Harriet Jacobs, Frederick Douglas and Elizabeth Stanton all created works of literature that served as social commentary on equality. Not only were the rights of black versus white people being talked about, but also between men and women. Although these three individuals created works on similar topics, the ways they made the issues relevant were anything but.

Elizabeth Stanton’s speech at the Seneca Falls discussed the issues of women’s rights. It discussed things such as religious, social, and also civil rights of women. The convention aimed to reform the role of women in society and enforce new policies. Although elites in society ignored this issue, the women fought and demanded that their rights be granted.

Frederick Douglas spoke of slavery and his personal experiences with it, which made his speech much more empathetic. He described the unjust, unreasonable and oppressive nature in which slaves were treated. In a sense, Harriet Jacobs combined both of these works as she was a women, but also one who lived in slavery. Additionally, the fact that she was even able to create her work, “Incident In The Lives Of A Slave Girl”, shows that she was educated. This was unlike most females and even men who were also slaves at the time. She places the reader into her shoes, through the use of the character Linda Brent. She is able to make the reader feel much more connected by being  blunt and honest with her experiences. For example she states”Reader, it is not to awaken sympathy for myself that I am telling you truthfully what I suffered in slavery. I do it to kindle a flame of compassion in your hearts for my sisters who are still in bondage, suffering as I once suffered” (Jacobs 161). Although this narrative is told in the form of a book, lines like these still give a powerful message to the reader, similar to Frederick Douglas’ Speech, and the women of the Seneca Falls Declaration.

Both the Seneca Falls Declaration and Frederick Douglass’s “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July” challenge issues regarding discrimination in the 19^th century. Both of these works are challenging the core American value of freedom and address the audience by stating that freedom doesn’t exist because slavery and the lack of women’s rights were still prevalent during the time period these works were created. In the Seneca Falls Declaration, one interesting technique that the writers use is the use of the word “He” repeatedly. This is important because using “He” is addressing all the men of the nation and laying out the multiple wrongdoings they have committed against women and why those wrongdoings prevent women from being equals with men. By directly using “He” over and over again, the authors of the Seneca Falls Declaration are challenging each and every man who read the declaration to reflect upon how men are treating women unjustly in many important areas of society.

In Douglass’s speech, he uses the most patriotic American holiday, which is the Fourth of July and challenges the validity of this holiday in front of his audience. In his speech, one very interesting line he says is “I do not hesitate to declare with all my soul that the character and conduct of this nation never looked blacker to me than on this Fourth of July!” He is speaking volumes to those that are joyfully celebrating the holiday, but not thinking or realizing that millions of black people at the time were still slaves living in America, stripped of their freedom. By asking the rhetorical question of should the people really be so proud of their country and have the audacity to celebrate the Fourth of July, he is making people think about the troubling issue of slavery in their society.

Harriet Jacobs’s “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl” differs from both these works because of the use of a first person narrative. By telling some of her own life experiences through the character of Linda Brent, she is placing the reader into certain parts of her life that she wants to share with her audience. One example of this is during the period after Linda or Harriet realizes she is actually a slave and says, “When he told me that I was made for his use, made to obey his command in every thing; that I was nothing but a slave, whose will must and should surrender to his, never before had my puny arm felt half so strong” (Jacobs 18). From this quote, the reader can be put into Jacobs’s position at the time and feel the hopelessness and helplessness that she felt during that particular instance. From the other two works, women and slaves are only addressed on a general level that encompasses the entire group, but in Jacobs’s work she only describes the life of one female slave and all the difficulties and hardships she had to face to finally earn her freedom. Even though Jacobs’s narrative focuses mainly on one slave, it helps the reader connect with that one slave on a more personal level.

In “Incidents In The Life Of A Slave Girl” Harriet Jacobs talks about the life of oppression and tension during her childhood. It’s a narration full of distress and breathtaking happenings that surround the little girl from when she was six years old. Growing up, Jacobs is forced to deal with the  sudden passing of her mother. She mourns her mother and learns about women in slavery at a very young age. She highlights that she knew about slavery from her mother’s death when she heard other people whispering about slavery.  Later on Jacobs experiences even more traumatic events as her friends died and a little later her father who was her only hope died. Slavery was proving to be harsh and punishing to the slaves. After the death of her father the reality of slavery appeared to her and her brother Willie. They confronted each other as they tried to figure out their entire life in slavery. For example, food was not adequate and one was prevented from visiting relatives like grandmothers who had something for the children to take. The slaves were treated worse than dogs and Jacobs came across a slave groaning in pain as he was being whipped by his master. This was a traumatic experience for her as a young girl. The narration depicts the condition of a female child in the hands of slavery and the abuse she had to go through.

The Seneca Falls declaration of 1848 was brought about in efforts to fight for the rights of women in slavery. It aimed at discussing the religious, civil and social rights and conditions of women and female children. The role of women in society was to be revisited and strict policies were developed. The event brought about a heated talk about the rights of women in voting and though many elites disregarded the issue but attendees such as Fredrick Douglas proposed the universal suffrage to be followed and on that day the women signed the documents that demanded their rights be granted. The convention was geared towards moral, civil and social rights where revolutionary ideas were brought out and the struggle for the rights of women to vote began.

Fredrick Douglass on the other hand speaks eloquently and strongly about the age of slavery and his experience before escaping from slavery. He spoke to the people about the oppressive nature of slavery and the masters. He called the government that supported slavery oppressive, unreasonable and unjust to humanity. He said that oppression made the bright men mad and that it was not the right thing for any state to do. He talked about the fathers of the citizens’ dream of having a place equal to everyone and the manner in which a few greedy people killed this dream.

Looking at the three narratives, it is clear that the Jacobs narrative was more directed at women’s place in society and was from a personal experience of slavery while growing up similar to the case of Fredrick and the Seneca Falls declaration. In Jacobs’s narrative the slavery was real from a young age which other documents aren’t able to relate to on a first hand basis. To promote her arguments Jacobs’s narrative should include styles such as painting real pictures of the old days and also use of other first hand experiences involved in those days.

In class, we talked about Jacobs’s narrative as having the potential to think about what is now commonly referred to as “intersectionality”: that is, the idea that individuals are subject to a number of interconnected social categories (race, gender, sexuality, class, etc.), which bring complex and overlapping possibilities of oppression or disenfranchisement. In Jacobs’s case, her way of writing about the specific trials of an enslaved woman meant that many readers weren’t quite sure how to respond to her narrative, even concluding that it was fictional—indeed, well into the twentieth century.

For this assignment, you’ll write a post of your own that considers Jacobs’s narrative alongside two prominent statements from her historical moment: the Seneca Falls Declaration, delivered in 1848 (an early statement demanding rights for women); and Frederick Douglass’s speech, “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?”, delivered to the Rochester Ladies Antislavery Society in 1852.

After finishing Jacobs’s narrative, read/watch the other two documents as well, thinking both about 1) the historical connections between them (for example, the writers of the Seneca Falls Declaration are northern abolitionist women, and this group also makes up the audience for Douglass’s speech), and 2) the stylistic and rhetorical techniques that the writers use.

Seneca Falls Declaration

What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July? (read by James Earl Jones)

In your post (of around 500 words), make a case for the distinction of Jacobs narrative in contrast to these two other powerful historical documents, both of which speak to concerns Jacobs clearly shares. What can Jacobs’s narrative contribute that the other documents cannot? What narrative or stylistic techniques must she use to advance her unique arguments? In making your case, be sure to use detailed evidence from the book to support your claims (and cite that evidence when you use it).

I’ll have the readings for Monday up on the course blog (under readings) by Thursday, and I’ll send out a quick email alerting you once they’re up.

Hope you’re enjoying this dud of a snow day!

Poetry is a writing form with loose guidelines, making it the perfect vessel to share abstract ideas without the restraints of proper formatting.  Romantic poets used this form of writing in attempts to translate their personal experiences.  The unrestricted nature of the form allowed them to write figuratively rather than literally, and allowed them to create vivid descriptions of images that are more powerful than their literal counterparts.  The role of the reader is also changed.  Rather than mere observers of a story, readers minds are replaced with that of the author’s.  In addition to the image that the author presents to them, they are also given the eyes in which to see this image.  Not only is the reader given “what” to experience, they are also given the “how”.

Tu Fu’s Spring Prospect and The Opening of The Koran both use poetry as a way to place the reader in a higher state of consciousness.  However, each piece does so in their own unique way which defines the perspective in which it is to be read and experienced.  Tu Fu sets the perspective of his poem by giving the reader an omnipotent view of the current state of his country. “The nation shattered, hills and streams remain (Line 1)”.  By removing his writing from the first person perspective, the reader must experience the piece from a perspective outside the limits of his own body(a bird’s eye view of the world).  The Opening of The Koran also changes the way in which the reader views the world.  However, instead of viewing the world from above like in Spring Prospect, the reader views the world from below.  “In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate(Line 1).”  In this piece, the reader is belittled and humbled by the presence of an almighty God where in Tu Fu’s piece, the reader transcends his own literal reality to that which might equate to a god.  While both pieces change the reader’s perspective in different ways, both pieces are highly effective when it comes to shifting the reader’s mindset.  To fully understand these pieces is to fully immerse oneself into each and every word written on the paper and both pieces have paved this road for the reader to walk on.  This is the “how” to experience.

While the images that the words convey are to be read and visualized literally, the meanings of them are not.  Instead, each visualization’s purpose is to create emotion and feeling within the reader.  “Feeling the times, flowers draw tears(Line 3)”.  Here, Tu Fu personifies the sadness he feels in the image of dew on flower pedals.  While he does not explicitly say he is feeling negative, he turns the feeling itself into a character.  Instead of just knowing that Tu Fu is experiencing this feeling, the reader has to live it in this form.  “It is You whom we worship and You whom we ask for help. Show us the upright way (Lines 5-7)”.  In The Opening of The Koran,  the reader asks God for guidance.  As the reader recites these lines, he becomes humbled by the idea of God.  Interestingly enough, there is no image in this particular passage.  One might even add that God is “sublime” and this lack of an image immerses the reader in complete fear.  This is the “what” to experience.

Romantic poets and their poetry teach us new ways to view the world.  While these perspectives may not always be practical, there is much wisdom and insight to be gained when one is fully immersed in these writings.

In the poems between the Chinese and Japanese writer, there are multiple similarities, yet at the same time differences. When it comes to the Japanese poem, the author uses very specific imagery to express what they are currently trying to say. For instance when it comes to describing the location of where they are the Japanese poem tries to paint a very specific scene so that you can understand the situation that he is in. The picture he is trying to paint shows how he missed his wife and the distance between them. In the Chinese poem the author is attempting to show him missing his old country. This was because at the time in China there were multiple political wars being waged.  The Japanese poem however highlights the people of Japan and how they were feeling. This is because at the time the Japanese people were trying to avoid conflicts when it came to politics and instead focused on themselves. This is where the similarities tie in. In both poems they are crying out for help and trying to save something. In the poem by the Chinese author they are trying to cry out about how old they are and how little they can do to try and save their own country from falling into political turmoil. This is from “white hairs, fewer for the scratching, soon too few to hold a hairpin up.” This shows that because his hair is growing white, along with the fact that he is beginning to lose his hair, that he is growing old in age. In the Japanese poem the author is showing how they had lost their wife. The author shows how he was chasing after his wife, yet because she disappeared, he will never be able to truly be reunited with her. This can be found in the line “Disappears, leaving me full of regret, So vanishes my love out of sight;” Another similarity they have is the relation nature. In the Japanese poem it states “Oh, yellow leaves falling on the autumn hill.” along with the line before of “But because of the yellow leaves
Of Watari Hill, Flying and fluttering in the air”. In the Chinese poem it relates to nature by stating “feeling the times flowers draw tears; hating separation, birds alarm the heart.” In both of the poems they have the events that are affecting the author, effecting the nature and world around them as well. These poems relate to romanticism by painting what the author is seeing at the time. Without the knowledge of the time period’s current events these poems would be much less meaningful. However with the knowledge we are able to see how the authors were feeling at the time, and the way they were viewing the world around them.

What I found captivating about the “English lyric” by John Keats and the “Arabic lyric by The Koran is, they both  believed in a higher power. They are affirming the  presence of God. God is the creator of the heavens and earth.  In contrast, they both testify of what and who God is. Keats seems more in tuned with nature such as the sun , the trees , the flowers and the bees. He links nature with God for example in stanzas 1-6 he says ,

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,

Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;

Conspiring with him how to load and bless

With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;

To bend with apples the moss’d cottage-trees,

And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core. 

These are all images of God through nature. The maturing son gives testimony to the existence and care of God but Keats seems not to acknowledge him. He doesn’t realize that nothing can hide from the sun and nothing can hide from God.  In stanza 13 he says ,

Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find

Whatever you search for , you will surely find it. Keats in this stanza seems to be searching for Autumn . By sitting down waiting for something to be handed to you is impossible, you must go out and get what you want. At the same time, it is impossible to look for a season, you simply have to wait until it arrives.

In the “Arabic lyric” by the Koran acknowledged and spoke the word of God. He praises and worships him realizing he controls everything with unlimited and uninterrupted power . He  keeps  the universe constantly in motion. God keeps everything moving without having to exert any physical force whatsoever. It is whom that everyone needs. In stanzas 5-6 he says ,

It is You whom we worship

and You whom we ask for help

When in need it is God who we should seek for guidance and his presence though he is not always with us . Seeking God is a setting of the heart and mind.

In conclusion , the Arabic lyric and the English lyric, both have their ideas about God .

Lyric poetry was commonly used and very popular during the Romanticism era. Romanticism focused on individualism, nature as well as just being more in touch or at least trying to be more in touch with your own feelings. Both Chinese Lyric (Tu Fu) and Arabic Lyric (The Koran) were poems written in this era, explains why they have some aspects in common. Chinese Lyric was written by Tu Fu when he was imprisoned by a group of people called the rebels. During the time, which was year 774, there was a lot of political chaos around him and he found that writing helped cope with his desire for the peace and the political chaos that he was surrounded by. In Spring Prospect, which is the name of the Chinese Lyric, he describes nature not in the beautiful scenery that you would love to imagine. Tu Fu describing that the flowers drew tears and the birds basically sensing that there was something on right because they alarmed the heart shows that the political change that was going on during the time was not affecting society in a good way and since this was also the romanticism era, it was all about getting in tune with ones feelings and nature and this lyric does both. Fu found this as a way of, in my opinion, letting the public know how much this is affecting us whether we see it or not. The poem ends with hair getting grey and falling out, which can be inferred that this has been going on for a while and it hasnt been addressed. Arabic Lyric, at first when you look at it, you dont really see how the poems have simailar aspects but when interpreted it can be seen. The Opening, is basically written in a form of a prayer. It talks about God being in charge and one having belief as we ask him for help and to help us down the right way. Getting back to the aspect of nature, this is a good example because religion is all about God and just being natural and pure in a sense. In order for you to say a prayer, especially when asking for help, something is going on. It could be that a simailar situation may be going on, and help is being asked for. This was written, just like the chinese lyric in order to write down emotion and feeling like a sense of relief may have came along. Although the structures of the poem are very much different, they can be linked in that sense. If we were to go into a much deeper interpretation, one can say that these poems are showing a sense of individualism because they are expressing themselves, which shows that they are being independent.

John Keats’ “To Autumn” and Tu Fu’s “Spring Prospect” are very different poems, even at a glance. The theme that unites them is their use of seasons to express different thematic ideas. More specifically, Keats uses autumn as a vehicle for a meditative exploration of the scenes and sensations of fall. Tu Fu’s poem is much darker in tone. It is interesting that Tu Fu uses the stark contrast of spring’s beautiful blossom and wartime scenes to fully depict the suffering of people around him. The scope of these two lyrics is also very different. For example, Keats expresses a focus on serenity and peace:

He uses images of the autumn breeze and references the calmness of his subject to paint an image of subtle happiness. In reference to the introduction to Tu Fu’s poem, Keats’ work falls well within the bounds of Western poetry’s focus on”imaginative fiction.”

On the other hand, Tu Fu attempts to express his own anxieties about sociopolitical conditions and war:

Beacon fires three months running,
a letter from home worth ten thousand in gold–

It sounds like Fu is profoundly worried about his loved ones in this situation. The mention of a precious letter from home, paired with the fires anouncing impending conflict are extremely ominous. In contrast to Keats’ poem, this lyrics takes on a much heavier subject matter. Tu Fu’s poem is very effective in its poignant portrayal of historically true events, and its imagery puts the reader in Tu Fu’s shoes during this situation.

The form and structure used by both poets also serves an important purpose in communicating the ideas contained within each lyric. “To Autumn” employs a somewhat rigid iambic pentameter form. The ten syllables in each line keep a constant rhythm throughout this poem, and the ABAB rhyme scheme emphasizes the song-like quality of Keats’ work here. This use of constant form and rhyming punctuation helps the reader fall into a sort of trance, bringing to life the images contained within the poem and creating a peaceful, lighthearted tone. Contrastingly, “Spring Prospect” delivers hard-hitting image of violence and calamity through its lack of constant rhythm. Tu Fu’s decision to avoid the lightheartedness of rhyme serves his purpose very well: this free verse conveys a general feeling of sadness and solemnity. It is also notable that, at least in the English translation, sharp consonant sounds dominate this composition, communicating a punchy seriousness very effectively. However, I think it is difficult judge Tu Fu’s poem in its translated form. As mentioned in the introduction, Chinese poetry makes heavy use of culturally-exclusive references which would be lost on Western readers. It would be interesting to see just how different this poem would feel when read in its original language.

Both of these poems are very good examples of nature being used to illustrate poetic ideas, and their contrasting styles highlight two very important methods of creating poetic expression through the use of seasonal imagery.