The Connection of God and Nature in Bryants Thanatopsis :: essays research papers

The Connection of god and Nature in Bryants ThanatopsisThanatopsis, by William Cullen Bryant says that constitution tells us different thingsat different times. When we are having good times, God and nature attribute to that. When we are having bad times, God and nature are willing to help us through ourproblems. In this poem, Bryant makes a connection between God and Nature throughsociety, imagery, destiny, status, and trust.Although Thanatopsis is the classic word for meditation on decease, it alike can beseen as a meditation on nature. Nature is being portrayed as the main influence andsupporter of the society She has a voice of gladness, and a smile/ And eloquence ofbeauty, and she glides/ Into his darker musings, with a mild/ And healing sympathy, thatsteals away/ Their sharpness, ere he is aware. (4-8) More over, the poem indicates clearexamples for a relation between nature and God. In fact, Nature is a direct connection toGod ... either the infinite host of heaven... (4 6) Therefor reflecting back to the previousstatement, God is perpetually there for people, especially for those who are suffering. The poem also is mainly base on thoughts about death. The following lines aredescriptions and images of death When thoughts/ Of the last stifling hour come like ablight/ over the spirit, and condemnable images/ Of the stern agony, and shroud, and pall/ Andbreathless darkness... (8-11) But the three succeeding lines that no one should be afraidand that Nature and God have the ass to reconcile Go forth, under the open sky, andlist/ To Natures teachings, while from all around/ Earth and her waters, and the depths ofair/ Comes a shut away voice. (14-17)Even if you die alone the living will not raging forever and eventually have the samedestiny So shalt though rest, and what if thou withdraw/ In silence from the living, andno friend/ opt not of thy departure? All that breathe/ Will share thy destiny. (58-61)The death is there and cannot be ignored. H owever the message of the poemstates that death is not bad, for it is a natural thing that is apart of everyones life. Thereis also no distinction among the status of people and all souls will be united in heaven Yet not to thine eternal resting place/ Shalt though retire alone, not couldst thou wish/Coach to a greater extent magnificent. Thou shalt lie down/ With patriarchs of the infant world-withkings,/ The powerful of the earth-the wise, the good/ somewhat forms, and hoary seers of ages