EXAM: Emily Dickinson - Passages Flashcards
1
Q
TWO BUTTERFLIES
CONTOUR 1 (1/2)
- “upon a Farm” + “Noon”/”Firmament”/”Beam”
rural setting
luminous dict - “went out” “waltzed” “stepped straight through the Firmament/And Rested on a Beam”
pers verbs - “Beam”
comp symb - “And then” + “bore”
adverbial phrase
kinetic verb
enjamb bw L5-6 - ““Upon a shining Sea” + “never yet, in any Port -/Their coming, mentioned – be -”.
metaphor - “-be-“
caesura and dash
A
- P’s intense engage w R conv ev from onset → emph 2B’s etheral power → offer glimpse into Sublime = activ sp’s imag
- endows sml B w abilities beyond phys w tone of sublime aston → demo pwr vate/sp’s imag
- whilst in overt trans sense may rep literal light beam (pathway to transp B to div afterlife), perhaps also stands boundary bw hum knowledge + the sublime → again illus sp’s unique ability to see beyond thresh
- S2 dev into tone eager anticip whereby adverb phrase coupled w kinetic v + enjamb quicken P’s pace
- excitement so intense sp’s imag takes flight like 2B “upon… sea” = know. exclusive bc “never yet, in any Port -/Their coming, mentioned – be -” → sea-faring PoD serves imp metaphor for A) nat’s awe-inspo mutability (B aquire aquatic capab now) B) vastness of sp’s prophetic eye
→ perhaps “Sea” = pun for “see” - elusiveness of know acc by C&D → demarc B’s disloc from phys/mort world
2
Q
TWO BUTTERFLIES
CONTOUR 2
- “the distant Bird” + “Ether Sea” + “Frigate” + “Merchantman” BUT “No notice – was – to me -”
reverse logic - “Ether Sea”
symbolism
A
- fitful dashes → conc reality to sp’s fragmented imag
- AS this undermines of meaning of sea metaphor bc “Ether Sea” now poses symb of metaphys dist bw sp + their muse = acc by full rhyme bw “Sea” + “me”
3
Q
BECAUSE
CONTOUR 1
- common metre + S1 strong iambic rhythm + full rhyme
- “We slowly drove - He knew no haste”
soporific long internal vowel sounds - “put away” “labour and my leisure” → “the School, where Children strove/At Recess - in the Ring”
sentimental tone
rhotic allit + CD
A
- confer predictability = reflect sp’s assurance in Chr “Immortality”
- reinforce expec of easeful trans to rewarding Chr heaven
- eagerness dissolves → sentimental tone
rhotic allit (emph by CD) acc comp meaning of R - trans view R rep nat’s reit cycles vs nihilistic reading proffers poss R = zero to symb D’s eternal nothingness
4
Q
BECAUSE
CONTOUR 2
- L13
metrical break - “Dews drew quivering and chill” + “only Gossamer, my Gown”
icy assonance
metaphor - “We paused before a House” + “swelling”
conn of paused + swelling
A
- latter interp foreground S4 → dram met break (only 6 iambs) perhaps demarc sp’s exact moment D
- afterlife exposed = hostile + barren
→ icy asson evokes sp’s X prep for D’s brutality = metaphorised by clothing - S3 carriage relentless forward propulsion = screeching halt → “paused before a House” = forms horrif euphemism for grave - conn of its ‘swelling’ expose D’s true abjectness
5
Q
BECAUSE
CONTOUR 3
- “Horses’ Heads/Were Towards Eternity-“
return to conceit
anti-closural dash
A
- H/e bleak image undercut by ambig final couplet’s return to conceit - carriage’s “Horses’ Heads/Were Towards Eternity-“ but dest = undisclosed
6
Q
FLY
CONTOUR 1
- “I heard a Fly - when I died -“
capitalisation + symb
trochaic emph - “The Stillness in the Room/Was Like the Stillness in the Air-/Between heaves of Storm -“
simile
conn of ‘heaves’ - “Eyes” “had wrung them dry”
synecdoche - “breaths were gathering firm” + “last Onset” + “when the King/Be witnessed - in the Room -“
sharp asson
plosive ph
A
- 1st line intro critical symb of Fly (cap like G yet mundane + arbitrary in nat) w troch emph on ‘buzz’ → foreshadow outsized power to distract from D’s sublime profundity
- tension bw D’s corp + sublime potential proff by P D rituals epitomised in simile
→ a/t comp conform to P belief D = easeful trans period bw ‘heaves’ of life + afterlife, this ominously undercut by evocation sp’s abject/strained breathing - (like Funeral) faceless M treat sp w careless detach bc synec reduce them → “eyes” that already “wrung them dry” = highlights lim of PCoD feigned interest in D itself
- evince M’s eager antic for “last Onset” when K be witness in the room
→ thruout open Ss ED’s depict of flawless GD scene belies critic of occ’s perform + imperson
7
Q
FLY
CONTOUR 2
- X fly → “stumbling” + three dashes
- “between the light - and me -“
symb - “I could not see to see -“
diacope
repetition
A
- censored any mention of F, epiphanic mood disrupt in S4 when F’s “stumbling” entrance acc by x3 dashes → rep fragmentation of sp’s grasp on reality
- a/t sp’s div election = palpable (“light” = imminent Chr heaven) → awaited satisf thwarted by F’s pos bw the light and me = rev fragility of hum attempts @ deciph D’s enig mystery which can be obscur by sth as min as fly
- L/w, diacope in last line dist bw 2 types sight = sp’s lit sight bc losing touch w phys world + also metaphorical sight bc lose ability to rationalise → control D
8
Q
FUNERAL
CONTOUR 1
- “I felt a Funeral, in my Brain”
imagery
abrupt opening line - common metre
- “Mourners” + “Kept treading - treading -“ vs “it seemed/That Sense was breaking through-“
cap
epizeuxis
plosive ph
sibilance - “like a Drum” + “Kept beating - beating”
simile
epizeuxis
CD
verb conn
A
- Char of ED sp opens w abrupt decl → visceral + tact img confront readers w sev of sp’s mental/phys torment
- upbeat comm metre undercuts grim of → rep sp’s alien from world cont obliv to suff
- sp defenceless vs M (cap to ref power of intrusive thoughts) who ‘kept treading - treading -“ in their mind - epiz + plosive ph jux w soothing sibilance “it..through” → reveal sp’s precarious sanity
- S2 sp exp w/drawal sight typ assoc w D in ED’s opus → simile desc auditory qual of FS “like a Drum” “Kept beating-beating” → epiz partic pointed bc 2nd rep of violent v ‘beating’ (underscored by CD) redef trad comfort element of D rituals = source of sensory assault on sp
9
Q
FUNERAL
CONTOUR 2
- “Boots of Lead” + “creak across” + “Soul” + “Space - began to toll”
metaphor
hyperbole - “being, but an Ear”
synec miniaturisation
3/4. “Plank in Reason, broke” → “Finished knowing - then -“
metaphor
slant rhyme
A
- from here sp’s mental st det rapidly, w/ weight of misery so immense metaph “Boots..Lead” “creak across” very “Soul” + sth abstract as “Space… toll” hyperbol
- sp’s despair acc by synech miniaturisation to “being, but an Ear” → t/f only capable of absorb bleak chimes of plangent D knell
→ ITW ED pres exp of psych suff = prof destructive, iso + excrutiation - Y, FS sp report metaph “Plank…broke” → seem bring mental tort to end bc “Finished… -then-“ → psych disloc emph by CD
- H/e gramm disjunct combo w S’s dep from full rhyme sugg ‘break’ rep moment of rev → free from confines of soc + lit conv = fail to express exp of suff bc lack meaning
10
Q
SLANT
HOW
*1. “certain Slant of light”
paradox
- “Winter Afternoons”
temporal setting
symbolism
*3. “oppresses, like the Heft/Of Cathedral Tunes”
synaesthesia
full rhyme
- “Where the Meanings, are -“
ungramm comma
cap - “heavenly hurt”
paradox
*7. “imperial affliction/Sent us of in the Air -“
agonsing dict
full rhyme
incl pn
*8. “Landscape listens” + “shadows - hold their breath -“
personification
CD
- “breath” + “look of Death”
full rhyme
A
- observing light → sp’s psych discomf trig by pd = nat’s distort sth expec offer clarity
- P’s temp setting esp pointed bc subv trans trad by ID nat w D (of yr + day)
- jux to lucid expec of ‘light’ → sp desc it as know that “oppresses… Tunes” → synaesthetically conflate aural + tact qual = depict all-encomp feeling of desp also evoked by “Boots of Lead” (Funeral)
- unchar of ED full rhyme → mythic/hymnal effect → emph religious subtext of sp’s despair
- indic by ungramm comma in search “where… are -“ → inner conflict bw supposed rel comforts + conf/despair engend by conf w own mort = prof disturbing → sp’s “Meanings” of life (cap to rep compressed meaning - faith in G, self, sanity, nat etc) fundament alt
- (frost) sp laments nonsensicality of G sadistically req his progent to die
- sp’s resentment acc by agonising PoD + full rhyme w Despair emph insep of life + suff
BUT incl pn ‘us’ lends proof to optim reading → pos sp’s lonely suff = ironically univ + thus unity exp - light cont ineluct retreat → leaves personified shadows → winter light fades → CD slow place = attempt delay D
- “breath” of life jux w “look of Death” → scrut role of nat + poss G’s in creating hum consc rich enough to be self-aware of own tragic mort
11
Q
OPPOSITE HOUSE
CONTOUR 1
- “There’s been a Death, in the Opposite House,/As lately as Today”
simple diction - “Neighbours rustle in and out”
three clipped monosyllables
3/4. “flings a Mattress out” + “hurry by” + “if it died - on that -“ + “used to when a boy”
perfunctory conn
neuter pn
lapse to memory
A
- Char ED, sp’s abrupt open decl “There’s…Today” relays crude deets of event w impass econ → ref broader cultural tendency to empty D of pain thru routine
- Lw, sp observes stubb dom of scene where “Neighbours…out” → 3 clipped monosyll acc comm’s busy attempts to console grief thru PGD mourning rituals
- H/e ED destab P taciturn mood when so “flings…out” causing kids “hurry by” + wonder “if … that” like sp “used…Boy” → thru perfunct conn + deperson neuter pn, ED draws attn to D’s persistent goth = AM attempts obfu to X avail
- lapse into memo → evokes nat hum cycle life + D → foreshadow 1 day also be nameless corpse in some OH
12
Q
OPPOSITE HOUSE
CONTOUR 2
- “owned all the Mourners - now -”
CD
conn - “that Dark Parade” + “Of Tassels and Coaches”
Paradoxical epithet
Conn
L20 spatial break
A
- idea re-emph in rel context beginning S3 - ministers officiously “owned…-now-“ → thru CD, sp adopts sardonic tone → mock min’s pride in fleeting power bc also X immune to D
- Prof of awaited F procession “DP” emph by L20 spatial break → demarc corpse’s depart from OH + inaccess to sp → ITW para epithet “DP” encaps P’s central tension bw goth horror of D’s “dark” truth + ostentatious mummery of “Parade” w “Tassels and Coaches”
13
Q
BLAZING
HOW
- “Gold” + “Purple”
colour symbolism - “Blazing in gold”
verb phrase
imagery - “feet of the old Horizon” + “quenching”
personification - “stooping” → “touching” “tinting” “kissing”
affectionate PoD - “Juggler of Day is gone”
conceit - X dashes, octet form +x8 present prog v
A
- (Hope + SQ) central implicit metaphor all to from 1st line w colour symb praising regality sun’s j-like entertainment as travel dawn → dusk
- sp’s joy ev in desc of sunrise “blazing…gold”, conjure img dawn replete w refulg
- A/t ED typic pref to problem E assurance of benev nat, begin sun’s descent early L3 (arrive at pers “feet…Horizon) sugg sp finds certainty of nat’s reits comforting - even “quenching”
- Senti view of D cont thru affectionate PoD around S (having assume guise of “stooping” old woman) “touching” “tinting” “kissing” earth in dying moments
- P’s central conceit explicit final L when sp states “Juggler…gone” → replic climax of J perf = lend conc real to img evoked (sig of ED)
- Above all imp to note X sig ED dashes, compressed octet form +x8 present prog v → alltog confer exhilarating immediacy
14
Q
LIKE RAIN
CONTOUR 1
- “Like Rain it sounded till it curved -“
implicit simile
synaesthesia
elusive referent - “knew ‘twas Wind”
Pentecostal imagery
Pun - “A coming as of Hosts was heard/That was indeed the Rain”
Biblical allusion
A
- (SQ) ED’a vate sp open w implicit sim (“Like…curved) → elusive referent ‘it’ = hesitant to narrow def exp → sp’s percept of nat = overwhelming = ev in syn equiv aural “sounded” vs tactile “curved” → evoke nat’s hyper-mat = power so immediate that X control but only felt
- Reveals nat = deeply infused w div
X only conjure Pentecostal img of G’s 1st breath of life to anim hum (acc rel undertones of hymnal metricality) but also poss pun on v “wind” = acknow sp must manip lang to translate sublime exp into words - Lw sp recount “A coming as of Hosts was heard/That was indeed the Rain” also bib all to descent of HS (like thunderstorm downpour) → conflate nat w divine
15
Q
LIKE RAIN
CONTOUR 2
- “It filled the Wells, it pleased the Pools/It warbled in the Road-” + “let the Floods abroad-” so “it loosened acres” and “lifted seas”.
liquid assonance
Capitalisation
A
- Intensity of tempest esc “It…Road” → while couplet ft internal liquid asson (nat barely contain itself) → becomes fronted when rapturous downpour “let…abroad” + “it…acres” → thru hyperbole storm revealed reach apocalyptic crescendo w cap of “Floods” evaluate it to bib proportions → elicit G’s immanence w/in entropy
16
Q
LIKE RAIN
CONTOUR 3
- “like Elijah rode away/Upon a Wheel of Cloud”
simile
metaphor
A
- Bib simile signal storm abrupt end when “Elijah…Cloud” = quintess Romantic bc metaph nat’s outburst = glimpse of Sublime
also pos sp = elijah figure → div encounter w nat brings them phys closer to G
17
Q
LOADED GUN
CONTOUR 1
- “My Life has stood - a Loaded Gun -“ + “-in Corners-“
Connotations
Lacunae around epithet - “passed- identified-/And carried-“ away by “Owner” - “And now we roam” “And now We hunt the Doe”
Polysyndeton
Incl pn
A
- Est P’s conceit sp desc themself as “-a Loaded Gun-“ - explosive conn of “loaded” all to dormant frustration felt by W sidelined in M’s world
also ED’s char lacunae around epithet → conc real to img sp’s iso exist “in corners” = languish @ fringe of Soc - sp endowed w new sense of agency → report roam + hunt → incl ‘we’ in conn w polysyn rep of “and” ED paints illusion of newfound eq bw gun + owner bc share hunt “doe” = ironically fem symb
→ t/f ED lament necessity of W abjuring + poss harm auth self in search of acceptance
18
Q
LOADED GUN
CONTOUR 2
- “guard My Master’s Head” + “Tis better than the Eider’s Duck’s/Deep Pillow – to have shared -”
tone dutiful/near slavish devotion
Symbolism
Poss det ‘my’ - “To foes of His – I’m deadly foe”
parallellism
complicated syntax
A
- S4 pwr dynamics of gun’s strange r/ship w master shift dram bc sp adopts tone → vow to “guard… Head”
→ sp’s del reach zenith bc poss det indic gun control master but insist to ‘guard’ men ‘Tis…shared’ - symb of ‘Eider’s Duck’ reveal self-dest truth behind W’s abneg desire/intimacy → servitude to pat - sp boasts “To…foe” → para bw enemy + herself combo w complic syntax expose sp’s failure to recog exploited in false pos pwr
19
Q
LOADED GUN
CONTOUR 3
- “- than I -”
CD - “For I have but the power to kill,/Without - the power to die-”
paradoxical riddle
aphoristic tone
A
- sp’s resig to persistent obj = demarc by return of CD bookend “- than I -“ → again alienate gun after fulfill narrow purpose
- final couplet → sp aphoristically pres paradox riddle → note how “For…die-“ → AS ED argue pref to die rather than perf male violence bc D = indic live full life
20
Q
BLANK
CONTOUR 1
*1. “From Blank to Blank-” along a “Threadless Way”,
myth allusion
absoluteness of ‘threadless’
*2. “pushed” their “Mechanic feet”
effortful imagery
robotic conn
- “To stop - to perish - or advance”
CD
apathetic tone
*4. “If end I gained/It ends beyond”
enjamb bc X dash
sonic parallellism
- “indefinite disclosed”
paradox
harsh consonance
*6. “I shut my eyes” for “‘Twas lighter - to be Blind -”
metaphor
A
- Xlike Theseus, sp wander “From…Blank-“ along “Threadless Way” → absoluteness subvert myth all to emph hopelessness in sp (red of Funeral)
- carry robotic conn, eff img sp having “pushed” “Mechanic feet” thru lab of meaningless exist demos prof detachment from phys body → dehum feeling of despair
- built upon by apathetic tone in way 3 opt “to…advance” treated w indiff equality bc each acc by ED dash
→ t/f thru/out S1 ED pres distinct protomod assessment of world bc sp feels Sisyphaen fatalism in psych torment
- tone cont S2 → sp laments “If…beyond” → enjamb caused by X dash to demarc sev tetra coupled w sonic para exhibits futility of sp’s eff - like eternally grasp for sth just out of reach
- sp desc dest of journey paradox as obj “indef disclosed” = ref how only certainty = X clarity + harsh conson reinfor entrapment
- sp surrenders “I…Blind” → (Fly) sp’s w/drawal sense read pess - perhaps rep D of sp’s psyche bc mental anguish = too alien/excruciating
21
Q
BLANK
CONTOUR 2
- “groped” + anti-closural dash
tactile verb
A
- sugg sp may resort to emo intuition to survive w/ ED’s sig anti-closural dash preserve meagre room for rehab
22
Q
FROST
CONTOUR 1
*1. “frost of death” VS “passive flower” + perfect metricality
conceit
- “secure your flower”
imperious tone - “to Sea – To Mountain- To the Sun-”
anaphoric rep of dash
*4. S3 X CD + addl line + “wedged” + “easy as a Snake”
A
- (B/c) ED employ conceit → pres “frost of D” = life’s cold assassin → insidiously haunt + destroy hum mort (symb by “passive flower”) = sombre topic incongru w perfect upbeat metric
- contrast to trans notion of nat = benev, fem, regen → imperious tone of D commanding sp “secure…flower” → portrays D (necessary trans phase bw life + rebirth in nat) = predatory
- sp desp mounts → turn to nat’s most pwrful life-giving force → hold “To…Sun-“ plead for imm for D’s grasp → desp herculean eff, anaph rep dash after failed attempt emph how nat (even in most benign forms) = apath to mort suff
- Notab, S3 void ED’s char CD + ft addl L → lend conc real to img of sp arduously “wedged” bw flower + D - as if to delay D’s inexor bypass of prosaic barricades as “easy…Snake”
→ img of snake partic compressed bc all to FoM in E → problem R assurances of nat’s gen by pos it as perp of hum’s sin/misfortunes
23
Q
FROST
CONTOUR 2
- “Till all her beauty bent”
liquid consonance
plosive ph
*2. “We hunted him to his Ravine/We chased him to his Den”
gutteral phonic
tone scathing hate
*3. “Than Sea and continent there is/A larger – it is Woe -”
hyperbole
*4. incl pn
A
- D cunningly triumph> flower “till…bent”, soft liquid consan of L’s open evince mort’s vulnerable exquisiteness → necess ‘bent’ by plosive pwr of D
- tone shift frantic → enraged → recount “We…Den” → thru gutt phon which evoke sp’s scathing hate, nat = vilified for acting accomp to D by allow retreat into cav spaces after crime
- irony of sp’s resentment of nat highlight in final couplet bc hyperbol claim “Than…Woe-“
→ (TK) grief (inev byprod of D) imag ‘larger’ than immutable ‘Sea’ + ‘continent’ bc mort r/ships left behind = real trans offer X consol for - Y sp’s persist use of incl pn affirms optim reading of P → recog D + attached anguish = ironically univ + t/f uniting exp
24
Q
SOMETHING QUIETER
CONTOUR 1
*1. ‘There’s something quieter than sleep’
implicit metaphor
2/3. ‘it will not tell its name’
high modality
tone
neuter pn
A
- sp’s open decl “There’s… sleep” intro P’s central implicit metaphor bc ‘sth’ assumed to be corpse (youth demarc by ‘sprig upon its chest’) or poss D itself - the vehicle of metaphor’s indet illustrating D’s stubb inscrut
- thru high mod ‘will’ → ED endow sp w tone childlike petulance in face of D’s opacity
- consistent deper use of neuter pn ‘it’ foreshadow sp’s later tendency strip D of rugged hum in favour of more R narr
25
Q
SOMETHING QUIETER
CONTOUR 2
*1. “some touch it, and some kiss it/Some chafe its idle hand -’
connotations
anaphoric spondees
*2. “Might scare the quiet fairy/Back to her native wood”
euphemism
A
- agro interrupt P’s strong iamb rhythm, use anaph spondees desc M’s activities (“some…hand-“) coupled w abrasive conn “chafe” evoks disrupt + unwelcome intrusion of sp’s perf bereavement (part of PGD rituals) on quiet corpse
- this b/c sp (symp to trans notion of reborn in nat) fears “rude” sobs “might…fairy” (soul) “back…wood” (body) → soul’s disturb acc by enjamb into plosive ‘back’ = reveal sp + poss ED’s view that PGD rituals X only disrespect corpse but also dangerously interf w transmig of soul to Chr heaven
26
Q
SOMETHING QUIETER
CONTOUR 3
- “simple-hearted neighbours” who “chat” VS “We - prone to periphresis-/Remark that Birds have fled!”
vacuous conn
jux w/ latinate noun + polysyll dict
A
- sp assume air of sup over “simple…Neighbours’ who ‘chat’ vacuously → boast “We… fled!” → thru intellect implied in Lat n ‘periphresis’ sp ID w vate poets → percieve broader truth = D = prelude to sublime rebirth
H/e pretentiousness of polysyll dict + unchar exclamative = may pose mock of such P who ED suspect have similar habit of circumloc D’s abstruseness 2
27
Q
TO KNOW
CONTOUR 1
*1. heroic quatrain + “suffering” + “wavering” + “broad” + “Paradise”
connotations
elegaic form
- “patient - part content -” + “a pleasant Day to die”
soft allit /p/ sound
simple syntax
A
- comp in H quat, S1 follows trad elegaic arc bc pain of D evoked thru fitful PoD (‘suffering’ + ‘wavering’) quickly overlaid w assurances of ‘broad’ gen of imminent Chr ‘Paradise’
- Lw sp’s conject in S2 deeply grounded in PGD values
→ shift interrog mode sp asks if S died “patient…content” + if “a…die” → soft allit /p/ sound + uncomplicated syntax envince easefulness
→ t/f opening Ss sp finds solace in conrived AM = ripe for S’s div election
28
Q
TO KNOW
CONTOUR 2
- S3 irreg metre + additional line
- “His furthest mind” was “of home - or God”
parallellism
*3. “Just his sigh - accented - had been legible - to me”
synaesthetic
A
- H/e abandon H quat + ft add L, S3 destab predict of Chr elegy + begins Q assumpt only div love capable of prov bliss
- ITW ED chooses foreground mort exp - sp wonders “His…God” → para bw mortal + spirit sugg earth + heaven thoughts cherised by S @ D
- sp intimate r/ship w S divulg in synaes comment “Just..me” → this priv excl to hum bonds (understand sml nuance of manner) problem sp’s prev fixation on simply S’s acceptance by G w/out acknow hum loss
29
Q
TO KNOW
CONTOUR 3
*1. S5 unravelment of metricality/elegaic form + additional line + “tranquil” + “Junction of Eternity”
A
- S5 leave room both elation + grief bc comp unravelment of metric + elegaic form + add line = balanced by sp’s reengage w expec of PGD → plead S accepted D peacefull (“tranquil”) so 2 meet @ “Junction…Eternity”
30
Q
SADDEST NOISE
CONTOUR 1
*1. comm metre + ‘The saddest noise, the sweetest noise,/The maddest noise that grows,-”
anaphora
superlatives
- ‘in the spring,/At night’s delicious close’
temporal setting
conn
*3. ‘magical frontier’ ‘between the March and April line’
mystical dict jux w mil dict
- ‘summer hesitates’
personification
A
- comp comm metre, P opens w sp’s intense emo reaction to call of nature - “The…grows-“ → anaph underscore contradic bw superlat = replic maddening inner conflict sp feels in response to nat’s sim generosity + brutality
- temp setting (“in…close”) subv riv trad by foreshadow nat’s latent menace - sugg in predatory conn ‘delicious’
- S2 sp eagerly awaits ‘magical frontier’ ‘bw…line’ → a/t mystical dict evokes wonder for nat’s mutability, mil undertones evince sp internal turmoil provoked by seasonal change → one cycle closer to D
- this ref in way pers ‘summer hesitates’ bc realise to beging begets inev an end
31
Q
SADDEST NOISE
CONTOUR 2
*1. ‘makes us think of all the dead’.
tonal shift
- ‘sauntered with us’ + ‘seperations’ sorcery’
sibilance - ‘We almost wish those siren throats/Would go and sing no more’
Homeric allusion
A
- S3 sees abrupt tonal shift → sp admit birdsong “makes…dead” → ITW sp’s despair abt mort ironically engend by szn regen → indic D = tragically insep from nat
- X longer ‘magical’ → (Frost) nat = vilfied for acting vehicle for G’s wrath bc serpentine sibilance in way those “sauntered…us” killed by “sep sorcery” anatg rel + trans pre-occ w nat’s life-giving power = fails to acknow role in beckon D
- sp app prep give into despair → admit “We…more” → by way of H all, beauty (+ by ext nat’s fleeting exquis in spring) = explicit conflated w D
32
Q
CONTOUR 3
- “almost”
qualifier
A
- Y, qual ‘almost’ sugg sp (desp tempt) refuse turn away from D’s stark horror → prefer confront unflinchingly
33
Q
PUBLICATION
CONTOUR 1
- “Publication - Is the Auction/Of the Mind of Man”
explicit metaphor
trochaic emphasis
cacaphonous consonance
excoriating tone
conn of slavery - “Poverty” + “be justifying/For such foul a thing” + “Possibly”
emphatic enjambment
qualifier - “would rather/From Our Garret go/White - unto the White Creator/Than invest – Our Snow -”
enjambment
white imagery
A
- as ‘def P’, opening cplt’s explicit metaph “Pub…Man” ft brutalising trochaic emph + cacaph conson to acc sp’s strong convict + excorating tone
ALSO contempt context of ‘auction’ (carry conn of slavery) likens pub = slavery of mind → sugg sp views treating art = commodity = blatantly immoral - A/t sp raises counterarg that ‘pov’ could ‘be…thing’ = this undermined by L4’s emphatic enjamb into qual “poss-“ = underscored by MC to show hesitation
- contrast - enjamb L5-7 elicits sp’s steadfast assur that they “would…Snow” → notably, white img that perv claim = close assoc w/ spirit/sex purity → ref how sp’s abstinence from pub preserves purity of craft = stark jux to black ink of pp
34
Q
- “to Him Who bear/Its Corporeal illustration – Sell/The Royal Air”
connotations
spiritual vs commercial dict - “the Merchant/Of the Heavenly Grace”
allusion
hissing sibilance - “But reduce no Human Spirit/To Disgrace of Price-”
imperative
A
- rel justif = foreground S3 when sp condemns thos “to…Air” → the assoc b/w ‘corporeal’ + flesh pos pub = debasing act akin to ‘prost of the mind’
- L/w sp further admon ppl who commodify art talents bestowed by G → decry as “the…Grace” → in conj w/ hissing sib palp thruout S4, all to Judas’ betrayal of J for $ gain reinf sp’s belief = monetizing creativity = sacrel
- Unchar of ED, sp’s closing imp (“But…Price-“) = fiercly unambig b/c firmly reject pub → t/f having only pub handful Ps in lifetime, precision of final st lends proof to view that Pub’s sp = ED herself
35
Q
HOPE
CONTOUR 1
- “the thing with feathers”
oblique conceit - “perches in the soul”
conceit - S1 slant rhyme
A
36
Q
HOPE
CONTOUR 2
- ‘and’ L3-6 + “never stops - at all -”
polysyneton
hyperbole - “sweetest - in the Gale”
superlative - “sore must be the storm-/That could abash the little Bird”
pathetic fallacy
dichotomy - “kept so many warm”
aphoristic tone
A
37
Q
HOPE
CONTOUR 3
- full rhyme + bold + confident PoD
- “chillest land” vs “strangest Sea”
superlatives
jux - “Extremity” + “-never-” “asked a crumb - of me -”
hyperbole
A
