Questions on Oscar Wilde's Ballad of Reading Gaol.
Did you find this interesting? Was the description helpful, or a disadvantage to the plot line? Was the prose helpful, or a disadvantage to the plot line? Would a short story had brought the same breed of emotions out? And what was your overall take on the "mood" of "Reading Gaol?"
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13 comments:
I liked all of the description that was used. It really help with the feel of the poem. I think that it was in a short story form, it would take away from the everything. I really got pulled in to the poem. Overall, I liked it.
When I read something like this I usually have to sit down and focus on what I'm reading to fully understand what is going on. I wasn't really too into this, so I kind of read through it kind of fast. I just got confused. I think the prose was a disadvantage to the plot line. It was too much to comprehend. Short stories can be just as emotional.
I think the best way to describe the Ballad was wildly descriptive. There was more than a lot of description, but sometimes it was a little too complicated for me. The plot line moved along, but there were a few places where it stalled and I didn't know what was going on anymore. I liked the way that the prose was set up as far as the rythm, and Oscar Wilde stuck to it very well. A short story probably would have come up short on describing the feel a little bit, and it wouldn't have given the story the flair that the prose does. Overall, he sets a very melancholy/foreboading mood in this piece.
Although this poem was a bit lengthy it was alright to read. I like how Chris described this as "wildly descriptive". That is a great way to put it, however, the descriptions sometimes took away from the plot line and made it hard to understand what was going on. I liked the prose and thought it worked well with the piece. Although I don't think a short story would have brought the same emotions out I think making it shorter in general could have worked as well. The mood was hard for me to pick up on. I recognize that overall it was gloomy but there were some parts that had a lighter side to them which threw the flow of the piece off. For instance, this section seemed far more cheery than most of the rest.
Ah! happy day they whose hearts can break
And peace of pardon win!
How else may man make straight his plan
And cleanse his soul from Sin?
How else but through a broken heart
May Lord Christ enter in?
My overall take is it would have been a much better read had it been shorter. Sorry. :)
i really liked it.. overall it was very interesting.. its hard for me to usually stay focused, but i really didnt have a problem, so.. i really liked it
I enjoyed reading this poem but it was very long. The description made it seem even longer because you had to try figure out what Wilde's point was. I did like how it was formated though and feel if you were to make it a short story it would take away from the dramatic effect. I liked the line "The coward does it with a kiss, the brave man with a sword." It's refering to killing somebody and if you were to say it any other way it wouldn't be as powerful. As much as I felt the story was never ending I enjoyed the lines. Overall I got confused while "Reading Gaol" but did get out some good quotes and themes.
I did to a point. It was so long it took me twice as long to read it becuase i kept getting bored and distracted. I thought the description was helpful. Mainly becuase it was just enough to help set the scene. No. If the poem was to turn into a short essay it would totally ruin the mood of the poem. The mood of it was dark, and sad.
this selection was good but it wasnt my favorite. the description was good in the way that it made the poem. if there wasnt the description then the poem wouldnt have been that great. if it was in short story form it might have been better but i think that it was fine the way it was. overall i thought that it was good but this piece of writing isnt my cup of tea.
I did find it interesting, especially the line "The man had killed the thing he loved
And so he had to die.
Yet each man kills the thing he loves"
It made me think. How many times does one say hurtful things to the people they love most, intentionally or on purpose? The description helped in some places but kinda hindered the plot in others. A short story might not have been as effective because of the short but poignant sentences. the mood was a melancholy yet reflective.
The mood of this poem made me feel sad and actually bad for the prisoners. I don't think that it would have been as affective if it was written in a short story form. Since it has a lot of rhyming it, it would not serve any purpose if it was in a short story. I really like the description, even though some were a little confusing, because it made me think of jail movies and prison life. I am kind of curious why many sections from part 1 were repeated throughout part 2? Some part were confusing, but overall I thought that it was a pretty good poem that really made you focus.
This poem was interesting to begin with, but my attention started to drift to other things halfway through it. The length kind of killed my experience I guess. The description was all necessary and it added a lot to it, but the length was too much for me to deal with. So in a way, the description kind of worked opposite of the way Wilde intended it too. I suppose I'm not much of a poem person though, so it could definitely be different if you enjoyed poems.
When I think of a short story, I can't really see this poem shifting into that category. It would be tough to send the same message and details in a short story format. Also, I think the fact that this was a poem made the reader notice the mood, even if it seemed hidden. I kind of noticed it as being a grim and somewhat dark mood, and the imagery and length played a large part in it I think.
I thought the poem was a little lengthy and seemed to go on for much longer than it should have. A short story would have brought out the same emotions, if Oscar Wilde had been careful to retain his mood.
It was a big lengthy but I loved all the descriptive elements. It's an interesting read.
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