Icarus by Edward Fields

"Yet all his books insisted that this was a mistake. What was he doing aging in a suburb?
Can the genius of the hero fall
To the middling stature of the merely talented?
And nightly Icarus probes his wound
And daily in his workshop, curtains carefully drawn,
Constructs small wings and tries to fly
To the lighting fixture on the ceiling.
Fails every time and hates himself for trying.
He had thought himself a hero, had acted heroically,
And now dreamt of his fall, the tragic fall of the hero;
But now rides commuter trains,
Serves on various committees,
And wishes he had drowned."

In "Icarus", Fields takes a modern spin on the Icarus story. In this excerpt, Icarus is a modern guy who is simply living out his days in a suburban household. Icarus seems to be someone who had a great life at one point, and then life started slowing down and getting harder; therefore he must miss what he once had and always long for such a thing. This excerpt is essentially saying, "I had so much then, what do I have now?". Fields takes this modern spin to convey the "live life to the fullest" lifestyle. He is explaining through Icarus that one should not allow themselves to regret their past, so they do not live their lives miserable. There should be no longing for what once was.

To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time

"Then be not coy, but use your time,
And while ye may, go marry;
For having lost but once your prime,
You may forever tarry."

In this excerpt of "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time", the poet describes how one should use their life to the fullest extent possible. In the first line, he goes on to saying how a person should not shy away from life and instead, use every ounce of time one gets. In the second line, he goes into saying how one should live life while they can, and go on doing it happily. In the third line, the poet states that everyone comes to a point where they are no longer able to live life as easily, meaning they are no longer in their "prime". In the very last line, he states that one may always regret what they've done in the past if they do not take the chances they could've while they still were young enough to do so. The poet explains the importance of living life while you have the chance throughout the entirety of the poem.

Taming of the Shrew; Act 3 Scene 2

Act 3 Scene 2

Petruccio: “I will be master of what is mine own-
    She is my goods, my chattels, she is my house,
    My household stuff, my field, my barn,
    My horse, my ox, my ass, my anything,
    And here she stands; touch her whoever dare;
    I'll bring mine action on the proudest he
    That stops my way in Padua. Grumio,
    Draw forth thy weapon; we are beset with thieves;
    Rescue thy mistress, if thou be a man.
    Fear not, sweet wench; they shall not touch thee, Kate;
    I'll buckler thee against a million.”

In this quote (which I shortened to just the important part), the use of language is once again what makes it important. Petruccio is extremely possessive in his words here, making someone belong to him when she in fact, does not. Not only does Petruccio make Katherine his object but, he says he is the master of said object. Katherine is her own person, and Petruccio is making her out to be nothing but a barn, a field, a household object. He has from the start taken or tried to take “control” over Katherine, whether that be his relentlessness trying to “tame” her or convincing those around him that he will actually be a loving husband to her. In the excerpt above, Petruccio does speak on how he will protect Katherine while still claiming her and not allowing her to be her own; “thy mistress”, “sweet wench”. Petruccio seems to have everyone tricked.

Taming of the Shrew; Act 2 Scene 1

Act 2 Scene 1

Petruccio: “I'll attend her here,
    And woo her with some spirit when she comes.
    Say that she rail; why, then I'll tell her plain
    She sings as sweetly as a nightingale.
    Say that she frown; I'll say she looks as clear
    As morning roses newly washed with dew.
    Say she be mute, and will not speak a word;
    Then I'll commend her volubility,
    And say she uttereth piercing eloquence.
    If she do bid me pack, I'll give her thanks,
    As though she bid me stay by her a week;
    If she deny to wed, I'll crave the day
    When I shall ask the banns, and when be married.”

In this quote, Petruccio is speaking to Katherine’s father about his want in wooing his daughter. The difference between this excerpt and my last is worthwhile due to the differences in language. “She sings as sweetly as a nightingale” is much different than comparing her to an animal. When Petruccio is speaking with Baptista, he is trying to come off as if he is a kind man, and not just someone “taking one for the team” and marrying Katherine due to everyone’s want for Bianca. He is describing Katherine in more passive terminology here; “morning roses”, “piercing eloquence”, “sweetly as a nightingale”. This is to simply convince someone of his story, when the reader knows from how he has spoken of her before that he in no way believes Katherine to have “piercing eloquence”. Since Petruccio is now not only insulting, but a liar/manipulator alike; if Katherine is a shrew, what does this make him?

Taming Of The Shrew; Act 1 Scene 2

Act 1 Scene 2

Petruccio: “Why came I hither but to that intent?
    Think you a little din can daunt mine ears?
    Have I not in my time heard lions roar?
    Have I not heard the sea, puffed up with winds,
    Rage like an angry boar chafed with sweat?
    Have I not heard great ordnance in the field,
    And heaven's artillery thunder in the skies?
    Have I not in a pitched battle heard
    Loud 'larums, neighing steeds, and trumpets' clang?
    And do you tell me of a woman's tongue,
    That gives not half so great a blow to hear
    As will a chestnut in a farmer’s fire?
    Tush! tush! fear boys with bugs.”

In this quote, Petruccio explains his intent with Katherine. Petruccio exclaims that he can tame Katherine due to him being so fearless, for he has seen and heard things much worse. “Have I not in my time heard lions roar?”, Petruccio is not only comparing Katherine’s tongue to that of a wild animal, but is also indirectly comparing her to the animal herself. He does this again in, “Have I not heard the sea, puffed up with winds, rage like an angry boar chafed with sweat?”, comparing Katherine to not only a raging sea but, an angry boar. This is in contrast to how the characters describe Bianca. Katherine is seen as all things animalistic and manly, while her sister is dainty and beautiful. This man is set out to “tame” Katherine due to his lack of fear, yet his insults are worse than Katherine’s sharp tongue.