Walt Whitman's Hand Mirror Poem: A Reflection of America's Decadence, Resúmenes de Cultura Inglesa

¡Descarga Walt Whitman's Hand Mirror Poem: A Reflection of America's Decadence y más Resúmenes en PDF de Cultura Inglesa solo en Docsity! SCHOOL OF EDUCATION OF HIGHER PEDAGOGICAL EDUCATION AREA: LITERATURE OF ANGLOPHONE COUNTRIES STUDENTS: GONZALES GOMEZ LINA LIÑAN ROYOLA MARIA SOTO HUANCHACO VICTOR RODRIGUEZ BALTAZAR DONALD ARELLAN OCHOA ERICK MORALES OLORTIGUE YOVANA SPECIALTY: ENGLISH CYCLE: VIII TEACHER: STEFANY VARGAS 2022   4 HAND MIRROR? POEM 7 Y j A n q 2 --— e ¡E A Whitman held the position of nurse in Washington in the American Civil War and after the end of the war he worked as a clerk in the Department of the Interior and in the Attorney General's Office. When in 1873 he suffered a stroke that caused partial paralysis, he retired from his duties and went to rest in Camden, New Jersey, living with his brother George. In this town he died on March 26, 1892. He was 72 years old. CREATION This poem can also be seen from the context of America’s political climate at the time of the poem’s publication. It was published around the beginning of the American Civil War. The poem may be seen as an appeal by the poet to the people of America to see what their country has become in such a short time (keep in mind that America became independent in 1776 and the Civil War started in 1861). INSPIRATION The poet could be saying that all the ideals that the country was founded on has decayed over time. All the energy of its youth has turned into ‘ashes and filth’, despite its outside appearance of grandeur. The poet could be expressing his sadness on the prevalent alcoholism, unhealthy eating habits and sexual obsession he sees around him. The health of society is dire. The ‘dark and poisonous’ circulating blood could be referring to the bloodshed of ongoing battle. The poet complains about the lack of clarity of word, thought and feeling. He feels sad at this swift decadence from glorious beginnings. The poet could be saying that all the ideals that the country was founded on has decayed over time. All the energy of its youth has turned into ‘ashes and filth’, despite its outside appearance of grandeur.The poet could be expressing his sadness on the prevalent alcoholism, unhealthy eating habits and sexual obsession he sees around him.  The health of society is dire. The ‘dark and poisonous’ circulating blood could be referring to the bloodshed of ongoing battle. The poet complains about the lack of clarity of word, thought and feeling. He feels sad at this swift decadence from glorious beginnings. A HAND-MIRROR HOLD it up sternly! See this it sends back! (Who is it? Is it you?) Outside fair costume--within ashes and filth, No more a flashing eye--no more a sonorous voice or springy step; Now some slave's eye, voice, hands, step, A drunkard's breath, unwholesome eater's face, venerealee's flesh, Lungs rotting away piecemeal, stomach sour and cankerous, Joints rheumatic, bowels clogged with abomination, Blood circulating dark and poisonous streams, Words babble, hearing and touch callous, No brain, no heart left--no magnetism of sex; 10 Such, from one look in this looking-glass ere you go hence, Such a result so soon--and from such a beginning! Analysis of A Hand Mirror His food habits have been unhealthy, thus leading to extra deposits of fat and possible patches in his face. He calls this face an ‘unwholesome eater’s face’. The narrator seems to be suffering from some kind of venereal disease, hence the term 'venerealee‘s flesh'. His lungs are decaying bit by bit, perhaps due to excessive smoking, or working in unhealthy conditions. and so the poet suffers from other diseases… The narrator compares his present self to his past and feels saddened by his present state. Although he is well clothed, inside he is a decaying man. This realization of his swift descent fills him with pain.