Lochinvar by Walter Scott About the Poet and the Poem Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832), Scottish writer and poet and one of the greatest historical novelists, was born on August 15, 1771, in Edinburgh as the son of a solicitor Walter Scott and Anne, a daughter of professor of medicine. An early illness left him lame … Read more
On My First Son by Ben Jonson Note to the teacher: As an introduction, students should be made aware that Benjamin (Ben for short) means “child of my right hand” in Hebrew, and that poetry, or poiesis in Greek, means creation. Both translations are necessary for proper understanding of the poem. Summary of On My … Read more
William Shakespeare’s sonnets are mostly concerned with love, beauty, which withstands the ravages of Time the sonnets.
“To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time” by Robert Herrick Word Meanings carpe diem – (Latin) seize the day, or as the Egyptian Ptahhotep wrote, “Follow your dream as long as you live, do not lessen the time of following desire, for wasting time is an abomination of the spirit”. tarry – v. delay … Read more
“Three Years She Grew in Sun and Shower”by William Wordsworth Summary of the Poem “Three Years She Grew in Sun and Shower” is one of the best ‘lucy poems‘ written by William Wordsworth – the greatest and the most famous romantic poet. Wordsworth was a poet of nature and he worshipped nature in all its … Read more
Death Be Not Proud Or Holy Sonnet X by John Donne Important Questions 1. What type of poem is “Holy Sonnet X”? The poem is an example of a Shakespearean sonnet written in loose iambic pentameter. 2. How does the speaker portray Death? What are the different forces that bring it on? Death is portrayed … Read more
“The Little Black Boy” by William Blake About the poem A black child tells the story of how he came to know his own identity and to know God. The boy, who was born in “the southern wild” of Africa, first explains that though his skin is black his soul is as white as that … Read more
The poem ‘Know Then Thyself’ is an extract taken from An Essay on Man: Epistle II. This long poem ‘An Essay on Man’ has four Epistles. It is considered to be a sublime work of poetry. This extract ‘Know Then Thyself’ argues that human beings should learn to look at themselves and try to learn about their own nature, power, limitations, and weakness. It is a plea to look inward to gather knowledge about oneself. It is in fact a scientific inquiry propagated by enlightenment.
This poem is primarily a declaration of the spiritual indignity of the speaker. We can think of it as a penitential poem, based on the penitential Psalms of the Old Testament. Donne’s religious disposition contained a strong element of self-laceration and strain, and this poem shows this. We can distinguish two facets of the desperate plight of the speaker — the drift toward death and the profound sense of personal sin.
Batter My Heart or Holy Sonnet XIV by John Donne Vocabulary usurp’d : taken through force or rebellion viceroy: governor; ruling power labour: work, energy betroth’d : promised to marry enthrall: captivate chaste: innocent, pure ravish: seize or rape to no end: without success Introduction This is one of the most famous poems of Donne. … Read more
The Sunne Rising BY John Donne Introduction The Sun Rising is one of Donne’s most noted love poem. It is an example of the aubade a “DAWN POEM”. Let us begin with a brief outline of the poem. The poet and his beloved are still in bed as the sun rises in the morning. The … Read more
Love Bade Me Welcome by George Herbert Questions and Answers 1. In the first stanza, what or who is the “Love” to which Herbert refers? How do you know? The “Love” that Herbert refers to is actually the Lord. We know this because shortly after, in the third stanza, Herbert addresses the love he has … Read more
