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.