On Grief and Reason

In Brodsky's On Grief and Reason, he explores the similarities between two Frost poems, "Come In" and "Home Burial." He dives into a deep analysis of the two and focuses on tiny details such as meter, rhyme, setting and tone to show that Frost has a common theme of darkness. I am interested in the way Brodsky writes, for he uses the informal "you" and speaks directly to the reader, persuading them to give their full attention. This helps the reader to connect with the author and bring them to a closer understanding of his complex analysis. He writes, "Let's leave that level as yet unnamed." I have heard Mrs. Mac uses phrases like this in class to persuade us to do something that we don't exactly want to do; I believe they are called subjunctives. Although his sophisticated diction and lengthy sentences are a little troubling at first, he is able to regain the reader's focus by having a conversation with them, instead of a lecture. He also offers a great example of how poems should be dissected and how we should fondle the words to find meaning. Although we might not agree with his nit-picky analysis, it does offer insight on how poems should be interpreted. After reading this essay, I feel that I understand the depth in Frost's poems and the stories behind them as well.

Comments

  1. UnknownFebruary 27, 2018 at 7:22 PM

    I also found it interesting that Brodsky used "you" in his writing to address his audience because we are taught to rarely ever use it, but it worked so well in the analysis. I felt that before I read this, I wasn't able to fully understand Frost's writing or see the depth in his writing. I usually read his poems and only focused on more basic meanings, but I agree that this essay helped me to see more in his poems.

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  2. Mrs. MacFebruary 28, 2018 at 3:49 AM

    I love that you pick up on the "fondle" the meaning. I do find Brodsky and Nabokov very similar in their manner and their content. I would like to hear more about the "complex analysis" and specifically how it is laid out by Brodsky.

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