Annotated Bibliography: Gothic Literature

Julia McGrath

EL 6520-GBL

Professor Lee

3 October 2021

*

Constantakis, Sarah. "Overview: 'Song to the Men of England'." Poetry for Students, vol. 36, 2011, GALE.

link.gale.com/apps/doc/H1430007420/LitRC?u=oldwestbury&sid=bookmark-LitRC&xid

=aabfa10a.

Sarah Constanatakis' article is on Peter Shelley's "Song to the Men of England" and how Shelley exposes political and economic propaganda. Constanatakis explains that Shelley was an important figure during the 20th century because he was inspired by Gandhi and formed nonviolent resistance towards oppression. Shelley's poem wants the men of England to social reform for equality. Shelley wants to know why they let their oppression continue as the men obey and let the government and upper-class suppress them and overwork them. Shelley tells the men through his poem that they are too cowardly to face their oppressors. Shelley's poem and Constanatakis' article are very factual and even explain the social structures of society today; however, it seems that because of social media, people understand the class systems and oppression and are protesting and liberating for their rights. There was a time where people let themselves be victims and oppressed, but people now are taking a stand and fighting for their rights.

Hühn, Peter. "Facing Loss and Death: Narrative and Eventfulness in Lyric Poetry, William Wordsworth: "The World is too Much with Us" (1807) and W. B. Yeats: 'High Talk'" (1939), edited by Walter de Gruyter GmbH, pp. 242-49, 2016, ProQuest Ebook Central. http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/oldwestbury-ebooks/detail.action?docID=4714812.

Hühn and his article describe the importance of a fundamental crisis through socio-historical causes and observations of his natural environment. Hühn believes that William Wordsworth's sonnet "The World is too Much with Us" reenacts a meaningful mental process, a change of consciousness and thoughts: what has been versus the representation of losing something and retrieving it. Lastly, Hühn mentions that the retrieval loss shows how meaningful nature is and how the mental process completes its loss of material, physical, and spiritual anguish. The narrator's perception of nature and its meaning has changed. Hühn's article is insightful because Romanticism does revolve around fallacy and nature and how loss can change human perception and awareness. The idea fits Romanticism because Wordsworth narrates how the narrator overcomes a fundamental crisis (where the mind feels like it is living through a natural disaster) and feels more connected to his mind and natural surroundings.

Lindstrom, Eric. "Mourning Life: William Wordsworth and Percy Bysshe Shelley." Romanticism, Vol. 23, No. 1, Edinburgh University, 2017, pp. 38-52, 2017, JSTOR. DOI: 10.3366/rom.2017.0305.

Lindstrom's article is not on the two poems chosen for this annotated bibliography butrather on essays that Shelley has written about Wordsworth. It appears that Lindstrom's article pinpoints how Shelley and Wordsworth may not have gotten along, but share similar viewpoints.

Lindstrom mentions that her essay argues that Shelley has a narrow concept of self, and his harsh mindset is rather psychological and political. His principles are shown in his poems and essays and how he views Wordsworth. Shelley viewed Wordsworth as a writer who tries to escape liability by trying to identify with non-life forms.

It is evident that Shelley's poem "A Song to the Men of England," forms around his political and psychological standings. The poem is about men going to their graves if they do not change their ways. It is like a war that men have with themselves, which shows the narrow concept of self. In William Wordsworth's sonnet "The World is Too Much with Us," Wordsworth writes about non-life forms by mentioning Greek and Roman Gods, the moon, the sea, and the winds. Wordsworth personifies nature to show how secluded and isolated people appear to be.

What Lindstrom mentions is partly agreeable. Lindstrom makes good points about how Shelley was a critic of Wordsworth, but the two authors seem to write on similar subject matters, whether or not they are different. Romantic Literature is thematic around nature, romance, individualism and spirituality, isolation, fallacy, and melancholy. The two authors are a pleasure to read and are breaths of fresh air. Shelley should not criticize Wordsworth, nor should their relationship matter. The two happen to share similar beliefs about the world, and that is all that matters.