Unrequited Love

                  In the novel The Age of Innocence, the two main characters, Newland Archer and Ellen Olenska, are supposedly in love. Yet, I find that very hard to believe after analyzing the two individuals. I rather believe that Ellen is the only one who truly loves Archer. Archer has never loved Ellen. (Hence the title “Unrequited Love”) Archer convinces himself that he is in love with Ellen throughout the whole novel (which is frankly quite annoying.) But in reality, he actually wishes to control her. He views Ellen as a woman desperately in need of his “wise” guidance because she is not immersed into New York culture. For instance, his jealousy towards Mr. Beaufort indicates his domineering nature. He “[winces] at the joining of the names” of his and Beaufort during a conversation with Ellen because he believes that he is worthy of correcting the Countess(Wharton 65). Also, he is superficially attracted to Countess Olenska because she breaks social conventions and provides excitement. He often states that the “haunting horror of doing the same thing every day at the same time besieged his brain” so Ellen presents herself as a source of freedom and entertainment (71). Therefore, he pursues Ellen passionately and sets up expectations for her. For example, he has this expectation that Ellen will always approach him and entertain him. He depicts this expectation when he goes to fetch Ellen for Mrs. Mingott at New York. He says to himself, “If she doesn't turn before that sail crosses the Lime Rock light I'll go back.” (182). His thought reveals his belief that Ellen is responsible for providing excitement and entertainment for him. Therefore, Archer can be characterized as a selfish man who is unable to love anybody except himself. (In other words, if Archer cares only about himself, how can he have the time and heart to love somebody else?) On the other hand, Ellen deeply loves Archer and is willing to throw away her status for him. Ellen agrees to Archer's plan to “come to [him] at once” despite the scandal they could bring together (264). Also, she is able to convince Archer that he should marry May regardless of her deep desire to be with him. She is willing to sacrifice her own happiness. Furthermore, the ending of the novel supports Ellen's undying love for Archer. She awaits for Archer's visit at Paris because there are no barriers that could separate them anymore. However, Archer's desire to keep “his youthful memory of her” prevents them from reuniting (303). Ellen will most likely realize that Archer never truly loved her which makes her a tragic character. She is spurned by society, her own family, and the man who could have provided her with hope. Maybe Wharton illustrated this aspect of unrequited love because she has experienced it herself. She had a brief but passionate affair with a journalist named Morton Fullerton. Through this passionate affair, she realized that love is often romanticized and misinterpreted by many people. 

I Support Nora's Decision!

              Henrik Ibsen's play “A Doll House” focuses on realistic aspects of life. Ibsen especially plays close attention to marriage. Therefore, the ending where Nora leaves her husband and children illustrates reality regarding marriage. However, some people argue against Nora's decision to leave her family. They believe that Nora is selfish and leaving her children “motherless” (Ibsen 288). Yet, I actually support Nora's decision because she deserves a chance to discover her self- identity. She was “used to [being] Daddy's doll child” so she had no chance to think for herself (1227). In other words, she was a doll who lived in a “home [that] has never been more than a playroom” (1227). Hence, Nora is unable to become a mother to her children because she herself is a lost child. She needs to “make up [her] mind who is right, society or [her]” to fully grow into a mature woman (1229). It would be a greater tragedy if Nora had continued to stay in the “doll house”. Her children would have continued to be her dolls depriving them of reality and individuality. She is essentially preventing the revolving cycle of lost independence for her children. Another thing to recollect is that Nora is “first of all a human being” who has “sacred duties” to herself (1228). She is a selfish, young woman desperately in need of adversity. Through adversity and harsh reality, Nora will learn about the consequences of selfish behavior and lies. In other words, it is time for her to become a true human being not a pretty, frail doll. I believe that Nora's decision to leaver he family will lead her to people who truly care for her. Also, her decision to leave her children might be the first selfless act she has ever done. Finally, I have to point out about the class discussion surrounding Torvald. Many people came to this consensus that Torvald was going to change. I reject this idea because Torvald does not truly care for Nora. (He barely even notices his own children.) He states that Nora “[has] ruined all [his] happiness” and that his love for her is all in the past when she finds about the forgery(1223). Torvald keeps using words “me” and “my” revealing his indifference for Nora's suffering and his selfish nature. Also, he is easily able to throw away his love for Nora because his appearance is in stake. Torvald seems to only love Nora because of her role as a submissive and beautiful wife. Therefore, he rejects Nora when he realizes that Nora took on the role as a dominant figure. She was the one who saved his life and made the controversial decision to leave her family. Torvald will most likely not change because he is so immersed into the gender role of being the patriarch of his family. He is essentially the product of society. I am certain that he will remarry another woman who will submit to his controlling nature continuing the cycle of gender inequality.  

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings

The free bird leaps
on the back of the wind
and floats downstream
till the current ends
and dips his wings
in the orange sun rays
and dares to claim the sky.

But a bird that stalks
down his narrow cage
can seldom see through
his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and
his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings
with fearful trill
of the things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill for the caged bird
sings of freedom

The free bird thinks of another breeze
and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn
and he names the sky his own.

But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams
his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing

The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.

Lately in class, we have been employing gender lens to analyze The Age of Innocence and a “Doll House”. Therefore, I thought it would be interesting to analyze Maya Angelou's “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”. The poem focuses on a caged bird that sings for freedom. The caged bird can be viewed as a representation of social issues such as racial inequality, gender inequality, and the pursuit of individuality. Since we have focused on gender roles, I will be reading this poem through the gender roles. I view the “bird that stalks/down his narrow cage” as a woman trapped in marriage (Line 8-9). The woman is trapped in a cage that symbolizes marriage so she “opens [her] throat to sing” for freedom (line 14). Nora from the “Doll House” closely relates to this bird as well. She often tells lies to somehow escape her role as a doll in her husband's doll house, her captor. Also, the bird's “wings are clipped and/[its] feet are tied” which resembles Nora's situation in her marriage (Line 12-13). Nora's opinion and identity represent the bird's wings and feet. Nora is unable to think for herself preventing her from individuality and independence. Hence, her opinions are “clipped and/[her] identity [is] tied” by her role as a submissive wife (Line 12-13). Another female character relates to the caged bird as well. Ellen Olenska of The Age of Innocence serves as an epitome of a caged bird and captor to society. She is essentially a woman trapped in this expectation that she will become a mistress to a married man(Beaufort especially) or return to her unfaithful husband. Therefore, she “opens [her] throat to sing” like the bird by falling in love with Newland Archer (Line 14). Newland Archer represents to Ellen as a door to “freedom” because he understands her like nobody else (Line 23). He has the ability to convince Ellen “to claim the sky” by allowing her to become a “free bird” (Line 1 and 7). Unfortunately, Archer fails to do so which leads to “the caged bird/ [to] sing of freedom” on the distant hill (Line 38-40). However, the caged bird can also be interpreted as a man imprisoned by gender roles. For example, Newland Archer is a “bird that stalks down his narrow cage” to express his horror on the “sameness-sameness” of life (Wharton 71). The “narrow cage” that he inhabits is his marriage to May Welland, a woman who conforms to society (Line 9). Archer feels suffocated in his dull life that is a repeating cycle of life. Also, he is horrified by the fact that his own wife must conceal her inner desires and passion to blend in with the Old New York society. It can be inferred that the caged bird can be anyone regardless of gender. Also, our society is filled with several 'caged birds” who sing for freedom (Line 38). For instance, adolescents often express their need for freedom and independence by rebelling. (I know this for a fact.)

Innocence vs Experience

Holy Thursday (Songs of Experience)
               William Blake

Is this a holy thing to see
    In a rich and fruitful land, -
Babes reduced to misery,
    Fed with cold and usurous hand? 

Is that trembling cry a song?
    Can it be a song of joy?
And so many children poor?
    It is a land of poverty!
  
And their sun does never shine,
    And their fields are bleak and bare,
And their ways are filled with thorns,
    It is eternal winter there.
  
For where'er the sun does shine,
    And where'er the rain does fall,
Babe can never hunger there,
    Nor poverty the mind appal.

 

             As famously known, William Blake is a poet who is fascinated with innocence and experience. Therefore, he incorporates innocence and experience in his poems to convey his beliefs. He ultimately believes that neither innocence nor experience is superior to the other. Yet, I am certain that Blake places more importance on experience in his poems. I have noticed that he puts more detail and deep analysis in the poems that deal with experience. For example, The poem “Holy Thursday (Songs of Experience)” epitomizes his preference for experience. At first glance, the poem is short which gives off an impression of indifference and curtness. However, Blake purposely shaped this poem this way in order to portray a contrast between the innocence and experience poem. The innocence poem is longer and richer in language which is a contrast with the short and curt experience poem. But as many people say, “Actions are stronger than words.” Hence, the poem of experience embodies action depicting itself as vitally significant. For instance, the first stanza asks a short question that is full of highly emotional charged diction. Words such as “misery” (Line 3) and “cold” (4) give off a depressing and negative feeling which elevates the gravity of the situation. Also, the image of “babes reduced to misery/ fed with cold and usurous hand” visually illustrates the sadness and tragedy of this ritual. He further on depicts his strong feelings toward this seemingly harmless ritual by describing charity as being paraded. The young orphans/babes are paraded by their beadles by singing a “trembling cry” to the public (5). Blake further heightens the gloomy atmosphere by asking a rhetorical question, “can it be a song of joy?” (6). He obviously knows the tragic answer but asks the question to delineate his melancholy towards experience. What is really important to point out is that the poem of experience comes after the poem of innocence. The poem of experience is essentially the ending/conclusion of these two poems which makes it important. The two complementing poems always begin with innocence and end with experience. The fact that the poem always end with experience indicates that experience dictates what life will become of. In other words, experience is responsible for people’s actions, words, and thoughts. Blake does not deny that innocence plays a significant role in people’s lives but he believes that experience is a stronger force. Experience guides and unites us until death like how the poem of experience unites the two poems together at the end of the poem. I have always believed that poets are subjective in their works so I was naturally led to disagree with the belief that Blake equally paid close attention to innocence and experience. Blake most likely valued innocence for its beauty and purity but he could not deny the stronger force of experience. Through his experience, he was able to write the poems that united his identity and his sense of the world. It is evident that poems embody the poet's spirit and thoughts.

Infants and William Blake

            The poet William Blake focuses on the themes of innocence and experience in the poems “Infant Joy” and “Infant Sorrow”. His analysis of these two contrasting poems reveals the tragedy of innocence and experience and its similarity to Grendel. Blake first depicts the tragedy of innocence in “Infant Joy”. He first starts out with a loving conversation between mother and baby. Positive diction such as “sweet joy” (6) and “pretty joy” (8) elevate the baby as pure and innocent. However, the tragedy of innocence is quickly emphasized when the mother states “sweet joy but two days old” (8). It can be inferred that the mother is expressing her idea that her baby is too young and naïve to understand the world. She further ominously foreshadows the tragedy by stating “sweet joy befall thee!” (12). The verb “befall” (12) connotes a negative feeling supporting the foreshadowing of the fall of innocence. Meanwhile, Blake also depicts the tragedy of experience in “Infant Sorrow”. First, the title “Infant Sorrow” connotes a negative feeling because of the word “sorrow”. Sorrow is usually associated with sadness, oppression, death and disappointment. Second, the poem is now narrated only by the baby who has transformed into an experienced individual. The baby is aware of “the dangerous world” and describes himself as a “fined [hiding] in a cloud” (4). He realizes that the world is a cruel, dangerous place capable of making innocent people butter and possibly evil. Furthermore, the baby’s hopeless feelings towards his parents delineate his shift into experience. He “struggles in [his] father’s hands” and “sulk[s] upon [his] mother’s breast” because he wants to escape the constraint of reality (5 and 8). His parents represent reality due to their groaning and weeping (refers to line 1) about the realization that they are obligated to raise their son in a responsible manner. Blake hopes to bring into light the prevalence of losing innocence and achieving experience. Because Blake stresses the theme of innocence and experience, the novel Grendel is closely relatable to it. Grendel also struggles with the aspect of innocence and experience throughout his whole life. Like Blake, he does not view innocent or experience as superior over the other. He rather believes that innocence and experience brings him to tragedy. For instance, Grendel’s curiosity towards the world and his identity leads him to lose his innocence and realize the meaninglessness of life. Through his experience (reaching enlightenment), Grendel becomes a bitter and lonely individual who often exclaims “I am alone” (56). Furthermore, Grendel’s interaction with humans broadens his experience but also deprives him of happiness. Humans label Grendel as a “brute existent” and continuously ostracize him (74). Therefore, Grendel is driven to believe that his death will be a blessing because he will not need to wonder about the meaninglessness of life. For Grendel and Blake, innocence and experience serve as a tragedy but also as an important aspect of life. Without innocence and experience, people will be deprived of reminiscence, wisdom and insight.

Are You a Hero?

What qualities define one as a hero? The poem “Beowulf” and novel Grendel both debate on this issue with contrasting characters. In “Beowulf”, the fierce Geat leader, Beowulf, is portrayed as the dauntless hero. He supposedly possesses the strength of thirty men and is able to defeat three powerful monsters: Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and a dragon. Yet in the novel Grendel, Grendel and Wealtheow are characterized as heroes. Grendel is defined as a hero because he goes through the journey of descent and enlightenment. He reaches his descent when he gets stuck between two trees and is attacked by a ram.  In other words, he loses his innocence by realizing “that the world [is] nothing: a mechanical chaos of casual, brute enmity which we stupidly impose our hopes and fears” (Gardner 21 and 22). Grendel later reaches the final point of a hero’s journey when he encounters the dragon. The dragon, who symbolizes Grendel’s subconscious, convinces Grendel that he is “mankind, or man’s condition” providing a purpose to Grendel’s life (73).  The dragon/Grendel’s subconscious deliberately takes advantage of Grendel’s craving for purpose in life. Therefore, Grendel becomes enlightened by the encounter with the dragon and becomes a “brute existent” (73).  By becoming a “brute existent”, Grendel believes that he is improving and shaping humans into intelligent, thinking creatures. He basically considers himself as a god who enlightens people. (Grendel’s “enlightening” actions can be considered ironic since he even confesses that he found himself “killing [humans] on and on and on, as if mechanically, without contest” (81). Basically, he is killing humans without even thinking about the consequences. In my opinion, he is not as “enlightened” as he claims to be.)In contrast, Wealtheow is portrayed as a hero due to her sacrificing acts and her ability to unite people. Wealtheow is depicted as a sacrificing individual who “surrendered herself with the dignity of a sacrificial virgin” to Hrothgar (100). Wealtheow willingly sacrifices her innocence and virginity to prevent the battle between the Helmings and Danes. It can be also said that she represents a Christ figure because she willingly faces loss of innocence for a greater purpose. Furthermore, Wealtheow has an extraordinary ability to unite people which is a commonly found characteristic in heroes.  For instance, she unites people in the meadhall by carrying a “mealbowl from table to table” which magically silences and unites the Danes (102). The mealbowl represents an object of unity and a new beginning. Therefore, Wealtheow carries this object around the Danes to remind them of peace and comitatus.  So far we have analyzed three heroes who are considered extremely unlike each other. Yet, I have found a common ground between these heroes. All of them desire to be surrounded by people. Beowulf wishes to save the Danes from Grendel in order to earn respect and their loyalty. Grendel “enlightens” the humans because it serves as an opportunity of social interactions with humans. Wealtheow represents a Christ figure who wishes to unite people for faith and comitatus.

"All My Pretty Ones" by Anne Sexton

All My Pretty Ones

By Anne Sexton 

Father, this year’s jinx rides us apart

where you followed our mother to her cold slumber

a second shock boiling its stone to your heart,

leaving me here to shuffle and disencumber

you from the residence you could not afford:

a gold key, your half of a woolen mill,

twenty suits from Dunne’s, an English Ford,

the love and legal verbiage of another will,

boxes of pictures of people I do not know.

I touch their cardboard faces. They must go.

But the eyes, as thick as wood in this album,

hold me. I stop here, where a small boy

waits in a ruffled dress for someone to come ...

for this soldier who holds his bugle like a toy

or for this velvet lady who cannot smile.

Is this your father’s father, this commodore

in a mailman suit? My father, time meanwhile

has made it unimportant who you are looking for.

I’ll never know what these faces are all about.

I lock them into their book and throw them out.

This is the yellow scrapbook that you began

the year I was born; as crackling now and wrinkly

as tobacco leaves: clippings where Hoover outran

the Democrats, wiggling his dry finger at me

and Prohibition; news where the Hindenburg went

down and recent years where you went flush

on war. This year, solvent but sick, you meant

to marry that pretty widow in a one-month rush.

But before you had that second chance, I cried

on your fat shoulder. Three days later you died.

These are the snapshots of marriage, stopped in places.

Side by side at the rail toward Nassau now;

here, with the winner’s cup at the speedboat races,

here, in tails at the Cotillion, you take a bow,

here, by our kennel of dogs with their pink eyes,

running like show-bred pigs in their chain-link pen;

here, at the horseshow where my sister wins a prize;

and here, standing like a duke among groups of men.

Now I fold you down, my drunkard, my navigator,

my first lost keeper, to love or look at later.

I hold a five-year diary that my mother kept

for three years, telling all she does not say

of your alcoholic tendency. You overslept,

she writes. My God, father, each Christmas Day

with your blood, will I drink down your glass

of wine? The diary of your hurly-burly years

goes to my shelf to wait for my age to pass.

Only in this hoarded span will love persevere.

Whether you are pretty or not, I outlive you,

bend down my strange face to yours and forgive you.

            As soon as I finished reading the last line of the poem, I let out a sound full of awe and wonder. The poem “All My Pretty Ones” by Anne Sexton is introspective and greatly emotional. The poem centers on Sexton’s feelings and thoughts toward her father’s death. What struck me the most in this poem was Sexton’s statement, “I outlive you, / bend down my strange face to yours and forgive you” (Line 57). In the beginning, Sexton depicts her feelings toward her father as indifferent and harsh. For instance, she indifferently states that her father’s valuable belongings “must go” and she will have to “throw them out” (Line 21). To others, it might seem insensitive for Sexton to do such things after her father died. However, I believe that Sexton acts in this manner because this is the only way she can express her love for her father. Her father in the poem is revealed in a negative light since he had an “alcoholic tendency” and attempted “to marry that pretty widow in a one-month rush” (Line 36). Furthermore, we can infer from his tendencies that he had an unstable life full of alcohol abuse and womanizing tendencies. Obviously, Sexton was negatively affected by her father’s misbehaviors but she chooses to not be spiteful and vengeful. Many people view an individual who indulges in bad habits as a one-dimensional person undeserving of morality and forgiveness. In other words, many believe that those people are immoral and malevolent. However, these individuals are actually three-dimensional individuals since there is always a reason behind their actions. Maybe Sexton’s dad indulged in these activities because he struggled with his identity or because of his wife’s death. Nevertheless, Sexton illustrates her understanding that her father was three dimensional by calling him “my drunkard, my navigator” (Line 47). This quote connotes a negative and positive meaning reaffirming the idea that her father was three-dimensional. The word “drunkard” depicts him negatively since it can be inferred that he was often drunk around his daughter. Yet the addition of “navigator” depicts him positively since he served as the guide and compass to her life. Thus, Sexton possesses mixed feelings toward her father because he constantly shifted from being a good father to a bad father. As a result, Sexton is confused about how she should feel towards her father’s death since he caused such pain and happiness. She therefore chooses to act in an indifferent manner to reveal her cautious love for her father. Sexton portrays her love by forgiving her father sins and deciding to let go of her anger and sadness. She is not ready to love her father at that time but she takes a step of forgiveness to become closer to that stage of appreciation and reminiscence. Also, she believes that time will heal her pains so she puts his belongings on the shelf to remember him as her one and only father. As Peter Ustinov once said, “Love is an act of endless forgiveness.”

The Inevitable Connection between Grendel and His Mother

                As I was reading Grendel, I became puzzled by the strange relationship between Grendel and his mother. Unlike normal mothers and sons, Grendel and his mother have a peculiar and maybe volatile relationship. Grendel describes his mother as a “life-bloated, baffled, long-suffering hag” which is extremely caustic and harsh (Gardener 11). Furthermore, he calls her “pitiful, foul, her smile a jagged white tear in the firelight: waste” which reveals the deepening hatred Grendel feels toward his mother (55). Grendel obviously disrespects his mother but on the contrary, his mother serves as his ultimate protector. Unbeknown to Grendel, Grendel is a cursed creature who is condemned by society. Therefore, Grendel’s mother attempts to protect Grendel by hiding him in a cave protected by fire snakes. She even loses her voice because of her guilt towards an “ancestral crime” (220). She laments over her son’s obvious curiosity about the world because she knows he will be rejected and ostracized by society. As a result, Grendel’s mother hopes to appease his curiosity and express her motherly love by “[smashing him] to her fat, limp breast as if to make [him] a part of her flesh again” (17).  By doing so, Grendel’s mother hopes to make Grendel codependent on her so he can never out in the harsh world. Like the time of her pregnancy, Grendel’s mother wishes to be united with him in body and heart. In my opinion, Grendel’s mother is a loving mother (though unconventional) who wishes to protect her son. She is like those mothers who protect their children so excessively that the children are not able to grasp reality. It also seems that her motherly love makes her humanistic which ultimately portrays her as a 3-dimensional character. For instance, she is constantly depicted as a violent monster by humans but she is actually a worried mom driven by guilt. In other words, she is an emotional being who becomes violent only to protect her son. Also, I noticed that Grendel’s mother might be a representation of Grendel and his future. We must recollect that Grendel’s mother is also cursed by society due to her connection with Cain. Therefore, she “dissects and ponders the dusty mechanical bits of her miserable life’s curse” to lament her fate (11). Grendel, too, later on laments his fate by asking the dark chasms/ cliff to seize him and take him to his death. Moreover, he engages in a 12 year battle with Hrothgar and his thanes because he accepts the fate people conceive of him. By readily accepting a fate that has great potential to be changed, we can see that Grendel has become tired and pessimistic towards life. Grendel, who was a curious and enthusiastic child, has now lost his tireless spirit and becomes a “long-suffering hag” like his mother (11). Grendel and his mother both end up as solemn and hopeless individuals who view life as meaningless.  Since Grendel falls into the fate of his mother, he will most likely unite with his mother since he now understands her.

Prufrock and Wing

 

The poem “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T.S. Eliot centers on Prufrock who is confused and fearful towards life. Prufrock depicts himself as a man with low self-esteem by describing himself as a bug and crab. A bug is typically associated with negative aspects since it is considered a dirty pest. Therefore, Prufrock pictures himself as a dirty bug and a crab that moves around in a clumsy and awkward manner. Also, he is constantly questioning himself by stating “Do I dare/ disturb the universe?” (Lines 45-46) His constant questioning indicates his belief that his actions will be scrutinized by society which deepens his sense of doubt. He even states “And I have known the eyes already, known them all/The eyes that fix you in a formulated phrase.” (Lines 55-56) Thus, we can infer that society’s prejudice has shaped Prufrock’s way of thinking making him a rather shallow character. Society most likely ostracized him for his unattractive appearance and nervous demeanor which he ironically creates or intensifies. Therefore, Prufrock is unable to become an assertive man who knows what he is going to do with his life. His inability to overcome society’s prejudice strongly alludes to the residents of Winesburg Ohio. The residents are all haunted by this a single truth that they live by. Prufrock as well lives by one truth identifying him as a grotesque. He lives by the truth that people will always judge him as a meaningless, old man. As a result, Prufrock wastes his whole life obsessing over this one truth which drives him to isolation and hell. One character from Winesburg Ohio who strongly relates to Prufrock is Wing Baddlebaum. Wing like Prufrock is diffident and constantly struggles with society’s prejudice. Yet, Wing suffers a more painful experience with society than Prufrock’s. His dream of “[expressing] his love of man” through teaching schoolboys was cruelly snatched away from him by means of violence. (9) Consequently, he becomes unsure of his life since society is against his cherished ideas and dreams. (One difference to point out between Prufrock and Wing is that Prufrock does not possess any definite dreams.) Wing then expresses his confusion towards life by his hands which compares with Prufrock’s fragmented dreams. Both of these individuals are unsure about what they did wrong and choose to blame themselves. For Wing, he believes that his “hands must be to blame” while Prufrock believes it is the yellow fog which represents his soul. (9) In reality, society’s eagerness to ostracize and blame others is the cause to their confusion. I believe that Eliot and Anderson employed these characters to illustrate that society takes advantage of those who are emotionally vulnerable. When society catches a glimpse of naive vulnerability, it is eager to manipulate it to justify their cruel acts. This is especially a prevalent theme in our society. For instance, the Salem Witch Trials were caused by society’s eagerness to blame a certain group to absolve their inner sins. Lastly, Hitler’s persecution against Jews was his justification for punishing those who supposedly “wronged” him.  Therefore, Anderson and Eliot are prudently cautioning readers of repeated misdeeds that often go unnoticed.

 

 

 

Because I Could Not Stop for Death

Because I Could Not Stop for Death
         Emily Dickinson

Because I could not stop for Death,
He kindly stopped for me;
The carriage held but just ourselves
And Immortality.
We slowly drove, he knew no haste,
And I had put away
My labor, and my leisure too,
For his civility.

We passed the school, where children strove
At recess, in the ring;
We passed the fields of gazing grain,
We passed the setting sun.

Or rather, he passed us;
The dews grew quivering and chill,
For only gossamer my gown,
My tippet only tulle.

We paused before a house that seemed
A swelling of the ground;
The roof was scarcely visible,
The cornice but a mound.

Since then 'tis centuries, and yet each
Feels shorter than the day
I first surmised the horses' heads
Were toward eternity.

Death is a natural process of life that occurs every day. In society, some people are willing to accept death and some fear it. Emily Dickenson for instance was fascinated by death and composed many poems about mortality. Probably the most famous poem she composed was “Because I Could Not Stop for Death” which reflects her views on death. Dickinson conveys her accepting relationship with death by using metaphors and diction. Dickinson uses metaphors to show that she is accepting of death. The first metaphor she employs is the comparison between death and a gentleman. Dickinson refers to death as a gentleman who “kindly stopped for [her]” (Line 2). By alluding death to a gentleman the speaker shows that she respects death and is not afraid of it. We must recall that the time period of Dickenson was vibrant with courtships between young ladies and gentlemen. Therefore, the speaker is symbolizing her journey with Death as a tentative and happy courtship. Also, she is rather impressed with the “gentleman” and is willing “to put [her] labor and [her] leisure too for his civility” (Lines 6-8). The other metaphor that she employs is the comparison between the house and her grave. During her journey to her death, she and the “gentlemen” arrive at a house. This house represents her grave and also conveys her thoughts on death. By calling her grave a house, Dickinson is showing that she is comfortable with death. A house is a place of peace and shelter further supporting the notion that she is accepting of death. Dickenson uses diction to reflect her accepting relationship with death. The overall tone of this poem is peaceful and calm because of its diction. She employs soft language and words to convey her overall message. For instance, Dickenson uses soft words when she states that death “kindly stopped for [her]” (Line 3). The adjective “kindly” shows her accepting nature because death is usually referred to something fearful not benevolent. Furthermore, Dickinson uses the word “civility” to describe death which shows her respect and admiration (Line 8). Overall, Dickinson is praising death with diction that contains positive connotations. The most interesting aspect of this poem is that it closely relates to Elizabeth Willard in Winesburg Ohio. Like the speaker in this poem, Elizabeth is accepting towards death and is willing to embrace it. In the story “Death”, Elizabeth states that her most cherished memories were when “her lovers Death and Doctor Reefy held her in their arms” (143). By calling Death as her lover, we can infer that Elizabeth views Death as her true love because it can provide her with happiness and peace. (As we know, Elizabeth is a lonely and miserable character in the novel.) Since Elizabeth views Death as a solace, the speaker in the poem must also view Death as a place of tranquility and pure joy. It is tragic that these two individuals choose death as the only hope for happiness.

The Womanizer

The novel Winesburg Ohio centers around a young man named George Willard. In “Sophistication”, George becomes “sophisticated” by crossing “the line into manhood” (145). Yet, I am always irked by the fact that he is described as a “sophisticated” young man. I believe that George is a serial womanizer despite his “sophistication”. It is evident in the novel that George has a lot of lady friends who are not simply his “friend”. Adding to that, a womanizer is defined as an individual who pursues women lecherously according to The Free Dictionary. Also, a womanizer is defined as a selfish, narcisstic, nefarious character who needs to manipulate and use women to feed his own selfish needs according to the Urban Dictionary. It might seem extremely pessimistic of me to describe George in a disparaging way but his history with women reaffirms my point. We are first introduced to his womanizing behaviors with Louise Trunnion. George jumps at the chance of having sex with Louise an even has a nerve to state that “she hasn’t got anything on me” after the encounter (28). In other words, he’s saying that he got what he wanted, sex, and will now have nothing to do with her. His assertion seems overly presumptuous portraying him as a rather selfish individual. The next woman he lustfully pursues is Kate Swift, his past school teacher. George states that “he began to believe she might be in love with him and the thought was both pleasing and annoying” (93). By saying that her affections for him is annoying, George presents himself as a pompous young man since he clearly believes that she is not worthy of him. Yet, he is also flattered since he is a serial womanizer who jumps at the chance of pursuing women. As a result, he begins “to have lustful thoughts” of Kate (94). What is more amazing is that during his “lustful thoughts” he also begins to dream of Helen White “with whom he had been for a long time half in love” (94). His short attention span towards women reveals his capricious and immature mind. I also must ask, what does it even mean to be half in love? Maybe it means that George’s desire for women persuades his mind to think that he is in love when he is not. Unfortunately, George and Kate do not work out so he starts to pursue another woman, Belle Carpenter. (What a surprise:() Anyways, the affair between George and Belle is just a shallow relationship since both of them use each other to attain their desires. George like a womanizer uses Belle to feed his own selfish needs of lust. He further uses her to be possessed “with the sense of masculine power” (113). Obviously, Belle and George do not work out at the end.  Now the final woman he pursues in the novel is Helen White. Helen and George’s relationship comes under focus at “Sophistication”. George states that he “wanted to be and be loved by her” showing his constant desire to be loved by women (149). Some might say that in this story, George is mature and has quit his womanizing tendencies. However, he is still continuing to pursue women which is in the form of Helen. Inferring from the interaction between George and Helen, George probably desires to form deep relationships with women since his mother died. He is most likely looking for a woman to heal his pains and also to fulfill his selfish needs.

The Dangers of Isolation

                Recently I had the opportunity of watching the famous horror movie “The Shining”. As famously known, “The Shining” is a provocative film that centers on a family who is staying at an empty hotel. At the isolated hotel, the father, Jack Torrance, supposedly becomes possessed by supernatural forces and attempts to murder his wife and young son. Yet I always believe that isolation rather than the supernatural plays an imperative role to Jack’s malicious actions. Jack who is already a selfish man is constantly jealous of the fact that his son receives more attention from his wife. Therefore at the isolated hotel, Jack is forced to watch the loving interaction between his wife and son driving him to a path of evil and uncontrollable jealousy. Also, Jack had no one to confide in so he resorted to unrealistic imaginations. His imaginations are further fueled by the fact that a father killed his family at this very hotel a long time ago. The potent effect of isolation also significantly affects characters of Winesburg Ohio. For instance, Enoch Robinson of “Loneliness” serves as an epitome of an isolated being. Enoch like Jack is characterized as “a complete egotist” (102). Therefore, Enoch resorts to isolation since he “[wants] most of all the people in his own mind, people with whom he could really talk, people he could harangue and scold by the hour, servants, to his fancy” (102). Enoch possesses a childlike immaturity so he indulges in unrealistic imaginations. As a result, Enoch is prevented from real social interactions depriving him of wisdom and worldly expertise. Enoch’s imaginary world escalates his dependence on imaginations. Consequently, the devastating effect of isolation claims Enoch as its victim. Enoch’s downfall begins when a female neighbor starts to visit his room. Enoch like other men becomes emotionally and sexually attracted to her. His strong feelings for her causes an inner turmoil within him since he is so used to being alone. For instance, Enoch first “[becomes] mad to make her understand [him]” but then also feels that “he would be submerged, drowned out” if the woman understood his imaginary world (106). Thus, Enoch rejects the woman forever ruining his chance of maturity. He further exacerbates his situation by saying “vile words” at the woman which results in “all the life that there had been in the room” to follow out the departing woman (107). By finally accepting the truth that his imaginary world is far from reality, Enoch sadly realizes that he will be all alone by himself. Enoch’s obsession with an imaginary world hampered his chance of love and most importantly, a vivacious life. It is evident that Enoch will now have a sad and vacant life since he is aware that he is the one to blame. Both Enoch and Jack chose isolation in order to satisfy their selfish needs. However, they did not know that isolation would get to them. Therefore, karma made a visit to both men: Enoch is now bound to be a miserable loner and Jack is simply dead.

"Tintern Abbey" and Mary Shelley

                      In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley establishes a connection between Henry Clerval and Woodsworth’s poem “Tintern Abbey”. At chapter 18, Henry Clerval is so awed by the beautiful scenery of the Rhine that Shelley quotes Woodsworth’s poem to describe him. For instance, Shelley describes that nature “haunted him like a passion” (139). Now we must wonder why Shelley chose to quote this poem at a seemingly random scene. It seems evident to me that Shelley was hoping to portray Clerval as a double of Victor. We must recollect that Victor is a passionate lover of nature as well. He even stated that nature “congregated around me: the unstained snowy mountain-top, the glittering pinnacle, the pine woods, and ragged bare ravine: the eagle, soaring amidst the clouds- they all gathered round me, and bade me to peace” when he was suffering from extreme guilt of his misdeeds (86). In other words, nature provided him “an appetite: a feeling, and a love” (139). Oh, what a coincidence! Henry Clerval as well is elevated by nature that he even states the Rhine “pleases [him] more than all those wonders” (139). Another interesting part is that both Henry and Victor have one place of nature that they greatly revere. For Henry, the beautiful landscapes of the Rhine become a place of reverence. He states that “the spirit that inhabits and guards this place has a soul more in harmony with man than those who pile the glacier” (139). The admiring tone and diction are indications of his strong affinity for this place. On the other hand, the Valley of Chamounix is a dear place to Victor’s heart. He especially admires this place since he had visited it frequently during his childhood. It can be inferred that Victor finds solace in this place since he can embrace his happy memories of childhood to forget his pain. Most likely, Henry Clerval would have found the Rhine as a place of solace like Victor if not for his tragic demise.

                Yet, I also believe that there is another reason for the incorporation of “Tintern Abbey”. I think Shelley wanted the readers to embrace the romanticists’ love for nature. Romanticists are famously known for their passionate predilection of nature so it was inherent for Shelley to do so. Also, Shelley like us (teenagers) was in some part under the influence of peer pressure. Her close group of friends consisted of Romantic poets and scholars. Her husband, Percy Shelley, and close friend, Lord Byron, were both imperative figures to Romantic poetry. Furthermore, Shelley herself has a personal love for nature in the form of Scotland. Shelley was sent to Scotland at the age of 15 due to the growing animosity between her and her stepmother. Like Victor, Shelley appreciated Scotland because she was able to escape her unhappy family life. She viewed the vast landscapes of Scotland as a place of serenity and unconditional love. We may never know why Shelley chose to quote “Tintern Abbey” but I have a strong feeling that it is tied to Shelley’s personal life. (She was always an emotionally charged individual throughout her life.)

Safie=Mary Shelley

                   As I have mentioned, the novel Frankenstein incorporates aspects of Mary Shelley’s life. In class, we had discussed Mary Shelley’s connection to Margaret Saville since they “coincidentally” shared the same initials, M.S. However, I felt that Mary Shelley had a more deep connection to Safie, Felix’s new bride. Safie like Shelley had a profound connection with her independent mother who eventually died. Safie’s mother “instructed her daughter in the tenets of her religion, and taught her to aspire higher powers of intellect, and an independence of spirit, forbidden to the female followers of Mahomet” which resembles to Mary Wollenscraft’s pro-feminist views (110). Also, Safie’s decision to marry Felix despite her father’s opposition strongly resembles to Mary’s marriage to poet, Percy Shelley.  (Mary married Percy which resulted in an estrangement between Mary and her father.) Safie marries Felix for love but also because of “the prospect of marrying a Christian, and remaining in a country where women were allowed to take a rank in society” (110). She was simply intrigued by the rights she could obtain by moving into this country. In my opinion, Safie seems to desire independence more than her love for Felix because of her mother’s powerful guidance. However, she does indeed love Felix as well since she even defies her father to “arrive in safety at the cottage of her lover (113). It can be said that her dangerous journey to Germany symbolizes her first steps toward independence. Shelley’s marriage as well seems to signify her desire for independence. Shelley elopes with Percy at the age of 16 despite the fact that he is married and both parents strongly forbid their matrimony. It seems likely to me that Mary defied her family in order to discover her self-identity. Shelley disliked her stepmother, Mary Jane Clairmont, who objected to Mary’s education and was jealous of the relationship between Mary and her father. Therefore, Shelley was forced to remain at home under the watchful eyes of her step-mother. Mary, who greatly respected and loved her biological mother, recognized her duty to her mother which led her to make this drastic decision. (Her mother’s wish was for Mary to become an assertive woman which her father failed to fulfill.) Mary and Safie both chose to listen to the advice of their strong willed mothers presenting themselves as an opposite of passive women. The last similarity I noticed was that both women were strongly encouraged by their respective husbands. Felix symbolizes as a door of endless possibilities to Safie because he can offer her freedom she desperately wants. For instance, he encourages her freedom by helping her father escape prison so he can make her his bride. He even faces great dangers for Safie despite the devastating consequences he receives.  He further encourages Safie by persuading her to “learn their language” helping her to become an educated woman as well (105). Percy Shelley displays his great support by encouraging Mary to write the novel Frankenstein. Percy was well aware of Mary’s outstanding talent so he taught her that writing can be the means of expressing independence and creativity. Both Safie and Mary Shelley value feminism but the strong presence of men in their lives contributes to their self-discovery.

Frankenstein: A Revelation of Mary Shelley's Life

            Mary Shelley was born to the great writers, William Godwin and Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, which most likely gave her an innate skill for literature. She did indeed justify this assumption by releasing her book Frankenstein to the public. The novel Frankenstein was praised for its revelation on human nature such as unjust society, danger of knowledge, birth and creation and the overreacher. Some might wonder how a young woman could come up with such themes that still mystify and surprise readers. Fortunately, I believe I have the answer. A look into Mary Shelley’s life raises a great deal of connections between her and her famous novel.

                Mary Shelley’s birth serves as a connection to the theme of birth and creation. Mary Shelley’s mother died 11 days after the birth of Mary leaving her to lose an important female parental figure. Therefore, Mary Shelley seems to emphasize the significant role of women in the process of birth and creation. She reveals her admiration for a female parental figure when she describes Victor’s mother. Victor states that “my mother’s tender caresses and my father’s smile of benevolent nature pleasured while regarding, are my first recollections” (29). The admiring tone and diction of “my mother’s tender caresses” reflects Mary’s nostalgic emotions toward motherhood and quite possibly a yearning for a mother’s love (29). Also, she further romanticizes the role of a mother by depicting the death of Victor’s mother as pure and angelic. She states that Victor’s mom “died calmly and her countenance expressed affection even in death” (38). Maybe Shelley was imagining her own mother’s death which led her to incorporate an angelic tone in the depiction. Also, Shelley must have wanted to imagine her mother as a beautiful creature and not a woman who died so tragically. Shelley’s feelings towards her mother’s death is also portrayed in Victor’s quote “It is so long before the mind can persuade itself that she, whom we saw every day, and whose very existence appeared a part of our own, can have departed for ever -- that the brightness of beloved eye can have been extinguished, and the sound of a voice so familiar, and dear to the ear, can be hushed, never more to be heard” (39).  This quote is embodied with such passionate emotions of grief and sadness which most likely infers that Shelley was sharing her intimate feelings.

                Another vital person in Shelley’s life is her husband Percy Shelley who depicts the theme, overreacher. Here’s a brief story: Mary and Percy Shelley fell in love in 1814 despite the fact that Percy was already married. They went through great adversities such as estrangements from both parents, miscarriages, and the suicides of their loved ones. Anyhow, Percy is incorporated in the novel due to the fact that he is an overreacher. Percy first showed these tendencies when he secretly published a writing on atheism. In his writing, he berated God which was extremely radical in 19^th century England. What is ironic is that Mary implies in her novel that Victor’s attempt to play God is misguided when her own husband is condescending toward God. Most importantly, the death of Percy hints the consequences of being an overreacher. Percy drowned when his boat sunk during a storm which is coincidentally similar to Walton’s voyage. Percy was traveling to meet a fellow writer in order to establish a radical magazine which reflects his overbearing dreams and selfish tendencies as well.(He left Mary when she had just suffered a miscarriage) This strongly connects to Walton again since Walton abandons his family for a journey “to unexplored regions” (18). Finally, Mary reiterates her point by presenting herself as Margaret Saville in the hopes of cautioning readers of this theme. For instance, she states as Margaret that Walton’s enterprise is of “evil forebodings”.

            One must admit that Shelley has brilliantly incorporated herself in the novel in such a surreptitious way. Yet, the fact that Shelley’s life is reflected in this book is a sad reminder that she did not have a happy ending after all.

The Common Dilemma

Countless writers love to address the issue of society’s obsession with appearances. Even Abraham Lincoln states that “Character is like a tree and reputation its shadow. The shadow is what we think it is and the tree is the real thing.” So of course, a great writer like Mary Shelley brings up this point even from the beginning of her prominent novel Frankenstein.

It is evident that the creature in Frankenstein suffers from severe ostracism due to his “unusual appearance”. Every person he encounters runs away from fright or berates him when they behold his not-so-normal features. (He’s eight feet tall and made of decaying body parts!) One over-the-top reaction to the creature’s appearance comes ironically from his creator, Victor. Upon seeing the creation for the first time, Victor states that “breathless horror and disgust filled [his] heart” (Shelley 51).  What makes his reaction more dramatic is that he runs away from his own creation and falls into a “nervous fever, which confined [him] for several months” (55).From this, we can definitely infer that Victor is overreacting since the creature who had “a grin wrinkled [to] his cheeks” at that time obviously did not pose as a great danger (52). As a result of society’s unjust bias, the creature becomes isolated, spurned by the De Laceys and even gets shot for saving a girl’s life. All of these extreme events lead to the creature’s realization that he will be truly alone in this world. However, there is good news for the creature: he is not alone. There is a special individual who isolates himself to conceal his deformed face, The Phantom. 

            As many people know The Phantom is the main character of the famous book/musical The Phantom of the Opera. The Phantom serves as an epitome of an isolated being who is driven to “unconventional” acts. (I must admit that I am euphemizing his actions since most people consider his acts as insane.) One instance, he murders a man and displays his body in front of a crowd who were just simply trying to enjoy an opera! Yes, I’m not kidding but thankfully he too has a pretty good reason for his unscrupulous acts. The Phantom also known as Erik was born with a deformed face which even aroused disgust from his own mother. Like the creature, the Phantom is abandoned by his own parent and is led to believe that his appearance is of cursed ugliness” (Leroux). The Phantom faces even more adversities when he joins a circus. The circus takes advantage of the naïve Phantom and locks him in a cage where he is displayed to the audience. At the circus he is treated like an animal which destroys his self-esteem and his sense of morality. He eventually escapes the circus and makes the Paris Opera House his home fully aware that society will reject him. He creates a lair in the Opera House and conceals his face with a mask driving him into deeper isolation.

            Despite the revelation that the creature and the Phantom share the same dilemma, they are both destined to an unhappy ending. (The creature decides to kill himself and the Phantom is forced to let go of his love). Hence, it can be assumed that Shelley and Leroux employed these two characters to represent society’s unjust bias towards people who are simply different. Also, they are alluding to the assumption that this bias is a cycle of human nature since we are still cursed by this oppressing issue.