‘Vénus Anadyomène’ is a fourteen line sonnet, made up of two quatrains and two tercets, written by Arthur Rimbaud towards the end of 1870. He gives his interpretation of the eponymous painting which portrays Venus rising from the sea. Rimbaud aimed to confront the quotidian forms of alienation: repetitiveness, apathy and boredom. To this end, obfuscation would become key to his poetic strategy along with allegorical descriptions, bursting with loathing for conventionalism and inertia . Despite Rimbaud providing the conventional, beautiful representation of the goddess in "Invocation to Venus" and "Sun and flesh,” ‘Venus Anadyomene’ is a complete contrast. Rimbaud depicts a disfigurement of Venus, and hastens the re-figuring of the aesthetically …show more content…
The synesthesia at the end of line nine, ‘le tout sent un goût’ was a common technique used by Rimbaud. Obfuscation is created through confusion of the senses and thus it seems only fitting that the following line begins with perhaps an equally obscure oxymoron in ‘Horrible étrangement’. The ambiguity this creates seems to alienate and further diminish Venus. Moreover, the obscurity of the image created by synesthesia and this emphatically placed oxymoron is paralleled by the apparent ease at which the poem continues to flow, demonstrated by the enjambment from lines nine to ten and the elision of the almost euphonic ‘horrible étrangement;’. By creating this obfuscation through his use of language and interpreting it seemingly effortlessly, perhaps Rimbaud is trying to highlight the flaws in modern-day thinking and encourage a transition towards modernism and his own style of thinking. The powerful word choice of ‘Des singularités’, made even more cogent by the enjambment, presents further criticism of the goddess which is made even more malevolent through the use of sibilance. We can picture the scornful tones of Rimbaud upon reading this phrase, therefore strengthening the impact of his view. Rimbaud ends the stanza with the phrase ‘il faut voir à la loupe…’. The ellipsis is effective as it gives us a chance to consider and digest what has been said which further enhances …show more content…
Although, ‘rimes embrassées’ is traditionally used for the first eight lines in sonnets, Rimbaud has opted for ‘rimes croisées’ in stanza one, demonstrating his lack of conformity. Moreover, the stanzas could be interpreted as a representation of Venus’ body. As we descend, her body becomes anatomically smaller just as when we descend the stanzas, they too decrease in length. Rimbaud focuses on the backside of Venus which was unconventional as past portrayals tended to focus on her front. Finally his persistent use of semi-colons and caesuras, most noticeably in stanza two, enables him to keep the fluidity of the poem and link it together, demonstrating a more modernist and new style of
This essay is anchored on the goal of looking closer and scrutinizing the said poem. It is divided into subheadings for the discussion of the analysis of each of the poem’s stanzas.
The empowerment often dismissed attributes such as emotion and femininity is symbolized by the references to hands throughout the poem. In the poem’s third stanza, Eisenbart attempts to mask his ostentatious disapproval of the ‘humble platform’ he has ‘graced’ by ‘composing’ the pose of ‘Rodin’s Thinker’ so as to exhibit the figure of sophistication. Yet he comes to yield, against his own volition, to the exuberance of this blooming ‘titian’-haired female. Combined with a ‘grin’, she mimics his actions, ‘her hand bent under her chin in mockery of his own’. The speaker and the girl laugh at the expense of the Professor. Later, she ‘summoned by arrogant hands’ the ‘fullness of all passion or despair’. Her character represents the wholesomeness of femininity. Her ‘arrogant hands’ represent an air of assurance in daring to command this music that is normally reserved for ‘masters’, allowing her to transcend supposed qualities of ‘age and power’. The harmony of melody that she produces represents the voice of femininity, speaking for the ‘passion and despair’ felt by the speaker and each of the girls in the room. There is no allocation of a name to this
Through her use of the words “dreamed”, “sweet women”, “blossoms” and the Mythology of “Elysian fields” in lines one through three, she leads the reader to the assumption that this is a calm, graceful poem, perhaps about a dream or love. Within the first quatrain, line four (“I wove a garland for your living head”) serves to emphasise two things: it continues to demonstrate the ethereal diction and carefree tone, but it also leads the reader to the easy assumption that the subject of this poem is the lover of the speaker. Danae is belittled as an object and claimed by Jove, while Jove remains “golden” and godly. In lines seven and eight, “Jove the Bull” “bore away” at “Europa”. “Bore”, meaning to make a hole in something, emphasises the violent sexual imagery perpetrated in this poem.
Venus, the “mother” of the Roman people, might view this as end to an era, yet sees possibilities of a new beginning. When this poem is read with this in mind, one can see the possibilities of this explanation. She seems to mourn what is to come and states, “And her life’s one wedlock show her flushed with the beauty no man saw,” (643) She reflects bewilderment at the absence of recognition in the charm and beauty of Rome. Her love for Rome is legitimate, and is proven with this poem, she hopes for love, and looks forward to possible peace.
The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka both incorporate “irreal” elements throughout their works. These elements provide an alternative point of view where the lives of main characters are recreated and imagined as part of their surroundings. It’s almost as if the characters are watching their lives from an outside vantage point, rather than living in the moment, which makes it easier to cope with their difficult circumstances. These two works are complementary in establishing relationships, exposing internal conflicts, and escaping the reality that these characters yearn for in their lives.
Peter Paul Rubens’ masterpiece, Venus and Adonis, is not only a significant artwork of the baroque-period in Europe during the 17th century, but it also tells the mythological story that begins with love, and ends in tragedy. Displayed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, this painting is admired for representing the unique baroque-style of this era, as well as Rubens’ particular use of the medium and how it reaches those who are viewing it. His attention to detail and crafty use of symbolism within the painting assist viewers in deciphering the story, along with the values of the time period in which Rubens was living. In studying the composition of the work and noting the historical context from which it came, one can ultimately understand Rubens’ point-of-view and thus, connect to the painting in a way he or she has never imagined.
The French 1884 oil on canvas painting The Song of the Lark by Jules-Adolphe Breton draws grasps a viewer’s attention. It draws an observer in by its intense but subtle subject matter and by the luminous sun in the background. Without the incandescent sun and the thoughtful look of the young woman, it would just be a bland earth-toned farm landscape. However, Breton understood what to add to his painting in order to give it drama that would instantly grab an onlooker’s interest.
The speaker uses metaphors to describe his mistress’ eyes to being like the sun; her lips being red as coral; cheeks like roses; breast white as snow; and her voices sounding like music. In the first few lines of the sonnet, the speaker view and tells of his mistress as being ugly, as if he was not attracted to her. He give...
Frank Kafka is considered one of the most influential writers of all time. Helmut Richter would agree with this statement. Richter agreed that Kafka was a very prominent figure in world literature and was amazed by his mechanics and word usage. I feel that his essay is supportive of Kafka’s writing, but also leaves out many important details in its brevity. Richter did not include Kafka’s flaws and tendencies in his essay.
‘I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud’ and ‘The Preservation of Flowers’: two notable poems, two very different styles of writing. This essay will look at their contrasts and similarities, from relevant formal aspects, to the deeper meanings hidden between the lines. We will examine both writers use of rhyme scheme, sound patterning, word choice, figurative language and punctuation. It will also touch a little on the backgrounds of the writers themselves and their inspirations, with the intention of gaining a greater understanding of both texts.
Although the two sonnets differ in their general structure, the formal elements making up that structure are just as crucial for both of them to organize and contrast the themes and ideas present throughout the
“la belle dame sans merci” was written April 21, 1819 by John Keats. A Romantic poet who despite his reputation as being one of the most beloved poets of all time, was not well received during his short lived life. In fact Keats reputation didn’t grow till after his death near the end of the nineteenth century. He is now considered one of the key figures in the second generation of the romantic movement. Keats major works did not focus on religion, ethnics, morals, or politics. He wrote mostly of sensational experiences about the richness of life. Though experiences may be pleasurable at first they don’t always have fairytale endings, sometimes the pleasures of life can become overwhelming, such is the theme of Keats ballad “La belle dame sans merci”.
The Birth of Venus is a beautiful Renaissance canvas masterpiece created by Sandro Botticello. The picture illustrates the birth of Venus in a very mystical way. Venus has emerged from sea on a shell which is being driven to shore by flying wind-gods. She is surrounded by beautiful roses which are painted in a truly remarkable color. As she is about to step to land, one of the Hours hands her a purple cloak. The back drop includes the sea and a forest. The overall effect of this painting are almost overwhelming, color and beauty meet the eye in every angle.
In Damelus' Song to His Diaphenia, by Henry Constable, the typical characteristics of the Elizabethan lyric are abundant. The poem is written in iambic pentameter with a solid, almost musical rhythm throughout the poem. The musical quality is reinforced by the prominent AABCCB rhyme scheme in each of the three equal length stanzas. The language is adapted especially for the poem to accommodate the unyielding rhythm and rhyme scheme. All of these mentioned characteristics speak of a set of concrete rules and guidelines that the poet had followed when he was writing this lyric. The tone that is set is one of joy and delight in love and life another characteristic of Elizabethan lyrics. The anonymous speaker is experiencing a buoyant feeling and he communicates this through the lyric. The repetition of "how I do love thee!" in lines three, nine and fifteen summarises the message of this poem: The speaker is using basic images in nature in a simple manner to state how much he loves his "Diaphenia." It is dreadfully predictable and very easy to interpret and it is these characteristics that give the Elizabethan lyrics their instantaneous appeal.
Life is a never-ending metamorphosis. It is always changing, always transforming. Sometimes a change is followed by positive results, but on the darker side, a metamorphosis can lead to damage or suffering. But of course, the concept of metamorphosis can also be related into the wonderful yet unrealistic world of magic and sorcery. Metamorphosis can mean a rapid transformation from one object to another or a distinct or even degenerative change in appearance, personality, condition, or function. The concept of metamorphosis is commonly used in pieces of literature to describe an extreme change in character or form.