The Lunatic, The Lover and The Poet By William Shakespeare Introduction to the Poet William Shakespeare (1564–1616) has been universally acknowledged as one of the greatest figures in the world of letters. Born on 23rd April 1564 at Stratford-on-Avon, a town in Warwickshire, England, Shakespeare became the most popular playwright of the Elizabethan Age. Apart … Read more
Anne Hathaway By Carol Ann Duffy Background and Narrative Voice Anne Hathaway was married to William Shakespeare. When Shakespeare died, despite being wealthy, all he left her in his will was his ‘second-best bed’. Many people thought this was very mean of Shakespeare but Duffy sees this differently. A person’s best bed would have been … Read more
Summary and Analysis of Dulce Et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen Relevant Background Wilfred Owen served as a Lieutenant in the British army during the First World War, ironically he was killed shortly before the Armistice was signed. Wilfred Owen’s Dulce Et Decorum Est is a compelling poem trying to depict the helplessness of soldiers … Read more
Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat, Drowned in a Tub of Gold Fishes” by Thomas Gray Word Meanings azure – blue demurest – shyest, most reserved pensive – thoughtful vies – wagers tyrian – purple presumptuous – assumptive malignant – evil, harmful Summary and Analysis It is very difficult to understand what a … Read more
Cross By Langston Hughes Summary and Analysis Summary The narrator of the poem is a young mulatto, expressing his frustration at being both black and white but never fully belonging to either of the two races. He is not accepted by blacks because he is half white, and he is shunned by whites because he … Read more
“It is a beauteous evening, calm and free” is a very delicate and interesting sonnet by William Wordsworth the great Romantic poet of the Lake District. It features at its heart, the contrast between nature and religion and includes some stunning lines of poetry, expertly drawn together.
In the famous poem, The Deserted Village, which was published in 1770, Oliver Goldsmith revisits Auburn- a village of which he had fond memories. It marks the depopulation brought about through the emigration of its peasant community and the influx of monopolising capitalists. Goldsmith mourns over the unfortunate and morbid state of society in which “wealth accumulates and men decay.”
The central idea of the poem is that melancholy does not dwell in the sad and ugly things of life, not in death and the accompaniments of death, but in everything that is beautiful and joyful.
Summary and Explanation Lord George Gordon Byron came from a noble family, but his childhood days were not happy. He went to Trinity College Cambridge. He published his first collection of poems in 1808. Byron’s relationship with his half-sister (step-sister) Augusta Leigh, gave rise to scandal and gossip. It is said that this poem was … Read more
In this poem Byron personifies Liberty. Liberty will live forever and people will die or give up their lives fighting for liberty. Liberty cannot be chained; liberty resides in the hearts and minds of freedom fighters. Liberty shines brightly even in the dungeons, the dungeons where prisoners fighting for liberty were kept. No tyrannical chains can bind the hearts of prisoners; their heart can only be chained by liberty.
The title of the sonnet “The Word is Too Much With Us” gives an idea about the theme of the sonnet. In this sonnet, Wordsworth tells us about man’s love for money which is hardly useful for his life.
The Season of the Plains” brings alive the pangs of separation experienced by people who are living away from their homeland. Absence of a particular season in exile acts as a trigger for longing and nostalgia. Shahid Ali lived most of his adult life outside his homeland, Kashmir and passed away in the USA. This brings an intensely personal feeling into the poem.
