William Cullen Bryant

The Humble Poets: Anne Bradstreet and William Cullen Bryant From the settling of America to its Civil War, literature changed rapidly and gave future readers an idea of the struggles throughout that time period. Poets, in particular, were excellent at capturing the emotional tone of the time and discovering new meanings around and within themselves. Anne Bradstreet—a Puritan poet that came to America with John Winthrop—and William Cullen Bryant—a Romantic poet writing in post-Revolutionary America—represent well that literary shift in style and context. Further illustration of the changing literature throughout time is found by comparing Bradstreet and Taylor’s similar upbringing, an aversion to publicity, similar choice in topics, differing styles, and differing periods—Romantic and Puritan. Bradstreet and Bryant grew up in and were surrounded by religious and supportive family members. Raised as a Puritan by parents…

William Cullen Bryant was an influential Romantic poet in the 1800s. Common themes such as nature appear in many of Bryant’s poems. His poem “Thanatopsis” speaks directly to those who share a “love of Nature,” offering comfort regarding thoughts of death. Bryant’s use of structure, imagery, and selection of detail creates a unique perspective of death. Bryant opens “Thanatopsis” by vividly describing one’s relationship with nature. He creates an image of a humanlike nature by using…

In William Cullen Bryant’s poem “Thanatopsis,” Bryant illustrates the peaceful approach of death and the role nature plays in the process. I feel that the narrator of this poem is Bryant himself, and it is as if he is relaying advice to the reader about how one should approach death. This poem depicts death as a positive experience as opposed to a negative one, as many people view it to be. Bryant expresses how one must embrace one’s return to nature peacefully through the poem’s structure and…

The name of the poem is "Thanatopsis" by William Cullen Bryant. The speaker of this poem is someone who is talking to another person who is dying. I think that he's reassuring his friend that he will go peacefully. The purpose is because the speaker's friend died and he is mourning his death, but later he wants to let the reader know that he is no longer afraid of it. The speaker was originally upset and angry about his friend's passing, but his attitude toward death changes because he accepted…

To Live or Not to Live: The True Message of William Cullen Bryant’s “Thanatopsis” Life and death are common subjects seen throughout different written forms for as long as mankind has been around. This statement is definitely true for the poem “Thanatopsis” by William Cullen Bryant. There is no denying that the general themes are about discussing living as well as dying. However, what is ambiguous is which topic Bryant is trying to advocate for. Although the poem title itself references…

the beginning of a new life and others believe it is the end of a life. William Cullen Bryant, and Dylan Thomas have rather contrasting views on death, and this is primarily due to differences in their lives as well as their religion. These are both important aspects pertaining to death and can be influential to a person’s thought process. This all made obvious in their poems “Thanatopsis” and “Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night.” In Bryant’s poem, “Thanatopsis” and Thomas’s poem, “Do…

Bryant was thought of as a genius and marked character. His talent had been overlooked because he refused to promote himself. He would quietly publish his works without making a big deal about their importance. Bryant enjoyed writing poetry, but after his father had informed him he could no longer afford his college expenses, he started preparing for a career in the legal field by working in the law office of a family friend. He continued to write poetry while working in the legal field. After…

Many authors and poets current and past have discussed “death, aging and dying” and how it relates to the human condition. William Cullen Bryant is one of the most well-known poets to write about this topic. By examining death, aging and dying within “Thanatopsis” readers can better understand how it connects with nature within us all.William Cullen Bryant key elements throughout the poem refers to symbolism, imagery and the setting. There are many different forms of symbolism and imagery in…

Romantic Literature Romantic literature is defined as the individual's expression of emotions, awe of nature, imagination, fixation on/analysis of death, etc. Some great authors include Walt Whitman, Edgar Allan Poe, William Cullen Bryant, Washington Irving, and many more. Throughout this essay I will do an analysis on these stories: The Devil and Tom Walker, Thanatopsis, and section 33 from Song of Myself. The Devil and Tom Walker by Washington Irving, is about a common man who lives in the…

Final Project My adopted artwork was called Bathers by Eugene Delacroix. I admired this specific painting because it reminded me of my hiking trips. I’ve gone hiking in Lake Poway (Potato Chip Rock), Cowles Mountain, and Torrey Pines State Reserve. There’s a hike called Three Sisters Falls that I have not visited, but plan on doing one day. I’ve seen pictures and videos of people sliding down and lounging by the waterfall which was similar to the Turkish women in Bathers. When I looked at this…