Their Eyes were Watching God DJS 1-20

1.) "Ships at a distance have every man's wish on board. For some they come in with the tide. For some they come in with the tide. For others they sail forever on the horizon, never out of sight, never landing until the Watcher turns his eyes away in resignation, his dreams mocked to death by Time. That is the life of men." 

In this book men are in control. Their dreams are to get rich, own land, and lead societies. Especially the men portrayed in this book. Successful black men were a rare sight in these times. Many "sailed forever on the horizon" watching from a distance, dreaming that someday they would dock there ships and follow their dreams. But time does not go on forever, men who sit back and wait for there ships to dock themselves never fulfill the dreams they aspire to. They have to take action, just as Joe Starks does when he builds Eatonville into an actual town. He is a man who "came in with the tide", but with power comes too much pride, and men begin to think they are in control of everything and everyone because they have more money than everybody else, and they started something that became great.

2.) "Now, woman forget all those things they don't want to remember, and remember everything they don't want to forget." 

Women, like Janie for example, have a tendency to overlook reality. Janie as a young girl believes passionately in love, she thinks that love happens for everyone, and even if you don't love someone to begin with, you will learn to love them. Which is true for some people, but for most that love does not or ever will exist. Women hold those ideas close to them, and refuse to believe that they are wrong, especially when they are young. They set aside reality, and believe in things that are most of the time impossible. 

3.) "The sun was gone, but he had left his footprints in the sky." 

Although this line is referring to the sunset, there is also symbolism to the relationship that just ended between Tea Cake and Janie. The sun is referred to as a he, which means that the sun is Tea Cake, and sunset represents the relationship between the two characters that had just ended. Although the sun is setting and there relationship has ended, Janie still has strong feelings for this man. He has left his footprints on her heart, and her feelings for him haven't completely set yet. 

4.) "What she doin coming back here in dem overhalls? Can't she find no dress to put on?" 

Women were supposed to be in the kitchen, wearing dresses, and doing what their husbands told them to do. But Janie, is not like the rest of the women, she has trouble being controlled, and she doesn't think that she has to be a trophy wife, or a house wife. Janie is rebelling against what is expected of her, rather than wearing a dress she wears overalls because  she can, but her wardrobe causes concern for the people of Eatonville, whom she crosses. It is mostly the old folks, who sit at the store gossiping and telling stories, they do not understand because they are an older generation, some probably were slaves, and they are used to having certain roles and sticking to them. 

5.) "The men noticed her firm buttocks like she had grape fruits in her hip pocket;" 

Even though Janie is dressed in Overalls, rather than a dress, and she is dirty from working, the men still looked at her like she was a piece of meat. So even though she dresses like a man, she is still degraded down to nothing. It was possible that Janie was trying to send a message by her wardrobe, that she wasn't gonna be like every other woman, but in the end she was treated like any other woman, men still looked at her with lust. 

6.) "It was a weapon against her strength and if it turned out of no significance, still it was a hope that she might fall to their level some day." 

7.) "An envious heart makes a treacherous ear." 

8.) "Janie saw her life like a great tree in leaf with the things suffered, things enjoyed, things done and undone. Dawn and doom was in the branches." 

Janie's life is like a tree, it started at a root, and eventually, after years of longing bloomed into a beautiful tree. But it was not as she expected it was going to be. She thought that when she blooms she would experience love right away, and she didn't consider what reality had in store for her. But after she bloomed she realized how hard life was, love did not come to her as easy if at all, and the branches that made up her tree were not quite as full and green as she had once hoped. She suffered through two marriages that both were considered failed marriages, one man she did not love at all, and the other man felt the need to control her every move. Although Janie had a better fate then most black women of this time, her tree still did not feel fully bloomed. 

9.) "Oh to be a pear tree- any tree in bloom! With kissing bees singing of the beginning of the world!" 

While Janie was still a young girl she would lie under a pear tree dreaming of love. Like many teenagers she actually believed that true love existed, so she spent her days imagining her life after she "bloomed" and became a women, experiencing the love that she always hoped for. She hoped that one day she would bloom, and be as beautiful as a pear tree. And she would be able to tell stories about the love she experienced, but Janie officially became a woman when she realized how unrealistic all those dreams were. 

10.) "Nanny's words made Janie's kiss across the gatepost seem like a manure pile after a rain."

What seemed like such a special moment for Janies was soon crushed by Nanny's harsh, yet completely true words. Nanny believed in practical relationships, rather than loving ones. She wanted Janie to get married to a man with money, who would take good care of her, she wanted her to have a relationship with a lot of stability. When she saw Janie kissing the low life boy, she realized that she didn't have much life left, and she needed Janie to get married so she wasn't alone and on her own. Janie wasn't looking for a loveless relationship though, she never needed money to be happy.  

11.) "So de white man thrown down de load and tell de nigger man tuh pick up."

This is an example of the racism that lies within this book. It also aludes to the slavery that Nanny experienced in her lifetime. The black men, although had control of their own people, did not have nearly as much control as the white man. They simply worked for them, and did whatever they said. The relationship between a white man and a black man during this time could be compared to the relationship between a man and a woman. The woman did everything their husbands told them to, or else they were beat. Sound familiar? Well if a slave did not do what their master told them to they were severely punished. 

12.) "De nigger woman is de mule uh de world so fur as Ah can see. Ah been prayin' fuh it tuh be different wid you. Lawd, Lawd, Lawd!" 

Black women are at the bottom of the pyramid at this time. Not only do they suffer the hardships of racism, but they also must suffer the hardhsips of being a woman in a man controlled society. Men are the same no matter what color, they need the power, and they feed off of control. Who better to control than there own wives. It is women, like Janie who have the ability to do that. Janie has dreams, and she doesn't feel the need to stick with something that she doesn't believe in. Leaving her two unhappy marriages are prime examples of that. Most women would stay with their husbands, even if they were unhappy, but Janie had the power to walk away. Which means she has the power to make a change, and Nanny sees that. 

13.) "Look lak she been livin' through uh hundred years in January without one day of spring." 

The master's wife is cold, and it shown through her expression and her body language. Now that her husband has left for war, she is able to act on her anger. If he were there she wouldn't be able to say anything to him, because he's the boss, and there would be consequences for her acting out like that. It is obvious to her that, the slave woman (nanny) had relations with her husband, and it makes her very angry. It was wrong for any black person to sleep with a white person during the time of slavery, so the fact that the master slept with nanny probably made his wife feel very insecure. Because she considered herself so much better than any black person. Insecurity can cause a woman to go completely mad, and as for this woman it caused her to beat Nanny, and planned to kill her with 100 whips. 

14.) "and make de sun shine on both sides of de street for Leafy." 

Nanny wanted a good life for leafy, unfortunatly Leafy was dealt and unlucky card, and the rape she experienced caused her to go off the deep end. The man who raped her, ruined her life, and lead to her death, and he didn't have a care in the world. A lot of men during this time raped women, and beat them, treating them like they were nothing. Nanny watched as her daughter fell apart, and she did not want that to happen to her granbaby. Leafys name could represent how she is a fallen leaf, the slightest trauma made her fall from her mother tree, and eventually fall to the ground losing her life. 

15.) "Ah'm a cracked plate." 

Nanny is old, and has lived through slavery, and several more terrible things. She is not absolutely perfect, and much like a cracked plate, she can go on for so long but she will eventually shatter, and have no more use. She knows that her time is coming, and she is preparing Janie for that. Going through so many experiences she has learned the truth about love, and unlike her granddaughter, she believes in practical relationships. 

16.) "There are years that ask questions and years that answer." 

For the most part, people spend there beginning years creating dreams, and hoping they will eventually come true, but as you get older, all those questions you ask yourself like, when am i going to find love? or how i am going to be successful? Are answered, and it is usually not the answer you are expecting. Janie wondered when she would find love, and then she figured out that she may never actually find the love that she is seeking. 

17.) "But Nanny, Ah wants to want him sometimes. Ah don't want him to do all de wantin'."

Janie doesn't want to be in just a normal practical relationship. She though that is she married Logan, that she would eventually learn to love him but she never did. Which made her feel lonely, which is a major theme of this book. Even if you are a married, a relationship without love is a very lonely one. Janie doesn't want to be lonely at all, she fears it. Logan treats Janie right, he doesn't hit her, he has money for her, but that's not enough for her. Those things aren't as important to her, all she wants is to want him.  

18.) "So Janie waited a bloom time, and a green time and an orange time." 

Seasons are a very important central symbol to this book. The bloom time is the spring, and it also represents growth, and rebirth, its when girls bloom into women, and they start discovering reality. It could be argued to be the season of love, because new relationships are forming, but as the summer goes on (the green time) young girls begin to realize that love is a rare thing. They aren't going to grow up and magically find love. The orange time represent the fall, when the leaves begin to fall and the weather starts to get colder, trees that were once fully bloomed and filled with spring/summer colors begin to die, just as peoples spirits, and happiness begins to die, and prepare themselves for the long cold winter. 

19.) "She's uh woman and her place is in de home." 

Joe does not want Janie to make a speech, he is a very old fashioned man. He believes that the husband needs to control his wife, and the women need to be cleaning and in the kitchen and doing what their husbands tell them to do. Janie, although not planning on making a speech, was still upset that her husband shut down her option so quickly. All that Janie wants is to simply have options, she doesn't want to be controlled, she won't say anything to her husband about it but it is possible that one day she will leave just like she did her first husband. When she trys to stand up for herself she gets yelled at, so she chooses a different route. 

 20.) "A feeling of coldness and fear took hold of her. She felt far away from things and lonely."

Being lonely is the exact opposite of what Janie wants, in her eyes loneliness is the exact opposite of love. And all she ever wanted was a loving relationship. So her being lonely means that she is in an unhappy relationship, again, which is obvious in the text. Being young, Janie not only wants a loving relationship but she want's a passionate one, and she wants to have some say in what she does. She doesn't want to follow the role of a normal woman.  

The Waste Land; Part 4 Death By Water

"If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water" Loran Eisely (1907-1977)

The fourth section of Eliot's poem "The Waste Land", although the shortest, could possibly be the most important part, because it contains the turn. The major theme of this section is the importance of water. The poem shifts from a lack of water to "Death by Water", which is ironic because water is the root of life.

"Death By Water" is set up into three tercets with a total of nine lines. The number three in this structure is very significant. In Christianity the number three represents Trinity (creator, redeemer, sustainer), which reinforces the idea of resurrection. In the Hindu religion the number three symbolizes; creation, destruction and preservation, or; unfolding, maintaining, and concluding, this reconnects to the major theme of life and death. The form of the poem also represents a wave which goes back to the theme of water, "Phlebas" is drowning, and as it is happening "He passed the stages of his age and youth", but it is uncertain whether or not he is dead. How can a person surrounded by so much life be dead? Above ground if you are dead, you are actually dead because the land is dead.

The underwater "living dead" represents hope in "The Waste Land". Water is the key to recreating, and rejuvenating the land, and the people on it. As mentioned in earlier sections, Spring is the time of year when the rain begins to fall and things are able to grow. The spring, and the growing of nature, also symbolizes the youth, and the blossoming, and prime of a younger persons life. As your dying, those are the days that you remember. Without this hope, or youth, several people become lost, as you age your worth just becomes less and less. This whole concept goes right back to Sybil, eternal life without eternal youth, is almost, if not worse than death.

"Phlebas the Phoenician, a fortnight dead,
Forgot the cry of gulls, and the deep sea swell
And the profit and loss."

Madame and Sosostris, in section one, pulled a card that showed "the drowned Phoenician Sailor". The sailor is a motif for greed, and for the theme of water itself. As he ages, his significance begins to lessen, which means his time has come. But is he really dead?

The simple hope in this poem is life, water is the root of life, which makes water the key to reestablishing life on land. The irony lies within the fact that the smallest section of the poem, is the turning point, the part the allows the readers to completely understand what this poem is truly about.

The Waste Land; Part 3 The Fire Sermon

"Twit twit twit 
Jug jug jug jug jug jug
So rudely forc'd 
Tereu" 


Lust is described as "A very strong sexual desire", love and lust are no where near one in the same. There are several situations, where only one person will feel love and the other only lust. In the third section of Eliot's poem "The Waste Land" an important theme is lust vs. love, and its connection to the poems major theme, life vs. death. Sex, whether it is between two lovers, or two people who can't stand each other, is the root of life. Without it, there would be no life, which means there would be no death. In the part 3 "The Fire Sermon" Eliot depicts one particular encounter, described by Tiresias, the blind prophet, the scene he describes contains no love whatsoever, between a young unappealing man, and a woman. The woman shows absolutely no interest in the man who she is with.

"The meal is ended, she is bored and tired, 
Endeavors to engage her in caresses 
Which are still unreproved, if undesired.
Flushed and decided, he assaults at once; 
Exploring hands encounter no defence; 
His vanity requites no response, 
And makes a welcome of indifference." 


It is clear that the man does not care whether or not the woman is interested. He is going to be with her intimately with her whether she wants to be or not. The relationship between these two people contains no life, which is ironic because there relations could possibly be the creation of life. Just like in the nightingales song, written above, this particular section is describing a rape. The lifeless, relationships described in this part of the 3rd section is very similar to the 1st part of this section. "The Fire Sermon" opens with a description of a fisherman fishing on a lifeless, river in the "unreal city". The river contains absolutely no life, or even a hint of life. All the remains are dead bodies, and brown water. "The nymphs are departed" which alludes to the myth that gods have a connection to the water, they bring life to the water, without them there is no life.

Another connection to the theme of lust is the "Smyrna merchant" who try's to seduce the narrorartor, this scene alludes to Dante's inferno. The merchant doesn't even know narrartor but he invites him to an intimate weekend anyway.

The song at the end of this section, connects the lifeless river, and the loveless, lustful relationships between man and woman. Which are truly one in the same. Relationship's with only lust are completely lifeless, just like the river. The irony, and the connection to the major theme of the poem, is that, that particular lust, is what creates life.

The Waste Land; Part 2 A Game of Chess

Love without desire is simply a waste, actually it is not love at all. It is very common that people are together just to be together. Because they crave attention, or they are unable to break free of something with another person that they hold on to.

In Eliot's second section of "The Waste Land" the major theme is the lack of love. There are three different parts of this section all referring to failed love. The sections also contains several allusions to ancient, sometimes forbidden loves, that of course failed.

"The Chair she sat in, like a burnished throne, 
Glowed on the marble, where the glass 
Held up by standards wrought with fruited vines 
From which a golden Cupidon peeped out 
(Another hid his eyes behind his wing)" 


The first par of this section, is simply describing a scene. There is a woman, most likely of wealth based on the description, who is alone. The "Cupidons" represent the love that this woman does not have. One of them are "peeking" which could represent a small hope, or experience of something that she thought was love and the other hides behind his wing, as if love is almost always set up to fail. There are several allusions in this part of the poem to famous characters such as; Hamlet and Ophelia, Anthony and Cleopatra, and Dido. All of which have a very similar thing in common, they had failed which resulted in death, most of the time suicide. All these allusions, just simply back up the theme of the lack of love, no matter how much you think you love someone it is never enough.

The second part of this sections refers more to lust rather than love. This woman is trying her hardest to squeeze any type of communication out of the man that she is with but he seems to have no care in the world. There is no hint whatsoever that the man even has any type of feeling for this woman, and he is just with her to be with her, most likely for sexual reasons. This is a very common occurrence, in relationships, and the writing of this part of the poem holds very similar ideas to Eliot's other poem "The love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" The woman is constantly asking "What are you thinking of?" and asking him pointless questions just to get some kind of communication. But it is very obvious that this man wants only one thing from this woman, and it is not for her to constantly ask him how he is feeling.

The third part represents more of a trapped love. The woman telling the story about "Lil" and her husband, seems to be a total flusey, and a drunk because she stays at bars till closing time, gossiping about her so called "friend".  The marriage she is describing is not a loving one. The wife (Lil) has had five kids, who are probably the reason she still is with this man, and she seems not be stable, or happy at all. Having children can do a lot to a person, especially having 5 children, personal appearance can no longer be an issue because you have to save money for your children. This family is a poor family, which is another reason the woman stays with her husband. The man doesn't seem to have any respect for her, all he cares about is having a good time with his wife. But he doesn't want her to look ugly while it is happening, and he doesn't care whether or not she keeps getting pregnant, because he is not going to the be the one caring for the children. The wife is simply trapped, trapped in an unhappy marriage, with 5 kids who she didn't actually plan on having. The line "HURRY UP PLEASE IT"S TIME" was repeated throughout this section, and it was the bartender telling the woman blabbing about her friend to stop talking and get out, but it also holds other meaning. This wife is slowly dwindling down to nothing. As long as she is trapped in this life she loses her self worth, because her love, or what she thought was once love has completely failed.

The title itself "A Game of Chess" alludes back to play that uses playing chess as a reference to sexual encounters. Most relationships have nothing to do with love, and everything to do with lust and sex, love is just a word used in order to achieve those things. Most "loving" relationships do fail, commonly with death. This entire section, and theme of this sections refers to the major theme of the entire poem which is life and death. Those who love, and actually love will most likely fail resulting in there death. Love is not an easy task, which is why it is lacking so much.

The Waste Land; Part 1 The Burial of the Dead

"I am the resurrection and the life, saith the lord: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die." St. John xi. 25, 26

"The Waste Land" is a poem almost entirely filled with allusions, and motifs that all refer back to a central idea. A major them of this poem is Life and Death. The First section of the Poem is entitled "The Burial of the dead" which alludes to bible, and the order of the Burial of the dead, which is found in the common book of prayer.

"April is the cruelest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing 
Memory and desire, stirring 
Dull roots with spring rain." 


April is usually considered uncruel, as it symbolizes life. But in this poem, it is the "the cruelest month" and winter is considered to keep a person warm, and cover up the land that regenerates in the spring. Lilacs (alluding to Walt Whitman's poem "When Lilacs Last in the Door-yard Bloom'd") are said to be "breeding" out of the "dead land" this line represents rebirth, and how something beautiful can come from something that is dead. The beginning of the poem also alludes to Sybil, who wished for eternal life, but forget to wish for eternal youth, which resulted to be worse than death, because as you age you lose youth. This reconnects to the them of life and death, because dying is almost better than living and aging forever.

The first speaker of the poem is a female, who is German, and does not want to be mistaken for Russian. She tells a story of her childhood, and something that happened, during the winter, that frightened her. The woman is an older woman, but whatever happened to her still haunts her. The last of her Dialogue reads "I read, much of the night, and go south in the winter." This shows that the woman is of old age and that winter, she will go south, which means her life will most likely end.

The second speaker is also a woman "The hyacinth girl", the hyacinth is a flower that grows early in April till the end of may (the cruelest month) it is a flower that represents grief and mourning which again refers back to death. This dialect ends with "Oed' und leer das meer." (German) . This text is talking about Tristan and Isolt. Triston falls in love with the Irish Princess Isolt, who he has been sent to bring back to his king, this forbidden love ends tragically. This backs up the motif of love, or the lack of love, because this love lead to death. So love can lead to death, which is ironic because love is supposed to bring so much life to two people.

The third speaker, Madame Sosostris, is a famous fortune teller who is known to be "The wisest woman in Europe". She pulls out several tarot cards that each contain there own allusion, and foreshadow for what is to come in the next sections of them poem. For example;

"Here, said she
Is your card, the drowned Phoenician Sailor
(Those are pearls that were his eyes. Look!)

The Phoenicians were ancient seamen, and merchants of the Mediterranean, in Eliot's notes, he says that the sailors will reappear in section IV of the poem, which shows that it is in fact a foreshadow to what is to come in the poem.

The contrast between life and death are repeatedly represented throughout this poem, with several allusions and motifs that refer back to the theme. Although their are minor themes throughout the poem, like love, and spirituality. Each minor them ties back into the major theme which is life and death.

"though he were dead, yet shall he live"

My Mistress' Eyes

When did the words "I Love you" become not enough? One must fill their lover with ridiculous comparisons that most of the time are not true in order to express their love. 

"My Mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun; 

Coral is far more red then her lips' red;"

The major theme of this poem is loving someones imperfections. Shakespeare is clearly making a mockery of the traditional Italian love sonnets, by using similar comparison's that you would see in that form of poetry, but not using them in his lovers favor. In lines 1-12 he points out the many flaws of his mistress, commenting on her breath that "reeks", and the unpleasant sound of her voice. If you were only to read those first 12 lines you would think that this man is absolutely disgusted with his lover, but the turn happens in the last two lines of the sonnet. 

"And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare 

As any she belied with false compare." 

The last couplet truly backs up the theme of this poem. The fact that the speaker can accept the imperfections of his mistress and love her despite them, is what truly makes their love so rare. Many typical love poems claim that the love they share is rare, but if it is so rare why are so many females cheeks red as a roses? This comparison along with many of the similarities made between women, and beautiful things have become a cliche. Which is the message that Shakespeare was trying to send by writing this poem. A love, or the beauty of a woman, is not rare if so many woman are said to have "eyes like the sun". 

Shakespeare follows the typical English sonnet form with 3 Quatrains and a couplet and the rhyme scheme of abab cdcd efef gg. Although he mocks the Italian sonnet's, he does not follow the same form which allows the readers to understand the comedy of the poem. 

Truly finding rare love is all about accepting ones imperfections. If you constantly fill your lovers mind with ridiculous overused compliments, then the rareness of your love will fade, and in my opinion that is not true love. This poem signifies how unnecessary it is to write poems about your mistress that probably are untrue. True, rare, and lasting love can be simply stated by the phrase "I Love you, and your imperfections" which is the message that Shakespeare is sending through this poem. 

Death, Be Not Proud

Questions- 

1.) Personification, and extended metaphors. The speaker is making death out to be like it is a person, an arrogant person, who thinks he is just the bees knees. Death surrounds himself with "friends" like poison and war, as a way to give himself a more powerful reputation, but really all it does is make him about to be arrogant and unnecessary. The point of the personification is to back up the main idea of the poem, and allow the reader to see the truth behind death, and how it is not as big and bad as people make it out to be.

2.) The speaker makes death out to be arrogant and cocky, by making death a person, he brings up the unattractive personality traits that death has, such has the belief that he is "high and mighty", and the things death surrounds himself with that make him seem worse than he truly is. I believe that the speakers motives were mostly persuasive, he is trying to persuade the readers to stand up against death, because he himself is afraid of it, but he is to frightened to fight against it alone.

3.) The speaker is simply afraid of death, attacking deaths character and trying to persuade others to not be afraid of death is the only way he can fight his own fear. Unfortunately, no matter how arrogant death may be it is inevitable, which the speaker is having trouble accepting. He brings up suicide and the order of a king as a way to explain how easy death can be, making its cocky attitude unimportant. But the hidden truth in line 9 where that is shown, is that death may come by choice but it comes very easily and sometimes quickly, whether it is by choice or by someones Else's order. Which is another frightening truth that is hard to accept..

4.) The sonnet sticks with the Italian form for the most part, the rhyme scheme changes in the last two lines, which adds elements from the Shakespearean sonnet. There are also interesting rhymes within the poem, that are unlike most of usual sonnets. The combination of the forms, and the break from the typical rhyme scheme represent the speakers hesitation towards his topic, he is passionate about it, but he is also fearful of it. He wants the readers to believe that he is strong enough to face death without fear, but the truth is he is more frightened of it than most.

Explication- 

"I am not afraid of death." A very common phrase, but who truly means it? People try and be strong, fight death like it is not as scary as it may seem, but the truth is, it is inevitable. Which ever way it comes, whether quickly, or slowly, it is coming, and it is frightening.

"Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;" 


The major theme of this poem is fear, fear of death and how it comes. The Speaker does not face his fear, he looks at death as the enemy, and throws allegations at it as if it were a human who thinks they are better than everyone else. This is a very common approach towards dealing with a fear, pointing out the weakness of your opponent, or your challenges, in order to give yourself confidence. In the first four lines, the speaker backs up his point with a personification, he turns death into a human, and gives it human qualities, ones that represent the arrogance of death. He then reaches out to his readers stating " For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow", He is trying to tell people that death is not as great as they think, but in a way he is reassuring this to himself more than others.

He questions the importance of death "Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men," Meaning that death is not as important as it may feel it is, because some people just commit suicide, or order others to be killed, or are accidentally killed. All of which could be without a care in the world. But this again reinforces the fear within the speaker. Death is all around us, and it could happen, and come from any which way. Which why is it something to be feared? And it is not a fear that you can overcome, it is something that everyone lives with and try's to avoid until the day they learn the word.

"One short sleep past, we walk eternally,
And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die."

The only way to win a fight against death (which can never truly happen) is by getting people to fight with you. "Strength in numbers" That is is approach that the speaker is taking, and hoping will help defeat the evil monster (fear) that lies in his mind. But acknowledging the fear is the only thing that will help the speaker. There are other things that he claims death surrounds himself with, such as "poison" and "war" that also frighten the speaker, but that is not something he would ever admit. He himself has pride as well, just like he claims death does. A person filled with pride refuses to say they are afraid, instead the fight it, attack it, ban against it, until it eventually gets the best of them. Especially something as inevitable as death.

The form is for the most part an Italian sonnet, but it changes in the end, and combines with a Shakespearean form. The rhyming pattern also is unlike one of a normal sonnet, with words that don't directly rhyme. This inaccurate form represents the speakers hesitation, he wants to be strong and fight against this huge force, but the minor differences in the form represent the uneasiness of the speaker.

We are all afraid of death, fighting it will only make it more frightening. "I'm not afraid of death" will only make you more afraid. Accepting the fear is the first step to accepting that life doesn't last forever. And we should spend our days blaming death, we should spend them living, because once we're dead that option is gone. We must set aside our own pride, and live until we must die.

Different Types of Sonnets

Italian Sonnet- A sonnet with a rhyme scheme of; a b b a a b b a, for the first 8 lines which is called the octave and a remaining 6 lines which is called sestet and has a rhyme scheme of either; c d c d c d, or c d d c d c, or c d e c d e, or c d e c e d, or c d c e d c.

Example:

Being one day at my window all alone, So manie strange things happened me to see, As much as it grieveth me to thinke thereon. At my right hand a hynde appear’d to mee, So faire as mote the greatest god delite; Two eager dogs did her pursue in chace. Of which the one was blacke, the other white: With deadly force so in their cruell race They pincht the haunches of that gentle beast, That at the last, and in short time, I spide, Under a rocke, where she alas, opprest, Fell to the ground, and there untimely dide. Cruell death vanquishing so noble beautie Oft makes me wayle so hard a desire.

English (Shakspearean) Sonnet- Conisists of 3 qautrains and a couplet, very simple form with a rhyme scheme of;
a b a b
c d c d
e f e f
g g

Example:

Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.

From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;
Whose misadventur'd piteous overthrows Doth, with their death, bury their parents’ strife.

The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love,
And the continuance of their parents’ rage,
Which, but their children's end, naught could remove, Is now the two hours’ traffic of our stage;

The which if you with patient ears attend,
What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.


Spencerian Sonnet- An outgrowth of the stanza pattern used in the Fairie Queene, has a rhyme scheme of; a b a b b c b c c d c d e e 


Example: 

What guile is this, that those her golden tresses She doth attire under a net of gold; And with sly skill so cunningly them dresses, That which is gold or hair, may scarce be told? Is it that men’s frail eyes, which gaze too bold, She may entangle in that golden snare; And being caught may craftily enfold Their weaker hearts, which are not yet well aware? Take heed therefore, mine eyes, how ye do stare Henceforth too rashly on that guileful net, In which if ever ye entrapped are, Out of her bands ye by no means shall get. Folly it were for any being free, To covet fetters, though they golden be.

Hybrid Sonnet- Is the combination of italian sonnet structure with the shakspearien rhyme scheme with minor differences. The rhyme scheme is;
 a b a b
c d c d
e f f e
g g

Example:
"Ozymandias"

I met a traveller from an antique land

Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone

Stand in the desert . . . Near them, on the sand,

Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,

And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command

Tell that its sculptor well those passions read

Which yet survive, (stamped on these lifeless things,)

The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed:

And on the pedestal these words appear:

"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:

Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"

Nothing beside remains. Round the decay

Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare

The lone and level sands stretch far away.

Farm Implements and Rutabagas in a Landscape

"I'm Popeye the sailor man, 
 I'm Popeye the sailor man. 
 I'm strong to the finach
 Cause I eats me spinach. 
 I'm Popeye the sailor man" 


In John Ashbery's Poem, "Farm Implements and Rutabagas in a Landscape" the theme of jealousy continuously represented. In fact the story of Popeye itself has a wide range of jealousy through out it.
Popeye is very strong, but what makes him that way? Spinach, so of course everyone against him is going to want spinach in order to beat him. The poem begins with the first comparison of Popeye and Zeus.

"The first of the undecoded messages read: "Popeye sits in
      thunder,
Unthought of."

Like Zeus, Popeye gains his strength with his own type of "medicine". Zeus gains his power from the mortals, he feeds off of them (not literally), there prayers and sacrifices are what make him so strong so he can protect them. Popeye, gets his strength from spinach, therefor her shall protect it. There are those of course who are extremely jealous of the strength that Popeye or Zeus, get from these resources so they try to jeopardize it. For example in lines 8 and 9 the Sea Hag asks Wimpy if he had gotten any spinach, Wimpy replied by saying "M'love... the plains are decked out into thunder", the plains are obviously where the spinach grows, and Popeye is protecting the plains from other people by throwing thunder bolts. The same tools that Zeus use. The sea hag, is clearly a jealous villain, who craves the power that Popeye has. Another example of the Theme Jealousy is Popeye's father.

"Olive came hurtling through the window; its geraniums
      scratched
Her long thigh. "I have news!" she gasped "Popeye,
      forced as you know to flee the country
One musty gusty evening by the schemes of his wizened,
      duplicate father, jealous of the apartment
and all that it contains..."

Popeye's father, although very much alike Popeye, is said to be upset about the apartment. But why would he be? It is small, and is compared to a shoebox. It most likely isn't that he is jealous of the apartment, but rather he jealous of Popeye himself. Popeye is extremely strong, without a doubt, and he seems to have everything figured out, all he has to do is protect the root of his strength which is the spinach.

Popeye does not actually appear in the poem until the end, and when he does thunder fills the room, green thunder possibly referring back to the spinach. The sea hag, and his father are truly no match for him so long as he has his inner strength. They can try to jeopardize it any way they want, but Popeye seems to have no fear, or else he would have run away like he was advised to do.

The form is a sestina, and the important words that form the poem are; Thunder, apartment, country, pleasant, scratched, and spinach. All of which hold singular meaning. Thunder represents the power that the spinach gives Popeye, he has the ability to protect his strength, and the source of his strength with his thunderous personality. Apartment, is the wholeness of Popeye he is not only a big tough guy, but also a family man, and his apartment is what brings that family together, and causes jealousy to the others. Country, is where the crop that makes him so tough grows, where he grew. He loves his country but it is not a place that he goes to out of fear. Although he will not run away to there he will protect it. Although Popeye's life is flawed, there is a pleasant feeling about it, a feeling of protection and security so long as he has his strength. There are a few "scratches" in the road that do cause mayhem, and are minor setback, but Popeye prevails. And finally the root of all the strength, the beginning of it all, the spinach. Spinach is what keeps Popeye going, without it he would not be big and strong, and all of the words seen above would be unimportant.

Popeye, himself, represents a true man. Everyone must find the root of their strength somewhere, whether it is through mortals, or even spinach. Whatever makes you strong, is what will in time ward off the weak. Jealousy is inevitable, those who have not yet found the root of their strength will do everything in their power to steal yours.

Paranoid

How do I escape these voices inside my head?
Pushing me down, as soon as I have risen
(Is it just me? Or have I not been forgiven?)

Dark clouds appear; and my smile fades
The angel on my shoulder soon falls to her death.
How do i escape these voices inside my head?

The constant staring has made me weak
The constant glaring makes me feel like a freak
(Is it just me? Or have i not been forgiven?)

Without affection I feel incomplete; but
I avoid love like it is the plague
How do i escape these voices inside my head?

Authority can bring tears to my eyes
For I fear that disappointment lies in their mind
(Is it just me? Or have I not been forgiven?)

Someday I will overcome this fear;
Of expressing myself without being judged
Insecurity will no longer win the war
(Is it just me? Or have I not been forgiven?)

5 Types of Rhythm

Trochee- A foot consisting of one long or stresses syllable followed by one short unstressed syllable.

"Should you ask me, whence these stories"

Should you ask me, whence the stories

Anapest- A metrical foot consisting of two short or unstressed syllables followed by one long or stressed syllable.

"I must finish my journey alone"

I must finish my journey alone

Spondee- A foot consisting of two long (or stressed) syllables.

"White founts falling in the courts of the sun"

White founts falling in the courts of the sun 

Dactyl- A metrical foot consisting of one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables.

"Just for a handful of silver he left us"

Just for a handful of silver he left us

Iamb- A metrical foot consisting of one short (or unstressed) syllable followed by one long (or stressed) syllable.

"Shall i compare thee to a summer's day?"

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?

Mad Girl's Love Song

How many people do you know are the people they portray themselves to be? There are people in this world who may seem to be the most loving, caring, intelligant people you know, but when the "darkness" approaches all of that changes, and they become an entirely different person.

In Slyvia Plaths poem "Mad Girls Love Song" The speaker is a person of double personalities.

"I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead;
I lift my lids and all is born again.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)

The first stanza, as shown before, represents the hope that the speaker still has in her life, the darkness still takes over her and her crazy personality still comes out, but the second line that she can still wake up and be sane, normal person that she is, at least the way she is in front of other people. Although, her body has been taken over by this darkness, she still has connection to her mind. The enclosed "I think i made you up inside my head" are her thoughts, she does not know whether or not she is dreaming, or her actions are for real.

As soon as the darkness sets in, everything else around her disappears. The importance of the country, society, self worth all dissapear. In the third line of the second stanza, there is no longer a semi-colon after "I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead." Instead the lines just ends, which means the hope is gone, and her fate is decided by the new carless personality that has taken over. The darkness is described as "arbitrary" and it causes her to be "moon-struck", this is the power that is has, it can hit her at any moment, and when it does, it causes her to completely change her ways. It has been said that strange things happen when the full moon comes up, and strange things are happening to this girl when the "darkness" arrives.

Although this may seem like an unfortunate happening in ones life, the speaker has an attraction to the darkness. It's a wildness that she craves, because her life has been nowhere near that exciting. The poem also represents a little of rebellion. She awaits the arrival of the darkness, craving that excitment.

"I Should have loved a thunderbird instead;
At least when spring comes they roar back again.
I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)"

The last stanza represents the regret that the speaker has for allowing the darkness to completely take her over. she says that she should have instead loved a thunderbird, but a thunderbird is not actually a real bird, which means she would just fall in love with another creature that could or could not be real but she doesn't know, because she is not sure whether or not she is dreaming. The poem ends with the same lines that it begins with, minus the semi-colan/period difference. The woman is helpless at this point, insanity has taken over.

The title can be broken up; Mad is what she has become, their is madness that has taken over he, and but it is a madness that she craves, so she "sings" about it.

It is unknown whether or not this poem was about the author, Plath did go mad and eventually killed herself. This poem could in fact be her "Love Song" to the world, but rather than loving, she could be pleading to her readers, letting them know how this madness has taken her over.