African American poets

The aim of this assignment is to depict the various differences and similarities in Donne’s courtly sonnets and holy sonnet sequence, with reference to “A Valediction Forbidding Mourning” and “Holy Sonnet XIV”. “A Valediction Forbidding Mourning” depicts through various conceits and metaphors the theme of the bond between two lovers who are separated physically, but are not ready to sacrifice their relationship and passion due to the mere fact that they are separated by distance. This poem…

George Santayana (1863-1952) [Madrid, Harvard, Rome]. A poet and essayist as well as a philosopher, George is an outstanding representative of Critical Realism, a form of naturalism. The objects of knowledge occupy either of two statuses; they may be existing substances or subsisting essences, though it is impossible to prove the independent existence of either type of object. Santayana stated that we believe in the objectivity of substance on the basis of animal faith. The ultimate substance…

Jennifer Strauss, Les Murray and Elizabeth Riddell explore the similar idea of loss of innocence. Strauss expresses concern for her son, whom has lost his innocence to his own anger and depression, through various contrasts. In the opening stanza she describes her son as ‘weightless of cause or consequence,’ which highlights the innocence of her son, unburdened by responsibility. Specifically, the term ‘weightless’ is used as an analogy to compare her son to the likes of Armstrong. This image…

making Donne’s sermons his only overtly religious writings. Caroline Spurgeon considers none of Donne’s poems specifically to be churchly. She maintains that Donne was “richly endowed with intellectual gifts, yet failed to reach the highest rank as a poet” (Spurgeon 73). These critics argue that in spite of Donne’s position in the church and habits of thought, Donne was “alien to mysticism” (Thomson 193). Thomson evidences Donne’s fascination for the mystics’ way of thinking, especially in the…

Fresh Bait by Sherryl Clark is a short story regards a High School teacher that journeys to the Australians Outback in an attempt to find the killer of a university student called Melanie. Melanie was hitchhiking when she was killed by an unknown killer. The young man journeys to the Australians Outback to find the killer. The main protagonist in Fresh Bait is young man. Through the story the young man’s name and gender is never revealed. However I assumed that the main character was a man…

Donne declares love a quick draw, a tyrant and a powerful master that can turn even the strongest hearts to glass. In the first stanza, the speaker compares love to the plague and to a powder blast using metaphor and hyperbole. He states: “Who will believe me, if I swear/ That I have had the plague a year?/ Who would not laugh at me, if I should say/ I saw a flash of powder burn a day?” He extends the metaphor to love saying that no one could possibly be in love for an hour, because love can…

based upon their place in contemporary times. In his inaugural address, President John Kennedy (a war hero) had urged people to commit themselves to something greater than themselves. The most famous lines from that speech were: And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your…

Alice Malsenior Walker is an American writer who was born in a poor family and now has a book that is an American classic. She used her experiences to help her write the majority of her work, the most famous being, The Color Purple. Walker had a BB gun accident when she was a child and it impacted her life tremendously and gave her opportunities to go to college where she was influenced to become a writer. Her writing style belongs to the Contemporary or Postmodern era of literature that is…

However, Harlem Renaissance signified the African-American movement that emerged during the African-American struggle in the south, numerous amount of males lynchings. Therefore, cruel treatment, humiliation African-American started the massive migration to northern states signifies the African-American movement that occurred in New York. Because of the Harlem Renaissance rebirth of African-American culture connections, art, poetry, music, art forms new techniques and culture. During the history…

2017 I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings and Maya's Hardships I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings was written by an award winning author and poet Maya Angelou. Maya became a civil rights activist. This book was written in the 1930s in a very controversial time in which the United States was fighting over segregation. Maya's parents divorced while she was at a young age. Maya lived with her grandmother who was called momma in Stamps, Arkansas. Big Bailey, Maya's father arrives to take her and Bailey to…