Felicia Hemans - The Homes of England

The stately Homes of England,
How beautiful they stand!
Amidst their tall ancestral trees,
O'er all the pleasant land.
(pg 412, lines 1-4)

This poem by Felicia Hemans has to be the biggest case of patriotism, loyalty, and love for one's country that I have ever witnessed. Hemans' entire poem is about the beauty that she sees in England and the love that she has for England. Hemans writes of England as if she's the proudest citizen to ever live there. She writes as if she feels as though England and the beauty that it possesses is the most wonderful thing ever to be created by God.

And green for ever be the groves,
And bright the flower sod,
Where first the child's glad spirit loves
Its country and its God!
(pg 412, lines 37-40)

I definitely believe that Hemans' love for England is terrific. I love where I am from just as much as she loves England. I am proud to be a citizen of the United States, for better or for worse. I also strongly believe that everyone should have a great love for their country. There are far worse places to live on Earth, with far worse conditions might I add. Every citizen of the United States should be appreciative of all that we have because many other countries do not have the luxuries that we have. Likewise, many other countries do not have the funds or the accessories to possess half of what we have in the United States.

Alfred, Lord Tennyson - Tears, Idle Tears

I'm not sure why, but this poem instills a sense of depression in me. The talk of death and that which is no more is somewhat depressing. Tennyson's poem also speaks of crying. Anytime tears are brought into the picture, I get sad and begin to wonder why the individual is so down. In this case, I believe that the poem tells of someone that has lost a dear friend or significant other. Tennyson writes, "Fresh as the first beam glittering on a sail; That brings our friends up from the underworld," (pg 597, lines 6-7). This makes me believe that the individual has lost a dear friend and is reflecting on the times they once shared.

When I first read, "In looking on the happy Autumn-fields; And thinking of the days that are no more," (pg 597, lines 4-5), it made me think back to the days that I spent mourning one of my closest friends that had recently passed away. Although I got emotional due to this, I really fell in love with the poem when I read the second stanza. Tennyson wrote, "Sad as the last which reddens over one; That sinks with all we love below the verge; So sad, so fresh, the days that are no more." (pg 597, lines 8-10). I was speechless! The feelings that I had once possessed when my dear friend died had come rushing back! That seemed to say, "Oh, it was as if it had just happened yesterday." I could feel the emotion in the poem as if I had written it myself. The individual seemed to be deeply missing a friend and just couldn't fight the tears when the memories had come rushing back. I give this poem two thumbs up and five stars, mainly because I could literally feel the emotion of the individual in the poem within myself.

Thomas Hardy - The Convergence of the Twain

Everyone knows the tragic story of the great Titanic. Hardy has found a way to creatively put all that we know of the Titanic into one poem. As he writes, Hardy paints a clear picture of what happened that disastrous night that the Titanic sank, killing over 1,000 people.

And as the smart ship grew
In statute, grace, and hue,
In shadowy silent distance grew the Iceberg too.
(pg 1076, lines 22-24)

If this poem were evaluated, I would call this stanza the climax. I feel as though the descriptions before this stanza were nice, but quite boring; they were simply descriptions of the night, boat, sea, and items found once the shipwreck was discovered. Nonetheless, this stanza sets a feeling of action into motion. I can almost feel the crew members' panic myself as the iceberg drew nearer and nearer.

Alien they seemed to be:
No mortal eye could see
The intimate welding of their later history,
(pg 1077, lines 25-27)

This stanza alone makes the reader feel a sense of panic and curiosity. For those that do not know the story of the Titanic, this stanza puts them at the edge of their seat. Hardy made me feel very sympathetic for those that died on the Titanic and especially those that survived. Men, women, and children all died this night due to, in my opinion, a mixture between carelessness and nature. I believe that the Titanic taught the world a lesson that needed to be learned to prevent events like this from happening again in the future.

William Butler Yeats - The Second Coming

Yeats has outdone himself in "The Second Coming." He tells of the return of Christ to Earth for the second time. This poem illustrates what I have always thought Judgement Day would be. things fall apart; the centere cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world," (pg 1122, lines 3-4). This quote shows that Yeats believes that there would be total chaos in the world when Christ returns. Many people try to ignore the thought of Judgement Day, but Yeats has put this fear aside and created a poem dedicated to Christ's great return.

I am a Christian woman. not only do I believe in God and Jesus Christ, but I also believe that Jesus will return again. The second coming of Jesus Christ will be exactly as Yeats described, but that is just my opinion. Yeats writes, "Surely some revelation is at hand; Surely the Second Coming is at hand." (pg 1122, lines 9-10). I Completely agree! The day may not have come yet, but it is definitely well on its way. One day, Jesus will return for his "Second Coming," and when that day comes, I hope all of mankind is prepared.

Thomas Hardy - On the Departure Platform

I interpreted Thomas Hardy's "On the Departure Platform" as somewhat of a sad love story. It is quite heartbreaking. The poem tells of a man, that I take is going off to war, that is leaving his woman behind. It is sad because as he sails away, he watches as the distance between them grows and she gets smaller and smaller, until she is no more.

Then show again, till I ceased to see
That flexible form, that nebulous white;
And she who was more than my life to me
Had vanished quite...."
(pg 1075, lines 13-16)

This woman was the love of his life and he was forced to leave her. He left who he loved so dearly to fight in a war. That particular stanza causes much sorrow because I know what it is like to have to leave the one that you love against your wishes. The most awful part of this poem is that the young man knows that he will see his woman again, but their love will not be the same. That love and that day will only happen once. While they may still love each other, things will never be the same. This is expressed in the following stanza.

We have penned new plans since that fair fond day,
And in season she will appear again--
Perhaps in the same soft white array--
But never as then!
(pg 1076, lines 17-20)

This is my idea of a sad love story. A couple that is so in love with each other is separated by the hate of war. Many of my favorite movies are modeled after stories of this nature. The separation is heartbreaking, but the reunion after being kept apart by distance and time is far more emotional. Love poems are my favorite. Hardy gets two thumbs up and five stars for this one.

Siegfried Sassoon - Glory of Women

I am ecstatic to finally see a poem from a man giving women glory. Women do not get enough credit for sticking beside their husbands, sons, and brothers through tough times. It seems to be overlooked by the world, but a man has finally given women credit. It is hard being the left to a man's right without proper credit. Sassoon writes, "You love us when we're heroes, home on leave; Or wounded in a mentionable place." (pg 1099, lines 1-2). That is right! We women do not care if you are a war hero, handicapped, or unsuccessful in all of your endeavors, we are still supportive. I'm proud to be a woman, especially after receiving the proper credit. Being a woman is hard work, but we do this as we balance being the legs of our men when they can no longer walk.

"You crown our distant ardours while we fight; And mourn our laurelled memories when we're killed." (pg 1099, lines 7-8). I couldn't have said it better myself! While our men are away at war, we still love them deeply and passionately, and our devotion never diminishes. On the other hand, if our significant other is killed, we mourn the loss of him. We remember all of their honors and accomplishments. I, along with many other women, make sure that the memory of my man is always remembered. I believe that being a woman is beautiful and Sassoon has illustrated the beauty, strength and loyalty of women in this one poem.

Gerard Manley Hopkins - Thou Art Indeed Just, Lord

The man speaking in this poem seems to be begging God for answers in the midst of very adverse times. He seems to be struggling to stay a good man and away from the sinner's way of life. He asks God, "Why do sinners' ways prosper? and why must; Dissappointment all I endeavour end?" (pg 778, lines 3-4). I find this to be similar to the saying, "Nice guys finish last." If you think about it, the saying is quite accurate. For example, drug dealers steal, kill, and sell illegal substances that are harmful to the human mind and body. Nevertheless, they make far more money than the good Christian man that works twelve hour shifts at McDonald's or in a factory. The drug dealer lives a sinner's way of life, and is very prosperous, but the good Christian man struggles to earn money and "make due" the honest way. Also, oftentimes people that would like to work honest jobs cannot find work or are constantly denied work, resulting in having to turn to the sinner's way of life in order to survive.

When times get tough, many people turn to God. They become so desperate that they ask why they deserve such treatment. Manley writes, "Wert thou my enemy, O thou my friend," (pg 778, line 5). I have been in this position a few times in my life. It makes you stop to ask God, "Are you against me? I thought you loved me! Are you on my side as my savior and my friend, or are you my enemy?" That is exactly what is the case in the poem! The man in the poem is talking to God and asking for help. "Mine, O thou lord of life, send my roots rain." (pg 778, line 14). I feel this translates to, "Please God! Help me!" When I read poems like this, it reminds me of the struggles and obstacles that people must overcome in life. I strongly believe that although the sinner's way of life may look easier and more prosperous, God's path will always lead you to the right place. In my opinion, no matter what situation I go through or what I may be struggling with, talking to God is always the best choice.

Robert Southey - The Widow

People can be very cruel and selfish. If there is a homeless individual, begging for somet ype of help or mercy, the right thing to do is to give some form of assistance to possibly save a life. "The Widow" is a poem that tells the tale of a homeless widow that has no friends or family, seeking pity from those that pass her by in the dead night of winter. She had strength enough to ask a chariot and a horseman to pity her, for she was cold and hungry, but they both passed her by.

"Worn out with anguish, toil, and cold and hunger,
Down sunk the wanderer; sleep seized her senses:
There did the traveller find her in the morning--
God had released her."
(pg 72, lines 25-28)

After being passed by twice, the widow gave up. Once I had read the poem through, I realize why the woman decided to give up. From what I apprehend from the poem, everything that the woman had once known was no more. She had lost her husband and her parents, and on top of that, her friends wanted nothing to do with her. I believe the woman had put up a good fight for life as long as possibly and simply lost. If I was in the shoes of the widow, I probably would have done the same thing.

On a positive note, after the woman had suffered as much as she could handle, she was reuinited in spirit with those near to her that were also deceased. Although this is so, I feel as though all of those that passed her by should be punished by God on Judgement Day for not being merciful to the suffering and dying widow.

William Wordsworth - We Are Seven

"We Are Seven" is a poem that deeply moved me. It tells of a conversation that Wordsworth had with a young girl. The girl was eight years old was one of seven children, but she had already lost two siblings. Similar to the young lady, Wordsworth had lost his mother at the age of eight. In this conversation, I believe that Wordsworth is tryint go teach the young lady that if two of the seven children are dead, then there are only five, including the young girl, and not seven.

"How many are you then," said I,
"If they two are in Heaven?"
The little Maiden did reply,
"O Master! we are seven."
(pg 201, lines 61-64)

Simply my reading the lines above, you can see that this was a tough task for Wordsworth because the girl refused to give up the notion that there are still seven of them, regardless of the death of her siblings. Upon reading the poem, I was able to empathize with the young lady and understand why she continued to count her two siblings as part of her family. Just because the two children had passed, does not give you a reason to erase them, forget them, or stop counting them as part of the family. I completely agree with the young lady, and i personall know what it feels like to lose a family member. I would never think to not count them as part of my family. "We Are Seven" is a poem that makes you stop to ask yourself, "If I was to lose a loved one, would I discontinue counting them as a member of my family when asked?" I would never think to do that. Therefore, I cannot understand why Wordsworth would attempt to teach the young girl to do so in his poem. "We Are Seven" is my personal favorite from Wordsworth because it is easy to understand, touching, and arouses somewhat of an emotional response.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge - Epitaph

Coleridge's epitaph is extremely easy to understand. He was obviously awar of the fact that his life would soon come to an end and he was asking God for forgiveness. He asked for all Christians that pass by his tomb to stop, read, and give one prayer for him. Farther into the epitaph, Coleridge wrote, "That he who many a year with toil of breath; Found death in life, may here find life in death!" (pg 350, lines 5-6). I gathered from this statement that he was a sick man, if not throughout life, then towards the end of his life. These lines alone make me a bit sympathetic for Coleridge, hoping that he did not die in pain. Reading his epitaph made me want to stop and give him the one prayer that he asked for.

To conclude his epitaph, Coleridge wrote, "Mercy for praise--to be forgiven for fame; He asked and hoped, through Christ. Do thou the same!" (pg 350, lines 7-8). I have a good idea of what Coleridge may mean in these lines, but I am not 100 percent certain. If I was given an opportunity to ask Coleridge two questions, I would begin by asking him if he was asking Christ to forgive him or if he was asking the world to forgive him. My second question would be, "From what do you seek forgiveness?" I believe that Coleridge was asking God for forgiveness, forgiveness for all of his sins. I feel strongly about this, but of course I could be wrong.

Testimony of Ann and Elizabeth Eggley, Child Mineworkers

Reading the testimony of the Eggley sisters made me stop and think about how messed up the world once was. Ann and Elizabeth Eggley's testimonies told of the long hours that they were forced to work and of the hard labor that they were forced to do. Due to having to work over twelve hour shifts, six days per week, the young ladies were unable to receive any type of education and did not obtain the chance to learn of Christ and religion. They worked so long and hard, that some days they did not get a chance to eat, and other days they did not make it to bed. Their pay was extremely low and the work was much too difficult for young girls. Unfortunately the girls had no choice, but to endure the hardships of this adverse lifestyle because it was imperative to their survival.

I never went to a day-school. I went a little to a Sunday-school, but I soon gave it over. I thought it too bad to be confined both Sundays and week-days.
(pg 495)

I feel the world has changed for the better when it comes to child labor. Laws have been imposed to limit the amount of work that a child can do and for how long. I strongly agree with the new laws set because child labor conditions in the past deeply disturb me. Seeing a child be overworked to the point that they cannot bear to learn or even attend church is heartbreaking. I feel as though testimonies of child laborers should be discussed in depth in classrooms to teach young people today of how times have changed for the better for them and it has not always been so easy for children. Testimonies, like that of the Eggleys', show an important part of history that should never be repeated.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning - Sonnets from the Portuguese

Initially, Elizabeth Barrett Browning's sonnets were confusing, but they got simpler as I read on. On thing that is certain about Browning's sonnets is the subject. All of Browning's sonnets were based on love. It is said that Elizabeth wrote these love poems to her future husband as their relationship developed. I think that writing the love of your life poetry is the most romantic thing that can be done between a couple. Being able to put your love for someone in words is a very difficult task to accomplish, but to be able to do so successfully is mind blowing. My favorite sonnet written by Browning is Sonnet 43 from Sonnets from the Portuguese. In Sonnet 43, Elizabeth Browning describes how deep her love is for her significant other.

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and bredth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
(pg 532, lines 1-4)

In my eyes, Browning was shocasing her undying love for her man. She was pledging to love him forever with all of her. She pledged to love him with her mind, her body, and her soul. This poem has shown me just how beautiful love can be. To attempt to describe how deep her love for her husband was in words is simply beautiful. I noticed that she vowed to not only love him for life, but also after death in the last line of the poem. Browning wrote, "I shall but love thee better after death;" (pg 532, line 14). Robert Browning, in my opinion, is a very lucky man to have found someone that loves him so deeply. For true, undying love is hard to come by and he has found a woman that is not afraid to show it.

Caroline Nortin - A Letter to the Queen

Caroline Norton was an English writer that was trapped in a horrible marriage with a man that caused her physical, mental, and emotional pain. As a result, Norton wrote a letter to the Queen describing the legal injustices that women suffer and attempted to change these legal injusticies to treat women on a level equal to men. Because of these one-sided laws, Norton lost custody of her children and was denied the privilege of seeing them. I feel as though this is outrageous. Reading Norton's descriptions of how one-sided marriage laws were infuriated me.

If the wife sue for separation for cruelty, it must be "cruelty that endangers life or limb," and if she has once forgiven, or, in legal phrase "condoned" his offences, she cannot plead them; though her past forgiveness only proves that she endured as long as endurance was possible" (pg 565, Paragraph Six).

Based on prior knowledge, I knew that men had the upper hand in history, but I did not know that the law went to extents as great as the aformentioned in quotations. I do not understand how the government could sit aside an watch a woman suffer in a brutal marriage and not grant her a fair separation. I would like to believe that if a woman has suffered all of the domestic violence that she is able to tolerate, then the courts will grant her a divorce. Unfortunately, Norton's letter says otherwise. Reading texts like this make me appreciate what freedoms and privileges that women today possess. I am grateful to be born into the United States and I am glad that I was born into the year that I was born. After reading this letter, my respect for the struggling women of the past has grown.

John Stuart Mill - On Liberty

John Stuart Mill's On Liberty is a long, yet simple text. He uses On Liberty as his personal way to defend individuality and the rights of the individual, no matter government or public opinion. Mill believed that in order for society to progress, it had to accept the many similarities and differences of each individual and that individual's opinions. This is clear when he writes, "If all mankind minus one, were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind" (pg 515, Fourth Paragraph). I believe that this statement clearly says that you cannot be closed-minded to the opinions of others. There is no excuse for this, you must be open to everyone's opinion for society to grow. I once heard that a wise man cannot become wise without accepting the opinions of those around him. I may be wrong, but I feel as though this statement from Mills supports that theory.

He who lets the world, or his own portion of it, choose his plan of life for him, has no need of any other faculty than the ape-like one of imitation. He who chooses his plan for himself, employs all his faculties.
(pg 518, First Paragraph)

Next to John Stuart Mill's defense of one's opinions, he also goes on to describe part of what gives an individual "individuality" and one's own character. I took from the quote above the impression that Mill is pushing his readers to think of rthemselves and choose their own paths, rather than the path chosen for them by external forces. If you let the world choose your path for you, then you shall always work for someone else, as their monkey, doing what you are told. On the contrary, the man that chooses his own path possesses his own character. He has individuality. As a result, he is his own boss and is capable of making all the necessary decisions that would benefit his future.

Mill made me look at being an individual from another perspective, from an external lens. Many people take individuality for granted and"follow the crowd." I am one of the many that Mill speaks of that has chosen my own path. I possess my own character and I value the opinion of others. If it were not for the opinions of others, I may not have ever seen my many qualities and flaws. I think, like Mill, that individuality should be cherished and protected.

Oscar Wilde - Aphorisms

Of everything that I have read from Oscar Wilde, the ending section of aphorisms is what caught my attention. Oscar Wild showed me that he is a man of great wisdom, intelligence, and humor, all in this very section. His aphorisms range from subjects of marriage, to general life statements, to the opposite sex. Although I enjoyed many of the aphorisms, my personal favorite comes from his work titled The Picture of Dorian Gray. Wilde writes, "There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about" (pg 887, Eigth Aphorism). This particular statement grasped my attention and made me ponder on what Wilde may mean.

Personally, I feel as though Wilde was trying to say that one must be successful in life. If you do not succeed in life and put your own mark on the world, then you will not be noticed and no one will have a reason to talk about you. However, if you are very successful in life and accomplish many, if not all, of your goals, then the world has a reason to talk about and know your name.

Gossip may be annoying, but when people gossip about you, you have done something to be noticed. Personally, I have many major goals that I must accomplish in life before I can truly be as successful as I would like to be. Nonetheless, I am well on my way and I will soon be a topic of discussion. This aphorism from Oscar Wilde has inspired me to really reach for the stars and complete my goals. If my name is not known, then I have done nothing to be remembered by. As previously stated, "There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about" (pg 887, Eigth Aphorism).

Robert Browning - Love Among the Ruins

Where the quiet-coloured end of evening smiles,
Miles and miles
On the solitary pastures where our sheep
Half-asleep
Tinkle homeward thro' the twilight, stray or stop
As they crop--
Was the site once of a city great and gay,
(So they say)...
(pg 668, lines 1-8)

In this particular poem, Robert Browning showcases his love for his country and his hope for peace in the midst of a war that is quickly transforming his country's beauty into what he calls ruins. As shown in the lines above, Browning describes the greatness of his country prior to entering war, only later to tell how it has been mutilated by the fighting of the opposing forces at war. According to Browning, his country was once bountiful with vegetation. Consequently, a war that he does not aree with has changed it for the worst.

Oh heart! oh blood that freezes, blood that burns!
Earth's returns
For whole centuries of folly, noise and sin!
Shut them in,
With their triumphs and their glories and the rest!
Love is best.
(pg 670, lines 79-84)

I believe that Browning's tone has changed dramatically in the lines above. His tone has gone from being calm and descriptive to being exclamatory, full of emotion, and heartfelt. It seems to me that he has had enough of this war destroying the land and is begging for its end. I think that he is begging to a higher power that the war be ended and the opposing forces make amends and bestow peace upon the land.

In my opinion, Browning seems to be more of a peace maker. I feel as though this poem shows that he would rather go through all of the necessary alternatives before actually turning to war. The very last line of the poem, "Love is best;" (pg 670, line 84) shows me that Browning was a sensitive man that was against violence. I strongly feel that if there were more men similar to Browning throughout history, yet in powerful positions, there would have been a lot less fighting a more alliances being formed. Today, the world needs more men like Browning to take authority. As a result, there would be more peace and less war between the nations.

William Blake - The Little Black Boy

The poem is simple, yet sets a strong tone for a piece of that period. It is about a black mother educating her son on how they are all a child of God despite their skin color.

My mother bore me in the southern wild,
And I am black, But O! my soul is white
Whit as an angel is the English child:
But I am black as if bereav'd of light.
(pg 80, lines 1-4)

The lines above is the perception that the boy has about his soul. He believes that, although he his skin is black, he is the same on the inside as any other man. The mother also taught him that God has not given them any burdens that they can't carry.

For when our souls have learn'd the heat to bear
The cloud will vanish we shall hear his voice
Saying: come out from the grove, my love & care,
And round my golden tent like lambs rejoice.
(pg 81, lines 17-20)

When He feels that they have had enough, He will then lighten the load and invite them to be in His presence to be joyful. Blake goes on to express how the black boy will share the same space as the English boy when it is time to meet up with God. They will all love each other as equals and be as God intended them to be. My interpretation is that there was a hope of some peacefulness supported by happiness amongst all races. He was trying to relay a message that the black mother was hopeful of all mankind living by the word and walking the walk that God has set before them.

Blake seemed to be a religious man and it was noticed in his poetry. I'm sure that his works sparked some controversial reactions. I liked his works. They were some of the more simpler poems that weren't hard to gravitate to. I'm a fan of the writers that don't complicate the poems with verbiage that I have to go over many times over just to get the point. Not that he's my favorite, but I didn't mind giving it a go.

John Keats - Ode on a Grecian Urn

John is expressing the artful craft of an Urn. Each element has its own beauty and has a story to tell that plays on and on. I have interpreted some of the contents much differently than the footnotes at the bottom of the pages. "Thou still unravish'd bride of quietness, Thou foster-child of silence and slow time," (pg 440, lines 1-2) for me, represents the uniting of the soon-to-be contents of the urn that will host (like a foster parent) the ashes for the time to come. The sexual pursuit, as so described, may be at the middle to the end of the first stanza. John mentions how there is a hunt for the maidens who struggle to escape the wild ecstasy.

"Bold Lover, never, never canst thou kiss," (pg 441, line 17) is a way for John to say that the lovers are merely a frozen image. They are close in proximity but will never meet as lovers do. "Ah, happy, happy boughs! that cannot shed your leaves, nor ever bid the Spring adieu;" (pg 441, lines 21-2) represents the stillness of time that the Urn reflects. The perfectly painted leaves will never fall and Spring will never come. The third stanza continues to dwell on the stillness of time and of all the things that are and will never be.

Stanza four depicts the event that the Urn represents. The presence of the priests and the silent town are all symbols of the passing. The fifth stanza reiterates the everlasting life of the Urn. Man will age, yet the Urn will remain an eternal beauty.

George Gordon, Lord Byron - Apostrophe to his Daughter

It was rumored that Lord Byron fathered a child with his half sister Augusta. It plays to light with his writings from the Apostrophe to His Daughter. Despite the wrongness of the nature, one might feel the intense emotions that he felt about not being able to share the life of his daughter. "I see the not, - I hear the not, -- but none can be so wrapt in thee; thou art the friend to whom the shadows of far years extend:" (pg 361, lines 1069 - 1071). He is saying that, although he isn't with her, he couldn't love her more. He felt as if they weren't going to spend any future time together.

To aid thy mind's development, - to watch
Thy dawn of little joys, - to sit and see
Almost thy very growth, - to view the catch
Knowledge of objects, - wonders yet to thee!
And print on the soft cheek a parent's kiss, -
This, it should seem, was not reserved for me;
Yet this was in my nature - as it is,
I know not what is there, yet something like to this.
(pg 362, lines 1076 - 1084)

I think that the extracted lines from above tells the story of what he knows he will miss out on as a parent. He will not be able to watch her grow up and learn the ways of the world and nurture her as a father. Byron feels as if he is perfectly capable of being a good father but it will never come to be. He further expresses that if he could undo what was done in vain and make things right, he knows that she would accept him as her father. She was conceived in love, despite the sinful nature of the act. He could only imagine what could have been.

I would take away from the poem that he was reaching out and trying to apologize. Byron didn't want his actions to die with him. I think that he written it for his daughter to see how much pain he was in and that he did regret that things were the way it was. He didn't want to take this agony to his grave. Maybe he was hoping that she would forgive him and that they could somehow gain a more personal relationship. Who knows?

George Gordon, Lord Byron - from Canto the Fourth

Byron expressed himself with such emotion. I had to pause several times just to paint a the picture in my head. And what a vivid image it was. I'm a passionate person for humanity, not an activist, but very emotional when it comes to respect for ones' life. I felt his emotion and imagined Byron writing intensly line after line in a frantic rage. "And wherefore slaughter'd? wherefore, but because such were the bloody Circus' genial laws, and the imperial pleasure. Wherefore not?" (pg 362 lines 1245 - 1248). Why do we kill for amusement? Where is the validity of such a vicious death? These are the types of questions I asked myself and thought that he was addressing.

He went on to shed light to the idea of such slaughtering events. "Like the first of a thunder-shower; and now the arena swims around him --he is gone, Ere ceased the inhuman shout which hail'd the wretch who won." (pg 363 lines 1258 - 1260). Why is there excitement in death? Why do we enjoy such events? Again, questions to ponder. When I read these lines I immediately thought of the movie Gladiator with Russell Crow when he asked, "Are you not entertained?" Such a classic line that relates to the message of Byron.

Byron goes on to describe the shameful victory as of a defeated gladiator. He dies for nothing. All the while, with his thoughts on his family and last breath taken for a mere applause. I'm glad to have read this passage. It was something that I could relate to. His emotions were so deeply expressed and it allowed me to do more than just read line for line. I actually used my imagination, as anyone should when reading. In most readings I had to re-read a line to get the understanding of what the author was trying to say. In this case, I was stopping only to play the picture in my mind. Any yes, I was entertained. Not at the thought of death but at the way he vividly struck a nerve in his day and age. For someone to stand out against something so popular and risk becoming the absolute outkast is very courageous. I'm sure many others of his day were bothered by the events but to put it in writing serves a greater way of grasping a part of history for future reference. I could be completely off with my interpretations but they are mine.