...INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY Poetry: for and against Submitted by: Arusha tufail Reg# 734 POETRY: FOR AND AGAINST POETRY: The word poetry is taken from a Greek word poieo which means I create. It is an art form in which human language is used for its aesthetic qualities in addition to, or instead of, its notional and semantic content. It consists largely of oral or literary works in which language is used in a manner that is felt by its user and audience to differ from ordinary prose. BRIEF HISTORY OF POETRY: Poetry as an art form predates literacy. In preliterate societies, poetry was frequently employed as a means of recording oral history, storytelling (epic poetry), genealogy, law and other forms of expression or knowledge that modern societies might expect to be handled in prose. Some writers believe that poetry has its origins in song. Most of the characteristics that distinguish it from other forms of utterance—rhythm, rhyme, compression, intensity of feeling, the use of refrains—appear to have come about from efforts to fit words to musical forms. However, in the European tradition the earliest surviving poems, the Homeric and Hesiodic epics, identify themselves as poems to be recited or chanted to a musical accompaniment rather than as pure song. ARGUMENTS ON POETRY: The Plato has criticized poetry as an imitative art in his book Republica. Plato narrated in his book that to have an ideal state, it is necessary to ban all imitative art forms as they corrupt...
Words: 1850 - Pages: 8
...Nature of Poetry: Genres and Subgenres Introduction, Out of Chaos Order and Pattern formed by Rhyme: Order and Pattern formed by Rhythm: Major Types • Epic • Narrative • Lyrical The student should also recall that many of these terms can be found in Prof. Rearick's literary glossary at this link. Introduction, Out of Chaos Poetry is as old as the human heart. Long before there were libraries, before people were writing down lines, before there were even cities, commerce or any manifestation of what we think of as culture, there was poetry. More than one critic has noted that literary works are, in some way, an attempt by writers to take the unacceptable chaos of human life and bring order into it. An overt reference to this is Wilde's famous observation given through the voice of Miss Prism, describing her own three volume novel: "The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what fiction means." (The Importance of Being Earnest, Act II, Emphasis Mine). To Wilde fiction tried to take the chaotic quality of the unfairness of life and turn it right. Perhaps Poetry is pleasant to human ears because it attempts to the most random of things, human speech, and tries to bring it into some sort of order and pattern. Order and Pattern formed by Rhyme: Most students think that poetry is made when words are brought together which have the same kind of sound at the end of them, but this is only one type of the many kinds of rhyme. Old English poetry, for example...
Words: 696 - Pages: 3
...Types Of Poetry Poetry Poetry is the expression of a thought, an idea, a concept or a story in a structured form which has a flow and a music created by the sounds and syllables in it. All types of poetry are often written in several styles. These styles are defined by the number of lines in each stanza, the syllables used in each line or the structures of rhyme used and so on. Here is a list of the main types of poetry commonly used by poets all over the world. Ballad: This is an old style of writing poetry, which was used to tell stories. A ballad usually has stanzas made up of either seven or eight or ten lines, and ends with a short four or five line stanza. Each stanza ends with the same line, which is called ‘a refrain’. Couplet: Perhaps the most popular type of poetry used, the couplet has stanzas made up of two lines which rhyme with each other. Quatrain: This kind of poem has four lines in a stanza, of which the second and fourth lines rhyme with each other and have a similar syllable structure. Cinquain: This is another unique type of poetry style. As the name suggests, it is made up of five lines. The first line is just one word, which is often the title of the poem. The second line has two words which describe the first line. The third line has three words, and is mostly the action part of the poem. The fourth line is four words describing the feelings. And the fifth line, again, has just one word which is the title of the poem. Iambic Pentameter:...
Words: 598 - Pages: 3
...Poetry (from the Greek poiesis — ποίησις — with a broad meaning of a "making", seen also in such terms as "hemopoiesis"; more narrowly, the making of poetry) is a form of literary art which uses aesthetic and rhythmic[1][2][3] qualities of language—such as phonaesthetics, sound symbolism, and metre—to evoke meanings in addition to, or in place of, the prosaic ostensible meaning. Poetry has a long history, dating back to the Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh. Early poems evolved from folk songs such as the Chinese Shijing, or from a need to retell oral epics, as with the Sanskrit Vedas, Zoroastrian Gathas, and the Homeric epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey. Ancient attempts to define poetry, such as Aristotle's Poetics, focused on the uses of speech in rhetoric, drama, song and comedy. Later attempts concentrated on features such as repetition, verse form and rhyme, and emphasized the aesthetics which distinguish poetry from more objectively-informative, prosaic forms of writing. From the mid-20th century, poetry has sometimes been more generally regarded as a fundamental creative act employing language. Poetry uses forms and conventions to suggest differential interpretation to words, or to evoke emotive responses. Devices such as assonance, alliteration, onomatopoeia and rhythm are sometimes used to achieve musical or incantatory effects. The use of ambiguity, symbolism, irony and other stylistic elements of poetic diction often leaves a poem open to multiple interpretations. Similarly...
Words: 384 - Pages: 2
...Denise Burnside Assignment 4 ENG 125 Instructor diGualco 2/11/2013 Poetry is unique way to express life challenges with a little rhythm and rhyme here and there. The way poems a rouse feeling and imagination is what makes them so resourceful. There are so many things about a poem that could have meaning. The perfect words for a poem could take imagination on a journey. The poem that caught my attention is “Mirror” by Sylvia Plath. “Poetry has a compressed quality; the language of poetry refines ideas and feelings, making them both incisive and penetrating. Poets are always in search of just the right word, just the right tone (Clugston, 2010)”. “This search produces the beauty and dignity that have always characterized poetry. As well, this artful process sometimes produces witty assertions wrapped in clever phrases or humor. When original thoughts of this kind have a memorable quality, they are called aphorisms or maxims (Clugston, 2010).” The content of this poem is what caught my attention and aphorisms (clever phrases). I really like this poem because it holds so much truth. My understanding was that, this was simply a mirror telling the story of its purpose and survival. I think the mirror represented certainty. It's the only place that you can find unbiased truth. We tell untruth to ourselves, others lie to us and so I think that what Plath is trying to represent is that when you finally do see the truth...
Words: 482 - Pages: 2
...(Accra), before pursuing his Bachelor’s Degree in Management studies at the University of Cape Coast. He holds a Graduate Diploma in Business Management and Commercial Management from the Institute of Commercial Management-UK. Michael’s poems have been translated into other languages, including Greek, Croatian, Polish and have appeared in anthologies and several prominent international journals such as The World Poetry Anthology 2011, Larissa Greece, Collage- The best of poetry space 2010 Anthology (UK), The Enchanting Verses Poetry Journal Issue IX (India), Malawian Journals, The New Crusading Guide Volumes 3 and 8 (Ghana),Poems of the World Quarterly Magazine (USA), OW NEWS Monthly Newsletter (Canada), Face language, Poetry Space Magazine (UK), and have been the featured poet for May/June 2010 on an online poetry magazine Bristol-UK, forthcoming Anthologies, and blogs on www.mkksomuah@wordpress.com Michael was honored with the Kostis Palamas Poetry Prize award of Peace and an Honorary Diploma in Poetry for appreciation, and exceptional excellence in Poetry, Greece, July 2011 and have been the celebrated and profiled Featured poet for August/September 2011 on Poetryspace-(UK). Michael made Africa and Ghana proud as the only participant, and read at the Municipal Art Gallery in Larissa. He is currently working on his first Novel, “Mofrado”, which literary means Love for Children (In dedication to all SOS Kinderdoff’s the world over) and grateful to his Parents, well-wishers...
Words: 273 - Pages: 2
...What is Poetry? Poetry can be defined as 'literature in a metrical form' or 'a composition forming rhythmic lines'. In short, a poem is something that follows a particular flow of rhythm and meter. Compared to prose, where there is no such restriction, and the content of the piece flows according to story, a poem may or may not have a story, but definitely has a structured method of writing. Elements of Poetry There are several elements which make up a good poem. Although it is not mandatory for a poet to use all these elements or devices, they form an important aspect of poetry. So what are the elements of a poem? In brief, they are described below. Rhythm: This is the music made by the statements of the poem, which includes the syllables in the lines. The best method of understanding this is to read the poem aloud, and understand the stressed and unstressed syllables. Listen for the sounds and the music made when we hear the lines spoken aloud. How do the words resonate with each other? How do the words flow when they are linked with one another? Does sound right? Do the words fit with each other? These are the things you consider while studying the rhythm of the poem. Meter: This is the basic structural make-up of the poem. Do the syllables match with each other? Every line in the poem must adhere to this structure. A poem is made up of blocks of lines, which convey a single strand of thought. Within those blocks, a structure of syllables which follow the rhythm...
Words: 1895 - Pages: 8
...absorbed in it… That is really seeing it.” – Poetry teacher, Kim Yongtak The significance of seeing the world in a meaningful way is at the heart of Lee Chang-dong’s gentle, yet devastatingly humanistic film, Poetry. The masterwork grasps a certain intangibility of life; a certain meaning of existence that can only be seen if, coincidentally, one tries to understand the film like a poem. In the same way that we’ll never “see” an apple until we try to “understand” it, we’ll never truly see a tree, hear a bird sing, or come to fathom, in any meaningful way, the existence of another human being until we really try. Mija, the film’s protagonist, is a 66-year old raising her teenage grandson, Wook, in a tiny, cluttered apartment in an unnamed South Korean city. The film begins with her being diagnosed as an Alzheimer’s patient. With the onset of this disease, her life begins to lose meaning: words fade from her vocabulary, connections with the material word diminish, and people don’t seem to make much sense to her. Considering this, her pursuit to study poetry is a way to imbue her life with new meaning. And while this pursuit begins as a pastime, it soon transforms into a passion and, finally, becomes a means of transcendence; a means of seeing the world and the people close to her in a way that could only be described as beautiful, genuine and poetic. For while Mija does not initially understand the death of the young girl, Agnes, through poetry, she is able to see it clearly. Lee begins...
Words: 2354 - Pages: 10
...English Poetry 2. What are the symbolic significances of the candy store in Lawrence Ferlinghetti's "The Pennycandystore Beyond the El" (Geddes, 318)? The candy store in "The Pennycandystore Beyond the El" is symbolic of a child's youth. This poem is referring to the fact that our childhood passes by too soon and the candy store is a reminder that we need to seize every moment to enjoy it. The pennycandystore offers as a retreat or refuge to the bad weather outside and the stresses of everyday life. It takes on the characteristics of an enchanted environment full of magic and wonder, where a child has the opportunity to enjoy their youth without any distractions. When "A girl ran in Her hair was rainy Her breasts were breathless in the little room" (Geddes 319), the safe haven of youth is invaded. The innocence of youth is lost and teenage adolescence is not far away. 3. After reviewing the entry on rhyme in Abram's Glossary, identify three different types of end-rhyme in Theodore Roethke's "Prayer" (Geddes, 140). What effects do the rhymes produce? In "Prayer" ther... ... middle of paper ... ...ning the peak of the arrowhead from the mountain to come and end his life. This poem is a commanding examination of one man's struggle to survive in the bush. We see that the human mind cannot fully comprehend what nature is trying to say, but we should make every effort to listen nonetheless. Works Cited Geddes, Gary. 20th Century Poetry & Poetics:...
Words: 259 - Pages: 2
...Poetry (from the Greek "poiesis" — "ποίησις" — with a broad meaning of a "making", seen also in such terms as "hemopoiesis"; more narrowly, the making of poetry) is a form of literary art which uses the aesthetic qualities of language to evoke meanings in addition to, or in place of, the prosaic ostensible meaning. POETRY Poetry has a long history, dating back to the Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh. Early poems evolved from folk songs such as the Chinese Shijing, or from a need to retell oral epics, as with the Sanskrit Vedas, Zoroastrian Gathas, and the Homeric epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey. Ancient attempts to define poetry, such as Aristotle's Poetics, focused on the uses of speech in rhetoric, drama, song and comedy. Later attempts concentrated on features such as repetition, verse form and rhyme, and emphasized the aesthetics which distinguish poetry from more objectively-informative, prosaic forms of writing. From the mid-20th century, poetry has sometimes been more generally regarded as a fundamental creative act employing language. Poetry uses forms and conventions to suggest differential interpretation to words, or to evoke emotive responses. Devices such as assonance, alliteration, onomatopoeia and rhythm are sometimes used to achieve musical or incantatory effects. The use of ambiguity, symbolism, irony and other stylistic elements of poetic diction often leaves a poem open to multiple interpretations. Similarly, metaphor, simile and metonymy[1] create a resonance...
Words: 374 - Pages: 2
...Poetry Essay Thesis Statement “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost is designed to show readers that the choices humans make may lead them down a road that will be beneficial or make them unhappy. I. Introduction A. Theme of the poem II. The Setting A. Season 1. Fall 2. Roads 3. Symbols III. Title A. Meaning 1. The Road Not Traveled IV. Rhyme and Metrical Device A. Stanza B. Rhyme V. Conclusion Poetry Essay: The Road Not Taken The poem, “The Road Not Taken”, by Robert Frost presents an interesting take on life and the choices people make about life. The theme of the poem is focused on roads that they are traveling through life, and no matter which road people travel, humans may or may not be happy with the choices that they take in life. These choices can cause unhappiness and regret. This is a lesson that all of humanity endures at multiple times throughout life. Every decision is a choice about which road people would like to travel down. The setting of the poem is in the woods. The woods are described as a yellow wood that has grass and leaves. By the setting, one might think it is fall, as the leaves are turning color and are falling to the ground, based on Frost’s comment, “In leaves no step had trodden black (Frost, 2010, p. 610)”. Frost also states in the poem, “Because it was grassy and wanted wear” (Frost, 2010); that gives you the impression that one of the roads seems to be traveled...
Words: 844 - Pages: 4
...LIT 2030: Interpretation of Poetry – Paper One – Fall 2012 At this point, you have read and discussed a number of different pieces of poetry from a wide range of cultural contexts and aesthetic agendas. Furthermore, you have learned some of the core elements of poetry and continue to build upon and deploy a growing lexicon of terms with each class you attend. This assignment tasks you with creating an original claim about a poem, locating textual evidence to support your argument, and then synthesizing said evidence with thoughtful analysis to prove your claim. In this first-major essay, you are working on close-reading skills and are prohibited from using any outside sources whatsoever. This means you will compose your argument and subtopics based solely off your reading of the text. It is not reasonable to expect a strong argument to leap from your forehead, nuanced, sophisticated, and fully formed the night before class. But if you keep the assignment in mind during our discussions and when reading on your own, you are more far more likely to come up with a strong, provable thesis. In closing, I encourage you to understand writing to be a process that one improves at over time and is continually fine-tuned. The sooner you get to work, the faster you will see results. Assignment: Utilizing one of the poems we have discussed in class, you will come up with an original argument that lends itself to a more sophisticated understanding of the piece by analyzing genre-specific...
Words: 772 - Pages: 4
...Brittany Watson Professor Worthington English 102 23 September 2012 How do Poems Travel?” Words, thoughts and ideas are hidden away beneath the realms of a poet’s subconscious (Meyer 1166). A poet himself, when requested to analyzetheir own writing and discovering wherehis poetry derives from, is like making a child sit still for the duration of a photo shoot. Poet Billy Collins describes writing about ones work, is like switching rooms along with all the contents in it (1166). Poems are not premeditated by their authors; instead the poet engages his writing utensil allowing the poem to guide their thoughts ;( Meyer 1166) spilling them onto the paper before him. His hand glides through the lines of the paper, never dictating his pencil, (Garbett, “Billy Collins”). Collins willfully submits to his work (1166). Writing poetry is not controlled; a poet’s thoughts begin in the mind and become drafted to paper before us. As readers we see the final product (Meyer 1167). If one knows the end of a dramatic movie, in a sense makes us not want to watch it. What is the point? You know how it ends. The poet does not want a predestinated agenda of their vacations, seeing the unknown, exploring the surrounding and even goingbeneath the surface of find a real meaning is a way poets look at writing. Mishaps are not always unfortunate. Mistakes can thrive into something better and more beautiful (Garbett, “Billy Collins”). When mistakes are made in writing lead the writer a drift from the...
Words: 305 - Pages: 2
...If you are just beginning to delve into the world of poetry, you may initially feel overwhelmed by the occasional ambiguity and inaccessibility of this literary style. However, learning the elements and poetic tools used to build a poem will help to understand and analyze poems. Getting Started 1) Give yourself a lot of time to read the poem several times. Trying reading it out loud. 2) Have a copy of the poem that you can take notes on. As you read, write down every observation, question, or feeling you get from the poem as you read. Pay special attention to how the poem begins and ends. 3) Use your notes as entry points to begin your investigation and analysis of the poem. Ask yourself what elements in the poem lead you to the particular observation and how the poet achieves this effect. 4) Always keep in mind that the poet uses poetic devices to achieve a particular effect. Breaking up the poem into formal poetic components enhances your understanding of the poem’s overall theme, tone, and/or general purpose. In other words, use form to understand the content and create a thesis about the poem. Here are some elements and corresponding poetic devices you can focus on. Note: Many of these divisions are arbitrary. Poetic elements frequently overlap. For definitions of the underlined terms see the UWC Definitions of Poetic Devices handout. Content: How does the tone of the speaker and the context of the work change your understanding of the poem...
Words: 1002 - Pages: 5
...Annie Salinas Professor King English 1302 May 3,2012 Literary Research Paper In the late 1800’s there was a great legend made in the history of poetry. Emily Dickinson, a famous American Poet who resided in Amherst Massachusetts, was born to a successful family who was thought of highly by many members of the community. Although, her reluctance to meet and greet people and her reputation of keeping to herself, made people think of her as strange and anti-social. Dickinson studied at the Amherst Academy in Massachusetts. However, even though Dickinson did not have many relationships with friends or people, this did not stop her from making the best out of her career. As a private prolific poet, Dickson was blessed with great success dealing with her poetry. She has had about one thousand eight hundred of her poems published in her life time, including After great pain, a formal feeling comes, and I heard a Fly buzz-when I died-; two poems which Dickinson is popular for today. These two poems strongly illustrate a theme of death and dying, to assist the reader understand and analyze the depth of this theme; Dickinson uses strong symbolism, tone, and figurative language throughout her works. Dickinson’s symbolism throughout these two poems is strong and magnificent. In After great pain, a formal feeling comes the author uses many objects to symbolize feelings having to relate with the major theme of death and dying. “The nerves sit ceremonious, like Tombs” (line...
Words: 1166 - Pages: 5
