To watch a visual retelling of the poem that concentrates on images, click on the following link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMObij-VTmA
To see a video of the poem being read over some haunting images, click on the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GioXyvUnyJc
Questions to consider:
What was happening in the world at that time?
Why might Milosz have been so concerned about the end of the world based on historical events?
Thinking historically, what is the significance of the line, "No one believes it is happening now"?
Do you think more or less of the poem when you consider it from an historical perspective? Explain.
What effect does this sight and sound imagery in the video have upon your understanding of the poem?
Does the video offer an accurate interpretation ? What lines in the poem provide evidence of this?
What images would you select if you were going to make a similar video?
Create a Blog Post:
Create a blog post that answers at least one of the above questions. Or pose your own question and attempt to answer it. Do not just repeat what has already been offered. Try to say something original. The best responses will offer textual support in the form of a quote. Be sure to tell us your first name and hour. Please post by Wednesday, October 27th at midnight.
Milosz might have been so concerned about the end of the world at that time because of WWII. The fighting and death that was going on at the time was catastrophic and Milosz was most likely very concerned about his people and country during Hitler's rein.
ReplyDeleteJulia Harmon hour 3
Jacob Loff 4th hour.
ReplyDeleteA lot of the images that are portrayed in the second video are very inaccurite. The only 2 nuclear bombs droped in anger were droped on august 6,9 1945, one year after the poem was written. and sence the nature of the program that developed the atomic bombs was top secret Milosz would not have known of it tell after the inital drops. The videos in the clip are from various tests both the united states and the soviet union were preforming during the 50's. the longest of the clips (the one featureing the bomber) is in fact a soviet recording of the detonation of the most powerful nuclear bomb to be tested (there are more powerful ones now but none are tested because of UN treatys that prevent nations from testing WMD's). To tell the truth he was most likely refering to the inebitable and catistrophic battle that would sweep through the countryside as the Soviet Red Army pushed back the Nazi advance twards Russia.
Sam Rosenbaum Hour 3
ReplyDeleteI think the sights and sounds of the second video are meant to show how bad of a time it was when Milosz wrote this poem. The videos of bombs going off scared me and made me think what it would be like to see the world destroyer dropping down on you. The bass music and voice are also a little shady or frightening and they add some effects to how I view the poem.
The sound and images help me understand that he's talking about the war and all the bombs that were destroying parts of the world. This added an eerie and frightening feeling to this poem.
ReplyDeleteJenny Weber Hour 4
ReplyDeleteAt the time WWII is taking place, which is why Milosz was concerned about the end of the world. The line "no one believes it is happening now" because concentration camps are killing thousands of people, but no one believes it is true because they are lied to and think someone would no if so many people were being killed. The sound and images in the video create fear and illustrate the feeling the observers felt at the time of the war.
I think more of the poem now that I know what it’s written about. I thought that Milosz just wrote the poem because he wanted to write it, but now I know I see that he wrote the poem for a reason, to help describe what people were feeling in WWII. How many people thought that WWII was going to lead to the end of the world. He described what he thought the end of the world was going to be like based on what was happening then. So knowing when and what its written about help to gain the full understanding and respect of the poem.
ReplyDeleteSarah Steffen 4th hour
ReplyDeleteI thought about and undrestood this poem alot better after having seen this video. It really put it into perspective for me. Tons of people were ignorent to the genocide during WW2, so this could be what the author is refering to when he says "No one believes it is happening now". I think he raises a very good point, that humans often don't believe or take action to stop something if they haven't seen it with their own eyes.
The images and sound have a great impact on my understanding of the poem. In the second video it helped me to see more of realistic point of view. It showed the planes and war and how terrible it could really be. In the first video it was more of the people that were being bombs perspective. They didn't know what was happening until the bombs were being dropped.
ReplyDeleteHour 3
Ashley S.
ReplyDelete2nd hour
Czeslaw Milosz was probably concerned about the end of the world because of what was happening during his life. The poem is based on WWII. After I watched the video, I comprehended the poem much better, and understood what he was referring to and the message trying to be sent. During the deaths under Hitler's power, many people didn't help those who were being targeted they just watched while they were killed.
At the time, WWll is in effect, and many people the thought the world was near it's end. In both videos, the pictures and sounds added, helped me understand the poem better. The pictures and music showed that even though the world may end that day, noone noticed. Everyone was going about their normal everyday business, and were too busy to realize the tradgedy occurring around them. If i were to make a similar video, i would use the picture in the first video of the child watching the bombs fall, and clling to his parents. That picture is emotional and speaks to everyone, and helps to get the point across.
ReplyDeletehour 2
ReplyDeleteDuring the time the poem was written is was WWII which would explain the bombs in the video and the inspiration to write about the end of the world. Not only that but the Milosz says that no one believes it is because, also at this time were concentration camps and the holocaust and no one believed it was happening or did anything about it. From a historical standpoint i understand this poem a lot better and it makes much more sense. The sights and sound of this video didn't really affect my take on the poem or the imagery that was reflected. In my opinion this take was very accurate in showing the historical happenings at this time and the actual words and imagery the author used. If i were going to make a video that was like this one i would keep the part with the bees and maybe use the plain bombing idea too. Not only that, but i would keep the quotations from the poem because i thought that really made the video more dramatic. Overall i liked this visual perception on A Song for the End of the World by Czeslaw Milosz and found it very helpful in my understanding of it.
ReplyDeleteThis poem was written during World War II. Milosz was concerned about the end of the world based on historical events because world war II was at its peak when the poem was written. Looking back on it today, WWII doesnt seem like the end of the world to us. On the other hand, if we lived in Warsaw in 1944, the end of the world would seem like a real possibility with all of the world fighting, concentration camps, and the developement of the atomic bomb. In summary, Milosz was concerned about the end of the world because WWII was affecting so many people in a negative way.
ReplyDeletePeter M
2nd Hour
Nathan R 3
ReplyDeleteAt this time in history europe was occupied by Nazi Germany and people were being rounded up and put into work camps. This is most likely the reason Milosz wrote a peom about the end of the world, fearing he would be put into a work camp. Another reason milosz may have writen this peom is beacause he may have exprienced friends being put to death in these camps. I feel this could have been dangerous for Milosz to write at this time and he is quite brave for writing the peom.
The pictures of the bombs and the airplanes and pilots reminds me of world war II when this poem was written. It makes sense to have those pictures because the poem was written in this time period of war. Milosz might've have been so concerned that the world was going to end because he was alive during a time when there was a lot of violence and war and bombings and death. He saw this happening all around him so he probably thought that soon everything would be destroyed and the world would end. I think more of the poem when i look at it from a historical perspective because it makes more sense then if you just read it. It makes more sense because the poem was written during the war so one would think that the world was ending. Maggie Armstrong hour 2
ReplyDeleteEmily A. 2nd Hour
ReplyDeleteIf i were to make a video the pictures I would use would be very similar to the ones used in these videos. The pictures help to illustrate the vision of the poem and what it represents. I think the poem is more meaningful when it is used in the context of today, rather then WWII when it was written. I think that it talks about the normal things of today then talks about the end of the world,
now that i think about the time period in which this poem was written, i can understand alot more why it was written in such a strange way. These videos are showing images of bombs, war, and destuction, all things that seem like they might lead to the end of the world. I think this poem wasnt a predicion, rather a song to lift peoples spirits, to assure them that there is still hope.
ReplyDeletewill youel 3rd hour
I think more of the poem now that I think about it in a historical sense. It brings more thought to you about the planes overhead illustrated by the animation. It shows that the end of the world could happen on just one regular day, and in an unexpected fashion. In this case it is written in the view of a victim in WWII, sharing their story about the attacks. When Milosz says "they are disappointed." It shows that people did/do not expect their lives to end that way. they "don't believe what is happening."
ReplyDeleteBrian Baker Hour 3
During the time that this poem was writen, WWII was taking place. This explains a lot of the reason why Milosz might have writen this piece. Obviously because of all the bombing and fighting that was happening during this time people were continually getting more and more scared that the world was coming to an end. This was Molosz's point of view but he also expresses that some people weren't acting any different than they would on a regular day. You see this at the end of the poem when Milosz talks about ordinary activities that people are preforming.
ReplyDeleteNikki Yoerg Hour 3
I think that this sight and sound imagery that is shown in the video has a great deal of effect on your understanding of the poem. I feel like due to the video I am now able to understand what it must have been like during the time that this poem was written. Now i can visually picture images of what Milosz must have been thinking about while he was writing this poem. Since the poem is based off of the occurences of Milosz's time I think that you need to understand what was going on then, and this video is a great way to show you exactly what was happening.
ReplyDelete(Hour 3)
The sight and sounds in the videos effect the meaning of the poems a lot for me. It changes the mood and the sad, scary music of the second film made the poem a little less light and happy sounding. It made the poem feel more like the real end of the world to me. In the second film, the calm music with the pretty pictures really made the mood seem light and that there was still life. Then when the airplanes came by in all the different scenes dropping the bomb it made me realize that at the time, life was continuing, and somewhat happy until the war broke out and the bombs were dropped. Suddenly it seemed like the end of the world.
ReplyDeleteemily guimont hour 2
ReplyDeleteJon M 3rd Hour
ReplyDeleteThe images used in both videos helped to create a better understanding of the poem for me. While both videos were well done, the one with the poem mixed to Blue Monday with Milosz reading the poem was more effective, in my opinion. I had not really thought much about the poem in a WWII context before, and I started to think more about the line "No one believes it is happening now." I think that Milosz was using that line to make a statement about the social opinions of the time, about how nobody was thinking about or aware of the fact that huge advances in nuclear technology were being made, and how people should always be aware and prepared, and should keep themselves tuned in to what is happening around them as best they can.
During the time that this poem was written, WWII was occurring. This gives a good idea of Milosz's perspective on the world at the time. Death and carnage was what surrounded him at all moments because of the Nazi reign over the land he lived in. This was probably why he wrote this piece about the world coming to an end, because that was the thoughts of the people around him. However, when he writes that people don't act differently, it may be a message that people were ignorant to the fact that they might actually face what he describes through out his poem.
ReplyDeleteEvan P, hour 3
ReplyDeleteThe sounds and images gave me a haunting feeling. Milosz would have been very scared about the end of the world because death and destruction was everywhere during the war. The Atom bomb could now be used and people believed it could end the world. I would also have felt scared about the end of the world if i was Milosz.
ReplyDeleteI am impressed with the thoughtfulness of these comments. The visual and auditory imagery in these videos is certainly powerful. Thanks, for straightening out some of the historical inaccuracies, Jacob. I like hearing all of your voices on the blog, especially from those who are more quiet in class. Keep them coming...
ReplyDeleteMs. B
im answering the first question.
ReplyDeleteAt the time of the poem the author describes that nothing really is happening. He explains a very normal and calm day. He is offering the idea that just because the world is ending does not mean that its going to completly blow up. This is explained by "...and the people who expected thunder and lightning, are dissapointed...". he brings up a good arguement but i myself can not really picture it this way.
Morgan Williamson hour 2
ReplyDeletepersonaly, i Believe that the relevance of the poem is instantly illuminated when considered in terms of the time period and location of it writing
WW2 was happening at the time this poem was written. He might have been thinking, "If so many bombs are going off, what/who's going to be left afterwards? The sight and sound imagery of the first video was sickening. The people in masks made it even scarier. If I were going to make a similar video, I would include the creepiness of the first and the happiness of the second and make it seem like it was quiet and happy, then *BAM* The pictures of bombs and soundtrack of the first video would go off, and it would switch off. I might include some gory pictures to strengthen the feeling of fear and horridness.
ReplyDeleteDuring the time the poem was written WWII was going on right before Milosz eyes. There was alot of destruction and suffering happening all around him. Life was very uncertain, he didn't know what would happen day to day. If people would live or die. It makes me think more highly of the poem because of all this, and knowing the world could have ended at any second. Milosz knew that the end of the world could come on any ordinary day.
ReplyDeletehr.4
What effect does this sight and sound imagery in the video have upon your understanding of the poem?
ReplyDeleteWhen reading the poem, I had a different interpretation of these words than when watching the videos. For example, I didn't know this poem was written during world war two but when I watched the videos, I figured it out when I saw the bombs falling from the plane on a beautiful day underneath it, on the day the world "ended". The music in the first video was very soothing. It made me feel like i was in a wonderful day and nothing could go wrong. The sun was shining, the flowers were blooming while bees were flying and the violin's music drifted along with the starts into the night sky. When I started to see the bombs falling, I understood the title of the poem and the repetitive content. Although bombs were dropped, the tranquil music continued, this made me think that Milosz wanted to tell the readers that even though this is all happening, the day will be as usual if not slightly better. Until the bombs hit the ground that is.
Ishu S. Period: 3
During the time the poem was written WWII was going on. People of the time had probably heard rumors about nuclear bombs being created, and the possibility that they may be used. No one would've know how bad the damage would be, so when Milosz was writing the poem he must've been expecting the worst; the end of the world.
ReplyDeletePatty W
hour 4
This poem was written while WWII was happening, thus giving the author all of these ideas about nuclear bombs, destruction, and such. This video really shocked me, and wasn't what I had in mind when reading the poem. The video added more of a scare to the poem when I read it after seeing the movie vs. before. I definitely thought about it differently.
ReplyDeleteBen Dahlberg Hour 4
I think the images and sounds in the video helped me to better understand the significance of the poem. Before seeing it, I was able to picture the events in my head, but actually seeing it on the screen resulted in my thinking deeper into the subject of what the end of the world could possible be like, and whether I agreed more with the views of Milosz or the author of The Road.
ReplyDeleteAmira hour 2
Images and sound gave me a clear vivid story of what is going on in the poem.
ReplyDeleteWhen i read this poem with the class, i have not found any significance and points from this poem "A Song on the End of The World". However after re-reading this poem with visual and audio, i had a better understanding of the each stanza by learning/watching a short brief summary of historical background at the time when his poem was written.
Tim K. Hour 4
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWorld War 2 was happening at the same time as when this poem was written and that was when the world could've ended. The line, "No one believes it is happening now," signifies how the world may be ending right now but people are too busy with the stress of their daily lives to realize it. I think more of the poem when I consider it from a historical perspective because it has more of a meaning to it and it makes more sense. If I was going to select images for a similar video, I would probably use snapshots from "The Road" movie because they would show the post-apocalyptic world and have similar irony as the pictures in the current video with the happy descriptions and the dark and miserable imagery.
ReplyDeleteAriel hour 2
The video does offer a very accurate interpretation of the poem. The video shows a bee circling a clove(line 2) to a sail boat becoming nearer to the island(line 11). To the sound of a violin playing, which its say on line 12, "the voice of a violin lasts in the air". And to a starry night, like on line 13. When it starts to get to lines 16 to the end. The video makes its own interpretation of the poem. For example, in the video it showed a plane dropping bombs. Symbolizing if that were to happen, like it says in the poem we wouldn't have the slightest idea whats about to happen, are life would stay as normal as always.
ReplyDeleteWorld War II was taking place when this poem was written by Milosz. In "The Road" it is always dark and gray, which I would associate more with a war than the poem. The poem seemed like any other ordinary day and that nothing would go wrong such as a world war. Watching the video showed me that I had interpreted the poem with the wrong idea in mind. The video deffinitely helped get the right understanding of what Milosz meant in the poem. In the poem, I thought it was a "perfect" day and nothing bad was happening...at least not a world war.
ReplyDeleteSarah D.
Hour 3
if i was going to make an additional video, I would choose images of ordanary people dont normal things, and then at the end use a video of an atom bomb going off to signify the end of the world.
ReplyDeleteT-Moor.
ReplyDelete"What was going on in the world at that time"
WWII and the development of the Atomic bomb. I think what he means by everyone will die doing their normal gig is because the bomb will drop, there will be a blinding flash, then everything will burn and explode. Pretty much without warning.
When I think about this poem now I think about it more with a historical perspective. Before I thought it didn't have that bad of mood. In the poem it says happy porpoises jump in the sea which I took to mean that the world wouldnt end so bad. Now I think he is saying all of these things are happening even when evil and the end are here. He is seeing all of these things happen from World War 2 that aren't good things he is then illustrating this in his poem.
ReplyDeleteJoe B
ReplyDeleteHour 4
I feel like the first video represents the poem very well while the secon doesn't represent the poem accurately. For example ill take a line from the poem, "The bee circles the clover", (Line 2). The first video has calming music and cute creatures circling a flower. The second has a neuclear bomb being dropped out of a plane. I think the first video has a much better perspective of the poem.