Introduction
Hegemony is a circumstance where certain social alliance group exerts social authority over a smaller group in the social alliance by restraining, or by unfairly questioning their ideas so that the power of a superior class appears logically acceptable and natural. The purpose of hegemony is to maintain a moving equilibrium in order to restrict any disagreement that might arise. It is as a result of making meanings conform to the group’s ways of thinking.
The test case of “A slumber did my spirit seal” by William Wordsworth: is among his elegies of Lucy poems. This short poem received much criticism, as it drew some interpretive differences. Most times, critics do not show the method used to discuss the version they use to mark the difference, rather they tend look at the divergence in punctuation and spellings, and general message in the poem.
An evaluation of the poem by some intentionalist reading on the shortcomings and strengths, E. D. Hirsch, Jr. in his appendix tilled “objective criticism” to check on the validity of interpretation takes two different interpretation of the poem, as examples of the indefensible of interpretive inclusivity notion. In the Cleanth Brook reading, “she” in the poem is “touched by and held by earthly time in its most Powerful and horrible image,” and the reading by F. W. Bateson keeps “Lucy is actually more alive now that she is dead, because she is now part of the life of Nature, and not just a human thing.” From the two interpretations, it is difficult to reconcile them and, therefore, adjudication of the two readings should be done to determine the most suitable context of the poem. In this case, validity of interpretation creates a criticism of the poem.
Critics find a lot of difficulty in identifying who Lucy is since this poem is one of the Lucy poems elegies. Some critics like Harold Bloom and Lionel Trilling: in their argument, say that “she” in the Lucy poems is not inspired by Wordsworth sister Dorothy, but Mary’s younger sister Margaret, who was her friend who died. The close relationship transpired Wordsworth to compose the poem, to honor his dear friend Margaret. However, other Wordsworth’s critics maintained that, the “she” in the Lucy poem did not refer to anyone in Wordsworth life; rather it was a complex creation, which was not by any person inspiration.
Conclusion
Some social groups have pointed out many unacceptable things in the poem “A slumber did my spirit seal” especially in regards, to the way the sentences were punctuated, and on the different ways in which the poem could be interpreted. Different arguments have risen criticizing Wordsworth’s poem claiming that it does not conform to the norms of poetry.
