Any thoughts?
"We ourselves must pilgrims be,
Launch our Mayflower, and steer
Boldly on the desperate winter sea,
Nor attempts the Future's portal
With the Past's blood-rusted key."
James Russell Lowell, 1819-1891
AMERICAN POET, ABOLILITIONIST & DIPLOMAT
2007-05-06 14:59:10 · 6 answers · asked by seth_nightlord777 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
The author is writing to the people of his own generation and telling them that they have to be like the pilgrims and steer America boldly into a new era - the future without slavery. The blood rusted key being a reference to the Civil War deaths. Pax - C
2007-05-06 15:06:26 · answer #1 · answered by Persiphone_Hellecat 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Just as the Pilgrims came to North America in the Mayflower to seek a new future away from all the baggage of Europe and European history, so we must undertake our own journey into our future. And don't try to open the door to this future by using the tired old methods (key) of the past. Blood-rusted refers to human suffering caused by all that past baggage and former practices.
2007-05-06 15:12:08 · answer #2 · answered by steve_geo1 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Not feeling terribly poetic like today, but I'd say the author is trying to encourage his audience to seek their own new adventure and change in life course. We should not be afraid of the difficulties, challenges, and sacrifices that such a path might encure. Nor should we allow the defeats and pain of the past to keep us from trying to change our destinies.
2007-05-06 15:07:58 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
i like examining poetry and attempting to interpret the meaning of them yet this one has me a sprint twisted. it form of feels like she could be contradictory. the reason I say it is....in the poem she is concerning a dating that has given the allusion of a stable dating. The contradiction isn't any count if she is blaming herself for not beginning her eyes and seeing it the full time or if the guy became intentionally deceiving her making her think of that he felt a undeniable way yet in fact did not. yet i think of her temper could be nonetheless in love yet unhappy simply by fact she thinks it is over.
2016-10-14 23:15:41 · answer #4 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
we must move forward despite our fears of what lies ahead, and make sure not to repeat the mistakes of our past in our future.
2007-05-06 15:07:31 · answer #5 · answered by bugboobunz 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
we must keep going forward, and try our hardest not to commit the same faults as have been already. even though history repeats itself, it doesn't necessarily have to.
2007-05-06 15:20:29 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋