The word canon came from the word ‘canons’ which means standard (Prescott,2010, p, xii). A
Canon is a group of literary works that passed down from one generation to
another, and acknowledges, admired as superlative work, which makes the work
authoritative, also it discusses and carries a universal theme. If we have to
define canon more specifically, we have to know that, canon is divided in two
different types. First, we have what it calls religious canon which includes
all the religion books like King James Bible, and it is authoritative because
it brings obedient, who believe in it without questing it because it discusses
what is good for human being. We also have to know that religious canon is
closed which mean it cannot be challenged, change or debate. Meanwhile for the second type of canon is literary canon,
which a group of literature work, that an authoritative work and have an universal themes like love, death,
war and more. It was approved, criticized
and debated, which means it is open to challenge and change as well as
to re-read, re-seen, and recreate,…..
just like Iliad by Michael Longley (Prescott, 2010, p, 103 ). Authoritative work is work that has the
power to influence others, make something happen or stop something from
happening. From here. We conclude that,
the features of literary canon can be have a universal theme, stand in a
different time, space and culture. Also It can be expanded to include work, and
can be shrunk to exclude works like what we will see later on, which depends on
the cultural or the society, if they are interested in the context the of
literary work. Also it criticized and debated by people who have both knowledge
and experience like teachers or scholars who their critic well respected. The formation of canon came from the knowledge
of the authors in the subject he/she writes about, the age, if it stands and
survives for long time, the quality of the work from the critics will have a
subjective judgment, and they will be highly respected by the reader. In the
next paragraphs we will discuss the literature canon to both John Donne and to
Edgar Allen Poe.
Donne was known and respected and recognized
in his time as a churchman for his works that considers on sermons, essays and
analyzing and discussing the bible. Also, he was only known as poet between a
small group of his friends, and not until the 20th century, his poetry was decisively reformed.
One of Donne’s works that was famous at his time is the sermon calls ‘spiritual
diet’. In spiritual diet, Donne tells us
that we have the right to choose the religion that suits
us and what we have read about in
religion then decided for ourselves. He used very simple language which is a
sermon, which people and religious men
can understand it by making it comparable to our need of food and diet, saying
that , we need food to build our body physically, we need religion to build our soul. Spiritual diet
characterizes as canon, because several reasons, like sermon says that the text
is socially and politically powerful, as well as the use of the word that Donne
chosen in his sermon which it could be
understood by different generations after his death, to impact and influence
them by using simple and powerful word at the same time. He said “for as a
hearty entertainer offers to others the meat which he loves best himself, so do
I oftenest present to God’s people in these congregations the meditations which
I feed upon at home in those two scriptures”( Prescott,2010, p, 53 ). Another
point is his subject, discussing the
Bible or religious matter in general which is enough to make the work canon
example is ”for God gives us not only that which is merely necessary, but that which is
convenient too”. As well “simply be that Eliot, for related cultural
reasons( Prescott, 2010, p, 53, 58,
59).The second work is sonnet calls
‘Batter my hearts’. Sonnet is a poem that was built from eighteen lines the first
eight lines are what the poem discussion
or the question which called octave and the rest six lines are the answer and
it called as sestet. The rhyme of the poem is ABABCDCDEFEF. Batter my heart is a poem that discusses
on inner conflict like if he in war with himself, and we hear the resonance of
the battle. Donne at this poem reflects his inner conflict that caused by
moving his religion from catholic to protestant, and by the poem he reflects
his regrets asking God to punish him and kill him in the most forceful way
which is different to what God usually
deals with his creator. What makes Better my heart characterize as a
canonical work in using a topic that concern the human being in which is the
relationship with God, religion and asking for forgiveness. Also Donne adapted
the Shakespearean sonnet. The sequence of the ideas and what he requests God to
do to him is striking, and it is not someone who is deeply regretful ask for as
well as describing his relationship with him, as Donne marred to the God enemy
and cannot stand for God said anymore so he used extraordinary word like
“divorce me” (Prescott,2010, p, 61 ),
and that is an example of Donne
using imaginative and powerful marriage,
which he was known of another example, when he compared himself to a town and
prisoner. it and it also helps us to enlighten why he is known for the
imaginative, powerful and bride, merging
the world and the godly in his poetic texts.
Finally, The spiritual diet is an example of canon shrink, in his time
the passage was very famous, while the poem is an example of the canon expand,
in his time the passage was that famous, while the poem is an example of the
canon expand because at his time after his time the poetry was not famous, even
death except among a small group of his friend until the 20th
century and start to be studying as
example as example of poetry work expanded.
(Prescott, 2010, p59 to 62)
The
external study case is Annabel Lee by Edgar Allan Poe. The speaker the husband Edgar Allan of Annabel his wife,
when they were children, and until they became young. The poem is 6 stanzas, 6
to 8 lines per stanza. The rhyme scheme is ABABCB. The poem is about two lovers, who were
deeply in love, and lived happily until seraphs of heaven sent a strong wind
that killed his lover Annabel Lee out of jealously, and put her in the tomb. The theme of the poem is clear now which is the love by the poem
and Annabel and the envying by the angel, which leads to her death. The poem is
an authoritative because it has an international themes, to bring obedience
and influence people, like me when it
shows that he and Annabel’s love is stronger by referring to their love
saying words like “wiser and older”
Lines 28, and 29. Using a holy creators like Angels and demons and locate them
by saying “heaven above, down under the sea” which also could the poet saying
that the heaven and hell are against them. Others said about Annabel lee is
that “one of the most admired and widely known of Edger Allen Poe’s poems” (A
source for “Annabel Lee”, p.6. Using
fugitive language, Metaphors” so that her highborn kinsman came and bore her
away from me”, as well as there is Alliteration in “not half so happy in
heaven”. The tone poem moving us through different feeling starting from love, and happiness to
angriness, than to hope and peace. Also it have some elements of fairy tales in
“Kingdom by the sea” from “many a year ago”.
It was criticized by different critics, arguing about the color of the
poem and the difference between it and other Edger’s poems, which is brighter,
and the other said it the same color Dark as his usual writing, critics like
John Cowper in his work “Visions and Revisions: A Book of literary Devotions”.(
(Larkin, 2006,page, 54). Moreover, there
was a debate about who was his inspiration for creating Annabel Lee. What
impact and influence me in how much he loves Annabel, and her death cannot stop
him from continuing on loving, and spending most of his time by her grave
saying “all the night-tide, I lie down by the side of my darling – my darling-
my life and my bride” which showed me
how much he loves his wife even after her death, left and had great impact on me impact on me.
Affected and telling and teaching us how
love should be. Also, he highlights the process of sadness that one’s face when
they lose the most. Finally, we conclude all the features of the poem including
how it impacting on me, concludes that the poem is a literary work( Gale, 2016,
section one).
In conclusion, canon is the ultimate work,
it could be religious, in this case it is closed and it could be literary work
and in this case it is open. There is also musical canon which refers to the
best work in music. We had two cases like
John Donne the best example of the literary canon works as well as that expansion and shrinking.
Also we had Edger’s poem Annabel Lee Poem which I choose as external
case, and example of canon that can impact and influences people.
Work cities
Annabel Lee
Larkin, D, S. My Letter to the World, 2006.
1st printing, Dana Larkin Sauers.
J25code, Analysis on The Poem “Annabel lee”
by Edger Allan Poe, 2013
Date of access 12/1/2016
Gale, C. (2016).A Study Guide for Edger
Allan Poe’s “Annabel Lee”. 1st ed. Farmindton Hills: Gale, Cengage
Learning.
Prescott, L (2010). The Voices and texts of
authority. 1st ed. Milton Keynes: Open University.
Lawson, A, Criticism of Annabel Lee, 2012.
Date of access, 11/29/2016
Poe’s Poetry Summary and analysis of
Annabel lee, Date of access 12/1/2016 (date of access, 11/29/2016
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