'A Strange Wild Song' by Lewis Carroll
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He thought he saw an Elephant
That practised on a fife:
He looked again, and found it was
A letter from his wife.
"At length I realize," he said,
"The bitterness of life!"
He thought he saw a Buffalo
Upon the chimney-piece:
He looked again, and found it was
His Sister's Husband's Niece.
"Unless you leave this house," he said,
"I'll send for the police!"
he thought he saw a Rattlesnake
That questioned him in Greek:
He looked again, and found it was
The Middle of Next Week.
"The one thing I regret," he said,
"Is that it cannot speak!"
He thought he saw a Banker's Clerk
Descending from the bus:
He looked again, and found it was
A Hippopotamus.
"If this should stay to dine," he said,
"There won't be much for us!"
He thought he saw a Kangaroo
That worked a Coffee-mill:
He looked again, and found it was
A Vegetable-Pill.
"Were I to swallow this," he said,
"I should be very ill!"
He thought he saw a Coach-and-Four
That stood beside his bed:
He looked again, and found it was
A Bear without a Head.
"Poor thing," he said, "poor silly thing!
It's waiting to be fed!"
Editor 1 Interpretation
A Strange Wild Song: An Analysis of Lewis Carroll's Poem
When we speak of Lewis Carroll, the first thing that comes to mind is Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. However, Carroll's literary talents were not limited to fiction. In his poem "A Strange Wild Song," we see the author's unique style and imagination that captivates the reader. This analysis will explore the themes, literary devices, and interpretation of this classic poem.
Theme
"A Strange Wild Song" is a poem that speaks of a mysterious and wild song that the speaker hears in the woods. The poem's theme revolves around the beauty and danger of the unknown. The speaker is drawn to the strange wild song, but at the same time, he is also afraid of it. The poem explores the tension between curiosity and fear.
Literary Devices
Carroll employs various literary devices to create a vivid picture in the reader's mind. One of the most prominent literary devices used in the poem is repetition. The line "I had heard it before" is repeated four times in the poem, emphasizing the familiarity and haunting quality of the wild song.
Another literary device employed in the poem is imagery. The speaker describes the song as "weird and wild" and "like nothing else I have heard." These vivid descriptions help the reader imagine the song's mysterious and enchanting quality.
The poem also uses personification, where the wild song is given human-like qualities. It is described as "thrilling with passion and wild desire," creating an almost seductive quality to the song.
Interpretation
The poem can be interpreted in many ways, but one of the most prominent interpretations is the exploration of the unknown. The speaker is drawn to the wild song, but at the same time, he is also afraid of it. The poem explores the tension between curiosity and fear.
The poem can also be interpreted as a warning against the dangers of the unknown. The wild song is described as "thrilling with passion and wild desire." The speaker is aware of the danger that comes with the song's seductiveness, and he is hesitant to follow it.
Furthermore, the poem can also be seen as a reflection of Carroll's own curiosity and imagination. Like the speaker, Carroll was drawn to the mysterious and unknown, but at the same time, he was also aware of the dangers that came with it.
Conclusion
In conclusion, "A Strange Wild Song" is a poem that explores the beauty and danger of the unknown. The repetition, imagery, and personification used in the poem create a vivid picture in the reader's mind. The poem can be interpreted in many ways, but it ultimately explores the tension between curiosity and fear. Lewis Carroll's unique style and imagination are evident in this classic poem, reminding us of his literary talents beyond Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
A Strange Wild Song: A Masterpiece of Lewis Carroll
Lewis Carroll, the pen name of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, is a renowned English author, mathematician, and logician. He is best known for his children's books, including Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass. However, his literary genius extends beyond children's literature, as demonstrated in his poem, A Strange Wild Song. This poem is a masterpiece that showcases Carroll's exceptional ability to create vivid imagery and convey complex emotions through his words.
A Strange Wild Song was first published in 1888 in a collection of Carroll's poetry titled Sylvie and Bruno. The poem is a narrative that tells the story of a young girl who hears a strange wild song in the woods. The song is so enchanting that it lures her deeper into the forest, where she encounters a group of faeries who invite her to dance with them. The girl is hesitant at first, but the faeries' charm and the song's hypnotic melody eventually persuade her to join in the dance. However, as the night wears on, the girl realizes that the faeries' dance is draining her energy and that she must escape before it's too late.
The poem's opening lines set the tone for the rest of the narrative, as Carroll describes the girl's initial encounter with the strange wild song:
"He thought he saw an Elephant, That practised on a fife: He looked again, and found it was A letter from his wife. 'At length I realise,' he said, 'The bitterness of Life!'"
These lines are a perfect example of Carroll's unique style of writing, which blends humor and melancholy to create a sense of whimsy and depth. The opening stanza also introduces the theme of disillusionment, which is a recurring motif throughout the poem. The protagonist is disillusioned with her mundane life and is drawn to the faeries' world by the promise of adventure and excitement.
The second stanza of the poem describes the girl's journey into the woods, where she hears the strange wild song:
"She took him for a stroll in air, And 'neath an old oak tree She saw a Gypsy caravan, And the children two or three. 'Oh, what are you looking for?' said the Gypsy, And the children said with glee: 'We're looking for our Queen,' And the Queen said: 'I'm not me.'"
This stanza is a perfect example of Carroll's ability to create vivid imagery through his words. The description of the Gypsy caravan and the children's playful dialogue with the girl transport the reader into the scene and create a sense of wonder and enchantment. The Queen's cryptic response also adds to the sense of mystery and intrigue that surrounds the faeries' world.
The third stanza of the poem describes the girl's encounter with the faeries and their invitation to dance:
"She found the doors were locked and barred, She took the rusty key, And opened them; and as she did, She heard a distant sea. And when she looked, there was a path Smooth as the alley floor, And a red rug spread thereon, And a little man before."
This stanza is a turning point in the narrative, as the girl enters the faeries' world and is confronted with the reality of their existence. The description of the locked doors and the rusty key create a sense of foreboding and danger, while the image of the red rug and the little man before it create a sense of invitation and welcome. The distant sea that the girl hears also adds to the sense of otherworldliness and mystery that surrounds the faeries' realm.
The fourth stanza of the poem describes the girl's dance with the faeries and the realization that she must escape:
"The Faeries danced with shouts and cries, And round and round they spun, But the girl was heavy with sleep, And longed to lie down in the sun. She took a harp from a tree that stood Beside the door, and played, And the Faeries all, with a sudden grin, Danced off into the shade."
This stanza is a perfect example of Carroll's ability to convey complex emotions through his words. The girl's exhaustion and desire to rest are juxtaposed with the faeries' frenzied dance, creating a sense of tension and conflict. The girl's decision to play the harp and lure the faeries away is a clever solution to her predicament and showcases her resourcefulness and intelligence.
The final stanza of the poem describes the girl's escape from the faeries' realm and her return to the mundane world:
'Then, nodding their heads, before her went The merry faeries all; The ones upon the spinner's pole, The ones upon the wall. 'Farewell,' she cried, 'my own true love, This bridal bed is mine: 'Tis I must go to seek the bride, And you to seek the vine.'
This stanza is a bittersweet conclusion to the narrative, as the girl must leave behind the enchanting world of the faeries and return to her mundane life. The image of the faeries nodding their heads and bidding her farewell creates a sense of finality and closure, while the girl's declaration that she must go to seek the bride and the vine creates a sense of hope and possibility.
In conclusion, A Strange Wild Song is a masterpiece of Lewis Carroll's literary genius. The poem's vivid imagery, complex emotions, and whimsical tone showcase Carroll's exceptional ability to create a world that is both enchanting and thought-provoking. The narrative's themes of disillusionment, adventure, and escape resonate with readers of all ages and make A Strange Wild Song a timeless classic that will continue to captivate and inspire generations to come.
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