Blog #1 Critical Approaches

McMahan lists several different approaches when it comes to "criticism". The approach that appeals to me the most would be biographical. Biographies are life stories. They are told with help from letters, journals and diaries. The reason why biographies appeal to me is because they are true. You will always discover interesting people, learn about their history, their culture and what shaped them into who they are today. Every person has their own story; Its not fiction, its not exaggerated, its you!

The poem I have chosen to analyze as a biography is "XI. Brian, the Still-Hunter" by Susanna Moodie. Moodie starts off the poem by writing "O'er memory's glass I see his shadow flit, though he was gathered to the silent dust". This indicated that someone Moodie knew has past away. As she continues with her poem, she starts writing about the surroundings that the "strange and wayward man" lived in- the woods and also the lakes within. Moodie then moves on to the way the hunter lives his life. "The Still Hunter" was not very sociable. We know this from the line "deep waters never knew the stroke of cleaving oar, or echoed to the sound of social life…" But, along with his companion dog and gun, one day after another, he "track'd the nimble deer through all the tangle mazes of the forest".

I believe this poem is an excellent example of a biography. Moodie portrayed the aspects of the still hunter's life very well. Its these sorts of qualities that I tend to look for and look forward too when reading.



XI. BRIAN, THE STILL HUNTER
O'er memory's glass I see his shadow flit,
Though he was gathered to the silent dust
Long years ago. A strange and wayward man,
That shunn'd companionship, and lived apart;
The leafy covert of the dark brown woods,
The gleamy lakes, hid in their gloomy depths,
Whose still, deep waters never knew the stroke
Of any social life, contained for him the sum
Of human happiness. With dog and gun
Day after day he track'd the nimble deer
Through all the tangled mazes of the forest
                    --Susanna Moodie (1803-1885)