Musing on Much for School!

Song

1) Occasion of poem? Literary device employed? What do you know?

The occasion of the poem is a man giving the rose a pep-talk before he gives it to his love. His love is shy though, so he uses personification to tell the flower to give his message.

2) Paraphrase each stanza.

Go forth beautiful Rose, tell that young woman that wastes our times that when I compare her to you, she realizes how lovely she is to me. Tell her that she is young and doesn’t want to be seen, but if she were to have come up in a desert with no men around, she would die without ever receiving a compliment. Beauty that is not shown in the light is not worth much. Tell her to show herself and allow herself to be desired and not blush when she is admired. Die, so that she can see the fate of all rare things, and may see in you how little time all the wondrous sweet and things have.

3) Describe the prosody and structure. How do these reinforce the content?

There are four five-line stanzas that have the same rhyme scheme of ababb. Lines 1, 3, 6, 8, 11, 13, 16, and 18 all are half the length of the others. The short lines are the b rhymes and the long lines are the a rhymes. Lines 1, 2, 6, 13, 14, and 16 are began by spondees. “Then die” is arguable the most important one because its very powerful. Because the structure is so intense, each stanza is a complete thought. The rose to deliver four messages and then die.

Virtue

1) What two unlike things are being compared and what do they have in common?.

The first unlike thing that is being compared is the day time being a melding of the earth and the sky because they are being brought together by light. The dew is personified as a person weeping the “death” of the day. The rose is being personified, and it is described as being so bright that it brings tears to those who look at it. Sort of like the sun. The last two things that are being compared are is that the soul of a virtuous person is like seasoned wood, which does not bend like new wood does.

2) How is the poem structured? Structure supports meaning?

The structure is four stanzas with three of them with a separate personified object. All of the things in this are called “sweet” at some point. The back of the book reveals that each of these things lasts progressively longer. The turn is in the final stanza, because everything eventually dies except for the virtuous soul.

3) How does prosody reinforce the poem’s meaning?

The first three stanzas are each a complete thought giving examples of finite things. It ends with something that will last for an eternity.

Alright, this is my first time making a very structured blog post, so I decided to have the “block quote” portions be my answers, just so you guys know.

Death Be Not Proud

1) Poem conform to sonnet form? Notable variations with effects?

The poem conforms to sonnet form in the fact that it is three quatrains and a couplet, and each quatrain develops a different idea and problem, while the couplet is the solution. The notable differences are the fact that the rhyme scheme on all the quatrains and the couplet are not the standard rhyme scheme. Instead It repeats ABBA for the first two quatrains, CDDC for the last quatrain and ends with AE for the ending couplet. It’s effect is interesting, the repetitiveness of the first quatrains has a feeling that its the same idea. And the AE gives a sense of finality, and unease because most people’s minds want it to rhyme, but it does not. This goes throughout the poem.

2) Use of apostrophe and personification. How do they enhance?

Donne uses apostrophe and personification to great effect. He takes death, this inanimate thing and not only talks to it as if it were a real person, but gives it human characteristics. The fact its a slave, the fact that it’s not proud, it can die. Death is also capitalized, suggesting we are talking to a the person Death not “death.” The apostrophe and personification of this poem makes us almost feel sorry for death, because as he is talking to it, we get an image of a sad person who wants to have the power he claims to have.

3) Paraphrase, keep the apostrophe and personification.

Death, you are not proud, and though some say you are mighty and dreadful, you are not; for those who fear you, you overcome them; don’t die poor Death, but you can’t kill me yet. Rest and sleep are like you, but we get pleasure from them, so from you we must get more pleasure, and soon our best men will go with you, resting their bodies and delivering their souls to Heaven. You are a slave to the powers of fate, chance, kings and desperate men, and you dwell in poison, war and sickness, and opium can make us sleep just as you can, but they are better than you at it, why do you get so puffed up? We have only a “short sleep” before we are constantly awake in the afterlife, and in that place there shall be no more death, Death, you will then die.

To Death

1) Describe the form and structure.

In this poem, the structure is simple. There are 16 lines of heroic couplets The first three couplets are one sentence/idea as conveyed by the period. Then there is a single couplet sentence that sort of bridges the way between the first idea and the second. The last two couplets, however are the most important, as they are the heart of what he author truly thinks of death. Also, what should not be ignored (as it was almost ignored by me) is that the poem ends with AA, meaning that it ends as it began. This could parallel the fact that we are all born essentially helpless, and most of us are helpless against death. I could be reading too much into that though.

2) Details personifying death? Their effect? Attitude towards death? Requests of death by author?

Death is being personified, sort of, as a terrible king who has unbounded power. The details that personify death are the ones that make him seem evil, “…thy prey,” “…thy contagious darts, that wound.” The majority of things given to death are weapons, however it is pointed out that he is a king. Therefore the author is reverent towards death, but as reverent as someone is to a despot. She only wishes that death would take her gently, and not violently with the weapons that he possesses.

3) Paraphrase line by line. Change all figurative language to literal.

Death is terrible, with no limit to its powers. All that live will die. The King, the Priest, the Prophet, all will die. Even Christ died. I am going to die. And I will only add to all that have died already. I am not scared of dying, but I am scared to die violently with racks, swords. I don’t want to die from a sickness that deaden the senses. And kill us while we are insane and unprepared for death. And the diseases will spread too. Spread to the friends who are by the beds. Hopefully, these people will not die, but will die when they are old. My business is to die, and to accept my fate. Now, let me die gently. Insensibly drifting into the coldness of death.

Hopefully you guys like this, I had a hard time with question three of the last poem. Comment away rapscallions!