“Abandoned Farmhouse” Critical Analysis
Introduction
Every reader has a unique perspective on literary works. As a result, while some individuals analyse poetry critically and consider its deeper meaning, others are more interested in the language used by the author. As a result, each reader constructs his or her own interpretation and understanding of the poem or other work of literature. However, when evaluating a poem critically, authors’ literary techniques must be examined and evaluated. Additionally, it incorporates the themes and fundamental concepts of the literary work. As a result, the article provides a solution to the question of whether of the poems “Abandoned Farmhouse” by Ted Kooser and “Ars Poetica” by Archibald MacLeish is the most and least successful.
You must look at the poems’ topics, fundamental concepts, and literary strategies in order to comprehend them. Ars Poetica by Archibald MacLeish is a very simple and easy poem as a result. The poem is used by the author to express his feelings on poetry. Ted Kooser’s poetry “Abandoned Farmhouse” is chock full of literary techniques, themes, and many ideas. The poem’s author conveys a sense of isolation and melancholy throughout. The study thus provides a critical evaluation of both poems.
“Abandoned Farmhouse” Critical Analysis
In order to understand this poem’s poetry, I will critically assess its literary strategies, concepts, and topics.
Themes
The poem “Abandoned Farmhouse” explores a number of issues. These themes include failure, desertion, and the freedom to see things our own way. Despite having land that he could farm, the author claims that the man was incapable of doing so. It was implied that since “the man” could not farm and lived with his family on a farm, he was unable to provide for them (Kooser, 12). He went on to say that the family had no money to demonstrate who they were. Therefore, the man’s failure to produce meant that he was a failure. Additionally, the man’s lack of money implied that he was unhappy. These claims thus represented the theme of disappointment and unhappiness.
Additionally, by making a statement about the weed, the author illustrates the subject of abandonment. “The weed-choked yard (Kooser, 12),” he continued. This visual aids in solidifying the concept of abandonment. This theme might be self-abandonment or the actual absence of the others. The family absence aided in expressing theme.
Consequently, the idea of self-own understanding and interpretation is conveyed through the form of the poem. The author shows abandonment through the tangible objects in the house. The theme aids in understanding others’ perspectives, drives, and issues
Simile
Toys “spread in the yard like branches after a storm,” according to the author (kooser, 13). The author thus employs branches as an analogy or simile. The phrase about the branches after the storm aids the reader in visualising the event. As a result, the word “storm” suggests that the family had a problem that forced them to leave their home. Additionally, the literary device of metaphor is brought home by the use of the word “storm.”
Personification
Personification is the practise of employing non-living objects to illustrate a point about people. As a result, personification is a literary device used in the poem. Because the family was never physically present in the poem, readers can still understand family existence by observing the items in the house. For instance, the toys are given a personality to represent the children who lived in the house.
Conclusion
The poem “Ars Poetica” by Archibald MacLeish is quite simple and plain. The poem is used by the author to express his feelings on poetry. Ted Kooser’s poetry “Abandoned Farmhouse” is chock full of literary techniques, themes, and many ideas. Therefore, I conducted analyses of the “Ars Poetica” using the poem’s plot, while I examined the “Abandoned Farmhouse” using its themes and literary methods. So, based on my analysis of the poems, I think Ted Kooser’s “The Abandoned Farmhouse” is the better of the two. The least effective poem by Archibald is the other one. As a result, the poem should never be simple and direct but instead always have a deeper meaning.
