Comparison of Four Poems about Loss Essay -- English Literature

Compari male child of Four Poems about LossI am comparing On my first Sonne by Ben Jonson (a pre-1914 piece ofpoesy, written in 1616), My Last Duchess by Robert Browning (apre-1914 piece of poetry, written in 1845), Mid-Term Break by SeamusHeaney (a piece of poetry from the Heaney bank) and Cold cut out Lakeby Gillian Clarke (a piece of poetry from the Clarke bank).The poem, On my first Sonne is about the loss of a close familymember, Ben Jonsons first son, who died at the long time of seven. The poemis about the poet coming to terms with the truth, that his first sonhad died and he would never see him again. In the poem, the poet goes by dint of different stages of grief and he is real emotional about hisloss. The poem opens on an emotional note, Farewell, thou child of myright hand, and joy My sinne was too much hope of thee, lovd boy.Even though, in the 1600s, the death of a child was very common, thepoet expresses deep sorrow for his loss. He talks about how hecommitted a sin of loving his son too much when his son was lent tohim, and he paid the price (his son died). Seven yeeres thowert lentto me, and I thee pay, Exacted by thy fate, on the sightly day.My Last Duchess also deals with the loss of a close family member,the Dukes wife. The Duke shows his visitor a portrait of his latewife, which is kept behind a curtain. The Duke tells the story of TheDuchess who had A heart how shall I say? too soon made glad, Tooeasily impressed. The Duke explains how she ranked My gift of anine-hundred-years-old name With anybodys gift. He entangle that hecould not speak to her about it and the situation became worse. In theend, he says I gave commands Then all smiles stopped tog... ...w what Brownings attitudes or feelings toward the Duke, theDuchess, or their situation actually were.Heaney, in Mid-Term Break, describes the scene in his household andit becomes obvious that the whole family is devastated by hisbrothers death. The reader understands the emotions of each familymember through the poets young eyes. At the end of the poem, whenHeaney is alone with his brothers body, we sense the poetsacceptance of his brothers death.Clarke, in Cold Knap Lake, paints a vivid picture of the dramaticrescue of the child from the lake. Through the poets words, we canfeel the shock of the crowd, the pride in her mother and the easementwhen the child breathes again. We also sense Clarkes astonishmentwhen the child is thrashed. Finally, at the end of the poem, Clarkeexpresses uncertainty about the reliability of memory.