Irony in Prestigious Writers - Essay Example

In the poem “A Letter To Sir John A. Macdonald”, Dumont writes about the wrong things that politicians and businessmen did in the history of Canada. For me, the case is not only true for Sir John A. Macdonald, but also for countless other men who have done corruption and performed wrongdoings to the country. She begins the poem quite ironically, “Dear John: I’m still here and halfbreed”, the irony is that she is proud to say upfront that she is a halfbreed, while other people look down on such halfbreeds. She has also emphasized her being a halfbreed, or Metis blood meaning that she is a mix of Caucasian and American Indian ancestry, in the ending where she says “we’re still here and calling ourselves halfbreed”. To properly appreciate this poem, one must have some knowledge of Canadian history, particularly on the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway, as well as the Metis uprisings. The railway was shut down and never used, and what Macdonald did leave scars on the people. Dumont pointed this out in her lines “because you know as well as I that we were railroaded by some steel tracks that didn’t last and some settlers who wouldn’t settle and it’s funny we’re still here and calling ourselves halfbreed”. Their history was one of oppression by a more pure race who looked down on them because their blood was mixed with different races.

As for R. Zamora Linmark’s poem, it was around 1998, after the filming of Brokedown Palace in Manila, Philippines, that Claire Danes, in an interview with Premiere Magazine, said that "The city just fucking smelled of cockroaches. There's no sewage system in Manila, and people have nothing there. People with, like, no arms, no legs, no eyes, no teeth.? Rats were everywhere...a ghastly and weird city". This prompted R. Zamora Linmark to write the ironic poem “A Letter to Claire Danes from a Fan in Manila”. Even in the title, you could already see the irony. R. Zamora Linmark is far from being a fan of Claire Danes, not after the ungrateful things and insensitive things that she had said. Such an action led to her films being banned in the Philippines, and for good reason.

One cannot fully appreciate the writing of R. Zamora unless one has a firm understanding of some of the history of the Philippines. This country has been a victim of savage waves of conquest—the Spaniards, the Japanese, and the Americans. The people here are a mix of races, half-breeds, as Marilyn Dumont proudly calls herself. Hearing that type of statement from a popular actress hit the wrong spot with the country. Such a statement looks down upon their history, and upon the strength that these people have. Perhaps if Claire Danes knew more about Filipinos, who are known for being one of the happiest people in the world, then she would be able to appreciate the fact that despite the drastic situations she described, Filipinos remain strong and manage to face life with a smile and their stubborn determination to survive. These Filipinos survive in a world where they could not last a day.

Both poems require some knowledge of the history of the country. Only people who know of the history behind which these poems were written can come to appreciate their significance. Without knowledge of that history, a person would not be able to see what the poem means.