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A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal

A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal

1.0About the Poet

William Wordsworth (1770-1850) was a romantic poet. He wrote poetry with full of imagery, usually based around the natural world. His poetry is mostly subjective like other romantic poets. He lived during the era of French Revolution which he supported at start but became against later on. Samuel Coleridge, a best friend of Wordsworth, was a great poet of the romantic era. He was contemporary poet who accelerated his romantic vision. Both were true lovers of nature and they were active members of Romanticism Movement.

2.0Central Idea

In the poem 'A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal' the poet tells us that one whom we love very much when leaves us, then our life comes to a standstill for some period of time. But it is undeniably true that anything can happen with anybody. In the poem, the poet's beloved was a young and beautiful woman.

Once she was full of life and vigour. But now she is trapped beneath the surface of the earth and revolves along with it. Thus, the poet gives an eternal message of life.

3.0A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal

In this poem, the poet describes his feelings when he thinks about the death of a loved one. He says that his soul has drifted into a deep sleep. He does not have any human fear. But, one day, when she passed away, he was not able to accept the truth. He had never thought that one day death would take her away. He has always taken life for granted. The poet is describing her dead body. He says that now, she is not able to make any physical motion or apply any force. She can neither hear his words nor can see him. She is now under the surface of the earth. She revolves with the earth and one day she will become similar to rocks, stones and trees.

4.0Poetic Devices used in the Poem

  • Alliteration- The repetition of a consonant sound at the start of two or more consecutive words is called Alliteration. Examples A slumber did my spirit seal Rolled round in earth's diurnal course,
  • Enjambment- When a sentence continues into two or more lines ending without any punctuation marks, it is called Enjambment. Examples "She seemed a thing that could not feel The touch of earthly years." "Rolled round in earth's diurnal course With rocks and stones and trees."

5.0Recall

  • This is one of the 'Lucy poems' from the author William Wordsworth.
  • The dedication of this poem is to the author's lover.
  • A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal talks about the death of the author's beloved Lucy.
  • This poem reflects on the thinking and feeling of the author regarding his beloved's death. Her death has sealed the soul of the author.
  • Furthermore, the author was in a state of deep sleep.
  • This is because the author didn't think about the harsh reality of life. Life was taken for granted here.
  • Most noteworthy, the author came to this realization regarding this harsh truth of life only after her death.
  • However, by this time it was too late. Now Lucy is buried within the Earth. Furthermore, dead Lucy now rotates along with the Earth. One day she will become part of the Earth itself.

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