Depiction of Time in Three Housman Poems Essay - 798 Words

1. Illustrate how all three of the Housman poems assigned deal with time and the passing of time. In The Loveliest of Trees, Housman uses a cherry tree to relate the passage of time. He begins the poem in springtime when the cherry is in bloom, â€Å"wearing white for Eastertide.† The image of white and the blossoming tree give the reader of feeling of rejuvenation and rebirth, both feelings associated with spring. The next stanza uses clever word play to describe the passing of decades and scores. The last stanza puts the greater concept of a lifetime into perspective. He writes that fifty springs not enough to look at things in bloom. He ends with, â€Å"About the woodlands I will go to see the cherry hung with snow.† Housman has†¦show more content†¦But after some time his name and his deeds fade in the minds of the people, and new runners have come along. The title is deceptive: the athlete did not physically die, but rather died in the minds of th e people. Housman points out both the fickle nature of people and the erasing nature of time in his poem. The theme seems to be that the passage of time is the only thing that is constant in our world. 2. What does Yeats mean by Byzantium? How are the two poems on this subject related to each other? Byzanium is a cultural Mecca. To Yeats it represents art, civilization, and rejuvenation. Byzantium is a place where old souls can go to be strengthened and supported. It is both a physical place in the sense that it did exist and post-dated Rome, and also a metaphysical place where one’s spirit can flourish much like in heaven. The poems Sailing to Byzantium and Byzantium relate to each other in subject and in time. The former of the two concerns an individual’s journey to Byzantium, while the latter is about the individual’s experiences upon arrival. If Sailing concerns his trip to heaven, then Byzantium regards his stay. In form the two poems are identical: each consists of four stanzas of eight lines each. The rhyming patter does differ though each does have a pattern. The use of metaphor and symbolism is prevalent in each. A bird is referenced in both, perhaps to allude to youth in the first poem, but in the second poem it is a golden birdShow MoreRelatedLiterary Group in British Poetry5631 Words   |  23 PagesThe history of English poetry stretches from the middle of the 7th century to the present day. Over this period, English poets have written some of the most enduring poems in Western culture, and the language and its poetry have spread around the globe. Consequently, the term English poetry is unavoidably ambiguous. It can mean poetry written in England, or poetry written in the English language. The earliest surviving poetry was likely transmitted orally and then written down in versions that doRead MoreBrit Lit Exam2589 Words   |  11 PagesHonors British Literature II Multiple Choice Identify the letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question. Vocabulary and Grammar ____ 1. In â€Å"To An Athlete Dying Young,† Housman refers to â€Å"the rout  /  of lads that wore their honors out.† A rout is a a.|failed plan.|c.|traveled path.| b.|loud clamor.|d.|disorderly mob.| ____ 2. Which phrase is the closest in meaning to sinews? a.|ropes and pulleys|c.|muscular power| b.|mechanical power|d.|chemical power|