SHALL I COMPARE THEE/ Part-1

SHALL I COMPARE THEE

William Shakespeare

1.     How does the poet immortalize his friend’s beauty? Or, how has Shakespeare celebrated masculine beauty in his sonnet?

     The sonnet is a sincere tribute by the poet to the eternal beauty of his friend. He feels the destructive touch of time on all worldly elements. The loveliness of summer, the beautiful buds of May, and the sun- all fair forms of nature are subjected to decay. This very thought is certainly painful, but the poet has no feelings of dismay. He clearly declares that his friend’s beauty has an eternal summer which will never fade, though ‘every fair from fair sometimes decline’. He is rather inspired by his firm faith in the eternal appeal of his friend’s beauty. His friend will ever live and thrive, despite the cruel blow of time, though the lines of his verse written in his praise. [124]

2.     “…and this gives life to thee.” – What does ‘this’ refer to? Who is referred to by ‘thee’? how does this give life?

   ‘This’ refers to the sonnet, ‘Shall I Compare Thee’.

    The poet’s friend is referred to here as ‘thee’.

    The poet expresses his firm hope for perpetuating his friend’s beauty in this mortal world through the power of his verse. He finds in his friend’s beauty greater loveliness and serenity than that of the summer day. He also feels this beauty imperishable. It is subjected to no decay or destruction, although every fair element of nature loses its beauty in course of time. The poet’s mind will, in fact, ever live and thrive through his verse. As long as the human race lives and loves to read, this very sonnet will remain to celebrate his beauty. It will give him eternal life which no ravage of time can ever take away. In this transient human world, he will live ever. [140]

3.     Why does the poet say that it is inappropriate to compare his friend to a summer’s day? Or, identify at least three qualities that make the person superior to simile.

     William Shakespeare proposes to compare his friend to the sweet day of summer season. A summer day, rich in plenty as well as beauty of nature is truly charming. But the poet considers his friend to possess greater charm and grace- “Thou art more lovely and more temperate”. Firstly, pot’s friend is moderate and tempered in character. But summer’s day has some shortcomings. The little buds of May are often tossed by the high wind of summer. The sun is bright and sparkling in summer. Secondly, in summer’s day, the sun is often overcast. But the poet’s friend has a beauty that is sure to withstand the ravages of time. Lastly, the summer lasts for a short period of time. But poet’s verse will give him an eternal lease of life. [134]

Asleep in the Valley/ Part-1

ASLEEP IN THE VALLEY

Arthur Rimbaud

1. How does the picture of the soldier describe the tragedy of war,

      In the poem 'Asleep in the Valley', a small stream flows through the valley. The valley is decorated by a variety of flowers. Insects hum continuously there. There is such a peaceful ambience that the soldiers seems to sleep deeply: “A soldier, very young, lies open-mouthed,/ A pillow made of fern beneath his head,/ Asleep.” The innocent smile in the face of the soldier indicates that he is innocent and pure. But it is only at the end, the poet makes us realise that the soldier is a casualty of war. Rimbaud jolts the readers by stating that “In his side there are two red holes”. At once the valley of life becomes the valley of death. There lies the tragedy of war. [123]

2.      What do we normally associate with the word ‘asleep’? When does the reader recognize that the soldier is asleep in a difference sense?

      The word ‘asleep’ normally denotes a state of sleep when one is overcome with fatigue. It is an inactive condition of mind and body. The sleep in this case would reinvigorate one’s self.

       But the word ‘asleep’ in the poem ‘Asleep in the Valley’ is used in different sense. In the poem a young soldier lies asleep with his mouth agape. There neither a single word nor any expression plants any whit of suspicion in our mind that the soldier lies dead. But it is only at the end do we fathom that the soldier is a casualty of war. Rimbaud jolts the readers by stating that “In his side there are two red holes”. Thus, we finally realise that the young soldier is just not asleep; he is dead in the midst of the warm valley brimming with life. [107]

3. Evaluate 'Asleep in the Valley' as an anti-war poem. Or, how is Rimbaud's attitude towards war revealed in 'Asleep in the Valley'?

     In the poem, 'Asleep in the Valley' Rimbaud expresses the fruitlessness of war. He has first-hand experience of war and reveals the horror of warfare. Initially, a young soldier is found sleeping in a beautiful sunlit valley. But, at the end of the poem a closer look reveals that the soldier has the bullet-wounds: “In his side there are two red holes.” He will be never awaken again. The young life is unnaturally nipped in the bud. The poem proclaims the futility of war with the contrast of life and nature. Grim death is the inevitability of war and the poem ironically presents the monstrous destruction that a soldier has experience in warfare. [113]