Reading Literature Assessment

Reading Literature Assessment Name School Course Date Reading Literature Assessment It is common knowledge that literature is a sort of a societal mirror, given that the literally writers thrive from a society that has values, virtues and vices alike. It is therefore necessary to look at the society through the eyes of these writers, as this can give a clear picture of what actually happens between and among people of different walks of life. Poetry is one genre of literature. This genre is somehow complicated especially because the language used is never too direct and the style is also not very easy to understand. A good poem requires a sharp mind to internalize and interpret comprehensively. The style and the themes in poetic works may be hidden from the layman`s understanding. Furthermore, the poets try to communicate in a figurative language which calls for a critical mind to interpret, however, it is also worth noting that reading and interpreting poems can be quite exciting and interesting. Mastering the art of poetry can therefore be a good pass time activity besides being an academic venture. In this light, this essay aims at interpreting two poems written by celebrated writers, giving a commentary on each of them. The essay will further dissect the structures of the poems, with an aim of bringing a clearer understanding of what the authors intended to communicate to the community. The analysis will focus on the beginning, the middle sections and the ending of the poems to gauge how well they fit into the confines of proper poetry. These commentaries are aimed at showing the mastery in poetic works and bringing a clearer understanding of the poets` ideas. Poem A: William Wordsworth, ‘The Solitary Reaper` The poem basically focuses around the idea of poetry itself. This is because it is set in a situation where the poet is on a voyage in the highlands of Scotland. While on his journey, he encounters a beautiful woman in who is reaping in the fields. The woman also sings in a beautiful voice that really attracts the poet, and he opts not to disrupt her. In the second stanza, the poet tries to compare the goodness of the woman`s voice to some natural sounds, such as the ones produced by a Nightingale or a Cuckoo-bird. However, the music is so good that the persona just can`t compare it with anything else. in the third stanza, the reader gets to understand that the persona does not actually understand what the woman is saying as she is singing in a language that he does not understand. He therefore tries to deduce what she could be talking about, whether it is a joy or sorrow and pain that make her sing. He does not understand why she sings in such a melancholic tone. As he walks away, the music lingers in his mind. He does not understand what it meant but all the same there is that connection that he established with it. He feels that the woman was so much connected with nature, that she and nature had a sort of sympathy and understanding of each other. It is therefore not a wonder that he compares her to the two birds as mentioned above, in an attempt to show how she and nature had intertwined.[W. Wordsworth, ‘The Solitary Reaper`, 1805.] [Ibid] [Ibid] [Ibid] The structure of the poem is in such a manner that it has four stanzas, each with four lines, totaling to thirty two lines for the entire poem. There is also an element of rhyme in the poem. For instance, in the stanzas except the first one, the first and the third lines have a similar ending. Secondly, the second and the fourth lines end in a given voice. The same applies for the fifth and the sixth lines with a similar ending but different from the others. The last two lines fall under the same category, ending with a given syllable that is different from the others. This pattern is repeated throughout the poem, creating a pattern that is both interesting to read and appeals to the ears. This pattern gives the poem a characteristic aspect of the works of poetry, which create a synchrony in words.[Gradesaver, ‘Wordsworth`s Poetic Works Summary and Analysis: The Solitary Reaper, 2011, viewed on 28th Dec. 2011, /wordsworths-poetical-works/study-guide/section10/] Another interesting factor in the poem is its solitary nature. The woman is singing all alone, and she seems to be so comfortable in it even as she works alone. Another intriguing factor is that even the persona who hears her sing does not understand a word she says. Wordsworth uses this aspect to reinforce the aspect of nature or things being in their natural setting. In as much as they may not be understood by many, yet there is such an element of fullness and wholeness. It shows the beauty of nature and how well it can be accommodating and soothing to a stranger.[Ibid] Generally, the poem is not difficult to understand. The imagery used is easy to understand. For instance, when the beautiful voice of the lone reaper is compared to the Nightingale and the Cuckoo-bird, it is clear that the persona is trying to show how natural the singing was, and how the woman blended with nature. The wordings in the poem are also not hard to grasp. The word selection is in such manners that even a person who is not that good in poetry can interpret and understand the meaning of the poem. The poem also takes the conventional narration format. That is, there is an...