Carol Ann Duffy and Sharon Olds | Marginalised Voices In Poetry

Carol Ann Duffy and Sharon Olds | Marginalised Voices In Poetry Marginalisation can be understood as being outside or on the edge of the rest of society. A person can be considered marginalised because of factors such as race, social class or gender, which make them separate from the rest of their social surrounding. At the time when Carol Ann Duffy and Sharon Olds wrote their first poetry, female poets where marginalised under patriarchy; a social system which believed males to be the superior race. Through their works both poets give a voice for marginalised members of society by using poetry to speak the truth about everyday issues such as love, sexuality and family, from a female perspective. Although marginalised because of their gender, both Carol Ann Duffy and Sharon Olds use of strong subjects have been able to make an impact for the female voice within their poetry. Sharon Olds is highly religious due to her upbringing as a Calvinist; her poetry echoes a lot of this belief in the sense that her works speak a truth and hold a strong theme of morality. Moreover Olds uses her own honesty and morality to often question issues which are ongoing in society, be it a question directed towards the politics of the time or a question about family and love. Because of her honestly Olds poems can often appear controversial or paint a slightly disturbing image. Sex Without Love[1] for instance is a poem which questions sex outside of marriage and love, it begins with a direct question how do they do it, the ones who make love without love?, she then goes onto answer the question herself. Rather than use complex imagery and symbolism to allow the reader to make their own interpretation, Olds uses irony to make her view on the subject clear and detailed. On the other hand, Carol Ann Duffys poems pose the exact opposite approach; through her poems she is also sp eaking a truth using irony, however, she often does this by using surreal imagery and complicating her words to create a usual cynical view towards the subject. Like Olds, Duffy also addresses the issue of love within her works. Duffys Valentine[2] renders a highly cynical view towards love, and the thought conventional gestures of showing affection. Unlike Olds who instantly outlines the poems meaning as a starting point, Duffy begins Valentine by using traditional images of a valentine before revealing her own suggestions on the subject. Duffy uses an extended metaphor in asserting that an onion is more like the true nature of love and therefore it can ultimately be destroyed or destructive on many different levels, just like an onion has many different layers which can be peeled. Both poets reveal a different idea about love, while Sharon Olds is implicating that love is sacred and true; Duffy seems to be suggesting that love isnt as beautiful as it would appear on the surface. Females were often marginalised within literature and therefore their work was not given the recognition it truly deserved, often resulting in females writing poetry but not being considered poets because of their gender. This is because of the once social, economic and cultural marginalisation under patriarchy which ruled a male dominated social and cultural system. Geoffrey Summerfield once stated I regret the omission of women poets from this book. This is simply due to the fact that Britain in the last fifteen years has not produced a woman poet of real stature [3], although spoken before their time as writers, poets such as Duffy and Olds have made an impact from their writing that would arguably change this opinion. Sharon olds Sex Without Love is an attack on people that have sex outside of marriage, her religious background shines through in her choice of word and metaphor in this poem. While she chooses to use words that would usually be seen as beautiful, the choice of word play holds a negative tone throughout making it obvious that she does not approve. The metaphor Beautiful as dancers, gliding over each other like ice skaters, over ice would on surface appear that she is accepting, however, the deeper meaning unveils that she is actually implying that like the ice, sex without love is cold and therefore it is simply a performance, just as ice skating is a performance. Unlike Sex Without Love which holds the message that only true love will make you happy or whole, it would appear that Duffys Valentine is in fact a message that is perhaps warning the reader from love. Duffy ends with the lines Lethal, its scent will cling to your fingers, cling to your knife., this cynical metaphor leaves us with the idea that the true nature of love will ultimately destroy us. Although the messages of these two poems contradict each other completely, the marginalised voice in poetry is still established and heard. Both poets represent marginalised voices in poetry as being underestimated and overlooked, by creating powerful poems that touch subjects that affect all people in society, they have been able to establish a place for the female poet ultimately making them no longer marginalised. The strong and somewhat controversial use of the theme of love in these two poems clearly establishes a voice for marginalised groups, therefore allowing them to be recognised. While both Duffy and Olds fall into the same marginalised category because of their gender they do not hold the same morals and values within their poems, this difference between the two reveals to the maybe ignorant eye, that people of the same marginalised category are in fact individuals within themselves. Therefore Duffy and Olds represent marginalised voices as having the same individualities as the people in the centre of society. In the same way that Olds expresses her religious views within her poetry, Duffys works can be perceived as feminist, however similarly they both raise issues such as social class and relationships in the course of their works. Duffys Warming Her Pearls[4] is a poem centrally about a relationship between a servant and her employer, a maid and her mistress. This poem deals with the issue of social class more than it does with gender, the lower social class can also be deemed as marginalised within society this poem recognises this problem and provides a negative attitude towards social, economic and political status and gives a voice to these outsiders. Warming Her Pearls begins Next to my own skin, her pearls. My mistress bids me to wear them, warm them, the pearls may be seen as a symbolic rope that bides the maid to her mistress moreover the fact that she literally gives the warmth of her body to the pearls immediately questions the relationship between the two classes, outlining the ridiculous extremes that the power of higher classes can actually reach. The relationship between the two characters can be viewed as bidden, because the maid is of lower class therefore she must provide a service for the pri vileged. On the other hand Sharon Olds True Love[5] is centrally a poem about the relationship between a man and a woman that appear to be married as the poem progresses. True Love opens In the middle of the night, when we get up after making love, we look at each other in complete friendship the initial reading of this line leaves the reader somewhat confused by the use of the word friendship, are these two people in love or is their relationship purely friendship? Furthermore that later image of them being Bound to each other like mountaineers. leaves us with the idea that the reason they are still together is because they are married. This assumption comes from Olds religious background, wherefore her belief would hold the idea that marriage is sacred and for life. Therefore perhaps this couple are no longer in love, however they are bound together because of the vows they once took. Both poems address the issues of relationships, however clearly they identify different issues wh ich have binned their characters together. As Duffys poem unravels it reveals a sinister attitude from the maid towards her mistress, she believes that her persistent scent on the pearls are preventing her mistress from ever finding love. This could also be an attack on the social hierarchy in the sense that the maid is not allowed to communicate with her mistress to tell her the problem, so instead she burns All night with the satisfaction of this possible secret revenge she is gaining against her mistress. On the other hand, Olds True Love does ultimately unveil itself as describing exactly what it is titled as. The poem ends I cannot see beyond it., leaving us with the idea that the characters are indeed in love and that it is everything that should be wanted from a relationship. Sharon Olds poem seems to begin somewhat ambiguously with its room for interpretation. None the less its ending reveals what is believed to be the truth about love, making it personal to perhaps her own experiences and definitely representing her own morals on what she believes to be right. These two very different poems represent marginalised voices in poetry as being opinionated, self aware and controversial, it is clear that these marginalised figures of society do indeed have a strong place in society and should therefore be heard. Sharon Olds and Carol Ann Duffy hold similarities and differences within their works, they both appear to me as being fearless and unconventional making them have a strong effect on society. Their highly controversial poems raising issues such as social class, relationships and love have undoubtedly made room for the female poet to be accepted and recognised, not only in poetry but in society as a whole. Along with representing a voice for females their works also question other existing marginalisation within our culture, attacking the politics and beliefs of the culture with live in allows scope for these outsiders to be recognised and ultimately heard. While Olds makes her poetry personal by directly inputting her religious beliefs and morality, Duffy makes her works personal by her complication of words and playful inventiveness to pass of messages that perhaps a conventional writer would not attempt. It is figures such as Olds and Duffy that are needed in our society to provide a truth on such controversial issues. Their open honesty on issues within our culture allows a truth to be heard from these marginalised voices, and it is clear that they have had a large impact within writing and on the society in which we live.

Dogs Are Better House Pets Than Cats

Dogs are better pets than cats Yukako Taketani English 122 Instructor Chang March 17, 2013 Dogs are better house pets than cats In the world, there are only three types of people: dog lovers, cat lovers, and please-no-dogs-or-cats-around-me people. Between the dog and cat lovers, there is always a big debate on the subject which animal is more suited as house pets and has better companionship with humans. According to the article, â€Å"U. S Pet Ownership Statistics, there are 78. 2 million owned dogs in the United States, while approximately 86. 4 million owned cats (The Humane Society of the united states, 2011).From these facts, the society might be already on the cat side. A lot of people may complain that cats are better house pets than dogs because they are easy to take care of. However, in my opinion, a dog’s lifestyle and personality is better fitted for us to live with, and they are great companions. Dogs as security guards First of all, dogs can work as security gua rds. It is known as one of the earliest duties of domestic dogs. They protect the property of its owners, whether that property is land, livestock or his owner’s home (The Canine Information Library, 2011).When there is a sign of a dog picture and a word of â€Å"watch out† hanging on the neighbors fence, who does not take extra cautions when he or she walks cross the house? If I were a robber, I will not choose a household with a dog, since there is a high probability that the dog will bark every time I walk by. I own a Chihuahua mix dog, who only weights 10 pounds. She never attack or bite people or other dogs outside home. In fact, she is the kind of the dogs who always wags her tail to everybody, and shows her stomach, which is considered one of the submissive behaviors in canines.I am not expecting her to fend off or fight, if someone breaks into my house. However, she is a barker whenever she hears a faint sound around my house. On the other hand, cats can only m eow, which is a lot quieter and less intimidating than dogs bark. Moreover, they are indifferent to new people and often hide under the bed or table. There are many stories out there that dogs fended off, or protected their owners from robbers. However, I have never heard that cats scared away from someone tried to get in the house. From these facts, dogs are much better house pets compared to cats as security guards. For an active lifestyleIn addition, dogs promote an active lifestyle to their owners. While cats stay home and do their own things, dogs love to go outside. Dogs need exercise, but so do people. In these days, a lot of people are thought to be lack of exercise, and it is unhealthy both physically and mentally. However, having a dog as a pet will cancel out this problem. Jenna Stregowski, a registered veterinary technician, examines that dogs enjoy going on a walk, and we can make them a part of our own exercise routines (Stregowski, 2013). I agree with her. Some people , including me, cannot work out continuously because our laziness defeats us.For those people, having a dog will improve their lives, and the pets and the owners can be both happy. Some people are known to walk their cat on harness yet, cats do not enjoy the experience. Most of the times, it ends up with an undesirable result. Fetching balls and swimming are dogs’ favorite exercise. They also can go in cars, hiking, and camping. Even in unfamiliar places, dogs still can adapt themselves into new environments well. Conversely, cats require some time in order to accept and adjust to new things. As a veterinary technology student, I can give my own experience as an example that dogs are more adaptable animals than cats.When they are brought to a veterinary hospital, most of the dogs are still wagging their tail and happy. However, the cats are fear to death because of the unfamiliar environment and people, and they sit in a circle and in the very back in the carrier as much as p ossible. Of course, I have seen some friendly cats at the veterinary hospital yet, most of the cats do not well in new places like dogs can. Having a cat will not improve your life, but dogs can. More Trainable Another argument is that dogs are more trainable in our lives. There are many dogs that can do incredible tricks, and listen to their owners’ commons.People debate that some cats can be also trainable and do shake hands. They may also question why cats or dogs need to do tricks, such as shaking hands or rolling over, which are not useful for both humans and pets. However, since two completely different living beings spend time under the same roof, more trainable and obedient dogs are, of course, better for humans. One of the cat’s feature behavior is climbing. In the article, Pam Bennett, cat behavior expert, states that the more vertical areas available to your cat, the more it increases her territory (Bennett, 2013).They climb on the table, kitchen, computer, or basically anywhere they can, and it is not acceptable. Especially, when the kitchen is full of food and the stove and knives used, it is not only about sanitation, but also danger for both owners and the cat. Training cats on not climbing is difficult because it is their instincts. There are many undesirable cat behaviors that cats have but dogs do not, such as scratching furniture or carpets and playing in closets, where you keep expensive clothes. In spite of these, you do not need to concern about these problems with dogs.I am not saying that dogs are not naughty. They can also climb on the table, and chew your clothes. However, you can easily discipline them, because they have the pack behavior and social hierarchy system that you can take advantage of by playing yourself at the top (All Dogs GYM & INN, 2011). By shaking it by the scruff of the neck as a punishment, you can correct undesirable behavior and also teach your dog that you are dominant. With a cat, this way of pun ishing is not useful, or just makes her fear to you. They are more difficult than dogs. Conclusion Dogs are easier to live with.Whether small breeds or large breeds, they can alert and protect their owners’ houses and owners from strangers. Because dogs like outside activities and can easily adjust themselves in a new environment, People can take them anywhere and have a good work out together. Dogs have an undesirable behavior as well as cats yet, they are easy to discipline. Thinking about these facts, dogs are better pets than cats for us. Work Cited All Dogs GYM & INN (2011). Dogs’ social hierarchy & pack behavior. Retrieved on March 17, 2013 from http://www. alldogsgym. com/content/view/106/138/ Bennet, P (2013). Why your cat need to climb.Retrieved on March 17, 2013 from http://www. catbehaviorassociates. com/why-your-cat-needs-to-climb/ Stregowski, J (2013). 10 reasons dogs are better than cats. Retrieved on March 19, 2013 from http://dogs. about. com/od/funphot os/ss/Ten-Reasons-Dogs-Are-Better-Than-Cats_10. htm The Canine Information Library (2011). Guard dogs. Retrieved on March 17, 2013 from http://guarddogs. bulldoginformation. com/ The Humane Society of the United States (2011). U. S. pet ownership statistics. Retrieved on March 17, 2013 from http://www. humanesociety. org/issues/pet_overpopulation/facts/pet_ownership_statistics. html

Hypocrisy and Christianity Essay - 1158 Words

Hypocrisy and Christianity If one were to ask the American public about their views of Christians, what response would one receive? We can imagine that there would be a great variety of answers. However, most people might say that, in general, Christians are not very different from everybody else. This is a problem. There are many people who claim to be Christians whose lifestyles do not reflect their beliefs. The problem with this situation is that it gives non-Christians the wrong impression of Christianity. Christians need to live their lives in a way that reflects what they claim to believe. Christianity is a lifestyle not just a set of beliefs. A Christian is not merely someone who attends church once in a while and believes†¦show more content†¦People are ready to sue the minute someone does something to them that they feel was uncalled for. We can see through this that people still have a desire for truth and justice. They want to hear and see good things. People think of Christians as good people. They expect someone who claims to be a Christian to be a kind, moral, overall good person. It is extremely disheartening if those who claim to have the guide to moral living are just as dishonest and coldhearted as anyone else. It discredits Christianity’s claim of having a better way. For example, let’s say that it is discovered that a person who has always attended church and openly claimed Christianity has been embezzling funds from their company. Many people would be even more angry that he was hiding behind the front of being a good, honest Chris tian than if someone who had not laid claim to those values was discovered in the same crime. If people cannot trust Christians who claim to be moral, whom can they trust? Is there anything that deems a person or group of people trustworthy? Hypocrisy among Christians can cause these kinds of ideas to grow. Christians are commanded in the Bible to take the gospel into all the world. 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