Vol.2 (5) - The Meaning of Style — John Middleton Murry

The Meaning of Style—John Middleton Murry

Ferrick Gray

The Yellowed Page

Volume 2, Issue 5

The Problem of Style was published in 1922 and is a collection of lectures given in 1921 at the school of English Literature at Oxford. As such, they do not completely lend themselves to the style of an essay as Murry states in his prefatory note. His main concern was that there would be some repetition over the sequence of lectures. This would disqualify them from being an essay. Yet if some of them were to be published separately, we may be tempted to view them as essays. The defining qualities of each may not be as precise today.

Vol.2 (06) - Two Poems by Katherine Mansfield

Two Poems by Katherine Mansfield

Ferrick Gray

Poetically Speaking

Volume 2, Issue 6

Introductory Comments

There are few who have heard of Katherine Mansfield (Mansfield from here on) and even fewer know her poetry. She was better known for her short stories, but sadly today these too do not receive the attention they should.

Mansfield was the wife of John Middleton Murry, and it was he who published a collection of her poetry after her sudden death. It is believed that she likely would not have taken well to their publication, and unfortunately Murry had edited a lot of her poetry in his attempt to make her poetry more welcome and known to the general public.

Vol.2 (05) - The Shakespearean Sonnet

The Shakespearean Sonnet

Kenneth Daniel Wisseman

Poetically Speaking

Volume 2, Issue 5

Prefatory Comments

In the early 14th century Francesco Petrarca made the Sonnet form popular during the Italian Renaissance with his unrequited love poems to a lady by the name of Laura; and as is typical of sonnets he praised the lady highly, though sadly his love was never returned. So popular was this new form amongst the Italian poets of that era that it soon swept across Europe and into England. Poets like Chaucer were highly influenced by Petrarch’s works and was the first English poet to translate a Petrarchan Sonnet, adapting it within his epic poem Troilus and Criseyde on lines 400-469 of Book I. Yet it was not until 200 years later that this long-forsaken form would blossom again in England, during the Tudor Dynasty. That literary flower was Thomas Wyatt’s translation of Petrarch’s Canzoniere, a collection of 366 poems, composed mainly of love sonnets.

Vol.2 (04) - When I Buy Pictures — Marianne Moore

When I Buy Pictures—Marianne Moore

Ferrick Gray

Poetically Speaking

Volume 2, Issue 4

I have read that Marianne Moore (Moore from here on) was one of the modernists. This may well have been true because of the unorthodoxy of her poetry in terms of construction and presentation. It was different and did not meet with great approval. However, I do not think it was a matter of making the effort to be different. This was how she wrote, with purpose and patience. As to any similarity to others, not Eliot, Pound or HD. For me, there is something reminiscent of Williams.

Vol.2 (03) - The Palace of Truth

The Palace of Truth — W. S. Gilbert

A Fairy Comedy in Three Acts

Ferrick Gray

Poetically Speaking

Volume 2, Issue 3

“When pitch-encrusted night aloft prevails;
When no still goddess through the mid-air sails;
When scorpions vomit forth their poisonous scum;
When to the demon tryst gaunt witches come,
When noisome pestilence stalks through the glen,
Bellowing forth its enmity to men;
When ghastly toads scream loudly through the air;
Oh, I would not—no, I would not be there!”

—	Recitation by King Phanor while playing his mandolin. (Act I)

This is a very charming and humorous play which can be easily read from the page, but it has also appeared on stage numerous times since its first performance in 1870. The playwright is none other than W. S. Gilbert of Gilbert and Sullivan fame, and this was one of his most popular plays before teaming with Sullivan. Although there has been some (a lot of) criticism regarding the originality of Gilbert with this play, he still manages to give it that Gilbertian touch. The origins of his play come from Madame de Genlis’ fairy story written under the same name (Le Palais de la vérité). There is no secret as to where Gilbert found his inspiration.

Vol.2 (02) - Believability and Understandability in Poetry

Believability and Understandability in Poetry

Ferrick Gray

Poetically Speaking

Volume 2, Issue 2

Poetry is written for different reasons. Some appeal to our emotions, some make us think, but all are to amuse, entertain, educate or stimulate thought, and in some manner to hopefully impart an enjoyable reading experience. In this discussion I am looking at serious poetry written to English forms, and so discounting children’s poetry which deserves a separate discussion at some point in time.