Comparison of Four Poems about Loss Essay -- English Literature

Comparison of Four Poems close to LossI am comparing On my first Sonne by Ben Jonson (a pre-1914 persona ofpoetry, written in 1616), My Last Duchess by Robert Browning (apre-1914 piece of poetry, written in 1845), Mid-Term Break by SeamusHeaney (a piece of poetry from the Heaney bank) and arctic Knap Lakeby Gillian Clarke (a piece of poetry from the Clarke bank).The poem, On my first Sonne is nearly the passing play of a close family particle, Ben Jonsons first son, who died at the fester of seven. The poemis about the poet coming to terms with the truth, that his first sonhad died and he would never see him again. In the poem, the poet goesthrough different stages of grief and he is very emotional about hisloss. The poem opens on an emotional note, Farewell, molar concentration child of myright hand, and joy My sinne was too much hope of thee, lovd boy.Even though, in the 1600s, the death of a child was very common, thepoet expresses profound sorrow for his loss. He talks ab out how hecommitted a sin of loving his son too much when his son was bring tohim, and he paid the price (his son died). Seven yeeres thowert alterto me, and I thee pay, Exacted by thy fate, on the just day.My Last Duchess also deals with the loss of a close family member,the Dukes wife. The Duke shows his visitor a portrait of his previous(a)wife, which is kept behind a curtain. The Duke tells the story of TheDuchess who had A heart how shall I say? too soon made glad, Tooeasily impressed. The Duke explains how she stratified My gift of anine-hundred-years-old name With anybodys gift. He felt that hecould not speak to her about it and the situation became worse. In theend, he says I gave commands Then all smiles stopped tog... ...w what Brownings attitudes or feelings toward the Duke, theDuchess, or their situation actually were.Heaney, in Mid-Term Break, describes the scene in his household andit becomes lucid that the whole family is devastated by his blood brothers death . The reader understands the emotions of each familymember through the poets young eyes. At the end of the poem, whenHeaney is alone with his brothers body, we sense the poetsacceptance of his brothers death.Clarke, in Cold Knap Lake, paints a vivid picture of the dramatic pull through of the child from the lake. Through the poets words, we canfeel the shock of the crowd, the rob in her mother and the reliefwhen the child breathes again. We also sense Clarkes astonishmentwhen the child is thrashed. Finally, at the end of the poem, Clarkeexpresses uncertainty about the dependableness of memory.