美国浪漫主义文学

美国浪漫主义文学WaltWhitmanEmilyDickinsonRemarkTheywerecalledthefirsttwopureAmericanpoetsbecausetheytogetherinitiatedadaringexperimentbothinpoeticthemeandtechnique,hencecreatingaspecialAmericantraditioninpoemwriting.Thematically,bothextolledanemergentAmerica,herexpansion,individualism,Americanness.Technically,bothbreakfreefromtheconventionaliambicpentameter,exhibitedafreedominformunknownbefore,andaddedtotheliteraryindependenceofthenewnation.WaltWhitman(1819–1892)anpoet,essayist,journalist,andhumanist.afigurebetweenTranscendentalismandrealism,incorporatingbothviewsinhisworks.oneofthemostinfluentialpoetsintheAmericancanon,oftencalledthefatheroffreeverse.Hisworkwasverycontroversialinitstime,particularlyhisLeavesofGrass,whichwasdescribedasobsceneforitsovertsexuality.LifestoryBornonMay31,1819,thesecondsonofahouse-builder,onLongIsland,NewYork;Largelyself-taught,hereadvoraciously,becomingacquaintedwiththeworksofHomer,Dante,Shakespeare,andtheBible.Thirstingforexperiences,Whitmantriedavarietyofjobsandpickedupafirst-handknowledgeoflifeandpeopleinthenewworld.Heworkedasanofficeboy,aprinter’sapprentice,schoolmaster,printereditor,journalist,andvolunteernurseintheCivilWarIn1855,thefirsteditionofLeavesofGrasscameoutandmadeastirontheAmericanliteraryscene.Whitmanstruggledtosupporthimselfthroughmostofhislife.InWashingtonhelivedonaclerk'ssalary.AfterhisdeathonMarch26,1892,WhitmanwasburiedinatombhedesignedandhadbuiltonalotinHarleighCemetery.MajorworksLeavesofGrassWhitman’sepic,whichbrokewiththepoeticconventionandreceivedharshcriticismforitssexualityandexoticandvulgarlanguage;Thebookwentthrough9editionsaltogether:1855,1856,1860,1867,1871,1876,1881,1889,1891-1892(theDeathbedEdition)OutoftheCradleEndlesslyRockingSongofMyselfWhenLilacsLastintheDooryardBloom’dOCaptain,MyCaptainIhearAmericasingingCrossingBrooklynFerryDemocraticVistasPassagetoIndiaWhyuseabladeofgrasstosymbolizehispoems?Whitmanconsideredeachofhispoemstobeaseparateleaforbladeofgrass.becausetheyweredivine(thoughcommon).becausetheyweresymbolicoflifeandcyclesofbirthanddeath(everrenewed).becausetheyweresignificantbothindividuallyandinthemass.草叶：随处生长,最富有生命力。1、象征普通人；2、象征发展中的美国；3、象征自己关于民主、自由的理想和希望。《草叶集》从第一版到第九版，经历了坎坷的历程，其中充满了激烈的争论。这种争论在诗人逝世后100多年的时间里仍然在延续。19世纪后叶至20世纪全世界所有文学大师几乎无一例外地都在一生中的某个时刻向惠特曼的《草叶集》行过注目礼。在惠特曼从事诗歌创作的年代，控制美国诗坛的是所谓¡°高雅派¡±诗人，他们一味以模仿英国诗歌为能事，而当时的英国诗歌也浪漫主义的末流，这种诗风在美国产生的只能是等而下之的仿制品。惠特曼来了，带着手脚上的泥土和草叶，带着汗珠和露水，从码头、田野、矿山、街市走来，放开嗓门，大胆高歌，带着开天辟地的一个崭新的¡°人的姿态¡±¡ª¡ª他一开口就是一个崭新的文明的声音----这就是¡°新兴的美国文明¡±的声音。这薄薄一册划时代的诗集受到了普遍的冷遇，受到了来自各方的批判，他们谩骂惠特曼¡°对艺术外行地像公猪不懂数学一样¡±，¡°是说胡话的精神病患者¡±；认为《草叶集》是¡°一堆污七八糟的垃圾¡±，¡°预言家的咒文和忏悔的怪诞的混合曲¡±；有的甚至扬言要用¡°武力¡±给以¡°镇压¡±。在这一片混乱中，唯有著名诗人和理论家爱默生力排众议，对《草叶集》报以热烈的喝彩。爱默生相当英明地意识到新大陆已¡°诞生了一个伟人¡±，并给诗人写了一封热情洋溢的信，他认为：¡°我不能对你的《草叶集》所表现的极好的天赋所产生的价值视而不见。我发现它是迄今对美国做出的最不平凡的机智而睿智的贡献。我十分高兴地读着它，我对你的自由而勇敢的思想十分赞赏。它有最大的优点，那就是能够加强信念和鼓舞人心。¡±ThemesinWhitman’spoemsTranscendentpoweroflove,brotherhood,andcomradeshipImaginativeprojectionintoothers’livesOptimisticfaithindemocracyandequalityBeliefinregenerativeandillustrativepowersofnatureanditsvalueasateacherEquivalenceofbodyandsoulandtheunabashedexaltationofthebodyandsexualityWhitman’sworksarefilledwithhisconceptsoffreedomandthedignityofman,andhisthemesofequality,individuality,sexuality,patriotism,spiritualismanddeatharestillvehementlystudiedandcelebrated.1.democraticideals.AsWhitmansawit,poetrycouldplayvitalpartintheprocessofcreatinganewnation.ItcouldenableAmericanstocelebratetheirreleasefromtheOldWorldandtheColonialrule.Itcouldhelpthemtounderstandtheirnewstatusandtodefinethemselvesinthenewworldofpossibilities.eg:SongofMyself,IHearAmericaSinging.2.concernforcommonpeopleandthecitylife.Acelebrationofthecommonpeopleandtheirindustriousness.Hepraiseddignityandtheself-reliantspiritofcommonman.Eg.--SongoftheBroad-Axe,SongoftheOpenRoad.Thefastgrowthofindustryandwealthincitiesindicatedalivelyfutureofthenation.eg:CrossingBrooklynFerry我听见美国在歌唱我听见美国在歌唱，我听见各种各样的歌，那些机械工人的歌，每个人都唱着他那理所当然地快乐而又雄伟的歌，木匠一面衡量着他的木板或房梁，一面唱着他的歌，泥水匠在准备开始工作或离开工作的时候唱着他的歌，船夫在他的船上唱着属于他的歌，舱面水手在汽船甲板上唱歌，鞋匠坐在他的凳子上唱歌，做帽子的人站着唱歌，伐木者的歌，牵引耕畜的孩子在早晨、午休或日落时走在路上唱的歌，母亲或年轻的妻子在工作时，或者姑娘在缝纫或洗衣裳时甜美地唱着的歌，每个人都唱着属于他或她而不属于任何其他人的歌，白天唱着属于白天的歌¡ª¡ª晚上这一群体格健壮、友好相处的年轻小伙子，就放开嗓子唱起他们那雄伟而又悦耳的歌。3.IndividualismIncelebratingself,hegaveemphasistothephysicaldimensionoftheselfandopenlyandjoyouslycelebratedsexuality.Sexuallove,arathertabootopicofhistime,isdisplayedcandidlyassomethingadorableinhispoetry.eg:ChildrenofAdam,ISingtheBodyElectric,AWomanWaitsforMeUndertheinfluenceofEmersonianTranscendentalism,Whitmanbelievedtheindividualandhisdesiresmustberespected.Thoughsexwastaboo,Whitmanwroteofthebeautyofthebodyandshamelessnessofsexualrelations.Hewrotepoetrythatexplicitlydescribedthebody,themanandwoman,andthesexuallovebetweenthem.ThemostcontroversialsectioninLeavesofGrasswas“ChildrenofAdam,”readersobjectedtotheopenreferencesofsexualacts.4.Pursuitofloveandhappiness5.politicallycommitted.HerespondedenthusiasticallytotheAmericanCivilWar.Heexpressedthesufferingsoftheyoungmeninthebattlefieldandshowedadeterminationtocarryonthefightingbravelyuntilthefinalvictory.eg:DrumTapsAfterthedeathofLincoln,hewrotedownagreatmanypoemstoairhissorrow.eg:WhenLilacslastintheDooryardBloom’d,---Oh!Captian,myCaptian!.哦．船长，我的船长！哦．船长，我的船长！我们险恶的航程已经告终，我们的船安渡过惊涛骇浪，我们寻求的奖赏已赢得手中。港口已经不远，钟声我已听见，万千人众在欢呼呐喊，目迎着我们的船从容返航，我们的船威严而且勇敢。可是，心啊！心啊！心啊！哦．殷红的血滴流泻，在甲板上，那里躺着我的船长，他已倒下，已死去，已经冰凉。哦，船长，我的船长！起来吧，请听听这钟声，起来，——旌旗，为你招展——号角，为你长鸣。为你．岸上挤满了人群——为你，无数花束、彩带、花环。为你，熙攘的群众在呼唤，转动着多少殷切的脸。这里，船长！亲爱的父亲！你头颅下边是我的手臂！这是甲板上的一场梦啊，你已倒下，已死去，已经冰凉。我们的船长不作回答，他的双唇惨白、寂静，我的父亲不能感觉我的手臂，他已没有脉搏、没有生命，我们的船已安全抛锚碇泊，航行已完成，已告终，胜利的船从险恶的旅途归来，我们寻求的已赢得手中。欢呼，哦，海岸！轰鸣，哦，洪钟！可是，我却轻移悲伤的步履，在甲板上，那里躺着我的船长，他已倒下，已死去，已经冰凉。othermajorthemesThereareotherseveralmajorthemesinSongofMyself.6.Celebratingyourselfinallofyourgloryandfaults.7.Revelinginthebeautyofnature,andfeelingaconnectiontoit.8.Theconnectednessandunityoflifeandalllivingbeings.ArtisticfeaturesWhitmanwasadaringexperimentalist.Heemployedbrand-newmeansinpoetry,whichcouldbediscernedinhisstyleandlanguage.Style:1.useofacertainpronoun“I”:Speakinginthevoiceof“I”,hecanbecomeallthepeopleinhispoem,andyetremainsWhitmanhimself.2.Useoffreeverse,poetrywithoutafixedbeatorregularrhymescheme.3.parallelismorrhythmofthought,andphoneticrecurrence:twotechniquesusedtoachievestrongsenseofrhythm.Phoneticrecurrence:thesystematicrepetitionofwordsandphrasesatthebeginning,inthemiddleorattheendofthephoneticlines.Thetwoprinciplescoordinatewithandreinforceeachother.4.Useofsnapshots5.Useofconventionalimages6.Contrarytotherhetoricoftraditionalpoetry,Whitman’spoetryisrelativelysimpleandevenrathercrude.(hisinnovationindiction)7.HehasastrongtendencytouseoralEnglish.Whitman’sLanguageStrongtendencytouseoralEnglishIdiosyncraticspellingandpunctuation.Useoflanguagefromseveraldisciplines:anatomy,astronomy,botany;Businessesandprofessions,suchascarpentry;Militaryandwarterms;nauticaltermsvocabulary–powerful,colourful,rarely-usedwordsofforeignorigins,someevenwrongalooserandmoreopen-endedsyntacticstructureFreeVerse自由诗体1.Definition:freeverse,alsoknownas“openform”verse,istheversewithoutregularmeter,linelength,rhyme(scheme),orstanzaform,dependingonnaturalspeechrhythmsrelatedtotheactualcadenceofthepoetexpressinghimself.2.Differencesfromconventionalverses:Meter:Regularmeter,orcontrolledrhythmicpattern,isessentialtoconventionalpoetry;butfreeverseisbasedontheirregularrhythmiccadenceoftherecurrence,withvariation,ofphrasesandsyntacticalpatternsratherthantherecurrentmetricalpatterns.Rhyme:Rhymeoccursinmosttraditionalpoetry(exceptblankverse),andoftenwithvariousschemes.Infreeverse,however,rhymemayormaynotbepresent;Unit:Inconventionalverse,theunitisoftenfoot,ortheline;butinfreeverse,theunitsaremuchlarger,sometimesbeingparagraphsorstrophes.Ifthefreeverseunitistheline,asitisinWhitman,thelineisusuallydeterminedbyqualitiesofactualspeechrhythmandthought,ratherthanfeetorsyllablecount;thusthelinemaybeasshortasoneword,oraslongasapassage.Incomparisonwithconventionalverse,freeversemaybecomposedwithrhythmsandmelodiesmorepersonalandindividual,moreappropriatetothesubjectandthetheme.Inthehandsofthegiftedpoetsfreeverseveryoftenacquiresrhythmsandmelodiesofitsown.Thereisinfreeversegreaterflexibilityoftheformandgreateragreementbetweensoundandsense.3.Evolutionoffreeverse:TherearesignsofitinmedievalalliterativeverseandinthetranslationoftheAuthorizedKingJamesBible,whichattemptstoapproximatetheHebrewcadences.ThePsalmsandTheSongofSolomonarenotedexamplesoffreeverse.Miltonopposedthetyrannyofstrictversification.Milton,inordertosetoffthevexation,hindranceandconstraintoftraditionalverse,experimentedwithfreeverseinLycidasandSamsonAgonistes.AfterMilton,Europeanpoets,includingBlake,Arnold,Heine,Goethe,Hugo,andBaudelaire,continuedtheexperimentwithfreeverse.AndtheFrenchpoetsofthelate19thcenturyestablishedtheverselibremovement,fromwhichthetermfreeversecomes.WaltWhitmandidmoreandbetterthananyoneelsetodevelopittomaturity;andWhitmanstartledtheliteraryworldwithLeavesofGrass,byusinglinesofvariablelengthswhichdependedfortheirrhythmiceffectoncadencedunitsandonrepetition,balance,andvariationofwords,phrases,clauses,andlines,insteadofonrecurrentmetriceffect.Whitman’sPoeticTechniquesLackofmetricalregularityandconventionalrhymeUseofrepeatedimages,symbols,phrases,andgrammaticalunitsassubstitutesforregularrhythmandrhymeUseofenumerationsandcatalogs.Useofanaphora(initialrepetition)inlinesUseofvaryinglinelengthswithvaryingnumbersofsyllablesperline.Idiosyncraticspellingandpunctuation.EmilyDickinson(1830-1886)ThemesofDickinson’spoetryHerpoemsareusuallybasedonherownexperiences,hersorrowsandjoys.Butwithinherlittlelyrics,sheaddressestheissuesaboutthewholehumanbeing,whichincludereligion,deathandimmorality,loveandnature.1.doubtandbeliefaboutreligioussubjects.Whileshedesiredsalvationandimmortality,shedeniedtheorthodoxviewofparadise.ShebelievedinGod,butdoubtedaboutHisBenevolence.2.Deathandimmortality:closelyrelatedtoherreligiouspoetryareherpoemsconcerningdeathandimmortality,rangingoverthephysicalaswellasthepsychologicalandemotionalaspectsofdeath.1/3ofallherpoemstalkedaboutthesetwothemes.ForDickinson,deathleadstoimmortality.3.Love:ItisanothersubjectDickinsondwelton.Onegrouptreatsthesufferingandfrustrationlovecancause,theotherdealswithmarriage.Showedherconfusionanddoubtaboutthewomen’sroleinthe19thcenturyAmerica.4.Nature:morethan500poemswereaboutnature.Sheexpresseshergeneralskepticismabouttherelationshipbetweenhumanandnature.Dickinsonseesnatureasbothgaily,benevolentandcruel.Ononehand,shesharedwithherromanticandTranscendentalpredecessorswhobelievedamythicalbondbetweenmanandnature,ontheotherhand,shefeltstronglyaboutnature’sinscrutabilityandindifferencetothelifeandinterestsofhumanbeings5.Ethics:ontheethicallevel,Dickinsonholdsthatbeauty,truthandgoodnessareultimatelyone.ArtisticfeaturesofDickinson’spoetryDickinson,likeWhitman,isacourageousexperimentalist,neverimitatedothers,uniqueandunconventionalinherownway.notitles,hencearealwaysquotedbythefirstlinesparticularstresspattern,inwhichdashesareusedasamusicaldevicetocreatecadenceandcapitallettersasameansofemphasis.rhymedstanzas:mostofherpoemsborrowtherepeatedfour-line,rhymedstanzasoftraditionalChristianhymns,withtwolinesoffour-beatmeteralternatingwithtwolinesofthree-beatmeter.Diction:DirectandplainlanguageHerpoeticidiomisnotedforitslaconicbrevity,directnessandplainness.(severeeconomyofexpression)Herpoemsareusuallyshort,rarelymorethan20lines,andmanyofthemarecenteredonasingleimageorsymbolandfusedononesubjectmatter.Duetoherdeliberateseclusion,herpoemtendstobeverypersonalandmeditative.Despiteitsostensibleformalsimplicity,herpoetryisremarkableforitsvariety,subtletyandrichness.Herlimitedprivateworldhaveneverconfinedthelimitlesspowerofhercreativityandimagination.Herpoetryaboundsintellingimages(originalimages).Inthebestofherpoems,everywordisapictureseen---theprecursorofImagistmovement(greatinfluenceontheImagistMovementinthe20thcentury)StronginfluenceofPuritanismonherthought(pessimismandtragictoneofherpoems)Exploringhuman’sinnerworld(psychologydescriptioninherpoems)Herweaknessisarelianceonrhythmiccadencesandmetersfromhymnsandpopularjingles.Hermodernityisherarticulationofpsychologicalexperienceandskepticaldesireforfaith.SummaryAbundantuseofdashes,irregularandidiosyncraticpunctuationandcapitalization.Clear-cut,delicatelyoriginalimagery,preciseandsimplediction,fragmentaryandenigmaticmetricalpattern.Shortpoeticlines,condensedbyusingintensemetaphorsandbyextensiveuseofellipsis.Conventionalmeters,iambictetrameter,off-rhymes.Visualandaudibleeffects,greatimagination,sincereemotions.Dickinson’sViewOnPoetry1.Shethoughtthatpoetryshouldbepowerfulandtouching.Theinspirationofthepoetcamefromhisinnerworldorintensityofhisemotionsandthepastliterarytraditionsandthenobleheroes.2.LikeEmerson,shethoughtthatonlytherealpoetcouldunderstandtheworld.Truth,virtueandbeautyarealltheonething.Themostdignifiedbeautywasembodiedbytheactive,affirmativedignity.3.Poetryshouldexpressideasthroughconcreteimages.Itwasthepoet’sdutytoexpressabstractideasthroughvividandfreshimagery.Shewasagainsttherestrictionofthetraditionaldoctrinesandarguedforthedepictionofone’sinnerworld.AppreciationofDickinson’spoetryIDiedforBeauty——butwasscarceIHeardaFlyBuzz---whenIdied---BecauseIcouldnotstopfordeathIDiedforBeauty——butwasscarce我死于美——却依然匮乏　　于是在坟墓里调校着　　邻室躺着，一个　　死于真的人¡ª¡ª他轻声问“为何我落败了”？　¡°因为美¡±，我回答¡ª¡ª　¡°而我¡ª¡ª因为真¡ª¡ª它们本是一体。　　我们原是兄弟¡±，他说¡ª¡ª因此，如同亲人，相遇在夜晚¡ª¡ª　　我们隔着墙壁交谈¡ª¡ª　　直到苔藓长上我们的嘴唇¡ª¡ª　　并且覆盖¡ª¡ª我们的名字¡ª¡ªCommentson“IDiedforBeauty”Thisbizarre（奇异的）,allegoricaldeathfantasyrecallsKeats("BeautyisTruth,TruthBeauty,"fromOdeonaGrecianUrn),butitsmannerofpresentationbelongsuniquelytoDickinson.Stanza1.IdiedpursuingthebeautyofartandimmediatelyasIbecameaccustomedtothenewcircumstanceofatomb,Iwastoldthattherewasanotherwhodiedfortruthandarrivedinthenextroom.Stanza2.Idiedforbeautyandhediedfortruth.Since“beautyistruthandtruthbeauty,”weareascloseasbrothers,orliketwins.Stanza3.Thetwoofusarelikekinsmenwhometatnight,andwetalkedinseparatedroomsforaverylongtimeuntilwehaveharmoniouslyunitedintooneandhavebeencompletelyforgottenbythehumanworld.Inthisshortlyric,Dickinsonmanagestoincludeasenseofthemacabrephysicalityofdeath("UntiltheMosshadreachedourlips--"),thehighidealismofmartyrdom("IdiedforBeauty...OnewhodiedforTruth"),acertainkindofromanticyearningcombinedwithlongingforPlatonic理想的,不切实际的companionship("Andso,asKinsmen,metaNight--"),andanoptimismabouttheafterlife(itwouldbenicetohavealike-mindedfriend)withbarelysublimated理想化的terroraboutthefactofdeath(itwouldbehorribletolieinthecemeteryhavingaconversationthroughthewallsofatomb).Asthepoemprogresses,thehighidealismandyearningforcompanionshipgraduallygivewaytomute,colddeath,asthemosscreepsupthespeaker'scorpseandherheadstone,obliteratingbothhercapacitytospeak(coveringherlips)andheridentity(coveringhername).Theultimateeffectofthispoemistoshowthateveryaspectofhumanlife--ideals,humanfeelings,identityitself--iserasedbydeath.Butbymakingtheerasuregradual--somethingtobe"adjusted"tointhetomb--andbyportrayingaspeakerwhoisuntroubledbyherowngrimstate,Dickinsoncreatesascenethatis,byturns,grotesqueandcompelling,frighteningandcomforting.Itisoneofhermostsingularstatementsaboutdeath,andlikesomanyofDickinson'spoems,ithasnoparallelsintheworkofanyotherwriter. VersificationofthepoemThispoemfollowsmanyofDickinson'stypicalformalpatterns--theababrhymescheme,therhythmicuseofthedashtointerrupttheflow--buthasamoreregularmeter,sothatthefirstandthirdlinesineachstanzaareiambictetrameter,whilethesecondandfourthlinesareiambictrimeter,creatingafour-three-four-threestresspatternineachstanza.IHeardaFlyBuzz---whenIdied---我死时听见一只苍蝇嗡嗡；房间里一片寂静像空气的寂静在风暴的涌动之间。周围的眼睛，泪已哭干，人们正在屏住呼吸等待最后的一击——当死神，被目睹——在房间里。我遗赠我的纪念品，签字送走我能够转让的东西——就在那时一只苍蝇插了进来，发蓝，飘忽，跌跌撞撞地嗡鸣，在光明与我之间；然后窗户暗淡了——然后我再也无法看见。IHeardaFlyBuzz---whenIdied---Stanza1.WhenIwasdying,Iheardthebuzzofaflywhichremindedmeofthestillnessintheair.Staza2.Beforetheabsolutepowerofdeath,Iwashelpless,soweremyrelativeandfriends.Theycoulddonothingmorethangatheringaroundme;tearlessandbreathless,andwatchingthearrivalofdeathtome.Stanza3.WhenIwasabandoningthismaterialworld,aflycomestome.CommentonthepoemThispoemisthedescriptionofthemomentofdeath.Thepoetessmadeuseofaverystrangeimageofaflytosymbolizeherlasttouchwiththehumanworldand,moreover,theperspectiveofadecayingcorpse.Theflyappearedassomethingwhichisabletoflybetweenthetwoworldsoflifeanddeath.Besides,theword“fly”isverycleverlyusedinthework.Ontheonehand,itreferstothatinsect;ontheotherhand,itmayindicate“freeflying”,Beforedeath,the“fly”wasbuzzingaround,Ihearit;afterdeath,itmayleadmetogofarandforever,Iamflying.Theflyisinconsequential,oflittleimportance---implyingperhapsthatdeathisthesame.BecauseIcouldnotstopfordeath因为我不能够停下等死—他为我停下友善和气—四轮马车只载着我俩—和不死。我们慢慢驱车—他知道不急而我也挥去了我的工作和安逸，缘他彬彬有礼—我们经过学校，值课间休息孩子们围成圆环¡ª打逗游戏¡ª我们经过农田凝望五谷我们经过落日¡ª确切地说¡ª是他经过了我们¡ª那露水引来了冷颤寒气¡ª因我的女礼服¡ª仅为纤细的薄纱织物我的披肩¡ª不过是绢网而已我们暂停于一幢建筑物前它看上去好似一片地面隆起—那屋顶几乎看不见—宛如飞檐装饰着大地—自那以后—若干个世纪—可还是感觉比那天短，我第一次猜测到那马头是朝向永恒之地—SummaryofeachstanzaStanza1:Theladyistoobusyandtoocontentedasshelivesherlifetostopforthegentleman’scall.Butthroughhiskindnessandconsideration,sheiscompelledtogowithhim.Stanza2:Hedrivesleisurely,withouthaste,asiftheyhadallthetimeintheworld.indicatesthepeacefulnessandpleasantnesssurroundinganappointment.Sheiscompletelycaptivatedbyhim.Stanza3:Thejourneyofourcarriageimpliestheexperienceofhumanlife.Schoolimpliestimeforchildhood;thefieldsofgazinggrain,foryouthandadulthood;whichthesettingsun,foroldage.Stanza4:Theladyisgettingclosertodeath.thetraditionalassociationofthecoldnessanddeath,buttheladystilloffersarationalexplanationaboutherchill.Stanza5:theyarrivedinthecountrycemetery.Theladyisalonenow,hergentlemanfriendhasvanishedunexpectedly.Stanza6:Allalongthen,shedidnotrealizewhereherkind,intimate,slow-drivingcivilsuitorwastakingher.Shewastricked,seducedandthenabandoned.CommentonthepoemThepoemisdiscussingdeath,averygloomysubject,butitisdonewitharatherlighttone.Thetoneislightjustbecausetheauthordoesnottakedeathasacatastrophe;instead,shetreatstheangelofdeathasaverypolitegentleman,asalong-missingguest,givingupherworkandleisure,puttingonherfinesilkydresses,sheaccompaniesdeathinthesamecarriagetoeternity.Allthebeautyofthisworkliesinthepoetess’sopen-mindedattitudetowardsdeath.ApersonificationofDeath,portrayshimasagentlemancallerorasasuitor.Theeventisametaphoricaluseofanactivityfamiliarenoughtoamanandwomanofthe19thcentury——aformalbutfriendlydriveinacarriageinthecountryofagentlemanandhisintendedlady.Thepoetessisterriblyironicthroughoutthepoem.Deathisdepictedononehandasacountrysuitor,andontheotherasthefraudulentseducer,thusgivingusawell-realizationofthecomplexcharacterofDeath,andalsoofDickinson’sambivalentreactiontodeathandimmortality.Isdeathareleasefromalifetimeofworkandsuffering,orisitthegatewaytoalastingpeaceinparadise,orisitsimplyamindlessannihilation?ContrastbetweenWhitmanandDickinson WhitmanDickinsonScopeSocietyatlargeInnerlifeoftheindividualoutlooknationalregionaldictionEndless,all-inclusivecataloguesConcise,direct,simplesyntaxanddictionviewpointoptimisticpessimisticTheAbolitionistsHarrietBeecherStoweHarrietJacobsHarrietWilsonFrederickDouglessHarrietBeecherStowe(1811-1896)HarrietBeecherStowe(1811-1896)isbestknowntodayastheauthorofUncleTom'sCabin,whichhelpedgalvanizetheabolitionistcauseandcontributedtotheoutbreakoftheCivilWar.Afterthepublication,itbecameverypopularallovertheworldandwastranslatedintoover60languages.UncleTom'sCabinhumanizedslaverybytellingthestoryofindividualsandfamilies.Harrietportrayedthephysical,sexual,andemotionalabuseenduredbyenslavedpeople.EspeciallybycreatingEliza,shehopedtoconveytootherstheterrorthefugitiveslavemotherwouldfeelandhowterribleitwouldbeforaslavemothertoloseachildbecausethechildwassold.ThesuccessofUncleTom’sCabinreflectedtheideathatslaveryintheUnitedStates,thenationthatpurportedlyembodieddemocracyandequalityforall,wasaninjusticeofcolossalproportions.Accordingtolegend,whenAbrahamLincolnmetHarrietBeecherStowein1862hesaid,"Soyou'rethelittlewomanwhowrotethebookthatstartedthisGreatWar!"Ironically,thenovelwasnotoriginallyintendedasanattackontheSouth,buttoreconciletheNorthandSouthwhichwere