"Richard Bone"
by: Edgar Lee Masters
Literary Elements
Free verse poem
- A form of poetry which refrains from meter patterns, rhyme, or any other musical pattern.
Repetition
-stating a word or phrase multiple times to create emphasis
Theme/Meaning:
In the poem Edgar Lee Masters uses the last tree lines as a comment about society.
Historians tend to lie in history being biased toward the country in which they are writing or support.
-Memory is heavily flawed
-Use your own judgement and not what may be said or written about someone.
-Chisel: to cheat or swindle someone out of something
-Old proverb: “never speak ill of the dead”
When I first came to Spoon River
I did not know whether what they told me
Was true or false.
They would bring me an epitaph
And stand around the shop while I worked
And say "He was so kind," "He was wonderful,"
"She was the sweetest woman," "He was a consistent Christian."
And I chiseled for them whatever they wished,
All in ignorance of its truth.
But later, as I lived among the people here,
I knew how near to the life
Were the epitaphs that were ordered for them when they died.
But still I chiseled whatever they paid me to chisel
And made myself party to the false chronicles
Of the stones,
Even as the historian does who writes
Without knowing the truth,
Or because he is influenced to hide it.
Shift in tone
-Occurs on Line 10
~Initually unaware of the falsities of the people.
Biography:
1. Chronicles
2.Free verse
3. Richard Bone
4.Epitaph
5. Edgar Lee Masters
Quiz
1. historical event
2. A form of poetry which refrains from meter patterns, rhyme, or any other musical pattern.
3. Title
4. Author
5. a phrase or statement that is written on a tomb stone.
Edgar Lee Masters
Born- August 23, 1868 in Garnett Kansas
Died- March 5, 1950
Edgar Lee Masters grew up on his grandfather’s farm in Lewistown, Illinois. Attended Knox College for a year but was then forced by the family's finances to withdraw and continue his studies privately. In 1891 was admitted to the bar, moved to Chicago in 1892, and became a successful lawyer.
Vocabulary words
Epitaph- a phrase or statement that is written on a tomb stone.
Chronicles- historical event.
Chiseled- to chip away at, to cheat