"Topic Proposal" by Leah Siewert

War has always been interesting to me, that sounds weird.  My father was in the Vietnam War which I believe is what has sparked an interest for me.  I remember watching war movies with my dad and in the last 10 years or so he has told us stories that we never thought he would share, and sometimes wish he hadn't.  Because I have never been in a situation of being sent off to war and I see how my father still deals with the memories, nightmares, and PTSD is what drew me to compare "The Man He Killed" and "Dulce et Decorum Est". 

Both poems explain war.  "Dulce et Decorum Est" brings you deeper into the battle and the effects the war has had on the soldiers.  "The Man He Killed" states, "Had he and I but met By some old ancient inn, We should have sat us down to wet Right many a nipperkin" (710).    Overall the message you get is when at war you do what you have to do in order to survive.  "Men marched asleep," as stated in "Dulce et Decorum Est"  showing the reader they continued on as it was part of their mission, not to give up (887).  

Each poem carry's the tone of telling a story, how things are.  The writer's are not necessarily upset but they attempt to explain the best they know how to make the reader feel a part of the poem and understand the message they want to share.

Poetry Essay

For my poetry essay, I am going to approach the subject of war within poems. It is a difficult subject to read and write about but also something that is a reality to us in whatever era we lived or are living. I am goin got compare the poems "Dulce et Decorum Est" and "The Man he Killed". I will compare how they are alike and how they differ. Both of these poems are well written and both approach the subject differently and have a bit of different content to them but the writers have also used some similarities in their descriptions of the horrors of war.
Sue Bartel

Brainstorming

For my poetry essay I am thinking about comparing "Do Not go Gentle into that Good Night" to "Those Winter Sundays". These two poems speak volumes about the relationship between parent and child. Both of these poems show a glimpse of how different the parent child relationship can be. They are similar in that they both use a child as a speaker as well as talking about the speakers' fathers. The differences include that in "Do Not go Gentle", the speaker is talking about his father dying and in "Those Winter Sundays" the speaker is talking about how lonely he is and how he is resenting his father. Perhaps the focus of my essay will be on the disposition of the speaker (the child) towards their fathers. I will also talk about how the tone helps in getting the message across and sets the mood for the poems. Also, I will take into account that both of these poems say more about the children than the fathers they speak about.

"Do Not go Gentle into that Good Night" to "Photograph of my Father in His Twenty-Second Year"

In my essay I will be comparing and contrasting the poems, "Photograph of my Father in his Twenty-Second Year" and "Do Not go Gentle into that Good Night. They are both similar in ways that they are about parent-child relationships. They are differnt in ways that one is the son talking about his father and the other is about a father talking about his son and then it turns around to a son talking about his father.

Irony in "To His Coy Mistress"

The speaker of this poem intends on convincing a women to chose him over all others. He uses a lot of flattery to try to get her to pick him, and even says that her fate is in jeopardy if she does not. "And your quaint honor turn to dust, and into ashes all my lust." (lines 29 & 30) He says his love for her has been and will be forever and that he will praise her. " I would love you ten years before the flood...My vegetable love should grow vaster than empires and more slow." (lines 9, 11-12) The irony in this poem is that the speaker seem more egocentrical than focused on his mistress. He states how he has loved her so long and will wait and that if she doesn't chose him she may die lonley and that time is running out so she should decide quickly. His speach makes him look overly confident, which his mistress may find offensive.

Symbolism in "Porphyria's Lover"

Porphyria herself was the symbol in this poem. To the listener she symbolized the speaker's need for comfort. "She shut the cold out and the storm, and kneeled and made the cheerless grate blaze up, and all the cottage warm" (lines 7-9). The speaker felt her presence soothed the chill of the storm and and made him more comfortable. She also symbolized his fantasy of being worshipped and desired. "And called me. When no voice replied, she put my arm about her waist...Murmuring how she loved me" (lines 15, 16, 21). He longed for this moment and soaked in the attention he was recieving. Porphyria also symbolized pureness and her presence was so infectious to him like a disease, which her name suggests, that he could not let her go. "Perfectly pure and good: I found a thing to do, and all her hair in one long yellow string I wound three times her little throat around," (lines 37-40). The speaker decided to strangle her so he could selfishly keep her to himself.

Tone of "Ode on a Grecian Urn"

The tone of this poem is the peace and happiness that surrounds a grecian urn. "Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are sweeter;" (lines 11-12) These lines show how even though music may not be heard it is still there, and leaves the atmosphere serene and cheerful. Peacefulness is represented by the urn and how it sits quietly and mysteriously, unable to leave. The speaker talks about how happy the trees are and that they seem to never age. Everything is so beautiful and peaceful and to take it all in can leave one feeling too full. "happy , happy boughs!that cannot shed your leaves...happy melodist, unwearied for ever piping songs...For ever panting, and for ever young...That leaves a heart high-sorrowful and cloy'd," (lines21-29) Even though the person who the urn holds cannot experience this atmosphere, the people who mourn can. "Beauty is truth, truth is beauty," (line 49) The diction of the poem is formal because the speaker talks in a language that was common in that era. It makes the poem seem almost like a hymn you would sing in church.

Jock

I would title my opposing feminist poem as Jock, or maybe Athlete of the year. Boys still have peer pressure, and the social norm to be athletic and strong just as girls are portrayed to be skinny and pretty. When boys are little parents put them in sports and make sure they play outside to get a good workout. In the first paragraph I would change the big nose and fat legs to no muscles and squeeky voice or fat tummy and ugly face. I dont think the boy would be as appologetic as the girl is but i still think people would see the same thing. I can see the boys nature wearing out, and he would start taking a protein shake everyday and lifting weights if he was skinny, or dieting and working out excessively if he was overweight. I can see a weight loss surgery or implants to the skinny guy some how added into this poem or possibly maybe even anorexia or bulemia to go to the extreme that this girl went to. He would finally be happy after he ruined his body with all the plastic surgery or ruined his teeth and organs from the purging.
Nicole K.

My Last Duchess

I started to picture the man as a mean control freak. The type of guy that freaks out if he doesnt know where you are, who you are with and what you are doing at all times. He is also demanding of the painter he is speaking to in the beginning of the poem, "Will't you sit and look at her". (Line 5, p. 703 Browning) Will't please you rise?" (Line47, p.703 Browning) Also he started to boss The Duchess around after he started feeling unappreciated when she talked to him the same way as every other person. "Much the same smile? I gave commands; then all smiles stopped together." (Line 46, p.703 Browning) He sounded like he was on a pretty high horse and thought he deserved the most respect and the best treatment from everyone. I think that he almost was accusing her of cheating too because she thanked men and assuming because they gave her gifts, but he didnt know how she thanked them. He thought his name should have been a good enough gift to her. "She thanked men - good! but thanked somehow - I know not how - as if she ranked my gift of nine-hundred-years-old name with anybodys gift" (Line 32, p.703 Browning) He let his true colors show in this poem and we were able to see that he is a very jealous and powerful man, that doesnt like to be disrespected.

Nicole K.

Tone of "Ode on a Grecian Urn"

The tone of "Ode on a Grecian Urn" is part melancholy and part wonder and praise. Melancholy is seen in Keats comparison of the urn's engraved scenes of nature to the earth's real scenes. For instance, the "happy, happy boughs! that cannot shed Your leaves, nor ever bid the spring adieu;" (Keats, p.979) shows the speaker's joy in the way the fact that the urn's branches will stay the same, but the reader then must realize that real boughs must shed their leaves and "bid the spring adieu". The wonder and praise is found in the formal diction and almost songlike language. While the use of "thou", "thy", and "loth", was common in Keats time, the modern use of this type of diction is usually reserved for a reverential tone, such as prayer or the language found in the Holy Bible. The tone then becomes one of praise and reverence for the urn and it's unchanging beauty. Wonder is heard in the question the speaker asks the urn, such as the questions asking about the characters and scenes contained on the urn's surface. "What leaf-fring'd legend haunts about thy shape" and "What men or gods are these? What maidens loth?" (Keats, 978-9). The speaker is full of curiousity and wonder. He is not simply observing a well-crafted vase, but almost longing to be part of the scenes and know what story each detail tells.

Theme of Porphyria's Lover

Theme of 'Porphyria's Lover" is Love itself. It shows that when you fall in love with someone, you will go above and beyond to keep that loved one close to you. As you read in the poem, you can tell that she is in love with him, "she put my arm about her waist, and made her smooth white shoulder bare" (719). She was giving herself to him. Then she states "Murmuring how she she loved me" (720). He was very happy, he knew that she was his, "At that moment she was mine, mine, fair" ) (720). He knew at that moment that she loved him, he could not bear letting anyone else have going her, so he killed her. By killing her, this could not happen and she would be his forever. "And thus we sit together now" (720). This may seem like not the most appropriate theme for this poem. What we see as love, is different from what others see as love as in this case in this poem. This madman, believes in his own mind, that he needs to kill his lover to be with her forever. But love is not hurting someone, love is showing someone. It's a special bond between 2 people.

Theme of "Ode on a Grecian Urn"

The poem "Ode on a Gracian Urn" by John Keats doesn't quite paint a picture of the meaning happy in your mind. Though the poem cleary states happiness many times it simply is not believable. The speaker is admiring an ancient Greek urn with several paintings on the outside. He proceeds to compare the pictures with his life. "Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are sweeter; therefore, ye soft pipes play on;" he debates whether it is better to hear the melodies the musicians are playing or if it is better to imagine it and see the painting itself(lines 11-12). Then during stanza three the tone changes when "that leaves a heart high-sorrowful and cloy'd" because the speaker realizes that this is not life but just a picture. The speaker continues to look at the different paintings on the urn when in the end states, "Beauty is truth, truth is beauty"(line 49). The speaker knows the urn is never changing for centuries to come it will always remain beautiful. In real life this cannot be true, things change, people change, and leaves on a tree change in real life.

"Barbie Doll"

The poem "The Barbie Doll" is difinitely a feminist perspective and to be taken into a masculine point of view the name should be "Have No Fear." Thinking about little girls and boys the first thing you think of a little girl playing with is a barbie and a little boy playing with a GI Joe. The Barbie Doll is used to represent the perfect woman; tall, thin, long hair, big eyes, and always happy. So what could represent the perfect man? The GI Joe with his strength, fit body, dedication and his ability to have no fear. Society sometime forgets that young boys tend to go through the same harrassments girls do at a young age. Toys are geared towards having children want to be just like the superheroes they play with. Yes boys are challenged with sports like activities, who is the best, the fastest, the strongest, but boys are also challenged with physical beauty too. Men are not to show emotions, only strength, and never show that you're afraid. To rephrase the poem changing the discription of the barbie doll to a GI Joe in the first stanza and leaving the second stanza changing only that he showed fear, emotions, or even that he was short for a guy, which seems to be quite a complex. In the third stanza he tries to prove himself but not with suicide but rather joining the army and dies as a soldier.

Tone of "To His Coy Mistress"

The tone of “To His Coy Mistress” goes through transitions throughout the poem. It begins seemingly romantic, speaking of how his love for his mistress could endure vast expanses of time, "My vegetable love should grow Vaster than empires, and more slow". The reader would expect this to be a love poem of a man proclaiming his undying loyalty to a woman. From there the speaker expresses urgency, with morbid descriptions of inevitable death, contradicting the previous statement of time being irrelevant, "Nor, in thy marble vault, shall sound My echoing song; then worms shall try". This transformation leads to suspicion of the speaker's true desires regarding his lover and confusion as to the nature of the poem. It then turns passionate, but absent is the romantic tone the writer began with, "And now, like amorous birds of prey, Rather at once our time devour". "To His Coy Mistress" begins with a tone of romance and tranquility but concludes with almost violent lust.

"My Last Duchess"

The speaker in "My Last Duchess" is a duke with an overbearing, controlling personality. Speaking to a man arranging for the duke to remarry he shows a picture of his late wife from behind a curtain. "And seemed as they would ask me, if they durst, How such a glance came there; so, not the first," the man must have seen a look on the duchess' face and dared to ask the duke who made her look in such a way.(11) The duke begins to show his true jealous emotions. He accuses the Duchess of possible adultery or flirtatious behavior and treating him the same as any other man, "Oh sir, she smiled, no doubt, whene'er I passed her; but who passed without much the same smile?"(lines 43-44) The accusations continue and his character becomes angry and clearly acknowledges that this type of behavior is just not tolerated. This shows that he had his last Duchess murdered. he wasn't about to be made to look like a fool. He is sending a message back to the counts daughter that she will have eyes and smiles only for him. The duke is a very insecure and selfish person.

"To His Coy Mistress" (Theme)

This poem's theme is about grabbing hold of the here and now and enjoying it, which is Carpe Diem. The man who is speaking this poem, persona, is making it clear that he loves this woman and he wants to be with her but they are only getting older and the window of time is only going to get shorter. "Now let us sport while we may; And now, like amorous birds of prey, Rather at once our time devour Than languish in slow-chapped power" Marvell (784).

"Barbie Doll"

Definitely a feminine based poem, but could easily be altered to be male based. If changing this poem to be male based the title would have to change. "Pretty Boy", would be a good title.
Without changing much of the poem, "Pretty Boy" would definitely fit. I would change the first stanza so that it would imply that this boy grew up playing with boy girl and boy toys. In society today it is encouraged that boys be introduced to dolls, but at the same time many boys are picked on for that. Boys are supposed to have truck and G.I. Joes.
In the second stanza, the poem could still talk of "strong arms and back", as that is what a man should have according to others in society, including parents. I would change the "thick legs and big nose" to legs of a chicken and a button nose. Maybe through in something about the lack of athletic ability and maybe inferiority in the locker room.
In the final stanza of the poem I would definitely change "So she cut off her nose and her legs and offered them up" , to something to do with him walking away when the boys started getting a little physical with him. Then end it with something to do with him having the prettiest girl and everyone began to compliment him. I am not sure how that would be worked in but with work it could be done. Boys are judged on athletic ability, strength, the girl they have, and looks.

"My Last Duchess"

In this poem, the Dutch seems to me a very pompous, controlling, and jealous man. "This grew; I gave commands; Then all smiles stopped together" Browning (703). This statement from the poem shows the Dutch in poor light, definitely drawing a picture of him as controlling. He had made the Duchess very unhappy in his ways towards her and his jealousy, too, played a part.
"Strangers like you that pictured countenance, The depth and passion of it earnest glance, But to myself they turned (since none puts by The curtain I have drawn for you, but I)" Browning (703). This statement is a very strong one in showing he is in fact a jealous man. He had a painting done of the Duchess and has it hiding behind curtains that only he is allowed by his rules to open. He does not want anyone else to see her even though she is gone. This might also be tied in with him being on the pompous side.
People are getting married all the time and taking their husband's name, but not all of them say things as such: "She thanked men-good! but thanked Somehow- I know not how- as if she ranked My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name With anybody's gift" Browning (703). His name is the biggest thing to him. She ought to be lucky to have his name in his eyes, as if his name is worth more than any other name, or she is.
Overall, his character is what one could call "shady". Definitely very self absorbed and thinking that all those around should have him on a pedestal.

"GI Joe"

The same way young girls are traditionally expected to strive for physical beauty and grace, young boys are expected to strive to be strong, to be able to go out and provide for a family, to repress any emotions or fears. They need to control their surroundings in a way that is advantageous to themselves with little regard for others. In a poem with this theme, images of toy guns and GI Joe dolls would represent the need to be strong, approach life as if it is a war for survival. A Matchbox Porsche car representing the need to strive for expensive material items to impress females as well as neighbors. Characters like “Batman” and “Spiderman” that implant a yearning to strive to be somebody they can never be and possess abilities that are impossible. An active and violent diction would be an effective tone for this poem. Words like “fight”, “win”, “power”. An open and abrupt writing style might give the reader a sense of violence. The speaker might tell how the young boy showed a tendency to express his emotions, the lack of desire to dominate in sports, and interest in art and poetry that might gain the disapproval of his peers. In appearance it would be a very contrasting poem to “Barbie Doll”, yet the theme would remain identical.

Theme for Porphyrias Love

The theme for Porphyrias love is this mad admries her and watches pretty much every move she makes. This man is believed to be Porphyrias lover and does seem to be very much in love with her. It seems she is really busy and they do not get to spend much time together, and finally at the end they get to be together.

"Ozymandias"

The arrogant words of a once powerful man remain next to the broken headless representation of himself . His own words, placed next to ruins that was once his kingdom, almost seem to mock the King "My name is Ozymandis, King of Kings: Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair". Robins uses imagery to describe a scene that was once a view that would intimadate common people or intruders, but now exists almost as an ironic depiction of his arrogance, "Halfsunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command". The vastness of the dessert is symbollic of the great expanse of time since his time of reign. The poem is a statement that no matter how great and mighty something might be, only time is constant. The poem concludes "Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare, The lone and level sands stretch far away.", leaving the reader with a vision of the vast flatness of time and a sense of empiness and loneliness.

"Barbie Doll"

Although Barbie continues to remain popular, other forms of her can be found, such as the Bratz Doll. If the poem "Barbie Doll", were to have been written about today's Bratz Doll, a slightly different attitude would be apparent. No longer is the girl in the poem apologizing for her "big nose" and "fat legs" (Piercy, p.991), but donning a miniscule top and barely there bottoms, to unapologetically show the world that she is physically female. The same struggle to look like her perfect doll could still be found and the same insecurities are found underneath the heavy make-up and teased hair. But these insecurities are now covered with an aggressive, perhaps angry, attitude that says "I'm exactly what you want, come and get it." While inside, she fears that she is not exactly what is wanted, and may never be. Sadly, today's girl would probably be struggling with her appearance before she even begins puberty. It appears that the struggle of a woman and her body is an age-old issue, however, the general population's view of a woman and her body has become much too critical, much too involved, and simply, downright twisted.

"Nothing lasts"

In "Ozymandias", the speaker is brought to a desert scene, by a story shared by "a traveler from an antique land" (p. 721, line 1). The description of the "shattered visage", with "frown", "wrinkled lips", and "sneer of cold command", tell of a stubbornly proud man. The "king of kings" who sought to remain eternally great, has vanished from physical existence, along with the kingdom he built. He remains only in a deteoirating sculpture and in the story shared by travelers. But even though his memory remains in the story and stone, we are told that "Nothing beside remains". The sands that may eventually cover the sculpture and the words it contains, have remained. The land that Ozymandias once ruled has remained. His name has remained. But Ozymandias himself has not remained. The real flesh and blood of a human being never lasts on this earth.

Theme for "To His Coy Mistress"

The theme for this poem is angled toward "Carpe Diem" which means to seize the day. Throughout this love poem the narrator is trying to convince his love interest that they are young but time will not wait for them. He uses sentences such as "But at my back I always hear times winged chariot hurrying near", and Now let us sport us while we may" and "Now therefore, while the youthful hue sits on they skin like morning glew". He is trying to tell his lover that they must "tear our pleasures with rough strife through the iron gates of life.". He is stating to her that although his love for her will endure forever that time does not stand still for them and they must hurry to seal their love forever.