Monday, June 18, 2007
The Eolian Harp
There are many things that people take for granted in life. Many times we are so caught up in our daily routine that we fail to appreciate all of the things that are around us. In Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem "The Eolian Harp," I believe that he is trying to emphasize that he is a victim of this just as much as the next person. He states, "The Incomprehensible! save when with awe I praise him, and with Faith that inly feels; Who with his saving mercies healed me, A sinful and most miserable man, Wildered and dark, and gave me to possess Peace, and this cot, and the, heart honoured Maid! (326). This quote shows that is thankful for the things that he has in his life. Throughout the poem, he seems to be brought to a realization how he does not appreciate nature and everything that comes along with it. The thanking of God and his mercy at the end of this poem I think brings about a comparison that Coleridge is trying to get at in this work. He describes God's mercy for him, but I think that this could be viewed as possibly sybolizing the fogiveness nature has for the people who fail to fully appreciate the beauty that she has to offer. Although this view probably seems like a far reach, the comparison of nature then the discussion of God have brought me to this conclusion.
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3 comments:
Robert,
Good focus for your posting, and good quotation to discuss. I am not sure how it portrays Coleridge as a victim, though. Also, in your discussion be sure to provide support for your claims--towards the end of this posting you don't have enough support for your points to make them clear or persuasive.
Robert,
You have appealed to my conscience in your comments and I am found wanting! I once heard an old preacher say "Be thankful for your pillow while you still have it. Don't wait until you lose it to become thankful for it." Your post caused me to realize how bad I am at expressing thankfulness. Albert Einstein's friends said of him that he walked around saying "thank you" hundreds of times a day! For all of his faults, his redeeming personal quality seems to be that of gratitude and that whole insignificant contribution to Physics :) Anyway, the quote you gave... "The Incomprehensible! save when with awe I praise him, and with Faith that inly feels; Who with his saving mercies healed me, A sinful and most miserable man, Wildered and dark, and gave me to possess Peace, and this cot, and the, heart honoured Maid"-- it hit me hard! I should show more gratitude, so thanks for the not so gentle reminder!
-kyle
rob
i really liked the quote that you choose to analyze from "The Eolian Harp". you do a good job of analyzing the poem and making the reader realize that he should be thankful for all that God has given him. This is important in today's age because it something that many people forget and are always wanting more. People should imagine their lives without all that they have and they might be more thankful. Nice work Rob
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