English Notes Latest Questions

  1. This answer was edited.

    Metaphor: A figure of speech that makes a comparison between two, unlike things without using "like" or "as." Example: In the line "And dreaming through the twilight,"  Repetition: The deliberate use of the same word or phrase more than once for emphasis or effect. Example: The repetition of the worRead more

    1. Metaphor: A figure of speech that makes a comparison between two, unlike things without using “like” or “as.” Example: In the line “And dreaming through the twilight,” 
    2. Repetition: The deliberate use of the same word or phrase more than once for emphasis or effect. Example: The repetition of the word “haply” in the lines “Haply I may remember, And haply may forget”.
    3. Imagery: The use of descriptive language that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell) to create vivid mental images. Example: The lines “Be the green grass above me / With showers and dewdrops wet”.
    4. Alliteration: The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words in close proximity. Example: In the line “Sing on, as if in pain,” the repetition of the “s” sound in “Sing,” “as,” and “pain” adds a musical quality to the line.
    5. Assonance: The repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words. Example: In the line “I shall not feel the rain,” the repetition of the “a” sound in “shall,” “not,” and “rain” creates an internal rhyme and a musical effect.
    6. Enjambment: The continuation of a sentence or phrase from one line of poetry to the next without a pause. Example: The poem uses enjambment in several places, such as between “Haply I may remember” and “And haply may forget,” which creates a smooth flow of thought.
    7. Personification: A figure of speech in which human attributes are given to non-human things or abstract ideas. Example: In the line “And if thou wilt, remember, / And if thou wilt, forget,” the speaker personifies memory and forgetfulness as if they are conscious beings.

    When I Am Dead, My Dearest Summary

    See less
  1. This answer was edited.

    On first reading, this poem appears to be a pretty simple little song, but some of the implications it discreetly suggests are not so obvious as we dig more into 'When I am dead, my dearest'. In the ending: Christina Rossetti indicates, by declaring that she may not remember her beloved after she haRead more

    On first reading, this poem appears to be a pretty simple little song, but some of the implications it discreetly suggests are not so obvious as we dig more into ‘When I am dead, my dearest’. In the ending: Christina Rossetti indicates, by declaring that she may not remember her beloved after she has died, that there may be no future and that she may be incapable of remembering him. Rossetti repeatedly uses the word “haply” near the conclusion of the poem, but it’s not quite the same as “happily”; it really means “by chance” or, if you prefer, “perhaps.” When I Am Dead, My Dearest Summary

    See less
  1. This answer was edited.

    The poem is divided into two octaves or stanzas of eight lines each. These can be further divided into quatrains (four-line stanzas) based on their rhyme scheme (each set of four lines follows an ABCB pattern). When I Am Dead, My Dearest Summary

    The poem is divided into two octaves or stanzas of eight lines each. These can be further divided into quatrains (four-line stanzas) based on their rhyme scheme (each set of four lines follows an ABCB pattern). When I Am Dead, My Dearest Summary

    See less
  1. This answer was edited.

    Christina Rossetti's poem "When I am Dead, my Dearest" examines the themes of acceptance, impermanence, and the temporary nature of relationships. The speaker draws a comparison between their time spent together and nature, expressing her desire for her loved one to have happy memories of her afterRead more

    Christina Rossetti’s poem “When I am Dead, my Dearest” examines the themes of acceptance, impermanence, and the temporary nature of relationships. The speaker draws a comparison between their time spent together and nature, expressing her desire for her loved one to have happy memories of her after she is gone. The poem highlights the impermanence of life and relationships, emphasizing the changing seasons and the beauty of life. The speaker also understands that life is a temporary moment and that life will go on as usual even after the speaker has died. The poem expresses acceptance and a wish for the loved one to continue living their life, cherishing memories, and accepting the changes that happen with time. When I Am Dead, My Dearest Summary

    See less
  1. In Matthew Arnold's poem "Dover Beach," the phrase "the eternal note of sadness" is a significant and poignant expression. It captures the underlying theme of melancholy and disillusionment that permeates the poem. The phrase suggests a deep and enduring sense of sorrow or sadness that resonates thrRead more

    In Matthew Arnold’s poem “Dover Beach,” the phrase “the eternal note of sadness” is a significant and poignant expression. It captures the underlying theme of melancholy and disillusionment that permeates the poem. The phrase suggests a deep and enduring sense of sorrow or sadness that resonates throughout time. It represents a profound awareness of the human condition, the transient nature of life, and the inherent struggles and uncertainties of existence. By invoking the “eternal note of sadness,” Arnold conveys a somber and introspective tone, inviting reflection on the existential aspects of life and the inherent fragility of human happiness. The phrase contributes to the poem’s overall contemplative mood and invites readers to ponder the complexities of the human experience.

    See less
  1. Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line. For example, the sound of /ee/ in “This creature of cleaving wing” and the sound of /ai/ in “And the Pride of Life that planned her, stilly couches she” and the sound of /a/ in “In stature, grace, and hue”. Alliteration: AlliteRead more

    1. Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line. For example, the sound of /ee/ in “This creature of cleaving wing” and the sound of /ai/ in “And the Pride of Life that planned her, stilly couches she” and the sound of /a/ in “In stature, grace, and hue”.
    2. Alliteration: Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line in quick succession. The poem is rich with plenty of alliterations throughout the poem. For example, the sound of /w/ in “Well: while was fashioning and the sound of /th/ in “Or sign that they were bent”.
    3. Consonance: Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line. For example, the sound of /m/ in “Deep from human vanity” and the sound of /ng/ in “This creature of cleaving wing”.

    The convergence of twain Summary

    See less
  1. The main ideas emphasized in this poem are pride, destruction, and wonder. The poem illustrates how human beings have a materialistic outlook and how nature is superior to man's arrogance. He begins by discussing the expensive items made to please the passengers, but these elaborate goods are now usRead more

    The main ideas emphasized in this poem are pride, destruction, and wonder. The poem illustrates how human beings have a materialistic outlook and how nature is superior to man’s arrogance. He begins by discussing the expensive items made to please the passengers, but these elaborate goods are now useless. Later, he shows how the ship will inevitably crash into the iceberg. No one could have predicted the eventual disaster because the trip seemed to be so relaxing. The poem’s tone and word choice imply that an “Immanent Will” of some sort created the iceberg specifically for that ship as if they were meant to be together.

    The convergence of twain Summary

    See less
  1. The speaker likens human arrogance and conceit to the mighty water. He claims that the sea is a peaceful environment. When someone visits there, their pride and arrogance vanish before the serene water.   The convergence of Twain Summary

    The speaker likens human arrogance and conceit to the mighty water. He claims that the sea is a peaceful environment. When someone visits there, their pride and arrogance vanish before the serene water.

     

    The convergence of Twain Summary

    See less
  1. The widow is so paralyzed with fear that she goes into a state of complete shock. It is not uncommon for people to be paralyzed with fear and shock when thrust into situations way beyond their control. The poem showcases that the wife is not only heartbroken at her husband's passing but more terrifiRead more

    The widow is so paralyzed with fear that she goes into a state of complete shock. It is not uncommon for people to be paralyzed with fear and shock when thrust into situations way beyond their control. The poem showcases that the wife is not only heartbroken at her husband’s passing but more terrified by the thought of raising her child alone as a widow. She was a wife but she was also a mother and as a result of this motherly love, she put her child’s concern and grief over hers.

     

    Home they brought her warrior dead Summary

    See less
  1. Inversion: Also known as “anastrophe,” is a literary technique in which the normal order of words is reversed, in order to achieve a particular effect. Example- Home They Brought Her Warrior Dead Repetition: Repetition is a literary device in which a word or phrase is repeated two or more times. ExaRead more

    1. Inversion: Also known as “anastrophe,” is a literary technique in which the normal order of words is reversed, in order to achieve a particular effect. Example- Home They Brought Her Warrior Dead
    2. Repetition: Repetition is a literary device in which a word or phrase is repeated two or more times. Example- She nor swooned, nor uttered a cry:
    3. Oxymoron: An oxymoron is a figure of speech in which a pair of opposite or contradictory terms is used together for emphasis. Example- Truest friend and noblest foe;
    4. Simile: A simile is a figure of speech that makes a direct comparison between two things by using the words ‘like’ or ‘as’. Example- Like summer tempest came her tears –

    Home they brought her warrior dead Summary

    See less