English Notes Latest Questions

  1. Metaphor: A figure of speech that compares two unrelated things, without using "like" or "as." Example from the poem: "And dig deep trenches in thy beauty’s field."  Imagery: The use of vivid and descriptive language to create sensory impressions and evoke imagery in the reader's mind. Example fromRead more

    1. Metaphor: A figure of speech that compares two unrelated things, without using “like” or “as.” Example from the poem: “And dig deep trenches in thy beauty’s field.” 
    2. Imagery: The use of vivid and descriptive language to create sensory impressions and evoke imagery in the reader’s mind. Example from the poem: “And see thy blood warm when thou feel’st it cold.” 
    3. Personification: Giving human attributes or qualities to non-human objects or abstract concepts. Example from the poem: “Thy youth’s proud livery so gazed on now.” 
    4. Repetition: The deliberate repetition of words or phrases for emphasis or to create a rhythmic effect. Example from the poem: The repetition of the word “old” in the lines “And make my old excuse” and “When thou art old” creates a sense of parallelism and reinforces the theme of aging.
    5. Alliteration: The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words in close proximity. Example from the poem: “Where all the treasure of thy lusty days.” The repetition of the “t” sound in “treasure” and “lusty” creates an alliterative effect.

    Sonnet 2 Summary

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  1. Shakespeare's sonnet "When forty winters shall besiege thy brow" discusses the need of having children in order to preserve one's beauty and legacy. Speaking to the Fair Youth, the speaker warns him that his beauty would soon fade and his face will resemble a plowed field. After that, he won't be abRead more

    Shakespeare’s sonnet “When forty winters shall besiege thy brow” discusses the need of having children in order to preserve one’s beauty and legacy. Speaking to the Fair Youth, the speaker warns him that his beauty would soon fade and his face will resemble a plowed field. After that, he won’t be able to preserve his reputation because of humiliation. The only solution to this is for the young man to have a kid that he may endow with his attractiveness. He’ll then have a justification for his wrinkles. In addition, he will appear to have been born again. 

    Sonnet 2 Summary

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    Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line, such as the sound of /e/ in “Th’ expense of spirit in a waste of shame” and the sound of /o/ in “Past reason hunted; and, no sooner had.” Alliteration: Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line in quicRead more

    • Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line, such as the sound of /e/ in “Th’ expense of spirit in a waste of shame” and the sound of /o/ in “Past reason hunted; and, no sooner had.”

    • Alliteration: Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line in quick succession, such as the sound of /t / in “to make the taker mad.”

    • Consonance: Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line, such as the sound of /w/ in “All this the world well knows; yet none knows well,” and the sound of /r/ in “Before, a joy proposed; behind, a dream.”

    • Enjambment: It is defined as a thought in verse that does not come to an end at a line break; rather, it rolls over to the next line. For example; “Past reason hunted; and, no sooner had/ Past reason hated as a swallowed bait/ On purpose laid to make the taker mad;”

    • Imagery: Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their five senses. William Shakespeare used imagery in this poem, such as; “Before, a joy proposed; behind, a dream”, “On purpose laid to make the taker mad” and “Savage, extreme, rude, cruel, not to trust.”

    • Irony: Irony is a figure of speech in which words are used in such a way that their intended meaning is different from the actual meaning of the words. The poet has used this device in the ending lines of the poem, where he feels pity on mankind by displaying the weak side of human nature; “All this the world well knows; yet none knows well/ To shun the heaven that leads men to this hell.”

    • Metaphor: It is a figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made between objects different in nature. The poet has used lust as an extended metaphor to show its power and negative impacts on human beings.

    • Symbolism: Symbolism is using symbols to signify ideas and qualities, giving them symbolic meanings that are different from the literal meanings. The poem shows symbols such as love, lust, intimacy, and shame.

    Sonnet 129 Summary

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    The destructiveness of lust and its strong grasp over human desires is the central idea of William Shakespeare's Sonnet 129. The cycle of pleasure and misery that results from giving in to sexual desire is explored in this poem. As people are aware of the consequences of desire but are nonetheless sRead more

    The destructiveness of lust and its strong grasp over human desires is the central idea of William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 129. The cycle of pleasure and misery that results from giving in to sexual desire is explored in this poem. As people are aware of the consequences of desire but are nonetheless seduced by its charms, it emphasizes the contradictory character of human behavior. The poem is a cautionary warning about the deadly power of unrestricted desires and the challenge of overcoming lust’s appeal. Sonnet 129 Summary

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    The poem is written in iambic pentameter and has a constant rhyme pattern that follows the ABAB CDCD EFEF GG format. Sonnet 129 Summary

    The poem is written in iambic pentameter and has a constant rhyme pattern that follows the ABAB CDCD EFEF GG format. Sonnet 129 Summary

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    The poem's main themes include confession, desire, loss, and emotions. Lust and desire are two issues the poem examines. In the poem's introduction, the speaker considers how lust is terrible and how it causes shame and self-degradation. The speaker's own perspective is also conveyed in the poem asRead more

    The poem’s main themes include confession, desire, loss, and emotions. Lust and desire are two issues the poem examines. In the poem’s introduction, the speaker considers how lust is terrible and how it causes shame and self-degradation. The speaker’s own perspective is also conveyed in the poem as he discusses his own battle with desire and his associated feelings of guilt and humiliation. He considers desire and its repercussions throughout the poem, characterizing it as a “foul” and “bestial” emotion that can result in self-destructive behavior. The poem’s conclusion is provided by the speaker’s advice to reject desire and seek out a more moral course in the last couplet. Sonnet 129 Summary

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  1. Macbeth is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The play focuses on Macbeth, a Scottish general, and his wife, Lady Macbeth, who conspire to murder King Duncan in order to gain the throne of Scotland. Macbeth is tormented by guilt and paranoia, which eventually leads to his downfall and death. Along thRead more

    Macbeth is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The play focuses on Macbeth, a Scottish general, and his wife, Lady Macbeth, who conspire to murder King Duncan in order to gain the throne of Scotland. Macbeth is tormented by guilt and paranoia, which eventually leads to his downfall and death. Along the way, Macbeth encounters the Three Witches who prophesize his fate, and murdered Banquo, his best friend. In the end, Macbeth is killed by Macduff in battle, and the rightful king, Malcolm, is restored to the throne.

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  1. "The Merchant of Venice" is a play written by William Shakespeare that tells the story of a merchant named Antonio who borrows money from a Jewish moneylender named Shylock to help his friend Bassanio win the heart of a wealthy woman named Portia. Antonio is unable to repay the loan, and Shylock demRead more

    “The Merchant of Venice” is a play written by William Shakespeare that tells the story of a merchant named Antonio who borrows money from a Jewish moneylender named Shylock to help his friend Bassanio win the heart of a wealthy woman named Portia. Antonio is unable to repay the loan, and Shylock demands a pound of Antonio’s flesh as a penalty. The case is brought to trial, and Portia disguises herself as a male lawyer to argue on Antonio’s behalf, ultimately securing his release.

    Meanwhile, Portia’s suitors must choose the right casket to win her hand in marriage, and Bassanio chooses correctly. However, news comes that Antonio’s ships have been lost at sea, leaving him unable to repay his debt to Shylock. In the end, Shylock is forced to convert to Christianity and surrender his wealth, while Bassanio and Portia are married.

    The play explores themes of love, justice, prejudice, and mercy, and remains one of Shakespeare’s most well-known and studied works.

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  1. The speaker has placed his entire faith in the strength of love, believing that nothing can defeat it nor does it fade over time.   Sonnet 116 Summary

    The speaker has placed his entire faith in the strength of love, believing that nothing can defeat it nor does it fade over time.

     

    Sonnet 116 Summary

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  1. Shakespeare's "Sonnet 116" is an example of a classic sonnet. This signifies that there are fourteen lines altogether, divided into two sets of quatrains and one set of six lines (sestet). They rhyme in the same way as most of Shakespeare's sonnets do i.e ABABCDCDEFEFGG.   Sonnet 116 Summary

    Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 116” is an example of a classic sonnet. This signifies that there are fourteen lines altogether, divided into two sets of quatrains and one set of six lines (sestet). They rhyme in the same way as most of Shakespeare’s sonnets do i.e ABABCDCDEFEFGG.

     

    Sonnet 116 Summary

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