Essay about Death in Life and Love in Dorothy Parkers Poetry

Death in Life and Love in Dorothy Parkers Poetry Dorothy Parker, an accomplished American poet, exposes the darker side of human behavior through her epigrammatic style of poetry. She believed that a writer must say what he feels and sees. She specialized in the hard truths, particularly about death, in both life and love. Some major motifs present in Parker’s work include loneliness, lack of communication between men and women, disintegration of relationships, human frailties, and the affectations and hypocrisies of a patriarchal society. Parker’s wit is largely autobiographical reflecting the tumultuous years of her youth that included alcoholism, romantic disasters, and attempted suicides. The three poems provided in the†¦show more content†¦This verse succinctly posed as a question asks if it is idealistic to have a relationship with a man who is not â€Å"suave†. Suave, which means â€Å"smoothly affable and polite though often without deep interest or sincerity† (Webster’s †“ 2272, emphasis added), could imply that men are De Profundis, or shallow. In â€Å"Resume†, Parker employs irony to humorously relate a tragic human situation, suicide. On the surface this irony seems to be that the poem advocates suicide but says the opposite. Further analysis shows that the irony is not so direct and is again hidden in the ambiguity of the title. The poem sarcastically offers incomprehensible and mocking reasons to not commit suicide and continue to live. Regarding the title of the poem, the word resume, without accents, means â€Å"to take up after interruption† (Webster’s – 1937), which is appropriate to the poem. Resume, with accents, means â€Å"a summary, particularly a brief account of one’s education and professional experience† (Webster’s – 1937), as if the poem summarizes the speakers experiences in the area of suicide. In fact, Parker attempted suicide four times. (Breese – xxxv) In â€Å"General Review of the Sex Situation†, the speaker contrasts attitudinal differences between the sexes regarding intimacy. Parker again has utilized the title of the poem in an intentionally sarcastic manner. The statement â€Å"General ReviewShow MoreRelated A Glimpse of Dorothy Parkers Life Essay examples1355 Words   |  6 PagesA Glimpse of Dorothy Parkers Life Dorothy Rothschild, later to become the famous writer Dorothy Parker, was born on August 22, 1893 to J. Henry Rothschild and Eliza A (Marston) Rothschild in West End, New Jersey. Parker’s father, Mr. Rothschild, was a Jewish business man while Mrs. Rothschild, in contrast, was of Scottish descent. Parker was the youngest of four; her only sister Helen was 12 and her two brothers, Harold and Bertram, were aged 9 and 6, respectively. Just before herRead More Dorothy Parker Essays922 Words   |  4 Pagesquot;Inventoryquot; Four be the things I am wiser to know: Idleness, sorrow, a friend, and a foe. Four be the things Id been better without: Love, curiosity, freckles, and doubt. Three be the things I shall never attain: Envy, content, and sufficient champagne. Three be the things I shall have till I die: Laughter and hope and a sock in the eye. *** Dorothy Parker became popular shortly after the first world war with her light verse and short stories. Although her works may not seem harsh and