Porphyrias Lover, My Last Duchess and To His Coy Mistress Essay Example

Porphyrias Lover, My Last Duchess and To His Coy Mistress Paper I have chosen two poems by Robert Browning, Porphyrias Lover and My Last Duchess, and one by the earlier poet Andrew Marvell, To His Coy Mistress. In this essay I plan to compare the contrasting approaches to love in these three poems, and how the poets achieve their aims through language. This can be done using poetic devices such as enjambment, rhyme scheme and meter and language including diction, metaphors and similes. My last Duchess is a dramatic monologue. This means that only one person is talking and therefore only his point of view is shown. This point of view shows his personality and how he feels towards his wife. The poem begins, Thats my last Duchess painted on the wall, Looking as if she were alive. I call. That piece a wonder, now: Fra Pandolfs hands Worked busily a day, and there she stands. This gives the reader the impression that the man does not care about his wife, but more about the value of the painting and how a famous painter spent lots of time painting it. Straight away the reader can see that this man is cold and not passionate towards his deceased wife. We will write a custom essay sample on Porphyrias Lover, My Last Duchess and To His Coy Mistress specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Porphyrias Lover, My Last Duchess and To His Coy Mistress specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Porphyrias Lover, My Last Duchess and To His Coy Mistress specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Two easily impressed: she liked whateer She looked on, and her looks went everywhere. Here the man believes that his wife was too easily impressed and affectionate towards others and other things. He wants his wife to adore him and no other, and therefore is a selfish man. This also includes enjambment which makes the dramatic monologue seem more like a speech which he is dictating and shows him as very egotistical and self absorbed. The speech becomes very disturbing when he says: Then all smiles stopped together. Here he is morbid and cold hearted as he is saying that because she did not completely adore him, he killed her, or at least that is the impression the reader gets. His selfish personality has become disgustingly evil as he is willing to kill his own wife just because he did not have her complete admiration. How horrid and mean must a man be to do that? Together down, sir, Notice Neptune, though Taming a sea horse, thought a rarity, Which Claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me! Here he has moved on from showing his guest the painting to another one of his prized objects, and that is what he sees her as, an object. Just like an object she was disposed of just as easily as she was obtained. The reader by the end of the poem understands that the man has no passion towards his previous wife, only the disgust of how his wife was too easily impressed, which to most people would be seen as a good quality. This is in great contrast to Porphyrias Lover as this shows no passion at all, and Porphyrias Lover is all about passion and emotion. The rain set early in to-night, The sullen wind was soon awake. The rain and hard wind show the mans mood, and this is an unhappy and loveless one. This mood however is completely reversed, When glided in Porphyria; straight She shut out the cold and the storm. Now the cold and storm have gone, showing his previously discontented mood has been rid of , and he is now full of love and happiness due to a beautiful damsel fleeing from the storm and seeking shelter. This poem is inclusive of the weather and another character unlike My Last Duchess which includes only one character, the rich man. This poem may be less egotistical but still just as sinister, unpleasant and inclusive of death. He falls deeply in love with Porphyria and wishing that time would stand still he took her hair in one long string, and wound it Three times her little throat around, And strangled her. Unlike seeing her as an object, he sees her as a wonderful woman, on a higher level, but the twist is whilst they are in such deep love with each other he kills her. This may be seen as selfish as in the last poem but she loved him too so in his twisted mind it was fine to keep this moment where they love each other forever, and to do this he kills her. He still is in just as much praise of her as before and believes she is such a brilliant woman. Like the last poem this is sinister, but is very passionate. To His Coy Mistress is also very passionate, but is not cold like the others. It is more for comic purposes as the way in which the man talks to the mistress to get her in bed with him is comic. My vegetable love should grow Vaster than empires, and more slow; An hundred years should go to praise. He rudely and comically uses vegetable love as a metaphor for his penis erecting and then says how he wants to praise her. The first stanza therefore is all about the lustful man saying that if there was time enough he would spend it praising her. This is all very comic and would seem so to the coy lady. I believe it would make her laugh and blush and the man to her would seem witty and appealing. However, unlike in the last poem where the woman is seen as a wonderful woman who is on a higher level, here he is trying to reduce her and bring her down to his level and in to his bed, literally. It retains however the passion. This passion is in the form of lust and Porphyrias Lover is more passion in the form of love, however disturbing it may be. In conclusion love in these poems is portrayed in a number of different ways. My Last Duchess is very cold poem where the woman is objectified and there is a distorted view of love. There is also little passion shown. Porphyrias lover is quite a passionate poem, which portrays the woman as respectable and brilliant. However the love becomes sinister as in My last Duchess. To his Coy Mistress is much more light hearted than the others and is comic. The poem is quite passionate, but lust is the form of passion and that is not true love, but a love that like in My Last Duchess objectifies the woman. Also the women in the two poems are seen as less important as in Porphyrias Lover which represents the woman as the most important thing in the world. Therefore Browning poems are more sinister and different to Marvell which is more like Donne as their poems are more co mic and lustful.

Red Drum essays

Red Drum essays THE IMPORTANCE OF RED DRUM ON THE TEXAS COAST The red drum is an important part of Texas coast. It faces many challenges to survive without the help of man. It has an interesting life cycle, which in itself limits the number of red drum who survive within the first week after hatching. In the 1970s, the red drum was almost faced with extinction. Many causes can be attributed to the decrease in numbers, the biggest factor being human interaction. Laws and regulations were passed to help the red drum maintain its numbers and the hatcheries have done a fine job in restoring the natural stock. Today, Texas has some of the best hatcheries in the United States (Colura 1990), which not only help numbers of the red drum population, but also inform the public of the importance of caring for natural resources. The restocking effort has done a lot to give the red drum an advantage, but the size and bag limits help keep red drum numbers high. With all the red drum offers anglers, it is not a surprise that it is one of the most coveted fish along the coast. Anglers spend lots of time and money in the search for a red drum. That commitment and interest translates into money for the government and into private industry. There is not a worthier program to continue then the Texas State Hatchery Program. The red drum (Sciaenops Ocellatus) is a marine fish that is characterized by its color and body markings. (Matlock 1984) The most distinct marking is a black spot on the upper half of the tail.(see figure 1) Most red drum have at least one spot and very often two or more, but it is very rare to find a red drum that does not have any spots at all. The body color ranges from a dark blackish, coppery color to a silvery color. Normally, the topside of the fish is reddish-brown and the underside is silvery or white. Their tail is fairly square in shape and is similar in color to the back. Red drum have blunt noses and downward ...

Boys vs Girls

Guys vs. Girls Vive always been the kind of person who has more guy friends than girl friends. Girls tend to cause unnecessary drama, pick people apart and run their mouths. In truth, guys make better friends because they are lenient, arent as Judgmental and know how to be straightforward. Its always enjoyable spending time with people who are laid-back and relaxed. When hanging out with guys its about having a good time no matter how you look or what youre doing. Girls on the other hand are always checking to see if they look Kay and try to attract the most attention. Secondly, when it comes to disagreements guys argue and move on whereas girls hold grudges for months. More specifically, girls overbalance everything and get offended very easily. For this reason, it is preferable to have guy friends because guys dont take anything to heart. When theres a difference of opinions guys state their point of view and let it go whereas girls will bicker to tears and start unnecessary drama. Lastly, girls beat around the bush and sugarcoat the truth. When wanting an onset opinion guys arent afraid to say it like it is and tell you what they truly think. Girls tell you what you want to hear to attempt at saving your feelings even if it meaner telling a white lie. As a result guys make better companions because they dont avoid the truth and make situations easier to work out and communicate. Ultimately, when looking for a loyal, fun and honest friend choosing a guy over a girl is a better choice because you can be yourself, confide in them and have a drama-free friendship that lasts a lifetime.

The way of Jesus and my every day life related to it Essay

The way of Jesus and my every day life related to it - Essay Example Without this as a continual guide for the way in which the Christian should proceed, there is little if any purpose to calling oneself a Christian. As a function of understanding this ideal to a more complete degree, the following analysis will discuss the personal ramifications of the daily walk with Christ and the meaning of everyday life within such an understanding. Further, the works of St. Augustine and Mother Teresa will be utilized as well. It is the hope of this student that such a level of discussion will not only provide a historical level of appreciation with respect to the importance of the meaning of Christ’s life and testament to the Christian, it will also underscore the very real and prescient need that all mankind has for this experience. Firstly, St. Augustine of Hippo illustrated the importance of a daily and continual walk with Christ as he pointed out his failures as a young man. Rather than merely being an experience that he could learn from, these failures were indicated to be contingent upon the fact that he did not have the example of Christ to guide him as he made the important day to day decisions that all young people must make. Although it is true that St. Augustine of Hippo lived over 1500 years prior to the current era, the understanding that he represented with respect to the continual need for Christ within the live of the Christian is no less relevant today (Gramigna, 2013). By means of keeping a consideration of Christ, his earthly ministry, and the counsels that he provided before the Christian at each and every juncture, the correct and faithful decision can invariably be chosen. Similarly, Mother Teresa also provided the faithful with an understanding of what a continual walk with Christ meant to the believer. For instance, although it would have been possible for an indivual such as Mother Teresa to perform good deeds without an acknowledgement of Christ, the perfection that she strove for was never a

Cain and Abel After Eden,Fugitives and Pilgrims, A House Divided Essay

Cain and Abel After Eden,Fugitives and Pilgrims, A House Divided - Essay Example This chapter describes the origin of the world as illustrated in the Bible in the book of Genesis. The book 16 monitors the development of these cities from the time of Noah, to the time of Abraham. In later stages of this chapter, the progress of the heavenly city from Abraham to Israel’s kings is illustrated. In book 18, Augustine explains the distinct and separate nature of the heavenly city and the earthly city; as from Abraham’s times to the world’s end. The book also describes the actions of Jesus Christ, and the sacred prophets who existed immediately after Rome’s foundation; like Hosea, Isaiah, Amos and Micah. Book 19 describes the end of the earthly city and the heavenly city. Augustine studies the philosophers’ opinions on the supreme good, and the vain efforts they try to make for happiness in life. Augustine also illustrates the happiness and peace that is found in the heavenly city. Augustine illustrates in the City of God the Christianity’s interaction with other different religions and philosophies; and also the relationship of Christianity with the Roman government. Augustine consoled the Christians in the Roman Empire that the City of God is the most superior, and will eventually

Gorbachev and the Fall of Soviet Communism Essay Example for Free

Gorbachev and the Fall of Soviet Communism Essay From the failure of Khrushchev’s Virgin Lands program, to Brezhnev’s economic stagnation, to the final dissolution of the Soviet system, the organisation of central planning went though a slow death agony. When the former Minister of Agriculture, Mikhail Gorbachev, took over in 1985, the system seemed to have a certain spark left in it, though this was to prove to be illusory. Gorbachev announced that the Soviet state will not bail out failing enterprises, some limited market reform will be instituted and that limited press freedoms will be countenanced. Gorbachev did not satisfy anyone, including US policymakers. Liberals such as Boris Yeltsin thought reforms needed to go farther, while hardliners like Boris Pugo thought Gorbachev was selling out the Great Experiment. While Gorbachev cannot be held responsible for the dissolution of the USSR, he did unleash forces that eventually led to its demise. First, admitting defeat in Afghanistan, he shook the confidence in Soviet military might, unleashing a storm of protest from the â€Å"mothers movement,† embarrassing the USSR worldwide. Second, by letting up on police pressure, the huge black marketeers came to the surface, with money and local influence. Third, after Chernobyl, Ukrainian nationalism found new life in the RUKH movement, supported by a strong and large Ukrainian diaspora in America and Canada. Fourth, with the USSR clearly weakening, Islamic powers began to proselytize in the southern part of the USSR, such as in Azerbaijan and throughout the Caucuses. Fifth, the Baltics, sensing a weakening USSR, began to agitate for independence with substantial western–notably Swedish–help. Sixth, by retaining a hard line with Ronald Regan at the Iceland conference, the US began construction of a missile shield that forced the USSR to eventually backpedal on previous bellicose statements. Seventh, Gorbachev made it clear, just as he was not going to bail out failing enterprises, he also was not going to bail out failed regimes in Europe, starting with Ernst Honecker’s East Germany . Eighth, by proclaiming some sort of limited market, foreign goods rushed into the country, and new local elites began to form. Ninth, the reign of glasnost’, or openness, permitted activists more and more access to Soviet files, proving corruption and mismanagement. The fall of the USSR, based on the above events (and much more), had substantial implications for European politics. Firstly, the Swedes sought, successfully, to make economic colonies out of the Baltic states, especially Estonia. Their independence meant cheap and educated labor, and a new market for Swedish goods. Secondly, Germany was to be unified peacefully and without substantial protest. Again, this meant for Germany another economic colony of both cheap and educated labor, with a strong technical labor force. German investment eastward irritated France, seeing Germany ideally placed to take advantage of new Slavic investments in Poland, Russia and the newly formed Czech Republic (Czechia in Europe). France, as a result, sought to enlarge both NATO and the European Community (at the time) by bringing in new eastern states, including Turkey so as to counterbalance German expansion. The American response was typical. George Bush waffled on major issues, providing statements both for and against the independence of the Baltics and Ukraine. War flared up between newly independent Armena and Azerbaijan, as Islamic fundamentalists and drugs from Central Asia flooded the Caucuses on their way to markets in Europe and America,. Yugoslavia, a short time, later broke up along the same lines as the USSR under the incompetent leadership of Slobodan Milosevic, whose inability to control inflation led to the final destruction of that experimental state. US policymakers realized that they needed to move fast, while the USSR was prostrate, to begin monopolizing oil and gas resources throughout the country. The CIA began to step up its efforts in the Caucuses, making sure pro-American government were installed and properly trained. George Soros was a strong supporter of this move, and became a major political player in the region. In the mind of the US elites of both major parties, the fall of the USSR meant a green light for unlimited intervention in the affairs of former Soviet clients such as Iraq and Syria, and the Soviet backed regimes of Angola and Ethiopia were themselves were soon to fall to pro-US forces. Because of this, the latter nation fell apart into, like Yugoslavia, its original component parts. The New Left in the US, France and England scrambled to find another raison d’etre, and found it in diversity and multiculturalism. Great fear developed in the west when it became clear that Soviet (nuclear) scientists were not being paid, and were leasing out their considerable abilities to regimes opposed to US global rule such as Iran and Algeria. While all of this was happening, the US, and Harvard University, working with the World Bank, began implementing â€Å"shock therapy† to the liberated nations of eastern Europe. The rapid privatization in nearly all former Soviet satellites (except Belarus, who has maintained a high standard of living precisely by ignoring such moves ), led to mass impoverishment, rigged auctions, the rise of a nearly all-powerful mafia (with strong ties to Israel, and hence, to the US), who then assisted in the development of Russian â€Å"political parties. † Billions of dollars left the former USSR and its satellites, finding its was to Swiss banks and elsewhere, as wealthy organized crimes figures such as Symon Mogilevic began buying heavily into western economic life. There seems to be two distinct forms of former satellites. Those with direct and motivated patrons had an easy time of adjustment, as they became a part of western economic life quickly. The Baltics (Sweden), Slovenia (Germany, from Yugoslavia) and, clearly, East Germany, fall into this category. With a stable and wealthy patron, substantial investment and currency support came quickly and easily by comparison with the remainder, such as Ukraine, Uzbekistan or Armenia, that struggled with poverty and disinvestment. Bulgaria fell under Mafia rule, while labor unrest struck Romania. The influence of the fall of the USSR on Europe is incalculable. All the old rules of the game changed. What had once unified Europe now divided it, and old rivalries began to develop. While Russia has begin to function again on the global stage, the world will never quite recover from the end oft he cold war. Bibliography: â€Å"Man in the News: Skillful Party Climber Boris Pugo. † New York Times. August 8, 1991. â€Å"Erich Honecker, ruler of East Germany for 18 of its Last Years, Dies at 81. † New York Times. May 30, 1994. Bohdan Nahaylo. The Ukrainian Resurgence. University of Toronto Press, 1999 â€Å"Moscow Looks with Concern at NATO, Eu Enlargement. † Voice of America News. February, 17 2004. Matthew Raphael Johnson â€Å"A Look at the Judeo-Russian Mafia: From the GULAG to Brooklyn. † The Barnes Review. (May, 2006. ) Ariel Cohen. â€Å"Schevardnadze’s Journey. † Policy Review. No. 124. (April/May 2004). Stewart Parker. The Last Soviet Republic: Alexander Lukashenko’s Belarus. Trafford Publishing, 2007 US Department of State. â€Å"Romania. † Country Reports on Human rights Practices,Washington D. C. 2/25/2004

Marie de Frances Eliduc, Boccaccios Ninth Tale of the Fifth Day, and Shakespeares As You Like It :: comparison compare contrast essays

Comparing Women in Marie de Frances' Eliduc, Boccaccio's Ninth Tale of the Fifth Day, and Shakespeare's As You Like It    Whether it is Greco-Roman, Judeo-Christian, or Renaissance writing, women have always played a significant role in literature. Sometimes they act as counterparts to men, but sometimes they dominate the storyline themselves. Helen of Troy, Guildeluec, Monna Giovanna, and Rosalind, among others, prove to be just as vital characters as the men in their stories. Whether it is beauty, kindness, or strength, each one contributes significantly to the grandeur of the classic in which she is a part. Helen of Troy is perhaps one of the most famous women of all literature. It is her beauty that Paris desires, and it is her abduction by this handsome youth that brings the Greeks and Trojans to war. Helen is powerful although the Hellenic tradition stresses the importance of men's achievement. Sparking a war is quite a task for one woman to accomplish, and yet Helen in Homer's The Iliad does not play an active role as Achilles does. She is a stereotypical beautiful woman, whose physical appearance is all that counts, and her beauty becomes only a curse. As a woman, she is no more than an object of possession. Nowhere in the epic does the reader really gain insight into how she thinks or feels. In Marie de Frances' "Eliduc," Guildeluec is Eliduc's wife, or first wife, who is a devout Christian. She, as well as the story, puts great importance on the pleasing of God. The Judeo-Christian tradition is known for God's adoration rather than man's achievement. The portrayal of Guildeluec, which is rather unrealistic, adds to the story's fairy-tale style. Guildeluec is the loyal wife who waits patiently at home while her husband fights for the good of his country as well as his Lord. She waits patiently once again when he leaves to help another king since his own monarch no longer trusts him. Eliduc meets the king's daughter and falls in love, despite the fact that he has promised his wife he would never leave her. When Guildeluec realizes that her husband is in love with another woman, she not only saves this woman's life, but gives her to Eliduc as well. The fairy-tale characteristics come into play here because no woman in real life would be so kind if her husband cheated on her.