Hello
Friends,
This blog is a part of my classroom
activity given below:
Let us see
first....what is Modernism?
"Modernism”
refers to the collective literary trend in the early twentieth century. The
early-twentieth century writers broke up the traditional way of writing.
Though it
was an age of many inventions, there is darker side of the picture too. This
dark side was captured in literature as well.
Characteristics of Modernist
Literature:-
* Complexity
in structure
*
Fragmentation
* Use of
Negative words
*
Experimentation with language and form
* Use of
allusions and paradoxes
* Use of
myth and classical references
* Isolation
* Brokenness
*
Nothingness
*
Disinterested
*
Disillusionment
* Effects of
war
* Sexual
perversion and spiritual degradation
* Art for
Life's Sake
Here are
some interesting short poems.
Let us analyse and identify modernist metaphors/symbols/images from the
given poems:-
1.) ‘The Embankment‘- T. E. Hulme
Once, in finesse of fiddles found I ecstasy,
In a flash of gold heels on the hard pavement.
Now see I
That warmth’s the very stuff of poesy.
Oh, God, make small
The old star-eaten blanket of the sky,
That I may fold it round me and in comfort lie.
This poem
can be connected with one of universal human laws "Nostalgia is very powerful". The analysis of this short poem
available on the internet says “The Embankment is about the fantasia of a
fallen gentleman on a cold butter night".
The phrases
like 'hard pavement’, ' star-eaten blanket' reflects the harshness of life seen
by poet. Star is a symbol of brightness and success but here it denotes a
negative meaning.
2.)
"Darkness" - Joseph Campbell
Darkness
I stop
to watch a star shine
in the
boghole -
A star
no longer, but a silver
ribbon
of light.
I look
at it and pass on.
The title
itself reflects the dark shade. Darkness gives us an image of downfall. 'Star' is a symbol of prosperity and brightness
means that there was some goodness in civilization but now it's all dark.
If anyone looks
at the stars, he or she will sit and admire the beauty of the night, but here
post just looks at it and passes on. This reflects the disinterestedness
prevalent in modern times. How
modernists were not interested in the so-called brightness of the Victorian age
can be seen here. The decayed condition of the civilization is presented.
3.) 'Image' - Edward
Storer
Forsaken lovers,
Burning
to a chaste white moon
Upon
strange Pyres of loneliness and
drought.
The
'Forsaken lovers' (people of civilization) are burning. Here 'Burning' gives
various meanings. Burning with lust, isolation, so-called ideal thoughts of the
Victorians etc. This poem reflects the disillusionment and the brokenness of
civilization especially after the World war.
This poem
can also be connected to one of the Universal Human Laws
‘Fatal
Love and Inevitable Death'
4.) "In a station
of the Metro" - Ezra Pound
The apparition of these faces in the
Crowd;
Petals
on a wet, black bough
The title of
the poem itself gives an image of the mechanism of life. The lifeless people
going for the daily routine. The crowd of people are like living dead. Going
for work without any enthusiasm. 'Petals' is used as metaphor for people and
'black bough' for a culture of living dead.
5.) 'The Pool' - Hilda
Doolittle
Are you alive?
I touch
you
You
quiver trembling like a sea-fish
I cover
you with my net
What are
you- banded one?
The title '
The pool' gives us an image of stored water. Water symbolizes purity and
rebirth. Here water is in pool it's not flowing which symbolises the rottenness
of the civilization.
This poem
reflects the lifelessness in the people who are lost in the monotonous life
like a ' fish caught in net'.
Similar lines
can be found in the poem "The Wasteland" by T.S.Eliot -
"Are
you alive or not?
Is
there nothing in your head?" - Part 2
6.) "Insouciance" – Richard
Aldington
In and out of the dreary trenches
Trudging
cheerily under the stars
I make
for myself little poems
Delicate
as a flock of doves
They fly
away like white-winged
Doves.
This poem
has many contrasting images. 'Dreary trenches' is used as a metaphor for the
ups and downs of life. The words like 'Trudging' and 'cheerily' gives
contrasting meaning. These words give the image of life where we are doing many
things unwillingly. Last two lines gives another dual image, 'flock of doves'
symbolises brightness while 'white-winged dove' symbolises aggressiveness. The
writer looks at the ups and downs of life and specially downfall of the
humanity during the war. He is not willing to live in the atmosphere around him
but he HAS to. Thus he becomes a small poem which shows the so-called
brightness and his aggressiveness to be free from this hypocrite society.
7.) Morning at the
Window - T. S. Eliot
They are rattling breakfast plates in basement
kitchens,
And along the trampled edges of the street
I am aware of the damp souls of housemaid
Sprouting despondently at area gates.
The brown waves of fog toss up to me
Twisted faces from the bottom of the street,
And tear from a passer-by with muddy skirts
An aimless smile that hovers in the air
And vanishes
along the level of the roofs.
Compared to Romanticists,
its language & selection of word is totally different.
The word
'Rattling' means vibrating, shaking plates and 'Damp' means in low spirits from
loss of hope or courage.
Their soul
has become like Damp; lifeless.
'Fog' is
also negative word; it doesn't allow you to see the things clearly.
'Twisted
faces' also connotes negative sides
'tear' ,
'Muddy skirt', 'Aimless smile'
Most of the
words are negative. This poem gives images and symbols of the dead spirit in
people, doing everything aimlessly. Death of spirit can be seen.
8.) The Red Wheelbarrow
-William Carlos Williams
so much depends
upon
a red wheel
barrow
glazed with
rain
water
beside the white
chicken.
It's a quite
confusing poem. Generally ‘wheelbarrow’ means a small cart with a single wheel
at the front and two supporting legs and two handles at the rear, used
typically for carrying loads in building work or grad. Here poets put the word separately
which gives a different meaning. Barrow alone means an ancient burial mound.
Again the words 'rain' and 'water' also symbolises positive and negative. The
colours 'red' and 'white' are used in dual way. It makes the poem difficult in
understanding.
By reference
reading it can be said that the poem is for some child who is dying.
9.) Anecdote of the
Jar- Wallace Stevens
I placed a jar in Tennessee,
And round it was, upon a hill.
It made the slovenly wilderness
Surround that hill.
The wilderness rose up to it,
And sprawled around, no longer wild.
The jar was round upon the ground
And tall and of a port in air.
It took dominion everywhere.
The jar was gray and bare.
It did not give of bird or bush,
Like nothing else in Tennessee.
This title
lets us know that this poem will be about a jar. It may be an allusion also.
When we refer to the word 'Tennessee' it is connected with a state. It may be an
open related to this place.
The 'Jar'
symbolises the state which was a simple jar handled by any hand and later
become independent. Poem can be seen as a small story of the ‘Jar’; the state
of Tennessee.
10.) ‘l (a‘- E. E. Cummings
l(a... (a leaf falls on loneliness)
l(a
le
af
fa
ll
s)
one
l
iness
It is a very
cleverly arranged poem. It means a leaf fall on loneliness. 'Loneliness' shows
the sense of depression prevalent in Europe during 90s. The word 'fall'
suggests fall of civilization and fall of spirituality. How a tree becomes
barren when the last leaf falls, same is reflected here. Loss of hope can be
also seen. In few words the poet has said so much.
It also
symbolises inevitable death.
Modernist
literature is complex and hard to understand. The point is the modernist writers
intentionally choose language which is not easily comprehensible by average
reader.
(Refer to
Bloomsbury group that if reader wants to understand us, they've to raise their
level)
Still need
to raise my level to understand the deep meaning hidden in the modernist
literature.
Here are
some of my interpretations. Suggestions and opinions are welcome.
Hope you
enjoy reading!!!
Thank you
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