English Notes Latest Questions

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  1. Amelia mazumder
    Amelia mazumder
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    The hesitation discussed in the poem is that of regaining hope amidst all the gloom and despair. The poet seems to be bemoaning the dying century and when he hears a thrush singing a song of “joy illimited”, he is unable to believe that the thrush is aware of some blessed hope that he is yet to findRead more

    The hesitation discussed in the poem is that of regaining hope amidst all the gloom and despair. The poet seems to be bemoaning the dying century and when he hears a thrush singing a song of “joy illimited”, he is unable to believe that the thrush is aware of some blessed hope that he is yet to find. He is torn between despair and hope.

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  1. Vraj Shah
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    Vraj Shah

    The note of bleakness and greyness was abruptly broken by a joyous bird song that seemed to rise from the bleak twigs overhead. It seemed as if an aged thrush which is described as "frail, gaunt and small" with blast- beruffled plume" had chosen to fling its soul into the enveloping darkness as it sRead more

    The note of bleakness and greyness was abruptly broken by a joyous bird song that seemed to rise from the bleak twigs overhead. It seemed as if an aged thrush which is described as “frail, gaunt and small” with blast- beruffled plume” had chosen to fling its soul into the enveloping darkness as it sang in full throated song with unlimited joy. A special note comes in with the use of the word ‘evensong which reminds us of the vespers. The use of this word seems particularly meaningful when one remembers the spiritual and intellectual bleakness and insecurity felt by the thinkers of the age. The use of ‘evensong seems an affirmation of the role of faith and religion. Since the ‘aged thrush’ with ‘blast-beruffled plume’ flings its soul upon the encircling gloom, the atmosphere seems to lighten and lose some of its bleakness.

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  1. Amelia mazumder
    Amelia mazumder
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    The first two stanzas in the poem sets the tone and setting of the poem. The poet creates a gloomy and a bleak scene around him as the winter draws close and the centre to its end. Then the turning point in the poem comes when an aged thrush starts singing a song of “joy illimited” amidst all the deRead more

    The first two stanzas in the poem sets the tone and setting of the poem. The poet creates a gloomy and a bleak scene around him as the winter draws close and the centre to its end. Then the turning point in the poem comes when an aged thrush starts singing a song of “joy illimited” amidst all the desolation. The poem ends with a note of optimism which the bird portrays through its song of hope. The poem starts with the poet describing a morbid ambience and ending in a note of optimism.

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  1. Amelia mazumder
    Amelia mazumder
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    The bird in this poem is a symbol of hope and happiness. The titular darkling thrush symbolizes that Hope can be found even in the darkest of times, only one has to look for it. It’s a symbol of optimism one should have and look for, forgoing all pessimism and dejection. Read summary of The DarklingRead more

    The bird in this poem is a symbol of hope and happiness. The titular darkling thrush symbolizes that Hope can be found even in the darkest of times, only one has to look for it. It’s a symbol of optimism one should have and look for, forgoing all pessimism and dejection.

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  1. Amelia mazumder
    Amelia mazumder
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    The theme of this poem is despair of hopelessness and how hope can be regained even in the most desolate of times. Read summary of The Darkling Thrush

    The theme of this poem is despair of hopelessness and how hope can be regained even in the most desolate of times.

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  1. Amelia mazumder
    Amelia mazumder
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    The metaphors used in this poem is to describe the landscape in order to provoke despair. The speaker says in the beginning that “Frost was spectre-grey.” In order to make the dejected ambience more profound, Frost develops human like characteristics in “spectre- grey.” He even says the “land’s sharRead more

    The metaphors used in this poem is to describe the landscape in order to provoke despair. The speaker says in the beginning that “Frost was spectre-grey.” In order to make the dejected ambience more profound, Frost develops human like characteristics in “spectre- grey.” He even says the “land’s sharp features seem to be the Century’s corpse out leant.” This metaphor seem to embody the dead century. The sharp features of the land seems to be the Century’s dead body and the cloud, in the next line, works as a canopy, covering up the body. Another metaphor is seen when he says that the thrush’s song is like “evensong”, the evening prayers and songs performed as rituals in the Anglican Church.

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  1. Amelia mazumder
    Amelia mazumder
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    The thrush’s song brings a sense of hope and happiness by going past all dejections and despair. The song is not just any song but a “full-hearted evensong of joy illimited” bringing forth an ecstatic feeling. The thrush is aware of some blessed Hope which the speaker is yet to find. It raises the cRead more

    The thrush’s song brings a sense of hope and happiness by going past all dejections and despair. The song is not just any song but a “full-hearted evensong of joy illimited” bringing forth an ecstatic feeling. The thrush is aware of some blessed Hope which the speaker is yet to find. It raises the comfort that Hope can make a man cross boundaries.

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  1. Amelia mazumder
    Amelia mazumder
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    The lines 5/6 in the poem suggests the desolate day. The simile of the thick tangled stems of the plant as a broken lyre scoring the sky adds more to the speaker’s grief and sadness. The world seems to be sad and the sky is mirroring that earthly sadness. Read summary of The Darkling Thrush

    The lines 5/6 in the poem suggests the desolate day. The simile of the thick tangled stems of the plant as a broken lyre scoring the sky adds more to the speaker’s grief and sadness. The world seems to be sad and the sky is mirroring that earthly sadness.

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  1. Amelia mazumder
    Amelia mazumder
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    The imageries used in the poem are mostly through metaphors and similes. The poet then compares the sky to a canopy. He says that the land becomes a map of everything that has happened over the course of the century. It seems to embody the dead century. The sharp features of the land seem to be theRead more

    The imageries used in the poem are mostly through metaphors and similes. The poet then compares the sky to a canopy. He says that the land becomes a map of everything that has happened over the course of the century. It seems to embody the dead century. The sharp features of the land seem to be the Century’s dead body and the cloud works as a canopy covering up the body. The simile of the thick “tangled bine stems” soaring the sky as a broken lyre adds more to the poet’s sorrow and grief around him.

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  1. Amelia mazumder
    Amelia mazumder
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    The 19th century has been represented in the poem through personification by making the land come alive. The landscape as the century’s corpse shows the dying 19th century. Due to the Industrial Revolution, 19th century has become stagnant. The rhythm of conception and truth has slowed down remarkabRead more

    The 19th century has been represented in the poem through personification by making the land come alive. The landscape as the century’s corpse shows the dying 19th century. Due to the Industrial Revolution, 19th century has become stagnant. The rhythm of conception and truth has slowed down remarkably. A new era is rising in the horizon and the 19th century is dying all this time by coming to an end soon.

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