Tuesday, February 12, 2008
oh milton!
Hey everyone. After the Laz made us suffer through his genius writing prompt, we are forced to face the poets again. 17th Century/English Civil War poetry. I know we're all in the process of reading the oh so wonderfully put together packets by Laz but I just wanted to start this post-to help us answer each other's questions and discuss as we go on. : )
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I was doing a little bit of research on John Dunn and his poetry, and found some interesting stuff. Apparently, the second poem in our packet, A Valediction Forbidding Mourning, was written to his wife Anne. He was going away on a trip to France, and wrote her a poem about their seperation. This is the same woman he had a forbidden marriage and bucketloads of children with. He seems to be a bit of a romantic, hmm?
I also read that he was taught by Jesuits. He was supposed to graduate from Oxford University and Cambridge University, but he never received his degree. He refused to take the Oath of Supremecy, which said that King Henry was the head of the church. I think its fair to say that he's pretty religious as well as romantic.
Its my opinion that an author's history can give the best incite into a peice of poetry, so I wanted to do a bit of research :)
So who wants to try to figure out "The Collar" with me?!?!?!!
I really just don't get this poem. So all attempts that I will make to explain it will probably be wrong. Oh well.
In the first six lines, I have no idea what Herbert is talking about. The lines "My lines and life are free; free as the rode,/Loose as the winde, as large as store" seem to suggest that he has free will and can make his own decisions? Then Herbert explains that he had the chance to have a good harvest but it turned out badly. I think this is symbolism for his sinning: he had the chance to make a fruitful harvest for himself but he fell into sin so God punished him for it. With "Not so, my heart" we seem to get into the conceit -- he describes his salvation/repentence in a way in which it would not normally be described. Herbert says "leave thy cold dispute/Of what is fit, and not forsake thy cage,/Thy rope of sands,/Which pettie thoughts have made, and made to thee/Good cable, to enforce and draw/And be thy law..." I believe he is saying that the only way he can be freed of his sins is to be tied down with God (a la Donne's Holy Sonnet XIV). Herbert goes on to say that if he sins he deserves his punishment but when he is at his worst, he hears God call out to him and he answers in order to repent for his sins.
So this could be right (but watch it be COMPLETELY wrong tomorrow). Feel free to add anything or show me where my analysis is wrong!
Also, Laz said that Herbert often uses concrete poetry (form on the page looks like something). This poem has a very distinctive layout, but I'm not sure what it could symbolize...any ideas? Any the title, "The Collar," what does it mean? its significance?
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