Summary
Summary Line by line analysis of A Hard Frost by C.D.Lewis
- Course
- Institution
A full line by line analysis, including tone and themes, of the poem A Hard Frost for Grade 12 NSC examinations in English Home Language.
[Show more]
Seller
Followmuhammadazeez
Content preview
A Hard Frost:Initially the poet is describing the frost that formed overnight. The setting is winter – not so
beautiful.
Frost is seen as a very negative aspect of nature.
Hard – something destructive, frost normally damages plants. Initially the negative depiction of the
frost is a façade.
2 ways to look at the frost – when it covers the country side, it makes everything look beautiful
Also, the frost initially seems to be destructive but at the end the poet says that the frost is not so
harmful after all
Line 1: the frost is being personified as a person – as a thief (stole) – generally thiefs come at night –
very negative. As if the frost has altered the entire appearance of the country side overnight. A
completely different sight.
Line 2: changeling – metaphor – a magical, mystical sense, it was believed then that fairies would
come at night and switch babies – the dry countryside has been swapped for a frost. Also,a sense of
distrust fairies in those days could not be trusted, so now this frost should not be trusted
Line 2,3 – precocious image – it is not actually spring; it is just a façade. Too brilliant to be true – it is
unbelievable, all the glitter, its too attractive to be true
Line 4: white lilac – describing spring flowers – the frost has seemed to have created the pattern of
white lilac, not actually the flower – a façade
Line 4,5: the catkin is not really there, the frost is creating a pattern of the catkin
Line 5: maydiff – another flower
The poem has an extended metaphor – all the flowers described.
Line 6: elms – trees – they are not there anymore – links to line 1 stole – instead everything has been
replaced with this frost that changes the appearance of everything
Line 7,8: blossomers in crystal - metaphor – the elm tree. They seem to be laden with this hard frost
and are sparkling so the expected scene would be that they are reaching into the sky. But they seem
to just look like stems of mist
Line 8,9: melodramatic amorphous – no shape. Making the impression that something new has
been created (like spring) blind tissue – how something beautiful was created from something
shapeless and unpleasant
Stanza 1 has given a description of what spring should look like but everything happening at the
moment is a façade – it is not right.
Line 10: the sun looks out – personification - the sun rises – the frost will not last forever. Fields
blaze with diamonds – metaphor – the sun shines on the frost/dew drops – on the frost-gladen fields
and It glitters like a diamond – image of fake beauty – it will not last forever
Line 11 – mockery spring – line 2,3 – precocious image. It is not real. They have been tricked by the
frost as it is not actually spring. He then qualifies this claim – lend – something temporary, it must be
returned. The frost has lent the countryside this beauty and it must be returned. Metaphor – bridal
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller muhammadazeez. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $2.70. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
53008 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 15 years now