cummings的诗歌分析

Appreciation of E.E. Cummings Poetry
From the Perspective of Foregrounding
1. Introduction to Cummings
E. E. Cummings, poet and cubist painter, was the representative of American modern experimental poets. As a poet and painter, Cummings reflected the harmony of poems and paintings in his works, eschewing the conventional rhymes and syntactic structure of poems and even rejecting to transfer information and emotion in the way of conventional printing.
2.Foregrounding in Poetry
The term ‘foregrounding’ is borrowed by stylisticians from art criticism, which distinguishes between the foreground and the background of a painting. The theory of foregrounding is probably the most important theory within Stylistic Analysis, and foregrounding analysis is arguably the most important part of the stylistic analysis in poetry.
Leech’s Theory on Foregrounding
Foregrounding is realized by linguistic deviation and linguistic parallelism.
Figure 1 The Realization of Foregrounding (Leech) Leech divides deviation into eight types: lexical deviation, grammatical deviation, phonological deviation, graphological deviation, semantic deviation, dialectal deviation, deviation of register and deviation of historical period. Now we construct a new pattern of the realization of foregrounding.
Figure 2 The Realization of Foregrounding
Figure 2 illustrates that
the linguistic deviation and overregularity produce
foregrounding. Linguistic deviation consists of lexical deviation, grammatical deviation, phonological deviation, graphological deviation and deviation of meaning. Linguistic overregularity includes phonological overregularity, lexical overregularity and grammatical overregularity, in which phonological overregularity consists of phonemic patterning and rhythmic patterning; lexical overregularity refers to lexical repetition; grammatical overregularity can be further divided into repetition and parallelism.
3. Analysis of Cummings’ poem “in Just-”
1. in Just-
2. spring when the world is mud-
3. luscious the little
4. lame balloonman
5. whistles far and wee
6. and eddieandbill come
7. running from marbles and
8. piracies and it's
9. spring
10. when the world is puddle-wonderful
11. the queer
12. old balloonman whistles
13. far and wee
14. and bettyandisbel come dancing
15. from hop-scotch and jump-rope and
16. it's
17. spring
18. and
19. the
20. goat-footed
21. balloonMan whistles
22. far
23. and
24. wee
3.1 Graphological Deviation
The most striking in this poem is perhaps the fact that there is no title. Rather, it is only one clause which runs over the whole poem. that only one clause runs over the whole poem. This may show that poet intends the poem to be read as a whole and places emphasis on the unity of the discourse. The important effect created is the arousal of the reader’s expectation and interest. This is because when the reader reads the first line, he gets a sense of incompleteness and, therefore would like to read on to find out ‘what’ is said. Taking a close look at the whole poem, we find that every line of the poem, in fact, creates a pulling-forward effect, though there may be differences in the degrees of strength.
3.2 Lexical Deviation
What may strike us is the compound nouns
goat-footed, mud-luscious , puddle-wonderful, balloonman, eddieandbill, bettyandisbel are ‘nonce-formations’ (the words the literary writer invents).
The Function:
1. The unusu al compounds that Cummings invents are suggestive of a “child’s language”: hence, mud-luscious (pleasant muddy) and puddle-wonderful (= pleasant puddly). mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful evoke the joyful scenery-the children playing happily on the muddy ground after spring rain.
2. Secondly, the names are merged into one another; eddieandbill(＝eddie and bill =Eddie and Bill) and bettyandisbel (betty and isbele=Elizabeth and lsabela). eddie and bill come running(=Eddie and Bill come running). eddie and bill are the names of two little boys which have several levels of meaning: (1)the decapitalization of the names demonstrates the boys are very little; (2) eddie and bill are merged into one word eddieandbill renders the cubic impression – the boys are running hand in hand. The effect here is to render the hustle, bustle, and speed of the children as they come running to the summons of the whistle.
3. According to the context, the nonce-formation balloonman is the compounding of the words balloon and man which implies several meaning: 1) the man who sells balloons; 2) the man looks like a mixture of balloons and man because there are a lot of balloons in his hands and over his head; 3) balloonman is the symbol of spring. Balloons grant a profound impression of happiness and joy. Goatfooted/ balloonMan makes readers to associate it with Greek god Pan-Half-man, half-goat. Pan, God of music and play, is the symbol of spring. The capitalization of “Man” in balloonman emphasizes that the man selling balloons is Pan-God of spring.
3.3 Lexical Overregularity
The repetition of words and phrases is another device to realize the foregrounding in this poem. The words “spring”, “whistle” ,“ballooman” and the phrase “far and wee” repeat three times respectively with the repetition of the word “come”, giving a vivid account of what is happening.
这首诗描绘初春儿童欢乐嬉戏的情景，藉以引起成年人对儿时欢乐之回
忆，同时也暗示成年人生活的世俗化，已无法感受和了解春的圣洁与童稚时
之欢乐。

这首诗呈现出一副生动的立体画面，描写春天儿童们自得其乐嬉戏著，
远处传来卖气球的人的哨声，孩子们立刻欢乐地奔向卖气球的地方，不久卖
气球的人也就随著哨声，远去而消逝。

这首诗的分节形式为4-1-4-1-4-1-4-1-4，非常工整。

第一节说，春天裏，小孩子们远远望见一个卖气球的人，吹著口哨从远
处而来。

第二节说，孩子们正在玩弹子和官兵捉强盗的游戏，远远望见卖气球的
人，便愉快地奔跑过去，真是个快活的春天。

第三节说，卖气球的老人吹著口哨，玩跳房子，跳绳子的小孩们雀跃奔
驰而来。

第四、五节说，这真是大好的春天，独脚的卖气球的人吹著口渐渐远去。

这首诗呈现出儿时欢乐的景象，其中有卖气球的老人，有玩弹子、官兵
捉强盗、跳房子和跳绳子的游戏。

这种情景使世俗化的成年人，不觉忆起幼时的欢乐，一切都如诗如画那麼清晰。

注释：
1-2. in Just- / spring: =in just spring time，春到人间。

"Just"有
beginning之意，此字大写，给读者在心理上或意识感受上，一种较强烈的
冲和较深刻的印象: 春天到了。

2-3. the world is mud / luscious: "mud-luscious"=pleasant muddy.
"mud-luscious"一字唤起读者的感受是春雨后，小孩们在充满生气而泥泞
潮湿的地上玩的愉快情景。

4. balloonman: 卖气球的人。

把"balloon"和"man"合并成一个字可能产
生多层次的意义: (一)卖气球的人；(二)卖气球的人因为手上拿著很轻飘
飘的气球，远远看去，就活个气球人; (三)"balloonman"是春的象徵，气
球给人轻快的感觉。

5. far and wee: =far and wide，或far and away，用来表示卖气球的
人的哨音传得广而远，空隔使人有声音从远方传来的真实感。

6-7. eddieandbill come / running: =eddie and bill come running=
Eddie and Bill come running."eddie and bill"是两个小男孩的名字
(eddie=Edward; bill=William)。

"eddieandbill"有几个层次意思: (一)
名字的头一个字用小写，给人一种「小」的感觉; 也就是说，两个小孩还
很小；(二)"eddie" "and" "bill"三个字合成一个字给人一种小孩手拉著
手轻快的跑过去的感觉，亦即使用平面的字表现立体的印象。

7. marbles: 弹子。

此一字很能使读者彷佛看见小孩在玩弹子游戏的生动
画面。

8. piracies: 官兵捉强盗，其功用与marbles相同。

10. puddle-wonderful: puddle指(路上的)污水坑; 参阅2-3行注解，其意
大略相同。

14. bettyandisbel: ＝betty and isbele=Elizabeth and lsabela; 参阅
6-7行注解，其意大略相同。

15. hop-scotch: jump-rope: 跳房子，一种小孩子的游戏。

跳绳子，一种
小孩子的游戏。

20. goat-footed / balloonMan: 山羊脚的气球人。

"goatfooted" 的人，
使人联想到希腊神话中半人半羊的牧神Pan。

此处该注意的是：第四行卖气球的人被形容为"lame balloonman"; 在第11, 12 行，被称为"the queer /
old balloonman"; 在这裏被称为"goatfooted / balloonMan,"前后彼此呼
应。

Pan同时也是god of music and play，在这裹便成了春天欢乐的象徵。

balloonMan这个字裏的"Man"第一个字母大写，给人一种「大」的感觉; 这位有山羊脚的卖气球的人原来是春之牧神变的。

4.Analysis of “anyone lived in a pretty how town”
Cummings’ poem “anyone lived in a pretty how town” consists of nine stanzas with 36 lines, each stanza with four lines. Its plot is simple but hard to understand, and its success lies in exquisite language. From the perspective of rhythm, the poem is free verse although there are some regular patterns.
anyone lived in a pretty how town
1. anyone lived in a pretty how town
2. (with up so floating many bells down)
3. spring summer autumn winter
4. he sang his didn't he danced his did
5. Women and men (both little and small)
6. cared for anyone not at all
7. they sowed their isn't they reaped their same
8. sun moon stars rain
9. children guessed (but only a few
10. and down they forgot as up they grew
11. autumn winter spring summer)
12. that noone loved him more by more
13. when by now and tree by leaf
14. she laughed his joy she cried his grief
15. bird by snow and stir by still
16. anyone's any was all to her
17. someones married their everyones
18. laughed their cryings and did their dance
19. (sleep wake hope and then) they
20. said their nevers they slept their dream
21. stars rain sun moon
22. (and only the snow can begin to explain
23. how children are apt to forget to remember
24. with up so floating many bells down)
25. one day anyone died i guess
26. (and noone stooped to kiss his face)
27. busy folk buried them side by side
28. little by little and was by was
29. all by all and deep by deep
30. and more by more they dream their sleep
31. noone and anyone earth by april
32. wish by spirit and if by yes.
33. Women and men (both dong and ding)
34. summer autumn winter spring
35. reaped their sowing and went their came
36. sun moon stars rain
如果住在一个漂亮的城镇
作者-科明斯
如果有人住在一个相当漂亮的城镇(这么漂浮的许多下来)。

秋天冬天春天的夏天
他唱了他,他才他跳舞
女性和男性(小和小)。

任何人都不关心
一些人想要获得他们的不是他们一样太阳月亮星星下雨了
孩子们猜想(但只有少数
他们忘记了和他们一样
秋天冬天春天夏季)。

那没有人爱他更多更多
当现在和树的叶子吗
她笑了他的喜悦她哭了他的悲伤
由雪,鸟仍被
任何人的任何都给她
他们结婚。

人人帐目上弄虚做假
他们和他们嘲笑cryings跳舞
(睡觉醒来的时候希望,然后他们
他们说他们的nevers自己的梦想
太阳月亮星星下雨
(只有雪可以开始进行解释
孩子们如何容易忘记,记得吗
有那么多钟下浮动)。

一天,有人死吧
(没有人弯腰吻他的脸)。

繁忙的民间埋葬他们
渐渐地,受到了
所有,由深。

深
他们的梦想而更多的睡眠
没有任何人以四月。

希望通过精神,如果是的。

女性和男性(东、丁)。

夏天的秋天冬天春天
他们走了收割播种
太阳月亮星星下雨了
4.1 Graphological Deviation
Capitalization is an important element in Cummings’ poe ms. Rather than capitalize the first word of every sentence, or every proper name, Cummings seems to have an entirely different use for capitalization in a poem. There are only two instances of capitalization in “anyone lived in a pretty how town.”Both instances follow the only two full stops in the poem and capitalizes “Women and men” to imply the position and influence of the different characters: “anyone” and “noone” are lonely, while “Women and men” dominate the society. Decapitalization in the beginning and no full stop in the end symbolize that end is the new beginning. It tells people not to abide by the convention and anyone should breach the convention to realize his dream.
4.3 Lexical Deviation
his didn't , his did , their isn't , their same , their nevers , their came .
4.4 Semantic Deviation (Metaphorical Deviation)
Stanza 1.This poem has the unified metaphorical deviation. In stanza 1, the name has a double meaning; “anyone” could be “anyone” in the dictionary definition sense, and could be seen as a singular entity, reinforcing the theme of isolation the independent individual has from the rest of society. The events all occur in a “pretty how town”. “pretty” implies a mere façade, describing superficiality of the town's inhabitants. “how”, an adverb, is used as an adjective here. It could be describing the e xtent of the town’s prettiness, but a better reason is that it describes the routine humdrum of the town's activities, since “how” also means “in a method or manner”.
Stanza 2. The women and men of the next stanza are described as “little and small”, referring not to their physical size but their capacit y and willingness to explore new dimensions. They do not attempt anything (sowed their isn’t) outside their known habits (they reaped their same). The next line is a list of heavenly bodies and weather conditions, signifying the fact that the townspeople never change their standardized routines even when other things do.
The third stanza introduces characters common to Cummings’ works. He viewed children as innocent, and because of their innocence, can see the love “noone” has for “anyone’s” individuality. Again, “noone’s” name has a double meaning, expressing the degree of “noone’s”love (more by more) as well as “anyone’s” intense isolation from the rest of society. The children’s ability to see this love fades with the passing of time as they get older, and it is interesting to note that the list of seasons this time starts with autumn. Autumn leads into winter, which is often a symbol of death and sleep. The seasons describing anyone started with spring, which is a symbol of rebirth and change, characteristic of his personality.
Stanzas 4-5: “noone” and “anyone” live spontaneously for the present (when by now), gaining large advances from small things (tree by leaf). Cummings considers risks as tiny compa red to the possibilities resulting from pushing boundaries. “tree by leaf” could also be referring to parts as the sum of a whole, suggesting the depth of “anyone” and “noone’s”
shared experiences. “noone”partakes in all of “anyone’s” activities, laughing and crying with him. She does this through all circumstances. The symbols “bird”and “snow” describe the seasons as opposed to an obvious list, contrasting “anyone’s” abstract creativity with society’s literal inflexibility. “Stir by still” illustrates rest and motion, but the “by” implies that even at rest, the couple was dynamic. The next line, “anyone’s any was all to her” explains how much “noone” loved everything about “anyone”, as well as reiterating the isolation motif.
The non-specific “someones” marrying their “everyones” shows Cummings’ attitude towards the institute of marriage. Note that “anyone” and “noone” have love, but they are not married. Marriage is a social convention (did their dance) that does not necessarily have
anything to do with love. The next paradoxical line, “laughed their cryings”, is an example of these ordinary couples’ lack of understanding of each other, implying at best, an incomplete type of love. It also suggests insensitivity, in that they laugh at other people’s cryin gs, and confusion about their own misfortunes, laughing at themselves. “did their dance” is an inversion of anyone’s “danced his did”, another example contrasting “anyone” with “everyone”. The townspeople continue their cycle of sleeping, waking, and hopin g, although hope achieves nothing as long as they say “their nevers”. They restrict their hopes and dreams to the realm of sleep (slept their dream).
Stanza six describes the passage of time, as the children grow up and become “everyones”. The snow archetype is present here again, symbolizing the end of children’s innocence, as they “forget to remember” the happiness anyone achieves, opting for society’s mechanical activities.
The narrator tells us of “anyone’s” death with a resigned apathy. He knows that this event will not change the townspeople. It also evokes the unconcern the townspeople have for “anyone”, how they allow events to merely pass by. The double meaning of “noone” is used again to display this detachment (noone stooped to kiss his face). “anyone” and “noone” are buried together, their physical bodies returning to dust (earth by april), but they become part of a shared dream (dream their sleep).
The townspeople take no notice of this and continue their fruitless cycle. When they die, they achieve nothing (r eaped their sowing, when they sowed nothing in the second stanza). They merely become dust and disappear forever (went their came), as opposed to “anyone” and “noone”, who achieve immortality much like the eternal sun, moon, and stars. The re are very few breaks in the poem - only two periods, each occurring before “Women and men”. This is a disruption in the poem, perhaps signifying the townspeople as an aberration in the order of the universe, and “anyone” and “noone” being more akin to it, blending in. The poem does not begin with a capitalized letter, nor does not end with a period, showing that the cycle begins where it left off.
The most striking pattern is obviously the revolution of the seasons, which is indicated by the rotating list of their names. With each of the abstract terms the poet associates a natural phenomenon characterizing the particular season on the sensuous level of human experience so that one may stand emblematically for the other: sun---summer; moon---autumn; stars--- winter; rain--- spring. Their vertical sequence in the poem corresponds to our anthropological expectations and yearnings: spring (3), summer (“sun”8), autumn (11), winter (“stars” 21), summer (34), summer (“sun” 36)...
4.5 Repetition
Cummings’ most important structuring devices in this poem are refrains and repeated grammatical patterns. Three of the refrains are two strings of four nouns, the first series referring to the seasons (natural order “spring summer autumn winter,” is chosen when anyone is introduced in stanza 1, then those same words in a different order in stanza 2 and stanza 3) with the description;
the second series referring to more specific natural phenomena, all related to the sky (“sun moon stars rain” in lines 8 and 36, and a variant order of these nouns in line 21).When “Women and men”are discussed, the natural order are used, and when children forget to treasure their individuality, the order is changed into “stars rain sun moon”, but when children grew up and became “Women and men”, it resumes original order. Another refrain, “with up so floating many bells down” (line 2) is repeated exactly in line 24. Both times the phrase is in parentheses.。