"La Bella Donna Della Mia Mente" Oscar Wilde

In Oscar Wilde’s poem “La Bella Donna Della Mia Mente”, we find a heavy influence from his travels to the classic lands — more specifically, Italy.  The poem is invoked by the medieval tradition of courtly love, as the narrator depicts a woman with whom he is enamored by. The woman is portrayed as an unattainable and distant Mademoiselle, with whom the protagonist has no point of contact. The narrator is seduced by the very thought of this woman. Although there exists physical attention towards the “ Bella Donna”, he is engrossed by the mere contemplation of her. The narrator is merely describing the woman’s charm, in what seems to be her life journey. Wilde does not attempt to pursue her in anyway and instead, his purpose is to innocently describe this beauty. The narrator’s adoration for this woman is most obvious in the first stanza, where he pursues the “Bella Donna”, and fails to find her: “My feet are sore with travelling, For, calling on my Lady’s name”.  However, it seems that in the second stanza, an encounter is apparent: “My gentle Lady  passeth by”.  The narrator gently describes her to be “too fair for any man to see or hold his heart’s delight”. Wilde has set the tone for a poem centered on an indulgence of beauty and remote desire.

A subtle, but key component that must be considered when trying to understand the poem is the title. “La Bella Donna Della Mia Mente”, translates into “The Beautiful Woman of My Mind”, indicating the woman may have never existed. Just as whispers chanted that Dante’s Beatrice was but a fantasy, the “Bella Donna” may have well in fact, been the pure invention of the author’s imagination. Wilde could have possibly chosen a magnificent woman to be the exemplar of every human’s fear, which encompasses the passage of time, decay of youth, and our inability to control this. For instance, in just a matter of years this woman will grow old — and her once rose petal cheeks will blush no longer. Throughout each stanza, a season is described in no apparent order, however. Wilde uses the seasons to indicate a time flow, which is most evident in: “Green grasses through the yellow sheaves, Of autumn corn are not more fair” (line 15-16).  In the fifth stanza, the woman’s lips are compared to: “roses after evening rain”(line 20); in which roses are commonly found in the springtime. In the seventh stanza, the “Bella Donna” is compared to a pomegranate: “As a pomegranate, cut in twain, White-seeded, is her crimson mouth” (line 25-26). Lastly, in the final stanza, the enthralling woman’s visage is afflicted by her age: “White body made for love and pain! O House of love! O desolate , Pale flower beaten by the rain!” (line 31-32).

The focus of youth, infatuation and an unsettled mind are also pivoted in Oscar Wilde’s famous novel “The Picture of Dorian Gray”, which I coincidentally read this summer.  While sitting for his portrait, the protagonist Dorian Gray wishes to never grow old. Being the Gothic novel that it is, we discover his wish is then fulfilled. Dorian Gray soon lives a life of hedonism and debauchery where each sin committed is displayed as a disfigurement on his portrait, which ultimately leads to his death. The moral from this story is that some life patterns cannot be changed, and human beings just need to accept that beauty will vanish at some point in everyone’s life. Like in “The Picture of Dorian Gray”, there lives a darkness in “La Bella Donna Della Mia Mente”. We find here: “Her little lips, more made to kiss…Than to cry bitterly for pain” (lines17-18) and “The throbbing of the linnet's throat…Is not so sweet to look upon.” (lines 23-24). Such references seek to display a wild sense of despair, whether that pain is inflicted on the narrator or the woman remains a mystery.

The World Is Too Much With Us

  William Wordsworth once wrote “Come forth into the light of things, let nature be your teacher”. This bestows nature the power of being the ultimate guide in one’s life. In the poem The Word is Too Much with Us, Wordsworth experiments with this idea in the most subtle, yet concrete way possible. The speaker begins in criticism, by stating this world is full of individuals obsessed with money and wealth to the point where they become careless of nature and divinity. We are reckless in our actions, and are easily seduced by worldly possessions. Most importantly, the speaker places possession of the natural world, stating “nature that is ours” (line 3).  This leads us to believe that humans once appreciated it, but are now oblivious to it. Wordsworth then continues by saying “This Sea that bares her bosom to the moon; the winds that will be howling at all hours (…) for this, for everything, we are out of tune”  (line 8). In this case, he is sustaining that we are not in agreement with nature, even as he gives nature such human attributes.  All of these beautiful and incredible gifts that nature provides us with; gather up together and form a power that is not appreciated by mankind. Wordsworth floods the reader with images and historic references of God, myths and the constellation to remind us of this disconnect amongst ourselves and the natural world. In the early centuries, there was an accordance between man and nature – something lost as man progressed. This is an overarching theme we find in Romanticism; flirting with the idea of nature as the protagonist. In the last segment of the poem, Wordsworth separates himself from the carelessness humankind tends to have towards nature and religious spirituality. As mentioned in the poem, “Great God! I’d rather be a Pagan suckled in a creed outworn” (line 9-10), he does not want to associate himself with what he seems to describe as an empty world. There is a sense of frustration and despair in the words of Wordsworth’s which I am sympathetic towards. This poem is not about escaping reality like in past readings but rather, it is about comprehending it and the unwillingness to accept it– for our society is in a similar state, but in far worse shape.

Midterm exam: The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

Samuel Taylor Coleridge once wrote, “As I live and am a man, this is an unexaggerated tale — my dreams become the substances of my life”, and for this reason I have chosen to analyze a poem, which in my opinion, reflects the imagination and train of thought in “Rime of the Ancient Mariner”. Instantly, I was captivated by the tale of the mariner along with an uncanny sequence of events that followed. The story is about a strange and elderly mariner who stops a wedding guest on his way to a reception with an urgent desire to recount a story. The mariner begins his tale by delving deeply into the past, back to a time when he and his crewmates set sail in his native land. The setting was picturesque; the day was depicted beautifully and sunny until they arrived at the equator, when a terrible storm hit the ship that transported them to a remote place. It was extremely cold and full of ice, when suddenly an Albatross arrived. The ship was finally able to maneuver its way out of the expansive isolation. While the wind was blowing, the Albatross flew alongside the ship. The mariners were grateful and viewed the Albatross as a sign of God’s grace. Nevertheless, the ancient mariner was driven by an impulsive desire to kill the Albatross.  From this point on, began a series of misfortunate events leading the Ancient mariner to regret his cruel and grotesque gesture.

For my critical analysis, I will focus on how powerful the natural world is portrayed in this tale, compare how Coleridge describes it before and after the Albatross’s murder, and explain how one act can directly affect the direction of the poem in its entirety. In addition, I will investigate the palpable metaphor that exists between the Albatross, Jesus Christ and religion. It was important for me to direct focus on the moral behind the story — the underlying question of whether or not the punishment received by the mariner was just. Above all, is the ancient mariner a reflection of humanity, or rather, a simple outcast paying for his mistakes?

Nature has a crucial role in the mariner’s tale. The first impact of the natural world is seen when “the Storm-blast came, and he was tyrannous and strong; He struck with his o’ertaking wings, and chased us south along” (line 41 to 44). While reacting on impulse just as humans do, here we see an example of how nature is anthropomorphized. Nature “struck” the boat, and “chased” them along. The boat is then found in an obscure and icy place, when suddenly an Albatross appears. The Albatross may be interpreted as the messiah, “As if it had been a Christian soul, we hail’d it in God’s name” (line 65-66), bringing light to the lost and scared mariners. With help from the Albatross, the mariners finally found their way out of the freezing place. In this case, nature appears friendly and generous; but these measures seem to highlight one main idea: nature is the protagonist. Nature’s capability of putting the mariners in a difficult position and helping them with the Albatross is a genuine act; but nature asserts its power over men. Nature can take one’s life as easily as it gives. The ancient mariner does not seem to comprehend this when he gives into a sudden impulse by killing the Albatross. Nature will never forgive him. After the murder, nature turns against him and ultimately, his entire crew. The Albatross is represented as a messiah — a savior the mariner cruelly assassinated.  As a result, he committed a major sin that will be severely punished.

After the murder, nature is described in an obscure and mysterious way. In part four, the mariner stops pitying himself and notices that which surrounds him, for instance, “ I watch’d the water-snakes: They moved in track of shining white” (line 274-275). He seems captivated by these unusual water snakes and is not focused on himself anymore but rather, seems enchanted by living things and nature itself. He blesses them for no particular reason, “ O happy living things! No tongue their beauty might declare: a spring of love gush’d from my heart, and I bless’d them unaware” ( line 283 to 286). At that moment, nature feels appreciated, so it decides to be merciful. Since the murder, the mariner has been nothing but spiteful and desperate, crying out “And never a saint took pity on my soul in agony” (line 235-236), accept in part two, when the mariner realizes he “had done a hellish thing” (line 91). The mariner does not seem to regret his act and consequently, nature is offended by this lack of remorse. It is only when he appreciates nature that he is able to sleep in peace. It is raining when he awakes, and wind is blowing in the sails. Nature appears to be on his side, offering him water and wind; it seems that the murderer is forgiven.

The Albatross is a gracious, divine creature and a creation of God. It conducts the mariners out of the distant place, soothes their disheveled minds, and serves as guidance to them. By brutally killing the creature, he offends all creatures, and all creatures are created by God. He comes to this syllogistic reasoning only in the last part, “He prayeth best, who loveth best, all things both great and small; For the dear God who loveth us, he made and loveth all.” (line 615 to 618).

            An interest in justice and fairness, the mariner’s punishment came to my mind because of religious concerns. A common belief of religious figures would be that of the forgiveness of God. Once a human being commits a sin, God forgives him. In this tale, we notice that before being forgiven, the mariner must suffer. In addition, I am unsure if the ancient mariner is really forgiven. He is kept alive by prophesying God’s superiority among others. When sudden pain hits him, he is destined to narrate his story to others. He is kept alive under this condition; and is haunted by the murder he committed. The mariner is ultimately a reflection of all human beings; but specifically a reflection of villains. The crime he committed scattered the death of all his mariners. They paid for his foolish act, and he will never release the weight of their deaths from his shoulders.

According to Romanticism, expanding your imagination was crucial to one’s essence. This was a major contrast with the traditional 17^th century way of thought: that reason was the supreme faculty of human beings. Romantics felt they were able to pursue the deeper meaning of objects and natural phenomenon. Because of their powerful imagination, they outpaced scientists and historians whose roles consisted of only delivering observed information to the public. In addition, imagination is linked to another principle concept of romanticism: nature. Imagination allows the poet to go beyond simply depicting natural occurrences. It permits them to explore and interpret nature as guidance symbols. Nature was essential for Romantics, an element that is often presented as a character itself, taking on a personality of its own. It offers guidance, support and comfort to protagonists in poems. It also serves as an escape from daily life, a powerful rescuer from civilization and human evilness. Nature is characterized as being pure, divine and untouched. Hence, it is usually associated with God. It is a peaceful and friendly environment that should not be troubled or disrupted in anyway. In this story, we could observe how by killing the Albatross, the mariner defies nature; and ultimately defies God. By committing this cruel act, he disrespects nature and his creator. That is why he is punished, an action much comparable to that of Adam and Eve’s sin: eating the forbidden fruit. God instructed them not to eat the apple and instead, they chose to sin and disobey God. They were punished for this foolish act and banned from the sacred garden, spending their lives in a pit full of pity just as the mariner, who spends his life in anguish and void, filling that emptiness by recounting his tale.

Preface to Lyrical Ballads, William Wordsworth

“Preface to Lyrical Ballads” seems to be a guideline to comprehend themes and subject matters of William Wordsworth. It is also to make the reader understand the form of poems, the moral impact on readers, and what a reader should understand from reading poems. The main focus of poets should be human nature according to Wordsworth. He explains his purposes in writing poems that seem to be deprived of any hidden meaning or message .He also argues that the best knowledge is the one from poetry; historians and scientist tend to have obstacles between them and the subject matter they are discussing. I was quite curious when I read about the idea that he believes he traces “primary laws of nature”. It seems quite odd to believe that a poet that interprets subject matters would believe that. Nature is a crucial aspect of Romanticism, and it meant several things to the Romantics. It is usually depicted as a character itself, protagonist of multiple poems, and quite often the center of attention. 

 Wordsworth believes that his poems speak to the common people and not just to the small portion of rich and wealthy people.  He writes about common life situations and especially “humble and rustic life”. He argues that by living a common life, you tend to appreciate more the small and simple things. As a consequence, you are purer, and comprehend better basic ideas that poets want to convey. Vanity, arrogance and self indulgence are less likely to influence these people, who “convey their feelings and notions in simple and unelaborated expressions”(between 5 and 6).  This simple language is being used to convey regular and uncomplicated feelings. Which, he argues are “more permanent, and a far more philosophical language”. He then continues by comparing this simple and “permanent” language to the usual language poets use. A language which is used to confer “ honour upon themselves and their art”  sets poets apart from the rest of the people, making them look like outcasts. Further on, he asks himself what it meant by the word poet, and what type of language is expected from a poet. He investigates the idea that it is a man speaking to men. I personally thought this passage was the most interesting.  The way Wordsworth illustrates precisely how poets emotionally interact with the readers is fascinating. “He is a man speaking to men: a man, it is true, endowed with more lively sensibility, more enthusiasm and tenderness” shows how much he values poets and their capability of observing the world in a different way than average men; he also mentions that poets are “pleased” with their passions and volitions” (part 16). These hidden beautiful things that only poets seem to notice,  and capability of being “affected more than other men by absent things as if they were present” an ability, or a skill that is far beyond the ones that are produced from real events. So poets acquired a skill that helps them express their feelings and emotions in a superior way than how a common person expresses his.  

Nevertheless, even if a poet is capable of feeling emotions that no common person has ever felt, if he is not able to translate them in language comprehensible to the common people, they are not valid. He then  goes on saying that poets could argue “It is impossible(…) to produce upon all occasions language as exquisitely fitted for the passion as that which the real passion itself suggests”(part 18).  His counter argument states that it can be difficult to translate into simple language, emotions that cannot be felt by some people. These “translations” might ruin the original meaning of the poem and convey the wrong message. He then argues “further, it is the language of men who speak of what they do not understand”. Wordsworth wants to highlight his idea of making poetry accessible to simpler people.“ I wandered lonely as a cloud” is a perfect example. It is a simple and elementary poem that is enjoyable and honest.