Critical Appreciation On "Snake" by D.H. Lawrence

In D.H. Lawrence’s poem entitled “Snake”, it is about a man’s experience in encountering a snake. The persona in this poem is confused about the way he feels for the snake. He is torn apart between his feelings and knowledge.

The persona feels honoured and at the same time is fascinated to come across the presence of a snake at his water-trough. He continued to look on and admire the snake as it is. At the same time, he knows for a fact that snakes are dangerous and needs to be killed. This makes him question about his masculinity. He feels that he is not a man to not kill the snake. From the way I see it, his feelings stopped him from killing the snake whereas his knowledge triggered him to kill it. Somehow, it came to a point where the persona did try to kill the snake but he missed it. He then felt awful and regretted his action because the snake was no longer there. He wishes for the snake to come back because it is like a king to him.

In my humble opinion, this poem shows how confused a man can be when feelings and knowledge is concern. This conflict eventually leads a man to regret his decision and wished to repeat time. For instance, the persona regretted his attempt to kill the snake although it did not hurt the snake in any way. He did it mainly because he was afraid that the society will question on his manliness.

Eliza Maria Benjamine

critical appreciation on "snake"

The poem ‘Snake’ written by a very famous author named D.H Lawrence.D.H Lawrence was born in Eastwood, Notthinghamshire, England. The poem “snake” is one of his most popular poems. This poem has been taken from persona’s point of view. The poem is mainly about a man who struggle within himself whether he should follow his rational thinking or his feelings.. In the beginning of this poem. Persona saw a snake was drinking water from his water –trough when he went to get water for himself. Instead of running away, persona remained where he was standing and quietly watching the snake drinking water from his water-trough because persona was quite fascinated to see the snake. Persona actually enjoying the beautiful view without having any hatred towards the snake as for a normal person snake is a very poisonous and dangerous creature but here in this poem persona thinks another way around where he felt quite honored too see the snake. Persona assumed snake is a very powerful and strong creature and entitled the snake as ‘lord’ and ‘king’ in this poem to show that how great the snake is for him.
However the voices in persona’s mind saying to persona that he should kill the snake. The voices most probably were influenced by the persona’s education background, social thoughts and so on. The voices warned persona that he should kill the snake before the snake kills him. On the other hand, persona’s heart remained saying to him that he should not kill the snake. In addition, persona also mentioned about a religion where they believe that snake is an innocent creature – “For in sicily the black,black snakes are innocent,the gold are venomous”.These beliefs made persona felt that he really should not kill the snake. persona can’t express how happy he was to see the snake, but he scared what the society around him will think, that he is a coward because he do not dare to kill the snake ?or they for them it is something very shameful to feel honored too see a snake?
persona confessed that he very afraid of the snake. He felt that the snake might hurt him, and he started to feel insecured. Therefore persona hit the snake and the snake ran away. However persona felt very guilty and regret on his done. He realized his mistakes and he wished the snake could come back to him.
zainab ibrahim.

WEEK 3

What statements can you make about the use of the rose by the female poet and the male poets?Is there any significant difference?

In Parker's "rose" the rose is seen as a symbol of the lover's feelings and love towards the persona. The "rose" is a symbol of their relationship."A single flow'r he sent me, since we met." The rose is also the lover's protection and he uses that guise to defend himself in their relationship. Claiming that he's already presented a rose to her so it should be enough. "Love long has taken for his amulet."

On the other hand, Blake and Frost use the "rose" to symbolise women. Blake's "rose" is naive, innocent and vulnerable. "O Rose, thou art sick!" He's annoyed and angry at the woman for feeling so helpless in the relationship."And his dark secret love Does thy life destroy?" Frost's "rose" shows us that his lover is not only beautiful but engaging and special. "You, of course, are a rose But were always a rose." He states there is many types of beauty, that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, " The dear only knows What will next prove a rose."

Arththi Sathananthar25/7/09

Critical Appreciation on "Snake" by D.H. Lawrence

The poem "Snake" by D.H. Lawrence is an interesting text that deals with the complexities of human nature that brings towards our rational thinking. This poem tells us a tale of a person going to a water-trough and stumbles upon a snake. The person is fascinated and honoured, "Was it perversity, that I longed to talk to him?" Yet his upbringing tells the snake ought to be killed, "The voice of my education said to me He must be killed" This poem deals with the struggle within oneself, whether or not to follow our own natural instinct or our nurtural upbringing. There are many parameters regarding this poem that brings out the positive and negative aspects.

On the positive, we learn that the persona has a conscience. Even after the persona tried to attack the snake "I picked up a clumsy log and threw it at the water-trough" We learn the persona regrets this action. For at the closing of the poem the persona regrets this petty act, is ashamed with what the persona has done. "How paltry, how vulgar, what a mean act!" We know that the persona's natural instinct, the fascination and honour felt towards the snake prevails over the educational upbringing. "I despised myself and the voices of my education." We realise how much the persona longs for the snake eventhough previously the persona lets his nurtural upbringing prevail momentarily. "I wished he would come back, my snake"

Another parameter in this poem that draws the reader in is its use of rich, simple descriptive language. The verses are loose and flow freely, "trailed his yellow-brown slackness soft-bellied down" The reader also gets vivid pictoral words such as, "the water had dripped from the tap" The author is very descriptive in emphasizing the snake's actions, "rested his throat upon the stone bottom", "flickered his two-forked tongue from his lips." The poem also brings vivid colours to the reader's mind with words like, "yellow-brown slackness", "earth brown, earth golden from the burning bowels of the earth", "horrid black hole."

However, one must realise that from a negative side, there is a gap in this poem. The snake's point of view isnt potrayed. The reader only comprehends what emotions the persona goes through but not how the snake feels. The snake is represented very much so literally. "He lifted his head from his drinking", "flickered his tongue" Throughout the whole poem the snake isnt represented figuratively. The reader doesnt know if the snake feels honoured the way the persona is or whether or not its nonchalant about the persona at the water-trough.

Overal, this poem is an interesting read with its theme being a person's struggle with one's natural instict or rational thinking. The use of rich language and its easy flow of verses make this an enjoyable read. The only thing missing is that the snake was given no voice thoughout the whole poem.

Arththi Sathananthar25/7/09

Critical Appreciation on "THE SNAKE" by D.H.Lawrence

David Herbert Richards Lawrence(D.H.Lawrence) was born in Eastwood,Nottinghamshire,England on 11 September 1885.He was a famous English author,poet,playwright,essayist and literary critic who wrotes under the genre of modernism where his subjects were about emotional health and vitality,human sexuality and instinct.His poem "The Snake" is about his fortuitous encounter with a snake where he was entranced by the sight of the snake,the way the snake move,and so on and so forth.He was honoured that the snake chose to drink from his water-trough,and he adored and regarded the snake like a king.But,in the same time,the poet was also fearful of the snake,and he had a killer instinct to finish off the snake.This part shows the conflict between his genuine feelings and his logical thinking.His genuine feelings told him not to hurt the snake and just worship it,but alas,his logical thinking(his education background) overcomes his genuine feelings where he took a log and throw it at the snake.Although the log did not hurt the snake,the poet feels remorse and despised himself for doing it.

Source of D.H.Lawrence's info : WIKIPEDIA

just learned-critical appreciation

From what i have learn in Dr.Raihanah's class,i think critical appreciation is criticizing and also appreciating something,be it a poem,a short story or a text.Criticizing is where we look for gaps such as what is missing;the idea that de writer missed out and did not pen it down in the text whereas appreciation is something we show when we find something good or the strengh of the text.In short,critical appreciation is understanding and evaluating of a text,and stating the strenghs and gaps or the missing ideas in it.

PS:Just to be honest,I think i'm not a quick learner or a overly-bright student,so please tell me if and when i wrote something wrong.TQ ^~^

CrItical Appreciation of the poem"SNAKE"by D.H.Lawrence

The poem "SNAKE" is written by a poet named D.H.Lawrence.David Herbert Lawrence was born on september 11,1885,in eastwood,nottinghamsire,central England.He wasthe fourth child.Lawrence childhood was dominated by poverty and friction between his parents.He was educated at nottingham high school,to which he had won a scholarship.After studies at nottingham university,lawrence matriculated at 22 years and briefly pursued a teaching career.In 1909,a number of lawrence's poem were published.The appearance of his first novel,'The White Peacock' in 1911,launced lawrence into a writing career.
The poem 'snake' was written by d.h.lawrence in 1920.It is about the persona's act of attacking a snake that was entering a hole after it took water in the water trough under a tree in his garden and he regrated for his act.He feels like he had been a coward.Morever the poet also talked about the persona's inner conflict or voice that the persona gone through.In general when we see a snake we will have a negative thought about it but in in this poem the persona confess that he likes te snake and the way its act.finally,the poet also stated that he wish to see the snake again so that he can expiate the chance get to know the snake.

What is critical appreciation?

To begin with let us unpack the phrase – critical appreciation. To be critical means to be able to judge the value of something or someone. To show appreciation, on the other hand, implies the ability to see the good or strength in something. Thus if we put the two words together, to conduct a critical appreciation implies the ability to assess the value in something towards showing the strength or good of that something.

How would one conduct a critical appreciation of a poem for example? The following are examples of a critical appreciation on DH Lawrence’s poem ‘Snake’.