Taylor's poems clashed with the Puritan beliefs with their ideas on nature and comparing man to a wasp. Saying things outright like this would not be acceptable among the Puritans. However, it seems that this strict culture allows more leniency for poets. The whole concept of the metaphorical conceit seems to say that in poetry it is okay to stretch the boundries. I don't think it would go well if Taylor gave a sermon that began "People are like wasps." However, it is more accepted in a poem. At least that was my impression, what does everyone else think?
~Becca
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I agree. Poetry was probably a good hidden outlet for poets in such a conservative society.
ReplyDeleteWhat I wonder, though, is how many other Puritans noticed/understood the hidden meanings in Taylor's poems.
-Bryce C.
I don't think he really believed that people were like wasps, this metaphor is just the conceit. It is designed to go against the readers' beliefs and make them stop and think about what the author was really trying to say. By writing about nature and explaining a lesson through it, Taylor probably was able to get the audience very involved in deciphering his poem because at first they were so shocked by the premise. I don't think he was trying to hide meanings, just trying to get people to really think about the poem to discover the ultimate (and very Puritan-based) lesson.
ReplyDelete-Alexa
I agree completely with Alexa. I think that Taylor probably did not place a lot of meaning in nature, just like the rest of his society. I do believe, however, that he knew the type of response that his statements would provoke. In my opinion, Puritan society doesn't give Taylor a pass because he's using poetry, but because he doesn't really defend any radical beliefs. Every shocking thing that he says, he quickly steps back from, and explains, to avoid eliciting anything more than momentary shock from his audience.
ReplyDelete-Tara