poetry Flashcards
Key quote:
“In silence and tears,
Half broken-hearted”
Analysis:
Byron uses diction associated with pain, such as “silence and tears” and “Half broken-hearted” to depict the sorrow, anguish and vulnerability of the speaker following the end of the relationship.
Key quote:
“Pale grew thy cheek and cold,
Colder thy kiss;”
Analysis:
The imagery of “pale” and “cold” symbolises the fading affection of the lover, intensifying the speaker’s sense of loss. The repetition of “cold” emphasises the emotional distance and death-like finality of the separation.
Key quote:
“Thy vows are all broken,
And light is thy fame”
Analysis:
The use of “broken vows” highlights the feelings of betrayal and loss of trust in the relationship. Describing the lover’s fame as “light” suggests a superficial or fleeting nature, which is contrasted with the depth of the speaker’s emotions.
Key quote:
“A knell to mine ear;
A shudder comes o’er me—”
Analysis:
The metaphor of a “knell”, with its connotations of death, creates a sombre tone, illustrating the speaker’s pain upon hearing the lover’s name. The physical reaction of “shudder” also conveys the emotional impact of the speaker’s profound grief.
Key quote:
“Long, long shall I rue thee,
Too deeply to tell.”
Analysis:
The repetition of “long” conveys the enduring nature of the speaker’s regret and sorrow. The phrase “too deeply to tell” conveys speaker’s inability to fully articulate their anguish.
Key quote:
“In secret we met —
In silence I grieve.”
Analysis:
The juxtaposition of “secret” and “silence” highlights the clandestine nature of the relationship and the speaker’s private sorrow. This reinforces the theme of secrecy and the emotional burden of unexpressed grief.
Key quote:
“That thy heart could forget,
Thy spirit deceive.”
Analysis:
The speaker expresses disbelief and pain over the lover’s ability to forget and deceive. The use of “heart” and “spirit” suggests a betrayal of both emotion and integrity, deepening the speaker’s sense of betrayal and loss.
Key quote:
“If I should meet thee
After long years.”
Analysis:
The hypothetical scenario of a future encounter underscores the speaker’s lingering attachment and unresolved emotions towards the lover. This reflects the theme of enduring sorrow and the inability to fully move on from the past.
Key quote:
“How should I greet thee?—
With silence and tears.”
Analysis:
The repetition of “silence and tears” reinforces the poem’s central theme of sorrow and emotional pain. This final line encapsulates the speaker’s enduring grief and inability to find closure, leaving the reader with a sense of unresolved longing.
Key quote:
“They know not I knew thee,
Who knew thee too well —”
Analysis:
Byron highlights the speaker’s inner conflict, juxtaposing the secrecy of their past relationship with the speaker’s intimate knowledge of their former lover. The juxtaposition of “know” and “knew” underscores the speaker’s intimate familiarity.
Key quote:
“The fountains mingle with the river”
Analysis:
Shelley’s choice of the verb “mingle” evokes a sense of fluidity and unity, portraying the seamless blending of natural elements. Through this language, he highlights the interconnectedness inherent in both nature and love.
Key quote:
“Nothing in the world is single;”
Analysis:
The choice of the “single” illustrates Shelley’s emphasis on the connectivity and unity of all things, underscoring that love is an intrinsic part of existence.
Key quote:
“See the mountains kiss high Heaven”
Analysis:
The verb “kiss” imbues Shelley’s use of personification with a sense of intimacy, portraying the mountains’ interaction with the sky as a tender embrace.
Key quote:
“And the sunlight clasps the earth,”
Analysis:
Through the physicality of the verb “clasps,” Shelley personifies sunlight, endowing it with affection, warmth and intimacy as it embraces the earth, but with undertones of desire.
Key quote:
“What is all this sweet work worth
If thou kiss not me?”
Analysis:
Shelley’s use of the rhetorical question “What are all these kisses worth” prompts contemplation on the value of love and reveals his speaker’s desire. Through this device, he urges the listener to reciprocate.
Key quote:
“And the winds of Heaven mix for ever”
Analysis:
Through the verb “mix,” Shelley personifies the winds, portraying them as active participants in an eternal union. It imbues the scene with a sense of perpetual motion and harmony, echoing the theme of everlasting love.
Key quote:
“All things by a law divine”
Analysis:
Shelley’s use of religious language underscores the idea of love as a fundamental force ingrained in the fabric of existence.
Key quote:
“No sister-flower would be forgiven”
Analysis:
The use of the conditional statement “would be forgiven” implies a moral imperative within nature. It suggests that deviating from the natural order of love incurs consequences, reinforcing the theme of love’s universal law.
Key quote:
“And the moonbeams kiss the sea —”
Analysis:
Through the repetition of “kiss” throughout the poem, Shelley reveals the speaker’s desire. Here he anthropomorphises the moonbeams, depicting them as tender lovers in an embrace.
Key quote:
“If thou kiss not me?”
Analysis:
Shelley’s use of the conditional statement “If thou kiss not me” conveys a sense of urgency and longing. It heightens the emotional intensity of the speaker’s plea and highlights a profound desire for reciprocated love.
Key quote:
“The rain set early in to-night
The sullen wind was soon awake,
It tore the elm-tops down for spite,”
Analysis:
Browning sets a foreboding atmosphere with the imagery of rain and wind foreshadowing the tragic events to come. The present tense phrase “set in to-night” adds immediacy.
Key quote:
“And spread, o’er all, her yellow hair,”
Analysis:
The imagery of Porphyria spreading her hair creates a sense of intimacy. It symbolises her willingness to share her vulnerability with the speaker in their shared moment.
Key quote:
“As a shut bud that holds a bee,”
Analysis:
Browning’s simile evokes a sense of impending danger. It foreshadows the tragic climax of the poem.
Key quote:
“I propped her head up as before,”
Analysis:
The speaker’s detached tone and repetition of actions underscore his disturbing lack of remorse. It conveys his chilling approach to the aftermath of the murder.
Key quote:
“And thus we sit together now,
And all night long we have not stirred,”
Analysis:
The image of the speaker sitting with Porphyria’s corpse illustrates the speaker’s delusional belief in their eternal togetherness, but also for the reader, the finality of her death.
Key quote:
“Happy and proud; at last I knew
Porphyria worshipped me; …”
Analysis:
Browning’s use of “worshipped”, with its religious connotations, reflects the speaker’s ego and portrays Porphyria’s adoration as absolute. This reinforces the imbalance of power in their relationship.
Key quote:
“I warily oped her lids: again
Laughed the blue eyes without a stain.”
Analysis:
Browning’s choice of the verb “laughed” to describe the eyes of the deceased Porphyria conveys the speaker’s unsettling detachment from reality as it contrasts with the gravity of his actions.
Key quote:
“And yet God has not said a word!”
Analysis:
Browning’s use of religious references adds a chilling dimension to the speaker’s delusion, as he believes that God has not intervened or condemned his actions. This highlights the speaker’s warped morality and his unrepentant attitude towards his crime
Key quote:
“I think of thee! —my thoughts do twine and bud
About thee, as wild vines, about a tree,”
Analysis:
The use of the first-person and an exclamation emphasises the intensity of the speaker’s thoughts, with an extended metaphor of a vine conveying longing. Verbs like “twine” and “bud” highlight how the speaker’s thoughts have grown and flourished.
Key quote:
“Yet, O my palm-tree, be it understood”
Analysis:
The speaker shifts tone here, addressing her lover directly with an exclamation “O” and a metaphorical term of endearment “palm-tree”. This shift suggests a more passionate and direct plea.
Key quote:
“I will not have my thoughts instead of thee
Who art dearer, better! Rather, instantly”
Analysis:
The word “instantly” and the exclamatory tone emphasises her urgency and longing for his return and the listing of “dearer, better” suggests the speaker’s exaggerated love and praise for the beloved.
Key quote:
“Renew thy presence; as a strong tree should,
Rustle thy boughs and set thy trunk all bare,”
Analysis:
The speaker passionately instructs the lover to return. The erotic, extended metaphor of a tree and personification of the “boughs” rustling and the “trunk” being bare creates a sense of urgency and movement.
Key quote:
“And let these bands of greenery which insphere thee
Drop heavily down,— burst, shattered, everywhere!”
Analysis:
The “bands of greenery” suggest boundaries or restrictions to their love. The violent verbs “drop heavily down,” “burst,” and “shattered” emphasise the intensity of her desire.
Key quote:
“Because, in this deep joy to see and hear thee”
Analysis:
The sensory verbs “see” and “hear” highlight the importance of physical closeness.
Key quote:
“And breathe within thy shadow a new air,”
Analysis:
The line “breathe within thy shadow a new air” suggests a sense of renewal and transformation that will come with the beloved’s presence. Their physical unity is both sensual and exciting.
Key quote:
“I do not think of thee — I am too near thee.”
The physical closeness and intimacy of the lovers is reinforced by the line’s symmetry, the dash (reflecting their connectedness) and the use of repetition of “I” and “thee”.
Key quote:
“We stood by a pond that winter day,”
Analysis:
The poem opens with a simple statement establishing the setting: a cold, winter day. This bleak image sets the tone for the poem, foreshadowing the speaker’s melancholic reflection on a lost love.
Key quote:
“And the sun was white, as though chidden of God,”
Analysis:
The personification of the sun, described as “white” and “chidden of God,” suggests a lack of warmth and divine favour. This image contributes to the overall sense of desolation.
Key quote:
“And a few leaves lay on the starving sod;
— They had fallen from an ash, and were grey.”
Analysis:
The personification of “starving sod” and “grey” leaves reinforces the bleak atmosphere. The fallen leaves, once vibrant, now lie lifeless, mirroring the speaker’s perception of the dead relationship.
Key quote:
“Your eyes on me were as eyes that rove
Over tedious riddles of years ago;”
Analysis:
The speaker describes their former lover’s gaze as distant and uninterested, comparing their eyes to those “that rove / Over tedious riddles of years ago.” This suggests a lack of connection and a sense of the past haunting the present.
Key quote:
“The smile on your mouth was the deadest thing
Alive enough to have strength to die;”
Analysis:
This oxymoron describes the former lover’s smile as “the deadest thing / Alive enough to have strength to die.” This paradox highlights the speaker’s perception of their love as a lifeless entity, slowly fading away.
Key quote:
“And a grin of bitterness swept thereby
Like an ominous bird a-wing …”
Analysis:
The “grin of bitterness” suggests a forced smile masking deeper emotions. It is compared to “an ominous bird a-wing,” foreshadowing a sense of misfortune.
Key quote:
“Since then, keen lessons that love deceives,
And wrings with wrong, have shaped to me”
Analysis:
A significant amount of time has passed, and the speaker reflects on the harsh lessons learned from love. The use of strong verbs like “deceives” and “wrings with wrong” emphasises the speaker’s disillusionment.
Key quote:
“Your face, and the God curst sun, and a tree,
And a pond edged with greyish leaves.”
Analysis:
The final line repeats elements from the first stanza, but with a shift in tone. The sun is now described as “God curst,” reflecting the speaker’s bitterness. This circular structure suggests the memory remains a source of pain.
Key quote:
“Neutral Tones”
Analysis:
The title “Neutral Tones” is significant as it suggests a lack of vibrant colours, reflecting the emotional detachment and disillusionment associated with lost love.
Key quote:
“Three summers since I chose a maid,
Too young maybe — but more’s to do
At harvest-time than bide and woo.”
Analysis:
The blunt verb “chose” and the understatement (“more’s to do”) reveal the farmer’s practicality and lack of romantic sentiment.
Key quote:
“When us was wed she turned afraid
Of love and me and all things human;”
Analysis:
The use of “afraid” conveys the intensity of the bride’s fear, while “all things human” suggests a deep-rooted trauma.
Key quote:
“Like the shut of a winter’s day
Her smile went out, and ‘twasn’t a woman —
More like a little frightened fay.”
Analysis:
The simile compares the bride’s transformation to a cold, dark winter day. The metaphor of a “Frightened fay” conveys her vulnerability and difference.
Key quote:
“One night, in the Fall, she runned away.”
Analysis:
The use of dialect “runned” portrays the bride’s escape as desperate and impulsive
Key quote:
“‘Out ‘mong the sheep, her be,’ they said,
Should properly have been abed;
But sure enough she wasn’t there
Lying awake with her wide brown stare.”
Analysis:
The informal language (“be,” “wasn’t”) reflects the villagers’ perspective while “wide brown stare” emphasises the bride’s haunted expression.
Key quote:
“We chased her, flying like a hare
Before our lanterns. To Church-Town”
Analysis:
The simile “flying like a hare” dehumanises the bride, portraying the chase as violent and unequal.
Key quote:
“The women say that beasts in stall
Look round like children at her call.
I’ve hardly heard her speak at all.”
Analysis:
Juxtaposing the animals’ reaction with the bride’s silence illustrates her withdrawal from human connection.
Key quote:
“The soft young down of her, the brown,
The brown of her — her eyes, her hair, her hair!”
Analysis:
The repetition of “brown” and the focus on physical details expose the farmer’s lustful desires rather than emotional connection. The exclamation indicates a shift in tone, but the poem ends unresolved.
Key quote:
“Alone, poor maid. ’Tis but a stair
Betwixt us. Oh! my God! the down,”
Analysis:
The poet uses enjambment with irregular rhyming lines to show the farmer’s growing frustration, reinforced by his exclamatory tone.
Key quote:
“All in a shiver and a scare
We caught her, fetched her home at last
And turned the key upon her, fast.”
Analysis:
The use of “fetched” implies the bride is an object, while “turned the key upon her” reveals the act of her imprisonment.
Key quote:
“It is eighteen years ago, almost to the day —
A sunny day with leaves just turning,”
Analysis:
The poem opens with a specific memory, emphasising the vividness and emotional significance of the event. The detail of a “sunny day with leaves just turning” adds a touch of nostalgia. It hints at a time of transition and change, mirroring the son’s journey towards independence.
