IGNOU MEG 18 American Poetry Solved Assignment 2023-24 | MA ENGLISH Assignment
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Attempt any five questions.
All questions carry equal
marks.
Q1. Enumerate
on the Revolutionary War and Treaty of Paris and their impact on American
poetry
By 1700, the northern part of America
witnessed about 250,000 European and African settlers in 13 English-based
colonies. On the eve of the Revolution, in 1775, a number of approximately 2.5
million settlers were surveyed. Although they did not share much in common,
given their cultural, linguistic, culinary and social differences, they
successfully united themselves as one to fight for their independence. Sparked
after American colonists antagonised over issues like taxation without
representation, epitomised by laws like The Stamp Act and The Townshend Acts,
the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783) was declared. On April 19, 1775,
when the “shot heard round the world” was fired during the Battles of Lexington
and Concord , there were rising tensions and chaos. It was not without warning;
the Boston Massacre on March 5, 1770 and the Boston Tea Party on December 16,
1773 showed the colonists’ increasing dissatisfaction with British rule in the
colonies.
Issued on July 4, 1776, the
Declaration of Independence listed the various reasons, the Founding Fathers
felt obliged to break and depart from the rule of King George III and
parliament to start a new nation. In September of that same year, the
Continental Congress declared the “United Colonies” of America to be the
“United States of America.” In 1778, France allied with the colonists assisting
the Continental Army conquered the British at the Battle of Yorktown in 1781.
The Treaty of Paris put an end to the American Revolution and granting the 13
original colonies independence was signed on September 3, 1783.
William Carlos Williams stated that
“it is very easy to talk about American poetry because there isn’t any such
thing” (qtd. in Dolan, 31).
Habited mostly by European immigrants, the New
World saw its poetic emergence. While poetry written and produced by the Native
Americans were mostly seen as ‘indigenous’ in nature to the white American
settlers and in their constructed mainstream, they believed that the “land of
the Native Indians betrays every attribute of the concept of ‘America’”. In
reality, the concept and birth of ‘America’ as a new country was founded on the
displacement and killing of the indigenous natives - the real Americans.
Nevertheless, their oral customs and traditions which include hymns, songs,
myths, legends, tales and war chants did not have only much influence but
rather integrated the American writings unlike the popular beliefs.
Furthermore, their “pantheistic inflections were expressed through haiku-style
imagery ona wide-ranging plethora of themes (Early American and Colonial
Period)” (Kalra 1).
In spite of the heavy influence and inclusion
of the native poetic lyric on “what is considered to be conventional” (Kalra 1)
‘American’ poetry realm, the native lyric “is placed outside the realm of
American poetry” (Kalra 1). The post factum imperial impacts of the British
culture and cultural norms offered America the means to define its personalised
cultural identity and existence. America redefined and established itself
primarily through its politics, literature, music, cuisine and soon, all
spawning from, or in opposition to their respective colonial origins.
Subsequently, Siddhant Kalra writes, an “‘America’ is the embodiment of this
process of mitosis and of the republican values espoused by the founding
fathers of the American republic”
William Stanley Merwin rightly stated
that: I certainly do not think of the tradition of American poetry as simply a
homogenized addition to the English tradition. I feel that we are lucky to
inherit it with a particular closeness, but that we also inherit the whole
tradition of poetry in the language. I don’t think there is much to be gained
by self conscious efforts to write some kind of genuine American poetry. If
American poets write poems they will be that” (qtd in Kalra 1)
He effortlessly commented on the
non-homogeneity of the American poetryIn New England, however, the intensity of
Calvinist piety prompted a number of well-read Puritans to write poetry.
Puritan theological ideologies and the restrictive lifestyle were no
encouraging force between poetry writing and production. While, the Puritans
willingly yielded to the effectiveness and versality of history of the kind
Bradford wrote of sermons and rhetorical stratagems of the sort Winthrop
favoured, they were often less enthusiastic about poetry. “
Be not so set upon poetry, as to be
always poring on the passionate and measure pages,” the New England cleric
Cotton Mather warned to “beware of a boundless and sickly appetite for the
reading of ... poems ... and let not the Circean cup intoxicate you” (Gray 8).
Of the verse that survives from this period, however, most of the finest and
most popular among contemporaries inclines to the theological. The most popular
is represented by The Day of Doom (1962), a resounding epic about Judgment Day
written by Michael Wigglesworth (1631–1705), The Bay Psalm Book (1640), and The
New England Primer (1683?). The Bay Psalm Book which is the translated biblical
texts into a plain style band was brought out in 1640, was the first book
printed in English in the New World. It was the first book of verse printed in
the British American colonies; They did not strive for a more poetic
translation because “God’s altar needs not our polishings.” The Day of Doom (1962)
was the bestseller poem in colonial America.
In 224 stanzas in ballad meter, Wigglesworth
presents the prime Puritan beliefs, mostly through a debate between sinners and
Christ. A effortless diction, driving rhythms, and unvarying insignificant
references to biblical sources are all part of Wigglesworth’s didactic purpose.
This is poetry intended to drive home its message, to convert some and to
reinstate the religious fervor of others. Many Puritan readers committed
portions of the poem to memory; still more read it aloud to 8 The Colonial and
Revolutionary Periods their families.
The absolute simplicity and fervor of
its message made it a perfect instrument for communicating and confirming
faith. So it is, perhaps, hardly unexpected that Cotton Mather could put aside
his distrust of poetry when it came to a work like The Day of Doom (1962). At
Wigglesworth’s death, in fact, Mather confessed his high regard for the poet:
who, Mather said, had written for “the Edification of such Readers, as are for
Truth’s dressed up in Plaine Meeter” (Gray 9). Nevertheless, The Bay Psalm Book
(1640) and The New England Primer (1683) gained more popularity than The Day of
Doom; after the Bible which was the most widely owned and read book in Colonial
America. The Bay Psalm Book was the first project of the Massachusetts Bay
Colony provided the psalms of David translated into “idiomatic English” and
adapted to the basic “hymn stanza form” of four lines with eight beats in each
line and regular rhymes (Gray 9).
Produced by twelve “New England
divines”, it was a collaborative compilation. Among the contributors, was John
Cotton who concisely explained in the Preface what they really had in mind was.
He stated that: “Conscience rather than Elegance, fidelity rather than poetry.”
“We have ... done our endeavour to make a plain and familiar translation” (qtd.
in Gray 9). Cotton continued, “if therefore the verses are not always so
smoothe and elegant as some may desire ..., let them consider that God’s 17
Contextualizing American Poetry: Colonial Period Altar need not our polishings”
(qtd. in Gray 9). Cotton insisted that, what was required was, “a plain
translation” (Ibid). Intended to be sung in the church and at home, the psalms
were dutifully used in both. The Bay Psalm Book was purposefully used to
popularize and promote faith which it did. Printed in England and Scotland and
the colonies; it underwent through more than 50 editions over the century, post
its first appearance. It perfectly illustrated the Puritan belief in an “indelible,
divinely ordained connection between the mundane and the miraculous”, the
language and habits of everyday and the apprehension of eternity (Ibid).
Additionally, it enabled a huge number of people, as Cotton put it, to “sing
the Lord’s songs ... in our English tongue” (Ibid).
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Q2. Write short
notes on:
a) American Spirit
The American spirit is a multifaceted
concept, a constellation of ideals, values, and experiences that shape the national
identity of the United States. It's a flame that has flickered and roared
throughout history, fueled by a complex mix of rebellion, resilience, optimism,
and the pursuit of a more perfect union. This essay delves into the essence of
the American spirit, exploring its historical roots, its evolving expressions,
and its enduring significance in the 21st century.
The Birth of
a Nation: Seeds of the American Spirit
The American spirit can be traced
back to the colonial era, where a spirit of dissent and yearning for
self-determination took root. European colonists, yearning for religious
freedom and political autonomy from the British crown, embarked on a perilous
journey across the Atlantic. This act of defiance laid the groundwork for a
nation built on the principles of self-governance and individual liberty. The
colonists' struggle for independence, culminating in the American Revolution,
served as a crucible that forged a unique national identity. Documents like the
Declaration of Independence, penned by Thomas Jefferson, enshrined the ideals
of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" as fundamental
rights. This revolutionary zeal, a belief in the power of the people to shape
their own destiny, became a cornerstone of the American spirit.
The spirit of exploration and the
vastness of the American frontier further fueled a pioneering spirit. The
westward expansion of the 19th century saw a wave of settlers push across the
continent, driven by a belief in Manifest Destiny, the idea that the United
States was destined to spread its ideals and reach from coast to coast. This
period witnessed incredible feats of resilience and ingenuity as pioneers
braved harsh landscapes and built new communities. The spirit of the cowboy,
self-reliant and fiercely independent, became an enduring symbol of this era.
However, westward expansion came at a
heavy cost. The displacement and decimation of Native American populations
casts a dark shadow on this period. Recognizing these injustices and
confronting the complexities of American history is crucial to understanding
the evolution of the American spirit.
The United States has always been a
nation of immigrants, a place where people from all corners of the globe have
sought a better life. Immigration waves throughout history have brought new
cultural influences, enriching the American tapestry but also sparking
tensions. The ideal of the "melting pot," where diverse backgrounds
blend into a unified American identity, has been central to the national
narrative.
However, the reality of assimilation
has been more nuanced. Many immigrant groups have maintained their cultural
traditions while also embracing aspects of American life. The American Dream,
the idea that with hard work and determination anyone can achieve success, has
served as a powerful magnet, drawing immigrants and instilling a spirit of
optimism and upward mobility.
The 20th
Century: Challenges and Resilience
The 20th century saw the American
spirit tested by world wars, economic depression, and social unrest. The nation
emerged victorious from both World Wars, projecting itself as a global leader
and champion of democracy. However, these conflicts also exposed the dangers of
isolationism and the need for international cooperation. The Great Depression
of the 1930s brought unprecedented economic hardship, but also ignited a spirit
of resilience and the rise of social safety nets. The Civil Rights movement, a
long struggle for racial equality, challenged deeply entrenched injustices and
exemplified the pursuit of a more perfect union.
The 21st century presents new
challenges and opportunities for the American spirit. Globalization,
technological advancements, and rising economic inequality raise questions
about the meaning of opportunity and the future of the American Dream. Issues
like climate change and political polarization demand a spirit of compromise
and collective responsibility.
However, the core principles of the
American spirit - liberty, democracy, and the pursuit of a better life - remain
relevant. The ongoing fight for social justice, the entrepreneurial spirit of
startups, and the dedication to scientific progress all demonstrate a continued
commitment to those ideals.
The American spirit is not a static
concept. It's a dynamic narrative constantly being redefined through ongoing
social movements and evolving social values. Recognizing the complexities of
American history, including the legacies of slavery and oppression, is crucial
for forging a more inclusive and equitable future. A new generation is
redefining the American spirit by emphasizing inclusivity, environmental
consciousness, and social justice.
b) Puritan Spirit
The Puritan spirit, a distinct thread
woven into the fabric of American identity, stands as a testament to a deeply
held commitment to religious faith, moral rectitude, and social order. Rising
in 16th-century England, Puritanism sought to "purify" the Church of
England, stripping away practices deemed too Catholic.
Seeds of
Dissent
The roots of the Puritan spirit lie
in the Protestant Reformation that swept across Europe in the 16th century.
Puritans, dissatisfied with what they saw as the Church of England's incomplete
break from Catholicism, advocated for a simpler, more austere form of worship.
They believed in predestination, the idea that God had predetermined who would
be saved, and emphasized personal piety and a strict moral code. This focus on
individual accountability and a direct relationship with God became a hallmark
of the Puritan spirit.
Facing
Persecution
Facing persecution for their beliefs
under Queen Elizabeth I, many Puritans fled England seeking religious freedom.
This act of defiance, a core element of the American spirit as a whole, was
particularly pronounced for the Puritans. In 1620, a group now known as the
Pilgrims set sail for the New World aboard the Mayflower, establishing the
Plymouth Colony in present-day Massachusetts. This act of seeking refuge and
forging a new society based on their beliefs solidified the connection between
the Puritan spirit and the American identity.
Building a
City Upon a Hill
The Puritans envisioned their
settlements as "a city upon a hill," a shining example of a godly
society for the world to follow. They established strict moral codes, enforced
church attendance, and limited leisure activities. Their emphasis on literacy
led to the founding of schools and a high level of education for the time. This
dedication to education and order became a lasting contribution of the Puritan
spirit.
Work Ethic
and the Virtues of Thrift
The Puritan work ethic, a cornerstone
of American economic life, finds its roots in their beliefs. Hard work was seen
not only as a path to prosperity but also as a sign of God's favor. Frugality
and the avoidance of idleness were central tenets. This emphasis on hard work
and self-reliance continues to shape American values today.
The Duality
of the Puritan Spirit: Order and Repression
While the Puritan spirit fostered a
sense of community and social order, it also carried a darker side. Their
strict moral codes and intolerance for dissent led to the suppression of
alternative viewpoints and the persecution of those deemed outside the norm.
The Salem witch trials, a horrific episode in American history, stand as a
stark reminder of the dangers of unchecked religious fervor.
The influence of the Puritan spirit
extended beyond the confines of their settlements. Their emphasis on education
and literacy laid the groundwork for a well-educated citizenry. Their
commitment to self-government and participation in civic life contributed to
the development of American democracy. However, their social rigidity and
intolerance also cast a long shadow, contributing to a strain of moral
conservatism in American life.
The Enduring
Puritan Legacy
The Puritan spirit's legacy is complex
and multifaceted. It instilled a sense of duty, hard work, and moral
responsibility that has shaped American society. Their commitment to education
and self-government continues to be valued. However, their intolerance and
repression serve as a cautionary tale. A nuanced understanding of the Puritan
spirit is necessary to appreciate its contributions and recognize its
limitations. The American spirit has evolved far beyond the narrow confines of Puritanism.
Subsequent waves of immigration, religious pluralism, and social movements have
broadened the national identity. Yet, the core values of hard work,
self-reliance, and the pursuit of a better life still resonate with the Puritan
spirit.
Conclusion
The American spirit is a rich
tapestry woven from diverse threads. The Puritan spirit, with its emphasis on
order, morality, and education, remains a significant strand. Recognizing its
contributions and shortcomings allows us to create a more inclusive and just
future, one that builds upon the best of American traditions while confronting
the shadows of the past.
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Q3. Philip
Freneau’s poem, “The Wild Honey Suckle” is a political document engaging
American national landscape – discuss.
American poetry is likely a sort of
art or craft, which is an act of selfexpression. There is often something
deeply personal connected to weaving words, metaphors, rhyming patterns and
imagery to the sense as it fills us with emotions and feelings. Every poem is
replete with its own emotions. The poetry of Philip Freneau makes the readers
enter in the world of love, freedom, democracy and nationhood. It gives
pleasure to our senses because it has the power to evoke emotions and feelings
if it is read out loud. These emotions and feelings help establish a certain
atmosphere or mood. The writer of the poem creates the mood using many elements
such as setting, tone and theme.
Freneau was born on 2 January 1752 in
New York City, the oldest of the five children of Huguenot wine merchant Pierre
Freneau and his Scottish wife. Philip was raised in Matawan, New Jersey. He
attended the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University), where he studied
under William Tennent, Jr.Freneau’s close friend at Princeton was James
Madison, a relationship that would later contribute to his establishment as the
editor of the National Gazette.
Freneau family tradition suggests
that Madison became acquainted with and fell in love with the poet’s sister,
Mary, during visits to their home while he was studying at Princeton. While
tradition has it that Mary rejected Madison’s repeated marriage proposals, this
anecdote is undocumented and unsupported by other evidence. Freneau graduated
from Princeton in 1771, having already written the poetical History of the
Prophet Jonah, and, with Hugh Henry Brackenridge, the prose satire Father
Bombo’s Pilgrimage to Mecca. After his graduation, he began teaching, but
suddenly gave it up. He also pursued a further study of theology, but gave this
up as well after about two years. As the Revolutionary War approached in 1775,
Freneau wrote many anti-British pieces.
However, by 1776, Freneau left
America for the West Indies, where he would spend time writing about the beauty
of nature. In 1778, Freneau returned to America, and rejoined the patriotic
cause. Freneau eventually became a crew member on a revolutionary privateer,
and was captured in this capacity. He was held on a British prison ship for
about six weeks. This unpleasant experience (in which he almost died), detailed
in his work The British Prison Ship, would precipitate many more patriotic and
anti-British writings throughout the revolution and after. For this, he was
named “The Poet of the American Revolution”.
In 1790 Freneau married Eleanor
Forman, and became an assistant editor of the New York Daily Advertiser. Soon
after, Madison and Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson worked to get Freneau to
move to Philadelphia in order to edit a partisan newspaper that would counter
the Federalist newspaper The Gazette of the United States. Jefferson was
criticized for hiring Freneau as a translator in the State Department, even
though he spoke no foreign languages except French, in which Jefferson was
already fluent.
Freneau accepted this undemanding
position, which left free time to head the Democratic-Republican newspaper
Jefferson and Madison envisioned. This partisan newspaper, The National
Gazette, provided a vehicle for Jefferson, Madison, and others to promote
criticism of the rival Federalists The Gazette took particular aim at the
policies promoted by Alexander Hamilton, and like other papers of the day,
would not hesitate to shade into personal attacks, including President George
Washington during his second term. Owing to The Gazette’s frequent attacks on
his administration and himself, Washington took a dislike to Freneau. Retiring
to a more rural life and Freneau later wrote a mix of political and nature
works. He died at 80 years of age, frozen to death on 18 December 1832 while returning
to his home, and was buried in what became the Philip Morin Freneau Cemetery on
Poet’s Drive in Matawan, New Jersey where is wife and mother were also buried
The non-political works of Freneau
combined neoclassicism and romanticism. Although he is not as generally well
known as Ralph Waldo Emerson or James Fenimore Cooper, Freneau introduced many
themes and images for which later authors became famous.
For example, Freneau’s poem “The
House of Night”, one of the first romantic poems written and published in
America, included the Gothic elements and dark imagery that were later seen in
the poetry by Edgar Allan Poe. Freneau’s nature poem, “The Wild Honey Suckle”
(1786), was considered an early seed to the later Transcendentalist movement
taken up by William Cullen Bryant, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Henry David
Thoreau. Romantic primitivism was also anticipated by Freneau’s poems “The
Indian Burying Ground” and “Noble Savage.”
“The Wild Honey Suckle” was first
published in 1786, it refers to an American native shrub. This is a
metaphorical poem that environs America, which is 85 Philip Freneau’s “The Wild
Honey Suckle” budding to flower. Here, life is projected as a ‘fair flower’.
The American landscape is taken for
discussion. The virginity of America is smelt but ‘untouched thy honied
blossoms blow’. America, like a wild honeysuckle is growing her little
branches. The poet greets the growth of the nation and tries to fill
nationality among the country people by encouraging them all with ‘roving
foot’, the mass progress and development. This poem is also a reaction to
neoclassicism and an entry into romanticism much before it comes into being in
1820. The poem consists of four six-line stanzas rhyming ababcc. In the second
stanza of the poem, America is posited as a woman as well as ‘Nature’ is
capitalized and shown as a native shrub, which is clear from the title. Life by
that time is depicted as ‘dull retreat’, ‘bloom to doom’,‘blossom to crush’,
‘vulgar eye’- all the phrases of negativism however leave a kind of wildness
that need to be rectified. The poetic vision and insight is more positive and
inspirational. Nature/ natural ecology is ever roved in this poem as poem is a
journey. The poet’s feeling of ‘soft waters murmuring’ is a quiet experience of
American flow that provides a new feeling for each one to achieve something
new.‘
Thy days declining to repose’,
sanctions a new hope and aspiration in the mind of the people that the American
Revolution had yielded. In the third stanza, the poet very often sees the fall
in the prosperity of America. There is a possibility of losing charm in the
likeness of the Americans. Yet the poet tries to fill vacuity of the American
mind with positive attitudes. In his farsightedness, whether it is the present
or future, as the poet sees the decay, the poet’s tone seems more grievous: ‘I
grieve to see your future doom’. The message the poet wants to leave is to grow
with the growth of the nation and to grow like the flowers ‘in Eden bloom’
which is the biblical reference in Christian faith.
Freneau further tries to cover a year
through different season in this stanza. Decorating human philosophy ‘From
morning suns and evening dews/ At first thy little being came;’ what the poet
intends to say is about temporariness of human existence. Man is nothing, but
only the witness of the changing time. He has nothing to gain or lose in due
course of life. There is a timespace continuity in the last stanza. Yet America
is budding to flower. Hard days are going away with the achievements for the
Americans. For the poet, the present time seems to be more significant to make
America prosperous and the American progress is shining slowly as an
independent country.
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Q4. How does
the choice of words in the poem “I Taste a Liquor Never Brewed” help to illustrate
the idea of drunkenness?
I Taste A Liquor Never Brewed Poem
summary line by line-What is the metaphor in I taste a liquor never
brewed?,Where is the poem I taste a liquor never brewed set?,What is the key
quote of I taste a liquor never brewed?,I Taste a Liquor Never Brewed by Emily
Dickinson is still a compelling investigation into the transforming potential
of nature and the ultimate happiness that comes from a close relationship with
the natural world. The poem, which is written in Dickinson’s distinctive style,
combines figurative language, rich imagery, and a celebration of the
extraordinary found in the everyday.
Dickinson asks readers to embark on a
voyage of spiritual and sensory intoxication with her in this poem. The
imagined beverage turns into a symbol for the unmatched concoction made from
materials found in nature, which surpasses the bounds of traditional pleasures.
The speaker embraces an infinite communion with air, dew, and unending summer
days as they reject the ordinary.I Taste A Liquor Never Brewed Poem summary
line by line
I Taste A
Liquor Never Brewed Summary
“I taste a liquor never
brewed” – The poem opens with the speaker expressing the sensation of
consuming a unique beverage that has never been concocted.
“From Tankards scooped in
Pearl” – The imaginary drink is metaphorically drawn from tankards, or
large drinking vessels, scooped from pearls, evoking a sense of rarity and
preciousness.
“Not all the vats upon the
Rhine” – The speaker asserts that even the numerous wine-producing vats
along the Rhine River, known for its vineyards, cannot rival the quality of
this exceptional drink.
“Yield such an Alcohol!” – The
emotional intoxication experienced by the speaker surpasses the alcoholic
content of any conventional beverage, emphasizing the extraordinary nature of
this feeling.
“Inebriate of air—am I—” – The
source of the speaker’s intoxication is described as the very air, suggesting a
spiritual or transcendent connection with nature.
“And Debauchee of Dew—” – The speaker
characterizes themselves as one who indulges in the dew, possibly referring to
the purity and freshness of nature’s elements.
“Reeling—thro’ endless summer
days—” – The speaker experiences a sense of intoxication and euphoria that
lasts throughout boundless summer days.
“From inns of molten Blue—” –
The summer days are depicted as being housed in inns made of molten or melted
blue, creating an image of a celestial and serene atmosphere.
“When “Landlords” turn the drunken
Bee Out of the Foxglove’s door—” – Nature is personified as a landlord
turning away a drunken bee from the door of a foxglove, possibly symbolizing
the exclusion of excess or intrusion into the sanctity of nature.
“When Butterflies—renounce their
“drams”—” – Butterflies are portrayed as giving up their small doses or
drams, emphasizing the idea of renouncing conventional, limited pleasures.
“I shall but drink the more!” –
The speaker expresses a determination to drink even more from this
unconventional source, suggesting a limitless and insatiable appetite for the
beauty and inspiration found in nature.
“Till Seraphs swing their snowy
Hats—” – The poem concludes with an image of celestial beings, seraphs,
tipping their hats in acknowledgment or approval, symbolizing the speaker’s
communion with the divine through their profound connection with nature.
I Taste A
Liquor Never Brewed Poem
I
taste a liquor never brewed –
From Tankards scooped in Pearl –
Not all the Frankfort Berries
Yield such an Alcohol!
Inebriate
of air – am I –
And Debauchee of Dew –
Reeling – thro’ endless summer days –
From inns of molten Blue –
When
“Landlords” turn the drunken Bee
Out of the Foxglove’s door –
When Butterflies – renounce their “drams” –
I shall but drink the more!
Till
Seraphs swing their snowy Hats –
And Saints – to windows run –
To see the little Tippler
Leaning against the – Sun!
Conclusion
I Taste a Liquor Never Brewed by
Emily Dickinson encapsulates the speaker’s enraptured connection with nature,
portraying a unique and transcendent experience. Through vivid imagery and
metaphorical language, Dickinson crafts a poetic celebration of the profound
joy and spiritual intoxication derived from a communion with the natural world.
The poem invites readers to explore
the extraordinary through the ordinary, as the speaker finds a sublime elixir
in the elements of air, dew, and endless summer days. The rejection of
conventional pleasures and the embrace of a boundless connection with nature
underscore the speaker’s insatiable appetite for the beauty inherent in the
world around them.
As the poem concludes with an image
of celestial seraphs acknowledging this communion, it leaves a lingering sense
of awe and wonder. “I Taste a Liquor Never Brewed” stands as a testament to
Emily Dickinson’s ability to capture the essence of the sublime in the
simplicity of nature.What is the metaphor in I taste a liquor never
brewed?,Where is the poem I taste a liquor never brewed set?,What is the key
quote of I taste a liquor never brewed?,
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Q5. Critically
appreciate Robert Lowell’s poem, “For the Union Dead”
On March 1, 1917, Robert Lowell was
born into one of Boston’s oldest and most prominent families. He attended
Harvard College for two years. After that he studied at Kenyon College, where
he studied poetry under John Crowe Ransom and received an undergraduate degree
in 1940. He took graduate courses at Louisiana State University where he
studied with Robert Penn Warren and Cleanth Brooks. His books like, Land of
Unlikeness (Harcourt, Brace and Company), was published in1944. His second book
Lord Weary’s Castle (Harcourt, Brace Company, 1946),won a Pulitzer Prize in
1947.
Both his books were influenced by his
conversion from Episcopalianism to Catholicism and reconnoitred the dark side
of America’s Puritan legacy. Under the influence of Allen Tate and the New
Critics, he wrote austerely formal poetry that sketched praise for its
remarkably commanding handling 277 Robert Lowell’s “For The Union Dead” of
meter and rhyme. Lowell was politically involved—he became a diligent protester
during the Second World War and was imprisoned as a result, and actively
protested against the war in Vietnam. On the other hand his personal life was
full of marital and psychological turmoil.
He suffered from severe episodes of
manic depression, for which he was repeatedly hospitalized. He suffered from
frequent psychological bouts. This had a deepening influence in his poetic
career and in the mid-1950 under the influence of younger poets as W. D.
Snodgrass and Allen Ginsberg, Lowell began to write more directly from personal
experience, and loosened his observance to traditional meter and form. The
result was a watershed collection, Life Studies (Faber and Faber, 1959), which
incessantly altered the landscape of modern poetry, like Eliot’s The Waste
Land. Many critics consider Lowell to be the most important poet in English of
the second half of the twentieth century. He continued to develop his work with
sometimes uneven results, until his sudden death on September 12, 1977. Robert Lowell
served as a Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets from 1962 until his
death.
Summary of For The Union Death
The dramatic opening begins as a
private meditation on his childhood memory of the Boston Aquarium. ‘For the
Union Dead’ commemorates the sacrifice of Colonel Robert Shaw, a Union officer
killed while leading a regiment of black troops during the Civil War. The poet
shifts between the historic past and present, and deeply laments the erosion of
heroic idealism in contemporary America with the technological intrusion. The
poem envisages the legacy of the Civil War, embodied in a memorial to Colonel
Robert Shaw, a white soldier who died while commanding an allblack regiment.
Colonel Shaw was a twenty-one year old son of a well-todo white man, but had
entirely sacrificed himself for the unity of the nation. He symbolized union
idealism.
One hundred years after his death,
Lowell contrasts Shaw’s heroism with contemporary forms of self-interest and
greed in this poem. The title suggests that the Union army, now symbolizing
national unity/patriotism, has been dead for the people of America of 1963. The
poem is a critique of modern culture in general. The epigraph (letters carved
under the statue, written in Latin) of the poem is the inscription on the
memorial to Colonel Shaw and the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Regiment that he
commanded. Lowell revised the inscription for the poem in English it means,
“He leaves everything else to serve
the republic”. The original inscription is: “Relinquunt Omnia ServareRem
Publicam” (or “They relinquish/ sacrifice everything to serve the Republic”).
Lowell thus introduces the theme of noble self sacrifice in the poem The poet
begins by graphing the Boston memorial from a distance; as he looks at the
surrounding, he feels that the place looks like a “Sahara of snow now” -
symbolically a place bereft of feelings.
The South Boston Aquarium (a big
aquarium was also placed before the statue for decorating it) has been so
unkempt that it has wrecked and there are no more fish in it. The weathercock
upon the building has lost its scales so that it no longer shows any direction.
This is a scathing criticism of the symbolic of the lack of direction in the
“progress” of the material American civilization.
In the second stanza, the poet
recalls his visit of the aquarium. As he was a child, he rubbed his nose on the
glass wall of the aquarium and wished that he could break the bubbles that rose
from the mouth of the fishes. The bubbles, symbolize many things including the
American dream, values that modern people regard too unreal to be pursued, the
heroism of the past. This image of rising bubbles presents the fish as entombed
and subservient.
The kingdom of fish is literally
heading “dark downwards” as they swim down and away from the aquarium light. To
put it differently, this image suggests a sense that the modern American
kingdom is getting worse, murkier, and less moral. “For the Union Dead”
addresses the manner of American society as it degenerates from the idealism of
the nineteenth century to the desperate loss of it in the mid twentieth
century. The very image of the decrepit landscape and the fragmented language
underlines this sense of collapse of values. Everything is derelict, broken and
bare, both literally and symbolically.
EPIGRAPH
RelinquuntOmniaServare Rem Publicam.”
● Translation from Latin: “They gave
up all to serve the republic.”
● This is an epigraph. It is a short
quotation at the beginning of the poem intended to introduce the poem.
● Here, Lowell very ingeniously takes
the Latin phrase that is engraved in the actual Civil War memorial to introduce
a poem on the very subject, a dedication for the Union soldiers that died in
the Civil War.
● Briefly, the Union soldiers were
from the north, and wanted, among other things, for all of the states (northern
and southern) to remain part of the Republic. The Confederates, the opposition
from the south, wanted to break away from the Republic.
● The Union supported President
Lincoln’s decision to abolish slavery, the Confederates did not.
The historical context of this poem
rests on Colonel Robert Shaw, who was recruited in 1863 by Governor John Andrew
to lead one of the first troops of all–African American men in the Civil War.
This group became the 54thMassachusetts Infantry. Shaw grew passionate about
the equality of his soldiers, and he even led a boycott against unequal pay
when he learned that his African American soldiers were paid less than their
white counterparts. The 54th infantry paraded through Boston before going to
South Carolina, where Shaw was killed near Charleston. In the first stanza, the
reader is surprised.
Expecting to read about the “Union
Dead,” it is a perplexing to read initially about the South Boston Aquarium
instead. Lowell prepares his readers. The contrast between the ideals Shaw
fought for and the world Lowell sees is totally opposite. Lowell uses
alliteration twice in the second line (“Sahara . . . snow” and “broken . . .
boarded”) to further accentuate the unforgiving and cold environment of this
modern Boston. He ends that stanza with fish tanks that have dried up. 279
Robert Lowell’s “For The Union Dead” Just as the tanks have lost the purpose
for which they were created, Boston may have lost its way in the calling issued
by Colonel Shaw to create a more united world.
In the second stanza, Lowell reflects on
memories from his childhood, when he watched fish and reptiles in the aquarium,
and he connects this through enjambment to the next stanza, in which
construction is encroaching the Boston sky. The narrator begins at the ruins of
the South Boston Aquarium, evoking past memories, then shifts to near-present,
a day ‘last March.’ Lowell draws attention of his readers to a fenced
excavation for an underground parking garage within paved parking areas in
central Boston. The construction supports the frame the ‘tingling’ Statehouse
in steel girders, while tremor from the work badly shakes the Shaw Memorial,
reinforced only by a wooden ‘plank.’ In a way this is a critique of the modern
technology.
The narrator reflects on the
Memorial, which commemorates Colonel Robert Gould Shaw and the Union’s first
black regiment, the Massachusetts 54th. The figures in the sculpture seem to
‘breathe’ life, issuing a vivid, personal, and disturbing reminder of death and
sacrifice. Lowell reminds us that over half the regiment was killed in the
first two months of battle. The Memorial hits home in a primeval way that
contrasts sharply with its counterparts in ‘small-town . . . greens’ throughout
New England, that seem ‘sparse’ and sleepy by comparison. The poem reminds and
informs the reader that Colonel Shaw, the white commander, was buried in a mass
grave, ‘a ditch,’ along with his black soldiers.
This was all that Shaw’s father wanted. There
are no more recent war memorials in Boston Common. One notices that the closest
thing being a photograph celebrating an American-made safe that ‘survived’
Hiroshima intact. There are no statues to commemorate the Hiroshima attack. The
poem concludes in a unique way, the content opens up in ways that challenge the
reader and complicate interpretation.
The drained faces of ‘Negro school
children’, reconnects with Colonel Shaw through images of balloons and bubbles,
anticipating an impending rupture. In the final stanza, the poem refers to the
closed aquarium once more, implying that the fish that once fascinated the
narrator have now been replaced by the ‘giant finned cars’ that appear
‘everywhere’, leaving the reader to consider the various implications.
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