Week 11
THE PHILOSOPHY OF COMPOSITION
"The Philosophy of Composition" is an 1846 essay written by American writer Edgar Allan Poe that elucidates a theory about how good writers write when they write well. He concludes that length, "unity of effect" and a logical method are important considerations for good writing. He also makes the assertion that "the death... of a beautiful woman" is "unquestionably the most poetical topic in the world". Poe uses the composition of his own poem "The Raven" as an example. The essay first appeared in the April 1846 issue of Graham's Magazine. It is uncertain if it is an authentic portrayal of Poe's own method.
>> The Raven - by: Edgar Allan Poe
"The Raven" is a narrative poem by American writer Edgar Allan Poe. First published in January 1845, the poem is often noted for its musicality, stylized language, and supernatural atmosphere. It tells of a talking raven's mysterious visit to a distraught lover, tracing the man's slow fall into madness. The lover, often identified as being a student, is lamenting the loss of his love, Lenore. Sitting on a bust of Pallas, the raven seems to further instigate his distress with its constant repetition of the word "Nevermore". The poem makes use of a number of folk, mythological, religious, and classical references.
~~~ POEMS ~~~
" Do not go gentle into that good night "
by: Dylan Thomas
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
> Analysis :
The poem is written as a Villanelle and the title itself uses adjective (gentle) as adverb (gently), making the latent meaning even more present. Yet, even while Thomas and his Father were
struggling with their health, this poem assents the value of fighting
for life. Thomas argues, as Shakespeare did in Henry VI Part I, that we all need to: "Fight till the last gasp" (1.3.127).
Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night is, therefore not just about fighting against the blindness of the old man or Thomas's own battles, but about all of us raging against our weaknesses, and the gradual loss of our fire, passions, and life.
Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night is, therefore not just about fighting against the blindness of the old man or Thomas's own battles, but about all of us raging against our weaknesses, and the gradual loss of our fire, passions, and life.
" When i was One-and-Twenty "
by: A.E Housman
When I was one-and-twenty
When I was one-and-twenty
I heard a wise man say,
`Give crowns and pounds and guineas
But not your heart away;
Give pearls away and rubies
But keep your fancy free.'
But I was one-and-twenty
No use to talk to me.
When I was one-and-twenty
I heard him say again,
`The heart out of the bosom
Was never given in vain;
'Tis paid with sighs a plenty
And sold for endless rue.'
And I am two-and-twenty
And oh, 'tis true, 'tis true.
> Analysis :
This poem was written by A.E. Houseman. “When I was One-and-Twenty” was published in 1896. Housman’s remarkable love poem, “When I Was One-and-Twenty”, is simple and elegant. There are many of his poems in the collection titled “A Shropshire Lad”. He writes of youth typically not heeding wise advice.
There are two possible reasons for his failure to act. The first possibility is that he did not recognize the wisdom of the wise man until he turned older “two-and-twenty” (line 15). The other possibility is that the poem’s speaker did realize that it was a good advice at the time but was helpless to do anything about it because he was too young. Both of these ways of looking at the phrase “a wise man” (line 2) illustrate the same thing about knowledge. So it can only be absorbed when one is ready for it.
*** PREFIX, ROOT, SUFFIX ***
ob-/op- : toward, across, down, against
opponent : rival
obstacle : something that makes it difficult to do
opposite : located at another side
sym- : with, together
symbolize : represent
symbiosis : a relationship of two different kinds living things
sympathetic : having or showing support to people or something
de- : down, away from
depreciate : to cause something for a lower price
decrease : to become smaller in amount, size, number, etc.
** WORDS **
- Bliss: complete happiness
- Equanimity: calm emotion while dealing with problem or pressure
- Impede: block
- Propinquity: nearness in time or place
- Sedate: slow and relax
- Bedlam: a very noisy and confused state
- Gusto: enjoyment
- Gaudy: too brighter heavily decorated
- Jocose: humorous
- Galvanize: to become active
- Decorum: correct or proper behavior
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