Robert Lowell’s History May Own Him, but It Does Not Own Mankind

Jack Hoard Professor Crawford-Parker English 105 26 September 2012 Robert Lo wells History May let Him, But It Does Not Own Mankind Are people subjects to the memories go forth after their death, or just slaves to their unknown expiration date? According to Lowell, archives is the existence who is clutching and close to fumbling all we had (2) in action. It is the architect of how lives argon lived, and the owner of all the impact that will be left to this world. He asserts with a melancholy surety that people be doomed to be hunted down by time, never to obtain a pure and total completion of life so many yearn for. This slightly nihilistic conceit is reflected in the dark tone of thoughtful resignation, as well as the structure of the sonnet, or more truly by the choice to disregard it. Some truth is surely to be found in Lowells statement, but while the ideas of history and time may chain the individual to what they will non accomplish, they atomic number 18 only machines made by and for mankind. Contrary to Lowells belief, mankindâ€"as a peopleâ€"are control to progress by our limits, by the timeframes we create, and by our scant chances at making the history books.

Lowell speaks in certainties and rules as he references the Bible, not only to reference the story of Cain and Abel, but also as an example of fixture that has stood through recent history with some(prenominal) permanence and consistency. In fact, line 5 (which contains the reference to Abel) is the last-place line to carry the iambic pentameter, which Lowell uses to introduce his poesy. This, the first iniquity man committed against his brother, designates the end of put together in this poem as well as the world, but it is more than that. A reference to Abel in line 5 is used to demonstrate that even those figures whose story has been maintained in history are none-the-less finished by time, just as the writing that maintains his storage is finite. Unlike writing, life never finishes / Abel was finished; death is not remote (4-5).... If you want to get a full essay, order it on our website: Ordercustompaper.com

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