, Research Paper
****** ******
April 29, 1998
Adrienne Rich Comparing and Contrasting Poems.
“From where does your strength come, you southern jew/ split at the root, raised in a castle of air”. This is a quote from Adrienne Rich’s 1982 essay, “Sources”. Adrienne Rich is a southern jew who grew up in the forties. As she grew up, her father hid the fact that they were Jewish. Her father acted like he was fully assimilated and didn’t show ethnicity in any way. He did this to fit into society that was against Jewish people. This quote reflects one of many themes Rich deals with in her poetry. The theme is racism, hate, and bigotry.
In many of Rich’s works she talks about being oppressed. In the poems, “1948: Jews”, “Two Arts”, and “A Vision” there is a theme of oppression. In the poem ” 1948: Jews”, Rich refers to her college years. At her college, she was to stay away from Jews. No matter how brilliant a person was, she couldn’t unite with them as a group because socially it was less acceptable. She couldn’t let herself get attached, she had to avoid her own ethnicity to survive in American culture. “Never mind just going to sleep like an ordinary person” Rich says about the situation in the end of the poem. An ordinary person; this portrays the feeling she had about the great discrimination that was going on at the time. Rich didn’t feel like an ordinary person. She felt hate from society due to her background.
This poem differs from Rich’s other works in many ways. I found that most of Adrienne Rich’s poetry was very hard to understand. I found threw reading Rich’s poetry, she sometimes left the reader room to make his/ her own conclusions about the meaning. In this poem, Rich was very clear to the point. At her college, there was great racial tension and she felt she could not be herself there. I found, that I personally can feel the poem better, if I can really grasp the meaning. As opposed to left to wonder and draw my own conclusions.
Another great poem by Adrienne Rich was ” Two Arts”. One theme in the poem, similar to “1948: Jews” is racism , hate, and being a southern Jew in the forties. In the poem, Rich talks about sculpting a perfect person free of any limiting factor, such as race or gender. This creation is great art. She talks about presenting this perfect person or work of art to the art instructor. I thought this represented her presenting her person to the public. It was socially acceptable and it was a piece of art. “This time they will love you, standing on the glass table, fluent and robed at last, and all your origins countered” Rich says. In this quote, Rich describes putting all your origins behind and being on a glass table for every one to see. You are robed and ready for life. You have been molded into the ideal person. This is another example of the theme of racism that Rich brings up in her poetry. This is also a poem in which Rich wrote it to give you a definite idea. She doesn’t really give the reader much room to negotiate what the meaning of the poem is. I like reading poems that are more literal, to me they have more value.
This poem differs from the others in many ways. This poem is more like a fantasy of what it would be like to be perfect. This almost seems like a childhood dream; to be someone your not. The poem “1948: Jews” is more factual. This type of poem are based on real life experience and therefor I feel they are of more value (Rich2 53)
“A Vision” is another poem written by Adrienne Rich that discusses the issue of racism
This poem is in memory of Simone Weil. Weil was a French, political activist, and social philosopher who was very influential in the early twentieth century. Her writings greatly effected French and English social thought. Later in Simone Weil’s career, she would be denied a teaching position because she was Jewish. I believe this is why Rich talks about her. She can relate, they were both Jewish women in the forties. Weil died in the turmoil of WWII. She could not survive with the rations of food the Germans were giving. I would imagine she is one of Rich’s heroes. She is a fellow women who lived the life of a Jewish person in early twentieth century. She also fought for what she believed like Rich (Encarta).
“This enforced loss of control” Adrienne Rich says in the poem “A Vision”. This poem and quote refer to being forced to lose a persons identity, character, and perhaps ethnicity. This is exactly what Weil and Rich experience. A loss of identity. Rich’s father practically abandons his heritage to fit into a racist society. Weil dies in the holocaust. This poem talks about losing your self and the fear of not seeing the big picture. The poem also talks of having a test of faith. In this, I believe Rich is again comparing her life to Weil. They both were Jewish women who were the victim of racism or felt racism. This was a great test of faith. A test of who could survive in a society that was against them (Rich1 50).
This poem differs from the other poems in many ways. One thing about this poem that is different from the others is you have to draw your own conclusions. Adrienne will sometimes write and not really display the theme, but let you imply what it is. That is what she did in this poem. It wasn’t a completely clear poem to me at all. I was left with a feeling about its meaning but I was uncertain. This is different from the other two poems because their ideas were very pronounced (Rich1 50).
In an literary criticism, on the poems of the book “A Wild Patience Has Taken Me This Far” from which the poem “A Vision” came, Kathryn Kilgore tells her thoughts. Kathryn Kiglore doesn’t like this work of Rich’s. She talks about the work as showing hatred of men. “Since Rich is capable of writing phenomenal poetry, it’s disappointing when she doesn’t” Kilgore says. She says that her poetry in this book is jumpy, wordy, and politically motivated. She says this is a feminist vision. Its poetry that is man-hating. It tries to put great thought behind political issues and apply it to poetry. It doesn’t work. I agree, for example the poem “A Vision” was about Simone Weil a fellow woman who was persecuted. This is okay. What I didn’t like was the “girl power” twist that was added. I thought the poem was not very clear (Kilgore 22).
Adrienne Rich is a brilliant writer and poet. She wrote many brilliant poems with many great themes. She wrote about racism and journeyed into unconquered territory with becoming opened in her poetry about being a lesbian. Adrienne Rich is a powerful and interesting writer with brilliant ideas on the world.
******* *******
April 30, 1998
Works Cited :
1. Rich, Adrienne. A Wild Patience Has Taken Me This Far.
Canada: George J. Mcloed Limited, 1981.
2. Rich, Adrienne. An Atlas Of The Difficult World.
New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1991.
Microsoft Encarta 1997 Encyclopedia. Simone Weil.
CD-ROM. 1993-1996 Microsoft.
Kilgore, Kathryn. Rituals of Self-Hatred, Arts of Survival.
VLS. No. 3, December 1981. P.22, 30
1. Rich, Adrienne. A Wild Patience Has Taken Me This Far.
Canada: George J. Mcloed Limited, 1981.
2. Rich, Adrienne. An Atlas Of The Difficult World.
New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1991.
Microsoft Encarta 1997 Encyclopedia. Simone Weil.
CD-ROM. 1993-1996 Microsoft.
Kilgore, Kathryn. Rituals of Self-Hatred, Arts of Survival.
VLS. No. 3, December 1981. P.22, 30
Другие работы по теме:
Love Essay Research Paper A Response to
Love Essay, Research Paper A Response to Rape Fantasies and Rape Rape is a strong word. It means power. Only from a victim s eyes can one truly comprehend this life-altering occurrence. It is a nightmare to go through as a victim fearing trust in people. It is an up most horrifying action that destroys a victims well being.
Taming Of The Shrew Comparison Essay Research
Paper William Shakespeare?s Taming of the Shrew is one of the most classic comedies throughout all of literature. Several stage productions have been professionally done, and each version has it positive sides and negative sides. This paper will be about comparing and contrasting the two versions I have seen.
Compare And Contrast The Thrill Of The
Grass And The Balek Scales Essay, Research Paper Jan. 29 1999 Pettit 3rd period The two stories I am comparing and contrasting are, “The Thrill of the Grass” and “The Balek Scales.” The reason I chose these two stories is because out of all the stories that we have read this year these two were my favorites. In this paper I am going to be contrasting more than comparing because these stories have little in common.
The Rich Man Essay Research Paper The
The Rich Man Essay, Research Paper The Rich Man Franklin P. Adams is one of the less known American modern poets. His poems, like the poems of many other 20th century American poets, comment the society after the industrial revolution. Adams? poem, The Rich Man, concentrates on the class division between the rich and the poor.
Berger Tompkins And Rich Essay Research Paper
Language and images are usually a way to express what someone is thinking, however, language and images can often restrict our thinking in various ways. Susan Douglas, in her essay ,”Narcissism As Liberation”, writes about “the great myth?that superficial appearances can be equated with a person’s deepest character strengths and weaknesses”(128).
John Donnes Use Of Wit Language And
Metaphor In Poetry Essay, Research Paper As discussed on a previous short essay question, John Donne is considered to be one of the greatest metaphysical poets of our time, even though he published only a small number of poems in his lifetime. The poems he did write were metaphorical and often humorus poems telling the tale of religious love and sex.
Death Essay Research Paper Many poems are
Death Essay, Research Paper Many poems are written about death. The two poets William Cullen Bryant and Emily Dickinson were very influential trancendental writers. Bryant writing Thanatopsis
On Judy Grahn
’s "She Who" Poems Essay, Research Paper Alicia Ostriker Judy Grahn’s visionary "She Who" represents the position espoused by writers such as Mary Daly that the quest for an integrated female
English 101 Essay Research Paper In comparing
English 101 Essay, Research Paper In comparing and contrasting the stories ?Worn Path? and ?Young GoodMann Brown?. Several things come to mind . We see that both authors use a lot of symbolism
Chinese Poetry Essay Research Paper Although the
Chinese Poetry Essay, Research Paper Although the Chinese poetry I encountered was relatively short, their significant was not at all compromised. It did not matter that these poems were written hundreds of years ago they felt relevant to me. They reminded me of what should be a priority of life, finding inner peace.
Comparing Creation Accounts Essay Research Paper The
Comparing Creation Accounts Essay, Research Paper The creation of the earth and all that is within the earth is mysterious yet miraculous at the same time. Although there are probably hundreds of different accounts, they all seem to be different while almost identical in text. I will be comparing and contrasting between account one and account two in the book of Genesis.
A Successful Approach To Reconstructing The Female
Essay, Research Paper “What does a woman need to know?” Adrienne Rich asks. More powerfully articulate than any other statement in her speech, Rich combines a searching personal integrity and self-identification with a passion to change the future. First spoken to the 1979 graduates of Smith College, I believe that Adrienne Rich s well-known words are capable of changing lives, even in 1999.
Adrienne Richs Rape Essay Research Paper Have
Adrienne Rich?s ?Rape? Essay, Research Paper Have you ever been in a situation where you had something horrible happen in your life that you needed to do something about, but in order to do something
An Aunt S Hidden Life Essay Research
Paper The mid twentieth century American poet Adrienne Rich was a product of a conservative Southern family. Rich s poem, Aunt Jennifer s Tigers clearly reflects this gender struggle, for it is evident that it is a feminist poem in which the poet criticizes the male-dominated world for frightening and oppressing Aunt Jennifer, leaving her no alternative but to create an alternate world of freedom for herself with her sewing.
Is Education Equal Essay Research Paper Is
Is Education Equal Essay, Research Paper Is Education Equal? The United States provides our society with the undeniable right to learn. The right to higher education is not limited to the middle and upper classes; it allows the less privileged, minorities, as well as both sexes, to receive an equal education.
Emily Dickenson Essay Research Paper Emily DickensonEmily
Emily Dickenson Essay, Research Paper Emily Dickenson Emily Dickinson’s unusual character and style has made her become one of the world’s most famous poets. In her poems, she expresses her feelings about religion, nature, death and love. Her poems tell a great deal about her lifestyle, which was very secluded and withdrawn from society.
The Jaguar And The Pike Essay Research
Paper Topic: ?The Jaguar?, ?The Pike? and ?Hawk Roosting? by Ted Hughes Compare the three poems, their similarities and differences, their aim and intention. Describe
William Blake Essay Research Paper Innocence
William Blake Essay, Research Paper Innocence & Experience in Blake’s Poetry William Blake focused on biblical images in the majority of his poetry and prose. Much of his well-known work comes from the two compilations Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience. The poems in these compilations reflect Blake’s metamorphosis in thought as he grew from innocent to experienced.
Comparison Between Gita Govinda And The Song
Of Solomon Essay, Research Paper Analysis and Comparison of Gita Govinda and Song of Solomon Gita Govinda is a religious love poem in the Indian religion. The poem consists of
Adrienne Rich
’s Revision Essay, Research Paper Revision In Adrienne Rich’s essay “When We Dead Awaken: Writing as Re-vision”, the author writes about her personal experience as a woman writer in a male dominated society. Her essay consists of poems, which she had written throughout different times in her life, to demonstrate the transformation in her writing.
Teaching Methods Essay Research Paper When comparing
Teaching Methods Essay, Research Paper When comparing and contrasting the hands on method to the lecture method many people prefer the hands on method. This allows the students to further understand what the teachers are trying to teach. By using this method a majority of the students will learn more, and learn at a quicker pace.
Adrienne Rich Rape Essay Research Paper Expressing
Adrienne Rich, Rape Essay, Research Paper Expressing love for a woman can be done in such a way, that it causes the destruction of her soul. A very thought provoking poem, Rape , written by Adrienne Rich, provides a rich example of a world that is often hidden. Although the poet uses numerous elements, such as imagery, to disguise her true intentions, a good understanding will allow us to see it for what it truly is, a cry for help.
Nature Versus Civilization Essay Research Paper Nature
Nature Versus Civilization Essay, Research Paper Nature Versus Civilization In comparing and contrasting Civilization Over Nature by Michael Heiman with Nature Over Civilization by Robert Kuhn McGregor I have discovered that their main themes over lap in one or more ways. They both define “Nature” in totally different aspects.
Comparing Kde And Gnome Essay Research Paper
John Wingate CIS-350 Comparing and Contrasting GNOME and KDE Desktop environments help give Linux a more attractive and customizable look. Linux has a few different choices for desktop environments to help enhance the users experience. Two of the most popular are GNOME, which stands for GNU Network Object Model Environment, and KDE, which stands for Kool Desktop Environment.
Rich Essay Research Paper Imaginative TransformationAdrienne Rich
Rich Essay, Research Paper Imaginative Transformation Adrienne Rich writes, For a poem to coalesce, for a character or an action to take shape, there has to be an imaginative transformation of reality which is no way passive (610). Imaginative transformation means to be able to look at something from different perspectives, what might seem black to one might be white to the another.
Lyrical Poems Essay Research Paper Lyrical poems
Lyrical Poems Essay, Research Paper Lyrical poems on the other hand can be compared to a painting in which society is depicted, but has also been done so in a manner which serves the authors/painters point of view or their own personal agenda. The painter is not painting still life, but instead an abstract portrait of society through which the reader must filter fact from opinion.
The Loves Portrayed In Living In Sin
Essay, Research Paper The Loves Portrayed in Living in Sin With anxiety and some precaution, Adrienne Rich presents an image with multiple meanings. Her ability to present thoughts in such a precise manner allows the reader to envision possible interpretations and, yet, to focus, finally, on the main point she makes: A woman bound to her husband feels, by forces beyond her control, the need of a frequent visitor.
Comparing And Contrasting Hamlet And Macbeth Essay
, Research Paper Comparing and Contrasting Hamlet and MacBeth Throughout William Shakespeare s plays Hamlet and Macbeth there are many similarities, along with many differences. These plays are both Shakespearean tragedies, which often use supernatural incidents to intrigue the reader s interest, and consists of a hero that has a tragic flaw.
Comparing Two Poems Essay Research Paper Topic
Comparing Two Poems Essay, Research Paper Topic: compare and contrast the two poems. The two poems Package for the Distant Future and The Song of the Whale differs mainly in their subject matter and the way they evoke different feelings and images and also the style and presentation of the poem. Coincidently both poems contain the themes of death and caring for the environment, which the writers feel strongly about.
By Means Of Power Essay Research Paper
By Means of Power Both Adrienne Rich and Audre Lorde, in their respective poems entitled Power, convey the idea that ones identity and sense of worth is defined by what they are willing to give up. This message is energized by the emotion the authors evoke through their ability to communicate a sense of experience.
Liberation And Narcissism
’s Essay, Research Paper For centuries, women have gone to extreme measures to please men. Women seek acceptance and respect from men. One method used by women to obtain this respect and acceptance is narcissism. Adrienne Rich s essay When We Dead Awaken: Writing as Re-Vision as well as Susan Douglas essay Narcissism as Liberation discusses women s narcissistic attempts to become liberated.
Love Poems Essay Research Paper All That
Love Poems Essay, Research Paper All That You Are by Steven Duke Poem No. 41993 Everything that you are, Makes me wonder how it’s true, That I?ve found everything I have,