TheMeaningofLifeinLongfellowstwopoems.ppt

TheMeaningofLifeinLongfellowstwopoems-APsalmofLifeandMezzoCammin,LiHuihong,Outline,AboutthepoetHenryWadsworthLongfellowAboutAPsalmofLifeAboutMezzoCamminAbouttheContrastbetweenthetwolifePoems,1AboutLongfellow,HenryWadsworthLongfellowisoneoftheimportantAmericanpoetsin19thcentury.HeisoneofthebestlovedAmericanpoetstheworldover.HiswritingsbelongtothemilderaspectoftheRomanticMovement.Themajorfeaturesofhispoemsaregentleness,sweetnessandpurity.Hisgreatestvirtueisthathemadepoetryseemworthreadingandworthwriting.,HenryWadsworthLongfellow(1807-1882),2AboutAPsalmofLife,Thispoemcanbedividedinto4sections.1(1-3stanzas):themeaningoflife2(4-6):howtospendlifetime3(7-8):thevalueofspendinglifetimeinsuchaway4(9):theadvocacy,Tellmenotinmourfulnumbers,lifeisbutanemptydream!Forthesoulisdeadthatslumbers,Andthingsarenotwhattheyseem.Lifeisreal!LIfeisearnest!Andthegraveisnotitsgoal;Dustthouart,todustreturnest,Wasnotspokenofthesoul,Notenjoyment,andnotsorrow,Isourdestinedendorway;Buttoact,thateachto-morrowfindsusfartherthanto-day.,ThemeaningofLifeliesinacting.Hegivestherealaction:weshouldactnowtomaketomorrowfurtherthantoday.Encouragepeopletoact.,Artislong,andTimeisfleeting,Andourhearts,thoughstoutandbrave,Still,likemuffleddrums,arebeatingFuneralmarchestothegrave.Intheworldsbroadfieldofbattle,InthebivouacofLife.Benotlikedumb,drivencattle!Beaherointhestrife!Trustnofuture,howeerpleasant!Letthedeadpastburyitsdead!Act-actinthegloriousPresent!Heartwithin,andGodoerhead!,Timeislimitedandfleetingfast.Peoplecannotescapedeath.Butwecouldcatchtime.Life/Timewilltranscenddeath.Lifeislikeabattlefield.weshouldbeaherotofightforabetterlifeandforthevalueoflife.Tograspthepresentopportunity.,LivesofgreatmenallremindusWecanmakeourlivessublime.And,departing,leavebehindusFootprintsonthesandsoftime;Footprintsthatperhapsanother,Sailingoerlifessolemnmain,Aforlornandshipwreckedbrother,Seeing,shouldtakeheartagain.,Learnfromgreatancientpeopleanddosomethingsignificanttorememberourselves.Wecanbesomebody.Weandourfollowinggenerationscangetcouragefromourachievementswhendepressed.,Letus,then,beupanddoing,Withaheartforanyfate;stillachieving,stillpursuing,Learntolabourandtowait.,Workhardregardlessofresultandfate.Continuepursuing.Learntowaitpatientlyforourownresults.,AboutMezzoCammin,Halfofmylifeisgone,andIhaveletTheyearsslipfrommeandhavenotfulfilled(Heisinlowspiritandfeelsgloomybecausehehasntfulfilledhisdreamthatistomakesomeachievementsinhislifetime.)Theaspirationofmyyouth,tobuildSometowerofsongwithloftyparapet.Notindolence,norpleasure,northefretOfrestlesspassionschatwouldnotbestilled,(Hesighswithsadnessathisfailureandsufferings.Whatareinhislifearesorrow,care,painandmisery.Tower=achievements),Butsorrow,andacarethatalmostkilled,KeptmefromwhatImayaccomplishyet;(Hefindsanexcuseforhisfailureinmakingachievements.Becauseatthattimehesuffersfromthedeathofhiswife.)Though,halfwayupthehill,IseethePastLyingbeneathmewithitssoundsandsights,-(“Hill”heresymbolizeshislifejourney.Halfofhislifehaspassed.Hismoodisstilldowncast.)Acityinthetwilightdimandvast,Withsmokingroofs,softbells,andgleaminglights.AndhearabovemeontheautumnalblastThecataractofDeathfarthunderingfromtheheights.(herethepoetissentimentalabouthispastandthepassingoftime.Pasthasbecomehistory.City=hispastAtoncehehastobefacedwithdeath.Heusesstrongimagesforfuturewhilesomepeacefulimagesforpast.Anyway,wecanseethatheisexhaustedandsentimental.Heights=endoflife),4TheContrastbetweenthetwolifePoems,InAPsalmofLifeThepoetviewslifeasactiveandreal.Hiskeynoteisoptimistic,energeticandupward.Heencouragespeopletoactinpresentandmakesomeachievementsnotonlytolosethemselvesinthenostalgiaofpast.Lifecantranscenddeath.Deathisinevitableandinexorablebuthumanbeingscancatchtimeandmakesomeachievements.Continuepursuingandwaitpatientlyfortheresults.,InMazzoCamminThepoetviewslifeasdepressed.Hiskeynoteispessimistic,low-spirited,sentimentalanddownward.Hefindsexcusesforhisfailureinmakinganygreatachievements.Hefeelssorrowfulabouthisunsuccessfulhalflifewhichhasbeenwasted.Deathisinfrontofhim.Pastbecomesfaraway.Thepoetsoundslikealoserwithoutanyhope.Hesuffersfromtheblowofthedeathofhiswife.,Contrast,Mr.Longfellowsaidofthispoem:Ikeptitsometimeinmanuscript,unwillingtoshowittoanyone,itbeingavoicefrommyinmostheart,atatimewhenIwasrallyingfromdepression.Peopleregardedthepoemas“thejumpingvoiceofAmericansintuitiveknowledge”and“themoralsteamofactingtimes.”whenhewrotethepoemhewasstimulatedfromdepressedfeelings.”,