... to Poe himself, the reason for using "Pallas" in the poem was simply because of the "sonorousness of the word, Pallas, itself" (Poe, 1850). A less obvious symbol, might be the use of "midnight" in the first verse, and "December" in the second verse. Both midnight and December symbolize an end of something, and the anticipation of a transition to occur. The midnight in December could possibly be New Year's eve, a date with which most connect transition. With Poe's extensive vocabulary, he is qualified to bestow an ancient and poetic language in "The Raven" which eloquently depicts a surreal yet romantic picture of a man spending an evening in his chamber. ...
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... poem were, 1) the dilemma of making a choice, and the danger of not knowing where that decision will take you, and 2) a tale telling the reader to be different, and to take the road “less traveled”. “And sorry I could not travel both…” It is always hard to make important decisions because you are always going to wonder what might have happened if you had chosen the other path. The speaker has no way of knowing what awaits him at either of his destinations, but he still must choose between the two paths. The most common literary technique in “The Road Not Taken” is symbolism. The whole poem is very symbolic because the speaker reflects on the decision that he has ...
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... His Coy Mistress” point out the difference in the way the writers feel about their characters. Both poems are directed to two different audiences. In “To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time” Herrick is speaking to all virgins. He never addresses anybody personally. In “To His Coy Mistress” Marvell is addressing his mistress personally. He wrote the poem for his mistress to convince her to become intimate with him. The difference makes a change because now Herrick’s poem affects the reader (depending on if she is female) since it refers to all virgins. However, Marvell’s poem does not since he is referring to one particular individual. The them of “To the Virgins, t ...
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... remarkable" (667). However, his appearance deteriorated over time. Roderick had changed so much that "[the narrator] doubted to whom [he] spoke" (667). The narrator notes various symptoms of insanity from Roderick's behaviors: "in the manner of my friend I was struck with an incoherence -- an inconsistency...habitual trepidancy, and excessive nervous agitation...His action was alternately vivacious and sullen. His voice varied rapidly from a tremulous indecision...to that...of the lost drunkard, or the irreclaimable eater of opium" (667). These are "the features of the mental disorder of [the narrator's] friend" (672). Roderick's state worsens throughout the sto ...
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... heroism can be seen when he takes 14 of the bravest in his land to go help Hrothgar. Hrothgar was Beowulf's father's close friend who had been plagued by attacks for twelve years that threatened an entire kingdom. Beowulf did not have to offer Hrothgar's kingdom help, but does so because he wants to uses his God given strength to the best of his ability. As soon as Beowulf heard of the troubles in this land he set sail immediately. Beowulf continues to show his thankfulness by thanking God for giving them safe travel across the sea. Beowulf is lead to Hrothgar and offers him is "services." "-Now sit down to the feast, and, in due time, listen to lays ...
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... the kingdom from the affects of anarchy as a result of not having a king. Sir Gawain accepting the challenge from the Green Knight instantly represented one of the things that knighthood represented, fearlessness. People accept those kind of challenges everyday. This could possibly be where the term "sticking your neck out" could have come from. When people accept challenges, most do not want to accept the consequences as a result of being unsuccessful. Gawain was not like this. When the year passed he gallantly mounted his horse and set off for the Green Chapel. This showed that Gawain was brave. This was preceded by the warning "Beware, Gawain, that you not en ...
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... used the poet is saying that work is a ugly and repulsive entity, and its ugliness is contagious. A second interpretation of the word toad can be found from fairy tales. In these types of works the toad is often seen as something detestable on the exterior and yet of great value or beauty on the interior. An example of this is the toad that when kissed by the princess was turned into a prince. In order for the real identity of this amphibian to be realized, one must to get past the outer shell. In keeping with this explanation Larkin can also be seen as saying that work at first appear as a hideous and burdensome beast and yet after careful inspection and ac ...
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... and vigor the wind possesses. He gives the wind human characteristics by referring to the wind as “her” and “she.” For example, “Her clarion over the dreaming earth, and fill (Driving sweet buds like flocks to feed in air) With loving hues and odors plain and hill,” can be paralleled with a woman tending to her garden with love and devotion. Along with a heart-rending tone and personification Shelley uses imagery to describe nature. He refers to the clouds in the sky as “angels of rain an lightning” and the dead leaves of Autumn as “ghosts from and enchanter fleeing,” he is amazed and mesmerized by the wind, and quietly wishes to one day become one with the ...
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... everyone also has their personal fears. The characters of the poem are also some very meaningful keys in showing the hidden meaning. The first stanza describes the crowd that has gathered to watch the enactment of our human lives. Lines three and four states "an angel throng, bewinged, and bedight in veils, and drowned in tears." Poe is stating that a group of angels is going to watch the spectacle put on for them, although they are already drowning in the tears from plays before. The orchestra that plays for them is another set of characters that have meaning. They represent the background in everyone's life by "playing the music of the spheres." A third set ...
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... poems. Riffaterre emphasizes the importance of the relationships between words as opposed to their "corresponding realities" (40). For example, he states that the "flower or the fruit is a variant of the worm's dwelling constructed through destruction. Thus, as a word, worm is meaningful only in the context of flower, and flower only in the context of worm" (41). After Riffaterre's reading and in terpretation of the poem, he concludes that "The Sick Rose" is composed of "polarized polarities" (44) which convey the central object of the poem, the actual phrase, "the sick rose" (44). He asserts that "because the text provides all the elements necessary to our identif ...
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