Summary
Summary IT IS A BEAUTEOUS EVENING CALM AND FREE Poem analysis gr 12
- Course
- English Home Language
- Institution
- 12th Grade
IT IS A BEAUTEOUS EVENING CALM AND FREE – William Wordsworth Poem analysis matric grade 12
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IT IS A BEAUTEOUS EVENING CALM AND FREE – William Wordsworth1. It is a beauteous evening, calm and free,
2. The holy time is quiet as a Nun
3. Breathless with adoration; the broad sun
4. Is sinking down in its tranquility;
5. The gentleness of heaven broods o'er the Sea;
6. Listen! the mighty Being is awake,
7. And doth with his eternal motion make
8. A sound like thunder—everlastingly.
9. Dear child! dear Girl! that walkest with me here,
10. If thou appear untouched by solemn thought,
11. Thy nature is not therefore less divine:
12. Thou liest in Abraham's bosom all the year;
13. And worshipp'st at the Temple's inner shrine,
14. God being with thee when we know it not.
POEM ANALYSIS:
THE TITLE:
The speaker is struck by the physical beauty of the evening and the mood it creates. The
speaker views the scene through a spiritual lens and assures his young companion (believed
to be his daughter, Caroline) that God’s presence is everywhere, even if we are not fully
conscious of it.
SUMMARY:
The speaker in this poem is awestruck by the beauty of Nature, specifically the
evening time. He expresses his appreciation for the feeling of tranquillity he
experiences in Nature.
He views the scene through a (Christian) religious lens and assures his companion
(presumably his young daughter) that God’s presence is omnipotent. He states that
even if/when she does not express devotion to God, or spend time in a physical place
of worship, God is always present. (This reaction stems from her being seemingly
, unaffected by the incredible scene in front of them.) He ultimately praises God for the
creation of Nature.
FORM/STRUCTURE
• This is a Petrarchan (or Italian) sonnet consisting of 14 lines.
• The octave (first 8 lines) describes the breath-taking beauty of the scene.
• The sestet (last 6 lines) serves as the speaker’s comment on the beauty and spirituality
of the scene.
• He addresses his companion (his daughter) directly in the sestet and acts as a
ANALYSIS
LINE 1
It is a beauteous evening, calm and free,
• beauteous – beautiful
• The atmosphere is very peaceful and tranquil. A person is completely at ease; no
worries or stress.
• evening – is often the most gentle and quiet time of day.
• calm – suggests a mood that is peaceful, tranquil and utterly quiet.
• free – implies free of stress/worries/pain.
LINE 2
The holy time is quiet as a Nun
• Personification and simile add a religious element to the poem.: “holy time” (the
evening) is compared to a Nun that is quietas she is in prayer. She is close to God. She
loves God.
LINES 3-4
Breathless with adoration; the broad sun / Is sinking down in its tranquility;
• Breathless – cannot even hear her breathe. This emphasises the silence. Just as the nun
is ‘breathless with adoration’ so does the feeling of this time and place take away the
poet’s breath with awe at the beauty of God’s creation.
• The speaker links the beauty of Nature to God, the creator of Earth and its beauty.
• the broad sun – As the sun sets it seems to become a large orange-red ball and the
colours of sunset stretch out across the
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