In Walt Whitman's poem "Beat! Beat! Drums!" it idealizes the effects of music and instruments being the likes of an armed forces. The instruments should play loud and powerful music that keep the cities, homes, and people awaken. "Beat! Beat! Drums!--Blow! Bugles! Blow!/ Through the windows--through doors---burst like a ruthless force". There is no measure of boundaries that should stop the instruments from accomplishing its goal of being heard. Whitman wants the sound to be a "ruthless force" so that people are aware of its power and effects it will have on them. It is urged in the poem for the music to "Leave not the bridegroom quiet--no happiness must he have now with his bride/ Nor the peaceful farmer any peace, ploughing his field or gathering his grain/ so fierce you whirr and pound you drums--so shrill you bugles blow". This is an enactment for no peace or respect for the people. The music and instrument must play disregarding the space of others. Whitman goes to say that the instrument must not stop for no explanation or conversation but instead continue its brutal force of sound to recruit men for the coming war. The poem is an example that confirms the result and effects of music or instruments during war. Sound has a great ordeal towards soldiers and people to sway them or pump them up for the coming battles. In an articled titled "Sounds of War: Music in the United States during World War II" instruments had a clear job of boosting morale or passing time for the soldiers during wartime. Music was an alternative for soldiers to pass time and enjoy as they were far away from home. Though during the Vietnam Wwar there became composed music that became anthems for the soldiers to sing about their battalions or squads. It is specified in another article titled "War Music and the American Composer during the Vietnam Era" that music and instruments became a way of expressing beliefs and emotions towards current events. The drumming and beating of sound may awaken people to listen attracting them to what the fuss is about but also it is a way to boost people's morale in efforts to keep them awaken.
|
AuthorSalutations! My name is David M. welcome to my blog. I am a student currently attending UCI majoring in the aspirations of Political Science. Archives
April 2015
Categories |