To Night by Percy Bysshe Shelley

Question 1

Was Shelley happy in life?

Answer 1

No, Two of the Shelley’s children died and Mary herself suffered a nervous breakdown. Nonetheless, this was the most productive period of Shelley’s life.

Question 2

What type of poem is ‘To Night’?

Answer 2

‘To Night’ is a lyric poem which contains a songlike quality and an exploration of emotions and personal feelings.

Question 3

The poem is narrated in the ___ person.

Answer 3

First

Question 4

What is the significance of lyric poetry?

Answer 4

Lyric poetry explores the emotions of the speaker of the poem.

Question 5

What is the rhyme scheme?

Answer 5

The rhyme scheme of ababccb remains consistent throughout the poem with the repetition of the rhyme scheme mimicking the songlike quality of the poem.

Question 6

What figure of speech does Shelley use?

Answer 6

Shelley uses apostrophe in this poem and addresses night as though it were a person

Question 7

What rhythm does the poem start off on?

Answer 7

The poem begins with a fast, purposeful rhythm enhanced by ‘Swiftly walk’. There is a sense that he welcomes the oncoming.

Question 8

What does the ‘the western wave’ refer to?

Answer 8

‘the western wave’ refers to the western sky where the sun.

Question 9

How does the poet create a myth?

Answer 9

He creates a myth by investing Night with human qualities that can act independently and respond to the speaker.

Question 10

Why is the exclamation used for?

Answer 10

The use of the exclamation mark is emphatic and reinforces his desire for night.

Question 11

He imagines night emerging from the _________ where it has been secluded through the ‘long and lone daylight.

Answer 11

‘misty eastern cave’

Question 12

What is the significance of the alliteration?

Answer 12

The use of the alliteration amplifies the loneliness and solitary state in which night has existed throughout the daylight.

Question 13

The speaker suggests that Night has occupied itself during the day creating dreams of _______ which have the capacity to be both blissful and frightening.

Answer 13

‘joy and fear’

Question 14

Which line is suggestive that night offers comfort and fear?

Answer 14

Night offers comfort and fear, conveyed by ‘which make thee terrible and dear.’

Question 15

What does the line ‘Swift be thy flight!’ reinforce?

Answer 15

‘Swift be thy flight!’ reinforces the speaker’s desire for night to come enhanced by the repetition from line 1.

Question 16

What tone does the speaker have?

Answer 16

The speaker has a yearning tone and a melancholy mood.

Question 17

What can the desire for the night be linked to?

Answer 17

This desire for night can be linked to the specific circumstances in Shelley’s life and reflects depression and a desire to be shrouded by the night where he could withdraw into his own company and escape the demanding company of others.

Question 18

Which line suggest the speaker’s desire for the impending night continuing?

Answer 18

The speaker’s desire for the impending night continues with ‘wrap thy form in a mantle grey’

Question 19

The connotations of ____ convey the melancholy mood

Answer 19

‘grey’

Question 20

What does ‘Star-inwrought!’ suggest?

Answer 20

‘Star-inwrought!’ suggests that the mantle is the night which has stars woven into the canvas of the night sky

Question 21

What does ‘Blind with thine hair the eyes of Day; suggest?

Answer 21

‘Blind with thine hair the eyes of Day;’ suggests that Night’s dark hair masks Day’s eyes.

Question 22

What does the line ‘Kiss her until she be wearied out,’ suggest?

Answer 22

‘Kiss her until she be wearied out,’ suggests tiring Day by endless kisses so that Day withdraws swiftly leaving Night.

Question 23

What does the line ‘Then wander o’er city, and sea, and land’ suggest?

Answer 23

‘Then wander o’er city, and sea, and land’

suggests Night touching everything in its path.

Question 24

What does the line ‘thine opiate wand’ suggest?

Answer 24

‘thine opiate wand’ suggests a magic wand with properties of sleep providing respite from the demands of the day.

Question 25

The speaker seems to have been waiting with anticipation for Night which is ____ _____.

Answer 25

‘long-sought’.

Question 26

How does the speaker differ in his views of the night from most people?

Answer 26

Most people welcome the new day but the speaker longs for night, ‘I sighed for thee’.

Question 27

What is ‘light rode high’ a reference to?

Answer 27

‘light rode high’ is a reference to the sun rising further and further in the sky resulting in the ‘dew [being] gone’

Question 28

Comment on the change in rhythm in stanza 3.

Answer 28

The rhythm becomes slower conveyed by the diction of ‘weary’ and ‘lingering’ suggesting that despite Day’s tiredness, it is reluctant to leave.

Question 29

Why is the simile effective?

Answer 29

The simile is effective in suggesting Day’s refusal to withdraw is like a guest who will not leave the party.

Question 30

What is the significance of the repetition of ‘I sighed for thee’?

Answer 30

The repetition of ‘I sighed for thee’ implies a mournful tone and the heaviness of the speaker’s state of mind.

Question 31

The speaker rejects ‘Death’ and ‘sleep’ which have ______ to Night.

Answer 31

similarities

Question 32

What is the similarity between death and sleep in the poem?

Answer 32

Death is responsible for taking souls into the darkness while sleep is responsible for shrouding human beings in darkness.The speaker refuses to turn towards Death and rejects its offer.

Question 33

Sleep, which is perceived as Night’s child conveyed by ‘Thy sweet child Sleep’ has connotations of ______.

Answer 33

innocence.

Question 34

What could ‘filmy-eyed’ suggest?

Answer 34

‘filmy-eyed’ could suggest eyes that are teary with tiredness.

Question 35

What connotations does sleep have in relation to ‘Thy sweet child Sleep’?

Answer 35

Sleep, which is perceived as Night’s child conveyed by ‘Thy sweet child Sleep’ has connotations of innocence

Question 36

What is the use of The use of onomatopoeia in

‘murmured like a noontide bee,’ linked to ?

Answer 36

The use of onomatopoeia in ‘murmured like a noontide bee,’ is linked to the drowsiness associated with noontime inviting the speaker to sleep which is enhanced but the slowness of the rhythm.

Question 37

What is the significance of the repetition of ‘Wouldst thou me?’ ?

Answer 37

The repetition of ‘Wouldst thou me?’ shows both Death and Sleep trying to entice the speaker, but he rejects them firmly and emphatically with ‘No, not thee!’

Question 38

What does the speaker highlight when addressing Night?

Answer 38

The speaker addresses Night highlighting that both Death and Sleep will come ‘soon, too soon’ and are to be resisted while he still can.

Question 39

Did Shelley imply he was going to die soon?

Answer 39

Shelley only lived a year after this poem was written suggesting that Death would come ‘soon’. He claims that he can sleep after Night has ‘fled’.

Question 40

What ‘boon’ mean and what does it suggest?

Answer 40

‘boon’ means gift suggesting that he will not ask for a gift from Death or Sleep, but instead will ask for a gift from ‘beloved night’ which reinforces his attachment
to Night.

Question 41

Why are lines 34 and 35 significant?

Answer 41

Lines 34 and 35 bring together the repetition from elsewhere in the poem amplifying the speaker’s desire for Night to approach.