Example research essay topic: Darkness And The Prisoner Of Chillon Comparing Contrasting - 1,484 words

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H 2 > Introduction In this essay I will be discussing the similarities and differences between two poems written by Lord Byron in 1816, Darkness and The Prisoner Of Chillon. I expect the poems will be very similar, as Lord Byron was inspired to write both of them on real events. Darkness was inspired by three volcanic explosions in different parts of the world in 1814 and 1815, which threw up masses of dust into the upper atmosphere, which made the summer of 1816 one of the darkest and wettest on record. This fact led Byron to imagine what might happen if the sun was blotted out permanently, and he wrote Darkness. Another time he went for a trip around Lake Geneva, Switzerland where he was staying with a close friend to escape London society's hatred.

Whilst on his trip he discovered the Castle of Chillon, in which, between 1526 and 1532, a famous Genevan writer called Francis Bonnivard had been imprisoned. Byron hated the idea of anyone being imprisoned for his or her beliefs, as Bonnivard was, so he then wrote The Prisoner Of Chillon. Similarities Byron seems to be obsessed with words ending in -ess, in Darkness he seems to fixate on words ending in -less, but in The Prisoner Of Chillon it is generally words ending in -ess. In Darkness the first example is: Rayless, and pathless, and the icy earth Swung blind and blackening in the moonless air; lines 4 + 5 Later in Darkness there is an even better example of his fixation: Season less, harmless, treeless, manless, lifeless, line 71 In The Prisoner Of Chillon we dont see this connection until much later in the poem: A sea of stagnant Idleness Blind - boundless - mute - and motionless. section 9, lines 249 + 250 In The Prisoner Of Chillon not only do we see his obsession with -ess words, but he also seems to be fanatical about the word no: There were no stars - no earth - no time - No check - no change - no good - no crime - section 9, lines 245 + 246 The effect this has on the poem is a very upsetting and negative mood, as it is constantly telling us that everything has stopped and there is nothing left, not even the pure elements. In both poems the subject of selfishness is mentioned. In Darkness the selfishness is the worlds wish for light: Of this desolation; and all the hearts Were child into a selfish prayer for light: lines 8 + 9 In The Prisoner Of Chillon the selfishness is referring to his wish for death: I had no earthly hope - but faith; And that forbade a selfish death.

section 8, lines 229 + 230 This gives the reader a feeling of sympathy for the hero, as although these people think they are selfish, really they are just desperate. In the poems kings are also mentioned. In Darkness the word kings is used as an ironic remark as the people, who were kings who lived in palaces had to watch their houses burn to the ground as they were burnt for beacons: And they did live by watch fires - and the thrones, The palaces of crowned kings - the huts, lines 10 + 11 In The Prisoner Of Chillon the prisoner is described as a king in the very last section to show how he was the most powerful of all the races inside his little prison cell and how mice and insects were his subjects: And I, the Monarch of each race, Had power to kill - yet, strange to tell! section 14, lines 386 + 387 The effect of having kings in such depressing poems is very confusing, because kings are usually associated with happiness and good fortune, for example, a feast fit for a king.

You dont expect a king to be neither locked up in a prison cell or to be desperately burning their homes for light. In the two poems the subject of sight is also mentioned. In Darkness sight is obviously important because it is too dark to see people: To look once more into each others face; line 15 In The Prisoner Of Chillon sight is also important because of the darkness of the dungeon, so the idea of sight does not only link the two because it mentions sight, but also because they are both directly linked with darkness: We could not see each others face, But with that pale and livid light That made us strangers in our sight; section 3, lines 51 - 53 The effect of sight being mentioned in the poems gives a very eerie feeling, because you can begin to imagine being blind, alone, and utterly scared, as not only are you experiencing something horrible, you cant even see what it is, just total darkness. Hope is also brought up in both the poems. In Darkness hope is the entire worlds wish for light: A fearful hope was all the world contains; line 18 In The Prisoner Of Chillon the prisoner thinks that he doesnt have hope, he has a much more powerful gift of faith.

Reminding us that he has been imprisoned for his beliefs: I had no earthly hope - but faith; section 8, line 229 The idea of hope in these poems is very upsetting, to think that all there is left to do is hope and to leave your life in the hands of your faith and not to be able to do anything about the situation you are in is exceedingly tragic. Different types of personalities are also mentioned in both poems. In Darkness the personalities refer to how different groups of people cope with the darkness: The flashes fell upon them; and some did rest Their chins upon their clenched hands, and smiled; And others hurried to and fro, and fed Their funeral piles with fuel, and look up With mad disquietude on the dull sky, lines 24 - 29 In The Prisoner Of Chillon the different personalities are the different characteristics of the brothers. The youngest being innocent, unselfish and gentle, the other being proud, strong and bold: With tears for nought but others ills, And then they flowered like mountain rills, section 4, lines 88 + 89 The other was as pure of mind, But formed to combat with his kind; section 5, lines 93 + 94 The topic of personalities doesnt have a strong effect of empathy on the reader, but it does create thoughts of whatever type of person you are whether you are strong and independent or pure and gentle, horrible things can happen to you. Animals are also referred to in both poems.

Darkness refers to how the animals have turned into [wild] brutes because they have to suffer the loss of light as well as the humans: And gnashed their teeth and how: the wildest birds shrieks And, terrified, did flutter on the ground, And flap their useless wings; the wildest brutes Came tame and tremulous; and vipers crawl And twined themselves among the multitude, Hissing, but stingless - they were slain for food. lines 32 - 37 Darkness does mention other animals though, one of which is very loving, it is a dog who although his master is dead doesnt seem to understand and stays by his owners side until, he too eventually passes away: Even dogs assailed their masters, all save one, And he was faithful to a corse, and kept The birds and beasts and famished men at bay, Till hunger clung them, or the dropping dead Lured their lank jaws; himself sought out no food, But with a piteous and perpetual moan, And a quick desolate cry, licking the hand Which answer not with a cares - he died. lines 47 - 54 In The Prisoner Of Chillon the animals are a mixture of those, which are free and those, which also have to endure the dungeon. All the animals in The Prisoner Of Chillon are much kinder than the brutes from Darkness and more like the faithful dog, who bring hope and sanity to the prisoner: A lovely bird with azure wings, And song that said a thousand things, And seemed to say them all for me! Section 10, lines 168 - 170 With spiders I had friendship made, Section 14, line 381 With animals being mentioned in both poems, it gives them a powerful effect, because the animals that also have to endure the ordeal show you how enormous the scale is in Darkness that even animals are involved and in The Prisoner Of Chillon it shows you how desperate the hero is to have to make friends with spiders and to spot a bird saves his sanity. Love is also mentioned in both poems.

In Darkness...

Research essay sample on Darkness And The Prisoner Of Chillon Comparing Contrasting