Literary History: Sylvia Plath, Andrew Marvell, Emily Dickinson and Mark Twain (Other (Not Listed) Sample)

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Biography
The essay seeks to explore the biography of four writers namely Sylvia Plath, Andrew Marvell, Emily Dickinson and Mark Twain acknowledged in literary history.The War Prayer by Mark Twain Samuel Langhorne Clemens, also known as Mark Twain, was an American writer born in November 30, 1835 in Florida, Missouri. His father was called John Marshall and Jane Lampton was his mother. Most people regard Mark Twain as the father of American Literature. Some of his famous works (Kaplan, 2005) are the adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry. Some other works of Mark Twain include; The Stolen White Elephant (1882), A Tramp Abroad (1880), and Life on the Mississippi (1883). Twain works explore realism style through exploration of nature, love and war issues. Twain was against oppression of any kind in his works. Mark Twain died in April 21, 1910. The War Prayer is a prose poem written by Mark Twain during the Spanish-American War. The war influenced Mark to write a poem that was published later. His family and publisher refused its publication because of its lunatic ideas (Kaplan, 2005). It was until 1916 the Harper Monthly issue published it during the World War I with the aim of disapproving the background of the war. The poem is about soldiers of an unnamed country preparing to go for war. Fellow countrymen especially Christians are described praying for the soldier’s victory (VanWyck 1920). As they were praying, an old man came in saying that there is a part that they are omitting in the prayers. The part was that of asking God to bring destruction to their enemies. The man was trying to make the point that one's blessings can be your neighbors curse. In this poem victory, in the war is a blessing to the soldiers, but a curse to the soldiers who will die. Some aspects of this poem such as its ethical ethos for patriotism and unity during a war excited me most. In the first and second stanza Mark describes how lovers, sisters, brothers, fathers and mothers are gathered together to glorify the soldiers and pray for their victory. In this country, the poet portrays all members as patriotic and unified to bring peace to their country. Secondly, the style of rhetorical questioning used by the poet is thrilling. The style provokes the reader to think diversely about the themes portrayed by the poet. Finally, the poem is balanced in both the pessimistic and lunatic views. The first and second stanza is optimistically in favor of the use of religion as a tool of victory in the war. However the last stanza brings the lunatic views of one’s blessings are another person’s curses. Although one may consider the lunatic ideas, religion is fundamental in human’s life. On the other hand, the weakness of the poem lies in the skeptics used towards religion. In the poem, Christian prayers are painted as instruments of enemy’s destruction. Christian believes that God is not a respecter of persons. God is fair and just to all and will not grant a person what will harm another. The poem lunatic base is profane according Christianity believes. In conclusion, the poem can be changed in the following ways to make it more appealing. The country under description should be given a name that is symbolic to the themes presented in the poem. In addition, a direct diction style should replace the prose descriptive style to help the reader of the poem to directly identify the purpose of the poem. Mark used a poor writing style that was not reference to the poetic genre. A poem should use short stanzas and short, direct rhythmical lines. Thus, one finds it hard to identify the purpose of the poet at first instance of reading his poem.Because I could not stop for Death by Emily Dickinson Emily Dickinson was an American poet born in 1830 in Massachusetts. Her father was Edward Dickinson and Emily Norcross was the mother. 'Because I could not stop for Death' was Emily's famous poem (Frank 2000) published after her death. Some other famous poems of Emily include; I’m nobody! Who are you? I dreaded that first Robin, A bird came down the walk, I had no time to hate because and A little road not made of man. Most of her writings explored the themes of nature, life and death. Emily died in 1886 after a long period living a life of seclusion. ‘Because I could not stop for Death’ poem was published after she died. In the poem, the persona was too busy and involved in the life activities that she did not have time for death. However death just like a gentleman so civilized and kind came to escort her to her eternity in a horse carriage. The lady had died million years ago, but the memories of how death was so kind to take her to immortality were memories alive as those of one day (Frank, 2000). She remembers how they passed through children playing in a ring, grain fields and the setting of the sun to her so called ‘house’ or the grave. The poet uses the persona to express the kindness of death thus it’s not something to be feared. This is ironical because in reality people are afraid of death. The strength of the poem lies in its richness of the stylistic devices. The poem personifies death as a kind person who leads its subjects to eternity. The poet describes death with words such as civilized and pronouns such as he and his used for persons. Secondly, the writer uses metaphor exhaustively. The passing through children playing, fields of grazing grain and setting of the sun is a symbol of the transition from childhood to life after death. Third, repetition and alliteration are also used in stanza three in the words ‘We passed’ and Grazing Grain to bring emphasis of life tiring routine events. Emphasis is also brought out by the use of capitalization and dashes to encourage longer pauses during reading. Additionally, the poet used the house as a metaphor to represent the persona’s grave. Finally, the poet uses direct language and style that make the poem easy to read and understand. The poem can be recommended as the most suitable class teaching aid in an English lesson of stylistic devices. Unfortunately the poem presents death as a trivial and lighthearted topic. In reality, death is something to be afraid of because it’s a reaper. After all, it comes undetected by its subjects. It takes away when it pleases even if the subject has not attained their purpose in life. Death is a reaper because it takes away infants and the innocent. It takes away loved ones, how is that kindness? Of course, this is the cruelty of death. In conclusion, the representation of death as a gentleman should be changed representing it as a cruel reaper. The poet should use a critical tone to disapprove the persona’s ideas about death. After all no one is sure if life after death is cruel or kind. Whether as an escort to eternity or a part of mortality, death is a reaper in my own view.To his Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvell Andrew was a metaphysical poet born in 1621 in Winestead-in-Holderness. Andrew's famous works include (Lee, 2008); A Dialogue between the Soul and Body and A Dialogue between Thyrsis and Dorinda. Andrew’s works explored the themes of love, death and nature. He died in 1678. In the poem ‘To his Coy Mistress,' the poet uses a persona who want his mistress to give up her coyness because time and space limit them. The persona says that if they had enough time in the world, the mistress coyness is not a crime in the first stanza. However, in the second stanza he expresses that the space limits time and life are short, but death is forever. Thus if the mistress does not give up he coyness the worms will prey on her virginity upon death in the grave (Lee, 2008). The third stanza, therefore, summarizes how the persona advices the mistress to let them pursue their pleasure and love through sex before time pursues them. In this poem, I liked how the poet logically arranges his ideas in a chronological manner from if time was there (stanza1), to but it is not there and finally (stanza2), therefore, we should pursue it ( stanza3).Secondly, the poet sufficiently used metaphors such as a vegetable as a symbol ...