We have finally reached the Modernism. I enjoyed the last section of the class, but am excited to get to more modern pieces of work. Twain and the other writers we encountered during the 1865-1914 time period were great and really provided some wonderful pieces of writing. However, I am very excited to look at Frost and Hemingway!
Robinson is the first writer looked at for modernism. To be honest, I had never heard of Robinson until now…..Whoops! I really liked his style of writing. Poetry is tricky for me, as I mentioned before, but I was still able to enjoy it. “Luke Havergal” was my favorite that we were asked to read. There is a mystery and darkness about the poem that I connected with. I don’t normally like dark things, but in this case, I found it to be very meaningful.
Robinson’s idea of hell being more than half of paradise is really interesting…..I like it! It is so common for people to separate heaven from hell, but I think Robinson makes a good point in saying that they are part of each other. A lot of people might not like this because it brings a darker aspect to heaven. It makes things much more unclear. “Luke Havergal” makes me think of stories when someone loses a loved one, and they die of a broken heart. Luke Havergal has a broken heart, and I think he may wish for death to reconnect with the woman that is talked about. This poem isn’t the “happy-go-lucky” type of poem that I usually enjoy, but I love it nonetheless….
God slays Himself with every leaf that flies,
And hell is more than half of paradise.
No, there is not a dawn in eastern skies—
In eastern skies
I completely agree with you, I love the idea that in Luke Havergal that hell is more than half of paradise. In some sense it makes Heaven a darker place, but on the other hand it makes the life we are living more worthwhile. I like how you relate Luke Havergal to dying of a broken heart. I felt the same way when I was reading this and the voice that calls to him is that of his lost lover, calling him to join her once again.
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