quiz on language techniques
Does Edson’s W;t enhance or trivalise a study of Donne?
Support your view by referring to your TWO prescribed texts in detail.
Edson uses many different characters, in particular the protagonist, Vivian Bearing, to conceptualise ideas of Donne poems. This is by drawing relations from Donne’s poetry and Vivian’s life events such as through job prospects as well as relational and death issues encountered. This is then use in order to trivalise the study of Donne but drawing different meanings from the initial intended notions. Donne uses poems such as Death Be Not Proud, Hymne to my God, my God in my Sicknesse (Hymn to God), The Valediction: Forbidding Mourning (The Valediction), If Poysonous Mineralls and My Playes Last Scene in order to portray his views upon the themes of death and relational values as well as the significance of religion. The manipulation of meaning in different contexts is prominently showcased in W;t in various ways.
W;t conveys the story of Vivian Bearing when she is confronted with the challenges of sickness and death. Vivian’s reaction is highlighted as paradox when she does not find comfort or confidence in religion concepts of the afterlife and therefore feels fearful of her future. This is expressed additionally as a paradox through Vivian’s direct quotation of ‘Death Be Not Proud’, which is used as a means to cope with death and distract Vivian from the reality of her adversity. This subsequently has shifted the original meaning of the poem. Additionally, Vivian’s use of the poem as a distraction is ironic as she never really ‘lived’ or seized moments in her life as she devoted her life studying death. Donne initially uses an arrogant and confident tone in order to refer to death as an apostrophe that is a “slave to Fate, Chance, Kings and desperate men”. This imagery deflates deaths power give peace to Donne from the fact he has received an internal mental victory on mortality. Death is also explored as being a pause in eternal
Support your view by referring to your TWO prescribed texts in detail.
Edson uses many different characters, in particular the protagonist, Vivian Bearing, to conceptualise ideas of Donne poems. This is by drawing relations from Donne’s poetry and Vivian’s life events such as through job prospects as well as relational and death issues encountered. This is then use in order to trivalise the study of Donne but drawing different meanings from the initial intended notions. Donne uses poems such as Death Be Not Proud, Hymne to my God, my God in my Sicknesse (Hymn to God), The Valediction: Forbidding Mourning (The Valediction), If Poysonous Mineralls and My Playes Last Scene in order to portray his views upon the themes of death and relational values as well as the significance of religion. The manipulation of meaning in different contexts is prominently showcased in W;t in various ways.
W;t conveys the story of Vivian Bearing when she is confronted with the challenges of sickness and death. Vivian’s reaction is highlighted as paradox when she does not find comfort or confidence in religion concepts of the afterlife and therefore feels fearful of her future. This is expressed additionally as a paradox through Vivian’s direct quotation of ‘Death Be Not Proud’, which is used as a means to cope with death and distract Vivian from the reality of her adversity. This subsequently has shifted the original meaning of the poem. Additionally, Vivian’s use of the poem as a distraction is ironic as she never really ‘lived’ or seized moments in her life as she devoted her life studying death. Donne initially uses an arrogant and confident tone in order to refer to death as an apostrophe that is a “slave to Fate, Chance, Kings and desperate men”. This imagery deflates deaths power give peace to Donne from the fact he has received an internal mental victory on mortality. Death is also explored as being a pause in eternal