If you love adventure or a quest in your story and several dashes of creepy, check out this book!
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
If you love adventure or a quest in your story and several dashes of creepy, check out this book!
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Keats
John Keats poetry greatly differs from the other poets that we have read. Keats does not convey political messages in his poetry. He just writes it for the pleasure that he gains from it. Throughout Keats poems, we can see parts of his life being represented through his usage of diction and tone. Keats was not born into an aristocratic family, which led him to experience life in a different form when compared to the other poets. This experience led him to question the contradictions of life, something that the other poets did not clearly focus on. By focusing on the contradictions of life, Keats was able to express good points and raise questions and even inspire people.
Keats died at the age of 25, yet he had many incidents occur in his lifetime that have vastly impacted his writing style, in my opinion. The death of his brother is represented through the gloomy and dark tone that Keats establishes in his poems, such as Ode on a Grecian Urn. This poem seems to purely contain dark imagery as it essentially revolves around death and questioning the meaning of life. This gloominess was clearly expressed and I am pretty sure it stems from the death of his brother. The other component of his poetry, a form of joy, arises from his engagement. Since this is a joyous time occasion for Keats, he expresses this in his poetry. This helps add more the somewhat elegiac feeling at some parts in his poems, such as Ode to a nightingale.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Keats
Byron and Shelley
Lord Byron grew up in a relatively poor household for his time, but no matter what sort of rough childhood he endured, he was able to make a living through poetry. Byron perceived nature as a force that was never-ending. Byron successfully produces vivid descriptions of what we see in nature by putting them into words that further epitomize nature as a whole.
Unlike Byron, who approaches nature more realistically, Shelley takes a more imaginative approach. The tone in his poem Ozymandias seems to contradict with his happy life that he has lived up to that point; sounding rather brash and depressed. The point of this dark tone, though, is to truly convey the true darkness of the world and those who inhabit it.
Monday, April 2, 2012
John Keats
Right off the bat, John Keats is different from his other Romantic counterparts. Keats was born into a working-class family as opposed to Shelley, Byron, etc. who were born into noble or rich families. The others wrote about politics or rebellion or radical points of view, using nature and naturalistic beliefs to convey the message. Keats, on the other hand, focuses his writing primarily on the beauty in the simple things, like an urn or the song of a nightingale perched in a tree. He writes mostly on what he sees; the very surface-level emotions or sights. He also has quite the fascination with the word "forlorn" and the color green. Unlike the other Romantics, who used nature as a platform for their political ideals, Keats uses naturalistic imagery as a vehicle to release his pain and grief about his deceased brother. I personally think that it is this deep-rooted (no pun intended) pain that allows him to find such beauty in nature. The frailty of being mortal has smacked him in the face and he has gained a deeper appreciation for the more simplistic things that one stumbles upon throughout the course of their lifetime. Keat's first presented piece, "Ode to a Nightingale," is ripe with emotional diction and powerful images of the nightingale's song and the feelings it creates within Keats. However, I find a foil in Keats's writing. He uses a lot of Biblical and/or Greek allusions, but I personally feel as though they make the flow of his writing a little choppy. The references don't quite fit with the feelings he puts forward in his pieces; it feels as though they're just there to make him sound more deep/intelligent than he actually is. I feel a little bad about saying that, but it really does seem that way to me. Don't get me wrong, the poetry is beautiful. It has a certain...underlying emotion to it that the other Romantics seem to lack.
John Keats
Keats
Byron and Shelley
Young Keats
Unlike the other poets we have studied, John Keats does not write to express political ideals or personify rebellion. Instead, Keats wrote about beauty and the deep contradictions that life entails – “the sadness of every joy.” Unfortunately with his early death, Keats only had a two year time frame where he wrote his masterpieces.
The first presented poem, “Ode to a Nightingale,” portrays the narrator’s yearning to be able to escape life and join the nightingale and its song. The poem has a very melancholy tone given the speaker’s wants of escaping his life. Although borderline depressing, the ode offers vivid imagery of the outdoors and celebrations of the nightingale’s song. This expression of beauty fits well with the Romanticist movement. The resolution of the poem that the narrator no longer knew whether this was a dream or reality, offers the meaning of the poem: That everything in this world is temporary.
The second poem, “Ode to a Grecian Urn,” is an amazing poem. The narrator comes upon a couple urns that all have pictures on them. He thinks to himself that these pictures never grow old but on the other hand never get to experience anything. For example, the lovers in the woods are stopped in time and they always get to be together but on the sad side of things, they never really get to experience their love. This poem epitomizes Keat’s writing about the deep contradictions in life. On one hand, these beautiful paintings on the urns are joyful for what they portray, but sad because they are really only paintings.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Hodgy Keats
Dude J-Dawg this guy is really [expletive delelted]ing emo and I have to say that I am kind of digging him. Now while the other romantic poets were all like “ohh flowers is so purdy” this guy is all like “ dude were all going to die and that suck like a bunch”. Now moving beyond my Totally Kyle inspired representations of exceedingly profound masters of the English language I do rather enjoy this dude’s take on the concepts of romanticism. One thing that seems to pop up with this guy more than any of the other romantic poets is that he utilizes significantly more sensual imagery particularly in "Ode to a Nightingale”, and well since I mentioned it might as well talk about it (mostly because I am entirely too lazy to go look up the names of the other poems. One thing I notice is that in this ode, Keats focuses on immediate, concrete sensations and emotions such as frequent use of the image of the color green. But another thing I find intriqing about this poem is how seemingly melancholic it is especially in the Eighth stanza were it repeats the word “forlorn” eight hundred trillion billion times. Also the way in which he tries to separate himself the pain of reality, the poet begins to move into a world of imagination or fantasy. His purpose is clearly not to get drunk. Rather he associates wine with some quality or state he is seeking
he keats me commin' back
Keats Keats Keats
Keats
Keats is a prime example of the amount of time that one lives on earth not being as significant as what one does with that time. Although he died young, he used his life to the fullest to compose of the most amazing poetry written. He reflections of his own life and important issues in the world teach others that if they have a passion, they should pursue it for their own enjoyment, not the enjoyment of others!
of man raised in poverty;
Comparatively, Keats resembles the darker realm that the other poets prior hadn’t really touched upon. Byron and Shelley relied on the more whimsical aspects in the world around them to convey certain messages. Judging by Keats’ past experiences, having been raised into the working class rather than aristocracy, the mood of his poems seems to take on a form of expression from his childhood. His poems are more somber and delicate and lack the feelings of optimism that lingered in the poetry from other poets. In “Ode to a Nightingale”, Keats begins with “My heart aches, and drowsy numbness pains my sense,” – already beginning with a mellow tone that brings one down from lurking in the clouds but instead down to the more curious faults of man and the more shadowy things that seem to accumulate around the human population. While in Byron’s “She Walks in Beauty” has a darker feel, Keats seems to take things a step further and more blatantly address the things he has seen or knows drifts around him. Keats seems to become more questioning and indecisive in his poem “Ode on a Grecian Urn” which brings mention to elves and “forlorn” fairylands. This more mythical standpoint is reminiscent of Shelley’s “Ozymandias” that seems to also have a fondness towards things in a more dream-like approach.
Oh, Keats
In Ode to a Nightingale, Keats switches from sorrowful to hopeful thoughts about death. The poem begins with him believing that hemlock will bring "drowsy numbness;" it will bring a death from the pain of life. He also uses alcohol as a suppressant from his unforgiving life. However, soon he beings to see death as a way to fly with the nightingale. In the end, after seeing all of the beauty around him and the freedom of the nightingale, it would be "rich to die." Ode to a Grecian Urn is a commentary on the foolish wish of humans to live forever. Keats explains in great detail all of the possible scenarios that could be on the vase. He ends stating that "old age shall this generation waste, though shalt remain" all by itself.
Writing to a bird
Keats differed greatly from his other Romantic colleagues. Of the poets that we have read so far, they seem to be writing poetry to emphasize certain aspects of things, whether it be politics, nature, or whatever. However, Keats writes simply because he enjoys it. He writes for the beauty of writing. He does not really have any agenda behind it. For example, he noticed a bird and liked the song of it. So he sat down for several hours and wrote about it. Keats was not trying to display some kind of ideology, he was simply writing for the beauty of writing. His poetry did not go without influence however. The death of his brother at a young age had a lasting impact on him. Keats often included some dark, solemn lines in his poems, including "My heart aches, and drowsy numbness pains," in the first line of "Ode to a Nightingale." This solemn tone sometimes conflicts with the overall cheerful nature of the rest of the poems, but I believe Keats does this on purpose. The contrast and comparisons display the overarching beauty and greatness of life, even though we all go through tough and sad times. He shows that the beauty around us makes life worth living, even when things are tough. This is further emphasized by the fact that he wrote lots of poetry in his last two years of life, when he knew he was dying. Keats continued to emphasize the beauty of nature and the emotion and power it has, even as his life is withering away.
Byron and Shelley
Once again, two friends helped pioneer and push forward the new Romantic era. Lord Byron and Percy Shelley, like Coleridge and Wordsworth, helped invent the Romantic way of writing. Byron and Shelley grew up in opposite households; Byron growing up poor yet obtaining the title of Lord early, while Shelley grew up in a wealthy household with the best education.
Byron was strongly influenced by nature and seemed to develop two different personalities in his writing. He was often portrayed as a "dark and brooding" character, similar to what he wrote about, yet was often nice. His poetry was strongly influenced by revolution and his slightly radical political ideas. In his poems "Apostrophe to the Ocean" and "She Walks in Beauty," the dark side of Byron is shown. Both poems seem to display the strength of nature over man and the idea that man can do nothing to control the will of nature. Nature is able to easily destroy man, which he seems to find beauty in. This dark viewpoint slightly differs from Coleridge and Wordsworth who viewed nature as bright and cheerful almost.
Shelley seemed to be more influenced by politics. He believed in the will of man over the will of government and displayed this through his poetry. In "Ozymandias," he emphasizes the cruel rule of Ramses II. He displays the power of nature and how it affects the statue, yet also displays his disdain for an absolute rule, as Ramses had. Shelley also continued the idea of the power of nature over man, while also including an almost god-like symbolism to nature in the next poem, "Ode to the West Wind." He emphasizes the hierarchy of nature over man, just as Byron did.
The Final Poet
Yet another poet we are studying from the romanticism era is John Keats, who died at the age of twenty-five. Because he died so young, people often wonder what more he would have accomplished had he lived longer in this world of literature, which we often call poetry. John Keats was not an aristocrat like Byron and Shelley, but had a restless spirit and would fight for worthy causes. He earned his pharmacist's license before ditching medicine for the literary world. Keats's health began deteriorating, but had he stayed healthy his “burst of creativity” and his engagement may have been the beginning to a very happy life. Unlike Shelley, Keats did not use poetry to make political statements, nor did he have a rebellious spirit. He would always find beauty in the things people would consider imperfect. “In masterful verse, he explored the beauty he found in the most ordinary circumstances.” Keats also seemed to be very sensitive to the contradictions that life would offer.
In “Ode to a Nightingale,” Keats begins on a negative statement, talking about suicide, and then turns to positivity, then back to death and the negatives again. He discusses death in almost a dream-like manner, switching from heaven to hell, and ending with deceiving contradictions. “Ode On A Grecian Urn” uses superb diction to get the point across about Heaven and happiness. A wedding is primarily discussed throughout this poem, using vivid imagery to describe the “maidens overwrought with forest branches.”
Poor Little Keatsy Kat
In Awe of the Ode
In his piece, "Ode to the Nightingale," Keats uses basic end rhyme to establish a rhythm for his song of appreciation. He produces a very descriptive piece, using adjectives and adverbs to describe every aspect of the scene thoroughly. Keats places variation within the rhyme scheme in several places in order to amend the pace and tone of each descriptive aspect. The author creates imagery through implements of color variation and specific word repetition. He also conveys biblical and monarchic allusions and personifies nature. Finally, Keats alludes to his personal illness and the envy he holds towards the nightingale's perfection.
The author continues this envious tone for immortality and perfection in his piece, "Ode on a Grecian Urn." Here Keats describes his analysis of a urn that adorns a painted scene. He does so by using adjectives of the naturalistic context and a rhyme scheme that consists of both end and internal rhyme. Keats implements a good amount of rhetoric questions and repetition in order to present a somewhat pleading, or desperate cry for conclusive enlightenment from the urn. Just as in the previous piece, Keats seems to be envious of the urn's tranquil permanence in respect to human life. This repeated theme ultimately indicates the writer's sorrow over his own circumstances of mortality.
Keats
Keats did not use his poetry to accomplish certain things as Shelley and Lord Byron did. He simply wrote for the sheer beauty of it. To me, this is what separates him from his contemporaries. While they all appreciated beauty, especially in nature, Keats was the only one who wrote simply for the pleasure of it. The titles of his odes such as “ode to a Nightingale,” and “Ode to a Grecian Jar” convey the beauty and joy he found in everyday objects. His poetry includes numerous allusions so Classical Mythology., and they are almost always used as adjectives. Although he enjoyed the simplicity of nature, lines such as “That I might drink, and leave the world unseen/” convey his disillusionment with life, probably brought on by his deteriorating health and the death of his brother. His poems offer stark contrast between the happiness and life and the inevitable coldness of death.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Romantic Rebels
Lord George Byron was a poor man of nobility with fate on his side as he inherited his fortune, paying his way through college and into fame. He was self-indulged; writing openly on his own personal characteristics. Byron was outspoken and not ashamed to express his opinions as he openly criticized his critics. The use of persona and open expression in his writing won him the categorization of a romantic poet. In his short poem, "She Walks in Beauty," Byron uses end-rhyme and structured stanzas in order to produce a specific "walking" rhythm. He also uses descriptive imagery as he makes continual contrasts in light and darkness throughout the piece. In his work, "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage," the author takes on a more complex theme as he implements industrial aspects in the description of nature. He does so in order to evaluate the human impact on nature. Byron also personifies nature through extended metaphors and creative allusions. The author's dynamic perspective on the topic and creative presentation illustrates his romantic style and aggressive character.
Percy Shelley was born into the upper class and attended high-level schools. He was kicked out of college for publishing an essay on his radical ideals on atheism. He was not accepted for his radical ideals and left London to travel around Europe. The scenes that surrounded him on his travels strongly influenced his writing. In "Ozymandias," Shelley uses descriptive language and a long sentence structure in order to convey a clear representation of his observation. He continues this long, descriptive process in the poem "Ode to the West Wind." Here he personifies weather using various similes. Shelley creates descriptive imagery through the strong use of adjectives. He returns to the allusion of autumn and the change of seasons throughout the poem as he posses the piece as more of a declaration of existence than a concession of contentment.
Death Comes with the Territory.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Two Rebellious Men
Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley were two very good friends who epitomized the Romanticist Era. The two men were surprisingly very rebellious in nature. Shelley got kicked out of college for writing that atheism was a necessity and Byron just left college and led a “lady’s man’s” life. Although very rebellious, the two men were geniuses in poetry.
The four poems written by these two very, very, very good friends focused on nature and the way mankind disrupts this nature. She Walks in Beauty, written by Lord Byron, is ironic considering how rebellious he tended to be. This poem shows beauty which is a key aspect of Romanticist poetry. The second poem given written by Lord Bryon, Apostrophe to the Ocean, is very scenic and has a lot of deep truth. Byron argues that society is ruining nature. Nature is said to be all powerful because buildings and society cease to be when the shoreline starts. The importance of nature is another important part of Romanticism.
Again, Shelley argues his political ideas in Ozymandias. In this short poem, Shelley rebels against the concept of society and basically says that man is ruining nature. The last poem was harder to understand but its overall praising the West Wind. The nature in this poem is obvious, with the scenes of falling leaves and rubble. The narrator wishes to be swept away by this wind and would like to be gone with the wind in spirit. Shelley’s two poems are Romanticist because they speak out against society and the disruption that man has caused.
Shelley-Byron
Shelley, also writes of nature, taking an imaginative approach in his work, Ozymandias. After reading both biographies, I would have never assumed Shelley’s writing to be in the tone that it was. From reading about his pleasant childhood to his quick success, it did not fit my image of what his writing style would be like. His dark tone also adds to his attempt to show the true humanity of the world, not being as tight knit as portrayed by some.
Although not completely significant, the length of the writers is quite different. Shelley takes a direct approach, to where Byron uses more descriptive, and lengthy writing to get his point across. Both writers are pioneers of the Romanticism period and their friendship further enhances their ability to change this era of poetry.