The Flight
Sara Teasdale carefully selected specific words in her poem "The Fight" in order to get the emotional response she wanted to receive from the reader. In choosing such words, she relied heavily on associations that people subconsciously associate with the individual word as well as the multiple meanings which some words carry with them. It is this careful selection of words that gives the poem deeper meaning and makes it truly enjoyable. In the first stanza, she compares two lovers' lives to that of two eagles flying together. This metaphor provides the reader with a vision of these powerful birds flying gracefully through the air. In lines 3 and 4, they are described as flying, "Under the heavens," and "Over the mountains." These are two places that are very beautiful and tranquil. It seems to give the reader a vision of blue skies and a sense of childhood playfulness. In lines 5 through 9, Teasdale talks about four different parts of nature. Each element she discusses seems to affect the two eagles in a physical sense. However, these d
------------------------------------------------------------------------ escriptions have multiple meanings and could also be describing different emotions that one experiences throughout their life. For example, line 5 says, "Stretched on the wind," which initially makes the reader think of an eagle's wings outstretched as it glides through the wind. Upon further investigation, "stretched" could really be describing the strains being put on their relationship, trying to "blow" them away from each other. Then comes the "Sunlight" that "heartens" in line 6. Heartens is defined as "to give heart to" according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Which would seem to describe the loving support given by a companion in order to make it though the "winds" of life. Teasdale's careful selection of words has given the poem a deeper meaning and made it more enjoyable. She is almost begging for the same fate as her lover. The last four lines of the poem begin with the same word, "Let." The reader can envision her on her knees, praying to God that He
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 711
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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