Analysis of Sea Fever by John Masefield Essay Example For Students

Analysis of Sea Fever by John Masefield Essay John Masefields poem Sea Fever is a work of art that brings beauty to the English language through its use of rhythm, imagery and many complex figures of speech. The meter in Sea Fever follows the movement of the tall ship in rough water through its use of iambs and hard hitting spondees. Although written primarily in iambic meter, the meter in Sea Fever varies throughout the poem. The imagery in Sea Fever suggests an adventurous ocean that appeals to all five senses. Along with an adventurous ocean, Sea Fever also sets a mood of freedom through imagery of traveling gypsies. Perhaps, the most complex part of this poem is the use of personification and metaphor. These figures of speech go beyond the meter and imagery to compare life to a sea voyage and portray a strong longing for the sea. The two main themes of Sea Fever bring the reader closer to the sea and help the reader understand why the speaker must return to the sea. Sea Fever not only depicts a strong longing for the sea through its theme, but also through use of complex figures of speech, imagery, and meter. Sea Fever is an excellent example of varied meter which follows the actions of a tall ship through high seas and strong wind. Lines one and two contain the common iambic meter found throughout the poem. Sea Fever may be categorized as a sea chantey due to its iambic meter and natural rhythm which gives it a song like quality. This song like quality is created through the use of iambic meter and alliteration. For example, lines three and ten contain the repeated consonant sound of the letter w. In line three, the meter becomes spondaic through the use of strongly stressed syllables. These spondees suggest the repeated slapping of waves against the bow of the ship. As a result, John Masefield creates an image of powerful ocean swells. In addition to the meter suggesting the repeated slap of the waves, the wheels kick is a reference to the ships steering wheel spinning out of control. To further support the theory of the waves slapping against the bow, The wheels kick suggests that the tall ship is traversing very storm seas. Through the combining of iambic and spondaic meter, Sea Fever not only gains a magnificent rhythm, but gives clues into the location and movement of the tall ship. Perhaps, the most striking characteristic of Sea Fever is the remarkable imagery seen on each line throughout the poem. Images of a gray mist and a gray dawn breaking bring the poem to life by appealing to the senses. The powerful images bring the reader to the ocean and help the reader understand the strong longing the speaker has for the sea. Through the use of descriptive adjectives, the effectiveness of Masefields imagery is increased. Specifically, words such as whetted and flung help create a realistic picture of the sea. Images of a wild call and a  clear call that may not be denied describe a longing that is shared between the speaker and the ocean. Finally, images of alonely sea and a vagrant gypsy life bring a mood of freedom and independence to the poem. Through the use of vivid descriptions and strong images of the sea, Masefield helps the reader to understand why the speaker must return to the sea. Through the use of complex figures of speech, Sea Fever is transformed from an ordinary poem to a masterpiece. Masefield adds figures of speech such as, personification, to bring detailed descriptions of the ship and sea to the reader. .u9d4806d053dc883a4e0b94d4f63aab31 , .u9d4806d053dc883a4e0b94d4f63aab31 .postImageUrl , .u9d4806d053dc883a4e0b94d4f63aab31 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u9d4806d053dc883a4e0b94d4f63aab31 , .u9d4806d053dc883a4e0b94d4f63aab31:hover , .u9d4806d053dc883a4e0b94d4f63aab31:visited , .u9d4806d053dc883a4e0b94d4f63aab31:active { border:0!important; } .u9d4806d053dc883a4e0b94d4f63aab31 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u9d4806d053dc883a4e0b94d4f63aab31 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u9d4806d053dc883a4e0b94d4f63aab31:active , .u9d4806d053dc883a4e0b94d4f63aab31:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u9d4806d053dc883a4e0b94d4f63aab31 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u9d4806d053dc883a4e0b94d4f63aab31 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u9d4806d053dc883a4e0b94d4f63aab31 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u9d4806d053dc883a4e0b94d4f63aab31 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u9d4806d053dc883a4e0b94d4f63aab31:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u9d4806d053dc883a4e0b94d4f63aab31 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u9d4806d053dc883a4e0b94d4f63aab31 .u9d4806d053dc883a4e0b94d4f63aab31-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u9d4806d053dc883a4e0b94d4f63aab31:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Important Places and Settings in Of Mice and Men EssayIn line four, the sea is personified when the waters surface is referred to as theseas face. In addition to personification, Masefield uses several similes and metaphors that increase the effectiveness of the already strong imagery. The simile the winds like a whetted knife, appeals to the senses and helps the reader feel the cold wind blowing. The similes and metaphors seen in Sea Fever are easily recognized, but their meanings and implications may be viewed as anything but shallow or irrelevant to the poetic style of Masefield. One example of a metaphor is in line nine when the speaker compares the vagrant gypsy life to the ocean. Sea Fever is dominated by implied metaphors comparing the speakers life to the sea. For example, the word trick in line ten implies that the speakers life has been like a sea voyage. The complex metaphors increase the emotional tone of Sea Fever and help the reader relate to the speakers passion for the sea. Through the use of figures of speech such as personification, simile and metaphor, the poem is enhanced by further development of the theme and the imagery. From the intensity of the speakers feelings, two themes are created that complement each other. First, a theme of longing for freedom and an adventurous ocean is developed. Although not the only theme, it is very recognizable and easily found after the initial reading of the poem. For example, this yearning for the sea can easily be seen in the refrain I must go down to the seas again. The title Sea Fever, shows the speakers hunger for an adventurous and free life. This hunger for life is also seen through references to the freedom of a sea gull and a whale in line ten. Equally important, Masefield uses strong metaphors to create a theme of life resembling a sea voyage. In line twelve, the speakers asks for a quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long tricks over. The speaker is implying that life is a long sea journey and is requesting a peaceful afterlife. These two themes work together to convey the speakers passionate feelings for the sea and help the reader to further understand the seas importance to the speaker. Sea Fever uses meter, imagery, and figures of speech so effectively that the reader is brought to the sea. The iambic and spondaic  meter along with alliteration give Sea Fever a natural rhythm that coincides with the movement of the sea. The refrain I must go down to the seas again is one of the many poetic devices used to show the strong longing the speaker has for the sea. Equally important, the dynamic imagery is seen practically on each line throughout the poem. The images in Sea Fever are strengthened through the use of figurative language. Masefield uses personification and similes to add vivid details of the wind, ship and sea. Perhaps, the most puzzling element of Sea Fever is the implied metaphors. Furthermore, the simple themes in Sea Fever, consist of the longing the speaker has for the sea and the comparison of life to a sea voyage. In conclusion, Sea Fever employs meter, imagery, and figurative language to help strengthen the themes and help the reader gain an understanding of the speakers desire to return to the sea.

Sample Descriptive Essay on Educational and Career Goals

Sample Descriptive Essay on Educational and Career GoalsWhen you are writing a sample descriptive essay on educational and career goals, you will need to make sure that the essay you write is short and to the point. It should be about a single topic and should not be spread over a long period of time. You should also use a standard format when writing the sample essay.The first part of the descriptive essay should be about your own experiences. Your experiences may be varied, but your experiences have to be focused on one topic. What have you done? For example, if you have gone to college, then the summary should be on your career. If you have worked for the government, then it is your education that you should write about.As a summary, you should briefly explain what you did, how it all went, and what kind of rewards you received. The information about the rewards that you received can be anything from job promotions, to advanced education, to being able to quit your job at any time . It is important that you take into consideration what it was that you did, who it was that motivated you, and how you had to overcome obstacles.The next part of the descriptive essay is the introduction. This part is where you give an overview of what the reader should expect from the essay. The introduction can consist of a short paragraph with information about the essay's subject. However, if you need a longer introduction, then you can create a paragraph. Keep in mind that when writing a descriptive essay, you are writing for people, so you should always include information that will be useful to the reader.The next part of the descriptive essay is the body of the essay. The body of the essay should consist of two paragraphs. The first paragraph gives an overview of the subject matter and the second paragraph gives a short description of the data that you provide. For example, if you write about a job promotion, then you should start by describing the job promotion.When writin g your first paragraph, you should follow the general format of a standard essay with a few exceptions. You should provide an opening paragraph, a first paragraph that describes your personal experiences and how they help you with your writing, and a paragraph that describe the information you provided. In the last paragraph, you should end with a statement. Make sure that the statement provides some kind of insight into the essay's subject matter.As you are writing your sample descriptive essay on educational and career goals, you should consider writing a few articles on the subject of what you do for a living. This will give you more of an idea of what you are trying to convey in your essay.

Teenage Rights Essay Example For Students

Teenage Rights Essay The Rights of the Young American DismissedUnder the eyes of god we are all created equal, and under the foundation of the country with gods blessing all patrons of the great USA are created equal. Right? Well thats what I thought until my eyes were opened this summer to the cruel REAL world. Is there any reasoning that befalls the United States Police Force to undermine the future of the USA? Are we so evil that we must be Plagued; by the constant harassment of the police to follow us wherever we go no matter what we do? Are we so naive as to let this continue in the world that is supposed to be our Peaceful and Humble abode? No. We are the ones that will soon run this country and change starts with us. So here is our voice. Listen if you will, or listen if you wont. Either way you will hear our voice. We are of millions in size and will not fall to the beck, call, and command of those who only hold age higher than us. Inside this document of our complaints, compliments, and worries you will hear how the young leaders feel and suffer. Points will be explained and many voices will talk. This is not just the viewpoint of me, but that of the entire generation around me. I am just the message bearer.; Take offense to the following if you wish. Though this is not meant to offend, it is meant to constructively criticize. We are here not to exploit ourselves within the name of heroes. We are here to undermine the wrong and uphold the right. We will write a custom essay on Teenage Rights specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now POINT 1: Stereo Typical TeenagerOn Sunday night, September 5th 1999, friends and I were eating outside of Apple Valley McDonalds. Two Apple Valley Police Officers approached us in their vehicles and asked us to leave. Upon a friends departure I threw, a hand signal, which is known as Peace.; Deriving from the old hand signal of victory from the war. It is a hand motion that consists of the middle finger and forefinger being placed in the upright position and the thumb crossing behind them. Do not let this be confused with a gang sign, as did the two police officers. I was told that I was to receive a citation upon the next time I threw this Gang Sign; in public, for Disorderly Conduct. Upon our leaving a police officer followed the car of John Doe; for a block and a half and then pulled over his vehicle. There was no reason for the officers to follow his car in the first place. Upon pulling over his car I walked over to John; and proceeded to ask what they pulled him over for. I was told to back away from his vehicle by the police. As I did this I was then told to place my hands on the hood of their vehicle. I was placed in the back of the police car and detained for about 25-30 minutes. I was now able to view the procedure in which the police take to write and deliver a ticket. What I know now scares me. When did the United States Rules and Statutes for the Police Force of the United States include criticizing, laughing at, and joking about the situation in public? In fact when was this all included even in a private conversation. Now I am no lawyer but as a voice of many I can say that I know this is Non-Ethical and Unjustified behavior coming out of anybody, and especially a citizen highly upheld by society as a whole, that is their to protect and serve. Though I maybe wrong they are not there to humiliate and disrespect, as we are not allowed to our elders. This situation may seem easy to solve to many people. You say, Dont throw the peace; sign anymore.; W hy should we as a culture have to change our behaviors that in no ways have effect on the society as a whole or as a part? In fact all it is, is a sign of respect and departure to those whom you know and respect. Is this

Compare how the theme of love is presented in Shakespeares sonnets and any other poem of your choice from those studied Essay Example

Compare how the theme of love is presented in Shakespeares sonnets and any other poem of your choice from those studied Essay Example Compare how the theme of love is presented in Shakespeares sonnets and any other poem of your choice from those studied Paper Compare how the theme of love is presented in Shakespeares sonnets and any other poem of your choice from those studied Paper Essay Topic: Poetry Love poetry has been written for many centuries. The ideas expressed by Shakespeare and Browning are still relevant today. Love is not a tangible thing; it is an emotion so it can be perceived in many different ways. Shakespeare has infamously used sonnets to express his ideas on love. Shall I compare thee? is a sonnet in which Shakespeare focuses on immortalisation through words. Let me not is another sonnet written by Shakespeare in which he expresses his views and the theme of the strength of love. I choose Robert Brownings, Porpyrias lover to compare to the above poems. As it is a dramatic monologue, which provides an insight into another existing love. The love conveyed in Porphyrias lover is obsessive love. This provides are sharp contrast to the above sonnets. Let me not is written in third person, which gives it an authoritive tone in this case. The authoritive tone adds to the theme of the strength of love. This theme is expressed within this poem in a rather exaggerated manner. Although this manner is very appropriate for this poem, because it hammers home the point of the poem! The imagery of a sailing ship in a storm is used in the second quatrain- to describe Shakespeare view on love. Also love is said to be a star to every wandering barke- which is a ship. This explains that Shakespeare believes love and marriage is the right path to go along. The imagery used within this poem describes love in the form of tangible things like a ship. This makes it easier for the reader to imagine and realise Shakespeares message. The other two poems do not use this literary devise of expressing love in tangible forms. Although Shakespeare is attempting to describe love by giving it limits through tangible forms, he still says that the worths are unknowne meaning love is inestimated and limitless. This is a similar theme to one in shall I compare thee? which is everlasting. A sub theme of everlasting is also expressed in this sonnet love alters not with breefe houres and weekes. All three of the poems attempt to defy time through love, although they do this in very different ways. Shakespeare is almost trying to teach a lesson to the society of that time, a lesson that is still relevant today. Due to the lesson being on love and marriage it adds to the religious element within this poem. Also due to the large volume of hyperbolic language, it seems as though Shakespeare is religiously preaching to us. For example love. Beares it out even to the edge of doom. The religious aspect of avoiding divorce is shown here. The religious tone in this poem differentiates it very much from the other two poems. As the tone in Shall I compare thee? Is light and airy and the tone in Porphyrias lover is conspiring. The rhyming couplets of Shakespeares sonnets are the most power literary tool. His confidence in his belief of this sonnet adds greatly to the creditability of it. This rhyming couplet exemplifies this If this be error and upon me proved, I never writ nor no man ever loved Shakespeare is challenging anyone to come and prove his belief to be wrong- if they dare that is. Shall I compare thee is also written in third person. However is this instance this makes the voice of the poem detached from the poem. This further gives all the importance of the poem to the subject, who is Shakespeares lover. The tone in this poem is light and airy to add to the theme of summer. The beloved within this poem is being described as superior to a summers day. The sonnet starts with a question- shall I compare thee to a summers day? And the rest of the sonnet is the answer. Shakespeare describes the summer as a subordinate to his beloved. He complains summer- the best season for sometimes being too hot or too windy and too short And Sommers lease hath all too short a date. Shakespeare believes his lover will outlast the summer By thy eternall Sommer shall not fade Shakespeare is describing his lover as everlasting, which as I mentioned before is one of the themes of love expressed in Let me not. We are progressively being introduced to a problem throughout the poem. The problem is, how is this girl going to outlive death Nor shall death brag thou wandrst in his shade. The solution is in the rhyming couplet. Shakespeare has immortalised the girls beauty within the words of the poem. She wont literally avoid death but she will verbally last forever. The poem is what gives life to the lover forever because the poem is what is going to last forever. A sharp contrast to this poem would be Porphyrias lover. Here the lover also attempts to immortalise his beloved although not in the same romantic way. In Porphyrias lover the lover tries to immortalise the moment Porphyria is all his by strangling her to death with her own hair. Porphyrias lover starts with turbulent scenes with wild weather, which of course the lover is describing. The weather also represents the lovers feelings at that time the sullen wind was soon awake. and did its best to vex the lake- The lover is in an angry mood this is evident by the harsh tone. When Porphyria enters the cottage the harsh atmosphere is broken. There is now a warmer atmosphere Blaze up all the cottage warm she is described to glide in which is sensuous. The lover now builds up an erotic scene so the impact of the shock will be great at the end. Porphyria makes all the advances in this poem but the lover remains passive. And called me, when no voice replied this tells us a lot about their relationship. It seems to be one-sided in this instance, but because we have access to the lovers secret thoughts so we know he is obsessed with her. As the seductive scene is going on the lover reveals his thoughts on Porphyria. The lover believes Porphyria doesnt love him, as she is too vain and her pride stops her passion for him- from setting free she too weak for all her hearts endeavour, to set its struggling passion free from pride and vainer ties dissever and give herself to me forever There is a long build up to the strangling, although we do see danger signs in the lover for the need to murder Porphyria Nor could to-nights gay feast restrain a sudden thought of one so pale. The lover shows control of the situation, which is expressing a possessive side to him, a theme of love, which is not expressed in neither of the other two poems. The tone in the poem is chilling at this point while I debate what to do Even more so chilling when he says I found a thing to do Then he strangles her with her own hair. After she dies he says No pain felt she and then repeats by changing the syntax she felt no pain the repetition further expresses the theme of possessiveness within the poem. He thinks he has the authority to say whether she felt pain or not. The repetition could either mean he is resenting what he did or convincing himself he did the right thing. The lover uses a simile to describe Porphyrias dead eyes. As a shut bud that hold a bee. This implies she herself was someone who stung him meaning hurt him. He opened her eyelids and personifies her eyes by saying they laughed at him without a stain implying she was innocent. The laughing is a misconception in the obsessed lovers mind. The lover then untightened her hair from her neck, then props up her head as if she were alive. The lover is no glad because he got what he wanted so glad it has its utmost will that all that scorned at once has led and I its love am gained instead Here the lover refers to Porphyria as it. The lover thinks he has gained all he could out of the situation and is surprisingly happy. Also he thinks God has sanctioned his actions! And all night we have not stirred And yet God has not said a word Out of the three poems I have compared, I feel shall I compare thee expresses love in the most appealing, way as it probably had the best inspiration. It combines the element of immortalisation from Porphyrias lover and the trueness of let me not -in the correct manner to achieve full effect. The hyperbole in let me not makes us understand that poems message very seriously, as Shakespeare probably wanted us to do, but it doesnt show us how love could actually make us feel as Shall I compare thee does The shock in Porphyrias lover makes that poem less appealing thus less successful in making the reader enjoy it. Plus it doesnt express a true love, which everyone wants to experience.

The consumers awareness regarding Walmart Essay

The consumers awareness regarding Walmart - Essay Example The firm that is analyzed in the paper is Walmart as one of the leading retail stores, which was founded in the year 1962. It delivers a pleasurable and suitable experience of shopping to its broad range of customers worldwide. Currently, there are 629 stores of Walmart operating its business functions throughout the United States. It has been identified that Walmart possesses a significant range that exceeds 10,130 units of retail stores and carrying out its business operations in 27 countries throughout the world. In the financial year of 2012, the present sales of Walmart amount to US$ 443 billion and it engages a significant number of associates globally. In the article â€Å"Company Spotlight: Walmart Stores, Inc.†, it has been observed that Walmart generally executes through few of the business sections that include â€Å"Walmart US†, â€Å"Sam’s Club† and â€Å"Walmart International† throughout the world. The main purpose or vision of Walmart lies in its policy of ‘saving money of the people’ and to help the people to live well in this world. Moreover, the organization also has delivered various financial prospects especially upon its related industry i.e. retail industry and has altered the nature of the business that the organization executes worldwide. In addition, Walmart enhanced the overall impact upon the retail industry and ultimately increased the potentials of the customers in spite of operating in different countries where the customers shop (Walmart Corporate, 2012). It has been observed that in the year 2011, Walmart attained various awards such as â€Å"Corporate Environmental Excellence for Walmart Canada† and â€Å"Top Organizations for Multicultural Business Opportunities† among others for various efforts that were performed by Walmart while executing its business operations (Walmart Corporate, 2012). Most people are fully aware regarding the business operations and functions of Walmart and its deliverance of broad variety of quality products. In the study, there has been a conduct of various research and online questionnaires regarding the frequency of visit of wide range of customers to Walmart. Moreover, the research also has assisted to explore whether people are familiar with the corporate practices of Walmart. Methods A survey method has been conducted with the public or the customers as respondents in order to acquire a general idea regarding their valuable opinions upon Walmart. An online questionnaire has been designed in order to accomplish the research. The purpose of this survey is to trace the number of people who possess the experience of shopping with Walmart, reasons behind the selection of Walmart as their shopping destination compared to others and the description of the products that people generally purchase from Walmart. Moreover, the purpose of this survey has been also to trace how often people do shopping at Walmart along with acq uiring a general idea regarding the knowledge of the people about the corporate practices of Walmart. In addition, the questionnaire in the survey is also based upon whether anyone has done any shopping or has not possessed the shopping experience with Walmart. If any person replied that they do not possess or have not done any shopping at Walmart then they had to respond the following question i.e. ‘For what reasons do you chose not to shop at Walmart?’ In the questionnaire, the questions also include the judgment of the people, whether Walmart is a good place to work or not. Apart from the above questions that have been mentioned in the questionnaire, the initial or the primary questions include the gender i.e. whether the customer or the respondent is female or male, the age of the respondent and the status of the respondent or the customers i.e. whether the respondent is an employee, student or others. The questionnaire that has been designed in order to conduct the research study was fundamentally provided to a sum total of 50 people who

Contract for an Independent HR Contractor and the Importance of Having Research Paper

Contract for an Independent HR Contractor and the Importance of Having A Contract - Research Paper Example As the paper declares when a company employs independent contractors, it has to be categorically established that there is no â€Å"employer-employee relationship† between the worker and the company, and the better way to make this clear-cut is by entering into a contract that may be called, Independent Contractor’s Agreement. It is very essential that a contract should be executed, wherein all the terms and conditions should be clearly stated that could strengthen what had been verbally agreed upon by the employer and the independent contractor. In reality, when there is a contract, it could easily prevent the misclassification of the other regular employees. A contract would easily differentiate the independent contractor from the regular employee. This report stresses that all contracts should start by declaring the identities of the parties who will be the signatories in the contract, and they are the independent contractor, who could be the freelancer or the agency who will supply contingent workers, and the company who will be hiring the independent contractor/s. This should be followed by the establishment of what the independent contractor can do, and what he is equipped with, and it is at this point that it should be mentioned whether the contractor possesses a license or not, when it is specifically required, and that the company is desirous of engaging the independent contractor’s skills or expertise.

Tone And Diction In Poetry

Tone And Diction In Poetry Analyzing poetry begins with carefully weighing the words and considering every nuance. Tone and diction are two poetic devices to take into account. Tone refers to the attitude or mood conveyed by the poem, while diction refers to word choice and word order. When you read a poem on the page, grasping the tone can be tricky-after all, you cant actually hear the poets voice. So, you need to pay attention to context and connotation. Identifying loaded words can help you decipher the tone. Diction can also help you understand the poems tone. Word choice affects meaning and also determines the sound of the poem. Sound, in turn, contributes its emotional effect. SCREEN 2: Tone in Poetry A poems tone can be defined as the attitude expressed toward its subject. Tone isnt stated directly: you have to analyze the language carefully to grasp it. You can decipher tone in several ways. Youll need to read the poem more than once. First, read the poem to understand its content. Is the poem about an event? Or does it describe a feeling? Does it consider a social problem? Identifying the basic content will help you determine the tone. A poem about discrimination, for example, might be expected to have a dejected or angry tone, while a poem about childhood may have a happy, carefree tone. But those simple assumptions arent always the case. The poet might be using tone to convey more complex meaning. So, reread the poem and ask yourself, Who is speaking in this poem? and Who is the speaker talking to? Your answers will give you a sense of the relationship between the speaker and the reader, and between the speaker and the subject. Is the speaker very close to the action, even immersed in it? Or sitting back and contemplating it? These different positions could give the poem a very different tone. SCREEN 3: After youve identified the poems subject and the speaker, consider how the poems word choice and structure relates to its subject matter. Meter (rhythm), imagery, metaphor, allusion, and diction all contribute to the tone. For example, a quick beat and steady rhyme pattern usually conveys a happy, or lively, tone. Remember, poems about the same subject can have different tones. For example, a poem about graduating high school might have a joyous tone when written by someone who cant wait to get to college, be independent, and experience the world. A person who didnt get accepted into the college that shed aspired to for years might write a poem with an angry or sarcastic tone, expressing a sense of being cheated. Closely considering the language and form of the poem will help you catch the nuances of tone in poems that might otherwise seem similar. SCREEN 4 After youve identified the poems subject and the speaker, consider how the poems word choice and structure relates to its subject matter. Meter (rhythm), imagery, metaphor, allusion, and diction all contribute to the tone. For example, a quick beat and steady rhyme pattern usually conveys a happy, or lively, tone. Remember, poems about the same subject can have different tones. For example, a poem about graduating high school might have a joyous tone when written by someone who cant wait to get to college, be independent, and experience the world. A person who didnt get accepted into the college that shed aspired to for years might write a poem with an angry or sarcastic tone, expressing a sense of being cheated. Closely considering the language and form of the poem will help you catch the nuances of tone in poems that might otherwise seem similar. SCREEN 5 Funeral Blues W. H. Auden wrote Funeral Blues in 1938, but this poem about a loved ones death became famous in 1994 when actor John Hannah recited it in the movie Four Weddings and a Funeral. Watch Hannahs performance, and then read Funeral Blues closely. Auden used tone to enrich this poems meaning. The first stanzas tone is one of sorrowful anger. The speaker uses commands, such as stop, prevent, and silence. He angrily demands that the noise of everyday life cease, so that he can reflect on his loss. Only the low sound of a muffled drum at the funeral is tolerable. The tone shifts from anger to despair as the speaker moves into more effusive sentences. He insists that the whole world, machines and nature, grieve with him: airplanes should moan, and white doves should wear black. SCREEN 6 The third stanza of Funeral Blues has a more reflective and melancholy tone. The speaker shares what the man he lost meant to him. He repeats the word my nine times, emphasizing the fact that this man was everything to him-his compass in life and the inspiration for his work. This stanza ends with a key line in the poem: I thought that love would last for ever: I was wrong. The single-syllable words plod steadily to the concluding word, wrong, that devastates the speaker. In the final stanza, the speakers tone is bitter. If he has lost this man forever, then all life in the universe should end too. Once again, the speaker uses curt commands, this time to tear apart those elements that sustain life: Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun; Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood. The tone Auden creates in Funeral Blues-whether it is interpreted as sorrow, anger, bitterness, or love-is effective because it creates a powerful emotion in the audience. We grieve along with the speaker, even though we dont know the unnamed man who meant so much to him. SCREEN 7 The American poet Marge Piercys poem Barbie Doll also seems to be about death, but the poems main subject is something else: societys devaluation of girls and women. Read Piercys Barbie Doll and think about its tone. In the first stanza, the tone is dismissive and infantilizing. The girl is called a girl-child, an indistinguishable female member of a species, not a person with a name. She is born as usual, as if there were nothing to be celebrated in the birth of a baby girl. The phrase did pee-pee is baby-talk, suggesting girls are forever babies. In the next stanza, notice how the speaker describes the girls positive traits in a direct, objective list. The speaker doesnt inject emotion into the description, rather just states the actual facts, implying that they were clear for all to see. But society could care less, and ignores her positive attributes because she wasnt pretty. The tone is one of icy objectivity, even perhaps, cold fury. SCREEN 8 Probably the most dominant tone is one of sarcasm, however. Sarcasm threads through the poem, first appearing in the phrase the magic of puberty in the first stanza. Puberty is typically a hard transition, not a time of wondrous transformation as the word magic suggests. And for this girl, cruelly told she is ugly-well, some magic! In the final stanza, the same girl who was told she was flawed with a big nose and fat legs, is called pretty as she lays cold and still in her coffin, with the undertakers cosmetics on her lifeless face. The line Consummation at last continues the heavy sarcasm and also lends the poem a tone of anger. The word consummation evokes societys ultimate goal for women, to find a husband, and ironically equates it with death. Lesson Activity Self-Checked Read Piercys Whats That Smell in the Kitchen. Then compare this poem to Barbie Doll in 150-200 words, answering the questions in the Tone in Poetry section of the Lesson Activities. SCREEN9 For the American poet Robert Frost, tone was very important. He said, Its tone Im in love with; thats what poetry is, tone. Frost believed that tone conveyed the art in poetry. He called himself an ear reader, not an eye reader. He interpreted the meaning of what he read by how it sounded to him. This is reflected in his own poems, which come to life in the readers auditory imagination. Frost used tone to make his poems interesting, or as he said himself, Youve got to get dramatic. Read the poem A Patch of Old Snow to see how he shifts tone to create a sense of drama. The first six lines describe a patch of old, melting snow. The tone is one of nonchalance: this bit of snow is barely worth noticing, just a blown away scrap in a corner. Once a symbol of winters beauty, the snow is now as unimportant as yesterdays discarded newspaper. In the last two lines, however, theres a shift in tone. The speaker catches himself short with a dash: The news of a day Ive forgotten/If I ever read it. His attention is suddenly captured by the irony of old news. The voice might even drop when reading If I ever read it. While people may read the newspaper diligently every day, even todays seemingly stunning news is as temporal and unimportant as a patch of melting snow. This sudden shift in the tone in the last two lines mocks how transient a persons interest is. Lesson Activity Teacher-Graded Read Frosts poem The Pasture, and then answer the questions under Tone in Poetry in the Teacher-Graded section of the activities sheet. SCREEN 10 Diction in Poetry In the poems you just analyzed, did you notice how tone can be determined by the word choice and word order? This is diction, or the vocabulary that a poet uses-basically the poets linguistic style. Compare these ways of describing a confused state of mind: He knew not what to do, and he had no clue what to do. While the first is formal and perhaps pretentious, the other is plainspoken. A poems tone is also affected by altering the word order; for example, a poet might change She went down to the riverside in her dark mood, to Down to the riverside, dark in mood, she went to give the line a more dramatic and foreboding tone. The diction a poet chooses can also depend on the poems context. For example, when describing the death of a heroic warrior, a poet might use the dramatic He breathed his last in the arms of his beloved, over the straightforward He died in his lovers arms. SCREEN 11 Now take a look at some examples of how poets vary diction in their poems to convey their thoughts and feelings. Read the English poet Andrew Marvells To His Coy Mistress and note the kind of diction the speaker uses to address his beloved. By describing his love in terms of world geography (by the Ganges side) and Biblical history (ten years before the Flood), the speaker attempts to impress her with the vastness and depth of his devotion. The mention of the Ganges River in India also suggests that her beauty is exotic. The words should and would, repeated many times and indicating action that might happen, convey a sense of languor in the first stanza. But in the third stanza, the speaker urgently tries to persuade her to give in to his advances, using active verbs such as sport, devour, and tear.The diction creates a tone of ardent entreaty. Lesson Activity Self-Checked Go to the Diction in Poetry activity in the Self-Checked section and experiment with diction as directed. SCREEN 12 Lets look at a very different example of the role of diction in poetry. With just a few well-chosen words, the twentieth century African-American poet Gwendolyn Brooks powerfully conveys the bravado of a group of young boys. Listen to or read Gwendolyn Brooks We Real Cool, which is about a group of kids skipping school. In this poem, Brooks uses the slang we real cool, instead of the grammatically correct we are really cool to convey the teenagers attitude. Brooks uses the collective we, instead of the singular I, to communicate that the speakers of the poem are a group of teenagers. The word we is also used to show their solidarity to each other. This word depicts their reliance on their group identity, since these teenagers havent developed their own individual identities yet and are overly influenced by their peers. SCREEN 13 In the poem, Gwendolyn Brooks uses the precise diction to mimic unrefined teenagers, and successfully conveys their seeming toughness while in truth they are insecure and defensive. She keeps the poem short to indicate their limited vocabulary and limited self-awareness. These teenagers are rebels without a cause. The poet herself said that the we of We real cool, is to be said softly to show their uncertainty. Listen to what Brooks says about the poem just before she recites it to understand how the poems diction helps establish the desired tone. Did you also notice how the diction of this poem seems to echo jazz sounds? The repetitive alliterations in the lines (We lurk late, We strike straight, We sing sin, We Jazz June) give it a musical quality, and the shortness of the words and lines have a percussive effect, like when cymbals in a jazz band crash. Lesson Activity Not Assessed Read more about how to use diction effectively in poetry. Then go to your Lesson Activities and write a short poem of your own in the Not Assessed section. SCREEN 14 Tone, Diction, and Meaning Youve seen how analyzing diction helps you identify a poems tone and understand its meaning. Now, read John Keatss poem This Living Hand, and think about how the tone is conveyed through its diction. This Living Hand has a mournful, realistic tone. If you analyze the poem closely, youll notice that certain words such as cold,tomb, and icy evoke death and create a strong tone of dread. When Keats wrote this poem, he knew he was dying. This poem was, in fact, the last poem Keats ever wrote. He died when he was just 26. The speaker is accepting death as inevitable, but is unhappy about a life not completely lived and is resentful of those who will live full lives, as is obvious from the lines, So haunt thy days and chill thy dreaming nights, That thou wouldst wish thine own heart dry of blood, So in my veins red life might stream again. The speaker faces death, and makes readers face it too, with his outstretched hand. SCREEN 15 Just as its possible to identify a poems tone and understand its meaning from the diction, its also possible to alter the poems tone and meaning by changing the diction. Read Robert Brownings Pippas Song. This poem has a peppy tone, which comes through words like morn and spring, and particularly the last lines Gods in His heaven,/ Alls right with the world! If you were to change certain words in this poem, though, you would invert the poems tone and meaning. For example, changing spring to winter, or at the morn to at dusk could help create a dark, gloomy tone. Lesson Activity Teacher-Graded Read Edgar Allan Poes poem A Dream Within a Dream and write a 250- to 300-word essay as instructed in the Tone, Diction, and Meaning section of the Teacher-Graded Activities. Lesson Activity Self-Checked Listen to or read Brookss We Real Cool again. Go to the Tone, Diction, and Meaning section of the Self-Checked Activities and rewrite this poem as directed. SCREEN 16 Summary The French poet, playwright, and filmmaker Jean Cocteau once said, The poet doesnt invent. He listens. And thats what you, as a reader, need to do when analyzing a poems tone and diction. If tone conveys the mood and attitude of a poem, diction helps create the tone. To analyze tone, you need to understand diction. You also need to figure out who the poems speaker is, to whom is it addressed, and what the poems central concern and context is. For example, you may miss the irony in Robert Frosts A Patch of Old Snow and the bravado in Gwendolyn Brookss We Real Cool if you dont read the poems closely.