Faber Book of Beasts
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- Category: English: Poetic Works
- Date Submitted: 02/02/2014 08:47 AM
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Reading Poetry: The Faber Book of Beasts
Read Alfred Lord Tennyson's 'The Kraken' (p139) and Lewis Carroll's 'Jabberwocky' (pp 135-6) in The Faber Book of Beasts. In no more than 600 words, compare and contrast the way the two poets represent their monsters.
To answer this question, I will look at both poems pointing out any similiarities and the differences in which the poets have represented their monsters.
Both poets were born in the same era of Victorian England yet their styles of writing poetry are very different.
Tennyson has written 'The Kraken' as a type of sonnet. Carroll has written 'Jabberwocky' as a nonsense poem of seven verses. A nonsense poem being one which contain made-up words which sound silly and have no specific sensible meaning but, cleverly, often have an underlying meaning relevant to the subject of the poem.
'The Kraken' seems to be described as a sea monster, which Tennyson portrays as being lonely, cumbersome and lethargic.
“Far, far beneath in the abysmal sea,
His ancient, dreamless, uninvaded sleep” (The Kraken, Line 2 & 3)
There doesn't seem to be any action in this poem, no terror or battles. Despite Tennyson's description of his monster to be huge, ugly and menacing, he also tells us that his monster poses no real threat because, if it rises to the surface, it will die.
“In roaring he shall rise and on the surface die” (The Kraken, Line 15)
In contrast to Tennyson's 'The Kraken', Carroll's 'Jabberwocky' is described as a being with claws, firey eyes and coming from within a wooded area.
“The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,” (Jabberwocky, Line 14 & 15)
The poem is also more action-filled in its description of the monster and of its eventual demise. Carroll has described the monster being killed by a sword and it's death being a celebration.
“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?,
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh!...
Read Alfred Lord Tennyson's 'The Kraken' (p139) and Lewis Carroll's 'Jabberwocky' (pp 135-6) in The Faber Book of Beasts. In no more than 600 words, compare and contrast the way the two poets represent their monsters.
To answer this question, I will look at both poems pointing out any similiarities and the differences in which the poets have represented their monsters.
Both poets were born in the same era of Victorian England yet their styles of writing poetry are very different.
Tennyson has written 'The Kraken' as a type of sonnet. Carroll has written 'Jabberwocky' as a nonsense poem of seven verses. A nonsense poem being one which contain made-up words which sound silly and have no specific sensible meaning but, cleverly, often have an underlying meaning relevant to the subject of the poem.
'The Kraken' seems to be described as a sea monster, which Tennyson portrays as being lonely, cumbersome and lethargic.
“Far, far beneath in the abysmal sea,
His ancient, dreamless, uninvaded sleep” (The Kraken, Line 2 & 3)
There doesn't seem to be any action in this poem, no terror or battles. Despite Tennyson's description of his monster to be huge, ugly and menacing, he also tells us that his monster poses no real threat because, if it rises to the surface, it will die.
“In roaring he shall rise and on the surface die” (The Kraken, Line 15)
In contrast to Tennyson's 'The Kraken', Carroll's 'Jabberwocky' is described as a being with claws, firey eyes and coming from within a wooded area.
“The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,” (Jabberwocky, Line 14 & 15)
The poem is also more action-filled in its description of the monster and of its eventual demise. Carroll has described the monster being killed by a sword and it's death being a celebration.
“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?,
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh!...