Essay on Confronting Death in Poetry - 1116 Words

Confronting Death in Poetry Raised fists and a fading smile usually follow the confrontation of death as we experience the first stages of denial in the grieving process. We not only grieve at the loss of a loved one, but at the loss of our own life as well. When death rears its ugly head, it demands this response. Whether through art or science, humor or ritual, mankind marks and confronts this passage with both defiance and trepidation that eventually turns into acceptance and submission. The fear of death seems to be based on two things: the finality of death and the uncertainty of what follows. Many works have been written on the topic, some to offer consolation, others hope, and still others to urge readers to correct their†¦show more content†¦With this knowledge we plan our future, cherish expectations, hopes and dreams. Frost portrays that the dreams of the boy are dashed as he comes to the next stage of grieving, that of acceptance. Frost write, †¦Then the boy saw all - / Since he was old enough to know†¦ / He saw all spoiled (Frost 22, 23, 25) Frost then takes the reader through a similar grieving process as the family and friends of the boy experience some, or possibly all, of the same stages of grief that the boy experienced. It is stark reminder of the lives of the ordinary and of the many families who lost many children before they reached their teenage years. Disease and the lack of medical science back then resulted in a higher death rate of young children. And then the watcher at his pulse took fright No one believed. They listened at his heart†¦ No more to build on there. And they†¦. turned to their affairs. (Frost 30, 31, 33, 34) At this stage the grieving survivors cut each tie and relinquish the bonds that link them to the deceased. Frost depicts that the grieving will have to come to terms with the many life changes that may follow the boys death yet there is utter helplessness that life must go on as they turn away to their affairs. Edwin Robinsons Richard Corey takes another look at death, through the eyes of the common folk. As he spins the tale of Richard Corey, a rich man, he shows that to some the good life consists ofShow MoreRelatedT.S. Eliot - The Waste Land Brief Analytic Essay633 Words   |  3 Pagesallusions, is a confronting representation of re-establishment and rejuvenation across the entirety of a European post-war society. Eliot addresses the cyclical nature of life and death, encompassed by carefully crafted language and structure designed to disorientate the reader. The reader is offered an interpretation of human behaviour which is akin to all beings across the cohort of society, regardless of ethnicity or social class. 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