Meeting At Night

Question 1

introduction

Answer 1

In this poem, the poet describes the excitement of uniting with his secret lover on
an island at night, using a quest narrative to create the sense of an epic journey. The poem is made particularly striking through the portrayal of the theme of secrecy versus exposure, as manifested in the dramatic contrast
between the themes of darkness and light, distance and proximity and movement
and stasis. Throughout the poem there is a sense of tension between the poets passion and his need for secrecy.

Question 2

paragraphs

Answer 2

1) theme of nature
2) building pace
3) union of lovers

Question 3

paragraph 1 on the theme of nature

Answer 3

1) “grey sea…black land” - dark, colourless and bleak creating a tense atmosphere as sense of foreboding is created (secrecy)
2) “yellow half-moon” - light = exposure but little enough to maintain secrecy. Moon is image of both romance and inconstancy creates the impression of love affair and its changeability.
3) “fiery ringlets” - personification of the waves creates the idea of them as cherubs. Romantic and idealised view, perhaps suggesting divine forces are at play
bringing the lovers together. Fire also reflects poet’s passion.
4) “cove” - protected inlet conveys the secrecy of the poet’s affair, suggesting transgressive desire
5) tension throughout with bright passion and need for secrecy and concealment

Question 4

paragraph 2 on building pace

Answer 4

1) sense of stasis at the start of poem as there are no verbs in the first two lines. However pace picks up as he gets closer to his lover.
2) “pushing prow” - plosive alliteration accelerates rhythm, creating the impression of a sense of force. The boat comes to represent the man’s determination. Building tempo in build up to meeting of lover.
3) “slushy sand” -sibilance slows rhythm back down. Conflicting alliteration creates a jolting rhythm suggesting the wild excitement and anticipation of the poem, perhaps uneven heartbeat.
4) turning point for second stanza as pace increases dramatically
5) fragmented images of journey builds tension and pace with the list like structure building the sense of urgency
6) the brevity of the poem is integral to the meaning as it conveys the sense of urgency about their meeting

Question 5

paragraph 3 on union of lovers

Answer 5

1) envelope rhyme scheme meets in middle suggesting two people moving towards each other. Each stanza enacts the drama of meeting by taking two distant rhymes and bringing them closer together. Build tension and create anticipation as reader waiting for final union of lovers.
2) “blue spurt of a lighted match” - igniting of desire. Brightest, most colourful moment of poem suggesting climax of journey. However, transitional/momentary image suggesting unstable passion.
3) “two hearts” - image of dualism and unity as finally together. Sense of anonymity making it a universal experience.
4) “each to each” - end image of unity and facing off against each other creates a satisfying resolution. Stanzas are two separate entities mirroring one another, like two hearts beating each to each.

Question 6

conclusion

Answer 6

In conclusion, the poet’s union with his lover feels deeply satisfying. However the poem is a kind of vacuum, with absent words that are usually crucial to love poems: love, husband, marriage - emphasises secrecy: reveals transgressive love affair; Browning kept
courtship of Elizabeth Barrett Browning secret from her oppressive father. Despite oppositions, and various conflicts throughout the poem, personally I think the
ending of the poem provides emotional satisfaction for the reader, even though there is still a coda to the poem, Parting at Morning. Most striking moment for me is exclamation of happiness in final line: ‘each to each!’ last three words of poem seal it, phrase like a mirror to reveal journey from separation to togetherness, creates
impression of true joy when together.