A Few Lines about Thomas Hardy

Thomas Hardy was born on June 2, 1840, in England. He was one of the greatest
English authors. He started his writing career from 1867 with poetry and novels, though
the first part of his career was devoted to the novel. His first popular novel was “Under the
Greenwood Tree”, published in 1872. In addition to it, Hardy published three collections
of short stories and five smaller novels. In his later years, he diverted his concentration
completely on his poetry. He wrote many poems; “Ah, Are you Digging on My Grave?” is
one of his finest poems. He then turned his attentions to an epic drama in verse. Before his
death, he had written over 800 poems, many of them published while he was in his
eighties.  In 1910, he was awarded the Order of Merit. After a long and highly successful
life, Thomas Hardy died on January 11, 1928, at the age of 87.

Ah, Are You Digging on My Grave?

Thomas Hardy's poem Ah, Are You Digging on My Grave is a humorous and mildly cynical
reminder that, once we are dead and buried, life goes on. There is little that calls for
explanation once the reader understands that the questioning voice is that of a woman who
has shuffled off her mortal coil. In the first stanza she asks if it is her male loved one who is
doing the digging with the intention of planting rue. We are reminded that the plant rue is
extremely bitter and thus has lent itself to the abstract meaning of regret. Literary
references to this aspect abound. The answer to her question is negative. Her loved one has
gone off to marry a wealthy woman. He justifies his action saying, "it cannot hurt her
now . . ./ That I should not be true."

The dead woman's second question asks if it is her "nearest dearest kin" doing the digging. 
Again the answer is no. Her kinfolk feel that planting flowers on her grave is a waste of
time and energy since it will not bring back her back from death.
Question three that she asks is if it is her enemy that is turning up the clods. No, her female
enemy buried her hatred when she heard the questioner's death and cares not where she is
entombed.

The dead speaker gives up guessing in stanza four and asks the identity of the digger. She
learns that it is her dog who hopes he has not disturbed her. The woman expresses her
happiness that "one true heart was left behind" and praises her dog's faithfulness. In the
concluding stanza, the dog apologizes. The animal was merely burying a bone against
future hunger, having totally forgotten that this was its mistress's resting place.

The overall effect of the poem is mirth. Beware of the vanity of human wishes. Once you
die you are soon forgotten by lover, by kinfolk, by enemy and even by Fido, the canine
embodiment of faithful devotion.

A Few Lines about Sir William Shakespeare

Shakespeare was born on 26th April 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon England. . He

was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English
language. He is often called England's national poet. Shakespeare produced most of his
known work between 1589 and 1613. His early plays were mainly comedies and histories.
He wrote also tragicomedies known as romances. His surviving works, including some
collaboration, consist of about 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and several
other poems. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are
performed more often than those of any other playwright. Shakespeare died on 23 April
1616.

Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds

Let me not to the marriage of true minds Let me not declare any reasons why two

Admit impediments. Love is not love True-minded people should not be married.
Love is not love

Which alters when it alteration finds, Which changes when it finds a change in
circumstances,

Or bends with the remover to remove: Or bends from its firm stand even when a
lover is unfaithful/died:

O no! it is an ever-fixed mark Oh no! it is a lighthouse/love never dies it

lives forever

That looks on tempests and is never shaken; That sees storms but it never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark, Love is the guiding north star to every lost
ship,

Whose worth's unknown, although his Whose value cannot be calculated, although
height be taken. its altitude can be measured?

Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and Love is not at the mercy of Time, though
cheeks physical beauty

Within his bending sickle's compass come: Comes within the compass of his sickle.

Love alters not with his brief hours and Love does not alter with hours and weeks,
weeks,

But bears it out even to the edge of doom. But, rather, it endures until the last day of
life.

If this be error and upon me proved, If I am proved wrong about these thoughts
on love

I never writ, nor no man ever loved. Then I recant all that I have written, and no
man has ever [truly] loved.

A Few Lines about John Milton

John Milton was born on Bread Street, London, on 9 December 1608. Milton had
command of Latin, Greek, Hebrew, French, Spanish, and Italian from his school and
undergraduate days; he also added Old English to his linguistics. He is one of the greatest
poets in the English history. He started his career during his studies. In the beginning he
did not use his name in his poetry. He wrote so many poems but the one that took him to
the peaks of fame is Paradise Lost and Paradise Regain. On His Blindness is also one of the
best poems by him. After spending 66 years, he finally died on 8 November 1674.

On His Blindness
When I consider how my light is spent
The poet explains how his “light” is wasted in the world; in a poem on blindness, “light” can
most easily be interpreted as his ability to see. But for this deeply religious poet it may also
mean an inner light or spiritual capacity.
Ere half my days in this dark world and wide,
The poet assumes that his life is not yet half over. The phrase “in this dark world and wide”
is typical of one of the ways Milton handles adjectives, putting one in front of the noun and
one behind it.

And that one talent which is death to hide

This line may refer to the Biblical reference of the talents, which speaks of a bad servant
who neglects his master’s talent (a talent was a kind of coin) instead of using it; he is “cast
into outer darkness.” It can also mean a literal talent, in other words Milton’s talent as a
writer.

Lodg'd with me useless, though my soul more bent

To serve therewith my Maker, and present
My true account, lest he returning chide,
“Lodged with me useless” means that his talent as a poet is useless now that he is losing his
sight. “Though my soul more bent/ to serve therewith my Maker” can be roughly
paraphrased, “although my soul is even more inclined to serve God with that talent.” This is
especially frustrating to want to serve God with his writing but to feel his talent will be
wasted as he becomes blind. He wishes ultimately to “present his true account,” or give a
good account of himself and his service to God.

Line 5 This expresses the speaker’s desire to serve God through his poetry, to use his
talents for the glory of God.

Line 6  This may refer to the second coming of Christ or to the judgment. “Lest he
returning chide” can be paraphrased “so that he won’t chide or rebuke me when he
returns.”

"Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?"

Milton grumblingly asks here if God just wants day-work, or smaller, lesser tasks, since
Milton’s blindness denies him his “light” and thus the use of his talents. Note that Milton
allows his grumbling tone to show first, and then qualifies his own attitude as foolish.

I fondly ask. But Patience, to prevent

Patience is not capitalized, but has often been thought of as a personification here rather
than as another aspect of Milton’s inner self. Either way, in the inner dialogue, patience
speaks in the remaining six lines, quite effectively having the last word.

That murmur, soon replies: "God doth not need

Patience speaks, to prevent that “murmur,” Milton’s questioning of God’s will in line 7.

Either man's work or his own gifts: who best

Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state
Is kingly; thousands at his bidding speed
And post o'er land and ocean without rest:
Patience’s reply explains one aspect of the nature of God and affirms a kind of service to
God that is different from the service advocated in the parable of the talents. First of all God
does not need man’s work or God-given talents. The nature of service to God is explained
next.

Lines 10-11 “Who best / bear his mild yoke” means the people who are most obedient to
God’s will are the ones who serve Him best. The image of the yoke is also Biblical; an image
for God’s will.

Lines 11-12 “His state is kingly” explains God’s greatness; patience goes on to elaborate
in the next lines on that greatness.

Lines 12-13 At God’s will, thousands of people and by implication angelic messengers
“speed and post” all over the world all the time. This line implies a sort of constant
worldwide motion of service to God’s commands; that allows the last line to imply by
contrast a great restfulness and peace. There is more than one way to serve God, and
patience is telling the poet that even his waiting or the apparent inaction caused by his
blindness can be a kind of service if it meets the criterion of lines 10-11, to bear the yoke
well.

They also serve who only stand and wait."

This famous line is often quoted.