I'll just post up my homework. Here are a few random points, in no particular order. Hope it helps, I think this poem is awesome for imaginative journeys.
Why is it easier to lose onself in this landscape?
There is no help as the persona must ultimately be their own savior, it is implied that this voyage is the most threatening, as the individual explores their inner labyrinth in which no directions are obvious.
Whatever I do I must / keep my head - a feelings of desperation.
The use of high modality, “must” – it is crucial she retains her sanity. “Keep my head” – there is a real sense of urgency as the thought of madness manifests itself as possibility.
Structure & Meaning...
The structure consists of three stanzas, each progressively moving from tangible reality into the abstract, morphing everyday experiences with the deeper workings of the psyche. The separation of the stanzas helps to clarify the comparison between the physical and psychological journey, the first exploring ways in which both voyages are alike, whilst the second stanza differentiates between the two. As the poem nears the ends, the persona finds the inner most aspect of self, and hence becomes constricted in an alternate reality – where the burdens of everyday living must be abandoned in order to reveal the intricate details and demands of the inner self. The use of present tense enforces that the ideas explored are forever applicable; it is not lodged in the past or predicted for the future – it is not just a universal experience, but also a contemporary one. The choice of words is essential in portraying a vivid yet foreign land which is the inner being; “poor country” “brambles” “erratic” “vacant wilderness” all provoke a sense of abandonment. The psyche remains uncultivated and ultimately repressed, second to the demands of the physical realm – leaving behind the individual who fails to explore the metaphysical aspects of self, or perhaps even their ‘shadow’ (alternating light and dark at all times) – the threatening nature of the voyage repressing humanity's quest for true identity.
(I might be taking a Jungian reading of the poem at the end, sorry. Ignore the shadow bit if you think its out of place.)
e.) How is the poem a representation of physical journeys? How is it a representation of inner or imaginative journeys?
The use of imagery portrays both physical and inner journeys. The cliff metaphor highlights that what appears to be flat and 2D becomes a 3D landscape with never-ending discoveries to be made. This can be applied to the inner journey in that there are many aspects of self still to be revealed and explored.
f.) Identify the assumptions about journey made evident in the poem?-
- Journey can expose secret aspects of self which have been concealed and ignored, creating wholeness of the individual.
- Journey may broaden the individual’s experience as they face unknown terrain and threatening circumstance.
- Journey may alter perspective, creating a strengthened sense of self
Why is it easier to lose onself in this landscape?
There is no help as the persona must ultimately be their own savior, it is implied that this voyage is the most threatening, as the individual explores their inner labyrinth in which no directions are obvious.
Whatever I do I must / keep my head - a feelings of desperation.
The use of high modality, “must” – it is crucial she retains her sanity. “Keep my head” – there is a real sense of urgency as the thought of madness manifests itself as possibility.
Structure & Meaning...
The structure consists of three stanzas, each progressively moving from tangible reality into the abstract, morphing everyday experiences with the deeper workings of the psyche. The separation of the stanzas helps to clarify the comparison between the physical and psychological journey, the first exploring ways in which both voyages are alike, whilst the second stanza differentiates between the two. As the poem nears the ends, the persona finds the inner most aspect of self, and hence becomes constricted in an alternate reality – where the burdens of everyday living must be abandoned in order to reveal the intricate details and demands of the inner self. The use of present tense enforces that the ideas explored are forever applicable; it is not lodged in the past or predicted for the future – it is not just a universal experience, but also a contemporary one. The choice of words is essential in portraying a vivid yet foreign land which is the inner being; “poor country” “brambles” “erratic” “vacant wilderness” all provoke a sense of abandonment. The psyche remains uncultivated and ultimately repressed, second to the demands of the physical realm – leaving behind the individual who fails to explore the metaphysical aspects of self, or perhaps even their ‘shadow’ (alternating light and dark at all times) – the threatening nature of the voyage repressing humanity's quest for true identity.
(I might be taking a Jungian reading of the poem at the end, sorry. Ignore the shadow bit if you think its out of place.)
e.) How is the poem a representation of physical journeys? How is it a representation of inner or imaginative journeys?
The use of imagery portrays both physical and inner journeys. The cliff metaphor highlights that what appears to be flat and 2D becomes a 3D landscape with never-ending discoveries to be made. This can be applied to the inner journey in that there are many aspects of self still to be revealed and explored.
f.) Identify the assumptions about journey made evident in the poem?-
- Journey can expose secret aspects of self which have been concealed and ignored, creating wholeness of the individual.
- Journey may broaden the individual’s experience as they face unknown terrain and threatening circumstance.
- Journey may alter perspective, creating a strengthened sense of self
The 'paring knife' and domestic objects result in an intertwining of the physical and abstract world; The merging of the imagination and reality makes the tangible seem more believable, as it is combined with tangible reality which validates its existance. - This links in with the cliff line, the intangible and metaphysical cannot be easily accessed, moreover, this results in its abandonment as a "poor country" - neglected aspect of self.
