Author: freelanceblogginghd

Poems have been a very artistic part of literature for centuries. It is the embodiment of emotions through words and rhythm. Most of the time it is very personal to the author and it has meaning. And a lot of the time as well it leaves the reader interpreting it. Now whether or not that interpretation is “correct” is regardless I believe. I think the interpretation is one of the beautiful aspects of poetry.

Sometimes in poetry there are meanings and lessons to be learned. They can be somewhat obvious and in that case it is safe to assume the actual meaning. For example Shel Silverstein’s “Masks”.

“She had blue skin,
And so did he.
He kept it hid
And so did she.
They searched for blue
Their whole life through,
Then passed right by-
And never knew.”

This poem is quite clearly about the importance of being yourself and not pretending to be someone else in order to fit in because it’s quite possible they are others doing the same thing. Now that can be deduced using same basic critical thinking. I think it is a great poem and profound but it is still a children’s poem meant for children.

In other cases the meaning of a poem can be interpreted a million different ways. That is part of the fun and magic of poetry. When you think of something that is going to be scary, your imagination comes up with something far scarier than reality could ever be. When someone says they have a surprise, your imagination comes up with surprises much greater than what it really is! It is better to understand using your own frame of thought rather than have the author or someone else tell you what it means.

“The boat rusts a little more every day,

The familiar seagulls have all flown away.

Silence echoes throughout the air

But still my world could never tear,

So as long as my boat is still there.”

This classic poem is a great example of this. I wrote it 5 minutes ago. Now I am not a poet so I guess I will ruin the fun for you. This poem isn’t about anything at all. I guess if I had a mini story in my mind it would be about lonely old man who misses his sailing days? But that doesn’t matter, the point is that poetry can be interpreted and understood in many different lights. This is what makes poetry an art form. People can connect to it who aren’t the author. So I believe that author’s shouldn’t clarify the meanings of their poems and that readers should deduce their own meanings. It should be concrete.

Taking a deeper look into the children’s story written by Laurence Housman, the Goblin Market brings forth a deeper adulterated tale. The under belly of the poem seems to be the account of two sisters coming across the ventures of animalistic male vendors. The vendors bring forth fruits of appetizing delight in a means to coax Lizzie and Laura to try their merchandise. “Curious Laura chose to linger, wondering at each merchant.” As her curiosity alludes her to partake in the consumption of these treats brought forth by such wild creatures she finds delight in the juices and ecstasy in the process of consumption. Forlorn of the creatures absence after the consumption of the fruit Lizzie in a means to help with her sisters distain from the inability to contact the merchants, seeks them out. But in a disgruntled exchange the vendors come quick to press themselves upon Lizzie; and proceeding the aftermath Lizzie reunites with her sister in a seeming matter to comfort her with the news that she had found the men that were alluding her sister. From an unperceiving eye the poem seems to mean well but when looking at the undertone of the context the poem quickly turns to a more adult endeavor. The poem itself is filled with heavy lines of sexual context; with a spin for the 19^th century view upon women. Now going back and looking closer at the Goblin Market the view on women plays a major role. During the 19^th century the ideal view of the women was one of high class and precedence; linking her ability to be wedded to the ideal of “clean”. Diving into the poem the introduction of the goblins brings presence to that of the 19^th century train of thought. Women were seen as nonsexual figures, the means of their importance during the times was of marriage and grounds for creating a family. Sexual actions out of wedlock for a woman were very detrimental to their status and could bring forth degrees of consequences. (more to come)

I think my artwork takes an intermingled look at the poem Goblin Market. To me is the depiction of none other than that of Lizzie, the sister who had been  to be wedded and in a means “fully interpret the art work correctly one must know the story itself. The theme is the depiction of none other than that of Lizzie, the sister who had been pressed on by the vendors. The context that is

 

The group collaboration of a self representation.

On this assignment I had decided to go into the thoughts pressed into the art that I’m creating for the Gender and Media study assignment. My art work will consist of the main theme of a 19^th century; it will consist of a woman shackled by chains stemming from the background and foreground of the city. The idea behind this is the connotations brought on by the stigma that has become the occupation of prostitution. This work is a cooperative piece collected from thoughts from Mrs. Warren and the double edge sword that was prostitution in the 19^th century. The disposition of this occupation is demonstrated through the shackles that will be chained around her wrists and waist. As the woman is breaking free from the shackles the manipulation of the chains into money will be present around one of her wrists that will be free from the restraint of the chain. The chains on the female figure stemming from the city will be that of the impressions of society of the times, and how prostitution was looked down upon, but yet seen as a means to be set free by women who wanted economic freedom. Which is were the use of the chains transformation into money. The female character will be dressed in 19^th century attire. The medium at which the art work will be done in, will be pencil. I believe that the pencil will give the image a solid powerful feel through the simple but yet complex connotations around simple black and white depictions. The overall picture will be done in a rough sketch fashion to add more power to the piece and a sense of movement to drawing. The reason for my choosing of this medium to bring home the ideas, is brought by the old adage that a picture is worth a thousand words.

 

-CEM

These three pieces are what we discussed in class:

Rodin’s flesh and marble collection of art.

Symons’ discussion of Rodin’s work.

Bauldelaire’s poem about gambling.

We talked about the purpose for producing art, the purpose of the actual art, and if the two can be separated. I felt that they could because it’s possible to express a message about one part of your self without including all the pieces of themselves. But I don’t believe that you can take out all but one of your perspectives. For example, everything we see is through gendered-eyes. Before any other separation, we are either male, female, transgendered. To each thing we look at, we bring those eyes.

When someone creates a piece of art, they are trying to say something. But the baggage behind the words lags and drags full of all the different experiences that person has had and the various factors (culture, religion, family, class, race, gender, sexuality) that shape who we are are brought to the table. The prejudice anyone has (and I don’t mean in an accusatory negative way, but the tendencies of one’s choices) will affect the art they create, which will in turn affect the message they are trying to get across. It’s very difficult to ignore human nature. I can’t imagine how someone would be able to take themselves out of a situation and only bring one message to the table.

I related this to the poem, Gambling, which discusses not the act of gambling (cards on a table, coins in a slot, money on the table) but the experience of being a gambler and the blurred vision resulting from the addiction. But the second half of the poem goes in a different direction. The narrator reflects on the scene before them, “Leaning on my elbows, cold, silent, envying,
Envying the stubborn passion of those people”. It’s easy to picture someone leaning over a table or counter watching the scene described, but then the narrator has a change in heart in the last stanza realizing that his envies are misplaced, “My heart took fright at its envy of so many Wretches running fiercely to the yawning chasm, Who, drunk with their own blood, would prefer, in a word, Suffering to death and hell to nothingness!” The message here shows the split thoughts that the narrator has. Those thoughts are likely influenced by the author. Although things can be written about from a perspective other than our own, I believe you will see something that hints at our perspective. I don’t want to assume that the author has split feelings on gambling. Perhaps they’re a recovered gambler. There’s room to speculate, to guess what the author feels or may or have experienced in which brought him to create this piece. And this is artful.

The work that I had done for my own assignment was to go into the gender roles assigned in the reading of the story Goblin Market; and how these ideals that have been placed on the women Lizzie and Laura are still reminiscent of those standards made today. In the reading of the 19^th century tale the premise of the double standard was something that was brought to attention on the varying incidents with the two sisters. In one instance one is a question of integrity while the other is that of curiosity and although both were in one sense very similar the outcome and presence of self-respect was one of great difference. The significance of the men continue on the lines of the mob that is society and how it corresponds to the lack luster of being “clean”. This idea of less is more in a sense brings in reason of the utter loneliness Laura feels as her inability to hear the call of the Goblins is no more after her embellishment in satisfying their hunger. While the triumph of one to resist their calls only brings them to the point of imposing themselves on her which is reminiscent of modern day criticism of women. The ideal that a promiscuous woman is wanted but yet at the same time is shunned. These interlinking connotations of the Goblins is one that can be linked to the male figure and how it has become popular belief that a man messing around is just a man but a woman caught doing the same acts is just not ideal. The thoughts of the ideal women is then pressured upon by society to become this lustful figure the male would want her to be. Although the Goblin Market brings forth the idea of rape, I believe throughout my assignment that going deeper into the story the message of imposing ideals upon the woman to carry out such acts that are unwanted; brings in the essence of the double standard.

 -CEM

 

In the reading of Mrs Warren’s Profession, I found the word “profession” is heavily weighted. In one uttered conversation Vive has with Mrs. Warren, she uses the word in a means of an honorary title. “Everybody knows my reputation, my social standing, and the profession I intend to pursue.” (Mrs Warren’s Profession) I have selected the word profession for its heavy weight it has on the story but yet its lack of use it has throughout the play.  

                Looking up the word “profession” in the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) yielded many meanings but two that had the greatest correlation to the play of Mrs Warren’s Profession are as stated.

Profession, n.

1. An occupation in which a professed knowledge of some subject, field, or science is applied; a vocation or career, especially one that involves prolonged training and a formal qualification. Also occas. as mass noun: occupations of this kind.  
2. More widely; any occupation by which a person regularly earns a living.
3. By the way of an occupation; professionally.

Although the word lacks great presence in the text of the play itself, its overall meaning gives way to the foreboding shadow that encompasses the story giving way to friction and hidden disapproval for such a career held by Mrs Warren. The ideal of profession used in the context of the play has great meaning as the uncovering of Mrs Warren’s profession brings forth great duress and disapproval from those around her. Vive in discovering her mother’s occupation feels that she cannot accept her mother’s help anymore for the money earned was in unacceptable fashion. And although the profession of being a prostitute was looked down upon it was still legal in a sense to let women sell their bodies and services for money. In the case of Mrs Warren her knack and determination had helped her acquire such a position to attain enough funds to pay for such things as her daughter’s clothes and trips as well as giving way to let Vive strive for her profession she intends to pursue. The profession of Mrs Warren goes well with the definition, her knowledge and experienced has helped her to be better at her job.

The word profession is a encompassing struggle of her life to bring forth prosperity to her family through a medium that does not bring great honor to herself; so that her daughter may live a life much different than her own.

-C. Monk

I chose the word “poor” out of Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s poem, Jenny. At first I was struggling to decide what word to use. I felt like I needed to pick one out before going to the site to see what I was really doing. I decided to put the poem into a wordle and see what came up. A few words were larger, but ‘poor’ caught my attention most. Here is the link to that wordle: http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/5867430/Dante_Gabriel_Rossetti%27s_Jenny

After this, I went to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) to discover one useful definition of the word poor, which states, “of a person or people: having few, or no, material possessions; lacking the means to procure the comforts or necessities of life” and on. The entry then goes on to give more information than one person could ever possibly need on the word  ‘poor’. There are many definitions accompanied by dates and authors and writings to further understanding. Knowing that “poor” doesn’t always refer to money, I continued down to another entry. Letter C of the OED’s definition states that “poor” is, “…usually with reference to a person’s soul, spirit, etc”.Now that we’ve established what poor means, what does it mean in the context of Jenny?

Jenny is a prostitute. Generally she would have gotten there from poverty. Her clothes and attitude would all be a mask for her poor self worth and the fact that she was a poor woman. But then there’s the other side of poor, and how it is to pity. Poor Jenny, poor flower, poor fair face. All these things are said within the poem. The word poor really does appear often, and seems overwhelmingly to intend to sympathize with Jenny and not to point out her lack of wealth.

Each time the word, poor, is mentioned in Jenny, it seems to be reflecting on something. “Poor beauty, so well worth a kiss!” It’s like he’s looking on an opportunity he could have had. “Poor flower left torn since yesterday” This line specifically gives the mood that he is longingly remembering the flower that yesterday was not torn.

(10.15.12 Hybrid Class– Olivia)

La Mélinite: Moulin-Rouge

La Mélinite: Moulin-Rouge
Arthur Symons, 1895

Olivier Metra’s Waltz of Roses
Sheds in a rhythmic shower
The very petals of the flower;
And all is roses,
The rouge of petals in a shower.

Down the long hall the dance returning
Rounds the full circle, rounds
The perfect rose of lights and sounds,
The rose returning
Into the circle of its rounds.

Alone, apart, one dancer watches
Her mirrored, morbid grace;
Before the mirror, face to face,
Alone she watched
her morbid, vague, ambiguous grace.

Before the mirror’s dance of shadows
She dances in a dream,
And she and they together seem
A dance of shadows,
Alike the shadows of a dream.

The orange-rosy lamps are trembling
Between the robes that turn;
In ruddy flowers of flame that burn
The lights are trembling:
The shadows and the dancers turn.

And, enigmatically smiling,
In the mysterious night,
She dances for her own delight,
A shadow smiling
Back to a shadow in the night.

 

Single word: “Enigmatically”

From the OED.com

-Enigma

a.       A short composition in prose or verse, in which something is described by intentionally obscure metaphors, in order to afford an exercise for the ingenuity of the reader or hearer in guessing what is meant; a riddle.

b.       In wider sense: An obscure or allusive speech; a parable (obs. exc. as transf. from 1a).

2.  fig. Something as puzzling as an enigma; an unsolved problem.

-Enigmatic

Pertaining to, or of the nature of, an enigma, containing or resembling an enigma: ambiguous, obscure, perplexing. Of persons: Mysterious; baffling conjecture as to character, sentiments, identity, or history.

 

The word enigmatically is significant to this poem because it envelopes the entire idea of the poem. The word enigmatic/enigma lead to the idea of ambiguous, vague, shadow, and unsolvable problems. The word is used throughout the poem in many different ways to describe the state the dancer is in. She is lost amid a crowd and when she finds her reflection in the faces of others it is not as it should be. It is morbid, and ambiguous. She herself has become an enigma, she is puzzling, no-longer herself, defined by many. The word enigma also emphasizes the shadows she is dancing in; the lights tremble and cast different view on her from every angle, every turn she makes. The shadows highlight the definition of an enigma because the shadows are different throughout the entire hall; they are constantly changing as she dances and moves. As her shadows change so do the definitions of self that the viewers are applying to her. That idea in itself is an enigma because it is constantly changing. Finding the true definition of the dancer remains an unsolvable problem.  The dancer is defined to all those watching in their own way but remains a mystery to herself.

The final stanza where the word is actually used:

And, enigmatically smiling,
In the mysterious night,
She dances for her own delight,
A shadow smiling
Back to a shadow in the night

Gives the image of the dancer smiling but enigmatically, that is to mean that she is a mystery to herself and because of that she remains a mystery to those watching. It shows a somewhat acceptance of not knowing and allows the dancer to continue on dancing in her own shadows remaining mysterious and undefined. She returns to her shadow, her puzzling definition of self and remains an enigma to all, including herself.

Overall the single word enigmatically describes how the dancer lives her life. She lives in mystery, staying in the shadows of herself, and appearing in the shadows to others.

-Christine Sweet