To what extent does the time in which composers live influence their response to enduring human concerns? Discuss with reference to your two prescribed texts.
Elizabethan Barrett Brownings Sonnet from the Portuguese and F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby were both composed during times of significant change. Influenced by the growing optimism of the Victorian era, Brownings Sonnets are a written reflection of her own experiences, depersonalized to represent a broad female perspective. On the other hand, the undeniable sense of disillusionment of the post WWI era translates clearly into Fitzgeralds novel, encapsulating the frivolous nature of the Jazz Age. Whilst both writers employ the 12th century literary tradition of courtly love to explore the idea of idealism, hope and mortality, there is a significant contrast between their perspectives as a result of the difference in their contexts. Whereas Browning displays an optimistic outlook to the future full of hope, Fitzgeralds pejorative societal attitudes ultimately show the disillusionment and loss of hope in the society.
Despite the patriarchal society in which B lived, contemporary focuses were targeting the rights and role of women during the period. The distinction between a female poet and her works has traditionally been ill-defined most tended to believe that the poems were purely autobiographical without any social commentary. By subverting the Petrarchan sonnet form, Browning challenges the highly religious and conservative attitudes of her time and foregrounds modern female writers in literary society, whilst still incorporating aspects of traditional courtly love, as love is transcendental. In sonnet 1, the innovative use of half rhymes constructs a metaphorical emotional progression in which the persona is strengthened by her innocent awakening to love. As the sonnet sequence progresses, so too does the female speakers sense of optimism and empowerment. She begins to directly address the lover (beloved!) and voices her desire for a love that transcends superficiality, as demonstrated in Sonnet 14 (If thou must love me). By giving voice and vivacity to the female speaker, Browning asserts the personas intrinsic worth as a healthy subject in contrast to the patriarchal society.
Fitzgeralds views of the infirmity of hollow idealism contrast considerably with Brownings brightened outlook. He vividly portrays a nihilistic and decadent society, shaken by the atrocities of WWI, where the inspiration for social mobility is seen to be impeded by the elitists of the plutocracy. Apart from monetary allusions (Midas and Morgan and Maecenas), are overlapping usage of the colours white- depicting purity and ethicality- and gold signifying wealth and success- effectively manifests as a sardonic criticism of the erroneous placement of faith in superficial external means which neglect the cultivation of compassion and sensibility. Despite Fitzgeralds own ostentatious lifestyle, he represents this negative and cynical view of the world through the narrator Nick. The gradual collapse of this morally-corrupted society is reflected through the quality of Nicks language. It can be seen that the enduring concerns of idealism and hope are lost in the Jazz Age. As the narration is initially untainted by municipal ideals, Nicks harmonious lyricism disintegrates into cacophonous dissonance, particularly during social events (vacuous bursts of laughter). This foreshadows a similar fate for the society in which Fitzgerald lived.
Whilst Browning admits to a degree of consubstantiality in her sonnets, the common image of enclosure is reading complemented by the idea of loves ability to spiritually elevate the lovers. Fuelled on by the Romanticism of her age, Browning uses a series of natural imagery, such as in Sonnet 21, to repair the Victorian connotations of diseased love or hope and enhances the personas renewed commitment to life (spring in all her green complete!). The dark undertone gradually disappear as the lover draws the persona forth, arousing her desire by his own in a seamless reciprocity (until their lengthening wings catch fire) and validating her as desires object. Very aware of her own situation, the metaphor of the viol and the singer in sonnet 32 praises the lover at the personas expense, but Browning nevertheless challenges the idea of the subservient female by elevating the lovers as equals. (two souls stand strong and erect) The double role of the sonneteer and object of poetic courtship gives voice to the traditionally silent female and quieten the verbiage characteristic of unrequited, lamenting male courtly lovers. This maintains Brownings belief in the value of silence in a relationship sustained by ideal love Love me also in silence with thy soul (Sonnet 21)
Fitzgerald displays similar attitudes to Browning to idealized love they both believed that it was a construct and it was not real love Fitzgerald shows that whilst it can become spiritually consuming, it is nevertheless humanly and psychologically shallow. Influenced by the modernist movement prevalent during his time, questioning the values of life, for example, idealism, Fitzgerald explores through Gatsbys character trajectory as a courtly love the tension that exists between the ideal, agrarian and the materialistic variants of the American Dream, both of which are encompassed within the contradiction in Gatsbys character both his nave and unrelenting capacity for hope, and his vulgar display of affluence and the means by which the obtained his wealth. The enduring human concern of mortality is also portrayed through the image of Gatsbys corpse budged in the pool recalls Daisy and Jordan floating on their sofa, implying that the ideals and values which Gatsby shined for and represented, succumbed to a morally inept society defined by such insubstantial characters. The final empty gathering at Gatsbys funeral following the raucous parties throughout the novel is a structural metaphor for the disappointing short fall of the American Dream, a view strongly adopted during Fitzgeralds context.
Initially, both the persona in the sonnets and Nick reminisces the past with a despondent weary tone. But whereas the persona attains personal fulfillment and optimism, representing Brownings own emancipation from personal and social restraints, Nick observes that Gatsbys optimism is undermined by the soulless, meaningless society of the novel. In Sonnet 43, Browning reiterates mortality; however unlike the first sonnet which implies the destructive imminence of death, the persona exclaims: I shall but love you better after my death to demonstrate her belief in the immortality of ideal love, as well as illustrate her religious beliefs, which are also shown through the capitalization of Biblical neologisms Ideal Grace, Saints, contrastingly, the recurring motif of dust in the novel depicts the empty evanescence of values, beliefs and in particular, life in the context of the novel. This is a typical portrayal of the bleakness of life in Modernist literature. Whilst mortality is shown to be inevitable, it is nonetheless inconsequential, unlike its importance in the context of the sonnet sequence, where love is both eternal and at present and both aspects of it are important.
Elizabeth Barrett Brownings Sonnet from the Portuguese and F Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby both employ courtly love traditions to explore idealism, hope and mortality, common issue prevalent of both contexts despite being written 80 years apart. However, their varying context distinguishes their respective perspectives. Browning, through the persona, illustrates her attainment of personal fulfillment and an elevating liberation from personal and societal restraints posed on her, but Fitzgerald shows transcendence to be impossible, as we are borne ceaselessly into the past, illustrating the pessimistic and existential views reflective of his own context.
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