'The Contrast' by Robert Service
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Rhymes for My RagsFat lady, in your four-wheeled chair,Dolled up to beat the band,
At me you arrogantly stareWith gold lorgnette in hand.
Oh how you differ from the dameSo shabby, gaunt and grey,
With legs rheumatically lame,Who steers you on your way.Nay, jewelled lady, look not backLest you should be disturbed
To see the skinny hag in blackWho boosts you up the curb.
Of course I know you get her cheap,Since she's a lady too,
And bite to eat and bed to sleepMaybe are all her due.Alas for those who give us aidYet need more help than we!
And though she thinks the wages paidAre almost charity,
I'd love to see that lady fatLug round that hefty chair,
While with lorgnette and feathered hatHer handmaid lounges there.
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Contrast by Robert Service: A Literary Analysis
Have you ever read a poem that left you feeling inspired, yet somewhat melancholic? That's what happened to me when I read "The Contrast" by Robert Service. This powerful piece of poetry explores the contrast between life's highs and lows, and the emotions that come with them.
In this analysis, we'll take a closer look at the language, structure, and themes of "The Contrast," and explore what makes it such a compelling piece of literature.
Language and Structure
One of the first things that struck me about "The Contrast" was the way Robert Service uses language to create vivid images and emotions. The poem is full of rich metaphors and similes that bring the reader into the scene. For example:
I saw a gold idol stand
In a temple of stately guise,
His eyes were stars of a crystal land,
His hair like a sunset's dyes.
Here, Service is describing a golden idol in a temple. But rather than simply stating what it looks like, he uses metaphors to create a more vivid picture. The idol's eyes are "stars of a crystal land," and its hair is "like a sunset's dyes." These descriptions not only create a more detailed image, but also evoke emotions in the reader. We can imagine the beauty of the idol, and feel a sense of awe and wonder.
Another way Service uses language to create emotion is through his use of repetition. Throughout the poem, he repeats certain phrases to emphasize the contrast between the highs and lows of life. For example:
I saw a man in a prison sit,
And watched him betwixt the bars,
His gaze was fixed on the sunlit pit
And the sky fleeced over with stars.
Here, Service repeats the phrase "sunlit pit" and "sky fleeced over with stars" to contrast the darkness of the prison with the beauty of the outside world. This repetition emphasizes the contrast, and makes the reader feel the prisoner's longing for freedom.
The structure of "The Contrast" also plays an important role in its impact. The poem consists of six stanzas, each with four lines. This creates a sense of symmetry and balance, which reinforces the theme of contrast. Each stanza contrasts a different high and low, such as wealth and poverty, or love and loneliness. By structuring the poem in this way, Service emphasizes the idea that life is full of contrasts.
Themes
At its core, "The Contrast" is a poem about the contrast between life's highs and lows. Service explores this theme by contrasting different aspects of life, such as wealth and poverty, freedom and imprisonment, and love and loneliness. But the poem is not simply a list of contrasts. Service uses these contrasts to explore the emotions that come with them.
For example, in the stanza about wealth and poverty, he writes:
I saw a millionaire's child,
In a palace of fashion and pride,
But the poor little waif looked wistful and wild
As a bird with a broken side.
Here, Service contrasts the wealth of the millionaire's child with the poverty of a waif. But he also explores the emotions of the child. Despite her wealth, she looks "wistful and wild," suggesting that money cannot buy happiness. This idea is reinforced in the next stanza, which contrasts love and loneliness:
I saw a lover in blissful state
In the arms of his heart's desire,
But I saw a desolate widow mate
By the corpse of her lord in the mire.
Here, Service contrasts the joy of being in love with the sadness of losing a loved one. The image of the widow by her husband's corpse in the mire is particularly powerful, and evokes a sense of despair and loneliness.
Another theme that runs throughout "The Contrast" is the idea that life is fleeting. Service emphasizes this idea by using imagery of the sun and stars, which symbolize the passage of time. In the stanza about freedom and imprisonment, he writes:
I saw a man in a prison sit,
And watched him betwixt the bars,
His gaze was fixed on the sunlit pit
And the sky fleeced over with stars.
Here, the image of the sunlit pit and star-filled sky emphasize the contrast between the darkness of the prison and the beauty of the outside world. But they also symbolize the passage of time. The man in the prison is watching the stars, which are moving across the sky. This creates a sense of time passing, and reinforces the idea that life is fleeting.
Conclusion
"The Contrast" by Robert Service is a powerful poem that explores the contrast between life's highs and lows. Through his use of language and structure, Service creates vivid images and emotions that make the reader feel the contrast between wealth and poverty, freedom and imprisonment, and love and loneliness. But he also explores the emotions that come with these contrasts, showing that happiness is not always found in the highs of life, and that life is fleeting. This is a poem that leaves a lasting impression, and reminds us to appreciate the beauty in both the highs and lows of life.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Contrast: A Masterpiece of Poetry
Robert Service, the renowned poet, has left an indelible mark on the world of literature with his exceptional works. Among his many poems, "The Contrast" stands out as a masterpiece that captures the essence of human nature and the duality of life. The poem is a reflection of the stark contrast between the rich and the poor, the happy and the sad, the light and the dark, and the good and the evil. In this article, we will delve into the depths of "The Contrast" and explore its themes, structure, and literary devices.
The poem begins with a vivid description of a rich man's life, who is living in luxury and comfort. The opening lines set the tone for the rest of the poem, as Service paints a picture of opulence and extravagance. The rich man is described as having "a palace in town and a villa by the sea," and he is surrounded by "servants and cars and a yacht." The imagery used by Service is powerful and evocative, as he creates a world of wealth and abundance that is beyond the reach of most people.
However, the poem takes a sudden turn as Service introduces the contrast between the rich man's life and that of a poor man. The poor man is depicted as living in squalor and misery, with "a hovel in slum and a shack on the moor." He is surrounded by poverty and despair, and his life is a constant struggle to survive. The contrast between the two men's lives is stark, and Service uses this contrast to highlight the inequalities that exist in society.
The poem then moves on to explore the themes of happiness and sadness. The rich man is described as being "happy and gay," but his happiness is superficial and fleeting. He is surrounded by material possessions, but he is unable to find true happiness and contentment. On the other hand, the poor man is depicted as being "sad and forlorn," but he is able to find joy in the simple things in life. He may not have material possessions, but he has a sense of inner peace and contentment that the rich man lacks.
Service also explores the themes of light and dark in the poem. The rich man's life is portrayed as being full of light, with "chandeliers gleaming and mirrors aglow." However, this light is contrasted with the darkness that exists in his soul. He is selfish and greedy, and he is unable to see the suffering of those around him. The poor man's life, on the other hand, is full of darkness, with "candles flickering and shadows deep." However, this darkness is contrasted with the light that exists in his soul. He is kind and compassionate, and he is able to see the beauty in the world around him.
The poem is structured in a way that emphasizes the contrast between the rich and the poor. Service uses a series of couplets to create a sense of balance and symmetry in the poem. Each couplet contrasts the rich man's life with that of the poor man, and this creates a sense of tension and conflict. The poem is also written in a simple and straightforward style, which makes it accessible to a wide audience. However, this simplicity is deceptive, as the poem is rich in literary devices and imagery.
One of the most striking literary devices used in the poem is the use of metaphor. Service uses metaphor to create vivid images that capture the essence of the contrast between the rich and the poor. For example, he describes the rich man's life as being like "a rose in a vase," which is beautiful but cut off from its roots. This metaphor captures the superficiality of the rich man's life, as he is cut off from the world around him. Service also uses metaphor to describe the poor man's life, as he compares it to "a weed by the wall," which is humble but rooted in the earth. This metaphor captures the resilience and strength of the poor man, as he is able to survive despite the harsh conditions of his life.
Service also uses imagery to create a sense of contrast in the poem. He uses vivid descriptions of the rich man's opulent lifestyle to create a sense of excess and extravagance. For example, he describes the rich man's yacht as being "a thing of beauty and a joy forever," which creates a sense of awe and wonder. However, he contrasts this with the imagery of the poor man's life, which is full of poverty and despair. For example, he describes the poor man's hovel as being "a place of darkness and a den of gloom," which creates a sense of hopelessness and despair.
In conclusion, "The Contrast" is a masterpiece of poetry that captures the essence of human nature and the duality of life. Service uses the contrast between the rich and the poor to highlight the inequalities that exist in society. He explores themes of happiness and sadness, light and dark, and uses literary devices such as metaphor and imagery to create vivid images that capture the essence of the contrast. The poem is structured in a way that emphasizes the contrast between the rich and the poor, and this creates a sense of tension and conflict. Overall, "The Contrast" is a powerful and evocative poem that continues to resonate with readers today.
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