what could the title "next to of course god america i" mean?

by Fleta Cole 9 min read

E.E. Cummings “next to of course god america i” is a poem about patriotism and the war. The poem starts off with the speaker being someone that is a patriot and feels strongly about America. As the poem progresses it takes a different approach becoming very sarcastic.

More specifically, the poem suggests that mindless patriotism often leads to violence, since it can fuel enthusiasm for war. The poem's cynical view of patriotism is illustrated by the lack of substance in the speaker's speech about America.

Full Answer

What is the poem next to of course God America about?

E.E. Cummings “ next to of course god america i” is a poem about patriotism and the war. The poem starts off with the speaker being someone that is a patriot and feels strongly about America. ... Therefore bringing to our attention that patriotism can manipulate people into doing things they usually wouldn't.

What do the words “My Country Tis of centuries come and go” mean?

Jan 01, 2015 · E.E. Cummings “next to of course god america i” is a poem about patriotism and the war. The poem starts off with the speaker being someone that is a patriot and feels strongly about America. As the poem progresses it takes a different approach becoming very sarcastic.

What does ‘by Gorry by God’ mean?

next to of course god america i love you land of the pilgrims’ and so forth oh say can you see by the dawn’s early my country ’tis of centuries come and go and are no more what of it we should worry. The opening lines of ‘next to of course god america i’, which you can read in full here, reveal the speaker’s sarcastic tone toward patriotism. The fact that he does not capitalize “god” nor …

How is satire developed in ‘My Country Tis Of Thee’?

“Next to of course God America I” is referring to a code of conduct for those of patriotic mind-set and religious heart and soul. This is the majority of the American public, raring to fend off foes and slash down threats in the protection of God, and honour for their country, that of which is founded by war and victory.

What does the title next to of course god america i mean?

E.E. Cummings “next to of course god america i” is a poem about patriotism and the war. The poem starts off with the speaker being someone that is a patriot and feels strongly about America. As the poem progresses it takes a different approach becoming very sarcastic.Jan 1, 2015

What is the form of the poem next to of course god america i?

next to of course god america i is a 14 line sonnet with a rhyme scheme ababcdcdefgfeg and an inconsistent iambic meter (metre in British English) which helps vary the rhythmic stresses of the lines. Basically this is a hybrid English and Russian sonnet with a cumming's twist - a single line at the end.Sep 23, 2020

What does the speaker in Cummings next to of course god america i use as some of his lines?

With these lines of 'next to of course god america i', the speaker is again heavily sarcastic. He asks a sarcastic and yet rhetorical question, “What could be more beautiful than these heroic happy dead?” In effect, he causes the readers to question the point of patriotism to a dead person.

What is the Cambridge ladies who live in furnished souls about?

'the Cambridge ladies who live in furnished souls' by E. E. Cummings is about the differences in social classes, ignorance, and reality. The speaker judges the Cambridge women for the fiction they engage in and their lack of interest in the real world.

Is a sonnet?

Traditionally, the sonnet is a fourteen-line poem written in iambic pentameter, employing one of several rhyme schemes, and adhering to a tightly structured thematic organization. The name is taken from the Italian sonetto, which means "a little sound or song." Discover more poetic terms.

What is the meaning of the poem "Next to of course God America I"?

E. Cummings published "next to of course god america i" in 1926 as part of his poetry collection Is 5, which contained a number of anti-war poems. In keeping with this, the poem satirizes the intense patriotism that many people adopted during World War I.

What does it mean when a speaker rants about patriotism?

On the most basic level, the speaker's thirst after ranting about patriotism indicates that something about the speech itself has exhausted the speaker, who tries to recover by drinking deeply. This, in turn, represents the speaker's intense commitment to this particular topic.

What is the most prominent feature of the poem?

One of the poem's most prominent features is the speaker's use of alliteration, which appears in almost every line. The alliterative moments become particularly prominent when the intensity of the speaker's words increases.

What is the meaning of "next to of course God America I"?

E.E. Cummings “next to of course god america i” is a poem about patriotism and the war. The poem starts off with the speaker being someone that is a patriot and feels strongly about America. As the poem progresses it takes a different approach becoming very sarcastic. In this sarcasm the writer shows that we are ignoring the negative aspects ...

Why is the poem "Next to of course God America I" in quotation marks?

Most of the poem is in quotation marks, probably because it was from a public speech. This unknown speaker could well have been a politician or a soldier showing his patriotism and religious belief.

What does the last line of the poem show?

Thus the poem by E.E. Cummings “next to of course america i” has a lot of meaning. The title shows faith, patriotism, and self-importance.

Why is the tone of the poem sarcasm?

The element of the poem is mostly tone because it depicts sarcasm and even anger largely in part because of the fact that some people would go as far as to die for patriotism. The entire poem was written within quotation marks and had absolutely no punctuation which made it seem like a fast speech.

Where did Cummings work?

He worked in France in the ambulance corp, which later didn’t seem like such a great idea when he was arrested and sent to a concentration camp in Normandy on suspicion of espionage and undesirable activities. When Cummings returned to the United States he was drafted into the army and served the 12th division.

What is the rhyme of the poem "Thy Sons"?

This poem is a satirical sonnet with a rhyme of ABABCDCDEFGFEG and thirteen lines.

Why is E.E. Cummings important?

He has the authority to speak on the patriotism of the United States, because he is a U.S citizen by birth. He was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on October 14, 1894. In 1917, Cummings left the U.S to go to France and work as a volunteer ambulance driver during World War I. This fact gives the author even more authority to write about U.S patriotism. Being an ambulance driver, he would have seen the worst atrocities there were to be seen in World War I. After some time of volunteering, Cummings and a friend were detained in a prison camp, as the authorities became suspicious of them, partly due to Cumming’s habit of being rather outspoken about his anti-war beliefs. It is no surprise, then, that Cummings wrote about his anti-war beliefs. Not only did he experience the tragedies of war first hand, but he was also detained for being outspoken about these beliefs. This clearly did not stop Cummings from continuing to speak and write according to his beliefs. He was a man who valued humanity and hated war.

What does the use of the words "jingo" mean?

The use of the words “jingo”, “gee”, “gosh” and “gum” suggest that the speaker believes the gory wars in the name of patriotism to be senseless, just like the words he uses to describe it.

What does the speaker say in the line "Jingo by Gee by Gosh by Gum"?

by jingo by gee by gosh by gum. With these lines, the speaker reveals that people of every language, and yes even deaf people have “acclaim [ed” the “glorious” name of patriotism through the “gory details of war”. The use of the words “jingo”, “gee”, “gosh” and “gum” suggest that the speaker believes the gory wars in the name ...

Why did Cummings leave the US?

In 1917, Cummings left the U.S to go to France and work as a volunteer ambulance driver during World War I. This fact gives the author even more authority to write about U.S patriotism. Being an ambulance driver, he would have seen the worst atrocities there were to be seen in World War I.

How does Cummings remove himself from the poem?

He removes himself from the poem by using a speaker within a speaker, but the content of the poem directly corresponds with Cummings’ life experiences. As a volunteer during World War I, Cummings acquired a bitterness for war which he did not scruple to express. He was outspoken and willing to go against the grain to stand up for ...

What is the opening line of the Star Spangled Banner?

The poem goes on to summon a number of earlier patriotic poems about the United States, such as Francis Scott Key’s ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ (better known as the US national anthem), specifically the opening line ‘Oh say can you see by the dawn’s early light’ , and the patriotic hymn ‘ America (My Country, ’Tis of Thee) ’.

Who made the point about great religious works of art risking the charge of blasphemy?

Sir Christopher Ricks, the literary critic, made a similar point about great religious works of art risking the charge of blasphemy. The same, we might say, is true of all interesting patriotic poems. You can read ‘next to of course god america i’ by Cummings here before proceeding to our analysis.

Who is the most experimental modernist poet?

The American poet e. e. cummings (as he styled himself) was one of the most linguistically experimental mainstream modernist poets writing in the United States in the twentieth century, and his poem ‘next to of course god america i’ is a fine example of his innovative style.

How many lines are there in a Petrarchan sonnet?

The Petrarchan or Italian sonnet is divided into two sections: an octave or eight-line section and a sestet or six-line section. But unlike a Petrarchan sonnet, which uses the same two rhymes (rhymed abbaabba) in the octave, cummings makes use of seven different rhymes, as we find in an English sonnet (rhymed ababcdcdefefgg ).

What is the satire of Cummings?

It is also a satire on the type of blind jingoism that distorts otherwise intelligent minds in relation to their country. cummings applies a reductio ad absurdum technique, mocking the way in which people blinded by patriotism can acquire illogical and dangerous beliefs.

How many lines are there in Cummings?

These are broken up by few dismissive words, like, “and so forth” and “what of it”. It is notable that there are fourteen lines — the length of a sonnet.

Why was Ee Cummings imprisoned?

ee cummings, a pacifist, was imprisoned during World War One for his supposed disloyalty to America. He was also accused, falsely, of being a spy. After the war he moved to Paris where he wrote satirical poems.

Is the sonnet witty or nonsensical?

This is ironic, as sonnets are formal, structured and intelligently witty, whereas this poem is nonsensical gibberish — though of course also extremely intelligent. cummings deliberately makes the poem incomprehensible, like the extreme patriotism he is mocking.