In-depth analysis of the poem On the Grasshopper and the Cricket. This document consists of 4 resources compiled into one. All the important notes are labeled to make the summary as short as possible for easy learning
Title: On the grasshopper and the cricket
Summary: The cheerful song of the grasshopper and the cricket comforts the speaker that the "poetry of earth is
never dead" and is bound together in joy.
Analysis:
Stanza 1: The song of the grasshopper brings hope, showing that the beauty in nature is never-ending.
Line 2 – 5:
- When all the creatures feel too weak to bring life, the grasshopper fills the gap.
- It makes sure that there is never silence (poetry is never dead).
- Nature can simultaneously be harsh and beautiful.
Tone: Positive
- Cooling, luxury, delights, fun, at ease.
1 The poetry of earth is never dead: Meaning: There will always be beauty in something.
Reason: Nature creates beauty through colour and sound.
Metaphor ‘poetry of earth’: The beauty always found in nature is
compared to the beauty always found in poetry.
Colon: A description of the poetry of the earth will follow.
2 When all the birds are faint with the hot Meaning: It is so hot that even the birds feel faint, but they are not
sun, left in the heat.
Personification ‘birds are faint’: Birds are given the human
quality of fainting.
3 And hide in cooling trees, a voice will run Meaning: Nature provides the shade to hide in/take shelter.
“Voice will run”: creates energy, moves poem forward.
4 From hedge to hedge about the new- Semi-colon: The grasshopper is introduced into the poem after
mown mead; his song has been heard.
Alliteration ‘New-mown mead; hedge to hedge: Emphasises
the large area where he breaks the silence
5 That is the Grasshopper’s — he takes the Personification ‘he takes the lead’: The grasshopper is given
lead human quality of leading, singing and having fun.
Lead: The grasshopper takes the lead in singing, enjoying the day
and having fun. (Shows the rest how to find joy)
Em dash: Creates a long pause – just like the grasshopper is
resting.
6 In summer luxury, — he has never done Summer luxury: Summer is luxury - doesn’t complain about heat.
He has never done: He never stops finding delights in everything.
Em dash + comma: Makes the pause even longer. (Rest longer)
7 With his delights; for when tired out with With his delights: Grasshopper enjoys delights of the hot day.
fun For when tired out with fun: When he is tired, he is tired not from
work but from having fun.
Fun: Singing / playing / running, in luxury.
8 He rests at ease beneath some pleasant Meaning: He rests in the shade of weeds.
weed. Oxymoron ‘pleasant weed’: Weeds are usually perceived as
unpleasant, but here it creates shelter for the grasshopper.
*The speaker finds beauty in everything.
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 chanellesteyn. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $5.69. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
