece of advice for other poets and writers in the decades after Emerson helped to found the 19th-century artistic and philosophical movement called Transcendentalism. The Transcendentalists defined themselves by their belief in a highly idealistic and fundamentally coherent system of belief in the essential unity of all things on earth ? the connection of each thing to its neighbor ? as well as a belief in the absolute importance of personal experience and insight (as opposed to knowledge and beliefs gained through formal logic and formal education) and the essential goodness of humanity."
Abstract This essay discusses how Elizabeth Barrett Browning's "Mother and Poet" blurs the binarism of the domestic custodian and the public crusader. The very title itself blurs the boundaries between the two roles, because both of them intersect along certain lines. Each role needs the other to be effective. Isolated, each role becomes rooted in failure and tragedy.
Abstract A paper about American poets during the period 1951-1960. It traces the style and mood reflected in the fifties and states the poetic preferences of the audience of the time. Basically it focuses on the poets of the era and their styles compared to others of the Beat generation.
Abstract This paper compares Chaucer and the Pearl poet in terms of religious expression and secular elements, showing that the two reflect some of the same themes and concerns about society. It looks at how Chaucer is more openly critical of the way the clergy of his time behaves, while the Pearl poet is more concerned with teaching moral lessons and showing the value of religious belief.
From the Paper "Critics regard Geoffrey Chaucer as a secular poet, while the Pearl poet is seen primarily as a religious one reflecting the view of Christianity. In fact, though, the two poets are much closer together than this might suggest and address many of the same issues, same types of stories, and same concerns from differing points of view. If critics find Chaucer more secular, that may be because his vision reflects more of the reality of the world around him, so that he shows people with all their passions and faults, while the Pearl poet tends more toward idealized visions of moral attitudes and concepts of honor."
Abstract This is a critical analysis of the film "Dead Poets' Society". It is based on the generative thesis, from Pauline Kael: "Movies are so rarely great art that if we cannot appreciate the great trash we have very little reason to be interested in them." Combining this sentiment with the analysis of the film in terms of Aristotelian drama, the essay concludes that said film is too conflict-driven to be great art, contains too much pathos to be great trash, and is thus merely trash by dint of its constant unoriginality. Specific examples from the film are cited.
Abstract The following paper discusses the role of the poet in reference to William Blake's famous set of 54 poems. The author feels that the function of the poet is the feelings he is able to invoke, the tensions between forces/themes that he is able to create and the message that he is able to portray.
From the paper:
?By the time we tumble into the second cycle of songs, those of experience, we are almost eager to do so. The poet no longer hears the voice of the child "piping"; he announces: ?Hear the voice of the Bard!/Who Present, Past & Future sees.? This poet sees ?in evey face I meet/Marks of weaknes, marks of woe.? (London). Many of the poems are paired with poems of the first cycle. For Blake, man is torn between the forces of experience and innocence, two states of the soul. Now, in experience, we see "In a rich and fruitful land,/Babes reduced to misery" (Holy Thursday)?.
Compares the poetry of two religious American poets, Anne Bradstreet and Edward Taylor, and provides some background information on the poets and their poetry.
1,900 words (approx. 7.6 pages), 5 sources, 2002, $ 71.95
Abstract This paper compares two of the most famous and religious American poets, Anne Bradstreet and Edward Taylor. It gives a brief detail of the poets, their work and some quotations written by both of the poets in their poems.
Abstract This paper examines the work of poet, Langston Hughes. The author emphasizes this poet's contribution to the world of poetry and literature and looks at how his writings impacted black society and helped voice the concerns of the American black community.
From the Paper "Langston Hughes has been called the Poet Laureate of the African American people. He was a prolific writer rising to a fame achieved by few other poets. He wrote expressive essays, poetry, short stories, and novels. Through his writing Langston voiced the needs and concerns of the black people that otherwise would have gone unheard. Langston was also involved in the Harlem renaissance through his inspirational writing inspired itself by the people of Harlem. Langston served as an inspiration for writers, composers, playwrights and all others in Harlem. "With his rich poetic voice, nurturing generosity, warm humor, and abiding love of black people, Langston Hughes was one of the dominant voices in American literature of this century and perhaps the single most influential black poet. (Heath, 1-2)"
Abstract The life and times of Angelou are described in her book "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings." It describes her very difficult childhood and youth where she was abused physically and mentally, lived as a homeless person and was a teenage mother. It also describes how she finally found her niche and became a successful writer and poet for black civil rights causes.
From the Paper "In her autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, she chronicles her early life, a life full of events that would have broken many people. After her parents divorced, she was sent away from her home in California, at the age of three, with only her four-year-old brother for companionship. They had to travel by themselves to Stamps, Arkansas, to live with their grandmother. She was variously shipped off to her mother (in two separate locations), her father and other relatives. One of her mother's friends repeatedly molested and then raped her by the age of eight, in an attack severe enough to put her in the hospital. After he was tried and found guilty but given a very light sentence, he was found brutally beaten to death. This caused Maya to remain largely mute for some years after."
From the Paper "Romantic poet William Blake can be viewed as England's greatest mystic, prophet, and visionary through some of his most famous poetry. Possessing the soul of a mystic, William Blake was on a continuous journey to gain spiritual knowledge and tried to poetically describe to others what he learned. As a prophet, Blake was able to spread his messages and insights of the future through his epic poems. Blake used his poetry to express his visions, which encompassed his imaginative mind. Through prime examples of his poetry, one can come to the conclusion that he was all three of these things."
Abstract The paper relates that Gerald Manley Hopkins' use of vocabulary, rhythm techniques and innovative poetry writing styles makes him one of the most influential poets in history. The paper explains Hopkins' innovations of sprung rhythm, his use of vocabulary and rhyme and his idea of 'inscape' and 'instress', two words to describe the inner nature of his poetry.
From the Paper "Gerald Manley Hopkins was born in Stratford, England in 1844. His father was a writer of poetry and technical books, so one can see where he got his unique gift of poetry. As a young boy, he already showed a great attraction to poetry, and he received many awards throughout his school career. His life had a great impact upon his poetry. He converted to Roman Catholic at the age of twenty-two, and was estranged from his family. He ended up burning many of his early poems because he felt poetry was not the proper selection for a serious religious man."
Abstract This paper examines Gregory Corso's famous poem "Marriage"; Corso's speaker is disillusioned by the convention of marriage, which seems incompatible--or at least in conflict--with the uniqueness and individuality of his generation. It explains how the speaker explores courtship and three forms of the matrimonial state: from the perspectives of the rich, poor and middle class. Criticizing popular (and unintelligent) culture, he examines the stereotypical forms of marriage; after determining the pros and cons of each, he decides to wait "up to 2,000 years" to find the woman who will transcend popular culture and engage him spiritually, sexually, interpersonally and intellectually. After this funny but serious debate, he refuses to compromise love for the mere comforts and conveniences of conventional marriage.
From the Paper "Gregory Corso uses a confluence of sarcasm and wit to criticize the disillusionment of the individual caused by various social constructs in American society. Corso manages to infuse humor in this long criticism of the sacred institution of marriage without losing either his credibility or the audience's attention-readers from across the intellectual spectrum are attracted to the captivating combination of gravity and levity in Marriage. Corso's humor is indeed structured to add to the poem's seriousness by raising a series of profound and absurd questions regarding the mutual exclusivity of love and marriage."
Abstract This paper compares the different styles of poetry exhibited by Augustan poets and poets from the "Graveyard School". The paper focuses on Dryden and Swift as examples of Augustan poets and Finch and Gray as examples of poets from the "Graveyard School". The paper looks at the three main qualities of each style of poetry and then uses examples from the poetry to compare and contrast those styles.
From the Paper "Secondly, both Finch and Gray use notions that reflect a Tudor revival. Finch makes a direct reference to Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice when she repeats: "In such a night"? which echoes the same repeated phrase in the night piece that opens act V of The Merchant of Venice, when Jessica and Lorenzo are having a lover's duel talking about tragic love stories. Also, Finch uses nature imagery, like Gray, which was a tactic that Shakespeare was famous for. By using Renaissance-like styles, the two poets suggest a desire for a lost age, one that was more innocent, pure, and free of cynical, experience-obsessed poets like Swift."
Abstract This paper compares and contrasts the Greek Poet Sappho and the Russian Poet Anna Akhmatova. Each poet is discussed individually in terms of history, style, overall influence on their era, major emphases, relevant political issues, and life/cultural/societal crises that influenced their work.
From the Paper "Aeolic dialect (many meters) was used in Sappho's poetry and she became known for her Sapphic Stanza. She wrote mainly for young women. Her principal subject was love and the expression of her feelings for women, her daughter and nature. She also composed songs or poems to celebrate marriage and tell of the events of the wedding day. In the second and third centuries B.C. her poems were collected and edited into nine books. Her work influenced readers, scholars and Roman poets among whom there were: Catullus, Ovid and Horace. By the fifth century A.D., Sappho's poetry was virtually forgotten."
"While exemplifying personal or confessional poetry, Anna achieved universal appeal pro artistic and emotional integrity. Her primary subject was love, mostly frustrated, tragic love with an intensely feminine accent. She later added civic, patriotic and religious themes without sacrificing personal intensity or artistic conscience."
