Elizabeth Barrett Browning was raised in a wealthy British family, which had accumulated much of their wealth from their slave-holdings in Jamaica. Elizabeth had private tutors in classical philosophy and in Latin. She published her first volume at the age of thirteen, and by the time she was thirty-five, she had grown to be one of the most popular poets in Britain, though she was then bedridden due to her ailments. Her father had forbidden her and all of her siblings from getting married. At home the family was run under strict aristocratic rule; however, she went against the wishes of her father and got eloped to Robert Browning in Italy.
Elizabeth wrote the Sonnets of the Portuguese to tell the story of the early years of her and Robert’s relationship. One of Elizabeth Browning’s more famous poems is Aurora Leigh. It is written in a long narrative and satirizes Victorian traditions and ideals. At one point, it pokes fun at the irony of the way women behave. It states that women’s work worthless and has no point. It also says that women try to become things that they are not in order to please men, when in actuality they cannot be pleased because they always desire something else. In any case, it is clear to see why she is a renowned writer
Friday, June 29, 2007
Robert Browning 1812-1889
Robert Browning came from a modest background that did not afford him a lot of luxuries. His father worked with the Bank of England. Robert lived primarily with his family until the age of 30. He attended the University of London for one year, but he was primarily self-educated. His father had a large library that held over 10,000 volumes. Browning read from this library and in particular he read the work of Elizabeth Barret. He wrote her fan letters in which he expressed his lover for her. She was six years his elder, but she arranged a meeting anyway. She was an heiress and cautious of Browning, but they eventually were eloped. He was in her shadow for a long time, and this bothered him.
Browning was known for his dramatic monologues. One such monologue was his My Last Duchess. In this he presents the Duke of Ferrara as the speaker who was giving a tour of his estate to a guest. The talkative Duke tells his guest more than he had originally intended to do. He lets him into the intimate story of a painting of his last duchess. He tells of her life and how she was so easily pleased. The monologue lets the reader feel like they are there with the Duke getting a first person insight into the life of the Duke. Browning was great at creating this intimate setting between the reader and the person giving the monologue.
Browning was known for his dramatic monologues. One such monologue was his My Last Duchess. In this he presents the Duke of Ferrara as the speaker who was giving a tour of his estate to a guest. The talkative Duke tells his guest more than he had originally intended to do. He lets him into the intimate story of a painting of his last duchess. He tells of her life and how she was so easily pleased. The monologue lets the reader feel like they are there with the Duke getting a first person insight into the life of the Duke. Browning was great at creating this intimate setting between the reader and the person giving the monologue.
Thomas Hardy 1840-1928
Thomas Hardy is a unique individual because he had long prosperous careers in two different fields. Hardy died at the age of 88, having completed two 30year careers, one as a novelist who wrote 14 novels, and one as a poet with over 1000 poems. Thomas was interested in the cosmic meaning of things. Early on, he trained to be an architect. He renovated churches but was not strong in faith. He would have liked to have been but his perception of the world and his life experiences would not allow him to maintain such a faith.
Hardy was generally pessimistic in his works; he believed that there is an irreconcilable disparity between what ought to be and what is. He wrote that humans have feeling but no powers, while the universe has power but no feelings; humans are imperfect while the universe is perfect, though inhuman can caring little about humans. This struck me as a very deep and profound way of viewing things but also as a pessimistic way. His novels were very dark and readers did not seem to like this. He then turned to poetry. Hardy almost never used the same structure in his poems twice. He liked to experiment. He thought it was important not to write poetry too well as not to distract the reader from a sense of reality. I feel the same way, so if this blog isn’t going too well than it is only because I agree with Hardy and do not want to distract my readers
Hardy was generally pessimistic in his works; he believed that there is an irreconcilable disparity between what ought to be and what is. He wrote that humans have feeling but no powers, while the universe has power but no feelings; humans are imperfect while the universe is perfect, though inhuman can caring little about humans. This struck me as a very deep and profound way of viewing things but also as a pessimistic way. His novels were very dark and readers did not seem to like this. He then turned to poetry. Hardy almost never used the same structure in his poems twice. He liked to experiment. He thought it was important not to write poetry too well as not to distract the reader from a sense of reality. I feel the same way, so if this blog isn’t going too well than it is only because I agree with Hardy and do not want to distract my readers
Gerard Manley Hopkins
Gerard Manley Hopkins is positioned in a unique place in time. He is generally seen as a transitional writer, moving from the Victorian Era to the Modern Era. “Gerard Manley Hopkins is the most modern of Victorian poets, and the most Victorian of modern poets” (773). He lived his entire life during the reign of Queen Victoria. Early in his life, Hopkins trained as a graphic artist. He had strong religious views and seeked the cosmic meaning of things. Hopkins intended to be a painter but changed his focus once he got to college and converted to Roman Catholicism in 1866. He trained to be a Jesuit Priest. This did not go over well with his family because they had been Protestants for generations. During his training he burned all his previous poems, deciding that they were too worldly and out of step with his new focus. As a priest, he taught classes at the university in Dublin and helped out within the community. Unfortunately he contracted typhoid doing his social work, and this led to his death at the age of 44.
Hopkins began to write his poems again following a disaster in December, 1875. The Wreck of the Deutschland commemorated the death of three fleeing nuns from Germany trying to escape persecution. It could not even be published during his lifetime because it was too far from what was expected. Hopkins viewed poetry as a spiritual and religious exercise, and the more difficult the exercise was the greater the experience was. Hopkins did not receive his just credit during his lifetime, but he has been revered as a great writer since.
Hopkins began to write his poems again following a disaster in December, 1875. The Wreck of the Deutschland commemorated the death of three fleeing nuns from Germany trying to escape persecution. It could not even be published during his lifetime because it was too far from what was expected. Hopkins viewed poetry as a spiritual and religious exercise, and the more difficult the exercise was the greater the experience was. Hopkins did not receive his just credit during his lifetime, but he has been revered as a great writer since.
World War I
The outbreak of the first World War led to the rejection of Victorian ideals, ideals that involved politics, day-to-day activities, life, and poetry. This helped to usher in the Modern Era. The best way to look at the profound affect that WWI had on the world is to compare that world before and after the war.
Previous to World War I a soldier would voluntarily give his life for his country. The values of English country living and domestic life were viewed as positive. This was the way of thinking as expressed by Rupert Brooke, a soldier on his way to battle who died on the transport ship. The attitude after the war was much different. Writers no longer attempted to try to glorify the war as was done in past wars. Writers like Wilfred Owen wrote in his Anthem for Doomed Youth the horrors of war. Wilfred described it as a sense of waste and usefulness. Siegfried Sassoon is another post WWI writer who was outraged with the war and how it was managed at home. In his work, Glory of Women, he attempts to remove all glory from the war.
These new attitudes and ways of writing about the war were in stark contrast with writings from the past. I remember Lord Tennyson’s The Charge of the Light Brigade and how it still managed to glorify the bravery of the soldiers despite the fact that it may not have agreed with the action. There is no glory in the post WWI depictions. This is just one demonstration of how the war affected the writers and attitudes of the time.
Previous to World War I a soldier would voluntarily give his life for his country. The values of English country living and domestic life were viewed as positive. This was the way of thinking as expressed by Rupert Brooke, a soldier on his way to battle who died on the transport ship. The attitude after the war was much different. Writers no longer attempted to try to glorify the war as was done in past wars. Writers like Wilfred Owen wrote in his Anthem for Doomed Youth the horrors of war. Wilfred described it as a sense of waste and usefulness. Siegfried Sassoon is another post WWI writer who was outraged with the war and how it was managed at home. In his work, Glory of Women, he attempts to remove all glory from the war.
These new attitudes and ways of writing about the war were in stark contrast with writings from the past. I remember Lord Tennyson’s The Charge of the Light Brigade and how it still managed to glorify the bravery of the soldiers despite the fact that it may not have agreed with the action. There is no glory in the post WWI depictions. This is just one demonstration of how the war affected the writers and attitudes of the time.
Bernard Shaw 1806-1873
George Bernard Shaw was one of the most celebrated and controversial writers of his time. His initials, G.B.S., were recognized as shorthand code for his work. Shaw served as a transitional figure, moving from the Victorian Era to the Modern Era. Shaw was born into a very poor background, but this did not deter him. He made himself into one of the most important voices in English literature. In 1925 Bernard Shaw won the Nobel Prize for literature, but he refused to accept the award money. Shaw was fully aware of the power of words and the power of class. He knew that one’s use of words could help in advancing or hindering one’s career. He believed that one’s voice identified oneself and had the ability to help or harm them.
In his play, Pygmalion, he describes the transformation of Liza Doolittle from a beggar flower girl into a lady. She is recognized, treated, and identified as being a princess; however, there was a flaw in the transformation. Liza now sounds and acts like a lady but she does not have the income of a lady thus defeating the purpose which is to marry a gentleman. Shaw believed that the point of literature was not to be beautiful but to teach a lesson. Because of this Shaw did not want to have Henry and Liza end up together and married. This would not be a happy ending for Shaw. He wanted to make Liza Henry’s equal. She was able to overcome and stand alone, a bold statement for that time. I liked the ending because it was not what I expected and it did have a good moral lesson to it.
In his play, Pygmalion, he describes the transformation of Liza Doolittle from a beggar flower girl into a lady. She is recognized, treated, and identified as being a princess; however, there was a flaw in the transformation. Liza now sounds and acts like a lady but she does not have the income of a lady thus defeating the purpose which is to marry a gentleman. Shaw believed that the point of literature was not to be beautiful but to teach a lesson. Because of this Shaw did not want to have Henry and Liza end up together and married. This would not be a happy ending for Shaw. He wanted to make Liza Henry’s equal. She was able to overcome and stand alone, a bold statement for that time. I liked the ending because it was not what I expected and it did have a good moral lesson to it.
John Stuart Mill 1806-1873
I found it very refreshing to read the section of the text of John Stuart Mill after having previously read about the roles of Victorian ladies and gentlemen. Mill seemed to be ahead of his time and offered up for those who wish to see reform in the current class constraints of the Victorian Period. There is no doubt that the views of Mill were outrageously radical during his time. “Mill advocated sexual equality, the right to divorce, universal suffrage, free speech, and proportional representation” (513). It is no surprise that Mill had these radical ideas because his grandfather was the founder of Utilitarianism. “Mill went on to become the era’s leading philosopher and political theorist, an outspoken member of parliament, and Britain’s most prestigious proponent of women’s rights” (514). I really enjoyed reading Mill because of his political involvement. Mill was home-schooled and learned much from his father at an early age. Mill was wise beyond his years and as a result he had a nervous breakdown at age 20. He found comfort in reading poetry, particularly that of Wordsworth.
John Stuart Mill furthered his father and grandfather’s pursuit of a Utilitarian government, that is one that is the best form for the most people. I took political theory last semester and I wish that we would have covered Mill because he seems to me to be a very enlightened individual. The closest political theorist I can relate him to is John Locke. They both seem to argue for the good of the common man, though they lived in two different time periods. I like how Mill questions the society in which he lives in and how he champions the rights of individual freedoms despite the fact that some his writings were quite unpopular at the time. I also enjoy how Mill acknowledges arguments from his opposition and then goes on to refute these arguments in a genius manner. As I read the works of Mill, I couldn’t help but think of a famous quote from Patrick Henry saying, “give me liberty or give me death”. I think that this is a quote that Mill would agree with.
John Stuart Mill furthered his father and grandfather’s pursuit of a Utilitarian government, that is one that is the best form for the most people. I took political theory last semester and I wish that we would have covered Mill because he seems to me to be a very enlightened individual. The closest political theorist I can relate him to is John Locke. They both seem to argue for the good of the common man, though they lived in two different time periods. I like how Mill questions the society in which he lives in and how he champions the rights of individual freedoms despite the fact that some his writings were quite unpopular at the time. I also enjoy how Mill acknowledges arguments from his opposition and then goes on to refute these arguments in a genius manner. As I read the works of Mill, I couldn’t help but think of a famous quote from Patrick Henry saying, “give me liberty or give me death”. I think that this is a quote that Mill would agree with.
Victorian Ladies and Gentlemen
The terms “ladies” and “gentlemen” were very significant during the Victorian Period, and were social positions that all people of the time wished to obtain. They were status markers reserved for the aristocracy and not for the working classes. The social divisions of the time seemed to run deeper than times past; however, it was not this division in wealth status that caught my attention in this section, but rather the accepted division in gender roles. After reading this section, I suddenly had a newfound appreciation for just how far women have come since those times. I don’t think that there is anything wrong with women who choose the “more traditional” lifestyle of being a homemaker and focusing primarily on raising children, while the man provides the means for living; however, I do have a problem when this is the only choice give to the women. Men and women should have equal opportunity to receive an education and pursue a career of their choice. This is something that we take for granted today but was not the case in England during the Victorian Age. Lord Tennyson seems to give an accurate depiction of the gender roles of the time in The Princess:
“Man for the field and woman for the hearth:
Man for the sword and for the needle she:
Man with the head and woman with the heart:
Man to command and women to obey:
All else confusion” (555).
The part that I have the hardest time understanding is what seems to be the general acceptance of this by both men and women alike. I wonder what Felicia Hemans would have to say about these words from Tennyson. Women in this time were not allowed to vote, have legal right, work outside of the home, or even pursue the same educational or career opportunities as men. What is even more disconcerting is that women like, Sarah Stickney Ellis actually encouraged the women of this time to simply accept their inferior roles within Victorian society. As I said before, hearing all this, just made me appreciate how far women have come. You go girls!
“Man for the field and woman for the hearth:
Man for the sword and for the needle she:
Man with the head and woman with the heart:
Man to command and women to obey:
All else confusion” (555).
The part that I have the hardest time understanding is what seems to be the general acceptance of this by both men and women alike. I wonder what Felicia Hemans would have to say about these words from Tennyson. Women in this time were not allowed to vote, have legal right, work outside of the home, or even pursue the same educational or career opportunities as men. What is even more disconcerting is that women like, Sarah Stickney Ellis actually encouraged the women of this time to simply accept their inferior roles within Victorian society. As I said before, hearing all this, just made me appreciate how far women have come. You go girls!
Felicia Hermans 1793-1835
Felicia Hemans discovered her talent for writing at a very young age. She was born in 1793 in Liverpool, and under the tutorage of her mother she quickly became somewhat of a child prodigy. As a child, Hemans learned Latin, German, French, and Italian. She immersed herself in Shakespeare and quickly developed a talent for writing. Hemans had her first works to published when she was only 14. It is obvious that unlike Dorothy Wordsworth who avoided the limelight, Felicia actively seeked publication. She even shared a publisher with Lord Byron. I think it would also be a fair statement to say that Byron felt a bit threatened at the astounding rate in which Hemans turned out quality work.
Felicia Hemans enjoyed great success as a writer. Her poems became popular recitals for school children; however, history would all but forget Hemans had it not been for her rediscovery by feminist critics. It is no wonder that feminists would rediscover her work; in traditional poetry women had traditional roles, the homemaker. In Hemans’ The Wife of Asdrubal, the wife steps out of her normal role when her husband runs to the side of the Romans to avoid death while the rest of the Carthaginians killed themselves. The wife curses her husband , “the traitor”, and kill her sons before killing herself. In this tale the brave wife has more honor than does her cowardly husband. Women are often angry in Hemans’ poems and act out of rage towards men. This might result from the fact that her father left her at a very young age. Regardless of the reason, this is one feminist that I would not want to disagree with!
Felicia Hemans enjoyed great success as a writer. Her poems became popular recitals for school children; however, history would all but forget Hemans had it not been for her rediscovery by feminist critics. It is no wonder that feminists would rediscover her work; in traditional poetry women had traditional roles, the homemaker. In Hemans’ The Wife of Asdrubal, the wife steps out of her normal role when her husband runs to the side of the Romans to avoid death while the rest of the Carthaginians killed themselves. The wife curses her husband , “the traitor”, and kill her sons before killing herself. In this tale the brave wife has more honor than does her cowardly husband. Women are often angry in Hemans’ poems and act out of rage towards men. This might result from the fact that her father left her at a very young age. Regardless of the reason, this is one feminist that I would not want to disagree with!
John Keats 1795-1821
The magnificent writings of John Keats are only surpassed my the curiosity of what might have been if he had lived a longer life. Many of the famous writers today would not be so if they had only live the span that Keats lived. Keats was born into a working class family; his father owned a delivery stable in London. Keats had no formal education. In response to reading George Chapman’s translation of Homer, Keats wrote an Italian Sonnet cleverly entitled “On First Looking into Chapman’s Homer”. This form allowed him to address two views in one single sonnet. He read Chapman’s translation because he couldn’t read Latin. Like other romantics, Keats removed himself from the immediate influence of the literary past and dove even deeper to discover his inspiration.
John Keats was known for his sonnets. These sonnets were often accompanied with dark twists. They would start out innocent enough as love stories that had not so lovely endings. Keats feared he would live a short life, as he was diagnosed with TB. He often used his work to search for answers to human mortality. In Ode on a Grecian Urn he looks to art for comfort, and in Ode to a Nightingale he looks to nature. After Keats had explored the answers he seeked in The Odes he rejected what he had come up with. He decided that nightingales are immortal because they all sing the same song, and humans are individualistic creatures so are not immortal. He also finds that nature cannot always give consolation. John Keats is a “chameleon poet”, taking on the form of whatever he is currently involved in. John Keats is made all that more amazing to me by the fact that he accomplished what he did at such a young age. I can only wonder how the wisdom of time might have affected the talented writer had he lived a longer life
John Keats was known for his sonnets. These sonnets were often accompanied with dark twists. They would start out innocent enough as love stories that had not so lovely endings. Keats feared he would live a short life, as he was diagnosed with TB. He often used his work to search for answers to human mortality. In Ode on a Grecian Urn he looks to art for comfort, and in Ode to a Nightingale he looks to nature. After Keats had explored the answers he seeked in The Odes he rejected what he had come up with. He decided that nightingales are immortal because they all sing the same song, and humans are individualistic creatures so are not immortal. He also finds that nature cannot always give consolation. John Keats is a “chameleon poet”, taking on the form of whatever he is currently involved in. John Keats is made all that more amazing to me by the fact that he accomplished what he did at such a young age. I can only wonder how the wisdom of time might have affected the talented writer had he lived a longer life
Dorothy Wordsworth 1771-1855
Dorothy was the younger sister of William Wordsworth and along with her brother and Samuel Taylor Coleridge made up the “Wordsworth Circle”. What separated Dorothy from William and Coleridge was the fact that she never aspired to be primarily a published writer. “I should detest the idea of setting myself as an Author” she said (290). Dorothy had a tough childhood; her mother passed in 1778 and her father sent her four brothers off to school and sent Dorothy to live with a series of distant relatives. She missed he brothers terribly and particularly William. The two were finally reunited in 1787. Thanks to a legacy left to William, the two of them were able to get a home together in 1795.
Dorothy wrote during this time to please William. She made recording of her surroundings and events in her everyday life. William did publish a few of her works in his collections, specifying them as, “By my Sister”. Even though Dorothy had no desire to make a name for herself with her writings and wrote mainly to please William, there is no doubt that she had a talent. Her attention to detail was remarkable, which can be seen in her recordings from The Grasmere Journals and more precisely in A Field of Daffodils. She had a good poetic eye, and in many ways her writing style was similar to that of William’s. It was only after her death, that she has been recognized as a talented writer and poet. I can only imagine how good she could have been if she had shared the same passion for writing as did her brother, William.
Dorothy wrote during this time to please William. She made recording of her surroundings and events in her everyday life. William did publish a few of her works in his collections, specifying them as, “By my Sister”. Even though Dorothy had no desire to make a name for herself with her writings and wrote mainly to please William, there is no doubt that she had a talent. Her attention to detail was remarkable, which can be seen in her recordings from The Grasmere Journals and more precisely in A Field of Daffodils. She had a good poetic eye, and in many ways her writing style was similar to that of William’s. It was only after her death, that she has been recognized as a talented writer and poet. I can only imagine how good she could have been if she had shared the same passion for writing as did her brother, William.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge 1772-1834
Samuel Taylor Coleridge was first generation Romantic poet. He was a member of what we call the “Wordsworth circle” that included himself and William and Dorothy Wordsworth. Coleridge attended Jesus College in Cambridge but did not earn a degree due to a failed attempt to enlist in the army under an assumed name. Coleridge was addicted to opium but it didn’t greatly affect his writing like some might think. In 1796 he published Poems on Various Subjects. This publication included his poem entitled
The Eolian Harp. In 1800 he followed the Wordsworths to the Lake District, where they collaborated on several works.
I have to be honest and admit that I was not a huge fan of Coleridge’s work after reading it in the text. I found it difficult to follow. I must preferred the simplicity of subject matter that Wordsworth used instead of the more imaginative subjects that Coleridge used to write on; however, if I did have to choose a favorite Coleridge poem that I read it would be The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, despite the fact that it is so long. This poem is one of his most famous and did a lot to establish Coleridge as a successful poet. I think Coleridge uses the ballet of sorts to teach a moral lesson, one that urges man to be kind to all of God’s creatures or to pay a heavy price like the mariner did. I enjoy how Coleridge left the wedding guest somewhat confused as to what to think about the ending of the story. I think he is painting the wedding guest as the reader. I believe that Coleridge wants the reader to draw his own conclusions from the poem, forcing the reader to think for themselves. My own personal interpretation is that Coleridge wants us to be kinder to each other because he is writing in an age when the sense of community is becoming more and more individualistic.
The Eolian Harp. In 1800 he followed the Wordsworths to the Lake District, where they collaborated on several works.
I have to be honest and admit that I was not a huge fan of Coleridge’s work after reading it in the text. I found it difficult to follow. I must preferred the simplicity of subject matter that Wordsworth used instead of the more imaginative subjects that Coleridge used to write on; however, if I did have to choose a favorite Coleridge poem that I read it would be The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, despite the fact that it is so long. This poem is one of his most famous and did a lot to establish Coleridge as a successful poet. I think Coleridge uses the ballet of sorts to teach a moral lesson, one that urges man to be kind to all of God’s creatures or to pay a heavy price like the mariner did. I enjoy how Coleridge left the wedding guest somewhat confused as to what to think about the ending of the story. I think he is painting the wedding guest as the reader. I believe that Coleridge wants the reader to draw his own conclusions from the poem, forcing the reader to think for themselves. My own personal interpretation is that Coleridge wants us to be kinder to each other because he is writing in an age when the sense of community is becoming more and more individualistic.
Alfred, Lord Tennyson 1809-1892
Alfred Tennyson was one of the most successful writers of his time. “His books sold tens of thousands of copies; the Queen and Parliament named him Poet Laureate, then Lord, and finally Baron Tennyson; his annual income surpassed ten thousand pounds a year; and he was widely regarded as something more than a poet-a prophet, a sage, and an infallible moneymaker” (583). Tennyson came from a large family that suffered from several flaws. These flaws were called the black blood of the Tennyson family. They suffered from addictive and depressing personality traits. Alfred suffered from depression himself and had an introverted personality. Tennyson attended Oxford University where he met his best friend and future brother-in-law Henry Hallam. Hallam died shortly after leaving Oxford and this devastated Tennyson. Lord Tennyson was known for his lyrical quality.
The first thing I noticed when reading the work of Tennyson was the first poem presented on page 586 entitled The Kracken. The reason that this poem stood out to me might sound silly to some but while reading it I realized that the kracken that he was describing as causing havoc on the open seas was the same kracken that the makers of Pirates of the Caribbean used in their film to torment the seas. I thought this was really cool because I just figured that the writer of the movie just made this creature up from thin air, but it was now obvious that this major modern film had drawn inspiration from the writings of Tennyson long ago. I thought this was a really cool connection.
Another poem of Lord Tennyson that I enjoyed reading was The Charge of the Light Brigade. I think the first reason it appealed me was that it was one of the few poems that I had heard of before reading it, and it dealt with military history, which I am a big fan of. I liked how Tennyson was able to express his disagreement with the decision to engage in the suicidal charge by the English soldiers, but at the same time was able to honor those brave men who so unselfishly gave their lives for their beloved nation. I think Tennyson does a good job of balancing these two feelings equally in his work. Additionally I thought it was really cool that we were able to listen to Tennyson read his own work thanks to the work of Edison. I think it helps to hear the writer read his own work because you can hear what words and phrases that he emphasizes stressing importance. Overall I have to say that Lord Tennyson is one of my favorites writers so far.
The first thing I noticed when reading the work of Tennyson was the first poem presented on page 586 entitled The Kracken. The reason that this poem stood out to me might sound silly to some but while reading it I realized that the kracken that he was describing as causing havoc on the open seas was the same kracken that the makers of Pirates of the Caribbean used in their film to torment the seas. I thought this was really cool because I just figured that the writer of the movie just made this creature up from thin air, but it was now obvious that this major modern film had drawn inspiration from the writings of Tennyson long ago. I thought this was a really cool connection.
Another poem of Lord Tennyson that I enjoyed reading was The Charge of the Light Brigade. I think the first reason it appealed me was that it was one of the few poems that I had heard of before reading it, and it dealt with military history, which I am a big fan of. I liked how Tennyson was able to express his disagreement with the decision to engage in the suicidal charge by the English soldiers, but at the same time was able to honor those brave men who so unselfishly gave their lives for their beloved nation. I think Tennyson does a good job of balancing these two feelings equally in his work. Additionally I thought it was really cool that we were able to listen to Tennyson read his own work thanks to the work of Edison. I think it helps to hear the writer read his own work because you can hear what words and phrases that he emphasizes stressing importance. Overall I have to say that Lord Tennyson is one of my favorites writers so far.
Thomas Carlyle 1795-1881
Thomas Carlyle was a prominent writer of the Victorian Period. His work is undeniable, and it inspired many of his fellow Victorians such as Mill, Tennyson, Browning, Dickens, Ruskin, and many others. George Elliot believed that even if all Carlyle’s books were burnt, “it would be only like cutting down an oak after its acorns have sown a forest” (475). Carlyle was born in a small village in Scotland to a working class family. He was brought up with a strong Calvinist upbringing. Carlyle struggled for a great deal of his young adulthood to try to find his way in the world. It wasn’t until later that he decided to dedicate his life to a literary career. In 1821 he met Jane Welsh, and later in 1826 he married Jane. Carlyle was infamous for his irritable, depressed, and complaining outlook. Samuel Butler rather nastily remarked that, “it was very good of God to let Carlyle and Mrs. Carlyle marry one another and so make only two people miserable instead of four, besides being very amusing” (475). Carlyle and Jane moved to London in 1834. This is where they would spend the rest of their lives, and where Carlyle would write his famous chronicle of The French Revolution.
Like Friedrich Engels, Carlyle writes of the ills of the time and he offers what he sees as solutions to these ills. I was quite astounded at the shock factor writing that he used to describe the ills of the day. He reminded me of a shock jock on talk radio that uses sarcasm and satire to criticize current society. I was astounded at how he depicted cannibalism among family members as a sarcastic solution to the hunger and poverty brought on by the ills of society in England at his time. He threatens that another French Revolution will take place if need be in his work in Past and Present. Here he pleas with the people to return to older times where the community was more connected and that people cared for one another as opposed to the self-interested money driven attitudes of the people in present times. Carlyle criticized his present day society in other works as well such as The Irish Widow. I enjoyed reading Carlyle and seeing how he tried to use his writings as a tool to alter what he perceived as societal ills of his time.
Like Friedrich Engels, Carlyle writes of the ills of the time and he offers what he sees as solutions to these ills. I was quite astounded at the shock factor writing that he used to describe the ills of the day. He reminded me of a shock jock on talk radio that uses sarcasm and satire to criticize current society. I was astounded at how he depicted cannibalism among family members as a sarcastic solution to the hunger and poverty brought on by the ills of society in England at his time. He threatens that another French Revolution will take place if need be in his work in Past and Present. Here he pleas with the people to return to older times where the community was more connected and that people cared for one another as opposed to the self-interested money driven attitudes of the people in present times. Carlyle criticized his present day society in other works as well such as The Irish Widow. I enjoyed reading Carlyle and seeing how he tried to use his writings as a tool to alter what he perceived as societal ills of his time.
Industrialism
Historian Eric Hobsbawn described the Industrial Revolution as, “the most fundamental transformation of human life in the history of the world” (487). It is not hard to see why Hobsbawn would say such thing. In what seemed like an overnight transformation Europe and particularly England was launched into the “Machine Age” which set it into an economic whirlwind. This period is known for its great technological advances in industry and machine technology leading to many other changes. This mostly occurred in what is known as the Victorian Period or during the reign of Queen Victoria in England. This period lasts quite a long time, between the 1830’s and the early 1900’s. People in this period saw advances in science, geology, medicine, and other areas with the work of people like Charles Darwin. This period also saw a wider spread of people have a stake in political life, that is political power was more widely distributed with the passing of several reform bills.
The people living during this time were aware of the great changes that were going on around them, and as you might expect the reaction that people had of the times varied greatly. The people who prospered during this time were naturally pleased while the ones that suffered as a result of the changes were not so pleased. I was reading this section I could see the development of the two classes that Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels had written about in their Communist Manifesto. As they wrote in their work, it did seem like the working class proletarians who worked the assembly lines were being neglected and taken advantage of by the upper class bourgeois who were in charge of the industry. With this said, it is clear to see why there were such large gaps in the feelings of people about the times. Regardless of how one might have felt about the industrial period, no one can deny the long lasting effect that it has had on the world, and the inspiration it gave to writers of the time such as Thomas Carlyle, Charles Dickens, and others
The people living during this time were aware of the great changes that were going on around them, and as you might expect the reaction that people had of the times varied greatly. The people who prospered during this time were naturally pleased while the ones that suffered as a result of the changes were not so pleased. I was reading this section I could see the development of the two classes that Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels had written about in their Communist Manifesto. As they wrote in their work, it did seem like the working class proletarians who worked the assembly lines were being neglected and taken advantage of by the upper class bourgeois who were in charge of the industry. With this said, it is clear to see why there were such large gaps in the feelings of people about the times. Regardless of how one might have felt about the industrial period, no one can deny the long lasting effect that it has had on the world, and the inspiration it gave to writers of the time such as Thomas Carlyle, Charles Dickens, and others
Percey Bysshe Shelley 1792-1822
Percey Bysshe Shelly was another poet classified in the second generation of the Romantics. He too was a stern critic of the political culture around him; however, he never gained the level of fame that Lord Byron did during his lifetime. Shelley had a passion to make a difference in the world but was upset that his voiced opinion did not have the desired effect that he wished it to. In 1814 he married Mary, the daughter of Wollstonecraft.
One of the poems written by Shelley was Ozymandias, a response to a contest between him and a friend of his over a exhibit in the British Museum of Ramses II. Ozymandias is the Greek name for Ramses II. Shelley has a unique rhyme scheme that he uses in Ozymandias that is typical of him. This poem can be interpreted in several ways. Some may think he is praising Ozymandias as a great king that will not be able to matched by any other king. Others might take a different viewpoint, interpreting it to show that all that is left from the great Ozymandias is the ruins of this statue. This is much more pessimistic view but one that is often attributed to the second generation Romantics. This bleak ending can be seen at the end of his work in Mont Blanc, a poem about the mystic highest mountain in Europe. Mont Blanc starts off is awe on the great mountain, but in the end Shelley questions what lies at the summit of the great peak, since at that time no one had ascended to the top. He wonders if there is anything there at all other than silence and solitude. I got the impression when reading this that the silence and solitude he questions is not a positive thing but rather a very depressing and bleak ending to a poem that started in a much more uplifting way.
It is clear to me, after I have read the first and second generation Romantics, that the second generation writers differed greatly in the less comforting conclusions to their work. I have a feeling that they probably did this in large part to break free of their ties to the first generation. I myself, prefer the first generation poets because I like the warmer feeling I receive after reading one of their works compared with the somberness I have wash over me after reading a Shelley poem.
One of the poems written by Shelley was Ozymandias, a response to a contest between him and a friend of his over a exhibit in the British Museum of Ramses II. Ozymandias is the Greek name for Ramses II. Shelley has a unique rhyme scheme that he uses in Ozymandias that is typical of him. This poem can be interpreted in several ways. Some may think he is praising Ozymandias as a great king that will not be able to matched by any other king. Others might take a different viewpoint, interpreting it to show that all that is left from the great Ozymandias is the ruins of this statue. This is much more pessimistic view but one that is often attributed to the second generation Romantics. This bleak ending can be seen at the end of his work in Mont Blanc, a poem about the mystic highest mountain in Europe. Mont Blanc starts off is awe on the great mountain, but in the end Shelley questions what lies at the summit of the great peak, since at that time no one had ascended to the top. He wonders if there is anything there at all other than silence and solitude. I got the impression when reading this that the silence and solitude he questions is not a positive thing but rather a very depressing and bleak ending to a poem that started in a much more uplifting way.
It is clear to me, after I have read the first and second generation Romantics, that the second generation writers differed greatly in the less comforting conclusions to their work. I have a feeling that they probably did this in large part to break free of their ties to the first generation. I myself, prefer the first generation poets because I like the warmer feeling I receive after reading one of their works compared with the somberness I have wash over me after reading a Shelley poem.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
George Gordon, Lord Byron 1788-1824
George Gordon was the first of the main three poets of the second generation of Romantics. Although the first and second generations were both classified as Romantics, they drew their inspirations from much different sources, as is reflected in their work. The first generation Romantics were greatly influenced by the French Revolution since they were in their prime when it was occurring; however, the revolution played little to no role in inspiring the second generation writers as Gordon was the only of the three to even be alive during this time, and he was only one year old. Another difference between Gordon and the first generation writers is how long he lived. Blake, Wordsworth, and Coleridge all lived to grow old, while Gordon died at age 36. “In 1798 his great-uncle the fifth Baron Bryon, “the wicked Lord,” died childless, and just after his tenth birthday he inherited his title” (356). This would later go on to shape much of his work. Lord Byron entered Trinity College in 1805. His first published volume of work was Hours of Idleness and was published in 1807.
Lord Byron wrote in the Regency period, which was a political classification of the period. It was post French Revolution. This difference in period affected his writing and made them differ greatly from the first generation Romantics. One example of this can be seen in how he views Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo compared with how the first generation poets viewed it. Unlike his predecessors, Gordon simply viewed the defeat as a reverse of the revolution. He saw it as a return to the status quo, putting the church and old forms of government back in charge. Lord Byron’s persona matched up nicely with the general attitude of society during his time. This coupled with his great writing success combined to make him a kind of super star during his time. He gained much more notoriety for his work while he was alive than any of the first generation poets did. His work, The Corsair, sold more than 10,000 copies on the first day of its publication in 1814. This was an incredible number for the time. I was very surprised when I read this, but I was even more surprised to learn that Lord Byron has had far reaching influences into today that have been right under my nose, like the town named after him in Byron, GA or the stained class window in the Hay House right here in Macon inspired by him.
I like the fact that Byron was such a well traveled person and that he used his experiences on his travels in his writings. Byron was a charismatic man who was surrounded with rumors and mystery. He was unhappily married to Annabella Milbanke until they separated amidst rumors of his many affairs, among which was rumored one with his half sister. I enjoyed the fact that Byron was involved in political life as well, lobbying against such things as the death penalty. I also liked how he had the audacity to call out many of the acclaimed writers of the day. He openly criticized such writers as Wordsworth, Coleridge, and Milton in his semi-autobiographical Don Juan. All in all I can easily see why George Gordon rose to the celebrity status that he did.
Lord Byron wrote in the Regency period, which was a political classification of the period. It was post French Revolution. This difference in period affected his writing and made them differ greatly from the first generation Romantics. One example of this can be seen in how he views Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo compared with how the first generation poets viewed it. Unlike his predecessors, Gordon simply viewed the defeat as a reverse of the revolution. He saw it as a return to the status quo, putting the church and old forms of government back in charge. Lord Byron’s persona matched up nicely with the general attitude of society during his time. This coupled with his great writing success combined to make him a kind of super star during his time. He gained much more notoriety for his work while he was alive than any of the first generation poets did. His work, The Corsair, sold more than 10,000 copies on the first day of its publication in 1814. This was an incredible number for the time. I was very surprised when I read this, but I was even more surprised to learn that Lord Byron has had far reaching influences into today that have been right under my nose, like the town named after him in Byron, GA or the stained class window in the Hay House right here in Macon inspired by him.
I like the fact that Byron was such a well traveled person and that he used his experiences on his travels in his writings. Byron was a charismatic man who was surrounded with rumors and mystery. He was unhappily married to Annabella Milbanke until they separated amidst rumors of his many affairs, among which was rumored one with his half sister. I enjoyed the fact that Byron was involved in political life as well, lobbying against such things as the death penalty. I also liked how he had the audacity to call out many of the acclaimed writers of the day. He openly criticized such writers as Wordsworth, Coleridge, and Milton in his semi-autobiographical Don Juan. All in all I can easily see why George Gordon rose to the celebrity status that he did.
William Wordsworth 1770-1850
William Wordsworth is one of the most influential writers classified under the Romantics. He came from a well-to-do family that afforded him a good education. He attended a good grammar school and later attended Cambridge University. His parents died when he was still a young boy, but his relatives helped put him through school. After graduating from Cambridge he traveled to France where he was an ardent supporter of the French Revolution. In 1795 a college friend’s legacy allowed Wordsworth to focus primarily on poetry. In 1797 he formed a productive friendship with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and they worked together on their poetry. Together they released Lyrical Ballads, with a few other poems in 1798.
Wordsworth was the first modern poet to write on the nature of poetry and what was the reason and purpose of poetry. I personally liked the idea that Wordsworth had of poetry because he believed that poetry was more about the ideas that influenced them and not so much the fancy wording of the poetry. This appealed to me because I have a hard enough time trying to decipher the meaning of poetry without having to translate the “uppity” language into everyday language. Wordsworth writes about everyday life from that of a common man’s perspective. I think this allows a lot of people to relate to his work on a much more intimate level. He claims that a poet is a man speaking to men on a human level that is understandable to all
One of the major goals that Wordsworth seeked to accomplish with his poetry was to create a greater awareness and caring about those around us. He seems to have a good understanding of the time in which he is living and the effect that it is having on the people of that time. He thinks that people are growing insensitive to the feelings and hardships of others around them. Society is becoming more and more callous with the times. Wordsworth wants to reverse this trend. A good example of how he attempts to do this is his poem, The Old Huntsman, with an incident in which he was concerned. This works focuses on Simon Lee, the old huntsman, who has seen better days. In his youth Simon Lee was strong and merry, but time has not be kind to Simon Lee. He has grown old and weary and his employer has long passed away. He practically has one foot in the grave and no one in his village seems to care much. The narrator of the poem comes across Simon Lee attempting to split an old root with little success. The narrator offers to help and splits the roots with one blow. Simon Lee is overcome with gratitude as his eyes fill with tears. I think that Wordsworth, in this poem, is trying to show how something so simple can make such a big difference. I think he is trying to encourage his readers to be more aware of the hardships of people around them and to help out when they can. As in the poem, it does not have to be anything major. Little things make a difference!
Wordsworth was the first modern poet to write on the nature of poetry and what was the reason and purpose of poetry. I personally liked the idea that Wordsworth had of poetry because he believed that poetry was more about the ideas that influenced them and not so much the fancy wording of the poetry. This appealed to me because I have a hard enough time trying to decipher the meaning of poetry without having to translate the “uppity” language into everyday language. Wordsworth writes about everyday life from that of a common man’s perspective. I think this allows a lot of people to relate to his work on a much more intimate level. He claims that a poet is a man speaking to men on a human level that is understandable to all
One of the major goals that Wordsworth seeked to accomplish with his poetry was to create a greater awareness and caring about those around us. He seems to have a good understanding of the time in which he is living and the effect that it is having on the people of that time. He thinks that people are growing insensitive to the feelings and hardships of others around them. Society is becoming more and more callous with the times. Wordsworth wants to reverse this trend. A good example of how he attempts to do this is his poem, The Old Huntsman, with an incident in which he was concerned. This works focuses on Simon Lee, the old huntsman, who has seen better days. In his youth Simon Lee was strong and merry, but time has not be kind to Simon Lee. He has grown old and weary and his employer has long passed away. He practically has one foot in the grave and no one in his village seems to care much. The narrator of the poem comes across Simon Lee attempting to split an old root with little success. The narrator offers to help and splits the roots with one blow. Simon Lee is overcome with gratitude as his eyes fill with tears. I think that Wordsworth, in this poem, is trying to show how something so simple can make such a big difference. I think he is trying to encourage his readers to be more aware of the hardships of people around them and to help out when they can. As in the poem, it does not have to be anything major. Little things make a difference!
William Blake 1757-1827
In writing about William Blake, I must first say how cool it is that he inspired Jim Morrison to name his band The Doors! Blake was a writer and an artist during his lifetime and was a complete original in his style. Unfortunately Blake did not gain widespread notoriety until after his death. William came from a lower middle class family and his lifestyle was dictated as so. He received a typical education for someone of his class. I think this tended to make me like Blake even more because I get the sense that he is a “self-made” man, that is he has created his own poetic genius that is free from outside influences. William Blake is often considered one of the first writers of Romanticism. William Blake did not just simply write poetry but often times created art to go with his writings. “Rebellious, unconventional, fiercely idealistic, Blake became a celebrity in modern counterculture” (74).
I must admit that I had a hard time trying to understand much of the meaning in Blake’s work. I feel like his poetry is multi-layered, and that each layer presents some deep and profound meaning. The problem for me was uncovering those layers. It almost seems like you can split his two collections of work up into two nice pieces of early and later work, with Songs of Innocence being early and Songs of Experience being later; however, I realize that it isn’t that simple and to make it so would be to do Blake a great injustice. He is very complex in his writings and his use of symbolism.
The first poem of Blake’s that I want to touch on is The Echoing Green. This is one of the few poems that I have read that actually took me to a visual place in my mind, where I saw what the author was saying. I don’t know if I saw what he wanted me to see, but while reading this poem I went back my childhood and pictured playing in the first season game of the spring soccer season or in the first big tournament of the spring. It reminded me of how simple life was for a seven year old boy than. I had no worries, no stress, no nothing to bring me down. All I cared about was getting out there on that green field and having fun. I am only 22 now, but oh how I wish I could go back and be seven again. I wish I could go back to that green and be careless once more. Oh how I miss that echoing green.
I guess that was my favorite because it was simple enough for me to understand and it reminded me of a time that I longed for. William Blake’s other works are much more complex. I think it is very interesting how he uses The Lamb to portray god in a favorable light and than uses The Tyger to question whether the same god who created the lamb could have created the tyger. My favorite aspect of this was how Blake did not answer the question and left it open for the reader to decide. Another interesting way in which Blake challenges the reader to think is in his two versions of The Chimney Sweeper in the Songs of Innocence and the Songs of Experience. In the first, the little boy is comforted by his dream, in which an angel tells him if he is a good boy and works hard than God will watch after him. I think that Blake wants the reader here to feel uneasy about this since the little boy is being exposed to such harsh conditions on a daily basis. In the second version, Blake depicts the little boy as being far less happy with his difficult life. He blames his parents who sold him and don’t even realize that they have done him harm. He singles out God and his Priest and King. He claims they make up a heaven of our misery. I think that one of the general goals of William Blake lies just beneath the surface here. I think that Blake wants us to take a critical eye and question authority, all authority because he believes that authoritative figures are responsible for the abuse of the weak. This is a characteristic of all Romantics. I think that it is evident that Blake wants his readers to challenge authority and question where it is that it gets it authoritative nature.
I must admit that I had a hard time trying to understand much of the meaning in Blake’s work. I feel like his poetry is multi-layered, and that each layer presents some deep and profound meaning. The problem for me was uncovering those layers. It almost seems like you can split his two collections of work up into two nice pieces of early and later work, with Songs of Innocence being early and Songs of Experience being later; however, I realize that it isn’t that simple and to make it so would be to do Blake a great injustice. He is very complex in his writings and his use of symbolism.
The first poem of Blake’s that I want to touch on is The Echoing Green. This is one of the few poems that I have read that actually took me to a visual place in my mind, where I saw what the author was saying. I don’t know if I saw what he wanted me to see, but while reading this poem I went back my childhood and pictured playing in the first season game of the spring soccer season or in the first big tournament of the spring. It reminded me of how simple life was for a seven year old boy than. I had no worries, no stress, no nothing to bring me down. All I cared about was getting out there on that green field and having fun. I am only 22 now, but oh how I wish I could go back and be seven again. I wish I could go back to that green and be careless once more. Oh how I miss that echoing green.
I guess that was my favorite because it was simple enough for me to understand and it reminded me of a time that I longed for. William Blake’s other works are much more complex. I think it is very interesting how he uses The Lamb to portray god in a favorable light and than uses The Tyger to question whether the same god who created the lamb could have created the tyger. My favorite aspect of this was how Blake did not answer the question and left it open for the reader to decide. Another interesting way in which Blake challenges the reader to think is in his two versions of The Chimney Sweeper in the Songs of Innocence and the Songs of Experience. In the first, the little boy is comforted by his dream, in which an angel tells him if he is a good boy and works hard than God will watch after him. I think that Blake wants the reader here to feel uneasy about this since the little boy is being exposed to such harsh conditions on a daily basis. In the second version, Blake depicts the little boy as being far less happy with his difficult life. He blames his parents who sold him and don’t even realize that they have done him harm. He singles out God and his Priest and King. He claims they make up a heaven of our misery. I think that one of the general goals of William Blake lies just beneath the surface here. I think that Blake wants us to take a critical eye and question authority, all authority because he believes that authoritative figures are responsible for the abuse of the weak. This is a characteristic of all Romantics. I think that it is evident that Blake wants his readers to challenge authority and question where it is that it gets it authoritative nature.
The French Revolution
The French Revolution was without a doubt one of the most influential events in modern history. The far-reaching effects of the outcome of the French Revolution are still evident in many aspects of life today. The French Revolution marked a turning point in the world. It was a time of enlightenment, albeit, violent enlightenment. The people of France had grown tired of the absolute monarchy that gave feudal privileges to the aristocracy. From 1789 to 1799 the French government underwent violent change marked by political executions and great turmoil. The revolution was fought on enlightenment principles, which included ideas of democracy, citizenship, and certain inalienable rights. Since I am a political science major, I couldn't read over this part of the text without drawing parallels to my readings in other classes. I immediately thought of how the political writings of Jean-Jacques Rousseau must have helped to lay groundwork for the revolution, in The Basic Political Writings. I even wondered if the works of Hobbes and Locke from across the Channel might have ringed in the ears of the French Revolutionaries.
One thing that is for certain, is that the political turmoil of the time had a tremendous effect on the literature being created simultaneously. It sparked great passion in many writers on both sides of the Revolution. The bold reformation if French life led William Wordsworth to exclaim, "Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive! (36). Not all writers of the time were so enthusiastic about the Revolution. Edmund Burke was actually against the Revolution and argued that we would benefit by maintaining the status quo. He uses the idea of inheritance to argue for keeping the current system of government in place. He claims that inheritance is natural and that since it is natural in the family, it should also be natural within the government. Burke argues in The Real Rights of Men that all men have equal rights but not to equal things. You have rights to your property, what you earn, and what you inherit. He does not favor the equal distribution of wealth. Burke thinks that anyone who seeks more than these rights allot are only being selfish. Burke was certainly passionate in his views about the French Revolution, but there were also equally passionate writers of the time that would argue for the other side. One such writer who seeked to refute Burke was Mary Wollstonecraft. She claims that Burke's ideas are ignorant and devote a blind love to the ways of the past despite the fact that ways of the past are not suitable for the present. She attacks his poetic rhetoric, claiming that he is only writing for effect and not so much to state facts. Thomas Paine is another writer of the time that attacks the ideas of Burke. He claims that each generation must make decisions for themselves and not based on what they think past generations would do. Paine claims, "it is power, and not principles, that Mr. Burke venerates" (68).
It is clear that the French Revolution sparked tremendous passions all sides of the argument. It is easy to say that those on the side of Wollstonecraft and Paine get the better of those on the side of Burke, since that is the side that prevailed in the end. It seems to be that way, that the victors are always the ones that get to write history and it usually puts them into a more favorable light than the losers; however, I think that Burke made some solid points and would be compared to the right wing conservatives of today. Again as a political science major, I find myself comparing Burke and his ideas to the political theories of Niccolo Machiavelli, who is personally one of my favorite political theorist. With that said, I must admit that I am glad the side that Pain and Wollstonecraft supported came out on top because the French Revolution helped to define modern democracy, the same modern democracy that I enjoy today.
*Side note- As I was reading this section I also was able to draw comparisons between the writers of this time and the artists of the time. I am also talking art appreciation this summer so the comparison was easy. One artist who was very much in favor of the Revolution was Jacques-Louis David. He painted The Death of Marat in 1793. Jean-Paul Marat was a major figure in the French Revolution who was responsible for having hundreds of people executed by guillotine. If anyone is interested they should check out some of the work of David.
One thing that is for certain, is that the political turmoil of the time had a tremendous effect on the literature being created simultaneously. It sparked great passion in many writers on both sides of the Revolution. The bold reformation if French life led William Wordsworth to exclaim, "Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive! (36). Not all writers of the time were so enthusiastic about the Revolution. Edmund Burke was actually against the Revolution and argued that we would benefit by maintaining the status quo. He uses the idea of inheritance to argue for keeping the current system of government in place. He claims that inheritance is natural and that since it is natural in the family, it should also be natural within the government. Burke argues in The Real Rights of Men that all men have equal rights but not to equal things. You have rights to your property, what you earn, and what you inherit. He does not favor the equal distribution of wealth. Burke thinks that anyone who seeks more than these rights allot are only being selfish. Burke was certainly passionate in his views about the French Revolution, but there were also equally passionate writers of the time that would argue for the other side. One such writer who seeked to refute Burke was Mary Wollstonecraft. She claims that Burke's ideas are ignorant and devote a blind love to the ways of the past despite the fact that ways of the past are not suitable for the present. She attacks his poetic rhetoric, claiming that he is only writing for effect and not so much to state facts. Thomas Paine is another writer of the time that attacks the ideas of Burke. He claims that each generation must make decisions for themselves and not based on what they think past generations would do. Paine claims, "it is power, and not principles, that Mr. Burke venerates" (68).
It is clear that the French Revolution sparked tremendous passions all sides of the argument. It is easy to say that those on the side of Wollstonecraft and Paine get the better of those on the side of Burke, since that is the side that prevailed in the end. It seems to be that way, that the victors are always the ones that get to write history and it usually puts them into a more favorable light than the losers; however, I think that Burke made some solid points and would be compared to the right wing conservatives of today. Again as a political science major, I find myself comparing Burke and his ideas to the political theories of Niccolo Machiavelli, who is personally one of my favorite political theorist. With that said, I must admit that I am glad the side that Pain and Wollstonecraft supported came out on top because the French Revolution helped to define modern democracy, the same modern democracy that I enjoy today.
*Side note- As I was reading this section I also was able to draw comparisons between the writers of this time and the artists of the time. I am also talking art appreciation this summer so the comparison was easy. One artist who was very much in favor of the Revolution was Jacques-Louis David. He painted The Death of Marat in 1793. Jean-Paul Marat was a major figure in the French Revolution who was responsible for having hundreds of people executed by guillotine. If anyone is interested they should check out some of the work of David.
Friday, May 18, 2007
About Me
I am a 5th year senior at Mercer and I am a member of the MU soccer team. I have one more year of eligibility because I did not play my junior year. I am taking this class because it is necessary to fulfill my gen ed requirements. I am a bit nervous about this class because I have not taken any english classes since FYS my freshman year. I hope that this class goes well and that I can make a good grade in it.
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