English Literature poem quotes

Question 1

“Weep like a child”- Piano

Answer 1

Simile.
Has lost masculinity and become vulnerable like a child.
The music makes him childish. Children are unable to control their emotions.
Highlights the beauty of these memories but the sad reality of the present and that he can only remember what the past was like, that memories can cause more harm than good.

Question 2

“Flood of remembrance”-Piano

Answer 2

Adjective to symbolize water and emphasized by the dactylic rythm.
Symbolises the overwhelming sensation of emotion that the music bought the poet.
It is pouring from him and he cannot contain his feelings, much relating to the flow of water. Semantic field of water.
Shows that memories can carry an uncontrollable flow of emotions that you could “drown” in.

Question 3

“Insidious Mastery of song”/ “insidious Mastery” - Piano

Answer 3

The music is so emotionally powerful that it has complete control over the poet, and he has no choice.
The music is deceitful but has so much beauty within.
Songs attach themselves to memories, that become triggered when the music is heard again.
Shows that music can bring communities together or pull them apart.

Question 4

“Tinkling piano our guide”- Piano

Answer 4

Onomatopoeia
Suggests a gentle and simple life, the piano being a strong reminder of the poets childhood experiences.
Adjective “tinkle” is soft and brings a sense of comfort and safety, showing the audience that the poets childhood was positive and so his memories reflect that “safe” experience he had.
He felt safe and happy with his mother and childhood.

Question 5

“Heart of me weeps” - Piano

Answer 5

Emphasized by the dactyls.
The music has a powerful connection with the poet.
His heart has been personified to display his deep sadness over the loss of his childhood.
His emotions and feelings are so potent that there is a physical longing deep within him that wishes to be back in his childhood.
Implies that he has to accept this pain and live with the present, that you are unable to live off memories.

Question 6

Structure within Piano:

Answer 6

First stanzas display warmth and happiness as he recounts his memories. Implies he is fond of his childhood experiences
The last stanza drastically changes into a more saddening mood as he realizes his reality and what he has lost.
This creates a contrast between the past and present, impling that memories form who you are in life

Question 7

Themes of Piano

Answer 7

Memories, death, childhood

Question 8

“Goodnight”. “Night” “close of day”. “Dying of light” - Do not go gentle into that goodnight

Answer 8

All euphemisms that carry connotations of death, and so the refusal to use the word shows the inability that the poet has to accept it.
Structurally placed at the end of the first three lines to create a comforting mood about death and that the reader should not be afraid of it.

Question 9

“Rage, rage against the dying of the light”- Do not go gentle into that goodnight.

Answer 9

A refrain that is used to empazize the poets strong message and desire on fighting against death.
To never stop giving up, the message within the quotation is to overcome death, and in “the dying light” you keep on trying. Life is too precious to give up.

Question 10

“Wise men… good men…..wild men……grave men…..” - Do not go gentle into that goodnight

Answer 10

This suggests the universality of death, and that it happens to anyone, even “desirable” people with good lifestyles.
The constant descriptions of desirable men e.g “wise men, good men” highlights the importance of the fight against death, these men acting as “models” to show the reader that if great people , or even anyone like “grave men” are capable of resisting, then so are you.
Acts as a motivation to continue pushing against death.

Question 11

“Know dark is right” - Do not go gentle into that goodnight

Answer 11

Demonstrates to the reader that death is inevitable but can be resisted for as long as possible.
Death should be accepted but when it comes it should be fought.
Gives a comforting message that you should not be afraid of death.
“Dark” has a broad meaning that symbolises all negativity in life, and the antithesis for light shows that in order to see light there will always be darkness.

Question 12

“and you, my father” - Do not go gentle into that goodnight.

Answer 12

This is the first use of second person- and so makes the account more personal and direct.
Engages the reader further as it is now something that can prove relatable, and that they also wish for their loved ones to continue to fight death.
Creates a mood of vulnerability as the poet reveals that his wishes his father to continue fighting and not give in to death.

Question 13

Structure in Do not go gentle into that goodnight

Answer 13

Uses a villanelle form as the fixed structure to empasise how Thomas hopes to keep his fathers life in line and encourage him to fight against death.
Villanelles are usually used for positive messages, and so this creates a contrast with the mood of death, to not be afraid of it.
Structurally also addresses his father in the last stanza, switching perspectives to show the reader that death is universal.
It is important to be remembered for your actions .
Life is precious and should be fought after every turn.

Question 14

Themes of Do not go gentle into that goodnight

Answer 14

Death, emotion, value of life, grief

Question 15

Poems that go with Do not go gentle into that good-night

Answer 15

Piano, remember, poem at 39, Half past two

Question 16

Poems that go with piano

Answer 16

Poem at 39, remember, Do not go gentle, half past two

Question 17

“I am not yet born; O hear me” Prayer before birth

Answer 17

-Structurally, the opening line sets the tone of the poem. The unborn child begs for protection, highlighting the fragility of humans and how the world is so corrupted that even ones who are not yet within the world have anxiety about entering it.
-Desperate tone, wants to be heard.
“O hear me” Is directed towards the reader, making the poem more inclusive and personal, wanting to inform and make the reader aware.
-Sets up the poems central message: how cruel and threatening the world is.

Question 18

“I fear that the human race may with tall walls wall me, with strong drugs dope me” Prayer before birth

Answer 18

-Metaphor
-The speaker fears dehumanisation and control by society.
-The repeated structure, “with….me” creates a rhythmic, incantatory effect that mimics a ritualistic prayer or a chant, relating to how the narrator fears repetitiveness and control.
-“Tall walls”= imprisonment and isolation, being shut away from freedom, nature, or the truth, or even being brainwashed
-“strong drugs”= manipulation, by society, media, or governments, dulling independent thought or will.
-Highlighting all the cruel and oppressive flaws of society that Macneice wants to bring to light; our world is no place for a child to live in.

Question 19

“With water to dandle me, grass to grow for me, trees to talk to me, sky to sing to me” Prayer before birth

Answer 19

-Verse is structurally placed between all the negative verses to convey rare moments of hope and beauty in this world.
-Contrasts to reenforce the question of purity vs brutality.
-The narrator longs for a connection with nature, which is portrayed through personification to present nature as gentle and peaceful.
-“Dandle” is to rock a child gently, which suggests the comfort and maternal care of nature; reminding the reader that nature is the very heart of everything.
-The personification adds a childlike, magical quality, reflecting the narrator’s longing for innocence.

Question 20

“Let not the man who is beast or who thinks he is God come near me” Prayer before birth

Answer 20

-A direct critique of human nature, particularly addressing humanity’s brutal and tyrannical parts.
- “man who is beast”, implies evil humans, those who act with savagery and violence.
-“Thinks he is God” refers to those who have power and believe they have the divine right to control or harm others, all those who are corrupted in society.
-The narrator is reiterating the danger of pride and power, which distorts justice and morality.

Question 21

“Otherwise kill me” prayer before birth

Answer 21

STRUCTURAL- The ending line of the final stanza of the poem.
-Creates shock within the reader as its bluntness marks the climax of the narrator’s true fears.
-If the world is so corrupt and cruel that it can’t protect its humanity, then it would be better never to be born.
-Ends in a STARK ULTIMATUM: live in a moral, nurturing world or not live at all. Deeply expresses the value of a true and moral humanity.
-The line ends in a caesura (the pause created by a full stop) and this delivered an emotional punch to the reader, reenforcing the finality of the narrators message.

Question 22

Themes of prayer before Birth

Answer 22

A hostile world, religion, power, oppression, fear of the future

Question 23

Structure of Prayer before Birth?

Answer 23

-It has a free verse structure = which creates a standard, natural speech-like quality, implying that the unborn child is speaking directly and spontaneously, making the poem more personal and emotionally moving.
-The irregularity of the poem, however, also reflects the unpredictable world the child is entering.
-The repetition of “I am not yet born….” “I fear” emphasises the speaker’s powerlessness and growing anxiety.
-The cumulative effect of the repetition builds momentum and desperation, making the reader also feel increasingly anxious.
-First person

Question 24

Poems that go with Prayer before Birth

Answer 24

War photographer, half caste

Question 25

"Remember me when I am gone away, gone far away into the silent land" Remember

Answer 25

-This opening structurally sets the gentle tone of sadness throughout the poem, introducing the reader to feel the emotion that the narrator is also feeling. -Repetition and euphemism of death of "Gone away" and "far away" emphasize death as a permanent separation from life, something that you cannot come back from. -The metaphor of "silent land" represents death as peaceful yet sombre, but nothing to fear about it, suggesting the inevitable yet peaceful aspect of it. -Eminates the narrator's desire to be remembered, but they portray death as something natural yet mournful. -

Question 26

"When you can no more hold me by the hand" remember

Answer 26

-Adresses the physical absence that comes with death, almost as if the narrator is taking the reader through the loving pain of grief. -The imagery of "hold me by the hand" represents human connection, which is tender and loving, further strengthening the emotional intimacy between the speaker and the reader, but also between the speaker and whoever the poem is directed at. -The shift from physical closeness to separation reinforces the emotional weight of loss and grief.

Question 27

"Yet if you should forget me for a while, and afterwards remember" Remember

Answer 27

-A volta (turning point in the poem) where the narrator has softened her earlier plea, acknowledging that forgetting, even briefly, is part of being human. -Implies emotional maturity and selflessness, reiterating to the audience that letting go of greif allows you to live, do it for the sake of living.

Question 28

"Do not grieve, for if the darkness and corruption leave" remember

Answer 28

-Suggesting that if something of her survives ("a vestige of thoughts") that is enough for her. -Adjectives "Darkness and corruption" symbolise death and decay, implying that what matters is the emotional/spiritual legacy. -Reflecting that love and memory last forever, and even though physical presence does not.

Question 29

"Better by far you should forget and smile, than that you remember and bed sad"

Answer 29

-Structurally, the closing line holds a lot of emotional generosity. -The speaker clearly depicts that she prioritizes the happiness of those who continue to live on over her own desire to be remembered. -Placed at the end to convey the narrator's true overall emotion and opinion of her message, that true love means letting go and not clinging to grief.

Question 30

Themes of remember?

Answer 30

Memory, Grief, death, rememberance, love

Question 31

Poems that go with remember?

Answer 31

Poem at 39, piano, do not go gentle, war photographer (explores the impact of death)

Question 32

Structure of remember?

Answer 32

-Written as a Petrarchan sonnet, a traditional poetic form often used to explore deep emotions, especially love and loss. It helps deliver the message of the poem with a clear and emotional impact. -The poem follows the pattern of an Iambic Pentameter, which adds a calm, medative quality, reflecting the speakers composed and thoughtful words and emotions. -It gives the poem a sense of dignity and grace, suitable for a reflection on death and remembrance., and how it is presented in these ways.

Question 33

"Once upon a schooltime" Half past two

Answer 33

-The opening phrase parodies the traditional fairytale opening, blending it with a realistic setting like school. This sets the tone of the poem to be whimsical and nostalgic, placing the reader in the mind of the child. -By calling it "schooltime," Fanthorpe signals that this timeframe is remembered by the child, highlighting its significance in their life. -The childish tone resonates an affectionate mood within the reader, and the narrative style invites the reader to see the world through the eyes of a child, reinforcing the innocence and perception of learning children.

Question 34

"He couldn't click its language" half past two

Answer 34

-The phrase "couldn't click" is informal and once again, childlike, suggesting the confusion and frustration of the child not being able to understand something. -The onomatopoeia "click" alludes to the clicking of a clock, which is something cold, mechanical, and foreign in the child's life, reiterating how children's lives are more carefree and innocent as they do not worry about time. -Time is personified by "its language" symbolising how time is a sort of gamekeeper that seperates the child from adult understanding. -The narrator critiques how adults impose abstract systems on children who don't fully yet grasp them, drawing them out of their childhood quicker.

Question 35

"Gettinguptime, timeyouwereofftime, half past two"

Answer 35

-The child understands time through daily familiar activities, not numerically. -His concept of time is relational and emotional rather than objective. -The lack of spaces within the words mimics the way a child speaks or thinks, blending concepts into one general idea, not the formal structure of an adult's logic. -The "Half past two" becomes the type of time he doesn't understand, and this is structurally outlined by the spaced syllables, hinting at the child's unfamiliarity with it.

Question 36

"Into the air outside the window, into ever" Half past two

Answer 36

-Suggests a mental escape for the child, an isolation. the "air" depicts freedom from rules and restrictions, such as the adult concept of time. -"into ever" has connotations of eternity, endlessness and particulary symbolises the sensation of timelessness that the child experiences, something that is pure and unstructured. -Conveys how children are always in a state of being rather than doing, free from measurment and control, something that adults force apon them.

Question 37

"He knew alot about time" Half past two

Answer 37

-He isn't completely clueless about time, he understands time that is associated through habits and lived experience. Reinforces that children understand time through lived experience, that is all they have known. The adults of his life have failed to show him otherwise, the narrator critiquing schooling and education systems. -Critiquing how adults force schedules on children without considering how they actually perceive time. -Encourages the reader to reflect on the difference between functional understanding and emotional understanding.

Question 38

What are the themes of half past two?

Answer 38

Childhood, childhood experience, time, memories

Question 39

What are some poems that relate to half past two?

Answer 39

Piano, hide and seek, remember

Question 40

What is the structure of Half past two?

Answer 40

-Free verse, mimicking the natural flow of the child's thoughts, which is unorganised and doesn't mirror an adult's speech. -The lack of rhythm and rhyme reinforces the idea that the child is unbound by adult systems, implying that time is free and innocent within their mind. -Use of capitalisation and Italics for adult speech mocks the formality of adults and highlights the intelligence and authority adults commonly have over children. -The poem gently critiques the adult world, showing how arbitary and intimidating it seems from a childs perspective.

Question 41

"Call out. Call loud: I'm ready! Come find me! Hide and seek

Answer 41

-The opening line is an imperative, commanding the reader, implying the energetic energy of the child and their eager confidence and excitement. -This contrasts the later events of the poem, deepening the emotional response between the reader and the child. -The imperatives also suggest the child's desire to be seen and heard. -This start becomes bitter in hindsight when the child realises that no one is coming, foreshadowing the themes of betrayal and abandonment.

Question 42

"They'll never find you in this salty dark." Hide and seek

Answer 42

-Use of sensory language "salty dark" evokes the child's depiction of their surroundings, how it is bitter and unknown. He has streched out of his comfort zone in order to play the game of hide and seek. -"Salty" appeals to multiple senses, making the hiding spot seem more vivid and imaginative for the reader, immersing them further. -"Dark" hints at discomfort and even danger, foreshadowing what is about to happen to him.

Question 43

"The floor is cold. The dark, damp smell of sand moves in your throat" Hide and seek

Answer 43

-The turning point at which this childlike excitement turns to unease. -The sensory attention to the floor and smells builds tension within the reader as it portrays how the hiding spot is no longer fun, but unpleasant and stifling, also hinting at the child's boredom and realisation of how unsettling his hiding place is. -The sensory imagery also seems to become more uncomfortable for the reader too as it allows them to imagine what it would be like if they were there. The imagery becomes almost suffocating, suggesting a loss of control and the child's shift from playfulness to vulnerability.

Question 44

"Don't breathe. Don't move. Stay dumb. Hide and seek

Answer 44

-Structually, the shortened imperatives echo a childs internal thoughts, how they are trying to be clever and win the game. -"Stay dumb" also connotates to the child telling themselves to remain silent, but it also hints to naievety, the child is unknowingly making a mistake by remaining hidden. -The child's innocence and reveal of their internal thought process here evokes sympathy from the reader.

Question 45

"It seems a long time since they went away" Hide and seek

Answer 45

-Marks the emotional turning point and realisation of the poem. -The phrase "went away" is deliberately vague, hinting at the other children's carelessness and deliberate exclusion. -The line naively interprets a child's realisation of betrayal, isolation, and their first loss of trust. -Hints that even children can feel these mature emotions, experiences like these remain with them forever. -The tone shifts from excitement to sadness and confusion, mirroring also the process of maturing and growing up.

Question 46

Themes of Hide and seek

Answer 46

Childhood, Memories, experience, growing up

Question 47

Poems that could go with hide and seek

Answer 47

Half past two, piano

Question 48

The structure of Hide and seek

Answer 48

-The poem is written in one single stanza, with no line breaks. Mirrors the unbroken flow of a child's thoughts, rapid and focused on one moment. -Also builds momentum and tension, smoothly immersing the reader in the story. -The use of imperatives and second person create urgency and suspense, drawing the reader into the childs inner voice. -Directly involves the reader, making them feel what the child feels; causing them to relate more.

Question 49

"Tyger tyger, burning bright, in the forests of the night" The Tyger

Answer 49

-The repetition of "Tyger Tyger" is hypnotic and incantatory, setting a tone of awe and reverence for this beast. -"Burning bright"- Something fiery and dangerous, yet also mesmerizing and beautiful, implying the duality and intricacy of the tiger's nature. -"Forests of the night"- connotes to something unknown and dangerous to the narrator, finally placing the tiger in a realm of mystery and fear- it is more mysterious than it is beautiful.

Question 50

"What immortal hand or eye, could frame thy fearful symmetry?" The Tyger

Answer 50

-Reiterates the poem's central question: what kind of divine power could create something so beautiful yet so terrifying? -"Immortal" hints at a god-like creator, the tiger is so majestic that only something with so much power (like a god) could have created it. -Reenforces how much awe the narrator is in over the tiger. -"Fearful symmetry" captures the idea of perfect design that inspires fear, not just admiration. The tiger is producing all emotions.

Question 51

"What dread grasp, Dare its deadly terrors clasp!" Tyger

Answer 51

-The speaker consistently remains in awe at such power, an awe of mixed wonder, "dare!" and fear; "deadly". -This awe is towards the power of the tiger and its creator, which is what the poem seems to focus on. --The speaker addresses the tiger, and asks many questions, which further build up the mystery and power of its creator. -He does not address the creator directly, depicting that the creator is in such a higher power that the narrator has no right to directly speak to him; referencing to the fact that the creator is God, and the narrator is praising his incredible and complex work.

Question 52

"Did he smile at his work to see?" tyger

Answer 52

-Blake suggests that power does not bring contentment, as when the creative process has reached completion, the speaker wonders if the creator feels pride toward what they have made. -The fact that the question is presented implies the dissatisfaction the creator feels towards his work, especially when he considers the destructive potential of the creature he has just created. -The Tygers counterpart is often to "The Lamb" from the "Songs of Innocence" and this contrast is portrayed here through the violent nature of the creation versus the peaceful innocence of a lamb.

Question 53

"frame" tyger

Answer 53

-The verb is used to describe the making of the tiger, highlighting that its creativity process seems like the production of a work of art. -Also suggests the power and ability to contain and limit something, alluding to the fact that the creator could also fear what it created. -Here, what is framed is the "fearful symmetry" of the creature, the oxymoron capturing the contrast between the power of someone who is capable of creating such perfect "symmetry" and the "fearful" onlookers who can only look on in awe. -Implies how ultimate and final power is feared and envied by those less powerful.

Question 54

Themes of Tyger

Answer 54

Mystery of creation, religon, power

Question 55

Poems that could go with Tyger

Answer 55

-My last dutchess, war photographer

Question 56

The structure of Tyger

Answer 56

-Portrayed in six quatrains (4-line stanzas), which all have regular rhythm and length. -Creates a sense of order and symmetry, echoing the idea of the tygers "fearful symmetry" -The poems' content, however, is filled with many unanswered questions, which contrasts with its regular form, creating a feeling of unease beneath the surface. -The poem also has a Trochaic Meter. "Tyger Tyger burning bright", which gives the poem a chant-like, rhythmic quality, which adds to the creature and creator's mysterious and sacred tone.