英国文学批评性论文读后感
The Use of Defamiliarization in the Sun Rising
华中师范大学
1. The Introduction of the Essay
1) Title: Defamiliarized Techniques and Unconventional Images——Appreciation of Donne’s Metaphysical Love Poem The Sun Rising
2) Authors: Zhou Zhongxing, from College of Foreign Languages, Yanshan University.
Wang Meng, from School of Foreign Languages, Beijing lnstitute of Technology
3) Publication: Journal of Hebei University(Philosophy and Social Science) in 2009, 2nd issue, page 47-49
2. Summary of the Essay
By adopting Russian literary theorist Victor Shklovsky’s “Defamiliarization” theory, this essay analyzes and appreciates the famous metaphysical love poem, The Sun Rising, by John Donne, attempting to reveal the successful application of conceits and unconventional images in metaphysical poems.
In the first part, the authors introduced the theory of defamiliarization and the life of John
Donne.
Defamiliarization is the artistic technique of presenting to audiences common things in an unfamiliar or strange way, in order to enhance perception of the familiar. This technique of art is to make objects ‘unfamiliar’, to make forms difficult and to increase the difficulty and length of perception because the process of perception is an aesthetic end in itself and must be prolonged.
And John Donne was a talented man but suffered a lot in the realization of his ambition for his Catholic faith.
In the second part, the authors introduced that John Donne had used defamiliarization in three aspects in the Sun Rising. The first on is to defamiliarize the sun. The second one is to introduce the new emerging knowledge about geography which people were unfamiliar then. The third one is to describe his lover as all countries and describe himself as all princes. All of these have used the technique of defamiliarization to make the poem novel and strange, though difficult to understand.
3. My Review
The conventional image of sun is powerful and positive, whether in ancient or in modern time. But the image of sun in the Sun Rising unruly old fool, which was really different from the common recognition. During the Renaissance period in Europe, the sun was considered as god and power. And in other culture, the sun is great. But John Donne described the sun as unruly old sun in the Sun Rising which interrupted him and his lover. John Donne thought he
was more powerful than the old sun and could eclipse the sun with a blink.
The authors thought that John Donne referred the sun to those who were wealthy and privileged meddling with his love. John Donne married his employee’s niece Anne More. They had a happy marriage but their friends from upper class, especially his father-in-law, resented them very much and he was fired even detained. Now we can have a clear idea why John Donne compared the sun to old fool. Actually, the sun was those who meddled with his love. They were powerful and respected by people. The sun interrupted him and his lover in the morning, but the upper class always meddled with their marriage. The sun was great and powerful in common people’s eyes, just like the upper class. John Donne had presented the intruder of his love in a unfamiliar way to attract the readers’ attention and contemplation. So, at the first sight, the defamiliarization is strange and impenetrable, but it’s really excellent. When readers make clear the strange similarity between the two things, they will be enlightened.
As for the use of new emerging knowledge about geography, such as the eclipse and the western and eastern India, the authors thought that these background information makes the poem more difficult to learn. But they didn’t give an explanation to the function of this defamiliarization. In my opinion, what John Donne wants to express in the second stanza is that he is not scared by those against him. He can destroy them with a blink, but he doesn’t want to lose his lover, which fully showed his distaste and despising to the upper class. He uses eclipse and east and west India to show his broad knowledge, which indicates his ability. And he also shows that the treasure in other place can’t be compared with his lover. The defamiliarization has exhibited his talent and power.
The third part, John Donne describes his lover as all countries and describes himself as all princes. This is against common cognition. William Shakespeare has compared his lover with summer, which is lovely and temperate. And it’s difficult for us to find the similarity. John Donne tried to tell the whole world that he owned the world if he was with his lover. A country is powerful, precious and full of treasure, John Donne had his Anne and he had all the treasure.
The defamiliarizatiom broadens the gap between the intention of poet and the literary meaning of the poem, prolongs the perception of aesthetic and makes readers pay more attention to grasp the poet’s intention.
To discuss the Sun Rising now, I think we should think more. The essay thinks that the Sun Rising has showed John Donne’s value of love. He has the whole world if with his lover and
all the power and wealth is nothing. It’s kind of like the thoughts of our contemporary young people. They can sacrifice many for love just as John Donne had scarified his job and status in upper class. But there still are some differences between them. Contemporary people have some spiritual faith in love but they are more realistic. They know they should fight for love and a happy marriage. However, John Donne’s thoughts are kind of similar to the Spirits of AhQ. He praised his love and his lover, and thought himself as the most happy and powerful man in the world, because he couldn’t change his condition. But he can sacrifice for love and despise the privileged people, which is really respectful.
In a conclusion, the essay analyzed the Sun Rising from the perspective of defamiliarization, which is a novel aspect. And whether the defamiliarization has other indicates or not remains to be discussed further. His comparing his lover with country still
need more research, I think, it’s a problem beyond defamiliarization.
Excellent work! A detailed summary of the critical essay + your comments on the critical views + good fluency in language. It could’ve been perfect if you had been critical to the critics’ discussion on defamiliarization: Are they all convincing in their discussion? Are they correct in their explanation of defamiliarization?. . .