Peace Vs. Freedom

Kevin O’Connor
Rumination # 6
April 18, 2011
Peace vs. Freedom
Sir Thomas More has provided his audience with a discourse plagued with binaries, where the reader is presented with two contradictory sides to humanity. The title itself when defined can be construed as an unobtainable ideal, a concept that More seems to agree with. Yet it is the author’s intention to present a fantasized construction of a perfect society, in an attempt to mediate the dichotomy of personal freedom and social obligation. For More, the two concepts can never coincide with one another, forcing the reader to recognize the tradeoffs when one direction is preferred over another. The narrative constructed, through which Raphael goes to live amongst the natives of Utopia, serves the purpose of creating an objective look into a world where personal freedom is compromised in favor of peaceful cohabitation. It is through Raphael’s eyes that More is able to create a cost-benefit analysis, where Raphael’s observations determine the effectiveness of a collective society.
A particular point of interest in the narrative is the characterization of the natives, who at first glance seem to live entirely peaceful lives. There’s an important distinction that must be made between the citizens themselves, and the slaves they keep in their homes. The role of the slave is to carry out the duties the citizen feels outside of their decency. It is the function of the slave to deal with the uglier sides of life, sparing the citizen any such indecency. In doing so, the slave is able to insure that the idealistic qualities of the citizen remain intact. The act of slaughtering animals for the consumption of the societal whole is deemed unclean and even sadistic, the act itself bearing a heavy weight on the individual involved. Yet citizens willingly sacrifice these slaves, whom they have determined to be criminals or foreigners, so that their idealized selves may be preserved. It is through this act that the loss of freedom is first realized, freedom removed from the slaves in order to preserve the peaceful lives of citizens.
The citizens themselves appear to be better off, yet through the goals of the collective these individuals have become desensitized to the world around them. Their relationships with the slaves seem to be devoid of the compassion they strive for in their own lives, as they willingly assign the duty of slaughtering livestock to their slaves. The society rules that its citizens are permitted to perform euthanasia, but in doing so it has created a state where individuals are spared the pain of death. But pain functions as a central part to the human experience, euthanasia cheating the citizens of what it means to feel completely human. The banning of premarital sex is similar to euthanasia, in that it has cut off the citizen from feeling any sort of valid emotion. The citizens are described as if they were comatose, their desire for peace having deprived them of the range of emotions synonymous with the human condition.

Letter Entry to Bob

Dear Bob,
My dream was always to win the Nobel Prize. I wanted to enter into a field where I felt I could benefit humanity, further improving the quality of life for individuals. These improvements couldn't just be on a small scale, but had to revolutionize the world as we know it. But the other day I read about Richard F. Heck and the speech he was coming to deliver to our great university.
I had always thought of the University of Delaware as being a small school, and because of this I felt it limited in producing individuals who could change the world. I began to read about Heck, and his work for palladium catalyzed cross coupling in organic synthesis, remarking on how something so small could impact our lives. They awarded this man the Nobel Prize for Science, and because of this I plan to see him speak.

Drayton's To The Virginian Voyage

Kevin O’Connor

British Literature

April 4, 2011

Rumination # 5

To The Virginian Voyage

            Drayton’s Ode epitomizes the travel narrative in that it refers to foreign locals, yet does not confine itself to a single space. It rejects the notion of time, claiming instead that the voyage should be look at as a process, an odyssey that the individual can get lost in. Drayton opens the poem by commending those who go off in search of new sights and smells, identifying their cause of pursuit as the highest ideal. In the lines, “Whilst loit’ring hinds/ Lurk here at home, with shame,” (lines 5-6), Drayton condemns the passivity to which some simply remain at home, fearful of leaving the lives they have become conditioned to. It’s to these individuals that Drayton commends the ode, entreating them at once to take to the sea.

            The progression of the ode sees a glorification of the sea, lauding its vastness as an almost grand mystical experience. Drayton addresses the British nation as a whole, not in name, but their decision to remain rooted in the same spot for so long. His urging of them to go to sea is viewed by Drayton as being a commitment. With the lines, “With vows as strong as the wind that blows you,” (lines 11-12) Drayton describes the overwhelming impact of travel, calling it an experience that once undergone leaves a lasting impression on the voyager. The poet realizes the apprehensions of those unwilling to travel such a vast distance, referencing the many perils that could potentially be encountered along the way. In the lines, “You need not fear/ So absolute the deep,” (lines 17-18), the poet hints at the universal aspect at the sea, and that although many greet it with a sense of trepidation voyagers should look on its vastness as a calming effect.

            It isn’t until hallway through the poem that Drayton hints at a destination, wanting instead for the reader to be drawn into the concept of the voyage itself. With the lines, “To get the pearl and gold/ And ours to hold, Virginia,” (lines 21-23) Drayton builds a metaphor that bridges the sea and land, referring to the pearl from the oyster and gold from the mines. These lines carry with them the sense of exploration lauded by Drayton, as the pursuit of these two valuables calls for exploration and excavation. The goal of these passages is to create a sense of dichotomy between land and sea, Drayton claiming that you can’t have one without the other. When as the smell/ Of that delicious land/ Above the sea flows,” (lines 43-45), Drayton begins to recognize the allure of land, when previously he referred to the enticing aspect of the sea. It’s through these lines that the poet is able to create a sense of restlessness, invoking the idea that humanity is on the constant move for greener pastures. It is through these constant explorations that humanity both finds and loses itself, always torn between the two.

           

Sex and Love in the Poetry of John Donne

Kevin O’Connor

Rumination # 4

Week 5

Sex and Love in John Donne

            It’s impossible to read Donne’s “The Sun Rising” and not trace the discontent the narrator shows towards being disturbed in the early hours of the morning. The narrator has determined that he has no other place to be, other than in his bed with his lover. In the lines, “Love, all alike, no season knows nor clime/ Nor hours, days months, which are the rags of time” (lines 9-10), the narrator communicates that love transcends the concept of time, the rising and setting of the sun happening only as reminders of time. The existence of the sun in the narrator’s eyes is simply an annoyance, as he has contrived that the goal of his existence is to simply lie in bed with his lover. For the narrator, the long held view of the importance of time pales in comparison to the love he experiences for the woman he is with. With the lines, “I could eclipse and cloud them with a wink/ But that I would not lose her sight so long” (lines 13-14), the narrator juxtaposes two overwhelmingly powerful forces in his life. Yet with these lines the narrator is able to contrast the two ideas effectively, highlighting the strength of his love is far greater than the power of the sun. In the lines, “Ask for those kings whom thou saw’st yesterday/ And thou shalt hear ‘All here in one bed lay’” (lines 19-20), the narrator further idealizes the experiences he shares with his lover, comparing the love he experiences to that of royalty.

            Donne is keen on downplaying the motives of most human action, choosing instead to criticize the popular intellectual pursuits of his day. In the poem “Love’s Alchemy,” the narrator is critical of humanity’s accomplishment, advocating the notion that humanity has failed to obtain the ideal found in his love. The discipline of alchemy is found to be a joke by the narrator, who feels its quest for knowledge is heretical when compared to his notions of love, a pursuit he feels to be both self-evident and even obvious. In the lines, “And as no chemic yet th’ elixir got/ But glorifies his pregnant pot” (lines 7-8), the narrator conveys the achievement felt by academics is in vain, as their academic pursuits can simply be attributed to their vanity. The narrator promotes his ideal love as the pride of his life, yet he is aware about some of the misgivings many may have when encountering any such relationship. The poet seeks to draw the reader’s attention to the sometimes petty side of love, warning that when regarding love as a whole this pettiness is insignificant. In the lines, “Can be as happy as I can, if he can/ If he can endure the short scorn of a bridegroom’s play” (lines 16-17), the reader is made aware of the joy the narrator feels in spite of the shortcomings he experiences in his relationship.

Shakespearean Sonnets

Kevin O’Connor

Rumination # 3

7 March, 2011

Shakespearean Sonnets

Shakespeare’s sonnets attempt to employ richly constructed literary devices that give insight into the craftsmanship that is Shakespeare’s work. The author utilizes complexly allegories, built off various metaphors, to delve deeply into the thematic context which he wishes to approach his subject. Shakespeare’s approach to his poetry is one of nuances, as the author seeks to immortalize his name through the various freedoms he takes with his writing, writing with an array of poetic devices that give testament to his authorship. Two sonnets in particular deal with Shakespeare’s attempts to establish him as an icon, as the author seeks to immortalize his name by bridging the gap between himself and his sonnets. In Sonnets 1066 and 1064, Shakespeare pursues a sonnet structure that conveys a thematic intention, where the poet seeks to immortalize his writing.

In Sonnet 1064, the author contemplates the effect of time on memory, and how the speaker is helpless against the ravages of such frenzy. Through an extended metaphor, Shakespeare is able to draw a comparison between the arts of writing with actual history, highlighting that both of these concepts have lasting effects. Shakespeare chooses to illustrate the natural effects of time, and does so through calling the audience’s attention to certain negative aspects of nature. The opening lines of Sonnet 1064, “Devouring Time, blunt thou the lion’s paw/ And make the Earth devour her own sweet brood” (lines 1-2). In these lines Shakespeare indicates his bitterness towards nature, and how the adverse effects of time have made him come to resent it. From the metaphors used in these opening lines, Shakespeare is able to construct the remainder of his sonnet around the theme included in these metaphors. In the lines, “Nor draw no lines there with thine antique pen/ Him in thy course untainted do allow/ For beauty’s pattern to succeeding men” (lines 10-12), Shakespeare relates the toll that time takes on his loves, highlighting the savageness that he before mentions in the opening lines. With the final lines, “Yet, do thy worst old Time: despite thy wrong/My love shall ever in my verse live young” (lines 13-14), the author is able to convey the sense of resistance that is indicated through his earlier metaphors, using these two final lines to bring a closing thought to his opening statements.

In Sonnet 1064, the poet again seeks to introduce an extended metaphor to the reader, the introduction serving as a means to openly state the author’s theme. In the lines, “Not marble nor the gilded monuments/Of princes shall outlive this powerful rhyme” (lines 1-2), the poet creates an extended metaphor that gives shape to the theme. The poet hints at the reputation he wishes to establish, hoping that through his poetic greatness he will leave a lasting impression. In the lines, “your praise shall still find room/Even in the eyes of all posterity” (lines 10-11), Shakespeare notes the lasting impression he wishes to make with his work, and how the natural effects of time will have no impact on his literary output.

Lyrical Sequences in T. Rex's Mambo Sun

What I took from the lyrical sequence poetry, was this ability the authors had to communicate this emotional ideal from their own perspective. When listening to T. Rex’s album Electric Warrior, I encountered these songs that seemed incredibly uplifting, revealing the personal ambitions of the narrator. One song stuck out in particular, which was Mambo Sun, as it used these incredible metaphors to describe the narrator’s love for someone else. The music was almost dance like, as it almost celebrated the love that it was describing in the lyrics. The outlandish metaphors used by the narrator to describe his love are incredibly intriguing, as they convey a universal sentiment. He seems to relate his ideal love to the most mundane of actions.

Contrasting Notions

Kevin O’Connor

Rumination # 2

“The Long Love That in My Thought Doth Harbour” by: Sir Thomas Wyatt

 Vs.

“Love that doth reign and live within my thought” by: Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey

            Sir Thomas Wyatt and Henry Howard have constructed two very similar poems with contrasting thematic contexts. For both of these men love serves as an ideal, yet they realize the impact their respective realities have on their notions of love. The two poets realize their pursuit of such love is their highest achievement, but contend with the fact that these ideals come with various forms of interpretation. Both authors personify love as a separate entity within themselves, a masculine trait personified with the noun “he”, that ultimately contributes either to their well-being. The worlds of these two poets appear to be drastically different, as they handle the topic of love from two very separate experiences.

            For Sir Thomas Wyatt, love constitutes a shared experience between two people, a passion that serves to enrich the ideals of both individuals involved. The lines, “Into my face presseth with bold pretence/ and therein campeth displaying his banner” (lines 3-4), indicates to the reader the overwhelming aspect that love has on the narrator and his perceptions of who he is as an individual. For the narrator, the love he knows constitutes his identity, shaping who he is as a person. The following lines, “And wills that my trust, and lust's negligence/Be reined by reason, shame, and reverence” (lines 7-8) reflect how the narrator’s relation with a woman affects his preconceived notions of love. Through his relationship with this woman he is ultimately able to change as a person, maturing into an individual capable of a higher love with this woman. The line, “with his hardiness take displeasure” indicates that this personified love has taken offense to the narrator’s change in perceptions with regard to love, opting to flee from the narrator. The narrator grapples with the choice he is forced to make, as the love that has left him is the love he has always known. The last line, “For good is the life, ending faithfully” (line 15), communicates to the reader the joy the narrator has found in his new relationship.

            For Henry Howard’s narrator, love is a concept that he wrestled to come to terms with. The lines, “And built his seat within my captive breast,/Clad in arms wherein with me he fought” (lines 2-3), communicate to the reader that the love that fought to dwell within him was initially unsettling, but later led to a form of dependency. For the narrator, the relationship he enters into is one that seems appealing at first, only to take a turn for the worst. In the lines, “Her smiling face converteth straight to ire/And coward Love, then, to the heart apace/Taketh his flight” (lines 8-10) indicate the ideal he has come to depend on has left him when faced with a woman who has failed to live up to his ideal, changing him for the worst. What he has found in his relationship is not the love he sought, and the very notion of love he has had forced on him has left him disappointed.