Refrence to the Context with Explanation || BA English Poetry Eeasy Notes

Complete Explanation with Reference to the Context.

Poem .No 1.Leisure

Reference 

These lines have been taken from Leisure by William Davies.

Context

The poet has criticized the modern man for his haste and hurry.Modern man is so busy in his material activities that he has no time to enjoy nature and its objects.

Explanation.

In this poem ,the poet says that modern man is over much busy in his material pursuits.He can not sit under the trees .He is living artificial life.When he passes through woods,he can not enjoy the shining streams with twinkling stars.He has no time to pay attention to the beauty of a smiling girl.She is ready to offer us pleasures but because of shortage of time,he can not enjoy her smile and dance.His life is dull and charmless if he has no time to enjoy nature.

Critical Comments.The poet has rightly criticized the modern man for his excessive busyness in worldly activities.He has personified nature in the form of a beautiful girl.

The End.                        

 Poem no.2.Tartary

Reference

These lines have been taken from Tartary by Walter de la Mare.

Context

In this poem the poet wishes to be the king of an imaginary land,Tartary.He further tells us what type of luxurious life ,he would enjoy if he were lord of Tartary.

Explanation.

In these lines,the poet wishes to be the lord of Tartary.He describes his romantic desires as Mughal Kings of the sub continent.He wants to sleep on ivory bed and sit on golden throne.His ponds would be full of jumping fishes.His forests would be visited by tigers and lions.His court would be decorated with dancing peacocks.

He would be invited to meals by beating bugles.His court would be lighted by colorful lamps.His dress would be decorated with pearls of white,gold and green beads.He would go on a hunting spree early in the morning.Seven zebras would draw his buggy in the grassy paths of Tartary.

He would be the lord of hills,rivers and valleys. The bird delighting lemon and orange trees would also be in his possession.

Critical Comments

The poet has described his romantic longings by imagining himself as a lord of Tartary.This land is the product of his imagination.It reminds us of the ancient Mughal emperors.The poet has used beautiful and apt imagery for his imaginary kingdom.The imagery used in this poem is highly sensuous and pictorial.                        

 Poem no.3.New Year Resolutions.

Reference.These lines have been taken from New Year Resolutions by Elizabeth Sewell.

Context

The poetess has described her three resolutions at the approach of a new year.

Explanation.

The first resolution of the poetess is to keep quiet most of the time.She will drink in quietness  as an atonement of her sins.

Her second resolution is to take stock of her own weaknesses.she  avows to take herself by the collar and try to reform herself.

Her third resolution is to face the reality eye to eye.She has compared reality to bony arms as both are unpleasant and awkward.

critical comments.

New year is the time of making resolutions and reformation.The poetess has made important and life changing decisions to bring revolutionary changes in her life.

The End.                        

Poem no.4.Woman Work.

Reference.These lines have been taken from Woman Work by Maya Angelou

Context

In this poem ,a charwoman describes her dull and drab household routine.She is fed up with this routine and longs to participate in nature to have variety and relief.

Explanation.

The woman has to get up early in the morning.she has to look after her children,mend their clothes and buy edibles from the bazaar. She has to do cooking,cleaning and mopping in her house.She   has has to make her children ready for school .She bathes them,iron their clothes,and serve food to her family.She goes to the fields and cut cane and cleans the entire house.

She is tired of this dull routine and invites the elements of nature to come to her help.She calls the sun to shine on her,asks the rain to fall in her,and requests the dew drops to cool her brow.

She wants to spend night in the cold icy kisses .In short ,she claims to have ownership of these elements.She proudly calls them her own.

Critical comments.

The poetess has rightly described the dull routine of a charwoman.Her life is devoid of any comfort and variety.Being a lover of nature,she wants to go into the lap of nature                        

  Poem no.5. The Rebel

Reference.These lines have been taken from The Rebel by D.J Enright.

Context

The poet has presented a social rebel in this poem.He contradicts every act of society just to look prominent.

Explanation.

when others keep long hair,the rebel keeps short hair.On the other hand  ,when others keep others keep short hair,he grows long hair.When others make a noise in the class room,he sits silently.He makes a noise  when others sit silently.He wears showy clothes,when others wear sober clothes.His likes and dislikes are different from the common lot.He praises cats,when others are praising dogs.on the contrary,when people are praising cats,he starts praising dogs.When others are praying for rain,he prays foe the sun.When people sit at homes and do not participate in meeting,he goes to the meeting.When others accept some offer by saying yes please,he rejects it by saying ni thank you.when others reject it,he welcomes it.

It is not bad to be a rebel.They are harmless people.They do not want to tread the beaten tracks.They give variety to society.

Critical comments.

The poet has rightly pointed out the behaviour of some eccentric people.They do every thing contrary to society.Their aim is just to look prominent from others.The poet has presented a humourous and satirical picture of a person having odd behaviour.                        

 Poem no.6.Patriot into Traitor.

Reference.These lines have been taken from Patriot into Traitor by Robert Browning.

Context

In this poem ,the poet has presented a rejected political leader who tells the story of his rise and fall in the form of a monologue.

Explanation.

The  political leader says that he was given red carpet welcome a year ago.People threw flower petals on his way.They decorated the worship places with signs and posters.They used to look forward to his arrival by climbing on the roofs of the houses.

They rang bells and raised slogans to welcome him.They were ready to do anything at his call.They were willing to do impossible things at his call.

The political leader says that he made every possible effort to fulfill their demands.

After a year,the people suddenly changed their loyalties.Perhaps it was due to some misunderstanding.They branded him as a traitor and he was brought to the gallows.He was no longer a popular leader now.He was dragged in rain ,his hands were tied and people were throwing stones at him.

The condemned leader was still hopeful that he would be rewarded justly by God.So while going to the other world ,he was quite optimistic.

Critical Comments.This poem is a beautiful monologue.It teaches us the lesson of tolerance and constancy in political matters.                        

 Poem no.7 The Huntsman

Reference

These lines have been taken from The Huntsman by Edward Lowbury.

Context

This poem is a parable.It tells the story of a hunter who fell a victim to cruel fate due to over talking.

Explanation

Kagwa was a famous hunter.Once he came across a talking skull in the forest.He asked the skull how it had come there.The skull replied that its talkative nature brought it there.

The hunter rushed to the king s court to inform him of this strange incident.The king was surprised at this statement.He sent for two of his guards and asked them to go with Kagwa .He advised them to verify the truth of his statement.He also ordered them to kill Kagwa if his tale proved false.

After a great deal of search ,they found the skull but the skull did not speak despite repeated requests of Kagwa.

The guards killed Kagwa as they had been ordered by the king.After Kagwa s murder ,the skull spoke and asked Kagwa how he had come there.

Critical Comments.

The poem is full of irony and suspense.It preaches the value of silence.                        

 Poem no.8.One Art.

Reference

These lines have been taken from One Art by Elizabeth Bishop.

Context

In this poem,the poetess tries to teach us the art of losing in a humorous vein.She advises   not to feel worried at our petty losses.

Explanation

In this poem,the poetess says that everything is meant to be lost and we should not feel frustration at our daily losses.we should face our losses with a smiling face.She humorously tells us that we should lose our things intentionally without feeling worried.The loss of door keys and the hour badly spent should be taken lightly.we should forget the names and places which are dear to us.None will bring disaster.

She also gives her own example and tells that lost her mother s watch.She lost her dearest houses.She lost two cities,a kingdom and a continent but she bore this loss without any agitation.

She claims to forget her lover,his pleasing gestures and his sweet voice.She is of the view that we can tolerate any big or small loss if we are mentally prepared for it.

Critical Comments.

The poem is a blend of humour and satire.The poetess has satirized the trivial behaviour of the common people who raise hue and cry over petty losses.

                    

 Poem no.9. The Solitary Reaper

Reference

These lines have been taken from The Solitary Reaper by William Wordsworth.

Context.

The poet has described a beautiful natural scene.He saw a lonely girl reaping as well as singing a sad song.He was spell bound by the sweetness of her song.

Explanation

The poet saw a highland girl who was singing  a song while reaping the crop.He He asks the passers by to listen to her sweet song and not to disturb her.

She is cutting the crop and binding it.Side by side her work,she is singing a song.The whole valley is resounding with the waves of her sweet notes.

He compares her song to those of cuckoo and the nightingale.Her song is sweeter than than the nightingale s songs which were heard by the tired travellers of Arabian deserts.He says her song is sweeter than the cuckoo s songs.The cuckoo s songs break the silence of the seas and has enchanting effects.

The girl was singing in a local dialect.The poet could not understand the theme of her songs .He guesses that her song had tragic undertones.Perhaps she is singing about far off battles or some tragic incident of the past.

The poet leaves bothering about the subject matter of her song.He says that he was spell bound by the sweetness of her song.He could not forget her notes even when he had left the scene.

Critical Comments.

The poet has changed the common incident into a rare piece of literature.He has  used pictorial imagery to make us share his personal experience.

The End.

 Poem no.10.All the World is a Stage.

Reference

These lines have been taken from All the World s a Stage by William Shakespeare.

Context

In this poem ,Shakespeare has compared this world to a stage and the human beings to actors .He has divided the human life into seven stages.

Explanation

The poet says that this world is a stage and all the men and women are actors and actresses.They appear on this stage,perform their role and depart.One man in his normal life span plays seven roles.

At first ,he plays the role of an infant,crying for milk and vomitting it in his nurse s arms.At the second stage,he becomes a school going boy.He is carrying a heavy bag over his shoulders.He walks to school very slowly and unwillingly.

At the third stage,he becomes adult and sexual passions raise head in him.He falls in love with some girl and composes poetry in her praise.He sighs like a furnace  in the memory of his beloved.

At the fourth stage,he plays the role of a soldier and takes strange oaths .He is ready to pick quarrel for temporary fame.

At the fifth stage,he becomes a judge .He is head of the family and he has to take decisions like a judge.His belly is bulging out due to overeating.

At the sixth stage,he becomes old.He wears glasses.His clothes become loose at his shrunk  and withered body.He embellishes his conversation with proverbs and modern anecdotes.He has a bag of tobacco or snuff by his side.

At the seventh stage,he becomes extremely old.He becomes forgetful and behaves like a child.He loses all the five senses.He is without teeth,eyes ,ears and other senses.He becomes a caricature of himself.

Critical Comments.

The poet has a keen observation of human life.He has accurately described all the seven stages.

Poem no :: 14

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'' Lights out''

Refrence,

These lines have been taken from the poem 'Lights out' written by Edward Thomas.

Contxt.

In the poem the poet describes the power of sleep over hunan beings.He recounts different human activities pains and pleasure which are overpowerd by sleep.

Explaination:

The poet says that sleep is like a deep forest. People lose their way sooner or later. The people who perfrom physical labour as well as brain work all go into the lap of sleep.when a person is over powered by sleep.He turns his face away from a dearset book or face and enters the forest of sleep silently.Sleep makes us forgetfull of romentic passion griefs and sorrows.It has an alluring power.

Critical comments:

The poet has rightly compared the sleep to a forest .It past alluring twisting.It levels the rich and the poor. The young and the old and pushing a person into the valley of sleep.
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Poem no :: 12

' A poison tree'

Refrence= These lines have been taken from the poem "A POISON TREE" by William Blake.

Contxt" In this poem the poet advises us not to nourish the feelings of hatred and enmity. He says that we should remove over missunderstanding and promote love.

Explaination= The poet was angry with his friend. He did not give vent to his feeling of hatred. The passion grew in his heart like a tree. It bore a bright apple. The enemy tried to steal the apple in the darkness of night. In the morning the poet saw that the poison of hatred had killed his enemy.

Critical comments= The poet has used symbols. The apple is the symbols of temptation. The poet has used beautiful metaphore for the nourishment for the tree of hatred.

Poem no ;;11

 (Departure and Arrival)

Reference=These lines have been taken from"Departure and Arrival"by T.S.Eliot.

Context=In this poem, T.S.Eliot prepares the coming generation for the challenges of practical life. He inspires us to face all the difficulties of life manfully.

Explaination= He compares the world to a sea and life to a journey. We as beginners, hesitate to start this journey. But when we decide to embark upon this journey, we do not care for the obstacles and dangers. If we have optimistic view, we overcome the hardships bravely.

Eliot inspires the people of the 20th century to go forward with eager hearts to make the coming century greater. He hopes that the modern youth will overcome the challenges of the modern times. The poet optimistically hopes that the new century will bring greater heroes, scientists and reformers. They will overcome poverty, hunger and starvation.

.. Critical comments= Eliot is an optimist. He ensures brighter future for mankind. His idealism and optionison is worth_nothing in the context of problems posing threat to the modern age.

Poem No 13
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Because I Could Not Stop for Death
Reference :These lines have been taken from "Because I Could not stop for Death" by Emily Dickinson.
Context:  The poetess describes her imaginary journey in the company of Death and Immortality. She presents Death as a kind and considerate suitor. She tells how she left her leisure and pursuits to welcome Death.
Explanation : Death and Immortality come to the poetess in a bugg. The poetess sits in a carriage along with Death and Immortality. She leaves her rest, leisure and worldly pursuits. They pass by different scenes. They pass by a school where children are playing games. Then they pas by the field of ripe crop. In the end they pass by the setting sun. This journey of Death refers to the three stages of human life i_e childhood, youth and old age. The poetess accompanied by Death, stops near a house which looked like a swelling in the ground. It refers to her stay in the grave. The poetess was wearing Gossamer and Tipet but these worldly precautions could not stop the coldness of Death. In the end the poetess feels that the horses of the carriage were heading towards eternity. This refers to the life after death.
Critical comments
The poetess tries to shake off the fear of Death. She has presented Death as a lover who comes to take her with him. She rightly says that we have to leave our worldly pursuits at the approach of death.
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Poem No 15
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After Apple Picking
Reference : These lines have been taken from "After Apple Picking" by Robert Frost.
Context :The poet imagines himself as an apple picker. He is dead tired after picking apples. Side by side with his tiredness, he has craze to pick more apples to fill some more empty barrels. His drowsiness overcomes him. The poet with the help of this imaginary act of apple picking, points towards a universal fact. Man is selfish and materialistic by nature. He wants to continue accumulating wealth beyond his human limitations.
Explanation :
The poet introduces himself as an apple picker. He has been picking his bumper crop. He has filled barrels after barrels. He is feeling sleepy and tired yet he is not satisfied with his work. The essence of apples makes him drowsy. He falls asleep but in his dreams, he sees magnified apples before his eyes. He compares his sleep to woodchuck. Infact, the poet compares this sleep to death. Death is also a sleep that ends our activities.