Poster¡G TinaWang at 15:25:1 3/18/98 from h144.s39.ts30.hinet.net
Mentioned¡G
| Tina Wang
486200676 Journal on Ode( on the death of a favorite cat, drowned in a tub of goldfishes) Before reading the poem, when I first looked up the definition of ode, I was quite confused why Thomas Gray named the title this way. Ode means a poem that is usually written in praise of particular person, thing, or event. But why praise a poor cat that got drowned in the fish tub?!! Then after I finished reading the poem, I started to get a little idea why he uses this title¡K. The poem is in a regular form ( Pindaric). The rhythm is also quite interesting. It goes like AABAABAACCCCAADEEDFFGCCGHHIAAIAAAAAAAAACCA. We can see that at the end it's all A's. Maybe it had hidden some meaning or symbols, but I don't really understand, only think it's interesting¡K In the first stanza, it is describing that a cat named Selima is looking at the vase with goldfishes. The second stanza is talking about the appearance of this cat Selima. But in my own point of view, Thomas seemed more likely describing a lady, full of nobility. Such as her joy declared , a fair round face, snowy beard¡Ketc. Then the third stanza are talking about through the lights, the cat thought she had seen golden fish. The forth stanza is about how the cat attempted to caught the fish. The fifth stanza then said how the cat got slipped into the tub. The six stanza talks about how Selima cried for help but no one came. At last, the last stanza is trying to a sermon to this poem. To me, I think this is a pretty ironic poem, maybe it tries to use it's ironic to show us some lessons. The cat Selima in the poem, is like a symbol of a woman. But it's not just any woman, it's the one who is elegant, a little conceited, always pursue in beautiful things. You know when you are crazy about something, you can't see reality, you just see what you imagine. Like the cat in the poem, she thought that the fishes are gold, but as a matter of a fact, her view had been affected by the lights. " The genii of the stream: their scaly armor's Tyrian hue through richest purple to the view Betrayed a golden gleam". Just like sometimes women, especially, will go after fantasies or material stuff, and get themselves hurt.( like the result to this cat-drowned). In the poem, there are also two lines " What female heart can gold despise? What cat's averse to fish?" Gold is a symbol of fame, jewel, money, beauty¡Ketc. I think maybe this is Thomas Gray's own point of view toward women. But somehow I think it's a little unfair to say that because not all women emphasize things on their beauty or surface, some women still emphasize on the inner mind and on spirit. Anyway, a like one line he wrote " A favorite has no friend". I think it's very meaningful for what you really want, your favorite may not be your friends! Instead of that, maybe it'll ruin the rest of your life! So what Thomas Gray is trying to say is that think clearly before you make movements. Don't be deceived by the beautiful appearance of things, maybe it's just a illusion you see after all. " Not all that tempts your wandering eyes and headless hearts, is lawful prize: Nor all that glisters, gold." |