I found Lawerence’s view on this poem very helpful to understand the basics. I do not believe that the echo motif is what made this poem strong or to get readers interested. The questions asked by the narrator were easily answered in the next few lines fallowing. For example, “Is it the wind that moaneth bleak? There is not wind enough in the air To move away the ringlet curl From the lovely lady’s cheek,“ immediately answers the question. I do agree that Coleridge intended the reader to have to choose a side. I as a reader chose a side but I several times changed sides. The way Coleridge worded and phrases some of the poem had me confused. It took me longer to understand these parts but it helped to argue with what Berkoben thought to what I thought. From the very beginning I believed that Christabel was innocent and Geraldine was full of evil. As Berkoben sees Geraldine as a daemon, vampire or loathly lady I see her plainly as having an evil spirit. I also interpreted Bracy’s dream differently. I see the snake as Geraldine’s true self while the bird is her appearance. The dream says, “Swelling its neck as she swelled hers” showing that the snake and bird are as one. This is proven because Christabel sees Geraldine as the snake while both Sir Leoline and Bard Bracy see her as the hurt dove. Geraldine is a two faced woman who casts her evil upon the innocent. Evil is definitely a theme in this poem and I have found that evil can temp anyone. Christabel was known as being an innocent maiden yet Geraldine had the power to pull her into evil. When Sir Leoline starts to fall into Geraldine’s temptations Christabel tries to have him send her away immediately. Unfortunately, Sir Leoline does not listen to his daughter and continues to comfort Geraldine and fall into her hands. Christabel can stand against the evil spells and workings of Geraldine showing that we all can stay innocent and not fall into temptation.
Different Perspectives on Samuel Coleridge's Poetry
We will be blogging about the poems Kubla Kahn, Ancient Mariner, Christabel and The Eolian Harp by Samuel Coleridge. =)
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Echoes of Evil
I found Lawerence’s view on this poem very helpful to understand the basics. I do not believe that the echo motif is what made this poem strong or to get readers interested. The questions asked by the narrator were easily answered in the next few lines fallowing. For example, “Is it the wind that moaneth bleak? There is not wind enough in the air To move away the ringlet curl From the lovely lady’s cheek,“ immediately answers the question. I do agree that Coleridge intended the reader to have to choose a side. I as a reader chose a side but I several times changed sides. The way Coleridge worded and phrases some of the poem had me confused. It took me longer to understand these parts but it helped to argue with what Berkoben thought to what I thought. From the very beginning I believed that Christabel was innocent and Geraldine was full of evil. As Berkoben sees Geraldine as a daemon, vampire or loathly lady I see her plainly as having an evil spirit. I also interpreted Bracy’s dream differently. I see the snake as Geraldine’s true self while the bird is her appearance. The dream says, “Swelling its neck as she swelled hers” showing that the snake and bird are as one. This is proven because Christabel sees Geraldine as the snake while both Sir Leoline and Bard Bracy see her as the hurt dove. Geraldine is a two faced woman who casts her evil upon the innocent. Evil is definitely a theme in this poem and I have found that evil can temp anyone. Christabel was known as being an innocent maiden yet Geraldine had the power to pull her into evil. When Sir Leoline starts to fall into Geraldine’s temptations Christabel tries to have him send her away immediately. Unfortunately, Sir Leoline does not listen to his daughter and continues to comfort Geraldine and fall into her hands. Christabel can stand against the evil spells and workings of Geraldine showing that we all can stay innocent and not fall into temptation.
It Caught My Attention
Whispering Tongues
Being in high school there is non-stop gossip being sent from person to person. We find it amusing to talk about other people in a negative way but when the gossip is about yourself you end up really mad. I am lucky and do not get rumored about but some of the people I know do. It can end up being really hurtful. Friends can end up hating each other after they hear what people are saying just like Sir Leoline and Lord Roland. People pass these poisonous rumors from person to person but no one ever goes straight to the source. We are too scared to confront our own friends about the rumors because they could get mad at you for telling them. People should stop whispering lies at every chance they get. This creates an unnecessary amount of drama. Gossip will always be a part of our everyday lives but we should learn how to move on and forgive like Sir Leoline.
A Peaceful Land
Freedom to Fall
Again. Again. Again.
Only seeing the vivid blue sky with the puffs and smears of white. Rolling back around to the coolness of green tickling my arms and legs as I pass by. Cycling back to the blueness of sky.
Again. Again. Around. Around.
Giggling and tumbling and flipping about. No sense of direction just freedom of falling.
With no worries, concerns or reference of time.
Just stumble up the hill with all of your friends and roll down. Again. Again. Again.
“I’ll race you to the top! Last one there is a rotten egg!”
Playful banter. The life of a child. So quickly the days of happy-go-lucky moments pass by.
How I miss those days out in the summer sun. The days when my mind was clear and at peace.
No more tumbling and fumbling. My adult life has come.
No time to lay back and look at the sun. Before the sun is up, my day has already begun.
My mind is full of the many things to do. Concern and worry are often there too.
I tried to roll down that hill the other day, to regain the joy of play.
Instead I only felt every lump and bump. Coming to a halt at the bottom with a great big thump.
What used to be the freedom of falling is now the fear of losing control.
My energy of youth has abandoned me.
Racing back to the top is no longer fun as I try to catch my breath in the hot afternoon sun.
The only race that is before me now is to race against the hands of time.
I’m doomed to repeat the patters of everyday. Work. Work. Work.
No time to play.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
The Snake and The Dove
In the poem Christabel by Samuel Coleridge, the character Bracy the bard speaks of a dream he had about the night that two maidens named Christabel and Geraldine, found each other. His story shows the symbolism of this main event from the beginning of the poem. Christabel leaves the castle at midnight to pray in the woods when she hears a moan on the other side of the tree. She looks to find that the source of the moan is coming from a young maiden. When Christabel asks the girl why she is moaning, Geraldine introduces herself and tells her story of how five men kidnapped her from her castle. This beautiful girl, Geraldine, asks for Christabel's help to escape from the men that left her at the oak tree. Since Christabel is very innocent and kind, she doesn't question helping the girl. She brings Geraldine to her castle where the girls drink some wine and Geraldine puts a spell on Christabel.
For in my sleep I saw that dove,
That gentle bird, whom thou dost love,
And call'st by thy own daughter's name--
Sir Leoline! I saw the same,
Fluttering, and uttering fearful moan,
Among the green herbs in the forest alone.
Which when I saw and when I heard,
I wonder'd what might ail the bird;
For nothing near it could I see,
Save the grass and green herbs underneath the old tree.
And in my dream, methought, I went
To search out what might there be found;
And what the sweet bird's trouble meant,
That thus lay fluttering on the ground.
I went and peered, and could descry
No cause for her distressful cry;
But yet for her dear lady's sake
I stooped, methought, the dove to take,
When lo! I saw a bright green snake
Coiled around its wings and neck.
Green as the herbs on which it couched,
Close by the dove's its head it crouched;
And with the dove it heaves and stirs,
Swelling its neck as she swelled hers!"
Bracy's dream reminds me of the girls meeting because throughout the poem we find out that Geraldine is not a good person. In the dream, Geraldine represents the snake but to Sir Leoline, Christabel's father, she is the dove. The dream says about the snake, "And with the dove it heaves and stirs," showing that the snake and bird are completely bonded as one. When the dove heaves the snake fallows along "Swelling its neck as she swells hers!" This snake is hidden within the green herbs meaning the evil inside of Geraldine in hidden from every body’s view. People see her as the hurt dove but Christabel sees her as she truly is, the snake.
"And Geraldine in maiden wise
Casting down her large bright eyes,
With blushing cheek and courtesy fine
She turned her from Sir Leoline;
Softly gathering up her train,
That o'er her right arm fell again;
And folded her arms across her chest,
And couched her head upon her breast,
And looked askance at Christabel--
Jesu, Maria, shield her well!
A snake's small eye blinks dull and shy,
And the lady's eyes they shrunk in her head,
Each shrunk up to a serpent's eye,
And with somewhat of malice, and more of dread,
At Christabel she look'd askance!--
One moment--and the sight was fled!
But Christabel in dizzy trance
Stumbling on the unsteady ground
Shuddered aloud, with a hissing sound;
And Geraldine again turned round,
And like a thing, that sought relief,
Full of wonder and full of grief,
She rolled her large bright eyes divine
Wildly on Sir Leoline."
In this part of the poem it shows how Geraldine looks at Sir Leoline with large bright eyes then turns her face away like a hurt dove. She then gives a sideway glance to Christabel and her eyes "shrunk up to a serpent's eye." Christabel gets scared as she stumbles out of the trance and shudders aloud. Geraldine again looks at Sir Leoline with bright eyes. Only Christabel can see that Geraldine is really the serpent around the doves neck.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Prose Poem: Control of the Game
All About Blake (Blogging Community Assignment)
Sunday, January 2, 2011
A blogging community on Coleridge
Coleridge Symbolism and Meanings
"We will be discussing the meaning and symbols of Coleridge. So come join the fun of poems!"
Saturday, January 1, 2011
what homework? (a prose poem)
"What math?"
"I don't know."
"well find out."
I fish through my binders i find some unfinished work. "Here it is." The paper looks like a map to the holy grail. It's old, it's wrinkled, and it's on papyrus. "when was that homework given to you?" "This morning." The disappointment on my parents faces grows from 'really?' to 'I don't know what to do anymore.' I feel as low as low can be. I stumble to my room and do my homework in silence. Then I realize that my parents are looking out for me and if I just do my dreaded homework then I will fell better with myself. I find it funny that life lessons are taught in life. homework is to sharpen you skills and so are parents. parents teach kids the basics and homework refines those skills. those skills are work ethic, honesty, and perseverance. so, what homework do you have to do today?