Archetypes are universal patterns in all literatures regardless of culture and historical period. This pattern can be seen in characters, settings, events, symbols and themes. In poem Who Am I?, the speaker looks for his own identity as he does not see himself the way others recognize him. Although he cannot find answer to the question “Who am I?”(1), he accepts himself as a child of God in the end. There are archetypal themes, symbols, and Frye’s Literary Modes and Archetypes in the poem which can make connections with other literatures such as Pride and Prejudice, Ode to Nightingale, Ode to West Wind and Hamlet. Self-realization is an archetypal theme of Who Am I?. Throughout the poem, speaker talks about how others tell him who
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There is dawn, spring and birth phase which corresponds to romance mode and the birth of a hero. This phase can be seen in the poem Who Am I?. For example, when others “often tell [him], [he] come[s] out of [his] cell Calmly, cheerfully, resolutely, Like a lord from his palace”(1-4), he questions himself whether “[he is] really then what others say of [him]”(13). However, in the end, he comes to the realization that he is a child of God as he says “Whoever I am, You know me, I am yours, O God” (30). This shows birth phase because he completes his maturation as he becomes aware of his identity and reborns as the child of God. Similarly, this phase can be seen in Ode to the West Wind. For example, the West Wind is described as a “preserver”(I.14) because it can bring “the winged seeds [other places] … and fill [lands] with living hues and odours plain and hill”(I.10-12). This shows birth phase because the wind helps the seeds to spread and new life to begin in spring. Additionally, this phase coincides with the literary mode of romance. In Pride and Prejudice, there are scenes where Jane Austen creates romantic mood using figurative language and imagery. For example, when Elizabeth replies to Darcy’s second proposal, she “color[s] and laugh[s]”(pg. 349). In this line, sight imagery is used because Elizabeth’s physical appearance is being described. This implies that Elizabeth is blushing from happiness and pleasure. Also, Darcy“expresse[s] himself on the occasion as sensibly and as warmly as a man violently in love can supposed to do”(pg. 348-349). In this situation, simile is being used to show how delighted he is as Elizabeth accepts his proposal. Therefore, it can be said that Frye’s Archetypes and Modes of Literatures can be used to show similarities between Who Am I?, Ode to the West Wind and
There is dawn, spring and birth phase which corresponds to romance mode and the birth of a hero. This phase can be seen in the poem Who Am I?. For example, when others “often tell [him], [he] come[s] out of [his] cell Calmly, cheerfully, resolutely, Like a lord from his palace”(1-4), he questions himself whether “[he is] really then what others say of [him]”(13). However, in the end, he comes to the realization that he is a child of God as he says “Whoever I am, You know me, I am yours, O God” (30). This shows birth phase because he completes his maturation as he becomes aware of his identity and reborns as the child of God. Similarly, this phase can be seen in Ode to the West Wind. For example, the West Wind is described as a “preserver”(I.14) because it can bring “the winged seeds [other places] … and fill [lands] with living hues and odours plain and hill”(I.10-12). This shows birth phase because the wind helps the seeds to spread and new life to begin in spring. Additionally, this phase coincides with the literary mode of romance. In Pride and Prejudice, there are scenes where Jane Austen creates romantic mood using figurative language and imagery. For example, when Elizabeth replies to Darcy’s second proposal, she “color[s] and laugh[s]”(pg. 349). In this line, sight imagery is used because Elizabeth’s physical appearance is being described. This implies that Elizabeth is blushing from happiness and pleasure. Also, Darcy“expresse[s] himself on the occasion as sensibly and as warmly as a man violently in love can supposed to do”(pg. 348-349). In this situation, simile is being used to show how delighted he is as Elizabeth accepts his proposal. Therefore, it can be said that Frye’s Archetypes and Modes of Literatures can be used to show similarities between Who Am I?, Ode to the West Wind and