John Clare Essay Example for Free

John Clare Essay John Clare (1793-1864) was born on July 13 at Helpstone, a village in Northamptonshire, close to the Lincolnshire fens. His father, Parker Clare, worked as a farm laborer. In his spare time his father was also a rustic wrestler and ballad singer. Clare attended a dame school in his native village, and then went to Glinton School in the next village. When his father became ill with rheumatism, Clare began work first as a horse-boy, then ploughboy, then as a gardener at Burghley House. In 1812 he enlisted in the militia, returning home eighteen months later. He met Martha Turner in Casterton, who joined the Clare family just before the birth of the first of their eight children. Clare’s first book of poems appeared in 1820, published by Hessey and Taylor. The volume ran to four editions in the first year, and he became celebrated in London literary society as the â€Å"peasant poet†. In 1837 Clare was admitted into Mathew Allen’s private asylum of High Beech in Epping Forest, where he stayed for four years until he discharged himself, walking the eighty miles home to Northborough in three days, eating grass on the way. He wrote two long, suffering poems, Don Juan and Child Harold, which documented his precious mental state. He was certified insane by two doctors in December 18841 and was admitted to St, Andrews County Lunatic Asylum in Northampton, where he was treated well and continued to write, producing many short, semi-mystical poems. John Clare later passed away in the institution in 1864 at the age of 71. First Love I neer was struck before that hour With love so sudden and so sweet, Her face it bloomed like a sweet flower And stole my heart away complete. My face turned pale as deadly pale. My legs refused to walk away, And when she looked, what could I ail? My life and all seemed turned to clay. And then my blood rushed to my face And took my eyesight quite away, The trees and bushes round the place Seemed midnight at noonday. I could not see a single thing, Words from my eyes did start They spoke as chords do from the string, And blood burnt round my heart. Are flowers the winters choice? Is loves bed always snow? She seemed to hear my silent voice, Not loves appeals to know. I never saw so sweet a face As that I stood before. My heart has left its dwelling-place And can return no more First love is a poem, which shows the experience the poet has falling in love for the first time. It is rejoicing the love he attained for a woman named Mary Joyce however there is sadness and a feeling of dissatisfaction hovering in the background. This feeling exists, as the love was unrequited. The poem has an underlying tone of innocence and flurry of emotions as it is the poets very first attempt at love exhibiting his feelings for Mary. The opening of the first stanza only shows how sudden and unexpected the feeling was as he was never â€Å"struck before that hour†, this is followed my sibilance alliteration so sudden and so sweet further emphasizing on the shock and bewilderment of the overwhelming feeling confirming it is a new experience. He uses his heart as a symbol that she has stolen completely away however unknowingly. The paragraph continues to describe how he physically felt ill as his face turned pale a deadly pale. Generally when a person falls in love the instinct is that the blood rushed to the face, which occurs as a latter reaction. This could be because he probably already sensed that the love could not be returned as he didn’t say anything to her instead he hoped that his eyes would convey the message â€Å"words from my eyes did start†. He never came close to even touching or  talking to her however the line â€Å"all seemed to turn to clay† conveys the strong affection he attained for her. He also shows how the woman is in control of their relationship as she could mould and re-mould him as per her wish. In the second stanza he goes on to describe more of his emotions brought forward by this interaction. He makes it quite visual for us of how the love has its affect on him and how he flushes with embarrassment so much that for a moment he feels blind. The physical impact of love relates the experience of love and loss.

Oedipus Rex as Social Commentary Essay -- Oedipus the King Oedipus Rex

Oedipus Rex as Social Commentary Oedipus Rex, written by the Poet Sophocles in the Golden Age of Greek Theatre, was described by Aristotle to be the greatest tragedy of all time. It encapsulates the very essence of the Greek cultural milieu, and it is these ideologies which are translated into the play. The very essence of Greek society; the political democracy, a moral belief in the power of the Gods and social recognition of hierarchy, are portrayed when the society is pictured in a state of chaos. The Ancient Greeks formulated what they believed to be a true democracy. Everyone was to have a say in the political scene, every man had a vote and no one should be disadvantaged. At the same time, however, the society was very much a patriarchal one. Power resided with the male; the leader, the logical and strong enforcer. Women, viewed as emotionally erratic, illogical and weak, were marginalised. Men were given the most noble of duties surrounding the glory of war; women were faced with trying to raise a household. This conflict is clearly portrayed in the text. In the opening scene all are equal. Servants, peasants and royals alike proclaim, "We are your suppliants." All have an equal interest in the state of Thebes and the actions Oedipus must take. After this, however, the females of Thebes are represented in the characterization of Jocasta. It is here that the chorus, the most important element of Greek tragedy, comes to the fore. As the Theban elders they portray the views of the greater society. Jocasta's actions characterize her as the stereotypical female. By ordering the death of her son, blaspheming the Gods and eventually killing herself, she shows the essential perceived frailty of w... ...ssenger must talk to Oedipus through Jocasta. Eventually, Oedipus shows his respect that that this order exists by imploring him to 'tell me yourself!' A play represents society. By upsetting the societal order, the basic fundamentals of the societal group can be examined. In the case of Oedipus Rex, Sophocles portrays the basics of the Ancient Greek culture, the culture which existed in his time. He exposes a patriarchal society, one attempting to come to grips with democracy while at the mercy of the Gods. The social hierarchy is respect but forced to crumble, while the Gods rule it absolutely. All of this is exposed through the underlying conventions, mainly the chorus, dramatic action, dialogue, characterization and methods of social construction. It forms an in-depth exposition of the group and its formation of the beliefs and values.

Narrative Voice In The Bell Jar

L. P. Hartley and Sylvia Plath both use the first person narrative to evoke a sense of tragedy for their protagonists, however, with Leo, Hartley uses the first person narrative to allow the reader to understand the unfortunate event in the life of twelve year old Leo. Some may say that the first person narration of Leo is both more personal and detailed than that of Esther. The reader sees the sophisticated world of Brandham Hall, contrasted with the closeness of Leo’s relationship with his mother, from Leo’s perspective.On the other hand, in The Bell-Jar the reader’s understanding of Esther’s life is limited by the cold and detached first person narrative, due to her descent into depression. It could be said that Esther is presented as repressing her emotions, yet her opinionated ways lead to her alienation. This makes her unreliable as the reader experiences the narrator’s life from her dysfunctional perspective. This makes it hard for the reader to connect to Esther, therefore limiting our empathy with her tragedy. In contrast, the reader sympathises with Leo as we see his youth and enthusiasm for life being destroyed, which enhances the tragedy.It could be said that Plath’s use of a simile to portray incongruity foreshadows Esther’s growing fear of â€Å"the bell-jar†. At the start of the novel, â€Å"The cadaver’s head, floated up behind my eggs and bacon at breakfast†. The reader is shocked due to the tragic inappropriateness of the cadaver’s head being connected to the mundane image of eggs and bacon. This dark humour, which arises from the absurdity of the two objects, could be perceived as foreshadowing the tragedy to come, due to Esther’s dysfunctional view of life.The humorous tone of the simile is increased as the narrator does not seem traumatized by such a shocking image being associated with an everyday object. It could therefore be argued that this reduces the t ragic effect from the situation. However, the cadaver’s head is always following her â€Å"on a string, like some black, nose less balloon stinking of vinegar† which could be argued is dragging her down. This macabre humour of the â€Å"nose less balloon† contrasts with the tragic tone of the novel and perhaps reduces our sense of Esther’s misfortune.The balloon could represent a â€Å"bell-jar† hanging over Esther’s life, always close enough to come down on Esther and never going to disappear. However, it could be argued that if Esther really wanted to, she could let go of the balloon and therefore release her connections with the bell jar, which may take the tragedy with it. The balloon could portray that the tragedy, strangeness and â€Å"the bell-Jar† is Esther’s own doing, as for a balloon to come down, all one has to do is pull, so this could be a metaphor for Esther’s life as a whole, which is tragic as we feel co mpassion for the young girl starring down the barrel of depression.Furthermore, the â€Å"cadaverous face† is mentioned on the last page of the novel. This structural feature, which Plath would have no doubt intended, indicates that the cadaver has followed her all her life, tragically limiting her chances of being â€Å"normal† which shows that Esther may never get out of the â€Å"bell-jar†, even when there is a little hope at the end of the novel. Narrative Voice in the Bell Jar L. P. Hartley and Sylvia Plath both use the first person narrative to evoke a sense of tragedy for their protagonists, however, with Leo, Hartley uses the first person narrative to allow the reader to understand the unfortunate event in the life of twelve year old Leo. Some may say that the first person narration of Leo is both more personal and detailed than that of Esther. The reader sees the sophisticated world of Brandham Hall, contrasted with the closeness of Leo’s relationship with his mother, from Leo’s perspective.On the other hand, in The Bell-Jar the reader’s understanding of Esther’s life is limited by the cold and detached first person narrative, due to her descent into depression. It could be said that Esther is presented as repressing her emotions, yet her opinionated ways lead to her alienation. This makes her unreliable as the reader experiences the narrator’s life from her dysfunctional perspective. This makes it hard for the reader to connect to Esther, therefore limiting our empathy with her tragedy. In contrast, the reader sympathises with Leo as we see his youth and enthusiasm for life being destroyed, which enhances the tragedy.It could be said that Plath’s use of a simile to portray incongruity foreshadows Esther’s growing fear of â€Å"the bell-jar†. At the start of the novel, â€Å"The cadaver’s head, floated up behind my eggs and bacon at breakfast†. The reader is shocked due to the tragic inappropriateness of the cadaver’s head being connected to the mundane image of eggs and bacon. This dark humour, which arises from the absurdity of the two objects, could be perceived as foreshadowing the tragedy to come, due to Esther’s dysfunctional view of life.The humorous tone of the simile is increased as the narrator does not seem traumatized by such a shocking image being associated with an everyday object. It could therefore be argued that this reduces the t ragic effect from the situation. However, the cadaver’s head is always following her â€Å"on a string, like some black, nose less balloon stinking of vinegar† which could be argued is dragging her down. This macabre humour of the â€Å"nose less balloon† contrasts with the tragic tone of the novel and perhaps reduces our sense of Esther’s misfortune.The balloon could represent a â€Å"bell-jar† hanging over Esther’s life, always close enough to come down on Esther and never going to disappear. However, it could be argued that if Esther really wanted to, she could let go of the balloon and therefore release her connections with the bell jar, which may take the tragedy with it. The balloon could portray that the tragedy, strangeness and â€Å"the bell-Jar† is Esther’s own doing, as for a balloon to come down, all one has to do is pull, so this could be a metaphor for Esther’s life as a whole, which is tragic as we feel co mpassion for the young girl starring down the barrel of depression.Furthermore, the â€Å"cadaverous face† is mentioned on the last page of the novel. This structural feature, which Plath would have no doubt intended, indicates that the cadaver has followed her all her life, tragically limiting her chances of being â€Å"normal† which shows that Esther may never get out of the â€Å"bell-jar†, even when there is a little hope at the end of the novel.

Geography of the Philippines essay - 1402 Words

Geography Geography and climate have always had very potent effects on culture. Geography, or the study of relationships between people and locations on Earth, very often shapes the way people live and interact with each other. Climate, or the prevailing weather patterns over time of a region, also has drastic effects on society and cultures, and these statements are especially true in the South East Asian nation of the Philippines. The Republic of the Philippines is an archipelago, or chain of islands, located off the south-eastern coast of Asia. Consisting of over 7,000 volcanic islands with a total land area of nearly 300,000 square kilometers (approximately the size of Arizona), islands of the Philippines are predominantly†¦show more content†¦This shows advancements in medicine and modernized facilities for people to be treated. There is one hospital bed available for every 860 people, and a physician for every 849 people. These ratios are very good for the region, neighboring countries are no where near that equipped for the care of ill people. Political Issues The Republic of the Philippines is, as stated, a republic. The Head of State is an elected president. The country is divided into 73 provinces under one Union, as illustrated in Map #3, though only the 55 largest provinces are shown since the others are not visible to the maps scale. The national capital is Manila on the island of Luzon. There are approximately 150,000 active defense troops stationed in the country for various purposes. The only government-recognized official languages are Filipino and English. A universal law of suffrage grants anyone 18 years of age or older the right to vote on elected officials and any other deeds requiring a majority vote from the public. The government is stable and reliable to citizens, with a sturdy court system based on Spanish and American concepts and an executive branch that enforces laws efficiently. Economy The Filipino economy is based strongly on services and labor, as is shown in the chart for Philippine GDP Sector Composition. The sectors for agriculture and industry are both less thanShow MoreRelatedMajor Characteristics Of A Philippine Culture1031 Words   |  5 PagesPhilippine Cultural Awareness Culture is the shared patterns of behaviors and interactions, cognitive constructs, and affective understanding that is learned through a process of socialization. These shared patterns, identify the members of a culture group while also distinguishing those of another group. Five major characteristics of a Philippine culture include family, beliefs, customs, food, and language. 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