Artemis And Actaeon

The poem “All in Green Went My Love Riding” is a vibrant story of Artemis and Actaeon retold in E.E. Cummings own way. “Told from the view of Diana or Artemis, this poem describes the chase, beginning with Actaeon’s departure and concluding with his death and Diana’s swoon,” (Ahearn,1996). The poem is featured in the author’s first book, Tulips & Chimneys. The books and poems were published in 1923 while E.E. Cummings attended Harvard. “Cummings retells this story, using fourteen stanzas, each of which paints a graphic picture that chronicles a part of this chase.” (Ahearn, 1996). “All in Green Went My Love Riding” by E.E. Cummings is about the meeting of Artemis and Actaeon, and how it connects to Cummings’ themes of life, love, and death. …show more content…
“This poem is about courtly love, and it alludes to the Roman and Greek myth in which Diana or Artemis, goddess and protectress of wildlife, is challenged by the hunter Actaeon.” (Ahearn, 1996). Artemis doesn’t only show up in Greek mythology, but in Roman mythology as well. “She was also worshiped by the Romans, who called her Diana.”(Gale, 2000). Artemis was a virgin goddess who was the goddess haunting, archery, and wild animals. “Many myths about Artemis relate to her vengeful nature.” (Gale, 2000). She was a vengeful goddess as well. Artemis made sure she got back at whoever upset her. Seeing a virgin goddess is not a good thing to brag upon. “Artemis caught a sight of Actaeon and not wanting him to boast of having seen her naked body, changed him into a stag.” (Gale, 2000). She didn’t want Actaeon to utter a word to anyone, so once he opened she turned him into a stag. “Love is being used as a desire for marriage rather than actual love” (Kellman, 2013). Actaeon was in awe of the sight he seen and wanted marriage right away. His dogs didn’t recognize him in his new form of a stag. “He watched Artemis from the forest as she got out and approached her, demanding to wed her since he has seen her naked body.” (Kellman, 2013). This caused them to chase him down then tear him apart. “On the contrary, it is about vitality and life, for the lovers are united in their ecstasy, just as the poem is united by its repetition (with the …show more content…
Silence is one of E.E. Cummings favorite elements to use in his poetry. “Silence is, moreover, one of Cummings’ favorite conceits, together with love, life, and death.” (Gale, 2007). Silence is experience or prior knowledge to a topic of a poem. Silence in “All in Green Went My Love Riding” would be the story of Artemis and Actaeon. Cummings used his own way to retell their story in his favorite way. Voice in poetry is what cannot be said but what can be seen. “What the speaker cannot pronounce may be heard, what the mouth cannot utter can be seen.” (Gale, 2007). In Cummings’ works he uses imagery to represent voice. “To express silence as well as voice, Cummings resorts to the eye.” (Gale, 2007). His poems usually end with a great painting in the reader’s mind. “There are four hounds and four deer. These and other details paint a picture that combines beauty with terror; the beauty of the place and the lover are enveloped in the ominous atmosphere of death.”(Ahearn, 1996). Voice is the best reason for why Cummings used so many bright colors in the poem along with their background meaning. “Capitalization is used purposely in his work because it symbolizes power.” (Gale, 2007). Cummings writes in his own way, so when he uses correct punctuation it has a specific meaning. “Silence is in itself a sentence that hardly needs any verb.” (Gale, 2007). Cummings enjoyed using silence for the reason of that he didn’t need any

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