To analyze works of literature, it is necessary to define two main aspects of the piece, namely the problem and the form of expression. The choice of works can be justified by personal interest or scientific necessity. In this paper, two poems will be described, and their choice will be argued, namely why one considers them interesting. These poems are not related, that is, they do not have the same genre, theme, setting, characters, or something that one could relate to them. Thus, the selected works are The Flea by John Donne and Daystar by Rita Dove.
John Donne is one of the significant exponents of English Baroque literature, a poet, and rector of St. Paul’s Church. In addition, the author is known for one’s contribution to the development of the metaphysical school, namely the group of poets who inherited Neoplatonic views. John Donne wrote a number of love poems, epigrams, sonnets, elegies, and religious sermons. A characteristic feature of the author’s lyrics is ambiguity, figurativeness, and play on contrasts. For a complete understanding of John Donn’s works, some analytical and figurative process of thinking is necessary, after which the whole meaning of the poem is revealed.
Before telling in more detail about the poems and why they interested one, it is worth briefly describing the theme of the works. The first piece, The Flea by John Donne, is a sarcastic metaphysical love poem with elements of humour and eroticism (Mays, 2019). However, in this case, eroticism does not fulfil its classic role in literature, namely to capture the attention of the viewer and increase the degree of the story. In this poem, eroticism was used to emphasize the humorous tone of the narrative and sarcasm. In other words, the author specifically used some trigger words that can be considered manifestations of eroticism. However, these words and phrases were used in an absurd context, namely in relation to the insect and the way the insect feeds. Based on this, one can conclude that the author, by capturing a snapshot of the reader, is using it to achieve covert sarcasm.
This poem interested me for several main reasons, which can be conditionally divided into personal and professional ones. Personal reasons include primarily the opinion that the theme of the work is unusual and rare. By this, one means that the topic, literary devices, and mode of expression of a given piece are rare in the rest of the literature. In other words, for me personally, this work seemed interesting because of its uniqueness. The professional reason lies in the mastery of the author to convey such an unusual topic and ways of expression. Properly selected syntactic, thematic and literary devices, words and phrases correctly convey the spirit of the work and leave an impression on the reader.
Rita Dove is an American writer and essayist and a member of the Philosophical Club. Moreover, the author served as Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress. In the poem Daystar, Rita Dove raises the common problem of parent-child relationships and the relationship between husband and wife. This work describes a special time for a woman, which is important in the context of the family (Mays, 2019). It is the period when the individual can feel calm and quiet, think about reflections and get away from the routine. The poem shows that despite a few moments of calm, sitting in a high chair, one always has a reminder of family. In addition, the author points out how the child perceives the absence of the mother, namely, as the wrong action. Sitting in a chair and thinking, a woman notices the details of the world around and understands that there is little time left for peace.
Some may suggest that the poem emphasizes the woman’s fatigue from family and motherhood, which may be a manifestation of selfishness towards the family. However, in my opinion, this is not a true statement. The work raises a deeper issue of freedom, social environment, and the world around. The poem is a way to draw the reader’s attention to building harmonious relationships with the world and with the family. In other words, these moments of freedom are what should be a harmonious manifestation of interaction with children. Namely, not to share these concepts but to turn the rest into a joint pastime.
This poem seemed interesting to me because of the depth of the question raised and the complexity of its interpretation. In my opinion, the true motives of the author can be determined after some time and through the prism of creative thinking. In addition, it is worth noting the use of literary techniques and the selection of words for the poem. With the help of certain expressions and phrases, the author was able to make it clear that this problem has a dual expression. In addition, I was interested in the choice of the title of the work, which can also be interpreted in different ways. For example, how difficult it is to notice the morning star against the backdrop of dawn, as well as the experiences of a woman against the backdrop of family life.
Work Cited
Mays, Kelly. The Norton Introduction to Literature. W.W. Norton, 2019.