Beowulf: Biblical Imagery and Symbolism by Heidi Moyer

            Throughout Beowulf, biblical imagery and symbolism runs rampant. The epic poem reflects Christian culture in astonishing ways, intertwining with the concepts of Norse mythology. The purpose of this paper is to reveal the ways the living word of God has impacted the earth that God has masterfully created, and the unbelievable way he chose to save his dying world despite the attempts of the devil.

            The poem begins with the genealogy of the warriors and kings. Interestingly enough, this parallels Matthew 1, as Matthew records Jesus line from Abraham to Joseph, Jesus’ earthly father. After this, the story dives right into the biblical story of Cain and Able found in Genesis 4. The tale reveals that Cain killed his brother and was cursed forever by God, then goes on explaining that the evil, condemned Grendel was the offspring of Cain and a she-demon (Heaney 9). 

            “All were endangered; young and old were hunted down by the dark death-shadow who lurked and swooped in the long nights on the misty moors; nobody knows where these reavers from hell roam on their errands (Heaney 13).” This passage eloquently symbolizes what Paul the apostle of Christ said in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” No matter what race, gender, or language every human except for Jesus Christ, has succumbed to the dark powers of sin represented by Grendel at this time. The quote also alludes to the mysterious nature of the hellish creatures.

            When Grendel seemed too much for the Danish people they turned to their pagan idols instead of turning to the one true God for aid in their time of trouble.  They even went as far as asking the devil for help, “The Almighty Judge of good deeds and bad, the Lord                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   God, Head of the Heavens and the High King of the World, was unknown to them (Heaney 15).” The people turning from God to the extent that they no longer know him is similar to the way the Israelite s often turned away from God when his timing and plan was not what they wanted.

            When Beowulf first came to assist the Danes against the emanate evil he was approached at the shore by the danish coastguard. The coastguard officer asked what their business there was and Beowulf responded saying, “I can show the wise Hrothgar a way to defeat his enemy and find respite-- if any respite is to reach him, ever. I can calm the turmoil and terror in his mind. Otherwise, he must endure woes and live with grief for as long as his hall stands at the horizon, on its high ground (Heaney 21).” The response Beowulf gives is intrinsically significant to him as a Christ figure. First, he talks of how he can reveal to Hrothgar how he can defeat his enemy, this is similar to the way Christ offers Christians a way to defeat Satan by accepting his free gift of salvation for humanity. Also just as Beowulf gives Hrothgar a choice to accept his help, Christ has given everyone free will  to choose his way or go their own way which ultimately leads to destruction. Beowulf warns Hrothgar in this passage that if he fails to obtain the relief he is offering he will suffer. In addition, this

passage unveils Heorot as a symbol of the king's pride. This is vital to the story because it marks the beginning of Beowulf's triumphs over evil.

            The epic continues as Beowulf declares before Hrothgar, “I hereby renounce sword and the shelter of the broad shield, the heavy war-board: hand-to-hand is how it will be, a life-and-death fight with the fiend (Heaney 31).” This allegation is an act of self sacrifice,  which is a key element in the character of a Christ figure. Beowulf retains this attitude as he enters into each of his battles against evil, making it a prominent theme throughout this piece of literature. This section also alludes to the uselessness of worldly weapons in the realm of spiritual warfare.

            “...[Beowulf's] whole company of sea-rovers at rest beside him. None of them expected he would ever see his homeland again or get back to his native place and the people who reared him (Heaney 47).” Clearly, the reference to his men being at rest beside him is comparable to the  scene in Matthew 26:38-45, where Christ prayed with his disciples in the garden and they fell asleep leaving him to prepare for his suffering alone. In addition, this passage displays the doubt and the lack of faith Beowulf's men posses. Equivalently, Jesus disciples exhibit these same traits when Jesus is taken captive.

            “The captain of evil discovered himself in a handgrip harder than anything he had ever encountered in any man on the face of the earth. Every bone in his body quailed and recoiled, but he could not escape (Heaney 51).” Beowulf's power is perfectly illustrated as he grips Grendel's grotesque arm. John 1:5 says, “And the light shines on in the darkness, but the darkness has not mastered it (NIV).” This is a definite image of good's victory over evil and darkness and is major theme throughout the chronicle.                                                                            

            God loved the world so much that he sent down one man, his son to rescue it according to the third chapter of John. If Christ had not come into the world all of humanity                                                                                     

would have become devoured by corruption and sin. Jesus arrival on earth is an event that has long been for told, and anticipated. He was chosen as the only one who could accomplish the task set before him by God. “Grendel had cruelly killed more, had not mindful God and one Man's daring prevented that doom (Heaney 71).” This concept is relevant because it show how, like Christ, Beowulf came out of seemingly nowhere to deliver the people.

            “You have won renown: you are known to all men far and near, now and forever (Heaney 85).” This quote is spoken by Wealhtheow, the king's wife after Beowulf's courageous victory over Grendel. These words are particularly impactful because it gives Beowulf a sense of permanence and an eternal essence. Even though he will eventually pass away he will always be in the hearts of the ones who loved and adored him.

            At the end of the epic when Beowulf is fighting his final battle he knows it will be his last, and that in the end his strength will fail him. Never the less, he fights fearlessly. One of his soldiers, however, comes to his aid when he is in need. Wiglaf fights with him and they kill the dragon which has been oppressing the people. As Beowulf reaches his end he commissions Wiglaf and gives him specific instructions regarding his burial. This scene is extremely similar to the one found in the beginning of the book of Acts, as Jesus commissioned his disciples before he ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of God. 

            It is amazing how literature unveils the grace of God and his unmatched love for humanity. The poem Beowulf is a story which has withstood the test of time and created beautiful mental images with its eloquent language. Christianity and Norse mythology have united to form this inspiring masterpiece.

Works Cited

Heaney, Seamus, and John D. Niles. Beowulf: an Illustrated Edition. New York: W.W. Norton, 2008. Print.

Holy Bible: New International Version, Chocolate/pink, Italian Duo-tone. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2007. Print. 

Christian Symbolism in Lord of the Rings by Heidi Moyer

           The Lord of the Rings is embedded heavily with Christian symbolism which Tolkien masterfully uses to reach the secular world. The symbolism is evident in the landscape, various action carried out by characters, and the journeys they take. J.R.R. Tolkien implants most of his symbolism into his Christ figures and Satan figures. Tolkien, author of the trilogy, uniquely interlaced elements of his faith in with his masterpiece of literature. This is a powerful tale with moral values used every day and the truth of the gospel.

            A prominent example of symbolism is the Ring. The Ring represents slavery, corruption and the desire to sin. It causes a strong desire within anyone who comes in contact with it. Throughout the story the Ring affects each character in some way, or has some significance to them. For instance, Frodo must bear the heavy burden of the ring for the entirety of the journey; Gollum is enslaved by the Ring even after he no longer possesses it, and the fate of Galadriel’s world lies in the fate of the Ring. Overall this symbol embodies the core of the major themes in these books.

            Another significant symbol is resurrection. The most of the main characters experience some kind of death, resurrection and ascension. One particular instance of this was when Gandalf the Grey falls into Moria and is thought to be dead for some time, then miraculously comes back as Gandalf the White. This represents Jesus sacrifice on the cross, his death, resurrection and

ascension into the clouds. To have so many characters experience this, truly makes a statement and reiterates the presence of Tolkien’s faith in his novels. After each character is subjected to the death phase of their journey the come back stronger and greater than they have ever been.

            Pure water is another symbol Tolkien used throughout his trilogy, representing life and the afterlife. This is specifically shown when Gandalf and Aragorn narrowly escape death and fall into a pool of water. It is also shown when Boromir, after his death is sent off on a boat down the river symbolizing him going on into his next life. In the Bible, water also has significant meaning. One parallel to this is when a person is baptized; they become a new creation in Christ and start a new life.

            The last example of symbolism is the barrenness of the land while Sauron roamed Middle-Earth. The land began looking dry and dead and it got worse as Sauron overtook the Shire. This is an amazing picture of what happens to humans when evil consumes the heart and soul. It can also be compared to when God cursed the earth after Adam and Eve sinned and tarnished its perfection.  The cures on the Earth will last until Christ’s second coming as the desolation in Middle-Earth lasted until the hobbits took back the Shire. This is hope for Christians who are waiting for the Earth to be made new when Christ comes again.

            The symbolism sends Tolkien’s message across with a brilliant accuracy. He used his moral principles as a guide while writing in order to introduce concepts which are relevant in society and can be used to improve the morals of citizens today. Thoroughly, using all elements from the story, he illustrates the gospel in this creative and inventive way.  Tolkien influences and helps shape our culture through his works. 

The Rain by Heidi Moyer

As she awoke and looked upon thy yonder window frame

She gave a start and lost much heart as she stared into the rain.

Sleep almost over whelmed her as she stared into the gloom

The rain and gloom engulfed the room as she looked on with despair.

She began to pray for she could not play that day to her dismay

So she got out of bed with a toss of her head

Trying to hide the despair inside, for inside she cried.

The rain and gloom engulfed the room as she looked on with despair.

She read in the nooks with her comforting books

For she thought she could hide

From what she knew was just out side.

The rain and gloom engulfed the room as she looked on with despair.

The Maiden by Heidi Moyer

The angles look with caring eyes

As the maiden looks upon the skies

On the sands of the beach

She watches and waits, 

Eyes filled with hope and love.

As the sunsets glowing rays 

Engulf the ever growing days

Full of troubles and delays

Ted Dekker Biography by Heidi Moyer

          Living among cannibals in the jungles of Indonesia, isn’t where you would expect to find a budding author. This however, is the condition in which Ted Dekker was brought up. As missionaries, his family was constantly in danger but with much persistence, befriended the village people and dwelt with them. Witchcraft and death thrived in this ominous place which provided inspiration for Dekker’s writing later on.

            At the age of six he was separated from his family, attending a coastal school for months at a time. The culture in which he lived forced him to rely on his imagination to create his own world. Later, he left Indonesia to attend a multi-cultural high school and following that he studied Philosophy and Religion in the United States.

             In his early adult life Dekker climbed the corporate ladder then experimented in the field of the entrepreneur. After experiencing a variation of carriers, including healthcare service and marketing, he was inspired by a friend to write. Ted Dekker then recognized his gift and threw himself into his storytelling. His stories are diverse, covering impossible situations filled with suspense, romance and fantasy. Once he became successful he sold his company and moved to Western Colorado and began writing for a living. Dekker’s thrilling novels have now sold over five million copies and two of his stories were made into movies. Now he lives in Austin, Texas with his wife and two daughters.

Man or Monster? - Frank Peretti by Heidi Moyer

            “Just when you think you have things figured out, Peretti’s imagination takes you down an unexpected route, a trap door opens, and you realize there are more layers to the story than you imagined.” (WestBow Press) Frank E. Peretti is an influential writer who draws from his torturous past to create stories which leave the minds of his readers reeling and their hearts searching. From the beginning, the life of Peretti has been fraught with trials, but he has chosen to trust God with all his soul in times of trouble and prosperity. He has sold over twelve million copies of his suspenseful supernatural thrillers. To accompany his novels he has devised a children’s series, as well as a narration of bible stories. One of Peretti’s most anticipated works, Monster, was released in 2005 in which he asked some difficult questions concerning the theory of evolution, while telling of the adventures the Sheltons had. His main objective in Monster was to have his readers look at evolution at face value and realize its flaws without being didactic, as many Christian writers are.  The ideas and truths Peretti has orchestrated into his novels are extremely relevant in today’s world and have already touched many lives. He mentioned in an interview that, after reading Tilly, a high school girl let her baby live instead of going through with her previous decision to have an abortion. These are the type of personal rewards and victories some writers only dream of. Peretti has made them into reality as he lives his life to make a difference so that others might live.

            Frank Edward Peretti was born January 13, 1951 in Canada to his loving parents Gene and Joyce. Intriguingly, his enticement with monsters began with a birth defect called cystic hygroma. He underwent his first operation was when he was two months old. However it would not be his last and he would endure many more painful surgeries on his tongue. Along with the medical aspect of this defect, his parents and brothers were in constant prayer over him and even took him to a healing service where Oral Roberts, a famous evangelist, lifted him up to God. Throughout his childhood, this disease caused him much pain because of the hurtful and senseless teasing about the darkly colored tumor which formed in his tongue. The resulting speech impairment made it extremely difficult at school. His smaller stature did not help his situation and he quickly became a target. “I really got into monsters, because monsters could control their situation. They were ugly; they were outcast. I could identify with that, because I felt like I was a monster too” (Peretti, CBN). Later on he had a surgery which enabled him to speak more clearly and fit in better. As a gift, one Christmas his parents gave him a wooden dummy named Jerry. He used it as a source of entertainment and comfort because it did not judge him but helped him cope with life. Following his high school graduation he made an attempt at the Christian music ministry, and tried many other things such as carpentry, a ski factory

   worker, and even pastoring before he found his true calling, writing. He attended UCLA to study English, screen writing, and film to prepare him for this endeavor. Somewhere in this chaotic search for purpose he found and married his love, Barbara, in 1972. He now lives with her in his home in northern Idaho, along with their two fun-loving dogs, and continues to write his spellbinding books.

            In addition to the constant novel writing, Peretti’s current hobbies are “playing the banjo, flying, bicycling, and clearing trails in the woods and astronomy”. One of his favorite stories right now is the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and he recognized, “the movie as nothing short of a major landmark.” Presently, Frank Peretti is immersed in making films out of his books, and has already done this with Hangman’s Curse and Visitation. These were both great successes and he plans on pursuing this industry with more of his works.

            God has gifted Peretti since his youth, with an innate story telling ability, which led to his vast number of successes in the industry. Besides his widely known adult fiction thrillers, he has created a teen series, a non fiction grouping of books, and the Wild and Wacky Bible Stories.

             His adult fiction is comprised of heart-stopping suspense thrillers normally involving meaningful Christian messages. Peretti, in his books, often moots topics such as abortion, evolution, and foundational Christian principles.  His novels include Tilly (1988), Prophet (1992), The Oath  (1995), The Visitation (1999), Darkness Prophet (2003), Monster (2005), The Present Darkness (2005), and House (with Ted Decker 2006). Visitation was easily one of his finest works was recognized by the CBA best sellers list.

            One of Peretti’s early influences was the renowned Walt Disney, because of his marvelous story telling abilities. “Some people read stories as a ‘receptor’. I read stories as a ‘creator’” Peretti states. When he reads a book or watches a film he really dissects it, picking apart why the story kept his interest and what makes it tick. A favorite author of Peretti is Michael Crichton; however, he gathers information as he goes and attempts to glean from everyone’s knowledge. In the book of proverbs, written by Solomon who was the wisest man in the world, it is said that, “listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise”. (Proverbs 19:20) This verse describes Peretti because he considers all types of counsel when writing a story.  

            In his appeal to the children of this generation, Peretti has created a series of recordings which vary in theme, but are all applicable in the Christian walk. For instance, one theme is jealousy, and in his animated way he performs a fable with a moral. He makes the experience enjoyable and memorable. Peretti thoroughly understands the importance of bringing up the next generation in the Lord.

            This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness are inspirational and thrilling tales written by Peretti. They involve the lives of the people in two different towns and the demons and angels fighting for the very souls of the people. He tells of the anguish of the dwellers of the community as they fight against other Christians verses the demon possessed and otherwise brainwashed. These books demonstrate the power of prayer as God’s people cry out to him for safety and protection. God’s supreme power and authority are also proven when the Christians are able to bring demons out of the people in Jesus Christ’s name. Miraculous works are also accomplished, and in the end Heaven has its victory and Satan is put back into his place.

            In The Wounded Spirit, Peretti recounts his hell-like childhood. He tells of the unbearable abuse he endured and the ways in which he dealt with his terrible fate. He shares his family’s loving commitment to him and his health. Besides his own story, he revisits the Columbine tragedy, where two wounded spirits, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, had massacred several students enrolled in their high school. Proverbs 18:14 states, “The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, but who can bear a broken spirit.” Eric and Dylan had been wounded deeply by the abuse they had received from their classmates and did not know how to deal with it. It is also likely that those two boys did not know about Jesus Christ who loves them and thus they gave up for lack of hope. Peretti insistently stresses the importance of reaching out to these precious people and not simply watching as they fall into despair. 

            Frank Peretti had been asked, in recent years, to give a speech on his childhood experiences with bullying at a conference. The results of the conference were more than he could have hoped and it has struck a nerve in a vast majority of hearers. When Doctor James Dobson heard it, he had his wife listen to it as well, and they decided it needed to be broadcast on Focus on the Family. After the broadcast even more responses came in, making it very clear that bullying was a universal problem. “If devaluing human life- and thereby mocking God’s creation- is wrong, why do so many do so little to stop it. Worse yet, why do so many participate as part of the problem?” Peretti clearly proves here that bullying has always been wrong.

            In the pages of The Wounded Spirit, Peretti suggests that by accepting evolution one denies the existence of God, and that by denying God one denies the need for moral rightness. When one is exempt from moral excellence there is no peace and the world will overflow with mayhem and destruction. As a result humans live corrupt, evil lives away from  their heavenly Father.

            The book Monster was wonderfully written by Frank Peretti. The two protagonists, who were present throughout the novel, are Rebecca (Beck) and Reed Shelton. They start out on a trip to a cabin to enjoy new experiences, learn, and grow as individuals. Unfortunately, this seemingly innocent trek into the woods results in the devastating capture of Beck by a monster. The reader eventually find out that this monster is the byproduct of the antagonist, Professor Adam Burkhardt, who is a scientist involved in the mutation of DNA in chimpanzees. The professor had been trying to cover up for the destruction his beasts had caused. However this could no longer be kept secret, because the monsters had kidnapped Beck. Reed, grieved by his wife’s absence, frantically searched for her with the help of his loyal friends Sing, Cap, and the police force. Many times the persistent rescue team came close, but the clan of monsters quickly whisked Beck away.

            From Beck’s side of things, the monster that captured her, Rachel, now treats her like its child. It feeds her, carries her around on its enormous, hairy back, and defends her when she is threatened by the others. Rachel’s personality proves to be that of a loving protector contrary to her beast-like appearance.

             While Cap is looking for any sign of Beck he stumbles upon an appalling sight. He finds the laboratory of the professor, which contains cells filled with a gruesome assortment of beasts. These were the tortured creatures whose DNA had been tampered with and then cloned. However, one cell was discovered to have a large jagged opening in the rear. This had been the cell that belonged to the monsters which now roam freely. Finally, Reed locates, Beck but soon after, the couple is pursued by the professor who wants desperately to keep his actions hidden and the events that follow, from the rest of the world. When the professor corners them with a gun, Reed tells him that it is too late and everyone knows what is going on. He poses the question, “Professor, when that chopper lands, what are they going to find standing here? A man or a monster?” (Peretti 410). This question is interesting because, by trying to protect his creations, he became the very thing he had created, a monster. Soon after Reed spoke these convicting words, Rachel, the monster that had protected Beck, rescues the couple and brings them to the waiting arms of their friends.

            The most prominent theme in the book is evolution. Peretti implements this thesis in the story, “There is no such thing as beneficial mutation.” (Elliott paragraph 4) He later goes on to explain that his story is like most, in that it has scientists who mess with things in nature they have no business messing with. Another of Peretti’s goals for this book is that people would ask important questions about evolution, and that those questions would cause the reader to question the legitimacy of evolution. “We turn into monsters because evolution takes away everything that makes us human in the sense of our moral accountability, our moral absolutes, and our idea of being distinct from the animal kingdom.” (Elliott paragraph 8) This truth is one of the reasons evolution is such an important topic for Peretti; it takes away from the fact that God made us in his image.

            Some of the other minor themes of the book are survival, desperation, and love. Survival is a theme because Rebecca and Reed start out on a journey to enlighten themselves on how to survive with out their creature comforts and get out of their normal routine. Another reason it is a theme is because Beck must now put what she knows to the test to survive with the clan of monsters. The next theme, desperation, is present from the very beginning when the hunter/professor desperately tries to hide the remains of a strangled man near a logging site in order to keep his experiments a secret. Beck and Reed are desperate to reunite with each other. Also the monsters are frightened and desperate to escape their human pursuers. The last minor theme is love, because it is Reed’s love for Beck that keeps him searching, even when she is presumed dead, until he finds her. Also, Rebecca’s monster had loved her like her child and had protected her always. 

            Frank Peretti’s writing is unlike the normal Christian speculative writing. He works his love for the mysterious and the thrilling into his calling to bring truth to the surface and let it be evaluated for what it is. His past, though stricken with grief, has aided many with similar wounds stored in their hearts and souls. He has also allowed his past to influence his writing, thus making his books all the more valuable. Despite his hardships, Peretti has stood firmly by Christ his Creator and the lover of his soul. He has appealed not only to the adult world but also to the teens and children of this generation.  Frank Peretti is a phenomenal writer whose influence will leave a legacy for other Christian writers and people as well.

Comparison of William Yeats and E.E. Cummings

           On June 13, 1865, a literary genius was born in Dublin, Ireland. His name was William Butler Yeats. William was born to Susan Mary Pollexfen and John Butler Yeats, who was deep in the process of becoming an accomplished lawyer when he married Susan. John quickly gave up this endeavor for his true passion, art. Susan was the daughter of a wealthy family from the county Sligo; she was the first to introduce William and his sisters to the native Irish folktales that he would later thrive upon.  

            When young William reached the age of two his family moved from Ireland to London, England. In London, he attended the Godolphin school. After a few years in London the Yeats family moved back to Dublin. At a young age, he was strongly encouraged by his father to read the influencing works of Dante Alighieri, William Shakespeare, John Donne and William Blake, who later became Yeats’ literary heroes. He attended Erasmus Smith High School and later spent time in his father’s art studio. There his love for art grew and drove him to join the Metropolitan School of Art in 1884.

            During his life William Yeats moved between his home in Dublin and London where he often attended lectures or meetings. He also took the time to visit the British Museum of Natural History. In 1903, Yeats joined his first lecture tour in the United States which would be followed by several other tours of the like. With the help of his sisters, Yeats started the Cuala Press which printed authors such as Ezra Pound, Elizabeth Bowen, and his brothers Jack and John Yeats. At the age of forty-six, he met and married Georgie Lees who bore him two children.

            William Yeats had a profound writing style which was influenced by many people, places, and things. Two of the most influential people were James O’Grady and Sir William Ferguson who inspired his writing. “Yeats’ works drew heavily on Irish mythology and history^[1].” Also, many of his early dramatic works showed his respect for the Irish legends.  Yeats was not only influenced by Irish culture, but by Japanese Noh plays and modernism as well. Many of his writings covered topics of “life in contrast to art and beauty in mundane.^[2]”

            The era of modernism in which Yeats lived was an era concentrating on life, art, and the sciences. Life was a popular topic, of the philosophical studies being preformed near the beginning of the eighteenth century and through the mid nineteenth century. Life has been and will continue to be an unfathomable mystery. Another aspect of philosophical study was art. Art has taken many different forms like paintings, sculptures, music and several other types or interpretations of art. Mainly, art is birthed by a person’s strong emotion. Science has seemed to be a modernist answer to the unanswered questions of the world. The people living in the modernist era did not go back to the old religions, which had guided them through the ages, but now they second guessed or eliminated the old. Another great mind who was also living during this interesting period in history was E.E. Cummings.

            On October 14, 1894, in Cambridge, Massachusetts a profound literary scholar named E.E. Cummings was born. In his later years, he attended Cambridge Public School which marked the beginning of his beneficial years of learning. Once he reached college age, Cummings attended Harvard to study Greek along with other languages. When he was in college he was introduced to the works of Ezra Pound, who was a significant influence in his works. Because of his love for the childhood he left behind one of his most famous poems, “In Just” came into existence. He used his father’s pastoral background to preach through his poems. After college he volunteered for the Norton-Harris Ambulance Corps where he met William Brown who became a close friend. In 1917, William Brown and E.E. Cummings were imprisoned for their pacifist beliefs. When he was released he married his first wife and worked on painting and writing for six years, before he and his wife were divorced. After that his father died and his mother was injured.  Cummings then married Anne Barton. The marriage unfortunately came to an abrupt ending, and Cummings divorced her as well. Cummings then traveled the world but his mother’s unfortunate death brought him back home where, fifteen years later, he collapsed a from cerebral hemorrhage on September 3, 1962 he died.

            E.E. Cummings’ phenomenal writing style has changed poetry forever. In my opinion, the way he plays with the language is a trade mark of his work. He is also well known for his ability to “describe the chaotic immediacy of sensuous experience^[3].” He was influenced by Gertrude Stein’s syntactical and Amy Lowell’s imagistic experiments. He has modernistic artistic innovations and many of his poems take a gleeful and precocious tone.

            William Butler Yeats and E.E. Cummings were brilliant, knowledgeable writers as well as modernist painters, who were both influenced by numerous people, places, and things. All of this influence and emotion seeped into the beautiful poems we now hold so dear. They do, although, have their differences. For example, E.E. Cummings was, in my opinion, a risk taker while Yeats went more along the classical lines. Both of these poets intertwine the lines of their poetry so differently but creatively which cause them to complete one another. 

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^[1]  *http://www.online-literature.com/yeats/

^[2]  *http://www.online-literature.com/yeats/

^[3]  *http://members.tripod.com/~dwipf/cummings.html