tennyson + ulysess, browning + my last duchess, porphyria’s lover, Appunti di Inglese

Scarica tennyson + ulysess, browning + my last duchess, porphyria’s lover e più Appunti in PDF di Inglese solo su Docsity! Alfred Lord Tennyson Alfred Lord Tennyson was born in 1809 and he died in 1892. He lived in a period of great scientific advancement and notable scientific findings, such as: ➢ 1811 the geological study of rock layers used to date the earth ➢ 1801 the first sighting of an asteroid  ➢ 1840s the first sighting of galaxies   ➢ 1859 Darwin’s theory of evolution and natural selection Furthermore, in the second half of the century, scientists such as Louis Pasteur, began the experiments and works that would eventually lead to germ theory and our modern understanding of microorganisms and diseases. These discoveries challenged traditional religious understandings of nature and natural history. Tennyson was at the same time deeply interested in and troubled by these discoveries and he felt the need to reconcile religion and science. Thus he saw poetry as a way to work out the conflict between religious faith and scientific discoveries. The ambivalence about technology and scientific progress, emerges in his poems as well. Indeed, he is tempted to abandon modern civilization and return to a savage life in the jungle, but in the end, he chooses to live a civilized, modern life and enthusiastically endorsed technology. However, his perseverance and optimism were undermined by his friend Arthur Hallam’ s death: After this tragic event, he went through a period of deep despair and mourning, during which he battled alcoholism and rarely wrote. As a result, many of his poems are about the temptation to give up and fall prey to pessimism, but they also extol the virtues of optimism and discuss the importance of struggling on with life. In the end, he felt the need to persevere and continue and he overcame his despair and began writing again. ➢ Between 183O and 185O, he wrote “Ulysses” (1833) and “The Charge of the Light Brigade” (1854), in memoriam of Arthur Henry Hallam. In “The Charge of the Light Brigade”, he praised the fortitude and courage of English soldiers during a battle of the Crimean War in which roughly 200 men were killed. Indeed the cavalrymen keep charging through the valley toward the Russian cannons; they persevere even as they realize that they will likely die. ➢ In 1832 he also wrote “The Lotos-Eaters” and “The Lady of Shalott”, in which he tackled the theme of his unhappy childhood. In “The Lady of Shalott”, Tennyson focused on destinies, which ended in tragic deaths. The lady is trapped in a tower, under a spell and she can’t go out without dying, however, she leaves her seclusion to meet the outer world, determined to seek the love that is missing in her life, since she has fallen in love with Lancelot. Tennyson also wrote “The Glory of England”, to express his love for England and glorify 19th century England. Although he showed signs of worry and concern about the corruption of his times, he began as poet laureate to write poems for specific state occasions and to dedicate verse to Queen Victoria and her husband, Prince Albert. 33 The main themes Tennyson dealt with were: ➢ issues of political and historical concern ➢ scientific matters ➢ classical mythology ➢ deep personal thoughts and feelings He was a poet of penetrating introspection: not only did he describe the depths of his own consciousness, but he also gave voice to the national consciousness of Victorian society. 34 Robert Browning He was born in 1812 and died in 1899. As a child, he received little formal education. Later on, he attended London University, but just for a short period. Anyways, he could count on his father’s library. And he was familiar with museums, art galleries and paintings as well. He is considered to be one of the most learned English artists of his time. He spent some time in Italy, where he first met Elizabeth Barrett (18O6-1861). When they met, she was 39, 6 years older than him. On top of that, she had been invalid for 7 years. They married despite her father’s opposition and they eloped to Italy. If thou must love me, let it be for nought Except for love's sake only. Do not say, "I love her for her smile—her look—her way Of speaking gently,—for a trick of thought That falls in well with mine, and certes brought A sense of pleasant ease on such a day"— For these things in themselves, Belovèd, may Be changed, or change for thee—and love, so wrought, May be unwrought so. Neither love me for Thine own dear pity's wiping my cheeks dry: A creature might forget to weep, who bore Thy comfort long, and lose thy love thereby! But love me for love's sake, that evermore Thou mayst love on, through love's eternity. In her sonnet 14, Elizabeth asks her lover to not love her just because he feels sorry for her because if she is with him she might forget to cry and she’ll lose her love by then. On the contrary, she asks him to love her for love’s sake. Browning was particularly interested in the soul’s study. He understood that the human mind works at different levels, by recognizing the conscious and unconscious workings of the human mind. He also probed the inner motivations governing men’s and women’s actions. In “Porphyria’s lover”, at the beginning he looks like a caring lover, as if he couldn't do it without her, yet later on the situation changes. His characters are usually caught in a moment of crisis or of self revelation, and they are often complex and obscure characters. The image we have of women in his poems is the one of victims not only of their men but also of society: ➢ the duchess because she didn’t confirm to society ➢ porphyria because she couldn’t explicitly manifest her love Browning’s poems are highly obscure. This obscurity is manifested in: ➢ carelessness in grammatical construction elision of pronouns 37 ➢ language from ordinary speech: syntax and rhythm broken ➢ obscurity of thought ➢ incomprehensible associations of ideas ➢ constant digressions ➢ allusions to people or events difficult to trace His whole life was pervaded with a sense of robust optimism. He was aware of the conflicts and contradictions of his time, but his beliefs in human ideals and his self confidence were strong enough to overcome anti scepticism and frustration. His joy in life and enthusiasm were also supported by his faith. As a poet he has a duty: to teach and encourage men to struggle for their own good and their moral identity The peculiarity of Browning’s poetry is that he explores the minds of specific characters in specific places struggling with specific sets of circumstances and he uses multiple voices, which give multiple perspectives and multiple versions of the same story, in order to allow readers to enter the minds of various characters and to see an event from that character’s perspective. The obscurity of the characters is also reflected in the obscurity of the language he uses. Understanding the thoughts, feelings, and motivations of a character not only gives readers a sense of sympathy for the characters but also helps readers understand the multiplicity of perspectives that make up the truth. Browning’s works remind readers that the nature of truth or reality fluctuates, depending on one’s perspective or view of the situation. Multiple perspectives illustrate the idea that no one sensibility or perspective sees the whole story and no two people see the same events in the same way. His Poems show how people with different characters respond differently to similar situations, as well as depict how a time, place, and scenario can cause people with similar personalities to develop or change quite dramatically. Also art plays an important role in Browning’s poetry. Not only did he write many poems about artists and poets, but also his characters often speculate on the purposes of art. For instance, the speaker of “Fra Lippo Lippi” proposes that art heightens our powers of observation and helps us notice things about our own lives. Browning tried to answer questions about an artist’s responsibilities and to describe the relationship between art and morality. He questioned whether artists had an obligation to be moral and whether artists should pass judgment on their characters and creations. As a matter of fact, he populated his poems with evil people, who commit crimes and sins ranging from hatred to murder, yet these characters just served as Personae that let him adopt different traits and tell stories about horrible situations. The responsibility of judging the character’s morality is left to readers, while Browning believed in total detachment of the poet from what he’s saying and the dramatic monologue format allowed him to maintain a great distance between himself and his creations. 38 MY LAST DUCHESS by Robert Browning → set in Ferrara during the Renaissance (romantic feature) → speaking voice is a duke That’s my last Duchess painted on the wall, Looking as if she were alive. I call That piece a wonder, now; Fra Pandolf’s hands Worked busily a day, and there she stands. Will’t please you sit and look at her? I said “Fra Pandolf” by design, for never read Strangers like you that pictured countenance, The depth and passion of its earnest glance, But to myself they turned (since none puts by The curtain I have drawn for you, but I) And seemed as they would ask me, if they durst, How such a glance came there; so, not the first Are you to turn and ask thus. Sir, ’twas not Her husband’s presence only, called that spot Of joy into the Duchess’ cheek; perhaps Fra Pandolf chanced to say, “Her mantle laps Over my lady’s wrist too much,” or “Paint Must never hope to reproduce the faint Half-flush that dies along her throat.” Such stuff Was courtesy, she thought, and cause enough For calling up that spot of joy. She had A heart—how shall I say?— too soon made glad, Too easily impressed; she liked whate’er She looked on, and her looks went everywhere. Sir, ’twas all one! My favour at her breast, The dropping of the daylight in the West, The bough of cherries some officious fool Broke in the orchard for her, the white mule She rode with round the terrace—all and each Would draw from her alike the approving speech, Or blush, at least. She thanked men—good! but thanked Somehow—I know not how—as if she ranked My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name With anybody’s gift. Who’d stoop to blame This sort of trifling? Even had you skill In speech—which I have not—to make your will Quite clear to such an one, and say, “Just this Or that in you disgusts me; here you miss, 39