English Literature
Poetry: Summary And Central Idea
To the Pupil by Henry .L. Derozio
“A teacher says to the students, your happiness is due to my effort but a good teacher always says my happiness depends on my students’ success”.
The poet high lights the important role of teacher in students’ life. Here he uses simile for the comparison of a child student who is inexperienced unlettered and unintellectual to the buds of flowers. The company of a teacher breaks his/her fetters of ignorance. When the student gets knowledge, he/she tries to test it and uses it in taking decision. He passes through many circumstance and experiences that mould his character. When after getting knowledge, a student earns name and fame. Seeing the success of his student, teacher is on cloud nine. He expresses his satisfaction thinking that his life has been meaningful and his hard work has been in right direction and fruitful.
Our Casuarina Tree by Toru Dutt
“Childhood friendship is the beautiful memory which cannot be replaced by anything”.
This poem is based on the emotional attachment of the poetess’s memory. The poetess used to play under the Casuarina Tree. There was a big vine (Creeper) that climbed up to its top and its flowers will give a different look to the tree. The birds sat on its branch and sang sweet songs but the poetess does not love it due to it beauty and size. She loves it because she used to play with her playmates. Her memories are associated with it. She misses it very much wherever she stay. She says that this love and attachment is not one sided but tree also misses her and tries to send massage to her by making mournful sound.
Nightingale by Robert Bridges
“The eyes are useless when the mind is blind”.
“What we see depends mainly on what we look for”.
The poet tells us that the nightingales sing sweetly because they must have learnt it from beautiful mountains. He further imagines that the river must be bright and must be flowing through fruitful valleys. He expresses his desire to roam about the starry -woods. But the nightingale says that his guess is not right. The mountains are barren and the river is dry. Their song is the expression of unfulfilled desires that keep them restless. It is expression of deep sorrow. Still they can not express their desires in spite of this talent. It is irony that man enjoys it. When in the morning the countless birds start chirping and welcome the dawn, they are lost in dreams.
Education of Nature By William Wordsworth
“If nature is your teacher your soul be awaken.”
“Look deep into the nature and you will understand everything better”.
In this poem, Lucy is a lovely creation of Wordsworth. Nature adopts heras her child and decides to bring her under her guidance. By the nature she will be free to move every part of surroundings. She will be as a baby deer, will learn the quality of silence, calmness and patience. The motion of clouds will teach her to be graceful. Bending of below tree will teach her modesty and humbleness. Starts will teach her to be happy even in negative situation of life. She will be living under the guidance of nature. Nature dreams one day she will be turned to a nature lady. But suddenly Lucy died. Everything became peaceful. Poet as well as nature was also sad. Only her memories around her were in the mind of nature.
O Captain! My Captain! By Walt Whitman
“Sadness always ensues happiness.”
“Life is the circle made up of happiness and sadness”.
The poet compares America as a ship, Lincoln a Captain of that ship and Civil War of 1861 – 1865 as a voyage. He did a commendable job by abolishing slavery and setting up democracy for all. Although he faced so many problems, he succeeded in getting his aim. At this the people are rejoicing. They are ready to give him a warm welcome with bouquets, garlands of flowers. The bugle is being sounded for him. But Lincoln is shot dead by a terrorist. He asks him to get up and see the people rejoicing. When he does not answer, he doubts that Lincoln is dead. He asks other people to rejoice because aim was achieved. But the poet himself prefers mourning to rejoicing
Palanquin Bearer by Sarojni Naidu
“Song and music overcome the burden of life”.
The poetess describes how palanquin bearers are carrying the palanquin. She compares the palanquin with a flower, a bird, a laugh, a pearl on a string, a beam and a tear. When the bearers sing a sweet song,it moves to and fro like a flower. It flies like a bird; floats like a laugh; hangs like a star and springs like a beam. They put the palanquin down as if tears rolled from a bride’s eyes. They sing songs while they move because they want to avoid weariness.
The scholar by Robert Southey
“Library is a hospital for the mind”.
“If you have a garden and library you have everything you need”.
The writer says that he keeps the company of the book written by the great writers of olden time. These books are his true friends. He enjoys the book in good time and takes instructions in difficulty. He owes to them and this gratitude makes his cheeks wet. He loves the virtues ad hates evils of old writers. He also hopes that after death his name will be in the list of great scholars and enjoy their company truly. People will remember his name till generation after generation.
‘If ‘ By Rudyard Kipling
“You never really know the true quality someone’s character until the road gets rocky”
.“Doubt is a disease which let not you live peacefully”.
“Jealousy is just love and hate at the same time”.
The poet tells us that we should have balance of mind trust in us and self respect. Only seeing dreams do not work but we should change them in to action. We should not hate others. In case of failure, we should not start murmuring but try to find out reason of failure. We should not lose our virtue in the company of common people nor should we lose touch with common people if we live in the company of good people. We should not waste costly time because time once lost never returns. If we follow these golden rules, we may become a good man and a successful human being.
The Mercy by William Shakespeare
“The weak can never forgive; forgiveness is the attribute of the strong”
“Mercy is the line which differentiates human and animal”.
The poet says that Mercy is a divine quality.
Nobody can force to show mercy. It comes like a gentle rain naturally. It is a double blessing. It blesses both the giver and the receiver. King’s royal rod shows temporal power but mercy is above this. It suits the king better than his crown. It sits in hearts of the kings. It is a quality of God. When a king softens the punishment by showing mercy, the power of king appears like the power of God.
“A teacher says to the students, your happiness is due to my effort but a good teacher always says my happiness depends on my students’ success”.
The poet high lights the important role of teacher in students’ life. Here he uses simile for the comparison of a child student who is inexperienced unlettered and unintellectual to the buds of flowers. The company of a teacher breaks his/her fetters of ignorance. When the student gets knowledge, he/she tries to test it and uses it in taking decision. He passes through many circumstance and experiences that mould his character. When after getting knowledge, a student earns name and fame. Seeing the success of his student, teacher is on cloud nine. He expresses his satisfaction thinking that his life has been meaningful and his hard work has been in right direction and fruitful.
“Childhood friendship is the beautiful memory which cannot be replaced by anything”.
This poem is based on the emotional attachment of the poetess’s memory. The poetess used to play under the Casuarina Tree. There was a big vine (Creeper) that climbed up to its top and its flowers will give a different look to the tree. The birds sat on its branch and sang sweet songs but the poetess does not love it due to it beauty and size. She loves it because she used to play with her playmates. Her memories are associated with it. She misses it very much wherever she stay. She says that this love and attachment is not one sided but tree also misses her and tries to send massage to her by making mournful sound.
Nightingale by Robert Bridges
“The eyes are useless when the mind is blind”.
“What we see depends mainly on what we look for”.
The poet tells us that the nightingales sing sweetly because they must have learnt it from beautiful mountains. He further imagines that the river must be bright and must be flowing through fruitful valleys. He expresses his desire to roam about the starry -woods. But the nightingale says that his guess is not right. The mountains are barren and the river is dry. Their song is the expression of unfulfilled desires that keep them restless. It is expression of deep sorrow. Still they can not express their desires in spite of this talent. It is irony that man enjoys it. When in the morning the countless birds start chirping and welcome the dawn, they are lost in dreams.
Education of Nature By William Wordsworth
“If nature is your teacher your soul be awaken.”
“Look deep into the nature and you will understand everything better”.
In this poem, Lucy is a lovely creation of Wordsworth. Nature adopts heras her child and decides to bring her under her guidance. By the nature she will be free to move every part of surroundings. She will be as a baby deer, will learn the quality of silence, calmness and patience. The motion of clouds will teach her to be graceful. Bending of below tree will teach her modesty and humbleness. Starts will teach her to be happy even in negative situation of life. She will be living under the guidance of nature. Nature dreams one day she will be turned to a nature lady. But suddenly Lucy died. Everything became peaceful. Poet as well as nature was also sad. Only her memories around her were in the mind of nature.
O Captain! My Captain! By Walt Whitman
“Sadness always ensues happiness.”
“Life is the circle made up of happiness and sadness”.
The poet compares America as a ship, Lincoln a Captain of that ship and Civil War of 1861 – 1865 as a voyage. He did a commendable job by abolishing slavery and setting up democracy for all. Although he faced so many problems, he succeeded in getting his aim. At this the people are rejoicing. They are ready to give him a warm welcome with bouquets, garlands of flowers. The bugle is being sounded for him. But Lincoln is shot dead by a terrorist. He asks him to get up and see the people rejoicing. When he does not answer, he doubts that Lincoln is dead. He asks other people to rejoice because aim was achieved. But the poet himself prefers mourning to rejoicing
Palanquin Bearer by Sarojni Naidu
“Song and music overcome the burden of life”.
The poetess describes how palanquin bearers are carrying the palanquin. She compares the palanquin with a flower, a bird, a laugh, a pearl on a string, a beam and a tear. When the bearers sing a sweet song,it moves to and fro like a flower. It flies like a bird; floats like a laugh; hangs like a star and springs like a beam. They put the palanquin down as if tears rolled from a bride’s eyes. They sing songs while they move because they want to avoid weariness.
The scholar by Robert Southey
“Library is a hospital for the mind”.
“If you have a garden and library you have everything you need”.
The writer says that he keeps the company of the book written by the great writers of olden time. These books are his true friends. He enjoys the book in good time and takes instructions in difficulty. He owes to them and this gratitude makes his cheeks wet. He loves the virtues ad hates evils of old writers. He also hopes that after death his name will be in the list of great scholars and enjoy their company truly. People will remember his name till generation after generation.
‘If ‘ By Rudyard Kipling
“You never really know the true quality someone’s character until the road gets rocky”
.“Doubt is a disease which let not you live peacefully”.
“Jealousy is just love and hate at the same time”.
The poet tells us that we should have balance of mind trust in us and self respect. Only seeing dreams do not work but we should change them in to action. We should not hate others. In case of failure, we should not start murmuring but try to find out reason of failure. We should not lose our virtue in the company of common people nor should we lose touch with common people if we live in the company of good people. We should not waste costly time because time once lost never returns. If we follow these golden rules, we may become a good man and a successful human being.
The Mercy by William Shakespeare
“The weak can never forgive; forgiveness is the attribute of the strong”
“Mercy is the line which differentiates human and animal”.
The poet says that Mercy is a divine quality.
Nobody can force to show mercy. It comes like a gentle rain naturally. It is a double blessing. It blesses both the giver and the receiver. King’s royal rod shows temporal power but mercy is above this. It suits the king better than his crown. It sits in hearts of the kings. It is a quality of God. When a king softens the punishment by showing mercy, the power of king appears like the power of God.
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