Women and Fame were two words not usually put together in one sentence during the Romantic Era. Heman's unique situation as an abandonded wife left her able to make a living from her writing. She was able to live with her mother in Wales to study and write full time. She was no longer trapped in the typical female role. Because she moved home with her mother, Felecia Hemans did not have a stigma surrounding her from society because she chose her independence over getting remarried. In her poem Women and Fame she personifies fame and asks her words to be blessed.
When Hemans speaks of fame she speaks directly to it. “Thou hast green laurel-leaves that twine / in to so proud a wreath;/ for that resplendent gift of thine,” (Line 7 – 9). She is speaking to fame giving him praise for how powerful he is. “Thou hast a voice, whose thrilling tone / Can bid each life-pulse beat,” (Line 13 & 14). Fame is powerful enough to control a person’s heartbeat. She pleads with fame “But mine, let mine – a woman’s breast, / By words of home-born love be bless’d.” (Line17 & 18). It is as if fame laughed in her face because she laments about how it mocks her. “A hollow sound is in thy song, / A mockery in thine eye, / To the sick heart that doth but long for aid, for sympathy;” (Line 19 – 22). Fame eludes Hemans at the end of the poem.
Women did not become famous or obtain fame easily during the Romantic era. Women have only achieved fame comparative to men, in the late 20th century. There were women here and there who obtained fame, but not like today. There are famous women of all walks of life who make the same if not more than men. Politicians like Hillary Clinton, writers like Judy Blume, singers like Tina Turner, all achieved fame in their own right. Without the influence of strong, opinionated, and brave women like Felicia Hemans, women’s rights would not have progressed to this point. Other women paved the way for me to feel proud to leave the home and pursue a college degree. When I graduate I will make more money than my husband. He’s ok with that. Many generations of women had to push the envelope a little farther in order for women like me to have freedom and the choices we have today.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
John Keats
John Keats “Ode On A Grecian Urn”
An Ode is defined by Merriam Webster : as a lyric poem usually marked by exaltation of feeling and style varying length of line, and complexity of stanza forms. It is a poem that could also be sung.
The urn tells a story of a celebration. The beginning tells us it is most likely a wedding. “Thou still unravish’d bride of quietness. (line 1). Keats calls the maiden a bride. Is she a true bride or an engaged lady? She and her lover are perfectly preserved on the urn. “Bold lover, never, never canst thou kiss” (line 17). This must be her fiancé or husband. The other indication that this urn is telling the story of a celebration is the priest with his adorned cow. “O mysterious priest lead’st thou that heifer lowing at the skies, And all her silken flanks with garlands drest?” (line 33 – 34).
I absolutely love this poem for two reasons. The first is the imagery. It paints a beautiful picture of a piece of pottery. The second reason I love this poem is that it helped me love and appreciate poetry. I wish I could see the urn he wrote about. After reading this poem again, I started to listen more carefully to song lyrics. Bob Marley’s song “Three Little Birds” comes to mind. It gives you the imagery of the doorstep and the birds coming to sing. The song tells a story just like the urn. It makes me very happy when I hear it. I remind myself that everything little thing is gonna be all right cause Bob Marley says so!
Go to You tube and listen to the music and read the words. No matter what is going on in your life you will feel better!
"Don't worry about a thing,
'Cause every little thing gonna be all right.
Singin': "Don't worry about a thing,
'Cause every little thing gonna be all right!"
Rise up this mornin',
Smiled with the risin' sun,
Three little birds
Pitch by my doorstep
Singin' sweet songs
Of melodies pure and true,
Sayin', ("This is my message to you-ou-ou:")
Singin': "Don't worry 'bout a thing,
'Cause every little thing gonna be all right."
Singin': "Don't worry (don't worry) 'bout a thing,
'Cause every little thing gonna be all right!"
Rise up this mornin',
Smiled with the risin' sun,
Three little birds
Pitch by my doorstep
Singin' sweet songs
Of melodies pure and true,
Sayin', "This is my message to you-ou-ou:"
Singin': "Don't worry about a thing, worry about a thing, oh!
Every little thing gonna be all right. Don't worry!"
Singin': "Don't worry about a thing" - I won't worry!
"'Cause every little thing gonna be all right."
Singin': "Don't worry about a thing,
'Cause every little thing gonna be all right" - I won't worry!
Singin': "Don't worry about a thing,
'Cause every little thing gonna be all right."
Singin': "Don't worry about a thing, oh no!
'Cause every little thing gonna be all right
Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/b/bob+marley/#share
An Ode is defined by Merriam Webster : as a lyric poem usually marked by exaltation of feeling and style varying length of line, and complexity of stanza forms. It is a poem that could also be sung.
The urn tells a story of a celebration. The beginning tells us it is most likely a wedding. “Thou still unravish’d bride of quietness. (line 1). Keats calls the maiden a bride. Is she a true bride or an engaged lady? She and her lover are perfectly preserved on the urn. “Bold lover, never, never canst thou kiss” (line 17). This must be her fiancé or husband. The other indication that this urn is telling the story of a celebration is the priest with his adorned cow. “O mysterious priest lead’st thou that heifer lowing at the skies, And all her silken flanks with garlands drest?” (line 33 – 34).
I absolutely love this poem for two reasons. The first is the imagery. It paints a beautiful picture of a piece of pottery. The second reason I love this poem is that it helped me love and appreciate poetry. I wish I could see the urn he wrote about. After reading this poem again, I started to listen more carefully to song lyrics. Bob Marley’s song “Three Little Birds” comes to mind. It gives you the imagery of the doorstep and the birds coming to sing. The song tells a story just like the urn. It makes me very happy when I hear it. I remind myself that everything little thing is gonna be all right cause Bob Marley says so!
Go to You tube and listen to the music and read the words. No matter what is going on in your life you will feel better!
"Don't worry about a thing,
'Cause every little thing gonna be all right.
Singin': "Don't worry about a thing,
'Cause every little thing gonna be all right!"
Rise up this mornin',
Smiled with the risin' sun,
Three little birds
Pitch by my doorstep
Singin' sweet songs
Of melodies pure and true,
Sayin', ("This is my message to you-ou-ou:")
Singin': "Don't worry 'bout a thing,
'Cause every little thing gonna be all right."
Singin': "Don't worry (don't worry) 'bout a thing,
'Cause every little thing gonna be all right!"
Rise up this mornin',
Smiled with the risin' sun,
Three little birds
Pitch by my doorstep
Singin' sweet songs
Of melodies pure and true,
Sayin', "This is my message to you-ou-ou:"
Singin': "Don't worry about a thing, worry about a thing, oh!
Every little thing gonna be all right. Don't worry!"
Singin': "Don't worry about a thing" - I won't worry!
"'Cause every little thing gonna be all right."
Singin': "Don't worry about a thing,
'Cause every little thing gonna be all right" - I won't worry!
Singin': "Don't worry about a thing,
'Cause every little thing gonna be all right."
Singin': "Don't worry about a thing, oh no!
'Cause every little thing gonna be all right
Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/b/bob+marley/#share
Ozymandias The End of A Civilization
The Poem “Ozymandias” by Percy Bysshe Shelley has a dramatic theme, the end of a civilization. The poem speaks to the overwhelming pride of its ruler based on the inscription on his dilapidated sculpture. The ruins around speak to life’s continuation after death. The world doesn’t stop turning, nor do things ever stay the same for even one second.
Ozymandias was proud of the works he created. He was boastful and proud of what he accomplished. “My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!” (Line 10 – 11) When Ozymandias says ye Mighty he is speaking of God. He is shaking his fist at him and saying look at what I created without your help. Despite his pride, Ozymandias does not live forever, and his “works” crumble to the ground. “Nothing beside remains, Round the decay of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare, The lone and level sands stretch far away.” (Line 12 – 14) Nothing can survive time. The earth weathers everything in it. The pyramids were created thousands of years ago and now they are mostly ruins. Our country is so young. What will America look like in two thousand years? Will the Statue of Liberty still be standing or will it we see a scene from Planet of the Apes? Nothing is forever. We should be proud of what we accomplish, but not in what we have. All of that can be stripped away from us in a second. We all have felt the sting of this economy. How many people are now homeless because they lost their jobs? Have we lost focus of what is truly important?
I think this poem is a warning to us. We should be proud of our accomplishments, but be humble. We do leave pieces of ourselves on the earth, like the ruins of the colossal wreck in the poem. These pieces are our legacy. What do you want to leave behind?
Ozymandias was proud of the works he created. He was boastful and proud of what he accomplished. “My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!” (Line 10 – 11) When Ozymandias says ye Mighty he is speaking of God. He is shaking his fist at him and saying look at what I created without your help. Despite his pride, Ozymandias does not live forever, and his “works” crumble to the ground. “Nothing beside remains, Round the decay of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare, The lone and level sands stretch far away.” (Line 12 – 14) Nothing can survive time. The earth weathers everything in it. The pyramids were created thousands of years ago and now they are mostly ruins. Our country is so young. What will America look like in two thousand years? Will the Statue of Liberty still be standing or will it we see a scene from Planet of the Apes? Nothing is forever. We should be proud of what we accomplish, but not in what we have. All of that can be stripped away from us in a second. We all have felt the sting of this economy. How many people are now homeless because they lost their jobs? Have we lost focus of what is truly important?
I think this poem is a warning to us. We should be proud of our accomplishments, but be humble. We do leave pieces of ourselves on the earth, like the ruins of the colossal wreck in the poem. These pieces are our legacy. What do you want to leave behind?
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