Analysis Of John Donne s Poem - 1449 Words

John Donne’s Poem asks numerous questions and can be boiled down to a rather dark and cynical conclusion. This poem interpreted through the eyes of a male writer would see hints of a past filled with betrayal, leading the poet to deem the existence of fair and true women as impossible and fantastical as literally catching a falling star. That even in a ten-thousand-day journey, with age a man would come to his sensing, understanding the fantasy during reality that good women do not exist. This idea is reinforced with imagery of witchcraft, and an allusion to sirens (singing mermaids). Taking into account the perceptions of women described in Donne’s poem, analyzing the respective story’s main female characters—Eve, Jocasta, and Ophelia, of Paradise Lost, Oedipus Rex, and Hamlet respectively, let’s talk about sex—about the gulf between the feminine and the masculine, and about the ways the sexes work and the ways they help to shape perceptions of their humanity, intent, and value. In this essay I do not seek to examine the biological differences; rather, to briefly examine the socially constructed gender roles and the role they play in the literary interpretations of these respective texts. Firmly rooted in our Western tradition of literature is the story of Adam and Eve. This tale pinpoints the infamous bite in Eden, taken by that of a female, to be the root of all of our human woe, which has survived and is imbedded our ways of understanding sex and gender roles. InShow MoreRelatedRhetorical Analysis Of John Donne s Poem, A Hymn Of God The Father1492 Words   |  6 PagesMetaphysical poet John Donne poses a series of existential questions to God in his poem â€Å"A Hymn to God the Father,† a religious work, which he wrote after recovering from an illness that brought him very close to death. In â€Å"A Hymn to God the Father,† the speaker poses a series of questions and answers, using the antagonistic themes of comedy and tragedy and an alternating A/B rhyme scheme to confront the ideas of sin and salvation. The poem’s form is consistent in the first two stanzas, in which Donne uses repetitionRead MoreAnalysis Of A Valediction Forbidding Mourni ng 1108 Words   |  5 Pages An Analysis of â€Å"A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning All relationships must withstand the test of time and distance. When separating, a couple will experience both physical and emotional anguish. Soulmates are said to experience a love with a deeper connection. In this complex yet completely romantic poem, A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning, John Donne employs conceit, symbolism, and tone to poetically paint a picture of the true love that exist between a man and his wife. John DonneRead MoreThe Flea By John Donne1558 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"The Flea† Essay â€Å"The Flea† by John Donne when looked at briefly is simply a poem about a man trying to seduce a woman into participating in pre-material sexual relationship with him. However, â€Å"The Flea† constructs many more important arguments than simply that one. The poem touches on religion, love, and sex in a non-romanticized way, contrasting the normal glamorized stance seen in most of poetry. Most of John Donne’s poems have either romantic themes or religious themes; â€Å"The Flea† has both. ItRead MoreA Valediction : Forbidding Mourning1178 Words   |  5 PagesWhat is love? ( An analysis of the messages from A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning ) What is the definition of love? Importantly, what comprises love? One can speculate on what it means to be in love; though, often it takes the actual experience to know. While, there are many theories on what true love is, and how one knows their love is pristine. No one elaborates better on what true love is than John Donne. A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning by John Donne expresses what true love consistsRead MoreAn Critical analysis of the poetic elements within the little-studied The Sun Rising by John Donne.1984 Words   |  8 PagesAnalysis of Literary Technique in John Donne s The Sun Rising John Donne, author of many works of literature, including The Sun Rising, is a master manipulator of literary techniques, which he uses to convey a powerful and profound message to the reader. Published in 1633 in Donne s book entitled _Poems_, The Sun Rising is a poem depicting two lovers disturbed from their bed by the rising sun. Donne s poem, The Sun Rising, is comparable to woven fabric, each literary element tightly wovenRead MoreWriting At The University Of Sydney1506 Words   |  7 Pagesfrom the 16th Century, however my particular area of focus today is on the renowned Metaphysical poet, John Donne, and his poem titled Woman’s Constancy. Those of you who are aware of Donne and his works will know of the challenging perspectives his poems held towards the common ideologies of marriage, life and death, religion and love, proposed by the Church of England. Stylistically, Donne’s poems often present disputes between two lovers, his satirical and sometimes even sceptical interpretationRead MorePoetry Is An Expressive Language1618 Words   |  7 Pagestoo. Poems have been around for centuries whether it has been written or has been performed. Depending on the era poems have specific human issues (for example rape, murder and death) that are more spoken about than others. These issues are still drifting to modern day society. However, even though time goes by language does not stop, it alters. Poetic language has techniques, forms, structures and poetic devices. The technique of a poem concentrates on rhythm and rhymes. The form of a poem focusesRead MoreJohn Donne to his mistress going to bed comparative discussion with Courtly love or woman as thing and Unbearable Weight1724 Words   |  7 Pages3. Write a detailed analysis of ANY ONE ballad OR love poem in the Norton Anthology of Poetry drawing on a comparative discussion of AN Y TWO essays in the Norton Anthology of Theory Criticism to illuminate your argument. Many love poems are not actually about love; rather they are the objectification of a woman into a vessel for desire. John Donne’s poem ‘To His Mistress Going to Bed’1 appears on the surface to be a poem celebrating the beauty of the female body and the joys of sex. HoweverRead MoreJohn Donne : A Medieval Man But A Metaphysical Poet2279 Words   |  10 PagesRobyn Leatherwood ENGL 3313 Dr. Speller Dec 3, 2014 John Donne: A Medieval Man but A Metaphysical Poet When examining writings from the Baroque period, John Donne is widely acknowledged as the leader of metaphysical poetry. While there are other well-known writers who made this style of poetry popular, Donne is by far the most discussed and most analyzed. The term metaphysical developed from John Dryden describing Donne’s work as â€Å"[affecting] the metaphysics, not only in his satires, but in hisRead MoreThe Treatment Of Outweighing By John Donne And Shakespeare On The Writing Of The Period2782 Words   |  12 Pages (Donne, ‘Sappho to Philaenis’) Write an essay on the treatment of homoeroticism in the writing of the period. The treatment of homoeroticism is explored through the influential writings of both John Donne and Shakespeare in the Renaissance Era. Similarly, the voice of both present a scornful dismissal of the opposite sex in order to defy the typical conventions of heterosexuality. Whilst Donne explores lesbianism in his poem ‘Sappho to Philaenis’, Shakespeare reveals

Negative Views Of Foreign Imperialism - 903 Words

Over the course of a few years, overseas expansionism has done nothing but worsen who we are as a country. Our involvement into the Spanish American War, when we acquired the Philippines, and the out comes even after have shown that overseas expansionism was nothing but negative towards us. This negativity has shaped the negative views of supporters and non-supporters of overseas expansionism. In doc 1, we see that an African American newspaper writer writes an article on the war. The newspaper seems to be a newspaper for blacks so the writer targets black readers as well. In the article, the writer talks about how hard times are and how they’ve never been in a situation like the Spanish American War. He states that allowing African Americans to the join the military to fight this war is the key to this wars success. He supports blacks joining the military and also tries to encourage blacks to not be afraid and join. It’s believed that having them join can end the racial hate between the whites and the blacks therefore, overseas expansion would result in positivity. Joining together as forces can help unite all in this war to end all wars. They thought that maybe after the war the United States would accept every color and not discriminate any longer. We as the United States, grow supporting this dogma that states that all men are created equal doc 2. We continue to support this until its time to support and test this idea, as this is where we fail. A professor at YaleShow MoreRelatedNegative Effects Of Imperialism736 Words   |  3 Pagesnonnative. As a result, Imperialism began in the late nineteenth century due to economic, political, and social forces including the Industrial Revolution, trade, and military conditions. Imperialism is the domination over an undeveloped, less industrialized country by a stronger, more industrialized nation. Although Imperialism has shaped the culture and customs all over the world, it had both negative and positive impacts throughout imperialized nations. The Perspectives on imperialism varied widely betweenRead MoreSummary : European Imperialism Dbq1278 Words   |  6 Pages Courtney Sloan 3/4/13 1st European Imperialism DBQ Part A 1. According to the author, the colonies received benefits from the â€Å"modern progressive nations† such as being able to yield tropical produce, receiving foodstuffs and manufactures they need, and having their territory developed by the addition of roads, railways, canals, and telegraphs. They also have theRead MoreAvatar and Imperialism686 Words   |  3 PagesThe movie Avatar shares many themes with the Age of Imperialism. In the movie, the human protagonist takes the form of a local alien Navi in a conflict between humans and the Navi. The conflict arises because the humans in the film have arrived at the home of the Navi, Pandora, and begun to exploit its resources. At first, they ignored the Navi, but their quest for resources is now taking them into direct conflict with the native peoples of Pandora. The Navi are the only humanoid residentsRead MoreAppendix a American Imperialism1314 Words   |  6 PagesAssociate Program Material Appendix A American Imperialism Part 1 Complete the chart by identifying the following: Identify the countries or areas where the United States engaged in imperialistic actions during the period from about 1870 to 1914. Discuss why each area was important to American empire building—political, economic, and social. Explain America’s expansionist ideals. What were some factors that justified American imperialist actions? Identify the currentRead MoreComparison: William Jennings Bryan Theodore Roosevelt593 Words   |  3 PagesAmerica’s roles in world affairs and foreign diplomacy; are both varied and conflicted. Despite those conflicts however, each leader has left his own legacy behind, in terms of how the U.S. continues to engage in world affairs today. William Jennings Bryan, despite being a thrice-failed presidential candidate, was a well respected Congressman known for his impassioned speeches. Due to his experiences in the Spanish-American War, he was also staunchly opposed to Imperialism; and he wrote and delivered manyRead MoreAmerican Imperialism the United States (U.S.)1562 Words   |  7 PagesAmerican Imperialism in the Nineteenth Century During the late nineteenth and early twentieth century’s the United States (U.S.) pursued an aggressive policy of expansionism extending its political and economic influence around the world. What is imperialism? Why this policy was adopted and how it was rationalized. The major events that took place and which countries of the world the U.S. became involved due to this policy. Finally, we will see, not everyone supported foreign affairs by theRead MoreJules Ferrys Speech On Imperialism828 Words   |  4 PagesAccording to the content section of this chapter Imperialism,  means, â€Å"the  subjugation, domination, and exploitation of almost the entire globe to the economic and political needs of one region  (Europe), a development unprecedented in human history.  To a neutral viewer this may appear like a beneficial idea.  During the 1800s and early 1900s, Imperialism was seen as a benefit to some and others did not see it as this. Many European nations such as Great Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, as well asRead MoreEssay on Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness1276 Words   |  6 Pagesof Darkness presents one of fictions strongest accounts of British imperialism. Conrad’s attitude towards imperialism and race has been the subject of much literary and historical debate. Many literary critics view Conrad as accepting blindly the arrogant attitude of the white male European and condemn Conrad to be a racist and imperialists. The other side vehemently defends Conrad, perceiving the novel to be an attack on imperialism and the colonial experience. Understanding the two viewpoints sideRead MoreThe Cartoonist : A Cartoon From Gibbleguts.com1402 Words   |  6 Pagesscoffed at because of how silly they look, just like the man in the cartoon with the silly outfit. If you do silly things, you are going to look silly. Taking into account the information provided, it is clear that the cartoonist holds a very critical view of anti-globalizati on individuals. Source 2 is a John Tomlinson quote that appears to be taking a step back and observing globalization itself in a critical manner. According to the quote, Mr. Tomlinson said, â€Å"It is fair to say that the impact ofRead MoreForeign Influence and Its Positive and Negative Impacts1285 Words   |  5 Pages Foreign influence. Colonization. Imperialism. All of these arguably had a very positive impact on the world advancing it technologically. However, foreign influence also causes conflicts. For example, Britain split up the Hindus and Muslims in India which led to years of fighting and hatred. The majority of people believe that there isnt a specific cause for genocide. However – as shown by the Sudanese and Rwandan Genocides—foreign influence, and the absence of it, plays a big role in causing

Ear and Conscious Activity free essay sample

Man’s Nature is Evil Hsun Tzu Man’s nature is evil; goodness is a result of a conscious activity. The nature of man is such that he is born with a fondness for profit. If he indulges this fondness, it will lead him to wrangling and strife, and all sense of courtesy and humility will disappear. He is born with feelings of envy and hate, and if he indulges these, they will lead him to violence and crime, and all sense of loyalty and good faith will disappear. Man is born with the desires of eyes and ears, with a fondness for beautiful sights and sounds. If he indulges these, they will lead him to license and wantonness, and all ritual principles and correct forms will be lost. Hence, any man who follows his nature and indulges his emotions will inevitably become involved in wrangling and strife, will violate the forms and rules of society and will end as a criminal. Therefore, man must first be transformed by the instructions of the teacher and guided by ritual principles, and only then he will be able to observe the dictates of courtesy and humility, obey the forms and rules of society, and achieve order. It is obvious from this then, that man’s nature is evil, and that his goodness is the result of conscious activity. A warped piece of wood must wait until it had been laid against the straightening bard, steamed and forced into shape before it becomes straight; a piece of blunt metal must wait until it has been whetted on a grindstone before it can become sharp. Similarly, since man’s nature is evil, it must wait for the instructions of the teacher before it can become upright and for the guidance of the ritual principles before it can become orderly. If men have no teachers to instruct them, they will be inclined towards evil and not upright, and if they have no ritual principles to guide them, they will be perverse, violent and lack order. In ancient times, the sage- kings realize that man’s nature is evil and that therefore he inclines toward evil and violence and are not upright or orderly. Accordingly, they created ritual principles and laid down certain regulations in order to reform man’s emotional nature and make it upright, in order to train, transform and guide it to proper channels. In this way they caused all men o become orderly and to conform to the Way. Hence today, any man who takes to heart the instructions of the teacher, applies himself to the studies and abides by the ritual principles may become a gentleman, but anyone who gives free rein to his emotional nature, is content to indulge his passions and disregards ritual principles may become a petty man. It is obvious from this therefore, that man ’s nature is evil, and that goodness is a result of conscious activity. Mencius states that man is capable of learning because his nature is good. I say that is wrong. It indicates that he has not really understood man’s nature nor distinguished properly between the basic nature and conscious activity. Nature is that which is given by heaven, you cannot learn it, and you cannot acquire it by effort. Ritual principles, on the other hand, are created by sages; you can learn to apply them, you can work to bring them to completion. That part of man which cannot be learned or acquired by effort is called nature; that part of him which can be acquired by learning and brought to completion by effort is called conscious activity. This is the difference between nature and conscious activity. It is a part of man’s nature that his eyes can see and his ears can hear. But the faculty of clear sight can never exist separately from the eye, nor can the faculty of clear hearing exist separately from the ear. It is obvious then, that you cannot acquire clear sight and keen hearing by study. Mencius states that man’s nature is good, and that all evil arises because he loses his original nature. Such a view, I believe is erroneous. It is the way with Man’s nature that as soon as he is born, he begins to depart from his original naivete and simplicity, and therefore he must inevitably lose what Mencius regards as his original nature. It is obvious from this, then, that the nature of man is evil. Those who maintain that the nature is good praise and approve whatever has not departed from the original simplicity and naivete of the child. That is, they consider that beauty belongs to the original simplicity, naivete and goodness to the original mind, in the same way that clear sight is inseparable from the eye and keen hearing from the ear. Hence they maintain that nature possesses goodness in the same way that the eye possesses clear vision or the ear keenness of hearing. Now it is the nature of the man that when he is hungry he will desire satisfaction, when he is cold he will desire warmth and when he is weary he will desire rest. This is his emotional nature. And yet a man, although he is hungry, will not dare to be the first to eat if he is in the presence of the elders, because he knows he should yield to them, and although he is weary, he will not dare to demand rest because he knows that he should relieve others of the burden of labor. For a son to yield to a father of work or a younger brother to yield to his elder brother, for a son to relieve his father of work or a younger brother to relieve his elder brother- acts like these are all contrary to man’s nature and run counter to his emotions. And yet they represent the way of filial piety and the proper formed enjoined by the ritual principles. Hence, if man follow their emotional nature; there will be no courtesy or humility; courtesy and humility in fact counter man’s emotional nature. For this it is obvious then, that man’s nature is evil, and that goodness is the result of conscious activity. Someone may ask: if man’s nature is evil, then where do ritual principles come from? I would reply: all ritual principles are produced by the conscious activity of the sages; essentially they are not a part of human nature. A potter holds clay and makes a vessel, but the vessel is a product of the conscious activity of the potter, not essentially a product of his emotional nature. A carpenter carves a piece of wood and makes a utensil, but the utensil is the product of the conscious activity of the carpenter, not essentially the product of his human nature. The sage gathers together his thoughts, ideas and experiments with various forms of conscious activity, and so produces ritual principles and sets forth laws and regulations. Hence, these ritual principles and laws are the products of the conscious activity of the sage, not essentially products of his human nature. Phenomena such as the eye’s fondness for beautiful forms, the ear’s fondness for beautiful sounds, the mouth’s fondness for delicious flavors, the mind’s fondness for profit, and the body’s fondness for pleasure and ease- these are all products of the emotional nature of man. They are instinctive and spontaneous; man does not have to do anything to produce them. But that which does not come to being instinctively must wait for some activity to bring it into being is called the product of conscious activity. These are the products of the nature and of conscious activity respectively, and the proof that they are not the same. Therefore the sage transforms his nature and initiates conscious activity; from his conscious activity he produces ritual principles. Hence ritual principles and rules are produced by the sage. In respect to human nature the sage is the same as all other men and does not surpass them; it is only his conscious activity that he differs from and surpasses other men. Every man who desires good does so precisely because his nature is evil. A man whose accomplishments are meager longs for greatness; and ugly man longs for beauty; a man in cramped quarters long for spaciousness; a poor man longs for wealth, and if he is already eminent he will no longer look for greater power. What a man already possesses in himself he will not bother to look for outside. From this we can see that men desire to do good precisely because their nature is evil. Ritual principles are certainly not part of man’s original nature, and therefore he ponders and plans and thereby seeks to understand them. Hence, man in the state for which he is born neither neither possesses nor understands ritual principles. If he does not possess ritual principles, his behavior will be chaotic, and if he does not understand them, he will be wild and irresponsible. In fact, therefore, man in the state in which he is born possesses this tendency towards chaos and irresponsibility. From this, it is obvious then, that man’s nature is evil, and that his goodness is the result of conscious activity.

Searching for Self free essay sample

To find their identity one will search the depths of their character to find what lies within; often coming across a mirror image of the world’s deception of how someone is â€Å"expected† to live their life. We as a people have been imprisoned by a definition of how to live our life. The great and sought after â€Å"American Dream† is followed by an almost perfectly blissful gratification for those â€Å"lucky† enough to fall into the ways of the world; however, those who follow this illusion of righteousness discover that the dream of building their castle on sand will quickly collapse into a nightmare of materialistic rubble. Romans 12:2 calls mankind to conform no longer to the patterns of this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Living life by Romans’ credence one will find their inner-self. Throughout life one may be pressured by the weight of the world to become one with the world; however, it is those who countervail t his expectancy that ripen into the great men of history. We will write a custom essay sample on Searching for Self or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page There is a juncture in life when one learns that living by the world expires the living, but to live separate from the world brings forth rejuvenation and joy in one’s life. When one reaches this point of enlightenment, there is a realization of being an individual liberated from this world that becomes apparent, forcing the choice of staying worldly or becoming eccentric to the world by renouncing its ways. . So step up to a world of deception and reveal unto it the nature of integrity. It is at that beautiful moment of betrayal to the world that one will redefine their character and discover their true identity.