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Name: Michelle Navarrete
Date:
Graded Assignment
Alternate Assignment: In Praise of Imagination
ESSAY ANSWER: Answer the question in at least 1 or more paragraphs, using complete sentences and answering all parts of the prompt. DUE DATE: FEBRUARY 25, 2015 (20 points)
The Romantic poets rebelled against the rationalism of their time by espousing imagination over logic and reason. How do the poems in this unit extol the power and virtue of human imagination? Do you think imagination is as powerful and important to human progress as these poets believe? Do we see examples of the power of imagination today? Choose two poems and explain how each poem treats the power and virtue of human imagination. Then discuss your views on the role of imagination today.

Answer:
1.13 Discuss: Praise Imagination

I WANDERED lonely as a cloud That floats on high o'er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine And twinkle on the milky way, They stretched in never-ending line Along the margin of a bay: 10 Ten thousand saw I at a glance, Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they Out-did the sparkling waves in glee: A poet could not but be gay, In such a jocund company: I gazed--and gazed--but little thought What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie In vacant or in pensive mood, 20 They flash upon that inward eye Which is the bliss of solitude; And then my heart with pleasure fills, And dances with the daffodils.

My Pretty Rose-Tree

A FLOWER was offer’d to me,

Such a flower as May never bore;

But I said ‘I’ve a pretty Rose-tree,’

And I passèd the sweet flower o’er.

Then I went to my pretty Rose-tree, 5
To tend her by day and by night,

But my Rose turn’d away with jealousy,

And her thorns were my only delight.

The writer’s interruption of I WANDERED lonely as a cloud is about loneliness and depression in some sorts. “For oft, when on my couch I lie.” After he has expressed all the wonders of the waves and the twinkle in the Milky Way, he goes back to where he was just lying on his coach doing nothing. He’s sad and also depressed, in a deep thought, “vacant or in pensive mood.” “They flash upon that inward eye, which is the bliss of solitude.” Good memories flash upon him and joy fills him up inside even though he is sad. Then he begins to find inner joy and peace within his heart. He remembers the daffodils and begins to dance with them inside. He finds joy in his thoughts and life that surrounds him outside of that couch. Even though things seem, glim on the couch he chooses to find happiness somewhere else he searches in his heart and then finds he can have happiness.

The writer’s interruption of My Pretty Rose-Tree is about a woman. He’s talking about a rose tree, yet his imagination and words go beyond that. He is saying that he’s never seen, “Such a flower as may never bore.” Meaning he’s never seen a women like her he goes on and says, “To tend her by day and by night.” This woman means a lot to him and he wants to be with her and take care of her all the time. “But my Rose turn’d away with jealousy, and her thorns were my only delight.” Being so infatuated by her he is blinded at her faults and scorn, he loves her for her. He has brought out the other side of the inner state of a rose.

I think imagination today is so important. We have so many obstacles and things in our life that are plain and sort of depressing. We need imagination and also happiness in our lives. If were not creative or positive about a few things we would go crazy or get depressed. Having a good look on life and using our wonderful minds is fun. I love using my imagination and thinking of how things will play out. Sometimes I get carried away with my thoughts and I should open it up to reality. But I rather be lost in my thoughts then overwhelmed with life I think everyone would want that.