Side by Side 34

Monday,
November 10, 2008

7:10 PM

“Fire and Ice”

Some say the world will end in fire;

Some say in ice.

From what I've tasted of desire

I hold with those who favor fire.

But if it had to perish twice,

I think I know enough of hate

To know that for destruction ice

Is also great

And would suffice.

Robert Frost

A Poison
Tree

I was angry with my friend:

I told my wrath, my wrath did end.

I was angry with my foe:

I told it not, my wrath did grow.

And I watered it in fears

Night and morning with my tears,

And I sunned it with smiles

And with soft deceitful wiles.

And it grew both day and night,

Till it bore an apple bright,

And my foe beheld it shine,

And he knew that it was mine, -

And into my garden stole

When the night had veiled the pole;

In the morning, glad, I see

My foe outstretched beneath the tree.

William Blake

1757-1827

Try to
go more in depth: tone and irony

Ice is
internal suffering: not external

Fire:
desire; Ice: hate

Although
today Hell is often visualized as consumed in fire, Dante’s hell is frozen and
cold. Robert Frost connects ice with hatred and fire with desire. Whereas, fire
seems to tinge ones’ skin externally, ice forces ones’ body to heat from
within.

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Side by Side 34

Monday,
November 10, 2008

7:10 PM

“Fire and Ice”

Some say the world will end in fire;

Some say in ice.

From what I've tasted of desire

I hold with those who favor fire.

But if it had to perish twice,

I think I know enough of hate

To know that for destruction ice

Is also great

And would suffice.

Robert Frost

A Poison
Tree

I was angry with my friend:

I told my wrath, my wrath did end.

I was angry with my foe:

I told it not, my wrath did grow.

And I watered it in fears

Night and morning with my tears,

And I sunned it with smiles

And with soft deceitful wiles.

And it grew both day and night,

Till it bore an apple bright,

And my foe beheld it shine,

And he knew that it was mine, -

And into my garden stole

When the night had veiled the pole;

In the morning, glad, I see

My foe outstretched beneath the tree.

William Blake

1757-1827

Try to
go more in depth: tone and irony

Ice is
internal suffering: not external

Fire:
desire; Ice: hate

Although
today Hell is often visualized as consumed in fire, Dante’s hell is frozen and
cold. Robert Frost connects ice with hatred and fire with desire. Whereas, fire
seems to tinge ones’ skin externally, ice forces ones’ body to heat from
within.

Pasted
from <file:///G:\English\Dante\09-Side%20by%20Side%2034.doc