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.

Rumination #1 Beowulf's Character

Kevin O’Connor

Rumination # 1

                Throughout the poem, the narrator offers detailed accounts of Beowulf’s exploits, providing particular emphasis to the character traits the hero possesses. When describing the heroic adventures of the Geats, the narrator speaks of the royal line that Beowulf is from to describe his reasoning behind his efforts to help the Danes. After his defeat of Grendel, Beowulf is awarded treasures by the many Danish citizens, but the prince seems to be more concerned with the opinion of the people as they begin to heap their praise upon him. To him the testaments of the Danish citizens are measures of his worth, as the opinion of the people are the definitions of his character. Beowulf’s goal is to live up to the needs of the people, as he feels these duties fall in line with the traits worthy of royalty. This concern for his character is evident when Beowulf refuses to fight the unarmed Grendel, as he feels that fighting an opponent with a disadvantage would be a slight against his own character. In this moment Beowulf realizes that he must endure some matter of trials to know whether or not he is worthy of the praise of the Danish people.

                When Grendel’s mother seeks revenge on the Danes for the slaughter of her son, Beowulf jumps at the chance to avenge the death of AEschere. This responsibility Beowulf feels towards the Danish people is that of protector, a duty he feels is synonymous with his royal blood. When Beowulf ventures into the water to fight Grendel’s mother he does so because he feels it his responsibility. He justifies his daring descent into battle by highlighting his kingly attributes. Instead of noting his own character traits, Beowulf recognizes the armor that he wears as being the armor worthy of royalty. The instance where Beowulf is almost struck a devastating blow only to be saved by this armor, offers the audience validation as why Beowulf is worthy of being a king.

                Towards the end the narrative the narrator recalls the period of prosperity the Geats owe to Beowulf being their king. Yet at this point it is also brought to the attention of the audience that Beowulf has grown feeble in comparison to his glory days, highlighting the courageousness of the old man for choosing to battle the dragon. Even in his old age Beowulf puts the safety of his citizens before the safety of himself, choosing to venture into the cave to battle the dragon (although Wiglaf chooses to stay behind and help). When Beowulf dies he warns Wiglaf to ensure the dragon’s treasure be buried with him, so that the curse brings no harm on his people after he is gone. Beowulf’s actions throughout the course of the narrative convey a sense of heroism, yet for Beowulf his exploits are simply the social responsibilities of the king. When asked about his exploits as a boy, when he kills the sea-monster, Beowulf downplays this as something foolish. Instead, he chooses to focus on the task of protecting his people.