YES: in the sea of life enisled,
With echoing straits between us thrown.
Dotting the shoreless watery wild,
We mortal millions live alone.
The islands feel the enclasping flow,
And then their endless bounds they know.
With echoing straits between us thrown.
Dotting the shoreless watery wild,
We mortal millions live alone.
The islands feel the enclasping flow,
And then their endless bounds they know.
But when the moon their hollow lights,
And they are swept by balms of spring,
And in their glens, on starry nights,
The nightingales divinely sing;
And lovely notes, from shore to shore,
Across the sounds and channels pour;
And they are swept by balms of spring,
And in their glens, on starry nights,
The nightingales divinely sing;
And lovely notes, from shore to shore,
Across the sounds and channels pour;
O then a longing like despair
Is to their farthest caverns sent!
For surely once, they feel, we were
Parts of a single continent.
Now round us spreads the watery plain--
O might our marges meet again!
Is to their farthest caverns sent!
For surely once, they feel, we were
Parts of a single continent.
Now round us spreads the watery plain--
O might our marges meet again!
Who order'd that their longing's fire
Should be, as soon as kindled, cool'd?
Who renders vain their deep desire?--
A God, a God their severence ruled;
And bade betwixt their shores to be
The unplumb'd, salt, estranging sea.
Should be, as soon as kindled, cool'd?
Who renders vain their deep desire?--
A God, a God their severence ruled;
And bade betwixt their shores to be
The unplumb'd, salt, estranging sea.
First Instinct
After reading through the poem, “To Marguerite” by Matthew Arnold, my first reaction to the text was that it described how humans are drifting apart over time. Before humans started drifting apart, individuals were unison with each other. However individuals began to develop different dreams and desires over time. As these dreams and desires differed from individual to individual, a rift began to develop between individuals too. Eventually, the rift between individuals increased dramatically. Now that individuals have drifted apart this dramatically, we are becoming lonely. This loneliness will eventually bring individuals back together.
Paraphrasing
In the world, life is isolated
With deep, terrifying distances between us.
Islands are randomly in the sea,
Millions of humans live alone.
The islands feel the tight flow,
And will be forever bounded.
With deep, terrifying distances between us.
Islands are randomly in the sea,
Millions of humans live alone.
The islands feel the tight flow,
And will be forever bounded.
When the moon shines bright,
And are comforts by the spring,
And in their narrow valley, on bright nights,
The nightingales sing beautiful
Notes from island to island;
Across the world the songs are heard;
And are comforts by the spring,
And in their narrow valley, on bright nights,
The nightingales sing beautiful
Notes from island to island;
Across the world the songs are heard;
After awhile misery begins to set in
However, misery is pushed away!
Before, this feeling they were
Part of the same piece of land.
But now they have drifted apart—
Might they drift together again!
However, misery is pushed away!
Before, this feeling they were
Part of the same piece of land.
But now they have drifted apart—
Might they drift together again!
Why did desire and the
Longing for togetherness has gone away?
Who can translate their deep yearns?
God ruled the islands separation;
and distance between shores
The unsound, salt, single sea.
Longing for togetherness has gone away?
Who can translate their deep yearns?
God ruled the islands separation;
and distance between shores
The unsound, salt, single sea.
SWIFTT
Syntax/ Word: In the first stanza of the poem there are two alliterations: watery wild and mortal millions. Also after further analyzing the poem, the reader can see in one of the lines, the author is referring to the separation of a couple.
Imagery: The author of the poem uses imagery throughout the poem. With the imagery throughout the poem, the readers are allowed to get a vivid picture of what the author is talking about. For example, the author talks about the echoing straits which symbolizes the distance between the humans. Another example of imagery is that “the island feeling the enclasping flow”, which symbolizes loneliness.
Figurative: The author uses alliterations: watery wild and mortal millions, in the first stanza.
Tone: The tone of the poem “To Marguerite” is negative. The type of negative tone is loneliness and sorrow.
Theme: The theme of the poem is that when there is a separation in a relationship, there is also loneliness.
Imagery: The author of the poem uses imagery throughout the poem. With the imagery throughout the poem, the readers are allowed to get a vivid picture of what the author is talking about. For example, the author talks about the echoing straits which symbolizes the distance between the humans. Another example of imagery is that “the island feeling the enclasping flow”, which symbolizes loneliness.
Figurative: The author uses alliterations: watery wild and mortal millions, in the first stanza.
Tone: The tone of the poem “To Marguerite” is negative. The type of negative tone is loneliness and sorrow.
Theme: The theme of the poem is that when there is a separation in a relationship, there is also loneliness.
Conclusion
After further analysis of the poem, I have come to the conclusion that my first reaction to the poem as similar to what the poem is actually about. “To Marguerite” is about the separation of a man and woman. The author of the poem is writing the poem to his ex-lover. With the separation the man fells lonely and separated from the world. This loneliness is indicated by the imagery of the islands. Arnold, the author, is hoping with the poem that the two lovers could be reunited.
