These notes can be considered as answers to the following two questions: “Compare and contrast the character of the Knight in The Prologue with that of the Squire.” and “Write a short note on the portraits of the Knight and the Squire in The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales”. The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales […]
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Uncertainty about Chaucer The early life of Chaucer is clouded with uncertainty. It is, for example not known with any degree of certainty as to the year in which he was born. By common consent, the year of his birth is taken to be 1340, though it is possible that the actual year was up
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Opening of Poem At the round earths imagin’d corners, blowYour trumpets, Angells, and arise, ariseFrom death, you nuberlesse infinitesOf soules, an to your scattred bodies goe,All whom the flood did, all fire shal o’erthrow,All whom warre, dearth, age, argues, tyrannies,Despaire, law chances hath slaine, and you whose eyes,Shall behold God, and never tast deaths woe.But
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Paraphrase of Poem This is the last scene of the drama of my life. According to my destiny, I have reached the last mile of my journey’s end. My life has been like a running race; I have run the race quickly but without any purpose or achievement. This is my last step, the last
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Critical Appreciation Twickenham Garden is a sonorous (resonant; high-sounding) and thoughtful lyric. Who has been addressed in the poem Twickenham Garden? It was most probably addressed to the Countess Lucy of Bedford for whom Donne had a profound admiration. The lyric is distinguished by highly condensed feelings of sadness. The poet is obviously in a
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This poem “The Anniversaries” also known as “The Anniversary”, was written by John Donne on their first wedding anniversary. It is basically addressed to his wife Anne Moore. On the lapse of one year, the poet thinks that everything is drawing nearer to destruction, whereas their mutual love is everlasting. This poem can only be
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The poem “A Valediction Forbidden Mourning” was written by John Donne when he was leaving for Europe and his wife was staying at home. Both were in great love for each other and now they were separating from each other. The poet advises his wife not to lament and mourn on this temporary separation. In
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Good Friday, 1613 Riding Westward, is a religious poem, which was written by John Donne two years before his ordination in the Anglican Church. This is basically a personal poem in which he makes his personal assessment. He rides westward on a Good Friday. During his ride, he is overridden by a divine thought. He
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The word nocturnal means events or happenings during the night. Donne’s poem “A Nocturnal upon St. Lucy’s Day” contains his various thoughts and impressions on the night of Lucy’s days, which is the 13th day of December. It’s the day being the shortest of seven hours and the longest night of the year. St. Lucy
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The Relique is one of Donne’s important poems in which love has been dealt with in different planes. Though it has been addressed to one Mr. Magdalene Herbert. The poem begins with a horrible situation. The poet sarcastically points out that the graves are dug to bury another dead body. He compares this grave action
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