'Lobster For Lunch' by Robert Service
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His face was like a lobster red,
His legs were white as mayonnaise:
"I've had a jolly lunch," he said,
That Englishman of pleasant ways.
"Thy do us well at our hotel:
In England food is dull these days."
"We had a big langouste for lunch.
I almost ate the whole of it.
And now I'll smoke and read my Punch,
And maybe siesta a bit;
And then I'll plunge into the sea
And get an appetite for tea."
We saw him plunge into the sea,
With jolly laugh, his wife and I.
"George does enjoy his food," said she;
"In Leeds lobsters are hard to buy.
How lucky we to have a chance
To spend our holiday in France!"
And so we watched him swim and swim
So far and far we scarce could see,
Until his balding head grew dim;
And then there came his children three,
And we all waited there for him, -
Ah yes, a little anxiously.
But George, alas! came never back.
Of him they failed to find a trace;
His wife and kids are wearing black,
And miss a lot his jolly face . . .
But oh how all the lobsters laugh,
And write in wrack his epitaph.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Lobster For Lunch: A Delectable Poem by Robert Service
As I sit down to write about Robert Service's Lobster For Lunch, I can't help but salivate at the thought of succulent pieces of lobster meat, drenched in butter, and served with a side of crispy fries. But Service's poem is not merely about a mouth-watering meal; it is a delightful exploration of human desire, pleasure, and contentment. In this literary criticism and interpretation, I aim to delve deep into the poem's themes, symbolism, structure, and language and provide a nuanced analysis of its meaning and significance.
First, let's take a look at the poem's structure. Lobster For Lunch is divided into three stanzas, each consisting of six lines. The rhyme scheme is AABBCC, which gives the poem a sing-song quality and adds to its light-hearted tone. The poem follows a regular meter of iambic tetrameter, with four iambs per line. This consistent structure and rhythm add to the poem's musicality and make it easy to read and memorize.
Now, let's move on to the poem's language and imagery. Service's use of vivid and sensory language creates a palpable atmosphere and makes the reader feel as though they are experiencing the meal firsthand. The opening lines of the poem, "Oh how I love lobster, / Its flavour divine, / With its tenderest texture, / And succulent brine," are a mouthful in more ways than one. The alliteration of "love lobster" and "succulent brine" adds to the poem's musicality and emphasizes the speaker's passion for lobster. The adjectives "tenderest" and "succulent" create an image of something soft, juicy, and delicious, which is reinforced by the "brine," or salty water that the lobster is cooked in.
Throughout the poem, Service uses food-related metaphors and similes to convey the speaker's pleasure and contentment. For example, in the second stanza, the speaker says, "I'm happy as a clam, / A clam sizzling fried, / With my napkin on my lap, / And my fork at my side." The metaphor of being "happy as a clam" is a well-known idiom that means to be content and satisfied. By comparing himself to a clam that is sizzling fried, the speaker is emphasizing his own pleasure and satisfaction, as well as the enjoyment he derives from the meal. The image of having a napkin on his lap and a fork at his side adds to the poem's sensory and realistic quality, as though the reader is witnessing the scene in real-time.
Another notable aspect of the poem is its use of religious imagery and themes. In the final stanza, the speaker says, "It's a gastronomic blessing, / That God in His grace, / Has given us lobster, / To find in this place." The use of the word "blessing" suggests a spiritual or divine element to the speaker's appreciation of the meal. The speaker's gratitude towards God for providing him with such a delicious food is reminiscent of a religious prayer or hymn. The idea of finding lobster in "this place" also has a biblical connotation, as though the lobster is a gift from God that needs to be discovered and appreciated.
One interpretation of the poem is that it is a celebration of hedonism and pleasure-seeking. The speaker's intense love for lobster is a metaphor for his desire for pleasure and satisfaction in life. The use of food-related metaphors and similes reinforces this interpretation, as though the speaker is equating the pleasures of the table with the pleasures of life. However, the final stanza's religious imagery suggests that the speaker's appreciation of pleasure is tempered by a sense of gratitude and humility towards a higher power.
Another interpretation of the poem is that it is a commentary on the fleeting nature of pleasure and the transience of life. The poem's sing-song quality and light-hearted tone create a sense of carefree enjoyment, but the final stanza's religious imagery suggests a deeper message. The idea that lobster is a "gastronomic blessing" that has been "given" to us by God implies a sense of transience and impermanence. The meal is a fleeting pleasure that will eventually come to an end, and the speaker's gratitude towards God for providing it suggests a sense of appreciation for the momentary pleasures of life.
In conclusion, Robert Service's Lobster For Lunch is a delectable poem that celebrates the pleasures of life while also acknowledging their transience and impermanence. The poem's use of vivid and sensory language, food-related metaphors and similes, and religious imagery create a rich and layered experience that allows the reader to enjoy the meal alongside the speaker. The poem's sing-song quality and regular meter make it easy to read and memorize, while the final stanza's deeper message adds a sense of depth and significance. Overall, Lobster For Lunch is a delightful and thought-provoking poem that reminds us to appreciate life's pleasures while we have them.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Lobster For Lunch: A Deliciously Poetic Journey
Robert Service, the renowned poet, has left us with a legacy of beautiful and thought-provoking poems. One of his most famous works, Lobster For Lunch, is a delightful journey through the eyes of a hungry traveler. In this 2000-word analysis, we will explore the poem's themes, structure, and literary devices, and try to understand why it has stood the test of time.
The poem begins with the traveler's hunger pangs, which are so intense that he can barely think of anything else. He is in a small fishing village, and the only thing on his mind is finding something to eat. The first stanza sets the tone for the rest of the poem, with its vivid descriptions of the traveler's hunger:
Oh, how I love lobster, done Thermidor And there's nothing so fine as a glass of chilled wine And a lobster to end a sea-shore.
The traveler's love for lobster is evident from the very beginning. He craves it so much that he can almost taste it. The use of the word "Thermidor" is significant here, as it is a French term that refers to a specific way of cooking lobster. This shows that the traveler is not just hungry, but also a connoisseur of food.
The second stanza introduces us to the setting of the poem - a small fishing village by the sea. The traveler is on a quest to find the perfect lobster, and he is willing to go to great lengths to find it:
So I wandered the shore, and I searched evermore, Till I came to a fisherman's door.
The use of alliteration in this stanza, with the repeated "s" sounds, creates a sense of movement and urgency. The traveler is on a mission, and he will not stop until he finds what he is looking for.
The third stanza introduces us to the fisherman who will provide the traveler with his lobster. The fisherman is a gruff and surly character, but he knows his trade well:
He was gruff, he was surly, but he knew his trade surely, And he showed me the finest he'd got.
The use of the word "surely" in this stanza is significant, as it shows that the fisherman is confident in his abilities. He knows that he has the best lobster in the village, and he is not afraid to show it off.
The fourth stanza is where the traveler finally gets his lobster. The fisherman prepares it for him, and the traveler is in awe of its beauty:
It was big, it was meaty, it was cooked to a T, And it looked like a gift from the gods.
The use of the word "meaty" in this stanza is significant, as it shows that the lobster is not just a delicacy, but also a substantial meal. The traveler is not just satisfying his hunger, but also his desire for something substantial and satisfying.
The fifth stanza is where the traveler finally gets to eat his lobster. He savors every bite, and the experience is so intense that he forgets everything else:
I ate it with relish, I ate it with zest, And I forgot all the world and its woes.
The use of the words "relish" and "zest" in this stanza is significant, as they show that the traveler is not just eating to satisfy his hunger, but also to enjoy the experience. He is savoring every bite, and the lobster is providing him with a moment of pure pleasure.
The sixth and final stanza is where the traveler reflects on his experience. He realizes that the lobster was not just a meal, but also a moment of pure joy:
Oh, how I love lobster, done Thermidor, And there's nothing so fine as a glass of chilled wine And a lobster to end a sea-shore.
The repetition of the first stanza in the final stanza is significant, as it shows that the traveler's love for lobster has not diminished. He has had his fill, but he still craves more. The use of the words "end a sea-shore" in this stanza is significant, as it shows that the traveler's journey has come to an end. He has found what he was looking for, and he is satisfied.
In terms of structure, Lobster For Lunch is a six-stanza poem with a consistent rhyme scheme (ABCBDE). The use of consistent rhyme creates a sense of rhythm and flow, which adds to the poem's overall beauty. The poem is also written in iambic tetrameter, which means that each line has four iambs (a metrical foot consisting of one stressed syllable followed by one unstressed syllable). This creates a sense of movement and urgency, which adds to the poem's overall tone.
In terms of literary devices, Lobster For Lunch is full of them. The use of alliteration, repetition, and rhyme has already been mentioned. The poem also uses imagery to create a vivid picture of the traveler's journey. The use of the words "big" and "meaty" to describe the lobster, for example, creates a sense of its size and substance. The use of the words "relish" and "zest" to describe the traveler's enjoyment of the lobster creates a sense of its taste and texture.
In conclusion, Lobster For Lunch is a beautiful and thought-provoking poem that takes the reader on a journey through the eyes of a hungry traveler. The poem's themes of hunger, satisfaction, and joy are universal, and its use of literary devices creates a vivid and memorable picture of the traveler's journey. Robert Service has left us with a legacy of beautiful and thought-provoking poems, and Lobster For Lunch is a shining example of his talent and skill.
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