Letters and Journal Entries on the Position of Women

I find it really strange how women should act, and then there is something that me to believe that there was a lot of different views of women. In Queen Victoria's "Letters and Journal Entries on the Position of Women," she states, Since it has pleased Providence to place me in this station, I shall do m utmost to fulfil my duty towards m country; I am very young and perhaps in many, though not in all things, inexperienced, but I am sure, that very few have more real good will and more real desire to do what is fi and right than I have" (576). I find that it is kind of strange that if the Victorians had such a bad view of women, why would they allow women to become the leader of their country. Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth were some of the country of Englands greatest leaders so how could it be that the whole country had such a distorted view of women. This is not to say that all men viewed women as servants, but it seemed to be the general concensus for the most part. In this quote from Victoria, she has determination and desire to achieve and do what is best for the country that has put faith in her ability to lead. The view of women in this society is one of the strangest ways that women have been treated that I have ever read about.

We are Seven

There is something that is interesting in the way that children see the world. Many times they see things with a different perspective because of their simple nature. In William Wordsworth's poem "We are Seven," he states, ""But they are dead; those two are dead! Their spirits are in heaven!" 'Twas throwing words away; for still The little Maid would have her will, And said, "Nay, we are seven!"" (201). In this poem, the little girl keeps telling the narrorator that there seven of them, her brothers and sisters, even through two of them are dead. The child acknowledges that they are dead, however unlike most people, she does not seem to consider them not in the group of children. She thinks of them as a brother or a sisteror a sister even though they are no longer in this world. I think that this is very interesting because it is funny how people say we will never forget the ones we lost, but the narrorator does not consider them to be one of her sibilings. However, she does not forget that they are her sibilings just like the ones that are alive. Although we do say that we will never forget the people that we know that will die, it seems that life becomes so busy that many of us do not consider them as still being apart of our world. However, this child seems to actually treat them like any person would like to be treated and keep their memory going on for a long time.

Pied Beauty

I know that I am just as guilty as the next person when it comes to seeing the beauty that is all around us in nature. In Gerald Manley Hopkins poem "Pied Beauty," he states, "Glory be to God for dappled things-- For skies of couple-colour as a brinded cow; For rose-moles all in stipple upon trout that swim; Fresh-firecoal chestnut-falls; finches wings; Landscape plotted and pieced--fold, fallow, and plough; And all trades, their gear and tackle and trim" (775). This poem in general is talking about the beauty of God's creation. What I find interesting about this quotation that I have presented is that Hopkins is able to describe the colors of nature in such detail and in a way that is extremely creative. I have several writings where the writer is trying to describe nature or even an typical day, and I believe that Hopkins way of doing it is probably one of the best that I read. As I read this passage, I seemed to be taken to the many different places and seeing the different things that Hopkins is describing. This is probably driven from the love of nature that seemed to be disappearing before everyone's eyes as it is today. Most of his poems seem to be religious in context which is a lot different then many of them that have been read so far in this class. It is one thing to try to describe nature. It is another to help the reader see it.

Mariana

In Lord Alfred Tennyson's poem "Mariana," the despair that is conveyed to the reader is overwhelming. He states, "The Sparrow's chirrup on the roof, The slow clock ticking, and the sound Which to the wooing wind aloof The poplar made, did all confound Her sense; but most she loathed the hour When the thick-moted sunbeam lay Athwart the chambers, and the day Was sloping toward his western bower. Then, said she, "I am ver dreary, He will not come," she said; She wept, "I am aweary, aweary, Oh God, that I were dead!"" (588). Mariana is extremely upset because she realizes that her love is not going to come to her no matter what happens. With all the things that Tennyson describes that are going on around her, she is realizing more and more that he is never coming. The depression that is felt leads her to believe that because of her broken heart, she wishes that she was no longer alive. The end kind of leaves the reader with questions in their mind about what the outcome is for Mariana. Does she go on in her misery? Does she never get over it? It seems that the end brings one to believe that she will die in misery. She kept to her house all the time shutting off the world. This seems to happen when people lose people that they love, but Mariana is in an extreme case. Maybe Tennnyson is trying to make people realize that being depressed is not the answer to the problems of life.

Vitai Lampada

In Sir Henry Newbolt poem "Vitai Lampada," he discusses something that interested me because I guess that I did not think that it affected schools to much during the Victorian era. He states, "And it's not for the sake of a ribboned coat, Or the selfish hope of a season's fame, But his Captain's hand on his shoulder smote-- "Play up! play up! and play the game!"" (582). Sportsmanship is something that every learns when they are young playing competitive sports or just watching them. This poem seems to speak on this subject. It shows how playing for the team affects his attitude about the challenges that are faced later in life. Newbolt states, "The river of death has brimmed his banks, And England's far, and Honour a name, But the voice of a schoolboy rallies the ranks: "Play up! play up! and play the game!"" (583). This shows that the lessons that were learned about sportsmanship have made them not concerned with themselves, but to the team that they are involved with. I think that many of the professional athletes of our day need to learn a lesson from this poem. It is not just the professional athletes that have this problem. I have heard people say that college sports are so much better than professional sports because they play for the team and not the money. It is hard for me to believe this when many of them leave college early to go to the professional leagues. Realizing that it takes more than yourself is a very important lesson that comes from this poem, and that is what I believe Newbolt is trying to say.

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.

The Chimney Sweeper

William Blake is probably one of my favorite writers that we have read so far for this course. The poem, of his, that seemed to catch my attention the most would have to be the "Chimney Sweeper" on page 89 of our text. In this poem, he states, "And because I am happy & dance & sing, They think they have done me no injury; And are gone to praise God & his Priest & King, Who make up a heaven of our misery" (89). This passage for the "Chimney Sweeper" is a really ironic one. The little boys seem to be happy that their child is able to work to make some money for them because they are probably poor. However, as they are giving praise for the fact that there child is able to provide a little income, they do not realize the affect of their child being around all of the hazardous material that is involved with sweeping chimneys. This reminds me of another time in histor when people where working in hazardous condition in order to have a little extra money to help their families have what they needed. This reminds me of the coal miners that worked in hazardous conditions for a long time up until around the middle of the 20th century. Like the little child in Blake's poem, these people had work and were happy for it, yet they did not realize the effects that working in the conditions that they worked in would cause such damages to their health. I think that these two examples show the extreme lengths that people will go through in order to try to provide for the ones that they love. I believe that Blake was trying to point out the hazards and damages that were being caused from the Industrial Revolution. The poor were taken in advantage of in so many ways that they seemed to be treated worse than people who commit crimes in the present day.