Final Exam Review Flashcards
Describe William Colleen Bryant
He was the father of American poetry
His father as a doctor
Published his first poem at 10 and his first book at 13
He was a lawyer for ten years but left to peruse writing
He was the editor of the ny evening post
Famous works: thanotopsis and to a waterfowl
Main themes: death and nature
Techniques: ionic pentameter, poetry, blank verse
Supported women’s rights
1st American poet to win world wide proclaim
One of the founders of the Republican Party
Supporter of Abraham Lincoln
Extremely popular
Who wrote thanotopsis
William Cullen Bryant
Who’s father was a doctor
William Cullen Bryant
Father of American poetry
William Cullen Bryant
Describe thanotopsis
It was written by William Cullen Bryant
“View of death”
Nature brings happiness and comfort to those who love it, and death is not to be feared and despised. Cullen talks about death and realizes that it’s inevitable, but uses it to help us view the things outside of ourselves to comfort us and gives us peace in death.
Describe to a waterfowl
Written by William Cullen bryant
The poem talks about a solitary migrating bird. God guides us on a path through life, and even though it feels as though we may be alone, god is always with us making sure we stay on the right path.
Describe Henry wadsworth Longfellow
Most famous poet of all time
Father was a lawyer
Grandfather helped found boudin college
Graduated top of his class at boudin
Was asked to create / head a modern language department
Wrote his own textbooks
Traveled for 4 years and learned 11 languages
Married twice - 5 children
His wife burned to death.
Famous works: the tide rises, a psalm of life, Hyperion, Paul reveres ride, the wreck of Hesperus, Evangeline (his favorite), song of Hiawatha, and the courtship of miles Standish
Themes: entertaining, optimistic, soothing, encouraging
His face was so burned he couldn’t shave
Children gave pennies to build a chair out of a tree
Describe the tide rises, the tide falls
Written by Henry wadsworth Longfellow
The human life will come to an end but nature continues on
Describe a psalm of life
Written by Henry wadsworth Longfellow
Don’t be like cattle and be driven by others, strive to better ourselves each day. When we die we leave a mark on the world so we need to strive to inspire others to do good and follow in our footsteps. Shouldn’t strive for enjoyment or sorrow, but should balance both.
Describe oliver Wendell Holmes
Descendants of Anne Bradstreet
Studied law and medicine at Harvard
Worked as a general practitioner - academic field and taught for 35 years
Poems were published in 1836
Wrote for the Atlantic monthly
Controversial pieces
Famous works: Old Ironsides (1st important poem), and the chambered nautilus
Themes / content: optimistic and uplifting
Techniques: rhymed and metered poetry
Describe Old Ironsides
Written by Oliver Wendell Holmes when he read that the ships would be scrapped, at the age of 21?
Poem was written as a protest against the scrapping of the ship.
Describe the chambered nautilus
Written by Oliver Wendell Holmes
The poem expresses Holmes optimism about humanity. It encorages us to, like the nautilus, leave the past behind and pursue our future and out goals in life.
Describe Emily Dickinson
She got her public speech from her father and grandfather. Her father was an active politician and helped found Amherst college.
Private speech from her mother, she learned the power of withholding communication from her mom.
She seldom left home. She admired Emerson but didn’t go next door to meet him when he came for a lecture.
Religion was important: she was terrorized by old fashioned sermons, although she gradually became estranged from the religious beliefs of her community,
Believed in the importance of books
Letters and love poems have convinced biographers that Dickinson may have experienced a number of passionate relationships,
Influenced by: Longfellow, Emerson, Thoreau
Wrote of 1175poems
Only 7 poems were published
Liked to play piano sew and cook
Themes: death, mourning, loss, moments from the everyday world. Nature, love, time and eternity, religion and faith, isolation and depression, poetry and language
Style: short meter, slant rhyme, enhanbment, dashes, capital letters, metaphor/simile
Describe Ralph Waldo Emerson
Unitarian minister Founded the transcendental club Banned from Harvard for 40 years Supporter of abolitionism Father of transcendentalidm First wife died from tuberculosis, married Lydia Jackson, had four children, son died of scarlet fever, and supported mentally disabled younger brother,
Who founded transcendentalism
Ralph Waldo Emerson
