Poe stuff.... last minute!

Edgar Allan Poe is in my opinion Americas number one anti-transcendentalist. With his ere style of writing, he has been known bring chills down spines. With famous short stories and poems know world wide, Poe has been in the spotlight of literature for many years. Poe has always been a mystery all throughout his life, even upon his death. But what is with this guy? And why is he so weird. Fun fact: did you know that there is a movie currently being filmed titled ‘’The Raven’’!?!?. In the movie Poe’s girlfriend get kidnapped, and Poe ( just like in real life…. NOT!!!) goes on a killing spree! How historically accurate Hollywood is. So anyways on to the actual literature.
As we all know Poe wrote in a sort of taboo way. Writing about subjects death to more death and occasionally incest ( gross ). The only poet I could really compare Poe to is Whitman. I mean those two probably could have been best buddies. I can Imagine them sitting under a oak tree writing about weird stuff that comes up in their minds. Even though I can compare them I can also see some differences..
All right now we can assume that Walt Whitman is know as a transcendentalist, and well Poe is the opposite. Whitman writes what is on his mind on the moment. While Poe I think, takes his sweet time, and just makes it work. Either way, I think both men are crazy, but very intellectual.

Whittier

John Greenleaf Whittier was a very interesting read. In his super long novel like poem titled ‘’ Snow Bound’’ I saw two different sides of Mr. Whittier’s writing. One side being a very dark a almost gothic type writer. The other side I saw was the sunshiny feel good touchy feely kind of writing. Either way, this blend of styles made for a great read.
I want to first take a look at the dark side of John Greenleaf Whittier. Whittier writes, ‘’Unwarmed by any sunset light The gray day darkened into night, A night made hoary with the swarm And whirl-dance of the blinding storm, As zigzag, wavering to and fro, Crossed and recrossed the wingàd snow: And ere the early bedtime came The white drift piled the window-frame, And through the glass the clothes-line posts Looked in like tall and sheeted ghosts. ‘’ (Whittier) Using words like ‘’ere, gray, sheeted ghost’’ I couldn’t help but be reminded about hoe Edgar Allan Poe wrote. Poe wrote in a similar style with a gothic look at life. Making everything sound dark and gloomy, like the world sucks and it is not a good place to be in. Whittier wrote like this in the beginning of this poem to describe the retched snow storm. I think the poem would totally suck if he described the snow storm as pleasant and delightful.
That is the dark side to Mr. Whittier, but there happens to be some good to come out of his poem. Now once Whittier describes the terrors and misfortunes of the snow storm. The mood seems to chance towards the middle of the poem. Whittier writes, ’’ Next, the dear aunt, whose smile of cheer And voice in dreams I see and hear, -- The sweetest woman ever Fate Perverse denied a household mate, Who, lonely, homeless, not the less Found peace in love's unselfishness, And welcome wheresoe'er she went, A calm and gracious element, ‘’ ( Whittier ) This passage describes his lovely aunt. Whittier changes the mood of the story from a ‘’ oh crap this may be a sad story’’ to a pleasant a delightful experience. Family plays a big role in his poem. Which is nice and warm feeling to read about. At the end of snow bound Whittier writes about what? THE SNOW MELTING! Hey! What a surprise the story end happily ever after.
In conclusition I enjoyed reading and doing research on Mr. Whittier. I would call him the greatest poet ever, but I found him to be a great read.

Emerson

I think it is safe to say that I have a new favorite author. When reading Nature I actually saw a little bit of my self in his writing. I felt like Emerson’s style was freebased, and was genuine to the point. I was introduced to a philosophy on life and or nature in particularly, that I have never been exposed to in my lifetime. The fluid way he wrote was a treat for my eyes to see. I thought of his work as all the raunchy parts in a romance novel put together. So his works was defiantly an eye treat.
I found Emerson’s philosophy on nature to be very intriguing. For instance, ‘’To go into solitude, a man needs to retire as much from his chamber as from society. I am not solitary whilst I read and write, though no body is with me. But if a man would be alone, let him look at the stars. The rays that come from those heavenly worlds, will separate between him and vulgar things.’’ (Emerson) Now I took that quote and thought about it for a little while., and found myself agreeing with him. Emerson was saying that you need to remove yourself from all the drama in your life for just a little bit. That you need to look at nature for just a little bit, and with that just settle down. Nature can free you from almost anything, because it is so simple its self. I really couldn’t compare his overall philosophy with any previous authors that we have read in the past. But some puritan authors viewed nature in a positive way in the past.
In conclusion I found Ralph Waldo Emerson to be an inspiration towards my own personal philosophy,. He was an outside of the box thinker, and the world appreciates it. I found ‘’Nature’’ to be the most inspiring read that we have focused on so far.

Morton and Freneaue

Sarah Morton and Phillip Freneau have a similar message in their beautiful poetry. Both authors stress the message of anti slavery. Even though Morton and Freneau write two different poems, their message is basically the same. Sarah Morton and Phillip Freneau were two white American writers who stressed the importance of anti slavery. These authors brought the message to the people, and paved the way for the anti slavery movement.
Lets first take a look at Sarah Morton’s anti slavery poem titled ‘’ The African Chief’’ Sarah writes ‘’ See how the black ship cleaves the main, High bounding o’er the dark blue wave, Remurmuring with groans of pain, Deep freighted with the princely slave!’’ (Morton) Now right off the bat Mrs. Morton paints a vivid picture of the journey. Calling out the ships color black as if it was to forewarn us of how miserable it was on that ship. Here is another quote that spoke out to me when reading Sarah Morton. ‘’ Has not his suffering offspring clung, Disponding round his fettered knee, On his worn shoulder, weeping hung, And urged one effort to be free!’’ (Morton) I enjoy how Morton uses visual references to intrigue the readers attention. In this poem Sarah Morton continues to write a graphic picture of the behind the scenes of slavery. I can assume is that her overall message is that slavery is downright wrong. What I can get from her poem, is that she wanted the reader to see the dark side to slavery.
In the poem titled ‘’ To Sir Toby’’ Freneau writes a detailed illustration through the eyes of a horrible slave owner. Freneau writes ‘’ Here whips on whips excite perpetual tears, And Mingled howling vibrate on my ears.’’ Freneau, like Morton paints a visual description for his audience. The way we treat another man is awful is the message I got from this quote. The whip is a powerful weapon in one mans hand, and only should be used when used on animals. The fact that one man uses a whip on another is wrong. Freneau goes on to write a graphic detailed poem describing the horrors of slavery. Both authors used this method to get their point crossed.
In conclusion I enjoyed reading these two authors. I think it was a good thing to read about two white authors who thought differently on a subject then their others. Sarah Morton and Phillip Freneau provided a great voice for the anti slavery movement in their poetry.

Byrd vs every purtian writer

To me William Byrd was a fresh breath of air. His style of writing differed in many ways of the past puritan writers. When reading Byrd’s journal, I felt like I was brought into his life. Living his everyday ordinary life and gaining details on his personal world. I found it fascinating that this man wrote such a simple narrative, but still gave us insight into his personal life. What I also found intriguing and entertaining about Mr. Byrd is his daily morning routine.  Byrd would rise every morning around seven or eight and say his prayers. Then Byrd would always eat boiled milk. I do not know the reason why he ate boiled milk every day, from what I understand Byrd and his wife were very wealthy. So I would assume that they could afford more tasty items for breakfast.

                I found him more interesting then past Puritan writers because of his style. From what we have read in the past it has been pretty much a snore fest. Byrd’s style keeps me intrigued and entertained, unlike some past writers who just wrote about the lord and such. This passage made me chuckle a bit, something I barley do when I read. ‘’ About 11 o’clock my wife and I went to wait on the governor in the Presidents coach. We went there to take our leave but were forced to stay all day. The Governor had made a bargain with his servants that if they would forbear to drink upon the Queen’s Birthday, they might be drunk this day.’’ (382) I thought it was humorous how the people in the south differed from the people up north. The northern writers would have probably never written about drinking and partaking in such matter.

               

Bradstreet vs Rowlandson!!!

Anne Bradstreet and Mary Rowlandson are women who have suffered hard. These women have been put through some tough tasks in their lives, but still found courage to fulfill their commitment to the lord. They have painted a picture of their troubles whether it is through poetry and or narrative form. Both expressed their feelings and emotions in vivid detail. Even through hard times these women still found their faith, and praised it in the new world.

                When reading Anne Bradstreet’s’’ Here Follows Some Verses upon the Burning of Our House, July 10^th, 1666 ‘’ I felt she wrote that at first she was troubled deeply by this tragedy, and that she lost hope. I would understand why she would feel this way. That being that she always been faithful, then out of nowhere this strikes upon her.  But I feel that her faith in her lord was unshaken even when her home burnt to the ground.  Bradstreet, I think took it as a sign or a prophecy of good will, as seen in this passage.

                ‘’   By Him who hath enough to do.

 A price so vast is unknown yet by His gift is made thine own;

There’s wealth enough, I need no more,

 Farewell, my pelf, farewell my store

The world no longer let me love,

My hope and treasure lies above.’’ (Bradstreet 213)

                I interpreted this passage as her way of saying. I need not need material things. All I need is my lord and savior.

                Mary Rowlandson was in a different predicament, but also holds her faith in her time of need. Rowlandson, finds herself captive in her narrative ‘’ A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson.’’ Though captured, Mary quotes several bible quotes in her narrative, while also describing horrible scenes of violence and gory times. Mrs. Rowlandson was put in a very traumatic situation. But like Bradstreet, she kept her faith and thought it was god’s destiny for her to be alive to tell her story.

               

A little but oh well!!

Thomas Harriot and John Smith one could say expand the truth in some sort of degree. These gentlemen are known explorers of the new world, but both have different perceptions of it in their publications. Now I would not call these men liars, but some of the things that these men say do not make much sense. I understand that the purpose of these writings were to bring new settlers to the new world. But did the direction that these men took the right way to do it?


Let’s take a look at Thomas Harriots publication A Brief and True Report of the New Found Land of Virginia. In his writings, Harriot described the natives as simple, cowardly, uneducated and ill prepared in any combat situation. For instance harriot writes ‘’ Most things they saw with us- [such] as mathematical instruments; compasses; the virtue of the load-stone in drawing iron: a perspective glass whereby were shown many strange sights: burning glasses: wild fire works; guns: hooks; writing and reading; spring clocks that seem to go of themselves; and many other things we had- were so strange unto them, and so far exceeded their capacities to understand.’’ (Harriot 52) Now from what little I know about the Native American culture and history. For what little advances in technology they had at the time, the Native Americans did quite well for themselves. I am sure that most of us have heard about the lost colony of Roanoke Virginia. Let’s keep in mind that little tragedy might have been in fact the natives doing. Harriot portrays to the audience that the new world is an almost perfect paradise, for which the English should settle upon. But in our history books we found out that the new world was not like how Harriot portrayed it to be. I think Harriots purpose was to exploit the new world, just to make it sound better than it really was.

John Smith was a similar way of stretching the truth in his publication of’’ The General History of Virginia, New England, and the Summer Isles. ‘’ But his perception of the new world was far different from what Thomas Harriot described it as. Smith said that the natives were savages and relentless towards the settlers. Unlike the cowardly and gentle natives that Harriot described. But John Smith stretched the truth in a different way. I felt like Smith made it seem like he was more of the hero in his publication. For example, when he says he fights off around 200 savages using another persons body as a shield. Now that seems a little too farfetched to me. We can assume that John Smith wrote this story to educate future settlers, but he seems to put some entertainment values into his narrative to. My question to John is how did he think that readers hundreds of years from his time would respond to his writings? I am sure he probably fooled his generation, but these days we look at history to debunk his writing.

Both of these men have been known to stretch the truth, but I would not call them both liars. I understand their purpose for these writings, and value what they are worth to them. Exaggerating the truth a little does not hurt anyone, unless its intention is to do harm. I feel like these men did no harm in their works, and have great character in their stories.