By Andrew (Shakespeare), Luke (Keats), and Armun (Auden)

“As I walked out one Evening”W.H Auden

1991

3 of 4

“Love Story”Taylor Swift

11/2008

4 of 4

“Sonnet 116”William

Shakespeare

1609

1 of 4

“The Eve of St. Agnes”

John Keats

1820

2 of 4

*Playlist*

William Shakespeare- Sonnet 116

* 17th Century Poetry * Birthday- April 26th 1564 * *Death- April 23rd 1616* Performed- Globe Theatre**Previous Work- 38 plays and 154 sonnets**In a Relationship with- Anne Hathaway*

* Rhyme Scheme- ABABCDCDEE sonnet * Made up words* *Inspired future poets* Used only one rhyme scheme (Shakespearean Sonnet)*

This poem is about forbidden love. Shakespeare wrote this poem to a man and he speaks about how their love is unlawful. The theme of this sonnet is about ideal love, at least on the surface. The imagery is "ever fixed" and unwavering (line 5). Metaphors of sea travel abound. Consider the "ever fixed mark," a permanent navigation point before lighthouses, and the "star to every wandering bark" (line 7). He's referring to the North Star, which is constant in the sky in the Northern Hemisphere, and the "wandering bark" is a wayward vessel. Time is fleeting, but true love endures. It is about an ideal love that conquers all, but the irony is in the fact that even though nothing is ideal or perfect, it is still worth striving for because the beauty is in the challenge of love prevailing over time.

The first line, "Let me not to the marriage of true minds, Admit impediments", to me, speaks of an idealistic and spiritual, not sexual love. Perhaps a forbidden love, one that is restricted from marriage by law (Shakespeare wrote this sonnet for a man). He's writing about a love so strong it survives temptation. When he writes, "Love's not Time's fool, through rosy lips and cheeks, within his bending sickle's compass come," he's telling us that love trumps time, even as time weakens us and changes us at the core of ourselves (lines 9-10).

John Keats- The Eve of St. Agnes

* Romantic Poetry * Birthday- 31 October 1795 * *Death- 23 February 182 (Tuberculosis)** Gave wife permission to leave, after a hemorrhage**Previous Work- apprenticed as a surgeon**In a Relationship with- Fanny Brawne*

* Rhyme Scheme- ABABBCBCC narrative *Experimental Verse * Focus- individualism/freedom* Allusion, Similes*

“The Eve of St. Agnes” was full of contradictions—boring and confusing the first time, yet dynamic and even disturbing once fully understood. It is about a young man who sneaks into his lover’s room on the eve of St. Agnes and deceives her into letting him into bed with her. The couple sneaks away together, avoiding their conflicting kin.

Like in the poem Romeo and Juliet, Porphyro was burning in love— “So woeful, and of such deep sorrowing” (line 160). His burning desire to be with Madeline nearly broke him and contrasted with her coldness. When he finally meets Madeline in her dream like state, he refers to her as “my bride”— thus implying that he is the fulfillment of The Eve of St. Agnes tradition that a woman can see her future husband in her sleep (line 326).

A unique thought is rare in today’s world. However, Keats’ narrative poem presents a view on forbidden love that is different, though not necessarily relevant. “The Eve” is well written and quick paced, considering its length— a poem worth reading if only for the story it tells.“Love Story” is about forbidden love and how it can overcome any bounds. In Porphyro’s attempt to reach Madeline, he is told by an elderly friend Angela “hie thee from this place; they are all here to-night, the whole blood-thirsty race!”— Thus showing how forbidden his love was (line 99). Relating both to Keats’ and Porphyro’s lives, Madeline says, “For if thou diest, my Love, I know not where to go” (line 315). Neither the possibility of death nor conflicting families could separate Porphyro and Madeline’s love. This is proven when they “glide like phantoms…into the storm” and into a new, mysterious life (line 361).

W. H Auden- “As I Walked Out One Evening”

* Modern Poetry * Birthday- February 21, 1907 * *Hometown- York, England* College- Oxford**Death- September 29, 1973*

* Rhyme Scheme- ABCB* Masculine Rhymes* *Simple Poetic Language*

The poem “As I Walked Out One Evening” by W.H. Auden speaks about how time relates to the human condition (love). In the poem Auden speaks about how when you’re in love time feels like it flies by, but as time goes on you go weary and time seems to slow down. This poem, in some ways, relates to a high school relationship because in the beginnings of a high school relationship it seems as if the relationship is perfect but when time goes by it seems otherwise. This poem is very appealing because of the structure and the metaphors used. The poem goes through 3 narrators the lovers, the clocks, and the narrator. In the first 5 stanzas of the poem the author talks about how “Love has no ending” (line 8). Moving on the 6th stanza speaks in the perspective of the clocks, and switch to the narrator in the ending. The effect of this poem is that love, in some senses, is never ending, and we should read it to gain a higher understanding about it.

The theme that was chosen for this project was a song, Love Story by Taylor Swift. This song speaks about how love is a powerful thought that never leaves your mind. Like the song W.H. Auden had the same beliefs in his poem “As I Walk Out One Evening”. For example in the song that the lover sings the lover states “I’ll love you, dear, I’ll love you Till China and Africa meet, And the river jumps over the mountain And the salmon sing in the street” (lines 9-12).This demonstrates how love has no end and how special love is. He also states how “The years will run like rabbits”, symbolizing how time will fly when in love (line 17).

Taylor Swift [T-Swift]

*Birthday- February 21, 1907 **Popularized- 2006* Awards- 4 Grammy’s**Multi Platinum*

“LOVE STORY”*Acclaim- #1 on Billboard*5 million copies**Released- September 12, 2008*

No story is more associated with forbidden love than “Romeo and Juliet”. “Love Story” by Taylor Swift excludes the betrayal and death of the original and focuses on a relationship that is tough and not necessarily popular with others.

“Romeo save me, they're trying to tell me how to feel.This love is difficult, but it's real.Don't be afraid, we'll make it out of this mess.”

Our group loves this song for its musicality and for its ability to transport the listener to a fairy tale world of love and romance.

If art tells us something new about what it means to be human, then “Love Story” is not art— though this is a somewhat narrow definition of art. This song certainly contains artistic elements and a message that is relevant and inspiring to our current generation—both of which are likely to have contributed to this song going 5x platinum. In nature, a retelling of Romeo and Juliet, the song has nothing new to say. It does however echo the fantastic love story, one which is as appealing and romantic as it is exaggerated and unlikely.

Each poem represents the song in a different way. Shakespeare looks at how even taboo love can be true. Keats focuses on a darker side of love— full of complication and even deceit— but in the end it somehow works. Auden focuses on the beauty of being in love, specifically in reference to time. Love is often fleeting, as it is in “Love Story”. All poems represent what is so great about Swift’s song— they transport you and tell you something new about love.

"Love Story"

We were both young, when I first saw you.I close my eyes and the flashback starts-I'm standing there, on a balcony in summer air.

I see the lights; see the party, the ball gowns.I see you make your way through the crowd-You say hello, little did I know...

That you were Romeo, you were throwing pebbles-And my daddy said "stay away from Juliet"-And I was crying on the staircase-begging you, "Please don't go..."And I said...

Romeo take me somewhere, we can be alone.I'll be waiting; all there's left to do is run.You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess,It's a love story, baby, just say yes.

So I sneak out to the garden to see you.We keep quiet, because we're dead if they knew-So close your eyes... escape this town for a little while.Oh, Oh.

Cause you were Romeo - I was a scarlet letter,And my daddy said "stay away from Juliet" -but you were everything to me-I was begging you, "Please don't go"And I said...

Romeo take me somewhere, we can be alone.I'll be waiting; all there's left to do is run.You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess.It's a love story, baby, just say yes-

Romeo save me, they're trying to tell me how to feel.This love is difficult, but it's real.Don't be afraid, we'll make it out of this mess.It's a love story, baby, just say yes.Oh, Oh.

I got tired of waiting.Wondering if you were ever coming around.My faith in you was fading-When I met you on the outskirts of town.And I said...

Romeo save me, I've been feeling so alone.I keep waiting, for you but you never come.Is this in my head, I don't know what to think-He knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring and said...

Marry me Juliet, you'll never have to be alone.I love you, and that's all I really know.I talked to your dad -- go pick out a white dressIt's a love story, baby just say... yes.Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh.

'cause we were both young when I first saw you