English 1 Kristen Brenda Walker
Group M April 08 2016
Tuesday 12:20 Douglas Kaze
Conduct a critical analysis of the poem “In My Craft or Sullen Art” by Dylan Thomas
Dylan Thomas explores a poet’s love and devotion to poetry through the poem “In My Craft or Sullen Art”. Thomas was a well-known Modernist poet who challenged the primary values of the Western society. His attitude towards society is made evident through the words in the poem. He focuses on the poet’s love for poetry but also comments on how the poet is undervalued by society and his audience. As there are many ideas present throughout the poem, this essay will focus mainly on the poet’s admiration for poetry and how he lacks recognition for his work. The …show more content…
In line 12, “Not for the proud man apart”, one can identify that the poet has a deep admiration for poetry. This is why he devotes his life to it and can be seem as a modest man. One can see that this poem is about writing poetry as, the poet uses words such as “I labour by signing light” (6) and “From the raging moon I write” (13).These are descriptions about writing which inform us that he indeed is writing about poetry. From the reader’s point of view it seems that the poet is critiquing society as a whole. This is evident in the way that the poet devotes a great deal of effort into the poems “I labour by singing light” (6) ,yet he receives little to no acknowledgement for the beauty he creates “who pay no praises or wages” (19). From the hearer’s point of view it would appear that the poet is dissatisfied with the lovers. He is writing poetry about these people, yet they do not seem aware of his work. He writes his work purely out of passion and love for poetry and not for fortune or fame “I labour by singing light not for ambition or bread” (6-7). It seems that the poet wants the lovers whom he writes about to at least acknowledge his laborious efforts. He does not want to be a world famous …show more content…
The poet uses very specific words to illustrate his frustrations about the fact that he is not recognised by the lovers. The diction used is harsh and very descriptive in their imagery. He uses words like “sullen” (1), “griefs” (5), “raging” (13) and “towering” (15). These words portray the poet’s emotions and how upset and defeated he feels. The structure of the poem is designed in such a way that initially we are told about how the poet’s work is unrewarded in the modern world. This idea of the art being unrewarded can been seen in line 1 by the words “sullen art”. The poet then goes on to tell us how he only gets inspiration from the moon while the lovers sleep unaware of their impact on the poet’s work “when only the moon rages and the lovers lie abed” (3-4). He then constructs this notion that he is all alone and nobody seems to appreciate the long hours that he puts into his work “I labour by singing light…Not for ambition or bread” (6-7). There is then a reference to modern society and how poets nowadays are consumed by fame and fortune “or the strut and trade charms…On the ivory stages” (8-9). They are missing the beauty
Group M April 08 2016
Tuesday 12:20 Douglas Kaze
Conduct a critical analysis of the poem “In My Craft or Sullen Art” by Dylan Thomas
Dylan Thomas explores a poet’s love and devotion to poetry through the poem “In My Craft or Sullen Art”. Thomas was a well-known Modernist poet who challenged the primary values of the Western society. His attitude towards society is made evident through the words in the poem. He focuses on the poet’s love for poetry but also comments on how the poet is undervalued by society and his audience. As there are many ideas present throughout the poem, this essay will focus mainly on the poet’s admiration for poetry and how he lacks recognition for his work. The …show more content…
In line 12, “Not for the proud man apart”, one can identify that the poet has a deep admiration for poetry. This is why he devotes his life to it and can be seem as a modest man. One can see that this poem is about writing poetry as, the poet uses words such as “I labour by signing light” (6) and “From the raging moon I write” (13).These are descriptions about writing which inform us that he indeed is writing about poetry. From the reader’s point of view it seems that the poet is critiquing society as a whole. This is evident in the way that the poet devotes a great deal of effort into the poems “I labour by singing light” (6) ,yet he receives little to no acknowledgement for the beauty he creates “who pay no praises or wages” (19). From the hearer’s point of view it would appear that the poet is dissatisfied with the lovers. He is writing poetry about these people, yet they do not seem aware of his work. He writes his work purely out of passion and love for poetry and not for fortune or fame “I labour by singing light not for ambition or bread” (6-7). It seems that the poet wants the lovers whom he writes about to at least acknowledge his laborious efforts. He does not want to be a world famous …show more content…
The poet uses very specific words to illustrate his frustrations about the fact that he is not recognised by the lovers. The diction used is harsh and very descriptive in their imagery. He uses words like “sullen” (1), “griefs” (5), “raging” (13) and “towering” (15). These words portray the poet’s emotions and how upset and defeated he feels. The structure of the poem is designed in such a way that initially we are told about how the poet’s work is unrewarded in the modern world. This idea of the art being unrewarded can been seen in line 1 by the words “sullen art”. The poet then goes on to tell us how he only gets inspiration from the moon while the lovers sleep unaware of their impact on the poet’s work “when only the moon rages and the lovers lie abed” (3-4). He then constructs this notion that he is all alone and nobody seems to appreciate the long hours that he puts into his work “I labour by singing light…Not for ambition or bread” (6-7). There is then a reference to modern society and how poets nowadays are consumed by fame and fortune “or the strut and trade charms…On the ivory stages” (8-9). They are missing the beauty