Eternity In The Elegy The Seafarer English Literature Essay

Eternity In The Elegy The Seafarer English Literature Essay The elegy usually contains a story, not too often a personal one that expresses the implied authors woeful state of mind. As a formal poetic convention it is used by poets to capture the mood of sadness and sorrow caused by a personal loss or a state of affairs that is outside the reach of the protagonists influence. This is a somewhat simplistic account which understates the subtleties of the development of the elegy but its briefness is intentional for the purpose of this essay we need to note that the elegy as a poetic form is governed by the idea of lamentation. The Anglo-Saxon poem The Seafarer thus falls conveniently in such a description of form. But it is remarkable how the poem initiates its story as a conventional elegy and it subsequently develops into a theological didacticism. The first-person narrative of the seaman lamenting his life at sea gives way to a religious admonition which gives the poem a feeling of incongruity and can lead one to believe that the second par t could have been added at later stages. Although, on close reading the links between the seamans insistence on lifes transience in the first part and his subsequent emphasis on eternity in the second can be made obvious and serve to compound the poem into a structural and thematic whole. The first half of The Seafarers story illustrates the protagonist as a lonely figure dwelling more among arctic creatures than among his fellow kinsmen. He emphasizes his loneliness with a juxtaposition between the realms of men and the ones of nature: At times the swans song I took to myself as pleasure, The Gannets noise and the voice of curlew instead of the laughter of men, The singing gull instead of the drinking of mead. (lines 19b 22) But nature itself is not a pure source of comfort as the above lines may suggest for she throws snow and hail and wind at his vessel and at such times no cheerful kinsman can comfort the poor soul (ll. 25b 26). It is an excursion through a hostile environment which is credited with being close to a peregrination, a journey of physical and spiritual endurance, as the protagonist confesses a path of exile. It should be noted that it is an intentional one. We read of him being physically on land but somewhat sea-restless, with his thoughts and heart still following the sea, desiring the moment when he would set off to meet the homelands of foreign people. The cuckoo warns with a sad voice (line 53) but still the seaman is eager to leave. The idea of the sea journey in the first half of the poem as peregrination, albeit a bit too subtle and only hinted at, is one of the links that provide continuity and coherence with the seemingly incongruent second part of the elegy. The seamans story develops structurally through an intense usage of oppositions. His narrative leaps back and forth from ship to land, sustaining the clash between the loneliness of the sea and the joys of the land. With the development of the poem, the opposition sea-land is given the overtone of a value judgment, bordering with a revelation acquired from the wisdom of seafaring. That one who has been distanced from the land is able to realize the temporariness of his or her life, and the futility of amassing treasures. The worldly preoccupations of the inhabitants on land are equated with futility, aimlessness, devoid of any governing idea whereas the life at sea is the antipode the source of the semi-spiritual revelation. The one on land has the joys of life, dwells in the city, Far from terrible journey, proud and wanton with wine. (lines 27a 29a) and he gives little credit to: how I, weary, often have had to endure in the sea-paths (lines 29b 30b) The juxtaposition between these two verbs is more than stylistical. For it serves to support the overall opposition between land/sea: the inhabitants of land are capable of actually living in an intoxicated conceit while the seafarer has to bear the troubles of his journey. In a metonymic succession, the seaman declares himself heedless to the worldly occupations: Not for him [the seaman] is the sound of the harp, nor the giving of rings nor pleasure in woman, nor worldly glory nor anything at all unless the tossing of the waves, but he always has longing, he who strives on the waves. (lines 44a 47b) In my reading, the striving for the waves is a metaphoric enunciation of the credo of the pilgrim. The sea is the half-spiritual journey that enlightens one into seeing the transience of life on earth. For everything, as the seafarer declares, always and invariably à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ will turn into uncertainty and man is, as much he surround him or herself with worldly goods, doomed to die. Earthly prosperity is transitory, life itself is only a short burst of existence and it is futile for one to account for his life with the accumulation of material goods. Up to this moment the elegy is a somewhat traditional one, in that it present the lamentation of a single character over a troublesome state of affairs, in the case of The Seafarer, a semi-spiritual state of affairs. But with a powerful enunciation of his disbelief of the worlds stability: I do not believe that the riches of the world will stand forever. (lines 66b 67b) the protagonist launches into a religious monologue in which he expounds his ideas of how one should live and act after knowing of his temporariness. At this textual moment, the poem perceptibly shifts from a heroic elegy to a didactic-theological one. The core that holds together the poem is the opposition in the first part land/sea now evolved into transient/eternal and the feeling of melancholy. Indeed hotter for me are the joys of the Lord Than this dead life fleeting on the ground (lines 64b 66a) What would then give joy and substance to ones life on earth so that it does merely fleet, or drag itself into death? The seaman passionately states that work, bravery, courage, which eventually inflame the power of his fame, might lead one to a communion with the glory of the angels, joy with the hosts. In a telling parallel, the glory of life in eternity will come when the glory of kingdoms once powerful will set. The second part of The Seafarer is clearly more symbolically construed and the image of the kingdoms, I suspect, stands for the demise in importance of worldly values. So do the implicit pagan references in the image of the burial lined with gold and a mass of treasure for all of those are no longer of value in the eternal. Thus the road to eternity is illustrated as lined not with gold but with a balance in ones life, control of his passions, and wisdom in his relationships all spiritual, metaphysical categories. The poem shows how the transience of life could be counte racted by following a series of semi-commandments (for all their rhetorical might they are still subjective, expressed through the viewpoint of the narrator-protagonist) that would lead into a blessed state of affairs in which ones life is belonging à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ in the love of the Lord, joy in the heavens (lines 121a 122b). The insecurity of a life on earth, with all its materials transient and mortal, is transformed through a theological didacticism into a security in the eternal. The Seafarer is at first a sight an inconsistent poem with two delineated parts that are somewhat incongruous with each other. But the opposition sea/land which promotes the idea of a solitary, melancholic journey evolves into a metaphysical opposition between transitory/eternal and thus is one of the brinks that bind the poem together. The idea of a pilgrimage in the first part is consistent with the religious overtones of the second and thus unites both of them into a textual unity that serves to promote a vision and philosophy of a life in a world marked by transience. The relation between the lamentation and the obvious didacticism fits loosely within the convention of the elegy but poem is held together by the interplay of recurrent, yet evolving oppositions and by the sincere authority of the protagonist himself. Work cited: 1. The Seafarer

How does Hill present childish behaviour in I’m the King of the Castle? Essay

Hill presents childish behaviour through the use of dialogue, description and structure. She highlights that childish behaviour is a characteristic of adults, as well as the children. There are numerous examples of childish behaviour throughout the novel, for example when Hooper and Kingshaw fight over a toy, or when Hooper soils himself. One way in which Hill presents childish behaviour is after an incident where Hooper and Kingshaw are fighting over a toy fort: during that fracas Kingshaw chants â€Å"It’s mine, it’s mine!†, Hills use of dialogue is interesting here because the use of a tri colon not only emphasises the intensity of Kingshaw’s emotional reaction, (furthered by the fact he is fighting over a toy) but also echoes that chant like whines of small children. The importance of this line is signalled through the use of italics, which suggests that there is a degree of stress on Kingshaw whilst he speaks, again like a child. Another way that Hill explores childishness in the novel is through her description of Hooper soiling himself: Hill describes a â€Å"dark damp stain† of pee in the groin of Hooper’s jeans†. Hills use of the word â€Å"stain† portrays an image of dirt and even disease to the reader, the reader is hence disgusted. Furthermore the reader can perceive the word â€Å"pee† to relate towards a lack of control, like a child. What is interesting to note is that the word â€Å"pee† is highlighted before the more scientific word â€Å"groin†, this highlights Kingshaw’s childish nature. This quote fits in the context of this novel because it is based upon power struggles between two children; Hill exposes the fact that although Hooper is initially presented as a powerful figure, he is still a child. Finally Hill not only presents the children in I’m the King of the Castle as childish, but also presents the adults as childish. It can be argued that when Mrs Helena Kingshaw â€Å"felt a little ashamed of not wanting to take Charles with her†- she is behaving in a childish manner. Hill uses the words â€Å"not wanting† to portray Mrs Kingshaw as a selfish individual, oblivious of her sons’ needs; this is arguably a childish quality. Hill’s use of juxtaposition highlights the phrase â€Å"not wanting†, her selfish qualities prioritise over that of her own son: this is especially self, and comparable to little children. Mrs Kingshaw also displays a lack of empathy, as shown in the previous quote: young children also have a lack of empathy until they grow older, and hence this quality is a childish quality. In conclusion Hill presents childishness or immaturity in the novel through her use of dialogue, description and structure. Hill emphasises childish behaviour that is associated between Hooper and Kingshaw, but also points out the adults are equally susceptible to such behaviour. Perhaps she is criticising parenting styles to show the reader the negative impact it can have on children. Her use of parallel structure is also ironic as it suggests that such negative qualities are passed on through generations. However, the parallel structure can also be reparative and predictable at times.

The Guidance of a Government Essay - 1018 Words

People have their own perspective of a government that they envision for their people. Thomas Jefferson has been the president of the United States and ruled under a monarch. Jefferson couldn’t tolerate the abuse from a monarch, so he rebelled against the British crown. In 1776, Thomas Jefferson wrote The Declaration of Independence, and declared the colonies were free from British rule. Before he became the author of The Declaration of Independence, Jefferson was established â€Å" as an ardent republican and revolutionary† (Jacobus 77). Jacobus states Jefferson is, â€Å"one of the most versatile Americans of any generation† (Jacobus 78). In The Declaration of Independence, Jefferson and the founding fathers envisioned a government that would†¦show more content†¦If the laws were broken by the people, then they would be able to have a fair trial where justice would be serviced. The government has the obligation to implicate fair laws and a justice syst em to their citizens. When a fair justice system is in place, it assures the people that the government will provide them with equity and due process in their legal system. When there is civil laws people might not be satisfied with their judgment, but there is a perception of fairness. On the contrary, King George III abolished a free system of English Laws by uniting the colonies to introduce an absolute rule (82). Jefferson had an opposed view that the citizens must have fair laws that keep them safe and secure. A government shouldn’t have absolute rule over the people because with absolute rule of the people, the people won’t be free. Furthermore, Jefferson claims, â€Å" A price, whose character is thus marked by every act which many define a Tyrant, is unfit to be ruler of a free people† (81). Under a democrat government the people can’t be ruled under a tyrant or unfit ruler. When there is an unfit ruler, the people fear the ruler and injustice sys tem, and the people can’t petition their government with fear of punishment and retribution. People need the government to guide and control them; for they can have freedom. The people need the government to direct and advised them, which will allow them to furish in a free society. Additionally,Show MoreRelatedCypop2-6.1 Plan Meals for Young Children That Meet Their Nutritional Needs Based on Current Government Guidance and Information from Carers.1670 Words   |  7 PagesCYPOP2-6.1 Plan meals for young children that meet their nutritional needs based on current government guidance and information from carers. Studies have documented that schedules and routines influence children’s emotional, cognitive, and social development. Predictable and consistent schedules in preschool classrooms help children feel secure and comfortable. Also, schedules and routines help children understand the expectations of the environment and reduce the frequency of behaviour problemsRead MoreState Governments Are Generally Immune From Antitrust Lawsuits807 Words   |  4 Pages State governments are generally immune from antitrust lawsuits. The United States Supreme Court in a landmark case, Parker v. Brown, decided that antitrust laws are not meant to stop state governments from regulating the industries and markets in their states. The Court held that as long as the antitrust conduct was the result of the State exercising its power as a sovereign, then the state would receive immunity from antitrust law. Thus, after Parker, the test for immunity centered on whetherRead MoreAntitrust Laws Of The Sherman Act And The Ftc Act1386 Words   |  6 Pagesreward plaintiffs, which win their claims, attorney fees. State Immunity from Antitrust Law When are States Immune? State governments and their subsidies, such as agencies or elected officials, are generally immune from antitrust lawsuits. The United States Supreme Court in a landmark case, Parker v. Brown, decided that antitrust laws are not meant to stop state governments from regulating the industries and markets in their states. The Court held that as long as the antitrust conduct was theRead MoreMonetary Policy: The Forward Guidance Rationale1556 Words   |  6 Pages The Forward Guidance Rationale Forward Guidance is an unconventional monetary policy used by the central bank to provide path for future interest rates to individuals and businesses. Recently, the Bank of England has adopted this policy. In this essay, we will explain the rationale behind the use of this policy with the help of IS-LM model along with AD-AS model. The IS-LM model explains the relationship between interest and income level and changes in equilibrium level throughRead MoreThe Lessons Of The Depression1035 Words   |  5 Pagesinterest rates. Then, as rates approached the zero lower bound, central banks began to use a wide range of less conventional tools, including forward guidance and operations to alter the scale and composition of their balance sheets, also known as quantitative easing. This paper will discuss and analyze how quantitative easing and forward guidance were implemented in the United States after the financial crisis and I will argue that both of these policies’ effectiveness is directly correlated withRead MoreThe Counter-Insurgency Strategy Essay938 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The hearts and mind (HAM) theory is identified as winning the hearts and minds of the population which is a technique based on the implementation of the counter-insurgency (COIN) strategy of persuading the population to support the government and reject the insurgents.† The counter-insurgency (COIN) strategy as outlined by President Obama and General Petraeus’s most closely embrace is the heart and minds (HAM) theory. President Obama speech identified the United States strategic approach with AfghanistanRead MoreThe Social Theory Of Sociology1476 Words   |  6 Pagesthe social structure of the wider world helps to understand the impact of economic and political conditions. Sociology has a profound association with social policies, as the findings and data collected by sociologists are one of the factors the government carefully considers when constructing a socia l policy. Alcock (2008) defines social policy as an academic subject, which studies social policies, as well as a term which refers to actions taken inside society to meet the needs and address the issuesRead MoreTaking a Look at Forward Guidance1243 Words   |  5 PagesThe Governor of the Bank of England Mark Carney implemented a strategy called ‘forward guidance’. He does not want high interest rate until the unemployment rate has fallen to 7%or below and the criteria including a quantitative project of inflation should be less than 2.5% in the medium term. The theory of forward guidance is actually a promise of future interest rate set by the central bank. It has been an important part of monetary policy; so it said to rescue UK economy by apply this policy.Read MoreHow Can We Make Our Economy And Fund Our Tourism?1297 Words   |  6 Pages How can we make our economy and fund our tourism? To the citizens of Utah County, the local Government is one of the keys to tourism development. I think there should be a law enacted stating that the local government needs to fund tourism as well as keep it in good condition. Allow me to illustrate this point by showing the role s local government plays within the community, and the importance it has in creating a successfully developed tourism product. A successful tourism product should maximizeRead MoreThe Financial Crisis Of The United Kingdom And The World1341 Words   |  6 Pageslargest mortgage and savings provider in the UK. BODY UK economy has a heavy dependence on the finance sector and therefore the initial recession hit the economy hard. Following the financial crisis a wide range of measures have been taken by the government of UK and the bank of England. The fiscal stimulus during the recession of 2008-2009 has been followed by a deficit reduction. The various policies introduced have affected different segments of the society in different ways. The macroeconomic policies

The Black Panther Party For Self Defense - 1719 Words

The Black Panther Party for Self-Defense recognized what they needed. They were youthful. They were dark. They couldn t be overlooked. Their ten-point stage was only the start of an exceptional period in the historical backdrop of this current country s social liberties development. By 1967 the Black Panthers had set up themselves as a power to be figured with. Theeir thoughts, their plan, their battle for equity for African Americans, put these candid youth on the guide of American legislative issues. (Haskins) Almost 40 years back, in 1966, Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale drove a transformation that was driven in light of the mistreatment of dark individuals. They tried to change that. Today, on account of their battle for social liberties, great dangers, and advancement of social needs, individuals around the globe can appreciate some of their adjustments, for example, free breakfast programs. The development and developments of the Black Panther Party were coordinated by the F.B.I , who tried to cut each gathering part down; and additionally their radical organizations together, for example, The Resistance, (which fueled the resurrection of the gathering amid tough times), and the courageous ladies who joined the gathering, for example, Afeni Shakur, defended their rights in a period in which Americas looked down on ladies as not as much as equivalents helped their cause. The first Black Panther Party had six individuals, and developed to thousands everywhereShow MoreRelatedThe Black Panther Party For Self Defense1199 Words   |  5 PagesIn October 1966, Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale founded the Black Panther Party for Self Defense and soon thereafter drafted the Ten Point Platform which drove the ambitions of the party. Each point was meant to rectify one of the oppressive actions suffered by black communities nationwide but all boiled down in to the tenth point: â€Å"We want land, bread, housing, education, clothing, justice.† The platform established the organization as one dedicated to changing the community rather than the systemRead MoreThe Black Panther Party For Self Defense1652 Words   |  7 PagesHuey Newton and Bobby Seale founded the Black Panthers Party for self-defense. In finding the Black Panther Party, Newton and Seale based the ideas and visions on the works of Malcolm X, a prominent figure in the Civil Rights movemen t, who had a â€Å"by any means necessary attitude†. â€Å"Malcolm had represented both a militant revolutionary, with the dignity and self-respect to stand up and fight to win equality for all oppressed minorities. Once they created the group Newton and Seale organized a missionRead MoreEssay on The Black Panther Party for Self Defense 1598 Words   |  7 PagesThe Black Panther Party for Self Defense was the most significant activist group during the Civil Rights Movement Era. It was founded in Oakland, California by Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale in October of 1966. The Black Panthers Party was founded to fight for and protect the rights of African Americans. Believing that the approach Martin Luther King Jr. was expressing would take too long, the approach Black Panther Party took was more along the lines of Malcolm X more aggressive theories ratherRead MoreThe Boycott Of The Montgomery Buses And The Court Case Brown Vs. Board Of Education1609 Words   |  7 Pagessim ilar protest were beginning in thirty one cities and seven southern states† (â€Å"The Greensboro Sit-in’s†). Black and white protestors at Woolworth’s in Jackson Mississippi were thrown out of the diners. Although the police arrested over a thousand people, the sit in’s often resulted in success. The 1960’s is where we see the rise of a new group called the Black Panther Party of Self-defense and the change in tactics during protests for African Americans in America. The non-violence led to increasedRead MoreThe Black Panthers1465 Words   |  6 PagesThe Black Panthers [also known as] (The Black Panther Party for Self Defense) was a Black Nationalist organization in the United States that formed in the late 1960s and became nationally renowned. (Wikipedia:The Free Encyclopedia, 1997). The Black Panther Party was founded in 1966 by party members Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale in the city of Oakland, California. The party was established to help further the movement for African American liberation, which was growing rapidly throughout the sixtiesRead MoreMartin Luther King Jr And The Civil Rights Movement1134 Words   |  5 Pages Panther Power When we think of the Civil Rights Movement, we often think of the most prominent leaders like Martin Luther King Jr, Rosa Parks, and Malcolm X who’ve surely paved the way for the beginning of the movement. However many times we overlook the ones who aren’t talked about in the classrooms during Black History Month, or when we’re discussing the Civil Rights Movement. In response, I dedicate my paper on an African-American Organization to those who promoted the freedom and rights of BlackRead More The Black Panther Party Essay813 Words   |  4 Pages The Black Panthers aren’t talked about much. The Panthers had made a huge difference in the civil rights movement. They were not just a Black KKK. They helped revolutionize the thought of African Americans in the U.S. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The Black Panther had a huge background of history, goals, and beliefs. Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale in Oakland, Ca 1966, founded the Panthers. They were originally as an African American self defense force and were highly influenced by Malcolm X’s ideasRead More The Black Panthers Essay1159 Words   |  5 Pages   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Black Panther Party was founded in 1966 by party members Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale in the city of Oakland, California. The party was established to help further the movement for African American liberation, which was growing rapidly throughout the sixties because of the civil rights movement and the work of Malcolm X, and Dr. Martin Luther King. The Party disembodied itself from the non-violence stance of Dr. King and chose to organize around a platform for â€Å"self-defense†, (which laterRead More Black Panther Party Essay1279 Words   |  6 Pagesthemselves from control and oppression. It was because of this that 25 year old Huey Newton and 30 year old Bobby Seale founded The Black Panther Party for Self-Defense in October 1966, in Oakland, California. The party was inspired by revolutionaries such as Mao Tse-tung and Malcolm X. Malcolm had represented a militant revolutionary, with the dignity and self-respect to stand up and fight to win equality for all oppressed minorities. Influenced by the teachings of Maos Red Book the organizationRead MoreThe Black Panthers For Self Defense1649 Words   |  7 PagesThe Black Panthers, originally named as the Black Panthers for Self-Defense, was an African American revolutionary party that had originated in Oakland, California. It was an organization that was founded by Huey Percy Newton and Bobby Seale in 1966. Not only that, but it was also the largest revolutionary organization that had ever existed. Their purpose was to protect fellow African-American residents from mistreatment from the authorities. During the 1960s, racial injust had spreaded throughout