A FIgg For The Oh Death Essay

Edward Taylor was a pastor, physician and an American poet. He lived betwixt 1642 and 1729 a time of devastating living conditions. At this time America was unsounded a colony of Britain a fact that increased gay problems (Jerrett, 384). Edward, as everyone else, lived in terror of his animation and home being in danger. Yet, during these terrifying moments, he drafted poetry one of them being _A name for thee oh Death._ Being a strong believer of Christian faith, Edward was determined to ascertain his belief of life after destruction. Just like most of his poem, _A fig for thee oh Death_ aimed at criticizing death. The analysis in the succeeding sections focuses on the poem in details paid special attention to his description and attitude towards death. In addition, an analysis is provided concerning Edwards central message, which was firmly founded in his unending faith in God.The poems title insinuates that the main idea was basically rivet on the death phenomenon. Howeve r, perhaps it is possible to derive a different meaning from the manner Taylor addresses the offspring matter. In the poem, he vows vehemently his lack of confrontation to save his life, his ashes, from cruelty of passing away, for God comfort his soul (Jerrett, 386). Accordingly, it can be concluded that Edward attempted to prove that there was notable disparity surrounded by soul and body. At the same time, he also shows his attempt to reconcile the huge gap between body and soul. From the start of the poem, the poet creates two edges that form a man, the human Saul and body, _ join..nut_ (Taylor 306).Death is embodied as a ghastly monster that is a man-eater, characterized by terrible _Ghastly eyes.bare bones_. Its attempt to destroy human body does not scare Taylor. He adds that thesoul is safeguarded by the Almighty God _its heavenly Kernels box abides most safe.(Taylor_ 306). It can be noted that the speaker is eager to abandon the body and that is why he compares it to th e body of a temptress, a hedonist. Thus the central idea of the poem swings from mirror image of natural death, to the mortal body which is portrayed as a liability to the speaker (Jerrett, 389).Moreover, the narrator looks at death as a savior, a weapon strong enough to conquer the evil. Indeed, he considered death the wiles and temptations of the body. Therefore, he suggests that it the monster should be welcomed as destroyer of human body and not the soul. In fact, he is fully positive that the only thing that prevents him from going to heaven and from realizing grace is the fresh (Jerrett, 391). The poet is also confident that disposal of the fresh through death will mark the beginning of the judgment day, _Till she hath slept out instead her fatal sleep. When the last cock shall crow the last day in_ (Taylor 307). Thereafter, the destroyed, imprisoned and ultimately bad body will accompany the soul to heaven.Death changes from being a monster to a demand element crucial i n attaining grace of God. However, later on perspective of the speaker changes where he censure death for killing the fresh so slowly thereby keeping the narrator from ascending to heaven. He says _is this the worst thy terror then canst. Why then should this grimace at me terrify?_(Taylor 307)The poem helped Taylor to root the scuffle of the soul and the body. He manages to illustrate how the human body can offer numerous temptations and still allow a person to go to heaven. The main message that Edward is putting across is that there is life after death. Therefore he feels that people should not fear death because the savior (Jesus Christ) also died, resurrected and ascended to heaven. whole shebang CitedTaylor, Edward. A Fig for Thee, Oh Death. _The Norton Anthology of American Literature_. Gen. ed. Nina Baym. 8th ed. Vol. A. New York Norton,2012. 306-307. Print._Jerrett, M. American Literature to 1900. Years Work face Studies, (1978), 57(1) 382-397_