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Analysis of Tennyson and de la Mare's Poems

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12 views3 pages

Analysis of Tennyson and de la Mare's Poems

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das.arabinda1940
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© All Rights Reserved
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BREAK, BREAK, BREAK

1. What are breaking constantly?

Ans. The waves are breaking constantly on the cold gray stones.

2. Name the Poet.

Ans. Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

3. What does the poet urge the waves to do?

Ans. The poet urges the waves to break, break and break on the cold gray stones. In the last stanza too, the poet again
urges to break, break and break at the foot of the crags.

4. What wish or desire does the poet express in the first stanza?

Ans. The poet wishes that his tongue could utter the thoughts that arise in him.

5. What sights does the poet witness on the beach?

Ans. The poet sees the fisherman's boy shouting with his sister at play, the sailor lad singing in his boat on the bay. He
can also see the stately ships go on to their haven under the hill.

6. What is the fisherman's boy doing?

7. What is the sailor lad doing?

8. Where are the stately ships going?

Ans. The stately ships go on to their haven as a safe and peaceful place under the hill.

9. What does the poet repeat?

Ans. The poet repeats his urge waves to break, break and break at the foot of the crags.

10. What does the poet lement?

Ans. The poet lements and says the touch of his friends hands has vanished, the sound of his voice had become still. The
poet sadly says that the tender friendship and the good time spent with his friend are dead and will never come back to
him.

11. How many times had the word "Break" been used in the poem?

Ans. Six times.


THE MOTHER BIRD

1. Name the poet.

Ans. Walter de la Mare.

2. How is the speaker peeping?

Ans. The speaker peered through the green twilight of a hedge with his cheek pressed on the cool leaves, spying a bird
upon a nest.

3. What was the speaker spying on?

Ans. The speaker peered through the green twilight of a hedge with his cheek pressed on the cool leaves, spying a bird
upon a nest.

4. How has the sunlight been described?

Ans. Green twilight.

5. Why is the twilight said to be green?

Ans. The twilight is said to be green because the sunlight penetrating through the green leaves shows a green effect.

6. What does the speaker encounter (coming face to face with) on spying?

Ans. The speaker finds two meek yet brave eyes of the mother bird beseeching him not to cause any harm to her nest.
The speaker also notices the mother bird's brown breast throbbing hot and quick above her heart anticipating or
expecting danger.

7. What sound did the mother bird make and how?

Ans. The mother bird opened her dagger bill and let out sharp solitary note which was a desperate fierce and vivid cry of
valiant tears and hopeless joy and was a passionate note of victory.

8. What did the sound of the mother bird not resemble?

Ans. The sound of the bird was not a chirp as sparrows piping break a day nor was it a trill that falters through the quiet
evening.

9. Why is the mother bird's sound said to be sharp and solitary?

Ans. The mother bird's sound was said to be sharp because it was warning to the intruder and solitary because no other
bird was perhaps present there.

Q. Why was the bird's cry desperate and vivid?

[Link] bird's cry was desperate, fierce and vivid because the bird was valiantly and desperately trying to protect her
nest.

Q. Pick out the words that tell you that the Mother bird was giving a warning and trying her best to protect her nest.
Ans. Sharp, Desperate, Fierce and Vivid.

Q. What tells you that the bird was to some extend relieved?

Ans. We understand that the bird was some extended relieved when the cry had the essence of valiant tears and
hopeless joy and a passionate note of victory on finding that the nest remained unharmed.

Q. What did the speaker on finding the mother bird to be so protected?

Ans. The speaker felt like a fool, afraid to disturb the peace of the mother bird, smiling a foolish smile sneaked out at the
mother bird in the secret hedge who was patiently guarding her lonely nest.

Q. Where had the mother bird built her nest?

Ans. The mother bird had built her nest in the secret hedge.

Q. What was the mother bird doing?

Ans. The mother bird was patiently guarding her lonely nest.

Common questions

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Tennyson's portrayal of nature in "Break, Break, Break" centers on the powerful and indifferent forces of the sea, using the breaking waves as a metaphor for emotional turmoil and the passage of time. In contrast, de la Mare’s depiction of nature in "The Mother Bird" is more intimate and delicate, focusing on the protective instincts of a bird. While Tennyson uses nature to reflect human grief and loss, de la Mare uses it to showcase the resilience and nurturing aspects of life. These contrasting views highlight different emotional dynamics, with one emphasizing the painful permanence of nature and the other its protective capabilities .

In "Break, Break, Break," time is depicted as relentless and cyclical, marked by the continuous breaking of the waves, symbolizing the passage of time and the persistence of grief. The unchanging nature of this action signifies how the poet's sense of loss remains constant over time. Conversely, in "The Mother Bird," time is more immediate and situational, highlighted by the bird's acute response to the present threat. Here, time is associated with moments of alertness and brief confrontations with potential danger, emphasizing the transient and protective aspects of life in nature .

In "The Mother Bird," the speaker's interaction with the environment as he spies through the hedge and encounters the mother bird evokes a range of human emotions, such as curiosity, empathy, and ultimately humility. The speaker's initial intrusion upon the bird's space is met with the bird's fierce protective response, prompting a realization of the sanctity of the natural world. The speaker’s foolish smile and respectful retreat highlight a blend of amusement and reverence, ultimately underscoring a deeper understanding of vulnerability and protection that resonates on an emotional level .

In "The Mother Bird," the vivid imagery of the bird with "meek yet brave eyes" reflects her vulnerability in the face of potential danger, while simultaneously showcasing her protective instincts. The description of her "throbbing breast" and "sharp solitary note" enhances the tension between vulnerability and courage, as she wards off the intruder. The "green twilight" further suggests a tranquil yet precarious environment, highlighting the fragility of life and the intense protective nature of the mother bird over her nest .

Walter de la Mare uses vivid imagery and personification in "The Mother Bird" to convey the protective nature of the bird. By describing the bird's eyes as meek yet brave and her cry as a desperate, fierce, and vivid expression of valiant protection, the poet emphasizes the bird's courage. The scene where the bird lets out a sharp solitary note conveys the urgency and determination of the bird to safeguard her nest. The description of the bird's actions and sounds suggests her vigilant and fierce protective instinct .

Tennyson's personal experiences, particularly the death of his close friend Arthur Hallam, significantly influence the themes of mourning and longing in "Break, Break, Break." The poem's exploration of grief and unexpressed feelings can be traced to Tennyson's deep sense of personal loss and the impact it had on his emotions and expression. His need to articulate the overwhelming sadness and inability to reach catharsis through the sea's metaphorical breaking waves reflects his enduring struggle with Hallam's death. The poem becomes a vessel for Tennyson's profound personal sorrow, manifesting in the themes of memory and loss .

Alfred, Lord Tennyson expresses themes of loss and longing in "Break, Break, Break" by juxtaposing the relentless physical action of the waves breaking on cold gray stones with the emotional inertia caused by grief. The repeated urging for the waves to "break, break, break" serves as a metaphor for the poet's desire to express the thoughts and feelings buried within him, which he is unable to articulate due to the deep sense of loss. Additionally, the laments about the vanished touch and still voice of a friend accentuate the longing for lost companionship .

The metaphor "dagger bill" in Walter de la Mare’s poem is highly effective in conveying the defensiveness and sharpness associated with the mother bird's protective instincts. It evokes an image of a weapon poised to strike, emphasizing the fierceness and urgency of the bird's cry. This metaphor not only portrays the physical characteristic of the bird but also reflects its readiness to protect its nest at any cost, enhancing the poem’s depiction of nature’s inherent instinct for survival .

The setting of the cold gray stones and the waves continuously breaking upon them reinforces the somber mood and the themes of mourning in "Break, Break, Break." The unchanging natural environment mirrors the permanence of the poet's loss and the ongoing passage of time, while the visual and auditory imagery of the relentless sea serves as a metaphor for the poet’s unexpressed grief. This stark and desolate setting underlines the enduring sadness that permeates the poem, enhancing its emotional depth through nature's indifferent constancy .

The repetitive use of the word "break" in Tennyson's poem underscores the relentless, unstoppable nature of time and the inevitability of loss. This repetition mimics the continuous motion of waves breaking against stones, emphasizing the poet's internal struggle and inability to move on from his grief. The insistent rhythm of "break, break, break" creates a somber mood, reflecting the persistent aching and helplessness felt when confronting memories of a lost loved one, hence deepening the theme of mourning and longing .

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