Miniver Cheevy Analysis Essay

Miniver Cheevy by Edwin Arlington Robinson is a dramatic lyric poem that acts as self-portrait satire as Robinson ridicules his own life and dreams of a living in a time flowing where his failures could be seen as triumphs. Through his character Miniver Cheevy, Robinson criticizes not only himself, but 19th and 20th century America using diction. Robinson gave himself away with the first business sector Miniver Cheevy, child of scorn. Robinsons parents were expecting a girl when he was born and did not address him for six months. His name was picked out of a hat by a stranger on while his family was on vacation. gratuitous to say, he did not feel wanted growing up. He wept that he was ever born/ And he had his reasons. As a lover of the past, Robinson appreciates the art and adventure of the Ancient Greek and Medieval time periods Miniver love the days of oldWhen swords were bright and steeds were prancing The vision of a warrior bold would set him dancing...He dreamed of Thebes and Camelot and Priams neighbors.However, Robinson himself comes off more as an anti-modernist instead of a fond observer of Romantic history he despised the militarism and materialism the age brought about Miniver cursed the commonplace/ And eyed a khaki adapt with loathing and seek to flight of steps it. He, however, recognizes that he himself is crucial to the standard Miniver scorned the gold he sought/ But sore he was without it.And though he loathes his life, all he does is drink, and drink, and drink, and drink about it and fill his fate Miniver Cheevy thought, and thought, and thought/ And thought about it.. Miniver coughed , and called it fate/ And kept on drinking. Edwin Arlington Robinson criticized his time period for the pragmatism and power his generation fancied. But he also realized that he couldnt escape and didnt succumb to these vices but grudgingly accepted their place in his life.