somewhere I have never traveled,gladly beyond Group

Question:


johndoeman
Student
College - Sophomore

Using this poem, how would you describe Cummings' views on modern society?

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Posted by johndoeman on Sunday February 25, 2007 at 3:48 PM and tagged with e e cummings, modern society, poetry, somewhere i have never traveled,gladly beyond.

Answers:


  1. gbeatty Teacher
    College - Freshman

    eNotes Editor

    I'd describe it (modern society) as far less important than the individual and his /her connection with others. This poem focuses on love, desire, and how the connection between two people makes what is essentially a private world. The poet's focus is on the personal, allowing him to almost forget modern society.

    Greg

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/traveled-beyond/36786

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    Posted by gbeatty on Sunday February 25, 2007 at 6:03 PM

  2. joriegram
    joriegram Teacher
    College - Senior

    eNotes Editor

    Cummings doesn't allow much room for "modern society" in this poem, just himself and his beloved; we see this in his punctuation, where commas, semicolons, and parentheses have no spaces following them. He tries to cram all of love's many dichotomies into the one poem: the beloved is described as having both "power" and "fragility"; likewise, he reveals her beauty/sweetness ("your slightest look will easily unclose me") as well as her coldness ("or if your wish be to close me,i and / my life will shut very beautifully,suddenly, . . . .). Perhaps, then, Cummings' poem comments on modern love, love that has room to make choices, to stay or withdraw.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/traveled-beyond

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    Posted by joriegram on Monday March 26, 2007 at 10:07 AM