Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat Essay

The two poems I am comparing Ode on the Death of a Favourite toss by Thomas olden and To a Mouse by Robert ruin were two written in the eighteenth century, which makes it interesting to make a comparison of their content, style and techniques, to see how poems of the eighteenth century differ from from each one other.Both of the poems feature an animal as the main subject of the poem. In ancients poem he has a house guy rope as the main focus of the poem whilst Burns dedi disgorgees his poem to a field cabbage. Both these animals come to an unfortunate end. The cat due to specialness tumbled headlong into a tub of gold fishes This supports the well known phraseology curiosity killed the cat In the poem it refers to the cat as real loosing 9 livesEight times emerging from the floodShe mewd to evry watry God.No one arrives to save herNo dolphinfish came, no Nereid stirrd Nor cruel Tom, nor Susan heared.The dolphin is included in the cite of possible rescuers because it is a reference to the classical legend of the harpist, Arion, being salve by a dolphin which had been entranced by his music, practically in the same way the cat wanted to be saved by someone who heard its meowing.In Burnss poem the mouse unlike the cat does not actu on the wholey die, but it is made construct that the prospects for the mouse are bleak due to its home being finished by the plough and the fact winter is coming and the mouse has no time to build another home for itselfNow thous turnd out, for a thy trouble,But house or hald,To flag the Winters sleety dribble,Ancraneuch cauldThe poems are both basic all in ally intimately a particular ill-fated animal but each has a deeper meaning and message through anthropomorphism.The cat in Grays poem is given feminine characteristics a fair round shell illustrates the ideal image of an eighteenth century womans face. Gray also uses metaphors to describe the cat which also apply to a dolls jewels and adornmentsThe velvet of her paws,Her coat, that with the tortoise vies, Her ears of jet, and emerald eyes.In verse four the comparison of the cat to a woman is made even clearerShe stretchd in vain to reach the prize.What female heart can gold shun?What cats averse to fish?It is clear here that Gray is illustrating how women are seduced by the desire for gold as cats are seduced by the desire for fish. The anthropomorphism continues in verses 5 and 7Presumptious maid andFrom therefrom you Beauties, undeceivdKnow one false step is neer retrieved.The last lines of the poem contain a moralNot all that tempts your wandring eyesAnd heedless hearts, is lawful prizeNor all that glisters gold.Through the cat Gray created a cautionary account specifically aimed at women. Its a warning not to be tempted by what is not rightly theirs, and not to be seduced by appear appearances because it may not be as good as it looks on the outside.Gray is very direct with his message of warning to women but he writes in a light-h earted way throughout. However, Burns poem is much more serious and sombre.He uses anthropomorphism like Gray to withdraw his message across through an animal, in this case the mouse is utilise to highlight the social and moral problems that he felt existed in both the public and in his own family His father died after eighteen geezerhood of hard work as a farmer. After his fathers death they had little money, leaving them no choice but to sublease a farm in order to keep their home. These experiences were brought through in to his poem when the mouse had its home destroyed by the plough