|
Comment 6 of 6, added on November 19th, 2009 at 5:31 PM.
The speaker marvels at the beauty and transformative power of blossoms of
the Rhodora which he encounters in a damp, dark: comer of the woods. Its
tiny petals alone are able to interact with and even change the character
of the other elements within the surrounding environment, as displayed when
these "purple petals, fallen in the pool,/ Made the black water with their
beauty gay" (lines 5-6). By merely exuding its natural beauty in an
effortless appeal to the senses, the flower is able to exert a more
visually dominant outstanding force over the more physically predominant
water. Such beauty needs no explanation; it exists for the sole purpose of
being appreciated as a sensory pleasure. "Beauty is its own excuse for
being. ..." (Line 12) and requires no other justification. It need not be
tangible and is meant to be enjoyed in and of itself; for, as Emerson notes
in "Nature," "Nature satisfies by its loveliness. ...Without any corporeal
benefit" (Emerson 192). The simple observation of nature and its elements
is pure delight.
crystal from Philippines
Comment 5 of 6, added on April 21st, 2006 at 8:56 PM.
Wow. What I wouldn't give to have a man tell me that! - Leslie
Isn't that the message of the poem? It's great how we didn't expect to find
grace from a man, and it's analogous to the poem's message of finding
unexpected beauty.
Jason from United States
Comment 4 of 6, added on November 20th, 2005 at 5:03 AM.
ıt is the most meaningfull poem we have ever read.ıt reflects the
differences between looking and seeing. Rhodara is the beauty among bad
things. how many of us can see this kind of beauty?
eylül, gülriz, gülşah from Turkey
Comment 3 of 6, added on November 13th, 2005 at 10:05 AM.
whence is the flower?
Marlena
Comment 2 of 6, added on August 24th, 2005 at 8:44 AM.
I have memorized the last few lines of this poem many, many years ago for
one of my classes. Beauty can be discovered where we thought there could
be no beauty.
Joan
Joan from United States
Comment 1 of 6, added on January 3rd, 2005 at 1:03 AM.
Wow. What I wouldn't give to have a man tell me that!
Leslie
|
The speaker marvels at the beauty and transformative power of blossoms of
the Rhodora which he encounters in a damp, dark: comer of the woods. Its
tiny petals alone are able to interact with and even change the character
of the other elements within the surrounding environment, as displayed when
these "purple petals, fallen in the pool,/ Made the black water with their
beauty gay" (lines 5-6). By merely exuding its natural beauty in an
effortless appeal to the senses, the flower is able to exert a more
visually dominant outstanding force over the more physically predominant
water. Such beauty needs no explanation; it exists for the sole purpose of
being appreciated as a sensory pleasure. "Beauty is its own excuse for
being. ..." (Line 12) and requires no other justification. It need not be
tangible and is meant to be enjoyed in and of itself; for, as Emerson notes
in "Nature," "Nature satisfies by its loveliness. ...Without any corporeal
benefit" (Emerson 192). The simple observation of nature and its elements
is pure delight.
crystal from Philippines