Poetry is a fascinating entity. It is impossible for one to accurately define poetry; its forms and styles are multitudinous in nature, and its essence is often as original and individualistic as the manner in which it is written. Two prime examples of poetry, its eccentricity, and its aesthetic value are Sonnet CXLVII by William Shakespeare, and anyone lived in a pretty how town by e.e. cummings. Sonnet CXLVII is an astounding example of the metrical and structured form of poetry, whereas anyone lived in a pretty how town is a paragon of the potential for individuality and uniqueness in poetry.
Sonnet CXLVII is a sonnet that is written to the popular yet contemptible Dark Lady. This Sonnet, the tone of which is both sorrowful and painful, follows Shakespeares reflections on his woeful condition, and his disdainful attack upon his mistress immorality. The theme of this sonnet can most aptly be described as the foolishness of human love and the conflicting feelings of hatred and desire towards another.
Moreover, Shakespeare reveals his tumultuous relationship with his mistress, as well as his struggles to cope with her unfaithfulness, and his admission of how he still desires her to sexually please him, in spite of her having been with other men. Shakespeare declares that the physician to his love, which symbolizes his reason, has left him, for his prescriptions are not kept, which represent the advice that Shakespeare does not follow for his proper course of action.
Additionally, Shakespeare aggressively longs to comprehend his addiction to the mistress, an addiction that he declares to be an illness. This ultimately leads to Shakespeares declaration that he certainly must be insane, for he once thought of his mistress as fair and bright, although she is neither of the two; and that she is the opposite of just that: black as hell and dark as night.
“Anyone lived in a pretty how town is a poem that shows how individuality can cause discomfort and anxiety among society. This poem, the tone of which is both weary and jaded, displays how people live their lives on a routine and consistent basis and are not accepting of change. The theme of this poem illustrates the aspects of individualism versus the aspects of traditional society, conformity, and the cyclic nature of life.
This poem follows the characters of anyone and noone, both of whom can either be represented by their literal definitions, or as two distinct characters. Moreover, anyone symbolizes any person in society whom one may call an outcast. Furthermore, the poem follows these two characters in a cyclical pattern.
In addition, each stanza is symbolic of a different cycle of life, which are, respectively: youth, growth, love, courtship, marriage, midlife, death, resurrection, and life anew. Additionally, cummings intentionally makes each stanza four lines long, which symbolizes the four stages of ones life and the four seasons of the year. Also, in certain stanzas, cummings lists the four seasons, each time appearing in a different order than the others. The starting season can symbolize a different time in the year, a different time in the cycle. Cummings follows the lives of anyone and noone from their beginnings, to their marriage, and eventually up until their deaths, after which life continues in its conventional manner.
In Sonnet CXLVII and anyone lived in a pretty how town, each poet presents a startlingly unique image from one another. Its versatility seems to be just another facet to the art of poetry. Shakespeares Sonnet CXLVII is structured around the standard form of a sonnet: a fourteen-line lyric poem traditionally written in iambic pentameter, where the first twelve lines are written in four line groupings called quatrains, and the last two lines are called the couplet. E.e. cummings, however, writes in a form that radically diverges from standard poetry.
The format in which he writes seems to affect the way in which the poem is read; each of his stanzas is four lines long, and seldom does he use proper punctuation and capitalization. Not only does cummings use themes and symbols to fashion his poem, but he uses the poem itself as another unique style of expression. Furthermore, there are several ways in which anyone lived in a pretty how town is able to be read, whereas the way in which Sonnet CXLVII is intended to be read is essentially straightforward and clear-cut.
As previously stated, the poem can either be read as anyone and noone strictly being anyone and no one, or as distinct characters. Additionally, not only do the formats of the two poems differ, but also do each of the authors diction. Shakespeares usage evinces ideal English; he utilizes an assorted vocabulary and perfect writing to convey his purposes. E.e. cummings is just the opposite; he writes with simple words and simple structure, but he uses them in a manner that differs from standard English. He uses nouns as adjectives and verbs as nouns, a simple, albeit effective, technique of writing.
Elaborate in its understanding and myriad in its meaning, poetry can be looked at as an extension of life itself. Like life, poetry can be particularly expressive, subtle, creative, destructive, and so on. Each and every poet writes in a manner that is incomparable to that of any other.
Both Sonnet CXLVII and anyone lives in a pretty how town are entirely unique in essence, and each poem elicits entirely unique feelings. Both of these poems are quintessential in there format, uniqueness, and effect as a whole; but both have the power of fine poetry, with which an artist can express his innermost sentiments and feelings, and with which each human is able to connect.
