Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
Students Name
Tutor
Course
Date
There are several similarities and differences in the two works by Ouyang Xiu- an
account of Pavilion of the Drunken Old Man (Owen 613-614) written in prose and On the
Pavilion of the Drunken Old Man in Chu-zhou (Owen 685) written as a poem. The noticeable
similarities in his works include the theme whereby he chooses to express his appreciation for
nature in both works. Ouyang Xiu vividly describes the delights of nature that characterize the
mountains, the wide range of birds, and the soothing sounds made by streams as the trickle
across the landscape. In the poem, Xiu applauds the calming effect of the water flow, claiming it
is more appreciable than the sound of harps and flutes. In the prose, Xiu reveals that he delights
in the composition of the landscape- and again dismisses the value of instrument music.
Another similarity in the two works by Xius affinity is their plots. The prose and the
poem both describe his journey to the mountains while drunk and leaving it to the winds to sober
him up again. He praises the influence of wine on his ability to appreciate nature. In the poem, he
recalls that he always takes his glass of wine to the stream and falls drunk. In the prose, Xiu
espouses that his love for nature does not entirely spring from being drunk but the condition
surely improves it (Owen 613). The plots of these works revolve around the mountains in Chu-
zhou.
Surname 2
The tone of the two works by Ouyang Xiu is also similar. He employs the tone of
approval through which he lauds the amazing nature of the environment around him. His tone is
also informal whereby he uses a combination of a variety of words to express his admiration for
his natural surroundings e.g. the first line of the eight stanza reads, Hill flowers waste their
practiced smiles (Owen 685). This statement is an informal statement aimed at capturing the
allure of the flowers. He candidly narrates his delights and pleasures with nature and paints a
vivid image of the scenery. For instance, the prose describes the glee of the birds at the departure
of the governor and his convoy (Owen 614). This statement cannot be considered to be formal as
it is not possible to determine the actual feeling of creatures such as birds as they are constantly
There is a lot of similarity in the use of imagery on the two works. Xiu uses this element
to capture the attention of the audience and help them visualize the scenery. For instance, the
piece of prose contains expressions such as wildflowers spring up and give off secret
fragrances. Such a statement leaves a lasting impression on the reader and helps to imagine the
scenery or the actual circumstances under which the persona finds himself or herself in. In the
third stanza of the poem, Xiu describes the manner in which the pavilion brook is laid across the
mountainous landscape by using the phrase how this pavilions brook makes its way through
tangles of peaks (Owen 685). The statement triggers the creation of an image in the readers
mind.
The point of view from which the works are written differs. The poem is written from the
first person perspective whereas the prose is written in the third person perspective. The poet
uses the article I to explain his escapades among the mountainous stretches of land in Chu-
zhou. For instance, Owen (685) writes in the first line of the seventh stanza, of course I find
Surname 3
flutes and harps lovely. In the prose, the writer uses the article he as in and when he had
gotten a little drunk to refer to himself and only reveals that he is referring to himself at the
Works Cited
Surname 4
Owen, Stephen. "and trans. 1996." An Anthology of Chinese Literature: Beginnings to 1911.