“And indeed there will be time…thee will be time, there will be time” (IV. 23 & 26). The theme of time is essential to T.S. Eliot’s The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, as the narrator expresses continuous dissatisfaction with the lapsing of time. What is interesting to note about this poem is that it constantly plays with the elements of time. I found the poem to bounce back and forth between illustrating the present and the future, as the narrator discusses the relationship between external passage of time and the internal passage of time in regards to making decisions and acting upon them. He constantly debates back and forth in his mind about simple, mundane activities and whether or not he should execute them, such as eating a peach or walking up the stairs. Interestingly, Prufrock kind of psychoanalyzes his routine actions and situations, as he himself notes there will be time “yet for a hundred indecisions” and the passage of time is something that i interpreted as playing a crucial role in the thoughts whirling around in his mind (IV. 32). Pruforck constantly feels anxiety over being judged for his appearance, thus partially explaining his preoccupation with time, as he equates the passing of time with deteriorating age and appearance. The narrator laments “I grow old…I grow old…/I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled” (VX. 120-121). He is distressed because he realizes now that time is passing him by, as he is growing old before he has gotten the chance to live life to the fullest. In this statement is what I interpreted to be T.S Eliot’s message to readers – to live without regrets and concern for the opinions of others. Time will pass an individual by before they know it, rather than lingering on indecisiveness and loneliness.

However, the most interesting factor to note, in my opinion, is that, although time is mentioned quite frequently throughout the poem, it appears as though time doesn’t pass much in reality, but time is moving a mile a minute in Prufrock’s head. The poem only takes place within the presence of the women and within the mind of Prufrock, which provides the reader with more knowledge about the effects of time on one’s life. I felt as though this was effective for the in allowing the reader to connect the interdependence of the passage of time and deterioration of a person’s body and mind – as demonstrated through Prufrock.

Word Count: 411

Throughout her feminist text, A Room of One’s Own, Virginia Woolf discusses the challenges women face when attempting to write fiction. She concludes that, in order to be a successful writer, a woman must have a little money and a room of one’s own. What I find most influential to her argument is Woolf’s inclusion of fictional female characters to assist in her explanation of her conclusions.

The first character she introduces to us is Mary Beton, who is most likely a sort of alter ego for Woolf, in order to help her tell events of her life. Beton is visiting Oxbridge, another element of fiction; Oxbridge is a university attended by males, with exceptional amenities compared to Ferrum, the women’s college where Beton is staying as a guest. While on the campus of Oxbridge, Beton is constantly reminded that she, as a woman, may not enjoy the amenities unless accompanied by a male companion. What I found particularly intriguing is that Mary Beton serves the purpose of a spokesperson for how Woolf feels about the segregation of and lack of consideration to women’s education. She uses many names that being with Mary throughout her literary work, and even notes “call me Mary Beton, Mary Seton, Mary Carmichael, or by any name you please—it is not of any importance.” I was left curious as to why Woolf would go out of her way to create fictional characters to illustrate her points but then go so far to urge that whatever name she is called is insignificant. From my analyzations, I came to the deduction that she downplays the importance of the names in order to create more emphasis on her focal points. In addition, by stripping the name from importance and thus giving it a lack of importance, the readers are more likely to identify with the narrator and resonate with her play upon fiction in illustrating the harsh reality for women in writing.

Along with her use of the Marys, Woolf also conjures the fictional character of Judith Shakespeare, the younger sister of famous genius and playwright, William Shakespeare. Judith possesses all of the same intellect and ambition as her brother; however, she is not able to exercise her genius because she is a woman. She runs away to London to pursue her dream of writing and acting but ends up ending her own life due to personal life issues (becoming pregnant), which would make a lifelong writing career seemingly unfathomable. Woolf’s introduction of Judith to her narrative allows Judith to serve as a rhetorical stratagem for one of the reasons why she believes there are so few female writers. The women Woolf is addressing now have the opportunity, after hearing her lectures, to embody Judith and be her voice in present society. Woolf calls for action, through her relaying of Judith’s tragic life, for women to step up and find a room of their own – a room to write, free of inhibitions.

As a woman who greatly appreciates literature and writing, I found A Room of One’s Own to be incredibly proactive and progressive-thinking with Woolf’s formulation of ideas and integration of fiction into her lectures to demonstrate to women the significance of having women in literature. If I lived during Virginia Woolf’s time period, I would have viewed this as a call to action, not just an expression of opinion or critique towards society and the literary world.

Word Count: 572

Picture Sorce:https://www.everywritersresource.com/shortstories/araby-by-james-joyce/

The narrator of “Araby” describes his surroundings as dreary and bleak. Throughout the story, he constantly dreams of escaping his current situation through various forms of imaginative escape.

In the beginning of the story, the unnamed narrator plays with his childhood friends, as they use their imaginations to transform their monotonous little town into a “gauntlet of the rough tribes from the cottages” (PG#). Imagination and a fascination with fantasy is something that appears as a motif throughout this short story. Towards the introduction of “Araby,” the attraction he has towards Mangan’s sister represents a temporary mental escape. The narrator even admits that he dreams of her in “in places most hostile to romance” (PG#). His idolization of her, as what he believes to be a solace from his otherwise repetitious life indicates a yearning to branch out from his normal experiences.

One specific passage that highlights the narrator’s desire for adventure and escape is found on page _____. In this passage, the speaker is preparing to attend the bazaar, and hoping to find something for his love interest. The connotation of the word bazaar summons feelings of exoticness and exploration, something that the speaker has only dreamed of. He describes his surroundings as “a deserted train,” “ruinous houses,” and an “improvised wooden platform” (PG#). His descriptive adjectives do not sound like the exciting journey he has fantasized about in his head. This indicates a possible reason for his desire to escape – the poverty. Wanting to escape the surroundings of a poverty stricken town would not be an uncommon desire; however, for the little boy narrator, it is most likely subconscious, as most people that age do not show a profound understanding of the state of their society.

However, his trip to the bazaar did not live up to his expectations, as it becomes more problematic than the narrator intended. He leaves the bazaar frustrated, and most likely upset that he even made the journey at all. Although Araby was alluring to the young boy, the bazarr was more enthralling in his imagination than in his reality. To me, this highlights the fact that what is imagined in one’s mind will almost always play out differently in reality. People create their own little world where everything plays out happily; however, that is not always the case – the hype and subsequent disappointment of the bazaar is a prime example of this.

Word Count: 400

Picture Citation: https://healthyjeaned.wordpress.com/tag/the-importance-of-being-earnest/

The Importance of Being Earnest, a play by Oscar Wilde, had an important impact on the literary world and climaxed Wilde’s literary career. One of the most important and intriguing motifs referenced throughout The Importance of Being Earnest is that of puns or plays on words, with that of the titular name being one of the primary examples. In short, a man named Jack Worthing pretends to have a brother named Ernest, which eventually becomes his alibi when he disappears into the city. Those in the city, such as his best friend and his love interest, Gwendolen. Jack must then lead a double life, just as the word “Earnest/Ernest” has a double meaning throughout the play. What is interesting to me about this name pun is that Gwendolen is insistent upon marrying a man who is named Ernest, whether or not he actually retains the qualities of an earnest man. For example, she is rather hasty to forgive Jack for his dishonesty; ironically enough, one who is earnest is truthful and sincere. She notes that the name Ernest inspires confidence, which is funny because Jack creates another whole identity, which is uncharacteristic of someone with the upmost confidence. In addition, for someone calling himself Ernest, Jack is, in fact, the opposite of the true definition of the word. In my opinion, living a double life is the complete contradiction of sincerity. However, it is worth noting that he does seem rather earnest in keeping up the secret of his double identity. Thus, Jack/Ernest becomes a parody of the word itself.

In fact, it is arguable that there is barely any earnest characters in the entire play. Many of the main characters in this play use deception and stretching of the truth in order to manipulate situations to their liking. Characters, such as Jack and Lady Bracknell spend their time trying to convince each other of their high, upstanding morals, but it is only until the end of the play that everyone realizes the vital importance of being earnest. Based upon what I could discern from Wilde’s personal views and critiques of society, he is criticizing society for only being earnest in the end of all the deception and deceit. So, it is only when the lie becomes the truth does Victorian society actually “understand” the importance of being earnest.

Word Count: 389

Picture Citation: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/125045327123435704/?lp=true

Throughout the poem, “The Wild Swans at Coole,” the theme of old age is both overtly and subtly present. In some cases, Yeats will come right out and overtly state his opinion on old age, while in other cases he will embed his opinion in textual clues. In stanza 4, the speaker laments his unhappiness at growing old, stating “…my heart is sore./All’s changed since I, hearing at twilight,/The first time on this shore” (IV. ). What is so troublesome to the speaker is that growing older breeds change – change in memory, change in values, and change in life. His heart is sore because he realizes how much has changed since his first visit here nineteen years ago. Although the swans might “trod with a lighter tread,” it is fair to assume the speaker does not, as he is so preoccupied with the thought of aging that he lets it distract a little from the beauty of the swans he was previously describing (IV. ). Furthermore, the poet’s word choice is quite interesting, as the speaker chooses to use the word ‘sore,’ which is something people will use to describe their bodies as they age.

Yeats even leaves subliminal clues as to his dissatisfaction with growing older. The first stanza paints the setting as the season of autumn; October to be exact. October is towards the end of the year, representing how old age is close to the end of one’s life. Similarly, the speaker notes the condition of the water under the “October twilight,” which is the ending of a day (I. ). Although he describes them with a more pleasant connotation, it is clear that the speaker is preoccupied by the concept of age and the ending of what is familiar. Just like twilight, autumn, and October are things with a state of being – it is October, it is autumn, it is twilight – aging is a state of being. For the speaker, aging is something that he notices more mentally instead of physically, as he remarks that they are different from what he remembers from the nineteen years past.

Word Count: 351

Picture Citation: https://www.pinterest.com/SIPSEDUCATION/goblin-market-rossetti/?lp=true

Reading “Goblin Market” reminds me of the book of Genesis in the Bible where Eve and Adam eat the forbidden fruit due to Satan’s persuasion. In terms of this poem, Laura would be the most synonymous with Eve, since she is the one that gives into the temptation while the goblins would be representative of Satan. Since the book of Genesis illustrates how sin was brought into the world, it can be a fair assessment to say that this poem reflects the ideas of sin and redemption. The religious undertones create an interesting dichotomy between the story and religious content that can most certainly be recognized if the reader is familiar with religion. Laura eating the fruit from the Goblin Market is synonymous with Eve eating the forbidden fruit, thus leading sin into the world. Just like Adam and Eve, Laura is forced to learn in an unfortunate way that the repercussions of sinning only push her towards death and deterioration.

If Laura, the Goblins, and fruit represent Eve, Satan, and sin respectively, Lizzie would be symbolic of the Christ figure in the poem. She is forced to also suffer the ramifications of Laura’s act of sin and go out of her way to guard her and keep her safe, which parallels how Christ died on the cross for the sins of man. Furthermore, when Lizzie disappears down to the market to go see what all the temptation is all about, the goblins attempt to stuff her face with their fruit, as well as beat and torture her; representative of how Christ was beaten on the cross. One of the most telling equivalents to a biblical reference of Lizzie as a Christ figure lies in her visit to the goblin market and her return with the red fruit juices on her face. The importance lies in the emphasis on the red fruit juice, which could be distinguished biblically as an allusion to the blood of Christ, which most people “drink” at Communion like Laura “drank” it from off of Laura’s face.

Lizzie discusses the faults of sin in terms of light and darkness, which is interesting to me because most Christians see Christ as a light in the darkness. She notes “tho’ this summer weather,/put out the lights and drench us thro’;/then if we lost our way what should we do?” (XI. 250-253). I interpreted this as Lizzie noting that if they give into temptation and let sin consume them, their godly light will be vanished and they will lose their way with God. Along with the aspect of sin comes the idea of redemption, which is ultimately achieved at the end of the poem. Even though Laura sins, she is redeemed by her virtuous sister. Licking the juice off of Lizzie’s face acted like poison, but in reality it can be argued that it was essential to Laura’s recovery.

Word Count: 480

 

 A real picture of Dover Beach above!!!

“Dover Beach,” the hauntingly beautiful and prolific poem by Matthew Arnold explores the depletion of nature and intrusion of grim modernity. From what I interpret, it appears that this poem serves as a warning in order to preserve the secrets of the natural world before it is overrun by modernity. The predictive transition into modernity is predicted by Arnold to be bleak, and a “flow of human misery” (II. 17-18). Even though currently the sea is calm, the speaker is worried that it won’t stay that way; the ebbing and flowing of the waves washing up against the shore should be cherished before the sea “lay like the folds of a bright girdle furled” (III. 23). The quality that is so inspiring to the speaker is the raw, untouched nature that will soon fade away in the future. What appears, to the speaker, to be the most moving factor, is the exclusion of human presence from the narrative, other than the speaker and his companion, of course. The only other sign of live in the poem where the speaker is narrating is the sea, which is described as being “calm,” “glimmering,” and “tranquil” (I. 1,5).

In my opinion, the last stanza is one of the most telling stanzas in the poem. Through my interpretation, the last stanza’s purpose is to establish some sort of calm throughout the chaos. Remember, the sea at first represented the calmness of the storm; however, with increased modernity, the sea and its calmness will disappear. By pleading with his lover “let us be true to one another,” the speaker cites his notion of staying connected through the chaos that he has predicted will ensue (IV. 29-30). He knows that the new land holds no promise of “joy, nor love, nor light, Nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain” (IV. 33-34). Basically, he knows that this new land of modernity offers no accommodations or platitude, which is why he is preparing himself and his lover so. In the beginning of the poem, he urges his beloved to smell the sweetness in the night air from “where the sea meets the moon-blanched land” (I. 8). By contrasting the beauty of the sea in front of them, to the turbulent emotions that he is feeling creates the foreshadowing of epic destruction.

Word Count: 384

Tennyson’s poem, “The Lady of Shalott,” reminds me a similar, shorter version of a poem like “The Faerie Queen”, an epic poem published by Edmund Spenser in 1590. Not only do both revolve around King Arthur’s court, but they also both employ the use of allegory throughout their poems. Through central female characters, both poets create their allegory. In “The Faerie Queene,” Spenser uses Lady Una to morally symbolize the allegory of truth and purity. In Tennyson’s poem, the Lady of Shalott metaphorically symbolizes the protection and treatment of women in the Victorian Era. Her imprisonment in the tower signifies that women were looked at as being isolated from the outside world. Unlike Lady Una, the Lady of Shalott does not get to experience the act of adventure. Where Una accompanies the Red Cross Knight on his knightly journey, Lady of Shalott is stuck in her tower, incapable of venturing into the outside world. The only experience she has of Camelot, or any outside world for that matter, is from the reflections she can make out through her magic mirror.

The theme of isolation is much more prevalent in the Lady of Shalott, however, as women during the Victorian period were expected to live a highly secluded life, with emphasis on their husbands and family. Since no known kin to Lady of Shalott were mentioned in the poem, it can be assumed that her weaving took the place of any familial duties she might have assumed. Pulling from research on the Victorian era I have took part in from previous classes, it appears that Lady of Shalott was from the lower class, based upon her activities inside the tower. Women in this society who were of the lower class were expected to take up tedious jobs or any sort of job that involved physical labor. This is best exemplified in a specific passage in Part 2 where Lady of Shalott is described as “weav[ing] by night and day a magic web with colors gay” (II. 37-38). Connecting the poem to the society at that time period is interesting to me because it provides me with a bit more of an understanding of the societal roles and roles of women during this period.

Word Count: 372

While reading “The Subjection of Women” by Mill, one of the first ideas that came to mind is the similarities and differences between his literary work and Mary Wollstonecraft’s “Vindication of Women’s Rights.” Both centrally agree that one of the main problems is that there is a lack of equality. Mill specifically states within the first few lines that “the legal subordination of one sex to the other—is wrong itself, and is now one of the chief obstacles to human improvement; and it ought to be replaced by a principle of perfect equality” (91). He goes on to cite that the subordination of women is seen as natural in his society, and declared the importance of gravitating towards the “unnatural” – women being treated as equals to men. Wollstonecraft would agree with this assertion; however, she leaned more toward the idea that women were being mistreated and were lacking equality due to weakness. In my opinion, I find it interesting that both clearly articulate that women being seen as lesser than men is indeed wrong; however, the different approaches that Mill and Wollstonecraft – a man and  a woman – take to discuss the same topic might actually indicate something deeper. Where men like Mill see subordination (women to men or slaves to masters) is seen as natural. He notes that “there was a time when the division of mankind into a small class of masters and a large class of slaves appeared, even to the most cultivated minds, to be the only natural condition of the human race” (91). To society, this was seen as “customary,” and Mill indicates that whatever is seen as unnatural also means that they are uncustomary (92). Because it was custom back then, it might not have been seen as unnatural to them, which is surprising but, in a way, understandable. I’m used to having the same general rights as men, and the society that Mill is writing this piece for seems unnatural to me. Mill goes on to further this point by writing “the subjection of women to men is a universal custom, so any departure from it quite naturally appears unnatural” (92).  Wollstonecraft, a woman, never indicated that she saw the inequality of men and women as “natural,” as her argument was centered around the weakness of women – physically and educationally.

Word Count: 387

 

Poetry is a mirror which makes beautiful that which is distorted. — Percy Bysshe Shelley