Poems: Blog 14

 BLOG 14: 1. At the end of chapter II, Douglass says that the “wild

songs” of slaves express and relieve their unhappiness. In A

Defence of Poetry , Shelley proclaims that “Poetry is the record of

the best and happiest moments of the happiest and best minds.”

To what degree is their disagreement resolved if we view “wild

songs” and poetry as fundamentally different means of

expression? Could one argue that the two forms are similar and

that the contradiction suggested in this juxtaposition is more

apparent than real? Drawing on the reading you have done this

semester, define poetry and song and explain the emotions that

seem to produce them. 

There disagreement can be resolved if we view poetry and music as to separate things. Although I would have to disagree with both of them because music and poetry is a form of expression. While slaves may have used songs to express sadness and Shelly may have used poetry to express happiness others may use poetry to express sadness and music to express happiness. Poetry is written to express and emotion or to tell a story. Whereas songs are written and sung in order to express emotion or tell a story. They are both words written for expression and poems just happen to not have music attached to them.

2. What kind of poem is The Love Song of

J. Alfred Prufrock ? Is it a monologue? A dramatic monologue? An

inner monologue? What difference does such identification make?

[See the first three paragraphs of “Backgrounds.”

2. The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock is a dramatic monologue. To be a dramatic monologue the poem must have the following characteristics: a person who isn't the poet that's speech is the entire poem, the person interacts with other people however we don't know what the other person's reaction is, and the poet uses writing such that we can tell all about the person's character without really giving a description.