Helen Poem Comparison Poe vs Doolittle example essay topic

Literature as a whole can be seen as having many subsets. Of the many divisions, there is poetry which is a type of literature that tends to present abstract things in the form of imagery. When analyzing a poem, one must look to many characteristics that make up the work. Word choice, voice, and the use of figurative language all contribute to understanding the way the main theme happens to develop.

Both Edgar Allen Poe and Hilda Doolittle wrote a poem based on the same figure of history: Helen of Troy. Poe's poem was published in 1831 and Doolittle's poem was published in 1924. Helen was a woman who can be said to have started the ten year Trojan War. Doolittle takes a different approach when describing Helen compared to Poe however, both poems discuss her place in the world and her physical beauty. In contrast, Poe and Doolittle both have different opinions on the Helen as a person. "To Helen" and "Helen" possess many similarities between the two but both authors have different outlooks on Helen and her role in society.

When comparing both poems, one might notice similarities in the word choices. Although both do not come right out and say it, they describe Helen in such a way as though she is as beautiful as a God. Perhaps it is because she is a God. They both use the word 'beauty' to describe her. Poe says "Helen, thy beauty is to me like those Nice an barks of yore" (Poe, p 837 line 2) Poe speaks of her in such a manner as if he worships her. He comments on her "hyacinth hair" and "classic face" and it is all in good thought.

Whereas Doolittle makes reference to Helen's eyes, hands, feet, knees and face but she accompanies all of that with the hate that all of Greece feels for her. This is made apparent when Doolittle says "All Greece hates", (Doolittle, p 686 line 1) and "All Greece reviles" (Doolittle, p 686 line 6) She also uses Greece as a generalization of all the people as oppose to just herself. In comparison, Poe refers to Helen as though he himself is infatuated with her instead of all of Greece as seen with Doolittle. A word that is seen often throughout Doolittle's poem is the colour 'white'.

"White" signals the final result of Greece's unmoving hatred, becoming the colour of death: (Hurt, web) "white ash amid funeral cypresses". (Doolittle, p 686 line 17) Both poems also mention that she is the daughter of Zeus. Doolittle says "God's daughter, born of love", (Doolittle, p 686 line 13) and Poe says, "The weary, way-worn wanderer bore" (Poe, p 837 line 4). It is mainly the word choice in both poems that help contribute to the similarities in the poems. The tones of each poem are both very different from each other. Doolittle has a very bitter feeling and dwells mostly on Greece rejecting Helen.

The first line of the stanza, "All Greece hates" sets the tone for the rest of the poem about the country's reaction to Helen at the end of the war with Troy. (Hurt, web ) The final stanza, "Greece sees, unmoved", paints a picture of people whose hatred and revulsion are cold and unforgiving. (Hurt, web) It seems as though Helen will not be forgiven by the Greece people until she has died. She is too much of a painful reminder to everyone of what they lost in the war. Doolittle displays Helen as a victim of her beauty in the sense that everyone worshiped her until she was taken away which led to Greece hating her. Poe's tone of voice throughout the poem is kinder towards Helen.

He praises her beauty and regards her as a Goddess and worships her. When he says "How statue-like I see thee stand! The agate lamp within they hand", (Poe, p 837 line 12-13) he is describing Helen as a sort of glorious beacon, shining through the night. The agate lamp represents clarity and purity. (G moser, web) Each poem gives the reader a different outlook on Helen. After reading Doolittle's take on her, one might have a hatred towards Helen but on the other hand, Poe has a way that makes it seem as though she was a wonderful woman and all should praise and worship her the way he does.

Aside from the text itself, both poems follow different rhyming patterns. Poe has an end rhyme scheme where the ends of most of his lines are where he puts his emphasis. He follows an A BABB form but then later switches to an ABABA pattern. Doolittle on the other hand, does not really have a pattern.

Instead she takes a general perspective which forces one to read the full poem to fully understand the concept. Her poem is more of a free verse. Although their rhyme schemes differ from one another, they both manage to convey their point in their own logical pattern. The story of Helen of Troy can be controversial in the sense that some people believe she started the war whereas others do not.

Having been taken away and fought over gave Helen the title of "the face that launched a thousand ships" which relates back to her beauty. As a result, it is no wonder that both Poe and Doolittle both have different opinions on Helen. The obvious similarity is that both poems are about Helen of Troy but it appears as though there are more differences then similarities. Their use of words and description add to the tone and voice of the poem and although their tones may be different, their word choice do somewhat coincide with each other. The use of imagery is apparent in both poems as well especially with Doolittle's use of the colour "white" The main theme however of both poems is the fact that they discuss how beautiful she was. Both poets approach the subject in a different manner and see her beauty in opposite ways.

"To Helen" and "Helen" are both very different poems yet deal with the same elements. Both poets feel strongly about Helen and their true feelings for her come out in their poems.