Ezra Pound Essay Example for Free

Ezra Pound Essay The Young Genius: Ezra Pound’s influenced poetry on Benito Mussolini and the Fascist movement, time of his stay in St. Elizabeth’s Hospital and the concept of Imagism. â€Å"If a nations literature declines, the nation atrophies and decays.† (Ezra Pound Quotes) Ezra Pound was not a man of many words, but he certainly did have a knack for turning simple words into something beautiful. Pounds’ poetry was influenced by his fascination with Benito Mussolini and the Fascist movement, the time of his stay in St. Elizabeth’s Hospital and the concept of Imagism. It is safe to say that Ezra Pound did not live a boring life growing up. He was born on October 30, 1885 in Hailey, Idaho. However, he was brought up in Wyncote, Philadelphia. At the small age of 12, Pound’s father, Hoomer Loomis Pound, sent him to military school. His father’s occupation was an assistant assayer at the U.S. Mint. Pound was the only child from his father, Hoomer Loomis Pound, and his mother, Mary Parker Wadsworth Weston. The family was your average, middle-class family. His mother, was more of a traditional woman. â€Å"A family that has respect for tradition,† were the words that often came out of her mouth. (Ezra (Weston Loomis) Pound Biography) In the year 1905, Pound received a bachelor degree of philosophy from Hamilton College and a master’s degree from University of Pennsylvania in 1906. After he graduated in 1907, his first teaching gig was teaching Spanish and French at a small Presbyterian college in Indiana. He was shortly fired from that occupation, due to the accused charges of seducing a young woman. Pound was never found guilty. One of the main influences in Ezra Pound’s poetry was Benito Mussolini and the Fascism beliefs. The whole interest and fascination began around 1924, when Pound left England and went to Italy with his second wife Olga Rudge. He left England because he believed they were responsible for the usury and international capitalism for the war. â€Å"Mussolini seemed to have clever ideas about economics than Major Douglass did.† (74. Wilhelm, James J.) Pound was so fixated on Mussolini that he eventually met him in Rome at January 30, 1933 in the Palazzo Venezie. (Ezra Pound Pound, Politics, Poetry) Furthermore, Pound created a name for him in the Fascist world and eventually made a regular address on the Italian State Radio, approved by the Italian government, because he was such an advocate for Benito Mussolini and his fascist views. Because of his incredible favor towards Mussolini, people back in the United States viewed him as a traitor  and were saying he was fraternizing with the enemy. â€Å"If a man isnt willing to take some risk for his opinions, either his opinions are no good or hes no good. (Treason, Fascism, and Anti-Semitism) People thought that Pound went insane and he was arrested for treason and was sent to St. Elizabeth’s Hospital of Mental Health. I believe, that this is an expressive poem about his feelings living in England or the United States. He was so happy in Italy and was living such a â€Å"colorful† life that every other way of life just appeared â€Å"dull† to him. â€Å"And the days are not full enough† And the days are not full enough And the nights are not full enough And life slips by like a field mouse Not shaking the grass. (Pound, Ezra) Ezra Pound In this poem, Ezra Pound used diction, tone, and euphony. Diction shined through in the chosen phrase, â€Å"not full enough†. Although he only used that twice in the poem, that phrase had a very powerful effect on the readers’ mood of the poem. He gave the poem a dull and melancholy vibe for the poem. Although the Pound’s attitude is not directly stated in this poem, the depressing tone is as noticeable as a white elephant in the room. Last but not least is the use of elegy. Despite the part of elegy relating to death, elegy is used in this poem because it is a very solemn themed poem. In my opinion, this â€Å"man† Pound is talking about is intended to be viewed as England or the United States. This â€Å"ideal† man that he speaks of, who has order about him, meant to be viewed as Italy/Benito Mussolini. â€Å"Canto 13† If a man have not order within him He cannot spread order about him; And if a man have not order within him His family will not act with due order; And if the prince have not order within him He cannot put order in his dominions. (Lines 46-51) In the previous excerpt of Canto 13, the three literacy terms refrain; anaphora and a hint of didactic poetry are involved. The word and phrase order appear in every line of the excerpt. It is repeated to not only get the meaning across, but to make a significant indent in the readers’ mind while reading the poem. The hint of didactic poetry is shown in this poem, I believe, because Pound is telling the reader without order you cannot do a few things such as spread order about him, family will not act, and one cannot put order in his dominions. In a way, that is teaching the pros of â€Å"order.† From this poem I can infer that Ezra Pound is stating that whether or not he is ruled by an imperialistic power: everyday is going to be the same, for everybody. The last line â€Å"Imperial power is? And to us what is it?† means that no matter government is enforced, their everyday life is not going to change. â€Å"Cantos XLIX: For The Seven Lakes† Sun up; work Sundown; to rest Dig well and drink of the water Dig field; eat of the grain Imperial power is? And to us what is it? The fourth; the dimension of stillness. And the power over wild beasts. (Lines 42-48) In this excerpt of a free versed poem, the mood is shown to be this sort of â€Å"depressed† or â€Å"given up on life† type of attitude. Also used in this poem are diction and caesura. Caesura is a natural pause in the middle of a line, sometimes coinciding with punctuation (Quizlet). The short and curt choice of words really gives off the frustrated aura of the poem. And caesura shines through with the use of the semi-colons after every first verse in the line of that stanza. The second influence of Ezra Pound’s poetry and writings had to do with his stay in St. Elizabeth’s Hospital. When Pound was arrested and put in St. Elizabeth’s Hospital he was deemed mentally insane after being convicted of treason. While Pound was in the hospital, he wrote most of his poetry. For example, the series of 120 sections of Cantos were written mostly in the hospital. Furthermore, after being analyzed, his poems and writing were said to be from a â€Å"sane persons mind.† ( Not being a very talkative man out of the hospital, his lack of social skills really showed through while in the hospital; he was not a very warm and fuzzy man. While still in St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, Pound was awarded the Bollingen Award by the Library of Congress for his Pisan Cantos (1948). About 10 years later in 1958, his fellow writers and fans released him due to the campaign. I really liked this excerpt of the poem â€Å"Before Sleep† because I feel that it really described how Ezra Pound was feeling in his room at the hospital. He must have had a good amount of time to think and analyze everything going on around him. â€Å"Before Sleep† The lateral vibrations caress me, They leap and caress me, They work pathetically in my favour, They seek my financial good. (Lines 1-4) Obviously from the title of the poem, we can infer that the theme of the poem is about the period of time before one falls asleep. However, any knowledgeable reader can infer that without the title. The imagery used in this poem is absolutely marvelous. When I read the excerpt, I really envision the vibrations becoming one and interacting with the body. That is also an excellent use of personification. Vibrations obviously cannot â€Å"caress† and â€Å"leap† across ones body. In my opinion, Ezra Pound is explaining through the character Kung that being cooped up in the hospital is doing him no good, that he is not himself. â€Å"Without ones’ freedom (character) one cannot get far in life (play on that instrument or execute the music)† (Poems by Ezra Pound) â€Å"Canto 13† And Kung said, Without character you will Be unable to play on that instrument Or to execute the music fit for the Odes. The blossoms of the apricot Blow from the east to the west, And I have tried to keep them from falling. (Lines 80-85) This excerpt from â€Å"Canto 13† has two hidden literacy terms incorporated in its writing. The terms symbolism and didactic poetry are noticeable and relate to each other. Symbolism is used to symbolize the word â€Å"character† with ones freedom and the phrase â€Å"unable to play on that instrument† is used to symbolize the ability to use and control that freedom. This is where didactic poetry comes into play, having freedom and being able to control it is teaching. The third influence that had a major part in Ezra Pounds’ poetry is Imagism. It is safe to say that Ezra Pounds’ most noted contribution to poetry was the founding and involvement of Imagism. Imagism: a literary movement launched by British and American poets early in the 20th century that advocated the use of free verse, common speech patterns, and clear concrete images as a reaction to Victorian sentimentalism. (Imagism: Definition from Answers.com) â€Å"We believe that the individuality of a poet may often be better expressed in free verse than in conventional forms. In poetry, a new cadence means a new idea.† (Imagists Quotes). That quote is derived from Ezra Pound and his fellow poets who had a large effect on the Imagism period. One of the other poets was Amy Lowell. In 1912, Pound founded the Imagist School with T.E. Hulme and F.S. Flint and Helda Doolittle. This poem is one of my favorites because it is so direct and honest. Not only is it honest but also it is so forward and really makes me gain more respect for Ezra Pound. This poem is influenced by Imagism because one of the main topics in Imagism is to advocate the use of free verse and this poem is the epitome of free verse.

Effects of the War on the Students of Devon in A Separate Peace Essay

Effects of the War on the Students of Devon "Looking back now across fifteen years, I could see with great clarity the fear I had lived in, which must mean that in the interval I had succeeded in a very important undertaking: I must have made my escape from it" ( Knowles 5). In this novel A Separate Peace, using these words, John Knowles reveals the fear that haunts the students at Devon and when they proceeded with all their training for the war they mature into adults. A Separate Peace shares the lives of students at Devon that are forced into an unknown world of fear, problems, and uncertainty as they head off to World War II in training to fight and represent their country where they will find or lose themselves and make important decisions that will impact their future. The students at Devon are put into adulthood at an early age, having to fight and make their country proud, but they are left feeling pressure for a war they do not start. The students enter a world of unexpectedness and dread where they are forced into adulthood through war, and are exposed to self sacrifice, physical awareness, and patriotism. Self-sacrifice is a major value that effects the students of Devon as they decide to enlist and sacrifice their luxuries. The students are faced with the unfamiliar pressures of the adult world where they must sacrifice themselves for the good of their country. For example, when a recruiter comes to Devon to encourage the students to join the ski-troops in the army, Leper Lepellier decides to enlist because even though he fears the war he knows he is pressured to make a decision ( where to enlist ) and this is one war job, he can execute. Leper , a loner, has finally found wh... ... and in doing so represent their country even more. Trying to be patriotic becomes hard for Brinker when his father wants him not to embarrass himself and do more for the country because Brinker feels that his father doesn?t understand that he is afraid to go to war. Brinker says", He and his crowd are responsible for it and we're going to fight it " (190). This quote shows how agitated Brinker is with his father for trying to tell him to accomplish more in a dangerous war, that Brinker wants nothing to do with, that can possibly lead to his own death. To sum up, patriotism is a necessity in going to war and representing the country because it shows feelings from the fighter to his or her country. To sum up, the boys at Devon have endured a lot as teenagers. They are faced with pressures and values that cause them to develop into adults, at an early age. Effects of the War on the Students of Devon in A Separate Peace Essay Effects of the War on the Students of Devon "Looking back now across fifteen years, I could see with great clarity the fear I had lived in, which must mean that in the interval I had succeeded in a very important undertaking: I must have made my escape from it" ( Knowles 5). In this novel A Separate Peace, using these words, John Knowles reveals the fear that haunts the students at Devon and when they proceeded with all their training for the war they mature into adults. A Separate Peace shares the lives of students at Devon that are forced into an unknown world of fear, problems, and uncertainty as they head off to World War II in training to fight and represent their country where they will find or lose themselves and make important decisions that will impact their future. The students at Devon are put into adulthood at an early age, having to fight and make their country proud, but they are left feeling pressure for a war they do not start. The students enter a world of unexpectedness and dread where they are forced into adulthood through war, and are exposed to self sacrifice, physical awareness, and patriotism. Self-sacrifice is a major value that effects the students of Devon as they decide to enlist and sacrifice their luxuries. The students are faced with the unfamiliar pressures of the adult world where they must sacrifice themselves for the good of their country. For example, when a recruiter comes to Devon to encourage the students to join the ski-troops in the army, Leper Lepellier decides to enlist because even though he fears the war he knows he is pressured to make a decision ( where to enlist ) and this is one war job, he can execute. Leper , a loner, has finally found wh... ... and in doing so represent their country even more. Trying to be patriotic becomes hard for Brinker when his father wants him not to embarrass himself and do more for the country because Brinker feels that his father doesn?t understand that he is afraid to go to war. Brinker says", He and his crowd are responsible for it and we're going to fight it " (190). This quote shows how agitated Brinker is with his father for trying to tell him to accomplish more in a dangerous war, that Brinker wants nothing to do with, that can possibly lead to his own death. To sum up, patriotism is a necessity in going to war and representing the country because it shows feelings from the fighter to his or her country. To sum up, the boys at Devon have endured a lot as teenagers. They are faced with pressures and values that cause them to develop into adults, at an early age.

Disaster at Bhopal

In our history, there are numerous tragedies happened which caused lives of many innocent people. These untoward incidents mainly caused by human errors and limitations. Some incidents that occurred like gas leakages and radioactive materials exposure also took its place in the history as one of the calamities that destroyed civilian lives. Other factors that might have contributed to the tragedies include the usage of substandard materials and low quality process controls. Incompetent people on a particular plant that handles critical position is also one possible factor in some accidents that occurred in the past.On the other hand there are things that still go the wrong way even those factors were already taken carefully into consideration. The tragedy that happened in Bhopal, India is a concrete example of a manufacturing plant disaster that caused many fatalities and injuries to many people. Many people mentioned that this catastrophe was one of the worst tragedy ever happened i n human history. A rough estimate of 16, 000 people were killed by the occurrence of this incident in India.The disaster happened in the year 1984 when a pesticide manufacturing plant emitted tons of chemical gases in the heart of the community where residences were exposed with these harmful emissions. After this incident, reforms were made by the Indian government to avoid another calamity like this to happen. These reforms were based on several inputs and studies conducted about the Bhopal tragedy. One of the subjects that would surely be included in the study made about the aforementioned disaster in Bhopal is the list of factors that contributed to this lamenting event that happened in India.There are a lot of factors that can be enumerated as far as the Bhopal tragedy is concerned. One possible cause is the utilization of hazardous chemicals in processing the plant outputs instead of using less-dangerous chemicals. In the first place, people whose responsible to the main opera tion of the plant should have initiated to call the attention of the company to stop using such chemicals that can surely be lethal for those who will be exposed to it. Another factor is the mishandling of such chemicals wherein the chemicals should have stored in adequate containers to ensure the safety in their work.Low maintenance policies in the plant facilities are also an aspect that might have contributed also in the said tragedy. There should be standardization in every processes involved in the plant operation particularly on the supervision of the chemical gases being used by the company. Safety engineering is always included in every process and taking these principles lightly might also have degraded the plant facilities and operation. Unfortunately, these safety procedures were taken lightly by those people responsible on the actual operation of the site.In addition to that, the fact that the plant was located in a highly populated area is a one big lapse in judgment to those people who were responsible on the operation of the plant. Before this pesticide plant was built, planning engineers should have taken into consideration the strategic location of the plant by carefully studying the pros and cons of the said actions that they should take. The government should have taken its side with regards to the construction of this particular site in a less populated area or community.An obvious problem that also contributed to the problem is the cutting of expenses on the system maintenance, causing poor supervision on the status of the plant. Disaster preparedness programs were also not available during that time, making the people uninformed of the things that they should do once these untoward incidents happen. All in all, corporate responsibility should always come first before profiting to ensure safety in the whole operation of any plant or factory. By this principle, any tragedy may still happen but only little damage will be created by any of th e disaster that may occur.

A Snow Squall And The Great Depression - 1634 Words

A snow squall had taken the general population of America prisoner, wrecking homes, organizations, and thoughts. It was not the Dust Bowl but rather the gigantic risk that was the Great Depression. Humorously the wealthy who had impacted the Depression were not influenced as cruelly as the white collar class working individuals of America. This was predominantly in light of the fact that the rich has so much influence and impact that they made their specialists poor, essentially making them work longer hours for even less pay. This marvel is additionally called the divergence between the rich and poor people. The American Dream had been foiled in only a day, Black Tuesday (October 24, 1929) and the busload of moderate presidents with their†¦show more content†¦However, was the harm excessively extraordinary in number for the American individuals to get back on their feet? What it took was a president that was overcome enough to bring out another dynamic period known as his N ew Deal. The Great Depression s impact on America s social fabric was extreme with an expansion in unemployment rates, monetary homestead misfortunes, demolition of families, and a change from free enterprise governmental issues. While, the impact on America s social fabric was absolutely hindering to society, the improvement of the part of the administration genuinely changed America, the legislature could help the general population and direct organizations, Franklin Delano Roosevelt thought of the New Deal and introduced numerous projects, for example, the Social Security Act, the WPA, and the Federal Exchange Act to help the general population. This paper will offer us some assistance with discovering the course of events and circumstances, and fundamentally how the part of government changed from the administration of Herbert Hoover to previous president Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The years consequent to the thundering twenties, the country was finished with its social unrest and was prepared to evade yet another trap. Fantastic to America s history amid the Great Depression, 25% of the country s populace was unemployed. Not at all like different years the lower class couldn t be rebuked for their unemployment because of apathy, but