The Old Woman - Joseph Campbell

" All the gods , all the heavens , all the                                hells, are within you " 

                       - Joseph Campbell 

Joseph Campbell was an American poet . He was born on 26 March 1904 and died on 30 March 1987 . He was mostly famous as mythologist and was writer and lecturer . 

Campbell is best known for his work in Comparative religion . His work is vast , It covers many aspects of human experience . His philosophy is often summarized by his phrase : " Follow your Bliss ". 

His best known works are : 

1 . At Harvest
2 . Fires
3 . On waking  

Poetry Introduction : 

The poem " The Old Woman " is very small but simple and realistic in nature . Campbell has really given a simple description of old lady by comparison . By the poem , we get the idea of Campbell's treatment of old beauty . 

Analysis : 

The poem " The Old Woman " is written by Joseph Campbell . The poem divided into 3 stanza . The poem is very simple , realistic poem . The poet has given the description of the lady by different comparison . It is very natural to see beauty in young woman , but it is very understanding to describe the beauty of old woman . It requires great imagination power to see beauty in old age . 

         " As a white candle 
                        In a holy place . " 

In the first stanza , the poet compares the old lady with the white candle . As the white candle in the holy place gives light and guided the person who comes there . It is the symbol of lady ' s face compared with the white candle . The old lady guides others by the using experience . She enlightens the life of others . Moreover , the white candle is a symbol of beauty . The poet finds beauty in her face . 

               " So is a woman 
                         With her travail done " 

In the second stanza , the poet comapres the old lady with the spent radiance of the winter's sun . It means passing of time , and as the sun travels more and more in the sky it spends it's radiance more and more . Through the time passes . She has gathered a wide experience of lief . Moreover , at the sunshine the sunset looks beautiful dye to radiance . Here , the same thing for the old lady . Here wide range of experience iS an extra ornaments in the lief of old lady . It adds charms in her beauty . 
 
        " Her brood gone from her 
                    And her thoughts are still . "

In the final stanza , the poet compares the old with the ruined water of the mill . They neither vanished nor runs away . So here the same position for the old lady . Her broods have gone thoughts are still as ruined waters of the mills . It means it suggests steadiness and maturity in the lief of old lady . 

It's real  and natural to see beauty in young woman , but it is very understanding to describe the beauty of old woman . It is great imagination by Campbell to see that beauty in old age . 

Phonological level : 

Simille : 

Poet has compared there elements with the woman . White candle , winter sun , still water of the ruined are compared with the lady 

Rhyme : 

          There is a rhyming pattern clearly shown through the poem like : Place- face , Sun- done  , still- mill . 

Language :

          The language of this poem is so easily presented that it needs only one look to understand it's deeper and real meaning .

Rhyming Scheme : 

       The rhyming scheme of this poem is ABCBBDD . 

Conclusion : 

In the poem , the poet skill . He presents the old woman's beauty by comparing her with natural elements . So , we realize that an elements of comparison which is one of the figures of speech is perfectly seen through the poem .

Theme of 'A True story'

Theme of ' A True Story ' 

                                      - Mark Twain

About writer : 

" If you tell truth you don't have to                  remember anything " 

              A True Story written by Mark Twain . 

Born : 1835

Died : 1910

Occupation : writer , humorist

          Mark Twain is the pseudonym of Samuel Longhore Clemens . Mark Twain remains one of America's most widely read authors . Although Twain's popularity has rested largely upon his humour it would be a mistake to think of him as a humorist .

               His works show a penetrating insight into contemporary society , an eye for detail and a concern for human suffering .

Twain's best known works are :

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876)

The Adventures of Huckleberry finn (1884)

A Connecticut Yankee in king Arthur's court (1889)

Identity- coloured people : 

" In the future , as in the present , as in the past ,black people will build many new worlds "

                                            - N.K.Jemisin 

           A True story contains most identity search and mostly of the identity if all characters. The protagonist is Rachel who is a coloured woman who has her family because of colonised world . She is alone now without any relative and living a life of servent which can be called a ' Slave ' . 

             Rachel's mother was very brave and she was not ready to be a surrender herself to the slavery system . Rachel has also learnt this from her and she was also conscious about her identity after few months there was an attack on the village of Rachal and all family member including her mother got sold . It was the time of lossing identity for the family . She also lost her loving son Henry who was only 13 years old . It was normal of coloured people .

Slavery - the condition of slave : 

             " Death is better than slavery "

                                     - Harriet Ann Jacobs

           The story contains the incidence which reflect that era , white people was having a strong mentality that they are chosen one and any other are not that much near to the god because they are coloured people . 

            There is an incident of auction of slaves in the story in which there are number of coloured people got sold like things and animals . When Rachel tried to save her youngest son Henry . She was beaten by soldiers with iron chain . She has seen her family members in pain and was not able to do anything .

 She was bought by a colonel an after the war came she became the slave of rebellious group and now she is servent of Mr.C .

Motherhood -love of son and Mother : 

           " A boy's best friend is his mother "

               The main plot of the story contains the strong relationship of mother and son . Henry was very young when he got sold and became a slave but at that age also promised his mother that he will definitely run away from his master and will make her mother free too. 

               Henry searched for his mother but at the end he met coincidently Rachel was also waiting for her son and she was asking a group of officers about het little Henry and one officer also replied that , 

            " 13 years has passed , now how will you recognize your son ? " 

Master and slave Relationship : 

" Master - slave relationship are like God -      Human                                relationship " 

                       As per colonialism whites were master and people who were coloured and slaves . In this story there are three kind of master slave relationship . First is the scene of auction in which Rachel was  beaten badly with iron chain where there are signs of cruel master slave relationship . 

                        Second one is Rachel and colonel when there was a time of war colonel has escaped with his family and left Rachel alone . The third one is the relationship of Rachel and Mr.C . 

Authority of white people :

                      White peoples are master of the black people . They all are treat black people like any animal . They are sold black people in auction . 

Conclusion : 

                       In this short story we can see many themes and they all are appropriate with this short story .