Poem Essay

Write an essay in which you compare your poem with one of the others on the adoption list.

The structure, the style, the devices used in two poems may not be identical, yet they may still be able to transmit the same message. The poems 'Working Together' and 'Everything is Going to be Alright,' are not composed in the same way, but they give off a message of hope, of optimism, and of working together to accomplish great things. There are obvious differences within the two, but both authors speak about bettering ourselves, bettering our world, and bettering our perspective.

'Everything is Going to be Alright' written by Derek Mahon emits the message of hope, even when things get difficult and dark. It transmits the idea that obstacles should not impede brighter days. This poem asks one to forget the bad, to focus purely on the good and move forward. This poem tells us that "the sun rises in spite of everything," it tells us that we should rise as well, that we should look for the bit of good in all the bad, and that we should always have hope. The sun always rises, therefore hope must never cease to exist. The poem continually delivers the message that one should "lie here in a riot of sunlight," letting the sun shine into every crevice of our life, allow the good to be the main prospect of life, allow happiness to prevail, no matter the circumstances.

Working together and having hope for a better world and a better 'us' are the main themes depicted in the poem 'Working Together' by David Whyte. We must work for the common cause of creating and finding our individuality. The poem hopes that we will find the "true shape of our own self." The poem states the optimism in one day stopping the cycle of individuals conforming to the world, then being shaped once again by the world. The optimistic perspective goes as far as to hope that every person will be formed, regardless of the shaping going on around them.

(To be continued...)

Remix of a Poem

Our remix can be found here. We all contributed pictures for the post, and the song (Bob Marley- Three Little Birds) was agreed upon during class.

Group: Yesenia, Jisu, Millicent, Edgar, Sophia and Lupita Pliego

Introduction to Poetry

Everything's Going to be Alright - Derek Mahon

 How should I not be glad to contemplate
the clouds clearing beyond the dormer window
and a high tide reflected on the ceiling?
There will be dying, there will be dying,
but there is no need to go into that.
The poems flow from the hand unbidden
and the hidden source is the watchful heart;
the sun rises in spite of everything
and the far cities are beautiful and bright.
I lie here in a riot of sunlight
watching the day break and the clouds flying.
Everything is going to be all right.

 

 

 

Questions:

1. What is the significance of the title? The title explains what the entire poem is going to be about, speaks for itself. The title is partially the poem's theme. 
2. What is the tone of the poem? The tone is happy, optimistic, prosperous even.
3. What is your mood as you read it? Gives a sense of calm, motivation to keep going, hopeful.
4. Is there a Shift?  Where?  From what to what? Yes, there is a shift found in these lines: "There will be dying, there will be dying,/but there is no need to go into that." Before this point the poem is questioning, unsure, but after these two lines, the poem seems confident that things will be okay.
5. What is the theme of the poem? Everything's going to be alright. Facing reality in a positive way, with a positive perspective. 

Group: Yesenia, Jisu, Millicent, Edgar, and Sophia

Hamlet Essay

In an essay that demonstrates your wild brilliance and for Pete's sake avoids plot summary at all costs, please explain how this quote (To thine own self be true) contributes to your understanding of the tone and theme of Hamlet.  Specifically: Which character speaks the line/s?  At what point in the play/plot?  How do the words affect the character's own understanding, the other characters' understandings (if applicable), and the audience's understanding?  Top shelf responses will include definitions of these literary elements, demonstrated understanding of the play's central message, tone, and characterization, and application of the concept of Performative Utterance.

"To thine own self be true"

 

 

"To thine own self be true," a phrase that was derived from the play Hamlet, a phrase that has gained mass popularity in the last years, now means more to hundreds of people than it did to whom it was spoken to. The phrase spoken by Polonius was directed at his son Laertes in the play as last minute advice before his son departs on a trip. It is the last, and most pertinent piece of advice Polonius delivers, following up with "And it must follow, as the night the day,/Thou canst not then be false to any man." This phrase, however, also affects other characters, as well as audiences (even today's readers), and aids in setting the tone and theme for this tragic play.

Laertes himself is quite unaffected by the advice his father prompts. What Polonius means by his famous line was that Laertes live up to his name, to not go around doing what he usually does, and act decent. Polonius himself has described his son as a gambler, someone who will borrow money and not pay back, someone who will act as a man with word of honor, yet never have the decency to actually act with honor. Laertes is never true to his name, he is although, true to the identity he has given himself with his actions, and true to his reputation. At the end of the play, when fighting for his father is where he becomes true to himself, the way his father truly wished, he fights for his name, he fights for the honor of his family. What Polonius intended to do was create a locutionary force,  by hoping that his son will remain true and not tarnish their last name, the desired perlocutionary action from Laertes.

Hamlet, although not having been given the advice in the same words, is also told by the ghost to not lose himself, to not lose his head. Unlike Laertes, he actually tries to follow this advice throughout the play, and constantly struggles. Was he himself when he pretended to act mad, did he portray his true self according to others? Was he true to himself when he failed to avenge his father's death? Or when he lost the kindness he used to show Ophelia, the love of his life, was he true then? Hamlet purposefully struggles with being true to others, but he knows who he is. Many readers now attempt to do just that, to be true to themselves, not worrying about how they are seen by others. "To thine own self be true," a phrase that most people wish to apply to their own lives. The audience at the time of Shakespeare may have missed the importance of this line, but generations now have definitely picked up its meaning and have run with it. Many readers attempt to apply this famous phrase to their individual lives, and even attempt to live by it. If this phrase was typed into a search engine millions of 'tumblr' accounts, countless posts, and a multitude of profiles would appear, all advertising this little Shakespeare-ian saying. The phrase has had an immense impact on many readers, and even people who have not had the opportunity to read the play in its entirety.

The tone, as set forth by the author seems vengeful, depressing, and yet questioning. The quote helps Shakespeare and the play set forth a more understanding tone, as though the play itself is seeking vengeance, and questioning everything that occurred in young Hamlet's life, yet it asks of Hamlet and Laertes to remain conscious, to avoid transforming into something dreadful because of the murder of their fathers.  The theme returns to the forces of locutionary, illocutionary, and perlocutionary and the complexity of words and actions. The theme is set forth by the countless phrases Hamlet disguises with double meanings, and the fact that his words make others believe things, such as him being lunatic, and his actions only add to the complexity that he is. His words, his actions, they all remain true to the character that Hamlet is.

"To thine own self be true," many wish to live by this, and Polonius only wished his son would. The quote affects more than just the characters, adding a second dimension to the tone. The entirety of Hamlet encompasses the complexity of actions and words, easily seen with many pairs of characters such as, Polonius and Laertes, Polonius and Ophelia, Hamlet and his father, etc. etc. Be true to yourself, to your name, to who you are, the best advice Polonius could deliver to his son.

Hamlet Notes ~ Act V Scene II

Scene II:

• (Hamlet tells about how he escaped and is now back) > found Claudius' commissionaire (the one that told the English to kill Hamlet) and forged a new one
• New commissionaire > instead of killing Hamlet, kill Rosencrantz and Guildenstern > "He should the bearers put to sudden death."
• Hamlet finally realizes the distress, his once friend, Laertes must be under > wants to explain the situation to him > Hamlet does not know how far off Laertes is
• Osric > hat situation > stuck between showing respect for Hamlet as prince, or following orders from Hamlet as prince ~> REAL MISSION: invite Hamlet to his death, to the fencing match
• Hamlet agrees, casually, knowing that Claudius has placed a bet on him> then has second thoughts knowing that his relationship with Laertes is not good at this time > Horatio wants to say Hamlet is sick > Hamlet tells him to "let it gooo"
• King, Queen, attendants come in with Laertes
• Hamlet shakes hands with Laertes and apologizes, blames his "madness" for his action > Laertes accepts but says he wants to defend his honor
• Hamlet does not check the protection on the swords, accepting any, while Laertes makes sure he gets the correct one > Claudius setting up the backup plan: says he will drink to Hamlet
• They battle, Hamlet being a better fencer > Claudius throws the poisoned pearl in Hamlet's cup and tells him to drink for the two matches he has won, Hamlet refuses and instead Gertrude drinks
• Claudius did not intend to stop Gertrude from drinking, allowed her to swallow her death
• Laertes takes advantage of the moment that Gertrude wipes Hamlet's brow to stab him > Hamlet takes his sword and repays him the cut
• Gertrude collapses and admits it was the drink > Laertes also confesses about the poisoned sword, blaming the King
• Hamlet attacks the King, wounds him and forces him to drink the poison
• In their final minutes Laertes and Hamlet forgive each other
• Hamlet stops Horatio from drinking the poison (BRAVE, unlike Claudius), and tells him that he wants his story to be told
• Fortinbras returning from his victory in Poland > Hamlet says he will probably (should be) King
• Horatio is to tell Fortinbras what occurred
• Horatio tells Fortinbras to put the bodies high on a stage > Fortinbras agrees to pay Hamlet the highest tribute, that of a soldier, cannons to be shot off

Hamlet Notes ~ Act V Scene I

Scene I:

• "to act, to do, to perform"
• clowns - dig so many graves that they are accustomed to it and can make jokes about it and death
• "Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio: a fellow/ of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy:"
• Laertes > says Ophelia will go to Heaven, while Priest is condemned to Hell (Priest was not allowing Ophelia to be buried on holy ground because of her assumed suicide)
• Hamlet (watching from afar) is shocked to see that the grave is for Ophelia (who he actually DID love) > jumps into the grave along with Laertes and begin to fight