To Althea, from Prison Flashcards
When love with unconfinèd wings
- his imagination liberates him from his surroundings
- metaphor with a bird
Hovers within my gates,
- Althea hovers in his gates
And my divine Althea brings
- Althea is perceived as a deity
To whisper at the grates;
- connotations to intimacy
- re-united through imagination
When I lie tangled in her hair,
- re-enforces the intimacy
And fettered to her eye,
- re-enforces the intimacy
- imprisoned by her emotionally
The Gods that wanton in the air,
- connotations of power
- freedom they possess
Know no such liberty.
- the gods do not know the liberty he has
When glowing cups run swiftly round
- connotations of camaraderie
- convivial (friendly) times drinking with friends
Our careless heads with roses crown’d,
- carefree attitude
- conveys youthfulness and idealism
Our hearts with loyal flames;
- loyalty to the king as young men
When thirsty grief in wine we steep,
- drowning their sorrows in wine
When healths and draughts go free -
- dash provokes thought before the next line
Fishes that tipple in the deep
- metaphor comparing the amount that the men drink to fishes in the sea
Know no such liberty.
- paradox reminder
When (like committed linnets) I
- simile
- song birds in prison
With shriller throat shall sing
-
The sweetness, Mercy, Majesty
- harmonious sounds
And glories of my king;
- harmonious sounds
When I shall voice aloud how good
- he supports King Charles 1
He is, how great should be,
-
Englargèd winds, that curl the flood,
- he is powerfully voicing his opinion
Know no such liberty.
- he is freer than any force of nature
Stone walls do not a prison make,
- he has mentally escaped his prison
Nor iron bars a cage;
- can not be imprisoned despite his surroundings
Minds innocent and quiet take
- and innocent mind will find sanctuary when imprisoned
That for an hermitage.
- a secluded cottage
If I have freedom in my love,
- freedom of emotion
And in my soul am free,
- freedom of emotion means freedom
Angels alone soar above,
- he sees himself as free as the angels up above
Enjoy such liberty.
- freedom is no different to the angels
Overview
- Sets of 8 lines (octaves)
- ABABCDCD (restriction he faced in prison and monotony)
- Iambic tetrameter (dull and monotonous)
- paradox of freedom whilst still confined
