Classical Poetry-Finals

Word Limit: 1000

Assessment Rubric: All answers will be evaluated in line with the following rubric (all elements carry equal marks):

i)                   Correct grammar and spellings

ii)                Organisation of ideas

iii)             Accuracy of content

iv)              Direct/indirect textual references  

1)    "The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven." Discuss how Milton uses Satan’s speech to explore the themes of free will, pride, and defiance in Paradise Lost. To what extent does Satan embody the qualities of a tragic hero within this context?    

John Milton's epic poem, Paradise Lost, is a timeless masterpiece that explores complex themes and ideas. One of the most fascinating characters in the poem is Satan, who embodies the themes of free will, pride, and defiance. This essay will analyze how Milton portrays Satan's character, exploring his motivations, actions, and consequences.

Satan's famous speech, "The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven" (Book I, lines 254-255), highlights his belief in individual freedom and autonomy. He thinks that his mind has the power to create its own reality, regardless of external circumstances. This idea is reinforced by his statement, "Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven" (Book I, line 263), which shows his desire for independence and self-rule.

Satan's pride is a central aspect of his character, driving his ambition and rebellion against God. He wants to be equal to God, as evident in his statement, "I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High" (Book I, line 40). However, this pride also leads to his downfall, as he becomes isolated from God and his fellow angels.

Defiance is a defining characteristic of Satan's personality, shaping his actions and worldview throughout the poem. He refuses to submit to God's authority, even when faced with punishment and exile. Instead, he sees his rebellion as an opportunity to assert his control and independence. This defiance is admirable, yet ultimately destructive, as it leads to his own suffering and isolation.

Satan's character exhibits many qualities of a tragic hero, including hubris, flawed decision-making, and conscious awareness. However, he differs from classical tragic heroes, like Oedipus and Macbeth, in his refusal to repent or transform. This refusal to change makes him a peculiarly Miltonic character, embodying the complexities and nuances of human nature.

In conclusion, Milton's portrayal of Satan in Paradise Lost is a complex and nuanced exploration of human nature. Through Satan's character, Milton examines the themes of free will, pride, and defiance, highlighting the consequences of misusing these qualities. Satan's story serves as a warning, cautioning readers against the dangers of unchecked pride and rebellion.

2)    John Donne's "The Sun Rising" and "Thou hast made me, and shall thy work decay?" both explore the themes of human experience and transcendence but through different lenses—earthly love and divine faith. Compare and contrast how Donne uses metaphysical conceits, tone, and imagery to elevate the lover’s connection in one and the soul’s plea for redemption in the other. What do these differences reveal about Donne’s perspectives on the material and spiritual realms?

               Comparative Analysis of John Donne's "The Sun Rising" and "Thou hast made me, and shall thy work decay?"

John Donne's poetry is famously rich in its examination of human existence and the relationship between worldly life and religious belief. Two of his poems, "The Sun Rising" and "Thou Hast Made Me, and Shall Thy Work Decay?", are notable for this dichotomy. "The Sun Rising" is a poem that glorifies human love and its ability to change the world, whereas "Thou Hast Made Me" is concerned with the vulnerability of the soul and the necessity of divine grace. Comparing these poems, we can observe how Donne describes both worldly and spiritual things and how they are sometimes distinct but often intertwined.

One of the most important poetic devices used by Donne is the metaphysical conceit. This is to say that he draws odd and creative parallels between things and ideas. In "The Sun Rising," the poet addresses the sun boldly as an "unruly sun" (line 1), accusing it of disrupting his love. The poet then states, "This bed thy center is, these walls, thy sphere" (line 30), implying that his love is at the center of all existence. This hyperbole sets love above all, even the forces of the cosmos. On the other hand, "Thou Hast Made Me" employs a conceit that emphasizes human frailty. The speaker presents himself as a deteriorating thing, stating, "Thy hand, repair me now" (line 4). Here, Donne is emphasizing human weakness and the soul's reliance on God for mending.

The tones of these poems are quite different as well. "The Sun Rising" is a cheerful and assertive poem. The speaker feels that love surpasses money, time, or status. He even declares, "All honor's mimic, all wealth alchemy" (line 22), i.e., honor and riches are not authentic or precious in relation to love. The tone is lighthearted and abound with conceit of love's potency. However, "Thou Hast Made Me" is written in a very serious and somber mood. The speaker senses the guilt of sin and the certainty of death, for he says, "I run to death, and death meets me as fast" (line 5). It shows fear and urgency in pursuing God's mercy. The speaker is praying and begging that God would intervene and save him. These two moods—one loving the power of love and the other grieving over human frailty—reveal the difference between the subjects of the poems.

Imagery is also a dominant feature of Donne's poetry. In "The Sun Rising," imagery is vivid and animate. Time and power are represented by the sun, but the poet attempts to downplay its significance, addressing it as, "Shine here to us, and thou art everywhere" (line 29). This line indicates that love is so strong that the sun only exists to cater to it. The poem is warm and celebratory in its tone. But "Thou Hast Made Me" contains far darker imagery. The speaker talks of himself as "decaying" (line 4), highlighting the onset of time and the dread of death. He further declares, "I dare not move my dim eyes" (line 7), indicating his weakness and reliance on God. This change of imagery from radiant, warm in "The Sun Rising" to somber, rotting in "Thou Hast Made Me" emphasizes the contrast between the two poems.

These differences also show how Donne perceived the physical and spiritual worlds. In "The Sun Rising," worldly love is handled as if it were divine. The speaker regards love as potent enough to construct the universe and make everything else, including the sun, irrelevant. He offers that love has the power to transcend the limitations of the physical universe. However, "Thou Hast Made Me" adopts a very dissimilar view. The speaker here is aware that the material universe is transitory and that man requires God for salvation. The cry for God's assistance proves that human love and strength alone are insufficient to battle spiritual decay. Divine grace is required instead.

By showing these two viewpoints, Donne achieves an equilibrium in human existence. He demonstrates that love on earth has immense value—it can produce pleasure, significance, and even transcendence. But he also recognizes that love and life are fleeting, and that salvation for the soul will be required eventually. This kind of complexity richens and engrosses Donne's poetry. He does not merely take sides in the debate but rather enables both sides to coexist simultaneously.

"The Sun Rising" is energetic and self-assured, demonstrating the speaker's faith in the power of love. The lighthearted voice and hyperbolic comparisons assure the reader that, at this moment, love is the epicenter of everything. "Thou Hast Made Me," on the other hand, reveals the speaker's terror and awareness of human frailty. The poem emphasizes the necessity of divine mercy, reminding the reader that mere human strength is insufficient.

Generally, Donne's capacity to discuss human love and religious dependence simultaneously gives his poetry its distinctiveness. His employment of metaphysical conceits, varying tones, and strong imagery enables him to explore these topics in a manner that is both personal and universal. "The Sun Rising" exalts human love as something remarkable, while "Thou Hast Made Me" subdues the speaker in the presence of God's power. This contrast reveals Donne's profound insight into the joys and challenges of life. His writing encourages readers to consider the interplay between love, religion, and human life, and thus his poetry remains timeless and relevant.

3)    In the sonnets "When in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes" and "Not marble, nor the gilded monuments", Shakespeare explores themes of love, self-worth, and immortality through contrasting perspectives—personal despair and poetic permanence. Analyze how the poet uses imagery, tone, and structure to highlight the transformative power of love and the enduring legacy of art. What do these sonnets suggest about the relationship between personal emotion and universal themes of time and legacy?

Analysis of Shakespeare's Sonnets 29 and 55

In Sonnets 29 ("When in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes") and 55 ("Not marble, nor the gilded monuments"), William Shakespeare deals with deep issues of love, self-esteem, and immortality, presenting two opposing yet intertwined visions: personal misery and poetic immortality. Through rich imagery, a well-crafted tone, and deliberate structure, the poet emphasizes the transformative power of love and art's ability to transcend time, suggesting that personal emotions are intricately tied to universal themes of legacy and eternity.

 Sonnet 29: Personal Despair Transformed by Love 

Sonnet 29 opens with a speaker consumed by self-doubt and societal alienation. The opening lines, "When in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes, / I all alone beweep my outcast state," (lines 1-2), use vivid imagery of isolation and despair to reflect a deep personal inadequacy. The tone is melancholic as it reflects the anguish of the speaker. The structured progression from despair to hope is significant; it is here that the shift in the third quatrain takes place, as the speaker finds hope in the consideration of a lover. The line, "For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings" (line 13), underscores how love has the power to raise one from the mire of despair to a sort of spiritual richness. The sonnet’s structure—a Shakespearean sonnet comprising three quatrains and a concluding couplet—mirrors this emotional journey. The volta (or turn) in line 9 marks the shift in tone, emphasizing how love transcends material and social hardships. The concluding couplet, "That then I scorn to change my state with kings," (line 14) underscores the transformative and redemptive nature of love, elevating the speaker's self-worth beyond worldly measures.

Sonnet 55: The Inevitability of Art Deathlessness

From Sonnet 55, the focus is off personal emotion into the universal thematics of inevitability; that is, "immortality". The opening words, "Not marble, nor the gilded monuments / Of princes, shall outlive this powerful rhyme," lines 1-2, put the transients of physical memorials against this powerful poem and its legacy. That imagery of decaying statues and monuments, "Shall you pace forth; your praise shall still find room," (line 9) cuts against the permanence of the written word, affirming the survival of art to preserve memory against time and war. In Sonnet 55, the triumph and confidence tone celebrate the poem's role in making the beloved immortal. This is further bolstered by structure, as a steady progression of quatrains leads up to the couplet in which Shakespeare says, "So, till the judgment that yourself arise, / You live in this, and dwell in lovers' eyes" (lines 13-14). Here the legacy of the beloved becomes eternally cemented through the lasting power of the sonnet. Relationship between personal emotions and universal themes

Together, these sonnets highlight personal emotion and universal themes of time, love, and legacy. Sonnet 29 overcomes the personal despair of the speaker through the all-powerful love, claiming that human personal feeling can be redeemed by human affinity. By contrast, Sonnet 55 places love and memory in the context of larger, timeless artistic creation, establishing that art has the power to eternalize personal experiences.

Shakespeare uses imagery, combining decay with permanence, and despair with redemption, to emphasize how "brief" personal strife and joy become immortal through love and art.

The shifts in tone between the melancholy of Sonnet 29 and the celebratory tone of Sonnet 55 indicate the transformative transformation from individual despair and universal legacy.

The structured progressiveness of sonnets underlines how love and poetry remain influences beyond time and strengthens the sense that personal feelings captured in art live on forever and always share a universality with all humans. In these two sonnets, Shakespeare beautifully connects the personal and the eternal, reminding the reader of the deep interrelation between personal emotion and universal themes. While love brings solace and self-worth in the present, art ensures that such emotions endure, immortalized for future generations. Ultimately, these works celebrate the enduring legacy of love and poetry, affirming their capacity to defy the passage of time.

References

 Milton, J. (1667). Paradise Lost. Book I.