Compare and Contrast Helen- HD POE
Comparison and Contrast Essay
In the poems, “To Helen” and “Helen”, both Edgar Allan Poe and H.D. emphasize the beauty of the infamous Helen of Troy; however, the speakers’ attitudes differ as one praises and worships Helen while the other condemns her for her treachery and remains unmoved by her beauty. Although both poems discuss Helen of Troy, both speakers’ withhold different perspectives within the first stanza. In “To Helen” the speaker sets Helen on a pedestal as he uses the apostrophe “Helen, thy beauty is to me” (Poe, line 1). He emphasizes that he speaks to her as the title “To Helen” sets the praiseful tone within the poem. However, the unimpressed speaker of “Helen” displays the loss of connection to this famous woman as he does not address her but instead degrade her. The charmed speaker conveys her image by stating “Like those Nicean barks of yore” (Poe, line 2) which “gently, o'er a perfumed sea,” (Poe, line 3) expressing the notion of her as a Goddess. However, the unmoved speaker begins his poem with “All Greece hates”(H.D., line 1) implying the desolate tone. He uses the anaphora of “wan”(H.D., line 9) and “white”( H.D., line 2) to express the lack of character she withholds and her lack of beauty.
In both second stanzas of the poems, the speakers portray different attitudes toward Helen and the voyage she created among the men of Greece. The enchanted speaker illustrates a sense of isolation and loss in “On desperate seas long wont to roam”(Poe, line 6) until however, her “hyacinth hair” and “thy classic face”, have “brought [him] home”( Poe, line 7 )which establishes a sense of comfort to the speaker in which he glorifies. However, the unimpressed speakers tone differs as he insults Helen stating that “All Greece reviles [her]” (H.D., line 6 ) as she remains as the reason behind Greece’s suffering and the war in which it ravaged. The images of beauty that the other speaker praises are used for an ironic effect. The “face when she
In the poems, “To Helen” and “Helen”, both Edgar Allan Poe and H.D. emphasize the beauty of the infamous Helen of Troy; however, the speakers’ attitudes differ as one praises and worships Helen while the other condemns her for her treachery and remains unmoved by her beauty. Although both poems discuss Helen of Troy, both speakers’ withhold different perspectives within the first stanza. In “To Helen” the speaker sets Helen on a pedestal as he uses the apostrophe “Helen, thy beauty is to me” (Poe, line 1). He emphasizes that he speaks to her as the title “To Helen” sets the praiseful tone within the poem. However, the unimpressed speaker of “Helen” displays the loss of connection to this famous woman as he does not address her but instead degrade her. The charmed speaker conveys her image by stating “Like those Nicean barks of yore” (Poe, line 2) which “gently, o'er a perfumed sea,” (Poe, line 3) expressing the notion of her as a Goddess. However, the unmoved speaker begins his poem with “All Greece hates”(H.D., line 1) implying the desolate tone. He uses the anaphora of “wan”(H.D., line 9) and “white”( H.D., line 2) to express the lack of character she withholds and her lack of beauty.
In both second stanzas of the poems, the speakers portray different attitudes toward Helen and the voyage she created among the men of Greece. The enchanted speaker illustrates a sense of isolation and loss in “On desperate seas long wont to roam”(Poe, line 6) until however, her “hyacinth hair” and “thy classic face”, have “brought [him] home”( Poe, line 7 )which establishes a sense of comfort to the speaker in which he glorifies. However, the unimpressed speakers tone differs as he insults Helen stating that “All Greece reviles [her]” (H.D., line 6 ) as she remains as the reason behind Greece’s suffering and the war in which it ravaged. The images of beauty that the other speaker praises are used for an ironic effect. The “face when she