Mending Wall|Robert Frost|Summary&Analysis

Mending Wall|Robert Frost|Summary&Analysis

Mending Wall|Robert Frost

The famous poem "Mending Wall' was composed by the American poet Robert Frost. It was composed in 1913 and published in the second volume of his poems "North of Boston" in 1914. This poem is written in blank verse. It has 46 lines. It is a narrative poem. 
It describes the story of two villagers of New England. In this poem, the poet describes the customs, beliefs and traditions of the villagers living in the countryside. 

The poem "Mending Wall" is a poem related to the mending or repairing of a wall between two fields in a village. There are two farmers who are owners of these two farms. In this poem, one farmer is a young man and the other is an old man. So there is the difference between their thoughts.
Their thinking was totally different from each other. There was a conflict between them related to the mending of a wall between their farms. Actually, the old farmer wanted to make a wall between their fields but the young farmer did not want. 
Therefore there was the dispute between them. In this poem, there was a conflict between the thinking of two generations new and old. 
According to the young farmer, there is no need for the wall but the old farmer favours the need for a wall between their farms. As we study the poem it shows the practice of repairing the wall between two farms.

The young farmer says that there is a supernatural power at work to remove the wall between their field. Therefore frost brings down the stones of the wall. The young man also says that it is not the work of hunters. 

The poet further says that every year in spring season the holes appear again in the walls and both the farmers repair the wall on their respective sides. 
On the other hand, the young farmer says that there is no need for making the wall as their fields are already divided by nature. Their crops are different. one has apple trees and other has pine trees in their field. 

The young man again asks the old man why this wall is needed between their fields. After all, they are good neighbours. They do not need this type of barrier between them. After some time the old man comes with two stones in his hands. He seems to the young man like a wild beast of the stone age.

According to the young man, the old man was uncivilized. The old man believed in orthodoxy because according to the old man there should be wall to keep good relations with neighbours. The old man always said that "Good fences are good neighbours". 

Thus the poet shows the narrowness of old people. As we are living in the age of science and modernity. There is no space for old narrow ideas and orthodoxy. There is a need for universal brotherhood.

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The Road Not Taken|Robert Frost|Summary&Analysis

The Road Not Taken|Robert Frost|Summary&Analysis

The Road Not Taken

The poem "The Road Not Taken" was written by the very popular American writer Robert Frost. This poem is about a traveller who has a problem in choosing his road or it was a real experience of the writer while travelling somewhere. When the writer was ready to go somewhere, he saw two separated roads. Here the writer was confused in choosing the right road for him. Both roads got lost into the forest of yellow coloured trees. 

The writer could not decide which was the right way to travel because he could not travel through both the roads at the same time. He was in great confusion so he thought about it for a long time. In the beginning, he thought that one road better than the other but he could not see clearly far enough because after some distance It was lost into bushes and trees.

After it, he saw the second road carefully but it also looked the same as the first road. According to the poet, the second road was better because the grass on it had not been worn out because the travellers had not walked on it very frequently. On the other hand, both the roads were similar.

The poet had only confusion that the second road was better than first. As both the roads were covered with leaves and now the poet was confused in making the right choice. It was the morning time and it was now important for him to chose a road. At last, he decided to make his travel by the second road. He left the first road for some other day.

He knew that it had become difficult for him to return to that place from where he had started. In this way, the poet was describing his decision of choosing the second road for travel and leaving the first road. He also said that in future he would regret for his wrong decision. 

Actually, the poet had chosen the road which had been less travelled by a large number of travellers. According to the poet, his decision might be wrong in future and for it, he would be responsible because he had chosen according to his own choice.

Thus the poem is also related to the journey of a human being. Sometimes we are also in the same situation of life where we have to choose one option and take a decision immediately and we are in confusion which option will be right for us. Actually, the road in this poem symbolizes our life. 

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The Lady of Shalott|summary|analysis

The Lady of Shalott|summary|analysis

The poem "The Lady of Shalott" was written about a lady who lived on the island of Shalott. The poet calls her the Lady of Shalott. She lived there alone. There were four towers in the living place of the lady of Shalott. It was surrounded by four grey walls.
There is also a beautiful small garden around her living place. The lady of Shalott lived a life of seclusion. She did not know the hard realities of life. Her life was unreal. She always became busy in weaving a magical web. Someone told her that if she stops weaving, she will fall prey to a curse. Many boats passed through the river to Camelot but no one had ever seen the lady of Shalott. It seemed as no one knew her.
Only reapers could hear her songs in the morning when they went to the field. No one had seen her with his eyes. Thus she lived a lonely life. She saw outside people through a mirror that hangs before her in her room. She saw everything reflected in the mirror. She saw in the mirror the fields of barley and rye, the river, village men and women and sometimes girls doing their works. She saw in her mirror a group of young girls, a shepherd boy, a servant boy wearing red clothes, a row of knights going from the road but she was happy in weaving the beautiful scenes that she saw in the mirror. But now she had become tired of seeing only their shadows. She wanted to see all these things in real.

One day she saw Sir Lancelot in the fields of barley. He was sitting on his horse. His horse was decorated with beautiful stones. The lady of Shalott was so much impressed after seeing his reflection. Therefore she left weaving her web and looked down to Camelot where Lancelot was going. As soon as, she saw Lancelot the curse came upon her. Her web floats outside and her mirror cracks from side to side. 
After it, The wind blows fast, the wood grows pale and it begins to rain. The lady of Shalott leaves her home and finds a boat in the river. She writes her name on it. and lies in the boat. She loses the chain of the boat. People hear her song. she keeps on singing till her death. In this way, she dies singing her last song. After it, people see her dead body lying in the boat and read her name written on it. The people come to know her identity as the lady of Shalott.

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Sailing To Byzantium|Summary&Analysis|Yeats

Sailing To Byzantium|Summary&Analysis|Yeats

The famous poem "Sailing to Byzantium" was written by William Butler Yeats. It was first published in the 1928 collection"The tower".It is divided into four stanzas in Ottava rima. Yeats expresses his thoughts and feelings on immortality in an impressive way. The poet was about 60 years old when he wrote this poem. This phase of age is mostly spiritual for all human beings. In the same way, Yeats was very spiritual at this through the use of various poetic techniques. 
It describes the metaphorical journey of a man pursuing his own vision of eternal life. This poem is one of the greatest poems of the twentieth century. The poet expresses his thoughts of old age. According to the poet, at an old age, spiritual work is required to keep mind calm. He says that the old man should leave the country of the young and travel to Byzantium, the holy city. Here the poet expresses his mind that saints will appear in the fire in the holy place of Byzantium to purify the soul of the poet. 

Analysis.....Stanza wise

Stanza-1 

That is no country---------intellect.

Here in this stanza, the poet expresses his feelings in his country. He says that there is no place for old people in his country. His country where he lives has changed completely. The young people in the country do not like old things and people. They are busy loving their young partners. They are busy with physical pleasure. Although there is beautiful natural surrounding. The birds are singing melodious songs. Birds are sitting on the trees but the young people do not give attention to their songs. They seem to the poet like dying generation who are busy in lust and physical love.

The poet expresses his thought with the example of Salmon fish which live in the sea and is always busy in reproducing new fish. As the animals are busy in giving birth to new animals and birds are busy in giving new life to their chick. Like this people are also busy in giving birth to a new generation. They are busy with physical pleasures. They do not feel pleasure in the natural beauty. 

They are surrounded by material and physical pleasure. They born and die with this pleasure. They do not feel other natural pleasure of earth.

Even they do not like old things, old buildings, old monuments, old culture and art. They only like their own new culture. They do not understand the importance of old things. Although old things have a great culture, art and history. They neglect old people. They do not respect their intellect and experience. They do not understand the beauty of the old culture and art.

Stanza--2

 an aged -------------Byzantium.

In this stanza, the poet exposes the physical appearance of an old man. The old man looks like a useless thing. He looks like a torn coat hanging on a stick. There is no respect for old people in the country. The old people are only petty things for the young man of the country. The poet says that he wants to sing songs in louder noise and wants to clap with his hands joyously. His body has become very weak. Still, he wants to do singing and clapping for his happiness. The poet further says that there is no place for old people to enjoy but there are old monuments for study. Monuments have its own glory. therefore the poet wants to go to the holy city of Byzantium. He sails the sea for the holy city of Byzantium. Thus he goes to the holy city of Byzantium.

Stanza--3

O sages---------eternity.

In this stanza, the poet addresses the sages who are standing in the holy fire. When the poet enters the holy city of Byzantium he sees the sages. He compares the sages to the figure stands in the gold mosaic work. The poet requests the sages to come from the holy fire and spin in the gyre to educate his soul. The poet wants to learn spiritual singing of soul from the sages. The poet asks the sages to guide him for purification of his soul.

 He says that his heart has become tired of sensual desires. So he prays the saints to come and purify his heart. The poet says that he has worldly desires like animals and he has become animal in his behaviour but now he wants to be a purified man. The poet further says that the worldly desires and matters have profaned his soul, therefore, he does not know how to purify his soul. He prays the saints to purify him. He wants to become an immortal art. Now the poet has become sick of the cycle of birth and death. He wants to escape from this cycle and wants to be permanent. 

Stanza--4

Once out--------------to come.

The poet says when he gets purified he will become the golden bird. The Grecian goldsmith made the golden bird to sing and make the king awake. He further says that he wants to be such a piece of art as a golden bird awake the king. He says that he would awake the king. He would sit in the golden tree and sing the stories of kings and queens and he would sing the stories of past, present and future of the people who would come to the holy city of Byzantium.

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On First Looking Into Chapman's Homer..Summary&analysis

On First Looking Into Chapman's Homer

Summary

The famous poem "On First Looking Into Chapman's Homer" was written by the great English Romantic poet John Keats in 1816. It was written in the form of a sonnet. Keats composed this sonnet after reading the translation of Homer's work. It was written by an English poet and dramatist of the Elizabethan age. His name was George Chapman. It was given to him by his friend, Cowden Clarke. Keats and his friend Cowden Clarke sat up together till daylight to read it and the next morning, Mr Clarke found the sonnet on the breakfast table. Thus Keats composed the famous sonnet after reading the translation of Homer's work. 

Keats was very much impressed with George Chapman's work of translation. He feels a great enjoy while reading it. In this poem, Keats pays a great tribute to Chapman's translation of Homer. Keats gave great attention to Homer"s poetic genius. He considered Homer'work like a kingdom of pure gold. After reading Chapman's translation he felt a never-ending joy in his heart. Keats was grateful for Chapman who introduced to him the glorious regions of Homer's genius. 

Poem Analysis stanza wise

Stanza--1 Much have -----------bold. (lines 1-8)

In the sonnet "On First Looking Into Chapman's Homer", the poet shows his never-ending pleasure. The poet says that he has read many literary books. but when he read Chapman's translation of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, he became so much inspired that he composed this sonnet. The poet says that he always wanted to read Homer's literary work but he did not know the Greek language. He felt so much pleasure after reading Chapman's translation of Homer's work. Chapman had translated Homer's work very effectively.

Keats further says that he has read many books of romantic and classical tales. He has travelled in many countries of the thought of writers. Through their books, he has travelled in the mind of many writers. He has travelled in the different countries of imagination and fancy. Those books of different authors have given him great pleasure. After reading these books he feels pleasure as a poor man feels at the sight of the realm of gold. 

Keats further says that he has been a great lover of Greek art and culture. He always wanted to study and read the Greek authors. He always has a curiosity for Homer's works but the reading of Chapman's translation filled his passion in full intensity. He read the works of Homer but he did not realize a great satisfaction for it but when he read the translation of Homer written by Chapman, he realized the quality of pure serenity of the poetry of Homer. Therefore Keats appreciates Chapman for his bold approach to Homer. 

The poet says that now he has reached the kingdom of Homer after reading the translation of Chapman. Before it, he had no opportunity to visit Homer's kingdom. He compares his joy to an astronomer. He feels the same pleasure as an astronomer feels when he discovers a new planet. 

Stanza--2

Then felt I---------Darien(lines 9-14)

In these lines, the poet expresses his great joy after reading the translation of Homer's Odyssey and Iliad. He says that he has never felt such a great joy. He sees the new world of imagination after reading Chapman's Homer. He was highly impressed with Homer. he compares his excitement to the joy of an astronomer. as an astronomer feels excited when a new star falls within the range of his telescope. Like this, he feels a great pleasure after reading Homer's translation through Chapman. In the same way, when Corten looked at the Pacific with his eyes. He discovered the new land. His fellow sailors became very excited after seeing a new land. like that the poet has no limit for his excitement after reading this work of translation. 

Thus this poem is rich in poetic expression. It has beautiful phrases. The poet has presented his great expressions and thought in beautiful language. The poem is filled with wonder, thrill and great excitement. Thus the poem reveals that Keats was the great lover of Greek art and Hellenic spirit. It is written in Italian form. It has fourteen lines. It has an octave of eight lines and a sestet of six lines. The rhyming scheme is abba, abba, cdc, dcd. It is written in Iambic pentameter. Thus the poem presents the best poetic talent of John Keats.                                                                  

                                                        

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Success Is Counted Sweetest|Summary&Analysis|Emily Dickinson

Success Is Counted Sweetest|Summary&Analysis

Summary

Success Is Counted Sweetest|Summary&Analysis

The famous poem "Success Is Counted Sweetest" was composed by the poetess Emily Dickinson in 1859. This poem was published anonymously in 1878. Only seven poems were published in the lifetime of Emily Dickinson. This poem is also one of them. The main theme of this poem is a contradiction of two ideas. in which one idea is superior to the other. In this poem, the poetess describes two opposite ideas success and failure in an impressive way. She says that there is always some equal good behind every evil and second example she gives about the idea of defeat and despair. She shows these two opposite ideas in a superior position. She was a great American poetess of the 19th century. She liked to express her ideas in a paradoxical way. This poem is an example of his pessimistic nature.

Analysis....Success Is Counted Sweetest

Stanza--1

In this stanza, the poetess describes two opposite ideas Success and failure in a great way. According to the poetess, there is always some good thing behind every evil. She says that only failure persons can experience the taste of success in a true manner. And those who succeed in reality never can experience a true taste of success. According to every failure, it has some good thing behind it as compensation. The poetess further explains her ideas by giving the example of a thirsty man. She says that only a thirsty man can experience the true value of water. In the same way, the true value of success can be understood only by the person who has failed. Thus the poetess says that we should have an extreme thirst to feel the taste of nectar. 

stanza--2

In this stanza, the poetess defines the value of victory by giving the example of soldiers. She is paradoxical in her thought. She explains the importance of victory with the help of soldiers. She says that the soldiers who are defeated in the battle can understand the true value of victory. She defines two opposite ideas victory and defeats in an impressive way. She says that the true value of victory can be understood only by defeated soldiers not by Victorious soldiers because, after victory, victorious soldiers may hoist the flag of victory but in reality, they do not know the real meaning of it.

Stanza--3

In this stanza, the poetess again explains the example of a dying soldier or defeated soldier. She creates a scene of war and tries to explain the true value of victory. She says that a dying soldier knows the true value of victory. Therefore he feels a great sorrow in his heart. He also feels extreme grief to his dying ears when he hears the sounds of victory from the distant camps of the victorious side. The poetess was pessimistic in her nature. Therefore she liked pain and despair. According to her, pain and death is a gateway to immortality.                   

  

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