death
...re my bones shall be thrown” The use of the adjective poor here emphasis’s his immense self-pity and this adds to the overall sombre tone of the poem. Shakespeare speaks of no one being there for his “Poor corpse” “ Not a friend, Not a friend greet”. It is important to notice the use of verbs to describe how their corpses are going to be handled. Barbauld says, “Where’er they lay” – “Where’er they” Suggests unlike Shakespeare. She has friends to lay her to rest, in stark contrast to Shakespeare – “My bones shall be thrown” Like rubbish from a waste bin. The theme of death is dealt differently by the two poets as they both prepare for death and the separation from life. Shakespeare’s treatment of the theme of death is one of reluctance, whereas Barbauld sees death as inevitable and she feels death is another extension through her journey of life. The tone in both poems is different even though the same theme is central in both. The titles of the poems alone suggest different approaches to death. The title of “Life” is misleading as you read on the poem are about the preparation of death. Similarly both poets are present in their poems with a conversational tone throughout i.e. the strong use of “I” and punctuation in “Life” suggests an upbeat tone of excitement whereas the enjambment in lines 11-13 in “Come away, come away death”, suggests a heavy heart and a sombre tone. “Life” opens with a trochaic dimeter whereas in “Come away, come away death” opens with an iambic pentameter. Each rhyme opens the poem up to the main theme of death. Each poem has a varying rhyme pattern e.g. in “Life” (AA BB CC DD EF FE), “Come away, come away death” (AB AB CD CD) and both have varying verse lengths. Shakespeare poem is quite different to Barbaulds e.g. “Life” is composed of a maximum of 7-8 words per line, in contrast to Shakespeare’s line length which varies from 3-6 words per line. Shakespeare uses a structured syntax within the lines e.g. “My shroud of white, Stuck all with yew” “O, prepare it!” “My part of death no one so true Did share it!” Where the first line follows an exclamated expression like a climax is being expressed. In comparison, Barbauld uses this same syntactical structure in her final stanza – “Then steal away, give little warning” “Choose thine own time;” “Say not goodnight, but in some brighter clime” “Bid me good morning.” At the beginning of “Life” the first line starts with “Life!” This exclamation mark expresses the emotion of the persona, in comparison to Shakespeare’s persona that also uses the title in the opening line of the poem. Both poets use caesura very effectively to restore the musical quality within the poem. In “Life” “And when, or how, or where we met”. And similarly the caesura is evident by Shakespeare- “Lay me, O, where”. The opening line of “Life” uses an interlaced rhyme between both lines by the cross rhyme word “thou”. Both poems use a similar tome of separation from life to death as Barbauld’s describes it as a “Strange divorce”, however in the final stanza of each poem, a mood of separation is evoked in the reader. I feel Shakespeare’s view of death is perceived by the reader is dark and lonesome which is in contrast to Barbauld’s acceptance of death as a natural separation. Both poets speak of the preparation of the grave e.g. “Life”- “Where they lay these limbs, this head”. “Come away, come away death:” “My poor corpse, where my bones shall be thrown”. These images show the contrast of each poet’s views on death. The opening line of “Come away, come away death” is quite a musical phrase, similar to the cadence effect. This musical internal rhyme continues throughout the poem e.g. “Fly away, fly away breath” “Not a flower, not a flower sweet” “Not a friend, not a friend greet” Shakespeare prepares for death with a heavy heart this is evident through his choice of words. He speaks of being laid in “Sad cypress” the trochaic dimeter places emphasis on “sad” effectively as the “cypress” is a tree which is the emblem of mourning but Shakespeare emphasis’s as it being “sad”. The image of being “slain by a fair cruel maid” The oxymoron present i.e. “Fair cruel maid” Suggests the release of life. The use of the possessive “My” shroud of white, stuck all with yew suggests that Shakespeare...