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‘Solitude’ by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
TITLE The title encapsulates the poem’s essence, which focuses on the isolation Laugh, and the world laughs with you;
often accompanying sorrow or hardship. It serves as a central motif around Weep, and you weep alone;
which the other themes revolve. For the sad old earth must borrow its mirth,
But has trouble enough of its own.
Sing, and the hills will answer; 5
‘Solitude’ by Ella Wheeler Wilcox describes the connection between one’s Sigh, it is lost on the air;
outlook on life and the friends and community one attracts. The echoes bound to a joyful sound,
But shrink from voicing care.
Imagery: This can be seen when the poet uses particularly interesting descriptions Rejoice, and men will seek you;
that should trigger the reader’s senses. For example, phrases like “the hills will Grieve, and they turn and go; 10
They want full measure of all your pleasure,
answer” or “the narrow aisles of pain” offer tangible analogies for intangible
But they do not need your woe.
emotions. Be glad, and your friends are many;
Be sad, and you lose them all,—
An analogy is an extensive comparison between one thing and another that is
There are none to decline your nectared wine, 15
very different from it. But alone you must drink life’s gall.
Feast, and your halls are crowded;
THEME TONE Fast, and the world goes by.
What does the
Succeed and give, and it helps you live,
The overarching The overarching poem have to say
But no man can help you die. 20
theme of ‘Solitude’ about relationships?
theme of ‘Solitude’ is There is room in the halls of pleasure
is the contrast The poem offers a For a large and lordly train,
the contrast
between social between social skeptical view of But one by one we must all file on
reactions to human human relationships, Through the narrow aisles of pain.
reactions to human
emotions, specifically emotions, suggesting they are
specifically often conditional on
happiness and
happiness and emotional states.
sorrow.
sorrow.
@Juffrou_Ansie
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The poem begins with the speaker making five statements
Laugh, and the world laughs with you; regarding how the “world” will react depending on whether you
Weep, and you weep alone; “Laugh” or “Weep.” Someone who is happy and upbeat is going
For the sad old earth must borrow its mirth,
to attract friends, while someone who “Sigh[s]” and weeps will not.
But has trouble enough of its own.
Sing, and the hills will answer; 5 The first stanza concludes with the two emotions being translated
Sigh, it is lost on the air; into sounds. The sound of singing will “bound” like a joyful echo
The echoes bound to a joyful sound, while the sigh will be ignored.
But shrink from voicing care.
Rejoice, and men will seek you;
Grieve, and they turn and go; 10
They want full measure of all your pleasure,
But they do not need your woe.
Through the next two stanzas, the
Be glad, and your friends are many;
speaker tries to make clear that
Be sad, and you lose them all,—
There are none to decline your nectared wine, 15 one should do whatever possible
But alone you must drink life’s gall. to maintain a happy life
surrounded by those who increase
Feast, and your halls are crowded; that happiness. Sadness will breed
Fast, and the world goes by.
Succeed and give, and it helps you live, nothing but solitude.
But no man can help you die. 20 Contrast: The poem extensively
There is room in the halls of pleasure uses contrast to juxtapose
For a large and lordly train, happiness with sorrow,
But one by one we must all file on companionship with solitude,
Through the narrow aisles of pain.
The poem concludes with the and success with failure. This
speaker adding that pain and highlights the conditional nature
death happen to everyone, but of societal interactions and
they will always be faced alone. relationships.
@Juffrou_Ansie
