Fire and Ice

Part I: I like this poem because it is very personal for me. I tend to become be effected by these particular emotions (desire/hate) in an extreme way, so the pairing of those emotions with an element (fire/ice), and particularly that element in the context of the destruction of the Universe, sheds a new light on that event. More importantly, it allows me to identify with Frost. With regards to the human condition, Robert Frost truly nails it in this poem.

Part II:
The end of the world, Judgement day, or some other cataclysmic event is certainly a common belief held by mankind. There is almost a natural inclination to believe in it, seeing how its presence is almost archetypal across the world's cultural history. In "Fire and Ice," Robert Frost is relating the essence of destruction with two particular human conditions. This is such a beautiful metaphor, simply because the thought of the end of days is often detached, a remote reality that is far from our current state of affairs. The metaphors used by Frost, relating fire with desire, and hate with ice, allow one to achieve a new closeness with the horrors that are foretold about this Great Day.. Thanks Rob! But really, to think of a time when we were forced to hold back in a moment of classic road rage truly helps personalize the fiery chaos of the inferno. That freezing feeling of being snubbed by a close (and grumpy) someone on a bad day definately invokes the image of looming, powerful, and merciless ice. Why? Because we experience that droplet of Hellfire so intimately, and the fact that it overwhelms us so gives us an indicator about immensity and seriousness of the fate that possibly befalls us all.

Ode to a Grecian Urn

PART 1: My reaction to this poem is similar to the Keats poem we read in class. He is vaguely touching on the power of the unseen- especially in lines 11-14. A trend in this poetry is the obvious stimuli of the known world. With all it's grandeur and "in-your-face" imagery, this world seems to disappoint Keats, and he is consistently fantasizing about the veiled beauty and deep immensity of the surreal. It is almost like Keats is a hopeless romantic that is forever chasing the unseen, a realm that seems to always be playing hard to get.

PART 2: The last stanza of this poem is expressing the eternal life and importance of truth. The urn could represent spiritual endeavor, something which most people find themselves struggling with in life. The act of seeking truth, and aligning oneself with the ever-elusive spiritual realm, fosters a sense of detachment from the temptations and distractions of this world, and will always remain a challenge to men. This is what is conveyed in lines "When old age shall this generation waste, Thou shalt remain, in midst of other woe." I believe this is referring to the constant pursuit of truth, and also implies the almost always inevitable short-comings.

WELCOME TO ENGLISH 200!!

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