On Greif and Reason

In the essay, "On Grief and Reason" by Joseph Brodsky, the author believes that while Robert Frost's poems may seem positive, they are usually full of darker and deeper meanings. Brodsky supports his argument by analyzing every line, word, and even certain letter arrangements. In certain ways I agree with his argument, but I also feel as though some of his analyses were far-fetched. I agree with some of his ideas because I understand that there are many different ways to view something. For example, I felt as though his analysis of "Come In" was very efficient and accurate. When my class discussed "Come In" in class, we had similar ideas for what the poem was really about. I also believe that his analysis of "Home Burial" was scattered. I found it hard to follow. While his ideas can't be wrong, I feel as though his analysis was unconvincing at certain parts. His discussion on "Come In" interests me because when I read it myself and tried to come up with my own interpretation, ours were similar. Brodsky's comparison of Russian, British, French, American, Italian, and German poets confused me. I understand that poets write differently, but I don’t understand the point he was trying to make. I feel like he shouldn’t have added comparisons of different poets and the way they write because most people already know that all poets write differently. This essay deepens our understanding of Frost's work because we now know that our odds of finding a deeper and darker meaning within his work is likely. Joseph Brodsky uses Formalist Criticism because he analyzes the poems closely and explains the different elements within each poem.  

Comments

  1. UnknownFebruary 27, 2018 at 12:09 PM

    I agree that his analysis of "Come In" was very interesting and i enjoyed reading it. I can also see how you feel that the analysis of "Home Burial" was reaching a little too much. I also agree with you when Brodsky discussed the poets from other countries. I did not see it relevant or having a purpose in his essay. However the essay did help with my understanding of Frost overall. Even if Brodsky's ideas seemed a bit unrealistic, they are still interesting.

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownFebruary 27, 2018 at 2:20 PM

    I agree with your point about Brodsky comparing writers of different nationalities. He seemed to assign different characteristics to writers from various countries, yet the way they connect and how they fit into his argument as a whole was unclear. However, I did enjoy his description of Frost's often autonomous writer's voice as "utterly American."

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Writer Reader Connection (Prompt Four)

Selecting a book written by an author, who is unknown to the reader, is much like attending a blind date. The reader gains a first impression after methodically studying the cover of the novel, much like two individuals who meet for the first time. Both parties are aware that there is a chance the hours of preparation before the date were for naught, and no lasting connection will be created. The chemistry will be quickly noticed wither within the first ten minutes or one hundred pages. Once a connection is sparked it will be difficult to suppress and the first date will turn into dozens, in turn creating a metaphorical series. Then two series later and a shelf or drawer, must be cleared to place the newly collected items brought by a partner the reader never expected to have. This hypothetical situation of a blind date proves that the link between the reader and writer is necessary, and intimate. It is one that cannot be explained to another individual without car...
Read more

One Big Story

When Thomas C. Foster says, "writing and telling belong to one big story", he means that writers are influenced by what they have read and experienced and their works are reflections of that. There are many patterns in reading such as same settings throughout different stories or same plot with different characters. Foster also says, "stories grow out of other stories, poems out of other poems" (Foster 28), meaning that writers just add onto this one big story with their own twist. There are no original works because it is all one story. This idea adds to the richness of reading because if all stories are a part of one big story, then the connections between texts are easier to see once the concept is understood. The story has a new, deeper meaning if this idea is applied because it allows the reader to dig deeper into connecting stories to other stories. The plot of one story may connect to the reader more if the reader starts to look at the little things in the p...
Read more

Prompt two: King Solomon

Foster is exactly right when he says that all the writing is one big story. It's just like what king Solomon said, but why then, is it possible for us to keep revisiting the older texts year after year? The answer is two-fold and is present in the first chapter of this book. His students are all flabbergasted by his suggestion about the devil. This shows that all writings are connected through different allusions and references which he draws upon when he refers to the various Faust stories. A similar trope is present in books by J.R. Tolkien or C.S.Lewis. They both were devout Christians who included religious themes in their books. Additionally, the old texts can be repeatedly drawn upon and viewed in new ways. These different interpretations are the result of different experiences and lifestyles that cast some characters in different lights for different people. Considering that the prompt asks about art in general, I feel like the album cover for the Coldplay song Viva ...
Read more