Sunday, July 5, 2020
The Harmony of Realism and Idealism in Heaneyââ¬â¢s Poetry - Literature Essay Samples
The universal image of childhood that is ââ¬Ërang[ing]ââ¬â¢ frogspawn on ââ¬Ëwindow-sillsââ¬â¢, ââ¬Ëwait[ing] and watch[ing]ââ¬â¢, with a fervent curiosity and admiration, until the ââ¬Ëfattening dotsââ¬â¢ dynamically metamorphose into ââ¬Ënimble swimming tadpolesââ¬â¢ is one, very relatable and nostalgic aspect of Heaneyââ¬â¢s poetry that extols the carefree innocence and idyllic nature of youth. However, as these fascinating dots transfigure into ââ¬Ëangryââ¬â¢ ââ¬Ëslime kingsââ¬â¢, Heaneyââ¬â¢s poetry displays an underlying duality, as two spheres of thought pervade the collection; this idealistic sphere of childhood and positivity, and another more pragmatic, realist sphere which concentrates on the saddeningly scarce ââ¬Ëlast gruel of winter seedsââ¬â¢ in the Tollund Manââ¬â¢s stomach and the achingly ââ¬Ëswollen feetââ¬â¢ of his mother, despite her eminent and radiant ââ¬Ëlightââ¬â¢ that indicates she deserves more than a life of cheap ââ¬Ëelastic stocking[s]ââ¬â¢. In ââ¬ËDeath of a Naturalistââ¬â¢, a sensory experience is created for the reader as the effect of striking thermal impact of the ââ¬Ëpunishing sunââ¬â¢ is felt by the ââ¬Ëswelter[ing] flaxââ¬â¢. The poem indulges every sense of the reader; the ââ¬Ësmellââ¬â¢ of the ââ¬Ërott[ing]ââ¬â¢ flax, the impenetrable mesh-like ââ¬Ëgauze of soundââ¬â¢ that is, in contrast, delicately ââ¬Ëwoveââ¬â¢ around; this oxymoron creates a complex sound that is both invasive and strong, but also undulating, nuanced, and that it is almost alive and breathing. Heaney evidently marvels at the fecundity of diversity that lies before him. He is entranced whilst others may simply see the mundane; the oxymoron of the bubbles who ââ¬Ëgargle delicatelyââ¬â¢, emphasizing Heaneyââ¬â¢s overarching inquisitiveness, a gift honed by childhood. However, this innocence is eventually violated by the stark revelation that confronts Heaney on the ââ¬Ëone hot dayââ¬â¢ that punctures this dream-like ritual of visiting the dam ââ¬Ëevery springââ¬â¢. This is signposted by the short and abrupt final line of the first stanza ââ¬ËIn rain.ââ¬â¢ which diverts from the sing-song, steady iambic pentameter of the opening lines, before the division of verse provides the ultimate sense of separation. The humanized ââ¬Ëmammyââ¬â¢ and ââ¬Ëdaddyââ¬â¢ frogs (which also serves to evoke the child-like voice that permeates the first verse of the poem) are now replaced with dominant ââ¬Ëslime kingsââ¬â¢ with a ââ¬Ëcoarseââ¬â¢ abrasive croaking. Where the minute ââ¬Ëtadpolesââ¬â¢ were once confined to the boyââ¬â¢s ââ¬Ëjampot[s]ââ¬â¢, they are now capable of energetic, abrupt and threatening movement compared to a gun as the frogs sit ââ¬Ëcockedââ¬â¢ like ââ¬Ëmud grenadesââ¬â¢, re ady to fire or explode. The underlying ominous tones dominating the stanza, like the ââ¬Ëpunishingââ¬â¢ sun and ââ¬Ërott[ing]ââ¬â¢ plants, now take precedence over the childhood innocence, which is lost forever, as the realist influence of adulthood overwhelms this idyllic childlike world, and Heaney is thrust into a challenging and confronting world, perhaps prematurely. It is this epiphany, and consciousness of these two contrasting domains, which later enable Heaney to explore the vast foci of his collection, expanding into more pertinently adult realms. The ââ¬Å"bog poemsâ⬠, to which ââ¬ËThe Tollund Manââ¬â¢ belongs, draw parallels between the social and political violence of modern Ireland and the sacrificial violence of earlier pagan civilizations. ââ¬ËThe Tollund Manââ¬â¢ demonstrates Heaneyââ¬â¢s ability to blend both the realist and idealist spheres; the idealist presence forthcoming in the description of the bog body as ââ¬Ësaint-likeââ¬â¢ and a precious ââ¬Ëtroveââ¬â¢. The body is depicted as carefully fed and doted, worked upon by nutrient-rich ââ¬Ëdark juicesââ¬â¢, cared for by the transcendent ââ¬Ëgoddessââ¬â¢ of the earth to whom he will be cherished as a ââ¬Ëbridegroomââ¬â¢. This idealism makes for a powerful ââ¬Ëpray[er]ââ¬â¢; that the ââ¬Ëlabourersââ¬â¢ ââ¬Ëlaid out i n the farmyardsââ¬â¢ will somehow mirror this stillness and purposefulness in death. The realist sphere of Heaneyââ¬â¢s being however, contradicts this; he knows that their flesh is ââ¬Ëscatteredââ¬â¢, contrasting with the wholeness of the bog body, and that they were ââ¬Ëambushedââ¬â¢, sprung upon and unprepared to be unnaturally propelled into death. This duality allows Heaney to reflect upon the pathos of the event, but in an idealistic light that also consoles these atrocities. This idea is paralleled by many of Heaneyââ¬â¢s other poems, notably ââ¬ËRequiem for the Croppiesââ¬â¢ in which the striking realist notion of the ââ¬Ëblushingââ¬â¢ hillside stained with blood, is comforted by the peaceful image of the barley growing out of the soldierââ¬â¢s shallow graves, acting as a motif for new life and a symbol to keep the flickering flame of nationalist rebellion against the oppressive British rule alight. ââ¬Ë The Swingââ¬â¢ sees the transition from innocence to experience come full circle; the older Heaney is able to reflect on childhood in a new, far more retrospective and reminiscent light. The scene is dream-like, religiously tranquil, as the ââ¬Ëlight of heavenââ¬â¢ shines off lush, vivid ââ¬Ëgreen grassââ¬â¢, to paint a ââ¬ËNativityââ¬â¢ scene. This idealism emphasizes the beauty of the child-like state, which is almost utopian. His mother is like a Madonna figure amongst all this heavenly imagery; she is an ââ¬Ëempressââ¬â¢ whose majesty imparts a value to the most commonplace of objects; boiling water from a kettle becomes ââ¬Ëan opulent, steaming arcââ¬â¢ whose ââ¬Ëploutââ¬â¢ is ââ¬Ëmusicââ¬â¢. Again, Heaneyââ¬â¢s sense of realism reveals more to this situation; she exhibits a duplicity, as her feet are contrastingly ââ¬Ëswollenââ¬â¢ and painful, and she is unjustly denied what she as such a ââ¬Ëmajestic figureââ¬â¢ is ow ed; she imperatively ââ¬Ëshouldââ¬â¢ have the luxury of ââ¬Ëfresh linenââ¬â¢, the doting attention of ââ¬Ëministrations by attendants, procession and amazementââ¬â¢, but is instead left ââ¬Ëroll[ing]ââ¬â¢ the ââ¬Ëelastic stockingââ¬â¢, suffering a disjointed state of existence as she is burdened by the life is ââ¬Ënot meant forââ¬â¢, but she determinedly ââ¬Ëwould not failââ¬â¢. The swing likely acts as a metaphor for the very transition which acts as an undercurrent to Heaneyââ¬â¢s work; a rite of passage of sorts that breaks the barrier between this heavenly child-like, and the sometimes unpalatable adult world, as the children swing ââ¬Ësky highââ¬â¢ into a new existence, where the worldly concerns of ââ¬ËHiroshimaââ¬â¢ and ââ¬ËConcordeââ¬â¢ swamp the comparatively meaningless ignorance of childhood. Heaney poses a question to the reader; ââ¬Ëwho were we to want to hang back there in spite of all?ââ¬â¢. The phrase ââ¬Ëin spite of allââ¬â¢ takes on a summative dualism here; its first use, in conjunction with ââ¬Ëwho were weââ¬â¢ refers to these events which are so significant we are forced to impelled to involve ourselves. Its second use however, is in contrast to this, conferring a sense of reluctance to swing, ââ¬Ëin spite of all, we sailed aboveââ¬â¢; this may be a final attempt to cling onto this childhood o blivion and peace, and in this way a sense of limbo is conveyed, fragmented between two choices. Through the swing, Heaney implies to the reader that the only logical path is to enter the adult world, despite its challenges, but to nurture and tend to the idealism so synonymous with childhood. Heaney asks ââ¬ËWho [are] weââ¬â¢ to be selfish enough so as to deny ourselves a wider knowledge of the world, and the troubles that go on, challenging as they may be? (In comparison to the peachy and idyllic state of childhood). The intermingling of these two spheres ultimately allows Heaney to reflect, as the realism reveals the pathos of the deaths of the common ââ¬Ëlabourersââ¬â¢, and the injustices inflicted upon figures like his mother, and the idealism acts as a mitigator amongst all this, a soother that reveals beauty and peace amongst the pain and pathos that permeates his reality.
Wednesday, July 1, 2020
What Are Pennsylvaniaââ¬â¢s New ââ¬ÅCommon Coreââ¬Â Standards
This fall, Pennsylvania schools are set to implement the new "Common Core" standards. The "Common Core" standards are implemented voluntarily by individual states and were designed to replace state standards with a set of goals agreed upon by governors and educators from across the country. The national education standards promoted by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education have become a subject of debate in Pennsylvania and other states. Governor Tom Corbett's administration recently sought to calm the growing concerns regarding these standards by dispelling some of the "false claims" about the new measures, according to a philly.com article by Mary Wilson. Wilsonââ¬â¢s article notes that Pennsylvania Department of Educationââ¬â¢s Carolyn Dumaresq assured state lawmakers that the new standards include ââ¬Å"no mandated curricula or reading lists, and no nationally dictated tests.â⬠As reported by John Finnerty in the Meadville Tribune, Dumaresq also insisted that the Pennsylvania Common Core standards are not being put into place to collect more data about students, another fear expressed by those opposed to the new standards. Though Pennsylvaniaââ¬â¢s standards have been under development for several years, Corbett delayed implementation until this fall to better address the concerns regarding funding and "ineffective top-down education,â⬠Wilson reported. Details on the Pennsylvania Common Core standards can be found on the Department of Education website. The site details standards for both math and language arts. The plan is to implement the new standards for the Class of 2017, including subject-specific standardized tests required for graduation. ââ¬Å"The Common Core push is intended to help ensure that students graduate from high school ready for work, college or the military,â⬠Finnertyââ¬â¢s article explains. ââ¬Å"Critics argue that the state has not adequately explained how the change in standards will achieve that goal.â⬠Some proponents of the Common Core believe the standards are already in place in most districts, and started with the push for the Keystone Exams in Algebra, Literature, and Biology. Weââ¬â¢ll continue to keep you posted as more information is released regarding the Common Core standards in Pennsylvania. As always, A+ Test Prep and Tutoring is available to best help your child or student succeed, keeping you up-to-date with the latest trends and standards in education.
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