Traveling through the dark is a poem written by william stafford in 1962. William staffords poem traveling though the dark presents both physical and mental actions. May 18, 2009 i need some help with this poem traveling through the dark i found a deer dead on the edge of the wilson river road. Traveling through the dark is a beautiful short piece by william stafford depicting the conflict between the human mind and human heart that is the conflict between the mind, a sense of responsibility and the heart, the compassion and emotions of the poet. Traveling through the dark by william stafford 15 words 6 pages traveling through the dark is a poem written by william stafford in 1962. By glow of the taillight i stumbled back of the car and stood by the heap, a doe, a recent killing. Analysis of poem traveling through the dark by william. Traveling through the dark by maggie nance on prezi. Stafford, who was 46 at the time this poem was published in a collection of the same titlehis firstuses a casual approach to the poems technical attributes, varying rhyme scheme and meter to create a casual and intimate tone, while couching deep themes. William stafford listen to an introduction of the poet and selected readings from the 70s. July 2005 andrew hudgins, louise gluck, david wagoner, donald hall, loren goodman, conor ocallaghan, joel brouwer, eleanor wilner, billy collins, wendy cope.
Apparently, man versus nature is the theme of this poem, while it also mentions the modern life technology, and why it is affecting the nature world. In the second stanza, the speaker stumbles back, goes up to her and drags. William stafford was born in hutchinson, kansas, on january 17, 1914. It is somewhat atypical, as it tells a story about a real experience in a fairly straightforward way. Poem analysis of traveling through the dark by william. The poem i choose to analyse in my essay is travelling through the dark by william stafford.
The future of human beings is not bright to address the aformention ideas the poet might have drafted the poem in title travelling through the dark. Traveling through the dark is staffords most famous, most often anthologized poem. When a driver stops to pull a dead deer out of the road. Traveling through the dark video this video includes a reading of the poem and music by composer niki reiser. The first stanza begins with physical action but ends with mental action. Traveling through the dark by william stafford prezi.
Traveling through the dark poem analysis 1191 words cram. Even you poetryhaters out there might just find something to like in this one. In the poem, these travelers, including the poet, are driving along a road at a mountain side. Traveling through the dark by william stafford originally read. William stafford s traveling through the dark is a short poem of eighteen lines, divided into four quatrains and a closing couplet. Traveling through the dark william straffords traveling through the dark is a well developed short poem, but it lacks the depth of rod mckuens thoughts on capital punishment. By glow of the taillight i stumbled back of the car 5 and stood by the heap, a doe, a recent killing. Travelling through the dark analysis by william stafford. Inspired by traveling through the dark heres a short video inspired by the poems themes and images. The speaker the poem is travelling during the night time. Travelling through the dark questions and answers class.
However, as the line turns, so does the emotional impact on the reader. The poems popularity is due in part to the fact that, like many of his poems, it couples a conversational tone with good oldfashioned story telling. Traveling through the dark western reserve public media. Immediately, the scene is set, with the driver, who is traveling though the dark line 1 coming upon a recently killed deer. However, as the line turns, so does the emotional impact on. I need some help with this poem traveling through the dark i found a deer dead on the edge of the wilson river road. Analysis of poem traveling through the dark by william stafford. The title clearly describes both the literal and the. People generally travel in the dark when there is some urgency or when they have some immediate destination to reach. In this poem traveling through the dark the poet william stafford describes how he was moved by the death of a pregnant doe when he was driving a car along the mountain road at night. William stafford traveling through the dark is a poem by william stafford well known for its narrative and the emotionally difficult situation in which the narrator discovers himself that readers easily could overlook the works technical excellence.
Traveling through the dark william stafford archives. Traveling through the dark summary the heritage of words. Jan 17, 2008 beginning the poem, the speaker at first chronicles a moment of discovery with an opening line that would appear positive if isolated. Essay about traveling through the dark by william stafford. Stafford traveling through the dark i found a deer dead on the edge of the wilson river road. Apparently, man versus nature is the theme of this poem, while it also mentions the modern life technology, and why it. Several symbolic elements emphasize the theme of the poem, traveling through the dark. Traveling through the dark is physical and thinking of rolling into the canyon is mental. Essay about traveling through the dark 6 words cram. There is no full rhyme, no rhyme scheme in fact and the meter metre in uk varies somewhat, with iambic pentameter popping up here and there, in lines 7, 10 and 14. At the same time, through the symbolic dark of the title the poet is able to portray that the growing affinity of human with machine is tempting them to collide with the nature, a collision which will be threatening for all. Travelling through the dark heritage of words grade 12 english.
Summary and analysis in this poem traveling through the dark the poet william stafford describes how he was moved by the death of a pregnant doe when he was driving a car along the mountain road at night. William stafford, traveling through the dark from the way it is. More this paper has been submitted by user talkback who studied at the university of virginia, usa, with average gpa 3. By glow of the taillight i stumbled back of the car. Traveling through the dark by william stafford in his poem, traveling through the dark, william stafford presents the reader with the difficulty of one mans choice. May 06, 2019 this critical essay on travelling through the dark by william stafford was written and submitted by your fellow student. Traveling through the dark poetrys hidden meanings. Comparecontrast traveling through the dark and woodchucks. Traveling through the dark william stafford poem about dead. The poem presents a man under an uncomfortable natural world environment. Travelling through the dark was written by william edgar stafford. Traveling through the dark william stafford poem about dead deer june 17, 1936 free verse duration. Summary of traveling through the dark management notes. In the poem, we are introduced to the speaker who is out driving with his car on a mountain road when he discovers a dead deer on the edge of the road.
Traveling through the dark poem by william stafford. Technology, in this case cars and the manmade road, are seen as something invasive and harmful in this poem. Even in the cave of the night when youwake and are free and lonelyneglected by others discarded loved only. The poem revolves around a common event but it contains a theme too which shows that technology and mankind are killing off nature. He must move the deer out of the way so another driver. Themes and critical analysis of traveling through the dark. William edgar stafford was an american poet and pacifist, and the father of poet and essayist kim stafford.
On the one hand, good judgement and responsibility on the other. Finally, darkness points to the final destiny of all beings, the darkness of death. Understanding traveling through the dark sixminutescholar. In the name of light and modernity we human beings are traveling through the dark. Jan 31, 2019 traveling through the dark is an 18 line poem, 5 stanzas, 4 of which are quatrains with a couplet at the end. At first, it seems he is faced with a simple decision. Traveling through the dark poem by william stafford poem hunter.
Analysis of traveling through the dark by william stafford. Traveling through the dark is an 18 line poem, 5 stanzas, 4 of which are quatrains with a couplet at the end. The title of the poem traveling through the dark is a very suitable one. Literally, those travelling through the dark are the people who are travelling at night. In traveling through the dark, a man finds a dead deer blocking a narrow road. Questions and answers of travelling through the dark. Otherwise, ignorance and failure to make an immediate decision can be fraught with severe consequences and, therefore, acting correctly and following moral and ethical implications is a. Themes and critical analysis of traveling through the dark in william staffords poem traveling through the dark, the theme of confrontation between wilderness and technology exists. Staffords poem, traveling through the dark, deals with the moral dilemma that the speaker faces with himself and nature.
Traveling through the dark also symbolizes the spiritual void of humankind in its insensitivity toward nature. Traveling through the dark traveling through the dark i found a deer dead on the edge of the wilson river road. The poems opening line creates for the reader a false first impression. Travelling through the dark questions and answers nepal. May 22, 2018 the poem revolves around a common event but it contains a theme too which shows that technology and mankind are killing off nature.
This poem also deals with the difficulty of finding the right path, choosing to do the morally right thing. Travelling through the dark explanation of title of the poem. The poem travelling through the dark was composed by an american poet william stafford. Travelling through the dark heritage of words grade 12. Travelling through the dark summary and important questions. Traveling through the dark i found a deer dead on the edge of the wilson river road. Traveling through the dark is a deceptively simple poem which records the actions of a driver who finds a deer, killed on the road by a previous car. Technology, in this case cars and the manmade road, are seen.
The man and nature theme in traveling through the dark is about as subtle as snakes on a plane were talking about actual snakes on an actual plane, but also the movie. Poem analysis of traveling through the dark by william stafford. Traveling through the dark analysis 1225 words bartleby. These two poems present animals killed by automobiles, but mckuens approach differs from straffords in two ways. Travelling through the dark by william stafford 845. Traveling through the dark, in particular, is a poem that really does tell a story in a plainspoken, direct way.
Feb, 20 the poem by william stafford, traveling through the dark presents readers with an uncomfortable and rather grim instance of the intersection of the natural world and that of man. Analysis of traveling through the dark by william stafford original poem reprinted online here. Traveling through the dark is a poem by william stafford, published in 1963. Traveling through the dark summary questions heritage. William stafford provides the poem with an exciting, storytelling type of poem. Travelling through the dark by william stafford 845 words. But when he finds a dead doe on the road, he is in dilemma. The attitude of the speaker is objective towards the deceased deer at the beginning of the poem.
The title of the poem traveling through the dark is very suitable one. However, metaphorically modern men living in the age of science and technology are the ones travelling through the dark and they do not realize that the safety of human race lies in a harmonious co. Traveling through the dark by william stafford traveling through the dark i found a deer dead on the edge of the wilson river road. The poem, travelling through the dark, depicts the internal conflict between the mind, a sense of responsibility, and heart, the compassion, of the narrator. So, the speaker of this poem is traveling in the dark with some special purpose.
The title clearly describes both the literal and the figurative situation in the poem as well as its governing metaphor. Concerning this, william staffords poem called travelling through the dark metaphorical discloses the importance of taking actions rather than observing, which is especially vital in unexpected situations. Traveling through the dark poem by william stafford poem. The poem by william stafford, traveling through the dark presents readers with an uncomfortable and rather grim instance of the intersection of the natural world and that of man. William staffords traveling through the dark is a short poem of eighteen lines, divided into four quatrains and a closing couplet. The action all takes place on a mountain road at night. This poem presents a conflict between two realities of life feelings and emotions. The deer turns out to be pregnant and this fact plays on the mind of the helper, who wants to keep the road safe yet cannot stop thinking about the fawn, still warm inside the mother. My fingers touching her side brought me the reason her side was warm. At the same time, through the symbolic dark of the title the poet is able to portray that the growing affinity of human with machine is tempting them to. May 02, 2015 a college prof explains the poem line by line. The unborn fawn and the car are the two contrasting elements in the poem.
Create marketing content that resonates with prezi video. Mar 18, 20 william staffords poem traveling though the dark presents both physical and mental actions. Beginning the poem, the speaker at first chronicles a moment of discovery with an opening line that would appear positive if isolated. Traveling through the dark 2005 by loren goodman poetry.