Research Question

I really have an interest in the use of birds within poetry as they are used so widely and often. Its very peculiar how certain birds have given off certain characteristics which are then used in literature. Its very intriguing to see them personified to fit a human and the way we think and behave at times. But then most birds have one similarity too, which is flight. Something us humans took a long time to even achieve and master. 


I'm expecting to face a few challenges with this project because to be honest I started off really shaky not really knowing what my question should be and such. I sort of struggled coming up with ideas for it but I think I have it down in my mind. I just need to focus on putting all my jumbled thoughts together now and making it flow.  


My idea is to write about different birds on a spectrum and then look into different poems and see what their symbolic meanings were in each. Then I'm going to figure out why they are used in that way and why they represent certain things within poetry.

Sources Cited: Google pics

Making A Claim (Blog #4)

My proposed topic is birds in literature. My research question is "What purpose do birds serve in poetry?"

1. Context of research argument: Birds in Literature

2. General Topic: Use or symbolism of birds in literature

3. Specific Focus:  The use of birds within poetry.

4. Research Question: What purpose do birds serve in literature/poems?

5. Specific Claim: Because most birds fly high in the sky, they symbolize a presence of a higher being as they free themselves from limitations such as gravity. Birds represent human's want to escape gravity and achieve success through efforts of climbing higher and taking off into flight. Certain birds can symbolize personality traits and character as well.

6) Proposal: I will analyze different poets uses of birds within their poetry and compare them to each other.

a) Controlling Idea #1: In Conference of the Birds by Farid ud-Din Attar, birds all have different paths they must take and experience due to their different characteristics. 

b) Controlling Idea #2: The Parliament of the Fowls by Chaucer is like a medieval take on a hierarchy of birds.

c) Controlling Idea #3: In The Odyssey by Homer, the birds were seen as messengers of the gods and some even symbolized war.

Sources Cited: The Anthology of World Literature by Davis Compact Edition Volume 1

https://www.reference.com/world-view/birds-symbolize-2fab3f33838003f0#

Conference of the Birds

Conference of the Birds Analysis

In Conference of the birds, by Farid ud-Din Attar, the birds debate on who should go and who should stay based on their own unique personalities and traits and what they believe in individually.  This whole poem is actually symbolic of what prevents a man from reaching enlightenment as the birds display very human traits in their negligence to even embark on the journey to the Simorgh.

For example the Parrot only seeks immortality instead of truth of the way, the owl is a treasure seeking fool, and the nightingale believes that painless love is the essence of life. This is basically showing the hindrances of humans reaching enlightenment through the usage of birds.

It is actually very cool to see that the author compares characteristics of the actual birds themselves and then adds in human traits that seem to match the bird itself. The Parrot seeks immortality because it wants everyone to see how beautiful it is. The Owl has very big eyes which gives it a look of greed. The Nightingale is seen as a bird of romance in many other poems in the past, most likely because of its beautiful singing, so of course it would be personified as a bird that only cares about love.

The one who reaches enlightenment is the true king of the birds.