Analysis Of Love III by George Herbert

Love III by George Herbert is an eighteen line love poem with a static rhythm plus end rhyme pattern of ABABCCDEDEFFGHGHII. The message of the poem is about the unconditional love of Christ and the unrighteous nature of human.

Christ who was symbolized as love in the poem was seen assuring sinners of his love for them by inviting the remorse sinners into his abode to dine with him "Love bade me welcome, yet my soul drew back" according to line 1. The invited human at first, resented his invite on the ground of imperfection and sinfulness "Guilty of dust and sin" as seen in line 2 and "I, the unkind, the ungrateful? ah my dear" seen in line 9 of the poem. At the completion of the poem, the invited sinner testified to the love and benevolence of Jesus Christ:
'“You must sit down,” says Love, “and taste my meat.”
So I did sit and eat."

George Herbert's poems are in form of dramatic monologues. This poem and his poem titled "The Pulley" both possess monologue revealing the conversation that transpired between two characters. "The Pulley" showed conversation between God and the poem speaker who witnessed the creation but "Love III" is a conversation between Christ and sinner. When the sinner claimed he wasn't worthy of standing before Christ "I cannot look at thee" but Christ replied in line 12 saying "Who made the eyes but I?" and such line is an instance of assonance.

Line 13-14 says "Truth, Lord, but I have marr’d them; let my shame/ Go where it doth deserve.” which means "Lord, the truth is that I have wrongly used the eye given so let me shamefully go to where I sinfully belong" both lines have an enjambment and a personification of "my shame". The line 16 which says "My dear, then I will serve" can be interpreted as "OK. Christ, I promise to worship you." The phrase "My dear" refers to Christ.

Samuel C. Enunwa aka samueldpoetry
(the Leo with wings flying)

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Overview Of Animal Farm by George Orwell

Animal Farm by George Orwell:-

The story started and ended in the Manor Farm owned by Mr. Jones, who unforeseen happen made bankrupt with nothing to solace in than alcohol. 

The farmer’s inability to properly manage the animals gave rise to the planned rebellion by the animals. At some points in the role of events, there was a conflict of who should be the head of the animals (Snowball or Napoleon). The dictator Napoleon chased Snowball off the Manor Farm then things went from worse to worst for the animals.

How was Snowball chased off the farm?

With bestial dogs, Napoleon chased Snowball off the animal farm as to willfully rule the animals the way that soothe him.  “Four legs good, two legs bad” was a repeated motto of Snowball being a rebel to human reign in the farm. Snowball was a die-hard supporter of Old Major’s philosophies; such ideologies didn’t align with those of greedy Napoleon who adopted all the principles of Mr. Jones after the expulsion of Snowball and made the animals suffered beyond imagination.

How did Napoleon manipulate all animals to support his tyranny?

Besides the fact that Napoleon used the trained dogs for his forceful takeover, Squealer was another instrument of his manipulation. A pig with a very sugar-coated mouth, always known as someone manipulating the other animals to favor the wills of Napoleon. 

The animals were misinformed, and every negative situation in the farm was attributed to Snowball; alleged of coming in under the cover of darkness and performing all kinds of mischief such as stealing the corn, upsetting the milk-pails and breaks the eggs, among others.

George Orwell’s use of irony in Animal Farm:-

One among the well known characters of a satire is the use of irony, so it’s no surprise that ironies were not found missing in Animal Farm by George Orwell. 

The author created ironies out of so many situations such as the case of the animal’s illiteracy. Sick Boxer was taken to the slaughter under the guise of been taken to the hospital even when the imprint message on the van was boldly written “Horse Slaughterer and Glue Boiler”, Boxer and other animal could not comprehend the message.  

“The writer uses irony to laugh at the folly of the animals in their belief that their lives would become better after the overthrow of Jones. The irony is extended in the, wideness of the pigs and the gullibility of the other animals.” 

According to Wikipedia article, “All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others”, and “For legs good, two legs better!” as the pigs become more human. This is an ironic twist to the original purpose of the Seven Commandments, which were supposed to keep order within Animal Farm by uniting the animals together against the humans and preventing animals from following the humans’ evil habits, Orwell demonstrates how simply political dogma can be turned into malleable propaganda.

How pigs aided the message of the author:-

Starting with Old Major, the oldest pig on the farm, highly respected and regarded by the other animals. Old Major suggested the act rebellion against humans. Snowball is a very passionate pig who meant the best for all the animals in the Manor Farm. Snowball was known to be very eloquent and intelligent. 

Napoleon, another significant pig in the novel, is considered the greedy dictator who manipulates other animals to have its own way. Napoleon planned how Snowball was forced out of the farm. Squealer is also a pig character in the novel, he was considered Napoleon’s second-in-command. He was Napoleon’s pawn for imposing dictatorship on other animals.

Discuss three vices or weaknesses in human society that Orwell satirizes in Animal Farm (WAEC MAY/JUNE 2000)

Answer according to Johnson Publication goes thus:

“Notable among the vices satirized by Orwell in Animal Farm are selfishness or egocentrism, narcissism or discrimination, despotism or ruthlessness. 

(i) Selfishness: This is demonstrated by Napoleon, Squealer and most of the pigs. They ascribed to themselves all the goodies, brunties, largesse and all the choicest foods and drinks in the farm without taking others into consideration. For instance, it is decreed that only the pigs should be allowed to eat apples and drink milk. This type of egocentric attitude is prevalent in human society, and has been infused or integrated into the novel. 

(ii) Narcissism or discrimination: This occurs in forms of discrimination between genders, among ethnic groups, nations or even between one race and the other. The pigs demonstrate this narcissist tendency on their part when they claim to be superior to all other animals in the farm.

(iii) Despotism or ruthlessness: This is one of the major vices perpetrated by the rulers and the ruling classes in human society these days. This is demonstrated in the novel by Napoleon and his nine ferocious dogs who constitute themselves as his guards.”

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Use Of Visual Image In The Pulley By George Herbert

As we have mentioned in few of the articles in naijapoets, The Pulley by George Herbert relates man and God, God bestowed man (his creation) blessings such as strength, beauty, wisdom and so on.

The language of the poem is simple and conversational with suggestive tone. The varying visual images created by George Herbert shows the supremacy of God over man (his creator).

The title of the poem portrayed the strength of God (the creator) judging by the fact that a pulley is a powerful lifting device capable of moving object from point "A" to point "B". According to the poem, God placed man on earth through creation, then added unto man that which will toss him back to the creator. The title is also effective in that the more God increases t
he gift of man, the more the burdens of the gift push man towards his creator, God.

The use of simple imageries, dramatic monologue, personification, etc; assisted in the painting of visual images all through the poem. Line 13-14 are clear instances among the imageries in the poem titled "The Pulley":
"He would adore my gift instead of me
And rest in Nature, not the God of Nature"

Dramatic monologue cast a visual image to the readers' mind through the suggestive voice shown by the poem persona. The voice of the poem does not only seem present during the creation of man, the direct speech in lines 3 and 11 respectively , revealed that God was democratic not authoritative during creation processes of man.
"Let us" said he "pour on him all we can" (in line 3)
"For if I should," said he, (in line 11).

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Samuel C. Enunwa aka samueldpoetry
(the Leo with wings flying)

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Analysis Of Two Lovers By George Eliot

In this poem, George Eliot was so preoccupied with how most of the true love relationship begins and ends by showing six different phases to it. She used a third person point of view and her tone was so full delight and emphasis.

Within the space of a six stanza poem, George Eliot narrated the different phases of a true love relationship. Each stanza is structured to carry six lines where the first four lines of verse/stanza are tetrameter while the last two lines of each verse/stanza are dimeter.

The first stanza of the poem speaks of how two lovebirds begin their love relationship: "Two lovers by a moss-grown spring/They leaned soft cheeks together there" (line 1-2) The second stanza is about how their love relationship has led to wedding. The third stanza is about their honeymoon and sexual union: "Two faces o'er a cradle bent/ Two hands above the head were locked/ These pressed each other while they rocked". The fourth and the fifth stanza show that the two lovers have become a father. The sixth, which is the last stanza of the poem talks about how the two lovers have finally become aged couples; left with the memory of their love's genesis.

The poem has the theme of love; in the sense that love led the two young lovers in a marital relationship of a lifetime. The theme of time; in the sense that time made the two lovers witnessed varying stages in their love relationship.



naijapoets.com has observered that the dominant poetic device in the poem is imagery; "a moss-grown spring" "soft cheek" "chair up side-by-side" etc. There are partial repetitions of few lines in the poem (for instance: "the red light fell about their knees" in stanza 4 "the red light shone about their knees" in line 5 "the red light shone upon the floor" in line 6. Alliteration in line 10 and 14 "White petals on the pathway" "Two hands above the head". Simile is "the air was soft as fanning wings" in line 9. The careful arrangement of the lines made the poem lyrical and it won't be wrong to say that the poem has a natural family-life setting.

Born in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England on the 22nd of November 1819; Mary Ann Evan is Victorian era English poet and novelist. She wrote under the pen name "George Eliot" it is said that she chose the pen name so that people would take her literary works seriously. She died at age 61 in Chelsea, Middlesex, England on the 22nd of December 1880. One among many of her notable work is "The Mill On The Floss(1860)

The Poem:-
Two lovers by a moss-grown spring:
They leaned soft cheeks together there,
Mingled the dark and sunny hair,
And heard the wooing thrushes sing.
O budding time!
O love's blest prime!

Two wedded from the portal stept:
The bells made happy carolings,
The air was soft as fanning wings,
White petals on the pathway slept.
O pure-eyed bride!
O tender pride!

Two faces o'er a cradle bent:
Two hands above the head were locked:
These pressed each other while they rocked,
Those watched a life that love had sent.
O solemn hour!
O hidden power!

Two parents by the evening fire:
The red light fell about their knees
On heads that rose by slow degrees
Like buds upon the lily spire.
O patient life!
O tender strife!

The two still sat together there,
The red light shone about their knees;
But all the heads by slow degrees
Had gone and left that lonely pair.
O voyage fast!
O vanished past!

The red light shone upon the floor
And made the space between them wide;
They drew their chairs up side by side,
Their pale cheeks joined, and said, "Once more!"
O memories!
O past that is!

Copyright © by George Eliot (all right reserved)

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Samuel C. Enunwa aka samueldpoetry
(the Leo with wings flying)

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Is God Omnipotent In The Pulley By George Herbert

The previous naijapoets.com post on The Pulley by George Herbert, outlined few different themes in the poem. This post is going to consider just two of those themes by comparing them with the expression that says "Is God Omnipotent In The Pulley By George Herbert?"

To begin with, omnipotence is the quality of having unlimited power or control. Let's compare the theme one, "limitations on human existence" with God's omnipotence, it will be clearly seen that God who placed limitations on the lives of human beings could have made human beings immortal, if he so pleased.

Because God doesn't take directives or instructions from anyone, he acts at his own will. Even the following lines from the poem doesnt mean God needs a consultant before making decisions:
“‘Let us” said he “pour on him all we can”
Let the world’s riches which despersed lie
Contract into a span”

The second theme of the poem, where all that humans possessed were bestowed by God. Such kind gesture from God to human is also a prove that God is far powerful than humans and God's power is omnipotent. Check the link should in case you would like to view all the themes in The Pulley by George Herbert

NEXT PAGES:-
>>>Analysis of The Pulley by George Herbert

>>>Death As A Limitation To Human Existence In The Poem The Pulley

>>>Analysis of Virtue by George Herbert


Samuel C. Enunwa aka samueldpoetry
(the Leo with wings flying)

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