Comparative Essay Essay, Research Paper

Comparison Essay

? If I could only live at the pitch that is near madness, When everything is as it was in my childhood…? This statement in the ?Ode? is a common theme between the two poems. The poems being If I Could Only Live At The Pitch That Is Near Madness by Richard Eberhart and Ode : Intimations Of Immortality From Recollections Of Early Childhood written by William Wordsworth. A contrast between the two poems is the time period which both these poems were written. The romantic period verses the modern period. A similarity between the two poems is the common manner which poetic devices are used. Aside from the fact that the time periods were different, the two poems hold many similarities between the theme and the poetic devices used through- out both pieces. Through examination of the common theme , poetic devices and the contrast of when these two poems were created, one may conclude that society blinds one from truth.

In these poems, there lies a difference. The difference being the fact that these poems were written in different periods. William Wordsworth writes his poem ?Ode : Intimations Of Immortality From Recollections Of Early Childhood? in the romantic period. Key elements to this time were, feelings and emotions, individualism, realistic attention to vivid detail, ?God is demonstrated in Everything?,the questioning of the commonplace, and the form is less restrained meaning that it was a more freely written structure. This varies from the modern period even though the modern period was influenced by the romantic period. Richard Eberhart writes in this period to father his poem ? If I Could Only Live At The Pitch That IS Near Madness?. The key elements of this time period are simply more social and psychological pressures to alter views, anger and protest, it further examines human existence in a changing environment, questioning of the existence of God, and finally, a greater concern over self characterization. Wordsworth refers to God several times throughout the poem? But trailing clouds of gory do we come from God , who is our home…? . There is no question about his existence, which is one of many dominant elements to the romantic style of writing. Eberhart explains his view of society in the following ? I saw battalions of the race of mankind , Standing stolid demanding a moral answer..? Society stands parallel with each other, each questioning their existence, and demanding reason. These questions are direct examples of the modernistic tone. Also in Eberharts poem there is no rhyme, nor specific structure. It simply has one unintentional rhyming couplet . This being modern broke from traditional form, and proved to be more individualistic. This differs from the poem ?Ode? where it is composed of stanzas, and is more structured yet less restrained then the classical period. Regardless of difference of style between these two poems, both poems still portray the concept of society blinding one from the truth and beauty of the world.

These two poems come together to share similarities through the use of poetic devises. Even though there is no real rhyming scheme in Eberharts work, there is however a single rhyming couplet. It bears no significance in general to the poem. Although William Wordsworth uses a repeated pattern of rhyming lines, in other words he uses the stanza device. There is a common atmosphere between the two poems. Commonly, they both posses a natural enviroment. Wordsworth writes ? There was a meadow, grove, and stream, the earth,…..while birds thus sing a joyous sound…..in a thousand valleys far and wide….fountains, meadows, hills and groves…gather round the setting sun..? these are all particular lines which portray an image and atmosphere of earth and its natural, beautiful state. But yet he only writes and speaks of them as though he is returning to his childhood. Consequently, this shows how society subtracts this beauty of the world and of the common places in the world as one grows. As a child this is what he remembers, he remembers the beauty and was blinded of it as he grew. Society forced pressures, stress, and the ugliness of the world which made him forget how beautiful it can be. The lines earlier explored prove his reflection of how he used to look at things as a child and he notices the unnoticed in his age. He re enters the world where he acknowledges the ? splendour in the grass? or of ?glory in the flower? ( stanza 10). This, appropriately, is also conveyed in Richard Eberharts poem. He writes, ?Then I cast time out of the trees and fields, then stood immaculate in the ego, Then I eyed the world with all delight, reality was the perfection of my sight? this quote supports the natural earth aspect which creates an atmosphere. The reader imagines this man being in the woods, due to the reference of trees and fields, which ties into the atmosphere in the first poem. So along with the atmosphere of being alone amongst nature there is also a common image that is shared between the two poems. The ? trees and fields? are a metaphor for Eberharts world and how he once used to see the beauty then dismissed it, and now has returned to ? eye (it) with all delight? ( line 7). This concept is shared in William Wordsworth?s poem of how he too returned to seeing the beauty he began to ignore as a result of social pressures. Both poems also use the poetic device known as caesura. In the poem ?Ode?, ? in a thousand valleys far and wide, fresh flowers; while the sun shines warm, and the babe leaps up on his mothers arm…….? ( stanza 4) is an example as is In Eberhart?s poem the following, ?Violent, vivid, and of infinite possibility: That the sun and the moon broke over my head.? ( lines 3 and 4). There are more commonly used poetic devices between these two poems; however, this is enough to validate that through the use of poetic devices one slowly begins to lose touch with the beauty and truth of nature and the world from the influence of society.

Another commonly shared aspect between these two poems is the theme. The theme is simply that a child can view the world and see all its beauties, an adult can view the same world and dismiss the beauties due to societal influence. Therefore as a child you view the world in truth, and since the child is pure they see the beauty in what we have forgotten. In stanza 5, Wordsworth dives into a realm of a pre natal harmony with nature. It is sensed that from his poem, Wordsworth believes that the soul dwells among God in complete knowledge and experience and at birth, the individual loses his/her knowledge. For without Gods influence he knows nothing. In the fifth stanza line 58 describes the loss of perfect knowledge known in heaven. The words ?sleep? and ?forgetting? is evidence. In lines 62-63 read of ones separation from the divine ( meaning the perfection of ). Therefore his view is simply that childhood connotes wisdom, and that a child?s first images of nature are without societal influence. As one ages the beauty and nature once seen and appreciated is lost. Wordsworth writes of this loss in lines 68-76. The child describes how the wind tickles the grass and the vibrant colours of the butterflies. The youth sees a field while the adult notices the grass. Wordsworth uses this theme to differentiate the stages of aging and the individual?s reliance on memory. The child participates and creates all of the fond memories which the adult now remembers. As a man he must focus on income and his family, the adult does not have time to derive new experiences from nature. His images ? fade into the light of common day? (line 76). This aspect of time is repeated in Eberharts poem. Eberhart explains how an man ? cast(s) time out of trees and fields? (a metaphor for his world)( line 5). This quote meaning he stops time so he can reconnect with the beauty of nature and the world. ? Time has big handles on the hands?(line 9) meaning that as he looks at his hands hesees he has aged. Time has laboured his hands and therefore aging them. Eberhart explains, ? If I could only live at the pitch that is near madness, when everything is as it was in my childhood? this aged man wishes he could see the world as he used to. He wishes to see the world as a child because a child sees it as ? violent, vivid, and full of infinite possibility? ( line 3). It proves that as an adult all that is important is all but what is a necessity. This being similar to Wordsworth?s concern in Ode. All but what needs to be done. All work and no play. ? And the truth wailing there like a red babe? meaning that as an adult, one does dismiss the truth and beauty of the world . Society blinds one of truth due to its method of time and pressures. This poem by Eberhart has the common theme of societies influence upon an individual will deprive one of noticing the beauty and truth of the world.

Despite a distinct difference in the style of these two poems due to the fact they were written in separate time periods. The two poems still, be that as it may been written a hundred years apart, still share the same perspective of viewing the world as a child. The use of poetic devices and a common theme join the two poems together. Therefore through the use of style tendencies, poetic devices, and theme, confirm that the influence of society blinds an individual of the truth and the beauty of the world.