English Notes Latest Questions

  1. The central idea of the poem revolves around the achievement of success. Success, according to the poet, is the result of perseverance, constant pursuit of one’s objective, and unshakable determination. To succeed, one has toil without giving up and rely on the blessings of God.   Will to win sRead more

    The central idea of the poem revolves around the achievement of success. Success, according to the poet, is the result of perseverance, constant pursuit of one’s objective, and unshakable determination. To succeed, one has toil without giving up and rely on the blessings of God.

     

    Will to win summary

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  1. The beauty of the poem is enhanced by using figures of speech such as Alliteration,Antithesis,Climax, Paradox, Personification, Repetition, Synecdoche, Tautology, Hyperbole, Inversion and Metaphor. There is also a repetition of initial words in few stanzas, eg: In stanza 2: line 2 and 3- when and thRead more

    The beauty of the poem is enhanced by using figures of speech such as Alliteration,Antithesis,Climax, Paradox, Personification, Repetition, Synecdoche, Tautology, Hyperbole, Inversion and Metaphor. There is also a repetition of initial words in few stanzas, eg: In stanza 2: line 2 and 3- when and then, stanza 3: line 3 and 5- so and bestow. Herbert uses a theological (the study of the nature of God and religious belief) concept throughout this poem. This strategy is similar to a metaphor, but it is far more sophisticated. In this poem, Herbert utilises a pulley to depict humanity’s connection with God/religion.

     

    Pulley summary

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  1. The poem’s central message is that, while God has bestowed numerous blessings onto humans, we still tend to be materialistic and forsake God, who constantly pulls us towards him. This poem, written from the perspective of God, conveys the message that we are all subject to God’s will, and that all tRead more

    The poem’s central message is that, while God has bestowed numerous blessings onto humans, we still tend to be materialistic and forsake God, who constantly pulls us towards him. This poem, written from the perspective of God, conveys the message that we are all subject to God’s will, and that all the wealth in the world would not be enough to compensate for the comfort and consolation we seek in him.

    Pulley summary

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  1. Walt Whitman’s ‘Animals’ uses a number of literary devices. The first line starts with a paradox. Following that, the poet employs personification to portray animals with human attributes. The usage of a repetition at the start of consecutive lines is done for emphasis. The word “sick” has been usedRead more

    Walt Whitman’s ‘Animals’ uses a number of literary devices. The first line starts with a paradox. Following that, the poet employs personification to portray animals with human attributes. The usage of a repetition at the start of consecutive lines is done for emphasis. The word “sick” has been used as a metaphor.

    Animals Summary

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  1. Walt Whitman, the poet, compares the feeling of being with animals and humans and admits that he feels more at ease and at home with animals than with his fellow humans. Humans have gone insane in their pursuit of material goods. They’re a jumble of complexities. They have nightmares and mourn for tRead more

    Walt Whitman, the poet, compares the feeling of being with animals and humans and admits that he feels more at ease and at home with animals than with his fellow humans. Humans have gone insane in their pursuit of material goods. They’re a jumble of complexities. They have nightmares and mourn for their sins because their conscience is impure. Animals, on the other hand, are satisfied, tranquil, and self-contained. They aren’t motivated by anything other than their meals. They don’t need to worship God since they never feel guilty or sinful. In the distant past, our ancestors exchanged those signs of love and understanding. Unfortunately, mankind has permanently lost those values and signs of love and compassion.

    Animals poem summary

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  1. The main theme of this poem is home. No matter where we go, there will never be a place as comforting as home. Nothing compares to the joy that home brings. There is no place like home.   Home sweet home summary

    The main theme of this poem is home. No matter where we go, there will never be a place as comforting as home. Nothing compares to the joy that home brings. There is no place like home.

     

    Home sweet home summary

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  1. Alliteration- It is the occurrence of the same sound at the beginning of closely connected words. Examples- “loves to lie”, “loves to live”, “pleased with what”, “Here shall he see” Repetition- It is the repetition of a word or a phrase in the poem for poetic effect. Example- “Come hither, come hithRead more

    • Alliteration- It is the occurrence of the same sound at the beginning of closely connected words. Examples- “loves to lie”, “loves to live”, “pleased with what”, “Here shall he see”
    • Repetition- It is the repetition of a word or a phrase in the poem for poetic effect. Example- “Come hither, come hither, come hither! / Here shall he see/ No enemy/ But winter and rough weather.”
    • Personification– Personification is a figure of speech in which an idea or thing is given human attributes and/or feelings or is spoken of as if it were human. Example- “No enemy/ But winter and rough weather.”

    Under the Greenwood Tree summary

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  1. The main theme of this poem is Nature. Nature provides man with relaxation. A simple and happy life free of the evils of civilisation can only be found in Nature. The speaker invites people who seek a simple and merry way of life to join him under the greenwood tree, his home at the heart of Nature.Read more

    The main theme of this poem is Nature. Nature provides man with relaxation. A simple and happy life free of the evils of civilisation can only be found in Nature. The speaker invites people who seek a simple and merry way of life to join him under the greenwood tree, his home at the heart of Nature.

     

    Under the Greenwood Tree summary

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  1. Personification– Personification is a figure of speech in which an idea or thing is given human attributes and/or feelings or is spoken of as if it were human. The brook is personified as a person in this poem. Repetition- It is the repetition of a word or a phrase in the poem for poetic effect. ExaRead more

    • Personification– Personification is a figure of speech in which an idea or thing is given human attributes and/or feelings or is spoken of as if it were human. The brook is personified as a person in this poem.
    • Repetition- It is the repetition of a word or a phrase in the poem for poetic effect. Examples- “To join the brimming river, / For men may come and men may go, / But I go on for ever”, “And here and there”
    • Alliteration- It is the occurrence of the same sound at the beginning of closely connected words. Examples- “suddensally”, “hills I hurry”, “twenty thorpes”, “half a hundred”, “men may”, “field and fallow”, “fairy foreland”, “With willow-weed”, “foamy flake”, “golden gravel”, “skimming swallows”, “sandy shallows”
    • Imagery– Imagery refers to the elements of a poem that engage a reader’s senses. The poet uses imagery throughout the poem to describe the places that the brook flows through and the things it sees.
    • Enjambment– It is the continuation of a sentence to multiple lines. Many of the sentences in this poem span multiple lines and are therefore of this nature.
    • Onomatopoeia– It is the use of sounds for literary effect. Examples- “I chatter over stony ways, / In little sharps and trebles, / I bubble into eddying bays, / I babble on the pebbles”, “I chatter, chatter, as I flow”, “I murmur under moon and stars”

    The Brook Summary

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