Robert Frost and Edward Thomas - Essay Example

Robert Frost and Edward Thomas The two poems, “To E. T” and “The Sun Used to Shine” by Robert Frost and Edward Thomas respectively portray the kind of influences and attitudes that informed the friendship of the two poets. The poems are succinct in terms of their exposition of inner feelings and level of appreciation that underpinned the literary comradeship between Frost and Thomas. From the tone of both poems, the two poets maintained deep respect for each other precisely because of the eminence of talent and skill they had detected in one another. Equally, the attitudes and the level of appreciation that inform their mutual feelings can be felt on the level of the influences of their respective continents. The level of their connection shows in the manner in which they espouse the values of comradeship and patriotism at a time that called for the renewal of such qualities in the heat of geopolitical animosity. In the first poem, “To E. T,” Frost mourns the death of a dear friend and fellow poet who distinguished himself through the works of poetry and service to his nation (Frost Web). He extolls the friendship the kept the two poets together and the dreams they shared on many issues ranging from general perspectives to some specific matters such as the subject of way. In a more general sense, Frost explores the subject matter is a somber mood in ways that provide strong hints on the manner in which the two poets embraced the aspect of poetry as a unique language that represented the private world in which only the two poets could live and articulate their views concerning various issues of general interest. The exploration of the range of attitudes transatlantic attitudes that connected the two poets have to be connected with the high value of poetry as understood within the mindset of the two poets. Reading through Frost’s poetry reveals some essence of immortality, which was usually associated with poetry and the life of a poet. Frost writes as if directly addressing Thomas’ departed soul. It is a kind of conversation between a poet to a fellow poet who has transcended to the realms of celestial glory. Poetry itself is identified in symbolic terms with the wings of a dove, which makes it possible for the departed poet to fly away into the higher reaches of glory specifically designed for poets. Significantly, the wings of the dove fall on the tomb as the living poet imagines as he slumbers while reading through the poems. I some way Frost writes his poem in a way that appears to represent the fact that poetry connects the living to the dead. This is because he remembers his departed friend in a way that directly addresses him as if it were a conversation. The poet sound like a monologue in the manner in which it is directly addressed to a specific recipient. Writing in first person enhances the qualities of authenticity in the poem in a way that illustrates the values of the American society on life, friendship, and death, as lived out in the experiences of the nineteenth and twentieth century. The poem is made even more poignant by the manner in which Frost recalls particular instances of their friendship, which enabled the flourishing of friendships and the close attachment to poetry as the most appropriate way of communicating feelings and emotions. Thomas in “The Sun Used to Shine” vividly evokes a deep-seated companionship, which he derives in the character of Frost, and one that transcends the bounds of cultural differences between his English influences and Frost’s American perspectives. Friendship is explored more vividly in the line “Each night, We never disagreed,” (Thomas Web). The weight of this line appears to suggest that the friendship between the two poets was tightly bound by shared values, interests, and a near sameness in the level of poetic proficiency. The two poems are similar in the sense that they relate to similar thematic subjects and are rendered in the same rhythm and meter. Thomas in his poem writes about “rumors of the war,” (Thomas Web), which measures the environmental realities that informed their perspectives and worldviews. Usually, works of art are based on certain realities that influence the manner in which writers and poets project their talents. Thomas’ perspective on the looming war appears rather indeterminate with shifting focus between the desire to sustain and cultivate the friendship and the deep desire to join the war and fulfill a lurking obligation at the back of his mind. Thomas’ poem compares to Frosts’ poem in very significant ways that illustrate the kind of forces that determined the priorities that the two poets maintained both in their ordinary lives and in their poetic calling. The attitudes adopted by the two poets are important pointers to the kind of values that the English and American societies of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries attached to subjects such as friendship and duty. The attitudes on war and peace also connect with the clashing perspectives that divided the public regarding the merits of engaging in the war with Germany. On this level, it becomes appropriate to consider the fact that Thomas sought to join the war as a way of discovering his inner self, which had been troubled for long in a way that created anguish at a personal level and to those within his family circle. The Transatlantic attitudes that defined the attitudes of the two characters are explored in a fuller context by way of the images and symbols supplied in the two poems. Thomas uses the images of tide, moonlight, and flowers in his poem to symbolize tension, hope, and love, which intertwined in the lives of the two poets in a manner that provides important leads into their attitudes concerning matters of morality and social values. Frost uses the words “shell’s embrace of fire” to describe Thomas decision to test his mettle in the raging war. The development of the war worked in such a manner that captured the attitudes and determination of the two individuals in ways that illustrate the different values and the point of difference in attitudes that eventually led to their separation. The condensing of the messages in both poems are elaborate illustrations of the level of interpersonal relationships between people at a most trying moment across the transatlantic history. Frost’s poem brings out the positive attitudes shared across the Atlantic, which celebrated the qualities of art and the high honor that comes with military service. Both professions were considered as some form of engagement with the duty of serving civilization. It is important to consider the fact that some of the issues that connect with the attitudes of the two writers relate to the great influence that their respective influence on both sides of the Atlantic divide brought on their lives. Frost articulates perspectives as they reflect within the American worldview. He explores on a range of issues that effectively anchors within the cultural values of nineteenth century America. Both poets appeared to be fascinated by the level of attachment that the various issues connected with the manner in which the two sides focused on the matter of attitudes in life. On the other hand, Thomas projects the attitudes of his English upbringing and culture in the perspectives he places on the discourse of friendship. The qualities of loyalty and the determination of the issues of general interest as determined in the attitudes of the two poets could be understood in terms of the various issues that influence the perspectives and worldviews in light of the matter of qualities and friendship. In this regard, it becomes important to consider the fact that the discourse between the two poets as represented in the two poems shows the level attachment that the two poets kept about their culture. Culture, perspectives, and social affiliations are some of the issues that connect with the transatlantic associations of the two poets. Both poems have strong elements of nostalgia, uncertainty, and despair. Frost ends his poem with a question, which signifies the feeling of utter loss that lurks within his soul. Thomas writes nostalgically of lost glories and fleeting moments. The very title of the poem, “The Sun used to shine” suggests a recollection of lost glory and the incipience of hopelessness. Works Cited Frost, Robert. To. E. T. Poetry Foundation. Web. 14 Mar, 2013. Thomas, Edward. The Sun Used to Shine. Landlines. Web. 14 Mar, 2013. Read More