ESSAY CEMETERY

Anglo-Saxon England saw over two hundred years of Viking attacks at the turn of the first millennium. By the end of the tenth century, Anglo-Saxon England had become Anglo-Scandinavian England (Frank 23). The Scandinavian presence in England is the subject of much Early Medieval poetry, prose and historical literature. The Danes, a geographically foreign and pagan people, emerge as an Other against which the Anglo-Saxons struggle to maintain their ideological integrity. In the poem “The Battle of Maldon” the warfare waged against the Vikings exposes weakness within the ranks of the English. In the “Life of St. Edmund”, an Anglo-Saxon defeat in a battle against the Vikings gives rise to a saint who works miracles from beyond the grave. Even though both texts were written within decades of one another, the recentness of the events depicted and the thematic focus of their authors result in two very different treatments of a similar historical setting. Ælfric’s “Life of St. Edmund” is an e...

"Deor", an Old English poem found in the tenth-century poetry collection The Book of Exeter, is generally considered to be a song of lament for the poet's own misfortune. The poem consists of a series of seven stanzas that describe the travails of well-known historical individuals and groups. As the final stanza contains an account of the ostensible poet's own misfortune – being removed from his position as court poet – scholars have conjectured that the poet's aim in depicting these historical travails is to compare these with his own fate. However, the final stanza does not constitute the poem's final words. The poem ends with the refrain that recurs after every stanzaic description of misfortune in the work – "Þæs ofereode, þisses swa mæg!" – "that passed over, this can too". The placement of the refrain after the final stanza indicates that, just like the other historical hardships, the poet's grief over his demotion, too, has passe...

  1492     Thou two-faced year, Mother of Change and Fate, // The I nquisition Didst weep when Spain cast forth with flaming sword,  The children of the prophets of the Lord,  Prince, priest, and people, spurned by zealot hate. // hatred of Jews Hounded from sea to sea, from state to state,  The West refused them, and the East abhorred.  No anchorage the known world could afford,  Close-locked was every port, barred every gate.  Then smiling, thou unveil’dst, O two-faced year,  A virgin world where doors of sunset part, //  People died and were exiled but at least Columbus discovered America Saying, "Ho, all who weary, enter here!  There falls each ancient barrier that the art  Of race or creed or rank devised, to rear  Grim bulwarked hatred between heart and heart!" // In America the barriers of race creed and rank that make people hate one another fall.

The New Colossus  1883    Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,  //  A famous Greek Colossus With conquering limbs astride from land to land;  Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand //  Warm, welcoming words A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame  // The gatekeeper of America is a woman Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name  Mother of Exiles.  From her beacon-hand  Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command  The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.  "Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she //  She says America doesn't need fancy ancient histories With silent lips.  "Give me your tired, your poor,  Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,  The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.  Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,  I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" // Everyone's welcome in America

At times it seems that art cannot help but be self-reflexive. In the poetry of both Shakespeare and Keats, literature and the creative process are themes that surface and dominate their work, even when the presumed subject of their work is entirely unrelated. Shakespeare's Sonnet "66" and "76", despite being written in a form that traditionally celebrates love, explore the difficulties of the artistic process. "Sonnet 66" addresses the issue of external hardships imposed upon the artist, whereas "Sonnet 76" concentrates on difficulties that originate within. John Keats' "Ode on a Grecian Urn" seems to be more of an ode to imagination and the creative process, defying its self-proclaimed subject, the urn. External examination of the vessel inspires questions as to the events depicted on it, resulting in speculation that goes beyond the urn and creates vivid, colorful poetry. Through the form of their poetry and the various sound...

Summary I recently came to America with the help of God. He addresses the students as scholars of astronomy, which brings them closer to heaven. Jesus approves of them. He celebrates Jesus as he who died for all humanity's sins. He encourages them to avoid sin, for the momentary pleasure of sin results in eternal suffering. Themes and Devices ·        Self-reflexiveness “WHILE an intrinsic ardor prompts to write, The muses promise to assist my pen;” ·        Coming from Africa “ 'Twas not long since I left my native shore The land of errors, and Egyptain gloom:” ·        Thanking god “Father of mercy, 'twas thy gracious hand Brought me in safety from those dark abodes.” ·        Celebrating students as scholars of astronomy ·        Praising Jesus as redeemer of mankind ·     ...

Summary She is grateful that she was brought from Pagan Africa to Christian America. Even though blacks may be sinful, according to Christianity they can be redeemed. Themes ·        Rejecting paganism and embracing Christianity "Twas mercy brought me from my Pagan land, Taught my benighted soul to understand That there's a God, that there's a Saviour too:” ·        Black as sinful Some view our sable race with scornful eye,  "Their colour is a diabolic die."  Remember, Christians, Negros, black as Cain,  May be refin'd and join th'angelic train.” Portrait of Phillis Wheatley

Prologue THEMES AND AUTHORIAL ATTITUDE Self- criticism Self-reflexiveness Metaliterature: "the Greeks", Bartas Feminism- objection to traditional gender role I am obnoxious to each carping tongue Who says my hand a needle better fits. Men are better But women are still good Defense of woman writers To My Dear and Loving Husband THEMES Love Contentment in marriage Repayment in heaven Eternal life through love Verses Upon the Burning of Our House THEMES Burning house Fear Lamenting her possessions gone Chastisement for material thoughts Riches lie in belief in God STYLE Shift in tense: first, the poet speaks in past tense and then she addresses her heart, and then back to thinking of herself KEYWORDS Fire Ruin ashes Posthumous depiction of Anne Bradstreet by Edmund H. Garrett.  Source: Wikipedia

Prologue At first she is reluctant to tell of the beginning of the creation of the commonwealth because she feels unworthy. But then she is inspired by Bartas and begins. She apologizes for her irreparably inferior skill. She objects to the convention against women writing and addresses the scorn with which women writers are regarded. She concedes that men do everything better, but asks men not to completely disregard women's smaller talents. She says her poetry is worthy of recognition. To My Dear and Loving Husband She loves her husband and is joyful to be with him. She loves him more than all the riches and though she cannot repay him she prays heaven will reward him. She asks him to persevere in love so that through this love they may live forever. Verses Upon the Burning of Our House When she went to sleep she did not expect disaster, but she is awakened with cries of "fire!" She prays to god for help, leaves her house and looks upon her burning dwel...

On First Looking into Chapman's Homer The speaker is taken aback and inspired by the beautiful descriptions in Chapman's work Homer . Sleep and Poetry An appreciation of sleep as a wonderful inspirer, and of poetry as high form of art to which the speaker aspires. Endymion Nature is so beautiful as to alleviate depression. Just as nature is grand, so is the prospect of death. Bright Star, Would I Were as Steadfast as Thou Art The speaker wants to be like a star not in the sense that it hangs alone in the sky, forced to watch over everything constantly, but in the sense that it is immortal. He wants to spend eternity with his love or else die. La Belle Dame Sans Merci A knight is lonely and sad. He tells the narrator he met a maiden, and made love to her. She lulled him asleep and met many other men she bewitched. He woke up and discovered her gone. Ode to a Nightingale The speaker is numb, and seeks further numbness in liquor, so that he may forget ...

Mutability Like clouds, or music of a lyre, people and their experiences and emotions change. The only thing that can be counted on is mutability. England in 1819 England is falling apart, because of the reigning monarchs who are doing a horrid job governing it. Song- To the Men of England The speaker calls the attention of the lower classes to their toil for the benefit of the aristocracy and for which they are not adequately compensated. He calls them to beware, for they are good as digging their own grave, and to revolt, for they have power. Ode to the West Wind The power of the wind is great as it looses and shakes things. The poet wants to become one with the wind, and has the power to command it. The Cloud The cloud sees all and dominates nature. It constantly changes, and though can appear to be gone, it never is. Prometheus Unbound Prometheus, the bringer of fire to men and changed by Jupiter to a rock for eternity to be pecked at by vultures, is released. Percy...