Eliot

I’m not sure what to think about Eliot at this point. After reading his introduction, we learn that he thought of Yeats as the greatest poet. I would have to disagree with him on this. I guess I shouldn’t judge because I have very little knowledge in the world of poetry, but I imagine that there are many other talented poets. “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” is the first poem I have read by Eliot. My first impression was that there is something psychologically wrong with Eliot. His character seems very anxious throughout the poem. He repeats himself several times as if he is trying to convince himself of something. It is obvious that he is suffering from social and sexual anxieties. He lacks self-confidence, which is evident when he refers to himself as balding. Women intimidate Prufrock to the point where he is unable to approach them. I believe that Eliot might have suffered from his own anxieties. I’m not saying that Eliot is Prufrock, but it is hard for any writer to leave themselves out of their work entirely.

I had a difficult time with Eliot’s essay “Tradition and the Individual Talent.” I had to read each line carefully and think about what he was really saying. I understand that Eliot believes that the tradition in literature is unrecognized. He mentions the concept of simultaneous order which I understand this as mixing the past and present. He discusses how the creation of new work is something that happens simultaneously to other works that preceded it. I believe he means that new work changes how we examine the past. I can agree with Eliot’s idea that knowledge of tradition can make a better poet. On the other hand, I do not agree that poetry should be impersonal. How can he believe that a poet should give value to his poetry instead of personality? I think of art as a way to express yourself, and he believes the exact opposite. I would think that it would be difficult for a poet to exclude any personal emotions in their work.

T.S Eliot

T.S Eliot deferred to Yeats as "the greatest poet" of his time, but it was himself the most famous. he was cultured and his travel showed in his writing especially french influence. he was considered pioneer of 20th century writing because even though he was fully adapted to classical and traditional writing but also brought philosophical position and new rhythm. his personal problems showed in his poems like the waste land which begins with "april is the curliest month" which is said for his separation from an unhappy marriage. even before he finished the wasteland he had a breakdown which is also very much evident in his poem. he expressed much of isolation and horror of modern city. as many of his poem their is a sense of uncertainty and turmoil which is very much expressing of his life always trying to break away from certain mold and expectations of his family.

T.S ELiot the love song of J. Alfred Prufrock

The love song of J. Alfred Prufrock was about a very timid man whom he is in the academic party or gathering and it might even suggest a high class brothel, because there seems to be a lot of women around as he keeps repeating the women coming and going talking of Michelangelo. Is sitting by himself observing the crowd, a women to be more pacific he wants to approach her but is too afraid of what people might think as in “ line 38-45 how they might talk about his hair thinning and how his legs are too thin even if he does have nice suit on. He is very unsure of himself and sees himself with no importance. Since he’s a timid man and is afraid of rejection and people’s opinion, in his mind he is safe from rejection and humiliations. He seen to be his owns biggest critic. In line 111-119 he even compares himself to Hamlet, which in many sense is someone he identifies with but differ and points out that he is not hamlet because he wont go through with his action and hamlet did.
Even in old age as the mermaids sing to each other, they wont sing to him because like everyone else they have ignored him.

An Active Mind on an Active Mind

There is no question: T. S. Eliot is an intellectual poet. His essay, "Tradition and the Individual Talent," exposits an amount of detailed thought given to poetry (and art, generally) which I imagine is given by few others--including both those who practice art and those who don't. I find his opinion on the role of tradition (culture, country, canon, etcetera) and the past in art/poetry appreciable, especially as a young artist/poet myself, because I find that it is far too common that young, "new" artists, as Eliot puts it, will put too much emphasis on "those aspects of his work in which he least resembles anyone else." I don't know that I agree with Eliots points on this topic fully, but I agree that it is far too easy to assume that breaking away from tradition, being fully unique and fully "individual," is the only way to make "good" art. My favorite quote in this portion of the essay:

He [the poet, artist] must be quite aware of the fact that art never improves, but that the material of art is never quite the same.

In regard to the second portion of his essay, I find that I almost completely disagree with him. Perhaps I am an "immature poet," as I'm sure Eliot would find, but I am much opposed to New Criticism in the way that I don't believe that art can ever be fully separated from its artist. I don't believe that any piece that one with "emotion" and "personality" puts work into can remain untouched or unphased by that person. The mere fact that Eliot has this opinion changes the way his poetry is formed, in a way that one with a different feeling on the matter might not. The fact is that pieces of art are not unprejudiced: an artist always puts himself into his work, whether he intends to or not. The creation of art itself is something that only a person with a creative or artistic temperament would do; and every poem's word choice, every paintings brushstroke, every film's camera angle, is a direct result of the conscious effort of a specific human being with specific characteristics and dispositions.

Yeats

There were only a couple of poems by Yeats that I liked. I enjoyed 'Sailing to Byzantium' because you could see him looking back at what he use to be like in his earlier years of life. There was a sadness that came over me while reading this poem. It got me thinking about my life when I am older and the things I will no longer take part in. The first line "That is no country for old men. The young in one another's arms, birds in the trees-Those dying generations-" I think he is realizing that he is to old to do the things he use to and I get the feeling he is accepting it and that is why he is leaving to experience an older life. 'Leda and the Swan' was easy for me to understand but most of his poetry was very difficult.I think part of the difficulty was almost every line I had to look down at the foot notes to see what he was actually saying. I appreciate his love for his country, it definitley shows through his work.

Some Thoughts on Eliot

Wow, Eliot’s pretty deep. I had to read through his article, “Tradition and the Individual Talent” very slowly, but it was definitely worth my time. I like his idea that the best poetry is written with an awareness of its predecessors, but also has its own power, in its “newness,” to add to the overall meaning of the body of poetry. Additionally, I also agree with his assertion that the poet’s personal experiences should not be what causes the emotionality of a poem, but rather the content of the poem should cause emotion. When a poet is able to have the content of his poetry cause emotion, he is doing his job well.

Perhaps one of the reasons I appreciate Eliot’s article so much is because I can really see his view on poetry at play in “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.” First of all if the idea that poetry is not only a product of the past, but a continuation of its tradition. This is very evident in “Prufrock.” Clearly, Eliot is very aware of his predecessors with all the allusions he makes within the poem. Whether he is making Biblical allusions, quoting Marvell, or talking about Hamlet, Eliot is very aware of past literary traditions. Yet, he is also able to add to the overall tradition of poetry by including new literary techniques such as stream-of-consciousness and free verse. So, in his ability to acknowledge his predecessors while simultaneously his own new ideas, Eliot follows his instructions in “Tradition and the Individual Talent” as to what makes good poetry.

Additionally, Eliot also does a good job of creating emotionally inspiring content in “Prufrock.” In his essay Eliot says that poetry should have “an expression of significant emotion, emotion which has its life in the poem and not in the history of the poet” (947). This concept is evident in many portions of “Prufrock.” Take, for example, lines 64-64 which say, “Arms that are braceleted and white and bare/ (But in the lamplight, downed with light brown hair!)”. Arms, as a subject, do not normally cause emotion, but when considered in the context of the poem readers can understand the emotion of loneliness and longing that Prufrock experiences. Therefore, because Eliot is able to take objects which would normally be considered emotionally neutral and turn them into something emotionally significant, he once again completes his own definition of what comprises good poetry.

Poets everywhere have different ideas about what makes good poetry. Yeats focused on symbolism, whereas Eliot puts more emphasis on tradition and emotion. And, it’s not for me to say which one of them was “more right” than the other. Yet, comparisons of value aside, I think that Eliot’s article is helpful in my overall understanding of his work. He seems to have a very definite idea about what poetry should accomplish, and he does a good job of meeting these requirements within his work. So, with that in mind, I’m excited to read more of his poetry to see how the rest of his work fits in with the ideas presented in “Tradition and the Individual Talent.”

Post- class discussion Eliot thought.

...Yeah, *just* a thought.
I find one thing interesting in the whole predicament concerning the epigraph. It seems like a direct correlation can be drawn between Dante's passage and Eliot's poem in one discernable example. The "Do I dare" line--uttered by Guido-- we discussed in class that reflects on Prufrock's indecisiveness, conflicts with the fact that the charcater in the epigraph does the opposite; he says what he wants to say to the one he's conversing with. So it seems like my comment in my last post, and the one I've made in class, wasn't too far off. Eliot's likening Prufrock to Hamlet serves as evidence for this fact. Much like Hamlet, Prufrock's lack of confidence and indecisiveness are the attributes that consign him to obscurity.

Post class discussion Eliot thoughts.

Yeats - Hellogoodbye

Ok, this will be my first and only post about Yeats. Technical difficulties made me scrap my previous Yeats postings so here goes:

Yeats' Youth--

The first poem by Yeats that I ever read was The Lake Isle of Innisfree. I really liked the imagery and the carefree flow of the poem. It's simple and pretty and paints us a beautiful picture of what life in Ireland could be like. [Before reading Yeats, I hadn't really read Irish writers and didn't really know anything about Ireland's social or political background]. The Sorrow of Love, When You are Old, and Adam's Curse created, in my head, this lovesick teenager. Maud Gonne obviously had a huge impact on Yeats' life and he, foolishly, chased her for years and years.

War Poems--

During this time in Yeats' life, he had become quite the Irish patriot. Easter 1916, An Irish Airman Forsees His Death, and The Second Coming demonstrate a feeling in Yeats that something big was happening at the time. The image of the gyre in several of his poems seem to say that from this storm, big changes will take place. And although not a whole lot of change really did come to Ireland after the uprisings noted in Easter 1916, Yeats still believed that he had played a part in the efforts.

Old Age--

As Yeats gets older, his poetry seems to change. As we talked about in class, he creates this persona of the 'old man.' He notes that he is no longer in the best of health. Like in Sailing to Byzantium, he compares an aged man to "a tattered coat upon a stick." He longs for youth, implying that although he still has a sharp mind, he lacks the ability to be as active as he once was, or as the people around him are.

As a whole, Yeats' poetry has changed and grown to represent himself in different times of his life. I think it makes him more relatable and gives him the ability to be a poet who has a very large audience. For example, I really liked his poems that were written in his youth, but not so much his poetry written during the Irish uprising. I did learn a lot from reading Yeats, most notably the political struggles of Ireland in the early 20th century. Irish mythology was another spectrum of Yeats' poetry that I found to be very interesting. I think I have a better appreciation for Irish literature and am pretty excited for more Irish poets throughout this course.

Eliot

T.S. Eliot lived a very interesting life and his poetry reflects that in many different ways, from his introduction we learned that he was the most popular poet of his time and that there could have been no other poet “better equipped than any other poet to bring verse fully into the twentieth century.” “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” was written while he was a teaching assistant at Harvard University, before he was awarded his traveling fellowship, I am interested in reading his other works that were written after he moved to England to see how his opinions on life had changed.
Reading “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” was fun and exciting at first, I didn’t really pay close attention to the words, the rhythm was the first thing to grab my attention, it was fun, sort of a sing-song rendition. Looking deeper and reading it again made me change my mind, the poem has a much deeper meaning and it requires a deeper understanding of, well life, I think. I believe that J. Alfred Prufrock is an imaginary person based off of every many Eliot met up until that time, or he could be the ideal man of that time, still he is different from what I first thought he might be.
I do appreciate how Eliot pulled other famous works into the poem starting the whole poem off with Dante’s Inferno, asking to identify oneself, could be an important aspect of Eliot’s life at the time, perhaps he did not know who he was as a person. Then he brings Marvell’s “To His Coy Mistress,” which I will admit I have not read, but the footnotes talk about time and the world, something that because Eliot was fairly young at the time he wrote this poem, he had plenty of. Then he brings in the Greek poet Hesiod with his poem about farming, still a bit confused about this one… Anyway, He also brings in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, My whole point here is to show that Eliot was intelligent and knew what he was writing about, I can’t wait to read more.

T. S. Eliot's "Love Song"

September 26th: Happy Birthday T. S. Eliot!!

I enjoyed reading Eliot’s The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock. From reading the introduction on T. S. Eliot, we learn that the Love Song was not a true “love song” to a woman. This is poem is what Prufrock sang instead, because he “dared” not to approach a woman. The themes of not knowing one’s self, not being able to meet expectations, the bondage of indecisiveness, feeling out of place, having fear, and not being able to say what one truly intends to say, captivated my interest. I felt like this poem had a strong essence of “realness” to it, and I felt like I was able to relate to more material, in comparison to the poetry composed by Yeats.

I feel like a huge part of the poem is this idea that if we are not “free” from other human beings, we are not “free” from ourselves. From the poem, I took it that Prufrock was unable to sing a true love song to a woman because he was too caught up on the opinions and expectations of fellow man.

Do I dare? Do I dare?; Time to turn back and descend the stair, with a bald spot in the middle of my hair— (They will say: “how his hair is growing thin!”); Do I dare, disturb the universe?; I should have been a pair of ragged claws, Scuttling across the floors of silent seas; I have seen the moment of my greatness flicker, and I have seen the eternal Footman hold my coat, and snicker, and in short, I was afraid; It is impossible to say what I mean; I grow old. . . I grow old. . . I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled.

Pulling out some of my favorite lines from the poem, I can feel the insecurities of Prufrock, and the longing to be free from fellow man, so he can therefore be “free” of himself. Through the voice of this poem, I get a sense that this is the most honest Prufrock can ever be with another human being. I liked the epigraph at the beginning of the poem, because Guido (see footnote on Dante’s inferno) is only able to be completely honest with the poet (whom has asked him a question) because he believes the poet will never return to the world alive, so Guido can answer any questions without reservation (because there is no chance of his own infamy). The same goes for Prufrock, who can finally sing what he really feels through this “love song”.

Farewell to Yeats

I was glad we took the time to discuss W. H. Auden's poem, In Memory of W. B. Yeats, in class. During my initial reading, I did not realize the severity to which Auden was defying the typical eulogy--by elaborating upon the faults of Yeats. I wonder how the public reacted to this poem, if the general consensus was in agreement with Auden, that Yeats was not as "wonderful" as Yeats thought himself to be, or if the public felt Auden was discrediting Yeats more than he deserved. Undoubtedly, Auden had some concerns with Yeats poetry, and I wonder if these issues will arise again when we investigate Auden's poetry later in the semester. Even though Auden brings Yeats down to a more humane level, "You were silly like us. . . ", "physical decay. . .". which seems a little inappropriate for the eulogy, he does not dismiss Yeats entirely. Although it is clear Auden had some disagreements with Yeats, his conclusion seems to be that Yeats still contributed great poetry. It will be interesting to investigate Auden's poetry, and to perhaps identify the ways Yeats influenced him.

Final thoughts on Yeats

Auden’s elegy was a great way to conclude our discussion on Yeats. I am not sure what Auden’s purpose was for writing “In Memory of W.B. Yeats.” You would assume that he would write highly of Yeats considering the title. It seemed as if respected Yeats’s poetry and disagreed with it at the same time. He definitely had mixed feelings about him.

This poem could be about any poet if it didn’t mention his name in the title. The day of his death is dark and cold. Most days in January are cold and dark, so this doesn’t seem unusual. He could also be referring to World War II as dark and cold. “A few thousand will think of this day as one thinks of a day when one did something slightly unusual.” I would think more than a few thousand would remember Yeats’s death, and they wouldn’t consider the day of his death unusual. I thought unusual was an odd choice of words to describe someone’s death.

In the second part of the poem we get the impression that his poetry did not mean anything. I would not expect this from someone who is a poet himself. “Mad Ireland hurt you into poetry.” Yeats used Ireland as a theme in nearly all of his work. He was obsessed with Ireland and took over his poetry.

Yeats must have had some positive impact on Auden or he wouldn’t have taken the time to write this elegy. I have to agree with Auden that Yeats went a little overboard with his passion for Ireland. His obsession with Maud Gonne was also a slightly over the top. I am ready to move on to the next poet and away from Yeats.

In Memory of W.B. Yeats by W.H. Auden

In Auden’s biography discuss that he took a stand against writers such as Yeats, and who he thought, preened themselves as too much on being a pots and touted poetry as revelations. But in the poem in memory of Yeats, one can’t help but wonder did he admire Yeats or was he repulsed by his style of writing.
In memory of Yeats, he repeats that “the day of his death was a dark cold day” which one can sense that he was saddened by his death along with others. “The current of his feeling failed he become his admirers”
In the second stanza it seems as if Auden is telling Yeats, yes you gave you’re life to Ireland and lived for the Irish people, but Ireland is still there and the busy cities he gave his life for and lived still survive and moves on. Even though you’re gone it doesn’t make a difference in a lot of ways.
The poem praises him but also critics his life in poetry and the way he wrote, it is also mentioned in his biography, Auden thought Yeats emotion was fake and not real, he thought of himself complete opposite of Yeats and it shows in the poem with his verses and tone.

Auden on Yeats

I basically knew nothing about W.H. Auden so I read his biographical information on page 783 of our book. One of the things that stood out in my mind was the idea that, “Auden took a stand against writers such as W.B. Yeats who…preened themselves too much on being poets and who touted poetry as revelation” (784). I went into reading “In Memory of W. B. Yeats” with the idea that it would be a kind of sarcastic or critical poem about Yeats. I left the poem with a different kind of feeling.

At first I did think that the poem was somewhat reflective of the negative attitude that Auden had towards Yeats. Specifically, “A few thousand will think of this day/As one thinks of a day when one did something slightly unusual” (28-29). As I moved on though, I thought Auden’s general attitude towards poetry colored lines 28-29, not necessarily his feelings towards Yeats, “For poetry makes nothing happen” (36).

I left this poem with the feeling that though Auden may not have always agreed with Yeats, he greatly respected the man. “Earth, receive an honoured guest; William Yeats is laid to rest” (42-43). Also, he keeps repeating the line, “The day of his death was a dark cold day.” With Europe being on the verge of WWII, maybe Auden was feeling dissatisfied with the overall effects that poetry was making on the world.

W.H. Auden on Yeats

While reading W.H. Auden's "In Memory of W. B. Yeats," I couldn't help but notice key elements that prove the poem is as much about current conditions surrounding the globe as it is about Yeats' death. It is also worth noticing that Auden provides the reader with clues to what he believes is important to think about by using colons and commas for quick pauses. In its entirety, the poem is seemingly simple yet complex. It is not too abstract where it is difficult for the reader to follow, however, to grasp the work and understand its meaning line by line seems nearly impossible.

I really wish I knew more about Auden and his work in order to provide a better analysis on this reading. I found the poem challenging. Also, I did not care for the rhyming in the third section, mainly because I felt it was not cohesive to the rest of the poem.



Just a thought:
I wonder what Yeats would say about the construction and delivery of Auden's poem in honor of him.

Crazy Jane

Much like Yeat's other poems, this poem seems to confuse me. The scene is set, there's a body, but the conclusion comes out of left field. The Bishop's accusation is clear and concise, but Jane's responses, while in some instances coherent ( "Fair and foul are near of kin and fair needs foul"-- the good or the beautiful cannot exist without their corresponding binaries) don't relate very well to what she's being accused of (at leats from my understanding).

For example, "My friends are gone, but that's a truth/Nor grave nor bed denied/ Learned in bodily lowliness/ and in the heart's pride" doesn't seem to rebuke the Bishop's claim about Jane's apparel and filthy living condition, which is what he is accusing her of. Also, the "truth" Jane is referring to in the second stanza alludes me. What is it exactly? Her friend's death? If that is so, then the rest of the stanza doesn't seem to address this point directly.

"But love has pitched his mansion in the place of excrement." Another puzzling line. Since love is associated with the word "excrement" I assume its seen in a negative light. Maybe her wretched state of affairs is somehow a consequence of a bad experience in the past concerning a loved one. But even if granted, I still can't connect the dots. How does this line address the issue raised in the first stanza?

It's all very confusing. I hope I'll gain some insight in class.

Sailing to Byzantium

in the poem titled sailing to Byzantium....yeats describes a journey to byzantium, becuase he feels like Ireland no longer has a place for him as it says "no country for old men" by 1928 when it was first published..Ireland had gained independence from great britian..which before that Yeats wrote alot about Independence. after that Yeats was aging and no longer fealt fit to be in Ireland. what might attract Byzantium to Yeats is the fact that it's a place where the old "like art and philosophy" is appriciated....thus feeling he needs that appriciation himself. also the people potrayed in Byzantium art Like emperor Justine and Emperos Sophia forever live in the art, and is always admired. he is in a point of his life he knows he will die as old age fast approaches him so he dreams of immortality which ever way possible. what's interesting is he did get his wish for he has become immortal through his poems.

Leda and the swan

one of my favorite poems of yeats is Leda becuase of the true expression of the myth itself. according to greek mythology, zeus disquised as a swan seduced and raped leda, in a lot of painting it's somwwhat potrayed as if it was mutual. but as we know that is not a nature of rape. rapes are usually violent and gruesome which is what yeats describes in the poem.in greek mythology mentions helen as a daughter born of the union or rape..which ultimatly becomes troys dimise as it mentions " the broken wall, the burning roof and tower and Agamemnon dead"

Two Yeats.

A Dialogue of Self and Soul, is a very intriguing poem, it is like many self-discovery works inviting into the authors soul, and in this instance into the authors self. Reading this work was very interesting because of the footnote. What I understood from the footnote is that the original title for this poem was “Sword and Tower,” a poem about rebirth. A friend of Yeats, Junzo Sato gave him a ceremonial sword in 1920 that Yeats is discussing in the poem. The sword is what made him want to re-evaluate his life made him want to open up and discuss where he wants to be and where he was in life.

Crazy Jane Talks With the Bishop is a crazy poem, very confusing but it is a fun read. Looking further into the words of the poem I can see Yeats channeling Shakespeare, “Fair and foul are near of kin.” Is very close to what the witches in Macbeth said “fair is foul.” I cannot really analyze Crazy Jane yet but I am very interested in what the class discussion will lead too.

More Yeats

Our Yeats discussions have been very thorough and interesting. He definitely had talent and as I said before, I love that he includes mythology into his poems. Although I don’t necessarily understand all the messages he is trying to convey from each of his poems (even after all of our in-class discussions) I do believe I have a firmer grasp on what angle he is coming from.

Out of all the poems we read and discussed in class so far, I would have to say that Leda and the Swan is my favorite. I tend to enjoy the shorter poems more because, not only do I have to use less brain power (not that I’m lazy and don’t want to use my brain) but I’m generally able to understand shorter poems more easily. I think this is because my mind doesn’t have to absorb a lot of facts and language that is generally gibberish. They are normally short and to the point.

I love the images I receive when I read Leda and the Swan. I’m not saying that I enjoy reading about someone supposedly being raped- I just like the word choices he uses and the way he paints a picture with his imagination. Even though the poem is supposed to be describing the rape of Leda there are a few words which don’t remind you of rape such as : great, caressed, glory, white. I know those aren’t the majority of the words in the poem, but the addition of the words sort of give the poem, in my opinion, a different vibe.

That’s probably one of the main reasons why I like this poems, and other’s like it. When a poet attempts to conjure up an image or a story, I tend to understand it better. When they are trying to argue some political point, the whole thing kind of goes over my head. I have more of a story telling brain.

The Circus Animals' Desertion

Our of the four poems for this weeks class, "The Circus Animals' Desertion" is my favorite. In it being one of Yeats final poems before his death, the poem gives off a sense of melancoly. I feel bad for Yeats for not being able to find what used to come so easy to him. In "Circus," Yeats is searching for more poetic themes to write but cannot find any. He has been doing so for "six weeks or so" (Line 2) but since he hasn't, he is now a "broken man" (Line 3). The first stanza seems of being Yeats way of telling his readers of his ailing health. He is old and no longer, it seems, to produce any more imagery into his poems, which are like "circus animals."

Beginning in the second stanza, Yeats looks back on his previous elaborate works, citing three: "The Wandering of Oisin", "The Countess Cathleen" and "On Baile's Strand". He tells of how they were great and "showy" - definitely holding a poetic theme and being filled with beauty. My favorite line of this poem is "Players and painted stage took all my love" (31). It's Yeats expressing that he always loved the imagery of the stage and how he loved to put the "show" into his poems.

At the end of this poem, Yeats says that all of his works, which "grew in pure mind" but it all started out common and bland. He wants to go to a place where he can "lie down where all the ladders start/in the foul rag and bone shop of the heart" (39-40). I take this as Yeats wanting to go back to a place where poetry and imagery start so he can revitalize his elaborate work - to be like "circus animals" again.

Words of Wisdom from "Crazy" Jane

Out of the four poems we’ve been assigned this week, “Crazy Jane Talks with the Bishop” is definitely my favorite. It is concise and short, but aside from this, I really enjoy the wisdom in Jane’s words. Because of their titles (“Crazy Jane” and “Bishop”), readers might originally think the bishop would be the one to impart wisdom and advice. But Yeats, by comparing the two characters’ world-views, shows that it is actually the “crazy” one who has all the insight.

In stanza one, Yeats describes the Bishop’s world view. Speaking to Jane, whose “Breasts are flat” and whose “veins must soon be dry,” the Bishop gives her the directive to “Live in a heavenly mansion,/ Not in some foul sty.” In other words, the Bishop thinks that because Jane is old and worn out, she would be better off to die and go to heaven than to continue to live in her old body. Clearly, the Bishop has a very black and white world view in which things are either fair or foul. To the Bishop, fair and foul are binaries which can never intersect. So, because of this, he never considers there might still be something good to Jane’s life, and comes to the cruel conclusion that Jane’s body is a “foul sty.”

Jane, on the other hand, has a much more flexible, realistic world view. She says that “Fair and foul are near of kind.” Rather than seeing them as complete opposites, Jane sees fair and foul as equally important, connected parts of the human experience. Indeed, in her assertion that “nothing can be sole or whole/ That has not been rent,” Jane opposes the Bishop’s opinion that fair and foul can never intersect. Instead, Jane shows how things which would normally be considered foul (things which are torn and “rent”), are actually fair because, through life’s trials, they have become “sole or whole.” Therefore, Jane sees the beauty in that which has been hard-worn. She does not think that life is composed of that which is either fair or foul, but that which is a combination of the two.

So, who has more wisdom? The Bishop, with his inability to see the complexity and interconnectedness of life, or “crazy” Jane? I, for one, think it is Jane. She might not have a youthful body or beautiful home, but she is able to see that it is life as a whole, both the fair and the foul, which makes one complete. And, I think that’s what Yeats wants his readers to see too. We must only be willing to listen to the words of this “crazy” woman to gain this insight.

Yeats

The two readings this week - “Sailing to Byzantium” and “Among School Children” - have been my favorites of all the Yeats poems thus far.

How I understood “Sailing to Byzantium” I saw it as a man - the narrator - searching for somewhere he can reguvenate his imagination. As he currently views Ireland, it’s full of young lovers and it is “no country for old men” which he is. Byzantium, for him, is a place he can feel young - not physically but mentally. He seems tortured by the fact that he is physically growing old and cannot escape his body. Byzantium is as he sees it, his escape - his nirvana. Unfortunately, it only provides temporary escape, which I’m not sure he may understand, because eventually he will die. Byzantium also stands a connection with the spiritual world, in hopes that it will help him stay young mentally.

“Among School Children” is my favorite. Firstly, however, I was disturbed at the fact that: 1. A sixty-year-old man is walking through a school hall and 2. He’s connecting Leda (“Ledeaian body” with the school children. And I’ll explain.

From what I got from the poem was that he believes a school doesn’t teach children about life and what it truly means. It’s a place to learn, yes, but it doesn’t give a fulfilling meaning on why were here and the purpose of life. In the connection with Leda and the children, Yeats might be referring the children as being detached from their innocence - they aren’t being allowed to explore life and the meaning of it. Clearly, they aren’t being “raped” but something is being taken away from them. The children aren’t being exposed to the “real world” which Yeates believes can only be learned outside of the classroom. I think thats disgusting to use it as an analogy but whatever.

But what I really like about “Among School Children” is the overall message that a classroom and the “book learn’ “ isn’t life. Life is what we experience outside the classroom.

More Yeats

After reading the poetry by Yeats (the later years) over the weekend, I have to say, I was a bit intimidated. Even after reading each poem multiple times, out loud, I was having a lot of trouble understanding the meanings behind all of them. Luckily for me, everything started to come together when we read and analyzed them in class over the last two days.

Even though I was unable to completely grasp the meaning of “The Second Coming” on my own, it was one of my favorites. First of all, I’m a bit intrigued by the concept of the gyre (especially after getting a better explanation in class on Monday). Secondly, the imagery in the poem was just fantastic. Even though I originally had no idea what the sphinx symbolized, I was left with a dark and somewhat creepy picture of “A shape with lion body and the head of a man/A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun” (14-15). And yes, Sarah, I would definitely see this image as “a bit trippy.”

I was glad that we got to go over “Among School Children” today. I realize now that my lack of understanding derived almost completely from a few lines, “I dream of a Ledaean body, bent/Above a sinking fire, a tale that she/Told of harsh reproof, or trivial event/That changed some childish day to tragedy” (10-13). Though the footnote said that this was a reference to Maud Gonne, I just didn’t totally get it. I guess a light bulb went off today and after understanding that one line, I was able decipher three-quarters of the poem instantly. I hope this continues.

Yeats

I've got to say that I'm not really enjoying Yeats' poetry, for the simple reason that I'm not really "getting" it. Perhaps it's because I've never really interpreted poetry before, but I'm just not understanding what he's saying in a lot of the poems. For example, take "Among School Children"--I get the general gist of it, which is that he's walking through a school and seeing children's faces, which sparks a whole bunch of emotions in him--but I'm not really understanding what those motions are. Same with "Byzantium"--I get that Byzantium is a place that he sees as a sort of utopia, but I have no idea what the hell he's saying in the poem. ("I call it death-in-life and life-in-death"? Huh?)

However, a few of his poems were pretty clear to me--especially "A Dialogue of Self and Soul". I liked the unique way that the poem was written--as conversation between his outer self and his inner soul--and the message was very clear to me. He is basically having an internal conflict over which is more desirable: an escape from rebirth (the ultimate goal of most eastern religions), or a constant, never-ending cycle of death and life. In the end, his "self" seems to have won and chosen the latter option, because he sees life and the world as good and desirable: "We must laugh and we must sing, / We are blest by everything, / Everything we look upon is blest.)

So, in short, some parts of Yeats' poetry was clear to me, but most was not. I hope that I will understand more through our class discussion, and that understanding Yeats better will help me to understand the entire genre of poetry better.

In Defense of Monday's Statement

On Monday I made the claim that Yeats’ poem, “The Second Coming” is a little bit “trippy.” I didn’t get very far with this statement because people either didn’t see where I was coming from or they didn’t agree with me. Because of this, I’ve decided to expand/further explain my original statement.

First of all, I’ll make the disclaimer that, although parts of this poem remind me of “drug-induced” poetry, I don’t mean to claim Yeats was on anything. Also, none of the statements I make about drug-induced states are from personal experience. It’s all from stuff I’ve read. That being said, I’d just like to point out some places in which “The Second Coming” has similarities to drug-induced poetry. Below is a list of reasons why I believe this is so:

1. The first place I find similarities is in the gyre. As we talked about in class, the gyre is a symbol for the Christian Age of history running out and a new age replacing it. However, in drug-induced states, the person sometimes sees spinning, dizzying shapes. So, although Yeats makes the claim himself that the gyre stands for changes in history, I can’t help from noticing the similarities it has with what people sometimes see in drug-induced states.

2. In the second stanza Yeats makes reference to the “Spiritus Mundi.” In the foot note it is explained that this is a “‘general storehouse of images,’ or collective unconscious.” Here, again, I find similarities to drug-induced states. Sometimes the drugged individual will feel a connection to the universe or, to put it in other words, a “collective unconscious.” Clearly, whether he has achieved it through drugs or some other means, Yeats has found a connection with and understanding of the universe that others sometimes claim to find while under the influence of drugs.

3. The last connection I find is in Yeats’ description of the beast which “Slouches towards Bethlehem.” I realize that the description of this beast matches that of the sphinx or some of the prophecies made in Daniel; however, Yeats talks about this “shape with a lion body and the head of a man” as if he has seen it himself. It that way it lines up with the experiences of people under the influence of hallucinogenic drugs. While under hallucinogens, these people often see strange people and creatures which are similar to Yeats’ beast with its “gaze blank” and “slow thighs.”

Maybe Yeats was on something or maybe he wasn’t. I did a brief search on the internet to see if there is any documentation of him experimenting with drugs and I couldn’t find anything, but if he was willing to experiment with telepathy, I wouldn’t put it past him to try out some illegal drugs. But, at any rate, my point is not to prove whether or not “The Second Coming” was inspired by a drug-induced state. Rather, I just wanted to explain where I was coming from on Monday in that the poem does have some similarities to drug-induced poetry.

More Yeats

I am finding it somewhat difficult to interpret Yeats’s poetry. I found it easier to understand after reading some of his background information. I noticed that there are repeating themes throughout his poetry. A few themes that I noted are destruction, fishing, the moon, and magic. Destruction can be found in “Nineteen Hundred and Nineteen.” He describes how all the beautiful belongings have been destroyed and how the nightmare from this is everywhere. Drunken soldiers murdered mothers without punishment. Everything is being destroyed in the war. It seems as if Yeats had mixed feelings about the independence movement. The footnotes were very helpful in understanding this poem.

I was unfamiliar with the Greek myth of Leda and Zeus. After reading the myth I was able to understand and make the connections. The swan raped Leda, and she becomes pregnant with Helen of Troy, which foreshadows the burning wall. I also believe the rape of Leda is symbolic for Ireland being “raped” by England. I like the idea that Yeats concludes with a question. This allows the reader to explore all the possibilities. Did Leda find power before the swan let her drop? His poetry can be complicated with the multiple interpretations.

William Butler Yeats: Obsessive Consumption Disorder ;)

A great deal of his poetry, whether literal or figurative, overflows with a woman named Maud Gonne. At times I'm not sure if it is more painful to read about her or if it was more painful for Yeats to write about her. Either way, it seems pathetic and overbearing to think that someone could be so consumed with a person, especially one who did not reciprocate the same feelings. As an outsider looking in, it appears that the relationship was unhealthy for both of them. He was clearly in love with her beauty and unconventional character, and she simply might have looked at him as a friend. Whether she was leading him on to believe she was interested in him romantically is another story.

In his poem, “No Second Troy,” he gives the reader the impression that he has such ambiguous feelings towards Maud at the time it was written. He provides evidence that he is being sarcastic throughout the poem, as well as being harsh at times. This can most be attributed in lines 1-5. Can anyone say suffocation?

Like so many of Yeats’ poetry variation of consumption is a major theme, such as in “To the Rose upon the Rood of Time,” “The Sorrow of Love,” and even “Sailing to Byzantium.” By reading more and more of his work, I am beginning to believe he had a very obsessive and complex personality. Yeats is wishy-washy throughout all of the poems he produced in regards to Maud. He is unable to control himself or contain stable emotions anytime he discusses her. Hence, my new diagnosis for Yeats, it is called: Obsessive Consumption Disorder!

What it comes down to is this: if his poetry is any indication of the way he acted around Maud, we can certainly understand why there was not a mutual romance between them.

However, beyond all of the Maud Gonne madness, there was a man who produced other profound works that were a lot less pathetic and a lot more passionate—which is what we love about him.

Oh, Yeats.

More William Butler Yeats...

Lately, I find myself becoming familiar and comfortable with Yeats' work. When I first began the Yeats readings, I was dreading to go any further. However, our current readings really kept my attention and definitely held my interest. There are many changes throughout his work. From his earlier poetry to his later ones, you are really able to see a personal transformation and shift. I believe his work changed drastically throughout the years for two main reasons: his personal life and his creative life.

Personal Life:

• Yeats' early poetry has an overwhelming flow of his obsession with Maud Gonne.
• His interest in Irish stories and mythology play a huge part in his poetry which could be attributed to his Irish heritage.
• A very significant change in his work can be seen from the start of and during his marriage to Georgie Hyde-Lees.
• Yeats’ curiosity about different religions and cultural qualities are also displayed as being somewhat significant to him.

Creative Life:

It is important for any creative person whether you are an artist, designer, writer, poet, or filmmaker to have a specific view. Though, if you constantly stay the same you are not growing nor are you being innovative. Change is good in the creative world and this is just what William Butler Yeats did. It is shown that he understood the need to challenge the way he wrote poetry. Going from simplistic to complicated, direct to abstract, or even establishing various subject matter can be the best way to describe the timeline of Yeats' creative mind.

Mini Analysis - Yeats

Poetry is still a mystery to me; I find it very difficult to pull the important ideas out of Yeats’s words. The first time I read “Leda and the Swan” I took it at face value, Yeats was telling the story of Leda’s rape and the fall of troy again. Now thinking about how this poem may refer to the war in Ireland I am going to try and look at in in a different way.
In the footnote the editor notes that “Yeats saw Leda’s rape by the swan as the beginning of a new age,” with this information I would consider Leda as representing the world, and the Swan, or the action of the rape, to the battles of the war. A new era was emerging and Yeats realized that.
In “An Irish Airman Foresees His Death,” the speaker (Robert Gregory) divulges the reason he is fighting. He knows that he will die, and he seems to have accepted that fact. One thing that disturbs me are lines three and four: “Those that I fight I do not hate, Those that I guard I do not love.” These two lines just make me ask, “why are you fighting then?” This question is answered in line eleven, he is fighting because he finds delight in flying. Nothing matters to the speaker, not the past, not the present, and not even the future.

Yeats

The more I read Yeats, the more I like him. His poetry is such that it needs to be revisited, it needs to steep in your mind and your heart before it starts its affect. The subject of most of his poetry is not blunt, brash, or shocking, and the lyrical themes are subtle--but when I take in and absorb those subtle word choices, those clandestine descriptions, I find more depth each time.

I have an unfortunately strong proclivity to delineate between "craft" poetry and "content" poetry; by that I mean that I admire some work for its structure, word choice, etcetera, while I admire other work which has strong content, emotional evocation, etcetera. Each of Yeats' poems bridge this cap completely, but again: one must bask in his poetry for some time to collect every peculiar idiosyncracy, every intentional detail.

The "Yeatses"

Yeats’ The Second Coming was a complicated poem. I found the poem obscure and confusing, because it did not reflect the Biblical truth of the Second Coming:

. . . while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness. . . Titus 2:13-14 (NIV)

“At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other”. Matthew 24: 30-31 (NIV)

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him”. Matthew 24: 42-44 (NIV)

These brief passages reveal what the Bible tells us of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, and Yeats’ poem does not reflect the scriptures. Yeats writes of darkness, a “rough beast” slouching towards Bethlehem, and gyres (from what I understand of this, time is moving down a spiral gyre, or cone, toward the end of the age). Yeats reflects on the Spiritus Mundi and a rousing sphinx—this poem appears to be a blasphemous approach to the Second Coming! I think this poem reflects the “contradictory views” of Yeats, and I think this poem also reflects the many different “Yeatses”. In conclusion, I can’t come to a definite meaning of this poem, but I did notice Yeats ties the ancient with the modern, and perhaps the symbolisms Yeats uses are meant to reflect a “new age” (this idea also arises in Leda and the Swan)—for Yeats “continually remade himself in new symbols, new styles, and philosophies” (Norton 92).

War Poets

As I said before, I am not a big fan of war poetry, because it all seems pretty much the same to me. I do see the emotion behind it, and the prevailing themes present within these poets' work: hopelessness, death, despair, loss. One thing that I will give to war poetry is that it is very real, perhaps the even more real than other types of poetry, because it portrays stark, raw emotion to its very core.

WB Yeats

Yeats' essay was a little confusing, but I think I got the general gist of it. He's basically saying that symbolism is an important part of poetry--perhaps the most important part of poetry--because poetry is an expression of ourselves, and we as humans are constantly living, thinking, and feeling through symbols. These can be emotional symbols--ones that incite particular feelings within us--or intellectual symbols--ones that appeal to particular ideas and thoughts that people commonly hold to be great and important. Since we use so many symbols in our everyday lives, it is only natural that our work--including poetry--would be rife with symbolism as well. By learning to to find and decipher (for lack of a better word) these symbols, we uncover the poetry's true meaning.

WWI Poets

The poets from WWI gave us an image of war that was less than glorifying. Unlike the depictions of valiant and courageous soldiers of Lord Tennyson's The Charge of the Light Brigade, Sassoon, Gurney, Rosenburg, and Owen show us a more real and graphic trench life. Instead of making us want to get up and go fight, we want to crawl in a hole and hide. War is something that a lot of us can't truly understand and these poets help to give us a visual of what really happens. In Ivor Gurney's First Time In, I can almost feel his fear. He mentions that the Welsh folk songs they sing were "never more beautiful than there under the guns' noise," comforting them.

But the poem I really liked was Sassoon's Repression of War Experience. Literally, it is about the pain he still feels (and will probably forever feel) from the war. He basically has to talk himself through his day so that he can forcibly repress his horrible memories. In the poem, everything reminds him of war and he literally has to tell himself things like "no, no, not that,--it's bad to think of war" and "draw a deep breath; stop thinking; count fifteen..." I liked this because it's like we are in his mind, watching him try to heal himself, rooting for him.

W.B. Yeast

Yeast earlier work was greatly influenced by myth and folklore, which he is greatly apraised for

war poets

i think the war poets set a new standard of poems from previous poems becuase before WWI, poets sets their ideas on beauty and nature while poets such as Sasson and Owen shaterd that image.Also, such poets gave the public a real dose of what it was like to be in trenches and fighting a war that seemed so senless, at least not worth dying for.

W.B. Yeats

Reading W.B. Yeats' article gave me a lot of new things to consider while reading poetry in general. I read his article, The Symbolism of Poetry, prior to reading his actual poetry, and I was glad I read the assignments in that order. First, I would like to recognize some of the ideas and suggestions that struck me while reading the Yeats' article, then I will attempt to identify his theories (in practice) from the poetry we have read in class thus far.

Yeats stressed that "symbolism is at the heart of poetry", and that poetry should not be completely obvious in its meaning, rather "evoke subtle, complex emotions" (877). This idea makes sense to me, I think Yeats is explaining that ambiguities are okay because they allow for other interpretations and if (as readers) we are engaging in thought and are evoked by emotion, then poetry is fulfilling its purpose. Basically, if you don't leave a poem engrossed in thought, or captivated by emotion, then perhaps the poetry isn't that "good". Yeats also suggests that symbolism is the "substance of all style", and the beauty of the poem lies in the symbolism. This made me think of Hopkin's poems, because symbolism is a big time substance in his style! Hopkins does not come right out and say what he means; we must figure out his symbolisms. I don't know how Yeats felt about Hopkin's poetry, but I think Hopkin's style encompasses the symbolisms Yeats was speaking about.

Lastly, I want to touch on rhythm, and Yeats' suggestion that rhythm can take one into a hypnotic trance. I did not leave his poetry feeling entranced, but I did notice rhythm in his poem "The Song of Wandering Aengus". It was fun to read the poem aloud because the rhythm was noticeable, and kind of "bounced along". In conclusion, I am looking forward to what other classmates thought of Yeats' article, and then his theories in practice.

Sassoon's "The Rear-Guard"

Of all the war poets, I personally found Siegfried Sassoon to be a favorite, mostly on account of his imagery; it is gripping and gritty, detailed and dark. Sassoon paints moods and morbid pictures with his words which pull the reader into the real environment of war-torn Europe.

A stellar example of his use of pictorial language is "The Rear-Guard." He opens the poem: "Groping along the tunnel, step by step." Immediately the reader gets a sense of a careful, perhaps frightened following of a tunnel wall, single step by single step. Sassoon uses very specific verbs ("groping") to communicate very specific images of action. He continues, "He winked his prying torch with patching glare / From side to side, and sniffed the unwholesome air." The speaker's torch is the only source of light; is the speaker looking for something, for someone? Again Sassoon uses a specific adjective, "sniffed," when introducing the "unwholesome air." This seems to imply that the repugnant stench is foreign, unfamiliar to the speaker; it requires further inspection. One can imagine the speaker whispering to himself, "What is that smell?" And this is all within the first three lines of the piece.

The most concrete and emotion-tugging image is that of the dead man whom the speaker trips over, further down the tunnel. Thinking him to be asleep, the speaker tugs on his arm and attempts to ask him how to get to headquarters. The man does not respond:

'Get up and guide me through this stinking place.'
Savage, he kicked a soft, unanswering heap,
And flashed a beam across the livid face
Terribly glaring up, whose eyes yet wore
Agony of dying hard ten days before;
And fists of fingers clutched a blackening wound.

The dead figure on the ground seems to undergo several transformations in the speaker's eyes. First a sleeping soldier, then an answering heap, and finally livid face terribly glaring up. This sight causes the speaker to "stagger" further down the trench, "with sweat of horror in his hair." Somehow the "boom of shells" above--which Sasson describes earlier as "The rosy gloom of battle overhead"--becomes a sort of solace to the speaker, an escape from horror. He concludes his stumbling through the Hindenburg Line like so:

"He climbed through darkness to the twilight air, / Unloading hell behind him step by step."

Yeats ideal vs. his reality

I, admittedly, found myself disappointed as I read Yeats’ poetry. Having read his article, “The Symbolism of Poetry,” before beginning to read any of his poetry, I found that the article made me expect something different than what I got. At one point in the article he says the ideal type of poetry is that which has “those wavering, meditative, organic rhythms, which are the embodiment of the imagination” (883). From this I somehow expected his poetry to be on a higher plain and to be very resonant with human nature. However, rather than reaching this higher level, I found Yeats poetry to be very connected to and driven by the mundane, crudeness of regular life.

Take, for example, his obsession with Maud Gonne. Not above lovelorn yearning, Yeats often penned his lines in honor of this woman he could obviously never have. His claim in “The Sorrow of Love” that she brought with her “the whole of the world’s tears” shows that he does not write in some higher emotional and imaginative plain; rather, he, just as susceptible to heart-ache as regular people, is motivated by the more mundane and regular parts of human existence.

Now, this is not to say that there is no art in Yeats’ poetry. Quite on the contrary, his imagery even in such lines as “the whole of the world’s tears” is very effective in describing the emotions behind his unrequited love. Readers can tell that his poetry is the result of much suffering. However, in regards to the lofty ideals he sets forth in “The Symbolism of Poetry,” even these artistic lines are a bit of a let down.

Sassoon's General

Personally, when assigned the war poems I read only the war poems and forgot about the people behind them. The stories within the poems triggered my emotions and opened my senses to what experiencing a war would be like. -- A devastating, epic, life-changing event.

Siegfried Sassoon's "The General" is a short piece but when you look deeper into the words and potential message of the poem the reader has a better understanding of what it was like going off to war and having an "incompetent" leader. Lines 1 and 2 show the general’s optimism towards his ability to lead his men. This is evident because Sassoon ends the “Good mornings” with an exclamation point; this leads me to believe the general is saying this in an excited boisterous way.

Lines three and four are where the reader starts to get a different understanding of what Sassoon is portraying; here Sassoon turns on the general because the general has turned on his men. From these two lines I personally, developed a sick feeling in my stomach, now these men whom the general was so excited to bring to battle are gone, dead. The remainder of the men no longer trust his judgment, they are cursing his staff and when you read in-between the lines probably cursing the war. More importantly Sassoon calls the general and his men “swine,” a huge insult, an insult that further secures the concept of the generals men losing faith in him.

Lines five and six have a lighter tone, but again behind the words are another meaning, another way to comprehend what Sassoon wanted to convey. I am still not truly sure about what the meaning of the quotation “He’s a cheery old card” stands for. I believe it is British slang, standing for something insulting, another poke at the general in some sarcastic demeaning way. The reader does learn from the footnote that they are marching to a city in northern France, a front line during the war. So this could also be a scapegoat, something to defer their fears from what is to come.

The final line confuses me very much, “but he did for them both by his plan of attack.” I feel two different ways about this line, the first being that the general lead them, once again to defeat and misery. The second is that the general regained his respect among the soldiers in some romantic war story way.

Yeats-Early Poetry

I am having mixed feelings about Yeats’s poetry. I like the fact that Yeats used several themes throughout his poetry. Each poem is very different from one another, unlike the war poetry. On the other hand, I struggled with interpreting the majority of his work. Some poems are simple, while others are extremely complex. I enjoyed how most of his poetry flowed. Even though I might not always know what he is talking about, it was easy to read.

There were a few poems that interested me. “An Irish Airman Foresees His Death” is very different from the war poetry that we read. Yeats took a different approach than the other poets. Death does not seem like a bad thing in his poem. The speaker believes that death will balance his life. His past life and his future life seem to be a waste. It seems as though the speaker thought that the war was irrelevant to his people because he says that there is no outcome that will make their lives worse or better than before the war began. The two lines that really stand out in this poem are “Those that I fight I do not hate, those that I guard I do not love.” He is very uncertain about the war and why he is actually fighting.

“Adam’s Curse” was another poem that I enjoyed. I liked that it was a conversation he had with his beloved about poetry. Poetry is beautiful. Anything that is beautiful is hard work. He says that it could take hours to write one line of poetry. Creating poetry is harder than scrubbing a kitchen floor. This insinuates that scrubbing a kitchen floor is easy and anyone could do it. Essentially, after the fall of Adam, everything that is beautiful or worthwhile requires hard work.

I definitely enjoyed his poetry more than his essay. I found most of his essay difficult to read. I agree with what Yeats said in section IV about symbols evoking emotions. He used the colors white and purple as examples. They might not mean anything when they stand alone, but if he would use obvious symbols in the same line, it might suggest certain emotions.

The use of imagery in WWI poetry

War is, undoubtedly, a gruesome experience. The deaths, maimed bodies, torn apart families, and destroyed homes are just some of the many terrible facts that accompany war. And, WWI, with its trench warfare and other modern war techniques, is certainly no exception. As a result, we find that from WWI comes some very descriptive, gruesome poetry. Certainly not the uplifting poetry of the preceding generation, WWI poetry is the naturally violent child born out of the ravages of the first “Great” war. The imagery of all the poetry we studied under the WWI poets fits this description, but two in particular, Siegfried Sassoon’s “To His Dead Body” and Ivor Gurney’s “To His Love,” both present such poignant imagery that they deserve special attention.

Sassoon’s “To His Dead Body” is an address to an unnamed soldier. The poem focuses on the soldier’s death; however, it says nothing of the actual mechanisms which brought about his death, but focuses instead on the soldier’s passing from life into death. Indeed, rather than citing gun-fire or a mortar as the responsibility for the soldier’s death, Sassoon gives no explanation for the event, but simply describes death as a “roaring gloom” which “surged inward” on the soldier. In this way, Sassoon, draws attention to death itself, rather than the cause of death. Sassoon then continues his trend by describing how “Phantoms of thought and memory thinned and fled” the soldier’s mind and he eventually went to face “Dear, red-faced God.” The imagery of this “red-faced God” possibly implies anger, and shows how war does more than kill a man, but it brings him face to face with eternity. Therefore, Sassoon’s imagery is especially poignant in this poem, not only because it describes death in artistic terms such as “roaring gloom,” but also, with his “red-faced God,” Sassoon takes readers beyond the event of death to the eternity that follows.

Yet, thoughts of eternity aside, there are also WWI poems which bring readers right into the here and now of the soldiers’ experiences. Such is the case with Ivor Gurney’s “To His Love.” This poem is about one soldier’s lament over the death of another soldier who, presumably, was one of his friends. The imagery in the beginning of the poem is deceptively picturesque. His images of Cotswold, “Where the sheep feed/ Quietly and take no heed” and the “violets of pride” they will place over the soldier’s dead body, lead readers into the false illusion that this poem is a gentler take on war and death. There are subtle warnings throughout the poem, such as the grim reminder that “You would not know him now…”, but these warnings are lost to readers among the more pleasant images of the men “driving [their] small boat” on the Severn. However, all illusions of pleasantry are cast off when Gurney ends his poem with the gruesome plea, “Hide that red wet/ Thing I must somehow forget.” In this way, Gurney’s imagery is extremely effective in that the earlier images, which could almost be seen as a satire to poetry which glorifies war, are dispelled by the harsh reality that war is a gruesome place in which men are turned into nothing more then “red wet thing[s]”. Readers are violently awakened to the reality of the soldiers’ experience, and this is because of Gurney’s excellent use of imagery.

Poetry, whether it is meant to uplift, provoke, or inspire is written for many purposes. During WWI, it was clearly meant to shed light on the harsh realities of war. This was accomplished through the work of many poets, but in particular, Sassoon and Gurney truly immerse readers in the gruesomeness of war. It is not pleasant, nor is it intended to be, but through their effective use of imagery, both poets give readers a small glimpse of what war really is.

The Early Poetry of Yeats

My feelings on W. B. Yeats were mixed. Though I didn’t love all of his poetry, I can certainly appreciate his skill as a poet and writer and can also recognize his ingenious creativity. Because I was only somewhat familiar with Ireland’s situation during the late nineteenth/early twentieth century, I felt it somewhat necessary to get a little background information on Ireland during that time period (though I must say that the footnotes in our book were extremely helpful). One website that gave some interesting info was http://www.yourirish.com/history/20th-century/.

One of the aspects of his writing that I particularly enjoyed was the use of mythology. One of my favorite poems was “The Song of Wandering Aengus.” I enjoyed it because it was kind of silly, easy to read and it had a kind of ethereal quality to it. Another helpful website, http://www.pantheon.org/articles/a/aengus.html, gives a brief overview of the Irish myth of Aengus. I was curious as to whether the aspect of the trout turning into the girl was part of the traditional myth or if it was made up by Yeats. Though I was unsuccessful in obtaining the answer to this question, in my search I found a video on YouTube that I thought was interesting (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yn6FwUtXhuc).

Another poem that I really liked was “Adam’s Curse.” I loved the way it read more like a story than an actual poem (I thought this about quite a bit of his poetry). It was interesting to see his recognition of the labor involved in writing and the lack of appreciation by the general public for this labor. I also appreciated knowing that Yeats struggled for hours over a single line. I guess I assumed that the words just flowed out of him without any immense effort. Silly me. Also, I absolutely loved lines 18-20, “There is one thing that all we women know/Although we never heard of it at school/That we must labour to be beautiful.” That is so true, isn’t it?

I don’t have much to say about “The Symbolism of Poetry” other than the fact that it was a very difficult read. The one section that I actually enjoyed and felt I totally understood without re-reading was section III. “The purpose of rhythm, it has always seemed to me, is to prolong the moment of contemplation” (881). This statement made me think about rhythm differently than I had previously. I think his ideas regarding rhythm putting us in a trancelike state will definitely have an effect on the way I read poetry in the future.

W.B. Yeats

So I read these poems on my way to NY (I’m not kidding, I was in stand still traffic). While reading these I noticed the large mythological presence placed throughout many of the poems we were assigned to read. There were also historical references using people and occasions, and religious references (The Magi, The Second Coming). I liked his involvement of the Trojan war and the important characters tied to it since I enjoy reading fictional books about the subject and Troy is my favorite movie.

For the most part I didn’t particularly enjoy his poetry. I wasn’t able to successfully break the poems down, so I didn’t understand them very well. Some of them didn’t seem to have much of a point either. Normally the biography of the author gives me somewhat of an insight but in this case... it didn’t help at all.

I did like the poem “He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven”. It was one that I understood and I thought was well written and relatable.

His essay was kind of blah as well. It discussed the importance and notion of symbolism in poetry. The discussion of elements in poetry seemed to be just a manner of his opinion in certain cases. I don’t have much to say on that topic. I agree with some of this statements, but not all.

War Poets

War poetry is not that interesting to me but it should be appreciated. I enoyed how honest their poems were. The emotions they felt were real and the gory things they saw were very true. Like I mentioned in class, my favorite poem was by Ivor Gurney "To His Love". It brought out a lot of my own personal emotions. As we talked about other poems in class it helped me get a better understanding on what they were about. I did like the poem "Blighters" by Sassoon. It was depressing but it helps the reader to understand why a solider may have felt the way he did. After discussing "The General" it had me wondering if this really happened, did generals in this war act this way? I also really liked that we got to compare a poem that was written by someone who was never in a War; there were BIG differences in them. It shows how much the outsiders really know compared to what the soliders actually feel and go through!

Although war poetry is not that interesting to me I do appreciate it and reading the background on these war poets really helped me understand them better. I think we need poems like this so we can understand better what a solider may go through instead of being told a different truth.

"he was drafted out with drums and cheers. . ."

As I mentioned today in class, one of the poems that impacted me the most was “Disabled” by Wilfred Owen. Owen’s approach to this poem is very straightforward and authentic. The poem encompassed the reality, sadness, loneliness, and despair that the other poems did (from the other war poets); however, this poem also looked at the misery of post-war life for a soldier. Most of us will never experience life on the front lines of war, but we all have known a veteran of war. How do we respond to them? How do we perceive them? Do we pause to think about the meaning of Memorial Day, or has it just become a “long weekend” at the end of May? These are all the things I thought about when I was reading “Disabled”. Although Owen was writing during the period of WWI, this poem will continue to echo the voices of veterans for generations.

Initially in “Disabled”, the young man has an adventurous and fun outlook on war, but he is quickly struck with reality, and war turns out to be a devastating experience. Thinking war would be an adventure, thinking he would look good in uniform, thinking it would impress women, and having no fear, "he was drafted out with drums and cheers”. After the false, proud, and foolish motives for going to war have led to the loss of his legs, he returns home and one person thanks him, “then enquired about his soul”. I can picture people drinking and singing, having a good time ushering young men off to war. . . and then streets being completely desolate when the soldier returns.

When the soldier says “he threw away his knees”, my heart just sinks. I want to cry with him over the loss of his sound mental and physical body, I feel deep sympathy as he recognizes the reality of his foolishness. . . if only he could go back and change his decision, to somehow avoid his monumental grief and loss. Furthermore, the soldier experiences a deep loss of love. He has lost love from women, and he has not received any love from his country. This is such a sad reality and he has no way of changing his circumstances now. Although the war poetry was not up-lifting in nature, I feel I have learned a lot. I didn’t know much about WWI, and I have certainly gained many new insights.

Creative Minds Think Alike During WWI

After reading about the war poets I noticed a real connection between artists and poets who served during WWI. The war affected many aspects of their lives including their work. Regardless of the country they served for or their position in it, both Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and Siegfried Sassoon provided evidence of their views of the war in their works.

Kirchner volunteered as an artillery driver for Germany in 1914. Since he was known to be a very anxiety stricken being at a young age, his position in the war did nothing more than provide an unhealthy state for him. It has been said that he was extremely afraid of the war stripping him of his creativity and had overwhelming panic. Kirchner's most literal works on the war, Artillerymen in the Shower, 1915 and Self-Portrait as a Soldier, 1915, are prime examples of his outlook on the war and how it made him feel. In Self-Portrait as a Soldier, Kirchner provides evidence that his experience in the war made him the victim. His hand is noticeably cut off in this piece which could mean he is no longer able to paint. This could also be a reference to the way the Germans would amputate the arms of Belgium children. The work is also calculated expressionism which could represent the very structured and systematic foundation of being part of the military.

In 1914, Sassoon enlisted not long before England declared war and became a second lieutenant. His experiences in the war helped him produce some of his most popular works. Within his poems you can most certainly find realistic aspects of the war. This could likely be attributed to the time he spent studying the trenches. In poems such as "The General" and "'Blighters'", Sassoon's ability to criticize is widely broadcasted. In "'Blighters'", he shows anger toward the civilian world for their extreme efforts to shout nationalism for all to hear. For those in the war it was clearly nothing to celebrate about; it was not "The Great War". Sassoon's "The General" described the honest truth on what the soldiers really thought about those who had higher authority than them. The satirical nature of the poem creates wonderful ways of describing of the hypocrisy and incompetence of the General. The soldiers seemed to be annoyed and upset with the General's sarcasm, irony, and detachment to his men.

There is no doubt that innovators during WWI were influenced by the war in many ways.

WWI & The War Poets

Wow. I read this section of “The War Poets” over the weekend and I kind of wished I wouldn’t have. Reading all of them in one sitting was really depressing.

After class on Monday I was kind of embarrassed by how little I know about WWI. My knowledge about the war was basically narrowed down to Germans on one side British on the other. On the video we watched, they mentioned that the nature of WWI was different from the wars that I am more familiar with. It was based primarily on territory and less on what I think of as human aspects (i.e. treatment of minorities, communism, etc.). Thinking back on my education, I believe that WWII is stressed because of the horrific things that happened to the Jewish people and Vietnam is stressed because it is still in the rear view mirror of our collective memory. Now that I am fully familiar with the devastating nature of WWI, I can definitely see why the poetry coming out of that era is so depressing and at times a bit grotesque.

In talking about the poetry specifically, the grotesque nature was really what caught me off guard (though I loved it). I guess when I think of poetry from that time period I assume it will be flowery and proper and I totally do not expect lines such as Rosenberg’s “A man’s brains splattered on/A stretcher-bearer’s face” (48-49). My favorite poem was actually one of the more disturbing pieces (at least to me), “Dulce et Decorum Est.” by Wilfred Owen. I thought that the image of the soldier “drowning” in gas was really powerful and the idea that Owen was haunted by nightmares of the event, very telling. I also loved the way he used to poem to criticize those who were urging young men of that time period to enlist. I must admit, the poetry that we have studied in the last two weeks is not what I expected and I’m starting to think I may really enjoy this class.