At this point in the semester, you have read the entirety of News of the Universe by
Robert Bly. We discussed at length Bly’s concept of the “old position” and read poems
in part one that reflect the thinking of the “old position.” In part two, we looked at the
Romantic poets who rebelled against “old position” thinking in their poems about
women, feelings, God, and the sublime. The subsequent parts of the anthology (parts
three through six) contain poems from 20th century poets who Bly argues were working
within the lineage of the Romantic poets who diverged from “old position” thinking.
i’d like for you to select one poem from any section of the anthology that
resonates with you on a deeper level. You will analyze this poem as it relates to our
ongoing conversation about the evolution of “old position” thinking, considering its
strengths and limitations. I also ask that you draw from one of the three essays you
were asked to read (“The Great Witch-Hunt in Europe,” “Memorial Address” or “Poetry
is Not a Luxury”) to further contextualize and fortify your argument. For example, we’ve
discussed how Descartes’ famous statement “I think therefore I am” set the stage for a
new kind of intelligence, one which prioritizes the rational mind as the seat of
consciousness and arguably resulted in human’s separation from nature. We read the
poem “New York” by Federico Garcia Lorca which paints New York as a nightmarish
landscape where blood “sweeps the machines to the waterfalls.” Additionally, we read
Martin Heidegger’s “Memorial Address” criticizing “calculative thinking” as the root of
modern human’s disconnect from nature and consequent reliance on technology.
If I were writing an essay on the poem “New York” by Lorca within the context of Bly’s
anthology and Heidegger’s “Memorial Address,” I may outline how “old position” thinking
(as articulated by Bly in part one) started with Descartes and culminated in mass
industrialization and human’s separation from nature, as we increasingly prioritized
“calculative thinking.” I would further argue that Lorca’s poem “New York” is a depiction
of an industrialized, capitalist society assembled by “old position” thinking. I could
excerpt the following lines to support my argument: “the endless trains carrying blood,”
“Rust, rotting, trembling earth,” “the paw of a cat crushed by a car,” and “these empty
offices / that will not broadcast the sufferings.” Furthermore, I would ensure that I was
answering the “so what” by speaking to the implications of living in a society which
values “calculative thinking” and efficiency over meditative thinking and twofold
consciousness.
Remember that your essay needs an argument-driven thesis which clearly states how
your poem relates to Bly’s anthology and the essay of your choice. I would suggest you
begin by identifying an aspect of the anthology or the essays that you want to focus on.
For example, the perception of nature or women, the impact of technology, or the
concept of consciousness. Once you’ve settled on a specific aspect you want to analyze
you can begin to look for connections across the texts. Make sure to ground your
findings within Bly’s anthology and overarching narrative. Use your introduction to
define your terms and to introduce the aspect you will be focusing on in the poem. As
with any other essay, you will need to quote generously from the source texts to support
your argument. Do NOT rely on or include any texts outside of what has been assigned
