First year intermediate - English - Summary (poetry)

Summary from Poetry

The Abbot of Canterbury

Introduction:

The poem The Abbot of Canterbury, included in our book, is a ballad. Ballads have crude language because fine writing would not be suitable for the telling of this straightforward and amusing folk story. King John ruled England from 1199 to 1219, was a very unpleasant man and a thoroughly bad kind.

Structure of Poem:

The Abbot of Canterbury is a ballad of unknown poet telling an ancient story consisting of 100 lines of regular rhythm.

Summary:

There was a king of England whose name was King John. He ruled England very cruelly and he always did the wrong thing. Once he came to know that there was an Abbot of Canterbury who was leading life better than the king. He had one hundred servants and each one there wore fifty gold chains and velvet coat. They where always ready to serve the Abbot. For very minor things they used to go to the city of London.

This way of leading life angered the king and his sent for the Abbot to explain his position before the king. The Abbot said to him that he was spending the money so luxuriously because he had inherited a lot of money from his fore fathers. The king disbelieved him and charged him to be a traitor.

The king said to Abbot that his life and properties would be confiscated by the government if he could not answer his three questions. There was given three weeks time to answer those questions.

• The first question was what his worth and value was when he was having such a precious crown on his head.

• The second question was how soon he could make the journey of the whole world.

• The third question was that he was thinking at that time when he was talking to the Abbot of Canterbury.

After listening three questions the Abbot was very much confuse. He confessed that he had no mind to answer those difficult questions. He went to many universities but no one was able to answer him.

Then the shepherd of the Abbot offered him that he would imposter the Abbot prodded he was given the relevant dress of the Abbot.

In reply to the first question he said that his value was twenty-nine pence. In response to the second question he said if he rose with the sun and rode with the same he would complete the journey of the world in 24 hours. In response to the third question he said that he thinking that he was talking to the Abbot by he was not the Abbot but the shepherd. The king was very happy, he rewarded him and pardoned the Abbot.

Incident of French Camp

Introduction of the Poet:

The poem The Incident of French Camp is composed by great English poet Robert browning. The browning was extremely religious and because of his religious opinions, he was excluded from university or public school. He was educated at home under a private tutor, and spends his modest time in gathering the best literature in English, French, Latin and Greek.

Introduction of the Poem:

This is subjective poem; the incident reported in this dramatic poem happened in 1809. The poem for all its weaknesses is fast moving and exciting, the poem consisting of 35 lines of regular rhythm.

Summary:

In this poem, Browning paints the picture of an incident of the French Camp, in dramatic version. He describes the heroic action of a wounded soldier, who’s heroic devotion to duty and his pride in it and inspiring and worthy of admiration. The poet has given a poetic amount of incidence that took place during the attack of French army on German City Ratisbon.

During the attack of French army on Ratisbon, Napoleon was much worried about the result. Germans were defending Ratisbon with great determination and coverage. Napoleon’s future plan depends upon the result. Napoleon was not able to conquer Germany and neighboring states. He was standing on mound near the battlefield watching the war.

All of sudden a rider appeared from the closed smoke and dust. Full galloping he approached near the mound where Napoleon was standing. As the came closer Napoleon notice that he was a young boy seriously wounded and not far from his death. As he came near he jumped of the horse and gave happy news of victory. He exclaimed with joy that French had conquered the Ratisbon and he himself has hoisted the flag of France on German city with a little touch of pride in lie tone he informed Napoleon that he has played an important role in the victory at the risk of his life. Actually he expected some words of appreciation from his Emperor.

“A work of real merit wants favour at last.”

________________________A.B. Alcott

Napoleon was very much delighted by the news of victory. He reflected an expression of joy just for a moment but he quickly connected his feeling. In fact he had noticed showing concern he asked the young boy about his injuries.

The formula question was misunderstood by the young soldier. He thought that the Emperor had utterly ignored his remarkable courage.

“A killing tongue but a quite sword.”

_________________ Shakespeare

The young soldier had done a great job for his homeland and hand almost bride down his life for the victory of France. Napoleon’s question deeply hurt his self respect. He announced:

“I am killed sire.”

After saying these words he fell before his master and died with a grateful smile on his face. He was proud that he had done his duty for his homeland at the cost of his life.

Lucy Gray

Introduction of the Poet:

William Word Worth was born in 1770 at Cockermouth in Lake District. He was educated at Hawkshed Grammar School and then at St. John’s College, Cambridge. His early poems reflect his love for natural beauty, which he expressed in a unique and artificial style. Some of William’s poems are Lyrical Ballads, Poems in Two Volumes and An Evening Walk. William Words Worth is also known for his achievements as a critic.

Introduction of the Poem:

Poem entitled Lucy Gray was written in 1799 and published in the second edition of “Lyrical Ballads.” It tells us the story of a simple tragedy in a cold bleak countryside. The poem has a steady and regular rhythm as a longer lines rhyme together as well as the shorter lines rhyme with each other. The language of the ballad is plain and simple.

Summary:

Lucy Gray was a beautiful little girl who lived in a wild moor with her parents. Their house was located in the countryside far away from the cities. Nobody neighbored their house and Lucy lived without having any friends and playmates.

In Western countryside, it is said that if the moon is clearly seen during daylight, a storm appears in that area. One-day Lucy’s mother went town for shopping in the noon. After a while, he father realized that the moon can be seen and predicted a storm in few hours. He quickly told Lucy to take a lantern and go to the town to help her mother. Lucy obeyed her father and was on her way to the city.

Unfortunately, the storm appeared as soon as Lucy left for the town. It started to snow thickly that made it difficult for Lucy to see through. As she was wandering in the snowy atmosphere, she fell in a crevice and died. Her mother somehow returned home at night.

When the little girl did not come back, her parents went out in the snowy mountains shouting for their daughter, but they never found Lucy. On their way home, they found footprints on a wooden bridge in the middle. They concluded that perhaps Lucy Gray fell down and had died.

When we go through the hills, a solitary song is heard in the wind, which echoes in the mountains. Some people think that she died that day while some say she lives as a part of nature.

Abou Ben Adhem

Introduction of the Poet:

James Henry Leigh Hunt was born in 1784. He was a religious man educated at Christ Hospital. He then became the editor and writer of a newspaper called The Examiner. His early poems are The Story ofRemini and Endymion. The earliest poems he wrote were published when he was in school. In English Literature, Leigh Hunt is known for his achievements as an editor, a critic and an essayist and not so much as a poet.

Introduction of the Poem:

Abou Ben Adhem is a poem with a religious concept. The poet has conveyed the ideas of happiness, peace and love through easy and flowing rhymed couplets.

“Love is in your heart which is given by God, so give it to others.”

__________________________________________ John Keats

The poem consists of 2 stanzas, which are composed of 11 lines. It also has some archaic words.

Summary:

Abou Ben Adhem was a religious person. One night when he was sleeping peacefully in his room, a sparkling light woke him up.

He found out that this bright light was due to the presence of an angel who was writing something in a golden book. Being a pious man, Abou was not afraid of the Angel and the silence in the room made him more courageous. He asked the angel what he was writing in the book. The reply Abou heard was that he was writing the names of all those people who love God. About asked the angel curiously if his name was in the list. The angel replied was negative. He then politely requested the angel to write his name as those people who love God’s fellow men. The angle wrote and disappeared.

The other night, it came again with a still glistening light and displayed the names of people whom God had blessed. Abou Ben Adhem saw that his name was on the top of the list and it led all the rest.

Moral:

This poem conducts the idea that we should love humanity and care for people.

“To get love from God, love the board.”

________________________________ Williams Wordsworth

The Toys

Introduction of the Poet:

The Toys in one of the beautiful poems composed by Conventry Patmore. Conventry Patmore was born in London in 1823. He had a religious bend of mind deeply associated with the everyday happenings of life. His publications are The Angel in the House and The Unknown Eros and Other Odes. Patmore died in 1896.

Introduction of the Poem:

The poem conveys the idea of mercy of God through an incident in the Poet’s house. The verses of this poem are different from other poems. The lines are uneven and are rhymed in an irregular manner.

Summary:

One night, the poet scolded his son for disobeying orders and talking in loud voice. The child went quietly to his bedroom with a gloomy heart. After some time, the poet realized that he had made a mistake, as his son was lonely and his mother had died. No one was there to cheer him up.

The poet, went into his son’s bedroom thinking that his child must be weeping and trying to sleep. But when he entered the room, he saw the boy calmly sleeping in bed. The poet noticed marks of tears on his cheeks. He also saw some toys neatly arranged on a table besides his son, which were kept to comfort the sad heart. The sight of the room was very uncomfortable for the poet. He felt sorry for his attitude and learning the importance of toys for the child.

The poet was inspired by the whole incident. He kissed his son and cleared the tears in his eyes. He understood that God loves his fellowmen more than a father loves his son. Then why should not God forgive the people who commit mistakes. He also realized that as the toys were of no importance to him, this world has no worth before God. We only console our hearts by the beauty of this world. This thought gave the poet a New Hope. He prayed all night with the feeling that God is merciful and would forgive him.

Moral:

We should forgive the mistakes of people and live with a friendly atmosphere. God is merciful on us and he forgives those people who forgive the mistakes of human beings.

“Let me be a little kindness, let me be a little blinder to the faults of those around me.”

________________________________________________________ Edgar A. Guest

The Character of a Happy Life

Introduction of the Poet:

The poem The Character of a Happy Life, has been written by Sir Henry Wotton. He was born in Kent and the son of country gentleman. In this poem Wotton has described the characteristics of a person who can truly be called a happy man.

Introduction of the Poem:

We find Wotton’s poem is a sharp sense of contrast between the uneasy life of the ambitious man and the contented life of man satisfied to live an obscure life of peaceful virtue. Sir Henry Wotton wrote from experience; for he was a distinguished servant of the crown who had seen for himself the rise and fall of ambitious men. The poem consisting of six stanzas of regular couplet rhymed.

“Nature is the peace not the Land.”

__________________________________ John Keats

Summary:

A person who has freedom of will and thought leads a happy life. He does not act according to other people’s wishes. His only weapon is his simplicity and truth.

Such an upright man is not a slave of his desires. He is always prepared for death. This man is not concerned about being famous or in what people say about him publicly or privately.

This upright man is not jealous of chance or foul play. He knows that flattery gives the deepest wounds. He does not abide by the rules of the society which compel a person to do unwanted deeds. He follows the rules of goodness which will lead him to the right path.

A happy man’s life is free from numerous when he is sad he retires in his comfort of clear conscience. He hasn’t got a high position. Therefore people don’t flatter him or nick him at his down fall. A happy man prays to God regularly. In this prayer he does not ask for rocks but he asks God to be gracious and merciful on him. His favourite positive is good book or friend. A man who is truly happy is free from slavery of his desires. He isn’t ambitious. He does not expect too much therefore his hopes aren’t shattered. He doesn’t fear a downfall. This man hasn’t got lands or wealth and yet he has everything. He has got the greatest wealth of contentment and happiness.

Conclusion:

The poet described the characteristics of a noble and happy man, who is honest, simple, not slave of his desires. He follows the rules of goodness, which will lead him to the right path.