FREE ESSAY ON COMPARATIVE ESSAY

COMPARATIVE ESSAY

Comparison Essay
" If I could only live at the pitch that is near madness, When everything is as it was in
my childhood..." This statement in the "Ode" is a common theme between the two poems. The
poems being If I Could Only Live At The Pitch That Is Near Madness by Richard Eberhart
and Ode : Intimations Of Immortality From Recollections Of Early Childhood written by
William Wordsworth. A contrast between the two poems is the time period which both these
poems were written. The romantic period verses the modern period. A similarity between
the two poems is the common manner which poetic devices are used. Aside from the fact
that the time periods were different, the two poems hold many similarities between the
theme and the poetic devices used through- out both pieces. Through examination of the
common theme , poetic devices and the contrast of when these two poems were created, one
may conclude that society blinds one from truth.
In these poems, there lies a difference. The difference being the fact that these poems
were written in different periods. William Wordsworth writes his poem "Ode : Intimations
Of Immortality From Recollections Of Early Childhood" in the romantic period. Key
elements to this time were, feelings and emotions, individualism, realistic attention to
vivid detail, "God is demonstrated in Everything",the questioning of the commonplace, and
the form is less restrained meaning that it was a more freely written structure. This
varies from the modern period even though the modern period was influenced by the
romantic period. Richard Eberhart writes in this period to father his poem " If I Could
Only Live At The Pitch That IS Near Madness". The key elements of this time period are
simply more social and psychological pressures to alter views, anger and protest, it
further examines human existence in a changing environment, questioning of the existence
of God, and finally, a greater concern over self characterization. Wordsworth refers to
God several times throughout the poem" But trailing clouds of gory do we come from God ,
who is our home..." . There is no question about his existence, which is one of many
dominant elements to the romantic style of writing. Eberhart explains his view of society
in the following " I saw battalions of the race of mankind , Standing stolid demanding a
moral answer.." Society stands parallel with each other, each questioning their
existence, and demanding reason. These questions are direct examples of the modernistic
tone. Also in Eberharts poem there is no rhyme, nor specific structure. It simply has one
unintentional rhyming couplet . This being modern broke from traditional form, and proved
to be more individualistic. This differs from the poem "Ode" where it is composed of
stanzas, and is more structured yet less restrained then the classical period. Regardless
of difference of style between these two poems, both poems still portray the concept of
society blinding one from the truth and beauty of the world. 
These two poems come together to share similarities through the use of poetic devises.
Even though there is no real rhyming scheme in Eberharts work, there is however a single
rhyming couplet. It bears no significance in general to the poem. Although William
Wordsworth uses a repeated pattern of rhyming lines, in other words he uses the stanza
device. There is a common atmosphere between the two poems. Commonly, they both posses a
natural enviroment. Wordsworth writes " There was a meadow, grove, and stream, the
earth,.....while birds thus sing a joyous sound.....in a thousand valleys far and
wide....fountains, meadows, hills and groves...gather round the setting sun.." these are
all particular lines which portray an image and atmosphere of earth and its natural,
beautiful state. But yet he only writes and speaks of them as though he is returning to
his childhood. Consequently, this shows how society subtracts this beauty of the world
and of the common places in the world as one grows. As a child this is what he remembers,
he remembers the beauty and was blinded of it as he grew. Society forced pressures,
stress, and the ugliness of the world which made him forget how beautiful it can be. The
lines earlier explored prove his reflection of how he used to look at things as a child
and he notices the unnoticed in his age. He re enters the world where he acknowledges the
" splendour in the grass" or of "glory in the flower" ( stanza 10). This, appropriately,
is also conveyed in Richard Eberharts poem. He writes, "Then I cast time out of the trees
and fields, then stood immaculate in the ego, Then I eyed the world with all delight,
reality was the perfection of my sight" this quote supports the natural earth aspect
which creates an atmosphere. The reader imagines this man being in the woods, due to the
reference of trees and fields, which ties into the atmosphere in the first poem. So along
with the atmosphere of being alone amongst nature there is also a common image that is
shared between the two poems. The " trees and fields" are a metaphor for Eberharts world
and how he once used to see the beauty then dismissed it, and now has returned to " eye
(it) with all delight" ( line 7). This concept is shared in William Wordsworth's poem of
how he too returned to seeing the beauty he began to ignore as a result of social
pressures. Both poems also use the poetic device known as caesura. In the poem "Ode", "
in a thousand valleys far and wide, fresh flowers; while the sun shines warm, and the
babe leaps up on his mothers arm......." ( stanza 4) is an example as is In Eberhart's
poem the following, "Violent, vivid, and of infinite possibility: That the sun and the
moon broke over my head." ( lines 3 and 4). There are more commonly used poetic devices
between these two poems; however, this is enough to validate that through the use of
poetic devices one slowly begins to lose touch with the beauty and truth of nature and
the world from the influence of society.
Another commonly shared aspect between these two poems is the theme. The theme is simply
that a child can view the world and see all its beauties, an adult can view the same
world and dismiss the beauties due to societal influence. Therefore as a child you view
the world in truth, and since the child is pure they see the beauty in what we have
forgotten. In stanza 5, Wordsworth dives into a realm of a pre natal harmony with nature.
It is sensed that from his poem, Wordsworth believes that the soul dwells among God in
complete knowledge and experience and at birth, the individual loses his/her knowledge.
For without Gods influence he knows nothing. In the fifth stanza line 58 describes the
loss of perfect knowledge known in heaven. The words "sleep" and "forgetting" is
evidence. In lines 62-63 read of ones separation from the divine ( meaning the perfection
of ). Therefore his view is simply that childhood connotes wisdom, and that a child's
first images of nature are without societal influence. As one ages the beauty and nature
once seen and appreciated is lost. Wordsworth writes of this loss in lines 68-76. The
child describes how the wind tickles the grass and the vibrant colours of the
butterflies. The youth sees a field while the adult notices the grass. Wordsworth uses
this theme to differentiate the stages of aging and the individual's reliance on memory.
The child participates and creates all of the fond memories which the adult now
remembers. As a man he must focus on income and his family, the adult does not have time
to derive new experiences from nature. His images " fade into the light of common day"
(line 76). This aspect of time is repeated in Eberharts poem. Eberhart explains how an
man " cast(s) time out of trees and fields" (a metaphor for his world)( line 5). This
quote meaning he stops time so he can reconnect with the beauty of nature and the world.
" Time has big handles on the hands"(line 9) meaning that as he looks at his hands hesees
he has aged. Time has laboured his hands and therefore aging them. Eberhart explains, "
If I could only live at the pitch that is near madness, when everything is as it was in
my childhood" this aged man wishes he could see the world as he used to. He wishes to see
the world as a child because a child sees it as " violent, vivid, and full of infinite
possibility" ( line 3). It proves that as an adult all that is important is all but what
is a necessity. This being similar to Wordsworth"s concern in Ode. All but what needs to
be done. All work and no play. " And the truth wailing there like a red babe" meaning
that as an adult, one does dismiss the truth and beauty of the world . Society blinds one
of truth due to its method of time and pressures. This poem by Eberhart has the common
theme of societies influence upon an individual will deprive one of noticing the beauty
and truth of the world.
Despite a distinct difference in the style of these two poems due to the fact they were
written in separate time periods. The two poems still, be that as it may been written a
hundred years apart, still share the same perspective of viewing the world as a child.
The use of poetic devices and a common theme join the two poems together. Therefore
through the use of style tendencies, poetic devices, and theme, confirm that the
influence of society blinds an individual of the truth and the beauty of the world.