A Life Half Lived

A life that has not fully reached the peak of success, and though willing to move forward, still ponders about the past and thinks about the limited time that life has left. Mezzo Cammin is a look into a life that has not been fully lived and has reached a point to where time is valuable, almost as much as obtaining a success or self righteousness of some kind. The author uses literary devices that captivate the reader and help explain the point by expressing his feelings and thoughts through words, using a rhyming scheme easily, and effortlessly using symbols to enrich the meaning in his words. The fear and self struggle that Longfellow produces in his writing, simply comes alive through the very words in this sonnet. His fear for dying without having accomplished anything in his life is very evident, as he ponders over all of the years he let pass. This leads into his fear for the future and if he will accomplish anything in the time left. He shows deep regret in Mezzo Cammin, right at the beginning as Longfellow says, "Half of my life is gone". The author allows the audience to interpret his emotions and analyze his phrases to help add in to the meaning that he wants to produce. A Petrarchan Sonnet is often set to where the octate first introduces the problem, which in Mezzo Cammin, is Longfellow's problem of not having been successful in the beginning of his life. The sestet produces a solution, which for this sonnet, would be moving forward. Even though Longfellow is scared of the future he has hopes that success will be there. The way the author has written this sonnet helps the reader understand a personal struggle with the way Longfellow feels about his life and how self security in the future is a must. This sestet expresses the struggle still felt by Longfellow and his fear that time has passed by and wanting nothing more than to have some type of success in life before death. The octate and sestet help tie in and convey the emotions felt