From a Railway Carriage
Introduction
The poem “From a Railway Carriage” describes the fast-paced journey of a train through various landscapes. The poet portrays the swift movement, comparing it to fairies and witches. As the train speeds along, the speaker observes different scenes—bridges, houses, meadows, and more—flying by like rain. The sights are fleeting, and painted stations pass in the blink of an eye. The verses capture the excitement of the journey, depicting a child picking brambles, a tramp gazing, and moments like a runaway cart. The overall theme is the transient nature of the passing scenery during a train ride.
Summary
“From a Railway Carriage” vividly captures the dynamic and fleeting nature of a train journey. The poet uses lively and imaginative language to convey the rapid pace of the train, likening it to creatures like fairies and witches. The verses unfold a series of images—bridges, houses, meadows, and more—that swiftly pass by like a blur. The speaker observes the diverse scenes, comparing them to the intensity of driving rain. The painted stations rush past in the blink of an eye, emphasizing the transient nature of the journey.
Amidst the speed, the poet introduces brief glimpses of characters and scenes, such as a child gathering brambles, a tramp standing and gazing, and a runaway cart. Each moment is portrayed as a snapshot, emphasizing the ephemerality of these experiences. The poem also touches on the variety of landscapes encountered during the journey, including hills, plains, mills, and rivers.
The tone of the poem is one of excitement and motion, with the verses creating a vivid and evocative portrayal of the rapidly changing scenery seen from the railway carriage. The use of dynamic imagery and swift transitions mirrors the quick passage of time during the train ride, leaving a sense of transience and impermanence in the wake of the speeding locomotive.
Analysis and Themes
“From a Railway Carriage” by Robert Louis Stevenson is a poem that not only captures the kinetic energy of a train journey but also delves into the transient nature of life and experience. The poem employs a variety of literary devices and themes that contribute to its rich analysis.
- Imagery and Similes: The poet utilizes vivid imagery and similes to convey the rapid movement of the train. Comparisons to fairies and witches evoke a sense of magical speed. The use of similes like “Fly as thick as driving rain” vividly describes the speed at which the train passes through landscapes, creating a dynamic and engaging visual experience for the reader.
- Transience and Ephemeral Moments: The poem explores the idea of transience by presenting a series of fleeting moments. Scenes and characters appear briefly, emphasizing the impermanence of life. This mirrors the passing scenery from the train, highlighting the ephemerality of individual experiences.
- Symbolism: The train itself can be seen as a symbol of progress and modernity. Its relentless movement represents the unstoppable march of time. The painted stations passing by may symbolize the various stages or milestones in life, quickly approached and left behind.
- Contrast in Scenes: The poem juxtaposes various scenes, from a child gathering brambles to a tramp standing and gazing. This diversity of moments underscores the variety of experiences that can be encountered in life. The runaway cart adds an element of unpredictability, suggesting that life’s journey is not always under our control.
- Rhyme and Rhythm: The poem follows a regular AABB rhyme scheme and maintains a brisk rhythm, mirroring the pace of the train. This contributes to the overall sense of motion and urgency in the narrative.
- Observation and Reflection: While the poem is filled with dynamic images, it also allows for moments of observation and reflection. The poet, through the speaker, takes in the scenes with keen attention, suggesting that amidst the speed of life, there are opportunities for contemplation and appreciation.
- Answer: The poet compares the train’s speed to fairies and witches to convey a sense of magical and extraordinary swiftness.
2. Question: What does the alliteration in the line “All through the meadows, the horses and cattle” emphasize?
- Answer: The alliteration emphasizes the rapid movement of the train, creating a rhythmic and dynamic effect.
3. Question: What sights are mentioned in the third stanza of the poem?
- Answer: In the third stanza, sights include a child clambers and scrambles, a tramp who stands and gazes, the green for stringing daisies, a cart run away in the road, a mill, and a river.
4. Question: Why are the sights described as ‘flying’ in the poem?
- Answer: The sights are described as ‘flying’ to emphasize their rapid and fleeting passage as seen from the moving railway carriage, underscoring the theme of transience.
5. Question: How does the poet achieve a balance between excitement and reflection in the poem?
- Answer: The poet achieves this balance by presenting dynamic scenes of the train journey alongside moments where the speaker observes and reflects on the passing landscape, creating a nuanced exploration.
6. Question: Can you provide examples of rhyming words from the poem?
- Answer: Examples of rhyming words include witches/ditches, battle/cattle, plain/rain, eye/by, gazes/daisies, road/load, and river/forever.
7. Question: What effect does the rhythm of the poem create when read aloud?
- Answer: The rhythm, when read aloud, mimics the steady and rhythmic sound of a train moving on its tracks, enhancing the immersive experience of a journey.
8. Question: How does the poet use the phrases ‘Here’ and ‘And there’ to depict the scenes from the moving carriage?
- Answer: The phrases ‘Here’ and ‘And there’ indicate the progression of scenes, with ‘Here’ likely representing closer objects, and ‘And there’ suggesting things at a bit of a distance, contributing to the sense of movement and passing landscapes.
Additional Questions
These questions aim to assess the reader’s awareness of specific details in the poem, their sensitivity to the thematic elements, and their ability to apply their understanding to personal experiences or interpretations.
1. Awareness:
- Question: What does the poet compare the speed of the train to in the first two lines of the poem?
- Answer: The poet compares the speed of the train to fairies and witches.
2. Sensitiveness:
- Question: How does the poet convey the transient nature of life and experience in “From a Railway Carriage”?
- Answer: The poet conveys the transient nature through the fleeting moments and scenes, emphasizing the impermanence of individual experiences and the rapid passage of time.
3. Application:
- Question: In your opinion, how does the use of vivid imagery contribute to the overall impact of the poem?
- Answer: The vivid imagery, such as likening the scenes to driving rain and using similes, creates a dynamic visual experience, making the poem more engaging and emphasizing the speed of the train journey.
4. Awareness:
- Question: What literary device is employed when the poet says, “All through the meadows, the horses and cattle”?
- Answer: The poet uses alliteration in this line.
5. Sensitiveness:
- Question: How does the poet balance the excitement of the train journey with moments of observation and reflection in the poem?
- Answer: The poet achieves this balance by presenting dynamic scenes alongside moments where the speaker observes and reflects on the passing landscape, creating a nuanced exploration of the journey.
6. Application:
- Question: Can you relate any personal experiences to the theme of transience portrayed in the poem?
- Answer: [Personal Response]
English Workshop
1. Read the poem aloud with proper rhythm. What does the rhythm remind you of?
- Answer: The rhythm of the poem is resembling with the steady and rhythmic sound of a train moving on its tracks, capturing the essence of a journey.
2. Find pairs of rhyming words from the poem.
- Answer:
- Witches/ditches
- Battle/cattle
- Plain/rain
- Eye/by
- Gazes/daisies
- Road/load
- River/forever
3. Write the following:
- (i) The sights seen through a railway carriage mentioned in the first stanza.
– Bridges, houses, hedges, ditches
- (ii) The sights mentioned in the second stanza.
– Meadows, horses, cattle
- (iii) The sights mentioned in the third stanza.
– Child clambers, tramp gazes, green for stringing daisies, cart run away, mill, river
4. Think and answer:
- (i) Why are the sights said to ‘fly’?
– The sights are said to ‘fly’ because they pass by rapidly, emphasizing the high speed of the train.
- (ii) Does the last line make you happy or sad? Why?
– The emotional response to the last line can vary. Some might find it bittersweet as it highlights the fleeting nature of experiences, while others might feel a sense of nostalgia. The emotional impact is subjective.
5. List the lines that begin with ‘Here’ or ‘And here’. Also list the sentences or phrases that begin with ‘And there’. These phrases and sentences tell us about things that appear one after the other as the carriage moves. Can we tell which ones are closer to the train and which ones are at a distance? How?
- Answer:
- Lines that begin with ‘Here’ or ‘And here’:
- Here is a child…
- Here is a tramp…
- And here is a mill…
- And here is a river…
- Sentences or phrases that begin with ‘And there’:
- And there is the green for stringing the daisies!
- And there is a cart run away in the road.
- And there is a mill, and there is a river.
- The phrases provide a sense of the progression of objects and scenes as the carriage moves. The ones starting with ‘Here’ are likely closer, while those with ‘And there’ might be a bit farther.
6. Read the following: • Charging along like troops in a battle. • Fly as thick as driving rain. Using your imagination, write one or two comparisons each with – • like …………. • as …………. as
- Answer:
- Charging along like troops in a battle: The train moves forcefully and swiftly, much like a battalion advancing in battle.
- Fly as thick as driving rain: The sights pass rapidly, resembling the density and speed of rain during a heavy downpour.
7. Write about the sights you may see from a bus or an aeroplane. You may write it in the form of a short poem.
- Answer: [Personal Response]
8. Find and read other poems of R. L. Stevenson using the internet. Find other rhythmic poems about trains, in English or other languages.
