Wordsworth's and Blake's Criticism of the Society (Essay Sample)

Literature
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Literature Questions
Question One: Wordsworth’s and Blake’s Criticism of the Society
Both Wordsworth’s The World I too Much With Us: Late and Soon and Blake’s The Chimney Sweeper appear to criticize the social structural of the society. In his poem, William Wordsworth criticizes the society and world of the fact that the First Industrial Revolution saw a universe whereby every individual was keen to enrich himself while distancing himself from the requirements of nature. He views materialism is an ‘evil’ that seemed to take man off from his original connection with Mother Nature. In the poem, Wordsworth appears cynical of the decadent material and ignorance of that particular moment in time. He therefore encourages and believes that people should be ready to get closer to the natural environment as the only way towards realizing spiritual progress. He predicts bad times unless man changes his interaction with nature. Therefore his visions are those of a man who is closely in touch with nature and not with the contemporaries.
On the other hand, the poem The Chimney Sweeper by William Blake is seen to criticize the society for its dark practice of practicing child labor. During that time, England was practicing child labor between eighteenth and nineteenth century. According to Blake, children as young as four to six years were being sold to clean factory chimneys because they were smaller than the older individuals. This was a sign of oppression and therefore Blake believed that the practice was totally unacceptable. As the name suggests, the children were suffering and the reason he decided to criticize the practice through the poem. He uses angels to symbolize the expected move to make sure all young children have been taken care of without having to torture them through hard labor at a very tender age. This should be seen as the only path towards prosperity of their society.
Question Two: Wordsworth and Coleridge, and Man’s Relationship with Nature
Most of the earlier poets had a way of connecting their work with nature. They believed that nature was our mother, and also guaranteed humanity and the posterity of all the other living creatures. A good example is the poem My Heart Leaps Up by Wordsworth and The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Coleridge. My Heart Leaps Up is presented by the poet as a declaration of how nature moves him because of its beauty. He enjoys witnessing the rainbow and beauty offereed by nature. As well, he presents the form of attachment existing between children and older men. Children appear to be superior since they have good proximity to nature than men. It is in the same way that the poet goes ahead to wish he could be bound to by nature. His poem therefore shows how nature is the source of happiness and beauty for all of us.
As well, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Coleridge tries to relate the connection of nature and children. He gives this by analyzing his own childhood. He views the fragility and innocence of children as something necessary. This way a child should be given the best upbringing from the environment and not in the streets. He views the rotting components in Rimes as something discouraging and destructive to nature.
According to the poet, nature is something relevant to every one of us and therefore it should be carefully taken care of in order for it to take care of us. Basically, this poem tries to explore nature as it is characterized by uncertainty of the modern religion. He says that without God then nature will be something misleading and unintelligible. This can as well result in rationalization and superstition of our naturally occurring resources.
Question Three: Clash between Older and Younger Generation: Fathers and Children
In Ivan Turgenev’s novel, Fathers and Children, it is notable that there exists a big clash between the fundamental ideas of the younger generations and those of the older ones. Such kind of clash tends to create conflict between the fathers and sons. It is notable that the issue of nihilism is present with the younger generation (or sons) who are very active trying to reject the ‘societal order’ portrayed by the older generation. There is also cultural difference or schism in the Russian society at the time when this novel was written by Ivan. The nihilists appear to be after a change to a Western-based foundation for Russia. Issues of Christianity also separated the people in terms of opinions and ideologies. Such a situation and existing differences continued to exist in Russia and also in other parts of the world. However, the application of science and philosophical approaches appear to solve the major differences faced between the sons and their fathers. Eventually there is an upsurge of love and human emotion which eventually becomes the redemption in the society.
The existing differences come into being as the sons try to borrow much from the west and believe it would be better for the Russian nation. As well, their fathers are objected to their nihilism and therefore they remain liberal to their old ways. This causes greater differences between sons and fathers and illustrated by relationship between Bazarov and his father Ivanovich who believes he has been alienated by the modern ideas and therefore views God as the way out. Reunion of different individuals in the story creates a new environment whereby ideas and opinions are shared thereby trying to resolve the existing conflicts slowly by slowly. Very soon modernity is accepted in the Russian society and appreciation of religious faith.
Question Four: Bazarov and Paval ad ‘Blockers’
From Ivan Turgenev’s novel, Fathers and Children, we note that Pavel and Bazarov have been presented as ‘blockers’ who are very willing and ready to prevent the other characters from acting in the way they would wish to. To begin with, Yevgency Bazarov is represented as a nihilist and a protagonist of the narration by Turgenev. He is also a student who has studied science and at the moment he is training to become a qualified doctor. He becomes a blocker because he either influences people in the story to act according to his expectations or by making it hard for them to achieve their anticipated acts and expectations from life. For instance, he begins by challenging the ideas of liberal groups thereby making hard for them to exercise their expectations. He also makes it impossible for the other characters to achieve their goals. For instance, Anna Odintsova is forced to become an entertainer of the nihilists other than pursuing something different in her life. He also prevents his brother from acting as he would have wished to.
Pavel Kirsanov, who is presented by the author as Nikolai’s brother, is a bourgeois and prides himself for his aristocratic pretensions. Despite the fact that he belongs to the class of the aristocratic, he is a nihilist who is following the ongoing reform agenda. As well, it is notable from the text that he hates Bazarov. Pavel is also presented as a blocker who is opposed to the story’s protagonist. He influences or prevents other characters from expressing themselves or acting as they would have wanted to. This is achieved through ideological positions and fundamental discussions. These approaches force the other characters to behave and act differently from what they would be if it had not been for these two ‘blockers’ portrayed in the novel by the author.
Question Five: Ibsen’s Attitude towards the Treatment of Women
In his works, Henrik Ibsen develops the attitude towards the issues facing women and how they were treated during the Victorian. Ibsen does this by analyzing the lives of characters such as Hedda Gabler, Nora Helmer, Thea Elvsted and Kristine Linda. By using these characters, Ibsen explains how women were being treated with prejudice in the society; however they fought hard to make sure they won the battle and achieve equality with their fellow men. For example, Ibsen attempts to explain how Nora Helmer was determined and how she managed to b...