A dream

Question 1

What does the speaker describe in ‘A dream’?

Answer 1

A lost and crying out for her family
* The speaker, relating to the ants misery, is moved to tears by her plight
* a glow worm responds to the ants cry and shows hers the way home

Question 2

What does the poem plant an image of?

Answer 2

a benevolent compassionate natural world
* suggests that help is always available to those who ask

Question 3

How is ‘A Dream’ an allegorical poem?

Answer 3

it tells a story using symbols to convey a hidden meaning
* the characters are ants and glow-worms it is meant to illuminate a truth about the human world

Question 4

How are humanity and nature in communication with the divine in ‘A dream’?

Answer 4

the glow worms light and the ‘beetles hum’ are a lifeline for the lost ant
* Blake believed nature could provide guidence
* In blake’s view, feeling, not intellect allows the earths inherent wisdom.

Question 5

What did Blake believe was impacting humanity’s relation with nature?

Answer 5

the industrial revolution
* people were losing touch with nature and therefore touch with god

Question 6

How many quatrains does ‘A dream’ have?

Answer 6

Five

Question 7

What meter is ‘A dream’ written in?

Answer 7

trochaic tetrameter

Question 8

what Rhyme scheme does ‘A dream’ have?

Answer 8

AABB
* composed of rhyming couplets

Question 9

What does the simple form and regular rhyme show in ‘A dream’?

Answer 9

• it shows that its an innocent poem, its supposed to evoke innocent delight of childhood
• the poem expresses childlike trust in the inherent goodness fo the wold

Question 10

What does the use of uncomplicated rhyme in ‘A dream’ reflect?

Answer 10

the fact ‘A dream’ is a reassuring tale of guidance and compassion

Question 11

Who is the speaker in ‘A dream’?

Answer 11

A child/childlike figure remebering a dream they once had

Question 12

What do the instructions given by the glow worm reflect in ‘A dream’?

Answer 12

it reflects how the instructions are also applicable to the speaker

Question 13

What does the speaker see in the dream in ‘A dream’?

Answer 13

the speaker sees a lost ant crying out for her family

Question 14

What does the speaker seem concerned with in ‘A dream’?

Answer 14

telling the ants tale
* the speaker also seems ‘wildered’ and ‘forlorn’

Question 15

What might the reader imagine about the speaker in ‘A dream’?

Answer 15

that the speaker awakes in their own ‘angel-guarded bed’ no longer frightened or far-from home

Question 16

Where is ‘A dream’ set?

Answer 16

in the speakers dreaming mind

Question 17

Summarise ‘A dream’

Answer 17

*in a dream an ant loses its way
* it is rescued by a glow worm
* we are not told if the ant actually finds its way home

Question 18

“Troubled wildered and forlorn”

Answer 18

• ambiguous –> it could refer to speaker as well as the lost ant
• shows that both the speaker and the ant can have feelings/troubles of being “wildered and forlorn”

Question 19

“But i saw a glow worm near”

Answer 19

• The glow worm is a guiding light in the encompassing darkness

Question 20

What are humanity and nature conencted with?q

Answer 20

the divine

Question 21

What is the speaker suggesting about the world?

Answer 21

That the world is an inherantly compassionate place, even when one feels lost

Question 22

What do the ants and glow worms represents?

Answer 22

They are an allegory to illuminate the truth about the human world
* the speaker shares the ants values and feelingss

Question 23

Anthropomorphism

Answer 23

Makes the poem child like

Question 24

“Benighted”

Answer 24

Dual meaning
1. Literal darkness
2. metaphorical darkness (ignorance)

Question 25

What is the religious message in 'A dream'?

Answer 25

* The ants return home is not as importnat as the world is compassionate * cried for help will be heard and met * glow worm can be compared with the "Angel-guarded" in Stanza 1 * With divine guidance the ant finds its way home

Question 26

"All heart broke i heard her say"

Answer 26

* imitates the imperfect speech of a young child * also evokes brokenness * alliteration: evokes ants anguish/tears --> creates a gasping noise made when crying/in anguish

Question 27

"who replied: what wailing wight/ Calls the watchman of the night"

Answer 27

* enjambment suggests the flow worms confidence * alliteration: soothing 'w' sound creates a soure of comfort -> songlike, comforting, soft

Question 28

"Hum.../ Home"

Answer 28

* Hum: onomatopoeia = another comforting noise * slant rhyme = lack of perfect rhyme suggests the ant may not make it back home

Question 29

"Once a dream did weave a shade"

Answer 29

* Because the speaker is dreaming of the ant * it suggests the speaker relates to the ant, wandering in darkness * speaker personifies the dream as a weaver * shade = an enchantment a - a dream cast a spell on the speaker so that instead of feeling safe/protected * the speaker thinks they are lying on 'grass'

Question 30

"...Forlorn/ Dark, benighted"

Answer 30

Caesura --> stumbling rhythm that evokes ants weariness / confusion

Question 31

"Oh my children! do they cry? Do they hear their fathers sigh?"

Answer 31

* 'Oh' evokes her anguish * caesura draws attention to her main concern, her children * the stanza begins with the ants cry ( a human emotion) * rhetorical question expresses her concern for her family

Question 32

"now/ now"

Answer 32

Anaphora - each moment brings more worries

Question 33

"Go[ing] his round"

Answer 33

* The beetle is a source of guidance/protection * suggests that it is his job to keep an eye out for those in need

Question 34

"Shade" and "angel guarded"

Answer 34

* Contrast - suggests these 2 things are atpdds in the dream * the speaker is afraid of not being able to find their way back to their own world/their bed

Question 35

"pitying i dropped a tear"

Answer 35

Speaker sheds compassionate tears over the ants plight

Question 36

What perspective is 'A dream' told from?

Answer 36

a childlike perspective

Question 37

What does 'A dream' suggest about help?

Answer 37

That those who ask for help will receive it * The world is naturally compassionate and protection/ guidance are always at hand even in difficult times

Question 38

What does the speaker in 'A dream' create an image of about the natural world?

Answer 38

That it is filled with kind creatures that are ready and willing to help each other