Josh Smith Miss Nelson Period 3 4-30-15
Old Ironsides American poet Oliver Wendell Holmes penned the poem Old Ironsides in response to a newspaper article he read about the USS Constitution. The USS Constitution was a navel frigate used during many wars and was involved in numerous battles. The USS Constitution achieved many victories and was given the name Old Ironsides, since its walls were made out of iron and it was commonly said that cannon balls just bounced off the sides of the ship. Eventually the navy wanted to dismantle the ship as it was now old and believed to be of no further use. Holmes, however, believed that a ship as glorious and stately as Old Ironsides should receive …show more content…
Holmes used an iambic meter with stressed and unstressed syllables. Imagery is used throughout the poem, but especially in the last stanza, which says “And give her to the god of storms, The lightning and the gale!'” Vivid language is essential to the poem; it allows the reader to have a mental picture of the patriotism and glory of the ship. Holmes also implemented vivid language in the first stanza where he said, “Aye tear her tattered ensign down, Long has it waved on high, And many an eye has danced to see, That banner in the sky.” This use of the writer’s vivid language creates an emotional response from the reader when they realize just what a special ship Old Ironsides …show more content…
Specifically when describing the winds, he wrote, “When winds were hurrying o'er the flood, And waves were white below”. This line portrays the wind hurrying as an individual would hurry. The poet divided the poem into three different stanzas. The first stanza discusses the sails and glory in battle. The second stanza shows the heroic actions of those who died on the ship. It also explains how long the ship has been in use and the great importance of the flags. Lives of heroic men, who were fighting for what they believed in died, along with lives of their foes. The final stanza states that the ship would be better off sinking in the ocean then being dismantled by the navy. Holmes also used the metaphor “eagle of the sea.” His audience, the American reader, could easily identify the eagle comparison as a national patriotic symbol of freedom. The poet, Holmes, also included many important figurative meanings throughout the poem. The reference to ship and its banners symbolizes freedom. Oliver also pointed to the fact of the number of lives which were lost aboard the ship in the various its battle engagements . The lost lives symbolized the need for the ship not to be destroyed, but to be preserved as a monument for later generations to remember the sacrifice of those who gave their lives and to show respect for the dead. The glory of the ship is described in stanza three
Old Ironsides American poet Oliver Wendell Holmes penned the poem Old Ironsides in response to a newspaper article he read about the USS Constitution. The USS Constitution was a navel frigate used during many wars and was involved in numerous battles. The USS Constitution achieved many victories and was given the name Old Ironsides, since its walls were made out of iron and it was commonly said that cannon balls just bounced off the sides of the ship. Eventually the navy wanted to dismantle the ship as it was now old and believed to be of no further use. Holmes, however, believed that a ship as glorious and stately as Old Ironsides should receive …show more content…
Holmes used an iambic meter with stressed and unstressed syllables. Imagery is used throughout the poem, but especially in the last stanza, which says “And give her to the god of storms, The lightning and the gale!'” Vivid language is essential to the poem; it allows the reader to have a mental picture of the patriotism and glory of the ship. Holmes also implemented vivid language in the first stanza where he said, “Aye tear her tattered ensign down, Long has it waved on high, And many an eye has danced to see, That banner in the sky.” This use of the writer’s vivid language creates an emotional response from the reader when they realize just what a special ship Old Ironsides …show more content…
Specifically when describing the winds, he wrote, “When winds were hurrying o'er the flood, And waves were white below”. This line portrays the wind hurrying as an individual would hurry. The poet divided the poem into three different stanzas. The first stanza discusses the sails and glory in battle. The second stanza shows the heroic actions of those who died on the ship. It also explains how long the ship has been in use and the great importance of the flags. Lives of heroic men, who were fighting for what they believed in died, along with lives of their foes. The final stanza states that the ship would be better off sinking in the ocean then being dismantled by the navy. Holmes also used the metaphor “eagle of the sea.” His audience, the American reader, could easily identify the eagle comparison as a national patriotic symbol of freedom. The poet, Holmes, also included many important figurative meanings throughout the poem. The reference to ship and its banners symbolizes freedom. Oliver also pointed to the fact of the number of lives which were lost aboard the ship in the various its battle engagements . The lost lives symbolized the need for the ship not to be destroyed, but to be preserved as a monument for later generations to remember the sacrifice of those who gave their lives and to show respect for the dead. The glory of the ship is described in stanza three