NAME: SYED MUSSAWIR SHAH

BS ENGLISH 5TH

ID NO: 13937

PAPER: ROMANTIC AND VICTORIAN POETRY

TEACHER: MAM SALMA ALI KHAN

QUESTION#3

ANSWER:

MY LAST DUCHESS SUMMARY:

In this poem, the Duke of Ferrara talks to a silent listener who is one of his guests. He
draws his attention towards the painting of his former Duchess who is now dead. The painting hangs on
the wall of his private art gallery. The Duke tells the listener that its artist “Fra pandolf” worked hard to
make it a piece of wonder and now it is in front of them.it seems that it is not the painting but the Duchess
herself, standing alive in front of them. The Dukes invites the listener to sit down and asks him to look at
the painting and examine its art of wonder

The Duke tells the listener that he told him the name of its artist purposefully before he asks
himself. He knows that the painting is a masterpiece. Whoever sees it, wishes to know about its artist.
They want to know who filled this painting with depth and passion and gave it a lively look. The Duke also
tells him that whoever sees this painting, turns towards him with surprise. They want to ask something
but they dare not to speak in front of their Duke. So, as the Duke reads their faces and knows what they
actually want, he himself explains the art of wonder to them. Moreover, he tells him that only he can draw
back the curtains that hang over the painting and show it to anyone else if he wants.
The Duke then criticizes his Duchess by saying that she always took all this stuff as a courtesy and she
thought it was something enough to make her happy. He says that the heart of his Duchess could be
easily won and it was very easy to impress her with anything. Wherever the Duchess looked, she liked
and praised everything.

He further tells the listener about the nature of his former wife. Everything was equal for her. The gift of
jewelry that he gave her to wear on her chest made her happy. In the same way, she became happy
looking at the sunset in the West. Even the bough of cherries from the orchard brought to her by a fool
inspired her. Moreover, the white mule on which she rode around the terrace made her happy in a similar
way. She had no special liking for the things that Duke did for her. She treated everything equally and
praised in the same way.

The Duke explains that she thanked men for whatever they did for her but he had no problem with it. The
real problem is that she had no special appreciation for the gifts that Duke gave her. He gave her the
nine hundred years old prestigious name of his family by marrying her but she treated this gift equally to
anyone else’s.

The Duke admits it to the listener that his wife smiled whenever he crossed her but no one
ever crossed her without receiving the same smile from her side. Her nice behavior with everyone grew
day by day so he gave commands to kill her and as a result, all of her smiles stopped. He again points
towards the painting and says now there she stands in the painting as if she is still alive.

After ending the story of his Duchess, the Duke invites the man to get up and follow him downstairs so
that they can meet other guests too. The Duke talks about the generosity of the master of the listener. He
finally reveals that the silent listener is the servant of the Count, whose daughter he is going to marry
soon. The Duke tells the listener that he knows his master is generous.

Then they go down and on their way back, the Duke again draws the attention of the servant towards
another masterpiece that is kept in his gallery. He shows him a bronze statue of God Neptune taming the
sea-horse that was a rare piece of the art and he tells the servant that Claus of Innsbruck made it
especially for him.

MY LAST DUCHESS THEMES:

POWER:
This poem is all about power. The Duke of Ferrara is shown exercising his tyrannical power not only in
his political and social affairs but also in his marital life. He rules with an iron fist. As he was a duke so he
even wanted to control his wife’s smile and when he couldn’t, he gave orders to kill her.

ART:
A beautiful piece of art is presented in the poem. The Duke shows the portrait of her former Duchess to
his guest that is so beautifully painted that the Duchess seems alive, smiling and standing in front of
them. The Artist of the painting “Fra Pandolf” worked hard to put the depth and passion in the painting
and he made it a masterpiece. Everyone gets surprised to see this art of wonder and admires it.
OBJECTIFICATION OF WOMEN:
Throughout the poem, the Duke praises the art and painting of his wife. He shows that he loves his
Duchess more in painting as compared to when she was alive. He values the art more than his wife. His
point of view shows that the women are the objects that are supposed to be controlled and possessed.

It also reflects the thinking of Browning’s time when people used to treat women badly in the Victorian
era. They were not considered equal as men and were not allowed to stand as independent beings and
were controlled by men. Through this poem, the poet actually criticizes this type of viewpoint about
women.

PRIDE:
The Duke’s pride took the life of his Duchess. He wanted his wife to make him feel special but he never
tried to talk to her about it. The Duke tells that he feels his insult in it to explain anything to anyone even
to his own wife. He considers it equivalent to stooping and his pride never allowed him to stoop so, in his
pride and power he gave commands to kill his Duchess. Moreover, his pride is also shown when he tells
the servant that he gave his Duchess his nine hundred years old family name but she didn’t consider it
superior to other trivial gifts of others. It shows that he is proud of his family name and social status.

QUESTION#1
ANSWER:
THEMES:
In “Ode to the West Wind,” Shelley examines and compares two phenomena that
are particularly potent: the power of nature and the power of poetry. Like most Romantic poets, he sees a
clear link between these two, believing that the poet’s power arises from nature, inspired by it and akin to
it in many respects. Many similes in this poem, and in others by Shelley, focus readers’ attention on the
comparisons. Donald Reiman has described the themes of this poem as “the Poet’s personal despair and
his hopes for social renewal” expressed “in images drawn from the seasonal cycle” (Percy Bysshe
Shelley, 1969). Hence, the destructive power of the West Wind parallels Shelley’s fear that the beauty of
the natural world, and metaphorically the beauty of his own works, is doomed to oblivion by a hostile and
insensitive force. At the same time, however, he recognizes that the destructive power of the West Wind
is but a part of a larger cycle in which what seems like death is merely a necessary stage in the process
of regeneration that perpetuates life itself. In the final stanzas of the poem he offers some hope that,
despite his being constricted by his humanity and possibly being ignored by those whom he wishes to
enlighten, he may one day be able to speak to others. Like the new life that comes inevitably every
spring, his works may be “reborn” when people (perhaps those other than his contemporaries) discover
them and listen to Shelley’s calls for social and moral reform.
Man and the Natural World:
In "Ode to the West Wind," Nature is grander and more powerful than man can
hope to be. The natural world is especially powerful because it contains elements like the West Wind and
the Spring Wind, which can travel invisibly across the globe, affecting every cloud, leaf, and wave as they
go. Man may be able to increase his status by allowing Nature to channel itself through him.
Mortality:
The West Wind in Shelley’s ode is depicted as an autumnal wind, preparing the world for winter. As a
result, the poem is filled with images of death and decay, reminders of both natural and human mortality.
The speaker hopes that the death of one world will be inevitably followed by a new rebirth and a new
spring, but the poem leaves this rebirth uncertain.

SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT MORTALITY:

Why is death associated with physical movement in this poem?
For example, why do the dead leaves seem more completely dead when the West Wind whisks them
away? Why does the storm blowing across the sky seem like a tomb?
Is the speaker of this poem dying or anticipating his own death?
How are the "deaths" of the natural world and of human beings depicted differently in this poem? To put it
another way, what has Nature got that we haven’t got?
Why does the speaker describe his own thoughts as "dead"? What does the poem suggest would qualify
as living thought?
Chew on This
"Ode to the West Wind" suggests that death can be productive, because it creates an opportunity for new
life and rebirth.
Language and Communication:
At the end of "Ode to the West Wind," the speaker betrays his deepest concern: the fate of his ideas. He
hopes that his words and thoughts will be spread throughout the world. He’s not sure of the quality of his
thinking, but at least it can provide a starting point for other thinkers.

QUESTION#2
ANSWER:

Critical DISCUSSION of “Ode on a Grecian Urn”:

John Keats visits British Museum. He sees an antique piece of Grecian Urn there. Urn is the name of a

vase, which is mostly used to put ashes of the deads. The poet does not talk about importance or beauty

of the urn but the beauty of art in shape of sculpture which is carved on it. Hence, the poem is not on the

urn but on sculpture.

 Poet sees figure on the urn and feels its quietness. Though it is silent yet it tells a story. Beauty

lies in the eyes of beholder; therefore, story of the sculpture depends on visitor and watcher. John Keats

feels that sculpture is telling a story. In facts, it is Keats who with his imaginative powers creates a story

and tells it to his readers. Pipers, lovers and trees confuses him yet he is sure that the sculpture is

depicting a pastoral lifestyle.

Keats asserts that imagination is better than reality. He realizes superiority of imagination. It is

unstressed. Life, on the opposite is harsh. Mostly, people become victim of circumstances. Their actions

actually are reaction to the circumstances. Hence, they do not act but react. In imagination, one can do

anything, whether he is capable or not. For instance, blind can see, deaf can hear and handicap can live

normal life in imagination. It is, therefore, imagination is superior to reality.

Whole poem is imaginative. Poet hears music in his imagination though it is not being played in reality.

He expresses his joyful moment in following line:-

Those melodies can also be heard, which do not exist in reality, therefore, imagination is pleasurable

because every wish comes true in it. On the other hand, reality is barren and boring and it compels a

person to react on a situation. Rather than action, reaction is required in real life. Imagination is not

bound to logic. It is also limitless. Furthermore, it enhances the capability of doing the undoing

Likewise, beautiful girl on the urn will never grow old. If she is happy, she will remain happy forever. In

this way art is permanent and everlasting as compared to life. However, John Keats clears that the

sculpture is mum. It is steady. It cannot move nor is it changeable, whereas life is flexible. Change is the

law of nature. It is the hotchpotch of pleasures and pains. Sometimes it gives us joys and sometimes

sorrows.

The poet then enhances his story when he sees people, who are going for a sacred purpose. Keats

creates a town for them in his imagination. He fancies that perhaps the town, in which people are living,
is empty now. He creates a fancy tale from this imagination and feels that people are fixed on the urn and

no one will return to the streets or town. No one, will tell people of the town about the folks, who are on

the urn. These lines are evident that John Keats is bestowed with God gifted quality of imagination.

Furthermore, his love for Greeks can also be witnessed here.

Last stanza of the poem is about the beauty of art. The poet emphasizes on its importance and advises

people to take shelter under it. Art is beautiful in his eyes. Its beauty lies in its eternity. People may fade

and die but art will remain the same. It will forever comfort humanity. He ends the poem with an

explanation of importance of beauty in life.

Suffice is to say that “Ode on Grecian Urn” is best piece of literature. It emphasizes on the importance of

beauty and art. Sculpture, carved on the Grecian urn influenced the poet to write this ode. No one can

sum up this poem better than Downer, who minutely observed the philosophical idea in the poem.

Question No # 5

ANSWER:

INRTODUCTION:
"Dover Beach" is the most celebrated poem by Matthew Arnold, a writer and educator of the Victorian
era. The poem expresses a crisis of faith, with the speaker acknowledging the diminished standing of
Christianity, which the speaker sees as being unable to withstand the rising tide of scientific discovery.
New research and intellectual inquiry cast doubt on humankind's central and special role in the universe.
The speaker in the poem senses this change almost subconsciously, seeing and hearing it in the sea that
the speaker is looking out upon. In its expression of alienation, doubt, and melancholy, the poem is often
interpreted as a remarkably forward-thinking precursor to 20th century crises of faith—like Existentialism
and Absurdism. In essence, the poem is an inquiry into what it means to be alive.
DOVER BEACH LITERARY DISCUSSION:
The painful riddles Dover Beach embodies is the loss of faith and the consequent doubt, despair,
distraction that come to grip man's mind. The general decline of faith and Arnold's own resultant
bewilderment constitute the theme of
 Dover Beach is a memorable expression of Arnold's melancholy view of life. The general
decline of faith and Arnold's own resultant bewilderment and melancholy constitute the theme of his
Stanzas from the Grande Chartreuse; in The Buried Life Arnold expresses the belief that in a successful
love relationship he may discover certain values which are absent from modern life, Dover Beach combines
both these ideas.
The poet stands on the beach near Dover and observes the calm and quiet sea. The moon shines in all
her glory. It bathes the seascape and landscape. The sea is at full tide. The waves rush in and then retreat
to the deep sea casting back pebbles on the shore. This incoming and recession of the waves produce a
slow, musical cadence which brings the poet in the feeling of sadness. The poet is reminded of Sophocles,
the great Greek tragedian, who had a similar sad experience centuries back when he saw the turbid ebb
and flow of the waves of the Aegean sea.
The poet then laments over the loss of men's faith in religion. His heart writhes in pain to think
that faith which once filled the minds of men and vivified their whole being, has now become a thing of the
past. He is appalled to see that the society has fallen a prey to doubt, disbelief, distraction and fear. With
the disappearance of faith the society looks like a naked shingled beach. Kenneth Allott finds in the lines,
BACKGROUND:
Dover Beach has been said to be a great representation of the Victorian Period as a whole,
and depicts a tone and mood of society and how they felt at the time. For instance, at around the same
time Arnold was in his prime and taking on this poem (1851-1857), London had just underwent a rapid
population growth, going from 2 million to 6.5 million inhabitants. In doing so, this also marked the time in
which London became the first country to move towards an industrialized society, making many feel
useless and no longer necessary with such technological advancements taking over so quickly .
Many suffered from this fast-paced expansion in the early part of the Victorian era, making it known as
the Times of Trouble, taking a large toll on human happiness.This accounted for several writers to take
on a melancholy tone in their work, Arnold being known for this, especially in Dover Beach. Dover Beach
represents the Victorian era so perfectly, because Arnold doesn't ground himself or have a specific focus.
He seems lost and lonely, making no mention of another human being by him. Universal problems that
Victorians experienced at the time are made present, such as a loss of faith.

With these rapid developments, many were forced or given new beliefs, more scientific views and
discoveries, rather than religious ones. While he starts off hopeful, by the poem's end, the last stanza is
the reality of the harshness of the world and his discontent with the way things were shifting at this point.
For in the Norton Anthology, it says that Victorians, "suffered from an anxious sense of loss, a sense too
of being displaced persons in a world made alien by technological changes that had been exploited too
quickly for the adaptive powers of the human psyche" Giving reason behind Arnold's somber tone, as if
he is coming to terms with the way things work in the world, feeling depressed and lost, as if everything
he had come to know prior, was all a lie, or false reality of the world

THE END……