Prompt:
The following two poems are about Helen of Troy. Renowned in the ancient world
for her beauty, Helen was the wife of Menelaus, a Greek King. She was carried
off to Troy by
the Trojan prince Paris, and her abduction was the immediate cause of the
Trojan War. Read the two poems carefully. Considering such elements as speaker,
diction, imagery, form, and tone, write a well-organized essay in which you
contrast the speakers’ views of Helen.
"To Helen" by Edgar Allan Poe conveys a
positive feeling about the goddess, Helen. His use of language was different
than H.D., who conveyed Helen as a hated figure. Poe uses literary techniques
to show that Helen is a goddess, but on the other hand, H.D. uses demeaning
language as a way to show that Helen is in fact a figure that all of Greece
hate.
In both of the poems, the use of diction and imagery was
effective in portraying what the poets wanted to tell about Helen. Poe diction
and imagery was very glorifying towards Helen, and he used words such as “holy”,
“beauty”, and “grandeur” to describe the goddess. Poe shows the reader of a
side of Helen that is beautiful and perfect by saying that Helen compares to
the most wonderful things in life. Contrast to Poe, H.D.’s diction in his poem
conveys Helen more as a demonic character than a wonderful goddess. H.D. uses
words like “white face” and “funeral” to describe Helen. The imagery that H.D.
utilizes shows Helen as a dank being. Having the beauty of cold feet and the
slenderest knees, Helen is portrayed in a negative sense.
Poe’s tone toward Helen is loving, and the audience can
clearly see that Poe’s tone is almost revering of Helen. When Poe uses words
like “beauty” and “holy”, it gives Helen a sense of wonder and love. Contrary
to Poe, H.D.’s tone towards Helen is more of disgust. Using diction like “cold”
and “reviles”, H.D. negatively portrays Helen and gives the goddess a feeling
of disdain.
Poe and H.D. both differ greatly in their depictions of
Helen. Poe’s “To Helen” gives the goddess a sense of glory and wonder; however,
H.D.’s “Helen” makes the goddess an antagonist to Greece. Through the use of diction,
tone, and imagery, both poets show Helen in different perspectives.
1970 Poem: “Elegy for Jane” (Theodore Roethke)
Prompt: Write an essay in which you describe the speaker's
attitude toward his former student, Jane.
In “Elegy for Jane”, Roethke’s
attitude for his former student Jane is of caring and love. Jane’s death has
made Roethke emotional state become unstable. The poem shows how Jane is a
subject of Roethke’s care and love, and because of her death, he is emotionally
hurt.
In “Elegy
for Jane” Roethke’s attitude towards Jane is one of love. He has fallen in love
with his student, and since this is shunned upon in society, his attitude is
also slightly angry. Roethke says, “If only I could nudge you from this sleep,
my maimed darling, my skittery pigeon. Over this damp grave I speak the words
of my love” which shows that Roethke fell in love with his student so much that
he would want to bring her back from the dead. But he is angry because he has
no rights to that love since he is not a father or a lover. Roethke’s nostalgic
memories of Jane show that he cared for Jane, and eventually fell in love with
his student.
“Elegy for
Jane” was Roethke’s inner emotions about his former student. His attitude in
the poem was love and care for a dead student that he had feelings of love for.
However, Roethke also had a slight hatred for her as well because of the fact that
he didn’t get to legally love her. Overall the attitude of Roethke towards Jane
is love.
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