Shakespeare’s Macbeth “evokes” a sense of pity and terror. In many ancient plays, writers showcase humans struggling with “the gods, fate and free will, crime and punishment, guilt and suffering”. Shakespeare draws inspiration from several ancient playwrights including Seneca who created characters who “say the unsayable, do the unthinkable, and suffer the unimaginable”. This presents itself in Macbeth in the form of “child-killing”. This theme appears in both the physical actions of the play and also in Shakespeare’s language. Mothers in both Seneca’s work and Shakespeare’s force their husbands into “a guilty and awed submission” that they must struggle with throughout the play. It is possible that Lady Macbeth was inspired directly by Seneca’s main character: Medea. Although these two characters have some stark differences, they are still both very similar in their beliefs and actions. Macbeth himself has a great transformation (like Medea) from a “classical war hero” to a remorseful, child-like man who is filled with “incomprehension and astonishment”.
Easter 1916: A time that is STILL influential January 20, 2009
The attitude of the speaker changes as the poem goes on because he realizes that the Irish nationalists really are heroes. As he thinks more and more about their actions, and the impact (however slight they may be) that the actions made, he realizes that it wasn’t “needless death after all”. The speaker now sees that, ironically, a “terrible beauty is born” in the death of the nationalists. The beauty comes in the form of hope for Irish citizens, and in the form of fear for England. He sees that even though the deaths of an “ignorant” woman and a “drunken, vainglorious lout” could have a major, positive impact on the future of their soon-to-be-independent country. He also realizes that he himself has a new responsibility. It is the responsibility to “murmur name upon name”, and make the great sacrifice of these individuals known to all Irish citizens.
The poet utilizes a shift in diction and rhythm to denote the change in the speaker’s attitude. In the first stanza, the poet uses a very simple meter and colloquial diction to demonstrate the monotonous flow of each day. People would pass on the streets exchanging “polite meaningless words”, completely sure that they “lived where motley is worn”. However, as the poem moves forward, a “stone” comes to disrupt the monotonous flow of every-day life. The remaining stanzas, while still rhythmic, lack the simplicity and (for lack of a better word) boringness of the first. The speaker’s passion lives within the remaining stanzas as new ideas and realizations surface. Through the poem, the speaker does his part in drawing attention to the significance of the actions of the Irish nationalists. Through the poem, the speaker can ensure that “wherever green is worn”, a drastic change has come about. And through the poem, the speaker comes to realize that even small, seemingly insignificant actions can have a great impact on an entire country. The heroes of the poem birthed a “terrible beauty”, and it is now up to both the speaker and us to make something of that beauty in our own lives.
A Well-Oiled Machine. Departmental, p.788 January 16, 2009
Diction and rhyme both play a very important role in Robert Frost’s Departmental. The combination of couplets and triplets create a sort of movement through the poem that is much like that of the ants. The ants live out their day to day lives in a sort of routine, paying no mind to anything that they did not have “business” with. They work together like a well-oiled machine that moves at a constant, efficient rate. The rhyme scheme replicates this, and therefore, assists in pointing out the speaker’s attitude towards this social order. Since the social order is so machine-like and “departmental”, it is very impersonal. Each entity of the society does his or her part, repetitively, to make the society as a whole effective. However, a society without flaws is truly a flawed society. It runs with such a uniformity and rhythm that “surprise” and joy take a permanent leave of absence.
The diction helps explain the speaker’s feelings towards the “departmental” society by demonstrating how simple and business-like the society is. The diction is colloquial, and therefore shows the simplicity of each individual’s live. Each member of the society follows a set procedure, depending on which department to which they belong. The colloquial diction explains one of these processes as it is carried out, thus, showing its simplicity. The speaker also uses words such as “case” and “position” to convey his/her feeling that this sort of social order is very business-like. Also, in the last few lines, the speaker uses the words “it couldn’t be called ungentle” rather than “it could be called gentle”. This use of the negative form draws attention to the speaker’s dislike of the “departmental” society. Where before the speaker simply described a strict process, it is in this subtle line that we, as readers, can see how he/she feels personally.
Page 1415 #1 & 3 January 15, 2009
1. The images associated with approaching death include a “hungry bear”, a purse that “snaps shut”, “measle-pox”, an “iceberg between the shoulder blades”, and a “cottage of darkness”. These images collectively exude a dark, cold feeling. This is a feeling that most people wish to run away from…quickly.
- “the hungry bear in autumn” – This image is both effective and appropriate because it shows how death – a giant, violent, ferocious force – is constantly lingering in the brush, waiting to strike. It showcases the fear that we all have of death as it lurks in the back of our minds while we live out our lives in suspense. It is appropriate for this poem because it sets up a tone that later images can be compared to. At the beginning of the poem, imagery such as this make it seems as if we all, including the speaker, fear our inevitable death. However, later in the poem when the speaker decides to have “courage” and live life to the fullest, the speaker overcomes the powerful, “hungry bear” and radiates her sense of empowerment.
- “when death comes and takes all the bright coins from his purse/ to buy me, and snaps the purse shut”- This image is effective because it allows the reader to see more than just a vision, but to have an experience. We can hear the coins jingling and the purse “snap” shut in addition to seeing the light glint off the coins. With this image we must imagine ourselves being bought, like slaves, by the proud owner of the shiny coins and purse. (Truthfully, this is the least effective image in the entire poem. It doesn’t really seem to fit in with the others, but can be picked apart and found to be “effective”. Maybe I just don’t understand this image as well as the others…)
- “death comes/ like measle-pox”- this image is entirely effective and appropriate because it yet again creates an entire experience for the reader. We can see the dark red spots, feel them itch, hear the cries of pain, and share in the fear of the death soon to come. Even though this image is only two words it is very effective because we can all relate to it. We have all been sick, lying in bed wishing that sleep would come faster. This image brings back that feeling of helplessness and adds on a feeling of hopelessness as death draws nearer. This image is appropriate because it stands on contrast to the words “I don’t want to find myself sighing an frightened.” Death by disease is very frightening due to the fact that you can do noting to stop it: only wait to die. This is the feeling that the speaker wishes to overcome by living her life happily, and not simply visiting this world.
- “when death comes/ like an iceberg between the shoulder blades”- this image is effective because it allows the reader to feel the cold, wetness of the iceberg. This image makes me cringe, and draw my shoulder blades together by just reading it. It relates to the death that the speaker wishes to liberate herself from because death is cold and pressing just like the iceberg.
- “that cottage of darkness”- this image is effective because it exudes the feeling of loneliness and darkness that are commonly associated with death. I pictured a dark, abandoned cottage in the woods somewhere when I came across this image, and it brings my fear of death and loneliness to the forefront of my mind.
3. The images associated with life and experiences include “music”, the “lion of courage”, the “bride”, and the “bridegroom”. These images are meant to be compared to the images of approaching death that precede them.
- “each name a comfortable music to the mouth,/ tending, as all music does, toward silence”- This image is effective because it relates life to a beautiful masterpiece (music) that comes to an inevitable end. It shows that our lives, while they may be graceful, beautiful, long, short, complicated, or simple, they all come to an end.
- “and each body a lion of courage”- This image is effective because lions are commonly thought of as courageous as they are giant, majestic beasts. This beast contrasts with the “hungry bear”. While the bear makes us fearful, the lion brings us courage. (we probably need to talk about this one)
- “I was a bride married to amazement./ I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms”- This image is (for me) the most effective image associated with life. It demonstrates the love that the speaker has for life by comparing it to a bride and a bridegroom. She can embrace life with open arms and hold it close as a husband would hold his wife. The speaker sees the world in “amazement” just as newlyweds see each other despite any flaws.
