I would rate my ability to read poetry after the past two weeks as a 7.5/10 because I do feel as though I often understand and am able to comprehend the readings. There are some times where I fill in the blanks with my imagination rather than from concepts from information provided in the poem, which leads to misinterpretations. My experience with poetry can aid me in reading “Oedipus the King” by allowing me to feel more comfortable with fanciful language and reading between the lines. “The Last Duchess” has a connection to “Oedipus the King” through it’s archaic language and theme of murder.
“This grew; I gave commands;
Then all smiles stopped together. There she stands
As if alive” (Browning).
This quote from “The Last Duchess” is an example of meanings of the poem not always being forthright, which is a large difference from “Oedipus the King”, which it is quite upfront. “Had you had eyes I would have said alone you murdered him” (Sophocles).
Overall, I feel my understanding of poetry is improving!
3 thoughts on “Daryen Rubin Discussion 7”
Hey Daryen,
I also have moment when I do not understand or know the translation of the word and I just “fill the blank with my imagination” to be able to understand what is going on. I’m glad when there is explanation for curtain words after the poem, or the play (at the bottom of the page). It helps me to understand the poem, analyze it and to make sense of it.
I have times where I can’t always read between the lines of the poem as well , misleading me or making me misinterpret the true meaning to the story being told leading me to create my own understanding and meaning of the poem. I think you are great at understanding the poems and the methods you use to better understand everything. It’s good how you used two of the poems to make a connection to both and also using evidence and quotes from the poems to make the connection between the two clear.
I love that you find Oedipus more forthright than “My Last Duchess.” I agree. I think the really challenging parts in Oedipus are the odes because they are full of figurative and poetic language.