Similarities and Differences of Themes, Language of Three Texts - Term Paper Example

WITH CLOSE REFERENCE TO THE THREE OF THE TEXTS STUDIED, COMPARE THE WAYS IN, WHICH FORM IS.WRITER Customer English INTRODUCTION The three texts sonnet 18 by Shakespeare, six characters in search of an author by Pirandello and Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K Rowling belong to three different sub-divisions of literature i.e. poetry, play and novel. All the three texts are a projection of three different ideas with a variety of interpretations for the readers according to the individual capacity of understanding of life and its various aspects. However when comparing and contrasting these texts there is a variety of similarities and differences of themes, language and the techniques that the three writers have used in illustrating each texts. These similarities and differences provide the readers the opportunity to explore the various dimensions in which life can be interpreted as the three authors have their individual point of views for defining life. Hence providing the readers with a wide range of concepts from which they can make their personal perspective about existence of human beings and their natures. USE OF FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE IN SONNET 18 Sonnet 18 is a beautiful depiction of the poet’s feelings for his friend/beloved. Initially he compares him with summer as the freshness and beauty of summer reminds him of his friend. However as the poem proceeds it is observed that towards the end he is talking about immortality of his friend. The sonnet begins with a question and through out the poem the poet his answering his own question. The poem comprises of three quartets and a couplet. The rhyme scheme of the sonnet is AB AB CD CD EF EF GG. Hence the pattern of this sonnet is similar to the rest of Shakespearean sonnets. The diction of the sonnet is simple however it is observed that Shakespeare makes use of imagery and metaphors to depict his love for his friend. Weather imagery is a recurring image through out the poem. The poet uses weather imagery to draw a contrast between the temporary existence of the summer season and the strong relationship of permanence and stability that he shares with his beloved. In this sonnet the summer is being personified as it is being compared with the man. ‘The eye of heaven’ is the metaphoric representation of the sun. The poet uses the metaphor of sun to explain the readers his eternal love for his beloved. Again he compares the rise and sunset and the occasional cloudy season which results in hiding the sun from the view to his never ending love for his friend. His feelings for him are like the shining sun that will never set. Another metaphor that the poet uses is that of grafting towards the end of the poem. He says, ‘in eternal lines to time thou growest’ this means that just as two plants are tied together so that they would grow as one, his depiction of love for his beloved has made his friend immortal as he has tied together time and his words of adoration and captured the moment. Hence now his beloved has become immortal as he would live in the memory of his readers. Shakespeare in these few lines has explained the whole mantra of power of love i.e. loves is a never dying emotion. It is not temporary as ‘youth and beauty’ in fact it is eternal as long as human hearts would keep beating. Hence it is observed that although the language used is simple yet every line has an underlying deeper meaning that forms the essence of this sonnet. SONNET 18 AND PIRANDELLO’S META-THEATRE: SIMILARITIES Meta-theatre is defined as the technique of a story with in a story or the concept of appearance/illusion and reality that is used in various forms of literature such as plays, stories and poems. A major similarity that Shakespeare’s sonnet 18 and Pirandello’s concept of meta-theatre share is that both have an underlying meaning or a sub-text that clarifies the author’s interpretation of life to the readers. In the case of Shakespeare in his sonnet 18 apparently he is talking about his feelings for his beloved and comparing him to summer season in order to explain the relationship they share in words. However, the hidden meaning is that he is depicting the perpetual existence of love in the lives of human beings. For him it is such a powerful emotion that it knows no bounds of restraint and even death that is the ultimate separation between human beings cannot change the reality or meaning of love for him. Similarly Pirandello in his play ‘six characters in search of an author’ uses the technique of meta-theatre to explain the complexity of human nature that it has so many facets that every human being is a character with a unique story of his own and his life is his stage where he performs his role and leaves the stage i.e. life. Hence both the writers’ works share this unique quality of double meaning that requires an in depth analysis of their works in order to understand the real message that the authors intended to convey to their readers. Moreover the similarity of the versatility of writing styles of both the writers is also apparent from the use of simple language for reflecting on the complex aspects of human nature. As observed in the case of Shakespeare that he simple diction as a tool to depict one of the most complex human emotions i.e. love. While on the other hand Pirandello uses language as a tool to explain the complex aspect of human nature that every human being is a character with a unique story of his own. Another similarity between sonnet 18 and Pirandello’s concept of meta-theatre is that both talk about eternity. This means that just as Shakespeare says in the last line, ‘So long as men can breathe or eyes can see/ So long lives this …’ that as long as human beings live love would exist and keep on changing their lives. Similarly Pirandello’s concept of illusion and reality is also a universal phenomenon that would survive till the last human being breathes since he believes that this concept defines the nature of human beings. DIFFERENCES Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s stone is a piece of fiction about a boy who is a wizard and his life. The portrayal of human life in this story is a work of fantasy with no link with real life. The concepts presented by Pirandello in his play ‘six characters in search of an author’ and by Shakespeare in ‘sonnet 18’ are the ones to whom people can easily relate to. Their ideas are a reflection of true human nature and the readers can relate to their interpretation of life. Unlike J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter because her idea is not only novel but also appears to be far fetched as wizards and magic do not exist in the practical world. Another difference between the three texts is that Harry Potter is a depiction of the fantastical idea where in the end good dominates bad and it seems as if the story projects the idea of life being either black or white. However in real life this holds no meaning as the other two writers also suggest that life is an amalgamation of various colors and emotions such as love, hatred, pain and hope. Hence Harry Potter is a tale of a utopian world that has no place in the real or the practical life. When the techniques used by the three writers are analyzed it is observed that in Pirandello’s and Shakespeare’s works there is a sequence in which all the events take place. For example in sonnet 18 the poet poses a question in the first line and then in the rest of the lines he answers his question. Similarly in Pirandello’s play there is a beginning, a climax and an anti-climax. However in the case of Harry Potter there is a beginning and a climax with no anti-climax. The ending of the story seems to be abrupt and a continuation. Moreover the later story is a depiction of an individual’s story that gets the chance to experience an extraordinary world of excitement and adventure all of a sudden when he turns eleven which can never actually happen in real life because in real life even the smallest changes occur gradually. CONCLUSION Although each text has a variety of unique ideas to be explored yet they are connected to each other in some respects as in the case of Shakespeare’s and Pirandello’s works. While on the other hand Rowling’s piece differs from the former two as there is this gap of two or three generations that has given new meaning to life and its various aspects. The three texts that have been discussed have a lot of difference when compared together however all three of them have a specific group of readers that enjoy such pieces of literature. The three texts cover three genres of literature that makes them special to the readers and this is the reason that they have a fair share of differences. As the concepts illustrated in them do have a target audience yet if read separately readers can draw their personal connections with each text. REFERENCES Pirandello, Ligui. 2003. Six Characters in Search of an Author. London: Nick Hern Books Ltd. Read More