Gibbs Free Energy (Aha! A Chemistry Reference!)

The neatly chaotic form of Robert Herrick's "Delight in Disorder" reflects the speaker's admiration for "wild civility." In this poem, the speaker reveals his attraction to "a sweet disorder," which often creates "a fine distraction" that "more bewitch[es] [him] than when art/ Is too precise in every part." While this belief seems to be paradoxical, the speaker defends the validity of this belief by describing that same disorder in a loving fashion. Instead of speaking of disorder, particularly of a woman's clothing, with disgust, the speaker implies that disorder actually attracts and stimulates him, describing that disorder as "sweet," "tempestuous," and fine" and admitting that it "kindles in clothes a wantonness," "enthralls the crimson stomacher," and bewitches him more than art which "is too precise." Instead of finding fault with chaos, the speaker relishes in and adores it.

That same chaotic beauty is reflected in Herrick's writing style. Herrick writes in continuous form, giving no apparent rhyme or reason in separating sentences into distinct lines. Yet each line follows an iambic meter, giving a pleasing sense of rhythm to the poem. In addition, the poem is divided into couplets, providing an even deeper sense of beauty. However, even in this rhyme scheme, chaos is implied; the rhymes seldom are perfect, instead forming slant rhymes in most instances. This supports the speaker's admiration of chaotic beauty on a subconscious level. In a rather unexpected way, the speaker's initial paradox of chaotic beauty is validated thoroughly.

Sneaky Simplicity (Question 11)

In his "Elegy for My Father, Who Is Not Dead," Andrew Hudgins writes extremely simply yet effectively. Throughout the poem, the speaker discusses his and his father's views of death in extremely simple sentences, summing up their differing views on death in five words: "He's ready. I am not." Yet the fact that Hudgins' writing style is simple and sparse does not mean that it lacks literary skill. The speaker's simple descriptions are reflected in his use of an extended metaphor which compares the journey from death to a possible afterlife with a boat trip. Note that Hudgins makes this comparison with an implied metaphor, the simplest form of analogy; it does not require extra words of comparison, as a simile does, but instead simply implies the two are similar. Hudgins takes this simplicity a step further. He does not focus on this comparison, but instead focuses on his and his father's opposing stances and simply uses the metaphor as backup support for his main point. This simplicity of approach reflects the simple clearheadedness of the speaker's argument. Although Hudgins' writing may seem overly simple, it is anything but.

Murder, She Wrote

I admit, I rather enjoyed "Edward." The two speakers--Edward and his mother--use repetition of each other's names and of their initial comments. This repetition serves two purposes. Superficially, the repetition emphasizes each individual question or responses, forcing the reader to read each comment twice in order to feel its power more strongly. On a deeper level, though, this repetition increases suspense as Edward's mother constantly pressures Edward to reveal his troubles. This buildup of pressure and suspense occurs twice within the poem. Each time, Edward finally reveals what is troubling him, and each time, the answer is slightly shocking. In the first climactic moment, the reader learns that Edward has killed his father. This murder is revealed as the reason for his guilt and for his decision to leave the land he knows.

Yet the second climax is even more surprising. After building up the emotion of the poem by asking her son what will happen to those he will leave behind, Edward's mother finally asks him what he will leave for her. Yet instead of a heartfelt token of his lover for her, Edward replies with a rather unexpectedly bitter "curse of hell" for her. At first, the reader is shocked at Edward's reply, yet in the very last line of the poem, Edward finally reveals the reason for his loathing: his mother gave him "such counsels" to kill his father. Despite his guilt, Edward's hatred for his mother is stronger, for though he committed the crime, she devised it in the first place. A rather interesting--and by interesting, I of course mean grossly dysfunctional--mother-and-son relationship, don't you think?

"Personals" Ads Are Kinda Creepy...(Question 17)

"Lonely Hearts" by Wendy Cope is written in the form of a villanelle. This form is especially fitting in the speaker's imitation of a "Personals" ad in a newspaper. The repetition of the two lines which end alternating stanzas reflect the desperate hope of those who fill out personal advertisements. Each person, no matter how different they may be or from what walks of life they may come, simply seeks "someone [to] make [their] simple wish come true". By utilizing the villanelle, which allows her to repeat her two central lines, Cope is able to reflect (through the speaker) on plights for love in today's modern world. Despite our modern world, which prides itself on connecting others, people still struggle to find love. By writing as each advertiser, Cope attempts to bring to light this struggle to find the one who will answer affirmatively to that question of "Is it you?" Cope effectively employs the form of the villanelle to repeatedly emphasize the search for love in today's technological world.