It is a movement came after the first world war.It Starts from the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a reaction against Victorian and romanticism age.This movement called Modernism.The ‘avant- gard ‘was what modernism was called at first in French. Another name of this movement was called the age of war, disillusionment and innovation. Modernist literature, is characterized by a self -conscious and break the traditional ways of writing. The famous modernist poet was Ezra Pound’s who created ‘Make it new’. This essay will discuss the unique features of modernism in two poems ”Road Not Taken ” written by Robert Frost and ” sea rose” written by Hilda Doolittle.
First, Frost opens his poem by saying ‘two roads diverged in a yellow woods’He uses unconventional metaphors. The road is a metaphor and symbol of life and the path we take through it.Also, the fork in the road is a metaphor for our choices that we must make as we navigate our path. Frost allows the reader to think about choices in life, whether to go with other or to go alone .Second, this reveals the main theme in the ‘ Road not Taken’ that it is often impossible to see where a life- altering decision will lead because it is ambiguous . As result, we should make our decision carefully. Third, this point represents at the same time one of the main modern features in the poem which is consider as everyday life subject because modernist can write about every think .Fourth,Frost lefts his poem open to interpret the theme by the reader .In other words, having many themes is called variety of themes. Fifth ,as a matter of fact, the speaker decision’s to travel the ‘road less travelled’ is modern which illustrate other main theme individualism. Modern literary works identify the individual is more important than societies which makes the speaker unique in his mind and thought .In this case, the narrator does not celebrate individualism, but he accepts it. He still thinking about the other road he did not take it. We can say he probably regrets in his decision .The approve of that, is the poem’s title ‘ the road not taken .’ Sixth , It is often that the characters in modern literature struggles to take a certain action by their own. Mostly, they feel frustrated This return to the theme disillusionment .Lastly , Frost not totally modernist neither traditional poet .He uses some traditional elements in a modernist poem such as the from and natural imagery of the sitting.
While sea rose consider as a imagism poem . Imagism is a movement under modernism age created by group of poets and Hilda Doolittle was one of them. The whole poem is about comparison between traditional rose and sea rose. First ,H.D opens her poem by giving un expected image of traditional rose from the first line ‘harsh rose ‘ Traditionally, roses are symbol of romance.She want to say that neither the rose, nor a women, must be perfect to appreciated.Although, sea rose is incomplete, but it is “more precious” This might be because H.D known as best imagist poet. Moreover, her style of poetry depends on imagery to deliver this message. Second ,The main theme is rejection of feminine perfection .She wants to deliver a message that woman’s value by her works and strength not by beauty or appearance. Third, Sea rose lack its beauty and being Sparse, spoiled and meagre to survive from sea .In reality , She uses exact, concise word to create this image. Fourth ,the speaker juxtapositions the rose, as victim of the rushing sea and the harsh sands and still it survives, with its meagre petals and small leaves intact. Fifth, H.D like sea rose, she survives after facing hard circumstances. Fore example , she was pregnant of her first child, but her pregnancy ended in a stillbirth. Moreover, She lost her brother in war and she got divorced from her first husband . Sea rose is a metaphor and a symbol of strong woman who is able to withstand life’s painful.All the mentioned examples can be linked to another important theme which is Disillusionment. Finally , unlike Frost,.the poem follows rhyme pattern H.D uses free verse.
To sum up , there are a lot of similarities between the two poems. The imagist like the modernist poets favored using simplified language in their poems. Both of them are real in their poems. They imitate life as it is without use fiction images. In the same manner ,both poets does not care about religious and spiritual ideas in poem. In the same way, both uses unconventional a metaphor. Disillusionment is main common theme between ‘road not taken ‘and ‘sea rose. Similarly ,Frost struggle to make his decision while H.D struggle because of her hard life and this usual point in modern character.
