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Essay / Analysis of Hawk Roosting and Golden Retrievals - 1238
In the poems "Hawk Roosting" written by Ted Hughes and "Golden Retrievals" written by Mark Doty, both poets compose their poems as "speaking" (thinking) speakers ) through the animals' point of view. of views. Although both poems are written through the eyes of an animal, both approach the world from very different perspectives through their complex characterizations from a selfish hawk to a slight golden retriever. Hughes and Doty depict their animals in a way that makes them seem superior to humans (albeit in different ways) through the use of alienated alliteration, inventive imagery, simple syntax, metaphor melodramatic and perplexing personification. is present in "Hawk Roosting" through the repetition of the callous sound of the letter "K" from the first and third stanzas. The hawk speaks of killing his prey in his sleep when he sees “hooked heads and feet” (line 3) which are for him the signs of a “perfect kill” (4); thus, showing how ruthless he is by showing no mercy for the prey who even tries to fight back. He then goes on to state, "My feet are locked to the rough bark" (9), the K sounding in locked and bark describing how powerful he thinks he is by being able to perch against something that God created (nature, trees). Although, alienated in different lines of the poem, the alliteration of this consonant shows that the haw-K is egocentric and full of confidence due to the effect that the letter K produces; therefore, showing how the hawk sees the world – the world that revolves around him. However, in “Golden Retrievals,” the repetition resides in the letter. Another technique used by both poets to characterize their animals is imagery. In "Hawk Ro...... middle of paper...... humans can feel happier. Hughes' Hawk sees the world in such a way that he is the center of all creation and that he is the one who would prevail through all troubles, Doty's Dog sees the world in the present, never looking to the past or the future living in the present moment Both poets convey their speakers in scenarios and points of view. different view, but in general, the hawk and the dog see the world through their eyes as if they are both of higher quality than humans. The techniques presented by both poets help to shape these speakers as self-centered (hawk). ) and carefree (dog), showing the perspectives each holds to the Earth In my analysis, [H]ughes' [H]awk in "Hawk Roosting" and [D]oty's [D]og in "Golden Retrievals." were truly written in their view of the world and conveying their own personality in a poem only to be shrouded under stanzas and a title.