To Night by Percy Bysshe Shelley Flashcards
Was Shelley happy in life?
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.
What type of poem is ‘To Night’?
‘To Night’ is a lyric poem which contains a songlike quality and an exploration of emotions and personal feelings.
The poem is narrated in the ___ person.
First
What is the significance of lyric poetry?
Lyric poetry explores the emotions of the speaker of the poem.
What is the rhyme scheme?
The rhyme scheme of ababccb remains consistent throughout the poem with the repetition of the rhyme scheme mimicking the songlike quality of the poem.
What figure of speech does Shelley use?
Shelley uses apostrophe in this poem and addresses night as though it were a person
What rhythm does the poem start off on?
The poem begins with a fast, purposeful rhythm enhanced by ‘Swiftly walk’. There is a sense that he welcomes the oncoming.
What does the ‘the western wave’ refer to?
‘the western wave’ refers to the western sky where the sun.
How does the poet create a myth?
He creates a myth by investing Night with human qualities that can act independently and respond to the speaker.
Why is the exclamation used for?
The use of the exclamation mark is emphatic and reinforces his desire for night.
He imagines night emerging from the _________ where it has been secluded through the ‘long and lone daylight.
‘misty eastern cave’
What is the significance of the alliteration?
The use of the alliteration amplifies the loneliness and solitary state in which night has existed throughout the daylight.
The speaker suggests that Night has occupied itself during the day creating dreams of _______ which have the capacity to be both blissful and frightening.
‘joy and fear’
Which line is suggestive that night offers comfort and fear?
Night offers comfort and fear, conveyed by ‘which make thee terrible and dear.’
What does the line ‘Swift be thy flight!’ reinforce?
‘Swift be thy flight!’ reinforces the speaker’s desire for night to come enhanced by the repetition from line 1.
What tone does the speaker have?
The speaker has a yearning tone and a melancholy mood.
What can the desire for the night be linked to?
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.
Which line suggest the speaker’s desire for the impending night continuing?
The speaker’s desire for the impending night continues with ‘wrap thy form in a mantle grey’
The connotations of ____ convey the melancholy mood
‘grey’
What does ‘Star-inwrought!’ suggest?
‘Star-inwrought!’ suggests that the mantle is the night which has stars woven into the canvas of the night sky
What does ‘Blind with thine hair the eyes of Day; suggest?
‘Blind with thine hair the eyes of Day;’ suggests that Night’s dark hair masks Day’s eyes.
What does the line ‘Kiss her until she be wearied out,’ suggest?
‘Kiss her until she be wearied out,’ suggests tiring Day by endless kisses so that Day withdraws swiftly leaving Night.
What does the line ‘Then wander o’er city, and sea, and land’ suggest?
‘Then wander o’er city, and sea, and land’
suggests Night touching everything in its path.
What does the line ‘thine opiate wand’ suggest?
‘thine opiate wand’ suggests a magic wand with properties of sleep providing respite from the demands of the day.
The speaker seems to have been waiting with anticipation for Night which is ____ _____.
‘long-sought’.
How does the speaker differ in his views of the night from most people?
Most people welcome the new day but the speaker longs for night, ‘I sighed for thee’.
What is ‘light rode high’ a reference to?
‘light rode high’ is a reference to the sun rising further and further in the sky resulting in the ‘dew [being] gone’
Comment on the change in rhythm in stanza 3.
The rhythm becomes slower conveyed by the diction of ‘weary’ and ‘lingering’ suggesting that despite Day’s tiredness, it is reluctant to leave.
Why is the simile effective?
The simile is effective in suggesting Day’s refusal to withdraw is like a guest who will not leave the party.
What is the significance of the repetition of ‘I sighed for thee’?
The repetition of ‘I sighed for thee’ implies a mournful tone and the heaviness of the speaker’s state of mind.
The speaker rejects ‘Death’ and ‘sleep’ which have ______ to Night.
similarities
What is the similarity between death and sleep in the poem?
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.
Sleep, which is perceived as Night’s child conveyed by ‘Thy sweet child Sleep’ has connotations of ______.
innocence.
What could ‘filmy-eyed’ suggest?
‘filmy-eyed’ could suggest eyes that are teary with tiredness.
What connotations does sleep have in relation to ‘Thy sweet child Sleep’?
Sleep, which is perceived as Night’s child conveyed by ‘Thy sweet child Sleep’ has connotations of innocence
What is the use of The use of onomatopoeia in
‘murmured like a noontide bee,’ linked to ?
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.
What is the significance of the repetition of ‘Wouldst thou me?’ ?
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!’
What does the speaker highlight when addressing Night?
The speaker addresses Night highlighting that both Death and Sleep will come ‘soon, too soon’ and are to be resisted while he still can.
Did Shelley imply he was going to die soon?
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’.
What ‘boon’ mean and what does it suggest?
‘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.
Why are lines 34 and 35 significant?
Lines 34 and 35 bring together the repetition from elsewhere in the poem amplifying the speaker’s desire for Night to approach.
