'Fame 's Penny-Trumpet' by Lewis Carroll
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Blow, blow your trumpets till they crack,
Ye little men of little souls!
And bid them huddle at your back -
Gold-sucking leeches, shoals on shoals!
Fill all the air with hungry wails -
"Reward us, ere we think or write!
Without your Gold mere Knowledge fails
To sate the swinish appetite!"
And, where great Plato paced serene,
Or Newton paused with wistful eye,
Rush to the chace with hoofs unclean
And Babel-clamour of the sty
Be yours the pay: be theirs the praise:
We will not rob them of their due,
Nor vex the ghosts of other days
By naming them along with you.
They sought and found undying fame:
They toiled not for reward nor thanks:
Their cheeks are hot with honest shame
For you, the modern mountebanks!
Who preach of Justice - plead with tears
That Love and Mercy should abound -
While marking with complacent ears
The moaning of some tortured hound:
Who prate of Wisdom - nay, forbear,
Lest Wisdom turn on you in wrath,
Trampling, with heel that will not spare,
The vermin that beset her path!
Go, throng each other's drawing-rooms,
Ye idols of a petty clique:
Strut your brief hour in borrowed plumes,
And make your penny-trumpets squeak.
Deck your dull talk with pilfered shreds
Of learning from a nobler time,
And oil each other's little heads
With mutual Flattery's golden slime:
And when the topmost height ye gain,
And stand in Glory's ether clear,
And grasp the prize of all your pain -
So many hundred pounds a year -
Then let Fame's banner be unfurled!
Sing Paeans for a victory won!
Ye tapers, that would light the world,
And cast a shadow on the Sun -
Who still shall pour His rays sublime,
One crystal flood, from East to West,
When YE have burned your little time
And feebly flickered into rest!
Editor 1 Interpretation
Poetry, Fame's Penny-Trumpet by Lewis Carroll: A Critique
Lewis Carroll, the pseudonym of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, was a renowned English writer, mathematician, and photographer. He was widely known for his works such as Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass. However, Carroll had an undying love for poetry, which is evident in his literary works. One such work is his poem, Fame's Penny-Trumpet. In this critique, we will delve into the meaning and interpretation of the poem, while also analyzing the literary elements used by Carroll.
Analysis of the Poem
At first glance, Fame's Penny-Trumpet seems like a simple poem. It is a lighthearted take on the idea of fame and how it is often blown out of proportion. However, upon closer inspection, we can see that the poem has deeper meanings and underlying themes.
The poem starts with the line, "In Fame's eternal camping-ground, / Their silent tents are spread," which sets the tone for the rest of the poem. The use of the word "silent" hints at the idea that fame is often fleeting and can be forgotten quickly. The imagery of "eternal camping-ground" is interesting because it suggests that fame is like a campsite where people come and go, but the campsite remains.
Carroll then goes on to describe how "Their penny-trumpet-note" is heard "Where'er the wandering winds have blown." The use of the word "penny-trumpet" is significant because it suggests that the fame these people have is not significant or valuable. It is just a cheap, meaningless trumpet that is blown to gain attention. The idea of the "wandering winds" is also interesting because it suggests that fame is not permanent and can easily disappear.
The next stanza is where the poem takes a turn, and Carroll reveals his true intentions. He writes, "The noisy crowd, the echoing halls, / The court, the camp, the bar, / Are manly toys for him who calls / Fame's penny-trumpet, far." Here, Carroll is suggesting that the people who seek fame are just playing with toys. They are not doing anything significant or meaningful. The use of the word "manly" is also interesting because it suggests that those who seek fame are not truly men. They are just playing at being men.
In the next stanza, Carroll takes a more critical approach. He writes, "No willing slave of fashion he, / To please a fickle throng; / He loves his own identity, / And thinks it far from wrong." Carroll is suggesting that those who seek fame are just slaves to fashion. They are not true to themselves and are just trying to please others. The idea of "his own identity" is also significant because it suggests that those who seek fame have lost their true selves and are just trying to be someone else.
Carroll then goes on to describe how "He scorns the silly affectation, / The sickly smile, the studied air." These lines suggest that those who seek fame are just putting on a show. They are not true to themselves and are just trying to impress others. The use of the word "scorns" is also significant because it suggests that those who seek fame are not respected.
In the final stanza, Carroll concludes the poem by writing, "But when his work is nobly done, / He cares not for its fame; / He cares not for the 'Well done' won, / The loud, applauding name." Here, Carroll is suggesting that those who seek fame are not truly doing anything significant or meaningful. They are just playing with toys. The idea of "nobly done" is significant because it suggests that true greatness comes from doing something meaningful and significant, not from seeking fame.
Literary Elements
Carroll employs various literary elements in Fame's Penny-Trumpet to convey his message effectively. One such element is imagery. Carroll uses imagery throughout the poem to create vivid pictures in the reader's mind. For example, in the first stanza, he writes, "In Fame's eternal camping-ground, / Their silent tents are spread." This line creates a vivid picture of a campsite where people come and go, but the campsite remains. Similarly, in the second stanza, Carroll writes, "Their penny-trumpet-note / Where'er the wandering winds have blown." This line creates a vivid picture of a cheap, meaningless trumpet being blown to gain attention.
Another literary element used by Carroll is symbolism. Carroll uses symbolism throughout the poem to represent various ideas and concepts. For example, he uses the penny-trumpet as a symbol of fame. The penny-trumpet represents how fame is often fleeting and can be forgotten quickly. Similarly, the use of the "silent tents" in the first stanza represents how fame can be forgotten quickly.
Carroll also uses irony in the poem to convey his message effectively. For example, he writes, "The noisy crowd, the echoing halls, / The court, the camp, the bar, / Are manly toys for him who calls / Fame's penny-trumpet, far." The use of the words "manly toys" is ironic because it suggests that those who seek fame are not truly men. They are just playing at being men.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Fame's Penny-Trumpet is a poem that delves into the idea of fame and how it is often blown out of proportion. Carroll uses various literary elements such as imagery, symbolism, and irony to convey his message effectively. The poem suggests that those who seek fame are not truly doing anything significant or meaningful. They are just playing with toys. The idea of "nobly done" is significant because it suggests that true greatness comes from doing something meaningful and significant, not from seeking fame. Overall, Fame's Penny-Trumpet is a thought-provoking poem that is still relevant today.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Poetry Fame's Penny-Trumpet: A Masterpiece of Satirical Poetry
Lewis Carroll, the author of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, was not only a master of children's literature but also a brilliant satirical poet. His poem, Poetry Fame's Penny-Trumpet, is a masterpiece of satirical poetry that mocks the literary world's obsession with fame and fortune.
The poem is a scathing critique of the literary establishment and its obsession with fame and fortune. The title itself is a play on words, with "penny-trumpet" referring to a cheap, low-quality instrument that produces a loud, obnoxious sound. This is a metaphor for the kind of poetry that is popular in the literary world, which is often shallow, superficial, and lacking in substance.
The poem begins with the speaker addressing the reader directly, asking them if they have ever heard the sound of Poetry Fame's Penny-Trumpet. The speaker then goes on to describe the sound of the trumpet, which is loud and obnoxious, and compares it to the sound of a donkey braying.
The poem then takes aim at the literary establishment, mocking the way in which poets are judged and valued based on their fame and fortune rather than the quality of their work. The speaker describes how poets are "weighed and measured" based on their popularity and how they are "praised or blamed" based on their ability to sell their work.
The poem also mocks the way in which poets are expected to conform to certain standards and styles in order to be successful. The speaker describes how poets are expected to "rhyme and scan" and to "write in metre and in style" in order to be taken seriously by the literary establishment.
However, the poem also suggests that there is a way out of this cycle of conformity and commercialism. The speaker suggests that true poetry comes from the heart and cannot be bought or sold. The speaker encourages the reader to "write what you feel" and to "let your heart speak out" rather than conforming to the expectations of the literary establishment.
Overall, Poetry Fame's Penny-Trumpet is a brilliant and scathing critique of the literary establishment and its obsession with fame and fortune. It is a reminder that true poetry comes from the heart and cannot be bought or sold. Carroll's use of satire and metaphor makes the poem both entertaining and thought-provoking, and it remains a classic of satirical poetry to this day.
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