The Apprentice by Arun Joshi | Characters, Summary, Analysis

Hello and welcome to the Discourse. The Apprentice is a novel by Arun Joshi that was published in 1974. His novels have characters who are urban, English-speaking, and disturbed for some reason. He often explored the shallowness and struggles of the middle class. The Apprentice is unique because of the techniques of first-person confessional narrative that Arun Joshi used in this novel. The novel is shaped as a series of dramatic monologues spoken by the protagonist-narrator to a listener, or reader. ‘The Apprentice’ is predominantly about money, power, politics and corruption. The novel basically deals with how the New Slavery has come into existence after independence with new masters: politicians, officials (bureaucrats), and the rich. The novel offers the protagonist's confrontation with his own self, inner and outer, probe directly into his psyche and lays it bare for the reader to examine. The novel explores the drawbacks of the socio-political system of Post-independence India.

Characters of The Apprentice:

Ratan Rathor is the protagonist and the narrator of the novel. Most of the novel is presented as his dramatic monologues as if he is presenting an autobiography. Ratan is the son of a reputed lawyer and a patriotic freedom fighter. Rathor is from Punjab and grew up in the foothills of Punjab. His father was a follower of Gandhian philosophy. He decided to donate all his property and completely devote himself to the Indian freedom struggle. Ratan’s mother opposed her husband and tried to convince him that money matters more than patriotism. Ratan observed the contrast between selfless patriotism and materialism within his home. His father gets killed during a procession against the British rulers. Ratan finds it difficult to find a job in the newly independent India. Somehow, he gets a temporary clerk’s job in a Government office, dealing with war purchases.

Brigadier is one of Ratan’s childhood friends. Brigdier’s father died at an early age and his mother and elder sister worked hard to offer him good education. Later on, he becomes a reputed military officer and faces the enemies five times in the battleground. Brigadier is an honest and brave army man while Ratan is the exact opposite, he is a coward. The superintendent is the boss of the government office where Ratan works. Ratan works hard to please his superintendent. The superintendent encourages him to take bribes from the dealers. Ratan realizes that a successful career cannot be achieved through diligence and sincerity, but be realized through flattery and cunning. The superintendent offers a recommendation for a permanent job for Ratan on his assurance that he would marry the superintendent’s niece Geetu. Sheikh Himmat Singh is a corrupt dealer and businessman who facilitates weapons and other necessities for the Indian army.

Summary of The Apprentice:

The novel begins as Ratan Rathor meets an N.C.C. cadet who came to New Delhi to participate in the Republic Day parade. Ratan begins a conversation with him and he comes to know that the student is requesting him to direct him towards grounds to attend rallies. Ratan continues his conversation with the student in a nearby shop, he takes him there for tea because that tea shop seems to be the best of the neighborhood and adds that the proprietor is an excellent man. When the student enquires him about his residence he explains that he lives in a government colony, which are identical flats, yellow by day and colorless at night with an occasional park, a library without books, a boy’s school, a girl’s school, a sub-station, an area neither poor, rich nor hostile, friendly. Ratan begins telling his story to this young N.C.C cadet.

Ratan is from Punjab. His father was a successful lawyer and a Gandhian follower who took an active part in the Indian struggle for Independence. Ratan admired and supported his father when his father decided to donate all his money and devote all his energies to the processions against the tyrannical British government. Her mother was suffering from tuberculosis but preferred staying at home instead of going to the hospital to save money. She opposes her husband’s decision to stop working as an advocate and donate all his money to the freedom struggle and says, “It was not patriotism but money, she said, that brought respect and bought security. Money made friends. Money succeeded where all else failed. There were many laws, she said, but money was law unto itself.”

Ratan had a friend named Brigadier who once saved him against the bullies in a sugarcane field. Brigadier had lost his father at an early age and Ratan’s father helped his family to keep up with his education. Brigadier is a brilliant student and he continues to excel but never forgets the struggles his mother and elder sister go through for his proper upbringing. During a procession against the British government, Ratan’s father too dies during the lathicharge. After his graduation, Ratan tries to find a job but fails to get any. He decides to be a part of Subhash Chandra Bose’s Azad Hind Fauj and leaves his home. But much before he can reach his destination, he realizes that he is too cowardly to be a freedom fighter and returns home.

After the Independence, his mother advises him to go to Delhi to seek a job. She manages to get a letter of recommendation for him from one of the friends of Ratan’s father. In his search for employment, he realizes that the posts advertised are already filled in some manner. Even his father’s friends could not come to his aid to find a job for him. During his stay in Delhi, he gets shelter in a sarai (inn) beside a masque where several others also occupy the same room with him. A stenographer living at the same inn manages a temporary job for him in a Government office, dealing with war purchases.

Ratan distances himself from his friends at the inn and devotes all his energies to pleasing his boss, the superintendent of the office. He remembers how his late father despised the clerical jobs as bourgeois filth. He works hard to please his superintendent. In a very short period of time over six months, on the recommendation of the superintendent, he gets confirmation in the service on his assurance that he would marry the superintendent’s niece. Henceforth he never looks back and on the superintendent’s retirement, he gets this most coveted post which brings him every comfort in his life. With the accumulation of riches, Ratan rather gets himself associated with the pleasure of wine and women in Bombay. The superintendent teaches him the tricks of making money and Ratan begins taking bribes. In the Post-independence era where career and class define any human in addition to it is the period of an inferno of corruption, Ratan also goes in the pursuit of career “one had to live. At the earlier stage of his career, he hesitates in taking bribes but with the words of his superintend he justifies his deed that there was no point in looking for truths aside from the truth of God. Money in the world always changed hands. God was only concerned with what one did with the money.

During the Indo-China war, a dealer named Sheikh Himmat Singh approaches him and offers a great deal of money as a bribe for supplying substandard war items during the emergency. The substandard material causes a great deal of loss to the Indian Army. An inquiry is staged to find out the causes. Ratan fears that he may get caught so he deceives his very close friend, Brigadier, by giving a false statement without admitting his crime. The inquiry committee finally submitted that the Brigadier was responsible for the substandard war material.

Ultimately, the Brigadier commits suicide. His best friend Brigadier’s death acts as an eye-opener for Ratan, he never confesses his guilt but tries to redeem himself. He thinks of confessing his crime but fears losing his reputation.

He realizes that there is nothing unethical about the fact that the son of the freedom fighter runs after a bureaucratic career. But it is highly illegal, unethical, and unscrupulous that he should get corrupt and act against the national interest. During the time of the nation’s adversity, he was not the only one to gain prosperity by clearing sub-standard war materials supplied by Sheikh Himmat Singh, being used in the Indo-China war without caring for the lives of innocent people.

He begins serving poor people and washing their feet every day at a temple. He also vows to correct his wrong by discovering and exposing the real corrupt person behind the debacle of substandard war material. He begins pursuing Sheikh Himmat Singh to take revenge. He blames the Sheikh for all this mess because he was the one who brought the offer to Ratan. But when Ratan confronts the Sheikh and puts a gun on his head to kill him, Himmat Singh reveals that it was not his idea to get the clearing for substandard war material. He reveals that the whole plan was of the Minister and his Secretary and they chose Ratan to be a part of the plan because he was a ‘spineless flunkey’. Ratan realizes that the whole Department right from the Minister to the peon is corrupt. He further learns that Himmat Singh didn’t become a part of the conspiracy for money, as he already has a lot of money. But Himmat Singh assisted in the plan because he despised the whole society and wanted the whole system to do bad. He got involved in such a crooked act of ignoring the safety of the lives of innocent people because he despises society as a whole and just wishes for destruction and disaster for all. He belonged to a poor family and witnessed his mother being forced to sell herself to feed him. His past memories filled such venom in him that he just seeks revenge against society. Ratan learns that Himmat Singh too was the son of a revolutionary and should have become a revolutionary in post-independent India but he too falls victim to the socio-political set-up of new India. Ratan realizes that there was no specific reason for taking the bribe – neither need nor compulsion. Yet, Ratan feels the need to justify himself and despite knowing everything, he deceives Himmat Singh and holds him responsible for the supply of defective materials. Himmat Singh retorts and says, “You are bogus, Ratan Rathor…. from to bottom. Your work, your religion, your friendship, your honor... nothing but a pile of dung”.

So this is it for today! We will continue to discuss the history of Indian English literature. Please stay connected with the Discourse. Thanks and Regards!

A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal by William Wordsworth | Structure, Summary, Analysis

Hello and welcome to the Discourse. ‘A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal’ is one of the Lucy poems written by William Wordsworth that was published in his and Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s poetic collection Lyrical Ballads in 1798. The primary focus of the poem is on the death of a young woman named Lucy (though she remains unnamed in this poem). Many scholars and literary historians have offered theories about who Lucy was, but her true identity remains a mystery. It is the shortest of the Lucy poems comprising just two stanzas (quatrains) or eight lines. Despite being a short poem, the lyrical quatrains contain a lot of meaning in them. The speaker is initially unaware of loss and death but soon he learns a harsh lesson when the woman dies. William Wordsworth's poem "A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal" serves as a poignant exploration of grief, loss, and the nature of existence. The poem resonates with readers on multiple levels through its concise structure, evocative language, and thematic depth. Written during the Romantic period, the poem reflects Romantic ideals such as an emphasis on emotion, nature, and the individual's experience. Wordsworth's work often highlights the relationship between humanity and the natural world, as well as introspective themes related to human emotion. Samuel Taylor Coleridge described the poem as a "sublime epitaph." This endorsement from a fellow Romantic poet highlights the poem's impact and significance within the literary community. The poem serves as a reminder of the delusional "slumber" in which many people live, often ignoring the inevitability of death. 

Structure of A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal:

The poem consists of Two Quatrains or four-line stanzas. The rhyming scheme is ABAB for both stanzas. This means that the first and third lines rhyme, as well as the second and fourth lines.

The poem follows a common meter also known as the ballad meter. It alternates between lines of eight syllables and lines of six syllables, and it always follows an iambic stress pattern in which each unstressed syllable is followed by one stressed syllable. The language is simple yet evocative, utilizing natural imagery, symbols, and sensory details to convey emotions. The structure complements the themes of death, loss, and eternal peace, creating a reflective and somber tone.

Wordsworth used Personification, Imagery, Metaphor, Contrast, Alliteration, and Symbolism in the poem.

Themes of A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal:

The central theme of the poem revolves around Grief and Mortality and the emotional impact it has on the speaker. The poem reflects the speaker's feelings about the death of a loved one, emphasizing a sense of numbness and detachment. The line "A slumber did my spirit seal" suggests a state of emotional paralysis, indicating that the speaker's spirit is sealed away from the pain of reality.

The poem explores the nature of existence, the transience of life, and the inevitability of death. It raises questions about what it means to truly live and feel, especially in the face of loss. The phrase "She seemed a thing that could not feel" highlights the contrast between life and death, suggesting that once someone has passed, their essence becomes distant and unreachable.

Summary of A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal:

Stanza 1 Lines 1-4

“A slumber did my spirit seal;

I had no human fears:

She seemed a thing that could not feel

The touch of earthly years.”
The speaker begins by describing a state that he has been living in for an extended period of time. He declares that a "slumber" has kept him from realizing reality. In essence, he has been in a dream-like state, devoid of any common fears ("human fears"). To the speaker, "she" (his unnamed female love) seemed like she would never age, her beauty and his love for her are permanent. The speaker is innocently unaware that age can touch the woman, but he is quickly taught a harsh lesson when she dies.

It may also be the case that the woman may not be real at all but a magical figure the speaker seems to have built up in his mind into a goddess, untouched by age and mortality. This desire to keep her perpetually young is a testament to the speaker's feelings for the young woman.

Stanza 2 Lines 5-8

“No motion has she now, no force;

She neither hears nor sees;

Rolled round in earth's diurnal course,

With rocks, and stones, and trees.”

The second stanza of the poem speaks of the speaker’s realization as his illusion breaks. His love now has “no motion” or is forced to move through the world. Additionally, time and death have taken her sight and hearing from her. Aging has done to her what it does to every other living thing and she has become a true part of the earth. Just as the “rocks, and stones, and trees” change with time, so now, the speaker sees, does Lucy.  

Wordsworth offers an eerie description of the woman's current situation. She is blind and deaf--wholly incapable of taking in the world around her. In the last two lines, the speaker describes the young woman trapped beneath the surface of the earth. In fact, she has become a part of the earth, rolling with it as it turns day to day.

Wordsworth employed powerful imagery and symbols to convey the emotional weight of the subject matter. The speaker's "slumber" is a symbol of the willful ignorance in which people often lead their lives. Day to day, the speaker suggests, most people don't really consider the reality of death, preferring instead to remain dreamily unconscious, "seal[ed]" away from the fact that everyone will eventually die. Inevitably, though, the grief of losing a loved one comes to wake up everyone who "slumbers," forcing them to finally confront mortality. "The touch of earthly years" symbolizes the passage of time and the experiences that shape human life. This phrase evokes a sense of nostalgia, reminding readers of the fleeting nature of existence.

The "rocks, and stones, and trees" mentioned in the poem's final line symbolize the stillness of death. In death, the speaker's beloved has now become as still and passive as these objects: she can't move, hear, or see any more than a stone can. Her soul is gone, and her body is just a thing among things. But this image also provides a little hint of consolation. In becoming like "rocks, and stones, and trees," the dead beloved also becomes a part of nature.

So this is it for today. We will continue to discuss the history of English literature. Please stay connected with the Discourse. Thanks and Regards!

Three Years She Grew in Sun and Shower by William Wordsworth | Structure, Summary, Analysis

Hello and welcome to the Discourse. ‘Three Years She Grew in Sun and Shower’ is the longest of the Lucy poems written by William Wordsworth. He composed the poem in 1798 and it was published in the first edition of Lyrical Ballads in 1798. This poem is different from the other four Lucy poems as the poet personified Nature itself describes Lucy in the poem. In addition, it is the only poem that describes Lucy in much detail. Most of the other Lucy poems present her as more of a phantom or a shadow, focusing on the speaker's grief at losing her. But this poem describes Lucy's grace, wisdom, cheer, and calm by picturing her as Nature's child. The poem's tone is reflective and nostalgic, emphasizing the beauty of innocence and the bittersweet nature of growth and loss. The themes of innocence, nature and humanity, mortality and grief, and life cycle are woven throughout the poem. Wordsworth lost his daughter Catherine who died of Polio. Lucy is a symbol of his daughter in this poem.

Structure of ‘Three Years She Grew in Sun and Shower’:

The poem consists of seven six-line stanzas or sestets with a rhyming scheme of AABCCB. The stanzas imitate the extended rhyming scheme of ballad stanzas. The poet used iambs in all the lines. Two iambic tetrameter lines alternated with an iambic trimeter line. The poem’s speaker is the same lover of Lucy who mourned her death in other poems. In this poem, however, the speaker claims that Nature—personified as a proper noun—spoke up about Lucy. The poet used Personification, Imagery, Symbolism, Alliteration, Metaphor, Repetition, Contrast, and Enjambment in the poem.

Nature is personified as a mighty but affectionate deity, the poem suggests that the natural world can be a guide, a teacher, and a parent—and that human beings might hope to model themselves on nature's example. Nature is often described as nurturing and caring for Lucy, suggesting that elements like the sun and showers actively contribute to her growth. This highlights the deep connection between Lucy and her environment.

Summary of Three Years She Grew in Sun and Shower:

Stanza 1 Lines 1-6

“Three years she grew in sun and shower,

Then Nature said, "A lovelier flower

On earth was never sown;

This Child I to myself will take;

She shall be mine, and I will make

A Lady of my own.”

The speaker begins the poem by describing a lively young three-year-old, playing in the sun or in the rain. But she was too lovely for the earth, or so Nature decided. The speaker suggests that Nature has taken the child for herself because she was too beautiful for the earth. Nature is personified and quoted as finding the girl so beautiful that it decided to take her and make her its own. Nature is quoted as comparing the girl to a flower, just as flowers also need sun and rain to thrive. It claims that she is so beautiful that it wishes to “take” her. The description of a “child” portrays the girl in an innocent light. Nature decided to “take” the girl and groom her into a lovely “Lady” of its own creation. The poet used alliteration in the first line (sun and shower) while the girl is compared to ‘a lovelier flower,’ a metaphor. Sun symbolizes joy, life, and growth while the Shower represents sorrow, challenges, and nurturing elements of life.

Stanza 2 Lines 7-12

"Myself will to my darling be

Both law and impulse: and with me

The Girl, in rock and plain,

In earth and heaven, in glade and bower,

Shall feel an overseeing power

To kindle or restrain.”

The speaker continues to express and quote nature. Personified Nature continues to explain how it plans to nurture the growing girl. It will be her guide, setting rules for her and allowing her to indulge in impulses as well. The girl will be closely connected to all things in nature, living among them in harmony. Nature will further have the power to oversee the girl’s actions and choose when her decisions and desires should be kindled and when they should be restrained. The poet depicts nature as a parent or teacher, representing the typical aspect of Romantic literature, suggesting that nature can educate us by showing us how to live. Nature says that he will guide the girl in “both law and impulse,” indicating that it will guide the girl through her impulses while also helping her curb them to follow the laws, or rules, of life.

Stanza 3 Lines 13-18

"She shall be sportive as the fawn

That wild with glee across the lawn

Or up the mountain springs;

And hers shall be the breathing balm,

And hers the silence and the calm

Of mute insensate things.”

In the third stanza, the speaker continues to quote nature who depicts her as a free nonchalant girl.  Nature says that although it will keep a close eye on her, it will also allow her to express herself and embrace her vitality in full. She will be as “sportive” as a fawn, leaping across the meadows. She will have the energy and the drive to climb mountains. At the same time, her energy and movement are contrasted with silence and calm. Nature’s mention of “breathing balm” implies that she will also learn the importance of slowing down, breathing, and finding calm after going on adventures. Muteness will be good for her spirit and is necessary to exist happily in nature. Despite her vitality, she is capable of being tamed. As in the previous stanzas, natural elements are contrasted (earth/heaven, sun/shower) but also shown to be in harmony. All these elements coexist and together encompass life.

Stanza 4 Lines 19-24

"The floating clouds their state shall lend

To her; for her the willow bend;

Nor shall she fail to see

Even in the motions of the Storm

Grace that shall mould the Maiden's form

By silent sympathy.”

 Nature describes the girl in a peaceful setting. The clouds are depicted as pillows offering her rest and comfort, and the willow tree offers her shade. The girl is the speaker’s muse. She is intertwined with nature, depicted as resting calmly in the clouds or finding shade under a willow. She is as vital and inspirational as all the elements of nature to the Romantic poet. The “storm” may represent the trials of life, inferring that the woman will learn to handle conflicts gracefully and come out the other side with her dignity intact. By weathering such storms, she will grow into a young maiden and will no longer be a little girl. Thus, life experience will help her mature and show “silent sympathy,” or compassion, to those around her. Alternatively, the storm may serve as a metaphor for the poet’s creative process. Nature imagines that she should never “fail to see” the “silent sympathy” he feels for her.

Stanza 5 Lines 25-30

“To stars of midnight shall be dear
To her; and she shall lean her ear
In many a secret place
Where rivulets dance their wayward round
And beauty born of murmuring sound
shall pass into her face”

Nature imagines the maiden in a celestial light as she is described as communing with the stars. suggesting that somehow she may be linked to the afterlife. She is depicted as being so in tune with Nature that she is privy to its every rhythm—from the glow of the stars to the movement of the rivulets. The reference to rivulets, or running water, also evokes an image of purity. Nature claims that the maiden will “lean her ear,” or listen closely, in secret places where such clear and beautiful water dances. The sound the water makes is like a murmur, allowing the maiden to have a conversation with it. Her closeness to the water’s beauty will allow her to soak up that loveliness herself, once again putting her in harmony with nature. The speaker imagines that she is enjoying her existence as she moves about in the night, being loved by the stars and all the heavenly beings.

Stanza 6 Lines 31-36

“And vital feelings of delight
shall rear her form to stately height
her virgin bosom swell;
such thoughts to Lucy I will give
While she and I together live
Here in this happy dell”

In this stanza, the speaker expresses his own feelings. The speaker expresses his belief that although Lucy is no longer alive in earthly terms, she will still experience “vital feelings of delight” as she grows up into her “stately height” and into maturity. The imagery of her rearing her form “to stately height” and of “her virgin bosom swell[ing]” reveals his belief that wherever she is, wherever Nature has taken her, she will continue to grow up there, with all feelings of life and vitality. Nature has ‘taken’ her and now as an ideal maiden, she lives a larger-than-life life together with Nature.

Stanza 7 Lines 37-42

“Thus Nature spake- the work was done
How soon my Lucy’s race was run!
She died, and left to me
This heath, this calm, and quiet scene;
The memory of what has been,
And never more will be.”

In the final stanza, the speaker concludes nature’s monologue depicting Lucy. Nature expressed his desire for Lucy and decided to ‘take’ her and groom her. Now, the Nature’s work is done. However, Nature is not calm as he announces the death of Lucy. Nature cries out that Lucy’s “race”—her life—was run too soon, telling the reader that she died young. Once she died, she left the speaker the natural environment she once inhabited, as well as the memory of all she was and experienced, but will never be or feel again.

The speaker and nature can find no joy in being in the very spot where Lucy lived. He is haunted by the memory of what “has been”—whether they be his own experiences or hers. Whatever good may have once existed in that place will never exist again.

So this is it for today. We will continue to discuss the history of English literature. Please stay connected with the Discourse. Thanks and Regards!

I Traveled Among Unknown Men by William Wordsworth| Structure, Summary, Analysis

Hello and welcome to the Discourse. ‘I Traveled Among the Unknown Men’ is the third poem in the series of The Lucy Poems by William Wordsworth, which he wrote in 1801. The poem was scheduled to be published in the Lyrical Ballads 1802 edition but it was first published in Poems, In Two Volumes in 1807. While the poem's main character is the poet’s dedicated love for Lucy and his sadness after her demise, the address to England is unique among the Lucy poems, which are otherwise addressed to an unknown audience. As a parallel to his love for Lucy, the speaker's love of England becomes one of the poem’s central themes. In a way, this is a love poem to England. Having spent time abroad, the speaker vows to commit to England. The speaker’s love of country represents an important theme. England is also important to the speaker as the home of Lucy, the beloved muse figure.

Structure of ‘I Traveled Among Unknown Men’:

It is a lyrical ballad comprised of four Quatrains or four-line stanzas with a rhyming scheme ABAB. The poet used alternating iambic tetrameter and iambic trimeter for the poem. The poet used Apostrophe, Assonance, Repetition, Imagery, Symbolism, Irony, and Metaphor in this poem. The Tone and Mood of the poem are reflective and melancholic.

Themes of ‘I Traveled Among Unknown Men’:

Nostalgia and Longing

This poem’s speaker, alienated and lonely after a journey abroad, comes home to England with a deep sense of relief. He’s delighted to be in his native country again not just because he loves its familiar landscapes, but also because Lucy, a woman he adored, lived and died there. 

Grief and Memory:

After returning to England, the poet finds little peace as his past memories of the places Lucy once roamed, and his grief engulfs him. The dead, this poem suggests, become part of the world in more ways than one. Just as Lucy’s body has gone back into the English soil, her memory has become part of the English atmosphere. For this speaker, consolingly, England will always have a bit of Lucy in it.

Summary of ‘I Traveled Among Unknown Men’:

Stanza 1 Lines 1-4

“I travelled among unknown men,

In lands beyond the sea;

Nor, England! did I know till then

What love I bore to thee. “

The poet begins by describing his travels among “unknown men, / In lands beyond the sea.” The "unknown men" symbolize the unfamiliar experiences and encounters that, while intriguing, cannot replace the profound connection to one's homeland. This contrast highlights the speaker's isolation in foreign lands. In the third line, the poet uses Apostrophe, addressing England. An apostrophe is a figure of speech in which a character addresses someone who is absent, dead, inanimate, or an object. The poet used ‘know’ again, to suggest that after being away he now has a better understanding of his appreciation, desire, and reliance on his homeland. The speaker concludes the stanza by stating that he did not realize his love for England until he traveled to other places.

Stanza 2 Lines 5-8

“'Tis past, that melancholy dream!

Nor will I quit thy shore

A second time; for still I seem

To love thee more and more.”

The poet goes on to describe his voyage as a melancholy dream, marking an abrupt shift in tone. He claims that his travels occurred in the past, and he does not intend to leave the shores of England a second time. He does not wish to leave again as he still feels he loves England more and more as time goes by. The speaker reiterates their remorse for leaving England as an affirmation that they’ll never “quit thy shore / A second time.”

Stanza 3 Lines 9-12

“Among thy mountains did I feel

The joy of my desire;

And she I cherished turned her wheel

Beside an English fire.”
The poet offers more detail about why England is so special for him. He specifies that he was happy in the mountains of the country where he felt the joy of his “desire.” In the second half of the stanza, it becomes clear that the object of his desire was a woman who would turn a wheel—perhaps a spinning wheel—beside the fireplace. The poem’s tone becomes nostalgic once again.

Th woman is Lucy, spinning a wheel by an “English fire.” The suggestion here is that the speaker can only find poetic inspiration when at home in England. The symbol of the spinning wheel is important. The image of Lucy spinning wool into thread evokes an ancient metaphor. In Greek mythology, a person’s life story took the form of a thread, spun and cut by the goddesses of fate. In British usage, “yarn” serves as a synonym for story. Thus, Lucy controls the thread of the speaker’s poetic output. Lucy is his poetic muse.
Stanza 4 Lines 13-16

“Thy mornings showed, thy nights concealed,

The bowers where Lucy played;

And thine too is the last green field

That Lucy's eyes surveyed.”

The poet continues to address England directly, describing the passage of time, but the subject of his expression is his unrequited love for Lucy. He explains how the morning light revealed Lucy’s cottage, while the nights concealed it. He emphasizes that Lucy played there, evoking a sense of joy in her life. He concludes the stanza and the poem by saying that England’s green fields are also the last place that Lucy saw, insinuating that she passed away there. The past tense of “played” and “surveyed” hint at the possibility that Lucy is no longer among the living. The poet ends with
a bittersweet tone that England’s green field—a symbol of life and beauty—was the last sight Lucy surveyed. His beloved therefore died looking at the vibrant countryside around her that ironically symbolized vitality. The poet’s two objects of love—Lucy and England—are intertwined. Her final gaze on England before her death seals this connection.

So this is it for today. We will continue to discuss the history of English literature. Please stay connected with the Discourse. Thanks and Regards!

She Dwelt Among the Untrodden Ways by William Wordsworth | Structure Summary Analysis

She Dwelt Among the Untrodden Ways by William Wordsworth | Structure Summary Analysis

Hello and welcome to the Discourse. “She dwelt among the untrodden ways” is one of the most famous Lucy Poems by William Wordsworth that was first published in the poetical collection Lyrical Ballads in 1800. William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge collaborated to produce this poetic collection that established the Romantic ideals of emotion, nature, and individual experience. The Lucy Poems are a series of five poems written by William Wordsworth between 1798 and 1801. They revolve around the character of Lucy, who is often interpreted as a representation of an idealized woman or nature. The poems are characterized by their exploration of themes such as love, loss, and the beauty of nature.

Structure of She Dwelt Among the Untrodden Ways

She Dwelt Among the Untrodden Ways is the second poem of the Lucy series which describes Lucy’s solitary existence and her beauty. The poem highlights the contrast between her isolation and the admiration she inspires. Lucy is a character by Wordsworth who symbolizes beauty, solitude, and the transient nature of existence. The poem consists of Three Quatrains (four-line stanzas) with a rhyming scheme of ABAB in each stanza. The poem describes the loss and grievance of the poet in a mourning tone after Lucy’s death and thus it is an elegiac poem. The poem is a romantic ballad. The tone of the poem is nostalgic and melancholic. The poet conveys a sense of admiration for Lucy while also expressing sorrow for her absence. The mood shifts from admiration of Lucy to profound sadness.

The poet used Imagery, Symbolism, Personification, Metaphor, Contrast, and Enjambment in the poem. The contrast between Lucy’s serene, isolated existence and the outside world emphasizes her uniqueness and the beauty found in solitude.

Themes of She Dwelt Among the Untrodden Ways:

Isolation and Solitude:

The poem describes Lucy who used to live in solitude near the source of the River Dove. The poem emphasizes her separation from society. This solitude is both a source of beauty and a precursor to loss.

Beauty and Innocence:

The poem celebrates Lucy’s beauty, portraying her as an ethereal figure. The poem suggests that true beauty is often found in isolation and simplicity.

Transience and Loss:

As the poem proceeds the mood changes to mourning. Lucy’s existence, while beautiful, is fleeting, highlighting the inevitability of loss and the emotional impact it carries.

Summary of She Dwelt Among the Untrodden Ways:

Stanza 1 Lines 1-4

“She dwelt among the untrodden ways

Beside the springs of Dove,

A Maid whom there were none to praise

And very few to love:”
The poet begins by describing the locus amoenus (an idealized place) where this beautiful girl named Lucy lived. It is a remote place where few people ever go. The speaker emphasizes that she lived by the springs of Dove—an actual location in England. Despite the peaceful description of her surroundings, the speaker reveals that she was never praised and was unloved—a lonely figure. Lucy is alone, and there is no one to praise her and to love her (A Maid whom there were none to praise/ And very few to love”). The first line, which also serves as the title of the poem, suggests that Lucy lived both physically and spiritually unrevealed and distant. She is a maiden girl, The word “springs” also suggests purity, casting the maiden in a virtuous light. The poet begins with imagery, “Untrodden ways” which evokes a sense of wilderness and seclusion.

The transition between Line 1 and Line 2 suggests Enjambment. The poet uses ‘dwelt’ suggesting that he is talking of the past.

Stanza 2 Lines 5-8

“A violet by a mossy stone

Half hidden from the eye!

—Fair as a star, when only one

Is shining in the sky.”

In the second stanza, the poet describes the beauty of nature of that place and compares he beauty of nature to the grace of Lucy. She is likened to “A violet by a mossy stone/ Half hidden from the eye” and to a fair star “when only one/Is shining in the sky.” This suggests that she is rare and precious. The second stanza suggests that the poet was in love with her whom very few people noticed. Somehow, he managed to notice her when others failed to do so. The mention of the violet by a mossy stone also implies that, like a small flower obscured from view by a mossy rock, the maiden also went unnoticed. In this stanza, the poet personifies natural beauty as Lucy.

The poet used imagery and symbolism in this stanza. “A violet by a mossy stone” symbolizes her delicacy and purity.

Stanza 3 Lines 9-12

“She lived unknown, and few could know

When Lucy ceased to be;

But she is in her grave, and, oh,

The difference to me!”

In the third stanza, the poet again emphasizes that the maiden lived unrecognized. Due to her solitude, few people could possibly know when she ceased to exist. For the first time, the speaker reveals that the maiden in question is Lucy and that she is no longer alive. This sad fact tortures the speaker, who implies throughout the poem that he loved her. Lucy’s death is expressed with great sadness: “But she is in her grave, and, oh”. But while she remained unknown and died unknown, no one noticed her demise, but it was a great difference to the poet.

So this is it for today. We will continue to discuss the history of English literature. Please stay connected with the Discourse. Thanks and Regards!

Strange Fits of Passion Have I Known by William Wordsworth | Structure, Summary, Analysis

Hello and welcome to the Discourse. ‘Strange Fits of Passion Have I Known’ is the first of the Lucy Poems by William Wordsworth that was published in the poetic collection “Lyrical Ballads, with a few other Poems” in 1798. The collection also contained poems by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Lyrical Ballads is the beginning of the Romantic movement in English literature.

The Lucy Poems are a series of five poems by Wordsworth that he wrote between 1798 and 1801. The other four poems of the series include "She dwelt among the untrodden ways", "I travelled among unknown men", "Three years she grew in sun and shower", and "A slumber did my spirit seal". Four poems of the series (except “I traveled among unknown men”) were published in the second edition of Lyrical Ballads in 1800.

The “Lucy Poems” convey the unrequited love of the speaker for a woman named Lucy. Wordsworth never revealed the identity of Lucy. She is only mentioned and never appears as a speaker. Wordsworth portrays her as a young maiden who lived an unremarkable and isolated life near the River Dove in the English Midlands. She carries a quiet grace, but might well be seen frolicking with glee. Although blessed with beauty, she never had many suitors due to the distance she kept between herself and others. She died young, and though her passing went unnoticed and unremarked by many, it forever and profoundly changed the life of the speaker—one who loved her from afar. Wordsworth did not intend to present them as a group or in a particular sequence. However, in 1831, literary critic Thomas Powell recognized the works as a collection unified by a common theme. Wordsworth had lost his brother and father and he was worried about his sister. It is believed that Lucy represents his sister, or she could simply be his poetic muse.

In the poem ‘Strange Fits of Passion Have I Known’ the poet discusses the strange thoughts which he suffered once. The poet was traveling on his horse to meet his beautiful beloved Lucy on a moonlit night. As he continued to look at the moon all the way, the moon was gradually sinking. When he came nearer to Lucy’s cottage, the moon suddenly dropped behind the cottage and it brought to his mind the fearful thought of Lucy’s death.

Structure and Themes of Strange Fits of Passion Have I Known:

The poem is written in the form of a simple ballad. It contains 7 quatrains with an ABAB rhyme scheme. The rhythm and rhyme scheme of the poem makes it almost like a nursery rhyme. The meter alternates between a tetrameter and a trimeter, so each four-beat line is followed by a three-beat line. The first and third lines of the stanza have four accented syllables, and the second and fourth lines have only three.

The poet used imagery, symbolism, simile, metaphor, assonance, and consonance. The poem's major themes include love, the natural world, and death. The poet’s unrequited longing for Lucy and the tension between fantasy and reality are the central themes of the poem.

Summary of Strange Fits of Passion Have I Known:

Stanza 1 Lines 1-4

“Strange fits of passion have I known:

And I will dare to tell,

But in the lover’s ear alone,

What once to me befell.”

In the opening stanza, the poet reveals that he once experienced ‘strange fits of passion’. He admits that these passionate thoughts were too personal and he has no courage to tell anyone except his lover alone. This may imply that the fits he experienced are of intense love full of sexual feelings. Certainly, these fits are passionate and the poet longs for his lover. He longs to whisper into her ear and tell her of his deepest feelings and of these strange fits of passion that he experiences.

However, these fits of passion may not be of sexual nature. The poet may also mean that he will not share these strange fits of passion with anyone but a lover who understands such passion. He believes only a person who has been in love will be able to understand this emotion better and hence, he wishes to whisper his strange fits of passion that affected him once. The poet suggests that none other than the lovers can understand this poem well.

Stanza 2 Lines 5-8

“When she I loved looked every day
Fresh as a rose in June,
I to her cottage bent my way,
Beneath an evening-moon.”

In the second stanza, the poet begins expressing his strange fits. He begins describing his beloved using a Simile as he compares the similarity between the beauty of the poet’s lover to the rose in June. The comparison suggests that Lucy is young and perhaps, the poet is describing his young teenage passionate love. He says that once he made a journey (bent my way) to his lover’s cottage on a moonlit evening. The poet uses visual imagery to create a beautiful scene where the speaker is going to meet his love.

Stanz 3 Lines 9-12

“Upon the moon I fixed my eye,
All over the wide lea;
With quickening pace my horse drew nigh
Those paths so dear to me.”

The poet continues using imagery while describing his journey to his lover’s cottage. He was continuously looking at the moon while traveling through the wide grassland (lea) as the light of the moon fell all over the meadow. In anticipation of a lovely meet, the poet drew closer to his beloved’s house with increasing speed. The pathways were dear and known to him, for they led to his dear beloved’s house.

Stanza 4 Lines 13-16

“And now we reached the orchard-plot;
And, as we climbed the hill,
The sinking moon to Lucy’s cot
Came near, and nearer still.”

The poet builds the scenery using imagery. Soon he reached a fruit garden (orchard plot) in the way and then he and his horse began climbing a hill. His beloved cottage (cot) was visible to him. Here, the poet mentions his beloved’s name is Lucy. As he and his horse climbed up the hill, he noticed that the moon appeared to come nearer as it appeared to go down and hide behind Lucy’s cot. The expression “near and nearer still” suggests that his beloved’s cottage was far away and the journey wasn’t easy, yet he was hopeful and passionate, believing that every difficult journey has a beautiful destination. Meanwhile, the moon continued to go down to the horizon seeming to be sinking right on Lucy’s cottage, which suggests that the poet had traveled all night and it was too late.

In this stanza, the poet also uses Metaphor, comparing the sinking moon to the journey that is about to come to an end because the distance of reaching Lucy’s house is shorter and shorter.

Stanza 5 Lines 17-20

“In one of those sweet dreams I slept,
Kind Nature’s gentlest boon!
And all the while my eye I kept
On the descending moon.”

The poet says that the journey towards his beloved is like a sweet dream. “All the while” he kept his eyes on the descending moon. He felt very much like he was in a dream. The light of the moon, the ride, and the feeling of love are all coming together to make the speaker feel that he is living in a dream. He describes the dream as the kindest gift of nature (Nature’s gentlest boon). It was a beautiful and amazing night to be to him. He felt nature was kind to him and that night was a blessing to him as he was going to meet his beloved. He began dreaming about the sweet things that would happen when he would finally meet Lucy. However, his eyes were fixed on the descending moon, and noticed that the brilliant moonlight was fading.

Stanza 6 Lines 21-24

“My horse moved on; hoof after hoof
He raised, and never stopped:
When down behind the cottage roof,
At once, the bright moon dropped.”

The poet’s horse continued to plod forward as he reached closer and closer to his beloved’s cottage. While he was still dreaming of the sweet things that would happen when he met his beloved, the moon disappeared behind the roof of Lucy’s cottage. The poet now had no moonlight to guide him.

Stanza 7 Lines 25-28

“What fond and wayward thoughts will slide
Into a Lover’s head!
“O mercy!” to myself I cried,
“If Lucy should be dead!””

Now it was dark as the moon had sunk behind Lucy’s cot. The sweet dreams of the poet began to disappear and a dark melancholy engulfed his mind. A wayward foolish thought disturbed him and it was really terrible. He cries out within his head, “O mercy!” and he thinks about the terrible possibility that “Lucy should be dead”. His sweet dreams appeared to turn into a nightmare. He feels an overwhelming fear of losing the person most dear to him. Somehow at the back of his mind, he believed that the moon was directly connected to the life of Lucy. And here ends the poem.

One may interpret that Lucy might have already been dead and the poem is about the poet’s journey to his lover’s house while he unconsciously forgot that she already died.

So this is it for today. We will continue to discuss the history of English literature. Please stay connected with the Discourse. Thanks and Regards!