Over the past two weeks, I’ve become more comfortable with reading poetry. I’ve learned to notice the layers of meaning in the words and understand the emotions behind them. This skill has helped me approach Oedipus the King with a new perspective. The play, like poetry, uses symbolic language and explores complex human emotions, and now I feel more confident in breaking down these elements. My experience with poetry has made it easier to grasp the deeper themes in the play and pay closer attention to how the language conveys Oedipus’ tragic journey. The more I proof read, the more I understand what the poet is talking about. The more I feel empathy for the writing, the more I feel connected to the story and meaning behind it. One poem that stands out to me is Emily Dickinson’s “Because I could not stop for Death.” In this poem, death is personified as a calm, inevitable force, one that comes for the speaker whether she is ready or not. This reminds me of Oedipus’ struggle with fate. No matter how much he tries to escape it, his tragic destiny is inescapable. Both the poem and the play highlight how powerless we are against certain forces in life, whether that be death or fate. What I find interesting is how Dickinson’s calm acceptance of death contrasts with Oedipus’ various attempts to avoid his fate. In the end, though, both the poem and the play show that resistance is futile. This connection has helped me better understand the themes in Oedipus the King, especially the tension between free will and fate. Through poetry, I’ve learned to appreciate how writers use language and imagery to explore these universal truths, which has deepened my reading of the play.
Daily Archives: October 19, 2024
I believe that my understanding of reading poetry has improved. After engaging in reading and analyzing poetry for the past two weeks, my understanding that the meaning and emotions of poems can be connected. I would give myself a rating of 6 at this time. My approach to get a better or clearer understanding of a poem is to read and reread the poems numerous times and try to discuss them with anyone who would listen. These experiences have highlighted that poetry is more than rhyming words; instead it portrays a depth of feelings and emotions . A poem that I have known, “Water is Taught by Thirst” by Emily Dickinson has helped me to connect with the theme and meaning of “Oedipus the King”. I believe “Water is taught by thirst” emphasizes the idea that something is truly valued in it’s absence. This examination is done through reflection, realization and loss. This can also be seen in the play, which has the theme of fate, self discovery, knowledge and self realization., Another connection in both poems can be seen in the quotations, “Peace – by its battles told-” (Dickinson). ” Similarly, I have come to this, the last and worst of all my deeds” (Sophocles). further illustrates the metaphorical emotional struggle that both the play and the poem highlights. The emotions expressed in the poem and the play has been real to me this past month after the death of my brother. I reflected on my actions and words that caused a rift between us that ran very deep and now saying sorry or forgive me is impossible.
Poetry isn’t my greatest talent, but I have a decent understanding of it and can appreciate the nuances in the verses. While I may not possess the skill to write poetry myself, I can engage with the themes and emotions conveyed in the poems I read. My experience with poetry, particularly with Robert Browning’s “My Last Duchess,” enhances my reading of “Oedipus the King” in several ways. Both works explore themes of power, pride, and the consequences of one’s actions, which creates a rich ground for comparison. In “My Last Duchess,” the Duke’s voice reveals his possessiveness and underlying arrogance, much like Oedipus’s initial confidence in his ability to uncover the truth about his identity. Both characters exhibit a tragic flaw—hubris—that ultimately leads to their downfalls. This parallel allows me to reflect on the nature of authority and the fragility of human pride. Furthermore, the use of dramatic monologue in Browning’s poem provides insight into character psychology, reminiscent of the intense emotional revelations in Sophocles’s play. Just as the Duke’s speech unveils layers of his character, Oedipus’s dialogue reveals his inner turmoil and gradual realization of his tragic fate. Analyzing the imagery in “My Last Duchess,” where the Duke’s obsession with control is evident, I can draw connections to the motifs of sight and knowledge in “Oedipus the King.” Both works compel me to consider how the desire for power can blind individuals to the truths about themselves and their actions, enriching my understanding of the tragic elements present in both pieces.
I think that after reviewing poetry for the past two weeks, I now have a slightly better comprehension of speech, imagery, and emotion. Engaging with poetry, like “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T.S. Eliot, has expanded my understanding of mental health and the varied nature of the social condition, themes that are further explored in “Oedipus the King.” In “Oedipus the King,” the terrible turn of events and Prufrock’s quest for the truth are mirrored, reflecting Prufrock’s inner turmoil and fears. Both poems examine the limits of human comprehension as well as the importance of both individual and collective accountability. Prufrock’s persistent self-doubt and hesitations, for instance, are reminiscent of Oedipus’s first denial of his fate and eventual acceptance of its tragic reality. Through comprehending the significant feelings of Eliot’s poem, I am able to look at the conversation and remarks in “Oedipus” from a more advanced viewpoint.
Even though poetry is not my thing, over these past two weeks I have seen a little improvement in my understanding of poetry when it comes to tragic themes since I enjoy it. I’ve become more aware of how tone and metaphor create meaning, which has helped me better understand the complex text of Oedipus the King. Poetry often conveys deep emotions using few words, a skill that applies to Sophocles’ play where each line holds importance. A poem that resonates with Oedipus the King is Maya Angelou’s “Alone” Both text explores the the theme of isolation and the inevitability of fate. In Oedipus the King, the protagonist’s quest for truth leads to separation from society and his family, reflecting Maya Angelou’s poem on the deep loneliness experienced by individuals regardless of the people surrounding them. This awareness of how isolation and fate twist together has deepened my understanding of tragic themes in poetry.
I would rate my ability to read poetry as improving drastically. I have always been into poetry, I used to write some of my own in high school. My ability to understand what I am reading has improved a lot. When reading and breaking down the poem in class, it has helped me remain focused and knowledgeable. My experience with poetry can help me with reading Oedipus the King by understanding the morals and lessons that are being portrayed in the story. There are a lot of ancient wording in the story and by having footnotes, it helped me understand what I am reading. Know the way, go the Way, show the way, so others will Gladly follow you. This haiku by Raymond Farrell is a great example of how I interpret Oedipus the King. Oedipus wants to let his people know that he is there to protect them. Raymond Farrell does a great job portraying the message in such a small poem.
My ability to read poetry I would say is probably a 6/10, and I say this because some poems are easier to read than others. For instance, the poem “The Mother” by Gwedolyn Brooks, within the first line you immediately know what the speaker is writing about, “Abortions will not let you forget” (Brooks). Right away the speaker is disclosing her emotions and remembrance of the terminations she had and how she wont be able to have those nurturing experiences with the children she could’ve had. Then there’s the poem, “The Lake Isle of Innisfree” by W.B Yeats, and you have to use your sense of imagery to understand what the speaker is writing about in the poem and how he is describing his safe place by metaphorically speaking about his 5 senses. “I will arise and go now, for always night and day I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;” (Yates). In these two lines he is using his sense of hearing through the poem so we can understand how peaceful it is at his safe place, its so peaceful there that you’re able to hear the movement of the water. Consequently, that’s why I say some poems are easier to read than others because some are more direct and there’s others that you actually try to imagine what the speaker is writing about in order to fully understand. As far as the play, I missed Tuesday’s class so I’m playing a little bit of catch up. Nevertheless I feel as though the play falls under the same category as one of those pieces of writing that you have to sort of know about the ancient Greek history to understand the play. When we were placed into groups and we discussed the chorus of the […]
