Based on a few of Harper's New Monthly Magazine articles, I must say that the magazine is quite different from the ones offered today. As opposed to magazines today such as Seventeen or Psychology Today, Harper's New Monthly Magazine does not stick to a single theme. This nineteenth century journal has all sorts of articles, poems, illustrations, essays, tales, and short stories. By making this magazine contain such a broad compilation of items, it is safe to say that anyone who can read, or perhaps even those who cannot, can enjoy this editorial.
One of the pieces that stuck out to me the most was "Jot to the Bride.". Throughout the poem, the speaker is scornful and expresses disdain, thus giving the poem a contemptuous and cynical tone. The speaker mentions that Mr. Simon Gray is wealthy and suggests that Lillian is with him for his wealth rather than true love. The speaker also scorns those who attended the wedding and claims that the whole ordeal is an “enameled falsehood.” The speaker talks of the sad consequences that await Lillian for her decision. The speaker seems to be mainly concerned with the wounds to the heart, the loneliness, and the emptiness awaiting her newly wedded cousin. The poem offers the frequently found moral of material things not being able to provide an individual with true happiness.
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This post caught my attention because I had similar feelings about the subject matter of the magazine, and although it does provide an opportunity for a larger audience, I also felt that the broadness of the magazine created a sense of confusion and felt somewhat overwhelming. The article discussed in this blog was interesting as well because it had such a strong parallel to issues present in modern day society although it was written so long ago. This is a wonderful example of how many of the problems we face in our lives today have been dealt by people for years and years before us.
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