Dismantling W.C. Williams' Red Wheelbarrow: A Formalist/ New Critic's Approach

Hello, student-critics. Kudos for the well-written critical analysis of Whitman's "O Captain! My Captain!"

         Your next task is to do a "close reading" of William Carlos Williams' imagist poem, "The Red Wheelbarrow," a poem that was subjected to so much critical rejection in terms of interpretation. This poem is, however, the quintessential example of a "formalist" poem, because the only way to make sense of it is to look at it through the formalist's/ new critic's lens.

         Applying the basic premise of the Formalist/ New Criticism Approach discussed in class, analyze and interpret this poem. As much as possible, please DO AWAY WITH CONSULTING PROFESSIONAL CRITICS' ANALYSES. Post your critical analysis as comment. This exercise is worth 20 points.

so much depends

upon

a red wheel

barrow

glazed with rain

water

beside the white

chickens.

O, Captain! My Captain! -- A Closer Look

Welcome to Quills and Parchment!

Study the following poem and answer the question that follows. Post your response as comment.

O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done;
The ship has weathered every rack, the prize we sought is won;
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring:

But O heart! heart! heart!

O the bleeding drops of red,

Where on the deck my Captain lies,

Fallen cold and dead.

O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;
Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills;
For you bouquets and ribboned wreaths—for you the shores a-crowding;
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;

Here Captain! dear father!

This arm beneath your head;

It is some dream that on the deck,

You’ve fallen cold and dead.

My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still;
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will;
The ship is anchored safe and sound, its voyage closed and done;
From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with object won;

Exult, O shores, and ring, O bells!

But I, with mournful tread,

Walk the deck my Captain lies,

Fallen cold and dead.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Which of the three approaches discussed in class would be most helpful to the critic trying to make sense of the above poem (Traditional, Historical, Biographical? Justify your choice/s.

[NOTE: Please indicate your name and your partner's name at the end of your comment/response. This assignment is worth 20 points.]