In
Billy Collins “Introduction to Poetry” the paradox stated is the battle between analyzing and over-analyzing poetry. Try not to search for all the answers and allow them to come to you as you enjoy the poem.
I
found irony in the poem where the speaker pleas his “students” to approach/read
poems with passion and an open mind, instead of searching strictly for an overall meaning. It seems very natural to examine poetry to sully find its paradox, thus his complaints are ironic, especially being directed towards students.
“I
want them to waterski across the surface of a poem…” describes a specific way the speaker wants others to approach/read poetry. To find the meaning or overall message behind poems, books, and music, is a process that we all subconsciously do. Even though we know not to over-complicate things, we can't help it. In return we end up searching every nook and cranny or "...begin beating it with a hose…”.
I viewed this poem differently. The speaker does not believe that the students are over-analyzing the poetry, but rather approaching it in the wrong way. The students are not enjoying the poetry, only waiting for the meaning to jump out at them. So the speaker is providing methods for the students to effectively find the meaning while still enjoying the poem.
ReplyDeleteI also analyzed this poem, and viewed it differently as well. One thing I've noticed that many people who did critique Introduction to Poetry have done is assume that the poem is meant to be from a teacher to students but nowhere in the poem does it ever say "student" at all. I think as far as New Criticism goes we can't make presumptions as to the audience unless it's stated, and so we have to view it as if there is a truth relevant for all of humanity. One thing we all do seem to agree on is that this poem is trying to get others to appreciate poetry. So in the big picture at least we are all on the same page. :)
ReplyDeleteI agree with what cara said about it never actually saying anything about students but i DO agree that the narrator does give all a professor feel when he speaks. Overall I loved your analysis and agree with your findings. I particularly love your word choice; you sound very scholarly!
ReplyDeleteI analyzed "Introduction to poetry" as well. From what I understand about New Criticism is that even though some of the students came to slightly different meanings of the poem, as far as I could see everyone analyzed the text properly. The ambiguity of some of the text is why some students interpreted it differently. Kara, I understand what you are saying that it was never stated in the text that this poem is a teacher explaining to a student how to interpret poetry. However, I believe a lot of us arrived at this because of the title. "Introduction to poetry" sounds like a class that a student would take. Either way I would say that this could be a poem that involves a well educated individual, as far as literature goes, explaining the process of interpreting poetry to whom ever might want to learn about poetry.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteI think you're all "right" on different levels. The poem DOESN'T actually, at least explicitly, say that the speaker is a professor and that the "they" are students, but the poem offers enough clues for you to make that assumption (as long as you can defend your assertion with the text, you're fine). For instance, several people pointed out that the title of the poem is a common title for a class, and that, coupled with the speaker's attention to the "mistakes" that the "they" make as they traverse the landscape of poetry, is enough to make this educated assumption. Remember, we're usually dealing with the figurative with poetry, so it's rare a poem is going to explicitly state much. Even as New Critics, we have to put various pieces together.
Brandon,
ReplyDeleteI think this is a good point: "It seems very natural to examine poetry to sully find its paradox, thus his complaints are ironic, especially being directed towards students." The expectation is that a professor will expect and encourage readers to find an exact meaning but this one does the opposite. Be sure to watch your use of "I" and "you" here -- 3rd person only for New Criticism. :)