Literary Theory Research Paper-Those Winter Sundays

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Literary Theory Research Paper- Those Winter Sundays
Introduction
The research paper on literary theory presents a description of some underlying principles obtained from any works of literature. It offers an explanation of the literary interpretation drawing back on applicable theories, themes, and other devices. The aim of analyzing literary texts is to offer a justification for the existence of certain works of art. Such a justification is offered through a critical analysis of the paper in question. The role of this research paper is to illustrate the theme of ‘love’ as contained in the work of Robert Hayden in “Those Winter Sundays.”
The examination of this poem offers the audience a sense of evaluating the works of the author from a poetic point of view. It exemplifies the involvement of Hayden as a stern person, especially when it comes to the affection to his family. There are no elaborations of these allegations provided in the poem; There is a case of the prevalence of “chronic angers” of his household. The use of anger in the poem is fool-proof of angry expressions of constant ungratefulness during the life and time of Hayden. Major components of this research paper include a brief overview of the poem, an illustrative theme of love, the entanglement of the theme of love with that of ingratitude, and a concrete evaluation of other literary contexts used in the poem. An example is a scrutiny to a stanza on “love’s austere and lonely offices?” Towards the end of this research paper is a concluding statement detailing major segments covered in the study.

Analysis of “Those Winter Sundays.”
‘Those Winter Sundays’ is a poem by Robert Hayden. It explains how the speaker had an encounter with his childhood dreams in thinking about sacrifices made by his father for his benefits. There is the discovery of an element of love present, especially towards the end of the poem. It is 14 lines in length, yet offers a remarkable element of power contained in each line. The aspect of double perspective is provided by the instance where its meaning is contained in individual differences between the father and the boy, and a variation in the knowledge between these two characters.
Stanza 1
There is an abrupt point of beginning in the poem, with the author stating that “Sundays too my father.” as an indication of assuming some actions may have happened before that. It is the father described as an active individual who wakes up on Sunday mornings in helping the family prepare for the day. The reader has acknowledged that the father wakes up very early to make the house warm before waking up other members of the family. As the first stanza comes to an end, there is a clue to the central theme of the poem; “No one ever thanked him” (Wyrick, 515).
Stanza 2
The second stanza illustrates the narrator waking up, only to feel “cold splintering, breaking” (Wyrick, 515). The meaning is that the house was extremely cold, had it not been the sole intervention of the father warming it when he lit firewood. Once the house got warm, it is at this point that the narrator would be called by his father to wake up to dress as he prepared for the day. He would get dressed up while “fearing the chronic angers of that house” (Wyrick, 515).The question which lingers is the source of these “angers” as stated by the author, may be possibly because of having to wake up early on a cold Sunday morning.
Stanza 3
The final stanza provides a continuity of engagements of the narrator by “speaking indifferently to him” (Wyrick, 515). The narrator is meant to speak to his father, who is much concerned in warming the house. As if that is not enough, the father goes ahead to polish the shoes of the narrator. The only astonishing thing is that despite all these accomplishments, “no one ever thanked him.”
Theme of Love
There are many themes illustrated by the poem. However, for purposes of this research, I expound on the theme of love. As observed earlier, the central idea in the poem is love. It is notable that the idea of love stems from the very beginning of the poem. The form of affection portrayed in the poem is a deep portion of care present in the family line. It is the kind of care present between a child and a parent. It relates to an aspect of courage to wake very early and doing against all the odds in raising the family. It is a form of brave encounter that is quiet, with no hugs or other showy encounters. There are no snuggles or even kisses, a rare occurrence in this kind of a family setting.
Love is illustrated by the role of the father in waking up early in the morning on ‘Winter Sundays’ to lit the fire for his family. All these things were happening while his lovely son was asleep. It portrays a crucial evidence about the existence of love in the family. All these deeds by the father are performed in every period of winter. It does not matter whether the father is tired or not; he must undertake these tasks. After spending much time of the week doing his daily activities, he goes ahead and makes fire for his son. He does not expect any other person to perform such duties like it would have been the case with many father figures (Hayden, 12). In some instances, there would be the expectation of many fathers being left behind at bed, while their sons are preparing fire as a way of mentoring them in becoming responsible men in future. However, this is not the case in this scenario.
There is an implied communication of theme of love by the father to his son. As such, there are more symbolic instances of love through his behavior. Rather than using words to justify his cause, he enacts his element of real love on his only son. The attribute of little warmth provided by fire is a symbolic figure of warmth in the family. Such a case of figurative warmth depicts a case of father’s affection. There are no excuses, as the father is determined in helping his son through love. An illustration is where the narrator mention that love is present despite a case of “chronic angers of that house.” Parents could be the number one cause of anger in this family.
There is a significant element of love portrayed by the fact that the father calls his son only after making sure that the room is warm. What it means is that the father prepares the room until a point when he considers it physically comfortable for the son to stay. Once he establishes that the room is good, he seeks to have the presence of his son. There is no rushing to have his son wake up; a fact explained in “slowly I would rise and dress.” The assumption could be that he has realized a sense of emotional tension and coldness in the house, despite the physical warmth of the house. An extra sign of love is signified by the fact that the father “driven out the cold” and still going ahead to polish the good shoes of his son “and polished my good shoes as well” (Kirszner, 663).
There are other explorative ways to the theme of love in the poem. The speaker can realize his old age in appreciating the quiet love accorded to him by his father. Such a case demonstrate a past full of loving encounters which are silently crafted with concrete meaning. The poem offers an illustration of love expressed verbally by the involvement of both characters of father and son. The speaker is at one instance regretting just like other family members who took the love for their father for granted. According to the speaker, these members portrayed no sense of gratitude to their father. At one particular point in time, the speaker laments that “no one ever thanked him” (Kirszner, 663).
Entanglement of the Themes of Love and Ingratitude
“Those Winter Sundays” offers an interesting view in the presentation of speakers thankful message at a later stage, of a reciprocal love which was once offered by his lovely father. The poem offers a rebuking message to the young generation, in this case, the speaker, as depicted in its closing lines. It states that “what did I know, what did I know. Of love’s austere and lonely offices?” The message portrays the unified theme of love or care with a sense of ingratitude. Ingratitude refers to the tendency of humans to assume love, or take love for granted. In most cases, this applies to family members who fails to recognize the simple act of love advanced to them and some other members of the family.
The theme of ingratitude is expounded further by taking a look at a stanza which mentions “no one ever thanked him” (Kirszner, 663). The meaning is that the father was not accorded respect or thanks for taking a leading role in providing care for the family. His efforts were not recognized by the fact that he could lit the fire for his son, among other family members who took advantage of a warm environment in the house. Other references are made relating to the “chronic angers” of the house; an instance assumed to show that despite attempts of the father to be appreciated, more anger is vented on him. The fact that anger is still present in the house is a valid proof of the theme of ingratitude. The bulk of this poem concentrates of the attributes of love, notwithstanding the idea of being appreciated at later stages of live, a case of belated love. It illustrates a case of love not recognized due to the ingratitude nature of people in taking ‘love for granted.’
‘Love’s austere and lonely offices?”
‘Love’s austere and lonely offices?” is the closing stanza of the poem, offering mixed feelings based on the understanding of the theme of love (Welsch, 2). The adult character tries to reflect cold mornings of winter at his youth. It is a recognition of the sense of ingratitude emanating from the patriarch family system. These are the same frustrations depicted as “chronic angers” by the author. The pathetic nature of this closing line is the austere nature of love, based on silent attributes as depicted by the father.
A young child can be presented in “lonely offices” when there is no love accorded to him. In the case of married people, “lonely offices” can illustrate a case of personal pleasure (Welsch, 2). Through the existence of love between two loved ones, there is no fearful opinion they make that can break them apart. Love is considered to surpass borders of conflict, keeping all other opportunities out of sight. It is the same notion which tries to explain that love has no boundaries. The presence of love makes resources and time to be sacrificed and concentrating on simple things. Simply put, it is the little things which count, an adage about same facts of the simple element of love.
Love is a selective endeavor since it is not considered to be blind. It understands the truthful account of all things, without any presence of flaws. Love does not choose whether it is a child or an old man. It occurs at almost every stage of life. The fact remains that “love’s austere and lonely offices” means that there are many offices held in life. It implies a case of a wide depth of love, not necessarily that involved in marriage, but a collection of sacrificial offices occupied by the human soul in keeping the temple of love alive.
In a similar front, “love’s austere and lonely offices” expresses the mature consciousness of individual duties while isolated with a loved one (Parini, 977). The use of “offices” illustrates a connotative and denotative functionality of duties performed without the need to expect gratitude’s or appreciation. It is the case of a person accomplishing much in the workplace, but no one is aware of his accomplishments once he arrives at home. The fact that such a person keeps quiet in mentioning his accomplishments is the same way that the narrator is showcasing a scenario of ingratitude to the father. The father may have accomplished much in the family, yet no one is thanking him for these noble duties. The same case applies to life, not every other time that our deeds are appreciated.
Conclusion
Undertaking a research paper on the works of Robert Hayden sheds light on the evidence of the theme of love, the central point of study in “Those Winter Sundays.” The research has formed concrete views about the existence of love from a family point of view. In line with this theme is the entanglement of the element of ingratitude, which is simply a case of failed recognition of love where it is required. Other parts covered in this research paper include a complete analysis of the poem on a stanza by stanza basis, evaluation of love, an overview of the theme of ingratitude, and a literary context of “Love’s austere and lonely offices.” All these portrays an episode of love displayed in different angles.
Works Cited
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Hayden, Robert. “Those Winter Sundays.” An Introduction to Poetry 13 (1962).
Kirszner,  Compact Literature Reading Writing Mla 2016 Update. Place of publication not identified: Cengage Learning Custom P, 2016. Print.
Parini, Jay. The Wadsworth Anthology of Poetry. , 2006. Print.
Welsch, Kathleen A. Those Winter Sundays: Female Academics and Their Working-Class Parents. Lanham, Md: University Press of America, 2005. Print.
Wyrick, Jean. Steps to writing well with additional readings. Cengage Learning, 2013.