I am doing a poetry analysis of John Clare's "IAm!" I need help identifying the emotional/logical climax and the fulcrum of the piece. I have identified its metaphors, similes, imagery, censuara, allusions, repetition. Am I missing something? Here is the poem:
I am—yet what I am none cares or knows;
My friends forsake me like a memory lost:
I am the self-consumer of my woes—
They rise and vanish in oblivious host,
Like shadows in love’s frenzied stifled throes
And yet I am, and live—like vapours tossed
Into the nothingness of scorn and noise,
Into the living sea of waking dreams,
Where there is neither sense of life or joys,
But the vast shipwreck of my life’s esteems;
Even the dearest that I loved the best
Are strange—nay, rather, stranger than the rest.
I long for scenes where man hath never trod
A place where woman never smiled or wept
There to abide with my Creator, God,
And sleep as I in childhood sweetly slept,
Untroubling and untroubled where I lie
The grass below—above the vaulted sky.
To identify the emotional/logical climax and the fulcrum in "IAm!" by John Clare, you need to closely analyze the poem's structure, language, and themes.
First, let's define the terms:
1. Emotional climax: This refers to the point in the poem where the speaker's emotions reach their peak. It is usually marked by a shift in tone, intensity, or imagery.
2. Logical climax: This refers to the point in the poem where the overall meaning or argument culminates. It is the most significant or pivotal moment in terms of the poet's message or intention.
3. Fulcrum: This refers to the central or turning point in the poem. It is the moment where the balance or direction of the poem shifts.
Now, let's analyze "IAm!" to identify these elements.
In the first stanza, the speaker expresses a sense of isolation and insignificance. They feel ignored and abandoned by others, with their troubles consuming them. The metaphor of being "like vapours tossed / Into the nothingness of scorn and noise" conveys a feeling of being insignificant and unnoticed.
The second stanza extends this theme of isolation and disillusionment. The speaker describes living in a world devoid of joy and meaning, where their life's ideals have been shattered. The repetition of the word "strange" emphasizes their alienation from even their closest loved ones.
The third and final stanza introduces a yearning for a place untouched by human existence. The speaker desires to be with God and longs for the tranquility of their childhood innocence, where they can sleep peacefully and undisturbed. This stanza suggests the speaker's longing for escape and a spiritual connection.
Taking all of this into consideration, we can identify the emotional climax as the speaker's expression of isolation and disillusionment in the first two stanzas. The logical climax comes in the final stanza, where the speaker reveals their ultimate desire for solace and a return to innocence. It is in this stanza that the theme of longing for an unspoiled existence and connection with God is most strongly expressed.
As for the fulcrum, it can be found in the transition between the second and third stanzas. The shift from describing a world of disillusionment to yearning for an idealized and untouched existence represents a turning point in the poem's direction and themes.
To supplement your analysis, you can also explore the poem's use of metaphors, similes, imagery, censura, allusions, and repetition. These literary devices help elucidate the poem's central ideas and enhance its emotional impact.