Sea Fever Essay -- English Literature

Sea Fever - speech Good morning Miss Allison and class, the poem I chose is Sea Fever by John Masefield. John Masefield, was only 22 years old when he wrote the simple yet moving lines in his poem 'Sea Fever'. He was born in 1878, in, England. Young Masefield wanted to be a merchant marine officer and at 13 he spent two and a half years on the school ship and afterwards was apprenticed aboard a sailing ship, bound for Chile. In Chile he became ill and left the sea and returned to England. In 1902 Masefield published his first volume of poems, 'Salt-Water Ballads' John Masefield's poem "Sea Fever" is a work of art that brings beauty to the English language through its use of rhythm, imagery and many complex figures of speech. Sea Fever is a classic, English poem about the poet’s strong longing to return to the sea. It is a description of a man who reflects on what his life used to be like when he was a sailor. In Stanza one, the man yearns to be sailing the oceans once again. He remembers the solitude and the natural environment around him, such as the sky, with its stars to guide him in the right direction, as well as the wind that made his ship shake and its sail to billow. He also recalls the grey mist of the ocean. In stanza two, the man describes his yearning in stronger terms, when he describes the tide of the ocean as ‘a clear call that may not be denied’. The man also remembers various aspects associated with the sea, such as the white clouds moving in the sky, the foam and spray, as well as the sound of the sea gulls. Stanza three is a further description of the man’s life at the sea. He recalls his life as being similar to the wandering life of a gypsy. He remembers being at the helm of his sh... ...ng or mood of each stanza. Firstly, a mood of solitude is expressed in this picture, through the tall ship, being isolated in the open seas, crossing storms, secluded from all civilisations. Secondly, a mood of deep yearning, hunger and frustration is depicted in this picture with the flung spray and the blown spume, being very important features in this picture. This picture also shows the longing shared between the speaker and the ocean. Thirdly, in this picture, the mood of freedom and independence is reflected through the freedom of a whale and a sea gull. The colours I chose for this picture are very peaceful, with blues and greens and whites, showing the true calmness of the sea. The themes in "Sea Fever, the longing the speaker has for the sea and the comparison of life to a sea voyage, are also seen in the pictures I have displayed on my poster.