In Pyramus and Thisbe, a poem so far about two lovers who, due to family feuds, aren't allowed to communicate. Instead they whisper "sweet talks" to each other through a crack in the wall that divides their houses. This far, the author Ovid has used some figures of speech to get across some of the messages by the characters.
One example of a FOS he uses is a rhetorical question. This can be found around line 66 when Ovid asks the reader, "What doesn't love perceive?" He is asking this about the crack in the wall, a flaw that has been noticed by no one through the long generations, but was noticed by Pyramus and Thisbe. They notice it because love noticed all, which I believe is what Ovid meant by that question; he meant that when two people love each other, the obstacles are meaningless, because if that person is truly worth it, you'll find a way around the issues put in front of you. Perhaps the obstacles are put there to see if the person you think you love is worth it all - worth all of the trouble you both go through for each other.
Another FOS used by Ovid is apostrophe. Around line 72, Pyramus and Thisbe ask the wall (who obviously is unable to answer), "Oh jealous wall, why do you oppose lovers?" They ask why the wall would keep 2 lovers apart, which brings me to the thrid FOS Ovid uses: personification. Right after that line, Pyramus and Thisbe ask that wall that if it is too much of a request to be allowed to be joined in whole body, then could the wall allow for kisses to be given? this is personification because it is giving human characteristics to an inanimate object. Obviously the wall cannot "oppose lovers" or :allow" for them to kiss.
These are 3 FOS that Ovid has incorporated thus far into the story of Pyramus and Thisbe.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Catullus 75: Limerick
You broke my heart to pieces, my dear,
Now I live in the lonliest of fears.
You promised you would love me,
But you betrayed me, you see.
Could have loved you forever and a year.
Now I live in the lonliest of fears.
You promised you would love me,
But you betrayed me, you see.
Could have loved you forever and a year.
Catullus 8
In this poem, Catullus is basically writing a letter to himself. This letter is taking place after Lesbia cheated on Catullus and crushed him. It is sort of like the last stage(s) of the 5 stages of Catullus's grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance.
In a previous poem, the denial part came. In that poem (72), Catullus decided that after Lesbia cheated, he would love her more, but respect her less. He actually thought it would be that easy. Then in poem 85, Catullus says, "I love and I hate" - the anger. The anger continues in this poem 8, he yells at himself to snap out of it! He says, "Misreble Catullus, stop being a fool!" He had originally bargained - said that if he loved her more passionately then she might remember why she first fell in love with him.
This poem, I think, is specifically about depression and acceptance...and determination also thrown in there. He says, "...consider that which you see to be destroyed to be dead" (this meaning his relationship with Lesbia). I think this poem, like I've said about many other of Catullus's poems, are easy for high school-aged young adults to relate to. Everyone has been through break-ups, and in the end, after the sadness and frustration, you just want to come out stronger. For the first half of the poem, he talks of how he's going to miss the goodtimes, but he now realizes that she was never really fully enjoying herself in the relationship. Later in the poem, though, he realizes that no matter how strong he can claim to be, Lesbia is still going to move on; at the end of the day, she is still going to bite someone elses lip, kiss someone else, love someone, belong to someone else. I think that's why break-ups are the hardest - because no matter what, you know they'll always find someone else...and that you'll be replaced by someone new. And you may ask yourself what that other person has that you didn't have. It's difficult, but just as Catullus reminds himself at the end of the poem, you have to accept it and be strong.
In a previous poem, the denial part came. In that poem (72), Catullus decided that after Lesbia cheated, he would love her more, but respect her less. He actually thought it would be that easy. Then in poem 85, Catullus says, "I love and I hate" - the anger. The anger continues in this poem 8, he yells at himself to snap out of it! He says, "Misreble Catullus, stop being a fool!" He had originally bargained - said that if he loved her more passionately then she might remember why she first fell in love with him.
This poem, I think, is specifically about depression and acceptance...and determination also thrown in there. He says, "...consider that which you see to be destroyed to be dead" (this meaning his relationship with Lesbia). I think this poem, like I've said about many other of Catullus's poems, are easy for high school-aged young adults to relate to. Everyone has been through break-ups, and in the end, after the sadness and frustration, you just want to come out stronger. For the first half of the poem, he talks of how he's going to miss the goodtimes, but he now realizes that she was never really fully enjoying herself in the relationship. Later in the poem, though, he realizes that no matter how strong he can claim to be, Lesbia is still going to move on; at the end of the day, she is still going to bite someone elses lip, kiss someone else, love someone, belong to someone else. I think that's why break-ups are the hardest - because no matter what, you know they'll always find someone else...and that you'll be replaced by someone new. And you may ask yourself what that other person has that you didn't have. It's difficult, but just as Catullus reminds himself at the end of the poem, you have to accept it and be strong.
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