William Cullen Bryant’s “To a Waterfowl” (p.151) and Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven” (p.181)
1. Compare/contrast the different views of nature that are being presented in the poems. Refer to the list of classical and romantic characteristics and provide specific examples from the poems to support your analysis.
The poems “To a Waterfowl” and “The Raven” have very distinct differences in many aspects of the writing, but the poems also have several similarities. The “To a Waterfowl” poem contains a didactic message, while “The Raven” doesn’t seem to carry any significant messages. “To a Waterfowl” sends a message that putting your faith in God and following His direction will lead you to a safe and happy place. It sends a message that trust and love in God will get you through life. Both poems talk about birds, but in different ways. “To a Waterfowl” speaks of birds in general, while “The Raven” is directed specifically toward one bird. This is called having definite and indefinite articles. In both poems, the birds seem to be being led by a larger power or being. The raven seems to be led by or on the side of the devil, for it seems to conduct harm and bitterness to the speaker of the poem. The waterfowl seems to be led by God or a positive spirit, as they are simply migrating and continuing their normal routines. They are not harming anyone or anything. Also, in both poems there is only one person watching and commenting on the actions of the bird, but that one person takes each poem into completely different directions. As stated before, “To a Waterfowl” seems to be led in a more positive and upbeat direction, while “The Raven” has a more negative air. “The Raven” is almost an ironic poem, as the bird flies through the window and lands on a statue that represents the goddess of wisdom. This makes the speaker of the poem feel that this bird is going to bring him some sort of wisdom and happiness, while in the end the bird has made him more confused and depressed than he was before.
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