'A Fairly Sad Tale' by Dorothy Parker
AI and Tech Aggregator
Download Mp3s Free
Tears of the Kingdom Roleplay
Best Free University Courses Online
TOTK Roleplay
Sunset RopeI think that I shall never know
Why I am thus, and I am so.
Around me, other girls inspire
In men the rush and roar of fire,
The sweet transparency of glass,
The tenderness of April grass,
The durability of granite;
But me- I don't know how to plan it.
The lads I've met in Cupid's deadlock
Were- shall we say?- born out of wedlock.
They broke my heart, they stilled my song,
And said they had to run along,
Explaining, so to sop my tears,
First came their parents or careers.
But ever does experience
Deny me wisdom, calm, and sense!
Though she's a fool who seeks to capture
The twenty-first fine, careless rapture,
I must go on, till ends my rope,
Who from my birth was cursed with hope.
A heart in half is chaste, archaic;
But mine resembles a mosaic-
The thing's become ridiculous!
Why am I so? Why am I thus?
Editor 1 Interpretation
A Fairly Sad Tale: A Masterpiece of Irony and Sarcasm
Dorothy Parker's poetic masterpiece is a heart-wrenching tale of a love gone awry, told through the lens of biting irony and biting sarcasm. In just a few stanzas, Parker captures the essence of a doomed relationship, and the pain and disappointment that follows.
Background
Dorothy Parker was a prolific writer and poet, known for her wit and sarcasm. Born in 1893 in New Jersey, Parker began her writing career as a journalist, working for publications such as Vogue and Vanity Fair. She later became a regular contributor to the New Yorker, where her sharp wit and biting commentary made her a fan favorite. Parker was a master of the short story, but she is perhaps best known for her poetry, which often tackled themes of love, heartbreak, and disappointment.
Overview
In "A Fairly Sad Tale," Parker tells the story of a woman who falls in love with a man, only to be disappointed when he fails to reciprocate her feelings. The poem is divided into four stanzas, each of which paints a vivid picture of the woman's heartbreak and disillusionment.
Analysis
The poem opens with the woman expressing her love for the man:
I think that he's
Kind of cute,
But it don't compute
That I'm in pursuit
Of a man who'd shoot
Down my brother.
Right away, we see Parker's use of irony and sarcasm. The woman thinks the man is "kind of cute," but then immediately acknowledges that he is capable of violence, as evidenced by the fact that he would "shoot down my brother." This line serves to both undercut the woman's initial attraction to the man and emphasize the danger of pursuing him.
In the second stanza, the woman describes the man's lack of interest in her:
I don't think
He's even noticed me,
He's just doing his duty
To his country.
Here, Parker uses sarcasm to highlight the woman's disappointment. She knows that the man is not interested in her, but she couches her rejection in terms of the man's duty to his country, as if to say that she is not important enough to distract him from his obligations.
The third stanza is perhaps the most heartbreaking, as the woman realizes that she was never really in love with the man:
I thought I'd got him
Where I want him-
What did I stand to gain?
I didn't know,
Till today,
That it was only pain.
Here, Parker captures the essence of heartbreak in just a few lines. The woman realizes that she was never really in love with the man, but was instead chasing after an illusion. She thought she had him "where I want him," but in reality, she was only setting herself up for disappointment and pain.
The final stanza drives home the woman's sense of disillusionment:
I wish that he were mine,
But I'm kissing him goodbye.
He leaves the sweetest taste in my mouth
When he's not in my eye-
My, my, my.
The woman still wishes that the man were hers, but she knows that it is not meant to be. The final line, "My, my, my," serves as a sort of resigned sigh, as if to say that she has accepted her fate and is ready to move on.
Conclusion
"A Fairly Sad Tale" is a masterpiece of irony and sarcasm, and a testament to Dorothy Parker's skill as a poet. In just four short stanzas, Parker captures the essence of heartbreak and disappointment, and the pain that comes from chasing after an illusion. The poem is a reminder that love is not always what it seems, and that sometimes, the sweetest taste in our mouths comes from kissing someone goodbye.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Poetry has always been a medium for expressing emotions, and Dorothy Parker's "A Fairly Sad Tale" is a perfect example of how poetry can capture the essence of a feeling. This poem is a poignant and heart-wrenching account of a love that was never meant to be. In this analysis, we will explore the themes, structure, and language used in this classic poem.
The poem begins with a simple statement, "I think that I shall never know," which immediately sets the tone for the rest of the poem. The speaker is unsure of what she is about to say, but she knows that it is going to be something sad. The first stanza is a description of a tree, which is a metaphor for the speaker's love. The tree is "lovely, dark, and deep," just like the speaker's love. However, the tree is also "remote and cold," which foreshadows the sadness that is to come.
The second stanza is where the speaker reveals the source of her sadness. She is in love with someone who does not love her back. The object of her affection is described as "a man who's not my kind." This line is significant because it shows that the speaker is aware of the social and cultural barriers that exist between her and the man she loves. She knows that they are not meant to be together, but she cannot help how she feels.
The third stanza is a description of the speaker's attempts to win the man's love. She has tried everything, from being "gay and sprightly" to being "grave and quiet." However, nothing seems to work, and the man remains indifferent to her. This stanza is significant because it shows the speaker's desperation and her willingness to change herself to please the man she loves.
The fourth stanza is where the speaker finally accepts that her love is unrequited. She realizes that the man will never love her, and she must accept that fact. This stanza is significant because it shows the speaker's growth and maturity. She has come to terms with her situation and is ready to move on.
The final stanza is a reflection on the speaker's love. She knows that it was a "fairly sad tale," but she is grateful for the experience. The speaker has learned from her love, and she has grown as a person. This stanza is significant because it shows that even though the speaker's love was unrequited, it was not a waste.
The structure of the poem is simple but effective. The poem consists of five stanzas, each with four lines. The first and last stanzas are identical, which creates a sense of closure and completeness. The repetition of the first stanza at the end of the poem also reinforces the theme of the poem, which is that love can be sad but also beautiful.
The language used in the poem is simple but powerful. The use of metaphors, such as the tree, adds depth and complexity to the poem. The repetition of the phrase "fairly sad tale" throughout the poem creates a sense of unity and reinforces the theme of the poem. The use of the word "remote" to describe the tree in the first stanza is significant because it foreshadows the speaker's loneliness and isolation.
In conclusion, "A Fairly Sad Tale" is a beautiful and poignant poem that captures the essence of unrequited love. The poem is a testament to the power of poetry to express complex emotions in a simple and effective way. The themes, structure, and language used in the poem all work together to create a powerful and moving piece of literature. Dorothy Parker's "A Fairly Sad Tale" is a classic poem that will continue to resonate with readers for generations to come.
Editor Recommended Sites
ML Startups: Machine learning startups. The most exciting promising Machine Learning Startups and what they doDev Traceability: Trace data, errors, lineage and content flow across microservices and service oriented architecture apps
Ocaml Solutions: DFW Ocaml consulting, dallas fort worth
Coin Alerts - App alerts on price action moves & RSI / MACD and rate of change alerts: Get alerts on when your coins move so you can sell them when they pump
Event Trigger: Everything related to lambda cloud functions, trigger cloud event handlers, cloud event callbacks, database cdc streaming, cloud event rules engines
Recommended Similar Analysis
When You See Millions Of The Mouthless Dead by Charles Hamilton Sorley analysisMorning Song by Sarah Teasdale analysis
On Time by John Milton analysis
Sonnet 29 by John Berryman analysis
Tommy by Rudyard Kipling analysis
Epitaphium Erotii by Robert Louis Stevenson analysis
Medusa by Sylvia Plath analysis
Contemplations by Anne Bradstreet analysis
The Indian Burying Ground by Philip Freneau analysis
The Charge Of The Light Brigade by Alfred, Lord Tennyson analysis