Psychopomp

The poem “The Thought-Fox” is written by Ted Hughes’ in 1957. The poem exists out of descriptive and figurative language; this language is used to emphasize the intrinsic and complex relationship between a poet and the poet literary creations. The poem is a six-stanza poem that is all quatrains, with one or two full end rhymes. The poet carefully used different punctuation and enjambment to the rhythms of the fox as it moves onto the page come through. The poem deals with 6 stanzas and 4 completed lines. Each stanza deals with 4 incomplete lines and the poet uses the present tense in this poem because it is a recent event that happened. The metaphors are clearly noticeable during the poem because, if I have understood correctly the poem, the poem is itself a metaphor. The fox is the entire poem itself. The poet has also used many dramatic themes and words which make the poem more attractive ("Critical Analysis Of The Thought Fox By Ted Hughes"). The poem rhyme’s structure followed is A / A / B / B in the first stanza but in the second stanza, it changes to C / C / D / D (Mural.uv.es.). The first two stanzas set the scene for the poem. The atmosphere is full with hope in the first two stanzas. The poem takes place in a room late at night where the poet is sitting at his desk and is busy writing this poem. He is all alone with just the clock ticking in the background. The poet wonders around for motivation, but rejects the typical poetic trope of the stars, but instead…

In our world, life is regarded as everything, while death is the termination of it. Often referred as two polar opposites, the connection between the two is more than linked, as death cannot exist without life, defining the end of the cycle of life. While life is often cherished and beloved, death remains in the corners of obscurity, bringing terror and fear when mentioned. To make sense of death and mortality, humans have relied on a tried-and-true method: To give death a form they can…

In the novel The Sorrow of War, by Bao Ninh, it explores the internal struggle of a veteran; he had fought in North Vietnam during the Vietnam War. The main character of the novel, Kien, participated in the war on the day that it broke out and resigned on the day that it ended. He survives through the nineteen years of intense violence in the warfare. Not only did he fight in the Vietnam War, but also he was fighting in the front lines throughout the war, which decrease his chance of surviving…

This is the “appointment” that every person has in the limbo state before meeting Death. The Lady, “pale and troubled,” was in the “fullest bloom of her years” when she died. She has done some actions in her life which she desires to see the consequences. The Crone takes the form of a corrupted Psychopomp. Psychopomps are mythological creatures who guides souls to the afterlife. The most commonly known Psychopomps are Hermes from Greek mythology and Anubis from Egyptian mythology (Strong). She…

In classical mythology a trickster was more of a character who controls and manipulates boundaries in order to win fame. The characteristic of a trickster back then was this belief that a trickster should have certain attributes such as being a psychopomp (guider of souls), a liar, a thief, and even someone who’s able to persuade others. But one of the classical myth beliefs that differs from our modern society cultural truth values and caught my attention in The Odyssey is Hermes ability to be…

distraught by the presence of such a seemingly impassable obstacle (Monkey 281). This thin and slippery bridge represents the path to enlightenment that was understood before Mahayana Buddhism rose to popularity. Before Mahayana, the path to enlightenment seemed to be inhumanely strict and narrow, requiring such godly discipline and strength that Nirvana could never have been reached by a mere man. Tripitaka’s fear represents the fear of the average man when faced with such an arduous challenge…

women in the Greek society. These were also seen as rites that brought young girls, now women, into the religious fold of Greece. The next passage that both sexes went through was marriage. Marriage itself was not particularly religious, but after the ceremony the new husband introduced the wife around the home, taking special attention to introducing her to the hearth of the home and Hestia, much like the introduction of a newborn during Amphidromia. The final rite of passage was death. This…

Korean shamanism is a religion which includes many communal and private magic rituals. The rituals rely on the shaman’s individual experience as well as her abilities to contact the spirit world where the shamanistic gods live. By communicating and placating the gods, the shaman can predict and change the future. For over 40,000 years, people have believed that there is another world where all the spirits live. It is this idea that Shamanism is based on. The roots of this religion in Korea…

“I’m already busy. Just magic away the dust at least,” she gestured to the desk’s dusty state. “I’m not a magician. I am…” She cut him off with a wave of her hand, “Yea, yea, you’re Death. Gatekeeper and psychopomp to the land of the dead.” He tilted his head to the side at the blasé description. “By the way, I’m not calling you Death,” she started separating the yellow folders into their own piles. Turning over her shoulder she glared at him, “or boss.” He blinked, “I can’t tell. Are you…