Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat Essay Example for Free

Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat EssayThe two poems I am comparing Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat by Thomas Gray and To a Mouse by Robert Burns were both written in the eighteenth century, which makes it interesting to make a affinity of their content, style and techniques, to see how poems of the eighteenth century differ from each other.Both of the poems feature an animate being as the main subject of the poem. In Grays poem he has a house guy cable as the main focus of the poem whilst Burns dedi framees his poem to a field cabbage. Both these animals come to an ill-fated end. The cat out-of-pocket to curiosity tumbled headlong into a tub of gold fishes This supports the well known phrase curiosity killed the cat In the poem it refers to the cat as actually loosing 9 livesEight generation emerging from the floodShe mewd to evry watry God.No one arrives to save herNo Dolphin came, no Nereid stirrd Nor cruel Tom, nor Susan heared.The mahimahi is included in the list of possible rescuers because it is a reference to the classical legend of the harpist, Arion, being relieve by a dolphin which had been entranced by his music, much in the same way the cat wanted to be saved by someone who heard its meowing.In Burnss poem the mouse strange the cat does not actually die, scarce it is made clear that the prospects for the mouse are bleak due to its home being destroyed by the go and the fact winter is coming and the mouse has no time to build another home for itselfNow thous turnd out, for a thy trouble,But house or hald,To rowlock the Winters sleety dribble,Ancraneuch cauldThe poems are both basically about a particular ill-fated animal simply each has a deeper meaning and message through anthropomorphism.The cat in Grays poem is given feminine characteristics a fair round face illustrates the ideal image of an eighteenth century womans face. Gray in like manner uses metaphors to describe the cat which also apply to a ladys jewels and ad ornmentsThe velvet of her paws,Her coat, that with the tortoise vies, Her ears of jet, and emerald eyes.In verse four the comparison of the cat to a woman is made even clearerShe stretchd in vain to reach the prize.What female essence can gold despise?What cats averse to fish?It is clear here that Gray is illustrating how women are seduced by the desire for gold as cats are seduced by the desire for fish. The anthropomorphism continues in verses 5 and 7Presumptious maid andFrom hence you Beauties, undeceivdKnow one false step is neer retrieved.The last lines of the poem contain a moralNot all that tempts your wandring eyesAnd heedless hearts, is lawful prizeNor all that glisters gold.Through the cat Gray created a cautionary tale specifically aimed at women. Its a warning not to be tempted by what is not rightly theirs, and not to be seduced by glittering appearances because it may not be as good as it looks on the outside.Gray is very direct with his message of warning to women bu t he writes in a light-hearted way throughout. However, Burns poem is much more serious and sombre.He uses anthropomorphism like Gray to get his message across through an animal, in this case the mouse is used to highlight the social and moral problems that he felt existed in both the public and in his own family His father died after eighteen years of hard work as a farmer. aft(prenominal) his fathers death they had little money, leaving them no choice but to sublease a farm in order to keep their home. These experiences were brought through in to his poem when the mouse had its home destroyed by the plough