SYMBOL/THEME

Symbols play a huge part in a text's meaning. They can depict a scene, person, or object as innocent or tainted, and allow the reader to understand the author's true messages and feelings about a particular issue or object. As I stated in my last essay, To an Athlete Dying Young and Ulysses both utilize the symbol and theme of "Time" to describe how it ultimately destroys everything it crosses paths with;  “It withers quicker than the rose.” (Housman 12) The narrator's use of "withers" and "rose" in To an Athlete Dying Young describe his juxtaposing emotions and longing for the past. He uses lifeless words such as "withers" to depict the death of the athlete, and uses the passionate "rose" as a symbol for the athlete's once very precious and thriving life. This use of symbol, therefore , allows such a developed and detailed idea to be described in a simple and eloquent way. In addition, Ulysses by Tennyson discusses an old man's resentment towards Time. Odysseus, an old war hero, is frustrated and lonely; he feels as though he is worthless because his prime and glory days have passed him, and he is no longer the "macho man" he once was. He is now in a constant state of resentment towards Time because he feels as though it, alone, has ruined his life; " “The long day wanes; the slow moon climbs…” (Tennyson 55). The author uses words such as "long" and "slow" to clearly illustrate Odysseus' unhappiness and his unemotional outlook on life. In addition, when this line is read aloud, its assonance forces the reader to slow down the line, which, therefore, ultimately proves Odysseus' slowly-moving, unexciting life.   

SETTING

Setting not only allows the reader to put himself into a distinct era, location, and mood, but it also makes the substance of the text much more meaningful. For example, a plot can be described to the reader, but it means almost nothing if the reader is not given the setting. It allows the reader to connect aspects of a specific setting to the story; therefore giving more meaning and substance to the text. In Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, for example, the stuck-up, superficial society that Elizabeth is trapped in makes her story and circumstances that much more unique and different, compared to others in her town. In addition, Shakespeare’s Hamlet, portrays a very gloomy and ominous setting. This description reflects the overall plot, and therefore, strengthens the whole play’s significance. 

CHARACTER

In both Hamlet and Pride and Prejudice, there are two round-character protagonists; Hamlet himself, and Elizabeth. The two characters are in situations that illustrate big predicaments; in Hamlet, he is contemplating on how to seek revenge on his uncle, and in Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth is struggling to defy societal norms and figure out if she loves Mr. Darcy. The two texts differ, in that, Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice uses indirect characterization to illustrate her characters, while Shakepeare's Hamlet uses direct characterization to depict each individual character. In one, we are told what to assume and think, while in the other, we make our own conclusions and judgments of the characters through raw and un-sugar-coated conversations. In Austen's novel, Elizabeth is the uninterested, different, and intellectual woman, while her family and her peers are more self-consumed and interested in town gossip. In Shakespeare's Hamlet, however, Hamlet is a mourning and obsessive prince who must take revenge on his guilty uncle.

PLOT

The purpose of plot is to describe what happens in a narrative. Although every story has a plot, fictional and dramatic plots have their differences. For example, in William Shakespeare's Hamlet, the climax is built up to take place in the last act of the play (V) when Hamlet finally takes revenge on his guilty uncle, Claudius. The whole play is centered around Hamlet taking avengence on his new father, uncle, and King, and it is all finally accomplished when Hamlet uses Claudius' poisoned sword and wine. In Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, however, the protagonist, Elizabeth, experiences her own climax when Mr. Darcy writes a letter to her. Unlike Hamlet, Elizabeth's climax and epiphany takes place in the middle of the plot. She finally realizes that she, too, loves Darcy, and follows that love throughout the rest of the book.

Essay Comments

I'm very proud of my essay because I think it was well written and much better than my first one. I should have made my conclusion stronger and made it reflect to the main opening idea of the essay. I should also make more of an effort to proof read my essays multiple times to ensure that there are no careless errors or mistakes in my essay. I plan on focusing on improving my analysis, strengthening my thesis, and improving my conclusions in my next essays.

Intro Paragraph: To an Athlete Dying Young & Ulysses

To an Athelete Dying Young & Ulysses both describe the impact of "Time" on life. To an Athelete Dying Young describes the short life of a person who is missed dearly by his loved ones, while Ulysses, describes a narrator who is longing for the past because he is no longer in his prime. The two poems are different, in that, Odysseyus in Ulysses has lived too long, where the young athlete has lived too short. In addition, To an Athlete Dying Young describes the forever long glory that will follow the young athlete, while Ulysses' character is only waiting around to die; he sees nothing more to life because his heroic adventures are in the past. The two poems are similar, in that, they both deal with the advantages and disadvantages of Time, yet they are different because they deal with different views and situations due to the factor of Time. 

To an Athelete Dying Young & Ulysses

To an Athelete Dying Young & Ulysses are both poems that describe the impact of Time on life. To an Athelete Dying Young describes the short life of a person who is missed dearly by his loved ones. The poem's tone is sad and describes a longing for the past. In Ulysses, the speaker is longing for the past because he is no longer in his prime. The two poems are different, in that, Odysseyus in Ulysses has lived too long, where the young athlete has lived too short. In addition, To an Athlete Dying Young describes the forever long glory that will follow the young athlete; "Eyes the shady night has shut cannot see the record cut.." This claims that since the athlete is no longer alive, and his eyes are shut, he will, therefore, never be able to see the person who beats his record. He will always be remembered and his glory will always be with him. In comparison, Ulysses describes and old man's frustration with his old age, and his longing for his glory. He juxtaposes his longing for the past with amitious adjectives such as "smite" while the words he uses for his current age are very empty and unexcited, such as "slow." Ulysses also descrives the privilege of being young and seizing life as he had it, but is currently frustrated with his inability to do ambitious things like he used to be able to do. Now, he's just waiting for death to take him as its prisoner.

Ozymandias vs. Ponder These Bursted Statue

Ozymandias describes the serenity of time. Shelley illustrates this by characterizing time as a slow process. Life should not be rushed; rather, it should be enjoyed and taken slowly. Shelley's use of "antique land" shows her emphasis of the longing for the past and enjoyement of the time we have now. In contrast, Ponder These Bursted Statue emphasizes the idea of carpe diem, similarly illustrated in "To Hey Coy Mistress." E.E. Cummings wants to take advantage of the little time he has on earth to be with as many women as possible. He tries to persuade women to be with him by pressuring the aspect of time.