Katie Goldberg writes:
I really like rhyming couplets and Poe's "Dreams" is composed of them. The only problems I have with the poem are the amount of syllables he squeezes into each line and I also have one qualm with his word choice. . . (rest in Comments)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
katie continues:
"He squeezes 10-11 syllables, or feet, into the lines which makes the poem stumble a bit."
[in English we count stresses, not syllables. A foot is a unit of stress, and it has either two or three syllables: daDAH, DAHda, dadaDAH, DAHdada.
" It is awkward to read because of the numerous iambs. Two of the most awkward lines are:
"Of an eternity should bring the morrow!
Yes, though that long dream were of hopeless sorrow,"
[there's nothing inherently awkward about an iamb. You and I, and poets by the bucketload, speak them all the time. I think your point here--and it's a good one--is that he starts with three unstressed syllables. You're not allowed to do that: a foot by definition has a stress in it. As you figured out, it sounds weird, unnatural (or even more unnatural than is typical in poetry).
Of an e/ TERni / TY should / BRING the / MORrow
[On top of that, the first foot has three syllables, though you could also run together, or elide, them: "of 'ne TER nity.]
"I admire what Poe is trying to do but it just seems clumsy in a way because he is trying so hard to force his words into a certain form that they do not fit."
[That's exactly right, as seen above!]
"The words, also, do not roll off the tongue very well because they contain too many consonants."
[Hmm. . . not so sure that's a compelling explanation. How many consonants is "too many"? Unless you can show it precisely, I think you're better off pointing out the off rhythm, as above, and the forcing of words into stressed positions where they wouldn't seem naturally to go.]
And what's with rhyming "given" with "heaven" and "wind" with "behind"?
[conventional and acceptable at the time: given (elided) and heaven are near rhymes as well as signt rhymes; wind/behind is a sight rhyme. Hey, it's English: there aren't that many good rhymes! Try getting through a long rap without using a near rhyme!]
[All in all, you can see why this is considered a lesser/ juvenile Poe poem: the rhythm is awkward, the word choices and images are banal, and (most of all) he doesn't do any change-ups: none of the unexpected alterations of rhyme patterns or stanza length or line length that he's known for.]
I picked up on this as well, normally calculated and original, this early poem is average and seemingly two dimensional- for Poe.
This poem's subject equally interested me, because through his criticism- the reader is given a taste of what kind of processes were used in creating his work. This being said, I personally got a sense of his being a great methodologist. He practically gives an algorithm for writing the "perfect" poem- 100 lines, 30 minutes, melancholy as the subject, the sounds of "o-r..." I realize that this is an oversimplification, however I think Poe deserves more credit than reading "Sonnet," inherently gives him. This author of this criticism seems to me, one who would embrace the finite, strictly defined structure of the sciences- after all, he certainly embraces math and even likens poetry to it!
Basically, I guess I am trying to say that I have the feeling- and it is purely a feeling- that "Sonnet" was a bit of an easy, expected poem and Poe knew it. Choosing a subject most in the field would recognize and agree with, Poe uses his verbal prowess to do this poem well- however it doesn't give off a completely heartfelt feel. Be this because it has been done before and is comprise of many a tired image, or because HIS heart wasn't entirely in it remains to be seen.
Post a Comment