The two poems that I read by Oliver Wendell Holmes were "The Chambered Nautilus" and
"Old Ironsides".
"The Chambered Nautilus" is an enduring nature poem. The poem is about a nautilus, a sea creature that lives inside a circular shell. Holmes explains how as the nautilus grows, it makes new and larger chambers of its shell to live in and closes off the old champers which gradually forms a spiral. The nautilus is used by the narrator as a metaphor for the human soul in that it is a “heavenly message” of how people grow and develop throughout the years in their lives. Before the ending of the poem, Holmes explains that humans expand their horizons to fulfill their spiritual freedom of heaven/afterlife.
"Old Ironsides" was about the history and once useful war ship, USS Constitution, being destroyed. From researching online, I found that after Holmes wrote the poem "Old Ironsides", public sentiment was generated which resulted in the USS Constitution, being preserved as a monument. Before this poem, the ship was going to be broken up for scrap.
Both poems talk about the ocean and the sea, both bodies of water. I am not sure if they have any other direct connection other than that they are both about water.
I felt greatly connection to the "Chambered Nautilus" because the poem talks about how people grow and move on from things in their lives. I can think of countless times when I have gone through something and I eventually had to close that part of my life and move on to something better and new. One example was when I have done badly on a test in a class. Instead of letting that bad score discourage me, I moved on and studied harder for the next test in which I did well on.
1 comment:
I agree with Julie in that Oliver Wendell Holmes's "The Chambered Nautilus" is a metaphor for change and evolution. I found this poem to be very easily relateable. Everybody goes through some sort of change in their life, so this poem can be meaningful to nearly all of its readers, even now. In the poem, no matter how many chambers the nautilus creates, it keeps forming a spiral. I think this symbolizes the fact that for most people, no matter how much you change, you are still yourself.
Also, in Holmes's "Old Iron Sides" he talks about a once beautiful and strong warship that eventually fell into disuse and sent to be used as scrap metal. This poem deals with themes like death, change, and replacement. It is very relateable because of these universal themes. Its story is similar to, and reminds me of friendships that are outgrown. When you have a friend that seems like they are the best friend you could ever have untill you start meeting other better people.
Post a Comment