The Sun Rising (seen poetry)

Question 1

What is the tone?

Give proof for your answer

Answer 1

Haughty

“saucy pedantic wretch” “I could eclipse …cloud them with a wink” “

“nothing else is”

Question 2

What is the mood?

Give evidence for your answer

Answer 2

Tense/ of conflict

“Go”/ “Call”/ “Shine” “old fool” “unruly sun” “saucy pedantic wretch’

“thine age asks ease”

Question 3

What is tone in “Thine age asks ease…warming us”

Answer 3

A tone of pity/condescension

Question 4

What extended device is used?

Answer 4

It is metaphysical poetry (an extended metaphor is used). Mostly, there is personification of the sun.

Question 5

What does the structure/form of the poem represent?

Answer 5

1) Each stanza represents a more intense stage of the argument
2) Rhymes are not perfect, reflecting the natural rythms of speech

Question 6

What is the effect of the imperative and imperial sentences?

Answer 6

Asserting control over the sun with the power of his love. Love is not dictated to – love dictates.

Question 7

What is the style of the poem?

Answer 7

Conversational/ Confrontional/ speech

Question 8

Comment on the effect of the use of “rags of time”

Answer 8

Scientific concepts which were prized at the time, are diminished to small torn pieces.

Question 9

Prove that the poet personalises the sun

Answer 9

“Why dost thou thus” implies the sun has control over choices.
“go”/”call” imply that the sun can be ordered around
“tomorrow tell me” implies communication
(a few others)

Question 10

What is the poet’s message about love?

Provide evidence for your answer

Answer 10

Love > Sun
(can mention any as long as substantiated/ explained)
- “ i could .. cloud them with a wink” (the sun is at his mercy)
- “or lie here with me” We are the indias (everything rich/valuable)
- nothing else is

Question 11

Describe the poet’s attitude.

Question 12

Comment on the use of diction about the sun in Stanza 1.

Answer 12

“old fool, unruly sun”
“saucy pedantic wretch”
Insulting the sun/ convey displeasure at being awoken

Question 13

What is the effect of the apostrophe in Stanza 1?

Answer 13

figure of speech in which an inanimate object is adressed by the speaker.
-> capable of communicating, obeying, decision-making, an object of anger.

Question 14

Describe the tone in Stanza 1.

Answer 14

Angry/aggrieved/irritated. in contrast with admiring tone that we genuinely use when speaking about the sun.

“go chide late school boys” (get to work)
+ insults

Question 15

Is the speaker complimenting the sun in Stanza 2?

Answer 15

“reverend” and “strong”: he further goes on to say that he could black out the sun;’s beams and the only reason not to is becayse he has to look at his lover. The words are not genuine,

Question 16

Discuss the line: “if her eyes have not blinded thine”

Answer 16

lover’ eyes so glorious that they would blind the sun. ironic, because sun does that. hyperbolic expression symbolising irrelevance of sun in comparison to love.

Question 17

What is the tone in Stanza 3?

Answer 17

The tone changes to a more gentle one; not chiding but telling it that it can warm the bed instead of the whole world. thus, the poem ends on a welcoming note - the sun is not chased away now, it is welcomes into the bubble.

Question 17

discuss another hyperbole (apart from the lover’s eyes) in stanza 2.

Answer 17

all the spices in the world are in the lover’s bed. thus, hyperboles sugegesting that that bed is the whole world and contains everything.

Question 17

explain the effect of ‘nothing else is”

Answer 17

short: definitive, simple
assertive. continues off the idea of the bed and her being all countries and him all princes.

Question 18

What is the theme of the peom, and the message of the poet?

Answer 18

-> power of love
final benevolence of the speaker is his acknowledgement that he cannot control the sun. trying to impress his lover.
-> Message: as long as they are together, they have everything they need. they do not wish to be disturbed by outside forces.

Question 19

comment on the structure of the poem.

Answer 19

1,4 2.3 5,7 6,8 9,10 rhyme. regular structure.
in oppositio with metaphysical ideas that are unusual; how the poets played with structure and meaning,