6.2　課后習題詳解

William Blake

The Lamb

1Does this poem describe a lamb or the mind of the child who is speaking to the lamb? What is the relation of the lamb and the child to God?

Key: The poem describes the mind of the child who is speaking to the lamb by which shows the gentleness and tenderness of the lamb.

The lamb is the symbol of the child to the God. It shows the love of God that he creates the lamb and Jesus is often called the lamb of the God. So, the poem not only appreciates the kindness of the lamb but also praise the mysterious power which creates the lamb. In this sense, God, Jesus and the lamb combine together.

2What does the Lamb stand for?

Key: The Lamb stands for Jesus Christ, who was offered by God as the final sacrifice for the sins of humankind. The Lamb and Jesus have virtues in common: gentleness, tenderness, kindness and compassion. So, the Lamb also stands for these good attributes.

The Tiger

1Why does the poet mention the Lamb? Do you think both the Lamb and the Tiger can illuminate each other?

Key: The Tiger is corresponding to The Lamb. Both the poems show the poet’s exploration, understanding and plaint of the mysterious creation. In this poem, the poet implies that the Tiger is created by God as well as the Lamb. So the Tiger and the Lamb share the same creator and have some kind of relationship.

Yes, I think both the Lamb and the Tiger can illuminate each other. The lamb represents the kind and gentle humanities, but it lacks the motivation to make progress. While the tiger will cause the social misery, unrest or even disruption, but it can stimulate people’s creativity. So, the tiger becomes the symbol of strength and courage. In this sense, the Tiger and the Lamb can illuminate each other.

2What is the symbolic meaning of the tiger? What idea does the poet want to express?

Key: The tiger symbolizes the God’s power in creation and it becomes the embodiment of beauty, strength, vitality and complexity.

The poet’s idea is that God not only create the kind lamb but also create the tough tiger. So, God is mysterious and complicated and nobody can indeed know about God.

The Sick Rose

1In what sense do you think the rose is “sick”?

Key: On a superficial and literal level, the rose is invaded by the worm and become sick. On a deeper level, the “sick” rose has several symbolic meanings: a) the rose symbolizes young girls, and the worm refers to impure love of men, which defiles the girls’ chastity. Thus, the girls are destroyed. b) The rose symbolizes the toiling masses that are under the exploitation and oppression of the capitalism represented by the worm. It means that there is something wrong with the whole social system. c) The rose symbolizes the soul and spirit of man, while the worm symbolizes the ugly and evil aspects of humanity. The rose is “sick”, because that innocence is replaced by experience, and the virtues are replaced by the evil as well.

2Should there be any symbolic meanings for the night and the storm? If so, what meanings would you suggest?

Key: Yes, there are some symbolic meanings for the night and the storm.

Based on the symbolic meanings of the rose and the worm, we can find that the night and the storm symbolize the deceit and impure love of men, the progress of capitalism and the process of gaining experience.

Robert Burns

A Red, Red Rose

1How does the narrator in the poem express his love?

Key: The narrator uses rhetoric devices in this poem to express his love, such as simile and exaggeration. At first, the poet compares his lover to a red rose and beautiful melodie, which are very lovely and attractive to himself and arouse the love in his heart. And then, the poet say that he will not change his love for his lover even though “the seas gang dry” and “the rocks melt wi’ the sun” as well as “the sands o’life shall run”. What’s more, the narrator directly speaks out his love as well-“So deep in luve am I / And I will luve thee still, my dear”.

2Why is this poem so touching to the readers?

Key: Because this poem shows a kind of true love and real feelings of the poet toward his lover, which is always touching to people. In the poem, the poet expresses his love in a very powerful and efficient way, and it really can arouse the love feelings in the readers’ hearts.

Auld Lang Syne

1What does “cup o’kindness” imply?

Key: The poem is a narrative poem praising for friendship. After reading the whole poem we can find that “cup o’kindness” implies the friendship between the narrator and his friends.

2How do you know the people in the poem used to be friends and are now old?

Key: “Cup o’kindness” is mentioned twice in this poem-in the second and the last sections-which refer to their reunion occasions. The people in the poem used to be friends and now they are old. After the first “cup o’kindness”, the author begins to recall their joyful life; they have run in the brae, picked up the fine gowans, and wandered a long and weary journey, paddled in the stream all the day. But all the nice memory has been the history “Sun’ auld lang syne”. Then comes to the present gathering, there is one more “cup o’kindness” to imply that how much the author really worships the friendship and wish for it forever.

William Wordsworth

1What is the relation between the poet and nature as described in the poem?

Key: The beauty of the nature can make the poet happy and joyful, and make his mind pure with little thought, and be precious wealth to him.

2Do you think nature can have healing effect on mind?

Key: Yes, I think that nature can have healing effect on mind. Nature is free from pressure and worries. It is full of beauty and attractions. While human beings have to deal with many troubles, and every now and then they need to have a good rest and get rid of their troubles from their minds. Throwing oneself into the bosom of nature is an effective way to relax and enjoy the true pleasure and beauty. When you are in nature, you will forget about those annoying matter that troubles you and your soul will be purified and cleansed.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge

1Coleridge claimed that the poem was “composed in a sort of reverie brought on by two grains of opium”. Could you find similar cases in the Chinese literary history?

Key: Yes, Li Po liked drinking and sometimes he wrote poems in a trance state.

2Can we say this poem has no coherent meaning and is wrapped up in an atmosphere of the supernatural and the fantastic? Give your opinions.

Key: Yes, we can. The poet wrote this poem after he took the opium, and his thoughts were fragmental. He just wrote down what occurred to him. Thus, there were only pieces of meaning rather than coherent meaning.

At the same time, the poem is wrapped up in an atmosphere of the supernatural and the fantastic. The poet mentioned “Alph, the sacred river”, “a waning moon was haunted / By woman wailing for her demon-lover”, and “His flashing eyes, his floating hair! / Weave a circle round him thrice”… —these give people a sense of supernatural and fantastic.