John Donne's poetry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

John Donne's poetry - Essay Example While John Donnes poetry implements unifying stylistic elements, it also spans a number of diverse genres, including sonnets, love poetry, religious poems, Latin translations, epigrams, elegies, songs, satires and sermons. With specific reference to the Flea, Sun Rising,the Anniversary, the Indifferent, Song, Batter My Heart, Death be not Proud, and Oh my Black Soul, this essay examines the main themes of Donnes poetry and the predominant stylistic elements he utilizes to convey them. One of the central thematic elements John Donnes poetry explores is that of love. One of Donnes brilliantly clever works in these regards in his poem The Flea. This work advances the theme of love in a number of well structured ways. The prevailing tone of the poem is whimsical, as the narrator implements the metaphorical conceit in drawing a connection between blood in a flea that has bitten himself and his woman of interest and a sense of romantic connection. For instance, Donne states, â€Å"O stay, three lives in one flea spare,/ Where we almost, yea, more than married are† (Donne, 2004). In some regards, its clear the Donne is utilizing a great deal of hyperbole in this comparison, as the connection between the flea and romantic love is slightly humorous; however, characteristic of Donne, the love theme is advanced with great wit. Similar in theme to the Flea is Donnes seminal metaphysical love poem The Sun Rising. In this work one finds many of the stylistic elements that are characteristic of Donnes working, including masterful use of hyperbole and wit. Notably, while Shakespeare, a contemporary of Donnes, structured his love sonnets toward another individual, in The Sun Rising Donne focuses his attention more on the nature of love. The main hyperbolic device utilized in this poem is the narrators envisionment of the sun as a consciously aware entity. In these regards, the speaker calls out to the sun, asking why it

See attachment Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

See attachment - Movie Review Example We are led slowly into the past. For an American audience, this is especially useful, as Sophie’s story is a trans-Atlantic one that takes place in both Europe and America. This deeply personal focus is another way in which this film differs from other miniseries. Part of the success of this focus comes from Meryl Streep’s performance. The film is virtually unimaginable without her presence. She manages to bring to life the central heroine. This deeply personal story of a woman and her choice sets this film apart from other miniseries. One of the most striking aspects of the cinematography focusing on the Holocaust is that it is in black and white. The colour is sapped from this world. Sophie, whose lips are usually red, has virtually no colour in her face in these scenes. She is living in a nightmare of death and despair, from which there is no real exit. The filmmakers are very careful to create this sense of claustrophobia, and it is very effective. Rather than show huge acts of violence, the filmmakers are content to let much of this happen off screen. The filmmakers also film a lot of scenes indoors, with Stingo, Nathan, and Sophie all very close together. This indicates how trapped each of them is in the worlds they have created for themselves. It is a curious and effective trick. Each of the choices that the characters make—when to act and how to act—have limited their lives in some way. The filmmakers communicate this by filming scenes indoors and in small rooms. There is also a theatrical element to the acting—especially Kevin Kline’s performance as Nathan. It is almost as if he is always on stage. This is an interesting choice in direction as it suggests that Nathan is a man who has dramatized himself. Perhaps he only wants to be with Sophie because of the sense of drama that she offers to him. Like