美国文学-文学诗歌期末考试赏析

Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) I’m Nobody!

I’m Nobody! Who are you? Are you Nobody too? Then there’s a pair of us!

Don’t tell, they’d banish us, you know!

How dreary to be Somebody! How public—like a Frog— To tell your name the livelong June To an admiring Bog!

我是无名之辈，你是谁？ 你也是无名之辈吗？ 那我们不就是一对了！ 不要张扬—你知道，他们会赶走我们的。 当个大人物多么的无趣， 就像只青蛙—在漫长的六月 公开地向赞扬它的沼泽 宣扬它的大名。 The author uses the first narration to have a secret talk with the readers. The theme of the talk is the fame burden. The author is happy that she is nobody and asked the reader not to unclose her identity. She is satisfied with her current life.

The theme of the poem is that to live a peaceful life with no fame is a wise idea. The complicated society is not fit for the author.

Simile :―How public—like a frog…‖

The author compares the public person or somebody to frogs, they have no freedom, hypocritical and have to share with others their own things Questions

1. Who are the ―pair of us‖ and ―they‖ in this poem? 2. What does ―an admiring bog‖ really mean? 3. What is the theme of this poem?

4. Do you want to be ―nobody‖ or ―somebody‖? Explain your reasons.

Ezra Pound (1885—1972)

In a Station of the Metro

The apparition of these faces in the crowd; Petals on a wet, black bough

? 人群中这些面庞的闪现； 人群中，这些面孔的鬼影；

湿漉的黑树干上的花瓣。（赵毅衡） 潮湿的黑树枝上的花瓣。（余光中）

? 这几张脸在人群中幻景般闪现； 这些面孔浮现于人群；

湿漉漉的黑树枝上花瓣数点。（飞白） 花瓣潮湿的黑树枝（颜元叔）

Theme: This poem is an observation of the poet of the human faces seen in a Paris subway station or a description of a moment of sudden emotion at seeing beautiful faces in a Metro in Paris. He sees the faces, turned variously toward light and darkness, like flower petals which are half absorbed by, half resisting, the wet, dark texture of a bough.

The one image in this poem: This poem is probably the most famous of all imagist poems. In two lines it combines a sharp visual image or two juxtaposed images （意象叠加） \， black bough\with an implied meaning. The faces in the dim light of the Metro suggest both the impersonality and haste of city life and the greater transience of human life itself. The word \is a well-chosen one which has a two-fold meaning: Firstly, it means a visible appearance of something real. Secondly, it builds an image of a ghostly sight, a delusive and unexpected appearance.

Pound uses the fewest possible words to convey an accurate image, which is the principle of the Imagist poetry. This poem looks to be a modern adoption of the haiku form of Japanese poetry which adapts the 3-line, 17 syllable and where the title is an integral part of the whole. The poem succeeds largely because of its internal rhymes: station/apparition; Metro/petals/wet; crowd/bough. Its form was determined by the experience that inspired it, involving organically rather than being chosen arbitrarily.

This short piece illustrates his imagistic talent because the entire poem deals with images alone. It is not complex; rather, the two-line poem is straightforward and to the point. The poem is extremely short, but it seems intriguing and has a deep message about the beauty of human beings.

Robert Frost (1874-1963) The Road Not Taken (1915)

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth. (Stanza One---- Describes Situations)

Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same.

(Stanza Two---- Decides to Take Less-travelled Road)

And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day!

黄色树林里分出两条路， 我很难办，我一人把步散， 不能同时都涉足，我踌躇， 顺着一条路我望向远处， 直到它在树丛下边转弯。 再看另一条，也同样可爱， 或许还有更大的说服力， 因为它茸茸如草待人踩； 那边的足迹，就这点说来， 留下的印痕也难分彼此。 Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back.

(Stanza Three---- Continues Description of Road)

I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.

(Stanza Four----Recalls the Road Taken and Not Taken)

铺满落叶没有脚步踩黑。 哦，我留头一条路下次走！ 但我知道前途路路相扣， 我怀疑是否还能再走回。 岁月如梭当多少年已过， 哪天说起此事我会感叹： 树林里分出两条路，而我―― 我走的那条路足迹不多， 正是这把一切彻底改变。 The theme： This poem seems to be about the poet， walking in the woods in autumn, hesitating for a long time and wondering which road he should take since they are both pretty. In reality, this is a meditative poem symbolically written. It concerns the important decisions which one must take in the course of life, when one must give up one desirable thing in order to possess another. Then， whatever the outcome, one must accept the consequences of one's choice for it is not possible to go back and have another chance to choose differently. In the poem, he followed the one which was not frequently travelled by. Symbolically, he chose to follow an unusual, solitary life； perhaps he was speaking of his choice to become a poet rather than some common profession. But he always remembered the road which he might have taken， and which would have given him a different kind of life.

Frost claims that he wrote this poem about his friend Edward Thomas, with whom he had walked many times in the woods near London. Frost has said that while walking they would come to different paths and after choosing one, Thomas would always felt wondering what they might have missed by not taking the other path.

About the poem, Frost asserted, ―You have to be careful of that one; it’s a tricky poem– very tricky.‖ Superficially, the poem has been and continues to be used as an inspirational poem, encouraging self-reliance, not following where others have led. But a close reading of the poem proves not so.

Language: This poem is written in classic five-line stanzas, with the rhyme scheme a-b-a-a-b and conversational rhythm. The poet uses \

Reflective Questions:

1. According to this poem, is Frost an innovative poet or not? Why?

2. What does the speaker do when facing two diverged roads? What is the speaker’s initial response?

3. Describe the similarities and differences of these two roads. Why does he choose the other road?

4. How do you understand the word “sigh”?Is it a kind of nostalgic relief or regret?

The word ―sigh‖ is a tricky word. Because sigh can be interpreted into nostalgic relief or regret. If it is the relief sigh, then the difference means the speaker feels glad with the road he took. If it is the regret sigh, then the difference would not be good, and the speaker would be sighing in regret.

Hence, sigh is ambiguous here for the speaker is not showing whether his choice is right or wrong.

5. What might the two roads stand for in the speaker’s mind?

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Clearly, this poem is endowed with abundant symbolic meanings. In the speaker’s mind, the two roads not only refer to the real roads he has to take while walking in the yellow wood, more significantly, it means two different ways of life when one hesitates before the life’s crossroad. Different choices will lead to different futures. ?

For the poet, it also shows his attitude towards poetry creation. ―He prefers to take the less-travelled road‖ suggests that he doesn’t follow suit but employs the traditional pattern in spite of the influence of modernist innovation

6. Why does Frost himself claim that this is a tricky poem? What is the theme this poem?

?

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Traditionally, this poem has been understood as an inspirational poem, seeming to encouraging people to be self-reliant and not following where others have led. Actually, it does not moralize about choice, it simply says that choice is inevitable but you never know what your choice will mean until you have lived it. This is also the theme of the poem.

BY ROBERT FROST Three things make his poem tricky---- the time frame, and the words ―sigh‖ and ―difference‖.

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening 雪夜林畔小驻 －－余光中译 林主的庄宅就在邻村, 却不会见我在此驻马， 看他林中积雪的美景。 我的小马一定颇惊讶： 四望不见有什么农家， 偏是一年最暗的黄昏， 寒林和冰湖之间停下。 Whose woods these are I think I know. His house is in the village, though; He will not see me stopping here To watch his woods fill up with snow. My little horse must think it queer 5 To stop without a farmhouse near Between the woods and frozen lake The darkest evening of the year. He gives his harness bells a shake To ask if there is some mistake. 10 The only other sounds the sweep Of easy wind and downy flake. The theme: This is a deceptively simple poem in which the speaker literally stops his horse in the winter twilight to observe the beauty of the forest scene, and then is moved to continue his journey. Philosophically and symbolically, it stems from the ambiguity of the speaker's choice between safety and the unknown.

Appreciation

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This poem suggests deep thought about death and about life. The strange attraction of death to man is symbolized by the dark woods silently filled up with the coldness of snow. Frost frequently uses the technique of symbolism in his poetry. Some critics think that the \stands for the human world， \， \， and \for obligations. The poem represents a moment of relaxation from the burdensome journey of

life， an almost aesthetic enjoyment and appreciation of natural beauty which is wholesome and restorative against the chaotic existence of modern man. ?

The last stanza shows a kind of sad， sentimental but also strong and responsible feeling. The attraction of the beauty of the nature makes the speaker stop in the journey. He finally turns away from it， with a certain weariness and yet with quiet determination， to face the needs of life. This stresses the central conflict of the poem between man's enjoyment of nature's beauty and his responsibility in society. This shows a man's despairing courage to seek out the meaning of life.

?

In the last stanza， the three adjectives \they represent beauty and terror of nature symbolized by the dark woods， but they also reveal the speaker's love for nature and human isolation from it. Besides， the word \here means \

Questions

? ? ? ? I Heard a Fly Buzz---When I Died 465 I heard a Fly buzz---when I die--- The Stillness in the Room Was like the Stillness in the Air--- Between the Heaves of Storm--- The Eyes around---had wrung them dry--- And Breaths were gathering firm For that last Onset--- when the King Be witnessed---in the Room--- I willed my Keepsakes---Signed away What portion of me be Assignable---and then it was There interposed a Fly--- With Blue---uncertain stumbling Buzz--- Between the light---and me--- And then the Windows failed---and then I could not see to see--- 1862? 1896 This poem described the situation at the moment of dying. Theme: the poet’s pessimistic and doubtful attitude toward regeneration. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Summary: Huck was a white boy who was clever, brave as well as kindhearted. In order to live a free life and escaper the cruel trade of his father. Huck ran away to the Mississippi River. During the way, Huck met Jim, who almost carried the same \search of freedom, just like Huck. Jim was a diligent,

Why can the horse think?

Why does the author stop by the woods?

How is the sound described in this poem? What effect does it achieve? Why does the last two lines repeat?

Because I Could Not Stop for Death 712 Because I could not stop for Death---- He kindly stopped for me---- The Carriage held out but just Ourselves---- And Immortality. We slowly drove---He knew no haste And I had put away My labor and my leisure too, For His Civility---- We passed the School, where Children strove At Recess---in the Ring--- We passed the Setting sun--- For only Gossamer, my Gown--- My Tippet---only Tulle--- We paused before a House that seemed A Swelling of the Ground---- The Roof was scarcely visible--- The Cornice---in the Ground--- Since then---’tis centuries---and yet Feels shorter than the Day I first surmised the Horses’ Heads Were toward Eternity--- 1863? 1890 Theme: a poem about death and immortality Rhetoric: personification honest, loyal black man. While no matter how hard he was working for his master, he never failed to be sold again and again. Each time he was sold, he would experience a more miserable life. In order to live a free life and control the fate of his own, he set foot on a way to escape. Same goal, same circumstances, Huck and Jim became good friend, and they helped each other and lived an easy and happy life on the Mississippi River. In order to help Jim to gain actual freedom, Huck had done a lot. Through thick and thin, they've known that the master of Jim had already released him in his testament. Setting:

SETTING (TIME) · Before the Civil War; roughly 1835–1845; Twain said the novel was set forty to fifty years

before the time of its publication

SETTING (PLACE) · The Mississippi River town of St. Petersburg, Missouri; various locations along the

river through Arkansas

MAJOR CONFLICT · At the beginning of the novel, Huck struggles against society and its attempts to civilize

him, represented by the Widow Douglas, Miss Watson, and other adults. Later, this conflict gains greater focus in Huck’s dealings with Jim, as Huck must decide whether to turn Jim in, as society demands, or to protect and help his friend instead.

CLIMAX · Huck considers but then decides against writing Miss Watson to tell her the Phelps family is

holding Jim, following his conscience rather than the prevailing morality of the day. Instead, Tom and Huck try to free Jim, and Tom is shot in the leg during the attempt.

FALLING ACTION · When Aunt Polly arrives at the Phelps farm and correctly identifies Tom and Huck, Tom

reveals that Miss Watson died two months earlier and freed Jim in her will. Afterward, Tom recovers from his wound, while Huck decides he is done with civilized society and makes plans to travel to the West. Characters:

Huck Finn- A young boy that seeks to run away from home. He is smart and efficient. Huck is the orphan of an absentee father and a deceased mother. He is uncivilized in manner and habit. He desires to flee his life, living on a raft, floating down the Mississippi River and doing as he pleases. Jim- A slave on Miss Watson's Plantation who later escapes and becomes Huck's first true friend. He is searching for his family and freedom. He is very superstitous and religious. Huck's father- An abusive, drunk old man who is using Huck for his money and advantages. The Duke and The the King- A devious duo who are corrupt and cause trouble. They meet up with Jim and Huck on the raft and scam cities out of money. Tom Sawyer- A boy about Huck's age. He is an idealist and a hopeless romantic, constantly pretending and creating situations in his head. Miss Watson- Foster mother who tried to civilize Huck, owner of Jim. Language:

Use of Colloquial Language

The book is written in a colloquial style, in the general standard speech of uneducated Americans. Moreover, the prose of Huckleberry Finn established the prose virtues of American colloquial speech. It has something to do with ease and freedom in the use of language. Most of all, it has to do with the structure of the sentence, which is simple, direct, and fluent, maintaining the rhythm of the word’s group of speech and the intonations of the speaking voice. Mark Twain’s colloquial style has influenced a large number of American writers. Vernacular Language

Mark Twain wrote in his unpretentious, colloquial, and poetic style. He used vernacular language, dialect with spelling representing pronunciation. Part of this comes from his interest in humor. The directness of the language is a very influential point in Twain’s style.

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