Monday, June 29, 2009
Although Robert Browning is not a very intriguing poet, he has this sort attraction in his poems that it puts the reader into a trance, allowing the reader to think deeply and forming a scene in the mind.
“Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be, the last of life, for which the first was made. Our times are in his hand who saith, 'A whole I planned, youth shows but half; Trust God: See all, nor be afraid!'”
-Robert Browning
As such, I am going to do a biographical post about him.
Robert Browning was born 7 May 1812, first child and only son of Robert Browning and Sarah Wiedemann Browning. Robert was an impulsive, fearless little boy who was also rather a prodigy, writing poems and reading Homer at a very young age. He learned many languages and devoured his father's history books. He also liked to read books that were considered rather shocking and not quite suitable for children. Robert also had quite a habit of falling for older women, as his father had done. This first happened when Robert was barely in his teens and he apparently developed a crush on a woman named Eliza Flower, then in her early twenties.
At 16, Robert began attending the newly-formed London University, established for those Nonconformists like Robert who were barred from Oxford and Cambridge. Robert attended for only just over a year, though thanks to his reading, he was really quite an educated man. He also was quite arrogant at times. By the time he was 20, he was convinced that he would be a great poet, if not the great poet. His family had enough money to support him in these poetical endeavours, a good thing as he got off to a very rocky start. His first published work, Pauline, was considered not very good, but promising; his second, Paracelsus, was well-received and Robert was always proud of it. He even wrote several stage plays (between 1836 and 1843) which were also well-received, though quite forgotten today. It was in 1840 that he really had some problems.
In March of that year, Robert published Sordello, a Poem in Six Books, at his father's expense. Sordello was an obscure Mantuan poet/warrior of the early 13th century, and though the poem has many beautifully descriptive passages, no one really understood it. To make matters even worse, three years earlier, a woman named Mrs. Busk had published her own poem on Sordello, done in a lilting, nearly doggerel sort of style. But these problems aside, Robert was beginning to really hit his poetical stride. Between 1841 and 1846, he published four books, mainly collections of his shorter poems that would become among his most famous works.
It was about this time that Robert's correspondence with
Elizabeth Barrett began, when he wrote to thank her for a flattering mention of his work in one of her poems. Even in this very first letter, he told her that he loved her, which alarmed Elizabeth immensely. Still, he managed to meet her face to face in May of 1845 and marry her in September of that year. The happy couple went to Florence and were enchanted by it, finally settling in the famous Casa Guidi.
They lived like hermits, the normally gregarious Robert content to stay at home with the usually ill Elizabeth. On 9 March 1849, Robert Wiedemann Barrett Browning was born, though when Robert's mother Sarah died later that month, never knowing she had a grandson, Robert was devastated. It was Elizabeth and her poems that finally pulled him through.
In 1855, Robert's collection of short poems, Men and Women, was published, an excellent book that received good but not great reviews. But he was mostly neglecting his poetry in order to be with Elizabeth. Her death on 28 June 1861 was more a relief than a shock, as she had been fading badly for some time. Robert re-dedicated himself to his poetry and to his son.
By now, Robert was truly famous, finally one of THE great poets, as he had always wanted. He received two honorary degrees and was much admired, though generally from a distance, as many considered him to be rather ill-tempered. It may surprise you to learn (I know it surprised me) that he actually proposed to another woman ten years after Elizabeth's death, one Lady Louisa Ashburton, but she turned him down. Robert really disliked her after that, even though he told everyone that the proposal was for Pen's sake.
Robert wrote a great deal right up to the end of his life, though he was plagued by colds and bronchitis; his last book, Asolando, was published the day of his death, 12 December 1889. Robert had always assumed he would be buried beside Elizabeth, but as that cemetary had been closed to further burials, he instead received a grand funeral at Westminster Abbey.
Elizabeth Barett is a hyperlink that links to her biography.
The three poems that you may want to view is the following.
YeeHark
Citations:
Poetry Archive. (2002). Robert Browning: Poems. Retrieved Jul. 01, 2009, from
Google Search Engine. (2009). Google Search Engine. Retrieved Jul. 01, 2009, from
Incompetech. (2009). Robert Browning. Retrieved Jul. 01, 2009, from
6:57 PM
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Sunday, June 28, 2009
The Lesson by Roger McGough
Chaos ruled OK in the classroomas
bravely the teacher walked in
the nooligans ignored him
hid voice was lost in the din"
The theme for today is violence
and homework will be set
I'm going to teach you a lesson
one that you'll never forget
He picked on a boy who was shouting
and throttled him then and there
then garrotted the girl behind him
(the one with grotty hair)
Then sword in hand he hacked his way
between the chattering rows
"First come, first severed" he declared
"fingers, feet or toes"
He threw the sword at a latecomer
it struck with deadly aim
then pulling out a shotgun
he continued with his game
The first blast cleared the backrow
(where those who skive hang out)
they collapsed like rubber dinghies
when the plug's pulled out
"Please may I leave the room sir?"
a trembling vandal enquired
"Of course you may" said teacher
put the gun to his temple and fired
The Head popped a head round the doorway
to see why a din was being made
nodded understandingly
then tossed in a grenade
And when the ammo was well spent
with blood on every chair
Silence shuffled forward
with its hands up in the air
The teacher surveyed the carnage
the dying and the dead
He waggled a finger severely
"Now let that be a lesson" he said
1. How are the figurative language used in the poem? Give the specific word(s), explain what type of figurative language it is and why the poet chose to use this figurative language?
Figurative language in this poem is mainly used to emphasise the situation the teacher is in and the plight of the students.
The immediate use of personification in the first veerse is the portion where states that 'Chaos ruled OK'. This assumes that chaos is the head of the class and has the ability to obtain human abilties. The reason for the personification is an emphasis to the havoc caused by the students.
'Nooligans', in the first para, is a hyperbole which exaggerates the students chaos. This shows the extent of the noise in the class and the reason the teacher resorts to the punishment.
The word 'lesson' in the 2nd verse, is used as a substitution for punishment. Lesson is used to place emphasis that it is more of a punishment that causes the students to learn from their errors, whereas punishment is a lighter act.
2.Tell us why you like this poem in no less than 100 words.
I enjoy this poem as I felt it was a poem that is able to pique the readers interest. Upon reading the poem, it will intrigue the reader and allows the reader to ponder about the next portion of the poem. This attention-grabbing poems is my favourite type of literature and is largely similar to 'The Lottery'. It is a poem that has an irony hidden whithin and allows the reader to think deeply.
Yee Hark
5:20 PM
Blogged
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Truth. What is this? If majority thinks that that is the truth, is it the truth?
This is what I am about to touch on today.
Truth, if you think that that is correct, is it necessary that that is the truth?
Again, this is a debatable topic. I shall give you and example for each of the questions.
Example #1: More than half of the class thinks that Man U is the best, but is it necessarily the best? Didn't Barcelona beat them? The point I am driving at is not that Man U sucks, is just that their supremacy is quite temporary. Think about it. Will they continue to reign supreme in the future, they might not. There aare many other teams with a brighter future. Young stars that will be the future of the club. Hence, the majority might not be right.
Example #2: I think that this is correct. I think that this project is the best. Does that mean that it's the best? No, this is a matter of perspective.Maybe I think this is the best, but another friend hates it. One man's meat is another man's poison. In the end, our point of view may allow each of us to find a loophole in the project.
As such, truth is debatable as none of us knows what is truth.
7:52 PM
Blogged
Thursday, June 4, 2009
What is beauty? What is true beauty? This two questions wants to find out the what can be deemed as beauty, the base of the question. The only difference is the additional word in the second question, true.
Many of us feel that comes from the outer side, facial features, body build and such. However, the outer beauty of a person is only temporary. This is of little significance. It does not have significant values trapped within it.
Let's the examples that I gave. First, I will start with facial features. If one is very pretty when she was in her twenties, does that mean that she will stay pretty forever? No, she will not. No matter how hard you try to maintain a beautiful face, it will be tainted, with wrinkles whatsoever. This is temporary. Men is also the same. No matter how handsome he used to be, his skin will also develop wrinkles, maybe he will also be forced to wear hideous and thick spectacles.
Next, body build. So what if you have six abs now, it will wear off. Even if you maintain a healthy life, you will most likely lose the muscles you have obtained. It is temporary.
Those are beauty, but true beauty lies in the heart. The beauty in the heart is the true beauty. Beauty that is everlasting, valuable and significant. This includes all moral values that is in the heart. This are those of the inner heart, the heart that wants to sacrifice for the sake of others. This is the beauty of the world. The true beauty.
Kind-hearted. One of the essence of true beauty. If you know that this kind-hearted person, no matter how ugly she or he mat be, the thought and efforts of that person is eternal. This is remembered by many. The inner beauty of a person.
-H@rKy-
7:13 PM
Blogged
Monday, June 1, 2009
As you all know, Pulau Ubin is one of the most visited tourists attractions in Singapore. There are also many others, namely Chinatown, Kampong Glam and Little India. This are all the tourist attractions in Sinagapoore with a historical value in it. I'm sure Pulau Ubin is also a meaningful place to visit, thinking that you are able to view the Singapore in the past.
Why do I bring this up all of a sudden? During a trip to Pulau Ubin on Sunday, I realised that the island has been transformed. it was not the usual dilapidated houses that we are able to enjoy.
The Pulau Ubin I know of is one with historical value, something that existed to show the world what was Sinagpore like in the past. However, there are many renovated areas, little original buildings, except for those that have residents there. This is not the one that I know of. It seems to fresh to the cultured brian, one that has lived and visited many places that is etched with a train of memories. Yet, this place can't be found in my mind. There is no sense of nostalgia, I realise that there are barely a place that I feel at home with.
Still, the slightest tinge of nostalgia is the joy experienced when cycling around the island. The feeling will allow your mind to throw all your worries off, all your furies away and all your troubles away. The cooling sensation is felt carressing your face, up the hill and down the hill, you think of nothing. The only worry I presume is that you are afraid to fall like that actor and break all your teeth. Hence, we should go there to unwind, take it as a form of recreation.
Sadly, the fun might be gone after you realise how much the beautiful island you enjoyed has change.
-H@rKy-
4:26 AM
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