11ImageandSymbol北京外国语大学文学概论教学课件

ImageandSymbolImageandSymbol1ImageBroadlydefined,animageisawordorasequenceofwordswhichreferstoanysensoryexperience.Theterm“image”shouldnotbetakentoimplyavisualreproductionoftheobjectreferredto.ImageBroadlydefined,animage2C.DayLewisanimage“isapicturemadeoutofwords,”“poemmayitselfbeanimagecomposedfromamultiplicityofimages.”imageryisusedtosignifyalltheobjectsandqualitiesofsenseperceptionreferredtoinapoembyliteraldescription,byallusion,orinanaloguesasinsimilesandmetaphors.VisualAuditorytactile(touch)thermal(heatorcold)olfactory(smell)gustatory(taste)kinesthetic(sensationsofmovement)C.DayLewis3ImageryThepatternofrelatedimagesinapoemiscalled“imagery.”Imageryissaidtomakepoetryconcrete,opposedtoabstract.Themeaningofapoemisoftencreatedordevelopedthroughitsimagery.ImageryThepatternofrelated4Imagismanamegiventoamovementinpoetry,originatingin1912andrepresentedbyEzraPound,AmyLowell,andothers,aimingatclarityofexpressionthroughtheuseofprecisevisualimages.IntheearlyperiodoftenwrittenintheFrenchformImagisme.Imagismanamegiventoamove5ImagistAgroupofAmericanandEnglishpoetswhosepoeticprogramwasformulatedabout1912byEzraPound--inconjunctionwithfellowpoetsHildaDoolittle(H.D.),RichardAldington,andF.S.Flint—andwasinspiredbythecriticalviewsofT.E.Hulme,inrevoltagainstthecarelessthinkingandRomanticoptimismprevalentatthetimeImagistAgroupofAmericanand6CharacteristicsofimagistpoemsTheImagistsstressedclarity,exactnessandconcretenessofdetail.Theiraims,brieflysetout,werethat:Contentshouldbepresenteddirectly,throughspecificimageswherepossible.Everywordshouldbefunctional,withnothingincludedthatwasnotessentialtotheeffectintended.Rhythmshouldbecomposedbythemusicalphraseratherthanthemetronome.Alsounderstood—ifnotspelledout,orperhapsfullyrecognizedatthetime—wasthehopethatpoemscouldintensifyasenseofobjectiverealitythroughtheimmediacyofimages.

Ex.“InaStationoftheMetro”byEzraPoundCharacteristicsofimagistpoe7SymbolAsymbolisaspecialkindofimage,foritexceedstheimageintherichnessofitsconnotations.Likeimages,asymbolcanbeanobject,asound,orabodilysensation.Itcanalsobeacharacter,oranact.SymbolAsymbolisaspecialki8Symbol“Inaliterarysenseasymbolcombinesaliteralandsensuousqualitywithanabstractorsuggestiveaspect…Literarysymbolsareoftwobroadtypes:Oneincludesthoseembodyinguniversalsuggestionsofmeaning,asflowingwatersuggeststimeandeternity,avoyagesuggestslife.Suchsymbolsareusedwidely(andsometimesunconsciously)inliterature.Theothertypeofsymbolacquiresitssuggestivenessnotfromqualitiesinherentinitselfbutfromthewayinwhichitisusedinagivenwork.Thus,inMoby-Dickthevoyage,thelandandtheoceanareobjectspregnantwithmeaningsthatseemalmostindependentofMelville'suseoftheminhisstory;butontheotherhand,thewhitewhaleisinvestedwithmeaning—anddifferingmeaningsfordifferentcrewmembers—throughthehandlingofmaterialsinthenovel"(Source:Harmon&Holman,507).Symbol“Inaliterarysenseas9TheroseasasymbolSimile:“Omylove’slikeared,redrose”Metaphor:WinthropMackworthPraed:“Shewasourqueen,ourrose,ourstar;/Andthenshedanced—Oheaven,herdancing!”theword“rose”isusedasametaphor.TheninWilliamBlake’spoem“TheSickRose”:TheSickRose Orose,thouartsick. TheInvisibleworm Thatfliesinthenight Inthehowlingstorm Hasfoundoutthybed Ofcrimsonjoy, Andhisdarksecretlove Doesthylifedestroy.TheroseasasymbolSimile:“O10Blake’sroseisarose—yetitisalsosomethingmorethanarose:wordssuchas“bed,”“joy,”“love,”whichdonotcomportliterallywithanactualflower,togetherwiththesinistertoneandtheintensityofthefeeling,pressthereadertoinferthatthedescribedobjecthasafurtherrangeofsuggestedbutunspecifiedreferencewhichmakesitasymbol.Blake’sroseisapersonalsymbol.WecaninferthatBlakelamentforacrimsonrosewhichhasbeenenteredandsickeneduntodeathbyadarkandsecretwormsymbolizesthedestructionwroughtbyfurtiveness,deceit,andhypocrisyinwhatshouldbeafrankandjoyousrelationshipofphysicallove.Blake’sroseisarose—yetit11AnecdoteoftheJarInthepoem,AnecdoteoftheJar,WallaceStevensexploresthecomplexrelationshipsbetweenorderandchaos,betweenartandthenature,aswellasbetweenimaginationandthereality.AnecdoteoftheJarInthepoem12Hereliesthewild—ruralTennessee,chaoticandformless,whichletusassumeisasymboloftheworldofnature,orthereality.Thenthe“I”ofthepoemplacesinitaroundjar—aman-madeobject,whichissuggestiveoftheworldofart,andbyextension,theworldofimagination.Whathappenswhenthejarisstandinguponahillisalmostamiracle:itcontrolsthewholedisorderlylandscape,(“Thewildernessroseuptoit,/Andsprawledaround,nolongerwild.”)andmakeseverythinginorder(“Itmadetheslovenlywilderness/Surroundthathill.”).Thepoemthusseemstobetalkingabouttherelationshipbetweenartandnature.Theworldofnature—a“wilderness”,shapelessand“slovenly”,takesshapeandorderfromthepresenceofthejar—theart.Thatistosay,theworldofartandimaginationgivesformandmeaningtothatofnatureandreality;anysocietywithoutartisonewithoutorder.Besides,arttakes“dominion”overthenature,inthepoet’sopinion.Hereliesthewild—ruralTenne13Here,heactuallyexplorestheroleofthepowerofimaginationoverthereality.Inanageofshakyfaith,Stevenssawveryfewcertaintiesinthisworldandfeltthattheroleofthepoetisatleastinparttocreateorder,pleasureandmeaninginthesordidnessofrealitythroughart.Inhisaestheticphilosophy,StevensarguedthatafteronehasabandonedabeliefinGod,poetryisthatessencewhichtakesitsplaceaslife’sredemption.Inthissense,heemphasizesthesenseoflossthattroublesmodernpeople,anditgivesawayout,asolution—imagination.Here,heactuallyexploresthe14Ontheotherhand,theworldofrealityexiststodeterminethelimitsofart,andimaginationcanconstructonlyonthebasisoftheworldofnature,whichisexplainedinthelastthreelines:“Thejarwasgrayandbare,/itdidnotgiveofbirdorbush,/LikenothingelseinTennessee.”Sinceartdoesnothavethepowerofreproductionasthenature,itcanneverreplacethenature.Inthissense,artissomethingdependentonthenature,asimaginationonthereality.Therefore,Stevensdeeplyexplorestheinterrelatednessoftwopairsofcategories:artandthenature,andbyextension,imaginationandthereality.Ontheotherhand,theworldo15H.D.(HildaDolittle)and“Heat”H.D.(1886–1961)wasanAmericanpoet,novelistandmemoiristbestknownforherassociationwiththeearly20thcenturyavant-gardeImagistgroupofpoetssuchasEzraPoundandRichardAldington.H.D.(HildaDolittle)and“He16“Heat”presentsthecommonthemeoflongingwithintheprocessofcreation,andbythesenseofstasisandneedforrelease.Theenduranceofthemomentispartofthenecessaryprocessofinsightandmaking.Thespeakerasksthewindto“rendopentheheat,”cutit,ploughthroughit,sothatripefruitcandrop.Theheatisapalpableforcethat“pressesupandblunts/thepointsofpears.”Inthisimaginedoppressionofunbearablepregnancyshepraysforadeliverancefromtheprocessofgestationandripening,thoughevenherownmetaphoracknowledgesthatwithouttheforceofheatthegrowingandripeningfruitwouldnotassumeitspropershape.“Heat”presentsthecommonthe17QuestionsIs“Heat”alsoapoemthatcelebratesthenaturalprocess?Ifyoufeelthatitisessentiallysuchapoem,thatis,ifthepoetcelebratesfruitionandfulfillment,whydoesshecalluponthewindtodissipatethefructifyingforce—theheat?Istherearealcontradictionoronlyanapparentone?QuestionsIs“Heat”alsoapoem18AnnStevensonand“TheVictory”AnneStevenson(born1933)isanAmerican-Britishpoetandwriter.AnnStevensonand“TheVictory19Inthepoem,thepoetistryingtoportrayamother'sfeelingsofpainandanguishofgivingbirthtoachildinthepoem:"Ithoughtyouweremyvictory/thoughyoucutmelikeaknife"(Lines1-2).Althoughshemustenduresuchpain,itisalsoexcitingforthemotherisbringingnewlifeintotheworld,whichinfactfeelslikeavictorytoanewparent.However,throughoutStevenson'spoemdeniesthefactthatgivingbirthtoachildisavictory,byusingwordssuchasantagonist(Line5),"bruise"(Line6)and"scary"(Line13).Byusingtheseselectionsofwords,Stevensonistryingtoportraythenegativesideofchildbirth.Thispoemcontainsatoneofconflictandanger.Themotherfeelsherownbloodrunningthroughtheveinsofthebabythatliveswithinher,"Thestainsofyourcloudofglory."Inthepoem,thepoetistryin20Theopeninglinesofpoemsetatoneofconflict.Thispoem,atitssurface,expressesamother'sthoughtsongivingbirthtoason.Stevensondescribesthemixedfeelingsmanymothershaveuponthedeliveryoftheirfirstborn.Thefinalreleasefrompregnancyandbirthingpains,coupledwiththeexcitementofbringingalivecreatureintothisworld,atfirstseemavictorytothenewparent.Theauthorgoesontoconfutetheeventasavictory.Usingwordssuchas"antagonist"(5),"bruise"(6),and"scary"(13),sheshowsthedarkersideofchildbirth.Themotherhasfeltherownlife'sbloodflowingthatastrangermightlive"Thestainsofyourglorybledfrommyveins."(6-8).Thatsheseesherownchildasastrangerisevidentinlinesnineandten,wherethechildisdescribedasa"blindthing"(9)with"blankinsecteyes"(10).Themotherportraysherbabyasabug,notevenhuman.Inthelastsectionofthepoem,twoquestionsareasked,attestingtothemother'sinternalconflict."WhydoIhavetoloveyou?/Howhaveyouwon?"(15-16).Theseunanswerablequeriesaresomeofthefundamentalquestionsofhumanexistence.Theopeninglinesofpoemset21Evendeeperintothispoemisthehintoffeminism.Theauthorchosethesexofthisbabyintentionally.Sheusedtworeferencestoaknife,indicatingpaininflictedinamannerunnatural.Theknifehastraditionallybeenaman'sweapon."Tinyantagonist"(9)couldrefertotheentiremalegender."Scaryknotofdesires"(13)isareferencetothesexact,whichissometimesseenasmaleaggression.Thechildisthemanifestationofthisact."Hungrysnarl!Smallson"(14),theuseofananimalisticnoisedirectlyprecedestherevelationofthebaby'sgender.OnceagainStevenson'schoiceofwordsremindsoneofmaleaggression.Thewomaninthepoemseemstofeelcheatedinbearingamalechildtothemanwhoisindirectlyresponsibleforhercondition.Whydoesshehavetolovehim?Doesthatsumuptheplightofwoman?IsitEve'scursethatwomanshallembraceman,thoughinsodoingshemustsufferchildbirthtobringforthmoremen?(Ordaughterswhoshallsufferlikewise.)Isthathowhehaswon?TheVictoryasksusthesequestions.Theycannotbeanswered.Evendeeperintothispoemis22EmilyDickinsonand“IHeardaflyBuzz—WhenIDied”EmilyDickinson(1830-1886),borninAmherst,Mss.WherehergrandfatherhadfoundedAmherstCollege.Shewasthoughtofasaneccentricmaidenladybyherneighborsandshewasknowntoveryfewreadersinherlife.Duringherlifetime,onlysevenofthepoemswerepublished,invariouslocalperiodicals,allofwhichappearedanonymously,andapparentlywithoutthepoet’spermissionorevenherknowledge.EmilyDickinsonand“IHearda23FeaturesofDickinson’sPoetryHersubjectswerelove,death,nature,immortality,beauty.WrittenlargelyinmeterscommontoProtestanthymnbooks,herpoemsemployirregularrhythms,off-orslantrhymes(不工整韵，指元音不同或辅音不同的韵脚，如lid和lad,eyes和light),paradox,andacarefulbalancingofabstractLatinateandconcreteAnglo-Saxonwords.Herlinesaregnomic(格言式的)andherimageskinesthetic(动感的),highlyconcentrated,andintenselychargedwithfeeling.Hergreatestlyricswereonthethemeofdeath,whichshetypicallypersonifiedasamonarch,alord,orakindlybutirresistiblelover,yethermoodsvariedwidely,frommelancholytoexuberance,grieftojoy,leadendespairtospiritualintoxication.FeaturesofDickinson’sPoetry24“IHeardaFlyBuzz—WhenIDied”

tellsadisconcertingtruth:thatone’sdeathmaybeamosttrivialevent,hedgedaboutwithirrelevancies,andleadingtonoafterlife.Butittellsthattruthcircuitously(曲折地):underminingthepietiesofProtestanttheologybyreferencestothelastparcelingoutofsmallpossessions,theuncertainandirrelevantbuzzingofablueflying,theslowlossofphysicalvision.Nograndfinalwordsorgestures;noheavenlymusicorangelsdescending;novisionofGod’seternity.“IHeardaFlyBuzz—WhenIDie25QuestionsAccordingtolines5-8,whataretheexpectationsofthemournersgatheredaroundthisdeathbed?Whatistheeffectofjuxtaposingdeathandthetrivialappearanceofabuzzingfly?Theperspectivethroughthepoemisadyingperson.Asthesensefailsinthelaststanza,thefly“Withblue-uncertainBuzz,”becomesthelastthingseenandheardoftheworld.Howisthisperspectiveoffailingsensesmaintainedinlines15-16?QuestionsAccordingtolines5-26WilliamButlerYeatsand“TheSecondComing”W.B.Yeats(1865-1939),wasanIrishpoetanddramatistandoneoftheforemostfiguresof20th-centuryliterature.HewasadrivingforcebehindtheIrishLiteraryRevival,andalongwithLadyGregoryandEdwardMartynfoundedtheAbbeyTheatre,andservedasitschiefduringitsearlyyears.In1923,hewasawardedaNobelPrizeforLiteratureforwhattheNobelCommitteedescribedas"inspiredpoetry,whichinahighlyartisticformgivesexpressiontothespiritofawholenation;"andhewasthefirstIrishmansohonored.WilliamButlerYeatsand“The27Yeatsisgenerallyconsideredtobeoneofthetwentiethcentury'skeyEnglishlanguagepoets.HecanbeconsideredaSymbolistpoetinthatheusedallusiveimageryandsymbolicstructuresthroughouthiscareer.Yeatschooseswordsandputsthemtogethersothatinadditiontoaparticularmeaningtheysuggestothermeaningsthatseemmoresignificant.Hisuseofsymbolsisusuallysomethingphysicalwhichisusedbothtobeitselfandtosuggestother,perhapsimmaterial,timelessqualities.Unlikeothermodernistswhoexperimentedwithfreeverse,Yeatswasamasterofthetraditionalforms.Theimpactofmodernismonhisworkcanbeseenintheincreasingabandonmentofthemoreconventionallypoeticdictionofhisearlyworkinfavorofthemoreausterelanguageandmoredirectapproachtohisthemesthatincreasinglycharacterizesthepoetryandplaysofhismiddleperiod.Yeatsisgenerallyconsidered28“TheSecondComing”isapoeminTheDial(November1920)andafterwardsincludedinhis1921versecollectionMichaelRobartesandtheDancer.ThepoemusesChristianimageryregardingtheApocalypseandsecondcomingasallegorytodescribetheatmosphereinpost-warEurope.ThepoemisconsideredamajorworkofModernistpoetryandhasbeenreprintedinseveralcollectionsincludingTheNortonAnthologyofModernistPoetry.“TheSecondComing”isapoem29ThesecondcomingofthetitlealludestothesecondcomingofChristtousherinthemillennium.ButasYeatsusestheterminthispoem,italludesnottotheendofhumanhistory,buttotheendofthe2000-plusyearsofChristiancultureandthecomingofthenewsupernaturalforcethatwillinauguratethenext2000-yearcycle,whichwillsupersedetheChristianera.Thesecondcomingofthetitle30WhereasthegeneratingforceoftheChristianerawasdivinechildborninacattleshedandlaidinamangeratBethlehem,thegeneratingforceoftheeratocomewillbeasupernaturalcreature,the“roughbeast”ofline21.ThespeakerseesthiscreatureinamomentaryglimpseofanimageoutofSpiritusMundi(thespiritoftheworld,which—tousetheJuangianterminology—wouldbesomethinglikethecollectiveunconscious.Whereasthegeneratingforceo31QuestionsWhatdoyoumakeofthefirsttwolines?Thatpower(thefalcon)hasnowbrokenloosefromallcontrol?Why,atthestageofaffairsdescribedinthispoem,shouldthebestlackallconviction?Ifsuchwasthestateofaffairsatthebreakdownofclassicalcivilizationwhenthebarbarianhordesbegantooverruntheempire,howmuchevidencedoyouseethatsomethingofthesamesituationmayprevailnow?Howcoulda“rockingcradle”vex“tonightmare”“twentycenturiesofstonysleep”?Isthepoethereimplyingarepetitionofthisprocessinhisowntime?Ishesayingthathehasbeenvouchsafedaglimpseofthisnightmare?Whatdoyoutaketobethethemeofthispoem?QuestionsWhatdoyoumakeoft32TestPaperDefineliteraryterms(3X5=15points)Matchliteraryworksandauthors(2X10=20points)Answerquestionsonpoems(3X5=15points)Analyzeapoem(20points)Analyzeashortstory(30points)TestPaperDefineliteraryterm33ImageandSymbolImageandSymbol34ImageBroadlydefined,animageisawordorasequenceofwordswhichreferstoanysensoryexperience.Theterm“image”shouldnotbetakentoimplyavisualreproductionoftheobjectreferredto.ImageBroadlydefined,animage35C.DayLewisanimage“isapicturemadeoutofwords,”“poemmayitselfbeanimagecomposedfromamultiplicityofimages.”imageryisusedtosignifyalltheobjectsandqualitiesofsenseperceptionreferredtoinapoembyliteraldescription,byallusion,orinanaloguesasinsimilesandmetaphors.VisualAuditorytactile(touch)thermal(heatorcold)olfactory(smell)gustatory(taste)kinesthetic(sensationsofmovement)C.DayLewis36ImageryThepatternofrelatedimagesinapoemiscalled“imagery.”Imageryissaidtomakepoetryconcrete,opposedtoabstract.Themeaningofapoemisoftencreatedordevelopedthroughitsimagery.ImageryThepatternofrelated37Imagismanamegiventoamovementinpoetry,originatingin1912andrepresentedbyEzraPound,AmyLowell,andothers,aimingatclarityofexpressionthroughtheuseofprecisevisualimages.IntheearlyperiodoftenwrittenintheFrenchformImagisme.Imagismanamegiventoamove38ImagistAgroupofAmericanandEnglishpoetswhosepoeticprogramwasformulatedabout1912byEzraPound--inconjunctionwithfellowpoetsHildaDoolittle(H.D.),RichardAldington,andF.S.Flint—andwasinspiredbythecriticalviewsofT.E.Hulme,inrevoltagainstthecarelessthinkingandRomanticoptimismprevalentatthetimeImagistAgroupofAmericanand39CharacteristicsofimagistpoemsTheImagistsstressedclarity,exactnessandconcretenessofdetail.Theiraims,brieflysetout,werethat:Contentshouldbepresenteddirectly,throughspecificimageswherepossible.Everywordshouldbefunctional,withnothingincludedthatwasnotessentialtotheeffectintended.Rhythmshouldbecomposedbythemusicalphraseratherthanthemetronome.Alsounderstood—ifnotspelledout,orperhapsfullyrecognizedatthetime—wasthehopethatpoemscouldintensifyasenseofobjectiverealitythroughtheimmediacyofimages.

Ex.“InaStationoftheMetro”byEzraPoundCharacteristicsofimagistpoe40SymbolAsymbolisaspecialkindofimage,foritexceedstheimageintherichnessofitsconnotations.Likeimages,asymbolcanbeanobject,asound,orabodilysensation.Itcanalsobeacharacter,oranact.SymbolAsymbolisaspecialki41Symbol“Inaliterarysenseasymbolcombinesaliteralandsensuousqualitywithanabstractorsuggestiveaspect…Literarysymbolsareoftwobroadtypes:Oneincludesthoseembodyinguniversalsuggestionsofmeaning,asflowingwatersuggeststimeandeternity,avoyagesuggestslife.Suchsymbolsareusedwidely(andsometimesunconsciously)inliterature.Theothertypeofsymbolacquiresitssuggestivenessnotfromqualitiesinherentinitselfbutfromthewayinwhichitisusedinagivenwork.Thus,inMoby-Dickthevoyage,thelandandtheoceanareobjectspregnantwithmeaningsthatseemalmostindependentofMelville'suseoftheminhisstory;butontheotherhand,thewhitewhaleisinvestedwithmeaning—anddifferingmeaningsfordifferentcrewmembers—throughthehandlingofmaterialsinthenovel"(Source:Harmon&Holman,507).Symbol“Inaliterarysenseas42TheroseasasymbolSimile:“Omylove’slikeared,redrose”Metaphor:WinthropMackworthPraed:“Shewasourqueen,ourrose,ourstar;/Andthenshedanced—Oheaven,herdancing!”theword“rose”isusedasametaphor.TheninWilliamBlake’spoem“TheSickRose”:TheSickRose Orose,thouartsick. TheInvisibleworm Thatfliesinthenight Inthehowlingstorm Hasfoundoutthybed Ofcrimsonjoy, Andhisdarksecretlove Doesthylifedestroy.TheroseasasymbolSimile:“O43Blake’sroseisarose—yetitisalsosomethingmorethanarose:wordssuchas“bed,”“joy,”“love,”whichdonotcomportliterallywithanactualflower,togetherwiththesinistertoneandtheintensityofthefeeling,pressthereadertoinferthatthedescribedobjecthasafurtherrangeofsuggestedbutunspecifiedreferencewhichmakesitasymbol.Blake’sroseisapersonalsymbol.WecaninferthatBlakelamentforacrimsonrosewhichhasbeenenteredandsickeneduntodeathbyadarkandsecretwormsymbolizesthedestructionwroughtbyfurtiveness,deceit,andhypocrisyinwhatshouldbeafrankandjoyousrelationshipofphysicallove.Blake’sroseisarose—yetit44AnecdoteoftheJarInthepoem,AnecdoteoftheJar,WallaceStevensexploresthecomplexrelationshipsbetweenorderandchaos,betweenartandthenature,aswellasbetweenimaginationandthereality.AnecdoteoftheJarInthepoem45Hereliesthewild—ruralTennessee,chaoticandformless,whichletusassumeisasymboloftheworldofnature,orthereality.Thenthe“I”ofthepoemplacesinitaroundjar—aman-madeobject,whichissuggestiveoftheworldofart,andbyextension,theworldofimagination.Whathappenswhenthejarisstandinguponahillisalmostamiracle:itcontrolsthewholedisorderlylandscape,(“Thewildernessroseuptoit,/Andsprawledaround,nolongerwild.”)andmakeseverythinginorder(“Itmadetheslovenlywilderness/Surroundthathill.”).Thepoemthusseemstobetalkingabouttherelationshipbetweenartandnature.Theworldofnature—a“wilderness”,shapelessand“slovenly”,takesshapeandorderfromthepresenceofthejar—theart.Thatistosay,theworldofartandimaginationgivesformandmeaningtothatofnatureandreality;anysocietywithoutartisonewithoutorder.Besides,arttakes“dominion”overthenature,inthepoet’sopinion.Hereliesthewild—ruralTenne46Here,heactuallyexplorestheroleofthepowerofimaginationoverthereality.Inanageofshakyfaith,Stevenssawveryfewcertaintiesinthisworldandfeltthattheroleofthepoetisatleastinparttocreateorder,pleasureandmeaninginthesordidnessofrealitythroughart.Inhisaestheticphilosophy,StevensarguedthatafteronehasabandonedabeliefinGod,poetryisthatessencewhichtakesitsplaceaslife’sredemption.Inthissense,heemphasizesthesenseoflossthattroublesmodernpeople,anditgivesawayout,asolution—imagination.Here,heactuallyexploresthe47Ontheotherhand,theworldofrealityexiststodeterminethelimitsofart,andimaginationcanconstructonlyonthebasisoftheworldofnature,whichisexplainedinthelastthreelines:“Thejarwasgrayandbare,/itdidnotgiveofbirdorbush,/LikenothingelseinTennessee.”Sinceartdoesnothavethepowerofreproductionasthenature,itcanneverreplacethenature.Inthissense,artissomethingdependentonthenature,asimaginationonthereality.Therefore,Stevensdeeplyexplorestheinterrelatednessoftwopairsofcategories:artandthenature,andbyextension,imaginationandthereality.Ontheotherhand,theworldo48H.D.(HildaDolittle)and“Heat”H.D.(1886–1961)wasanAmericanpoet,novelistandmemoiristbestknownforherassociationwiththeearly20thcenturyavant-gardeImagistgroupofpoetssuchasEzraPoundandRichardAldington.H.D.(HildaDolittle)and“He49“Heat”presentsthecommonthemeoflongingwithintheprocessofcreation,andbythesenseofstasisandneedforrelease.Theenduranceofthemomentispartofthenecessaryprocessofinsightandmaking.Thespeakerasksthewindto“rendopentheheat,”cutit,ploughthroughit,sothatripefruitcandrop.Theheatisapalpableforcethat“pressesupandblunts/thepointsofpears.”Inthisimaginedoppressionofunbearablepregnancyshepraysforadeliverancefromtheprocessofgestationandripening,thoughevenherownmetaphoracknowledgesthatwithouttheforceofheatthegrowingandripeningfruitwouldnotassumeitspropershape.“Heat”presentsthecommonthe50QuestionsIs“Heat”alsoapoemthatcelebratesthenaturalprocess?Ifyoufeelthatitisessentiallysuchapoem,thatis,ifthepoetcelebratesfruitionandfulfillment,whydoesshecalluponthewindtodissipatethefructifyingforce—theheat?Istherearealcontradictionoronlyanapparentone?QuestionsIs“Heat”alsoapoem51AnnStevensonand“TheVictory”AnneStevenson(born1933)isanAmerican-Britishpoetandwriter.AnnStevensonand“TheVictory52Inthepoem,thepoetistryingtoportrayamother'sfeelingsofpainandanguishofgivingbirthtoachildinthepoem:"Ithoughtyouweremyvictory/thoughyoucutmelikeaknife"(Lines1-2).Althoughshemustenduresuchpain,itisalsoexcitingforthemotherisbringingnewlifeintotheworld,whichinfactfeelslikeavictorytoanewparent.However,throughoutStevenson'spoemdeniesthefactthatgivingbirthtoachildisavictory,byusingwordssuchasantagonist(Line5),"bruise"(Line6)and"scary"