Poetry Comparison Mackellar vs Hope Essay Example

a sense of patriotism in his work. Similarly, Mackellar's poem expresses a strong loyalty and faith in Australia throughout. Thus, both poets share a core belief in the patriotism of their country.

The final part of the last stanza in her poem serves as the culmination of all the lines, providing a conclusive tribute to Australia: "Wherever I may die, I know to what brown country, My homing thoughts will fly." In contrast, in Hope's "Australia," the second last stanza contains the only line that truly indicates his devotion to Australia: "Yet there are some like me turn gladly home..." This line implies that Hope may be hesitant to acknowledge his loyalty to his country, but he is still willing to admit that he is patriotically Australian.

The initial part of "My Country" focuses on England. It includes lines that mention features of England such as "ordered woods and gardens" and "brown streams and soft dim skies" to describe the weather and certain characteristics. Mackellar appreciates this love for England but chooses to prioritize and favor Australia, which she refers to as the "sunburnt country." Starting to depict Australia, Mackellar's poem differs from Hope's "Australia," a fixed verse that presents the country as a juxtaposition. Hope discusses both the inherent flaws of Australia and his patriotic feelings towards it. In contrast, Mackellar's poem presents a more perfect and idealized image of Australia.

In the early 1900's, when Australia first became an independent nation, its people had a stronger sense of pride for their country compared to the social environment in Hope's era a few decades later. Mackellar employs euphoric connotations and various literary devices to idealize Australia. She

depicts several natural features of the country, such as its skies, mountain ranges, forests, and seas.

The utilization of repetitive phrases, such as "core of my heart, my country!," serves the purpose of enhancing the memorability and adding emotional depth to the poem. Considering the circumstances under which the poem was composed, namely while residing in England, it can be inferred that the poet longs for Australia. Similarly, Hope shares a similar sentiment, albeit his poem predominantly contains pessimistic implications like references to "modern wars" and the description of cities as "five teeming sores," presenting a contrasting industrial portrayal of suburban Australia in contrast to Mackellar's depiction.

The second last stanza of "Australia" describes the speaker's retreat from the overwhelming world of modern thought, back to Australia. Despite his dislike for the direction Australia is heading, he still finds solace in returning to his homeland and rediscovering the vastness of his own mind, which he compares to the Arabian Desert (Unknown, Literature Commentary on "Australia" by Alec Derwent Hope, 2008).

In her poem, Mackellar has utilized metaphors to convey a deeper meaning. She compares Australia to jewels three times, describing it as a "jewel-sea," "sapphire-misted mountains," and an "opal-hearted country." The use of these metaphors emphasizes the preciousness and rarity of Australia. Like precious gems, Australia is difficult to find and requires cutting and polishing to truly shine. This symbolism aligns with Mackellar's pride in her Australian heritage, as she believes that the people of her country are hardworking, diligent, and determined.

The Opals metaphorically represents Australia, symbolizing its richness, brilliance, and challenges (Buck, Unknown date). Furthermore, Hope employed metaphors to portray a distinctive image of Australia. In the

initial stanza, he compared the dreary green and grey of the trees to the "field uniform of modern wars," illustrating Australia's bleak and lackluster nature (Hope, Unknown date).

According to an analysis by Unknown in a Literature Commentary on "Australia" by Alec Derwent Hope in 2008, the use of green and grey in the poem is a metaphor for Australia's tendency to fade into the background and not receive much attention. These colors were also worn by soldiers during wars as a way of camouflage. Hope sees Australia as an old land, describing it as the "last of lands" and "the emptiest." Comparing Australia to a woman and her breast, he suggests that while Australia may be young by the world's standards, it is also the most empty.

Both Alec Derwent Hope and Mackellar discuss Australia's beauty. However, Hope suggests that Australia lacks internal beauty despite its potential, while Mackellar portrays it as a rugged land with natural disasters.

Despite its wildness and fierceness, Australia can also be a kind and giving land, connecting its inhabitants to the natural world. This notion is demonstrated in the poem "My Country" with the verse "All you who have not loved her, You will not understand…" It is as if the poet is promoting Australia to people from other countries, unlike Hope who simply shares his own perceptions of Australia with those unfamiliar with it.

After analyzing the poems "My Country" by Dorothea Mackellar and "Australia" by A. D. Hope, it is evident that they both deeply explore the Australian landscape and the evolving Australian values across different eras. Through their skilled use of carefully chosen words and vivid imagery, Mackellar and

Hope have crafted poems of significant impact that have endured through time, now in our possession, with the intention of perpetuating their love for Australia among today's younger generation.