Eliot vs Donne - Vehicle for Emotions
Poetry is often the vehicle for expressing emotion. In the work of at least two poets you have studied, explore the ways in which you have seen poets writing about feelings in an artistic and effective way.
John Donne indeed uses poetry as a vehicle for expressing emotions towards a variety of subject matter, however particularly with reference to his lover, to God and to death. Donne documents his confidence in his emotions towards his lover in “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning”. Moreover , post his wife’s death, in “Holy Sonnet X” Donne cements his assuredness of emotions toward death in verse. Conversely to Donne’s security in his feelings, in “The Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock” T.S. Eliot creates the persona of J.Alfred Prufrock who is evidently insecure in himself, with regard to both his appearance and his attitude towards particular milestones in his life. The first instance in “The Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock” where the reader is hinted towards Prufrock’s insecurities, comes in the form of this rhyming couplet: “In the room the women come and go Talking of Michelangelo.”
In this case, the reader understands Prufrock’s evident concern for the mutterings of women, and consequently Prufrock expresses a jealous undertone about Michelangelo. Moreover this image is repeated once more in the poem which furthers the notion that Prufrock is envious of this character, and in his failure to gain the attention of women, he lingers upon thoughts of this. Donne expresses his assuredness in his relationship in “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning”, where as the title suggests, Donne documents how his relationship can endure a physical separation ‘better’ than mere “dull-sublunary lovers”. Donne, in his poetry, rouses images that his love is transcendent and hence stronger than other mortal’s love. Moreover, it is evident that Donne believes his love to have stemmed not only from strong emotions, but also that their souls are indeed one - “Our souls
John Donne indeed uses poetry as a vehicle for expressing emotions towards a variety of subject matter, however particularly with reference to his lover, to God and to death. Donne documents his confidence in his emotions towards his lover in “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning”. Moreover , post his wife’s death, in “Holy Sonnet X” Donne cements his assuredness of emotions toward death in verse. Conversely to Donne’s security in his feelings, in “The Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock” T.S. Eliot creates the persona of J.Alfred Prufrock who is evidently insecure in himself, with regard to both his appearance and his attitude towards particular milestones in his life. The first instance in “The Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock” where the reader is hinted towards Prufrock’s insecurities, comes in the form of this rhyming couplet: “In the room the women come and go Talking of Michelangelo.”
In this case, the reader understands Prufrock’s evident concern for the mutterings of women, and consequently Prufrock expresses a jealous undertone about Michelangelo. Moreover this image is repeated once more in the poem which furthers the notion that Prufrock is envious of this character, and in his failure to gain the attention of women, he lingers upon thoughts of this. Donne expresses his assuredness in his relationship in “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning”, where as the title suggests, Donne documents how his relationship can endure a physical separation ‘better’ than mere “dull-sublunary lovers”. Donne, in his poetry, rouses images that his love is transcendent and hence stronger than other mortal’s love. Moreover, it is evident that Donne believes his love to have stemmed not only from strong emotions, but also that their souls are indeed one - “Our souls